Zohar Emor Section 5 - "And His Sister the Virginj"

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

Zohar Commentary Section 5 on the Parasha EMOR

SYNOPSIS:

We are reminded of the destruction of Jerusalem, and of how God will exact vengeance against the children of Edom who destroyed it.

Pasook 16. of Zohar Commentary on Parasha Emor

וְלַאֲחוֹתוֹ הַבְּתוּלָה הַקְּרוֹבָה אֵלָיו וְגוֹ'. מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָּא, כִּי אִם לִשְׁאֵרוֹ הַקָּרוֹב אֵלָיו וְגוֹ'. רִבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח, מִי זֶה בָּא מֵאֱדוֹם חֲמוּץ בְּגָדִים מִבָּצְרָה וְגוֹ', מִי זֶה בָּא מֵאֱדוֹם, זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְלַבְשָׁא לְבוּשֵׁי נוּקְמָא עַל אֱדוֹם, דְּאַחֲרִיבוּ בֵּיתֵיהּ, וְאוֹקִידוּ הֵיכָלֵיהּ, וְגָלוּ לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּינֵי עַמְמַיָא. וּלְמֶעְבַד לְהוֹן נִקְמַת עָלְמִין, עַד דְּיִשְׁתַּכְחוּן כָּל טוּרִין מִטוּרֵי עָלְמָא, מַלְיָין מִקָטוּלֵי עַמִּין, וּלְמִקְרֵי לְכָל עוֹפָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא עָלַיְיהוּ, וְכָל חֵיוַות בָּרָא יִתְזְנוּן מִנַּיְיהוּ תְּרֵיסָר יַרְחֵי, וְעוֹפָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא שְׁבַע שְׁנִין, עַד דְּלָא תִּסְבַּל אַרְעָא נִיוּוּלָא דִּידְהוּ. הה"ד, כִּי זֶבַח לַיְיָ' בְּבָצְרָה וְטֶבַח גָּדוֹל בְּאֶרֶץ אֱדוֹם, עַד דְּאִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין יִסְתַּאֲבוּן, הה"ד וְכָל מַלְבּוּשַׁי אֶגְאָלְתִּי.

"and for his sister a virgin, that is near to him..." (Vayikra 21:3). The preceding verse says, "but for his kin, that is near to him" (Ibid. 2). Rabbi Aba opened with the verse, "Who is this that comes from Edom, with crimsoned garments from Botzrah..." (Yeshayah 63:1). "Who is this that comes from Edom," MEANS THAT the Holy One, blessed be He, will be garbed with a garment of vengeance upon Edom, for their ruining His Temple, and burning His Holy, and exiling the Congregation of Yisrael among the nations. He will take revenge upon them forever, until all the mountains in the world will fill with the dead of the nations, and the birds of the sky will be summoned upon them TO FEED UPON THEIR CADAVERS. Every wild beast will feed on them for twelve months and the birds of the sky for seven years until the land will not bear their disgrace. This is the meaning of, "for Hashem has a sacrifice in Botzrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom" (Yeshayah 34:6), until this raiment OF VENGEANCE will be defiled BY THOSE KILLED. This is the meaning of, "and I have stained all my raiment" (Yeshayah 63:3).

chanoch's Commentary

This is a well known prophecy for the Nation of Edom. Look closely at the idea that vengeance will be defiled not that vengeance defiles. This is the same idea that Pharaoh defends his enslaving the Hebrew Nation because Hashem prophecizes to Abraham that the Nation will be enslaved for 400 years. The truth is the Nation of Egypt took the slavery too far and caused too much suffering. When enough people will die and the blood lust will get out of control the potential for vengeance defyling ourselves is real. We need to be careful. In fact i am of the opinion that we should let the other nations wreak vengeance and we should be praying for Mercy upon Edom. That is truly Loving Kindness when we forgive someone who hurt us. In fact we need to do this at the highest level since we caused Edom to abuse us over the centuries by our own actions. That is what Kabbalah actually teaches.

Pasook 17. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Emor

חֲמוּץ בְּגָדִים מִבָּצְרָה, בְּגִין דְּמִינָּהּ נָפְקוּ אוּכְלוּסִין דְּעָלְמָא, לְחַיְילָא עַל יְרוּשְׁלֵם, וְאִינּוּן שָׁרוּ לְאוֹקְדָא הֵיכָלָא, וּבְנֵי אֱדוֹם מְפַגְרִין שׁוּרִין, וְרָמוּ אַבְנֵי יְסוֹדָא, הה"ד זְכוֹר יְיָ' לִבְנֵי אֱדוֹם וְגוֹ', הָאוֹמְרִים עָרוּ עָרוּ עַד הַיְסוֹד בָּהּ.

"With crimsoned garments from Batzrah," because legions of the world came out FROM BATZRAH to wage war against Jerusalem. They started to burn the Holy, while the children of Edom were demolishing the walls, and uprooting cornerstones. This is the meaning of, "Remember, O Hashem, against the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem, when they said, Raze it, raze it, to its very foundations" (Tehilim 137:7).

chanoch's Commentary

Batzrah is a code word in this prophecy about Edom and also the end of days. Batzrah means "in or with trouble". If you pray for trouble you activate the Boomerang Spiritual Law which says the trouble that you cause comes back to you. The Temple was destroyed not as trouble but the effect of the actions of the Children of Israel. There is no reason for trouble to return to Edom unless they made more trouble than was necessary. We can not know for certain if it is necessary just that we can pray for no trouble and then the Boomerang Law will return to us "no trouble". That is what i think is important for us the Children of Israel to do.

Pasook 18. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Emor

זֶה הָדוּר בִּלְבוּשׁוֹ, בְּאִינּוּן לְבוּשֵׁי דְּנוּקְמָא דְּזַמִּין לְאַלְבְּשָׁא. צוֹעֶה בְּרוֹב כֹּחוֹ, מַהוּ צוֹעֶה. מְתָבַּר. כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב עַמִּים תַּחְתֶּיךָ יִפְּלוּ וְגוֹ'. אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִישַׁעְיָה, מַאן הוּא דֵּין דְּיַעֲבֵיד כָּל כַּךְ. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, אֲנִי מְדַבֵּר בִּצְדָקָה, הַהוּא דְּאִיהוּ רַב לְהוֹשִׁיעַ, הַהוּא דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ, אוֹהֵב צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט. וְאִיהוּ צְדָקָה מַמָּשׁ, וְאִיהוּ רַב לְהוֹשִׁיעַ.

"this one that is glorious in His apparel" (Yeshayah 63:1), THAT IS, with the garments of vengeance He will don. "striding in the greatness of His strength" (Ibid.). Striding REFERS TO breaking, as written, "the people fall under you" (Tehilim 45:6). Yisrael said to Isaiah, Who is he that will accomplish so much? He opened with the verse, "I that speak in righteousness" (Yeshayah 63:1), He that is "mighty to save" (Ibid.), He of whom it is written, "He loves righteousness and judgment" (Tehilim 33:5), actual righteousness, NAMELY MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED RIGHTEOUSNESS ...“ and He is "mighty to save."

chanoch's Commentary

It is necessary that the power of the western mindset needs to be broken. This is what the prophecies refer. This mindset can be changed by your choice or it may have to be broken with chaos. Let us hope that it comes without chaos.

Pasook 19. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Emor

וְכָּל כַּךְ לָמָּה. בְּגִין דְּגַרְמוּ לִכ"י לְמֶהֱוֵי שְׁכִיבַת לְעַפְרָא בְּגָלוּתָא, וּלְמִנְפַּל לְאַרְעָא, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב נָפְלָה לֹא תוֹסִיף קוּם בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל. ובג"כ, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִלְבַּשׁ לְבוּשֵׁי נוּקְמָא עָלַיְיהוּ, לְסָאֲבָא לוֹן בִּסְגִיאוּ דְּקָטוּלְיָיא, דִּכְתִיב וְכָל מַלְבּוּשַׁי אֶגְאָלְתִּי.

Wherefore all that? Because they caused the Congregation of Yisrael to lie in the dust in exile and fall to the ground, as written, "The virgin of Yisrael is fallen; she shall no more rise" (Amos 5:2). For that the Holy One, blessed be He, will don for them garments of vengeance to defile them with many dead, as written, "and I have stained all My raiment" (Yeshayah 63:3).

chanoch adds: As said in my commentary above, we are the cause of what happens to us. Yet it can go overboard and be too much. When that happens let HaShem balance the universe. We may not be able to control ourselves when the blood lust gets going.

Pasook 20. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Emor

וְכָל כַּךְ לָמָּה, דִּכְתִיב וְלַאֲחוֹתוֹ הַבְּתוּלָה הַקְּרוֹבָה אֵלָיו אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָיְתָה לְאִישׁ. דְּלָאו חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּעֵשָׂו, וְלָא הֲוַות בְּעַדְבֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ אִישׁ יוֹדֵעַ צַיִד אִישׁ שָׂדֶה, לָהּ יִטַּמָּא, בְּאִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין דְּנוּקְמָא, דְּזַמִּין לְאִסְתַּאֲבָא בֵּין אִינּוּן אוּכְלוּסִין, דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ לָהּ יִטַּמָּא, בְּגִינָהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהִי שְׁכִיבַת לְעַפְרָא, וְהוּא בָּעֵי לְאַקָּמָא לָהּ, הה"ד קוּמִי אוֹרִי כִּי בָא אוֹרֵךְ.

And wherefore all that? SINCE it is written, "and for his sister a virgin, that is near to him, and who has had no husband," WHO IS THE HOLY SHECHINAH, SISTER TO ZEIR ANPIN, who is not the portion of Esau, and was not the lot of him of whom it says, "a cunning hunter, a man of the field" (Beresheet 25:27). "for her he may be defiled" (Vayikra 21:3), FOR HER SAKE, with those garments of vengeance that will be defiled among the multitude OF THE DEAD MENTIONED BEFORE. THEREFORE it is written, "for her he may be defiled," for Her sake, because She is lying IN EXILE in the dust, and he wants to raise Her. This is the meaning of, "Arise, shine, for your light is come" (Yeshayah 60:1).

chanoch adds: There are many people who see these actions as being caused by others instead of recognizing ourselves as the cause. There is much to be learned in this section.

Zohar Commentary Section 6 for the Parasha EMOR

SYNOPSIS:

Rabbi Yosi tells us why the priest below must be without any blemish.

Pasook 21. Zohar Commentary on Parasha Emor

לֹא יִקְרְחֻה קָרְחָה בְּרֹאשָׁם. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, לֹא יִקְרְחֻה בְּהֵ"א מַאי טַעֲמָא. אֶלָּא, הַהוּא שֶׁמֶן עִלָּאָה, דְּאִיהוּ מְשַׁח רְבוּת קוּדְשָׁא, דְּאַשְׁלִים לְכָל שִׁבְעָה יוֹמִין כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר, דִּכְתִּיב כִּי שִׁבְעַת יָמִים יְמַלֵּא אֶת יֶדְכֶם, הַהוּא שֶׁמֶן עִלָּאָה אִתְעָדֵי מִנֵּיהּ וְאִתְקְרַח, אִי אִיהוּ אַפְגִּים רֵישֵׁיהּ. בְּגִין דְּרֵישָׁא דְּכַהֲנָא עִלָּאָה, הַהוּא שֶׁמֶן עִלָּאָה הֲוֵי, וְעַל דָּא לָא לִיבְעֵי לֵיהּ לְכַהֲנָא דִּלְתַתָּא, לְאַחֲזָאָה בֵּיהּ בְּגַרְמֵיהּ פְּגִימוּ כְּלַל, וְהָא אִתְּמַר. וּבְגִין כַּךְ כְּתִיב בְּהֵ"א.

"They shall not make baldness (Heb. yikrechuh) on their head" (Vayikra 21:5). Rabbi Yosi said, What is the reason 'yikrechuh' is spelled with Hei AT THE END? HE ANSWERS, That supernal ointment, THE PLENTY OF ABA, is the holy anointing oil that consecrates all seven days, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT, as we learned from the words, "for seven days shall he consecrate you" (Vayikra 8:33). That supernal oil is removed from him and baldness is made on him, if he blemishes his head. For the head of the High Priest, NAMELY THE FIRST THREE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN, is this supernal oil, THE LIGHTS OF ABA. Hence the priest below must not demonstrate any blemish in himself, as we have already learned, FOR CORRESPONDING TO THE PRIEST ABOVE, HIS OWN DEEDS BLEMISH HIM. Hence, "MAKE BALDNESS" is spelled with Hei.

chanoch's Commentary

The spelling of the word for Baldness with a Hey comes to teach us about cause and effect. We are the cause of what happens to us. This is one of the most difficult spiritual lessons to learn within our hearts. Many people realize the truth of this law intellectually. It is not learned when it is only intellectual. We must bring this knowledge into our daily lives. Anything that comes to us is coming from our own individual actions. Even reading about a murder in Hong Kong that seems to not be significant in our lives is very significant to our lives. Learn this well and realize it is happening many times a day to you and with you. How little we truly see and recognize.