Kabbalah - Rabbi Aryeh Rotenberg

251102.vayera v13
Vayera: Verse 13
In explaining the words, "appeared to him," Rabbi Aba said that before Abraham was circumcised, he was blocked FROM RECEIVING THE SUPERNAL LIGHTS. As soon as he was circumcised, everything appeared, INCLUDING ALL THE LIGHTS, AS HIS COVER WAS REMOVED. And the Shechinah rested upon him in full perfection, as should properly be. Come and behold. IT IS WRITTEN, "And he sat in the tent door." "He" refers to the upper world, TO BINAH, that rests upon the lower world, WHICH IS THE NUKVA. HE ASKS, When DOES BINAH REST UPON THE NUKVA? AND HE REPLIES, THIS IS WHY THE VERSE CONCLUDES WITH "in the heat of the day" - when the passion of a certain righteous, WHO IS THE YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, is aroused to rest IN THE LOWER WORLD, WHICH IS THE NUKVA. THAT IS, WHEN THERE IS A MATING BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE, THEN THE MOCHIN OF BINAH DWELL WITHIN THE NUKVA.
Vayera: Verse 14
Immediately AFTER THE MATING OF MALE AND FEMALE WAS COMPLETED, IT IS WRITTEN, "And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him..." (Beresheet 18: 2) AND HE ASKS, Who are these three men? AND HE SAYS, They are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - OR CHESED, GVURAH, AND TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN THAT ARE NAMED ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB. AND HE SAW THEM standing over that grade, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, and from them the Nukva draws sustenance and nourishment.
Vayera: Verse 15
And then, "when he saw them, he ran to meet them," because the passionate desire of the lower grade, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, is to cleave to CHESED, GVURAH, AND TIFERET. And Her joy is to be drawn toward them. SO, ACCORDINGLY, "HE RAN TO MEET THEM" IS SAID ABOUT THE NUKVA THAT WANTED TO CLING TO THEM. THE VERSE CONTINUES, "and bowed himself toward the ground," to become and be formed into a throne for them - SO THAT THE NUKVA BECOMES A THRONE FOR CHESED, GVURAH, AND TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN, SO THAT THEY MAY REST UPON HER, AS A PERSON SITS ON A CHAIR.
Vayera: Verse 16
Come and behold, The Holy One, blessed be He, made King David, WHO IS THE SECRET OF THE NUKVA, one of the legs of the supernal throne, like the patriarchs. AND HE ASKS, Even though She is a throne for THE PATRIARCHS, HOW CAN IT BE SAID THAT SHE WAS SET AT THE SAME LEVEL WITH THE PATRIARCHS TO COMPLETE THE FOURTH LEG OF THE THRONE? AND HE ANSWERS, This is so only when She is united with them for the purpose of being a leg of the supernal throne. King David received the kingdom of Yisrael in Hebron for seven years for this reason - to be united with CHESED, GVURAH, AND TIFERET. This has already been explained.
Vayera: Verse 17
Tosefta (addendum). Of the verse, "And Hashem appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre" (Beresheet 18:1), HE ASKS, Why by the terebinths of Mamre and not in any other place? AND HE REPLIES, Because Mamre gave him good advice about being circumcised. When the Holy One, blessed be He, told Abraham to circumcise himself, Abraham consulted his friends. Aner told him, You are more than ninety years old, and you shall pain yourself.
Vayera: Verse 18
Mamre, HOWEVER, said to him, Do not forget the day when the Chaldeans threw you into the furnace of fire and famine took over the world, as it is written, "And there was a famine in the land, and Abraham went down into Egypt" (Beresheet 12: 10). And you smote all those kings that YOUR MEN pursued. And the Holy One, blessed be He, saved you from them all, so that nobody could do you any harm. So rise and fulfill the precept of your Master. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to MAMRE, You advised him to perform the circumcision. By your life! I shall reveal Myself to him only in your chamber. This is why it is written, "by the terebinths of Mamre."

260204.yitro v245
Yitro: Verse 245
"And Moses went up to Elohim and Hashem called to him out of the mountain, saying" (Shemot 19:3). "And Moses went up to Elohim" MEANS THAT Moses went up to the place where the wings of the Shechinah are outspread, as it is written, "He bowed the heavens also and came down" (Tehilim 18:9).
Yitro: Verse 246
We have learned that Rabbi Yehuda said that as long as the legislations of the Supernal King adhere to their proper places, MEANING THAT THEY BALANCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND LEFT, all the worlds are with joy and all the works are maintained properly, as it is written, "The work of Hashem...that it is tremendous" (Shemot 34:10). What does "tremendous" mean? Rabbi Elazar said that it is the perfection of all, as it is written, "A great El, a mighty and a terrible" (Devarim 10:17). What does "terrible" mean? This is Jacob, THE CENTRAL COLUMN, for it is written, "And Jacob was a plain man" (Beresheet 25:27). "...Plain..." is translated as, 'a complete man,' perfect in all. Thus, all the deeds of the Holy One, blessed be He, are perfect in wholeness, and are perfectly maintained.
Yitro: Verse 247
As we learned, Rabbi Yosi explained that one day, while he was standing before Rabbi Yehuda Saba (the elder), he asked him about the meaning of the verse, "And he was afraid and said, 'How dreadful is this place'" (Beresheet 28:17). What did Jacob see that frightened him and made him call it "dreadful?" Rabbi Yehuda explained that he saw there the perfection of the holy Faith, WHICH IS MALCHUT, that was frequent in that place as it is above, and any place wherein His perfection is found is called "dreadful."
Yitro: Verse 248
I asked him, If that is so, why then is the word "dreadful" translated into Aramaic as 'fear' and not as 'perfection?' FOR IF "DREADFUL" MEANS 'PERFECTION,' HE SHOULD HAVE TRANSLATED IT AS "PERFECTION." He answered that there is no awe but in a place where perfection is found, and any place in which there is completeness is called "dreadful," as it is written, "O fear Hashem you saints of His, for those who fear Him there is no lack" (Tehilim 34:10). We can learn from this verse, "there is no lack," THAT AWE IS COMPLETENESS, for wherever there is no deficiency there is completeness.
Yitro: Verse 249
We studied, "Who has ascended up into heaven and come down" (Mishlei 30:4). Rabbi Yosi said that it is Moses, for it is written, "And Moses went up to Elohim" (Shemot 19:3). "Who has gathered the wind in His fists" (Mishlei 30:4)? It is Aaron, as it is written, "And his hands full of sweet incense beaten small" (Vayikra 16:12). "Who has bound the waters in a garment?" It is Elijah, as it is written, "There shall not be dew or rain these years but according to my word" (I Melachim 17:1). "Who has established all the ends of the earth?" It is Abraham, of whom it is written, "These are the generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created (behibar'am)" (Beresheet 2:4). Do not pronounce it 'behibar'am,' but "beAbraham (lit. 'by Abraham')," (spelled with the same letters).
Yitro: Verse 250
He taught this, and said, "Who has ascended up into heaven?" The Holy One, blessed be He, of whom it is written, "Elohim is gone up with a shout" (Tehilim 47:6). "Who gathered the wind in His fists?" The Holy One, blessed be He, of whom it is written, "In whose hands is the soul of every living thing" (Iyov 12:9). "Who has bound the waters in a garment?" The Holy One, blessed be He, of whom it is written, "He binds up the waters in His thick clouds" (Iyov 26:8). "Who has established all the ends of the earth?" The Holy One, blessed be He, of whom it is written, "In the day that Hashem Elohim made the earth and the heavens" (Beresheet 2:4). RABBI YOSI continued further and said, "Who went up into heaven and came down?" Those are the four bonds of the world, fire, air, water and earth.

260203.yitro v235
Yitro: Verse 235
"In the third month, after the children of Yisrael went out of the land of Egypt" (Shemot 19:1). The Great Minister, Uriel, rules over THE THIRD MONTH, FOR NISSAN, IYAR AND SIVAN ARE COMPARED WITH CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, AS MICHAEL RULES IN CHESED, GABRIEL IN GVURAH, AND URIEL RULES IN TIFERET. He is accompanied by 365 ten thousands of camps, corresponding to the number of days of the year, WHICH ARE 365 DAYS OF THE SOLAR YEAR. And all of them have 365 keys of light issuing from the inner supernal Chashmal (Eng. 'electrum'), which is treasured and concealed, and in which the mysteries of the holy supernal letters of the Holy Name are suspended.
Yitro: Verse 236
This is the secret of "a plain man" (Beresheet 25:27), WHO IS JACOB, THE SECRET OF TIFERET - MEANING THAT he is the master of the house, a man of Elohim. "PLAIN" IS DERIVED FROM WHOLENESS, for there is the ending of the knot of the Tefilin, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT IS CALLED 'LEAH.' ."...and Jacob was a plain man..." MEANING HER MAN. And the secret of the inner supreme Chashmal, which is concealed and treasured, has his shape. And he holds all the hidden supreme lights, and they issue forth from him. And all the camps OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED ANGEL URIEL hold the keys of that light that issues from the Chashmal.
Yitro: Verse 237
And that light includes the two lights OF THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT and yet they are in it one LIGHT. The first light is a white one too bright for an eye to behold and this is the treasured light for the righteous as it is written, "Light is sown for the righteous" (Tehilim 97:11) and the second light is one which gleams and sparkles red, FOR IT IS THE SECRET OF THE LEFT LIGHT. And both of them are included as one in it, and they became one.
Yitro: Verse 238
Uriel the Arch Minister and all those camps WITH HIM take that light which is called 'Gemini' for it includes two lights. Therefore, that constellation rules over THIS MONTH, which is called 'Gemini,' after its secret, in which the Torah was given and from which all the grades are drawn below until they rise through the Name to illuminate the world.
Yitro: Verse 239
None of the other signs WHICH RULE IN OTHER MONTHS have a mouth or tongue but this one, GEMINI, has a mouth and tongue included as one. Therefore, it is written in regards to the Torah: "And you shall meditate therein day and night" (Yehoshua 1:8). "Day" corresponds to the tongue, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, and "night" corresponds to the mouth, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and all is included in THE SECRET OF the Gemini (Heb. teomim).
Yitro: Verse 240
It is written, "Tomim," WITHOUT THE LETTER ALEPH, and in relation to this secret it is written "Tomim," in, "behold, there were twins (Heb. tomim) in her womb" (Beresheet 25:24). And "TOMIM" is not said OF JACOB AND ESAU, for Esau is not connected to this secret. It indicates that it is said "TOMIM" of Jacob ALONE, FOR JACOB IS THE SECRET OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN WHICH INCLUDES TWO LIGHTS, THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT, AND AFTER THOSE TWO LIGHTS HE IS CALLED "TOMIM." WHEN THE SCRIPTURE SAYS "BEHOLD TOMIM," IT INDICATES THAT HE, JACOB, WAS IN HER WOMB. And the scripture praises Jacob for being in the womb of that righteous woman, but because the wicked ESAU was there too, the letter Aleph departed, AND IT IS WRITTEN "TOMIM" WITHOUT ALEPH.

260114.vaera v73
Vaera: Verse 73
"And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." By Jacob, there is an additional Vav (= and) AS IT IS SAID, "AND TO JACOB" TO SHOW that he is the selected of the patriarchs. VAV DENOTES TIFERET, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN OF ZEIR ANPIN, AND JACOB WAS A CHARIOT FOR IT, AND ABRAHAM AND ISAAC ARE THE TWO COLUMNS, RIGHT AND LEFT OF ZEIR ANPIN, AND THEIR PERFECTION IS DEPENDENT ON THE CENTRAL COLUMN, WHICH IS JACOB. The same way, it is said, "The Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac and the Elohim of Jacob" (Shemot 3:6). By Jacob there is an additional Vav (= and). Rabbi Yosi said, If so, it is written, "I am Hashem, Elohim of Abraham your father, and Elohim of Isaac" (Beresheet 28:13). Here Isaac is written with an additional Vav. BUT SURELY IT IS THE CONJUNCTIVE VAV. IT DOES NOT CARRY A HOMILETICAL REASON.
Vaera: Verse 74
He said to him, It is well, AND THERE IS NO DIFFICULTY because Jacob was alive, and THE VERSE included Jacob in Isaac, whose eyes were dim, and who was as one who is dead. Because as long as a person lives in this world, the Holy Name is not mentioned in relation to him. Therefore, he was included in Isaac. THEREFORE THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL VAV BY ISAAC, but now that Jacob has died, the matter has returned to its place. This is the meaning of, "And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob" with an additional Vav.
Vaera: Verse 75
"By the name of El Shadai" means I appeared to them from within the mirror that does not illuminate, WHICH IS MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED EL SHADAI, but did not appear through the illuminating mirror, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN CALLED YUD HEI VAV HEI. And if you say THE PATRIARCHS united with the Nukva only, NAMELY MALCHUT, and not more, come and see that ZEIR ANPIN never separated FROM THE NUKVA IN RELATION TO THE PATRIARCHS. This is the meaning of, "And I have also established my covenant with them" (Shemot 6:4), because the covenant THAT IS THE YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN joined with MALCHUT.
Vaera: Verse 76
One should learn from the Holy One, blessed be He, NOT TO SEPARATE BETWEEN ZEIR ANPIN AND THE NUKVA because He did not separate them, as it is written, "El Shadai", WHICH IS THE NUKVA, as well as, "And also I have sustained My covenant with them", WHICH IS YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN THAT HAS JOINED WITH HER. And we learned that whoever has merited to a covenant, TO YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, merited the land, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, SINCE THEY ARE JOINED TOGETHER, AS MENTIONED.
Vaera: Verse 77
One day, Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi were before Rabbi Shimon. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, "Be afraid of the sword. For wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that you may know that there is a judgment" (Iyov 19:29). HE ASKS, It is written, "Be afraid of the sword." What sword? HE ANSWERS, This is "a sword...that shall avenge My covenant" (Vayikra 26:25). This sword, WHICH IS MALCHUT, stands to observe who is false to the covenant, WHICH IS YESOD, because anyone who is false to the covenant BLEMISHES IT WITH SEXUAL MISCONDUCT OR SPILLING SEMEN IN VAIN, it is this sword that takes vengeance on him.
Vaera: Verse 78
This is the meaning of, "For wrath brings the punishments of the sword." What is the reason? IT IS that anyone who is false to the covenant distances the desire OF MALCHUT TO RECEIVE SUSTENANCE FROM ZEIR ANPIN, and thus whoever should receive SUSTENANCE, NAMELY YESOD does not receive it, and does not give to his place, since his place, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is not awakened toward him. BECAUSE OF THE BLEMISH IN THE COVENANT THE DESIRE TO RECEIVE SUSTENANCE WAS TAKEN FROM HER. Everyone who observes this covenant arouses the covenant towards its place, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and the upper and lower beings are blessed.

260128.beshalach v372
Beshalach: Verse 372
Come and behold, every day the dew of Atika Kadisha drips to Zeir Anpin, and the whole Field of Holy Apples is blessed, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and from that, dew is drawn to these below. The holy angels are nourished from it, each one according to his ability to eat. This is what is written, "Man ate the bread of angels" (Tehilim 78:25); NAMELY, THAT DEW MENTIONED EARLIER, WHICH IS THE BREAD OF ANGELS. Yisrael ate of that food in the wilderness, THE MANNA.
Beshalach: Verse 373
Rabbi Shimon said, Many people are nourished from it today. And who are they? They are the friends, who are occupied with Torah days and nights. And if it you think that it was actually the same food THAT THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL ATE IN THE WILDERNESS, it is not, but it is very similar to that food, for it is worth double THE MANNA THAT THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL ATE IN THE WILDERNESS.
Beshalach: Verse 374
Come and behold, when Yisrael came and cleaved unto the Holy King, they merited then to eat a much higher bread because of the uncovering of the holy sign OF THE CIRCUMCISED ORGAN. Before, when they left Egypt, they came with bread called unleavened bread (Heb. Matzah), WHICH IS MALCHUT. Now they merited to eat a different, much higher bread, from a high place, as it is written, "Behold I will rain bread from the heavens for you," actually from the heavens, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, and it became available to Yisrael from this place at that time. The friends who are occupied with Torah are nourished from a higher place. What is it? It is as written, "Wisdom gives life to those who have it" (Kohelet 7:12), which is a place far higher THAN ZEIR ANPIN.
Beshalach: Verse 375
Rabbi Elazar said to him, If so, why are those occupied with Torah weaker than other people, for the other people appear to be stronger than those who are occupied with Torah? He said to him, You ask well.
Beshalach: Verse 376
Come and behold, all the food of the inhabitants of the world comes from above. That food that comes from the heaven and the earth is the food of the whole world. It is the food of all, and it is coarse and thick nourishment. The food that comes from a higher source and is a finer food comes from the place where Judgment is prevalent, NAMELY MALCHUT, and this is the food that Yisrael ate when they left Egypt, NAMELY, UNLEAVENED BREAD. The food that was provided Yisrael at that time in the wilderness was from a higher place, called 'heavens,' WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. It is a finer food that enters into the soul more THAN ANY OTHER FOOD. It is more separate from the body and is called 'the food of the angels,' NAMELY MANNA.
Beshalach: Verse 377
The food that is the highest of all is the food of the friends, those who are occupied with Torah, who eat the food of the spirit and the soul and do not eat physical food at all. It is from the place that is more precious than anything, called Chochmah (Wisdom). Therefore, the bodies of the friends are weaker than the people of the world because they do not eat the food of the body at all. They eat only the food of the spirit and soul from the distant place, higher and more precious than all - WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, WHICH IS FAR AWAY, AS IT IS WRITTEN, "I SAID, 'I WILL BE WISE; BUT IT WAS FAR FROM ME'" (KOHELET 7:23). Therefore, that food is far more refined than all. Blessed is their portion. This is what is written, "Wisdom gives life to those who have it." Blessed is the portion of a body that can be nourished with the food of the soul.
Beshalach: Verse 378
Rabbi Elazar said to him, Certainly, it is so, but in the present time how is such food to be found? He said to him, You ask well. Come and behold, this is the clarification of the matter. The first food is the food of the whole world, that which comes from the heavens and earth. And it is the food of the body.