Parashat Vayeitzei begins with Jacob departing Be’er Sheva to travel to Haran, where he is expected to find a wife. The Zohar on our parashah[1] begins with a disagreement between Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and one of his students, Rabbi Chiya, regarding the symbolism of Be’er Sheva. The Mikdash Melech on the Zohar explains that the substance of their disagreement is whether like Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, Be'er Sheva symbolizes the sefirah of kingdom (malchut), or whether, like Rabbi Chiya, it symbolizes the sefirah of understanding (binah).
If we take a close look at the naming of the city as “Be’er Sheva,” we find that it was named twice. The first time was when Abraham made an oath with Avimelech over a well he had dug[2]:
He [Abraham] replied: “You are to accept these seven ewes from me as proof that I dug this well.” Hence that place was called Be’er Sheva, for there the two of them swore an oath.
Later, when Isaac digs new wells to replace his father’s wells that the Philistines had obstructed,[3] when he digs the family’s seventh well[4] (three dug by his father and obstructed and four new wells dug by Isaac), he calls the place “Be’er Sheva,” meaning “the seventh well.” In other words, the name Be’er Sheva has two explanations, either after the oath that Abraham and Avimelech took there or after the seventh well dug by Abraham and Isaac.
When considering the various commentaries on the Torah, we find that some of them argue that these were not only two origins for the same name but designated two different locations. For example, the Rashbam writes,[5]
This was not the same Be’er Sheva we read about in connection with Abraham. There were two places named Be’er Sheva as we know from the verse, “he came to Be’er Sheva in Judah.”[6]
Others though, like the Seforno,[7] argue that there is only one location named Be’er Sheva, but when it was named after the oath its name was pronounced “Be’er Shava,” and when named after the seventh well, its name was pronounced “Be’er Sheva.”[8]
In an essay on the aforementioned passage in the Zohar, the Alter Rebbe[9] explains that the plain meaning of the text as explained by the commentaries and the disagreement between Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and Rabbi Chiya in the Zohar are related. When the place is named after the oath Abraham and Avimelech took, it corresponds to the sefirah of understanding, because all oaths relate to understanding. When it is named after the seventh well, it corresponds to the sefirah of kingdom (malchut), since it is the seventh emotive faculty.[10]
Whether there are two different locations called “Be’er Sheva,” or whether these are two different names for the same location, we are prompted to see if we can identify other cities and towns in the Holy Land with the other sefirot.
A central source on the cities of the Land of Israel is Chessed LeAvraham, written by the Chida’s grandfather, Rabbi Avraham Azulay.
He extensively discusses the sanctity of the Land of Israel and mentions four holy cities[11]: Tzfat, Tiberias, Hebron, and Jerusalem,[12] in this specific order. He also corresponds them to the sefirot. The first two are self-explanatory from a geographic perspective: Tzfat corresponds to victory (netzach) which is called “the extreme height” (עֹמֶק רוּם) in Sefer Yetzirah. Likewise, Tiberias corresponds to acknowledgment (hod) described as “the extreme low” (עֹמֶק תַּחַת). Hebron corresponds with foundation (yesod) because it literally means to connect or to couple and foundation corresponds to the procreative organs in the body. Finally, Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish people and the capital of the Almighty, is easily corresponded with kingdom (malchut). Indeed, Jerusalem contains the palace of the king of Israel as well as the Holy Temple which is the palace of the King of all kings of kings, the Almighty.
The Mitteler Rebbe writes in a letter to the Chassidic settlement in the Land of Israel that before reaching Jerusalem, one must first be in Hebron, just like King David himself. David is the archetypal soul of kingdom, and his ultimate destination is certainly Jerusalem. However, he first reigned for seven years in Hebron. Why? To unite with the three Patriarchs. This means that specifically in Hebron, one can connect with the Patriarchs, who correspond to the emotive sefirot: loving-kindness, might, and beauty.
How can we understand the reason that only from foundation can one draw down influence from the emotive sefirot and from the Patriarchs? The situation is similar to how we find in the Torah that it is Joseph, the archetypal soul of foundation, who extends from the Patriarchs and transmits their influence downward to the rest of the tribes, the sons of Jacob.
We might have thought that Shechem should be the city that corresponds with foundation, since that is where Joseph himself is buried. Indeed, there certainly is an aspect of foundation associated with Shechem. For example, we find that Jacob blessed Joseph, “And I have given you one portion (Shechem) above your brothers.” But for some reason Shechem is not mentioned in Chesed LeAvraham as one of the four holy cities.
In Kabbalah, Shechem is identified with the sefirah of knowledge (da’at), specifically Da’at between the shoulders (דעת דבין כתפין), since Shechem literally means a shoulder. Just as the flow of seed extends from the Da’at between the shoulders to foundation through the spinal cord, there is indeed an aspect of foundation that is drawn down from Shechem. However, it is Hebron that corresponds with foundation.
Hebron is also called Kiryat Arba (the City of Four), named for its connection to the four couples buried there: Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Leah. This is tied to the secret of the letter Shin. The shin is found on the exterior of the head tefillin. The shin is called “the letter of the Patriarchs” (אֲתָא דַּאֲבָהָן) because it has three heads, corresponding to the three Patriarchs. On the head tefillin we also find a shin with four heads corresponding to the Matriarchs. On the head tefillin, the four-headed shin is on the left, representing the sefirah of understanding (binah, or the Mother Principle), while the shin with three heads is on the right side, representing wisdom (chochmah, or the Father Principle). These need to be united and drawn into a single point at the bottom—the point of foundation at the base of the shin, when it is written in a Torah scroll.
This drawing down and coupling were accomplished by King David during his seven years in Hebron. In that time, he immersed himself in the secret of the shin. When the shin is joined to the two letters, dalet (ד) and yud (י), whose value is the same as David (דָּוִד), it forms the holy Name Shakai (שַׁ-דַּי), the name associated with foundation in Kabbalah.
Thus, David rectified the Name Shakai, and through this, he was able to “rectify the world in the kingdom of Shakai,” by drawing from foundation into kingdom—from Hebron to Jerusalem.
In modern times, the first large Chasidic aliyah to the Land of Israel was led by Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk. He and his chasidim first settled in Tzfat and then moved to Tiberias. So they had already rectified victory and acknowledgment, the so-called “two halves of the body,” and the first two habitual sefirot. To continue moving towards Jerusalem and kingdom, the Rebbes of Chabad placed great emphasis on strengthening the Jewish community in general, and the Chasidic community in particular, in Hebron. By focusing on Hebron, the place of foundation, the rebbes wanted to continue drawing Godly revelation down from the Patriarchs, the three emotive sefirot until eventually rectifying kingdom.
All the while that Rebbe Mendel Vitebsker was rectifying Tzfat and Tiberias, the Jewish community in Jerusalem pleaded and begged for them to relocate to Jerusalem, Rabbi Mendel and his followers refused and remained in Tiberias.
This also offers us an explanation on why the Alter Rebbe (Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi), who had wanted to join his teacher, Rebbe Mendel Vitebsker was turned down by him. It was likely because, in the Land of Israel, the Alter Rebbe's destined place was not the same as that of the other Chassidim. While they belonged in Tzfat and Tiberias, the place for Chabad until the coming of the Mashiach (our generation) is Hebron. From Hebron, the Divine abundance is drawn down through the secret of the name Shakai into kingdom.
So, the great and awe-inspiring day will come when Elijah the Prophet announces the arrival of the Mashiach to the holy Jerusalem, which is known as “the Justice of the holy kingdom” (צֶדֶק מַלְכוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא). This is what we are waiting for; this is the current goal—to move from Hebron to Jerusalem.
There is still much to rectify, and we must not abandon any holy place. However, it seems that the rectification of Hebron has been accomplished to some extent. After many generations of effort devoted to Hebron, it has not, unfortunately, reached the level of physical development seen in other places in the Land of Israel. Yet tremendous spiritual energy has been dedicated to Hebron over the years and we hope that the time has come when we can ascend joyfully to Jerusalem, the holy city, together with the Mashiach who will build the Temple, the palace of the Almighty.
Guided Visualization: A Chasidic Journey Through the Holy Land
What we have constructed is a partzuf of the Land of Israel’s holy cities that are particularly related to Chasidut. We can use this partzuf to embark on a guided visualization through the Holy Land, exploring its spiritual essence and deep connections. This exercise is particularly meaningful for someone far from the Land of Israel, yearning to connect with its sacredness. Imagine yourself as a soul from a bygone era, one of the devoted chasidim, traveling through these holy sites. We are not always in favor of using guided imagination, but for our present purposes it will do.
Imagine yourself beginning your ascent to Tzfat. Visualize yourself climbing the hills leading to Tzfat. Picture the mystical air of the city, the vibrant blue doors symbolizing divine wisdom, and the narrow cobblestone streets that echo with the prayers of countless generations. Feel the elevation of your soul as you connect to the spirit of the sefirah of victory (netzach) that permeates this sacred place.
From there you continue your journey down to Tiberias, situated by the serene Kinneret. Reflect on the humility and splendor of acknowledgment (hod) that radiates from this ancient city. Feel the cool breeze from the water and the spiritual depth that arises from calling out to God “from the depths.” Let Tiberias ground your inner being with a sense of purpose and clarity.
From Tiberias you can already imagine yourself becoming a Lubavitcher heading towards the heart of Chabad in the Land of Israel in Hebron. Here, at the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, connect to the figures of our holy origins. Visualize yourself standing at the resting place of Menuchah Rochel, a symbol of Chabad's roots in Hebron. Feel the bond of unity with the Patriarchs and the spiritual flow of abundance from them making its way into the world.
Now you are ready to ascend with the Mashiach from Hebron to Jerusalem, the Holy City. Picture the bustling streets of Jerusalem, infused with sanctity. See yourself standing on the Temple Mount, alongside Mashiach, preparing to rebuild the Holy Temple—the palace of the King of Kings. Envision the Temple rising in splendor, its light radiating throughout the world, bringing redemption and peace.
All this is before we complete our partzuf of all the holy cities of the Land of Israel.
The Complete Partzuf
Now let us return to Be’er Sheva, with which we began. We saw that according to Rabbi Chiya’s interpretation, Be’er Sheva corresponds to the sefirah of understanding. Next, we also mentioned Shechem, whose root is in the sefirah of knowledge (da’at). These are two of the three intellectual sefirot. Only wisdom is missing. We can conclude that the overall sanctity of the Land of Israel is rooted in Chochmah (wisdom), as it is written: “Hashem founded the earth with wisdom.” The intellectual quality of wisdom, also known as the Father Principle shines throughout the Land of Israel.
Now we have the three intellectual sefirot in place, representing the general secret of the Land. Concerning it, it is said: “The eyes of Hashem your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.” The “eyes” signify wisdom, and Hashem’s eyes are upon the entire Land of Israel. This is why “the air of the Land of Israel makes one wise.” All of this relates to the idea that “Abba founded the daughter,” as in, “Hashem founded the earth with wisdom.”
Following this, we have the concealed aspects of Be’er Sheva (in kingdom) and Shechem (in foundation), as well as the three emotive sefirot (loving-kindness, might, and beauty) and the sefirah of foundation, which all correspond to Hebron. Then, there are the advising kidneys represented by Tzfat and Tiberias. When I imagine myself in Tzfat, I receive advice from the right kidney, which corresponds to active trust. In Tiberias, I receive the advice of the left kidney, corresponding to passive trust, a quality captured in the well-known phrase, “think good, and it will be good.” And so forth, each place and city offering its unique psychological and spiritual power.
|
wisdom-chochmah חָכְמָה holiness of Land of Israel |
understanding-binah בִּינָה
Be’er Sheva |
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knowledge-da’at דַּעַת Shechem |
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| loving-kindness-chessed חֶסֶד
Hebron |
might-gevurah גְּבוּרָה
Hebron |
|
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beauty-tiferet תִּפְאֶרֶת Hebron |
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| victory-netzach נֶצַח
Tzfat |
acknowledgment-hod הוֹד
Tiberias |
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foundation-yesod יְסוֹד Hebron |
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Kingdom-malchut מַלְכוּת Jerusalem |
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[1]. 1:147a.
[2]. Genesis 21:30-31.
[3]. Ibid. 26:18-22.
[4]. Ibid. v. 25 and vv. 32-33.
[5]. On Ibid. v. 33.
[6]. 1 Kings 19:3.
[7]. On Genesis 26:33.
[8]. See also Radak and Chizkuni Ibid.
[9]. Sefer HaMa’amarim 5567 (third edition); also published in the Mittler Rebbe’s Biurei HaZohar 16c and ff.
[10]. Incidentally, there is a discourse by the Lubavitcher Rebbe (From Shabbat parashat Vayeitzei 5740 printed in Tiferet Levi Yitzchak – Bereishit, pp. 158ff.) on the debate in the Zohar, where he explains that the difference between the two opinions of Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Shimon hints at two primary mitzvot that we observe each morning: the mitzvot of Tefillin and Tzitzit (the tallit). Rabbi Chiya, who expounds on the verse “The sun rises, and the sun sets, and it hastens to its place where it rises” (Ecclesiastes 1:5), says that the essence of Jacob's departure from Be’er Sheva and his journey to Haran symbolizes the mitzvah of Tefillin. On the other hand, Rabbi Shimon, who interprets the departure as a departure from holiness (the Land of Israel) entirely and an entry into the danger of chutz la’aretz, aligns his understanding with the mitzvah of Tzitzit and the Tallit.
[11]. Chesed LeAvraham, Ma’ayan 3, Nahar 13.
[12]. The value of the names of these four cities “Tzfat Tiberias Hebron Jerusalem” (צְפַת טְבֶרְיָא חֶבְרוֹן יְרוּשָׁלִַם) is 1644, also the value of “you shall love Havayah your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all your might” (וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת י-הוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ). It is also the product of 4 times “chaos” (תֹהוּ) indicating that the settling and developing of these four cities is a remedy for “chaos,” following the words of Isaiah, “So says Havayah, the Creator of the heavens, He is God, who formed the earth and made it, who alone established it, who did not create it to be a wilderness [chaos] but formed it for habitation” (כִּי כֹה אָמַר י־הוה בּוֹרֵא הַשָּׁמַיִם הוּא הָאֱ־לֹהִים יֹצֵר הָאָרֶץ וְעֹשָׂהּ הוּא כוֹנְנָהּ לֹא תֹהוּ בְרָאָהּ לָשֶׁבֶת יְצָרָהּ) and that it brings about a sense of God creating reality at every moment out of “nothing” (i.e., that which cannot be perceived). 1644 is also the product of 4 times “being from nothing” (יֵשׁ מֵאַיִן), suggesting that the perception that God is continuously creating reality ex nihilo emanates from these four cities.
