Zohar Hasulam - 040724 - Shlach Lecha - Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag - זהר הסולם - Ten Sefirot

zohar hasulam shlach lecha p. 11 - 15 parag. 28--41

Joshua and Caleb - Synopsis:

The rabbis examine the scriptures concerning the behavior of the spies who Moses sent into the Promised Land. We hear how Moses, when he sent him to Yisrael, changed Oshea's name to Joshua to indicate that he was attached to the Shechinah. Rabbi Shimon talks about Moses' need to distinguish if the land was worthy of the Tree, Zeir Anpin, or of Ayin Ayin, Arich Anpin: thus he would know if there was a tree in it, or not (ayin). We are told about Caleb, who went to pray on the graves of the patriarchs in Hebron in order to be rescued from the misguided decisions of the rest of the spies. Rabbi Shimon says that the Shechinah was robed in Caleb to bring tidings to the Patriarchs, and that the three spies were descendants of the Nefilim.

Shlach Lecha: Verse 28

Rabbi Chizkiyah and Rabbi Yesa continued traveling along. As they went, they met some people. Rabbi Chizkiyah and Rabbi Yesa asked about him. They said: What is the name of that person? They replied: That is Rabbi Chagai and he is a friend among the friends. The friends sent him from Babylon to find out about things from Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and the rest of the friends. Rabbi Yesa said: That must be the Rabbi Chagai who all his life did not wish to show off what he knows and, therefore, he told us that his son has merited the gain of his Torah knowledge. Since he said: "See you a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him" (Mishlei 26:12). He most certainly is a faithful messenger and praised is he who dispatches his matters by the hand of a faithful messenger.

Shlach Lecha: Verse 29

ת"ח, אֱלִיעֶזֶר עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם מִבְּנֵי כְּנַעַן הֲוָה, כד"א, כְּנַעַן בְּיָדוֹ מֹאזְנֵי מִרְמָה. וּכְנַעַן כְּתִיב עָלֵיהּ, אָרוּר כְּנָעַן עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים יִהְיֶה לְאֶחָיו. וּבְגִין דַּהֲוָה שְׁלִיחָא מְהֵימָנָא, מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ. בֹּא בְּרוּךְ יְיָ.' בְּרוּךְ יְיָ' מַמָּשׁ. וְעַל דָּא אַכְתִּיב הָכִי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּגִין דְּנָפַק מֵהַהִיא קְלָלָה, וְאִתְבְּרַךְ. וְלָא דַּי לֵיהּ דְּנָפִיק מִנָּהּ, אֶלָּא דְּאִתְבְּרַך בִּשְׁמֵיהּ דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְאוֹלִיפְנָא דְּאָתָא מַלְאָךְ, וְאָעִיל מִלָּה דָּא בְּפוּמֵיהּ דְּלָבָן.

Come and see that Eliezer, the servant of Abraham, was from the children of Canaan, as it is written: "As for the merchant (Heb. knaan), the balances of deceit are in his hands" (Hoshea 12:8). About Canaan, it is written: "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brethren" (Beresheet 9:25). Because Eliezer was a faithful messenger, it is written about him: "Come in, you blessed of Hashem" (Beresheet 24:31), really blessed of Hashem. Therefore, it is written so in the Torah since he has emerged from the curse OF CANAAN, and became blessed. He was not only excluded FROM THE CURSE, but he was also blessed it the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. And I learned that an angel came and inserted this - THAT HE SHOULD CALL HIM "BLESSED OF HASHEM" - into the mouth of Laban.

Shlach Lecha: Verse 30

וַיִשְׁלַח אוֹתָם מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ,' כֻּלָּם אֲנָשִׁים. כֻּלְּהוּ זַכָּאִין הֲווֹ, וְרֵישֵׁי דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הֲווֹ. אֲבָל אִינּוּן דִּבְּרוּ לְגַרְמַיְיהוּ עֵיטָא בִּישָׁא. אֲמַאי נַטְלֵי עֵיטָא דָּא. אֶלָּא אָמְרוּ, אִי יֵיעֲלוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאַרְעָא, נִתְעֲבָר אֲנָן מִלְּמֶהֱוֵי רֵישִׁין, וְיִמְנֵי מֹשֶׁה רֵישִׁין אַחֲרָנִין, דְּהָא אֲנָן זָכֵינָן בְּמַדְבְּרָא לְמֶהֱוֵי רֵישִׁין, אֲבָל בְּאַרְעָא לָא נִזְכֵּי. וְעָל דְּנַטְלֵי עֵיטָא בִּישָׁא לְגַרְמַיְיהוּ, מִיתוּ אִינּוּן, וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּנַטְלָן מִלַּיְיהוּ.

"And Moses...sent them...all those men" (Bemidbar 13:3), MEANING THAT all were righteous and chiefs of Yisrael. However, they took bad counsel for themselves. Why did they take this counsel? It was because they thought: if Yisrael entered the land, we would be removed as chiefs and Moses would appoint other chiefs; since we deserved to be chiefs only in the desert, in the land we would not deserve TO BE CHIEFS. Due to having taken bad counsel for themselves, they died, as did all those who accepted their counsel.