ב"ה
THEMES of Featured Zohar Articles
Intermediate
There is no complete service of G-d unless it is through joy.
Joy starts as a mental frame of mind that influences the whole person and permeates him until he is unified in mind and body and can become a vehicle for the manifestation of a higher unity - the Divine Presence.
The Divine Presence didn't dwell upon Jacob all those years that he was separated from Joseph, due to his sadness. When Serach broke the good news to Jacob, he merited to come back into the presence of G-d through singing. |
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Based on Zohar Breishit 216B
Jacob had to deal with trouble all his life. When Joseph departed from him, this trouble was hardest for Jacob to bear and he wept every single day for the seventeen years he was without Joseph.
When he finally saw Joseph standing before him, Jacob's soul was made whole, as if he saw Joseph's mother for Joseph resembled Rachel, and it seemed to him as if he had never known any sorrow at all. |
Beginner
The spiritual prosecuting forces depend upon the Jewish People's lack of merit.
Because of the great love that G-d has for Israel, no other Heavenly Court judges them other than He Himself. When He looks into their actions to judge them, He is filled with tender mercy, because He is like a father who has mercy on his children.
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Advanced
The Zohar demonstrates three levels of blessing.
When Jacob blessed Joseph's sons, Menashe and Ephraim, he said,
"By you shall Israel bless" - as indeed we do. The custom on Friday night is to
bless our sons with the words "May you be like Ephraim and Menashe". The Zohar
teaches that first Jacob raised the boys up to the source of blessing, the
sefira of bina, so that they themselves should be blessed. Next,
he endowed them with the ability to draw down blessing. Finally, he endowed them
with the ability to instill this blessing to all creatures.
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