Know, that anyone who robs another person’s money robs him of his children: the robber takes the victim’s children. This is because the essence of a man’s wealth comes to him on account of his wife. Money comes to him through the luminance of her soul—i.e., by the lights of this luminance shining and spreading. These lights are the aspect of wealth, because wealth and the soul are from the same place, as explained elsewhere.
From the works of the Ari we know that the soul (nefesh) corresponds to the feminine aspect, since it is the final element of nefesh - ruach - neshamah. Furthermore, the woman’s combined nefesh - ruach - neshamah parallels the man’s nefesh. This is because the entirety of any lower level corresponds to nefesh, the feminine, vis-à-vis the level above it. Therefore, his wealth comes through the feminine aspect, his wife, since she is his aspect of nefesh .
As explained elsewhere, his wealth essentially depends on her. She is the aspect of the feet; as is written in the Zohar: “He safeguards the feet of His pious ones” (1 Samuel 2:9)—this is woman (Zohar I, 112b). It is also written (Deuteronomy 11:6), “and all the subsistence at their feet”—this is a person’s money, which stands him on his feet (Pesachim 119a). For wealth essentially stems from nefesh, the feminine, the aspect of the feet.
This is as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: “One who lives without a wife, lives without a wall” (Yevamot 62b)—i.e., without wealth. For a wall is the aspect of wealth, as it is written (Proverbs 18:11), “The rich man’s wealth is his stronghold, it is like a towering wall….” Thus our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: “Honor your wives in order that you may become wealthy” (Bava Metzia 59a) .
Each man that enters the world, comes with his prospective spouse, the amount of money he is destined to have in this life, and the number of fruits—i.e., children—that he will have here. These are analogous to a tree with branches and fruits: The light of [his wife’s] soul is the tree trunk, from which branches issue and spread out. This is the shining and spreading of her light—i.e., the aspect of wealth, the branches of the tree. And on these branches, the fruits—i.e., the children—grow.
Thus, a person who robs another’s money, robs and takes from him the branches of his tree—i.e., the shining light of [his wife’s] soul, the source of the money. He therefore robs and takes from that person the souls of his sons and daughters, since they are dependent on the light of this branch for their sustenance and growth. They are the very fruits that grow on these branches, so that when one takes the branch, one takes the fruits.
This is as it is written (Esther 5:11), “Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches and of his numerous children.” The one is dependent on the other. It is also written (Job 21:7-8), “they grow venerable and even become more powerful. Their offspring are established in their sight, [with them,] and their children’s children are before their eyes.” “They grow venerable and even become more powerful!”—[“more powerful”] alludes to riches, as a result of which “Their offspring are established….”
This is also the meaning of what Rachel and Leah said: “All the wealth that God has taken from our father belongs to us and to our children” (Genesis 31:16)—specifically “belongs to us and to our children,” since one’s wealth is on account of one’s wife. And the children are dependent on her, because a wife is the tree itself, wealth is its branches, and the children are the fruits that grow on these branches, as explained above. This is the deeper meaning of what our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: “When someone robs another person, it is as if he robs him of… the souls of his sons and daughters” (Bava Kama 119a) .
2. Know, too, that if the victim of the robbery does not yet have children, robbing and taking the branch from him may cause him to never have any. And even if the victim already has children, it can cause him such harm that his children die, God forbid. For there may be children who are still in need of their mother—i.e., of her branches—just as there are fruits that are not fully ripe and need to draw more sustenance from the branch. When this person takes the branch, he damages the fruits—i.e., the children—that need to receive additional nourishment from the branch: from the shining light of their mother’s soul.
All this is in proportion to the theft, and in proportion to the tree and the branches and the fruits. There are many differences between the trees themselves, and in the nature and quality of the branches, and also in their numbers. The same is true of the fruits; there are very many differences between them. There are trees whose branches are many and fruits are few, and conversely, those whose branches are few and fruits are abundant. The same applies to the nature of the branches themselves. There are trees that have a single branch, yet it is very valuable, and others that have ten branches, which together are worth only ten zlotys.
Similarly, some poor people have many children, yet their income is only one silver coin. In other words, such a person’s many branches are of little worth, amounting to about one guilder. Alternatively, his branches are few and of little worth. In contrast to this is the person who is very wealthy, either because his branch is extremely valuable, or because he has many valuable branches. Despite this, it may be that his children are few, as explained above with the analogy of the tree.
Take as an example a tree with three branches, with each of these branches capable of yielding two fruits. [This man] is therefore meant to have six children. Let us also assume that the yield of each branch is equivalent to one hundred ducats. Thus from these three branches, he should rightfully have three hundred ducats. Consequently, the robber who robs her of one hundred ducats, robs and takes one branch from [her husband]—he takes from him two of his children.
Yet know, there is an important distinction here. If the fruits are meant to emerge one after another from the branch, then even though the robber robs him of one [entire] branch, and takes away two children, he is still able to have the rest of the children from the remaining branches. [The robber] has not harmed the remaining [branches], because he did not take anything from them.
But if [the fruits] were meant to emerge all at once, in the aspect of “six in a single womb” (Shemot Rabbah 1:8), then even though the robber robbed him of only one hundred ducats—the equivalent of one branch with two fruits—he has nevertheless tarnished the light of them all. This is because they were fit to emerge all at the same time, but this person took and diminished their light, so that they are incomplete. Therefore, the harm caused by taking from him even just one hundred ducats may cost him all his children. And there are likewise many other differences, in quality and quantity, proportionate to the theft, and proportionate to the tree and the branches and the fruits.
As a rule, [a woman] is continuously in need of completing her light. As long as she is lacking wholeness, she cannot give birth. She is made whole primarily by means of money, which corresponds to the shining of her light, as explained above.
This is as it is written (Isaiah 1:17), “Learn to do good, seek justice and vindicate the victim.” The verse counsels exercising justice and strengthening the victim: recovering the defrauded object from the hand of the defrauder, in order to save the souls of his sons and daughters. This is “Learn to do good…”—by your exercising justice and recovering that which was robbed from the hand of the robber, you will be doing “good” to the children. They are the aspect of the “students of God,” as it is written (ibid. 54:13), “And all your children shall be students of God.” This is “LiMDu (Learn) to do good…”—the goodness will be for the children, because they are “the LiMuDei (students of) God.”
And this is the deeper meaning of the Talmudic teaching: Whoever robs a penny’s worth from another person should follow him even to Media [in order to return it] (Bava Kama 103a). This is extremely puzzling. Why did [the Sages] choose specifically Media? But know, [the meaning of] this Talmudic teaching is very concealed and hidden. This was their true intention: Whoever robs… should follow him even l’Madai (to Media)—i.e., “students of God,” the children. He must return also the children he robbed him of by robbing his money. This is L’MaDai: the abovementioned aspect of “LiMuDei of God.”
3. And know, there are times when even if [a robber] takes a person’s money, he does not harm his children or diminish the light of [his wife’s] soul. This is because the soul spiritually senses the great pain and suffering she has when this robber, who is literally like a murderer, comes to diminish her light and rob the souls of her children. She therefore contracts her light. She retracts and shrivels up, and she gathers to herself the parts of her soul so that this robber cannot leech off her and diminish her light. Thus it happens that the robber cannot overpower her and benefit from her light. Although he robbed and took [her husband’s] money, she has strengthened her soul—she contracted and drew back and gathered up her light, and did not allow him to benefit from it.
As for the money that the robber took, it is not money at all, but mere dust, since it contains no light whatsoever. This money is the aspect of “gold dust” (Job 28:6), and the aspect of “silver was considered valueless” (2 Chronicles 9:20). There is no light at all in the silver and gold, since she was strong and prevented him from benefiting from her light. We have an example of this in this world. In Hungary there are trees that when a person attempts to uproot them, they retract and contract themselves, and so prevent their being taken.
4. This is also the concept of betrothal. When something is lacking in wholeness, the Other Side and the forces of evil affect it. The soul, the feminine aspect, is caught among the forces of evil. For she is incessantly dispersed and driven into their midst, as in “Her feet descend to death” (Proverbs 5:5). Silver, or its monetary equivalent, is the abovementioned completion of her light. Therefore, when she sees it in the hand of the man who wants to betroth her and make her whole, she is drawn to him. She yearns for him to complete her light and gather up her dispersed parts from the midst of the evil forces, in order to remove her feet from death.
And this is the concept of using money to betroth a woman. When her light is completed through the money so that she is not lacking, she is sanctified from impurity and goes free from the evil forces. She is therefore betrothed and becomes his by means of this money, for money completes a woman’s light. This is the connotation of the word KiDduShin (betrothal): she mitKaDdeShet (sanctifies herself) and readies herself to emerge from impurity and receive holiness through him.
Thus, through all the business activity that a man engages in and profits from, he completes [his wife’s] light and gathers up her dispersed parts. For he must continually complete her light, since he is the aspect of nourishing the tree, the branches and the fruits. His providing them with sustenance and completing them causes the tree to grow branches—i.e., her light to shine—and the branches produce fruits, as explained. This is why immediately following the betrothal he gives her a marriage contract, in which he guarantees: “I will labor, honor, support and provide for you.” He assures her that he will always complete her light by means of the money, as explained above.
5. This is also the concept of the estate rights, which belong to the children. When fruits appear, they sometimes still have need of their branches, to draw sustenance from them. Therefore, when [their father] passes away and they can no longer draw sustenance because the nourishing of the tree has ceased, [the children] receive and inherit the money due them, in order to complete their light. And [their mother] receives the balance due her for her light; this being the concept of her taking the marriage contract.
At other times, the children take the inheritance even though they have no need for any additional light from the branches. This is for a different reason. When the children come into the world, at that moment their spouses, money and children—i.e., the tree, branches and fruits—come into the world with them, and their father gathers up their light. Thus it is possible that the father may also have money on his children’s account, through his gathering up the parts of their light. Therefore, they occasionally take the inheritance even though they have no need of their mother, of receiving light from her branches. They nevertheless take their money, which their father gathered up through them, from the parts of their lights.
In truth, the inheritance should not be divided equally, since the parts of their lights are certainly not equal. However, it is impossible to hand over this judicial decision to the courts of this lower world. For only the Knower of Mysteries knows how to make these distinctions. And in truth, He later arranges things as they ought to be, taking from one and giving to the other.
6. Know, too, that robbing another person brings one to immoral thoughts. On account of the money that he takes from him, which is the light of her soul, he will certainly feel an attraction and a desire for his victim’s wife. Likewise, she will have thoughts for him as a result of his drawing her to himself; as a result of his drawing to himself the light of her soul. This is the reason our Sages, of blessed memory, taught (cf. Sanhedrin 81a): Whoever [competitively] enters his neighbor’s occupation, it is as if he had relations with a married woman, as it is written (Ezekiel 18:6), “He has not defiled his neighbor’s wife.” By robbing, he comes and literally defiles his neighbor’s wife.
Sometimes, by robbing, the robber loses his own spouse. By setting his sights on his neighbor’s money—i.e., on the light of his [neighbor’s] wife—he shows disgust for his own. He turns away from what is his and spurns his lot: his money, the light of his spouse. Therefore she likewise turns away from him and distances herself from him, just as he distanced himself and turned away from her. And as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: It is comparable to a woman who waits for a man. As long as his intention is to marry her, she continues to wait for him. Once he drops her from his mind, she goes and marries someone else (Yerushalmi, Berakhot 9:5). Thus, [even] if the robber is unmarried, he can lose his [future] spouse.
Other times, the robber can even rob the victim of his wife. It all depends on the strength and intensity of his hunger and desire for, and control over, his neighbor’s money—in thought and in deed. These can become so strong that he also takes his neighbor’s wife. Now that he has the power to rob his neighbor’s money, which is the light of his wife’s soul, it occasionally happens that she herself is drawn after the money that this robber robbed from her husband. Thus, sometimes, by robbing his money—taking it, or coveting it—the robber also robs his neighbor’s wife.
Thus know, it is also possible for a person to rob by coveting, desiring and craving his neighbor’s money. This is because thought has great power, as explained elsewhere. A person can therefore possess ill-gotten money without even physically robbing anything.
This is the grievous prohibition included in the Ten Commandments: “Do not covet” (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18). Coveting itself is strictly forbidden, may the Compassionate One spare us. This is because by coveting one can rob another’s money, as well as the souls of his sons and daughters. It is therefore forbidden to misappropriate a deposited item even in thought, as we learned in Bava Metzia (43b): “A person who intends to misappropriate a deposited item.” The dispute there is only whether he is liable for this, as one who actually misappropriates [the item]. However, there is unanimous agreement that it is certainly prohibited.
7. Now, at times the robber is as one who despises the wife of his youth and covets his neighbor’s wife. Other times, he wants them both: he wants his own money and also his neighbor’s. This is the aspect of a person who ‘brings trouble into his house.’
The prophet warned against this, as it is written (Malachi 2:15-16), “[Curb your spirit] and do not betray the wife of your youth. That which you despise, send away.” The meaning is: If your portion is not enough for you, and you despise your wealth, which you find insufficient—“send away.” That is, rectify it: give charity, which is an aspect of “send away,” as it is written (Ecclesiastes 11:1), “Cast your bread upon the waters.”
This is as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: If a man sees that his livelihood is meager, let him turn it into charity (Gittin 7a). The reason a person’s livelihood is meager is that the forces of evil have control over the soul, the feminine aspect, as in “Her feet descend to death.” By overpowering her, the evil forces leech off her and diminish her light. This is why [her husband] lacks money. But by giving charity, he removes her from the evil forces, since “Charity saves from death” (Proverbs 10:2)—i.e., from the previous state of “Her feet descend to death.” Therefore, by giving charity he can rectify his wealth, which corresponds to the wife of his youth, and not be unfaithful to her. This is the meaning of: “That which you despise, send away.”
8. And know, by giving charity a person can rectify the ill-gotten money he has in his possession—i.e., that which he robbed by coveting. Only returning that which was robbed can remedy actual robbing. Likewise, if one has robbed from the community, he must use the ill-gotten money for the public good (Beitzah 29a). But if he possesses money robbed by coveting, he can rectify it through charity. Giving tzedakah (charity) causes it to remain as it is: his money remains his, even though it is [money] robbed through coveting.
This is “He will sit smelting and purifying silver; he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they will be for God presenters of offerings in tzedakah (righteousness)” (Malachi 3:3) . Concerning this verse, our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: God will be charitable, so that a family that has blended [into the Jewish people] beyond recognition shall remain that way (Kiddushin 71a) .
In other words, through charity it is possible to remedy the theft, which is the same aspect as a family that has blended beyond recognition. Since he robs the souls of his neighbor’s sons and daughters and takes his wife, as explained above, it is therefore an intermingled family. But charity rectifies this: it remains as it is, as they said, “a family that has blended beyond recognition shall remain that way.” This is “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver… refining them like gold and silver”—he will purge and refine the robbed silver and gold, which corresponds to the family that has blended beyond recognition.
When a person marries for money, making money his goal, he is an idiot and a fool, for “A wise man’s heart is at his right, while a fool’s heart is at his left” (Ecclesiastes 10:2). That is, when someone wise marries, he turns to his right—i.e., to the Torah, which corresponds to the right, as it is written (Deuteronomy 33:2), “from His right hand He presented the fiery Law to them.” In other words, he marries a woman for the sake of Torah; that he might study Torah in purity, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: One who wants to study Torah in purity should take a wife… (Menachot 110a) .
But “a fool’s heart is at his left.” He marries a woman for money, which corresponds to the left, as it is written (Proverbs 3:16), “and in her left hand, wealth and honor.” Thus we see that when he marries for money, he is a fool. He blemishes and loses his wisdom. As a result, “he will have disreputable children”—on account of his having blemished daat, the source of children.
10. And know, making money one’s goal creates enemies. Love is dependent on daat and intelligence, and so hatred grows strong mainly because the mind is confused and clouded. As it is written (Job 39:16-17), “She is callous toward her children, as if they were not hers… because God deprived her of wisdom”—i.e., she feels no love for her children because she is lacking wisdom.
Thus, when one’s mind is clouded, enemies are nourished and strengthened. They are empowered in proportion to the measure of confusion and clouding of the mind that results from one’s desire for money. Sometimes, this gives rise to enemies whose hate is without cause. A person becomes foolish, his mind becomes clouded, and enemies become strong in proportion to his desire and striving for money.
Now, as long as his mind remains clouded, the enemies that gain strength from there—i.e., from the clouding of the mind—are enemies with daat and thought. There is reason to their hatred. Although this daat corresponds to a clouded mind, which is the primary source of hatred, [the enemies] nevertheless have a reason for their hatred, since the clouding is still in the mind.
But know, occasionally a person’s lusting for money is so great and he becomes so foolish, that the mind cannot bear all the clouding. Eventually, it emerges as hair, since the hairs are the extraneous elements of the mind, as is known.
Then, also the enemies that stem from there—i.e., from this clouding, the aspect of the extraneous elements of the mind, the hair—are enemies whose hate is without cause. They have no reason for their hatred, because they do not come from even the clouding in the mind, but from the mind’s extraneous elements, the aspect of the hair. Therefore, their hatred has neither reason nor the daat of even a clouded mind. They are merely enemies whose hate is without cause. This is as in “More numerous than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause” (Psalms 69:5), since enemies whose hate is without cause come from the aspect of the hair, the extraneous elements of the mind, as explained above.
And although also the mind of a wise person contains extraneous elements, the aspect of hair—know, that for one who is wise, his mind’s extraneous elements and saar (hair) are the aspect of a shaar (gate); [the punctuation] above the letter shin is on the right. His mind’s extraneous elements are the aspect of “gates.” He uses them to open the gates of wisdom and daat in devotion to God.
Because people cannot relate to his essential intellect such that they benefit from its light, he must cover and conceal himself. He has to humble himself with trivial and lowly matters in order that people might benefit from him; that he might open for them the gates of wisdom and knowledge in order to bring them closer to God, as in “Evildoers will be brought low before good people, and the wicked at the gates of the tzaddik” (Proverbs 14:19). In order to subdue evildoers and bring them low before good people, one has to bring the wicked before the tzaddik’s gates—which in the tzaddik’s case is the aspect of the mind’s extraneous elements, the hair. Thus it is that the hair of a person who is wise is the aspect of a shaar; [the punctuation is] on the right. But for the wicked fool they are actual saar; [the punctuation is] on the left. This is the aspect of “a wise man’s heart is at his right, while a fool’s heart is at his left.”
Therefore our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Whoever marries a woman that is improper for him, Eliyahu binds him [and God lashes him] (Kiddushin 70a). He who marries a woman that is improper for him is unquestionably dissatisfied with his lot: with his money, with the wife of his youth. Instead, he chooses that which is not his, that which is not proper for him. As a result, he is the aspect of extraneous elements, the hair, as explained above. Eliyahu is therefore assigned to punish him. For he is “a hairy man” (2 Kings 1:8). He is appointed over this aspect of the hair, to execute judgment through it.
And so our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Eliyahu binds him and God lashes him.” This alludes to the mind and the extraneous elements of the mind. “Binds him” corresponds to the mind, the aspect of tefilin. This is as in “a king is bound in the ReHaTim (locks)” (Song of Songs 7:6)—in the RaHaTei (conduits) of the mind (Tikkuney Zohar #6, p.21b). As is brought there, this is the aspect of tefilin. “Lashes him” corresponds to the mind’s extraneous elements—the straps, which are the extraneous elements of the mind. {The intelligent will discern that these two lessons—this one, “The Gravity of the Prohibition against Robbery,” and Lesson #68, concerning losing one’s wealth on account of anger—are linked and related. They are joined in Lesson #59, “A Chamber of Holiness,” where in the course of the teaching both these topics are brought in brief. Study there well.}
דַּע, שֶׁהַגּוֹזֵל אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ מָמוֹן, בָּזֶה הוּא גּוֹזֵל מִמֶּנּוּ בָּנִים, הַיְנוּ שֶׁהַגַּזְלָן נוֹטֵל מֵהַנִּגְזָל בָּנִים. כִּי עִקַּר הַמָּמוֹן שֶׁל הָאָדָם בָּא לוֹ עַל יְדֵי בַּת זוּגוֹ, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי אוֹר נַפְשָׁהּ, מִזֶּה בָּא לוֹ הַמָּמוֹן. הַיְנוּ, עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמִּתְנוֹצֵץ וּמִתְפַּשֵּׁט אוֹרוֹת מֵאוֹר נַפְשָׁהּ, אֵלּוּ הָאוֹרוֹת הֵם בְּחִינַת הַמָּמוֹן. כִּי הַמָּמוֹן הוּא מִמְּקוֹם הַנֶּפֶשׁ, כַּמְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר,
Know, that anyone who robs another person’s money robs him of his children: the robber takes the victim’s children. This is because the essence of a man’s wealth comes to him on account of his wife. Money comes to him through the luminance of her soul—i.e., by the lights of this luminance shining and spreading. These lights are the aspect of wealth, because wealth and the soul are from the same place, as explained elsewhere.
וְנֶפֶשׁ הִיא בְּחִינַת נְקֵבָה, כַּיָּדוּעַ בְּכִתְבֵי הָאֲרִ"י, כִּי הִיא הַבְּחִינָה הָאַחֲרוֹנָה מִן נֶפֶשׁ רוּחַ נְשָׁמָה. וְכֵן כְּלַל נֶפֶשׁ רוּחַ וּנְשָׁמָה שֶׁלָּהּ, הוּא בְּחִינַת נֶפֶשׁ נֶגְדּוֹ, כִּי כְּלַל הַמַּדְרֵגָה הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה הִיא בְּחִינוֹת נֶפֶשׁ, בְּחִינַת נְקֵבָה, נֶגֶד מַדְרֵגָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה הֵימֶנָּה. עַל כֵּן עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת הַנְּקֵבָה בַּת זוּגוֹ, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֶצְלוֹ, עַל יָדָהּ בָּא לוֹ הַמָּמוֹן.
From the works of the Ari we know that the soul (nefesh) corresponds to the feminine aspect, since it is the final element of nefesh - ruach - neshamah. Furthermore, the woman’s combined nefesh - ruach - neshamah parallels the man’s nefesh. This is because the entirety of any lower level corresponds to nefesh, the feminine, vis-à-vis the level above it. Therefore, his wealth comes through the feminine aspect, his wife, since she is his aspect of nefesh .
כִּי עִקַּר הַמָּמוֹן תָּלוּי בָּהּ, כַּמְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, כִּי הִיא בְּחִינַת רַגְלִין, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר (וירא קיב:): רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָיו יִשְׁמֹר – דָּא אִתְּתָא. וּכְתִיב (דברים י״א:ו׳): וְאֶת כָּל הַיְקוּם אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶם – זֶה מָמוֹנוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם שֶׁמַּעֲמִידוֹ עַל רַגְלָיו (פסחים קיט). כִּי עִקַּר הַמָּמוֹן בָּא מִבְּחִינַת נֶפֶשׁ, בְּחִינַת נְקֵבָה, בְּחִינַת רַגְלִין.
As explained elsewhere, his wealth essentially depends on her. She is the aspect of the feet; as is written in the Zohar: “He safeguards the feet of His pious ones” (1 Samuel 2:9)—this is woman (Zohar I, 112b). It is also written (Deuteronomy 11:6), “and all the subsistence at their feet”—this is a person’s money, which stands him on his feet (Pesachim 119a). For wealth essentially stems from nefesh, the feminine, the aspect of the feet.
וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (יבמות סב:): הַשָּׁרוּי בְּלֹא אִשָּׁה שָׁרוּי בְּלֹא חוֹמָה; הַיְנוּ בְּלֹא מָמוֹן, כִּי חוֹמָה הִיא בְּחִינַת הַמָּמוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי י״ח:י״א): הוֹן עָשִׁיר קִרְיַת עֻזּוֹ וּכְחוֹמָה נִשְׂגָּבָה וְכוּ'. וְעַל כֵּן אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ב"מ נט): אוֹקִירוּ לִנְשַׁיְכוּ כִּי הֵיכֵי דְּתִתְעַתְרוּ.
This is as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: “One who lives without a wife, lives without a wall” (Yevamot 62b)—i.e., without wealth. For a wall is the aspect of wealth, as it is written (Proverbs 18:11), “The rich man’s wealth is his stronghold, it is like a towering wall….” Thus our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: “Honor your wives in order that you may become wealthy” (Bava Metzia 59a) .
וְכָל אָדָם וְאָדָם כַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא בָּא לָעוֹלָם, הוּא בָּא עִם בַּת זוּגוֹ הַמְיֻחֶדֶת לוֹ, וְעִם סְכוּם מָמוֹן הַקָּצוּב לוֹ, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם, וְכַמָּה פֵּרוֹת, הַיְנוּ בָּנִים, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לוֹ בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם. וְהֵם בְּחִינַת אִילָן וַעֲנָפִים וּפֵרוֹת. הַיְנוּ, שֶׁאוֹר נַפְשָׁהּ הוּא בְּחִינַת עִקַּר הָאִילָן, שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ יוֹצְאִים וּמִתְפַּשְּׁטִים עֲנָפִים, הַיְנוּ הִתְנוֹצְצוּת וְהִתְפַּשְׁטוּת אוֹרָהּ, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַמָּמוֹן כַּנַּ"ל, הוּא בְּחִינַת עֲנָפִים שֶׁל הָאִילָן. וְעַל הָעֲנָפִים אֵלּוּ גְּדֵלִים הַפֵּרוֹת, הַיְנוּ הַבָּנִים.
Each man that enters the world, comes with his prospective spouse, the amount of money he is destined to have in this life, and the number of fruits—i.e., children—that he will have here. These are analogous to a tree with branches and fruits: The light of [his wife’s] soul is the tree trunk, from which branches issue and spread out. This is the shining and spreading of her light—i.e., the aspect of wealth, the branches of the tree. And on these branches, the fruits—i.e., the children—grow.
נִמְצָא כְּשֶׁאֶחָד גּוֹזֵל מֵחֲבֵרוֹ מָמוֹן, הוּא גּוֹזֵל וְנוֹטֵל מִמֶּנּוּ עֲנָפִים שֶׁל הָאִילָן שֶׁלּוֹ, הַיְנוּ הִתְנוֹצְצוּת אוֹר נַפְשָׁהּ, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם הַמָּמוֹן כַּנַּ"ל. עַל כֵּן, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הוּא גּוֹזֵל וְנוֹטֵל מִמֶּנּוּ נֶפֶשׁ בָּנָיו וּבְנוֹתָיו, שֶׁהֵם תְּלוּיִים וּגְדֵלִים וְיוֹנְקִים מֵאוֹר הֶעָנָף הַזֶּה, כִּי הֵם הֵם הַפֵּרוֹת הַגְּדֵלִים עַל הָעֲנָפִים אֵלּוּ, וּכְשֶׁנּוֹטֵל הֶעָנָף נוֹטֵל הַפֵּרוֹת:
Thus, a person who robs another’s money, robs and takes from him the branches of his tree—i.e., the shining light of [his wife’s] soul, the source of the money. He therefore robs and takes from that person the souls of his sons and daughters, since they are dependent on the light of this branch for their sustenance and growth. They are the very fruits that grow on these branches, so that when one takes the branch, one takes the fruits.
וְזֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב (אסתר ה׳:י״א): וַיְסַפֵּר לָהֶם הָמָן אֶת כְּבוֹד עָשְׁרוֹ וְרֹב בָּנָיו, כִּי זֶה תָּלוּי בָּזֶה. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (איוב כ״א:ז׳-ח׳): עָתְקוּ גַּם גָּבְרוּ חָיִל, זַרְעָם נָכוֹן לִפְנֵיהֶם וְצֶאֱצָאֵיהֶם לְעֵינֵיהֶם. עָתְקוּ גַּם גָּבְרוּ חָיִל – זֶה עֲשִׁירוּת, עַל יְדֵי זֶה זַרְעָם נָכוֹן וְכוּ'.
This is as it is written (Esther 5:11), “Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches and of his numerous children.” The one is dependent on the other. It is also written (Job 21:7-8), “they grow venerable and even become more powerful. Their offspring are established in their sight, [with them,] and their children’s children are before their eyes.” “They grow venerable and even become more powerful!”—[“more powerful”] alludes to riches, as a result of which “Their offspring are established….”
וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רָחֵל וְלֵאָה, (בראשית ל״א:ט״ז): כִּי כָל הָעֹשֶׁר אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֱלֹקִים מֵאָבִינוּ לָנוּ הוּא וּלְבָנֵינוּ. לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ דַּיְקָא, כִּי עִקַּר הָעֲשִׁירוּת – עַל־יְדֵי הָאִשָּׁה, וּבָהּ תְּלוּיִים הַבָּנִים כַּנַּ"ל. כִּי הָאִשָּׁה הִיא עִקַּר בְּחִינַת הָאִילָן, וְהָעֲשִׁירוּת הֵם הָעֲנָפִים שֶׁל הָאִילָן, וְהַבָּנִים הֵם הַפֵּרוֹת הַגְּדֵלִים בָּעֲנָפִים הָאֵלּוּ כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה סוֹד שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בבא קמא קיט): הַגּוֹזֵל אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ, כְּאִלּוּ גּוֹזֵל מִמֶּנּוּ נֶפֶשׁ בָּנָיו וּבְנוֹתָיו:
This is also the meaning of what Rachel and Leah said: “All the wealth that God has taken from our father belongs to us and to our children” (Genesis 31:16)—specifically “belongs to us and to our children,” since one’s wealth is on account of one’s wife. And the children are dependent on her, because a wife is the tree itself, wealth is its branches, and the children are the fruits that grow on these branches, as explained above. This is the deeper meaning of what our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: “When someone robs another person, it is as if he robs him of… the souls of his sons and daughters” (Bava Kama 119a) .
וְדַע, שֶׁאִם זֶה הַנִּגְזָל עֲדַיִן לֹא הָיָה לוֹ בָּנִים, יוּכַל לִגְזֹל מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לוֹ, עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁגּוֹזֵל וְנוֹטֵל הֶעָנָף כַּנַּ"ל. וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם כְּבָר יֵשׁ לְהַנִּגְזָל בָּנִים, יוּכַל לְהַזִּיק לוֹ שֶׁיָּמוּתוּ בָּנָיו, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. כִּי אִם עֲדַיִן הַבָּנִים צְרִיכִין לְאִמָּן, הַיְנוּ לָעֲנָפִים שֶׁלָּהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ פֵּרוֹת שֶׁלֹּא נִגְמְרוּ כָּל צָרְכָּן, וּצְרִיכִין לִינֹק עוֹד מֵהֶעָנָף, וְעַל כֵּן כְּשֶׁזֶּה נוֹטֵל הֶעָנָף, הוּא מַזִּיק הַפֵּרוֹת, הַיְנוּ הַבָּנִים, הַצְּרִיכִים לִינֹק עוֹד וּלְקַבֵּל מֵהֶעָנָף, הַיְנוּ מֵהִתְנוֹצְצוּת אוֹר אִמָּן כַּנַּ"ל.
2. Know, too, that if the victim of the robbery does not yet have children, robbing and taking the branch from him may cause him to never have any. And even if the victim already has children, it can cause him such harm that his children die, God forbid. For there may be children who are still in need of their mother—i.e., of her branches—just as there are fruits that are not fully ripe and need to draw more sustenance from the branch. When this person takes the branch, he damages the fruits—i.e., the children—that need to receive additional nourishment from the branch: from the shining light of their mother’s soul.
וְהַכֹּל לְפִי הַגְּזֵלָה, וְהַכֹּל לְפִי הָאִילָן וְהָעֲנָפִים וְהַפֵּרוֹת. כִּי יֵשׁ כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שִׁנּוּיִים בֵּין הָאִילָנוֹת עַצְמָן, וּבֵין מַהוּת וְאֵיכוּת הָעֲנָפִים, וּבֵין רִבּוּי הָעֲנָפִים, וְכֵן בֵּין הַפֵּרוֹת, בְּכֻלָּן יֵשׁ שִׁנּוּיִים רַבִּים. כִּי יֵשׁ אִילָן שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עֲנָפִים רַבִּים וּפֵרוֹת מֻעָטִים. וְכֵן לְהֵפֶךְ. עֲנָפִים מֻעָטִים וּפֵרוֹת רַבִּים. וְכֵן בֵּין מַהוּת הָעֲנָפִים עַצְמָן, יֵשׁ אִילָן שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עָנָף אֶחָד, אֲבָל הוּא יָקָר מְאֹד. וְיֵשׁ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עֲשָׂרָה עֲנָפִים, וְכֻלָּם אֵינָם שָׁוִים רַק עֲשָׂרָה זְהוּבִים.
All this is in proportion to the theft, and in proportion to the tree and the branches and the fruits. There are many differences between the trees themselves, and in the nature and quality of the branches, and also in their numbers. The same is true of the fruits; there are very many differences between them. There are trees whose branches are many and fruits are few, and conversely, those whose branches are few and fruits are abundant. The same applies to the nature of the branches themselves. There are trees that have a single branch, yet it is very valuable, and others that have ten branches, which together are worth only ten zlotys.
כֵּן יֵשׁ כַּמָּה עֲנִיִּים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם בָּנִים רַבִּים וְאֵין יָדוֹ מַשֶּׂגֶת אֶלָּא זוּז אֶחָד. הַיְנוּ שֶׁכָּל הָעֲנָפִים שֶׁלּוֹ הֵם פְּחוּתִים, וְאֵינָם רַק בְּעֵרֶךְ זָהָב אֶחָד, אוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עֲנָפִים מֻעָטִים וּפְחוּתִים. וְכֵן לְהֵפֶךְ, יֵשׁ עָשִׁיר גָּדוֹל, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהֶעָנָף שֶׁלּוֹ הוּא יָקָר מְאֹד, אוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עֲנָפִים רַבִּים וִיקָרִים, וְעִם כָּל זֶה יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ לוֹ רַק בָּנִים מֻעָטִים, כַּנַּ"ל בִּמְשַׁל הָאִילָנוֹת.
Similarly, some poor people have many children, yet their income is only one silver coin. In other words, such a person’s many branches are of little worth, amounting to about one guilder. Alternatively, his branches are few and of little worth. In contrast to this is the person who is very wealthy, either because his branch is extremely valuable, or because he has many valuable branches. Despite this, it may be that his children are few, as explained above with the analogy of the tree.
וְהִנֵּה נִתְפֹּס לְמָשָׁל, אִילָן אֶחָד עִם שְׁלֹשָׁה עֲנָפִים, וְכָל עָנָף מְיֻחָד לוֹ שֶׁרָאוּי לְהוֹצִיא שְׁנֵי פֵּרוֹת, נִמְצָא שֶׁרָאוּי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ שִׁשָּׁה בָּנִים. וְכֵן נֹאמַר לְמָשָׁל, שֶׁכָּל עָנָף הוּא בִּבְחִינָה וְעֵרֶךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ מֵאָה אֲדֻמִּים. נִמְצָא שֶׁרָאוּי לִהְיוֹת לוֹ שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת אֲדֻמִּים, מִשְּׁלֹשָׁה עֲנָפִים הַלָּלוּ. נִמְצָא אִם גּוֹזֵל מִמֶּנָּה מֵאָה אֲדֻמִּים, הוּא גּוֹזֵל וְנוֹטֵל מִמֶּנּוּ עָנָף אֶחָד, נִמְצָא שֶׁנּוֹטֵל מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁנֵי בָּנִים.
Take as an example a tree with three branches, with each of these branches capable of yielding two fruits. [This man] is therefore meant to have six children. Let us also assume that the yield of each branch is equivalent to one hundred ducats. Thus from these three branches, he should rightfully have three hundred ducats. Consequently, the robber who robs her of one hundred ducats, robs and takes one branch from [her husband]—he takes from him two of his children.
אֲבָל דַּע, שֶׁבָּזֶה יֵשׁ חִלּוּק גָּדוֹל, אִם הַפֵּרוֹת רְאוּיִים לָצֵאת מֵהָעֲנָפִים בָּזֶה אַחַר זֶה, נִמְצָא שֶׁאַף שֶׁזֶּה גּוֹזֵל מִמֶּנּוּ עָנָף אֶחָד, וְנוֹטֵל מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁנֵי בָּנִים, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן עֲדַיִן רְאוּיִים לוֹ לְהִתְקַיֵּם יֶתֶר הַבָּנִים שֶׁל הָעֲנָפִים הַנִּשְׁאָרִים, כִּי לֹא הִזִּיק בְּהַנִּשְׁאָרִים, כִּי לֹא נָטַל מֵהֶם כְּלוּם.
Yet know, there is an important distinction here. If the fruits are meant to emerge one after another from the branch, then even though the robber robs him of one [entire] branch, and takes away two children, he is still able to have the rest of the children from the remaining branches. [The robber] has not harmed the remaining [branches], because he did not take anything from them.
אֲבָל אִם הָיוּ רְאוּיִים לָצֵאת בְּבַת אַחַת, בִּבְחִינַת שִׁשָּׁה בְּכָרֵס אֶחָד, עַל־כֵּן אַף שֶׁזֶּה לֹא גָּזַל מִמֶּנּוּ כִּי אִם מֵאָה אֲדֻמִּים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת עֵרֶךְ עָנָף אֶחָד שֶׁל שְׁנֵי פֵּרוֹת, עִם כָּל זֶה קִלְקֵל אוֹר כֻּלָּם, מֵאַחַר שֶׁכֻּלָּם הָיוּ רְאוּיִים לָצֵאת בְּבַת אַחַת, וְזֶה נָטַל וְחִסֵּר מֵהֶם אוֹרָם, וְאֵין לָהֶם שְׁלֵמוּת, עַל כֵּן יוּכַל לְהַזִּיק לוֹ בְּאֵלּוּ הַמֵּאָה אֲדֻמִּים לְבַד שֶׁנָּטַל מִמֶּנּוּ, לִטֹּל מִמֶּנּוּ כָּל הַבָּנִים. וְכֵן יֵשׁ בְּעִנְיָן זֶה כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שִׁנּוּיִים, לְפִי הַגְּזֵלָה, וּלְפִי הָאִילָן, וְהָעֲנָפִים וְהַפֵּרוֹת, בְּמַהוּתָם וְכַמּוּתָם.
But if [the fruits] were meant to emerge all at once, in the aspect of “six in a single womb” (Shemot Rabbah 1:8), then even though the robber robbed him of only one hundred ducats—the equivalent of one branch with two fruits—he has nevertheless tarnished the light of them all. This is because they were fit to emerge all at the same time, but this person took and diminished their light, so that they are incomplete. Therefore, the harm caused by taking from him even just one hundred ducats may cost him all his children. And there are likewise many other differences, in quality and quantity, proportionate to the theft, and proportionate to the tree and the branches and the fruits.
וְהַכְּלָל, כִּי הִיא צְרִיכָה תָּמִיד לְהַשְׁלִים אוֹרָהּ, וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁאֵין לָהּ שְׁלֵמוּת, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לָהּ לְהוֹלִיד. וְעִקַּר שְׁלֵמוּתָהּ – עַל יְדֵי הַמָּמוֹן, כִּי הוּא בְּחִינַת הִתְנוֹצְצוּת אוֹרָהּ כַּנַּ"ל.
As a rule, [a woman] is continuously in need of completing her light. As long as she is lacking wholeness, she cannot give birth. She is made whole primarily by means of money, which corresponds to the shining of her light, as explained above.
וְזֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו א׳:י״ז): לִמְדוּ הֵיטֵב, דִּרְשׁוּ מִשְׁפָּט, אַשְּׁרוּ חָמוֹץ. שֶׁהַפָּסוּק מַזְהִיר לַעֲשׂוֹת מִשְׁפָּט וּלְחַזֵּק אֶת הַנִּגְזָל, לְהַצִּיל עָשׁוּק מִיַּד עוֹשְׁקוֹ, כְּדֵי לְהַצִּיל נֶפֶשׁ בָּנָיו וּבְנוֹתָיו כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה: לִמְדוּ הֵיטֵב וְכוּ', – שֶׁמַּה שֶּׁתַּעֲשׂוּ מִשְׁפָּט, וְתַצִּילוּ גָּזוּל מִיַּד גּוֹזְלוֹ, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תַּעֲשׂוּ טוֹבָה לְהַבָּנִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת לִמּוּדֵי ה', כְּמָה שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם נד): וְכָל בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי ה'. וְזֶה: לִמְדוּ הֵיטֵב – שֶׁהַהֲטָבָה תִּהְיֶה לְהַבָּנִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת לִמּוּדֵי ה'.
This is as it is written (Isaiah 1:17), “Learn to do good, seek justice and vindicate the victim.” The verse counsels exercising justice and strengthening the victim: recovering the defrauded object from the hand of the defrauder, in order to save the souls of his sons and daughters. This is “Learn to do good…”—by your exercising justice and recovering that which was robbed from the hand of the robber, you will be doing “good” to the children. They are the aspect of the “students of God,” as it is written (ibid. 54:13), “And all your children shall be students of God.” This is “LiMDu (Learn) to do good…”—the goodness will be for the children, because they are “the LiMuDei (students of) God.”
וְזֶה סוֹד כַּוָּנַת הַגְּמָרָא (ב"ק קג): הַגּוֹזֵל אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ שְׁוֵה פְּרוּטָה יוֹלִיכֶנּוּ אַחֲרָיו אֲפִלּוּ לְמָדַי. וְהוּא פְּלִיאָה נִשְׂגָּבָה מְאֹד, לָמָּה תָּפְסוּ מָדַי דַּוְקָא. אַךְ דַּע, שֶׁהַגְּמָרָא הִיא נֶעְלֶמֶת וְנִסְתֶּרֶת מְאֹד, וְזֶה כַּוָּנָתָם הָאֱמֶת: הַגּוֹזֵל וְכוּ' יוֹלִיכֶנּוּ אַחֲרָיו אֲפִלּוּ לְמָדַי, הַיְנוּ לִמּוּדֵי ה', הַיְנוּ הַבָּנִים. שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהַחֲזִיר לוֹ אֲפִלּוּ הַבָּנִים שֶׁגָּזַל מִמֶּנּוּ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁגָּזַל אֶת מָמוֹנוֹ. וְזֶה: לְמָדַי, בְּחִינַת לִמּוּדֵי ה' הַנַּ"ל:
And this is the deeper meaning of the Talmudic teaching: Whoever robs a penny’s worth from another person should follow him even to Media [in order to return it] (Bava Kama 103a). This is extremely puzzling. Why did [the Sages] choose specifically Media? But know, [the meaning of] this Talmudic teaching is very concealed and hidden. This was their true intention: Whoever robs… should follow him even l’Madai (to Media)—i.e., “students of God,” the children. He must return also the children he robbed him of by robbing his money. This is L’MaDai: the abovementioned aspect of “LiMuDei of God.”
וְדַע, שֶׁלִּפְעָמִים אַף שֶׁנּוֹטֵל מִמֶּנּוּ מָמוֹן, עִם כָּל זֶה לֹא יַזִּיק לְבָנָיו וְלֹא יֶחְסַר אוֹר נַפְשָׁהּ. כִּי בְּרוּחָנִיּוּת הַנֶּפֶשׁ מַרְגֶּשֶׁת הַכְּאֵב וְהַצַּעַר הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ, כְּשֶׁזֶּה הַגַּזְלָן שֶׁהוּא כְּמוֹ רוֹצֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת מַמָּשׁ, בָּא לְחַסֵּר אוֹרָהּ, וְלִגְזֹל נֶפֶשׁ בָּנֶיהָ. וְעַל כֵּן הִיא מְצַמְצֶמֶת אוֹרָהּ, וּמַמְשֶׁכֶת וּמְכַוֶּצֶת עַצְמָהּ, וּמְקַבֶּצֶת לְעַצְמָהּ חֶלְקֵי נַפְשָׁהּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁזֶּה הַגַּזְלָן לֹא יוּכַל לִינֹק מִמֶּנָּה, וּלְחַסֵּר אוֹרָהּ. עַד שֶׁלִּפְעָמִים לֹא יוּכַל הַגַּזְלָן לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עָלֶיהָ לְקַבֵּל מֵאוֹרָהּ, וְאַף שֶׁגָּזַל וְנָטַל הַמָּמוֹן מִמֶּנּוּ, עִם כָּל זֶה כְּבָר הִתְגַּבְּרָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ, וְצִמְצְמָה וּמָשְׁכָה וְקִבְּצָה אוֹרָהּ, וְלֹא הִנִּיחָה לְקַבֵּל מֵאוֹרָהּ.
3. And know, there are times when even if [a robber] takes a person’s money, he does not harm his children or diminish the light of [his wife’s] soul. This is because the soul spiritually senses the great pain and suffering she has when this robber, who is literally like a murderer, comes to diminish her light and rob the souls of her children. She therefore contracts her light. She retracts and shrivels up, and she gathers to herself the parts of her soul so that this robber cannot leech off her and diminish her light. Thus it happens that the robber cannot overpower her and benefit from her light. Although he robbed and took [her husband’s] money, she has strengthened her soul—she contracted and drew back and gathered up her light, and did not allow him to benefit from it.
וְזֶה הַמָּמוֹן שֶׁלָּקַח הַגַּזְלָן, אֵינוֹ מָמוֹן כְּלָל, רַק עַפְרָא בְּעַלְמָא, מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ אוֹר כְּלָל. וְהַמָּמוֹן הַזֶּה הוּא בִּבְחִינַת (איוב כח): עַפְרוֹת זָהָב, בִּבְחִינַת (דברי הימים ב ט׳:כ׳): אֵין כֶּסֶף נֶחֱשָׁב, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁאֵין בְּהַכֶּסֶף וְהַזָּהָב שׁוּם אוֹר, כִּי הִתְגַּבְּרָה וְלֹא הִנִּיחָה לְקַבֵּל מֵאוֹרָהּ. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ דֻּגְמָתוֹ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, כִּי יֵשׁ אִילָנוֹת בִּמְדִינַת אוּנְגַרִין, שֶׁכְּשֶׁאָדָם בָּא לִטְּלָם, הֵם מַמְשִׁיכִין וּמַקְטִינִים עַצְמָן, וְאֵינָם מַנִּיחִים לִטֹּל אוֹתָם:
As for the money that the robber took, it is not money at all, but mere dust, since it contains no light whatsoever. This money is the aspect of “gold dust” (Job 28:6), and the aspect of “silver was considered valueless” (2 Chronicles 9:20). There is no light at all in the silver and gold, since she was strong and prevented him from benefiting from her light. We have an example of this in this world. In Hungary there are trees that when a person attempts to uproot them, they retract and contract themselves, and so prevent their being taken.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת קִדּוּשִׁין, כִּי כְּשֶׁאֵין שְׁלֵמוּת בְּדָבָר, יֵשׁ שָׁם אֲחִיזַת הַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא וְהַקְּלִפּוֹת. וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ בְּחִינַת נוּקְבָא, הִיא בֵּין הַקְּלִפּוֹת, כִּי הִיא מִתְפַּזֶּרֶת וְנִדַּחַת בֵּינֵיהֶם תָּמִיד, בִּבְחִינַת (משלי ה׳:ה׳): רַגְלֶיהָ יוֹרְדוֹת מָוֶת. וְעַל כֵּן כְּשֶׁהִיא רוֹאָה זֶה הַכֶּסֶף אוֹ שְׁוֵה כֶּסֶף, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת שְׁלֵמוּת אוֹרָהּ כַּנַּ"ל, בְּיַד זֶה הָאִישׁ שֶׁבָּא לְקַדֵּשׁ אוֹתָהּ וּלְהַשְׁלִימָהּ, עַל יְדֵי זֶה תְּאֵבָה אֵלָיו וְנִכְסֶפֶת לוֹ, שֶׁהוּא יַשְׁלִים אוֹרָהּ, וִיקַבֵּץ נִדָּחֶיהָ מִבֵּין הַקְּלִפּוֹת, לְהוֹצִיא רַגְלֶיהָ מִמָּוֶת.
4. This is also the concept of betrothal. When something is lacking in wholeness, the Other Side and the forces of evil affect it. The soul, the feminine aspect, is caught among the forces of evil. For she is incessantly dispersed and driven into their midst, as in “Her feet descend to death” (Proverbs 5:5). Silver, or its monetary equivalent, is the abovementioned completion of her light. Therefore, when she sees it in the hand of the man who wants to betroth her and make her whole, she is drawn to him. She yearns for him to complete her light and gather up her dispersed parts from the midst of the evil forces, in order to remove her feet from death.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת קִדּוּשִׁין בְּכֶסֶף, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁנִּשְׁלָם אוֹרָהּ עַל יְדֵי הַכֶּסֶף, וְאֵין בָּהּ חִסָּרוֹן, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הִיא מִתְקַדֶּשֶׁת מִטֻּמְאָתָהּ, וְיוֹצְאָה מִבֵּין הַקְּלִפּוֹת. וְעַל כֵּן הִיא מְקֻדֶּשֶׁת וְנִקְנֵית אֵלָיו עַל־יְדֵי הַכֶּסֶף הַזֶּה, כִּי הַכֶּסֶף הוּא שְׁלֵמוּת אוֹר הָאִשָּׁה כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה לְשׁוֹן קִדּוּשִׁין – שֶׁמִּתְקַדֶּשֶׁת וּמַזְמֶנֶת עַצְמָהּ לָצֵאת מִן הַטֻּמְאָה, וּלְקַבֵּל קְדֻשָּׁה עַל יָדוֹ:
And this is the concept of using money to betroth a woman. When her light is completed through the money so that she is not lacking, she is sanctified from impurity and goes free from the evil forces. She is therefore betrothed and becomes his by means of this money, for money completes a woman’s light. This is the connotation of the word KiDduShin (betrothal): she mitKaDdeShet (sanctifies herself) and readies herself to emerge from impurity and receive holiness through him.
וּבְכָל הַמַּשָּׂא־וּמַתָּן שֶׁהוּא נוֹשֵׂא וְנוֹתֵן וּמַרְוִיחַ, הוּא מַשְׁלִים אוֹרָהּ בָּזֶה, וּמְקַבֵּץ נִדָּחֶיהָ. כִּי הוּא צָרִיךְ לְהַשְׁלִים אוֹרָהּ תָּמִיד, כִּי הוּא בְּחִינַת הֲנָקַת הָאִילָן וְהָעֲנָפִים וְהַפֵּרוֹת, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי שֶׁהוּא מֵינִיקָם וּמַשְׁלִימָם, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הָאִילָן מְגַדֵּל עֲנָפִים, הַיְנוּ שֶׁמִּתְנוֹצֵץ אוֹרָהּ, וְהָעֲנָפִים עוֹשִׂים פֵּרוֹת כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה שֶׁנּוֹתֵן לָהּ כְּתֻבָּה תֵּכֶף אַחַר הַקִּדּוּשִׁין, וּמַבְטִיחַ לָהּ בַּכְּתֻבָּה: וַאֲנָא אֶפְלַח וְאוֹקִיר וְאוֹזִין וַאֲפַרְנֵס יָתֵךְ – שֶׁמַּבְטִיחַ לָהּ לְהַשְׁלִים אוֹרָהּ תָּמִיד, עַל־יְדֵי הַמָּמוֹן כַּנַּ"ל:
Thus, through all the business activity that a man engages in and profits from, he completes [his wife’s] light and gathers up her dispersed parts. For he must continually complete her light, since he is the aspect of nourishing the tree, the branches and the fruits. His providing them with sustenance and completing them causes the tree to grow branches—i.e., her light to shine—and the branches produce fruits, as explained. This is why immediately following the betrothal he gives her a marriage contract, in which he guarantees: “I will labor, honor, support and provide for you.” He assures her that he will always complete her light by means of the money, as explained above.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת יְרֻשָּׁה שֶׁשַּׁיָּךְ לַבָּנִים. כִּי כְּשֶׁהַפֵּרוֹת יוֹצְאִין, לִפְעָמִים עֲדַיִן צְרִיכִים לְעַנְפֵיהֶם לִינֹק מֵהֶם כַּנַּ"ל. וְעַל כֵּן כְּשֶׁנִּפְטָר, וְאֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לִינֹק עוֹד, כִּי נִפְסָק הֲנָקַת הָאִילָן, עַל־כֵּן הֵם מְקַבְּלִים וְיוֹרְשִׁים הַמָּמוֹן הַשַּׁיָּךְ לָהֶם, לְהַשְׁלִים אוֹרָם, וְהִיא מְקַבֶּלֶת הַשְּׁאָר מַה שֶּׁרָאוּי לָהּ לְאוֹרָהּ, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת הַכְּתֻבָּה שֶׁנּוֹטֶלֶת.
5. This is also the concept of the estate rights, which belong to the children. When fruits appear, they sometimes still have need of their branches, to draw sustenance from them. Therefore, when [their father] passes away and they can no longer draw sustenance because the nourishing of the tree has ceased, [the children] receive and inherit the money due them, in order to complete their light. And [their mother] receives the balance due her for her light; this being the concept of her taking the marriage contract.
וְלִפְעָמִים אֵין צְרִיכִין הַבָּנִים לְקַבֵּל עוֹד אוֹר מֵהָעֲנָפִים, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן נוֹטְלִים יְרֻשָּׁה, זֶהוּ מִבְּחִינָה אַחֶרֶת, כִּי כְּשֶׁהַבָּנִים יוֹצְאִים לָעוֹלָם, יוֹצֵא תֵּכֶף עִמָּהֶם בַּת זוּגָם, וּמָמוֹנָם, וּבְנֵיהֶם, הַיְנוּ, הָאִילָן וְהָעֲנָפִים וְהַפֵּרוֹת, וְהָאָב מְקַבֵּץ אוֹרָם. וְעַל־כֵּן אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה גַּם כֵּן לָאָב מָמוֹן בִּשְׁבִיל בָּנָיו, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמְּקַבֵּץ חֶלְקֵי אוֹר שֶׁלָּהֶם. וְעַל־כֵּן לִפְעָמִים הֵם נוֹטְלִים יְרֻשָּׁה, אַף שֶׁאֵינָם צְרִיכִים לְאִמָּן, לְקַבֵּל אוֹר מֵעֲנָפֶיהָ, אֲבָל הֵם נוֹטְלִים מָמוֹן שֶׁלָּהֶם, שֶׁקִּבֵּץ אֲבִיהֶם עַל יָדָם מֵחֶלְקֵי אוֹר שֶׁלָּהֶם.
At other times, the children take the inheritance even though they have no need for any additional light from the branches. This is for a different reason. When the children come into the world, at that moment their spouses, money and children—i.e., the tree, branches and fruits—come into the world with them, and their father gathers up their light. Thus it is possible that the father may also have money on his children’s account, through his gathering up the parts of their light. Therefore, they occasionally take the inheritance even though they have no need of their mother, of receiving light from her branches. They nevertheless take their money, which their father gathered up through them, from the parts of their lights.
וּבֶאֱמֶת לֹא הָיָה רָאוּי לְחַלֵּק הַיְרֻשָּׁה בְּשָׁוֶה, כִּי בְּוַדַּאי אֵינוֹ שָׁוֶה חֶלְקֵי אוֹרָם. אֲבָל אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִמְסֹר מִשְׁפָּט זֶה לְבֵית־דִּין שֶׁלְּמַטָּה, כִּי אֵין יוֹדֵעַ חִלּוּקִים אֵלּוּ, כִּי־אִם הַיּוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת, וְהוּא בֶּאֱמֶת מְסַדֵּר אַחַר־כָּךְ כָּרָאוּי, וְנוֹטֵל מִזֶּה וְנוֹתֵן לָזֶה:
In truth, the inheritance should not be divided equally, since the parts of their lights are certainly not equal. However, it is impossible to hand over this judicial decision to the courts of this lower world. For only the Knower of Mysteries knows how to make these distinctions. And in truth, He later arranges things as they ought to be, taking from one and giving to the other.
וְדַע, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה שֶׁגּוֹזֵל אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ, הוּא בָּא לְהִרְהוּרִים. כִּי בְּוַדַּאי הוּא מִתְדַּבֵּק וְנִכְסָף לְאֵשֶׁת חֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁגְּזָלוֹ, עַל־יְדֵי הַמָּמוֹן שֶׁנָּטַל מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁהוּא אוֹר נַפְשָׁהּ כַּנַּ"ל. וְכֵן הִיא מְהַרְהֶרֶת אַחֲרָיו, עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמָּשַׁךְ אוֹתָהּ אֵלָיו, עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמָּשַׁךְ לְעַצְמוֹ אוֹר נַפְשָׁהּ. וְעַל־כֵּן אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סנהדרין פא): הַיּוֹרֵד לְאֻמָּנוּת חֲבֵרוֹ, כְּאִלּוּ בָּא עַל אֵשֶׁת־אִישׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאֶת אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ לֹא טִמֵּא וְכוּ'. כִּי הוּא בָּא וּמְטַמֵּא מַמָּשׁ אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ, עַל־יְדֵי הַגְּזֵלָה כַּנַּ"ל.
6. Know, too, that robbing another person brings one to immoral thoughts. On account of the money that he takes from him, which is the light of her soul, he will certainly feel an attraction and a desire for his victim’s wife. Likewise, she will have thoughts for him as a result of his drawing her to himself; as a result of his drawing to himself the light of her soul. This is the reason our Sages, of blessed memory, taught (cf. Sanhedrin 81a): Whoever [competitively] enters his neighbor’s occupation, it is as if he had relations with a married woman, as it is written (Ezekiel 18:6), “He has not defiled his neighbor’s wife.” By robbing, he comes and literally defiles his neighbor’s wife.
וְלִפְעָמִים, יְאַבֵּד הַגַּזְלָן בַּת זוּג שֶׁלּוֹ עַל יְדֵי הַגְּזֵלָה, כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁנָּתַן עֵינוֹ בְּמָמוֹן חֲבֵרוֹ, הַיְנוּ בְּאוֹר בַּת זוּגוֹ, אִם כֵּן הוּא מְמָאֵס בְּשֶׁלּוֹ, וּפוֹנֶה אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה בְּחֶלְקוֹ, בַּמָּמוֹן שֶׁלּוֹ, בְּאוֹר בַּת זוּג שֶׁלּוֹ, עַל־כֵּן הִיא גַּם הִיא פּוֹנָה אֶת עַצְמָהּ מִמֶּנּוּ, וּמִתְרַחֶקֶת מִמֶּנּוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא הִתְרַחֵק אֶת עַצְמוֹ, וּפָנָה מִמֶּנָּה. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ירושלמי ברכות פ"ט): מָשָׁל לְאִשָּׁה שֶׁהִיא מַמְתֶּנֶת לְאִישׁ, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיָה בְּדַעְתּוֹ לְהִנָּשֵׂא לָהּ, הָיְתָה יוֹשֶׁבֶת וּמַמְתֶּנֶת לוֹ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִפְלִיג אֶת דַּעְתּוֹ מִמֶּנָּה, אַף הִיא הָלְכָה וְנִשֵּׂאת לְאַחֵר. עַל־כֵּן אִם אֵין לְהַגַּזְלָן אִשָּׁה, יוּכַל לְאַבֵּד בַּת זוּג שֶׁלּוֹ:
Sometimes, by robbing, the robber loses his own spouse. By setting his sights on his neighbor’s money—i.e., on the light of his [neighbor’s] wife—he shows disgust for his own. He turns away from what is his and spurns his lot: his money, the light of his spouse. Therefore she likewise turns away from him and distances herself from him, just as he distanced himself and turned away from her. And as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: It is comparable to a woman who waits for a man. As long as his intention is to marry her, she continues to wait for him. Once he drops her from his mind, she goes and marries someone else (Yerushalmi, Berakhot 9:5). Thus, [even] if the robber is unmarried, he can lose his [future] spouse.
וְגַם יוּכַל הַגַּזְלָן לִפְעָמִים לִגְזֹל מֵחֲבֵרוֹ, אֲפִלּוּ הַבַּת זוּג שֶׁל הַנִּגְזָל. וְהַכֹּל לְפִי תֹּקֶף וְחֹזֶק תַּאֲוָתוֹ וְחִשְׁקוֹ וְהִתְגַּבְּרוּתוֹ עַל מָמוֹן חֲבֵרוֹ בְּהִרְהוּר וּבְמַעֲשֶׂה, עַד שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּתְגַּבֵּר וְיִקַּח גַּם בַּת זוּג שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ הַנִּגְזָל. כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁהִתְגַּבֵּר וְגָזַל מָמוֹן חֲבֵרוֹ, שֶׁהוּא אוֹר נֶפֶשׁ בַּת זוּגוֹ כַּנַּ"ל, עַל־כֵּן לִפְעָמִים נִמְשֶׁכֶת הִיא בְּעַצְמָהּ גַּם כֵּן אַחַר הַמָּמוֹן שֶׁגָּזַל זֶה הַגַּזְלָן מִבַּעְלָהּ. וְעַל־כֵּן לִפְעָמִים הַגַּזְלָן גּוֹזֵל גַּם אֵשֶׁת חֲבֵרוֹ, עַל־יְדֵי הַמָּמוֹן שֶׁגָּזַל מִמֶּנּוּ בְּיָדַיִם, אוֹ עַל־יְדֵי חֶמְדָּה.
Other times, the robber can even rob the victim of his wife. It all depends on the strength and intensity of his hunger and desire for, and control over, his neighbor’s money—in thought and in deed. These can become so strong that he also takes his neighbor’s wife. Now that he has the power to rob his neighbor’s money, which is the light of his wife’s soul, it occasionally happens that she herself is drawn after the money that this robber robbed from her husband. Thus, sometimes, by robbing his money—taking it, or coveting it—the robber also robs his neighbor’s wife.
כִּי דַּע, כִּי גַּם עַל־יְדֵי חֶמְדָּה וְתַאֲוָה וְהִשְׁתּוֹקְקוּת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לְמָמוֹן חֲבֵרוֹ, גַּם עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יוּכַל לְגָזְלוֹ, כִּי הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה יֵשׁ לָהּ תֹּקֶף גָּדוֹל, כַּמְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (לקמן בסי' קצג). וְעַל־כֵּן יוּכַל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְהָאָדָם מָמוֹן גְּזֵלָה, אַף שֶׁלֹּא גָּזַל כְּלוּם בְּיָדַיִם.
Thus know, it is also possible for a person to rob by coveting, desiring and craving his neighbor’s money. This is because thought has great power, as explained elsewhere. A person can therefore possess ill-gotten money without even physically robbing anything.
וְזֶהוּ הָאִסּוּר הַלָּאו הֶחָמוּר שֶׁבַּעֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת: לֹא תַחְמֹד, כִּי הַחֶמְדָּה בְּעַצְמָהּ הוּא אִסּוּר חָמוּר מְאֹד רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלָן, כִּי יֵשׁ כֹּחַ בְּהַחֶמְדָּה לִגְזֹל מִמֶּנּוּ מָמוֹנוֹ, וְנֶפֶשׁ בָּנָיו וּבְנוֹתָיו כַּנַּ"ל. וְעַל כֵּן יֵשׁ אִסּוּר אֲפִלּוּ בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה לִשְׁלֹחַ יָד בְּפִקָּדוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ בְּבָבָא מְצִיעָא (דף מג:): הַחוֹשֵׁב לִשְׁלֹחַ יָד בְּפִקָּדוֹן. כִּי הַפְּלֻגְתָּא הִיא רַק אִם חַיָּב עַל־זֶה כְּמוֹ הַשּׁוֹלֵחַ יָד מַמָּשׁ, אֲבָל אִסּוּר יֵשׁ בְּוַדַּאי לְכֻלֵּי עָלְמָא, כַּנַּ"ל.
This is the grievous prohibition included in the Ten Commandments: “Do not covet” (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18). Coveting itself is strictly forbidden, may the Compassionate One spare us. This is because by coveting one can rob another’s money, as well as the souls of his sons and daughters. It is therefore forbidden to misappropriate a deposited item even in thought, as we learned in Bava Metzia (43b): “A person who intends to misappropriate a deposited item.” The dispute there is only whether he is liable for this, as one who actually misappropriates [the item]. However, there is unanimous agreement that it is certainly prohibited.
וְהִנֵּה, לִפְעָמִים הַגַּזְלָן הוּא בִּבְחִינַת מְמָאֵס בְּאֵשֶׁת נְעוּרִים וְחוֹמֵד אֵשֶׁת חֲבֵרוֹ כַּנַּ"ל. וְלִפְעָמִים רוֹצֶה בִּשְׁנֵיהֶם, שֶׁרוֹצֶה אֶת מָמוֹנוֹ, וְחָפֵץ גַּם בְּשֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת מַכְנִיס צָרָה בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ.
7. Now, at times the robber is as one who despises the wife of his youth and covets his neighbor’s wife. Other times, he wants them both: he wants his own money and also his neighbor’s. This is the aspect of a person who ‘brings trouble into his house.’
וְהַנָּבִיא הִזְהִיר עַל זֶה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (מלאכי ב׳:ט״ו-ט״ז): וּבְאֵשֶׁת נְעוּרֶיךָ אַל תִּבְגֹּד, כִּי שָׂנֵא שַׁלַּח. הַכַּוָּנָה: אִם אֵין דַּי לְךָ בְּחֶלְקְךָ, וְאַתָּה שׂוֹנֵא אֶת מָמוֹנְךָ, שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַסְפִּיק לְךָ, עַל כֵּן שַׁלַּח. הַיְנוּ שֶׁתַּעֲשֶׂה תַּקָּנָה לָזֶה, שֶׁתִּתֵּן צְדָקָה, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינוֹת שַׁלַּח, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (קהלת י״א:א׳): שַׁלַּח לַחְמְךָ עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם;
The prophet warned against this, as it is written (Malachi 2:15-16), “[Curb your spirit] and do not betray the wife of your youth. That which you despise, send away.” The meaning is: If your portion is not enough for you, and you despise your wealth, which you find insufficient—“send away.” That is, rectify it: give charity, which is an aspect of “send away,” as it is written (Ecclesiastes 11:1), “Cast your bread upon the waters.”
כְּמָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (גיטין ז.): אִם רוֹאֶה אָדָם שֶׁמְּזוֹנוֹתָיו מְצֻמְצָמִין, יַעֲשֶׂה מֵהֶם צְדָקָה. כִּי מַה שֶּׁמְּזוֹנוֹתָיו מְצֻמְצָמִין, הוּא מֵחֲמַת הִתְגַּבְּרוּת הַקְּלִפּוֹת עַל הַנֶּפֶשׁ, בְּחִינַת נוּקְבָא, בִּבְחִינַת: רַגְלֶיהָ יוֹרְדוֹת מָוֶת, וְעַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמִּתְגַּבְּרִים הַקְּלִפּוֹת עָלֶיהָ, הֵם יוֹנְקִים מִמֶּנָּה וּמְחַסְּרִים אוֹרָהּ, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אֵין לוֹ מָמוֹן. אֲבָל עַל־יְדֵי צְדָקָה, הוּא מוֹצִיאָהּ מִבֵּין הַקְּלִפּוֹת. כִּי צְדָקָה תַּצִּיל מִמָּוֶת (משלי י׳:ב׳), הַיְנוּ מִמַּה שֶּׁהָיָה מִקֹּדֶם "רַגְלֶיהָ יוֹרְדוֹת מָוֶת". וְעַל כֵּן, עַל יְדֵי צְדָקָה יוּכַל לְתַקֵּן מָמוֹנוֹ, בְּחִינוֹת אֵשֶׁת נְעוּרָיו, וְלֹא לִבְגֹּד בָּהּ, וְזֶה: כִּי שָׂנֵא שַׁלַּח:
This is as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: If a man sees that his livelihood is meager, let him turn it into charity (Gittin 7a). The reason a person’s livelihood is meager is that the forces of evil have control over the soul, the feminine aspect, as in “Her feet descend to death.” By overpowering her, the evil forces leech off her and diminish her light. This is why [her husband] lacks money. But by giving charity, he removes her from the evil forces, since “Charity saves from death” (Proverbs 10:2)—i.e., from the previous state of “Her feet descend to death.” Therefore, by giving charity he can rectify his wealth, which corresponds to the wife of his youth, and not be unfaithful to her. This is the meaning of: “That which you despise, send away.”
וְדַע, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי צְדָקָה יוּכַל לְתַקֵּן מָמוֹן גְּזֵלָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ, הַיְנוּ שֶׁגְּזָלוֹ עַל־יְדֵי חֶמְדָּה, כִּי גְּזֵלָה מַמָּשׁ אֵין לָהּ תִּקּוּן עַד שֶׁיָּשִׁיב אֶת הַגְּזֵלָה, וְכֵן אִם גָּזַל אֶת הָרַבִּים, צָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּהַמָּמוֹן שֶׁגָּזַל צָרְכֵי רַבִּים. אֲבָל אִם יֵשׁ לוֹ מָמוֹן גְּזֵלָה עַל־יְדֵי חֶמְדָּה כַּנַּ"ל, זֶה יָכוֹל לְתַקֵּן עַל־יְדֵי צְדָקָה, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי צְדָקָה יִתְקַיֵּם כָּךְ. הַיְנוּ שֶׁיִּתְקַיֵּם אֶצְלוֹ מָמוֹנוֹ, אַף שֶׁהִיא שֶׁל גְּזֵלָה עַל יְדֵי הַחֶמְדָּה.
8. And know, by giving charity a person can rectify the ill-gotten money he has in his possession—i.e., that which he robbed by coveting. Only returning that which was robbed can remedy actual robbing. Likewise, if one has robbed from the community, he must use the ill-gotten money for the public good (Beitzah 29a). But if he possesses money robbed by coveting, he can rectify it through charity. Giving tzedakah (charity) causes it to remain as it is: his money remains his, even though it is [money] robbed through coveting.
וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (קידושין עא) עַל פָּסוּק (מלאכי ג׳:ג׳): וְיָשַׁב מְצָרֵף וּמְטַהֵר כֶּסֶף וְטִהַר אֶת בְּנֵי לֵוִי וְזִקַּק אֹתָם כַּזָּהָב וְכַכָּסֶף וְהָיוּ לַה' מַגִּישֵׁי מִנְחָה בִּצְדָקָה – צְדָקָה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא עַל מִשְׁפָּחָה שֶׁנִּטְמְעָה נִטְמְעָה.
This is “He will sit smelting and purifying silver; he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they will be for God presenters of offerings in tzedakah (righteousness)” (Malachi 3:3) . Concerning this verse, our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: God will be charitable, so that a family that has blended [into the Jewish people] beyond recognition shall remain that way (Kiddushin 71a) .
הַיְנוּ, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי צְדָקָה נִתְתַּקֵּן הַגְּזֵלָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינוֹת מִשְׁפָּחָה שֶׁנִּטְמְעָה, כִּי הוּא בְּחִינַת גּוֹזֵל נֶפֶשׁ בָּנָיו וּבְנוֹתָיו וְנוֹטֵל אֵשֶׁת חֲבֵרוֹ כַּנַּ"ל, עַל כֵּן הוּא בְּחִינַת מִשְׁפָּחָה שֶׁל תַּעֲרוֹבוֹת. וְעַל־יְדֵי צְדָקָה, נִתְתַּקֵּן שֶׁיִּתְקַיֵּם כָּךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ מִשְׁפָּחָה שֶׁנִּטְמְעָה – נִטְמְעָה. וְזֶה: וְיָשַׁב מְצָרֵף וּמְטַהֵר כֶּסֶף וְזִקַּק אֹתָם כַּזָּהָב וְכַכָּסֶף, הַיְנוּ שֶׁיְּצָרֵף וִיזַקֵּק הַכֶּסֶף וְהַזָּהָב שֶׁהוּא שֶׁל גְּזֵלָה כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת מִשְׁפָּחָה שֶׁנִּטְמְעָה כַּנַּ"ל:
In other words, through charity it is possible to remedy the theft, which is the same aspect as a family that has blended beyond recognition. Since he robs the souls of his neighbor’s sons and daughters and takes his wife, as explained above, it is therefore an intermingled family. But charity rectifies this: it remains as it is, as they said, “a family that has blended beyond recognition shall remain that way.” This is “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver… refining them like gold and silver”—he will purge and refine the robbed silver and gold, which corresponds to the family that has blended beyond recognition.
וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (קידושין ע): הַנּוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה לְשֵׁם מָמוֹן הַוְיָן לֵהּ בָּנִים שֶׁאֵינָם מְהֻגָּנִים;
9. This is what our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: Whoever marries a woman for money will have disreputable children (Kiddushin 70a) .
כִּי כְּשֶׁנְּשָׂאָהּ לְשֵׁם מָמוֹן, וּפוֹנֶה עַצְמוֹ לְהַמָּמוֹן, הוּא שׁוֹטֶה וּכְסִיל. כִּי לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ וְלֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ (קהלת י׳:ב׳), הַיְנוּ שֶׁהֶחָכָם כְּשֶׁנּוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה הוּא פּוֹנֶה לִימִינוֹ, הַיְנוּ לְהַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת יָמִין, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים לג): מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ. הַיְנוּ, שֶׁנּוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה בִּשְׁבִיל הַתּוֹרָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּלְמַד תּוֹרָה בְּטָהֳרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מנחות קי): הַלּוֹמֵד תּוֹרָה בְּטָהֳרָה נוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה וְכוּ'.
When a person marries for money, making money his goal, he is an idiot and a fool, for “A wise man’s heart is at his right, while a fool’s heart is at his left” (Ecclesiastes 10:2). That is, when someone wise marries, he turns to his right—i.e., to the Torah, which corresponds to the right, as it is written (Deuteronomy 33:2), “from His right hand He presented the fiery Law to them.” In other words, he marries a woman for the sake of Torah; that he might study Torah in purity, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: One who wants to study Torah in purity should take a wife… (Menachot 110a) .
אֲבָל לֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ, שֶׁנּוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה בִּשְׁבִיל מָמוֹן, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת שְׂמֹאל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי ג׳:ט״ז) בִּשְׂמֹאלָהּ עֹשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד. וְנִמְצָא כְּשֶׁנּוֹשֵׂא לְשֵׁם מָמוֹן הוּא כְּסִיל, וּפוֹגֵם וְאוֹבֵד דַּעְתּוֹ, וְעַל־כֵּן הַוְיָן לֵהּ בָּנִים שֶׁאֵינָם מְהֻגָּנִים, מֵאַחַר שֶׁפָּגַם הַדַּעַת, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם בָּאִים הַבָּנִים:
But “a fool’s heart is at his left.” He marries a woman for money, which corresponds to the left, as it is written (Proverbs 3:16), “and in her left hand, wealth and honor.” Thus we see that when he marries for money, he is a fool. He blemishes and loses his wisdom. As a result, “he will have disreputable children”—on account of his having blemished daat, the source of children.
וְדַע, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי שֶׁפּוֹנֶה עַצְמוֹ לְהַמָּמוֹן, מִזֶּה נַעֲשִׂים שׂוֹנְאִים. כִּי עִקַּר הִתְגַּבְּרוּת הַשִּׂנְאָה, הוּא בָּא מִבִּלְבּוּל וַעֲכִירַת הַמֹּחַ. כִּי אַהֲבָה תְּלוּיָה בְּדַעַת וָשֵׂכֶל, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (איוב ל״ט:ט״ז): הִקְשִׁיחַ בָּנֶיהָ לְלֹא לָהּ, כִּי הִשָּׁהּ אֱלוֹקַּ חָכְמָה. הַיְנוּ, שֶׁאֵין לָהּ אַהֲבָה עַל בָּנֶיהָ, זֶה בָּא מֵחֲמַת שֶׁאֵין לָהּ חָכְמָה.
10. And know, making money one’s goal creates enemies. Love is dependent on daat and intelligence, and so hatred grows strong mainly because the mind is confused and clouded. As it is written (Job 39:16-17), “She is callous toward her children, as if they were not hers… because God deprived her of wisdom”—i.e., she feels no love for her children because she is lacking wisdom.
וְעַל־כֵּן כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עֲכִירַת הַמֹּחַ, מִזֶּה יוֹנְקִים וּמִתְגַּבְּרִים הַשּׂוֹנְאִים. וּכְפִי הַבִּלְבּוּל וְהָעֲכִירוּת שֶׁל הַמֹּחַ עַל יְדֵי תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן, כֵּן הִתְגַּבְּרוּת הַשּׂוֹנְאִים. וְלִפְעָמִים נַעֲשִׂים מִזֶּה שׂוֹנְאֵי חִנָּם, כִּי לְפִי תַּאֲוָתוֹ וּפְנִיָּתוֹ לְמָמוֹן, כֵּן נַעֲשֶׂה כְּסִיל, וְכֵן נִתְעַכֵּר מֹחוֹ, וְכֵן מִתְגַּבְּרִים הַשּׂוֹנְאִים.
Thus, when one’s mind is clouded, enemies are nourished and strengthened. They are empowered in proportion to the measure of confusion and clouding of the mind that results from one’s desire for money. Sometimes, this gives rise to enemies whose hate is without cause. A person becomes foolish, his mind becomes clouded, and enemies become strong in proportion to his desire and striving for money.
וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁהָעֲכִירוּת בְּתוֹךְ הַמֹּחַ, אֲזַי הַשּׂוֹנְאִים הַמִּתְגַּבְּרִים מִשָּׁם, הַיְנוּ מֵהָעֲכִירוּת הַמֹּחַ, הֵם גַּם כֵּן שׂוֹנְאִים בְּדַעַת וּבְמֹחַ, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם טַעַם עַל שִׂנְאָתָם, אַף שֶׁהַדַּעַת הַזֶּה הוּא בְּחִינוֹת עֲכִירוּת הַמֹּחַ, כִּי עִקַּר הַשִּׂנְאָה הוּא רַק מֵעֲכִירַת הַמֹּחַ, עִם כָּל זֶה יֵשׁ לָהֶם עַל כָּל פָּנִים טַעַם עַל שִׂנְאָתָם, מֵאַחַר שֶׁהָעֲכִירוּת עֲדַיִן בְּתוֹךְ הַמֹּחַ.
Now, as long as his mind remains clouded, the enemies that gain strength from there—i.e., from the clouding of the mind—are enemies with daat and thought. There is reason to their hatred. Although this daat corresponds to a clouded mind, which is the primary source of hatred, [the enemies] nevertheless have a reason for their hatred, since the clouding is still in the mind.
אֲבָל דַּע, שֶׁלִּפְעָמִים חוֹשֵׁק כָּל כָּךְ לְמָמוֹן, וְנַעֲשֶׂה כָּל כָּךְ כְּסִיל, עַד שֶׁאֵין הַמֹּחַ יָכוֹל לִסְבֹּל כְּלָל הָעֲכִירוּת, עַד שֶׁיּוֹצֵא בִּבְחִינוֹת שְׂעָרוֹת, כִּי שְׂעָרוֹת הֵם מוֹתְרֵי מֹחִין כַּיָּדוּעַ.
But know, occasionally a person’s lusting for money is so great and he becomes so foolish, that the mind cannot bear all the clouding. Eventually, it emerges as hair, since the hairs are the extraneous elements of the mind, as is known.
וְאָז גַּם הַשּׂוֹנְאִים הַבָּאִים מִשָּׁם, הַיְנוּ מֵהָעֲכִירוּת הַזֹּאת, מִבְּחִינַת מוֹתְרֵי מֹחִין, מִבְּחִינַת שְׂעָרוֹת, הֵם שׂוֹנְאֵי חִנָּם. כִּי אֵין לָהֶם שׁוּם טַעַם עַל שִׂנְאָתָם, מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵינָם בָּאִים אֲפִלּוּ מֵהָעֲכִירוּת שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַמֹּחַ, רַק מִמּוֹתְרֵי מֹחִין, מִבְּחִינַת שְׂעָרוֹת. עַל־כֵּן אֵין לָהֶם שׁוּם טַעַם וָדַעַת, אֲפִלּוּ שֶׁל עֲכִירַת מֹחַ, עַל שִׂנְאָתָם, וְהֵם רַק שׂוֹנְאֵי חִנָּם. וְזֶה בְּחִינוֹת (תהילים ס״ט:ה׳): רַבּוּ מִשַּׂעֲרוֹת רֹאשִׁי שׂוֹנְאַי חִנָּם; כִּי שׂוֹנְאֵי חִנָּם בָּאִים מִבְּחִינַת שְׂעָרוֹת, מוֹתְרֵי מֹחִין כַּנַּ"ל:
Then, also the enemies that stem from there—i.e., from this clouding, the aspect of the extraneous elements of the mind, the hair—are enemies whose hate is without cause. They have no reason for their hatred, because they do not come from even the clouding in the mind, but from the mind’s extraneous elements, the aspect of the hair. Therefore, their hatred has neither reason nor the daat of even a clouded mind. They are merely enemies whose hate is without cause. This is as in “More numerous than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause” (Psalms 69:5), since enemies whose hate is without cause come from the aspect of the hair, the extraneous elements of the mind, as explained above.
אֲבָל הֶחָכָם, אַף שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ גַּם כֵּן מוֹתְרֵי מֹחִין, בְּחִינַת שְׂעָרוֹת, דַּע, שֶׁהֶחָכָם, בְּחִינוֹת מוֹתְרֵי מֹחִין וּשְׂעָרוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ, הֵם בְּחִינַת שַׁעַר, בְּיָמִין עַל הַשִּׁין. שֶׁמּוֹתְרֵי מֹחִין שֶׁלּוֹ, הֵם בְּחִינַת שְׁעָרִים, שֶׁפּוֹתֵחַ בָּהֶם שַׁעֲרֵי הַחָכְמָה וְהַמַּדָּע לַעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ.
And although also the mind of a wise person contains extraneous elements, the aspect of hair—know, that for one who is wise, his mind’s extraneous elements and saar (hair) are the aspect of a shaar (gate); [the punctuation] above the letter shin is on the right. His mind’s extraneous elements are the aspect of “gates.” He uses them to open the gates of wisdom and daat in devotion to God.
כִּי מֵחֲמַת שֶׁמֹּחוֹ בְּעַצְמוֹ, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהָעוֹלָם לְסָבְלוֹ לְקַבֵּל מֵאוֹרוֹ, הוּא צָרִיךְ לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ וּלְהִתְכַּסּוֹת עַצְמוֹ, וּלְהַשְׁפִּיל עַצְמוֹ לִדְבָרִים קְטַנִּים וּנְמוּכִים, כְּדֵי שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ הָעוֹלָם לְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּפְתַּח לָהֶם שַׁעֲרֵי הַחָכְמָה וְהַמַּדָּע לְקָרְבָם לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. בִּבְחִינַת (משלי י״ד:י״ט): שַׁחוּ רָעִים לִפְנֵי טוֹבִים, וּרְשָׁעִים עַל שַׁעֲרֵי צַדִּיק. שֶׁכְּדֵי לִשְׁחוֹת וּלְהַכְנִיעַ הָרָעִים לִפְנֵי הַטּוֹבִים, צָרִיךְ לְהָבִיא הָרְשָׁעִים עַל שַׁעֲרֵי צַדִּיק כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶהוּ אֵצֶל הַצַּדִּיק בְּחִינַת מוֹתְרֵי מֹחִין, בְּחִינַת שְׂעָרוֹת. נִמְצָא שֶׁהַשְּׂעָרוֹת שֶׁל הֶחָכָם, הֵם בְּחִינַת שַׁעַר בְּיָמִין. אֲבָל אֵצֶל הָרָשָׁע הַכְּסִיל, הֵם שְׂעָרוֹת מַמָּשׁ בִּשְׂמֹאל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ, וְלֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ.
Because people cannot relate to his essential intellect such that they benefit from its light, he must cover and conceal himself. He has to humble himself with trivial and lowly matters in order that people might benefit from him; that he might open for them the gates of wisdom and knowledge in order to bring them closer to God, as in “Evildoers will be brought low before good people, and the wicked at the gates of the tzaddik” (Proverbs 14:19). In order to subdue evildoers and bring them low before good people, one has to bring the wicked before the tzaddik’s gates—which in the tzaddik’s case is the aspect of the mind’s extraneous elements, the hair. Thus it is that the hair of a person who is wise is the aspect of a shaar; [the punctuation is] on the right. But for the wicked fool they are actual saar; [the punctuation is] on the left. This is the aspect of “a wise man’s heart is at his right, while a fool’s heart is at his left.”
וְעַל־כֵּן אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם בקידושין ע): הַנּוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה שֶׁאֵינָהּ הוֹגֶנֶת לוֹ, אֵלִיָּהוּ כּוֹפְתוֹ כוּ'. כִּי כְּשֶׁנּוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה שֶׁאֵינָהּ הוֹגֶנֶת לוֹ, בְּוַדַּאי אֵינוֹ מִתְרַצֶּה בְּחֶלְקוֹ, בְּמָמוֹנוֹ, בְּאֵשֶׁת נְעוּרָיו, וּבוֹחֵר בַּמֶּה שֶּׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁאֵינָהּ הֲגוּנָה לוֹ. וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת מוֹתָרוֹת, בְּחִינַת שְׂעָרוֹת כַּנַּ"ל, עַל כֵּן אֵלִיָּהוּ מְמֻנֶּה עַל זֶה לְעָנְשׁוֹ, כִּי הוּא בַּעַל שֵׂעָר (מלכים־ב א), שֶׁמְּמֻנֶּה עַל־זֶה, עַל בְּחִינַת שְׂעָרוֹת, לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּהֶם דִּין.
Therefore our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Whoever marries a woman that is improper for him, Eliyahu binds him [and God lashes him] (Kiddushin 70a). He who marries a woman that is improper for him is unquestionably dissatisfied with his lot: with his money, with the wife of his youth. Instead, he chooses that which is not his, that which is not proper for him. As a result, he is the aspect of extraneous elements, the hair, as explained above. Eliyahu is therefore assigned to punish him. For he is “a hairy man” (2 Kings 1:8). He is appointed over this aspect of the hair, to execute judgment through it.
וְעַל־כֵּן אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם): אֵלִיָּהוּ כּוֹפְתוֹ, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא רוֹצְעוֹ. זֶה בְּחִינַת מֹחִין, וּבְחִינַת מוֹתְרֵי מֹחִין. כּוֹפְתוֹ – בְּחִינַת מֹחִין, בְּחִינַת תְּפִלִּין, בְּחִינַת (שיר השירים ז׳:ו׳): מֶלֶךְ אָסוּר בָּרְהָטִים, בִּרְהִיטֵי מֹחִין, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת תְּפִלִּין, כַּמּוּבָא. רוֹצְעוֹ – זֶה בְּחִינַת מוֹתְרֵי מֹחִין, בְּחִינַת רְצוּעוֹת, שֶׁהֵן בְּחִינַת מוֹתְרֵי מֹחִין: [זֹאת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁל חֹמֶר אִסּוּר גְּזֵלָה, וְהַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּסִימָן ס"ח הַקּוֹדֵם, מֵעִנְיַן פְּגַם הַכַּעַס שֶׁמַּפְסִיד הָעֲשִׁירוּת – שְׁנֵי הַתּוֹרוֹת אֵלּוּ, יֵשׁ לָהֶם חִבּוּר וְשַׁיָּכוּת זֶה לָזֶה, כַּמּוּבָן לְמַשְׂכִּיל, וְהֵם מְחֻבָּרִים יַחַד בְּתוֹךְ הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁל הֵיכַל הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁבְּסִימָן נ"ט, כִּי שָׁם הוּבְאוּ שְׁנֵי עִנְיָנִים אֵלּוּ בְּקִצּוּר בְּתוֹךְ הֶמְשֵׁךְ הַתּוֹרָה הַהִיא. עַיֵּן שָׁם הֵיטֵב]:
And so our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Eliyahu binds him and God lashes him.” This alludes to the mind and the extraneous elements of the mind. “Binds him” corresponds to the mind, the aspect of tefilin. This is as in “a king is bound in the ReHaTim (locks)” (Song of Songs 7:6)—in the RaHaTei (conduits) of the mind (Tikkuney Zohar #6, p.21b). As is brought there, this is the aspect of tefilin. “Lashes him” corresponds to the mind’s extraneous elements—the straps, which are the extraneous elements of the mind. {The intelligent will discern that these two lessons—this one, “The Gravity of the Prohibition against Robbery,” and Lesson #68, concerning losing one’s wealth on account of anger—are linked and related. They are joined in Lesson #59, “A Chamber of Holiness,” where in the course of the teaching both these topics are brought in brief. Study there well.}