Zohar Naso Section 1. - AT MIDNIGHT

Zohar Commentary on Parasha NASO

SYNOPSIS:

Rabbi Aba speaks about the time of day and how judgment and joy and praise are aroused at different times of the day and night. He says that during sleep the soul rises above and is examined about its daily activities that are then recorded in the book.

Pasook 1. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Naso

וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵאמֹר, נָשֹׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי גֵּרְשׁוֹן וְגוֹ'. ר' אַבָּא פָּתַח, אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם לֹא יַחֲשׁוֹב יְיָ' לוֹ עָוֹן וְאֵין בְּרוּחוֹ רְמִיָּה. הַאי קְרָא, לָאו רֵישֵׁיהּ סֵיפֵיהּ, וְלָאו סֵיפֵיהּ רֵישֵׁיהּ. וְאִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ.

"And Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, 'Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon'" (Bemidbar 4:21-22). Rabbi Aba opened the discussion saying, "Blessed is the man to whom Hash em imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile" (Tehilim 32:2). The beginning and the end of this verse do not agree, BECAUSE THE BEGINNING SAYS, "IMPUTES NO INIQUITY," SEEMINGLY THAT HE HAS SIN BUT IT IS NOT ASCRIBED TO HIM. BUT AT THE END IT SAYS, "AND IN WHOSE SPIRIT THERE IS NO GUILE." We should look into it, and it has already been established.

chanoch's Commentary

This English Translation of the First Verse of Parasha Naso is corrupted. Naso means to raise up. The verse says "RAise up the Heads of the children of Gershon. Gershon has the meaning of the Tooth of a Ger or stranger. The Pasook is valid in the question that it asks.

Pasook 2. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Naso

ת"ח, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּצְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה דִּינָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא, וְיִצְחָק תִּקֵּן צְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה, וּגְבוּרָה עִלָּאָה שַׁלְטָא בְּעָלְמָא, עַד דְּאָתֵי וְעָאל לֵילְיָא, בְּגִין לְקַבְּלָא לֵיהּ לְלֵילְיָא, וּמִזִּמְנָא דְּשָׁארִי צְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה, אִתְפְּרַשׁ שְׂמָאלָא לְקַבְּלָא וְאִתְּעַר לֵילְיָא.

Come and see, Minchah (the afternoon prayers), Judgment dwells in the world and Isaac, WHO IS SUPERNAL GVURAH AND THE LEFT COLUMN OF ZEIR ANPIN, instituted Minchah. FOR THEN THE UNION WAS COMPLETED IN THE SECRET OF: "HIS LEFT HAND IS UNDER MY HEAD" (SHIR HASHIRIM 2:6). THEREFORE, supernal Gvurah rules the world until the onset of night, because Gvurah receives the night, MEANING THAT NIGHT IS MALCHUT DRAWN FROM GVURAH, WHICH IS MINCHAH. When the time of Minchah begins, the left separates to receive MALCHUT and the night is aroused, WHICH IS MALCHUT.

chanoch adds: From Noon till midnight the Sefira of Gevurah is in the ascendant posistion. Ascendant position does not mean control just control in the contest between Mercy and Gevurah.

Pasook 3. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Naso

בָּתַר דְּאִתְּעַר כָּל אִינּוּן נְטוּרֵי פִּתְחִין דִּלְבַר, כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְעָרִין בְּעָלְמָא וְאִתְפָּשָׁטוּ. וְכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא טַעֲמִין טַעֲמָא דְּמוֹתָא.

After THE NIGHT is aroused, all the guards of the external gates are aroused in the world and spread out, and all the inhabitants of the world taste death.

chanoch's Commentary

The meaning is : people taste death when they sleep. Since we are taught that sleep is 1/60th of death. The external guards are the inspector that investigates to see what mistakes a person makes. This is the meaning of spreading out.

Pasook 4. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Naso

וְהָא אִתְּמַר. בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא מַמָּשׁ, אִתְּעַר שְׂמָאלָא כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין, וּוַרְדָּא קַדִּישָׁא סַלְּקָא רֵיחִין, וְהִיא מְשָׁבַּחַת וַאֲרִימַת קָלָא, וּכְדֵין סַלְּקָא וְשַׁרְיָא רֵישָׁא לְעֵילָּא בִּשְׂמָאלָא, וּשְׂמָאלָא מְקַבֵּל לָהּ.

It has been said that at exactly midnight, the left is aroused as before, AS DURING MINCHAH. The holy lily, WHICH IS MALCHUT, exudes fragrances, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH OF THE LEFT, and raises a voice in praise. Then her head rises and dwells above in the left, IN THE SECRET OF: "HIS LEFT HAND IS UNDER MY HEAD," and the left receives her.

chanoch adds: Actually at midnight the Sefira of Chesed enters and engages in the battle with Gevurah essentially pushing Gevurah away from its ascendancy.

Pasook 5. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Naso

כְּדֵין כָּרוֹזָא קָארֵי בְּעָלְמָא, דְּהָא עִידָּן הוּא לְאִתְּעָרָא לְשַׁבְּחָא לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא. וּכְדֵין תּוּשְׁבְּחָן מִתְעָרִין, וְאִתְבַּסְּמוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ מַאן דְּאִתְּעַר לְזַוְּוגָא זִוּוּגָא דָּא. כַּד אָתֵי צַפְרָא, וִימִינָא אִתְּעַר וּמְחַבְּקָא לָהּ, כְּדֵין זִוּוּגָא דְּכֹלָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח כַּחֲדָא.

This is then proclaimed in the world: The time has come to rise from sleep and praise the King. Praises then awaken and everything is fragrant. Praised is the lot of the one who awakens to effect this bond. When morning approaches and the right, WHICH IS CHESED, awakens and hugs her, there is universal union BETWEEN CHOCHMAH AND CHASSADIM. THIS IS NOT THE CASE AT NIGHT WHEN THERE ARE NO CHASSADIM.

chanoch adds: My commentary from Pasook 4 would imply that this Zohar is not correct. Yet there is truth to both since Chesed always conceals Chochmah or the world could not stand the relationship of Chochmah and Binah in unity.

Pasook 6. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Naso

ת"ח, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא דְּמִיכִין, וְטַעֲמִין טַעֲמָא דְּמוֹתָא, וְנִשְׁמְתָא סַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא, קַיְּימָא בַּאֲתָר דְּקַיְּימָא, וְאִתְבְּחִינַת עַל עוֹבָדָהָא דְּעַבְדַּת כָּל יוֹמָא, וְכַתְבִין לְהוּ עַל פִּתְקָא. מ"ט. בְּגִין דְּנִשְׁמְתָא סַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא, וְאַסְהִידַת עַל עוֹבָדוֹי דב"נ, וְעַל כָּל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה דְּנָפִיק מִפּוּמֵיהּ.

Come and see, During the time when people sleep and taste of death, the soul rises up and gets to stand in a certain place, where it is examined about its daily activities which are recorded in the book. What is the reason for this? Because the soul rises up and testifies about all the person's activities and every single word that came out from his lips.

chanoch adds: We have taught of this many times. This Parasha is teaching about these nightly judgment process. It is referred to in the Zohar as the Heavenly Academy since it is not like an earthly court or an earthly judgment. it is an attempt to maximize a motivational change within the soul so that the soul will push the body more to acheive control of the body.

Pasook 7. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Naso

וְכַד הַהִיא מִלָּה דְּאַפִּיק ב"נ מִפּוּמֵיהּ אִיהִי כַּדְקָא יָאוּת, מִלָּה קַדִּישָׁא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וּצְלוֹתָא. הַהִיא מִלָּה סַלְּקָא, וּבָקַע רְקִיעִין, וְקַיְּימָא בְּאֲתָר דְּקַיְּימָא, עַד דְּעָאל לֵילְיָא, וְנִשְׁמְתָא סַלְּקָא וְאָחִיד לְהַהִיא מִלָּה, וְעָאִיל לָהּ קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא.

When that word that exits from the mouth of a person is worthy, a holy word of Torah study and prayer, that word then rises and cleaves the firmaments. It stands there until nightfall, when the soul rises and grasps that word and brings it before the King.

Pasook 8. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Naso

וְכַד הַהִיא מִלָּה לָאו אִיהִי כַּדְקָא יָאוּת, וְאִיהִי מִלָּה מִמִּילִין בִּישִׁין, מִלִּישָׁנָא בִּישָׁא, הַהִיא מִלָּה סַלְּקָא לַאֲתָר דְּסַלְּקָא, וּכְדֵין אִתְרְשִׁים הַהִיא מִלָּה, וְהַהוּא חוֹבָה עָלֵיהּ דב"נ, הה"ד מִשּׁוֹכֶבֶת חֵיקֶךָ שְׁמוֹר פִּתְחֵי פִּיךָ. ובג"כ אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם לֹא יַחֲשׁוֹב יְיָ' לוֹ עָוֹן. אֵימָתַי. כְּשֶׁאֵין בְּרוּחוֹ רְמִיָּה.

When the word is improper, one of evil words or of evil speech, that word rises wherever it rises to be recorded as a sin of that person. This is the meaning of: "Keep the doors of your mouth from her that lies in your bosom" (Michah 7:5), MEANING FROM THE SOUL THAT GIVES TESTIMONY ABOUT HIS DEEDS. Therefore, IT IS WRITTEN: "Blessed is the man to whom Hashem imputes no iniquity"; NAMELY, WHEN THE SOUL DOES NOT BEAR TESTIMONY AGAINST HIM, SO THAT A CERTAIN SIN WILL BE RECORDED. When is that? When "in whose spirit there is no guile" ... THAT IS, WHEN HE DOES NOT SIN.

chanoch adds: The soul gives testimony against itself when it sins and praises itself when it bring the positive words of Torah. Also words of Torah are related as the concept of living Torah. This is the true meaning of giving Testimony