The Zohar, translated by Harry Sperling and Maurice Simon

THE ZOHAR

KI TAZRIA'

Leviticus XII, 1-XIII, 59

AND THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES SAYING, WHEN A WOMAN, ETC. [42a] R. Abba cited here the verse: "By night upon my bed I sought him", etc. (S.S. III, 1). 'This verse', he said, 'is spoken by the Community of Israel who in the exile lies in the dust, in an alien unclean land, and therefore complains of her bed and beseeches "him whom her soul loveth" to deliver her from thence. She "seeks him but finds him not", for it is not his way to unite [42b] with her save in his temple. She "calls him and he answers not", for She dwells among other peoples, and only his sons hear his voice.' R Isaac interpreted thus: '"I make plaint to him of my bed, that he may unite with me to gladden and bless me", for, as we have learnt, from the union of the King with the Community of Israel many righteous ones obtain a holy inheritance and many blessings accrue to the world.' R. Abba was once going from Kfar Kania to the cave of Lydda, along with R. Jose and R. Hiya. Said R. Jose: 'It is written: "A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband" (Prov. XII, 4). The virtuous woman', he said 'is the Community of Israel, and "she that maketh ashamed" refers to the idolatrous nations whom God cannot abide, as it says "I abhorred them" (Lev. XX, 23).' Said R. Abba: 'Assuredly it is so; the Community of Israel is called a "woman of valour" (hayil) because she is the mistress of so many legions of valiant ones (hayalin).' R Abba then said: 'Let each of us give some exposition of the Torah', and he himself commenced with the verse: "A virtuous woman who can find ?" (Prov. XXXI, 10). 'The "virtuous woman", he said, 'is the Community of Israel, as we have just explained. "Who shall find": who shall succeed in being wholly in her and always with her? "Far above rubies is her price" (michrah, lit. selling): those who do not truly and wholeheartedly cleave to her she sells into the hands of other peoples, and they are removed far from those precious holy pearls and have no share in them.' R. Hiya then expounded the next verse: "The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and she shall have no lack of spoil". 'The "husband",' he said, 'is the Holy One, blessed be He, who hath appointed her to govern the whole world and placed in her hands all his armoury and warriors; wherefore she "lacketh not spoil".' R. Jose took the next verse: "She doeth him good and not evil all the days of her life". 'She provides good for the world, for the temple of the King and those who frequent it. When is this? When those "days of the heaven" shine upon her and unite with her fitly, these being then the "days of her life", because the Tree of Life has sent to her life and shines upon her.' Said R. Abba: 'All this is well said, and all these verses can be applied to the Community of Israel.'

IF A WOMAN CONCEIVE SEED. We have learnt that if a woman conceives the seed first, the child is a male. Said R. Aha: 'But have we not learnt that God decrees whether the semen is to be male or female?' R. Jose replied: 'Indeed, God distinguishes whether the germ itself comes from a male or female source, [1] and therefore He decrees whether the child is to be male or female.' R. Aha also asked why the word "conceive-seed" is used instead of merely "conceive". R. Jose answered: 'A woman from the time she becomes pregnant till she is delivered can talk of nothing but the child she is to bear, whether it is to be a boy or a girl.'

R. Hizkiah adduced here the verse: "O Lord, how manifold are thy works" (Ps. CIV, 24). 'How manifold', he said, 'are the works of the Holy King in the world! He is like a man who takes in his hand a number of [43a] bundles of seed and sows them all at once, and in time each kind comes up separately. So the Holy One, blessed be He, accomplished His work with wisdom; with wisdom He took all together and sowed them and afterwards they all issued each in its time, as it says: "In wisdom hast thou made them all".' R. Abba said: 'They were all secreted in Wisdom, and they did not issue into being save by certain paths alongside of Understanding (Binah), whence they become firmly established. Observe that when a man goes to unite with his wife in sanctity, his holy thought awakens a spirit compounded of male and female, and God signals to a messenger who is in 'charge of the conception of human beings and entrusts to him that spirit and informs him where to deposit it, and also lays various injunctions on the spirit itself. Then the spirit goes down to earth along with a certain form which bore its image above, and in that form it is created and goes about in this world; and so long as that form is with a man, he retains his form in this world.

'In the book of the sorceries of Asmodai we find that one who knows how to practise magic from the side of the left should rise by the light of the lamp and utter certain incantations and call the unclean sides by their names and prepare his forms for those whom he invites and say he is ready for their commands. Then that man passes out of the dominion of his Master and places himself in charge of the unclean side. And through his incantations two spirits appear in the shape of men which show him how to confer certain benefits or do certain kinds of harm at certain specified times. It is forbidden to a man to abandon any vessel of his house into the possession of the "other side", for many emissaries are in wait to punish such an act, and from that time blessings do not rest upon him -- all the more if he assigns to the "other side" the most precious part of himself. For from that time he belongs to it, and when the time comes for the celestial form which has been given to him to depart from this world, the evil spirit to which he clung comes and takes it, and it is never again restored to him.

'When the soul is about to descend to this world, it first goes down to the terrestrial Garden of Eden and sees there the glory of the souls of the righteous, and then it goes down to Gehinnom and sees the wicked who cry "Woe, woe", and find no compassion. That holy form stands by him until he emerges into the world, [43b] after which it keeps him company and grows up with him. Observe that all spirits are compounded of male and female, and when they go forth into the world they go forth as both male and female, and afterwards the two elements are separated. If a man is worthy they are afterwards united, and it is then that he truly meets his mate and there is a perfect union both in spirit and flesh. Hence it is written here: "When a woman conceives seed and bears a male", and not "male and female together", since on account of the ways of the world they are not united (at birth) as they were when they issued from on high, because the first man and his mate sinned before God. Therefore they are separated until, if a man is worthy, it pleases God to restore to him his mate. But if he is not worthy, she is given to another, and they bear children whom they should not.' R. Eleazar said: 'This is not so. All at first comprise both male and female, and they are separated afterwards. But if the woman bears a male, they are then united from the side of the right, and if she bears a female, from the side of the left, this side being then predominant. Hence, if the male child issues from the side of the left, he is effeminate, but if from the side of the right, he has mastery over the female.

'Many myriads are brought forth at every hour, but they are not called souls until they are settled in a body, and this is only after thirty-three days.

'SHE SHALL BE UNCLEAN SEVEN DAYS. Because for seven days spirits do not go in to abide with her; for seven days the spirit seeks for its place in the body, and only on the eighth day does it settle there so that body and soul may appear before the Matrona and unite with Her.

'AND SHE SHALL CONTINUE IN THE BLOOD OF HER PURIFYING THREE AND THIRTY DAYS. These are to allow the spirit to settle in the body. The three extra days are the first three after the circumcision, during which the child is in pain and the spirit cannot settle down in the body.

'SHE SHALL TOUCH NO HALLOWED THING. Every day the Community of Israel takes from the household of the King food for the spirits of men and feeds [44a] them in holiness, save for these, the spirits of which have not yet settled in the bodies. But after thirty-three days She tends them like all other human beings, because their spirits are united with their bodies as in all other men. In the case of a female double the number of days is required, because, as stated above, the side of the left is predominant, and therefore it takes twice as long in the case of a female for the spirit to be united with the body.'

R. Judah adduced here the verse: "There is none holy as the Lord, for there is none beside thee, neither is there any rock like our God" (I Sam. II, 2). 'Are there then other holy ones or other rocks besides the Lord? Yes, there are holy ones above, as it is written: "The demand is by the word of the holy ones" (Dan. IV, 14), and Israel are holy below, but none are holy like the Lord, because "there is none beside thee", that is, God's holiness is not like their holiness, for He does not require their holiness, but they could not be holy without Him. Also, "there is no rock (zur) like our God", or, as we may translate, "no fashioner like our God", as explained elsewhere; for the Holy One, blessed be He, shapes a form within a form, and finishes it and breathes into it the breath of life and brings it out into the open.'

R. Hiya and R. Aha were sitting one night with R. Abba. They rose at midnight to study the Torah, and when they went outside they saw a star strike another star three times and put out its light. They then heard two voices from different directions, one from the north above and one [44b] below, which proclaimed: "Go now in to your places, now the hollow of the abyss is closed and the Holy One, blessed be He, goes into the Garden to have joyous communion with the righteous there". The voice then died away, and R. Aha and R. Abba turned their heads and said: 'Verily this is the hour when the Community of Israel arises to join the Holy King. Verily the Community of Israel meets the Holy One, blessed be He, only with song and praise until morning, and the King twines round her a thread of grace, and not round her alone but round all who accompany her. Let us go and join her.' So they all sat down.

R. Aha then discoursed on the verse: "And the Lord God said. It is not good that the man should be alone". etc. (Gen. II, 18). He said: 'Was man then alone? Is it not written. "male and female he created them". and we have learnt that man was created "with two faces"? What it means, however. is that the male did not concern himself with the female and had no support from her; she was at his side and they were like one from the back. Therefore God sawed him in two and separated the female from him and brought her to the man. so that they should be face to face. And when she was gathered in to man. then God blessed them. like the reader of the service who blesses the bride with seven blessings. Therefore he who unites with the wife of another impairs the [divine] union, for the union of the Community of Israel is with the Holy One, blessed be He. alone. whether it is a time with him of mercy or of judgement. He who joins with the wife of another is like one who denies the Holy One. blessed be He. and the Community of Israel. and therefore he does not obtain forgiveness by repentance until he departs from the world. until he enters repentant into the other world to receive his punishment.' R. Eleazar said: 'He who denies the Community of Israel is not received as a penitent until he has been punished in Gehinnom; all the more so if he denies both the Community of Israel and the Holy One. blessed be He, and all the more so if he caused God the trouble of forming a bastard in the wife of another.' R. Hiya said: 'It is written, "Whoso robbeth his father and his mother", etc. (Prov. XXVIII, 24). The "father" here'. he said. 'is the Holy One, blessed be He, and the "mother" is the Community of Israel; and we have learnt. Whoever enjoys anything of this world without a blessing is like one who robs the Holy One and the Community of Israel. So he who has enjoyment of his wife without a blessing is like one who robs the Holy One and the Community of Israel, because their union is consummated by seven blessings. Further. he is "the companion of the destroyer" (Ibid.). because he impairs the celestial form and arrangement: all the more so. then, one who covets the wife of another to cleave to her.' [45a]

R. Abba then discoursed on the verse: "And he said. Let me go, for the day breaketh" (Gen. XXXII, 26).... [2] 'Why was not the angel able to prevail over Jacob? Because the sun had risen and his strength was crippled .... For when the light appears, all the emissaries of punishment are restrained, and then the Community of Israel communes with the Holy One, blessed be He, and that hour is a time of grace for all, and the King holds out to her and all who are with her his sceptre of the thread of grace so that they may be wholly united to the holy King. Observe this. When the Holy One, blessed be He, is in the company of the Community of Israel, if she first makes approaches to him and draws him towards her in the strength of her love and desire, then she is replenished from the side of the right and multitudes from the side of the right are found in all worlds. But if the Holy One, blessed be He, is the first to make advances and she [45b] only rouses herself afterwards, then all is on the side of the female and many multitudes arise on the side of the left in all worlds. Hence it is written: "When a woman conceives seed and bears a male", etc., the lower world being on the model of the upper, and in all things a man should concentrate his thoughts above on the Holy One, blessed be He, that grace may abound in the world. Happy are the righteous who know how to concentrate their thoughts on the holy King; of them it is written: "Ye who cleave unto the Lord your God are all alive this day" (Deut. IV, 4).

WHEN A MAN SHALL HAVE IN THE SKIN OF HIS FLESH A RISING OR A SCAB OR A BRIGHT SPOT, ETC. R. Judah here cited the verse: "Look not upon me because I am swarthy, because the sun hath scorched me", etc. (S.S. 1, 6). 'When the Moon was hidden in the exile and she saw the yearning of Israel for her, she said, "Look not on me", meaning, "You cannot see me, because I am in darkness -- for one thing because the sun has withdrawn his light from me, and for another because "the sons of my mother were incensed against me" (Ibid.), these being the emissaries of the side of severity. "They made me keeper of the vineyards", that is, of other nations, whereas "my own vineyard" -- Israel -- I cannot keep. Formerly I kept my own vineyard and through it the others were also kept; now I have to keep the others that my own may be kept among them.' As R. Hiya and R. Jose were once going along, they came to a field where there was a balsam tree on the right. Said R. Jose: 'A pall of smoke must come before our eyes; it is forbidden us to look upon any glad sight since the day when the Temple was destroyed.' He then expounded the verse: "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein" (Ps. XXIV, 1). 'This "earth"', he said, 'is the holy earth which is called "the land of the living", while "the world" refers to other lands.' R. Hiya said: 'The "earth" is as you said; the "fulness thereof" is the souls of the righteous; the "world" is this earth, and "they that dwell therein" are mankind.' Said R. Jose: 'If so, what do you make of the next verse: "For he hath founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters"?' He replied: 'Assuredly that "land of the living" is established upon the seas and rivers which issue from that supernal River that proceeds from Eden.'

As they were going along they came across a man standing under a tree whose face was full of the marks of blows. They noticed [46a] that his face was all red from the blows. Said R. Hiya to him: 'Who are you ?' He replied: 'I am a Jew.' Said R. Jose: 'He must be a sinner, as otherwise his face would not have all those marks, and these are not what are called "chastisements of love".' Said R. Hiya: 'Assuredly that is so, for the "chastisements of love" are hidden from view. So with the plague of leprosy, of those marks which are visible to all, it is written, "And the priest shall see and declare him unclean", for assuredly those come from the side of uncleanness and are not chastisements of love. In the same way, he who reproves his neighbour in love should not let other men hear in order that he may not be ashamed; and if he reproves him publicly he does not show true friendship. So God, in reproving a man, acts with him lovingly. At first He smites him inwardly. If he repents, well and good, but if not, he smites him under his garments, and this is called "chastisement of love". If he still does not repent, God smites him on his face where all can see, so that they may know that he is a sinner and not beloved of his Master.' The man thereupon said to them: 'You are in a conspiracy against me: of a surety you are of those who frequent the house of R. Simeon ben Yohai, who have no fear of anyone. If my sons were to come up, they would punish you for speaking thus loudly.' They said: 'The Law teaches us to do so, as it says, "Wisdom crieth in the chief places of concourse", etc. (Prov. I, 21). If we were to be afraid to speak words of the Torah before thee, we should be ashamed before God.' The man thereupon lifted up his hands and wept. Meanwhile his sons came up. The youngest one said: 'The support of heaven is here. King Solomon said: "All have I seen in the days of my vanity" (Eccl. VII, 15). In the days of King Solomon the moon was full, and Solomon was the wisest of men and he saw all: he saw "All" attached to the Moon and illuminating her like the sun. Now, when the righteous are numerous in the world, this "All" does not depart from the Sun, and receives all anointing and joy from above to unite with the Moon, for whose sake it is thus enriched. But when sinners are numerous in the world, and the Moon is darkened, the "Righteous One perisheth in his righteousness", that is, he loses all this as he cannot unite with the Moon. Then, too, all the side of the left is aroused, and the prosperity of sinners is prolonged; [46b] hence it is written, "and there is a wicked man who prolongeth his life in his evildoing". Also we may interpret the words, "there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness", to mean that when sinners multiply and judgement impends, the righteous man is seized for their sins, like my father, who has been punished for the sins of the townsfolk who are all law-breakers, because he did not chide them or try to stop them, taking as his guide the verse, "Quarrel not with evildoers, be not zealous against them that work unrighteousness".' His father said: 'In truth God has punished me for this, because I had the power to prevent them and I did not do so, and I did not reprove them either openly or secretly.' His other son then cited the verse: "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground", etc. (Gen. II, 7). 'Man was formed with two inclinations, the good and the evil, one corresponding to Water and the other to Fire. The word "man" (adam) indicates a combination of male and female. The dust from which he was formed was that of the Holy Land, of the Sanctuary. "He breathed in his nostrils the breath of life": this is the holy soul which derives from the life above. "And the man became a living soul": he was provided with a holy soul from the supernal "living being" which the earth brought forth. Now, as long as that holy soul is attached to a man, he is beloved of his Master, he is guarded on all sides, he is marked out for good above and below, and the holy divine presence rests upon him. But if he perverts his ways the divine presence leaves him, the super-soul does not cling to him, and from the side of the evil serpent a spirit arises which can abide only in a place whence the heavenly holiness has departed, and so a man becomes defiled and his flesh, his facial appearance and his whole being, is distorted. Observe that because this "living soul" is holy, therefore when the holy land absorbs it, it is called "super-soul" (neshamah); it is this which ascends and speaks before the holy King and enters without let or hindrance in all gates, and therefore it is called "speaking spirit". [3] Hence the Torah proclaims, "Keep thy tongue from evil", etc. (Ps. XXXIV, 14), because if a man's lips and tongue speak evil words, those words mount aloft and all proclaim "keep away from the evil word of so-and-so, leave the path clear for the mighty serpent". Then the holy soul leaves him and is not able to speak: it is in shame and distress, and is not given a place as before. Hence it is written, "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles" (Prov. XXI, 23). For that soul which was vocal is reduced to silence on account of the evil word. Then the serpent gets ready, and when that evil word finds its way to him, then many spirits bestir themselves, and one spirit comes down from that side and finds the man who uttered the evil word, and lights upon him and defiles him, and he becomes leprous. And just as a man is punished for uttering an evil word, so he is punished for not uttering a good word when he had the opportunity, because he harms that speaking spirit which was prepared to speak both above and below in holiness. All the more so if the people walk in crooked ways and he is able to speak to them and reprove them and does not do so. So David said: "I held my peace from good and my trouble was stirred" (Ps. XXXIX, 3), alluding to his leprosy.' [47a) R. Hiya and R. Jose then came and kissed him, and they kept together the whole of that journey.

WHEN A PLAGUE OF LEPROSY IS ON A MAN HE SHALL BE BROUGHT UNTO THE PRIEST. R. Jose said: 'The Companions have studied all the varieties of this plague, and the priest used to know which were chastisements of love and which were a sign that a man was rejected and spurned by his Master; for the plague lights upon mankind according to their works. It is written: "Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to be occupied in deeds of wickedness" (Ps. CXLI, 4).' Said R. Isaac: 'Does God then lead men astray into the ways of sin and evildoing? If so, how can the Torah say, "If thou hearkenest, if thou dost not hearken" ?We should, however, translate: "Do not incline, O my heart, to an evil thing (word), for an evil word brings the plague of leprosy upon the world". The Companions have pointed out that the Aramaic translation of leprosy (segiru) means "shutting up", and indicates shutting up both above and below. In a similar sense it is written: "He hath defiled the sanctuary of the Lord" (Num. XIX, 20).' Said R. Eleazar: 'He defiles it because the Divine Presence departs from thence and the mighty serpent takes up his abode there and casts filth there and causes defilement, and all because of men's sins.'

AND IF A MAN'S HAIR BE FALLEN OFF HIS HEAD. R. Hiya cited here the verse: "Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly as light excelleth darkness" (Eccl. II, 13). [47b] 'Where', he said, 'is the great wisdom in this remark of king Solomon? Does not anyone, even one who has no wisdom himself, know that wisdom is superior to folly as light to darkness, and why, therefore, does Solomon say, "Then I saw"? The truth, however, is that what is meant is that there is an excellence or profit to wisdom from folly itself, for if there were no folly, wisdom and its words would not be recognized. We have learnt that it is incumbent on a man when he learns wisdom to learn a little folly also, since there is a certain benefit to wisdom from it as there is to light from darkness. We have also learnt that this applies to the supernal Wisdom, for R. Simeon said to R. Abba: The supernal Wisdom does not illumine or become illumined save on account of the folly that arises from another place, and but for this it would have no superiority or excellence, and the profit of wisdom would not be discernible. So on earth, if there were no folly there would be no wisdom. Therefore did Rab Hamnuna the Elder, when he instructed the Companions in the secrets of wisdom, also give them a discourse full of folly, that wisdom might benefit therefrom. Therefore it is written: "More precious than wisdom and than honour is a little folly" (Eccl. X, 1).' R. Jose said: 'This means that a little folly reveals and displays the honour of wisdom and the glory of heaven more than anything else. So the benefit of light is only felt from its contrast with darkness, and similarly white is only known and valued from its contrast with black.' R. Isaac said: 'It is the same with sweet and bitter: a man does not know what sweet is until he tastes bitter. [48a]

'We have learnt: Man in the Scripture has four names -- adam, geber, enosh, ish -- and the highest of them is adam.' Said R. Judah: 'But is it not written, "When a man (adam) shall bring from you an offering" (Lev. I. 2), and who is it that requires to bring an offering? Is it not a sinner ?' R. Isaac replied: 'The offering is the mainstay of the world. of upper and lower beings, the solace of the Almighty, and who is fitting to offer it? Surely this man who is called Adam.' Said R. Judah: 'If so, what of the verse, "When a man (adam) has on the skin of his flesh ... and it become in the skin of his flesh the plague of leprosy"?' He replied: 'This one God desires to heal more than all others, and therefore it is written concerning him, "he shall be brought unto the priest"; it is the duty of anyone who sees him to bring him to the priest, in order that the holy image may not remain thus.' Said R. Judah: 'But it is written, "Now Moses the man (ish)"; why is he not called "adam"?' He replied: 'Because he was the "servant of the king", and therefore he is called ish in relation to the supernal Adam. But,' he said, 'why then is it written, "The Lord is a man (ish) of war"?' He replied: 'The secret of the Lord is to them that fear him.' Said R. Judah: 'I too am one of them, yet I have not been privileged to hear this.' Said the other: 'Go to R. Abba, for I learnt it from him only on condition that I should not tell.' So he went to R. Abba, and found him discoursing and saying: 'When is there said to be completeness above? When the Holy One, blessed be He, sits on his throne. For so it is written: "And upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man (adam) upon it above" (Ezek. I, 26); the term "adam" indicates wholeness and completeness.' Said R. Judah: 'God be blessed that I have found you discoursing thus. Tell me: is it not written, "The Lord is a man (ish) of war"?' Said R. Abba: 'Your question is a good one, and the answer is this. At the Red Sea there was not yet full consummation, and therefore God was called ish; but in the vision of Ezekiel there was full consummation, and therefore God was called adam.' ' "The law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver" (Ps. CXIX, 72),' exclaimed R. Judah. 'But', he continued, 'it is also written, "0 Lord, thou preservest man (adam) and beast" (Ps. XXXVI, 7). Should not the term ish be used here ?' He said: 'This is analogous to the expression: "From the cedar which is in Lebanon to the hyssop that springeth out of the wall" (I Kings V, 13); it is the way of the Scripture in such cases to mention the two extremes.' 'But,' he went on, 'is it not written: "And there was no man (adam) to till the ground" (Gen. II, 5)?' He answered: 'Everything in the world was only made for the sake of man, and all things were kept back until he that was called Adam should appear, since his form was after the divine prototype, and when he was created all was complete.'

R. Jose said: 'The Hayoth which Ezekiel saw all had the form of man.' 'But', said R. Judah, 'it is written: "And the face of an eagle ... and the face of a lion", etc.?' [48b] He replied: 'All had the face of man, but in this face itself was seen the resemblance of an eagle, etc.'

R. Isaac said: 'Observe, that whoever is under the control of "adam" is called "ish", because the complete form of Adam was only reached from another previous form. For it has been taught in the profound mysteries of the Book of Concealed Wisdom that when man was created in the holy supernal form there came down with him two spirits from two sides, one from the right and one from the left, which between them formed the complete man. The one from the right was called the holy neshamah, as it says: "And he breathed in his nostrils the neshamah of life" (Gen. II, 7), while the other was called "living soul" (nefesh hayah). When man sinned there were formed from this spirit of the left creatures whose body was not complete, and these are called "the plagues of the sons of men", and they hear certain things on high which they communicate to those below. Now it has been taught: From the Lamp of Darkness [4] issued three hundred and twenty-five sparks traced out and linked together from the side of Geburah, and when these entered the Body it was called Ish.' Said R. Judah: 'Why so?' R. Isaac could not answer. So they went and asked R. Simeon, who replied: 'Because the lower judgements are attached to the hair of this one, [5] he is called "Stern Judgement", but when the hair is removed he becomes mitigated and the lower judgements are not held in readiness. Therefore he is called clean, as having emerged from the side of uncleanness, and here too it is written: "And if the hair of ish be fallen off his head, he is bald, he is clean." Similarly among men, if one is from the side of judgement and is liable to punishment, he is not purified until his hair is removed. So the Levites who came from this side were not purified until their hair was removed; and they required the Priests who came from the side of Lovingkindness to assist them, just as above when that Ish desires to be more exhilarated [49a] the supernal Lovingkindness is displayed in him, and he becomes mitigated, and this Ish becomes merged in Adam.

'AND IF HIS HAIR BE FALLEN OFF FROM THE FRONT PART OF HIS HEAD. This front part is what is called "the face of wrath", and all [angels] who depend from that "face" are bold, stern and cruel. But when the "hair" is removed from the side of that "face", all these are removed and rendered powerless. For, as we have learnt, all those who depend from the "hair of the head" are superior to the others and not bold-faced like them. Hence the faces of the latter are red like fire from the flashing of the Lamp of Darkness.' Rabbi Isaac said: 'This plague is called "reddish-white" (Lev. XIII, 42); it is still a plague if the white is visible and the red has not disappeared. When, however, the whole has become white, mercy is present and judgement departs.'

Rabbi Abba said: 'Sometimes the Female is sullied by the sins of men and sometimes the Male, and the priest knew from which side the punishment came, and he also knew the sacrifices which ought to be brought, as it is written: "The sacrifices of Elohim (i.e. sacrifices to avert punishment) are a contrite spirit" (Ps. LI, 18).' [49b] R. Jose quoted the verse: "O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come" (Ps. LXV, 2). 'This means, at the time when the body is in pain from sickness and blows, and therefore it says "all flesh" and not "all spirit". Similarly it is written: "If there be a plague of leprosy in a man, he shall be brought unto the priest", the "priest" referring to the Holy One, blessed be He, since on Him depends all purification and holiness.' R. Isaac said: 'We have learnt as follows. "Plague" means stern judgement impending over the world. "Leprosy" means the shutting out from the world of the supernal light and goodness. "When it shall be in a man": this is he that is called "man". "He shall be brought unto the priest": this is the earthly priest, who is qualified to open what has been shut up and to kindle the lights, that blessings may through him be spread above and below, and the plague be removed and the light of mercy rest upon all.'

R. Abba said: 'I am struck by the way in which men neglect the honour of their Master. It is written concerning Israel: "I have separated you from the peoples to be mine" (Lev. XX, 26), and again, "Ye shall sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I the Lord am holy" (Ibid. 7). If they depart from God, where is their holiness, seeing that their thoughts are turned from Him? And Scripture cries to them saying: "Be not as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding" (Ps. XXXII, 9). In what are human beings distinguished from the horse and the mule? By sanctification and self-perfection. Hence the marital intercourse of human beings should be at fixed times, that they may concentrate their thoughts on cleaving to the Holy One, blessed be He. As has been pointed out, at midnight God enters the Garden of Eden to have communion with the righteous, and the Community of Israel praises the Holy One, blessed be He, and that is a propitious time to cleave to Him. But as for the Companions who study the Torah, the time of their intercourse is at the time of another intercourse, from Sabbath to Sabbath, [6] for that is the time when all above and below are blessed. But if men abandon Him and act like beasts, where are those holy souls which they derive from above? King Solomon also cries aloud: "Also without knowledge the soul is not good" (Prov. XIX, 2), for they draw upon themselves a soul that is not good from the "other side". He who is inflamed with the evil inclination and turns not his thoughts to God draws upon himself a soul which is not good. Therefore evil diseases light upon men and their appearance testifies that God has rejected them and will not heed them until they [50a] amend their ways. Similarly it is written: "When ye be come into the land of Canaan ... and I put a plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession", etc. (Lev. XIV, 34). God loved Israel and brought them into the Holy Land to place His divine presence among them and to make His abode with them, so that Israel should be holy above all other peoples. Now, when the women brought articles for the Tabernacle they used to specify what part each was for: "this is for the holy place, this for the curtain", and so forth, and each thing went to its place in holiness. Similarly, whenever anyone makes a thing for idolatrous worship, or the "other side", as soon as he mentions its name in connection with that thing, an unclean spirit rests upon it. Now the Canaanites were idolaters, and whenever they erected a building they used to utter certain idolatrous formulae, and a spirit of uncleanness rested on the building. But when the Israelites entered the land, God desired to purify them and sanctify the land and prepare a place for His divine presence, and so through that plague of leprosy they used to pull down buildings which had been erected in uncleanness. Now if they had done so merely that they might find hidden treasures, they would have replaced the stones afterwards; but the text says, "and they shall take out the stones ... and he shall take other mortar", in order that the unclean spirit may pass away and the holiness return and the Shekinah abide in Israel. Therefore, when a man begins to set up a building he should declare that he is building for the service of God. Then the support of heaven is with him, and God assigns holiness to him and bids peace be with him. Otherwise he invites into his house the "other side"-all the more so if his inclination is to the "other side", for then, indeed, an unclean spirit will rest on the house, and that man will not leave this world until he has been punished in that house, and whoever dwells in it may come to hurt. If it is asked, How is one to know such a house? it is one in which the man who built it has come to harm, he or his family, whether through sickness or loss of money, he and two others after him. Better a man should fly to the mountains or live in a mud hut than dwell there. Therefore God had pity on Israel, who knew nothing of all those houses. He said: "You do not know, but I know them, and I will indicate them with the plague. There is a plague in the house; here is a greater plague which will drive it out." Hence "he shall break down the house, the stones thereof and the timber thereof". We may ask, since the uncleanness has gone, why should he break down the house? The reason is that as long as the house stands [50b] it belongs to the "other side", and it may return. If that is the case in the Holy Land, how much more so in other lands!' Said R. Eleazar: 'Especially since that evil spirit calls his companions there, and even a hawk's talons could not scratch out the uncleanness from there. Therefore the Scripture says, "Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness". '

R. Jose was once going into a house, and as he was crossing the threshold he heard a voice say: 'All now gather, here is one of our adversaries. Let us do him some hurt before he goes out again.' Another voice said: 'We cannot do him anything unless he takes up his abode here.' R. Jose drew back in great fear, saying: 'Assuredly, he who transgresses the words of the Companions endangers his life.' Said R. Hiya to him: 'But idolaters and other people live in such houses and come to no hurt ?' He replied: 'They come from the same side as those spirits, but he that fears sin can be hurt by them. And even those others if they live there long will not come out in peace.' Said R. Hiya: 'But is it not written, "Their houses are safe from fear" (Job XXI, 9)?' He replied: 'It may be that they have taken them over from others, and that they were built originally in righteousness.'

THEN HE THAT OWNETH THE HOUSE SHALL COME AND TELL THE PRIEST, THERE SEEMETH TO ME TO BE AS IT WERE A PLAGUE IN THE HOUSE. The meaning of this verse is as follows. When this plague (of leprosy) enters, another (of uncleanness) is revealed, and they attack one another. Hence it says, "there seemeth" (lit. is seen) to me. Then the one that was concealed becomes visible and the one that was visible becomes hidden, and then reappears in the form of the leprosy, and this is what the owner "tells" the priest, who takes the hint. Then the priest comes, and the stones and wood are removed, and then the rest are blessed. Therefore it says, "Thou shalt build goodly houses and dwell therein" (Deut. VIII, 12); these are good, but the others were not good. 'But', said R. Judah, 'if that is so, what are we to make of the verse, "Houses full of all good things which thou filledst not" (Deut. VI, 11)? How could they be full of good if an unclean spirit rested on them?' R. Eleazar replied: 'It means, with money, with silver, with gold, and so forth: just as it is said elsewhere, "for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours", although all the houses of Egypt were full of magic and idolatry.' R. Simeon said: 'All this was indeed for the purpose of sanctifying the land and removing from it the unclean spirit, and when the house was destroyed he used to find in it money for building another, [7] and so they were not distressed by the loss of the house, and besides, they dwelt there thenceforth in holiness.'

AND WHEN A MAN OR A WOMAN HATH IN THE SKIN OF THEIR FLESH BRIGHT SPOTS. R. Jose said: 'The "bright spot" is surrounded with many regulations as complicated as the wickerwork of a basket, all depending on the shade of colour.' R. Isaac said: 'Some authorities have formulated three hundred rules regarding the bright spot, and I learnt them all from my father. One black hair renders unclean, being like one witness; two render clean, being like two witnesses.' R. Hizkiah was once studying with R. Simeon. He said: 'It is written, "a reddish-white plague". This is a plague, because the white does not retain its purity.' R. Simeon said: 'Happy are Israel in that God desired to purify them, so that they should not come up for sentence before Him. For like always goes to like, red to red and white to white; right to right and left to left. Of Esau it is written, "and he came forth ruddy", and therefore his own kind rests upon him. [51a] It is true, David is also called "ruddy" (I Sam. XVI, 12), but whereas Esau's redness came from the "dross of gold", David's came from the brightness of gold. Observe that if there is first redness and then it turns whitish, this is a sign of the commencement of purifying. If white appears first, and then it reddens, this is a sign that uncleanness is commencing. The priest knew all these colours, and if the colour of cleanness appeared, he used to shut up the man to see if another colour would appear, and if not, he would declare him clean.'

As R. Isaac and R. Judah were once walking together, the latter remarked: 'It is written: "Elisha said to Gehazi, The leprosy of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and unto thy seed for ever" (2 Kings v, 27). Now, if he sinned, why should his descendants be stricken ?' R. Isaac replied: 'Elisha saw more than most prophets. He saw that Gehazi would never have virtuous offspring, and therefore he cursed all of them. Moreover, he said to him, I served Elijah faithfully, and therefore obtained two portions, but you, villain, have compromised me by swearing falsely and being covetous. You have transgressed the whole of the Law, and therefore deserve to die in this world and the next, but because you have served me, your death shall only be in this world and not in the next.'

R. Jose asked: 'Why should there be leprosy on wool and flax?' R. Isaac replied: 'It rests on all things and has sway over all. It is written, "She seeketh wool and flax", and therefore the sway of this plague which comes from this same supernal place extends over all, over these two articles, wool and flax.'

R. Isaac was once going to his father's home when he saw a man turning aside from the road with a load on his shoulders. He said to him: 'What is that bundle you have on your shoulders ?' but the man gave him no answer. So he followed him till he saw him enter a cave. He went in after him and saw a cloud of smoke ascend from beneath the ground, while the man went into a hole and he lost sight of him. R. Isaac then left the cave in great fear. As he was sitting there, R. Judah and R. Hizkiah passed by. He went up to them and told them what had happened. Said R. Judah: 'Thank God for delivering you. That cave is where the lepers of Sarunia are, and all the inhabitants of that town are magicians and go into the desert to get black snakes ten years old or more, and through not being careful of them they become leprous, and all their magic arts are in that cave.' They then left the spot. On their way they came across a man who had with him a sick child tied to an ass. They asked him why the boy was tied. He replied: 'I live in a town of the Arameans, and my son here used to learn the Torah every day, and when he came home used to go over what he had learnt. Three years I lived in the same house and observed nothing wrong, but now one day when my son went into the house to repeat his lesson an evil spirit passed before him and distorted his eyes and his mouth and his hands, so that he is not able to speak. So I am going to the cave of the lepers of Sarunia to see if they can show me how to cure him.' R. Judah said to him: [51b] 'Do you know of any other person having come to harm in that house before?' He replied: 'I know that a long time ago a man did come to harm there, but people said that it was just an illness, while others said that it was the evil spirit of the house. Since then many people have been in the house without suffering any harm.' They said: 'This proves the truth of what the Companions said. Woe to those who disregard their words.' Said R. Judah: 'It is written, "Woe to him that buildeth his house without righteousness" (Jer. XXII, 13), because wherever there is righteousness all evil spirits fly from before it. Yet withal, whichever comes first to the place takes possession of it.' Said R. Hizkiah: 'If so, the holy Name is merely on a level with the unclean spirit?' He replied: 'Not so. If the holy spirit is there first, no evil spirits can appear there, much less approach. But if the evil spirit is there first, the holy Name does not rest upon it. Now when the plague of leprosy came, one had to purify the place and drive out the unclean spirit, and afterwards the house was taken down and built up again in holiness with the mention of the holy Name; and still other mortar had to be used and the foundation was removed two handbreadths. Nowadays, however, that the plague does not appear, there being thus no one able to drive out the evil spirit, what is the remedy ? The best thing is to remove from the house, but if this cannot be done, it should be rebuilt with fresh wood and stones, and a little away from the previous spot, with the mention of the holy Name.' R. Isaac said to him: 'Why should one take all this trouble in these days, since it is written: "That which is crooked cannot be made straight" (Eccl. I, 15)? Since the destruction of the Temple there is no remedy; hence a man should be very careful.'

They said: 'Let us go along with this man and see.' Said R. Isaac: 'We may not. If we were going to a great and God-fearing man, like Naaman to Elisha, we could accompany him. But as he is going to such abandoned and godless people we must not.' 'But', said R. Judah, 'we have learnt that for healing sickness anything may be used save the wood of an Asherah?' [8] He replied: 'This too is idolatry.' So they went on their way. The man then entered the cave with his son, and left him there while he went out to tether his ass. Meanwhile a cloud of smoke came out and struck the boy on the head and killed him. When the father went in, he found him dead, so he took him and his ass, and on the next day came up with R. Isaac and R. Judah and R. Hizkiah. With many tears he related to them what had happened. Said R. Isaac: 'Did I not tell you many times that it was forbidden to enter there ? Blessed are the righteous who walk in the way of truth in this world and in the next.' R. Eleazar said: 'In all his actions a man should have in mind the holy Name and declare that all is for the service of God, so that the "other side" should not rest on him, for this is ever lying in wait for man. Therefore it was that the warp and the woof used to become unclean [52a] and the "other side" rested on them.'

R. Eleazar was once going to see his father-in-law, accompanied by R. Abba. He said: 'Let us discourse on the Torah as we go.' R. Eleazar then took as his text the verse: "Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister" (Gen. XII, 13). 'This', he said, 'is very strange. Can we believe that a God-fearing man like Abram should speak thus to his wife in order that he might be well treated? The truth is, however, that Abram relied on the merit of his wife, and not on his own merit, to procure for him the money of the heathen, for a man obtains money through the merit of his wife, as it is written: "House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord" (Prov. XIX, 14). Further, he saw an angel going before her, who said to him: "Fear not, Abram, God sent me to procure for her the money of the heathen and to protect her from all harm". Hence Abram did not fear for his wife but for himself, since he saw the angel with her but not with himself. Therefore he said to her: "Say, I pray thee, that thou art my sister, that he (the angel) may do good to me in this world, and that my soul may live in the next world for thy sake, if thou departest not from the right way, for otherwise death awaits me in this world."'

R. Abba discoursed on the verse: "As in the day of thy coming forth from the land of Egypt will I show unto him marvellous things" (Mic. VII, 15). He said: 'God will one day bring deliverance to his sons as in the days when He sent to deliver Israel and inflicted plagues on Egypt for their sake. What is the difference between this deliverance and that of Egypt? The deliverance in Egypt was from one king and one country: here it will be from all the kings of the earth. Then God will be glorified in all the world, and all shall know His dominion, as it is written: "The Lord shall be king over the whole earth" (Zech. XIV, 9). And they shall bring Israel as an offering to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, "And they shall bring all your brethren", etc. (Isa. LXVI, 20). Then the patriarchs shall rejoice to see the deliverance of their sons, and so it is written: "As in the days of thy going forth from Egypt I shall show him wonders."

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Notes:

1. According to the Zohar, the seed itself contains both a male and a female element. v. Zohar, Exodus, 161b.

2. Here follow in the text certain reflections on the conflict of Jacob and the angel which have appeared in substance elsewhere.

3. v. Targum Onkelos, in loco.

4. v. Zohar, Gen., 15a.

5. According to the anthropomorphic symbolism of the Sifra di-Zeniutha.

6. v. T.R Ketuboth, 62b.

7. v. Midrash Rabbah, in loco.

8. v. Deut. XVI, 21.

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