Zohar Metzora - Section 10 - Set Me As a Seal Upon Your Heart

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

Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Metzora Section 10

It is best to study the Zohar in the following manner:

1. Read outloud the Aramaic Verse. If you need to transliterate in order to read with the sounds of the lettersthe verse see below. If you use the transliteration tool than make sure you scan the Aramaic first and last.

2. Read the English Translation - if you desire to understand and realize that your understanding will limit the energy you receive. This is why it is important to scan the aramaic verse first.

3.Write out your understanding of the verse. Send it to yeshshem@hotmail.com in an email. Use the Parasha Name and verse number in the subject. By sending your understanding you give yeshshem.com permission to post this to web page and any other uses Yeshshem may see a beneficial use.

4. Now read chanoch's Commentary or additions to enhance and or modify your own personal understanding.

SYNOPSIS:

Rabbi Elazar talks about the Tefilin and their meaning in terms of the seal mentioned in the title verse. When the Tefilin are placed both on the arm and on the heart, man makes himself perfect. The topic turns to the time of death when it is so hard for the soul to leave the body; it is just as hard for Yisrael to separate from God, so great is their love for Him. We hear that the two lowest grades of Gehenom are Sheol and Ruin. It is said that "jealousy is as cruel as Sheol", and this is because it is as hard to escape from Sheol as it is for the jealous person to leave his beloved. When the Congregation of Yisrael is jealous for God, her flame sets the world on fire.

Pasook 36. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Metzora

תּוּ פָּתַח וְאָמַר, שִׂימֵנִי כַחוֹתָם עַל לִבֶּךָ וְגוֹ'. שִׂימֵנִי כַחוֹתָם, כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמְרָה דָּא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. שִׂימֵנִי כַחוֹתָם, מַאן הוּא חוֹתָם. דָּא חוֹתָם דְּגוּשְׁפַּנְקָא דִּקְשׁוֹט. כַחוֹתָם עַל לִבֶּךָ, דָּא חוֹתָם שֶׁל תְּפִלִּין, דְּאָנַח ב"נ עַל לִבֵּיהּ. כַּחוֹתָם עַל זְרוֹעֶךָ, דָּא יַד כֵּהָה, דְּמָנַח בְּהַהוּא זְרוֹעַ, וּמַנוּ יִצְחָק. וכ"י קָאָמַר שִׂימֵנִי כַּחוֹתָם, חוֹתָם מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי כַּחוֹתָם. כְּאִינּוּן תְּפִלִּין דְּרֵישָׁא, דְּאָתֵי שְׁבָחָא לְכָל גּוּפָא. וְעַל דָּא תְּפִלִין בַּזְּרוֹעַ, עַל הַלֵּב, וּבְדָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בַּר נָשׁ שְׁלִים כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא.

Transliteration

Please use a Transliteration tool to read the Aramaic Verses. This enhances the energy transfer since it uses both sight of the Hebrew Letters and Sound as well. You may find a transliteration tool on the dailyzohar website or through an internet search for "Hebrew Transliteration".

Translation

Rabbi Elazar further discussed the verse: "Set me as a seal upon Your heart" (Shir Hashirim 8:6). The Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, asked the Holy One, blessed be He, to "set me as a seal." "A seal" is the ring seal of Truth. "As a seal upon Your heart" is the seal of the Tefilin that a man places on his heart. "As a seal upon the arm" (Ibid.) is a dark hand, NAMELY MALCHUT which he places on the arm. What is it? It is Isaac, THE LEFT SIDE OF ZEIR ANPIN. The Congregation of Yisrael says, "Set me as a seal," but should say, 'set me a seal' and not "as a seal." HE EXPLAINS THAT "AS A SEAL" means as the head Tefilin, CALLED "A SEAL," whence gain, NAMELY THE MOCHIN, comes to the whole body. Therefore, the Tefilin is placed both on the arm and on the heart. By so doing, a man makes himself perfect, after the supernal model.

chanoch's Commentary

What is a seal? It says in this pasuk that a seal is a ring seal of truth. What is a ring seal? In our generation we have Easter seals and Christmas seals. these are stamps that are placed over the flap of a letter. Actually, this is what is a seal. In the ancient days the seal was wax so that one could tell if the message was opened and read. Thus a ring seal of truth is an indication that the message is truth. How does that apply to laying of Tefillin? When Tefillin is laid on the Head and the Arm/Heart HaShem through the parchment is attesting that this soul is on a path to Tikune and will ultimately reach / hear the message of the Torah which is truth. This is my opinion.

Pasook 37. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Metzora

כִּי עַזָּה כַמָּוֶת אַהֲבָה. מַאי כִּי עַזָּה כַמָּוֶת. אֶלָּא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח קַשְׁיוּתָא בְּעָלְמָא, כְּמָה דִּפְרִישׁוּ דְּנַפְשָׁא מִגּוּפָא, כַּד בַּעְיָין לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא. כַּךְ אַהֲבַת כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּלָא אִתְפָּרְשָׁן לְעָלְמִין. ובג"כ תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל יַד, אִתְקַשְּׁרָא בִּזְרוֹעַ, לְקַיְּימָא דִּכְתִּיב, שְׂמֺאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֺאשִׁי.

Transliteration

Please use a Transliteration tool to read the Aramaic Verses. This enhances the energy transfer since it uses both sight of the Hebrew Letters and Sound as well. You may find a transliteration tool on the dailyzohar website or through an internet search for "Hebrew Transliteration".

Translation

"For love is strong as death" (Shir Hashirim 8:6). HE ASKS: What is "love is strong as death"? HE ANSWERS: There is nothing so hard in the world as the departure of the soul from the body AT THE TIME OF DEATH when they must separate. Such is the love of Yisrael for the Holy One, blessed be He, that they should never separate. Therefore, the hand Tefilin, WHICH IS MALCHUT, combines with that on the arm, WHICH IS THE LEFT SIDE OF ZEIR ANPIN, and fulfills that which is written: "His left hand is under my head" (Shir Hashirim 2:6).

chanoch's Commentary

The words seem clear yet the pasuk is very esoteric. The verse quoted from Shir HaShirim is a famous verse. In my opinion, this pasuk makes it very clear. The implication is that the male puts his left hand under the head of the female. As discussed in pasuk 37 the left side of Zeir Anpin is Isaac which is a metaphor for the soul after correction. Thus the left hand/arm under the head of the female / Malchut is unifying both male and female and also the spiritual levesl of Zeir Anpin and Malchut and this truly is the seal of truth.

Pasook 38. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Metzora

קָשָׁה כִשְׁאוֹל קִנְאָה. בְּכָל דַּרְגִּין דְּגֵיהִנָּם, לָא אִית קַשְׁיָא כִּשְׁאוֹל, דְּנָחִית לְתַתָּא מִנַּיְיהוּ, בַּר הַהוּא דַּרְגָּא דְּאִקְרֵי אֲבַדּוֹן, וְדָא וְדָא אִשְׁתָּתָּפוּ כַּחֲדָא. וְדָא קַשְׁיָא לְהוּ לְחַיָּיבַיָּא מִכֺּלָּא. כַּךְ, קָשָׁה כִשְׁאוֹל קִנְאָה, דְּלֵית קִנְאָה אֶלָּא בִּרְחִימוּתָא, וּמִגּוֹ רְחִימוּתָא אָתֵי קִנְאָה, וּמַאן דְּקַנֵּי לְהַהוּא דְּרָחִים יַתִּיר, קַשְׁיָא לֵיהּ לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִנֵּיהּ מֵהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא דְּאִקְרֵי שְׁאוֹל, דְּאִיהוּ קַשְׁיָא מִכָּל דַּרְגִּין דְּגֵיהִנָּם.

Transliteration

Please use a Transliteration tool to read the Aramaic Verses. This enhances the energy transfer since it uses both sight of the Hebrew Letters and Sound as well. You may find a transliteration tool on the dailyzohar website or through an internet search for "Hebrew Transliteration".

Translation

"Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol" (Shir Hashirim 8:6). Of all the grades of Gehenom, there is no PLACE MORE harsh than Sheol, for it descends down BELOW ALL THE GRADES except the one called 'Ruin', WHICH IS EVEN FURTHER BELOW SHEOL. Both of them are combined and they are harder on the wicked than all the others. Thus, "jealousy is as cruel as Sheol," for jealousy comes only out of love, and out of love comes jealousy. HE WHO IS JEALOUS BECAUSE OF HAVING SO LITTLE LOVE IS LIKE ONE WHO IS JEALOUS OF HIS WIFE. Whoever is extremely jealous of a beloved one finds it more difficult to depart from him than from the level called Sheol, the harshest and most difficult level in Gehenom.

chanoch's Commentary

To explain this pasuk one needs to realize that the most difficult action in the universe is for the soul to leave the body. This is the effect of death. The translated word for Jealousy also means Zealous. Thus the only reason that the soul leaves the body which is very difficult is due to the zealous desire for HaShem.

Pasook 39. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Metzora

רְשָׁפֶיהָ רִשְׁפֵי אֵשׁ שַׁלְהֶבֶת יָהּ. וּמַאן אִיהוּ שַׁלְהֶבֶת יָהּ, דָּא אֶשָּׁא דְּנָפִיק מִגּוֹ שׁוֹפָר, כָּלִיל מֵרוּחָא וּמַיָא. וּמִגּוֹ הַהוּא שַׁלְהוֹבָא כַּד מִתְלַהֲטָא בכ"י, אוֹקִיד עָלְמָא בְּשַׁלְהֺבוּתָא בְּקִנְאָה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּהִיא מְקַנְּאָה לֵיהּ, וַוי דְּאַעְרַע בְּשַׁלְהוֹבִיתָא, דְּאִיהוּ יִתּוֹקַד בְּהוּ.

Transliteration

Please use a Transliteration tool to read the Aramaic Verses. This enhances the energy transfer since it uses both sight of the Hebrew Letters and Sound as well. You may find a transliteration tool on the dailyzohar website or through an internet search for "Hebrew Transliteration".

Translation

"The coals thereof are coals of fire which have a most vehement flame" (Ibid.). HE ASKS: What does "coals of fire" mean? HE ANSWERS: This is the fire that issues from the Shofar compounded of air and water, MEANING THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHOCHMAH THAT ISSUES FROM THE LEFT SIDE, THE SECRET OF THE FIRE OF THE BINAH THAT IS CALLED 'SHOFAR'. FOR THAT FIRE, WHICH IS THE LEFT SIDE, ALSO INCLUDES TWO SIDES: THE CENTRAL SIDE, WHICH IS CALLED 'AIR', AND THE RIGHT SIDE, WHICH IS CALLED 'WATER'. That flame which burns in the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, then sets the world on fire when she is jealous for the Holy One, blessed be He. Woe to he who crosses the path of that flame, for it will burn them.

chanoch's Commentary

With my comment from pasuk 38 this verse becomes clear.