שלח

It is fitting to elucidate why Caleb went to pray at the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron. The answer lies in the revelation of the aspect of the Lower Garden of Eden in the Land of Israel. As explained in the writings of the esteemed Rabbi of blessed memory, the entirety of the Land of Israel is in the secret of a Partzuf (spiritual configuration), where specific places form the complete structure of a singular Partzuf. This Partzuf includes arms and branches, as elaborated in the teachings of the Arizal (Rabbi Isaac Luria) in the "Sha'ar HaGilgulim" (Gate of Reincarnations).

The foundation of this land is a Partzuf, with arms extending from it. The right arm corresponds to the Garden of Eden, which is in the south of the land, representing the future world. The inhabited world is situated in the middle of the earth, while Gehinnom (hell) is the left arm, located to the north. It is known that the lower land is divided into seven regions corresponding to the seven lower Sefirot, with Gehinnom being the left arm, representing Gevurah (severity), and the Garden of Eden being the right arm, representing Chesed (kindness).

The concept is that Gehinnom, as the left arm, is associated with Gevurah, while the Garden of Eden, as the right arm, is associated with Chesed. Just as in the higher worlds, there are corresponding aspects of the Garden of Eden and Gehinnom, so too in the lower world. The Rabbi continues, explaining that just as there are veins and channels leading to the womb of a woman, so too does the land have veins leading to the right arm, which is Hebron. The paths from the Land of Israel to the Garden of Eden are open through Hebron, where the Patriarchs are buried in the Cave of Machpelah, and similarly, there is an opening to Gehinnom in the north of Jerusalem.

In the Land of Israel, there are openings of caves leading to the aspect of the right arm, which is the Garden of Eden, located near Jerusalem. The left arm, which is Gehinnom, has its opening in the north, while the opening to the right is found in the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron.

This is also explained in the Zohar: [Zohar, Parashat Chayei Sarah, 127b] "Rabbi Elazar said, at the time when Abraham entered the cave, he was pursuing the calf, as it is written, 'And Abraham ran to the herd' (Genesis 18:7), and that calf ran until it reached the Cave of Machpelah, and Abraham followed it and saw what he saw. And because he prayed there every day, the fragrance of the Garden of Eden ascended from there, and he saw the light that emerged from the cave. And there the Holy One, blessed be He, conversed with him, and because of this, he desired that place continually."

Thus, Caleb went to Hebron to awaken the merit and pray at the entrance to the Garden of Eden. He understood that if the evil decree were to befall the entire nation of Israel, God forbid, Moses would not be able to enter the land, and the crown of beauty would not return to its rightful place, nor would the nation of Israel ascend to the level of the Garden of Eden in the land.