Chasidut zu Mischlej 30:4

On the subject of the connection of faith, the Zohar writes (Beshalach, 52b): Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak, Pharaoh was smarter than all the sorcerers of his day. He looked into all of the crowns (Sefirot) and all of the knowledge, and didn’t see any sign of the Israel’s redemption. He did not see that the redemption was hinged on any of these crowns. However, though he looked into all the ways that Israel was connected to God, he failed to see the other connection – the connection of faith, which rules over all. For this reason his heart was hardened. Pharaoh knew that there was no place in the realm of Divine service³⁴⁶That is, within the created world, everything “under heaven,” as opposed to the level prior to creation, which he could not perceive. where Israel could overpower him. From this, he understood that he was given the authority to rule over them, enslaving Israel in their bodies and souls, and subjugating them to harsh labor. It is explained how he gradually accustomed the Israelites to ever greater levels of slavery, until they were thoroughly entrenched in bondage. This is as it is written in the Midrash (Mechilta Yitro 1), “No slave could ever escape from Egypt, because Egypt was filled with all the most powerful of worldly delights, to the point where it was more comfortable to be a slave in Egypt than a lord in another country.” In this way, he ruled over their minds and intellect.³⁴⁷It may be implied by this that even the Israelites themselves could not that escape from Egypt was possible, or even desirable – their minds and hearts having been so thoroughly enslaved. What they, and Pharaoh, did not realize is that Israel is connect to G-d on a level that transcends the intellect and the natural order - that is the dimension of faith and miracles. For this reason, he asserted that there was no way they could arouse the root of their souls in order to pray to God for deliverance, and as a result, God’s compassion would not be aroused to redeem them. To this, the Zohar responds, “He did not see the other connection – the connection of faith, which rules over all. ” All of the connection between Israel and God is through prayer and Divine service.³⁴⁸The author refers here to the revealed connection between Israel and G-d; not that of faith, which is concealed to the intellect. And all Divine service and prayer that is within man’s conscious grasp is only within the inclusion and unification of God’s revealed attributes (sefirot), as King David listed them when he said (Divrei HaYamim 1, 29), “Unto You, God, is the greatness, the strength, the splendor, the victory , and the majesty. For all that is in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, G-d, is the kingdom; and You are exalted over all.”³⁴⁹In this verse, King David alludes to the seven lower sefirot, from hesed to yesod: Greatness - hesed; strength - gevurah; , splendor - tiferet; victory - netzah; majesty - Hod; all - Yesod; kingdom - Malkhut. This is explained in the Sifri, on the verse (Devarim, 11), “If you keep all these commandments that I command you to do, to love the Lord, your God, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave to Him.” Is it possible for man to cleave to God? asks the Sifri? Is it not written that God is a consuming fire? But the answer is: You should cleave to God’s attributes. Just as God is merciful, so you should be merciful (and in this way you cleave to Him).³⁵⁰The author is relying upon an implicit connection between the Divine attributes of loving-kindness, compassion, etc, their human parallels, and the sefirot. The seven lower sefirot are “revealed” – that is, their influence can be felt in the world. When man serves G-d by actualizing these potencies within himself (loving-kindness, mercy), so he clings to the supernal manifestation of these attributes. However, there are worlds far higher than these attributes, to which a human being cannot consciously connect to. Due to man’s limited knowledge, his Divine service only reaches these revealed attributes, which are included under the aegis of Tiferet (splendor), the Sefirah which contains the six lower attributes, which is also called Zeir Anpin (the microprosopus, or the “small face”). This attribute is Israel’s connection,³⁵¹Tiferet is in the center of the middle column and connects to all of the six lower Sefirot: Hesed is to its upper right; Gevurah, its upper left; Nezah, at the lower right, Hod, at the lower left, and Yesod directly below, on the middle column. for through Tiferet, Israel is called, “my firstborn son Israel” (Shemot, 4:). As it is written in the Zohar (Balak, 191b): The secret of the matter is the secret above, “What is his name and what is his son’s name that I should know him?” (Mishlei, 30:4). His name is known, and it is Hashem Tziva’ot (the Lord of Hosts). His son’s name is Israel, as it is written, “My firstborn son Israel.” All of the keys of faith depend on Israel, who takes pride in this and says (Tehillim, 2), “God said to me, you are My son.” It is certainly like this, in that Abba and Imma³⁵²“Father and Mother” – the supernal constellations of sefirot that correspond to Hokhmah and Binah. crowned their son and blessed him with many blessings, telling him and commanding him for everything. They kissed their son’s hand, as it were, and gave him dominion over all, that all should serve him. It is also written in the Zohar (Yitro, 79a), And how does the verse end? “What is his name and what is his son’s name that I should know him?” He told him the secret of this matter. It is written, “My firstborn son Israel,” and it is written (Yeshayahu), “Israel, I shall pride Myself in you.” His name is Hokhmah (wisdom), and His son’s name is Tiferet (Adornment, Pride).³⁵³Here, the Zohar links the supernal persona of Israel to the sefirah of Tiferet, which is connected to Hokhmah, a higher sefirah, representing the Divine.

[Notes Following the Story]
[Rabbi Nachman said:] This story is very hard for me to tell, but because I've already begun telling it, now I have to finish it. [But he did not actually finish telling it.] In this story there is not one word that will be void of meaning, and whoever is adept and versed in sefarim [mystical Judaic texts] can at least understand some of the hints. And the arrows — of which that [character] boasted he could pull back arrows — this is found in the verse, "[Im shanothi beraq charbi/ If I have twofold [unleashed] My sword [like] lightning {i.e. as lightning flashes from one end of the sky across to the other end, against My people in retribution}, wethochez bemishpat yadi/ My hand will yet have hold on [strict] justice..." [Deut. 32:41], and as Rashi explains, "Flesh and blood shoots an arrow and cannot retrieve it, but the Holy One, Blessed be He, shoots an arrow and does have the ability to retrieve it [as if He were holding them in His hand]." And the charity which safeguards against the walls of water — this is also found in a verse: "[Lu hikshavta lemitzvothai; wayhi kanahar shelomekha/ If you would listen to My commandments then your peace would be as a river] wetzidkathekha kegalei hayam/ and your charity (righteousness) as the waves of the sea." [Isa., 48:18]. And the wind — his grasping it in is hands — this is found in, "Mi asaf-ruach bechofnaw/ Who has grasped the wind in his fists?" [Prov. 30:4] (Which is an aspect of producing melody, as explained elsewhere [Likutei Moharan #54].) And the ten types of pulses and ten kinds of melody — this is already explained in the Zohar [and see LM IIpg. 32a (#24)]. [Rabbi Nathan adds:] All this we heard explicitly. But who, when and what? (Beyond this he said nothing more, that is to say, who they all are, what this is, and when this all took place — this is unknowable.)