תורה 37

6. This is also the meaning of “Be mindful of the veins, in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehudah.” “For the blood is [associated with] the soul” reincarnated. Thus the ritual slaughterer must have in mind to elevate the soul in the blood. Also, for the most part, lack of livelihood—which has diminished in recent generations—is on account of unworthy ritual slaughterers. This is: If there is no Torah, there is no flour (Avot 3:17). Torah is an aspect of soul, as explained. Because of this, “there is no flour”—livelihood diminishes.

And this is the reason the slaughter knife is called a MaAKheLet, as is written (Genesis 22:10), “and he took the maakhelet.” For the worthy ritual slaughterer MaAKhiL (feeds) and sustains the Jewish people. This is because the worthy ritual slaughterer clothes the soul in the level of animal within the level of human—i.e., within the spoken word of the blessing he recites. This spoken word is an aspect of the Shekhinah (Divine Presence), as is written, “Malkhut is mouth” (Tikkuney Zohar, p.17a).

And this is the explanation of “God’s sword is filled with blood” (Isaiah 34:6). For the Divine Presence is called “God’s sword.” She is also an aspect of the spoken word, which is an aspect of a double-edged sword, connoting the mouth, as is written (Psalms 149:6), “with the acclaim of the Omnipotent One in their throats and double-edged sword….” Thus when the soul enters into God’s sword, into the spoken word, as an aspect of mayin nukvin (feminine waters), then by means of her mayin nukvin the Shekhinah engages in union, in the aspect of “See what a child I have come with” (Zohar III, 13a).

This is, “God’s sword is filled with blood” of the souls that ascend into her as an aspect of mayin nukvin. And through the union she receives livelihood for the Jewish people.

This is also the explanation of “We get our bread at the peril of our souls, because of the sword of the wilderness” (Lamentations 5:9). In other words, this is when the ritual slaughterer is unworthy and does not elevate the soul as an aspect of mayin nukvin —so that when he stands ready with his knife to slaughter the animal he resembles a murderer of souls. Then his knife is “the sword of the MiDBaR (wilderness)” and not “God’s sword,” which is the sword of the M’DaBeR (speaker).

And this causes suffering to the animal’s soul, which cries out bitterly: {“My soul went out when he spoke. I sought him but could not find him; I called but he did not answer. I met the watchmen who patrol the city. They struck me, they bruised me; they stripped me of my mantle” (Song of Songs 5:6, 7).}

My soul went out — this is when [the soul in the animal] went out in order to enter into the when he spoke of the blessing, as an aspect of mayin nukvin. And when I went out

I sought him but could not find him; I called but he did not answer — because he is not [mentally] present at the time of the blessing, and he thinks disqualifying thoughts. Through this

I met the watchmen who patrol the city. They struck me, they bruised me; they stripped me of my mantle — That is, the advantage which the soul had in its animal form was also taken from it, because now it has “no place to rest its feet” (Genesis 8:9). Woe to that ritual slaughterer! Woe to the soul! For he murdered the soul and put it in the hand of its enemies. Thus the Divine Presence does not have the mayin nukvin with which to draw food for its household. Because of this, “We get our bread at the peril of our souls”—with great strain and struggle.

This is as our Sages taught: A person’s livelihood is as difficult as splitting the Red Sea (Pesachim 118a). For the Red Sea was split into twelve lanes, paralleling the twelve inspections of the knife, because of which “a person’s livelihood is as difficult….”

And this is as our Sages taught: A table is likened to the altar (Berakhot 55a). For the size blemish [that disqualifies] the slaughter knife is the same size blemish [that disqualifies] the altar (Chullin 17b).

Also, “al hashechitah” has a numerical value of four hundred thirty-seven. And the first letters of “B’zeiat Apekha Tokhal Lechem (By the sweat of your brow you will eat bread)” (Genesis 3:19) have a numerical value of four hundred thirty-seven {with the addition of four for the words}. This is to hint that lack of livelihood is caused by ritual slaughterers who are unworthy.

And this is the explanation of “He gives teref to those who fear Him” (Psalms 111:5). For the word teref (rations) has two meanings: it connotes non-kosher meat, as the Zohar brings at the end of Mishpatim (II, 121b), and it connotes rations. This implies that when Jews guard themselves from non-kosher meat, they have sufficient livelihood.

This is the explanation of: MaNTZPaKh was omer (declared) by the seers (Shabbat 104a). MaNTZPaKh is an aspect of VRYDIN (veins), an aspect of RaYU DIN. And “the seers” are prophets, whose nurturing is from the aspects of the cherubs/children/breath that is free of sin/air of the Land of Israel. It is from there that they receive Divine inspiration, as is brought in the Zohar (I, 85a): “Yonah, however, got up to run away to Tarshish” (Jonah 1:3).

As for these seers—i.e., those who correspond to breath that is free of sin—they shine into the vrydin / rayu din, into MaNTZPaKh. They also elevate the soul as an aspect of mayin nukvin and draw bounty. This influx of bounty is called OMeR. Initially it is Or (light); then it turns to Mayim (water); and then it becomes Rakia (firmament).

Then, once they mitigate the MaNTZPaKh, they turn MaNTZPaKh into Adonoy. For RaYU is made into the shape of the Aleph, and [together with DYN] becomes ADoNoY. Adonoy is the spoken word, the Divine Presence, as is written (Psalms 51:17), “Adonoy, open my lips.” Then, from this breath—i.e., Adonoy —bounty issues and is apportioned to each person commensurate with his aspect. This is the explanation of “Adonoy gives omer (a declaration), the heralds are a mighty host” (ibid. 68:12) —providing each one in accordance with his aspect.

This is also as our Sages taught: “who devour My people as they would devour bread, who do not call upon the Lord” (Psalms 14:4, 53:5) —Rav says that this refers to judges, whereas Shmuel says this refers to schoolteachers (Sanhedrin 104b).

One says one thing and one says another, yet they do not disagree. Rav says these are the DaYaNim —i.e., rayu DYN —who do not elevate the soul as an aspect of mayin nukvin, who do not turn RaYU DYN into ADoNoY. This alludes to the unworthy ritual slaughterers who corrupt the DINim (laws)—i.e., rayu DIN / MaNTZPaKh. The blood, which is the souls, are the five letters [of MaNTZPaKh], paralleling the five bloods, as is known. This alludes to the five levels of the soul, as our Sages taught: About whom [did King David say] these five times “Bless, O my soul” (Berakhot 10a).

Shmuel, however, says that these are schoolteachers—those who spoil the breath that is free of sin. When the ritual slaughterer’s words and breath do not correspond to breath that is free of sin, an aspect of the air of the Land of Israel, then “who devour My people”—livelihood diminishes.

For when the ritual slaughterer has breath that is free of sin—the aspects of God’s sword/charity of the Land of Israel/soul/Torah—then the soul, which ascends from the level of animal to his level of m’daber, also ascends in an aspect of the above mentioned virtues.