It is forbidden for a Jew to work on Shabbat. What is the esoteric reason for this prohibition?

It is important to understand that working on Shabbat implies on a “decree of death” (Shemot 31:15), chaz v’shalom. The Sod or mystical aspect of this subject is extraordinary, and I shall reveal only a small degree while hiding much more, merely summarizing in a simple form, all based on the Kabbalah of the Ari”zal (Sefer HaLikutim, Parashat Behar, et. al.). Although it is not ideal to reveal such things to such unprepared recipients, here follows my kavanah, may the Heavens witness this, to help those that still have any doubts regarding the prohibitions of work on Shabbat, so they may quickly do teshuvah and receive the kabbalat ol. As the Talmud says, “the person should do teshuvah one day before his death, e since we do not know when is this day, it is vital do be always doing teshuvah” (alluding to Shabbat 153a).

During the regular weekdays, there are spiritual forces that descend to our world’s level of reality in order to allow that tikkunim (“rectifications”) be made into effect through the permitted works to a Jew. In a more specific manner, every permitted work done during the week serves, in a way or another, to raise netzuzin kedoshim (“Divine sparks”) fallen in the physical level when the order of reality was not our current order of rectification, the Olam HaTikkun, but rather, the preceding order of the Olam HaTohu (“World of Chaos”). The order of the Olam HaTohu was broken apart, so to speak, through a deep and fundamental process of the Divine plan for the revelation and  ultimate evolution of Creation, particularly man, as it is taught by the Ari”zal. These spiritual forces that are the vehicle, through which all of these spark-elevations occur, return to their spiritual degree and level on Shabbat. On Shabbat, all is new, signifying that there is no need for spiritually elevate anything that has fallen from the destroyed primordial world of Tohu. Hence, there is no need for tikkunim on Shabbat. All is in order, truly perfect on Shabbat. Not even the work of boreh (“separation of food”) is allowed, for separating that which is not good in the food from the good part in it of itself implies in a removal of a negative element from a positive one, and that does not exist on Shabbat when after all, everything is in the category of the desired and rectified. Now, when the Jew performs a melachah (“forbidden work”) on Shabbat, chaz v’shalom, he elicits these spiritual forces that normally should operate only on weekdays to descend to the physical world in order to make into effect the appropriate spark-elevations.

However, as nothing can be elevated on Shabbat, these forces become as ‘forces in vain’, chaz v’shalom. Through this, the klipot, the negative forces that block the revelation of Divinity in the material world, can steal these spiritual powers, this holy light, and make use of them for its own negative uses, chaz v’shalom. Moreover, the klipot are called the “power of death”, and when the Jew profanes the Shabbat through some forbidden work, he receives the celestial decree of punishment through death, chaz v’shalom, since, worse than not using these forces for the elevation of fallen sparks, is the fact that they may fall under the domain and “clutches” of the klipot. This has the effect of literally nourish the klipot and sitra achra, the person then becoming a “partner of evil”, may Hashem have mercy on his soul. This nourishment has the additional effect of blocking the benefiting purpose of the Or Ayin Sof, thus causing a diminution of spiritual shefa (“flux of blessings”) to the world at large. This has the further effect of causing severe decrees (in the form of afflictions) to befall the person (and those close to him) who performed the transgression, the community, and the whole world, chaz v’shalom.

Why does the Torah teach us that it is ideal to have marital union at night? Is this true for all nights?

Since I have mentioned on the previous post that the appropriate night to have marital union is the night of Shabat, I decided to expand on the subject with two additional posts.

The Kabbalah asks: “In what are human beings distinguished from the horse and the mule? By sanctification and self-perfection. Hence the marital intercourse of human beings should be at fixed times, that they may concentrate their thoughts [of Torah] on cleaving to the Holy One, blessed be He” (Zohar III:49b, Tazria) with the kavanah of V’yehi noam Hashem Elokeinu aleinu u’ma’aseh yodeinu konenah aleinu, um’aaseh yadseinu koneneihu, “May the pleasantness of Hashem our G-d be upon us, and may the work of our hands prosper” (Tehillim 90:17). And what is the time of the day that they may have marital union? Our Sages answer that, “It is the derech eretz [proper conduct] that intercourse should be at night” (Talmud, Ketubot 56a). And regarding the frequency, it is known that ‘man of faith’ have marital union with their wives “all Fridays, on the Shabbat nights” (Ibid. 62b; Orach Chayim 280:1) – certainly a great mitzvah. Note that, although the halachah permits relations occuring on the other nights, ours Sages insist in the rigour of fulfilling this mitzvah only on the holy nights of Shabbat (see R’ Eliyahu de Vidas zt”l, Reshit Chochmah, Sha’ar HaKedusha §16) and on the night of the woman’s immersion on the mikveh etc., unless this frequency is not sufficient in order to avoid machshavot zarot and equally strange behaviors (see Kitvei Ari”zal).

Now, why is it so important to fulfill this mitzvah on the nights of Shabbat? In fact, there are great mysteries regarding the origin of zivugim (holy unions) on Shabbat, the time when the Hole One unites with the Shechinah. These celestial unions cause blessings to descent from above in order to nourish the days of the week. Indeed, they are put into effect both on the spiritual and physical domains. Kabbalah explains that, on each and every Shabbat night "occur zivugim which are initiated [and awakened] by the malachim (angels). Through these zivugim, spiritual answers of beneficence from the levels above them are elicited… Therefore, we are allowed to engage in conjugal relations on that particular night” (the Ari”zal, Sha’ar HaPesukim, Pinchas). The reason these zivugim are awakened by malachim is the manner Hashem has established the Divine plan through which His blessings are channeled and thus brought to all of Creation - including the more inferior degrees (i.e., our physical world). Marital unions on the night of Shabbat emulate the zivugim (occurring on the Partzufim) that are awakened by the angels. Hence, the vital importance of fulfilling this mitzvah in the exact manner described - to bring great blessings to the couple and the world at large. However, even though it is still Shabbat, the daytime (of Shabbat) is not permitted for marital unions, for during the day, “we need to awaken the celestial zivugim which elicit a flux of neshamot [to the world]” (ibid. Ari"zal). This means that, at night, our marital unions have the power to emulate the celestial zivugim, which are already occurring, but we cannot initiate them. We can channel the shefa (of blessings) through this emulation of the malachim while it occurs on Shabbat at night. During the period of Shabbat day, we are the ones that need to awake the zivugim through our avodat Hashem (e.g., in our study of Torah, holy seudah, etc.) - for presumably in this period of the day, the angels do not do any awakening! On the other side, when we put into effect these unions, we cannot channel them, for in order to do so we would need to stop the (described) holy activities to then engage in marital unions (which when emulate the zivugim of the angels, can truly channel down the shefa). This would leave us without anything to channel, to wit, no blessing would result from the conjugal act. This is obviously contrary to the described kavanah and this mitzvah’s purpose of procreation, as we would be left out of blessings, chaz v’shalom.

What are Arayot?

As we have treated the fundamental subject of zera levatalah, it becomes equally important to understand a whole area of greatly damaging behavior in which zera levatalah is “only” the final transgression. This is the area called in Torah, arayot. Let us explore it and related subjects.

Among various subjects, the parshiot Achare Mot and Kedoshim treat one, which is absolutely vital for the person seeking kedusha and distance from tumah, the essence of fulfilling the Divine injunction of Kedoshim tihiyu (Be Holy). We are speaking of the laws against the forbidden expressions of sexuality. These illicit activities are generally called Arayot. Although commonly translated as incest, the Torah definition of this subject is different from the contemporary vision. In fact, there are various “sexual unions” absolutely forbidden by Torah law, such as a man with a nidah (a woman during her menstrual cycle, and until she goes to the mikveh), all homosexual relationships and of bestiality, as well as incest and illicit relationships described in these parshiot. All of these arayot are considered by Divine law as belonging to the same exact category and degree of tumah as the idolatrous rituals used to sacrifice children to profane and inferior entities (see Vayikra 18:21, 20:2-5). That is why spiritual law declares: “The souls who commit these abominations shall be cut off from among their people” (Vayikra 18:29). It is noteworthy that all arayot, being one of the cardinal sins, are on par with both murder and idolatry - transgressions for which we are required to give up our lives rather than transgress. Moreover, Chazal explains in a most unquestionable manner that “the essential condition for sanctification is that the person must necessarily be distant from the arayot” (Rashi no Vayikra 19:1). And as it is esoterically known, “the objective of Creation is a dira b’tachtonim, a term explaining that Hashem created the world for He desired to have an abode in the lower worlds” (Midrash Tanchuma, Naso §16). This objective of Creation is only reached through the ‘sanctification of the world’, that is, through the efforts of man in Torah and mitzvot. It follows that, the transgression of arayot not only implies in a most intense degree of impurity and direct connection to the klipot and sitra achra, but these types of illicit relationships have cosmic implications as well, to wit, bringing severe dinim to the world and vivifying the negative forces, chaz v’shalom. The path of kedusha imposes a true distancing from all impurities and abominations for the soul, and in fact, impels the ultimate transformation of this evil in good. This occurs through the exclusive establishment of ‘Torah sanctioned relationships’, which bring man and the world the Divine shefa – the brachot from Hashem. Furthermore, it is only through kedusha that Mashiach will come, may it be soon, amen.