261018.Lech Lecha p072 v196
The Zohar tells us that Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Chizkiyah were lodging at an inexpensive inn located in the city of Lod. Kabbalistically, these two great sages are actually occupying a specific spiritual dimension as they discuss the many layers of meaning in Biblical scripture. Specifically, these two spiritual giants are discussing a verse in the Torah that tells of an apple tree in the midst of a forest.
Lech Lecha: Verse 196
פָּתַח ר' אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר, כְּתַפּוּחַ בַּעֲצֵי הַיַּעַר וגו'. כְּתַפּוּחַ, דָּא קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּאִיהוּ חָמִיד וּמִתְעַטַּר בִּגְוָונוֹי, מִכָּל שְׁאָר אִילָנִין, דְּלָא אִית דְּדָמֵי לֵיהּ. רָשִׁים אִיהוּ מִכֹּלָּא, רָשִׁים הוּא, דְּלֵית אָחֳרָא כַּוָּותֵיהּ.
Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion by saying, "As the apple tree among the trees of the forest..." (Shir Hashirim 2:3). "The apple tree" refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, who is precious and decorated by His colors. HIS COLORS - WHITE, RED, AND GREEN - ARE THE SECRET OF THE THREE COLUMNS OF CHESED, GVURAH, AND TIFERET. His tree has no equal among all the other trees, WHICH REPRESENT THE SEVENTY GOVERNORS WHO IMITATE THE HOLINESS, AS AN APE DOES A MAN. He is distinguished from them all, and there is no one like Him.
Lech Lecha: Verse 197
בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ, בְּצִלּוֹ חִמַדְתִּי. בְּצִלּוֹ: וְלָא בְּצִלָּא אָחֳרָא. בְּצִלוֹ: וְלָא בְצִלָּא דִּשְׁאָר מְמַנָּן. חִמַּדְתִּי, אֵימָתַי, מִן יוֹמָא דַּהֲוָה אַבְרָהָם בְּעָלְמָא, דְּאִיהוּ חָמִיד וְרָחִים לֵיהּ לְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּאַהֲבָה. כְּד"א אַבְרָהָם אוֹהֲבִי. וּפִרְיוֹ מָתוֹק לְחִכִּי, דָּא הוּא יִצְחָק, דְּאִיהוּ אִיבָּא קַדִּישָׁא.
Because of this, "I sat down under his shadow with great delight." (Ibid.) The verse reads, "under his shadow," and not under any anyone else's, BECAUSE, BEFORE SHE WAS PROPERLY ESTABLISHED AND WELL AMENDED, THE SHECHINAH LAY UNDER THE SHADOW OF THE LEAVES OF THE FIG TREE. SO "UNDER HIS SHADOW" AND NOT UNDER ANY OTHER'S ALLUDES TO THE OTHER SEVENTY GOVERNORS. "With great delight:" HE ASKS, Since when? WE CANNOT SAY THAT SHE HAS ALWAYS EXPERIENCED GREAT DELIGHT, PARTICULARLY AFTER THE SIN WHEN SHE WAS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE SEVENTY GOVERNORS!" AND HE SAYS, This is from the day when Abraham came to this world, who loved the Holy One, blessed be He. It is written, "Abraham my beloved" (Yeshayah 41:8), BECAUSE HE FULLY AMENDED THE SHECHINAH AND SHE WAS UNITED AGAIN WITH ZEIR ANPIN." "His fruit was sweet to my taste" refers to Isaac, who is the holy fruit OF ABRAHAM.
Lech Lecha: Verse 198
דָּבָר אֲחֵר, בְּצִלּוֹ חִמַדְתִּי וְיָשַׁבְתִּי, דָּא יַעֲקֹב. וּפִרְיוֹ מָתוֹק לְחִכִּי, דָּא יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק, דַּעֲבַד פֵּירִין קַדִּישִׁין בְּעָלְמָא. וְע"ד כְּתִיב אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף. דְּכָל אִינוּן תּוֹלְדוֹת דְּיַעֲקֹב בְּיוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק קָיְימֵי, דַּעֲבֵיד תּוֹלְדוֹת. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, אִקְרוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַל שְׁמָא דְאֶפְרַיִם, דִּכְתִיב הֲבֵן יַקִּיר לִי אֶפְרַיִם וגו'.
Another explanation of the verse, "I sat down under his shadow with great delight," is that it refers to Jacob, WHO IS THE SECRET OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN. "And his fruit was sweet to my taste" refers to Joseph the righteous, WHO IS THE SECRET OF YESOD, who brought forth holy fruits to the world, NAMELY SOULS. Therefore, it is written, "These are the generations of Jacob, Joseph" (Beresheet 37:2), which shows that all the generations of Jacob are established by Joseph the righteous, WHO IS THE ASPECT OF THE YESOD OF JACOB. And because of this Yisrael is called by the name of Ephraim, as it is written, "Ephraim my dear son" (Yirmeyah 31:19).
