The Cain Soul-Roots Of Great Halachic Authorities

[The Rabbis mentioned in this selection range from the first "Maccabee" at the time of the Chanukah miracle to the great rabbinical authority in Tzefat who was a contemporary of the holy Ari himself. – Ed.]

These are from the Tanaim (who are attached to the root of Cain): Matityahu ben Yochanan the Chashmonite High Priest, Yosi ben Yochanan of Jerusalem, Netai of the Arbel, Akavia ben Mehalelel1, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef, Rabbi Yosi Hagalili2, Yonason ben Hyrcanus, Chananyah ben Chizkiah ben Gurion, Abba Shaul, Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha High Priest, Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Nehurai the Elder [mentioned] in the book of the Zohar in the portion Tetzave, Rabbi Yaiba the Elder [mentioned] in Mishpatim, Rabbi Chutzpit the Translator, Rabbi Yehudah ben Elai, Rabbi Yosi ben Meshulam Kehala Kadisha, Rabbi Achai bar Yeshaya, and one from Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's group mentioned in Idra Raba of Naso, but my teacher did not want to reveal to me who, and I don't know why.3

There are a few other Tanaim who are attached to the root of Cain, though I don’t know in which way. They are: Rav Shamaya the Pious One of the portion (of the Zohar)of Balak, the Rav of that child-(prodigy mentioned there), Rav Tzadok the Kohen, Rav Kisma the father of Yosi ben Kisma, and Rabbi Kruspadai "Chamid Liba" of the portion Shelach in the book of the Zohar and the book of Tikunim.

These are from the Amoraim: Rav Huna, Reish Galuta [Leader of the Exile]of Babylon during the time of Rabeinu Hakadosh [lit. 'our holy teacher' - Rabbi Yehudah the Prince] - they brought him for burial in the Land of Israel to the cave of Rabbi Chiya, Yehudah and Chizkiah sons of Rabbi Chiya, Rabbi Levi ben Sissi, Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzedek, Rabbi Tsadok the student of Rabeinu Hakadosh, Rav Yirmiyah bar Abba of Rav’s time4, Ulla bar Koshav in the days of Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi, Rabbi Shilo for whom the miracle occurred in the chapter ‘One Who Sees’ of Berachot.

Rav Yayvo Saba Amorai student of Rav, father of Rav Chana, and the father-in-law of Ashian ben Nidbach. Pinchas the brother of Shemuel. Rav Misha from the time of Rav Yochanan. Rav Yisa Amora, who was Rav Assi the Kohen. Rav Chilkia bar Abba, Rav Shamen bar Abba, Rav Akiva Amora, Mar Ukba, Rav Zrika, Rav Schorah, Abaye, Rav Bibi bar Abaye, Rami bar Chama, Rami bar Yechezkel, Rav Dimi from Neharde'a, Rav Nechumi, Rav Mesharshia, Nasan d’Tzutzisa Reish Galusa, Rav Shemuel ber Shilas, Rav Yamar, Rav Avin Nigra, Rav Tanchum from Noi.

Rav Yayvo father of Rav Samma, Rav Safra in the days of Ravina, Rami bar Tamari, Rafram bar Papa, Rav Zeira bar Hillel, Rav Zeiri from Dehavas, Ravin and Rav Dimi who went up from Babylon to the Land of Israel, Rav Chana from Bagdad, Rav Chiya from Difti, Rav Shisha the son of Rav Iddi, Iyo, Avdimi of Rebbi Yehudah HaNadua, Rav Malachav, Rav Chama bar Buzi, Yehoshua bar Zarnuki, who was called Chiya bar Zarnuki in the Talmud - a mistake. Shivchas son of Ravina, Rav Tiviyumi, Shabsai Otzar Piri, who was one of the kelipot from this root of Cain.

Despite the negative energies that they were rooted in, they toiled and arose to real stardom...

This itself is the greatness of these Rabbis: Despite the negative energies that they were rooted in, they toiled and arose to real stardom on the good side. Fueled by such forces, they are actually extra good. As it says, "‘And ELHYM saw everything that He did, and behold it was very good’ (Gen. 1:31) - this (refers to) the angel of death". (Midrash)

These are from the period of Rabanan Savorai: Rav Achai and Rava from Pumpedita.

These are the Gaonim: Rav Acha of Shivcha Gaon, Rav Dustai Gaon, Rav Tzemach Gaon, who was one of the sons of Rav Palui Gaon. Rav Nehilai the first Gaon.5

These are the Poskim [halachic authorities]: Rashba, Rabeinu Aharon the grandson of Rav Zerachia Halevi. Don Vidal dei Telusa, author of the Maggid Mishnah. Rav Yosef Karo, author of the Beit Yosef and the Shulchan Aruch.

These are the major compilations of the code of Torah law. This is mentioned because the root in Cain/din facilitated him to put them together.

All those mentioned are from the second level of Cain, and only on the level of nefesh. However, the ruach or neshama of each came from another root, except for Abaye, who was called Nachmaini - his nefesh, ruach, and neshama were all from this second level of the root of Cain.

This special soul array helped him, and his colleague Rava who shares a mutual source, to be the main characters of Talmudic discussions.

However, the rest only received their nefesh from this root; they did not receive their ruach or neshama (from there) as would be fitting for a nefesh from the root of Cain. As mentioned, this is because the sin of Adam caused the ruach from the root of Adam to become mixed together with the nefesh of Cain or Abel, and vice versa - that is, a ruach from Abel with a nefesh from Cain, or the opposite.

We already explained in Sha’ar Ruach Hakadosh [The Gate of Divine Inspiration] the souls of the Tanaim and Amoraim. We will now explain a little regarding these soul-sparks from the root of Cain, regarding what they are attached to in the ten sefirot of Atzilut.

[Translation and commentary by Perets Auerbach.]

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Many Who Came From Cain (36:2)

Place of Attachment (36:4a)

Footnotes

We find that the early leaders, the men of the Great Assembly, did not bear any rabbinic title. (Pirkei Avot) It was only around the time of the destruction of the Temple that titles were initiated and became popular. This needs to be understood, especially in light of the fact that the varied titles bear great secrets. (Tikunei Zohar, Eitz Chayim)
Rav means 'great one'. In general, ‘RB/Rav’ is for one outside the Holy Land (Tikunei Zohar) whereas ‘RBY/Rabbi’, with an additional Y/yud, the letter of wisdom (Midrash), is for a teacher in the Land of Israel, for the air of Israel makes one wise. There are also those who are called Raban, with an added N/nun, showing their connection to draw the fiftieth gate.
In exile, the Shechinah is called as if RB/riv [in strife] over Her children’s diaspora (Tikunei Zohar). Those who learn Torah establish some relative state of redemption even in exile and so make peace; riv transforms to Rav.

Yosi of the Galilee equals David ben Yishai (Sodie Raza), as mentioned that Yishai also comes from this root.

Certain mysteries are not allowed by Heaven to be revealed until a certain time.

Rav is known simply as Rav - the essential teacher, per se/par excellence. This is in direct diametrical parallel to his esteemed closest colleague Shemuel, who although of the same time period, inexplicitly remained title-less. They are actually two parts of one soul, hinted to in their root in Aryoch King of Elasar. (Breishiet 14:1, Sef.) Shemuel is the Aryoch half, and so Rav actually coined him. (Shabbat 53a) At times, direct opposites share a common root and only function properly together.
The Rav theme is also found in Rabbi Yehudah the Prince who was known simply as ‘Rabbi’. He was a generation before Rav and was centered in Israel, allowing him to enjoy the yud added to the title 'Rav'. He led the grand codification and writing down of the Mishnah, the basic body of the oral law. He was some type of gilgul of Jacob (Rabeinu Bachya) whose main quality is Torah. Therefore a major rung of the Torah’s being passed down went through him.

‘Gaon’ means elite one. These Rabbis were outstanding in Torah and mitzvot.

By Rabbi Yitzchak Luria as recorded by Rabbi Chaim Vital; translation from Sha'ar Hagilgulim by Yitzchok bar Chaim; commentary by Shabtai Teicher

Rabbi Yitzchak Luria […Ashkenazi ben Shlomo] (5294-5332 = 1534-1572 c.e.); Yahrtzeit (anniversary of death): 5th of Av. Buried in the Old Cemetery of Tzfat. Commonly known as the Ari, an acronym standing for Elohi Rabbi Yitzchak, the
G-dly Rabbi Isaac. No other master or sage ever had this extra letter Aleph, standing for Elohi [G-dly], prefaced to his name. This was a sign of what his contemporaries thought of him. Later generations, fearful that this appellation might be misunderstood, said that this Aleph stood for Ashkenazi, indicating that his family had originated in Germany, as indeed it had. But the original meaning is the correct one, and to this day among Kabbalists, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria is only referred to as Rabbenu HaAri, HaAri HaKadosh [the holy Ari] or Arizal [the Ari of blessed memory].

Yitzchok bar Chaim is the pseudonym of the translator, an American-born Jerusalem scholar who has studied and taught Kabbala for many years. He may be contacted through: [email protected]. He translated the Ari's work, "Shaar HaGilgulim;" his translation into English (but with much less extensive commentary than offered here). Information about his translation in book form may be obtained through www.thirtysevenbooks.com

Rabbi Chaim Vital c. 5303-5380 (c. 1543-1620 CE), major disciple of R. Isaac (Yitzchak) Luria, and responsible for publication of most of his works.

Rabbi Perets Auerbach, originally from New York, has been living and learning Torah and kabbala in Jerusalem for 18 years. He teaches at Shvu Ami beit medrash, lectures in Kabbalah and chassidut at the Jerusalem Connection and Heritage House and to private groups. Rabbi Auerbach is also a talented musician. He is currently working on an all new translation of the Zohar into English with extensive commentary as well as a disc entitled "Music, Meditation and Mysticism."

Gate of Reincarnations: Chapter Thirty-Six, Section 3

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