{"id":14827,"date":"2026-01-12T15:13:44","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T15:13:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.kabbalah.info\/?post_type=book&p=14827"},"modified":"2026-01-12T15:13:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T15:13:44","slug":"for-man-is-the-tree-of-the-field-1","status":"publish","type":"book","link":"https:\/\/www.kabbalah.info\/en\/for-man-is-the-tree-of-the-field-1\/","title":{"rendered":"883. For Man Is the Tree of the Field – 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Rabbi Yochanan said, \u201cWhy is it written, \u2018For man is the tree of the field\u2019 (Deuteronomy 21)? Is man the tree of the field? Rather, it is because it is written, \u2018For you will eat from it and you will not cut it down,\u2019 and it is written \u2018This you shall destroy and cut down.\u2019 How so? If he is a decent wise disciple, you will eat from it and you will not cut it down. If not, this you shall destroy and cut down\u201d (Taanit<\/em> 7a).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We should ask what is the connection between a decent wise disciple and a tree that is for eating, and a wise disciple and a tree that is not for eating, since the verse says, \u201cYou shall not destroy its trees by swinging an axe against it, for you may eat from it. \u2026Only a tree that you know is not a tree for eating you shall destroy and cut down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Zohar<\/em> says, \u201cAnother God is sterile and does not bear fruit\u201d (see the \u201cIntroduction of The Book of Zohar,\u201d Item 23), and these are its words: Hence, those who fail and walk in the ways of ABYA<\/em> of Tuma\u2019a<\/em> [impurity], their source dries up and they have no blessing of spiritual fruits. They wither away until they become completely blocked. The opposite is true for those who adhere to Kedusha<\/em> [holiness]. Their work is blessed \u201cas a tree planted by the streams of water, whose fruit ripens in its time and whose leaf will not wither, and all that he does will succeed\u201d (Psalms 1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By this we can understand the connection between a decent wise disciple and a fruit tree, of which the verse says, \u201cYou will eat from it and you will not cut it down.\u201d The fruit bearing tree is a sign of Kedusha<\/em>, and one that does not bear fruit is a sign of Tuma\u2019a<\/em> and is called an \u201cindecent wise disciple.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also find, \u201cThese are the generations of Noah. This is as it is written, \u2018the fruit of a righteous, a tree of life.\u2019 What are the fruits of a righteous? Mitzvot<\/em> [commandments] and good deeds\u201d (Midrash Rabbah<\/em>, Noah). By this we can interpret that if he is a decent wise disciple, meaning bears fruit, and he has Mitzvot<\/em> and good deeds, you shall eat it. If not, \u201cThis you shall destroy and cut down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before these words, the Gemara brings the following words: \u201cTania, Rabbi Bena\u2019a says, \u2018Anyone who engages in Torah Lishma<\/em> [for Her sake], his Torah becomes a potion of life to him, as was said, \u2018It is a tree of life for they who hold it.\u2019 It is said, \u2018It shall be healing to your navel,\u2019 and it is said, \u2018For he who finds me finds life,\u2019 and anyone who engages in Torah Lo<\/em> Lishma<\/em> [not for Her sake], his Torah becomes a potion of death to him, as was said, \u2018My lesson will behead like a torrent,\u2019 and beheading means killing, as was said, \u2018and they beheaded it there by the stream.\u2019\u201d We should understand the proximity of the words to one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We should interpret that Rabbi Yochanan does not refer specifically to one who learns with a wise disciple, that he should see if the wise disciple is decent. Rather, this pertains to the disciple himself, in what way he is learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, if he learns Torah but sees that the texts he is learning will not lead him to be able to eat fruits from this learning, meaning fruits of Mitzvot<\/em> and good deeds, \u201cThis you shall destroy and from it you shall not eat.\u201d Rather, he should see that he learns Torah so that this Torah gives him strength and power to perform Mitzvot<\/em> and good deeds, as this is called \u201cfruits,\u201d and specifically from this you shall eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this manner, we can interpret what our sages said about the verse, \u201cThe eyes of the Lord your God are on it,\u201d sometimes favorably, sometimes unfavorably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes unfavorably, how so? When Israel were complete wicked in the beginning of the year, they were allotted few rains, but in the end they repented. It is impossible to add, since the sentence has already been given, but the Creator brings them down on time on the soil that needs them (and RASHI interpreted, \u201cOn the soil that needs them: on the fields and on the vineyards and on the gardens\u201d), everything is according to the soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes unfavorably, how so? Israel were complete righteous in the beginning of the year and were sentenced many rains, but in the end they went astray. It is impossible to lessen, since the sentence has already been given, but the Creator brings them down not in their time on a soil that does not need them (and RASHI interpreted, \u201cOn a land that does not need them, in forests and in deserts\u201d) (Rosh<\/em> Hashanah<\/em> 17b).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rains means water, and there is no water but Torah. Our sages said, \u201cThe reward for a Mitzva<\/em>, Mitzva<\/em>\u201d (Avot<\/em>, Chapter 4). That is, in the beginning of the year, a person is judged according to his actions, and he is sentenced how much Torah he will learn at this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hence, if his actions in the beginning of the year were righteous, he is allotted much rain. Afterward, they reverted from their way, meaning he sinned, and then he is considered wicked. \u201cTo the wicked, God said, \u2018Why do you need the book of My laws?\u2019\u201d At that time, He gives him the rains that were allotted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, he was allotted to learn eight hours a day, so He lets him learn these eight hours, but where they are not needed, meaning in forests and deserts, namely places where there can be no fruits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, he is made to learn things that will yield him no fruits, which are Mitzvot<\/em> and good deeds. On the contrary, the learning becomes a potion of death to him, as our sages said, \u201cHe who learns Lo<\/em> Lishma<\/em>,\u201d etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But if he were wicked in the beginning of the year and was allotted few rains, meaning to learn only two hours a day, if he repents, he is given that little Torah in a place where it can yield fruit, which is called \u201cvineyards and fields and gardens,\u201d meaning that the Torah will bear fruits, which are called Mitzvot<\/em> and good deeds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rabbi Yochanan said, \u201cWhy is it written, \u2018For man is the tree of the field\u2019 (Deuteronomy 21)? Is man the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":6246,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"topic":[26],"class_list":["post-14827","book","type-book","status-publish","hentry","topic-rabash"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nKabbalah | 883. 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