Zohar Bamidbar Section 5 - Into Your Hand I Summit My Spirit

It is recommended to study the section prior to reading the Synopsis.

Zohar Sulam Commentary from Section 5 of Parasha Bamidbar

SYNOPSIS:

Rabbi Elazar explains that at night the Tree of Death rules in the world and therefore one must deposit his soul with God to keep it safe. During sleep everyone gets a taste of death, until morning comes and the Tree of Life awakens again. Rabbi Yehuda wonders why even gentiles can rise in the middle of the night even though the Tree of Death still reigns. Rabbi Elazar explains that even the idolatrous nations are joined to their aspect of the Defiled Spirit of the left, as everything that is above is likewise down below. He talks about the time when Bila'am could not curse Yisrael because there was no judgment hanging over them. Rabbi Elazar uses the analogy of a snake with the movements of its head and its tail to explain what is driving and controlling events below and above. The section closes with an explanation of "peculiar possession" which is deemed to be God's possession of the three Patriarchs and the priests, Levites and Yisrael.

Pasook 41. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Bamidbar

אָמַר ר' אֶלְעָזָר, כְּתִיב בְּיָדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי פָּדִיתָה אוֹתִי יְיָ' אֵל אֱמֶת. הַאי קְרָא אִית לֵיהּ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ, חֲמִיתּוּן מַאן דְּאַפְקִיד בִּידָא דְּמַלְכָּא מִידִי. אֶלָּא, וַדַּאי זַכָּאָה הוּא בַּר נָשׁ, דְּאָזִיל בְּאוֹרְחוֹי דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, וְלָא חָטֵי קַמֵּיהּ תָּא חֲזֵי, כֵּיוָן דְּעָאל לֵילְיָא, אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא שַׁלִּיט בְּעָלְמָא, וְאִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי אִסְתַּלָּק לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא. וְכֵיוָן דְּאִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא שַׁלִּיט בְּעָלְמָא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא טַעֲמִין טַעֲמָא דְּמוֹתָא. מ"ט. בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא אִילָנָא גָּרִים.

Transliteration

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Translation

Rabbi Elazar said: It is written, "Into Your hand I commit my spirit: You have redeemed me, Hashem, El of Truth" (Tehilim 31:5). This verse must be examined. Have you ever seen someone who would deposit something in the hands of the King, WHO IS THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE? AND HE REPLIES: Therefore most certainly, happy is the man that follows the ways of the Holy King and does not sin before Him. Come and behold: as soon as night falls, the Tree of Death rules in the world and the Tree of Life disappears high above. Then the Tree of Death is the sole ruler in the universe, and all inhabitants of the world taste of death SINCE SLEEP IS A ONE-SIXTIETH PORTION OF DEATH. What is the reason? Because this tree causes this; MALCHUT THAT REIGNS ALONE, WITHOUT ZEIR ANPIN, GIVES RISE TO THIS, SINCE, MALCHUT IS CALLED 'NIGHT'.

chanoch's Commentary

What is the Tree of Death? It is the Tree of Knowledge Good and Evil. It is the opposite of the Tree of Life. Rabbi Ashlag tells us that the Tree of Death is Malchut separated from Zeir Anpin. Is the Tree of Life then Malchut united with Zeir Anpin? Elsewhere the Torah says the Tree of Life is the 10 Sefirot united together. Is there a difference in these two perceptions of the Tree of Life? I will leave this to your contemplation.

Pasook 42. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Bamidbar

וּבַר נָשׁ בָּעֵי לְאַקְדְּמָא וּלְמִפְקַד בִּידֵיהּ נַפְשֵׁיהּ בְּפִקְדוֹנָא. כְּפִקְדוֹנָא דְּבַר נָשׁ, דְּיָהִיב פִּקְדוֹנָא לְאַחֲרָא, דְּאַף ע"ג דְּאִיהוּ אִתְחַיָּיב לְגַבֵּיהּ יַתִּיר מֵהַהוּא פִּקְדוֹנָא, לָאו כְּדַאי לְאִתְאַחֲדָא בֵּיהּ, הוֹאִיל וּפִקְדוֹנָא אִתְמְסַר לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְאִי יְסָרֵב בֵּיהּ, וַדַּאי נִבְדוּק אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, דְּלָאו מִזַּרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא הוּא, וְלָאו מִבְּנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא.

Transliteration

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Translation

And a person should take precautions and entrust his soul in His hand for deposit. This is as a man provides another man with a deposit, THAT IS, A PLEDGE. Even if he owes more than the value of the security, it is not worthy for him to be involved IN A CONFLICT with him, since he gave a deposit. However, if he refuses TO GIVE HIM A DEPOSIT, we should certainly examine him, because he is not from the holy seed or from the faithful.

chanoch's Commentary

What is the pledge that causes a person's soul to be deposited with HaShem and what is the person who does not deposit his soul doing differently.

Pasook 43. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Bamidbar

כַּךְ הַהוּא אִילָנָא, בְּנֵי נָשָׁא אַקְדִּימוּ וְיָהֲבִין לֵיהּ פִּקְדוֹנָא דְּנַפְשַׁיְיהוּ, וְכָל נִשְׁמָתִין דִּבְנֵי עָלְמָא נָטִיל. וְכֻלְּהוּ טַעֲמִין טַעֲמָא דְּמוֹתָא, בְּגִין דְּהַאי אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא הוּא. וּבְגִין דְּכָל אִינּוּן נַפְשָׁתָא, אע"ג דְּכֻלְּהוּ אִתְחָיְיבוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְלָאו כְּדַאי הוּא לְאָתָבָא פִּקְדוֹנָא לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ, אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן דְּכֻלְּהוּ אִתְמְסָרִי לֵיהּ בְּפִקְדוֹנָא, אָתִיב כָּל פִּקְדוֹנִין לְמָארֵיהוֹן.

Transliteration

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Translation

Likewise is this tree, WHICH IS MALCHUT, to which people give their soul as a deposit. It receives all the souls of the inhabitants of the world. And everyone tastes of death because this is the Tree of Death. DURING THE TIME THAT MALCHUT IS SEPARATED FROM ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS THE TREE OF LIFE, IT IS A TREE OF DEATH. In spite of the fact that these souls are all guilty before it and it is not appropriate to return the deposit to man, nonetheless, since they were presented to it as a pledge deposit, it returns all these deposits to their owners.

chanoch's Commentary

The words of the night time Shema maybe the action that creates the pledge. Thus a pledge is sure to be returned. Let us read on before we question this statement or commentary.

Pasook 44. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Bamidbar

ת"ח, לָאו כְּדַאי הוּא הַאי אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא לְאָתָבָא פִּקְדוֹנָא לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ. אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי אִתְּעַר בְּעָלְמָא. וְאֵימָתַי אִתְּעַר הַהוּא אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּסָלִיק צַפְרָא. וּכְדֵין, כֵּיוָן דְּהַאי אִתְּעַר בְּעָלְמָא, כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא חַיִּין, וְשָׁבִיק וְאַהְדָּר הַהוּא אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא כָּל פִּקְדוֹנִין דְּאִתְפְּקָדוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְאָזִיל לֵיהּ. מ"ט חַיִּין. בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי גָּרִים.

Transliteration

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Translation

Come and behold: this Tree of Death is not obligated to return the man the deposit IN THE MORNING, only when the Tree of Life awakens in the world. And when does that Tree of Life awaken? When the morning comes. Then, SINCE THIS TREE OF LIFE awakens in the universe and all people COME OUT alive, that Tree of Death leaves and returns all the deposits provided to it and goes away. What is the reason that they live? It is because of that Tree of Life, THAT IS, ZEIR ANPIN THAT REIGNS DURING THE DAY.

chanoch's Commentary

This pasuk is teaching us about cause and effect. The cause of the souls that were pledged to Malchut being returned is the unification of Malchut with Zeir Anpin. The Day time is a period of Chesed. This loving kindness overcomes the judgment of night and causes the judgment to let go of the souls and they return to their bodies. This is a reflection of so above so below. the body is darkness and the soul is light.

Pasook 45. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Bamidbar

וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָא בְּנֵי נָשָׁא סַגִּיאִין אִינּוּן דְּמִתְעֲרִין בְּלֵילְיָא, בְּעוֹד דְּאִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא שַׁלִּיט. אֶלָּא, וַדַּאי הַהוּא אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי קָא עָבֵיד. מ"ט. בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב לִרְאוֹת הֲיֵשׁ מַשְׂכִּיל דּוֹרֵשׁ אֶת אֱלֹֹהִים. וְלָא יְהֵא לֵיהּ פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְבַר נָשׁ, דְּיֵימָּא, אִלְמָלֵי שְׁלִיטְנָא בְּנַפְשָׁאי בְּלֵילְיָא אִשְׁתָּדַּלְנָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. א"ר יְהוּדָה, הַאי בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַדַּאי וְהָכִי הוּא. אֲבָל באו"ה דַּחֲמֵינָא כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא, מ"ט. א"ל וַדַּאי שַׁפִּיר הוּא דְּקָא אַמָרְת.

Transliteration

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Translation

And you may ask why, if this is so, we see many people getting up at night from their sleep, AND THEIR LIFE IS RETURNED TO THEM, while the Tree of Death still reigns. AND HE REPLIES: Most certainly the Tree of Life does this. What is the reason? Because it is written: "to see if there were any that understood, and sought Elohim" (Tehilim 14:2), so there will be no excuse for the person to say that if he had been in control of his soul at night, he would have RISEN AND studied the Torah. Rabbi Yehuda said: That is certainly CORRECT for Yisrael, and so it is. However, for the nations of the world, we also see likewise, THAT THEY WAKE UP FROM THEIR SLEEP AT NIGHT. What is the reason? He told him: Most certainly, what you said is true.

chanoch's Commentary

The verse is clear as written yet we also must realize that all humans will eventually become Children of Israel. Hopefully that will help you understand this pasuk on another level.

Pasook 46. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Bamidbar

פָּתַח וְאָמַר, מָה אֶקּוֹב לֹא קַבֹּה אֵל וּמָה אֶזְעוֹם לֹא זָעַם יְיָ'. ת"ח, כְּגַוְונָא דְּאִית לְעֵילָּא, אִית לְתַתָּא. לְעֵילָּא אִית יְמִינָא וְאִית שְׂמָאלָא. לְתַתָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַמִּין. יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְאַחֲדָן לִימִינָא, בִּקְדוּשָּׁא דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא. עַמִּין עכו"ם לִשְׂמָאלָא, לְסִטְרָא דְּרוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא. וְכֻלְּהוּ לְתַתָּא מִכֻּלְּהוּ דַּרְגִּין דִּשְׂמָאלָא. וְכֻלְּהוּ דַּרְגִּין אֲחִידָן דָּא בְּדָא, עַד דְּתַּלְיָין מִן רֵישָׁא. וּכְגַוְונָא דְּרֵישָׁא נָטִיל, בְּהַהוּא גַּוְונָא נָטִיל זַנְבָא, דְּאִיהִי תַּתָּאָה. מ"ט. בְּגִין דְּאָחִיד בֵּיהּ. וּבְגִין כַּךְ, עַמִּין עכו"ם, בְּהַהוּא סְטָר מִסְאֲבָא דִּלְהוֹן, הָכִי אִתְדְּבָּרוּ.

Transliteration

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Translation

He opened the discussion and said: "How shall I curse whom El has not cursed? Or how shall I denounce whom Hashem has not denounced?" (Bemidbar 23:8) Come and behold: that which is there above, likewise is down below. Above IN MALCHUT, there is right and there is left. ALSO, down below are Yisrael and the other nations. Yisrael hold on to the right, to the holiness of the Holy King. The idolatrous nations hang on to the left, NAMELY ONLY on the side of the Defiled Spirit, which is the lowest level of the left. And all the levels are attached to each other FROM BELOW until they hang from the top, THAT IS, EROM THE LEFT SIDE OF MALCHUT ABOVE. And in the same manner the head moves ABOVE, the tail also moves below, which is THE LOWEST LEVEL, WHICH IS THE DEFILED SPIRIT. The reason is that it is attached to it, SINCE THEY ARE INTERLINKED FROM BELOW UPWARDS, LIKE A CHAIN, the idolatrous nations are guided after the MANNER, WHICH IS THEIR aspect of the Defiled Spirit.

chanoch's Commentary

The pasuk from Bamidbar is referring to Bilaam as he is the one who said it to Balak. The defiled spirit is following the Head and it actually becomes the tail following the Head. This is why Maimonides says that it is a Mitzvah for Edom to hate Israel. The tail must follow the head but the tail does not have to like it.

Pasook 47. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Bamidbar

בִּלְעָם הוּא אִשְׁתָּמַּשׁ בְּכֻלְּהוּ דַּרְגִּין תַּתָּאִין. וְהוּא הֲוָה חָמֵי בְּהַאי תַּתָּאָה דְּאִיהוּ זַנְבָא, דְּלָא יָכִיל לְאִתְדַּבְּרָא אֶלָּא בְּרֵישָׁא. בְּגִין כַּךְ אָמַר, מָה אֶקּוֹב לֹא קַבֹּה אֵל, דְּהַהוּא רֵישָׁא עִלָּאָה, לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּדִינָא בְּאִינּוּן יוֹמִין.

Transliteration

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Translation

Bilaam employed all the lowest levels THAT DESCEND FROM THE LEFT ASPECT OF MALCHUT. He used to gaze at the lowest LEVEL, the tail, AND HE FIGURED OUT WHAT WAS ABOVE, SINCE THE LOWEST is controlled solely by the head. He therefore declared, "How shall I curse whom El has not cursed?" SINCE HE COULD SEE THE LOWER, AND KNEW that the supreme head, WHICH IS THE LEFT OF MALCHUT, is not in a state of Judgment during that period.

chanoch's Commentary

That period of walking in the dessert. In the Sefer Yetzirah we learn how the week is following a pattern that is also in each and every period of time.

Pasook 48. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Bamidbar

ואע"ג דְּהַאי אֵל אוֹקִימְנָא, הַאי מַלְכוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא נָטִיל שְׁמָא כְּגַוְונָא דְּעֵילָּא, וְהַאי טַב וְחֶסֶד דְּהַאי עָלְמָא וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִקְרֵי אֵל, אֶלָּא דְּאִיהוּ זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם, דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ דִּינָא.

Transliteration

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Translation

And even though we explained the name El TO BE SUPERNAL CHESED, holy Malchut receives this name in the likeness of above and becomes goodness, and Chesed in this world. Therefore, it is called BY THE NAME 'El'. However, it displays anger every day, ACCORDING TO THE MEANING OF, "EL WHO HAS INDIGNATION EVERY DAY" (TEHILIM 7:11), because there is Judgment in it. BUT IN THAT PERIOD THERE WAS NO JUDGMENT IN IT. THEREFORE, BILAAM SAID, "HOW SHALL I CURSE WHOM EL HAS NOT CURSED?"

chanoch's Commentary

With my comment on pasuk 47 this pasuk becomes clear as written.

Pasook 49. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Bamidbar

ות"ח, אֵל שַׁדַּי הָא אוֹקִימְנָא דְּבֵיהּ סִפּוּקָא דְּעָלְמָא וְאִיהוּ אָמַר לְעוֹלָם דַּי, דְּהָא הַאי אֵל הוּא דְּאִזְדְּוַּוג בַּהֲדֵיהּ, וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִקְרֵי אֵל שַׁדַּי, אֵל דְּשַׁדַּי. וְעַל דָּא מַה אֶקּוֹב לֹא קַבֹּה אֵל. בְּגִין כַּךְ, כְּגַוְונָא דְּאִתְּעַר רֵישָׁא, ה"נ אִתְּעַר תַּתָּאָה.

Transliteration

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Translation

Come and behold: we explained about El Shadai, that satiates the world and said to the world, 'Enough (Heb. dai)' THAT HE, YESOD, PROVIDES ENOUGH BOUNTY TO MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED 'WORLD'. This El, WHO IS MALCHUT, conjugates with him, and therefore it is called 'El-Shadai', SINCE EL, WHICH IS MALCHUT, UNITES WITH SHADAI, WHICH IS YESOD. And therefore, HE DECLARED, "How shall I curse whom El has not cursed?" REFERRING TO MALCHUT, WHICH IS CALLED 'EL'. HE KNEW THAT as the head awakens, WHICH IS MALCHUT, so the lower also awakens, WHICH IS THE TAIL NAMELY THE SPIRIT OF DEFILEMENT. AND BILAAM OBSERVED THE TAIL AND KNEW WHAT WAS IN THE HEAD.

chanoch's Commentary

Why do we need to learn this once again? i will leave that to your contemplation.

Pasook 50. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Bamidbar

בָּכָה רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, פָּתַח וְאָמַר קוֹלָהּ כַּנָּחָשׁ יֵלֵךְ וְגוֹ'. הַשְׁתָּא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא, אִיהִי וַדַּאי אַזְלָא כְּנָחָשׁ. חִוְיָא כַּד אִיהוּ כָּפִיף רֵישָׁא לְעַפְרָא, סָלִיק זַנְבָא, שַׁלִּיט וּמָחֵי לְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ קַמֵּיהּ. אוֹף הָכִי הַשְׁתָּא בְּגָלוּתָא, כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא, רֵישָׁא כָּפִיף לְעַפְרָא, וְזַנְבָא שַׁלִּיט. מַאן עָבֵיד לְזַנְבָא דְּיִסְתְּלִיק לְעֵילָּא וְשָׁלִיט וּמָחֵי, רֵישָׁא דְּאִתְכַּפְיָא לְתַתָּא. וְעִם כָּל דָּא, מַאן מַדְבָּר לֵיהּ לְזַנְבָא, וּמַאן נָטִיל לֵיהּ לְמַטַלְנוֹי. הַאי רֵישָׁא. אע"ג דְּאִיהוּ כָּפִיף לְעַפְרָא, הוּא מַדְבָּר לְמַטַלְנוֹי, בְּגִין דָּא קוֹלָהּ כַּנָּחָשׁ יֵלֵךְ.

Transliteration

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Translation

Rabbi Elazar wept. He opened the discussion and said: "Her sound is like that of a snake on the move..." (Yirmeyah 46:22). Now that Yisrael are in exile, most certainly MALCHUT goes on like a snake BECAUSE THE WAY of a snake is that when it bows its head to the dust, it raises its tail. THE TAIL controls and hits those who are in its way. And now it is also that way; WHEN YISRAEL ARE in exile, MALCHUT BEHAVES LIKEWISE. In the same manner as OF THE SNAKE, the head is in the ground and the tail, NAMELY THE LOWEST LEVEL MENTIONED ABOVE, rules. Who caused the tail to rise above to guide and hit? That is the head, which is bowed downwards. Who drives the tail, and who propels the tail on its journeys? It is the same head. Although it is lowered to the dust, it still leads the movements OF THE TAIL. Therefore, SAYS THE SCRIPTURE, "Her sound is like that of a snake on the move..."

chanoch's Commentary

Learn this level well. The head always leads even if it appears otherwise.

Pasook 51. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Bamidbar

וְהַשְׁתָּא שְׁאַר עַמִּין דְּאִינּוּן אֲחִידָן בִּזְנָבָא, סַלְּקִין לְעֵילָּא, וְשַׁלְטִין וּמַחְיָין, וְרֵישָׁא כָּפִיף לְעַפְרָא, כד"א נָפְלָה לֹא תוֹסִיף קוּם וְגוֹ'. וְעִם כָּל דָּא, הַאי רֵישָׁא מַדְבַּר לְזַנְבָא וְנָטִיר לֵיהּ, כד"א שָׂמוּנִי נוֹטֵרָה אֶת הַכְּרָמִים, אִלֵּין עַמִּין עעכו"ם, דְּאִינּוּן זַנְבָא. אָתָא רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְנָשִׁיק יְדוֹי, אָמַר אִלְמָלֵי לָא שָׁאִילְנָא מִלָּה בְּעָלְמָא, אֶלָּא דְּשָׁאִילְנָא דָּא וְרַוַוחְנָא לֵיהּ, דַּי לִי. דְּהַשְׁתָּא יְדַעְנָא עַמִּין עכו"ם, וְשׁוּלְטָנוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן הֵיךְ מִתְדַּבָּר. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּעָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב, כִּי יַעֲקֹב בָּחַר לוֹ יָהּ וְגוֹ'.

Transliteration

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Translation

And now the other nations that hold to the tail OF MALCHUT, rise above and dictate and harm, and the head is bowed to the dust, as it was said, "is fallen; she shall no more rise" (Amos 5:2). Still, the head guides the tail and preserves it, as it says, "they made me the keeper of the vineyards" (Shir Hashirim 1:6). Which refers to the idolatrous nations, who are in the tail. Rabbi Yehuda then came close and kissed his hands and said: If I had not asked anything in this world except this question, and I gained this answer, it would have been sufficient. For now I understand THE ASPECT OF the idolatrous nations, and how their dictatorship is led. Praiseworthy is the lot of Yisrael, for about them it is written: "For Hashem has chosen Jacob to Himself, Yisrael for His peculiar possession" (Tehilim 135:4).

chanoch's Commentary

The head of all nations is Israel. What happens in and to the Land of Israel and its people Israel is what will happen to the other nations only more so. This is why the Torah says what happens to Israel will happen 10 fold to the other nations. Learn this well.

Pasook 52. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Bamidbar

א"ל רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, מַהוּ לִסְגוּלָּתוֹ. א"ל, תְּלַת אֲבָהָן אִלֵּין אִקְרוּן סְגוּלָה, בֵּין לְעֵילָּא בֵּין לְתַתָּא, כְּגַוְונָא דָּא כֹּהֲנִים לְוִיִּים וְיִשְׂרְאֵלִים, וְכֹלָּא חַד. וְאִלֵּין סְגּוּלָּתוֹ שֶׁל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעֵילָּא, וּסְגּוּלָּתוֹ לְתַתָּא, וְדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב וִהְיִיתֶם לִי סְגוּלָּה מִכָּל הָעַמִּים.

Transliteration

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Translation

Rabbi Elazar asked him: What is the definition of, "peculiar possession," WHEN THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "YISRAEL FOR HIS PECULIAR POSSESSION"? He said to him: The three patriarchs are alluded to, and they are called 'possession', both above, WHERE THEY ARE REFERRED TO AS CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, and below, NAMELY ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB. And likewise are the priests, Levites and Yisrael, THAT ALSO CORRESPOND TO CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, and everything is the same. And they are the possession of the Holy One, blessed be He, above, and the possession of the Holy One, blessed be He, below. And that is what is written: "then you shall be My own treasure (also: 'possession') from among all peoples" (Shemot 19:5). THAT IS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE PRIESTS, LEVITES AND YISRAEL, WHO ARE CALLED 'POSSESSION'.

chanoch's Commentary

The word possession in Hebrew is Segulah which is actually purple and a vowel called Segol. This refers to the 3 column spiritual system. That is why the verse here in the Zohar constantly refers to three. These three refer to right left and balance or center.