Igeret HaKodesh: Epistle 26

26 On the verse, “And the wise shall shine like the radiance of the firmament,”2 Raaya Mehemna on Parashat Nasso3 comments:

“With this work of yours, i.e., of R. Shimon bar Yochai, which is the Book of the Zohar (lit., ‘the Book of Radiance’)

from the radiance of imma ilaah, which is teshuvah—

with those [who study this work], no trial is needed.

Because eventually the Jewish people will taste of the Tree of Life, which is this Book of the Zohar, they will go out of exile with it, in mercy.

For them shall be fulfilled the verse, ‘G‑d alone will lead them, and there is no strange god with Him.’6

And the Tree of [Knowledge of] Good and Evil, i.e., prohibition and permission, impurity and purity, will no longer dominate Israel.

For their sustenance will derive only from the side of the Tree of Life, wherein there is no problematic query, which emanates from the side of evil, and no controversy, which emanates from the spirit of impurity,

as it is written, ‘And the spirit of impurity I shall remove from the earth.’7

Thus, the Torah scholars will not be sustained by illiterate people but from the side of the good, who eat that which is pure, kosher, and permitted,

nor [will they be sustained] by the mixed multitude, who eat that which is impure, ritually unfit, and prohibited.”

The Zohar continues: “While the Tree of Good and Evil dominates [the world]…,

these Sages, who are likened to the Shabbat and festivals,8

have nothing except what is given to them by those who are called ‘unsanctified ones,’

just like the Shabbat day, which only has what has been prepared for it on a weekday.

However, when the Tree of Life will dominate, the Tree of Good and Evil will be suppressed, and the illiterate people will only have what the Torah scholars give them.

They will be subjugated to them, as if they did not exist in the world.

Accordingly, the prohibited and the permitted, the impure and the pure, will not be removed from the illiterate people.

As regards them, there will be no difference between the era of exile and the days of Mashiach, except for [the Jewish people’s release from] servitude to the nations.9

For they will not have tasted of the Tree of Life and will require the Mishnayot [which set out the laws] of prohibition and permission, impurity and purity.”

Here ends the quotation from Raaya Mehemna.

Now, at first glance, what the words of this passage imply to those who lack understanding10

is that the study of [the laws of] ritual prohibition and permission and the Order of Taharot, where the laws of purity and impurity are found, relates [only] to the Tree of [Knowledge of] Good and Evil.

Now, this is most surprising in itself, that a particular area within the Torah should be designated as the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, thus relating it to kelipat nogah, which is an admixture of good and evil;

moreover, this contradicts the plain meaning of Scripture and the teachings of our Sages, of blessed memory, that the entire Torah that has been revealed to us and to our children, i.e., the dimension of nigleh, is called “a tree of life to those who hold fast to it”11 and not only the Book of the Zohar.

This is especially so since [the Zohar] was [still] concealed in their days;

indeed, the whole wisdom of the Kabbalah was hidden in their days and concealed from all the Torah scholars, except for a select few,

and even then, [it was studied] in a concealed manner and not publicly, as stated in the Gemara.12

Thus, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, of blessed memory, stated13 that it is only in these latter generations that “it is permitted and obligatory to reveal this wisdom”—i.e., the Kabbalah, which illuminates the esoteric dimension of the Torah—but not in the earlier generations.

R. Shimon bar Yochai, too, stated in the sacred Zohar14 that permission to reveal [the secrets of the Kabbalah] was only granted to himself and his associates.

Now, this, too, is a remarkable wonder.

For if so, i.e., according to a superficial reading of the above quotation from Raaya Mehemna, from which it would appear that only the Zohar is called the Tree of Life while the revealed plane of the Torah is considered the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil,

then the study of [the laws of] ritual prohibition and permission, and surely [the study of] civil laws, such as litigation on monetary matters,15 should not override the obligation of prayer,

which is set out according to the secrets of the Zohar and on the supernal unions (of the various Divine Names and supernal sefirot) for those who are familiar with them,

such as R. Shimon bar Yochai and his associates.

But this is not the case. In fact, the study of the laws of what is ritually prohibited or permitted, and even the study of civil law, does override the obligation to pray at fixed times.

As stated in the Gemara,16 R. Shimon ben Yochai and his associates, and likewise any others whose Torah study is their sole occupation, do not interrupt [their Torah study] for prayer.17

[This applies] even when one is occupied with the study of civil law, like Rav Yehudah, all of whose studies were in the Order of Nezikin18 (lit., “damages”);

nevertheless, in order not to interrupt his studies, he prayed only every thirty days19 when reviewing his studies, as stated in the Gemara.20

Also, in the Jerusalem Talmud, in the first chapter of Berachot,21 R. Shimon bar Yochai is of the opinion that even for the Reading of Shema one interrupts only the study of Scripture, but not of Mishnah, the Oral Torah, the study of which is superior to the study of Scripture,22 according to R. Shimon bar Yochai.

He did not differentiate between [studying] the Orders of Zera’im, Moed, and Kodashim and [studying] the Orders of Taharot and Nezikin.23

(24Actually, he [here] contradicts his own opinion, given in a number of instances in Raaya Mehemna,25 that Mishnah (relative to Scripture) is termed a “handmaiden” (Heb.: shifchah), and so on,

and Scripture, the Torah of Moses, is surely superior to the Kabbalah, which is termed a “queen” (Aram.: matronita) in the above-quoted passage in Raaya Mehemna,

while the Written Torah is termed a “king” (Aram.: malka).

(26This is the yesod of abba vested in z’eyr anpin, as stated by Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, of blessed memory,27))

Moreover, we find that R. Shimon bar Yochai dealt considerably (not only with the mere statements of law in the Mishnayot but) also with the argumentation of problems and solutions, which (according to the original quotation from Raaya Mehemna) derive from the side of evil and from the spirit of impurity.

[This he did] even when he was in the cave where legal adjudication, especially in civil suits, was obviously uncalled for.

Indeed, the very fact that he underwent anguish [when forced to hide] in the cave made him worthy of these attainments.

For, as stated in the Gemara,28 he countered every problematic query posed by R. Pinchas ben Yair with twenty-four solutions,

and [R. Shimon] said to him: “If you had not seen me like this,” in this sorry state in the cave, [“you would not have found me like this”].

(29In fact, their principal occupation in the cave—the principal occupation of Rashbi and his son, R. Eliezer—must have been with the teachings of the Mishnayot, i.e., the six hundred Orders extant in those days30 until the time of our holy Master, R. Yehudah Hanasi, who compiled the Mishnayot in six Orders.

For he could have completed the Zohar and the Tikkunim, the Tikkunei Zohar, in two or three months, for surely he did not repeat the same subject twice.31)

Moreover, our Sages, of blessed memory, have taught32 that “Since the day the Temple was destroyed, the Holy One, blessed be He, has only the four cubits of Halachah.” The study of Torah law thus takes the place of the Holy Temple.

There is yet further cause to be exceedingly amazed—at how “those who lack understanding” comprehend this quotation from Raaya Mehemna.

How is it possible that in the days of Mashiach, people will not need to know the laws of ritual prohibition and permission and of impurity and purity?

For how will they slaughter the sacrifices, and likewise animals for common use, if they will not know the laws of drassah,33 chaladah,34 and shehiyah,35 any of which disqualifies the slaughtering,36 and [likewise, the laws regarding] a defective knife?

Will there ever be born a man who by his very nature will [invariably] slaughter without shehiyah or drassah? Will the knife also remain perfect and unblemished forever?

There are also many more laws relating to sacrificial offerings and so on, [such as those] regarding fat, blood, and other prohibitions.

People then will also need to know [the laws regarding] the impurity imparted by a corpse, as it is written,37 “A young man will die at the age of a hundred.”38

It will be further necessary to know the laws governing the impurity of a woman who has given birth, as it is written, “A pregnant woman and one who gives birth39 together”40 [will be among those restored to the Holy Land at the time of the Redemption through Mashiach].

If a woman will give birth every day, [these successive births] resulting from one marital union,

nevertheless, the law with respect to the restrictions resulting from her impurity will not change.

There is no need to dwell on something so obvious—as the fact that these laws will still apply in the time of Mashiach so that then, too, it will be necessary to know the laws of issur and hetter, and purity and impurity,

when the entire Talmud and the Midrashim make known the reverse [of the misleading impression formed by a superficial reading of our opening quotation from Raaya Mehemna].

[For example:] The question is asked,41 “A law for the time of the Messiah?!”

Likewise, we find that Elijah will come to clarify all doubts42; and “This passage Elijah will expound in the future”43; and so on.

Also not understandable is the statement (in Raaya Mehemna) that “the Torah scholars will not be sustained by illiterate people, and so on,”

nor by the mixed multitude, who eat that which is ritually unfit, impure, and prohibited, heaven forfend.

Even44 during the time of the Second Temple, they were not supported by the illiterate people who ate that which is ritually unfit and prohibited, heaven forfend,

for the Torah scholars had fields and vineyards of their own, just like the illiterate people.

Nevertheless, they engaged in the study of [the laws of] issur and hetter, and of impurity and purity—

[for example,] all the pairs [of leading Sages] who lived at the time of the Second Temple45—

and they raised disciples in the legal aspects of the Torah in the thousands and tens of thousands,46

while the study of the esoteric [of the Torah] took place in secret, and so on.

But in truth, if you examine closely the above-quoted text of Raaya Mehemna—

“And the Tree of [Knowledge of] Good and Evil, i.e., prohibition and permission…”—

[you will note that] it does not say “the teachings (i.e., studying the subjects) of prohibition and permission” nor “the laws of prohibition and permission,” which would suggest that they are (G‑d forbid) the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Rather, it means to say that the actual thing which is prohibited, or the thing which is permitted, is of the Tree of Good and Evil,

i.e., of kelipat nogah, as stated in Etz Chaim.47

This, in fact, is the root of “assur” (meaning “forbidden”; lit., “bound”): the kelipah hovers over [the forbidden thing] so that it cannot rise aloft to holiness like that which is “muttar” (meaning “permitted”; lit., “unbound”);

[while “muttar”] means that [a permitted object] is not tied and bound (“assur”) to the kelipah that would anchor it,

and is [therefore] able to ascend by means of the person eating it with his mind on G‑d, e.g., in order to have the strength to serve Him.

The same applies when there is no specific intent,

with any person who serves G‑d, who studies [Torah] and prays to G‑d with the energy derived from this eating,

so that the letters of Torah and of prayer which ascend to G‑d are formed out of the energy distilled from that food.

This is so during the week: In order for the food eaten on weekdays to be elevated, it must be utilized for Torah or prayer.

But on the Shabbat, the kelipat nogah itself is elevated, together with the external aspect of all the worlds, for the Shabbat is characterized by the “elevation of the worlds” (aliyat haolamot).48

It is therefore a mitzvah to eat all kinds of pleasurable things on the Shabbat for the sake of oneg Shabbat (“enjoying the Shabbat”), irrespective of the fact that it gives one the strength to serve G‑d,

and to partake of more meat and wine than usual,

even though on a weekday, one would be called a glutton and a drunkard.

It is otherwise with a forbidden thing.

It cannot ascend [to holiness,] neither on the Shabbat nor on a weekday, even if one were to pray and study with that energy, i.e., with the energy derived from eating it49—

unless one ate in order to save an endangered life, which is permitted by our Sages, of blessed memory, so that [the food] becomes [entirely]50 permissible.

But the study of Torah, even the laws of issur and hetter, impurity and purity, i.e., not the objects but the laws concerning them,

those being the Mishnayot and the Baraitot in the Gemara that address these issues,

and the codifiers who explain and clarify their words for practical application,

these constitute the body of the Oral Torah,

which is the sefirah of malchut in [the World of] Atzilut, as stated in innumerable places in the sacred Zohar.

It is likewise written at the beginning of the Tikkunim,51 “malchut (lit., ‘sovereignty’)—that is the Mouth, which we call the Oral Torah.”

And in Atzilut, “He and His causations (garmohi; lit., ‘organs’) are one in them.” I.e., the [infinite] Ein Sof-light, and the vessels (kelim) which emanate from Him, and so, too, His attributes, are all one with Him—in the sefirot.52

That is, the [infinite] Ein Sof-light unites itself in Atzilut in an absolute unity so that He and His will and wisdom—vested in His speech, which is called malchut—are entirely one.

As to the statement of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, of blessed memory, that the Mishnayot relate to [the sefirah of] malchut in [the World of] Yetzirah whereas we have just quoted the Zohar to the effect that the Mishnayot relate to the sefirah of malchut in the World of Atzilut,

he referred to the garment of malchut of Yetzirah in which malchut of Atzilut is vested; only after malchut of Atzilut descends to the World of Yetzirah and is vested there can it be said that Mishnayot relate to Yetzirah.

And malchut of Yetzirah is referred to as a handmaiden (shifchah), relative to malchut of Atzilut, which is vested in it.

By contrast, malchut of Beriah (which is a lower World) is referred to as a maid (amah), denoting a level superior to the level of shifchah.

Proof of this—that there is a significant difference between the way something exists in its essential state (be’etzem) and the way it exists as it is vested (behitlabshut) in a lower level—may be gained from the statement of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, of blessed memory, that Scripture, i.e., the Written Torah, is in Asiyah,

even though it is explicit in innumerable places in the Zohar and the writings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, of blessed memory, that it is [the sefirah of] tiferet, which is the z’eyr anpin of Atzilut.

Rather, this means that it vests itself in Asiyah.

Thus, it is taught explicitly in Sefer Hakavanot—that Scripture, Mishnah, Talmud, and Kabbalah are all in Atzilut,

except that Scripture vests itself as far [“down”] as Asiyah,

and Mishnah [vests itself only] as far [“down”] as Yetzirah,

and Talmud is vested as far [“down”] as Beriah.

Now, when malchut of Atzilut is vested in kelipat nogah in order to extract and refine the sparks that fell with the sin of Adam,

as well as the 288 sparks that fell with the “breaking of the vessels,”

Malchut of Atzilut, too, is then referred to as the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, relative to z’eyr anpin of Atzilut

which does not descend there and which is referred to as the Tree of Life.

And the investiture of [the sefirah of] malchut in kelipat nogah is the Kabbalistic principle of the exile of the Shechinah,

whereby “man rules over man, to his detriment.”55

And this is the meaning of the statement in Raaya Mehemna: “While the Tree of Good and Evil dominates [the world]…, these [Sages, who are likened to the Shabbat and festivals, have nothing except what is given to them by those who are called ‘unsanctified ones’…].”

This means that at the time of the exile of the Shechinah—which grants life-force to the chitzonim that belong in the realm of kelipat nogah, from which the “mixed multitude”56 derive their life-force,

and from whose distilled essence the Torah scholars are nourished during the exile—

at this time, the main spiritual task of man, and the main purpose of being engaged in Torah and the commandments, is to disencumber and elevate the sparks, as is known from the teachings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, of blessed memory.

For this reason, study chiefly involves deliberation and argumentation on the laws of issur and hetter, impurity and purity,

in order to disencumber the permitted and the pure from the forbidden and the impure by means of deliberation and argumentation on the law—with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, with all the three intellective faculties of the soul that clarify the law.

For as is known, the Torah derives from chochmah.57 Hence, [the sparks of holiness hidden in a legal question] can be extracted and elevated only through chochmah.58

Specifically: the supernal chochmah of Atzilut which is vested in malchut of Atzilut—

this being the Kabbalistic principle of the Oral Torah

(59according to the Kabbalistic principle by which “the ‘father’ (i.e., chochmah of Atzilut) begat (lit., ‘founded’) the ‘daughter’ (i.e., malchut of Atzilut)”60)—

which, in turn, is vested in malchut of Yetzirah.

This accords with the Kabbalistic principle of] the Mishnayot (and the Baraitot that are vested in the kelipat nogah, which corresponds to the World of Yetzirah,

for there begins the Knowledge [of Good and Evil] [59or: “[for there begins] the evil”] inherent in nogah), for the kelipat nogah in the World of Yetzirah is equally good and evil.

[59A variant reading [of the above]: “and the Baraitot that are vested in the kelipat nogah which corresponds to the World of Asiyah, for there begins the evil inherent in nogah”], for the kelipat nogah of Asiyah is mostly evil and minimally good.

The above is known from the teachings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, of blessed memory.

Now, the intelligent will understand something far more remarkable, namely, what happens in heaven above through the deliberation and elucidation of an adjudged ruling—of the Gemara and of the earlier and latter codifiers61—

which, before this deliberation, had been concealed.

For by means of this [clarification], one elevates this ruling from the kelipot that were hiding and covering it in such a way that it was not known at all, or that its reasoning was not clearly understood.62

For the reason63 [underlying a particular halachah] derives mystically from the sefirah of supernal chochmah, from which sparks fell into the kelipot as a result of the primordial “breaking of the vessels.”

[As to these sparks of chochmah which constitute the reasons,] they are there in a state of exile because the kelipot rule over them and hide the wisdom of the Torah from both the higher and lower beings—both from the created beings of the higher worlds, such as angels and souls, and from man, situated here in this lowly world.

This is why it is stated in Raaya Mehemna, as quoted at the beginning of the present letter, that “a problematic query…emanates from the side of evil.”

Now, the celestial beings (i.e., the souls and angels in the higher worlds) do not have the power to disencumber and elevate that which is in kelipat nogah (i.e., the sparks that are exiled there) as a result of the “breaking of the vessels.”

Only the terrestrial beings, the souls situated in this world, [can do this],

for they are vested in a material body that is known as the “hide of the serpent,” which derives from kelipat nogah.

These [embodied souls] weaken its strength, the strength of this kelipah, by crushing the passions,

thereby subjugating the sitra achara so that “all the workers of evil (i.e., the kelipot) will be dispersed.”66

This is why the celestial beings, the souls of the higher worlds, come to hear innovative insights into the Torah from the terrestrial beings67 from the souls here in this world—

[to hear] the secrets of wisdom, which they innovate and reveal, and which until this time had been in bondage in exile.

Every Jew is able to reveal secrets of wisdom, (68to reveal) and to discover a new insight,

whether it be in the laws or in homiletics, in the revealed or in the mystical [planes of the Torah],69

according to the nature of his soul’s root and its consequent affinity with each of the above categories of the Torah.

Indeed, one is obliged to do so—to uncover hitherto-concealed insights into the Torah, and to reveal the secrets of wisdom,

in order to perfect his soul by elevating all the sparks that have been allotted to it, as is known.70

(71Moreover, every Torah teaching, and especially a halachic teaching, is a spark of the Shechinah, which is the word of G‑d.

In the words of the Gemara, “The phrase ‘word of G‑d’ denotes the Halachah.”72

This accords with the Kabbalistic principle regarding malchut of Atzilut which garbs the chochmah of Atzilut, [both of] which are vested in malchut of Yetzirah,

and with the “breaking of the vessels” they descended into kelipat nogah.)

Thus, the Gemara teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, says of whoever engages in the study of the Torah…, “I account it as if he had redeemed Me and My children from among the nations of the world.”73

But when the Shechinah will emerge from kelipat nogah [74or: from the kelipot],

after the extraction of the sparks will be completed, and the evil of the kelipot will be separated from the good of holiness,63 “and all the workers of evil will be dispersed,”

and the Tree of [Knowledge of] Good and Evil (which is of kelipat nogah and which prevails during the time of exile) will no longer be dominant because the good will have departed from it,

then people will engage in the study of Torah and in the observance of the commandments not in order to extract the sparks, as in the present,

but in order to bring about the consummation of yichudim (“unions” or “marriages” of sefirot) more sublime than those which are effected through our present Torah study—in order to call forth more sublime lights, transcending75 Atzilut.

This is explained in the writings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, of blessed memory.

Everything [will be accomplished] by means of the pnimiyut of the Torah, the esoteric dimension of the Torah, by the performance of the commandments with lofty mystical devotions directed to [drawing down] sublime “lights” [from the Divine Luminary].

For the root of the commandments is exceedingly high, in the blessed Ein Sof, at a level loftier than Atzilut.

(76As for the statement of our Sages, of blessed memory, that “the commandments will be abrogated in the future,”77

this refers to the era of the Resurrection of the Dead.

In the days of the Messiah, however, before the Resurrection of the Dead, they will not be abrogated.)78

This is why Torah study will then be mainly directed to the pnimiyut (the innermost, mystical depths) of the commandments and their hidden reasons.

The revealed aspects of the Torah, however, will be manifest and known to every Jew by an innate and unforgotten knowledge.

Only the mixed multitude (and not the Jews) will have to toil in these [aspects of the Torah],

because they will not have merited to taste from the Tree of Life, i.e., the pnimiyut of the Torah and of the commandments.

They will [therefore] need to engage [79in Torah] in Mishnah in order to weaken (80by their occupation with Torah) the power of the sitra achara that cleaves to them,

so that it will not dominate them and cause them to sin.

Thus, it is written, “And the sinner at the age of a hundred will be cursed.”81 This refers to the sinners of the mixed multitude.

In addition, on the practical level, they will need the detailed rulings of prohibition and impurity more than the Jews.

For (the latter), nothing will occur that is ritually unfit, impure, or forbidden

since “there82 shall not befall [any sin to the righteous]”83—and in the era of Mashiach, all Jews will be at the level of the “righteous.”

It is also possible, and indeed probable, that [the Jewish people] will know all the fundamentals of the revealed plane of the Torah from the pnimiyut of the Torah,

as was the case with our father Abraham, peace be to him.

They will therefore not need to occupy themselves with them—with the laws defining what is permitted or prohibited, pure or impure—at all.

At the time of the Second Temple, by contrast, although the scholars did not derive their sustenance from the illiterate, for they had their own fields and vineyards, they needed to be involved in these [laws],

and not only for their practical application but because this is the main purpose of Divine service—

to weaken the power of the sitra achara and to elevate the sparks of holiness by means of Torah study and worship, as is explained elsewhere.87

After the above words of truth, it will be possible to clearly understand the earlier-quoted passage from Raaya Mehemna,

which spoke of “the Tree of Good and Evil, [i.e., prohibition and permission],”

meaning kelipat nogah, which is the mainstay of this world,88

as is written in Etz Chaim.

This will suffice for the discerning.