|
Zohar, parashat Shlach 169b; translation and commentary by Simcha Treister
In this passage, Rebbe Shimon is talking to a soul from
the spiritual Garden of Eden.
Rebbe Shimon said: I certainly know that there [in the
lower Garden of Eden] you are dressed in the glory of a body that is pure and
holy.
This body of souls is a body of light that is made
from the spiritual light generated by mitzvot performed in the physical world.
Was there ever something similar to this dress in this
[physical] world? That is a person who appeared in the same body like that which
you stand in up in the spiritual worlds.
Rebbe Shimon is interested to know if there were
people in the physical world who were so righteous that their bodies were an
extension of their refined spirituality.  | | " Esther...put on the same likeness as that of the spiritual world..." | | |
He answered him: two young people who were dressed
among us asked this question of the Head of the Academy after they had suffered
remorse in respect of a sin that is not fitting to reveal. They asked this of
the Academy Head, and he answered them, saying that there was such a thing in
the physical world. From where do we learn this? From the verse: "And it came to
pass on the third day [of her fast], that Esther put on her royalty [literally " malchut"]
and stood in the inner court of the king's palace opposite the king's
residence..." (Esther 5:1). This means that she put on the same likeness as that
of the spiritual world, because the word "royalty" refers to the spirit of
holiness.
The [ sefira] of malchut / royalty is from
the heavenly realms and [even though it is in the physical realm, it] captures
the spirit of the atmosphere in the higher [spiritual] realm. This [spiritual
form] is what Esther dressed herself in.
After fasting and praying for three days, Queen Esther
had purified and refined her physical body to the extent that she was worthy to
receive spiritual garments even in physical reality. Her beauty must have been a
wonder to gaze upon, and this explains why she found such favor in the eyes of
King Ahasuerus.
And when Esther entered in front of King Ahasuerus and
he saw this outer appearance of spiritual light, her appearance was like an
angel of G-d. Then [when he saw her], his soul left him momentarily.
Mordechai was also the same, as is written, "And
Mordechai went out from the presence of the King in royal clothes" (Esther
8:15). This was literally the clothing, or external appearance, of the sefira
of malchut [of Zeir Anpin], the likeness of that higher world.
That is why it is written that "the fear of Mordechai had fallen upon them"
(Ibid. 9:3). They feared Mordechai [because of the awesomeness of his spiritual
appearance], not Ahasuerus.
Visitor Comments: 1
Eric S. Kingston, from USA, 2/28/2007
If only we could see "The Fanc
|
|
|
|
