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Chapter Ten, Section Two: The Rains of Israel
Translation and commentary by Rabbi David Slavin
Know that everything G-d created, He created male and
female. This was in order to for them multiply. Even water was created with both
aspects. G-d created the firmament to separate between the two types of waters.  | | " Wheat...is elevated above all other vegetables and can be considered as a fruit of the tree..." | | |
Know that all the vegetables do not require "male"
waters ( Mayin Dechurin) to grow, for they can even thrive with the
"female" waters ( Mayin Nukvin). That is true due to their humility. The
one exception is wheat, as will be explained shortly. Whereas fruit trees, which
are tall, i.e. arrogant, will not produce fruits unless they receive "male"
waters. The exception to this is the etrog. The reason for its exception
is that it is the choicest of fruit, for it can be consumed entirely, as well as
its status of not being arrogant as the rest of the trees. Therefore as our
sages have said, "The etrog grows on all waters" (Sukka 35a),
meaning whether "male" or "female".
Wheat, since G-d has created it as the staple of
nutrition, is elevated above all other vegetables and can be considered as a
fruit of the tree. Therefore it will not produce fruit without "male" waters.
That is why you might observe that some years, despite abundant rainfall, the
land doesn't produce abundant crops, while in some years there might be a
minimal rainfall, yet the crops abound. The wheat yield, however, depends upon
"male" waters.
[Note: fruit of the tree... There are opinions in
the Talmud that the very Tree of Knowledge was a wheat tree. Likewise in the
future, the wheat plant will produce kernels the size of "hot-dog" buns. ]
Don't be troubled with the way crops grow in Egypt.
Even though it is apparent that "female" waters [i.e. from the Nile] are
responsible for the crops, it is not so. This is as our sages have taught that
each year, during the season of the month of Tamuz, G-d places a rounded drop of
"male" waters into the Nile. That drop is like the yeast in dough. It transforms
all of the Nile's water to be considered as "male" waters. Therefore, Egypt
doesn't require rainwater. The entire merit that Egypt has to constantly receive
this yearly blessing is due to the prayers of Abraham. This is indicated by the
verse, "And Abraham rose in the morning, and took some bread and a pouch of
water, and gave it to Hagar [who was formerly an Egyptian princess]
placing it upon her shoulder" (Gen. 21:14). Part of this can be understood,
being that the archangel of Ishmael [the son of Hagar] is Rahav, who is also the
archangel of Egypt and from the status of Egypt being second to Eretz Yisrael. | | " Eretz Yisrael stems from the realm of revealed lights, therefore her waters are mostly male..." | | |
My beloved Ramaz (Rabbi Moshe Zacuto) commented that
"Hagar" has the same numerical value as "Rahav" (with the kolel). The
idea is that Egypt has a minimal quantity of "male" waters, for the force of
Egypt stems from the nape, or the "back", from the remnants of the World of
Concealment, where the majority is "female" waters. Yet Eretz Yisrael stems from
the realm of revealed lights, therefore her waters are mostly "male".
[Note: stems from the back... In Hebrew, "oref",
which is spelled by the same letters of the title of her monarchs, "Paro"]
Just as Eretz Yisrael is the epitome of purity and
holiness, therefore she specifically is watered from "male" waters. As it says,
"To the rain of the heavens, you shall drink water" (Deut. 11:11). In order to
fully understand this verse, one most open the wellsprings of his wisdom and the
sources of his understanding, intelligence and knowledge.
Know that there are many aspects of normal
rains [in Hebrew, "geshamim"], as well as many aspects of mighty
rains [in Hebrew, "mataar"], as is known from the intentions one has
for the blessings over things enjoyed. The foundation of supernal wisdom is
called the "path", this path comprises of the elements of Av, Sag,
Mah, and Ban. The word for "path" is "shvil", whose
numerical value equals that of "geshem", meaning "rain". Those are the
rains of blessing from that foundation. Those rains are called the "male
waters".
If you were to combine the word "peleh"
(meaning "wondrous"), with "shvil", together they equal the word "tenna"
(=455). "Tenna" is also equal to the full spellings of the name Eh-yeh,
the values which are 161, 143, 151 = 455. Interestingly the milui (alone
without the letters of Eh-yeh itself) for those three spellings equals
140, 122, 130 equals 392, which is the numerical value of the word "geshamim"-
rains. This is what is meant by the verse, "That You have given [in
Hebrew, "tenna"] Your splendor above the heavens [in
Hebrew, "hashamayim"]" (Psalms 8:3). In other words, being that "tenna"
is the value of the three Eh-yehs spelled out, whereas "the heavens" is
just the milui of those Eh-yehs. That is why the verse says "above
the heavens". For that implies that "tenna" is more significant than "the
heavens". The numerical difference between the two equals 63 which is
representative of the three Eh-yehs [each equaling 21] as well as Sag. | | " The name Eh-yeh is always signifying a Makif..." | | |
In regard to "mataar", if we would exchange it
in the Atbash code we would arrive at "gani" [meaning "my
garden"]. That is the essence of the verse "I have arrived to my garden" [in
Hebrew, "Bati l'gani" (Songs 5:1), for "gani" is equal to
the three Eh-yehs (63). That is what Elijah meant in the verse, "For G-d
says to the snow, 'Be land', and to the rain [in Hebrew, geshem]
be mighty rain [mataar]" (Job 37:6), as will be explained shortly.
In the realm of bina, rain has a different
aspect. For when one would delve into the depths of the Eh-yeh spelled
out with the letter hei (where the letter hei is spelled by two
heis), which is founded in bina, its value is 232 according to its
shape.
For the four heis in that milui, each
can be described in three shapes. The hei can either be drawn (1) as a
dalet and vav, (2) a dalet and yud, or (3) as three
vavs . Altogether their values equal (4+6, 4+10, 6+6+6) = 42, times four
(one for each of the heis in the milui) equals 168. Next we will
add the yud of the milui. That equals twenty 20, yet the dalet
of the yud, can be drawn as two vavs therefore we add another
12 giving us 32, together with the 168 we have so far 200. Then we can draw the
alef as yuds, this would add another twenty for the yud
vav dalet, yet again we can split that dalet into two vavs,
therefore we will add another twelve, equaling 32; add the two hundred and all
together it equals 232. Yet we haven't finished for we still have to contend
with the lamed and pei of alef. Together with the alef
itself they spell "peleh", that hints to the aspect of the narrow
path [in Hebrew "shvil"], mentioned above which is called "wondrous"
[in Hebrew, "peleh"]. It is wondrous, for one can discern in it neither a
beginning nor an end.
[Notes: the yud of the milui... "Yud" is
spelled yud (=10), vav (=6), dalet (=4), totaling 20.
draw the alef as yuds... The letter alef's
shape is like a diagonal vav with one yud atop the vav and
another underneath it.]
This is known as the instruction of the eternal
connection between chochma and bina. That is why that supernal
path is described as "wondrous", for it is the foundation of chochma in
the yesod of bina. Also, the three Eh-yehs mentioned above,
which are the foundation of bina, are bound to the path ["shvil"]
and chochma. When one combines the 232 together with "peleh"
(=111) it equals "geshem" 343. Those are the "Might of Rains", which are
the yesod of bina, thus being called the "female waters". And
further, the crown of the yesod of bina contains within it the
three miluim of Eh-yeh whose numerical value equals "tenna"
= 455.
Behold it is known that just as there exists Av
Sag Mah and Ban in the chochma and bina and
the Zeir Anpin and Nukva. So to there are three miluim of
Eh-yeh whose value equal 161 143, and 151, in the chochma and
bina and Zeir Anpin and Nukva. That is true, being that the
holy name Eh-yeh that resides in chochma only exists there on
loan. Therefore in our discussion we will not deal with the milui in
chochma. Rather we shall discuss the three different miluim.
Firstly, the milui of bina is filled
with chochma; she then provides the influence to Zeir Anpin its
numerical value is 160. The 160 of chochma remains to itself.
Subsequently Zeir Anpin transfers the milui that he received from
bina, yet its own milui gets filled by means of the illumination
of bina to Rachel. At that time the Eh-yeh of Rachel
gets filled. Subsequently all three miluim descended towards the worlds
of the Beriya Yetzira and Asiya. That is why, the verse
says, "in the heavens [in Hebrew, 'bashamayim'] and above" (Deut. 4 39).
For the three miluim of Eh-yeh have the numerical value of the
word "bashamayim", and they are "above" Zeir Anpin. This is
because the three Eh-yehs are in the netzach- hod-yesod
of bina. They then become the makifim of Zeir Anpin. This
is true, being that the name Eh-yeh is always signifying a makif.
Those three miluim of Eh-yeh are also, "And upon the land below"
(ibid.). For at the beginning they gather at the yesod of Nukva.
Afterwards they descend from below to the "land" - the worlds of Beriya,
Yetzira and Asiya. | | " When Malchut...is receiving she is considered feminine, yet when she is influencing, she is considered male..." | | |
The word "bashamayim" with its collel is equal
to "geshamim" ["rains"]. This is so, being that, by means of the
abundance of influence in the Malchut, that very influence goes out in
the number [form of] "geshamim" - rains. Behold that when the netzach-hod-yesod
of bina enter the realm of Rachel, They enjoin the miluim
of 161 and 151. Now that the netzach-hod-yesod of bina
are no longer in Zeir Anpin, therefore the Eh-yeh of Zeir Anpin
is simple without the milui. Therefore all that Rachel receives
from Zeir Anpin is the simple Eh-yeh. When you combine the two
miluim 161 and 151 together with the simple Eh-yeh (21) the total
(333) equals the numerical value of "sheleg" [meaning "snow"].
Yet when Malchut receives the three miluim,
she in turn influences downwards. It is known that when she is receiving she is
considered feminine, yet when she is influencing, she is considered male. That
is why she takes for herself the level of masculinity from amongst the three
miluim, which is the milui of 143. Then the influence that descends
has the numerical value of "mataar" (249).
There are occasions that the Malchut takes a
part of the three miluim (whose value total "geshamim" = 393),
equaling "gash"- 303 (add 1 for the kolel to get 304), from the
two miluim of 161 and 143 which equal 304. Therefore she only gives off
to the realms below her the aspect of "mayim" (the remaining three
letters of the word "geshamim"). All of this is dependent on the actions,
and the awakening invested in the good deeds, of the Jews down here in Asiya.
There are other times that the Malchut takes
for herself of the three miluim the milui of 161 and adds to it
the ten letters giving us the total of 171. This is similar to the concept of
"When the Imma loans her vessels to her daughter" ( Zohar 2a). Then, that
which remains to give over to the realms beneath her is "yoreh" [the
secondary rains], whose value is the remainder of the 392 - 171 =221. Being
that, incorporated in that influence are aspects from Zeir Anpin and
Nukva together, therefore it is "mar've" (literally "saturating",
from the same root as the word "yoreh") the land and the seeds planted
therein. (See Taanit 6a). | | " In the merit of tzedaka, rains descend to earth..." | | |
Yet there are still other occasions where the three
miluim of Eh-yeh from bina and Zeir Anpin and the
Malchut herself, join together. They are 161, 143, and 151, totaling 455. We
have also said that in chochma itself, the Eh-yeh that is there is
only on loan, therefore, she only gets from Abba a simple Eh-yeh -
21, without a milui. When you combine the three miluim of bina,
Zeir Anpin and Malchut together with this one Eh-yeh from
chochma their total value is "malkosh" (primary rain) - 476. Being
that she (malkosh) is filled with all the goodness, therefore the
influence that she provides is called the "revia" (the quarterly, or
saturating rain) that falls right before the harvest season and inflates the
grains on the stalks.
Being that the root of the three miluim above,
is the numerical value of "rains" [in Hebrew, "geshamim"], 393, therefore
it is also the symbol of those influences; "geshamim" is therefore
spelled by the first letters of those influences: 1) geshem, 2)
sheleg, 3) mataar, 4) yoreh, 5) malkosh
(or mayim). This is what is meant by the verse, "Just as the rains
and the snow shall descend from the Heavens" (Isaiah 55:10), as well as the
verse, "And I shall provide for you the rains [in Hebrew 'mataar']
in your land yoreh and malkosh." (Deut. 11:14), as well as the
verse "To the rains of the Heavens you shall drink water". (Deut. 11:11).
It is known from the teachings of the Sages, "In the
merit of tzedaka, rains descend to earth". This is hinted to by the fact
that the words "tzedek" [meaning "justice"] and "tzedaka" together
have the numerical value of 393, which is the value of "geshamim"
(meaning "rains"). This is true because when one performs the mitzvah of
tzedaka, he creates a union of both "tzedek" and "tzedaka" as
is mentioned in the Zohar (Bechukotai 113b).
Let's return to our original topic. Just like there
are waters which are rooted in the three miluim of Eh-yeh as
mentioned above, there are also waters which are rooted in the four miluim
of Havayah, namely Av Sag Mah and Ban.
Together, in those miluim, they have a combined nine yuds,
totaling the numerical value of 90, which is the same value of the word "mayim"
["water"]. They are the "male" waters.
There is yet another form of water. If you would
combine the Av together with the milui of 161, representing
chochma and bina. Between the two you have seven yuds, yet
also there are two more taking form of the letter alef (the yud
above the line and the yud below the line) of Eh-yeh. That brings
us to a total of nine yuds [9x10 =90], again having the value of "mayim"
(mem 40, yud 10, mem 40, =90), "water". This is the mystery
of that which the Sages taught: "There are waters that give rise to the wise
people, there are waters that give rise to imbeciles, and there are even waters
that give rise to average people." The latter occurs when there are both the
male and female waters being combined.
For a related discussion from the Arizal, see
From Parents to Children
There are even more categories to be discussed, yet
any more elaboration on the subject would be burdensome.
To return to the previous article in this series on the Land of Israel,
Manna and the Fruits of Israel, click here
To continue on to the next article in this series on the Land of Israel,
Traits of Israel's Waters, click here
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