Zohar Shoftim Section 2 - 4 Deaths of SamA-El

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Zohar Commentary of the Zohar PORTION called Shoftim

SYNOPSIS:

We learn about the recommended sentencing for various crimes. The secret meaning of "justice, justice you shall pursue" is shown to be found in the construction of the name Yud Hei Vav Hei, that corresponds to the top, body and sides of the sword. We read about the Judgment from the court on high and the judgment from the court here in the world. The scabbard of the sword of justice is said to be the name Adonai, and we see the relevance to the eighteen graces of the prayer that is recited while standing. We read that Samael must be sentenced by the sword, as he is the chief minister of Edom above, and the text talks about the strangulation and stoning of Samael and the serpent as well. The name Yud Hei Vav Hei is said to be the death of Samael and the Snake, and life to the children of Yisrael. Here we read about the burning of Samael, and we are brought to see how our bodies are the trees that are combustible, and how the light inside us enables us to incinerate Samael through higher Wisdom; when the fire of exaltation comes down to the firewood of the sacrificial offering, any foreigner who approaches will be burned in the fire.

Pasook 2. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Shoftim.

פִּקּוּדָא בָּתַר דָּא, לָדוּן בְּסַיִיף. לָדוּן בְּחֶנֶק. לָדוּן בְּדִין סְקִילָה. לָדוּן בְּדִין שְׂרֵיפָה. לָדוּן בְּסַיִיף לְמַאן. לְסָמָאֵל. הה"ד, כִּי רִוְּתָה בַשָׁמַיִם חַרְבִּי הִנֵּה עַל אֱדוֹם תֵּרֵד.

The following precept is to punish by sword, by strangulation, by stoning, and by fire. Whom do you punish by the sword? HE RESPONDS: Samael, as it is written, "for My sword sated in heaven, behold, it shall come down upon Edom" (Yeshayah 34:5), MEANING OVER SAMAEL, WHO IS THE MINISTER OF EDOM.

Pasook 3. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Shoftim.

חֶרֶב דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, י' רֵישָׁא דְּחַרְבָּא. ו' גּוּפָא דְּחַרְבָּא. הֵ"א הֵ"א, תְּרֵין פִּיפִיּוֹת דִּילָהּ. צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדּוֹף, חַתְכִין תְּרֵין דִּינִין, דִּינָא מִפִּי ב"ד דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְדִינָא מִפִּי ב"ד דִּלְתַּתָּא. וּמֵהָכָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע, אֵין אָדָם נוֹקֵף אֶצְבָּעוֹ מִלְּמַטָּה עַד שֶׁנִּתַּן לוֹ רְשׁוּת מִלְּמַעְלָה.

The sword of the Holy One, blessed be He, Yud OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, is the top of the sword. The Vav OF YUD HEI VAV HEI IS the body of the sword, while the two Hei's OF YUD HEI VAV HEI are the two edges of the sword, WHICH ARE THE SECRET MEANING OF: "justice, only justice, shall you pursue" (Devarim 16:20). Two verdicts are decided (lit. 'cut'), one from the celestial court and one from the terrestrial court. From this we understand that a person cannot do the least thing down here unless permission is given from up high.

Pasook 4. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Shoftim.

נַרְתְּקָא דְּחַרְבָּא אֲדֺנָי. תַּמָּן אִשְׁתְּכַח דִּינָא. בְּק"ש יֱדֺוִד. חַרְבָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עָלָהּ אִתְּמַר רוֹמְמוֹת אֵל בִּגְרוֹנָם וְחֶרֶב פִּיפִיּוֹת בְּיָדָם. בְּצַדִּיק חַי עָלְמִין, כָּלִיל חַ"י בִּרְכָאן, דְּבֵיהּ אֲדֺנָי שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח, וּפִי בֵּיהּ עָאל חַרְבָּא בְּנַרְתִּיקָהּ, וַחֲמַת הַמֶּלֶךְ שָׁכָכָה, וּמִתְחַבְּרִין תְּרֵין שְׁמָהָן יְאֲהדֺוָנָהִי.

The sheath of the sword, THE CONTAINER WHERE THE SWORD IS HIDDEN, is the name Adonai. There IN ADONAI, the letters of Judgments are found, SINCE IN ADONAI ARE THE LETTER ALEPH AND DIN (ENG. 'JUDGMENT'). In the reading of Sh'ma is the secret meaning of Yud Hei Vav Hei, that is the sword of the Holy One, blessed be He, AS MENTIONED ABOVE. About it, it is written: "The high praises of Elohim in their throat, and a two edged sword in their hand" (Tehilim 149:6), AS WAS EXPLAINED ABOVE. In the righteous, the life of the world, are included all the eighteen blessings, MEANING THAT THROUGH THE RIGHTEOUS, YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, IS ACCOMPLISHED THE UNION OF ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT OF GREATNESS, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE EIGHTEEN BLESSINGS IN THE AMIDAH PRAYER. In it, "Adonai my lips open, and my mouth" (Tehilim 51:17) "My mouth," MEANS THAT YESOD OPENS MALCHUT, WHICH IS CALLED 'ADONAI'. In it, IN YESOD, the sword enters into its sheath. THAT IS THE MEANING OF THE UNION OF YUD HEI VAV HEI WITH ADONAI THAT IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH YESOD. "Then the king's wrath was pacified" (Ester 7:10), BECAUSE THE KLIPOT WERE CONSUMED BY THE UNIFICATION OF THE READING OF SH'MA. NOW BY THE AMIDAH PRAYER, THEY NO LONGER HAVE A HOLD AND THE ANGER SUBSIDES. The two names are joined, Yud-Aleph-Hei-Dalet-Vav-Nun-Hei-Yud, WHICH IS THE INTEGRATION OF THE TWO NAMES YUD HEI VAV HEI AND ADONAI.

Pasook 5. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Shoftim.

לָדוּן בְּחֶנֶק. זַרְקָא, תַּמָּן קַו, י' כְּרִיכָא בֵּיהּ, וְקַו, ו' דְּאִתְפַּשְּׁטָא מִנֵּיהּ. בֵּיהּ תָּפִיס לְסָמָאֵל, וַיִּשָּׂאוּהוּ בַמּוֹט בִּשְׁנָיִם. מַאי מוֹט דְּהַהוּא רָשָׁע. אָדָם דְּאִיהוּ יוֹ"ד הֵ"א וָא"ו הֵ"א, מַ"ה, וְד' אַתְוָון יֱדֺוִ"ד, הֲרֵי תִּשְׁעָה וְאַרְבָּעִים, כְּחוּשְׁבָּן תִּשְׁעָה וְאַרְבָּעִים אַתְוָון, דְּאִינּוּן בְּשִׁית תֵּיבִין דְּיִחוּדָא עִלָּאָה, וּבְשִׁית תֵּיבִין דְּיִחוּדָא תַּתָּאָה, דְּאִינּוּן ו' ו', וְהַאי וַיִּשָּׂאוּהוּ בַמּוֹט בִּשְׁנָיִם, בְּפִרוּדָא מִנַּיְיהוּ, בְּלָא א' בְּאֶמְצַע וָ"ו, דְּלֵית יִחוּדָא לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, אֶלָּא וַיִּשָּׂאוּהוּ בַמּוֹט בִּשְׁנָיִם, סָמָאֵל וּבַת זוּגֵיהּ, עוֹלָם הַנִפְרָדִים.

THE PRECEPT to punish by strangulation. IN THE CANTILLATION MARK Zarka there is a line with a Yud entwined around it; the line is the Vav that extended from the Yud. With THAT VAV, Samael is caught. THIS ACCORDS WITH THE MEANING OF: "and they carried it between two on a pole" (Bemidbar 13:23). What is the pole of that wicked SAMAEL? HE RESPONDS: It is man, who is Yud-Vav-Dalet-Hei-Aleph-Vav-Aleph-Vav-Hei-Aleph, which is 45 IN NUMERICAL VALUE. Together with the four letters Yud Hei Vav Hei the total is 49, like the number of the 49 letters in the six words of the supernal unification, WHICH IS SH'MA YISRAEL and in the six words of the lower unification, WHICH IS 'BLESSED IS THE NAME OF HIS KINGDOM…', which are Vav (= 6), Vav. That is the meaning of: "and they carried it between two on a pole," separated from them, without the Aleph between the two Vavs, because there is no uniting the Other Side. Instead, "they carried it between two on a pole," Samael and his mate, the world of the separated.

Pasook 6. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Shoftim.

בְּחֶבֶל דְּיֵחָנֵק בָּהּ, אֲחִידָן הֵ"א הֵ"א, בְּה' אֶצְבְּעָאן דְּיַד יְמִינָא, וּבְה' דְּיַד שְׂמָאלָא. ו' חֶבֶל. י' חֲנִיקָא דִּלְהוֹן. שְׁמָא דַּיְדֺוָ"ד, מִיתָה לְסָמָאֵ"ל וְנָחָשׁ, וְחַיִּים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וּבג"ד רְאוּ עַתָּה כִּי אֲנִ"י אֲנִי הוּא וְאֵין אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי אֲנִי אָמִית לֵאלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים בִּשְׁמִי, וּלְכָל דְּלָא הֵימְנוּ בִּי. וַאֲחֲיֶּה לְאִינּוּן דְּהֵימְנִין וְנַטְרִין פִּקּוּדִין דִּילִי.

To the rope with which SAMAEL will be strangled are attached Hei-Hei (=five), meaning the five fingers of the right hand and the five fingers of the left hand. The Vav is the rope. The Yud is the strangulation OF SAMAEL AND THE SERPENT. The Name Yud Hei Vav Hei is death to Samael and the serpent and life to Yisrael. Therefore, it is written: "See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no Elohim with Me. I kill" (Devarim 32:39) other Elohim with My Name and all those who do not believe in Me, "and I make alive" (Ibid.) those who believe in Me and observe My commandments.

Pasook 7. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Shoftim.

לָדוּן בִּסְקִילָה לְסָמָאֵל, בְּאֶבֶן דְּאִיהִי יוֹ"ד, זָרִיק לָהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ, בַּחֲמֵשׁ אֶצְבְּעָן דְּאִינּוּן ה', וּבַקָּנֶה דִּדְרוֹעָא דְּאִיהוּ ו', וּבַכָּתֵף דְּתַמָּן ה'. וְזָרִיק לָהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ מַחֲשָׁבָה, דְּאִיהוּ שְׁמָא מְפֺרָשׁ יוֹ"ד הֵ"א וָא"ו הֵ"א.

To punish Samael with stoning, THAT IS with a stone, which is the Yud. It is thrown at him with five fingers, that are the Hei, and with the outstretched arm, that is the Vav, and with the shoulder, where the Hei lies. And the thought throws THAT STONE at him, which is the explicitly pronounced Name Yud Hei Vav Hei.

Pasook 8. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Shoftim.

לָדוּן בִּשְׂרֵפָה לְסָמָאֵל. עֵצִים לְאַדְלְקָא בְּהוֹן נוּרָא. זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ גּוּפָא דְּאִיהוּ עֵץ, וְאֵבָרִים דִּילֵיהּ עֵצִים, לְאוֹקְדָא בְּהוֹן אֶשָּׁא, דְּאִיהוּ נֵר מִצְוָה, בְּכָל אֵבֶר, לְאוֹקְדָא לְסָמָאֵל, בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה, בְּעֵץ דְּאִיהוּ תִּפְאֶרֶת, וּבְכָל עֵצִים דַּאֲחִידָן בֵּיהּ, דִּבְזִמְנָא דְּאֵשׁ עַל גָּבוֹהַּ נָחִית. הֲוָה, עַל גַּבֵּי עֵצִים דְּקָרְבְּנָא, וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת, דְּאִתּוֹקַד בֵּיהּ, הה"ד וְהָאֵשׁ עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ תּוּקַד בּוֹ. זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מַאן דְּאָחִיד בְּאִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי, בְּגוּפֵיהּ, בְּאֵבָרִים דִּילֵיהּ, נֵר כָּל עַנְפָא וְעַנְפָא נֵר מִצְוָה ברמ"ח פִּקּוּדִין דִּילֵיהּ.

To punish Samael with burning, THROUGH wood (or: 'tree') with which to kindle fire. Blessed is that body that is wood. Its members are pieces of wood in which a fire will burn, which is the fire of the commandment, in each member, to burn Samael BY the supernal Shechinah, THAT IS BINAH, with a tree that is Tiferet, and with all the trees, MEANING SFIROT, that are attached TO TIFERET. When the fire of the higher descends over the wood of the sacrifice, "the stranger that comes near shall be put to death" (Bemidbar 1:51), because he will be burned IN THE FIRE. That is the meaning of: "And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning in it" (Vayikra 6:5). Blessed is he who is attached to the Tree of Life, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, with his body and limbs, for he is a candle. Each branch is a candle of a commandment with his 248 positive commandments THAT CORRESPOND TO THE 248 BODY PARTS, THAT IS, A COMMANDMENT'S CANDLE FOR EACH BODY PART.

Pasook 9. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Shoftim.

כַּד אֲחִידָן בֵּיהּ תַּרְוַויְהוּ, יִתְקְיָּים וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה הַסְּנֶה בּוֹעֵר בָּאֵשׁ וְהַסְּנֶה אֵינֶנּוּ אוּכָּל. וְסָמָאֵל וְנָחָשׁ וְכָל מְמָנָן דִּילֵיהּ, דְּאִינּוּן קוֹצִין, אִתּוֹקָדוּ. וַעֲנְפִין דִּסְנֶה, וְאִיבָּא דִּילֵיהּ, וְעָלִין דִּילֵיהּ, לָא אִתּוֹקָדוּ. דָּא אַחְזֵי לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.

When both THE TREE OF LIFE AND THE COMMANDMENT'S CANDLE, WHICH ARE ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, are attached TO THAT MAN, this verse will be applied: "the bush burned with fire, but the bush was not consumed" (Shemot 3:2), NAMELY, MAN. Samael and the serpent and all his ministers, ATTACHED TO THE MAN'S BODY, which are thorns, will be combusted but the branches of the bush and its fruits and leaves will not be combusted. The Holy One, blessed be He, pointed this out to Moses.

chanoch's Commentary