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When G-d Alone Works

Based on Zohar Shemot 89B

Come and see: in the verse, "Six days shall you labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Shabbat to the L-rd your G-d" (Ex. 20:9), the words "all your work" indicate that in those six days that man works [the Hebrew word for work and also servant is “eved” and that is also the name that the Angel Metatron is called. This hints that the days of work are governed by a lower spiritual level – that Angel – instead of directly by G-d like on Shabbat that is “to the Lord your G-d” – and not connected with the servant or work], and therefore those who study the Torah have their conjugal union only at a time when people do not work [meaning on Shabbat when it is prohibited for man to work], but when G-d alone works. And what is G-d's work? Union with the Matron [the Shechinah], in order to bring forth [new] holy souls into the world.

...our colleagues sanctify themselves on [Friday night]...

Therefore, our colleagues sanctify themselves on this night [Friday night] in the Holiness of their Master and concentrate their hearts, and bring forth good and holy children who do not turn [away from the Torah], neither to the right nor to the left, children of the King and the Matron [the Shechinah]. Of them it is written: "You are the children of the L-rd your G-d" (Deut. 14:1). Surely of " the L-rd your G-d," for they are called "His children," the children of the King and the Matron [whose souls come down from the union of Zeir Anpin and Nukva in Atzilut].

Those who study the Torah know this secret and cling to it; therefore they are called 'the children of G-d'.

BeRahamim LeHayyim:
We are all children of G-d, for He partners with our parents to create us [as the Talmud specifies]: from our father we get white bones, from our mother we get red blood, from G-d, our spirituality.

What we learn above is how important sacred intentions are from the beginning to create a child's character, whatever the day of the week. It makes sense: something created in a Holy way on our Holy day of Shabbat must too have its spiritual origin in the highest place. That does not mean-—G-d forbid--that a weekday conception is problematic, especially when done with appropriate intentions. But it does behoove us to contemplate the special powers of Shabbat, as well as our attitude towards aligning ourselves to receive these powers when we engage in marital relations.

What does this mean to you, and why is it being revealed now?

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Translated and annotated by Rahmiel-Hayyim Drizin from the Zohar selection in Hok L'Yisrael   More articles...  |   RSS Listing of Newest Articles by this Author
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, also know by the acronym "Rashbi," lived in the Holy Land in the 2nd century C.E. A disciple of Rabbi Akiva, Rashbi played a key role in the transmission of Torah, both as an important Talmudic sage and as author of the Zohar, the most fundamental work of Kabbalah. He was buried in Meron, Israel, west of Safed.
Rahmiel-Hayyim Drizin is a devoted student of many of the leading teachers of Kabbala in English in Israel and the USA. He is a criminal defense lawyer who lives in Oak Park, Illinois with his family.
The Zohar is a basic work of Kabbalah authored by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his students (2nd century CE). English translation of annotated selections by Rabbi Moshe Miller (Morristown, N.J.: Fiftieth Gate Publications, 2000) includes a detailed introduction covering the history and basic concepts of Kabbalah. Volume 1 (36 pp.) covers the first half of the first of the original’s three volumes. It is available online from our store, KabbalaOnline Shop.
Chok L'Yisrael is a daily study guide compiled by Rabbi Chaim Vital based on the weekly Torah Portion that includes sections of Torah, Prophets, Writings, Mishna, Talmud, Zohar, Jewish Law, and Jewish Ethics.

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