n-ark-exit · bereishit 8:18
Main teaching
מה שנח לא ביקש על דורו הוא משום שלא היה לו הבקיאות של רצוא ושוב, למצוא נקודה טובה ברשעים
The reason Noach did not plead for his generation was that he did not possess the expertise of running and returning, to find a good point in the wicked.
"וַיֵּצֵא נֹחַ וּבָנָיו" וגו׳ (ח׳, יח)
“And Noach and his sons went out,” etc. (8:18).
בְּזֹהַר חָדָשׁ בְּעִנְיַן תֵּבַת נֹחַ, כָּתוּב שָׁם שֶׁנֹּחַ לֹא בִּקֵּשׁ עַל דּוֹרוֹ, וְאַחַר שֶׁיָּצָא מֵהַתֵּבָה וְרָאָה כָּל הָעוֹלָם חָרֵב הִתְחִיל לִבְכּוֹת עָלָיו וְכוּ׳, וְהֵשִׁיבוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רַעְיָא שַׁטְיָא כְּעַן אֲמָרִית דָּא וְלָא מִקֹּדֶם וְכוּ׳, כֵּיוָן דְּחָזָא נֹחַ כָּךְ הַקְרִיב עַלְוָון וְקָרְבָּנִין וְכוּ׳ עַיֵּן שָׁם מַה שֶּׁמְּבֹאָר שָׁם מַעֲלַת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ שֶׁמָּסַר נַפְשׁוֹ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהִצִּילָם וְכוּ׳.
In the Zohar Chadash, concerning Noach’s ark, it is written there that Noach did not plead for his generation; and after he came out of the ark and saw the whole world destroyed, he began to weep over it, etc. And the Holy One, blessed be He, answered him: “Foolish shepherd, now you say this, and not beforehand,” etc. When Noach saw this, he offered burnt offerings and sacrifices, etc. See there what is explained there concerning the greatness of Moshe Rabbainu, who offered up his life for Israel and saved them, etc.
וּמְבֹאָר שָׁם שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל זֶה לֹא בִּקֵּשׁ נֹחַ רַחֲמִים עַל דּוֹרוֹ, כִּי אֲפִלּוּ הוּא לֹא חָשַׁב בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁיִּמָּלֵט וְכוּ׳ עַיֵּן שָׁם שֶׁמַּאֲרִיךְ כַּמָּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רוֹצֶה שֶׁיְּבַקְשׁוּ רַחֲמִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכוּ׳, אֲפִלּוּ אִם הֵם כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֵם וְכוּ׳ וְעַיֵּן שָׁם מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב עַל פָּסוּק ׳וַיְּשַׁלַּח אֶת הָעֹרֵב׳ זֶה דָּוִד שֶׁהָיָה קוֹרֵא תָּמִיד כְּעוֹרֵב וְכוּ׳, וּמַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב שָׁם עַל פָּסוּק וַיְּשַׁלַּח אֶת הַיּוֹנָה עַד וְלֹא יָסְפָה שׁוּב אֵלָיו עוֹד וְכוּ׳ עַיֵּן שָׁם.
And it is explained there that for this reason Noach did not ask for mercy for his generation, for even he did not think in his heart that he would escape, etc. See there, where it elaborates on how much the Holy One, blessed be He, wants people to ask for mercy for Israel, etc., even if they are as they are, etc. And see there what is written about the verse, “And he sent out the raven”: this is Dovid, who continually cried out like a raven, etc.; and what is written there about the verse, “And he sent out the dove,” through “and she did not again return to him any more,” etc. See there.
וְכָל הַפְּגָם שֶׁל נֹחַ וְתִקּוּנוֹ הַכֹּל הוּא בְּעִנְיַן בְּקִיאוּת הַנַּ״ל, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בָּקִי בַּהֲלָכָה זֹאת שֶׁל דַּרְכֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה כְּמוֹ מֹשֶׁה וְהַצַּדִּיקִים הַגְּדוֹלִים שֶׁמַּמְשִׁיכִין דַּרְכֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה הַנַּ״ל בִּבְקִיאוּת נִפְלָא מְאֹד, כִּי נֹחַ הָיָה צַדִּיק תָּמִים, אֲבָל לֹא הִשִּׂיג שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לָצֵאת וּלְהוֹרִיד עַצְמוֹ לְהִסְתַּכֵּל עַל רְשָׁעִים כָּאֵלּוּ לַעֲסֹק עִמָּהֶם לִמְצֹא בָּהֶם אֵיזֶה זְכוּת וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם וּלְעוֹרְרָם בְּאֵיזֶה נְקֻדָּה טוֹבָה וְכוּ׳, שֶׁבְּכָל זֶה עָסַק מֹשֶׁה וְהַצַּדִּיקִים הַגְּדוֹלִים שֶׁאַחֲרָיו בִּיגִיעוֹת עֲצוּמוֹת, שֶׁכָּל זֶה כָּלוּל בִּבְחִינַת בְּקִיאוּת הַנַּ״ל בְּעַיִּל וְנָפִיק.
And all Noach’s failing and its rectification—the whole of it—is in the matter of the aforementioned expertise, in that he was not expert in this law of the paths of repentance, as were Moshe and the great righteous people who draw down the aforementioned paths of repentance with exceedingly wondrous expertise. For Noach was a perfectly righteous person, but he did not grasp that it was possible to go out and lower himself to look at such wicked people, to engage with them, to find some merit in them, and to pray for them and to awaken them through some good point, etc.; in all this Moshe and the great righteous people after him engaged with immense exertions, all of which is included in the aforementioned expertise in entering and going out.
וְעַל כֵּן סָבַר הַלְוַאי שֶׁיַּצִּיל אֶת עַצְמוֹ וְכוּ׳, כִּי לֹא הִשִּׂיג רַחֲמָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ עַד הֵיכָן הֵם מַגִּיעִים, וְעַל כֵּן הֻכְרַח לִכְנֹס אֶל הַתֵּבָה לְהִתְחַבֵּא עַצְמוֹ שָׁם לְהִנָּצֵל כִּי תֵּבַת נֹחַ נִבְנָה וְנַעֲשָׂה בְּחָכְמָה וּקְדֻשָּׁה גָּבוֹהַּ מְאֹד, כִּי הָיָה כַּוָּנוֹת עֲמֻקּוֹת בְּגָבְהָהּ וְאָרְכָּהּ וְרָחְבָּהּ, וּבְכָל בִּנְיָנָהּ כַּמְבֹאָר בַּתּוֹרָה כָּל פְּרָטֵי עֲשִׂיָּתָהּ, וְהִיא מְרַמֶּזֶת עַל תְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁעוֹשִׂין בְּיוֹם כִּפּוּר כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ תֵּבַת נֹחַ דָּא יוֹם כִּפּוּר, וְכֵן אִיתָא שָׁם, וַתָּנַח הַתֵּבָה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי דָּא תִּשְׁרִי. וְכֵן מְבֹאָר בְּכַמָּה סְפָרִים שֶׁתֵּבַת נֹחַ הוּא בְּחִינַת הַדִּבּוּרִים וְהַתֵּבוֹת שֶׁל תְּפִלּוֹת וּבַקָּשׁוֹת שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מִתְפַּלְּלִין וּמִתְחַנְּנִין וְכוּ׳.
And therefore he thought: if only he could save himself, etc., for he did not grasp His blessed mercy, how far it reaches. And therefore he was compelled to enter the ark and hide himself there to be saved, for Noach’s ark was built and made with exceedingly lofty wisdom and holiness, for there were profound intentions in its height and its length and its width, and in its entire construction, as all the details of its making are explained in the Torah. And it alludes to the repentance undertaken on Yom Kippur, as it is written in the holy Zohar: “Noach’s ark—this is Yom Kippur”; and likewise it says there: “And the ark rested in the seventh month—this is Tishrai.” And likewise it is explained in several books that Noach’s ark corresponds to the utterances and the words of prayers and petitions with which Israel pray and supplicate, etc.
וְעַל כֵּן כָּל כְּנִיסַת נֹחַ אֶל הַתֵּבָה זֶה בְּחִינַת ׳עַיִּל׳, שֶׁמֵּחֲמַת שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה יָכוֹל לְהַצִּיל אֶת עַצְמוֹ עִם הָעוֹלָם, כִּי לֹא הָיָה בָּקִי בַּהֲלָכָה הַנַּ״ל, וְהָעִקָּר שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בָּקִי בִּבְחִינַת ׳וְנָפִיק׳, שֶׁשָּׁם עִקַּר הַבְּקִיאוּת וְכַנַּ״ל עַל כֵּן צִוָּהוּ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁיִּכְנֹס לְתוֹךְ הַתֵּבָה שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת ׳עַיִּל׳ וְשָׁם יַסְתִּיר עַצְמוֹ עִם כָּל בָּנָיו וְעִם כָּל מִינֵי חַיּוֹת וְעוֹפוֹת וּצְמָחִים וְכוּ׳ בִּשְׁבִיל קִיּוּם הָעוֹלָם.
And therefore Noach’s entire entry into the ark corresponds to “entering”: since he could not save himself together with the world, for he was not expert in the aforementioned law, and principally he was not expert in the aspect of “and going out,” where the essential expertise lies, as stated above, therefore God, blessed be He, commanded him to enter the ark, which corresponds to “entering,” and there to hide himself with all his sons and with all kinds of animals and birds and plants, etc., for the preservation of the world.
לכן לא רצו לצאת מן התיבה משום שלא היו בקיאים בבחינת ׳ונפיק׳
They therefore did not want to leave the ark, because they were not expert in the aspect of “and going out.”
וְעַל כֵּן כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לְצִוּוּי מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לִכְנֹס אֶל הַתֵּבָה, כְּמוֹ כֵן הֻכְרַח לְהִצְטַוּוֹת מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לָצֵאת מֵהַתֵּבָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּפָּרָשָׁה ׳וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹקִים אֶל נֹחַ וְכוּ׳ צֵא מִן הַתֵּבָה׳, שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לְהִצְטַוּוֹת עַל הַיְּצִיאָה מִן הַתֵּבָה, כִּי יְצִיאָתוֹ מִן הַתֵּבָה זֶה בְּחִינַת ׳וְנָפִיק׳, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי שֶׁהִסְתִּיר עַצְמוֹ בְּהַתֵּבָה עַד שֶׁנִּמְתַּק הַדִּין הַקָּשֶׁה שֶׁל דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹקִים אֶת נֹחַ וְכוּ׳ עַל יְדֵי זֶה רִחֵם הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עַל עוֹלָמוֹ וְצִוָּהוּ לָצֵאת מִן הַתֵּבָה שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת וְנָפִיק הַנַּ״ל וְעַל כֵּן כְּתִיב ׳הוֹצֵא מִן הַתֵּבָה׳ וְקָרִינָן הֵיצֵא. וּפֵרֵשׁ רַשִׁ״י, אָמֹר לָהֶם שֶׁיֵּצְאוּ, וְאִם לֹא יִרְצוּ הוֹצִיאָם בְּעַל כָּרְחָם. מוּבָן מִזֶּה שֶׁלֹּא רָצוּ בִּרְצוֹנָם לָצֵאת מִן הַתֵּבָה.
And therefore, just as he needed a command from God, blessed be He, to enter the ark, so too he had to be commanded by God, blessed be He, to leave the ark, as written in the portion: “And God spoke to Noach, etc.: Go out of the ark”; he needed to be commanded concerning leaving the ark, for his departure from the ark corresponds to “and going out.” Through his hiding himself in the ark until the harsh judgment of the generation of the Flood was sweetened, as written, “And God remembered Noach,” etc., through this God, blessed be He, had mercy on His world and commanded him to leave the ark, which corresponds to the aforementioned going out. And therefore the written form is הוֹצֵא, “bring out of the ark,” and we read הֵיצֵא. And Rashi explained: “Say to them that they should go out, and if they do not wish to, bring them out against their will.” It is understood from this that they did not wish of their own accord to leave the ark.
וְזֶה רֶמֶז עַל כָּל מַה שֶּׁכָּתַבְנוּ בְּעִנְיָן זֶה, שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לָשׁוּב הָיָה מְרֻצֶּה שֶׁיַּנִּיחוּהוּ לֵישֵׁב תָּמִיד בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ בְּמָקוֹם קָדוֹשׁ וְלַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה וּתְפִלָּה, אֲבָל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ רוֹצֶה בְּקִיּוּם הָעוֹלָם וּמְסַבֵּב עִם הָאָדָם שֶׁמֻּכְרָח כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים לָצֵאת מֵהַבֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ לַעֲסֹק בְּצָרְכֵי הַגּוּף וּפַרְנָסָה וְכוּ׳, שֶׁכָּל זֶה בְּחִינַת ׳וְנָפִיק׳, וְזֶה קָשֶׁה עַל הָאָדָם מְאֹד, כִּי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁכְּשֶׁיֵּצֵא לַחוּץ הוּא בְּסַכָּנָה גְּדוֹלָה, אֲבָל לֹא סַגִּי בְּלָאו הָכִי.
And this alludes to everything we have written on this matter: certainly someone who wants to repent would be pleased to be allowed to sit continually in the study hall, in a holy place, and to engage in Torah and prayer. But God, blessed be He, wants the world to endure and arranges matters with a person so that he is compelled many times to leave the study hall to attend to bodily needs and livelihood, etc., all of which corresponds to “and going out.” And this is very difficult for a person, for he knows that when he goes outside he is in great danger, but one cannot do without it.
שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת מַה שֶּׁבְּנֵי הַתֵּבָה לֹא רָצוּ לָצֵאת מֵהַתֵּבָה כִּי אִם בִּגְזֵרַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם לָצֵאת, כִּי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ רוֹצֶה שֶׁהָאָדָם יַעֲבֹד אוֹתוֹ בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם דַּיְקָא, שֶׁהוּא בִּכְלָלוֹ בְּחִינַת ׳וְנָפִיק׳ כְּנֶגֶד הָעוֹלָמוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים הָעוֹלָמוֹת הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, וְעַל כֵּן גַּם בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם הַהֶכְרֵחַ שֶׁתִּהְיֶה עֲבוֹדָתוֹ בִּבְחִינַת עַיִּל וְנָפִיק דַּיְקָא וְכַנַּ״ל.
For this corresponds to the fact that the occupants of the ark did not wish to leave the ark except by the decree of God, blessed be He, who told them to go out. For God, blessed be He, wants a person to serve Him specifically in this world, which as a whole corresponds to “and going out” in relation to the holy worlds, the upper worlds. And therefore even in this world it is necessary that his service specifically take the form of entering and going out, as stated above.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת וַיְּשַׁלַּח אֶת הָעֹרֵב הַנַּ״ל, שֶׁמְּבֹאָר בְּזֹהַר חָדָשׁ שֶׁזֶּהוּ דָּוִד שֶׁהָיָה קוֹרֵא תָּמִיד כְּעוֹרֵב וְכוּ׳ וְשִׁלְּחוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִמַּלְכוּתוֹ וְהוֹצִיאוֹ מִבֵּיתוֹ, וּמַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ ׳וַיֵּצֵא יָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב׳. דִּכְתִיב ׳וְדָוִד עוֹלֶה בְמַעֲלֵה הַזֵּיתִים הוֹלֵךְ וּבוֹכֶה וְרֹאשׁ לוֹ חָפוּי׳, הָיָה יוֹצֵא וָשָׁב בִּתְשׁוּבָה וְהִתְוַדָּה עַל חַטֹּאתָיו וּמְבַקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עֲלֵיהֶם וְכוּ׳ עַד יְבֹשֶׁת הַמַּיִם וְכוּ׳, עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ.
And this corresponds to the aforementioned “And he sent out the raven,” concerning which it is explained in the Zohar Chadash that this is Dovid, who continually cried out like a raven, etc.; and the Holy One, blessed be He, sent him away from his kingdom and brought him out of his house. And what is written about him? “And he went out, going and returning.” For it is written: “And Dovid is going up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, going and weeping, and his head is covered.” He would go out and return in repentance, and he confessed his sins and would ask for mercy concerning them, etc., “until the waters dried up,” etc. Thus far its wording.
וְעַיֵּן שָׁם מַה שֶּׁמְּפָרֵשׁ וַיְּשַׁלַּח אֶת הַיּוֹנָה ג׳ פְּעָמִים, שֶׁמְּרַמֵּז עַל הַגָּלֻיּוֹת עַד הַגָּלוּת הָאַחֲרוֹן הַזֶּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עָלָיו, וְלֹא יָסְפָה שׁוּב אֵלָיו עוֹד, שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל זֶה מִתְאָרֵךְ הַגָּלוּת הַזֶּה כָּל כָּךְ, אֲבָל אַף עַל פִּי כֵן הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ מְזֻמָּן וּמְחַכֶּה אֵימָתַי תָּשׁוּב, עַיֵּן שָׁם כָּל זֶה הֵיטֵב.
And see there what it explains concerning “And he sent out the dove” three times, which alludes to the exiles, through this final exile, concerning which it is said, “and she did not again return to him any more”; for this reason this exile is prolonged so much. But even so He, blessed be He, is ready and waits for when she will return. See all this well there.
זה היה ההבטחה של הקשת, שימשך הבקיאות של בקי בעייל ובקי בנפיק
This was the promise of the rainbow: that the expertise of one expert in entering and expert in going out would be drawn down.
וְעַל כֵּן הָיָה כָּל הַתִּקּוּן עַל יְדֵי קֶשֶׁת הַבְּרִית שֶׁהִבְטִיחוֹ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ ׳אֶת קַשְׁתִּי נָתַתִּי בֶּעָנָן׳. קֶשֶׁת הַבְּרִית זֶה בְּחִינַת רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁתּוֹקְעִין בּוֹ בַּשּׁוֹפָר תְּקִיעָה שְׁבָרִים תְּרוּעָה, שֶׁסִּימָנָם קש״ת, כַּמּוּבָא בִּדְבָרָיו זַ״ל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת כֹּחַ הַצַּדִּיק הַגָּדוֹל הָאֲמִתִּי שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת קֶשֶׁת הַבְּרִית כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת קְדֻשַּׁת שַׁבָּת שֶׁהַג׳ סְעֻדּוֹת הֵם בִּבְחִינַת ג׳ קוֹלוֹת שֶׁל הַשּׁוֹפָר, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת ג׳ נְקֻדּוֹת הַנַּ״ל. הַיְנוּ שֶׁהִבְטִיחוֹ שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ הַגָּדוֹל מְאֹד, בְּחִינַת ׳וְהָיָה בְּעַנְנִי עָנָן עַל הָאָרֶץ׳, גַּם אָז וְנִרְאֲתָה הַקֶּשֶׁת בֶּעָנָן, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיק שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת קֶשֶׁת הַבְּרִית יַמְשִׁיךְ קְדֻשַּׁת שַׁבָּת עַל יְדֵי הַקִּבּוּץ שֶׁל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁאָז תּוֹקְעִין בַּשּׁוֹפָר הַקּוֹלוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים שֶׁסִּימָנָם קש״ת שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה קִיּוּם הַקִּבּוּץ שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב, וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִתָּקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל וּבָאוּ הָאוֹבְדִים בְּאֶרֶץ אַשּׁוּר וְהַנִּדָּחִים וְכוּ׳, וְעַל יְדֵי כָּל זֶה יִהְיֶה נִמְשָׁךְ דַּרְכֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה הַנַּ״ל בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת בְּקִיאוּת בַּהֲלָכָה הַנַּ״ל בְּעַיִּל וְנָפִיק לְהַחֲזִיק אֶת עַצְמוֹ אֲפִלּוּ בִּשְׁאוֹל תַּחְתִּיּוֹת בִּבְחִינַת וְאַצִּיעָה שְּׁאוֹל הִנֶּךָּ, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה יִזְכּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְקַיֵּם רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ מַה שֶּׁמְּחַכֶּה לָהֶם שֶׁיָּשׁוּבוּ עַל כָּל פָּנִים כְּעֵינָא דְּמַחְטָא וְכוּ׳. כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב שָׁם בְּזֹהַר חָדָשׁ הַנַּ״ל וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ, וְאִי כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אַפְתְּחַת תְּשׁוּבָה כְּעֵינָא דְּמַחְטָא אֲנָא אַפְתַּח לָהּ תַּרְעִין רַבְרְבִין.
And therefore the whole rectification was through the rainbow of the covenant, which God, blessed be He, promised him: “I have set My rainbow in the cloud.” The rainbow of the covenant corresponds to Rosh Hashanah, on which the shofar is sounded: a sustained blast, broken blasts, and a trembling blast, whose mnemonic is קש״ת, as brought in his words, of blessed memory. And this corresponds to the power of the great, true righteous person, who corresponds to the rainbow of the covenant, as written in the holy Zohar. And this corresponds to the holiness of Shabbos, whose three meals correspond to the three sounds of the shofar, which correspond to the aforementioned three points. That is, He promised him that even within the cloud and the exceedingly great darkness, corresponding to “And it shall be when I bring a cloud over the earth,” even then “and the rainbow will be seen in the cloud”; through the righteous person, who corresponds to the rainbow of the covenant, [he] will draw down the holiness of Shabbos through the Rosh Hashanah gathering, when the holy sounds whose mnemonic is קש״ת are sounded on the shofar, through which the gathering of Israel is sustained, as written: “And it shall be on that day that a great shofar will be sounded, and those lost in the land of Assyria and the outcasts will come,” etc. And through all this the aforementioned paths of repentance will be drawn down into the world, which correspond to expertise in the aforementioned law of entering and going out: to hold oneself firm even in the lowest netherworld, corresponding to “And if I make my bed in the netherworld, behold, You are there”; through this Israel will merit to fulfill His blessed will, in that He waits for them to return at least like the eye of a needle, etc. As written there in the aforementioned Zohar Chadash, and this is its wording: “And if the congregation of Israel opens repentance like the eye of a needle, I will open great gates for her.”
אֲבָל גַּם זֹאת הַמְּעַט תְּשׁוּבָה כְּעֵינָא דְּמַחְטָא קָשֶׁה מְאֹד מֵעֹצֶם הִתְגָּרוּת הַבַּעַל דָּבָר. וְהָעִקָּר עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמַּפִּילוֹ בְּכָל פַּעַם וְכוּ׳, שֶׁכָּל זֶה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְתַקֵּן כִּי אִם עַל יְדֵי בְּקִיאוּת בַּהֲלָכָה הַנַּ״ל שֶׁנִּמְשָׁךְ עַל יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיק שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת קֶשֶׁת הַבְּרִית וְכוּ׳ כַּנַּ״ל. וְעַל כֵּן הִבְטִיחוֹ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לְנֹחַ בָּזֶה שֶׁלֹּא יִדְאַג בִּיצִיאָתוֹ מֵהַתֵּבָה שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת וְנָפִיק, כִּי בַּמֶּה יִתְקַיֵּם הָעוֹלָם, כִּי רָאָה וְהֵבִין גֹּדֶל הִתְגָּרוּת הַיֵּצֶר הָרַע וְכוּ׳.
But even this little repentance, like the eye of a needle, is very difficult because of the immensity of the adversary’s assaults. And chiefly, through his casting a person down each time, etc.; all this cannot be rectified except through expertise in the aforementioned law, which is drawn down through the righteous person who corresponds to the rainbow of the covenant, etc., as stated above. And therefore God, blessed be He, gave Noach this promise, that he should not worry upon leaving the ark, which corresponds to going out: for by what would the world endure? For he saw and understood the magnitude of the evil inclination’s assaults, etc.
אֲבָל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הִבְטִיחוֹ בְּקֶשֶׁת הַבְּרִית שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַצַּדִּיק הָאֱמֶת שֶׁכָּלוּל מִכָּל הַתִּקּוּנִים הַנַּ״ל שֶׁמַּמְשִׁיךְ דַּרְכֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת בְּקִיאוּת הַנַּ״ל, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה יִתְתַּקֵּן הַכֹּל עַד שֶׁתָּבוֹא הַגְּאֻלָּה הַשְּׁלֵמָה בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ אָמֵן.
But God, blessed be He, promised him through the rainbow of the covenant, which corresponds to the true righteous person who is comprised of all the aforementioned rectifications, who draws down paths of repentance into the world, which correspond to the aforementioned expertise; through this everything will be rectified, until the complete redemption comes speedily in our days, amen.
וְעַל כֵּן מַזְכִּירִין בְּבִרְכַּת זִכְרוֹנוֹת בִּתְחִלָּתוֹ עִנְיַן נֹחַ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב שָׁם, וְגַם אֶת נֹחַ בְּאַהֲבָה זָכַרְתָּ בַּהֲבִיאֲךָ אֶת מֵי הַמַּבּוּל וְכוּ׳, עַל כֵּן זִכְרוֹנוֹ בָּא לְפָנֶיךָ וְכוּ׳, כִּי מַזְכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ עֹצֶם חַסְדּוֹ וְרַחֲמָיו אֵיךְ הוּא חָפֵץ בְּקִיּוּם הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁגַּם בִּימֵי נֹחַ שֶׁהָיָה חֹשֶׁךְ כָּזֶה בָּעוֹלָם וְכוּ׳, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן זָכַר אֶת נֹחַ וְהוֹצִיאוֹ מִן הַתֵּבָה וְהִבְטִיחוֹ לְקַיֵּם הָעוֹלָם עַל יְדֵי קֶשֶׁת הַבְּרִית שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת קְדֻשַּׁת רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה כַּנַּ״ל.
And therefore, at the beginning of the blessing of Remembrances, we mention the matter of Noach, as written there: “And You also remembered Noach with love when You brought the waters of the Flood,” etc.; “therefore his remembrance came before You,” etc. For we remind Him, blessed be He, of the immensity of His kindness and mercy, how He desires the world’s preservation: even in Noach’s days, when there was such darkness in the world, etc., even so He remembered Noach and brought him out of the ark and promised him to sustain the world through the rainbow of the covenant, which corresponds to the holiness of Rosh Hashanah, as stated above.
עַל כֵּן עַתָּה שֶׁכְּבָר זָכִינוּ שֶׁהָיוּ הָאָבוֹת בָּעוֹלָם כְּמוֹ שֶׁמַּזְכִּירִין זְכוּתָם אַחַר כֵּן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וְזָכַרְתִּי אֶת בְּרִיתִי יִצְחָק וְכוּ׳. וּכְבָר הָיָה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ שֶׁנָּתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה וְכוּ׳, וּכְבָר הָיוּ צַדִּיקִים כָּאֵלּוּ בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁגִּלּוּ לָנוּ קְדֻשַּׁת רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וּמַעֲלַת הַקִּבּוּץ בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְכוּ׳, עַל כֵּן עַתָּה רָאוּי לוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁיִּזְכֹּר אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ בִּזְכוּת כָּל אֵלּוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים וְיַמְשִׁיךְ עָלֵינוּ דַּרְכֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה הַנַּ״ל בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לָשׁוּב אֵלָיו, וְהוּא יָשׁוּב אֵלֵינוּ עַד שֶׁיִּקְרַב קֵץ הַגְּאֻלָּה מְהֵרָה וְכַנַּ״ל.
Therefore now that we have already merited that the patriarchs were in the world, as we subsequently mention their merit, as written, “And I will remember My covenant with Yitzchok,” etc.; and Moshe Rabbainu, who gave us the Torah, has already been, etc.; and such righteous people have already been in the world, who revealed to us the holiness of Rosh Hashanah and the greatness of the Rosh Hashanah gathering, etc.—therefore now it is fitting for Him, blessed be He, to remember His covenant in the merit of all these righteous people and to draw down upon us the aforementioned paths of repentance, so that we merit to return to Him and He will return to us, until the end of redemption draws near speedily, as stated above.
(הלכות שבת הלכה ד אות ס״ט)
(Laws of Shabbos, Halacha 4, item 69).
Loading comments…