| Maggid Devarav leYaakov | |
| מגיד דבריו ליעקב | |
| merged | |
| https://www.sefaria.org/Maggid_Devarav_leYaakov | |
| This file contains merged sections from the following text versions: | |
| -Sefaria Community Translation | |
| -https://www.sefaria.org | |
| Maggid Devarav leYaakov | |
| Introduction | |
| Chapter 1 | |
| The Arizal (Rabbi Isaac Luria) did not need to begin the Torah except from "This month is for you." And why did he reveal to them the story of creation? Because they said, "We will do and we will hear." According to our Sages, Israel ascended in thought before the will, in order that Israel should be righteous in every generation. The Almighty metaphorically contracted His clarity as a father who contracts his intelligence and speaks small matters for his small son. Also, all the attributes of action are born from the love of actions so that there will be pleasure and glory for him. In the Holy One, blessed be He, the past and the future are equal, and He takes pleasure in the actions of the righteous, and He contracts Himself—this contraction is called wisdom. Because wisdom is from nothing, you will find from wisdom, and the contraction was for the sake of Israel. Also, love caused the contraction. And this is the genealogy of Isaac, Jacob, Abraham begot, and so on. | |
| And good news from a distant land." (Proverbs 25:25) According to the Zohar, it is stated: "Jacob dwelled in the land." It is explained in the Zohar that initially, when a person is born, he possesses only an animalistic soul. However, when he conquers the evil inclination, he acquires a spiritual soul. In other words, the entire world of angels is under his dominion. When he merits, he is granted a soul from the world of the Throne, meaning that through his thoughts and intentions, he creates a throne for the Holy One, blessed be He. For example, when he contemplates with love, he forms a throne of love for the Creator. Similarly, when he contemplates with awe, he forms a throne of awe. It is necessary for a person not to cease his thoughts for even a moment from the Holy One. In this way, he establishes the Holy One, blessed be He, through them. Therefore, it is written in the Torah that he established the Holy One, blessed be He, upon them. This is the meaning of "And Jacob dwelled in the land." Even though he dwelled in the territories of his father's dwelling, it implies that he gathered them in summer, as the Holy One, blessed be He, gathers in His presence. | |
| Or one might say, the dwelling of his father implies that every thought is an entire world, and they are sparks of holiness. He gathers them to the root. This is the meaning of the dwelling of his father, indicating that he, figuratively, gathers his father. This is the interpretation of "The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous." It is like the analogy of a son who, through his actions, brings the intelligence of his father into these actions. Similarly, the righteous, figuratively, do this for the Holy One, blessed be He, like an image that all their intellect is what He, may He be blessed, thinks. If they think with love, they bring the Holy One, blessed be He, into the world of love, as stated in the Zohar: "The king is bound with knots of thoughts. And this is explained: He contracted His Divine Presence between the two cherubim, meaning the wings of the vision of the Shechinah (Divine Presence). The Holy One, blessed be He, governs just as He thinks, and the eye is called intelligence. Intelligence is in the hand of the righteous. But how do they merit this level through their thoughts? They are dust and cannot perform any action without the strength of the Holy One, blessed be He. Thus, what they do, the Holy One, blessed be He, does, for if not for Him, He alone can do nothing. This is the meaning of "And good news from a distant land," for He thinks from the land, which is a distant land from the domain of the Evil Inclination. "And good news shall fatten the bones," as our Sages said: "Israel sustains their Father in Heaven." This is similar to a person who is satisfied due to pleasure. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, takes pleasure due to the actions of Israel, fattening the bones, meaning that He nourishes and delights His own essence in the chamber, which is He Himself. This is the interpretation of "And you shall be cherished," using the language of strength, as if we are sustaining Him, may He be blessed. | |
| Chapter 2 | |
| Chapter 3 | |
| Chapter 4 | |
| Chapter 5 | |
| "There was a little town, and few people within it, [and a great king came against it and went round it and built against it great siege-works]" (Ecclesiastes 9:14) [The term for] town [is suggestive of] the term "I would waken the morning" (Psalms 57:9). [This association is] explained [as follows]: The Holy One seeks us to return to [unto God]. [This may be explained with] a parable of a king who exiled his son while one of [his ministers] - a wise man - [felt great] sorrow [over the matter]. And as a result, [the king's] mercy was awakened for all his sons, due to the strength of this wise man. So too, the righteous awaken the Holy One's mercy upon all [of the People of] Israel. And this is [the inner meaning of] "I would waken the morning". [Similarly], a divine voice announces each day "turn back, rebellious sons" (Jeremiah 3:14; Eikhah Rabbah, Petichta 25; Avot 6:2). And this is the proclamation that comes to every single one [inspiring their spiritual] awakening. | |
| Chapter 6 | |
| Chapter 7 | |
| Chapter 8 | |
| Chapter 9 | |
| Chapter 10 | |
| Chapter 11 | |
| Chapter 12 | |
| Chapter 13 | |
| A person should not study in a book [written by] a wicked person even if it contains words of Torah. [This teaching] is appropriate as the soul of a person [who authored the text] is bound to [the book]. | |
| Chapter 14 | |
| Chapter 15 | |
| Chapter 16 | |
| Chapter 17 | |
| Chapter 18 | |
| Chapter 19 | |
| Chapter 20 | |
| Chapter 21 | |
| Chapter 22 | |
| Chapter 23 | |
| Chapter 24 | |
| Chapter 25 | |
| Chapter 26 | |
| Chapter 27 | |
| Chapter 28 | |
| Chapter 29 | |
| Chapter 30 | |
| Chapter 31 | |
| Chapter 32 | |
| Chapter 33 | |
| Chapter 34 | |
| Chapter 35 | |
| Chapter 36 | |
| Chapter 37 | |
| Chapter 38 | |
| "[I shall give you back your brother] and you can trade in the land" (Gen. 42:34). There are two kinds of love: The first is that of a father who loves the deeds of his wise son and boasts about [his son's] wise deeds which he performs or the wise words which he speaks. And the second [type of love] is that [of a father] who loves his son to the core and everything that [his son] speaks before him is proper in his eyes because of his love for him. | |
| Chapter 39 | |
| Chapter 40 | |
| Chapter 41 | |
| Chapter 42 | |
| Chapter 43 | |
| Chapter 44 | |
| Chapter 45 | |
| Chapter 46 | |
| Chapter 47 | |
| Chapter 48 | |
| Chapter 49 | |
| Chapter 50 | |
| Chapter 51 | |
| Chapter 52 | |
| Chapter 53 | |
| Chapter 54 | |
| Chapter 55 | |
| Chapter 56 | |
| Chapter 57 | |
| Chapter 58 | |
| Chapter 59 | |
| Chapter 60 | |
| Chapter 61 | |
| Chapter 62 | |
| Chapter 63 | |
| Chapter 64 | |
| Chapter 65 | |
| Chapter 66 | |
| Chapter 67 | |
| Chapter 68 | |
| Chapter 69 | |
| Chapter 70 | |
| Chapter 71 | |
| Chapter 72 | |
| Chapter 73 | |
| Chapter 74 | |
| Chapter 75 | |
| Chapter 76 | |
| Chapter 77 | |
| Chapter 78 | |
| Chapter 79 | |
| Chapter 80 | |
| Chapter 81 | |
| Chapter 82 | |
| Chapter 83 | |
| Chapter 84 | |
| Chapter 85 | |
| Chapter 86 | |
| Chapter 87 | |
| Chapter 88 | |
| Chapter 89 | |
| Chapter 90 | |
| Chapter 91 | |
| Chapter 92 | |
| Chapter 93 | |
| Chapter 94 | |
| Chapter 95 | |
| Chapter 96 | |
| [The Talmud states]: "Anyone who has no [capacity for] knowledge must not be pitied" (Berakhot 33a). [The] interpretation [is as follows]: The attribute of mercy is formed as a result of [the capacity for] knowledge. For only through knowledge can one know [how or why] to forgive. Therefore, the attribute of mercy cannot [be said to] be broken. Just as "Our father Jacob did not die" (Taanit 5b). For his [spirit] stems the [inner] ability of [the attribute of] knowledge. And the [attribute of] knowledge is nothing but life. And this [concept] aligns with the verse "And through knowledge, rooms are filled" (Proverbs 24:4), and [as a result] it is not broken. |