165) \u201cHe took Simeon from them,\u201d so he would not slander him with Levi. This is because when Simeon and Levi bond, they can slander. \u201cAnd bound him before their eyes.\u201d He bound him only before their eyes; but once they left, he gave him food and drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
166) Was Joseph\u2019s wish as it is written, \u201cIf your enemy is hungry, feed him bread, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink\u201d and this is why he gave Simeon food and drink, for he was his enemy? If so, how could Joseph, who was righteous, do that? After all, it is written in the end, \u201cFor you will heap burning coals on his head,\u201d and the Lord will pay you. It is not the way of a righteous to avenge against his brothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
167) Indeed, Joseph did not intend it. Rather, he acted and behaved with him in brotherhood, as a man with his brother, and not in any other way. And it was not so only with him, but he did so with all his brothers, as it is written, \u201cThen Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with grain, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way,\u201d to behave with them in brotherhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
168) \u201cThus says the Lord, though they are at full strength and likewise many, even so, they will be cut off and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.\u201d When the whole people has peace in it, and no dispute is among them, the Creator has pity on them and the judgment does not govern them. And even though they are idol worshippers, if they are at peace, judgment does not rule over them, as it is written, \u201cJoined idols Ephraim let him alone.\u201d This means that even if one is serving idols, meaning idol worshipping, if they are nonetheless united, \u201cLet him alone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
169) Righteousness is peace, and one who increases righteousness, increases peace above and increases peace below. This is why it is written, \u201cThey will be cut off and pass away.\u201d \u201cCut off\u2019 is like trimming, when they trim their money for charity. It is written, \u201cAnd also,\u201d to show that as in the beginning it speaks in peace, here, too, it speaks in peace and in righteousness. And why is it written, \u201cPass away\u201d? This concerns the judgment of the anger, as you say, \u201cUntil indignation has passed away.\u201d Here, too, \u201cPass away\u201d means that the judgment has been lifted from over them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
170) \u201cThus says the Lord, though they are at full strength.\u201d \u201cFull\u201d are Israel, to whom the Creator gave the everlasting covenant, the circumcision, to always keep it and for man to always be whole through it, from all sides\u2014HGT TM, above and below, which are Netzah and Hod. And if one does not keep it forever, he is flawed in everything, for it is written, \u201cWalk before Me, and be wholehearted.\u201d \u201cWholehearted\u201d means that as long as the covenant did not come true in him\u2014before he was circumcised\u2014he was flawed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
171) \u201cThough they are at full strength\u201d means that they are observing the commandment of circumcision, to be whole and not flawed. Also, \u201cMany\u201d means \u201cBe fruitful and multiply\u201d in it, for the souls come out to the world only by this covenant. Also, \u201ccut off,\u201d one who is circumcised and has taken that covenant upon himself, \u201cWill be cut off,\u201d from the words \u201cshearing\u201d and \u201ccutting down.\u201d Thus, the filth of the foreskin that was previously in it was removed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
172) \u201cThough they are at full strength\u201d are the sons of Jacob. As long as they were with Joseph, they were whole, for they were together with the covenant, which is Joseph. \u201cEven so, they will be cut off\u201d means that they went and left Joseph and Simeon. \u201cThey will be cut off\u201d means pass away. \u201cAnd pass away\u201d means that then the judgment was present because of them, as it is written, \u201cFor the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians,\u201d and \u201cPass\u201d refers to the judgment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
173) There is harsh judgment and there is weak judgment. The harsh judgment is strong, and the weak judgment is weak. And when the weak judgment sucks off the harsh judgment, it grows stronger and becomes strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
174) When there was judgment over Israel, it was done with a weak judgment, which does not become harder by the harsh judgment. And when the judgment was done to the idol worshipping nations, the weak judgment is intensified by the harsh judgment from above in order to become stronger, as it is written, \u201cFor the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians.\u201d \u201cPass\u201d means that it was filled with wrath and anger, for it was intensified by the harsh judgment. Here, too, it says, \u201cPass,\u201d which means that it was filled with anger. Yet, it is a weak judgment, which does not become harder by the harsh judgment, since the judgment is done on Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When ten gather in a synagogue and one of them is idle, the Creator is angry with him, since Joseph\u2019s brothers were ten. After they parted with Joseph and Simeon, they were left with nine and the Creator was angry, as it is written, \u201cAnd passed away,\u201d meaning He was filled with wrath [a very similar word to \u201cpass\u201d in Hebrew].<\/p>\n\n\n\n
175) When the soul departs this world, it is sentenced by several judgments before it arrives at its place. Afterwards, all those souls should go through the river of fire, which stretches out, and bathe there. And who is it who will rise there and pass the river of fire without fear, as it is written, \u201cWho shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord, and who shall stand in His holy place\u201d? The soul of the righteous passes through without fear, as it is written, \u201cShall stand in His holy place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
176) And one who engages in righteousness in this world and gives of his money to charity, passes through the river of fire and is not afraid. And the announcer proclaims about that soul, \u201cThough I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more,\u201d for one who has been rewarded with passing through the river of fire is no longer under judgment at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
177) Why did all this about Joseph and his brothers have to be written in the Torah? Indeed, the Torah is true and all her ways are holy, and there is not a word in the Torah that does not possess sublime and holy secrets, and ways for people to strengthen themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
178) The Creator made it for man to strengthen himself in the Torah and to walk on the path of truth and toward the right side, and not to the left side. And because people need to walk to the right side, they should increase the love between each other. This is because love is considered \u201cright,\u201d and there will not be hatred between each other, which is considered left, so as to not weaken the right\u2014the place to which Israel cling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
179) This is why there is a good inclination and an evil inclination. And Israel need to make the good inclination prevail over the evil inclination through good deeds. If a person leans to the left, the evil inclination overcomes the good inclination. And in one who is flawed, the evil inclination complements his sin, since this villain is complemented only through people\u2019s sins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
180) For this reason, man must be wary so the evil inclination will not be complemented by his sins. And he should always be watchful, for the good inclination must be complemented with continuous wholeness, and not the evil inclination. This is why it is written, \u201cDo not say, \u2018I will repay evil,\u2019\u201d since through hatred you will intensify the left and complement the evil inclination. Rather, as it is written, \u201cHope for the Lord and you will be salvaged.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
181) \u201cDo not say, \u2018I will repay evil,\u2019\u201d as it is written, \u201cAnd those who repay evil for good.\u201d This is because those whom He benefitted will not repay him evil, as it is written, \u201cHe who returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.\u201d And even those whom He did harm must not repay Him with evil for the evil He had done them. Instead, \u201cHope for the Lord and you will be salvaged.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
182) This verse is clarified in the righteous, Joseph, who did not seek to repay his brothers with evil when they fell into his hands, as it is written, \u201cDo not say, \u2018I will repay evil,\u2019\u201d but hope for the Lord and you will be salvaged. This was because he was God-fearing, as it is written, \u201cThis do, and live; for I fear God,\u201d and he was always hoping for the Creator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
183) It is written, \u201cCounsel in the heart of man is like deep water.\u201d This is the Creator, for He gives counsel, as He brought reasons to unfold the events on the world through Joseph, to keep that sentence that He sentenced the world to famine. It is also written, \u201cBut a man of understanding will draw it out.\u201d This is Joseph, who discovered these deep ones that the Creator sentenced for the world in the solution of the dream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
184) Joseph did not settle for not repaying his brothers with evil. Instead, he performed true mercy and truth with them. But such are always the ways of the righteous; this is why the Creator always has pity on them, in this world and in the next world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
185) \u201cDeep water\u2014a counsel in the heart of man.\u201d This is Judah, when Judah approached Joseph concerning Benjamin. \u201cBut a man of understanding will draw it out\u201d is Joseph, who was then revealed to his brothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
186) Rabbi Abba was sitting at the gate of the city of Lod. He saw a man coming and sitting on a protrusion that bulged at the side of the mountain. He was weary from the road and he sat and slept there. At that time, he saw a serpent approaching him, and a varmint came out and killed the serpent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the man woke, he saw the serpent dead in front of him. The man rose and the protrusion he had been sitting on was torn off the mountain and fell to the valley below it. But the man was saved. Had he been late standing up by even a minute, he would have fallen to the valley along with the protrusion and he would have been killed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
187) Rabbi Abba came to him and told him: \u201cTell me, what do you do?\u201d for the Creator brought you these two miracles, saved you from the serpent and from the protrusion that fell. And that was not for nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
188) He told him. \u201cThrough my whole life, never has anyone done me that I did not make peace with him and forgave him. Moreover, if I could not make peace with him, I did not go to my bed before I forgave him and to all those who afflicted me, and I did not hold any grudge the whole day for that evil which he had done to me. And I do not suffice for that, but even more, from that day forth, I have tried to do them good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
189) The deeds of this one are greater than Joseph\u2019s, for with Joseph, the wrong doers were his brothers, and he certainly should have pitied them because of the brotherhood. But what this one did, when he did this with all the people, is greater than Joseph. He is worthy of the Creator bringing him a miracle over a miracle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
190) \u201cHe who walks in integrity walks securely\u201d is a man who walks in the ways of the Torah. \u201cWalks securely\u201d means that the damagers of the world will not be able to harm him. \u201cBut he who perverts his ways will be found out.\u201d Who will be found out? One who has strayed from the path of truth, and seeks to collect from his friend, who wishes to pay him evil for evil, and breaches the verse, \u201cThou shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge.\u201d \u201cWill be found out\u201d means that it will be apparent to the eyes of all the litigants, that they will not lose the image of that person, so as to bring him to the place where they will avenge him, an eye for an eye. This is why it is written, \u201cWill be found out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
191) One who walks in the path of truth, the Creator covers him, so he will not be found out and will not be recognized by the litigants. \u201cBut he who perverts his ways will be found out,\u201d and will be recognized by them. Happy are those people who walk in the path of truth. They walk safely in the world and they are not afraid, neither in this world nor in the next world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
165) \u201cHe took Simeon from them,\u201d so he would not slander him with Levi. This is because when Simeon and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":9505,"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":[28],"class_list":["post-9517","book","type-book","status-publish","hentry","topic-zohar"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n