Chasidut do Rodzaju 32:25
וַיִּוָּתֵ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֵּאָבֵ֥ק אִישׁ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ עַ֖ד עֲל֥וֹת הַשָּֽׁחַר׃
I został Jakób sam jeden, i pasował się ktoś z nim aż do wzejścia jutrzenki;
Kedushat Levi
Genesis 32,25. “when he realized that he could not overcome him he injured his hip joint.” The subjects alluded to here are the three parts of the universe, 1) the world of the disembodied spirits, angels, collectively known as שרפים 2) the inert “stars,” planets and galaxies in outer space, and 3) the living creatures in our own “lower” part of the universe. In our part of the universe, i.e. in man, the head represents the domain of the angels in the “upper” part of the universe, the part of man that enables him to recognize his Creator.
The heart (within man) symbolizes the region we call outer space, home to galaxies in the domain known as עולם הגלגלים, the world of the orbiting planets and galaxies. According to the Sefer Yetzirah, heart, soul, enable man to recognise the recurring seasons, and what makes up a year by observing them in motion and realizing that a Creator must have directed their orbits. Finally, the thighs of man ירכים, represent the “lower universe,” a domain in which G’d must be served by means of His creatures having faith in their Creator. ירכים, thighs, are viewed as tools by means of which man is able to recognize the presence and power of a Creator. ירכים is another word for רגלים, which does not only mean “legs,” but is related to הרגל, habit, the danger that man serves G’d only from rote, lip service. When Yaakov is described as “the sun was shining for him”, ויזרח לו השמש, this is a hint that from that point on Yaakov worshipped G’d also by means of his intellect. His faith henceforth was more or less secure against arguments by the evil urge that could have confused him in his faith. The word י-עקב, was an allusion to his serving G’d as an עקב, an appendix, similar to the heel; once he had the name ישראל added to his name, he had acquired the letters ראש, (head) as part of his name, signifying the far loftier spiritual plateau that formed the basis of his faith.
The heart (within man) symbolizes the region we call outer space, home to galaxies in the domain known as עולם הגלגלים, the world of the orbiting planets and galaxies. According to the Sefer Yetzirah, heart, soul, enable man to recognise the recurring seasons, and what makes up a year by observing them in motion and realizing that a Creator must have directed their orbits. Finally, the thighs of man ירכים, represent the “lower universe,” a domain in which G’d must be served by means of His creatures having faith in their Creator. ירכים, thighs, are viewed as tools by means of which man is able to recognize the presence and power of a Creator. ירכים is another word for רגלים, which does not only mean “legs,” but is related to הרגל, habit, the danger that man serves G’d only from rote, lip service. When Yaakov is described as “the sun was shining for him”, ויזרח לו השמש, this is a hint that from that point on Yaakov worshipped G’d also by means of his intellect. His faith henceforth was more or less secure against arguments by the evil urge that could have confused him in his faith. The word י-עקב, was an allusion to his serving G’d as an עקב, an appendix, similar to the heel; once he had the name ישראל added to his name, he had acquired the letters ראש, (head) as part of his name, signifying the far loftier spiritual plateau that formed the basis of his faith.
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