Zohar Shlach Lecha Section 4 - Zelophad was Gathering Sticks

It is recommended that one reads the section prior to reading the Synopsis

Zohar Commentary on Parasha SHLACH LECHA

SYNOPSIS:

Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Shimon talk about the sin of the man who gathered sticks on the Shabbat. and who died in his own sin. Since he received his punishment of death, his sin was forgiven; this made it difficult for Moses to know what sentence to give his daughters. We learn that a person must never exchange the Tree of Life for the world, and that the Ark, Malchut, and the Torah, Zeir Anpin, exist as one. The Ark is the abode for the Torah. Moses had wanted to find out if the Tree of Life existed in the promised land, but his spies brought him only fruits from regular trees. Rabbi Yitzchak says that faithful messengers refresh the soul of their master.

Pasook 11. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Shlach Lecha

אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָיא, כְּתִיב וַיִּמְצְאוּ אִישׁ מְקוֹשֵׁשׁ עֵצִים בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת. מַאן עֵצִים הָכָא. וּמַאן הוּא דָּא. אֶלָּא דָּא צְלָפְחָד, וַהֲוָה דָּיִיק עַל אִלֵּין אִילָנִין, הֵי מִנַּיְיהוּ רַב עַל אַחֲרָא, וְלָא חָשַׁשׁ לִיקָרָא דְּמָארֵיהּ, וְאַחְלַף שַׁבָּת לְשַׁבָּת. הה"ד, כִּי בְחֶטְאוֹ מֵת, בְּחֵטְא ו' מֵת. בְּגִין כַּךְ, הֲוָה דִּינֵיהּ סָתִים, וְלָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ דִּינֵיהּ. כְּדִינִין אַחֲרָנִין. בְּגִין דְּמִלָּה דָּא בָּעֵי בַּחֲשַׁאי וְסָתִים וְלָא גַּלְיָיא. וע"ד לָא אִתְּמַר בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֲבַד יְקָר לִיקָרֵיהּ.

Rabbi Chiya said that it is written: "They found a man gathering sticks (also: 'trees') upon the Shabbat day" (Bemidbar 15:32). What are the trees involved here and who is THAT MAN? HE RESPONDS: That must be Zelophehad, who was particular IN KNOWING exactly about these trees, WHICH ARE ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, which of them was greater than the other. He did not care for the glory of his Master and exchanged the Shabbat to the other Shabbat. This is what is written: "But he died in his own sin (Heb. chet'o ... Chet Tet Aleph Vav)" (Bemidbar 27:3), MEANING in the sin (Chet Tet Aleph) of Vav, SINCE HE MADE A BLEMISH IN ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS REFERRED TO BY THE VAV OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, he died. Therefore, his sentence was left unsaid and not explained as other sentences. HE IS DESCRIBED SIMPLY AS A GATHERER OF STICKS, because this matter had to be in secrecy and NEEDED TO BE veiled and not made known. Therefore, it was not mentioned openly and the Holy One, blessed be He, glorified His own glory.

chanoch's Commentary

This Pasook is clarifying the questions i asked in the previous section. The consciousness of why someone does an action in the physical world is extremely important. When people are too intellectual they learn to limit their intuition. Intellect is Binah Intuition is Chochmah. These need to be in balance. In our generation they have become too unbalanced. If HaShem had allowed the true nature of why Zelophehad died to become known and revealed then people would not have had free choice about what they learned and how they learned. That is why it needed to be concealed. This Pasook also hints to the idea of a Shabbat to HaShem and a Shabbat to the other side. When this Zohar becomes revealed to the religious community it will be very difficult for them to understand it because it undermines the whole world view of the Jewish religion. Can someone drive on Shabbat to hear the Torah? Can someone walk on grass? Can someone cook food on Shabbat? All of these proscribed actions that allows someone to keep / guard the Shabbat will need to be reviewed in light of this new revelation about Shabbat. At least that is my opinion.

Pasook 12. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Shlach Lecha

רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, שְׁאַר עֵצִים בַּהֲדֵי שַׁבָּת הֲוָה מְקוֹשֵׁשׁ, וְקַבִּיל עוֹנְשָׁא לְפוּם שַׁעֲתָא, וְאִתְכְּפַר חוֹבֵיהּ. וע"ד אִתְקָשֵּׁי מֹשֶׁה בְּדִינָא דִּבְנָתָא, דְּלָא יָדַע אִי אִתְכַּפָּר לְמֶהֱוֵי לִבְנָתֵיהּ חוּלָק וְאַחֲסָנָא אִי לָאו. כֵּיוָן דְּדָכַר שְׁמֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דִּכְתִּיב כֵּן בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד דּוֹבְרוֹת, אִתְיְדַע דְּהָא אִתְכַּפָּר חוֹבֵיהּ.

Rabbi Yosi said: He was gathering other trees, INDICATING THE SEVENTY EXTERNAL CHIEFS, together with the Shabbat, AND WAS COMPARING AND MATCHING THE LEVEL OF THE SEVENTY CHIEFS TO THE LEVEL OF THE SHABBAT DAY. He received his timely punishment and his iniquity was forgiven. Therefore, Moses had difficulty in judging the sentence of his daughters, since he was not sure if HIS SIN was forgiven, and if his daughters would take their lot and inheritance IN THE LAND OF YISRAEL or not. As soon as the Holy One, blessed be He, mentioned his name, as is written: "The daughters of Zelophehad speak right" (Ibid.), it became known that his sin was forgiven.

chanoch adds: What is being taught here is it is not up to us to evaluate the spiritual levels of others. Only comparing our spiritual level today to what it was yesterday. This is what is being taught in this Zohar.

Pasook 13. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Shlach Lecha

ת"ח, ב' אִילָנִין אִינּוּן, חַד לְעֵילָּא, וְחַד לְתַתָּא, בְּדָא חַיִּין, וּבְדָא מוֹתָא. מַאן דְּאַחְלָף לוֹן, גָּרִים לֵיהּ מוֹתָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וְלֵית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא. וע"ד אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה, דְּבָשׁ מָצָאתָ אֱכוֹל דַּיֶּיךָ וְגוֹ'.

Come and see that there are two trees: One above, WHICH IS THE TREE OF LIFE, ZEIR ANPIN, and one below, WHICH IS THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, THE NUKVA. In the one there is life and in the other death. Whoever exchanges them – MEANING THAT HE CONSIDERS THE FEMALE WHEN SHE IS SEPARATE MORE THAN ZEIR ANPIN, WHO IS THE TREE OF LIFE – causes himself death in this world, and has no part in the World to Come. About this, Solomon said, "Have you found honey? eat as much as is sufficient for you" (Mishlei 25:16).

chanoch adds: In this Pasook we learn that Honey is considered Malchut in this situation. The Tree that is in Malchut is the Tree of knowledge if Malchut is not unified with Zeir Anpin. When Malchut and Zeir Anpin are unified than the Tree of Life and Knowledge become unified also. That is what Moshe was asking: Hve the two Trees become One Tree?

Pasook 14. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Shlach Lecha

אָרוֹן וְתוֹרָה בְּחַד קַיְימֵי. תּוֹרָה עִקָּרָא, אֲרוֹן בֵּיתָא. וע"ד, אָרֹן חָסֵר בְּלָא וָא"ו בְּכָל אֲתָר, אֲרֹן הַבְּרִית, אֲרֹן הָעֵדוּת. בְּכָל אֲתָר אַהֲרֹן דְּרוֹעָא יְמִינָא, בַּר בְּחַד, דִּכְתִּיב כָּל פְּקּוּדֵי הַלְוִיִּם אֲשֶׁר פָּקַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, נָקוּד לְעֵילָּא.

The Ark and Torah, THAT ARE MALCHUT WHICH IS CALLED ARK AND ZEIR ANPIN THAT IS CALLED TORAH, are as one, MEANING IN UNITY. The Torah THAT IS IN THE ARK is primary and the Ark is the abode FOR THE TORAH. Therefore, the Ark is spelled without Vav wherever it is mentioned; that is, the Ark of the Covenant, the Ark of Testimony, SINCE THE TORAH INSIDE THE ARK IS THE SECRET OF VAV. Aaron is always the right arm, except once where it is written: "All that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered" (Bemidbar 3:39), which has dots above it TO INDICATE THAT HERE HE WAS NOT THE RIGHT ARM, WHICH IS CHESED, BUT RATHER AN ASPECT OF MALCHUT CALLED ARK, AS MENTIONED.

chanoch adds: This is reinforcing the idea of the unification of the two Tree's and Zeir Anpin and Malchut.

Pasook 15. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Shlach Lecha

א"ר יִצְחָק, מֹשֶׁה אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי נָקַט, וע"ד בָּעָא לְמִנְדַּע, אִי הֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ בְּאַרְעָא, אִי לָאו, ובג"כ אָמַר, הֲיֵשׁ בָּהּ עֵץ אִם אַיִן וְהִתְחַזַּקְתֶּם וּלְקַחְתֶּם מִפְּרִי הָאָרֶץ. דְּהָא אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי אִתְחֲמָד לְכֹלָּא. וְאִינּוּן לָא אַיְיתִיאוּ אֶלָּא עֲנָבִים וְרִמּוֹנִים וּתְאֵנִים, בְּאִילָנָא אַחֲרָא תַּלְיָין וַאֲחִידָן.

Rabbi Yitzchak said: Moses was attached to the Tree of Life and therefore he wanted to find out if he existed in the land or not. Therefore, he said, "Whether there is a tree in it, or not. And be of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land" (Bemidbar 13:20), since the Tree of Life is pleasant to all. But they brought only grapes, pomegranates and figs, which are attached to another tree, MEANING THE NUKVA, AND NOT IN ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS THE TREE OF LIFE.

chanoch adds: This is also a bit confusing. Why does Moshe need to send men when he and they could Astral Travel. Also why did he hint at what he wanted and not make it clear. He could have told them that he wanted fruit from the Tree of Life. The answer i have received just now is that we need to be taught and to learn that without the proper connection between the human soul and the essence of the things they own and connect with then the natural law is not working completely proper. We have been taught that the land had fruits that were enormous. This is indicating that the land was connected to the energy center and flow of Shefa through the natural order of things. Yet that is not what is expected of our earth. We need to cause miracles and wonders. It is not just the physical look of a thing but its essence that we must learn to see with our sense of wisdom. You never heard that wisdom is a sense? Please define a sense? It is not limited to sight hearing touch smell and taste. Are there not spiritual senses? What do you think their names are?

Pasook 16. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Shlach Lecha

ת"ח, שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים: בְּגִינָךְ. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח, כְּצִנַּת שֶׁלֶג בְּיוֹם קָצִיר צִיר נֶאֱמָן לְשׁוֹלְחָיו וְנֶפֶשׁ אֲדוֹנָיו יָשִׁיב. כְּצִנַּת שֶׁלֶג בְּיוֹם קָצִיר, דְּאַהֲנֵי לְגוּפָא וּלְנַפְשָׁא. צִיר נֶאֱמָן לְשׁוֹלְחָיו, אֵלּוּ כָּלֵב וּפִנְחָס דַּהֲווֹ שְׁלִיחֵי מְהֵימְנֵי לְגַבֵּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. וְנֶפֶשׁ אֲדוֹנָיו יָשִׁיב, דְּאָהַדְרוּ שְׁכִינְתָּא לְדַיְּירָא בְּהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלָא אִסְתָּלְקָא מִנַּיְיהוּ.

Come and see that in "send you men," "you" MEANS for your sake. Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion saying, "Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him: for he refreshes the soul of his master" (Mishlei 25:13). "Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest": BECAUSE THEN THE CHILL is good for the body and soul. "A faithful messenger to those who send him": these are Caleb and Pinchas, who were faithful messengers of Joshua AT THE TIME WHEN HE SENT THEM TO SPY ON JERICHO. "For he refreshes the soul of his master": they returned the Shechinah to rest on Yisrael, and She did not part from them.

chanoch adds: Understand that the reason the tourists were sent was that if the test was passed like it was for Joshua and Caleb then Moshe would be reinvigorated. It is time to appreciate the multiple levels of HaShem's Mercy.

Pasook 17.from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Shlach Lecha

וְאִלֵּין דְּשָׁדַר מֹשֶׁה, גְּרִימוּ בְּכִיָיה לְדָרִין בַּתְרָאִין, וְגָרִימוּ לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מִיִשְׂרָאֵל כַּמָּה אֲלַף וְרִבְּבָן. וְגָרִימוּ לְסַלְּקָא שְׁכִינְתָּא מֵאַרְעָא מִבֵּינַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. אִינּוּן דְּשָׁדַר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, וְנֶפֶשׁ אֲדוֹנָיו יָשִׁיב.

These SPIES, whom Moses sent, caused grief for latter generations, SINCE ON THAT DAY, THE FIRST AND SECOND TEMPLES WERE DESTROYED. This caused thousands and tens of thousands of Yisrael to die and furthermore caused the Shechinah to depart from the land and from the midst of Yisrael. IT SAYS ABOUT those whom Joshua dispatched: "For he refreshes the soul of his master."

chanoch adds: refer to the commentary on Pasook 16.