זוהר ויקרא — דף מב ע”ב
Summary
Rabbi Yitzhak continues on the verse "upon my bed at night": the Community of Israel says she complained before Him about her bed, for He used to unite with her to gladden her and bless her with complete joy, since in the union of the King with the Community of Israel, many righteous ones inherit a holy inheritance and many blessings are found in the world.<br />
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Rabbi Abba travels to the village of Kanya together with Rabbi Yossei and Rabbi Chiya. Rabbi Yossei says, on the verse "a woman of valor, the crown of her husband," that the woman of valor is the Community of Israel, and that "and like rot in his bones, she who brings shame" refers to the idol-worshipping nations whom the Holy One, blessed be He, cannot bear in the world, "like those thorns and thistles that oppress a man."<br />
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Rabbi Abba adds that the Community of Israel is the mistress over many hosts and many camps found in the world; "the crown of her husband," like a crown of splendor, and all is one. He then opens with the verse "a woman of valor, who can find her" and explains that the question is who merits being with her in completeness and being found with her always.<br />
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On "and her price is far above pearls," it is explained that whoever does not cling to her in completeness, she sells and delivers into the hands of other nations, just as Israel forsook the Lord "and He sold them into the hand of Sisera," and then all grow distant from those supreme, holy pearls.<br />
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Rabbi Chiya opens with the verse "the heart of her husband trusts in her, and he shall lack no spoil": this refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, who appointed her over the world to govern it, and entrusted into her hands all His weapons and all His warriors, and this is why "he shall lack no spoil."<br />
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Rabbi Yossei opens with the verse "she repays him good and not evil all the days of her life": she readies good for the world and for the King's palace, and the good comes when those heavenly days shine upon her and unite with her as is fitting, for these are the days of her life, since the Tree of Life sends her life and illumines her. All these verses were spoken concerning the Community of Israel.<br />
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On "a woman, when she conceives," Rabbi Acha raises a question: if it is the woman who, conceiving first, bears a male, does the Holy One, blessed be He, then decree upon the drop whether it will be male or female? Rabbi Yossei answers that the Holy One, blessed be He, does indeed distinguish between the drop of the male and the drop of the female, and because He distinguishes it, He decrees upon it whether it will be male or female.<br />
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Rabbi Acha further questions the wording of the verse "and she shall bear a male," and Rabbi Yossei answers that from the day a woman conceives until the day she gives birth, she has nothing in her mouth but the hope that her child will be a male; this is why it is written "a woman, when she conceives and bears a male child."<br />
<br />
Rabbi Abba travels to the village of Kanya together with Rabbi Yossei and Rabbi Chiya. Rabbi Yossei says, on the verse "a woman of valor, the crown of her husband," that the woman of valor is the Community of Israel, and that "and like rot in his bones, she who brings shame" refers to the idol-worshipping nations whom the Holy One, blessed be He, cannot bear in the world, "like those thorns and thistles that oppress a man."<br />
<br />
Rabbi Abba adds that the Community of Israel is the mistress over many hosts and many camps found in the world; "the crown of her husband," like a crown of splendor, and all is one. He then opens with the verse "a woman of valor, who can find her" and explains that the question is who merits being with her in completeness and being found with her always.<br />
<br />
On "and her price is far above pearls," it is explained that whoever does not cling to her in completeness, she sells and delivers into the hands of other nations, just as Israel forsook the Lord "and He sold them into the hand of Sisera," and then all grow distant from those supreme, holy pearls.<br />
<br />
Rabbi Chiya opens with the verse "the heart of her husband trusts in her, and he shall lack no spoil": this refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, who appointed her over the world to govern it, and entrusted into her hands all His weapons and all His warriors, and this is why "he shall lack no spoil."<br />
<br />
Rabbi Yossei opens with the verse "she repays him good and not evil all the days of her life": she readies good for the world and for the King's palace, and the good comes when those heavenly days shine upon her and unite with her as is fitting, for these are the days of her life, since the Tree of Life sends her life and illumines her. All these verses were spoken concerning the Community of Israel.<br />
<br />
On "a woman, when she conceives," Rabbi Acha raises a question: if it is the woman who, conceiving first, bears a male, does the Holy One, blessed be He, then decree upon the drop whether it will be male or female? Rabbi Yossei answers that the Holy One, blessed be He, does indeed distinguish between the drop of the male and the drop of the female, and because He distinguishes it, He decrees upon it whether it will be male or female.<br />
<br />
Rabbi Acha further questions the wording of the verse "and she shall bear a male," and Rabbi Yossei answers that from the day a woman conceives until the day she gives birth, she has nothing in her mouth but the hope that her child will be a male; this is why it is written "a woman, when she conceives and bears a male child."<br />
Torat Emet / Rav Pinhas Reuven — CC BY-NC-SA 2.5
in Hebrew