Zohar from Scratch #30 The Eleventh and Twelfth Precepts - Tithing The Thirteenth Precept - Pidyon HaBen The Fourteenth Precept - Keeping Shabbat

(ב) פִּקּוּדָא חַדְסַר לְעַשְׂרָא מַעַשְׂרָא דְאַרְעָא. הָכָא אִית תְּרֵין פִּקּוּדִין. חַד לְעַשְׂרָא מַעַשְׂרָא דְאַרְעָא. וְחַד בִּכּוּרֵי דְּפֵירֵי אִילָנָא. דִּכְתִיב (בראשית א׳:כ״ט) הִנֵּה נָתַתִי לָכֶם אֶת כָּל עֵשֶׂב זוֹרֵעַ זֶרַע אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי כָל הָאָרֶץ. כְּתִיב הָכָא הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי. וּכְתִיב הָתָם (במדבר י״ח:כ״א) וְלִבְנֵי לֵוִי הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי אֶת כָּל מַעֲשֵׂר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. וּכְתִיב, (ויקרא כ״ז:ל׳) וְכָל מַעֲשַׂר הָאָרֶץ מִזֶּרַע הָאָרֶץ מִפְּרִי הָעֵץ לַה' הוּא.

(2) 2. The eleventh precept is to give a tithe of the land's product. Here we have two precepts. One is to give a tithe of the land's product, and the other is {to bring} the first fruits of the trees. As it is written, "Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth" (Genesis 1:29). Here it is written, "I have given you;" elsewhere it is written, "And to the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Yisrael" (Numbers 18:21). In a third place, it is further written, "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is to Hashem" (Leviticus 27:30).

(ג) פִּקּוּדָא תְּרֵיסַר לְאַיְיתָאָה בִּכּוּרֵי דְאִילָנָא דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית א׳:כ״ט) וְאֶת כָּל הָעֵץ אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ פְּרִי עֵץ זוֹרֵעַ זָרַע. כָּל מָאן דְּאִתְחַזֵּי לִי, לְכוֹן אֲסִירָא לְמֵיכַל. אַתִּיר לוֹן וְיָהַב לוֹן כָּל מַעַשְׂרָא דִילֵיהּ וּבִכּוּרִין דְּאִילָנִין. נָתַתִּי לָכֶם, לָכֶם וְלא לְדָרִין דְּבַתְרֵיכוֹן.

(3) 3. The twelfth precept - to bring the first fruits of the trees as an offering. As it is written, "and every tree, on which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed" (Genesis 1:29). Whatever I deserve is forbidden to you to eat. He permitted them (to eat) and gave them all His tithe and first fruits of the trees. "I have given to you" - "to you," and not to the generations after you.

(ד) פִּקּוּדָא תְּלֵיסַר. לְמֶעְבַּד פּוּרְקָנָא לִבְרֵיהּ לְקַשְׁרָא לֵיהּ בַּחַיִּין. דִּתְרֵין מְמַנָּן נִינְהוּ חַד דְּחַיִּין וְחַד דְּמוֹתָא וְקַיָּימִין עֲלֵיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ, וְכַד יִפְרוֹק בַּר נָשׁ לִבְרֵיהּ, מִידָא דְהַהוּא מוֹתָא פָּרִיק לֵיהּ, וְלָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלֵיהּ. וְרָזָא דָא וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה בִּכְלַל. וְהִנֵּה טוֹב דָּא מַלְאַךְ חַיִּים. מְאֹד דָּא מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת. וְעַל דָּא בְּהַהוּא פּוּרְקָנָא אִתְקַיֵּים דָּא דְּחַיִּים וְאִתְחַלָּשׁ הַהוּא דְּמָוֶת. בְּפוּרְקָנָא דָא קָנֵי לֵיהּ חַיִּים כְּמָה דְּאִתְמָּר. וְהַהוּא סִטְרָא בִּישָׁא שְׁבַק לֵיהּ וְלָא אָחִיד בֵּיהּ:

(4) 4. The thirteenth precept - to perform the redemption ritual for his firstborn son and connect him to life. There are two appointees in charge - one over life and one over death - and they both stand beside man. Thus, when a person redeems his son, he redeems him from that one over death and takes him out of his control. This is the secret of the words, "And Elohim saw everything that He had made" (Genesis 1:31). In general. "And, behold it was...good" (Ibid.) alludes to the Angel of Life, while the word "very (Heb. מְאֹד)" alludes to the Angel of Death. Therefore, by this act of redemption, the Angel of Life is strengthened and the one of Death is weakened. By this redemption, he acquires life for himself, as has been mentioned, so that the evil side leaves him alone and does not cling to him any more.

(ה) פִּקּוּדָא אַרְבֵּיסַר לְנַטְרָא יוֹמָא דְשַׁבַּתָּא, דְּאִיהוּ יוֹמָא דְנַיְיחָא מִכָּל עוֹבָדֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית. הָכָא כְּלִילָן תְּרֵין פִּקּוּדִין. חַד נְטִירָא דְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת. וְחַד לְקַדְשָׁא הַהוּא יוֹמָא בְּקִדּוּשֵׁיהּ. לְנַטְרָא יוֹמָא דְּשַׁבַּתָּא כְּמָא דְּאַדְכַּרְנָא וְאַתְעַרְנָא עֲלַיְיהּוּ דְּאִיהוּ יוֹמָא דְנַיְיחָא לְעָלְמִין. וְכָל עֲבִידָן בֵּיהּ אִשְׁתַּכְלְלוּ וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ עַד דְּאִתְקַדַּשׁ יוֹמָא. כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְקַדַּשׁ יוֹמָא אִשְׁתָּאַר בְּרִיאָה דְרוּחִין דְּלָא אִתְבְּרֵי לוֹן גּוּפָא. וְכִי לָא הֲוָה יָדַע קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַעְכָּבָא לְקַדְּשָׁא יוֹמָא עַד דְּיִתְבְּרוּן גּוּפִין לְהָנִי רוּחִין. אֶלָא אִילָנָא דְדַעַת טוֹב וְרָע אַתְעַר הַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא דְרַע וּבָעָא לְאִתְתַּקְּפָא בְּעָלְמָא וְאִתְפָּרְשׁוּ כַּמָּה רוּחִין בְּכַמָּה זַיְינִין לְאִתְתַּקְּפָא בְּעָלְמָא בְּגוּפִין.

(5) 5. The fourteenth precept - to observe the Shabbat, which is a day of rest from all the acts of Creation. There are two precepts included here. One is to observe the day of the Shabbat, and one is to attach this day to its holiness. So "to observe the day of the Shabbat" is, as I have mentioned and explained, that it is a day of rest to all the worlds. And all actions are within that day and were already performed even before that day was sanctified. When that day was sanctified, the creation of the bodies for certain spirits was not completed. Was not the Holy One, blessed be He, aware of that, so that He could delay the sanctification of that day until the bodies for those spirits were created? The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil - aroused the evil Other Side, who wanted to rule over the world. So a lot of spirits were dispersed with much weaponry to achieve strength with the bodies of this world.

(ו) כֵּיוָן דְּחֲמָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כָּךְ, אַתְעַר מִגּוֹ אִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי נְשִׁיבָא דְרוּחָא וּבָטַשׁ בְּאִילָנָא אָחֳרָא וְאַתְעַר סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא דְטוֹב וְאִתְקַדַּשׁ יוֹמָא. דְּהָא בְּרִיאוּ דְּגוּפִין וְאִתְעָרוּ דְרוּחִין בְּסִטְרָא דְטוֹב אִיהוּ בְּהַאי לֵילְיָא, וְלָא בְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא. וְאִלְמָלֵא אַקְדִּים סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא בְּהַאי לֵילְיָא עַד דְּלָא יַקְדִּים סִטְרָא דְטוֹב, לָא יָכִיל עָלְמָא לְמֵיקַם קַמַּיְיהוּ אֲפִילּוּ רִגְעָא חָדָא. אֲבָל אַסְוָותָא אַקְדִּים קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּדָלִיג קַמֵּיהּ קִדּוּשָׁא דְיוֹמָא וְאַקְדִּים קַמֵּי סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא וְאִתְקְיַּים עָלְמָא. וּמַה דְּחֲשִׁיב סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא לְאִתְבְּנֵי בְּעָלְמָא לְאִתְתַּקְּפָא, אִתְבְּנֵי בְּהַאי לֵילְיָא סִטְרָא דְטוֹב וְאִתְתַּקַּף וְאִתְבְּנוּן גּוּפִין וְרוּחִין קַדִּישִׁין בְּהַאי לֵילְיָא מִסִּטְרָא דְטוֹב. וּבְגִין כָּךְ עוֹנָתָן דְּחַכִּימִין דְּיָדְעֵי דָא מִשַּׁבָּת

(6) 6. As the Holy One, blessed be He, saw this, He aroused a tempest from within the Tree of Life, and struck upon the other Tree, causing the arousal of the other Good Side. Consequently, the day was sanctified. Because the creation of the bodies and the arousal of the spirits, on that night comes from the Good Side and not from the Other Side. Had the Other Side come during that night before the Good Side, then the world would not have been able to exist for even one moment. So the Holy One, blessed be He, provided the remedy in advance. The sanctification of the day jumped up and stood before Him. Thus, the Good Side appeared before the Other Side appeared, and the world was established. So instead of the Other Side becoming strong and establishing itself in the world, as it planned, the Good Side was established and grew strong on that night by the construction of holy bodies and the forming of holy spirits from that Side. Therefore, the sages who know this perform their conjugal rights weekly, on Shabbat eve.

(ב) דְּהָא כְּדֵין חָמַאת דָּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא דְּכַמָּה דְאִיהִי חֲשִׁיבַת לְמֶעְבַּד, עֲבִידֵי (עביד) סִטְרָא דִקְדוּשָׁה. אָזְלָא וּמְשַׁטְּטָא בְּכַמָּה חַיָּילִין וְסִטְרִין דִּילָהּ וְחָמַאת כָּל אִנּוּן דְּקָא מְשַׁמְשֵׁי עַרְסַיְיהוּ בְּגִלּוּיָא דְגוּפֵיהוֹן לִנְהוֹרָא דְּבוּצִינָא, וְכָל אִנּוּן בְּנִין דְּנָפְקִין מִתַּמָּן הֲווּ נִכְפִין דְּשָׁרוּ עֲלַיְיהוּ רוּחִין מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא. וְאִנּוּן רוּחִין עַרְטִילָאִין דְּחַיָּיבַיָא דְּאִקְרוּן מַזִּיקִין וְשָׁרִיאַת בְּהוּ לִילִי''ת וּקְטִילַת לוֹן.

(ג) כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְקַדַּשׁ יוֹמָא וְשָׁלְטָא קְדוּשָׁה עַל עָלְמָא, הַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא אַזְעִירַת גַּרְמָהּ וְאִטַּמְרַת כָּל לֵילְיָא דְשַׁבַּתָּא וְיוֹמָא דְשַׁבַּתָּא, בַּר מִן אַסִימוֹ''ן וְכָל כַּת דִּילֵיהּ דְּאַזְלֵי עַל שְׁרַגֵּי בִּטְמִירוּ לְמֶחמֵי עַל גִּלּוּיֵי דְּשִׁמּוּשָׁא, וּלְבָתַר אִטַּמְּרוּן גּוֹ נוּקְבָא דִּתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא. כֵּיוָן דְּנָפַק שַׁבַּתָּא, כַּמָּה חַיָּילִין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין פָּרְחִין וּמְשַׁטְּטִין בְּעָלְמָא, וְעַל דָּא אִתְקַן שִׁיר שֶׁל פְּגָעִים דְּלָא יִשְׁלְטוּן עַל עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא. לְאָן אֲתַר מְשַׁטְּטֵי בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא. כַּד נַפְקֵי בִּבְהִילוּ וְחָשְׁבִין לְשַׁלְּטָאָה בְּעָלְמָא עַל עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא וְחָמָאן לוֹן בִּצְלוֹתָא וְאָמְרִין שִׁירָתָא דָא, וּבְשֵׁירוּתָא מַבְדְּלֵי בִּצְלוֹתָא וּמַבְדְּלֵי עַל הַכּוֹס, פַּרְחֵי מִתַּמָּן וְאָזְלֵי וּמְשָׁטְטֵי וּמָטָאן לְגוֹ מַדְבְּרָא. רַחֲמָנָא לְשֵׁיזְבָן מִנַּיְיהוּ וּמִסִטְרָן (ומסטרא) בִּישָׁא.

(2) 2. Because when the Other Side saw this - that just as he planned on doing, the Side of Holiness preceded it, then the Other Side went along to wander about, together with all its hosts and legions to watch over those who perform their conjugal rights naked and by the light of the candle. Because of this, all their children born from that intercourse are born epileptic, because they are possessed by spirits that come from the Other Side. And these are the naked spirits of the wicked that are called demons. These are pursued and killed by Lilit.

(3) 3. So, because the day was sanctified, and holiness ruled over the world, the Other Side makes itself small and hides during every Shabbat Eve and during every Shabbat Day. Only Asimon and his group do not hide, but go around floating above the candlelight secretly in order to observe the indecent intercourse. And after that they go and hide inside the cave of the great abyss. As soon as Shabbat is over, many hosts and legions roam about in the world. This is why the hymn against calamities, (Psalms 91), was composed - to prevent them from ruling over the holy nation. Where do they roam to on that night? When they come out in haste and think that they are about to rule over the world and overcome the holy nation, they see them standing in prayer and reciting this hymn (Ps. 91), saying the Havdalah during the prayers and then performing the Havdalah with the cup. Then they fly from there and go roaming until they reach the desert. May the Merciful One save us from them and from the Evil Side.

(ד) אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז''ל תְּלָתָא אִנּוּן גַּרְמִין בִּישָׁא לְגַרְמַיְיהוּ. חַד מָאן דְּלַיִּיט גַּרְמֵיהּ. תִּנְיָינָא מָאן דְּזָרַק נַהֲמָא אוֹ פֵּרוּרִין דְּאִית בְּהוּ כַּזַּיִת. תְּלִיתָאָה מָאן דְּאוֹקִיד שְׁרַגָּא בְּמִפְקָא דְּשַׁבַּתָּא עַד לָא מָטוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְקִדּוּשָׁא דְסִדְרָא דְּגָרִים לְנוּרָא דְּגֵיהִנֹּם לְאַדְלָקָא בְּהַאי נוּרָא עַד לָא מָטָא זִמְנַיְיהוּ. דְּחַד דּוּכְתָּא אִית בַּגִּיהִנָּם לְאִנּוּן דְּקָא מְחַלְּלֵי שַׁבָּתוֹת, וְאִנּוּן דַּעֲנוּשִׁין בַּגֵיהִנֹּם לַייטִין לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא דְּאוֹקִיד שְׁרַגָּא עַד לָא מָטָא זִמְנֵיהּ, וְאַמְרִי לֵיהּ (ישעיהו כ״ב:י״ז) הִנֵּה יְיָ מְטַלְטֶלְךָ טַלְטֵלָה גָּבֶר וְגו' (ישעיהו כ״ב:י״ח) צָנוֹף יִצְנָפְךָ צְנֵפָה כַּדּוּר אֶל אֶרֶץ רַחֲבַת יָדָיִם.

(4) 4. Our Rabbis of blessed memory said: There are three kinds of people who bring bad things on themselves. The first is he who curses himself; the second is he who throws away bread or bread crumbs as big as an olive; and the third is he who lights the candle when the Shabbat is over before Yisrael reached the recital of Sanctification, that is during Ve'Ata Kadosh. Because with that fire, he lights the flames of Gehenom before its time. There is a special place in Gehenom for those who profane the Shabbat. Those who are punished in Gehenom curse the person who lit the candle before its time, and they say to him, "Behold; Hashem will thrust you about with a mighty throw, and He will seize you firmly. He will violently roll and toss you like a ball into a large country" (Isaiah 22:17-18).

(ה) בְּגִין דְּלָאו יָאוֹת הוּא לְאַדְלָקָא נוּרָא כַּד נָפִיק שַׁבַּתָּא עַד דְּמַבְדְּלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּצְלוֹתָא וּמַבְדְּלֵי עַל כַּסָּא. בְּגִין דְּעַד הַהוּא זִמְנָא שַׁבָּת הוּא, וּקְדוּשָׁה דְשַׁבָּת שָׁלִיט עֲלָנָא. וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְמַבְדִּילִין עַל כַּסָּא כָּל אִנּוּן חַיָּילִין וְכָל אִנּוּן מַשִּׁרְיָין דְּאִתְמְנָן עַל יוֹמֵי דְחוֹל, כָּל חַד וְחַד יָתִיב לְאַתְרֵיהּ וּפוּלְחָנֵיהּ דְּאִתְמְנֵי עֲלֵיהּ.

(5) 5. It is not proper for him to light the candle, as Shabbat is not over before Yisrael recite the prayer of Havdalah and say the benediction over the cup (of wine). For until that time, it is still Shabbat, and the sanctity of the Shabbat still rests upon us. So after the benediction over the cup is performed, all those hosts and legions that govern the weekdays return to their positions, each one according to the appointed service for which he is responsible.

(ו) בְּגִין דְּכַד עָאל שַׁבַּתָּא וְאִתְקַדַּשׁ יוֹמָא, קֹדֶשׁ אִתְעַר וְשַׁלִּיט בְּעָלְמָא, וְחוֹל אִתְעַדֵּי מִשּׁוּלְטָנוּתָא דִילֵיהּ, עַד שַׁעֲתָא דְּנָפִיק שַׁבַּתָּא לָא תַיְיבִין לְאַתְרַיְיהוּ. וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּנָפִיק שַׁבַּתָּא לָא תַיְיבִין לְאַתְרַייהוּ עַד זִמְנָא דְאָמְרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּרוּך אַתָּה יְיָ הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל. כְּדֵין קֹדֶשׁ אִסְתַּלַּק, וּמַשִּׁרְיָין דְּאִתְמַנִיאוּ עַל יוֹמֵי דְחוֹל מִתְעָרִין וְתַיְיבִין לְאַתְרַייהוּ כָּל חַד וְחַד עַל מַטְרֵיהּ דְּאִתְפְּקַד עֲלֵיהּ. וְעִם כָּל דָּא לָא שָׁלְטִין עַד דִּיהוֹן נְהוֹרִין מֵרָזָא דִשְׁרַגָא. וְכֻלְהוֹן אִקְרוּן מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ בְּגִין (דמנהורא דנורא דנגדא) (נ''א דמרזא דעמודא דנורא) וּמִיסוֹדָא דְנוּרָא אָתְיָאן כֻּלְהוּ וְשָׁלְטִין עַל עַלְמָא תַּתָּאָה. וְכָל דָּא כַּד בַּר נָשׁ אַדְלִיק שְׁרַגָּא עַד לָא שְׁלִימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל קִדּוּשָׁא דְסִדְרָא.

(6) 6. Because as soon as the Shabbat begins and the day is sanctified, holiness is aroused and governs the world; worldliness is removed from its rule. Only when Shabbat is over do they regain their position again. But although Shabbat is over, they do not regain their positions until that moment when Yisrael say in the land of Yisrael, "Blessed are You, Hashem, who separate the holy from the secular." Then the holiness is removed, and all the hosts that govern the weekdays are aroused and return to their positions, each one according to its post for which it is responsible. Nevertheless, they do not receive control until the flames of the candle are lit. All these flames are called the Lights of Fire because they all come from the secret behind the column of fire and the element of fire, and they take charge over the lower world. All this happens if a person lights the candle before Yisrael have finished the recital of the sanctification.

(ז) אֲבָל אִי אִיהוּ מַמְתִּין עַד דְּיַשְׁלִימוּ קִדּוּשָׁא דְסִדְרָא, אִנּוּן חַיָּיבִין דְּגֵיהִנֹּם מַצְדִיקִין עֲלַיְיהוּ דִינָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאִנּוּן מְקַיְּימֵי עַל הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ כָּל בִּרְכָאן דְּקָא אָמְרֵי צִבּוּרָא (בראשית כ״ז:כ״ח) וְיִתֶּן לְךָ הָאֱלֹהִים מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם (דברים כ״ח:ג׳) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה בָּעִיר וּבָרוּךְ אַתָּה בַּשָּׂדֶה וְגו'. (תהילים מ״א:ב׳) אַשְׁרֵי מַשְׂכִּיל אֶל דָּל בְּיוֹם רָעָה יְמַלְטֵהוּ יְיָ. בְּיוֹם רָע מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי בְּיוֹם רָעָה. יוֹמָא דְּשָׁלְטָא הַהִיא רָעָה לְמֵיסַב נִשְׁמְתֵיהּ. אַשְׁרֵי מַשְׂכִּיל אֶל דָּל דָּא הוּא שְׁכִיב מְרַע לְאַסָּאָה לֵיהּ מֵחוֹבוֹי גַּבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. דָבָר אֲחַר דָּא יוֹמָא דְדִינָא שָׁרְיָא עַל עָלְמָא אִשְׁתְּזִיב מִנֵּיהּ כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר בְּיוֹם רָעָה יְמַלְטֵהוּ יְיָ. יוֹמָא דְאִתְמָסַר דִּינָא לְהַהוּא רָעָה לְשַׁלְטָאָה עַל עָלְמָא (חסר):

(7) 7. And if he waits until they complete the sanctification, all those wicked people who are in Gehenom acknowledge the justice brought upon them by the Holy One, blessed be He. And they confirm the blessings that are recited by the congregation, and bring them upon him. "Therefore Hashem gives you of the dew of heaven" (Genesis 27:28), and "Blessed shall you be in the field..." (Deuteronomy 28:3). "Blessed is he who considers the poor; Hashem will deliver him in the day of evil" (Psalms 41:2). As it should have been written 'in the day of evil' [masc. adj.], so why does it say, "in the day of evil [fem. adj.]?" This refers to the day when that Evil [fem. adj.] is in power and wants to take his soul away from him. "Blessed is he who considers the poor." The words, "the poor" allude to a very ill person; "That considers" alludes to how to cure him from his sins as he stands before the Holy One, blessed be He. Another meaning is that this is the day when Judgment prevails and is about to dominate the world, and he "Considers" to be saved from it. As it has been written: "Hashem will deliver him in the day of evil -" so too the day when Judgment is passed over to the Evil in order to control the world. (End):