| |
Of Blessings and Curses
Zohar, Vayeshev p.184a;
translation and commentary by Simcha Treister
This week's parasha starts with Moses putting
the choice of a blessing or a curse before the people and then telling them that
when they enter the Land they will put the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the
curse on Mount Ebal. This symbolism is analyzed by the Zohar in relation to
Simon and Levi. Jacob blesses them, yet at the same time curses their anger. Are
blessings and curses interrelated, or do they have separate roots?
Come and see from the verse: "And they said, each man
to his brother, Behold, here comes the dream master." (Gen. 37:19) This
is Simon and Levi, who were brothers in every respect.
Jacob called them "brothers" when blessing them, and
from this we learn that these words were spoken between them. This raises the
obvious question that since they were all brothers, what was unique about these
two that they are singled out by the name "brothers"? Rashi comments that they
were in one mind regarding the action to be taken against Joseph and also,
later, against the city of Shechem after the kidnapping of their sister Dina.
Their tendency to violence thus singled them out and made them "brothers" in
this regard as opposed to all the others.
[They are called brothers] because they come from side
of harsh judgment. Their anger is anger that leads to killing in the world. This
is as is said [by Jacob]: "Cursed be their anger [in Hebrew, "appam"],
for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel." (Gen. 49:7)  | | " Because the justness of a violent response is obvious to all...this type of anger is worthy of praise and brings blessing to the world..." | | |
Simon was rooted in the sefira of gevura
of Zeir Anpin and Levi in tiferet. Tiferet contains both
chesed and gevura, but when Levi combined with Simon, the side of
gevura was more prevalent than chesed. The further one is removed
from the light of chesed, the more dangerous are one's actions. Double
gevura is double trouble! The word for anger used here is "appam",
and it is normally applied to anger that is from that part of gevura
that lacks the control of the higher sefirot of chochma and
bina. The word "af" means nose, and conjures up the image of the
snorting enraged bull. As such, it is related to the kelipot,
because the emotion rules the intellect. Thus Jacob was careful in cursing their
anger, but not they themselves, since they can rectify their anger through
repentance, i.e. through becoming conscious of this tendency and controlling it
in future.
Come and see the secret of this matter. There are two
types of wrath. One type of wrath is blessed from above and from below and is
called "blessed". This [type] is as is written [about Abraham after he killed
the five kings who kidnapped Lot]: "Blessed be Abram to the Most High G-d,
possessor of heaven and earth." (Gen. 14:19) He dealt out judgment on the wicked
as we have explained. | | " Cursed wrath is evil and is rooted in emotion that overpowers the intellect..." | | |
Abraham was rooted in the sefira of chesed,
which receives from the "pool" (in Hebrew, "brecha") of the
sefira of chochma. Anger flowing from this conscious level
sanctifies the name of G-d and is called "baruch", "blessed", a word
stemming from the same the same root as "brecha", indicating the pool of
wisdom from which the blessing is drawn down from onto the sefira of
chesed. Because the justness of a violent response is obvious to all, and
because it is meted out fairly, this type of anger is worthy of praise
and brings blessing to the world.
There is also a type of wrath that is cursed above and
below, and we have learned that [this kelipa] is called "cursed". This is
as is written in the verse [about the snake after he caused man to sin]: "Cursed
are you more than all the beasts and more than all the birds, and more than all
the wild animals in the field." (Gen. 3:14) And this is the secret of the two
mountains, as is written: "And you shall put the blessing on Mount Gerizim and
the curse on Mount Eyval." (Deut. 11:29) This is in order to [become aware] of
these two levels [one in holiness and the other not]. So also one of these
mountains is called cursed and one blessed. | | " One has his dwelling place in the desert...and the other dwells in tents..." | | |
The name of Mount Gerizim has the same root as the
Hebrew word "gezera", meaning a decree handed down by a court; this type
of clear justice stems from divine wisdom and is therefore "blessed" as
explained above. The name of the other mountain, Mount Eyval, stems from the
root "ev", meaning "concealed"; here the wrathful actions are done with
no clear connection to any higher wisdom. This is violence rooted in anger. Note
also the consonance between "Eyval" and "evil". Cursed wrath is evil and is
rooted in emotion that overpowers the intellect and the justification of its act
is hidden from all.
And Simon and Levi are from the side of harsh judgment
[in holiness], and from the side of harsh judgment flows cursed anger. And come
and see, from the side of harsh judgment flows anger to two sides, one blessed
and the other cursed.
In the same manner two sons issued from Isaac
[representing the sefira of gevura], one blessed and one cursed
above and below. Each departed to their respective sides. One [Jacob] to live in
the holy land, the other to live on Mount Seir as is written: "A hunter, a man
of the field". (Gen. 25:27) One has his dwelling place in the desert, and in
desolation and destruction, and the other dwells in tents. Each lives as is
required [by his soul root]. This is why there are two levels, blessed and
cursed - one to his side, and the other to his side. From one issues forth all
blessings above and below, and all goodness and all light and all redemption and
all salvation, and from the other side issues all curses and all destruction and
all spilling of blood and all the evil and wickedness in the world.
Abraham had two sons, Isaac and Ishmael. The violence
and wildness of Ishmael to this day is obvious. The same aspect was repeated in
Isaac who had two sons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob comes from the side of controlled
wrath, and Esau and Edom from the side of wanton destruction. The two aspects
are different in their source and different in the way in which their anger is
appeased.
Copyright 2003 by KabbalaOnline.org. All rights reserved,
including the right to reproduce this work or portions thereof, in any form, unless
with permission, in writing, from Kabbala Online.
Visitor Comments: 2
David Dome,12/10/2005
But Yishmael made teshuvah in<Albert JOSEPH,8/13/2004
Shabbat Shalom ve Kol touv
|
|
|
|
