Zohar Emor Section 3 - "Running Down Upon the Head and Beard"

It is recommended to study the Section prior to reading the Synopsis

Zohar Commentary Section 3 on Parasha EMOR

SYNOPSIS:

The Zohar explains the flow from Binah. The work of the Kohanim, and that they have to stay pure.

Pasook 11. from Zohar Commentary on Parasha Emor

וְהוּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא קָאֵים לְתַתָּא, דִּכְתִּיב כַּשֶּׁמֶן הַטּוֹב עַל הָרֹאשׁ יוֹרֵד עַל הַזָּקָן זְקַן אַהֲרֹן שֶׁיוֹרֵד עַל פִּי מִדּוֹתָיו, הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ, אֲבָל כַּשֶּׁמֶן הַטּוֹב עַל הָרֹאשׁ, דָּא מְשַׁח רְבוּת קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק מֵאֲתַר דְּנַהֲרָא עֲמִיקָא דְּכֹלָּא. ד"א, דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק מֵרֵישָׁא דְּכָל רֵישִׁין, סְתִימָא דְּכָל סְתִימִין. עַל הָרֹאשׁ, עַל הָרֹאשׁ וַדַאי, רֵישָׁא דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה.

He, THE PRIEST, like THE PRIEST above, is below, as written, "It is like the precious ointment upon the head, running down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron; running down over the hem of his garments" (Tehilim 133:2). This verse has been explained, yet "the precious ointment upon the head" is the oil of supernal holy ointment, NAMELY THE PLENTY OF MOCHIN, that flows and comes out from the location of the deepest river, BINAH. According to another explanation, it flows and comes out of the head to all heads, the most concealed among the concealed, WHICH IS THE HEAD OF ARICH ANPIN. It is surely "upon the head," the head of Adam Kadmon (Primordial Man), WHICH IS ARICH ANPIN. THE VERSE TEACHES US IT IS LIKE THE PRECIOUS OINTMENT, WHICH IS UPON THE HEAD.

chanoch's Commentary

When we read the Torah of the Parasha of Emor we see it speaks of the Priest but not about dead bodies, other than to express the direction to the Priests to remain pure. That is why this section is dealing with the idea of how does the flow of Shefa or goodness flow and become stopped by the impurities. That is what is being revealed here. Keter Chochmah and Binah are united always. They are referred to as the Gimmel Reshonot or the "First Three". Shefa comes from these three. The Zohar is explaining that it might come from Binah or Keter/Arich Anpin. It does not matter to most of us which is the source. Both are very high relative to us.

Pasook 12. from the Zohar Commentary of Parasha Emor

יוֹרֵד עַל הַזָּקָן, דָּא דִּיקְנָא יַקִירָא, כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ. זְקַן אַהֲרֹן, דָּא כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ. וְהַהוּא שֶׁמֶן, יוֹרֵד עַל פִּי מִדוֹתָיו, דְּמֵאִינּוּן מְשִׁיחָן, נָגִיד וְנָפִיק וְנָחִית לְתַתָּאֵי, וּכְגַוְונָא דָּא נָגִיד וְאִתְעַטָּר כַּהֲנָא תַּתָּאָה, בִּמְשַׁח רְבוּת לְתַתָּא.

It is "running down upon the beard," the precious beard OF ARICH ANPIN, as has been explained. The beard of Aaron refers to the celestial High Priest, NAMELY, THE BEARD OF ZEIR ANPIN, IN THE SECRET OF CHESED OF ZEIR ANPIN. This has already been explained. This ointment, NAMELY THE PLENTY OF ARICH ANPIN, is "running down over the hem of his garments" OF ZEIR ANPIN. For it flows and comes down to the lower beings over the garments OF ZEIR ANPIN. Similarly THE HIGH PRIEST below drawns and is crowned by the anointing oil below. HE CORRESPONDS TO THE SUPERNAL HIGH PRIEST, CHESED OF ZEIR ANPIN.

chanoch's Commentary

Picture the flow of Shefa from the head of Arich Anpin flowing over the Beard of Arich Anpin and then to the garment of Arich Anpin which is the Head of Zeir Anpin. Each Sefirah in our world communicates with all of the other Sefirot with the same name. Aaron is Chesed in every location. Chesed of Arich Anpin is called Aaron the High Priest. Chesed of Zeir Anpin is called Aaron the High Priest. Chesed actions in this physical world is called Aaron the High Priest. Contemplate how would you differentiate between the flow of this Shefa? How would you fix any blockages? How would you identify the location of a blockage? This is how one learns the language of branches.

Pasook 13. from Zohar Commentary on Parasha Emor

הַאי קְרָא, לָאו רֵישֵׁיהּ סֵיפֵיהּ, וְלָאו סֵיפֵיהּ רֵישֵׁיהּ. כְּתִיב אֱמוֹר אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם לְנֶפֶשׁ לֹא יִטַּמָּא. לָא יִטַּמְּאוּ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַהוּ לֹא יִטַּמָּא. אֶלָּא, עַל הַהוּא כֹּהֵן עִלָּאָה מְכֻּלְּהוּ קָאָמַר. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְהָא כְּתִיב וְהַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל מֵאֶחָיו. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר, וְאָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, כַּהֲנָא דְּקָאֵים לְתַתָּא, כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, בִּקְדוּשָּׁה אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא יַתִּיר מִכֹּלָּא, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר.

There is a dissimilarity between the beginning and end of this verse, since it is written, "Speak to the priests the sons of Aaron, and say to them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people." THE BEGINNING OF THE VERSE IS IN PLURAL - WHILE THE END IS IN THE SINGULAR. It should have said, 'They shall not be defiled', IN PLURAL, AS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE VERSE. Why "There shall none be defiled" IN THE SINGULAR? HE REPLIES, THE VERSE speaks about the highest priest, NAMELY THE HIGH PRIEST ABOVE. Rabbi Yehuda said, yet it is written, "And he that is the High Priest among his brethren" (Vayikra 21:10). THIS ALLUDES TO THE HIGH PRIEST ABOVE, RATHER THAN THE FIRST VERSE. HE ANSWERS, It is surely so, "THERE SHALL NONE BE DEFILED FOR THE DEAD AMONG HIS PEOPLE" ALLUDES TO THE HIGHEST PRIEST, ZEIR ANPIN, WHILE THE VERSE, "AND HE THAT IS THE HIGH PRIEST AMONG HIS BRETHREN" as we learned, speaks of the High Priest BELOW. As Rabbi Yitzchak said, The priest situated below is in the likeness of above and should be in holiness more than all the others, as we learned. HENCE THE VERSE SPOKE OF HIM SPECIFICALLY THAT HE MUST NOT DEFILE HIMSELF EVEN FOR HIS FATHER OR FOR HIS MOTHER.

chanoch's Commentary

One thing we learn from this verse is to always be careful as to which level is being referred. In the plural it is speaking about our physical world which is a world that is perceived as separated into many different people. While the spiritual levels are always perceived as unified and is spoken about as the singular.