Zohar Beha'Alotcha Section 3 - Ark Rested in the Seventh Month

It is recommended to read the Zohar Section prior to reading the Synopsis.

Zohar Commentary on the Parasha BEHA'ALOTCHA

SYNOPSIS:

Rabbi Elazar tells Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Yitzchak that every word of the Torah has secrets; even though it may be telling a simple story, the Torah demonstrates the highest matters and the utmost secrets. He uses the story of the landing of the Ark on Mount Ararat as an example, saying that it is to teach us about a universal truth, (the time of judgment). Rabbi Elazar says that God would not have limited Himself to just writing down what various people like Esau and Hagar and Laban and Bilaam said; if He had it would not be called the Torah of Truth, as it is. Every individual word comes to designate the highest things. We learn that "and the Ark rested" refers to the time when judgment hangs upon the world and judgments prevail, the time when God sits on the Throne of Justice to put the world on trial. That throne is only ready during the seventh month, during which is the Day of Judgment. Rabbi Elazar says that Ararat is derived from the Hebrew word for 'cursed', alluding to the Adversaries of Judgment. On that day the children of Yisrael send up their prayers and blow the Shofar so that God reverses justice to mercy; it is therefore required that whoever blows the Shofar should be familiar with the deeper secrets of the matters.

Pasook 12. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Beha'Alotcha

רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְר' יוֹסֵי וְר' יִצְחָק, הֲווֹ אָזְלֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא, פָּגְעוּ בְּאִינּוּן טוּרֵי קַרְדוֹ, עַד דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלֵי, זָקַף עֵינוֹי ר' אֶלְעָזָר, וְחָמֵי אִינּוּן טוּרֵי רָמָאֵי, וַהֲווֹ חֲשוֹכָן, וְדַחֲלָן בִּדְחִילוּ. א"ר אֶלְעָזָר לְאִינּוּן חַבְרַיָּיא, אִלּוּ אַבָּא הָכָא, לָא הֲוָה דָּחִילְנָא, אֲבָל כֵּיוָן דַּאֲנָן תְּלָתָא, וּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא בֵּינָנָא, דִּינָא הָכָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח.

Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Yitzchak were going along their way. They reached those mountains of darkness while traveling. Rabbi Elazar raised his eyes and saw those lofty mountains, and they were dark and awesome and frightful. Rabbi Elazar said to his friends: If my father was here, I would not be frightened. Yet since we are three and are speaking of Torah among us, no Judgment will prevail here.

chanoch's Commentary

Did you ask why the Zohar brings the idea of mountains of darkness? Is this where Azazel and Aza those fallen Angels are eternally chained? Did you learn that the study of Torah by three people is protection from all negativity includig all negative judgments and decrees.

Pasook 13. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Beha'Alotcha

פָּתַח ר' אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר, כְּתִיב וַתָּנַח הַתֵּיבָה בַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי וְגוֹ', עַל הֲרֵי אֲרָרָט וְגוֹ', כְּמָה חֲבִיבִין מִלֵי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דִּבְכָל מִלָה וּמִלָּה, אִית רָזִין עִלָאִין, וְאוֹרַיְיתָא כֹּלָּא, עִלָּאָה אִיקְרֵי. וְתָנֵינָן בִּתְלֵיסָר מְכִילָן דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כָל דָּבָר שֶׁהָיָה בִּכְלָל, וְיָצָא מִן הַכְּלָל, לְלַמֵּד, לֹא לְלַמֵּד עַל עַצְמוֹ יָצָא, אֶלָּא לְלַמֵּד עַל הַכְּלָל כֻּלּוֹ יָצָא. דְּהָא אוֹרַיְיתָא דְּאִיהִי כְּלָלָא עִלָּאָה, אע"ג דְּנָפִק מִנָּהּ, חַד סִפּוּר בְּעָלְמָא. וַדַּאי לָא אָתֵי לְאַחֲזָאָה עַל הַהוּא סִפּוּר, אֶלָּא לְאַחֲזָאָה מִלִּין עִלָּאִין, וְרָזִין עִלָּאִין. וְלֹא לְלַמֵּד עַל עַצְמוֹ יָצָא, אֶלָּא לְלַמֵּד עַל הַכְּלָל כֻּלּוֹ יָצָא. בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא סִפּוּר דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אוֹ הַהוּא עוֹבָדָא, אע"ג דְּהוּא נָפְקָא מִכְלָלָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, לָאו לְאַחֲזָאָה עַל גַּרְמֵיהּ נָפַק בִּלְבַד, אֶלָּא לְאַחֲזָאָה עַל הַהוּא כְּלָלָא עִלָּאָה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא כֹּלָּא נָפַק.

Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion with the verse: "and the ark rested in the seventh month...upon the mountains of Ararat..." (Beresheet 8:4). How beloved are the words of Torah that each and every word has lofty secrets and the entire Torah is considered supernal. We learned IN THE BARAITA of the thirteen qualities of the Torah. Whatever is part of the whole, yet it is an exception, it is so in order to teach a general rule, not teach merely about itself. Since the Torah is the highest generality, even though a simple story is an exception to the rule, its function most certainly is not merely to tell us just that story but rather to demonstrate the highest matters and the utmost secrets. It is not considered as an exception so as to teach about itself, but rather to demonstrate a general rule, since that story of the Torah or that occurrence, although it stands to itself outside the Torah, did not come to show this alone but rather came to demonstrate the general law of the entire Torah.

Would you like to read this Baraita? What are the 13 qualities of the Torah? HaShem and Torah are one. The 13 qualities are the 13 Attributes of Mercy. A story from the Torah is a vessel to hold one of these qualities of Mercy. How do we learn from an exception the general rule? Contemplate this as it is important for your study of the stories of the Torah when you realize that you are an adult and should not be limiting your study of the Torah to what you learned as a child.

Pasook 14. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Beha'Alotcha

כְּגוֹן הַאי דִּכְתִּיב, וַתָּנַח הַתֵּיבָה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ עַל הָרֵי אֲרָרָט. וַדַּאי הַאי קְרָא מִכְּלָלָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא נָפַק, וְאָתֵי בְּסִפּוּר דְּעָלְמָא. מַאי אִכְפַּת לָן, אִי שָׁרֵי בְּהַאי, אוֹ בְּהַאי, דְּהָא בַּאֲתָר חַד לְישְׁרֵי. אֶלָּא לְלַמֵּד עַל הַכְּלָל כֻּלּוֹ יָצָא. וְזַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִתְיְהִיב לְהוּ אוֹרַיְיתָא עִלָּאָה אוֹרַיְיתָא דִּקְשׁוֹט. וּמַאן דְּאָמַר, דְּהַהוּא סִפּוּרָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, לְאַחֲזָאָה עַל הַהוּא סִפּוּר בִּלְבַד קָאֲתֵי, תִּיפַּח רוּחֵיהּ. דְּאִי הָכִי, לָאו אִיהִי אוֹרַיְיתָא עִלָּאָה, אוֹרַיְיתָא דִּקְשׁוֹט, אֶלָּא וַדַּאי אוֹרַיְיתָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, אִיהִי אוֹרַיְיתָא דִּקְשׁוֹט.

For example, it is written: "and the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat." Most likely, this scriptural verse is an exception to the generality of the Torah and came to relate a simple story. HE ASKS: What do we care if it landed on this mountain or on that mountain? It had to rest somewhere. HE RESPONDS: It is only to instruct us on the general as a whole that it was specified, SINCE IT ALLUDES TO A TIME OF JUDGMENT, AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE. Praised are Yisrael that the loftiest Torah was granted to them, a Torah of truth. Whoever says that this Torah story is mentioned simply to relate only that story alone, may he breathe his last, because then it is not supernal Torah, the Torah of truth. But most certainly, the holy Torah, the loftiest, is a Torah of truth.

chanoch's Commentary

The simple story is the Ark of Noach came to rest. The timing is the 7th month. This is the month of the 22 days of Holidays. What happens on the 17th day of Tishrai (the 7th month). It is a good day since the number 17 relates to goodness. It is also the Tiferet of Succoth. It is the day considered the best day to do the water libation during Sukkoth. This is an activation of Mercy of Mercy in the frame of judgment. What do we learn from the Name Ararat? The gematria of Ararat is 410 which is the same as Kadosh. What do you learn from the simple story with the additions of my comments? Contemplate this as a method to learn about Torah study - your Torah study.

Pasook 15. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Beha'Alotcha

תָּא חֲזֵי, מֶלֶךְ בָּ"וָ, לָאו יְקָרָא דִּילֵיהּ הוּא, לְאִשְׁתָּעֵי מִלָּה דְּהֶדְיוֹטָא, כ"ש לְמִכְתַּב לֵיהּ, וְאִי סָלִיק בְּדַעְתָּךְ, דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לָא הֲווֹ לֵיהּ מִלִּין קַדִּישִׁין, לְמִכְתַּב וּלְמֶעְבַּד מִנַּיְיהוּ אוֹרַיְיתָא, אֶלָּא דְּאִיהוּ כָּנִישׁ כָּל מִלִּין דְּהֶדְיוֹטִין, כְּגוֹן מִלִּין דְּעֵשָׂו. מִלִּין דְּהָגָר. מִלִּין דְּלָבָן בְּיַעֲקֹב. מִלִּין דְּאָתוּן. מִלִּין דְּבִלְעָם. מִלִּין דְּבָלָק. מִלִּין דְּזִמְרִי. וְכָנִישׁ לְהוּ, וְכָל שְׁאָר סִפּוּרִין דִּכְתִּיבִין, וְעָבֵיד מִנַּיְיהוּ אוֹרַיְיתָא.

Come and behold: there is a king of flesh and blood. It is no honor for him to have simple talk and, most certainly, to write these simple things down. Could you imagine if the exalted King, the Holy One, blessed be He, had no holy things to write about with which to produce the Torah, but He merely gathered all the simplest matters, such as: the utterings of Esau; the utterings of Hagar; the utterings of Laban to Jacob; the utterings of the mule; the utterings of Bilaam; the utterings of Balak and the utterances of Zimri. And then He gathered them and all the stories that were written and made a Torah out of them.

chanoch adds: Have you ever thought like this about the Holy Torah? Do you think that most people who fear the Torah and think in terms of the Torah is Holy can even begin to think like this. Do you wonder why the Zohar speaks this way?

Pasook 16. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Beha'Alotcha

אִי הָכִי, אֲמַאי אִקְרֵי תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת, תּוֹרַת יְיָ' תְּמִימָה, עֵדוּת יְיָ' נֶאֱמָנָה, פִּקּוּדֵי יְיָ' יְשָׁרִים , מִצְוַת יְיָ' בָּרָה, יִרְאַת יְיָ' טְהוֹרָה, מִשְׁפְּטֵי יְיָ' אֱמֶת, וּכְתִיב הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב וּמִפָּז רָב. אִלֵּין אִינּוּן מִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי אוֹרַיְיתָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, אִיהוּ אוֹרַיְיתָא דִּקְשׁוֹט, תּוֹרַת יְיָ' תְּמִימָה. וְכָל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה, אַתְיָיא לְאַחֲזָאָה מִלִּין עִלָּאִין, דְּהַהוּא מִלָּה דְּהַהוּא סִפּוּר, לָאו לְאַחֲזָאָה עַל גַּרְמֵיהּ בִּלְבַד קָא אָתֵיא, אֶלָּא לְאַחֲזָאָה עַל הַהוּא כְּלָלָא קָאֲתֵי, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא.

If so, why is it referred to as "the Torah of Truth" (Malachi 2:6)? "The Torah of Hashem is perfect...the testimony of Hashem is sure... The statutes of Hashem are right...the commandment of Hashem is pure... The fear of Hashem is clean...the Judgments of Hashem are True... More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold" (Tehilim 19:8-11); these words refer to Torah matters. Most certainly, the holy loftiest Torah is a Torah of Truth, since "the Torah of Hashem is perfect." Every individual word comes to designate the highest things, since that specific matter which is in a story is not here to teach about itself alone, but rather to imply the overall aspect, as we have explained.

chanoch adds: If one does not begin to think like the Zohar - meaning think with questions - even questions that are difficult to ask one can not learn the true depth of the Torah. Most people do not delve into the depths of the Torah since they / we do not ask these types of questions. The Torah is Holy means that these questions must be asked. We need to begin to think like this.

Pasook 17. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Beha'Alotcha

תָּא חֲזֵי וַתָּנַח הַתֵּיבָה וְגוֹ'. הַאי קְרָא כַּךְ, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אַחֲרָנִין, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּדִינָא תָּלֵי עַל עָלְמָא, וְדִינִין שַׁרְיָין, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָתִיב עַל כּוּרְסֵייא דְּדִינָא לְמֵידָן עָלְמָא בְּהַהוּא כּוּרְסְיָיא, כַּמָה רְשִׁימִין אִתְרְשִׁימוּ בֵּיהּ, כַּמָה פִּיתְקִין גְּנִיזִין בְּגַוֵיהּ, בְּגוֹ אַחְמְתָא דְּמַלְכָּא, כֻּלְּהוּ סְפָרִים דִּפְתִּיחוּ תַּמָּן אִתְגְּנִיזוּ, וּבְגִין כַּךְ לָא אִתְנְשֵׁי מִלָּה מִן מַלְכָּא, וְהַאי כּוּרְסְיָיא לָא אַתְקָן, וְלָא שַׁרְיָא. אֶלָּא בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי, דְּאִיהוּ יוֹמָא דְּדִינָא, יוֹמָא דְּכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא אִתְפַּקְּדוּן בֵּיהּ, כֻּלְּהוּ עַבְרִין קַמֵּי הַהוּא כֻּרְסְיָיא. וע"ד, וַתָּנַח הַתֵּבָה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי, בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי וַדַּאי, דְּאִיהוּ דִּינָא דְּעָלְמָא.

Come and behold: "and the ark rested." This verse is true, AS WILL BE EXPLAINED, as are others, most certainly. At the moment that Judgment hangs upon the world and Judgments prevail, the Holy One, blessed be He, sits on the Throne of Judgment to put the world on trial. Through that Throne, how many notes are recorded on it, how many verdicts are stored in it, in the bag of the King? All the open books were stored there and, therefore, nothing was forgotten by the King. That Throne is not ready and is not available save during the seventh month. Then is the Day of Judgment, a day in which all the people in the world are counted and everyone passes before that Throne. Hence, "the ark rested." Malchut, that is referred to as 'ark', "rested in the seventh month"; most certainly the seventh month, which is when the Judgment of the world comes.

chanoch adds: Does the word rest and rested imply judgment? Judgment by HaShem? Did you ask what is the Hebrew word for rest?

Pasook 18. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Beha'Alotcha

עַל הָרֵי אֲרָרָט, אִלֵּין מָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינִין, מָארֵיהוֹן דִּיבָבָא וִילָלָא, וְכֻלְּהוּ שְׁלִיחִין בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְכַמָּה מָארֵי תְּרִיסִין אִתְּעֲרוּ בְּהַאי יוֹמָא, וְכֻלְּהוּ קַיְימֵי תְּחוֹת הַהוּא כֻּרְסְיָיא, בְּדִינָא דְּעָלְמָא.

"upon the mountains of Ararat..." Ararat is derived from Arur (Eng. 'cursed'), indicating those Prosecutors, who whine and wail, and all those emissaries THAT ARE PRESENT on that day before the Holy One, blessed be He. How many shielding ones are wakened on that day. And they all stand under that Throne when the world is on trial.

chanoch adds: Did you ask "Is a curse Holy"?

Pasook 19. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Beha'Alotcha

וְיִשְׂרָאֵל מְצַלָאן צְלוֹתָא בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא, וּבָעָאן וּמִתְחַנְּנָן קַמֵּיהּ, וְתַקְעִין בַּשּׁוֹפָר, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָיֵיס עָלַיְיהוּ, וּמְהַפֵּךְ דִּינָא לְרַחֲמֵי. וְכָל עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי, פָּתְחֵי וְאָמְרֵי, אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם יוֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה וע"ד בָּעֵינָא בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא, דְּהַהוּא דְּתָקַע, דְּיָדַע עִקָּרָא דְּמִלָּה, וִיכַוֵּון בֵּיהּ בִּתְרוּעָה, וְיַעְבִּיד מִלָּה בְּחָכְמְתָא, וע"ד כְּתִיב, אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם יוֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה, וְלָא כְּתִיב תּוֹקְעֵי תְּרוּעָה, וְהָא אִתְּמַר.

And Yisrael put forth their prayers on that day and beg and beseech before Him, and blow the Shofar. The Holy One, blessed be He, has mercy for them and reverses Judgment to Mercy. All the upper and lower beings say, "happy is the people that know the joyful note" (Tehilim 89:16). It is therefore required on that day that whoever blows should be familiar with the main SECRETS OF THE matters; he should concentrate on the blowing and expedite the matters with the HIGHEST wisdom. Therefore, it is written: "Happy is the people that know the joyful note," and not: 'that blow the joyful note'. We have already explained this.

chanoch's Commentary

How many of you who are reading this go to a Kabbalistic Minyan on Rosh HaShanah? What do you do if you are going to a "NORMAL" Minyan on that day? How can you KNOW the joyful note? It is not sufficient to just blow the Shofar? It is not sufficient to just Hear the Shofar? We must learn each one of us to KNOW the joyful note. That is why we prepare for the Holidays during the month of Elul. We hope you will join us this year.