Daily Zohar # 3943 – Emor – Why the Torah is called Tree of Life
Daily Zohar 3943
Hebrew translation:
158. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, מֵהָאִילָן הַזֶּה נִזּוֹנִים כָּל שְׁאָר הָאִילָנוֹת לְמַטָּה, וְהוּא הִשְׁתָּרֵשׁ עַל נָהָר אֶחָד עָמֹק שֶׁשּׁוֹפֵעַ וְיוֹצֵא, וְאֵין פּוֹסְקִים מֵימָיו לְעוֹלָמִים. עָלָיו כָּתוּב (ירמיה יז) וְהָיָה כְּעֵץ שָׁתוּל עַל מַיִם וְעַל יוּבַל יְשַׁלַּח שָׁרָשָׁיו, וְעַל כֵּן נִקְרֵאת תּוֹרָה (משלי ג) עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא וְגוֹ’. וּמַה זֶּה וְתֹמְכֶיהָ מְאֻשָּׁר? הֲרֵי פֵּרְשׁוּהָ, אֲבָל וְתֹמְכֶיהָ מְאֻשָּׁר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ל) בְּאָשְׁרִי כִּי אִשְּׁרוּנִי בָּנוֹת.
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Zohar Emor
Continued from previous DZ
#157
Leviticus 23:17
“מִמּוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם תָּבִיאּוּ לֶחֶם תְּנוּפָה שְׁתַּיִם שְׁנֵי עֶשְׂרֹנִים סֹלֶת תִּהְיֶינָה חָמֵץ תֵּאָפֶינָה בִּכּוּרִים לַיהוָה.”
“You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven (חָמֵץ, Chametz). They are the first fruits to YHVH.”
What is the change here that instructs bringing chametz, he asked and answered, because everything is connected to the tree, which is Zeir Anpin. While it is in perfection, on the holiday of Shavuot, branches cling to the tree. Also, leaves that are Klipot and judgments cling to the tree, which sweetens them. Everything is in it because the tree atones for the evil inclination that dwells within man.
For that reason, they offer chametz because even if Klipot clings to it, they are sweetened on that day.
#158
Rabbi Elazar says that the lower trees, which are the levels of Malchut, nourish from Zeir Anpin. Its root is in a deep river that its waters never cease. This river is Binah as it is written;
Jeremiah 17:8
“וְהָיָה כְּעֵץ שָׁתוּל עַל מַיִם וְעַל יוּבַל יְשַׁלַּח שָׁרָשָׁיו וְלֹא ירא [יִרְאֶה] כִּי יָבֹא חֹם וְהָיָה עָלֵהוּ רַעֲנָן וּבִשְׁנַת בַּצֹּרֶת לֹא יִדְאָג וְלֹא יָמִישׁ מֵעֲשׂוֹת פֶּרִי.”
“For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.”
For this reason, the Torah that is Zeir Anpin is called the Tree of Life because life comes from Binah.
Proverbs 3:18
“עץ חיים היא למחזיקים בה ותומכיה מאושר:
“The Torah is the Tree of Life for those who cling to her, and her supporters are blessed.”
He asks what is “and her supporters are blessed” and explains that we understand it from Genesis 30:13
“וַתֹּאמֶר לֵאָה בְּאָשְׁרִי כִּי אִשְּׁרוּנִי בָּנוֹת וַתִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ אָשֵׁר.”
“Then Leah said, “I am happy, for the daughters will call me blessed.” So she called his name Asher.”
These words of Leah imply a relation to Binah that is called “אשר” “Asher.”
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