Years of Abundance and Years of Hunger
Years of abundance and years of hunger are the ups and downs that we must go through, which divide into years. The number seven represents the Sephirot Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod, Yesod, and Malchut.
These years connect Zeir Anpin, which contains six Sephirot, with Malchut. This connection creates a new Kli between the qualities of the Creator and the qualities of the creature.
The wisdom of Kabbalah refers to the six qualities as “the Holy One blessed be He.” The seventh quality is the Shechina (Divinity), which is currently Pharaoh, also known as “Divinity in exile.” After the correction, Pharaoh becomes a holy place—in order to bestow—the place of our souls, the place of connection between us.
The Sages of Egypt
The sagacity of Egypt is called “external wisdom.” It maintains that you need not change within in order to obtain all the good in this life and in the spiritual life, that you can settle for the intellect. Study without changing; don’t think about the correction of the heart, about your ego, that you need to change; study a couple of pages and you will be happy. This, in essence, is the wisdom of Egypt, as it is written, “there is wisdom in the nations—believe.”[5]
Grain and Hunger
Hunger is a sensation of the will to receive that cannot satisfy itself. The grain matches the degree of hunger from which you are suffering. This refers to two degrees—the degree of Mochin of Haya, and the degree of Mochin of Neshama.
Brothers
Brothers means connection. When the desires to receive connect in common intentions and common Masachim (screens), when all wish to unite in order to obtain the sublime goal, they are called “brothers.” This is why there is Malchut, Egypt, Pharaoh, and above it the entire house of Jacob. The symbol of the house of Jacob is the twelve brethren, HaVaYaH times three lines, four letters times three lines, which are the twelve brothers.
A Meal
The filling of the Kli happens when there is food and drink. As on Purim, it requires two portions. This is all the light, the flavors that spread from the Peh (mouth) of the Partzuf downward. The inner light that spreads through the Partzuf is called “a meal.” If we do it in Partzufim that are integrated together, it is like the law of communicating vessels, where everyone fills up to the same level, which is called “a meal of brothers.” This is why it is the only condition where the term, “When brothers also sit together” (Psalms 133:1) holds true.
From The Zohar: And the Men Were Afraid because They Were Brought into Joseph’s House
“The good inclination needs the joy of Torah, and the evil inclination needs the joy of wine, adultery, and pride. This is why man needs to always anger it from that great day, judgment day, the day of account, when all that protects a person are the good deeds that he does in this world so they will protect him at that time.”
Zohar for All, Miketz (At the End), item 198
[5]“If one should tell you, ‘there is wisdom in the nations, believe; there is Torah in the nations, do not believe” (Midrash Rabah, Eicha, Parasha 2, Paragraph 13).
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