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Hebrew translation:

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Zohar Lech Lacha

Continued from previous DZ

#196

Rabbi Elazar opened and said: כְּתַפּוּחַ בַּעֲצֵי הַיַּעַר—”As an apple tree among the trees of the forest” (Song of Songs 2:3). As an apple tree, this is the Holy One, blessed be He, who is desirable and adorned in His colors, which are the secret of the three lines Chesed-Gevurah-Tiferet (חג” ת), considered as three colors: white, red, and green. That there is none like Him among all the other trees, which are the seventy ministers, who resemble holiness like a monkey before a man. He is distinguished from all, distinguished in that there is none like Him. The meaning is: Because of the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, the Shekhinah was drawn to the side of the seventy ministers, which are the aspect of the outer (חיצוניות) of Zeir Anpin, as explained above (in #191). And therefore, after she was rectified and returned and cleaved to Zeir Anpin, who is called the Holy One, blessed be He, the Shekhinah said: “כְּתַפּוּחַ בַּעֲצֵי הַיַּעַר”, “As an apple tree among the trees of the forest,” that there is none like Him among the seventy ministers to whom she was previously attached, and His superiority, may He be exalted, over them is now evident, like the superiority of light over darkness.

Notes:

Rabbi Elazar compares the Holy One (Zeir Anpin) to an apple tree, adorned with חג” ת’s three colors (white-Chesed, red-Gevurah, green-Tiferet), distinct from the seventy ministers. The Shekhinah, drawn to them by the Tree of Knowledge’s sin, returns to Zeir Anpin’s zivug post-rectification, affirming His supremacy. 

#197

For this reason, בְּצִלּוֹ חָמַדְתִּי—”In His shade I desired” (Song of Songs 2:3). For before her rectification, the Shekhinah was in another shade, that is, in the shade of the fig tree. In His shade and not in the shade of the other appointees, that is, in the shade of the seventy ministers, as mentioned above. “חָמַדְתִּי” “I desired,” when, he asks? In His shade I desired, since when did she desire? For it is impossible to say that she desired always, since, because of the sin she leaned toward the seventy ministers, as mentioned in the adjacent discourse. And he says: It is from the day Abraham came into the world and loved the Holy One, blessed be He, with love, as you say: אַבְרָהָם אוֹהֲבִי—”Abraham, My beloved” (Isaiah 41:8). Then he rectified the Shekhinah, and she returned and united with Zeir Anpin. “וּפִרְיוֹ מָתוֹק לְחִכִּי”, “And His fruit is sweet to my palate” (Song of Songs 2:3), this is Isaac, who is the holy fruit of Abraham. The meaning is: For while she leaned toward the seventy ministers, which is the secret of the illumination of the left (Gevurah), she was empty of both Chokhmah and Chassadim, as mentioned above. And after Abraham rectified her for union with Zeir Anpin, and she received from him the right line, which is the secret of covered Chassadim considered as shade, then the left line, which is the secret of the illumination of Chokhmah clothed in the Chassadim of the right, also began to shine in her. And it is found that the illumination of Chokhmah is in the aspect of fruit and offspring of the right line. For she could not shine before this. And this is the secret of “אַבְרָהָם הוֹלִיד אֶת יִצְחָק”, “Abraham begot Isaac” (Genesis 25:19 ).*

Notes:

Abraham’s love rectified the Shekhinah (Malchut), drawn to the seventy ministers (outer, Gevurah) post-sin, restoring her union with Zeir Anpin. Isaac —the “fruit” —emerges from this union. 

#198

Another interpretation: “בְּצִלּוֹ חָמַדְתִּי וְיָשַׁבְתִּי”, “In His shade I desired and I sat” (Song of Songs 2:3). This is Jacob, who is the secret of the middle line, for because he rules in the aspect of the masach of chirik (וִ), which diminishes the stature, he is therefore considered as shade and in the aspect of sitting. וּפִרְיוֹ מָתוֹק לְחִכִּי—”And His fruit is sweet to my palate” (Song of Songs 2:3), this is Joseph, who is the secret of Yessod, which produced holy fruits in the world, that is, souls. And therefore, it is written: “אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף”, “These are the generations of Jacob, Joseph” (Genesis 37:2). For all these generations of Jacob stand through Joseph the Tzaddik, who is the aspect of Yessod of Jacob. And for this reason, Israel is called by the name of Ephraim, as it is written: “הַבֵּן יַקִּיר לִי אֶפְרַיִם”, “Is Ephraim My dear son?” (Jeremiah 31:20 ).

Notes:

Jacob (Tiferet, צל, shade) and Joseph (Yessod, fruit) sustain holy souls through the union, named after Ephraim (הַבֵּן יַקִּיר), continuing Abraham’s divine rectification.

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