Zohar Tazria - Section 8 - Circumcision and Foreskin

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

Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Tazria Section 8

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 secret meaning of the circumcision on the eighth day, the sign of the holy covenant, Yesod. The foreskin is said to be the impure serpent, that must be banished from Yisrael, and after it is removed it is placed in dust since God made the serpent live in the dust. Everyone must offer a son as a peace offering, and the reason for the circumcision on the eighth day is that at least one Shabbat must have passed. We learn that song draws blessings from above downward until they are available in all the worlds, and that the children of Yisrael are destined to proclaim the song both from below upward and from above downward. In this way they will connect a bond of Faith and Trust. And at the time of redemption they will say the entire perfect song that is composed of and includes all other songs, and God will be proclaimed the only God. We learn about the fate of those who do not say 'Amen' with their whole heart. It is said that there is a corresponding opening for each gate in the Garden of Eden to a gate in Gehenom. The lowest chamber of Gehenom is described as Hell and Destruction, and those who enter there never rise again, but are lost from all the worlds; to this place it is said that those who are contemptuous of the 'Amen' are sent.

Pasook 31. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Tazria

וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי יִמּוֹל בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹ. פִּקּוּדָא דָּא, לְמִגְזַר לִתְמַנְיָּא יוֹמִין גְּזִירוּ דְּקַּיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא. רָזָא עִלָּאָה, דִּכְתִּיב, סוֹד יְיָ' לִירֵאָיו וּבְרִיתוֹ לְהוֹדִיעָם. לְמַאן, לְאִינּוּן יְרֵאָיו אִינּוּן דַּחֲלֵי חַטָּאָה, דְּהָא רָזָא דְּקַּיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא לָא אִתְחֲזֵי לְגַלָּאָה בַּר לְהוּ. וְרָזָא דְּקַּיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ וְאִתְּמַר בְּכַמָּה דּוּכְתִּין.

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

Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd)"And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised" (Vayikra 12:3). That commandment IS to circumcise on the eighth day the circumcision of the holy covenant. It is a supernal secret, as written, "The secret of Hashem is with them that fear Him; and He will reveal to them His covenant" (Tehilim 25:14). To whom DOES HE REVEAL THE SECRET, WHICH IS THE COVENANT? To the fearful, who fear sin. For it is not suitable to reveal the secret of the holy covenant except for them. We have explained and learned the secret of the holy covenant in several places.

chanoch's Commentary

Circumcision has been discussed in the Preface to the Zohar as well as in the Parasha Lech Lecha. This is the first time that we have discussed this subject on the Yeshshem website.

Pasook 32. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Tazria

וְרָזָא דָּא, לַח' יוֹמִין, אִיהוּ חִיוּבָא עַל עָלְמָא, לְכָל עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא. דִּכְתִּיב, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי יִמּוֹל בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹ. יוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי, דָּא הוּא אָת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְאִיהוּ תְּמִינָאָה לְכָל דַּרְגִּין. וּגְזִירוּ דְּהַהוּא קַיָּימָא, לְאַעְבְּרָא הַהוּא עָרְלָה. מִקַּמֵּי בְּרִית.

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

This secret, WHICH IS on the eighth day, is a universal obligation to all the holy people, as written, "And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised." The eighth day is the sign of the holy covenant, NAMELY THE SFIRAH YESOD, which is the eighth among the Sfirot. IF YOU COUNT THE GRADES FROM CHOCHMAH DOWN, YESOD IS THE EIGHTH GRADE. KETER, THE SECRET OF THE ENDLESS LIGHT, IS NOT COUNTED. The purpose of the circumcision of the holy covenant IS to remove that foreskin, THE SECRET OF THE IMPURE SERPENT from before the covenant, THE HOLY YESOD.

chanoch's Commentary

The foreskin is the end of the end of the body. One of the terms used to describe the body is Sof. In this categorization the terms are Rosh - Head; Tof - Belly in Aramaic; and Sof - End. From this discussion we realize that Sof represents the Malchut of the Malchut of the negative system. The effect that teaches us this truth is the fact that when underneath the foreshin is not cleaned properly there is a breeding ground for illness and disease. This is what i was taught. i have never verified this truth. On blogs devoted to criticizing circumcision this "truth" is taught that it is false. I truly wonder what the statistics are actually.

Pasook 33. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Tazria

דְּהָא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּמִתְכַּנְשֵׁי עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא לְאַעְבְּרָא הַהוּא עָרְלָה מִקַּמֵּי בְּרִית, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כָּנִישׁ כָּל פָּמַלְיָא דִּילֵיהּ, וְאִתְגְּלֵי וַדַּאי לְאַעְבְּרָא לְהַהוּא עָרְלָה לְעֵילָּא, מִקַּמֵּי בְּרִית קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא. דְּהָא כָּל עוֹבָדִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדִּין לְתַתָּא, מִתְעָרֵי עוֹבָדָא לְעֵילָּא. וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִתְדַּחְיָיא הַהוּא עָרְלָה, מִכָּל עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא לְעֵילָּא. וּלְהַהוּא עָרְלָה מְתַקְּנֵי מָאנָא חֲדָא בְּעַפְרָא, לְאַשְׁרָאָה הַהוּא עָרְלָה בְּגַוֵיהּ. בְּרָזָא דִּכְתִּיב, וְנָחָשׁ עָפָר לַחְמוֹ. וְעָפָר תֺּאכַל כָּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ.

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 when the holy nation gathers to remove that foreskin from before the covenant, the Holy One, blessed be He, gathers His retinue and reveals Himself so as to remove that foreskin above from before the sign of the holy covenant, YESOD. For all the deeds Yisrael do below rouse a deed above. THEREFORE at that time the foreskin, WHICH IS THE IMPURE SERPENT, is banished from before the whole holy nation above. A vessel with dust is prepared for that foreskin, to keep the foreskin, according to the secret of the verses, "and dust shall be the serpent's food" (Yeshayah 65:25), and, "and dust shall you eat all the days of your life" (Beresheet 3:14).

chanoch's Commentary

In the orthodox tradition the foreskin is buried in the earth. That is what this pasook is referring. I buried the foreskin of my grandson in a place in the backyard that had a tulip plant that had not grown for a number of years. When the foreskin was buried there the plant started to grow flowers. My son in law did not agree with me that the cause was the buried foreskin. Since he owned the property his consciousness prevailed and the next year the plant did not flower.

Pasook 34. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Tazria

מִכָּאן, דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַנְהֲגָא קְלָנָא בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר, אע"ג דִּמְעַבְרֵי לֵיהּ מִקַּמֵּי הַאי בְּרִית, וְדוּכְתֵיהּ, כַּד מִתְעַבְּרָא מֵהַאי בְּרִית, עַפְרָא אִיהוּ, דְּהָרֵי בָּתַר דְּהַהוּא נָחָשׁ אִתְעַבָּר מִקַּמֵּי אָדָם, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שַׁוֵּי לֵיהּ מָדוֹרֵיהּ בֶּעָפָר, דִּכְתִּיב וְעָפָר תֺּאכַל כָּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ. וְכֵיוָן דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּד אַעְבָּר לֵיהּ מִקַּמֵּי אָדָם שַׁוֵּי מָדוֹרֵיהּ בְּעַפְרָא וְאַתְקִין לֵיהּ, כַּךְ בְּהַהוּא גַּוְונָא מַמָּשׁ, אֲנָן צְרִיכִין כַּד מְעַבְּרִין לַעָרְלָה, לְאִתְתַּקְנָא לֵיהּ עַפְרָא, לְמֶהֱוֵי בֵּיהּ מָדוֹרֵיהּ.

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

From this WE DERIVE that one must not act contemptuously towards that place, THE FORESKIN, even though it is removed from before the member of the covenant. It is placed, after being removed from that covenant, in the dust, since after the serpent was removed from man, the Holy One, blessed be He, made him dwell in dust, as written, "and dust shall you eat all the days of your life." Since the Holy One, blessed be He, made him dwell in dust and formed him so when He removed him from before men, so in the very same way, when we remove the foreskin, we should fix dust for it to dwell in.

chanoch's Commentary

See the commentary from pasuk 33.

Pasook 35. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Tazria

כָּל בַּר נָשׁ אִצְטְרִיךְ לְקָרְבָא הַהוּא בְּרָא קָרְבְּנָא לקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּחֶדְוָה, בִּרְעוּ דְּלִבָּא, לְמֵיעַל לֵיהּ תְּחוֹת גַּדְפּוֹי דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, וְאִתְחַשָּׁב קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּאִיהוּ קָרְבְּנָא, שְׁלִים לְאִתְקַבְּלָא בְּרַעֲוָא.

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

Everyone has to offer a son as an offering to the Holy One, blessed be He gladly and willingly, to enter him under the wings of the Shechinah. This is considered before the Holy One, blessed be He as a peace offering and is willingly accepted.

chanoch's Commentary

Is the Zohar saying that the foreskin is a substitute for trhe offering of the whole son? My opinion is that it is.

Pasook 36. from the Zohar Sulam Commentary on Parasha Tazria

וְקָרְבְּנָא דָּא, כְּגַוְונָא דְּקָרְבְּנָא דִּבְעִירָא, דָּא לַח' יוֹמִין, וְדָא לַח' יוֹמִין, דִּכְתִּיב, וּמִיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי וָהָלְאָה יֵרָצֶה, בְּמַאי יֵרָצֶה. בְּמֶעְבַּר עָלֵיהּ חַד שַׁבְּתָא, כֵּיוָן דְּאַעְבָּר עָלֵיהּ חַד שַׁבְּתָא, כְּדֵין יֵרָצֶה דָּא לְקָרְבְּנָא, וְדָא לְקָרְבְּנָא. אֲמַאי. בְּגִין דְּאִתְדְּבַק וְאִזְדְּמַן לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא שַׁבָּת, רָזָא דִּבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא, וְעַל דָּא כֺּלָּא בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ. ע"כ רעיא מהימנא

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

This offering resembles an offering from the cattle, as both occur on the eighth day, as written, "and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted" (Vayikra 22:27). What makes it acceptable? IT IS because he already lived on Shabbat, BECAUSE IN EIGHT DAYS THERE MUST BE ONE SHABBAT. Once he underwent one Shabbat, the one shall be acceptable for an offering, THE ANIMAL, and the other shall be acceptable, THE CIRCUMCISED CHILD. The reason is that he cleaved and came to this Shabbat, MALCHUT, the secret of the holy covenant, YESOD. THIS MEANS THAT YESOD EXISTS ON SHABBAT IN ITS ENTIRETY, AND HENCE THE CHILD RECEIVES ILLUMINATION FROM IT TO INSTITUTE HIS HOLY COVENANT. THE CATTLE SHALL ALSO BE ACCEPTABLE AS AN OFFERING, BECAUSE THE SACRIFICE UNITES YESOD AND MALCHUT, AND ONE SHOULD THEREFORE BE ESTABLISHED BY THE WHOLE YESOD ON SHABBAT DAY. Everything follows a supernal secret.End of Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd)

chanoch's Commentary

Why is the Brit performed on the eight day. According to modern science the clotting factor is not yet produced by the body until the 8th day. This is a physical effect of the energy of Shabbat which is the spiritual reason behind performing the circumcision on the 8th day.