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Zohar on the Torah |
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Parshat Shemot - Zohar, Page 6b Translated and adapted by Mr. Simcha Treister Rabbi Elazar explained his seeing bird feathers burn, and hearing the verses recited by three children who passed in front of himself and Rabbi Yossi – all dealing with the troubles the Egyptians brought upon themselves by dealing harshly with the Jews in Egypt – as follows. The things hinted at by the bird and the three verses of the children are all one. Everything relates to a prophecy from on high, and the Holy One Blessed be He wishes to reveal us higher secrets from the spiritual worlds relating to what He is doing. This is the meaning of the verse: “Certainly the Lord, G-d, will do nothing without first revealing His secrets to His servants the prophets.”[1] Now Chachamim (Wise Torah Scholars) are at a higher level than prophets at all times. The Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) sometimes rests on a prophet and sometimes not, whereas the Holy Spirit never leaves Chachamim, even for one moment. They know what is going on in the spiritual worlds and in the physical world but either don’t wish, or don’t see a need, to reveal what they know. [This is as opposed to a prophet who is duty bound to reveal his prophecy.] Rabbi Yossi said that everything that one sees is wisdom, and the wise understand what is being hinted at by what they see and experience, but none are wiser than Rabbi Elazar. Rabbi Abba said in praise of the Chachamim that if it wasn’t for Torah Scholars, mankind wouldn’t be able to appreciate the Torah. They wouldn’t know what are the commandments of He Who rules the world. If mankind didn’t have this knowledge then there would be no difference between the spirit of man and the spirit of animals. Rabbi Yitzchak said that when G-d brings a final judgement down against a nation, He first judges the spiritual guardian of that nation in the higher worlds as it is written: “The Lord shall punish the spiritual army on high and then the kings of the earth upon the earth.”[2] And what is the judgement that this spiritual guardian undergoes in the spiritual world? They take him to that river Dinoor that issues and flows from the sphira of Malchut – Kingdom – and immediately remove his kingdom from him. Then it is immediately announced that the kingdom of that particular Guardian has been removed from him. This announcement pierces all the heavens until it reaches the understanding of those who are ruling that nation. Then a voice goes out and is heard throughout the whole world, until the announcement is picked up by birds, and little children, and those mentally handicapped people who are mistakenly thought to babble nonsense. [1] Amos 3,7 [2] Isaiah 24,21 |
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Ascent of Safed
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