זוהר ויקרא — דף נד ע”א
Summary
Rabbi Yehuda opened with the verse "He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord mocks them," and explains that "He who sits in the heavens laughs" alludes to Isaac, who comes from the side of harsh judgment, and who illumines and laughs first and afterward grows angry and drives away. Therefore it says "He who sits in the heavens" and not "He who sits, heavens"; thus judgment illumines and laughs first upon the wicked.<br />
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And afterward the way of the wicked is explained: the Holy One, blessed be He, illumines them in this world like wine that illumines first and afterward grows angry and kills, and He draws the wicked toward Him: if they turn back to Him, good; if not, He destroys them from the world to come. And if they come to be purified, they are helped, and He purifies them, draws them near, and proclaims over them "peace, peace to the far and to the near." From here the verse is brought, "and if a woman has a discharge of blood many days not at the time of her menstruation," and Rabbi Chiya opens with "behold, a day comes for the Lord, and your spoil will be divided in your midst," explaining that this day already existed before the creation of the world, and it is the day on which He will execute judgment upon the wicked and avenge those who oppressed Israel, and permission is granted to Him to destroy the idol-worshippers.<br />
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Rabbi Yitzchak teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, has two days: one dwells with Him and one comes before Him, and through these He wages battles against all. And when this day comes to wage battle, it joins with that other day, as it is written, "for it is a day for the Lord of hosts against all that is proud and lofty, and against all that is high and low."<br />
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Rabbi Shimon connects the verse "and if a woman has a discharge of blood" to the verse "the sword of the Lord is full of blood," and explains that "not at the time of her menstruation" alludes to the wicked bringing the punishment forward through their sins before the world was created, as in the verse "and the Lord watched over the evil and brought it upon us." And "I will add to chastise you" means: I will add judgment upon judgment and give blood upon blood, more than what is in that sword of the Lord full of blood.<br />
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It is explained that "I will no longer curse the ground because of man" means that no addition will be given to that sword beyond what the world can bear, and although it is written "I will add," it says "to chastise" and not "to destroy"; this is the meaning of "or when she has a discharge beyond her menstruation."<br />
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It is further explained that "all the days of the discharge of her impurity" alludes to the wicked defiling themselves through their sins and defiling another place, as it is said "for he has defiled the sanctuary of the Lord," and they arouse a spirit of impurity upon themselves. And in the time to come, the Holy One, blessed be He, will purify Israel and remove that spirit of impurity from the world, as it is written "the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer enter you" and "I will remove the spirit of impurity from the land."<br />
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Rabbi Chizkiyah and Rabbi Elazar rose one night at midnight to engage in Torah, and Rabbi Elazar opened with "in the day of good fortune be in joy... God has made the one as well as the other," explaining that at a time when the Holy One, blessed be He, increases kindness in the world, a person should walk in the marketplaces and be seen before all, for when the goodness of the Holy One, blessed be He, begins to dwell in the world, it dwells upon everything, and a person should do good so that additional good will rest upon him.<br />
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And further, "and in the day of adversity, consider" — and not "be in evil" — teaches that at a time when judgment hangs over the world, a person should not be seen in the marketplace or walk alone, for whoever encounters judgment while it dwells upon everything will be judged by it, as in the verse "and there is one swept away without justice." Therefore one must be careful and watch on every side and not be seen in the marketplace, "for God has made the one as well as the other" — just as when good dwells in the world it dwells upon everything, so when judgment dwells in the world it dwells upon everything, and whoever meets it is seized.<br />
<br />
And afterward the way of the wicked is explained: the Holy One, blessed be He, illumines them in this world like wine that illumines first and afterward grows angry and kills, and He draws the wicked toward Him: if they turn back to Him, good; if not, He destroys them from the world to come. And if they come to be purified, they are helped, and He purifies them, draws them near, and proclaims over them "peace, peace to the far and to the near." From here the verse is brought, "and if a woman has a discharge of blood many days not at the time of her menstruation," and Rabbi Chiya opens with "behold, a day comes for the Lord, and your spoil will be divided in your midst," explaining that this day already existed before the creation of the world, and it is the day on which He will execute judgment upon the wicked and avenge those who oppressed Israel, and permission is granted to Him to destroy the idol-worshippers.<br />
<br />
Rabbi Yitzchak teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, has two days: one dwells with Him and one comes before Him, and through these He wages battles against all. And when this day comes to wage battle, it joins with that other day, as it is written, "for it is a day for the Lord of hosts against all that is proud and lofty, and against all that is high and low."<br />
<br />
Rabbi Shimon connects the verse "and if a woman has a discharge of blood" to the verse "the sword of the Lord is full of blood," and explains that "not at the time of her menstruation" alludes to the wicked bringing the punishment forward through their sins before the world was created, as in the verse "and the Lord watched over the evil and brought it upon us." And "I will add to chastise you" means: I will add judgment upon judgment and give blood upon blood, more than what is in that sword of the Lord full of blood.<br />
<br />
It is explained that "I will no longer curse the ground because of man" means that no addition will be given to that sword beyond what the world can bear, and although it is written "I will add," it says "to chastise" and not "to destroy"; this is the meaning of "or when she has a discharge beyond her menstruation."<br />
<br />
It is further explained that "all the days of the discharge of her impurity" alludes to the wicked defiling themselves through their sins and defiling another place, as it is said "for he has defiled the sanctuary of the Lord," and they arouse a spirit of impurity upon themselves. And in the time to come, the Holy One, blessed be He, will purify Israel and remove that spirit of impurity from the world, as it is written "the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer enter you" and "I will remove the spirit of impurity from the land."<br />
<br />
Rabbi Chizkiyah and Rabbi Elazar rose one night at midnight to engage in Torah, and Rabbi Elazar opened with "in the day of good fortune be in joy... God has made the one as well as the other," explaining that at a time when the Holy One, blessed be He, increases kindness in the world, a person should walk in the marketplaces and be seen before all, for when the goodness of the Holy One, blessed be He, begins to dwell in the world, it dwells upon everything, and a person should do good so that additional good will rest upon him.<br />
<br />
And further, "and in the day of adversity, consider" — and not "be in evil" — teaches that at a time when judgment hangs over the world, a person should not be seen in the marketplace or walk alone, for whoever encounters judgment while it dwells upon everything will be judged by it, as in the verse "and there is one swept away without justice." Therefore one must be careful and watch on every side and not be seen in the marketplace, "for God has made the one as well as the other" — just as when good dwells in the world it dwells upon everything, so when judgment dwells in the world it dwells upon everything, and whoever meets it is seized.<br />
Torat Emet / Rav Pinhas Reuven — CC BY-NC-SA 2.5
in Hebrew