For an explanation of the methodology of this series, see the introduction.
"And if, during these, you will not listen to Me, I will add another seven punishments for your sins." (Levit. 26:28)
Peshat (basic meaning):
Rashi: "And if, during these"
and if, while these [curses/punishments are transpiring],
you [still] will not listen to Me.
"I will add": more sufferings of a different [nature].
"another seven...for your sins"
Seven retributions for your seven sins that have been
enumerated earlier [not sevenfold for your sins].
...G‑d is just and does not punish unfairly.
Remez (hinted meaning):
Baal HaTurim: "If during this "
The final
letters [mem-dalet-hei] of these 3 words ["im ad elah"] spell the
word Mida/measure, for G‑d promises "I will measure out your recompense,
measure for measure."
Derash (interpretive meaning):
Ohr HaChayim: "if you do not listen to me":
Teshuvah
is made conditional on "listening" to G‑d, i.e. studying Torah. True repentance
is impossible without Torah study.
"sevenfold for your sins":
The Torah does not mean
that G‑d will exact seven retributions for each sin but that G‑d will exact
retribution for the sins of the Jewish people, which number 7:
1) failure to listen
2) failure to do
3) relating to the statutes with disdain
4)loathing of G‑d's social laws
5) preventing others from doing commandments
6)breaking G‑d's covenant
7) remaining unaffected by G‑d's penalties.
This explains what the Sages meant when they said: "Three
books are open on Rosh Hashanah: one contains that names of totally wicked, one
contains the names of totally righteous, and one contains the names of average
people whose merits and demerits are in balance. The latter are given until Yom
Kippur to see if they repent, if they fail to do, they will be inscribed in
the book of confirmed sinners." (Rosh Hashanah 16)
Targum Yonatan: And if after these
chastisements you are not willing to obey the doctrines of My law, I will add to
punish you with seven plagues, for the seven transgressions with which you have
sinned before Me.
Sod (esoteric, mystical meaning):
He will not give Judgments to the Prosecutors with which to destroy the world...
Zohar Bechukotai 115:
It says of this, "I will not curse the ground any more
for man's sake." (Gen. 8:21) What is the meaning of, "I will not
curse the ground any more"? It means that He will not give Judgments to
the Prosecutors with which to destroy the world but no more than the world
can bear. It is therefore written: "then I will punish you no more..."
(Lev. 26:8) He will surely give more.
Why would He give more? To punish you "seven times
for your sins." Seven times? Had G‑d collected His due, the world would
not have been able to bear it for a single moment, as is written: "If You,
G‑d, should mark iniquities, who could
stand?" (Ps. 130:3) Yet you say, "seven times
for your sins."
What the verse teaches us "seven times," is
this. Behold, seven is before you. Who is she? She is the Sabbatical Year, which
is seven. For She is called 'seven,' as it says, "At the end of every seven
years you shall make a release." (Deut. 15:1) Therefore, "seven times
for your sins." She is called 'seven' and 'daughter of seven'. What is
the difference between them? In saying seven only, it means to have a release,
to execute Judgments, and to set everyone free. She is called 'daughter of
seven' when attached to another to illuminate and rule over her kingdom and make
known the Kingship throughout the land and to everyone. She is then called 'the
daughter of seven'. Hence, it is written: "the name of the city is Beer-Sheva
(lit. 'well of seven') until this day." (Gen. 26:33) The well
of seven is Isaac's well. Everything is one.
Rabbi Aba said: "and I will chastise you, even I,
seven times for your sins." (Lev. 26:28) "And I will
chastise you," through other attendants, as already explained. "Even I;"
"I" who is roused to save you; "seven" is which is roused towards you.
Come and see: G‑d bears a sublime love for Israel.
Like a king who had an only son who constantly sinned against him. One day, as
he sinned against the king, the king said: 'I have beaten you previously, but
you have not learned. From now on, see what I shall do to you. If I drive you
out of the land, and deport you from the kingdom, wild bears, wild wolves, or
murderers might attack you and kill you. What shall I do? We shall both leave
the country.'
Similarly, the words "even I," mean that I
and you shall leave the land. This is what G‑d said to Israel: 'I have warned
you but you did not lend your ears. I have brought warriors and angels of
destruction upon you to beat you, but you have not hearkened. If I drive you out
of the land on your own, I fear that bears and wolves will attack and kill you.
What then shall I do to you? You and I shall leave the land and go into exile.'
This is the meaning of, "and I will chastise you"; we shall go
into exile. 'You may say that I will leave you, but "even I," am with you.'
"...seven times for your sins," that is, seven will be deported with
you. For what reason? "For your sins."
...though Israel are in exile, the Holy One, blessed be He, is with
them...
This is the meaning of, "for your transgressions was
your mother put away." (Is. 50:1) G‑d said: 'You brought it about
that you and I shall not dwell in the land. Behold the Matron leaving the palace
with you. Observe everything in ruin; My palace and yours, in ruins.' For the
palace is not fit for a King, save when He enters it together with the Matron.
The King then rejoices only when He enters the Matron's palace, since She is
with Her children in the palace. All may then rejoice. 'Now that the son and the
Matron are not here, My palace is in ruins. What shall I do? I shall go with
you.' And now, though Israel are in exile, the Holy One, blessed be He, is with
them, and does not leave them. When Israel are released from the exile, G‑d will
return with them, as it is written: "the L-rd your G‑d will return your
captivity." (Deut. 30:3) Indeed, " the L-rd your G‑d will
[himself] return;" We have already explained this.
BeRahamim LeHayyim:
"It's not nice to fool Mother Nature", as said in
the old Parkay Margarine ad. For our purposes, it's certainly not nice to fool
with Mother Nature, HaTeva, which has the numerical value as G‑d’s name
Elokim, reflecting strict judgment.
Modern Judaism tends to portray the manifestation of G‑d
known as Shechinah as all sweetness, like a soft cuddly Mother Nature, who
is nurturing at all times. True, She is all that plus more than we could ever
fathom, but just as a she-bear can be gentle to her cubs, woe is the one who
messes with her turf! And as we recall from the Pesach Haggadah, where
Shechinah is mentioned; right after we mention a sword of strict judgment:
"And with a great terror," this refers to the revelation of the Shechinah, as it is said: "Has any G‑d ever tried to take for himself a nation from the midst of another nation, with trials, signs and wonders, with war and with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and with great manifestations, like all that G-D your G‑d, did for you in Egypt before your eyes.We know that "all 7’s are cherished," and 7 represents the natural world and Shabbat. Perhaps the Zohar above is trying to give over is that if we mess with the 7, namely the Sabbatical year mandates then we will be repaid back by the 7. The Seventh sefira (malchut), who is Rachel crying for her children — also stands for the Shechinah who goes into exile with us.
What can we do to get back to the garden is at first an individual question before a communal one. We need to make a place in our hearts for G‑d to dwell amongst us. That means first and foremost love. L-rd knows we have had enough judgment! Shechinah is there, if we let Her in. Meditate on what that means, and feel the difference.
Copyright 2003 by KabbalaOnline.org, a project of Ascent of Safed (//ascentofsafed.com). All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this work or portions thereof, in any form, unless with permission, in writing, from Kabbala Online.
Start a Discussion