Parshas VAYISHLACH-Torah Or-Selected Teachings
Mamar “Vayishlach Yaakov Melachaim”
1. The relationship between the 400 men of Eisav and the 400 Shekel Kesef of Efron:[1]
There exist 400 worlds of Divine pleasure which the Tzadikim will inherit in the future. These 400 levels of Taanug/pleasure were represented in the 400 Shekel Kesef that Avraham gave to Efron when he purchased the Cave of Machpelah from him for Sarah’s burial. These 400 spiritual levels of G-dly pleasure were then used by Efron to fuel Kelipa/evil. Eisav who came to Yaakov with 400 men represented the 400 harsh severities that were created from these coins given to Efron. The reason why Avraham gave these coins and their spiritual representation to Efron is to invest them into Kelipa and then reap from it a much larger section of Kedusha. However, until the time is ripe for these holy spiritual levels to be removed from the impurity, they will remain within them. It is only in the future era when all of the refinements of the sparks will be completed and the spirit of impurity removed from the earth that these 400 sublime spiritual lights will be removed by Efron from the impurity and be returned to the side of holiness. When Yaakov went to greet his brother Eisav and the 400 men, he believed that they were already ready for refinement and elevation and extraction from the impurity. However, when he noticed that they were preparing for war against him he understood that the time is not yet ripe and that this will only occur in the future era.
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The Divine Lesson: One who contemplates the effects of his sinful behavior and how it causes the sparks of divinity to be drawn down to impurity and trapped within it, can be led to despair, thinking that there’s absolutely no way of fixing the damages he has done. In truth, however, even by the worst of sins which have unfortunately fed the Sitra Achra with sparks of holiness, not only does one still retain the ability retrieve the sparks back and return them to holiness but it is possible to retrieve them with an even greater capital that one started off with, similar to an investment which has temporarily tied up one’s cash but when removed will come out in greater sum. Even one who has sinned even the greatest of sins has ability to fix, retrieve, and even turn the sin into a greater good through repentance. It is in his hands to do this now, or simply wait for the future era when the side of evil will be eradicated, and the trapped sparks of holiness released. On this it says that the service of a Baal Teshuvah is greater than that of a Tzaddik.
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2. The spiritual level of Non-kosher animals:[2]
The Torah instructs us regarding the kosher versus the non-kosher animals, prohibiting us from consuming the non-kosher ones, explaining that doing so defiles our soul with impurity. It is customary of pious Jews to not only avoid any suspicion of eating non-kosher, but to even avoid looking at such creatures due to the negative effect that mere looking at them can have. In this short anecdote, the Alter Rebbe teaches us a quite magnificent insight into the truth behind the spiritual level of the non-kosher animals.
It is written in Scripture, that the chariot of G-d rests on the face of a lion by the right side and the face of an ox by the left side. Thus, we see that in the upper worlds the lion, which is on the right side, is considered of a higher level than the ox which is on the left side. Nonetheless, in this world, the lion is an impure animal which is forbidden in consumption in contrast to the ox which is a pure animal. The explanation for this paradox is as follows: The lion [as well as other impure animals] are rooted in such a high level of divine light that it is too intense to become invested within the physical body of the lion in this world, as the physical body in this world cannot be a receptacle to hold this level of holiness. Just as a lion down here in this world is a ferocious animal with great strengths, so too in its root in the upper worlds, its level of G-dliness is very intense and strong. For this reason, it is not considered a pure animal, as it cannot contain the holiness that it is rooted in, and thus when one consumes it he only absorbs the impure characteristics of the animal and not its root in holiness. This is in contrast to the ox, and other pure animals, of which their G-dly root is of lesser intensity and therefore is able to be contained internally within their bodies, and when consumed one is able to activate this holiness and not just the side of impurity.
Mamar “Vayevak Ish Imo”
3. The meaning behind the battle of Yaakov with the angel of Eisav:
It is known that the battle between Yaakov and his angel represented the battle between the side of evil against the of holy, similar to the war of G-d with the Amaleik. The Pardes explains that when the angel injured Yaakov’s thigh, he actually caused a spiritual blemish in the root of prophecy within the souls of the Jewish people until Shmuel came along and fixed it.
4. How is it possible for the side of evil to fight against Holiness when that is its whole source of life?
The answer to this question is as follows: In a very high and sublime area something very low is ignored and allowed to exist. For example, in the inner chambers of the king a spider is allowed to exist. The reason for this is because it is beneath the dignity of this holy level to deal with this evil and therefore it is allowed to exist. So, in the sublime world of Tohu where G-d’s light of Makif and Soveiv shines, evil was allowed to exist, as both evil and good are so distanced from this infinite light that it is paid no attention to. However, later on when the world of Tikkun was created through contractions of the Divine light, then it was decided that the evil side will no longer receive a normal portion of G-dliness but rather only external leftovers, and it is only the side of holiness that receives internally from the light of G-d.
5. How evil nurtures from holiness:
The side of evil can only receive from G-dliness in an external way, as a Jewish people only draw down the infinite light of G-d to those who are nullified to Him.
6. From what6 level does evil begin:
The beginning of the revelation of the infinite light of G-d into the Sefiros is in Chochmah of Atzilus. From there it extends below to the other Sefiros, until it reaches Malchus of Assiyah which is the end of holiness. From that level and onwards begins the existence of evil and Kelipos, and the only receive from holiness and external fashion.
[1] Torah Or Vayishlach 24b
[2] Torah Or Vayishlach p. 25c
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