Musar sur La Genèse 2:10

The reason that the oral Torah is called תורה שב-על פה, is that it occupies a place in the lower Merkavot, carriers of the Divine entourage. This is the meaning of Genesis 2,10 that "from there it would be separated." [These concepts are all based on the interpretation of the word מקדם in Genesis 2,8 as referring to something that had preceded the creation of the physical universe, as stated in Pessachim 54. Ed.] Seeing that the oral Torah does not have its origin in the secluded regions of the heavens, the domain in which G–d is in total יחוד, Unity, i.e. privacy, and seeing that the oral Torah is not part of that sanctuary in the heavens, it is called על פה, [something the function of which is to communicate its content to the outside. Ed.] This entire mystical concept is called תורה שבכתב ותורה שבעל פה. The mystical relationship between the two Torahs is described in the verse שני שדיך כשני עפרים תאומי צביה (Song of Songs 4,3) Rabbi Yannai in Pessikta de Rav Kahane on Exodus 12,1: "This month shall be the head of the months for you," comments that in the verse יונתי תמתי אחת היא לאמה, ("My dove is perfect, she is unique to her mother," [this translation does not reflect the interpretation we deal with here, of course, Ed.]) the word תמתי, is to be understood as תאומתי, my twin. Each of the twins, the oral as well as the written Torah, proclaims that it is no more important than its counterpart. Seeing the written Torah is essentially a book that is concealed, emanates from regions hidden from us, the oral Torah must elucidate the hidden meanings contained in the written Torah for us. By means of the "bride," i.e. the oral Torah, the mysteries of the luminaries in the higher world become accessible. One may view the function of the oral Torah as putting a seal on the written Torah, converting something potential into something actual. The חכם הרזים, i.e. G–d Himself, alluded to this when Solomon was inspired to say in Proverbs 31,23: "Her husband has become known in the gates" (public gatherings). He means that through her acts of kindness her husband has become esteemed. The אשת חיל, woman of valor, in that chapter is none other than the oral Torah, and her husband is the written Torah. The influence of the oral Torah on the written Torah is described here. Not only this, but the holiest name of G–d has been revealed to the world through these שערי צדק. In the Midrash of Rabbi Nechunyah ben Hakanah we are told in the name of Rabbi Rechumai that Torah is the light of Israel and its lamp. How can we reconcile this with what is written in Proverbs 6,23 that נר מצוה ותורה אור, "that the commandment is a lamp, whereas the Torah is light," and we conclude that נר, "lamp," refers to the oral Torah, whereas אור, "light," refers to the written Torah? Why does this Midrash reverse the relative importance of "light and lamp?" Let us explain this by means of a parable. A lamp is able to penetrate with its light to the furthest corner of any room inside a house. However, even the greatest light in the outside world cannot illuminate certain hidden corners inside a house that are covered by shade. The only way such corners can be lit up is if the light of a lamp shines upon those areas. Similarly with the oral Torah. Even though the oral Torah is only comparable to a "lamp" when compared to the great "light" of the written Torah, the written Torah needs that lamp in order to illuminate the hidden recesses that the light of the written Torah cannot reach. The "hidden recesses" referred to are certain queries that arise from the wording of the text." So far the comments of the Tolaat Yaakov.

Pharaoh's dreams contain very significant allusions. Let me first quote what the Zohar (Sullam edition page 6) has to say on the subject. Commenting on "here there arose seven healthy and good-looking cows from the river and they grazed in the meadow" (41, 18), the words "from the river" are understood as referring to the source of all blessing in this world, the emanation יסוד. The word היאור is equated with the river emanating from גן עדן described in Genesis 2, 10. This "river" originates from the emanation בינה, and "irrigates" (spiritually) the emanation יסוד, the spiritual domain in which Joseph is at home. The message in the dream is that all of Egypt receives its blessings because of Joseph. The Zohar continues saying that that "river" dispenses its blessings in seven different directions, i.e the seven cows represent the seven recipients of the river's blessings. The seven recipients of the river's largesse all co-exist peacefully. This is an unusual phenomenon. We may compare the meaning of the number seven in the Book of Esther, where Esther is attended by "seven maid-servants, the ones she was entitled to have allocated to her by the palace" (Esther 2, 9). On the other hand, we find that the king had "seven men-servants (castrated), who attended to his personal needs" (Esther 1, 10).

At the end of every such seven year cycle, the earth produces ספיחים, spontaneous growth without your having either plowed or seeded. This is equivalent to the שבת שבתון concept. At the end of the chapter called מהות והנהגה, in Pardes Rimonim, the author explains that nowadays (since the expulsion from Eden) our sustenance is only the product of accretions, ספיחים, whereas when the world was perfect, i.e. when man resided in Eden, sustenance was the product of G–d's careful planning as described by the Torah in Genesis 2,10: "A river would issue from Eden to water the garden etc." This river no longer exists. This is why the Torah warned us not to harvest the grain that grows of itself, nor the grapes that grow by themselves. This type of grape alludes to the wine squeezed out by Eve out of the fruit of the tree of knowledge.