English translation — ויצא ג

Sicha 3<pg>131</pg>

A.

"And it was<sup>1</sup>

at the time of the flock's conceiving, and I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the he-goats that mounted the flock were striped, speckled, and spotted,"

and in Rashi: "and spotted,

its Targum<sup>2</sup>

and open

[meaning open]..

A thread of white encircles its body around, and its spots<sup>3</sup>

are open and perforated from this to that<sup>4</sup>

And I have no need to bring a witness from the verse."

And behold, the Ibn Ezra writes in his commentary<sup>5</sup>

that "speckled ones are the brudim"<sup>6</sup>,

and the Radak here<sup>7</sup>

explains "and brudim,

they mention in place of speckled ones and said brudim because their whiteness was like the hail"<sup>8</sup>.

And it requires explanation,

why did Rashi prefer the translation of Targum,

and did not explain like the Ibn Ezra

(and the Radak)

that brudim means speckled ones

(that was mentioned earlier in the verse<sup>9</sup>).

For according to the Ibn Ezra it is understood that there is no new form on the flock that was not mentioned until now,

but according to Rashi that "brudim" means "a thread of white encircles its body all around etc. open and perforated etc.",

it requires explanation,

behold earlier in the verse only "speckled, spotted, and streaked" were mentioned<sup>10</sup>

and not brudim,

and it is found that in Jacob's dream a new form in the flock was innovated that was not mentioned until now.

2.

At first glance, one must say that Rashi here follows his method.

For behold, regarding the content of these verses¹¹,

"And I saw in a dream, and behold, the he-goats which mounted the flock were streaked, etc. And the angel of G-d said to me in a dream, etc. Lift up now your eyes and see all the he-goats which mount, etc. for I have seen all that Laban does to you,"

there is a question and answer among the commentators,

for it is already explained above that Jacob's flock gave birth to streaked, speckled, etc. by means of the rods¹²,

"And he peeled white streaks in them, etc. And he set the rods, etc. And the flocks conceived by the rods, and the flocks brought forth streaked, speckled, and spotted" — and if so, what was new in this that he saw in a dream "the he-goats which mounted the flock were streaked, speckled, and dappled,"

and the angel said to him "Lift up now your eyes and see all the he-goats which mount the flock are streaked, etc."?

And the commentators explained it in several ways,

and among them:

a)

that the birth of the speckled, spotted, etc. was through the natural activity of the rods,

and as known¹³

that the form of the offspring depends on the form that is imaged in the mother's mind,

and his dream of<pg>132</pg>

the angel and the words of the angel were prophecy from G‑d,

that promised him natural success in his effort in natural activities¹⁴

these.

b)

That the birth of the speckled, spotted, etc. was in a miraculous way&lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;,

and as the tidings of the angel,

and Yaakov's action with the rods was only "in order&lt;sup&gt;16&lt;/sup&gt;

to conceal the miracle and hide it in natural action,

in the manner that we find by Elisha who said to Geichazi&lt;sup&gt;17&lt;/sup&gt;

Take my staff in your hand etc. and place my staff on the face of the lad etc.,

and as the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Yehoshua&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt;

in the war of Ai: Place for yourself an ambush for the city etc., even though this war was by way of a miracle, and the action of the rods after the words of the angel was so.

c)

That there were here two separate matters,

both the birth of speckled etc. that came in a natural manner through Yaakov's rods,

and the birth that was in a miraculous way without any connection to the action of the rods

(and about this comes here the account of the dream and the words of the angel)&lt;sup&gt;19&lt;/sup&gt;.

And behold, if you will say

(like the first two manners)

that these two matters are related to each other and the providence of G-d mentioned in Jacob's dream is connected with Jacob's actions with the rods²⁰,

it is understood simply,

that it is not at all reasonable to say that here the verse says something new about the kind and form of the sheep that were born,

rather, speckled, spotted, and striped are the very kinds that were detailed above,

speckled, spotted, and dappled.

But if you will say

(like the third manner)

that Jacob's dream and G-d's prophecy are a matter in themselves apart from the action of the rods,

it can be said simply,

that Jacob's actions with the rods and the miracle promised to him in the dream caused the birth of two kinds of sheep: Jacob's action with the rods caused "speckled, spotted, and dappled" to be born,

while through a miracle were born "speckled, spotted, and striped".

3.

And behold Rashi here on the phrase "and behold the he-goats" explains "even though Laban separated them all so that the flocks would not become pregnant with their likeness,

the angels would bring them from the flock entrusted to Laban's sons to the flock in Jacob's hand" — behold it is explicit,

that according to Rashi,

the promise of God in Jacob's dream was a matter in itself regarding the birth of the flocks through the rods,

that were born speckled, spotted etc. through such males that were brought miraculously²¹

by the angels from Laban's flock²².

<pg>133</pg>

And therefore Rashi explains,

that this that the verse changed its language from "spotted" to "grizzled" is because they are two different forms,

that "spotted" are plain "broad blotches"²³

whereas "grizzled" means "split open",

that "a thread of white encircles its body around etc."²⁴.

But it requires explanation

(at least in the inwardness of the matters),

what is the reason for this distinction,

that the sheep that were born through the action of the rods were "speckled, spotted, and striped",

whereas through the angels were brought

(in a miraculous way)

"speckled, spotted, and dappled" — dappled instead of striped?

4.

And it may be said,

that the explanation of this is hinted at in the particular wording of Rashi himself in his commentary on "dappled" — and as has been brought many times the saying of the Alter Rebbe that Rashi's commentary on the Torah is "the wine of the Torah"²⁵,

namely,

that in Rashi's language are hinted several matters that are in the manner of the secret

("wine entered, a secret emerged"²⁶).

And so too in our matter,

for behold it is known that "ekudim, nekudim, berudim" hint at the three general worlds

(as explained in the writings of the Ariza"l&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;),

and all this is "that which Lavan does to you"&lt;sup&gt;28&lt;/sup&gt;,

for "Lavan is the secret of the supernal whiteness which is before all this Atzilut"&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;,

namely Ein Sof baruch Hu, Who is simple in the ultimate simplicity

(in the likeness of a white appearance,

which is not a hue that comes into being "by means of a color" but rather indicates simplicity)&lt;sup&gt;29&lt;/sup&gt;,

and the revelation of "the supernal whiteness" in the three worlds of ekudim, nekudim, and berudim is specifically through Yaakov&lt;sup&gt;30&lt;/sup&gt;.

And based on this, one can also explain the details of the expressions and matters in Rashi's language in his explanation of "berudim" —

(a)

a thread of white,

specifically a thread,

(b)

"surrounds his body all around",

(c)

"its spots are open and pass through from this one to that one" — that these three matters correspond to the three matters in the drawing down of "the supernal whiteness" into the world of berudim,

as will be explained below in section 6.

And according to this introduction will also be explained why this innovation pertains specifically to the action of the angels&lt;pg&gt;134&lt;/pg&gt;

And not to the action of Jacob with the rods,

as below there.

[And one should add and note on the hashgachah pratis,

that the details mentioned in "Olam HaBerudim" hinted in Rashi's language in our parshah,

were explained at length in the discourses of the Admor HaEmtza'i³¹

— whose yom hihula and yom hahuledes

(9 Kislev),

and also his yom hageulah

(10 Kislev),

occur in several years in the week of Parshas Vayeitzei,

or at least they are "blessed" from Parshas Vayeitzei

(And in this year{*} the yom hahuledes and yom hihula fall on Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayeitzei itself)].

5.

And the explanation of the matter:

It is known what is stated in Sefer HaAkeidah³²

that through two ways we can know the greatness of the Creator,

the first from the conduct of nature,

namely from this that the world always conducts itself in that nature and order without change and without interruption,

by which the power of the Infinite is evident,

and the second from the conduct that is above nature,

namely from the matter of miracles and the nullification of nature,

by which the greatness of the Creator is evident even more.

And these two conducts,

their root is from two effluences from the Holy One, blessed be He,³³

the effluence that is in the aspect of without limit and the effluence that is in the aspect of limit and measure,

for the conduct of nature is from the effluence that is in the aspect of limit and measure,

which is the aspect of the light and the inner vitality that is clothed in the worlds in their inwardness to give them life,

this is the source of the conduct of all the worlds and the created beings,

and the conduct that is above nature, its root is from the effluence that is in the aspect of without limit.

And based on this, it is possible to explain the two opinions mentioned above

(ibid.)

whether the main birth of the speckled, spotted, etc. livestock was through natural action

(except that he had a prophecy from G-d about this that he would succeed in this through His providence),

or whether the main birth of the livestock was in a miraculous way — in the inwardness of the matters:

And with the introduction of what is explained, that the aspect of Yaakov — the letters "yivka"³⁴

(and as it is brought in the Zohar³⁵

regarding the ushpizin of Sukkot,

that Yaakov says the verse³⁶

"Then your light will break forth like the dawn")

— indicates the drawing down and breaking forth of the light of the "line"³⁷

after the contraction,

and this was all of Yaakov's work with Lavan's flock,

to draw down the aspect of "the upper whiteness",

the light of the Ein Sof that is above the contraction,

into the worlds of speckled, spotted, etc.,

that this drawing down is through the light of the line,

which breaks through the darkness of the contraction.

And behold it is known³⁸,

that there are two opinions regarding the light of the line: a)

the line is the extension that is in the aspect of measure and limit,

and this means that its source is from the aspect of the limit in the Infinite

(for the Infinite,

just as it has power in the unlimited, so too it has power in the limit³⁹),

b)

the line is the extension that is in the aspect of without limit,

and this means that its source is from the aspect of the light of the Infinite that is unlimited,

except that this is like<pg>135</pg>

that the light of the Infinite that is unlimited shines in the worlds.

And this is the content of the two opinions,

what was the main point in the birth of the sheep,

that according to the opinion that the line is an extension that is in the aspect of boundary and measure,

that is, that in the Ein Sof itself there is the root source of the line

(root of the lights),

behold, the main virtue and perfection is not in a miraculous action that goes out of the ways of nature,

but rather that the drawing down of G‑dliness is in nature itself,

as nature is in its existence⁴⁰,

and therefore they explain that the main activity of Yaakov,

the drawing down of the line is in the natural action of the rods,

that this was a special success from G‑d;

And the explanation that the main birth of the sheep was in a miraculous way,

is according to the approach that the drawing down of the light of the line is from the light that is in the aspect of without limit,

and that is, that the light of the Ein Sof without limit contracted itself to be in the aspect of a "line"

(so that it could illuminate in the worlds),

but this is that the light of the Ein Sof without limit illuminates in the world.

And the third manner mentioned above, that there were here the two matters,

namely the action of Yaakov in a natural way by means of the rods,

and also the action in a miraculous way without connection to natural action,

is according to what is explained in many places⁴¹,

that in the line itself there are two matters — the externality of the line and the internality of the line.

For the externality of the line is the revelation drawn down into the worlds in a manner of enclothing,

and comes in a manner of division,

and its matter is that through it there should be the coming into being of the worlds,

and the revelation of the light in the worlds is in each world according to its condition; while the internality of the line is the drawing down from the aspect of the internality of the Ein Sof, blessed be He,

and its action in the worlds is the drawing down of the unlimited Divine light into the world,

in the language of the Zohar⁴²

"He connects and unites species with its species, upper and lower".

And this means that in the externality of the line,

the more it descends and is drawn down,

the light becomes contracted and diminished,

and in the internality of the line

(whose source is from the internality of the Ein Sof,

"the hidden beauty")

there is no division in it, and it is drawn down in every place equally.

And these are the two matters in the birth of the sheep etc.,

that the action of Yaakov by means of the rods

(which relates to Divine success within the conduct of nature),

is from the aspect of the drawing down of the externality of the line,

the root of the conduct of nature; and the birth of the sheep in a miraculous way is from the aspect of the drawing down of the internality of the line,

the root of miraculous conduct.

6.

And based on this, one can explain the reason,

that specifically in the matter of the birth of the sheep that was through the angels

(a miraculous action)

were born "speckled",

because the revelation of the innerness of the line comes to expression in the "world of the speckled".

And one can say,

that this is what Rashi hints here in his explanation of "speckled" — "its Targum is 'and variegated' etc. a thread of white surrounds its body around and its spots are open and perforated from this to that" — in this is hinted the innovation that through the drawing down of the innerness of the light of the line:

"A thread of white",

that is, that also in its extension after the tzimtzum,

which is a line and a short thread,

nevertheless it is "white",

in which is revealed the simplicity of the Ein Sof⁴³.

And this "thread" "surrounds His body round about",

which one must say that this hints to that the light of the line, besides its extension in the aspect of "straightness",

it becomes circular and surrounds each and every world⁴⁴,

that this, that the light of the line surrounds each and every world, is from the side of its extension from the aspect of the great circle⁴⁵,

<pg>136</pg>

namely the light that encompasses all worlds

(the drawing down that is in the aspect of without limit)⁴⁶.

And he concludes "his wounds are open and perforated etc.'",

it can be said that this alludes to the connection of the line and the thread

(also)

with the bottom of the circle,

as explained in many places⁴⁷

that in the future to come the line will touch and be attached to the encompassing Ein Sof also at its lower end,

for in this time there is an interruption between the light of the line and the encompassing light below the worlds⁴⁴,

but in the future to come it will be "open and perforated",

until it will touch and be attached also at its bottom.

And this matter specifically relates to "berudim",

as explained in many places,

and particularly in the discourses of the Mitteler Rebbe⁴⁸

(the one with the birthday and the yahrzeit),

that specifically the world of Berudim,

which is the world of Tikkun⁴⁹,

in which there is a multiplicity of inclusion^*49,

that all the sefirot are included one in another and one from another,

its root is in the very Essence of the Ein Sof light

(which is above Akudim,

even though also in the world of Akudim all ten sefirot are bound⁵⁰

in one vessel).

And it can be said that this is also the hint in the beginning of Rashi's language "Berudim — its Targum is ufetzichin etc. a thread of white etc.",

namely,

that the "Targum" — the "explanation" and the revelation — of the matter of "berudim",

is the revelation of the inwardness of the line,

"a thread of white etc.".

7.

And the concept in avodah:

"Thread of white" indicates the avodah that is connected with simplicity⁵¹

of the soul — "white,"

an essential and simple hue that has no depiction,

that is, the essence of the soul

(which is above even the level of yechidah⁵²)

; and specifically through the revelation of the simplicity of the soul are accomplished two matters: a)

affects the entire person,

"encompasses his body around,"

b)

penetrates within all his matters,

all his faculties,

in a manner that penetrates within their innermost until this becomes the reality of the faculties and his animating soul,

this is what "his spots are open and passable from one to the other."

that the power over all this is from the innerness of the Torah,

for the externality of the Torah has measure and limit,

for all matters of the Torah are in measurement and limitation,

but the innerness of the Torah is from the aspect of the Infinite⁵³,

and therefore through it is revealed the simplicity of the soul

(which is above measurement and limitation)

which encompasses the entire man and penetrates within all his powers.

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Vayeitzei 5743)