Yerov‘am Was Destined to Be Mashiach ben Yosef

יָרָבְעָם הָיָה מְיֻעָד לִהְיוֹת מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן יוֹסֵף

And now I will inform you in this a very, very great secret (וְעַתָּה אוֹדִיעֲךָ בָּזֶה סוֹד גָּדוֹל מְאֹד מְאֹד), for Yerov‘am clothed the Holiness within the Sitra achra through his service (כִּי יָרָבְעָם הִלְבִּישׁ אֶת הַקְּדוּשָּׁה בַּסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ), and this caused, afterward, that the Calf would say “I am Hashem your God” through Gechazi (וְזֶה גָּרַם אַחַר כָּךְ שֶׁהָעֵגֶל הָיָה אוֹמֵר "אָנֹכִי ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ" עַל יְדֵי גֵיחֲזִי), as our Sages said (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַזָ״ל).p1-28 And because of this, Rabbi Akiva and his companions were compelled to die for the sanctification of the Name (וּבַעֲבוּר זֶה הֻכְרְחוּ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וַחֲבֵרָיו לָמוּת עַל קִדּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם).

And the secret of the matter is very deep (וְסוֹד הָעִנְיָן עָמוֹק הוּא), for behold, Rabbi Akiva was the son of converts (כִּי הִנֵּה רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא הָיָה בֶּן גֵּרִים), and this is because it was necessary that the holy Neshamah of Yerov‘am, which flew out of him at the time of his sin (וְזֶה כִּי הֻצְרַךְ שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה שֶׁל יָרָבְעָם שֶׁפָּרְחָה מִמֶּנּוּ בִּשְׁעַת חֶטְאוֹ), should become enclothed in a foreign body (תִּתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּגוּף נָכְרִי). And afterward it would emerge in Israel (וְאַחַר כָּךְ תֵּצֵא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And this was in the father of Rabbi Akiva (וְזֶה הָיָה בְּאָבִיו שֶׁל רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא), and afterward it entered into him, into Rabbi Akiva (וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִכְנְסָה בּוֹ בְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא), and there it was rectified (וְשָׁם נִתְקַנָּה). And you should know, that at the time when the holy Neshamah of Yerov‘am fled (וְתֵדַע, שֶׁבִּשְׁעָה שֶׁפָּרְחָה הַנְּשָׁמָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה שֶׁל יָרָבְעָם), and a defiled soul entered him (וְנִכְנְסָה בּוֹ נְשָׁמָה טְמֵאָה), that Neshamah was given into Aviya his son (הִנֵּה הַנְּשָׁמָה הַהִיא נִתְּנָה בַּאֲבִיָּה בְּנוֹ), and this is what is said of him (1 Kings 14:13) (וְהוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ), “Because there was found in him a good thing” (יַעַן נִמְצָא בּוֹ דָבָר טוֹב). And afterward, it had to be clothed in a foreign garment, as mentioned above (וְאַחַר כָּךְ הֻצְרַךְ לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בִּלְבוּשׁ נָכְרִי כְּנַ״ל).

And now I will inform you in this matter very great and powerful secrets (וְעַתָּה אוֹדִיעֲךָ בַּזֶּה הָעִנְיָן סוֹדוֹת גְּדוֹלִים וַעֲצוּמִים מְאֹד), which in truth should have been concealed and hidden (אֲשֶׁר הָיָה רָאוּי בֶּאֱמֶת לְהַעֲלִימָם וּלְהַסְתִּירָם), if not for the sake of the glory of Hashem and the honor of the holy Rashbi, may his memory be a blessing (לוּלֵי כִּי לִכְבוֹד ה׳ וּלְכָבוֹד קָדוֹשׁ רַשְׁבִּ״י זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא), we must justify the words of truth and righteousness (צָרִיכִים אֲנַחְנוּ לְהַצְדִּיק דִּבְרֵי אֱמֶת וָצֶדֶק), and to purify them from the accusations of those who, led by confused spirit, have cast fault upon them (וּלְטַהֲרָם מֵאֲשֶׁר חָפְאוּ אֲלֵיהֶם אַנְשֵׁי תּוֹעֵי רוּחַ).

Know that all these matters we speak concerning Yerov‘am or others about whom it is said that they are from Mashiach ben Yosef (דַּע, כִּי כָּל אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ מְדַבְּרִים מִיָּרָבְעָם אוֹ מִכָּל הָאֲחֵרִים אֲשֶׁר נֶאֱמַר עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁהֵם מִמָּשִׁיחַ בֶּן יוֹסֵף), we are not referring to the Yechidah itself (אֵין אֲנַחְנוּ אוֹמְרִים עַל הַיְּחִידָה עַצְמָהּ), for it is not given into a person unless he is worthy of it at the time of complete Tikkun (שֶׁאֵינָהּ נִתֶּנֶת בָּאִישׁ הָרָאוּי לָהּ אֶלָּא בִּשְׁעַת תַּשְׁלוּם הַתִּקּוּן), as is made clear in the writings of Maran [our master] the Arizal (כַּמְבוֹאַר בִּדְבַרֵי מָרָן הָאֲרִ״י זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה).

Rather, we speak of the roots of the souls (אֶלָּא שָׁרְשֵׁי הַנְּשָׁמוֹת), which are fit and designated to be the redeemers in their generation (הָרְאוּיוֹת וְהַמְּזוּמָנוֹת לִהְיוֹת גּוֹאֲלוֹת בְּדוֹרָן), upon whom the Yechidah will descend and dwell and crown the Mashiachs (שֶׁעֲלֵיהֶם תָּבוֹא וְתִשְׁרֶה הַיְּחִידָה הַשּׁוֹרָה וּמְעַטֶּרֶת אֶת הַמְּשִׁיחִין). And it follows that when we say Yerov‘am is from Mashiach ben Yosef (וְנִמְצָא, כְּשֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ אוֹמְרִים יָרָבְעָם שֶׁהוּא מִמָּשִׁיחַ בֶּן יוֹסֵף), the meaning is: that root which was truly worthy for the Yechidah to rest upon (פֵּירוּשׁ אוֹתוֹ הַשֹּׁרֶשׁ שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת הָיָה רָאוּי לָשְׁרוֹת עָלָיו הַיְּחִידָה הַזֹּאת), and he is called a branch of it (וְנִקְרָא כְּמוֹ עֲנָף מִמֶּנָּה), for he is her vessel (כִּי הִיא כְּלִי שֶׁלָּהּ). And this is why he had to be clothed in a foreign body, as above (וְהִנֵּה זֶה הָיָה שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּגוּף נָכְרִי כְּנַ״ל), corresponding to what Yerov‘am had done in clothing the Holiness in Tumah, through the calves which he made (כְּנֶגֶד מַה שֶׁהִלְבִּישׁ יָרָבְעָם אֶת הַקְּדוּשָּׁה בְּטֻמְאָה בָּעֲגָלִים אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה), and because of which Rabbi Akiva and his companions had to be given over to death (וּבַעֲבוּרָהּ הֻצְרְכוּ לְהִמָּסֵר לְמִיתָה רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וַחֲבֵרָיו). Indeed, this is a defect that reaches to the root itself (אֲבָל וַדַּאי, שֶׁזֶּהוּ פֶּגֶם שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ לַשֹּׁרֶשׁ עַצְמוֹ), since its vessel became so damaged (כֵּיוָן שֶׁהַכְּלִי שֶׁלּוֹ נִפְגַּם כָּךְ). And corresponding to this, he too had to be, Heaven forbid, defiled in the Sitra achra (וְכְנֶגֶד זֶה הָיָה צָרִיךְ גַּם הוּא לְהִתְחַלֵּל חַס וְשָׁלוֹם בַּסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא).

And I will now explain to you clearly the matter of this profanation (וַאֲפָרֵשׁ לְךָ הֵיטֵב עִנְיַן הַחִלּוּל הַזֶּה). For the enclothement in which he is now enclothed (כִּי הַהִתְלַבְּשׁוּת שֶׁהוּא מִתְלַבֵּשׁ עַתָּה), is not called such a desecration (אֵינוֹ נִקְרָא חִלּוּל כָּזֶה), for it is only like one who is seized in a prison (כִּי אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא כְּמוֹ תְּפִיסָה בְּבֵית הַסֹּהַר), that he is seized there (שֶׁהוּא תָּפוּס שָׁם), but the Sitra achra receives no power from him at all (אֲבָל הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא אֵינָהּ מְקַבֶּלֶת כֹּחוֹ כְּלָל). But if, Heaven forbid, he were to become profaned (אֲבָל אִם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם הָיָה מִתְחַלֵּל), as would have resulted from the sin of Yerov‘am (כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה נִמְשָׁךְ מֵחֵטְא יָרָבְעָם), this would be a very great corruption (הָיָה זֶה קִלְקוּל גָּדוֹל מְאֹד).

For behold, that man is judged in boiling filth (כִּי הִנֵּה אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ נִדּוֹן בְּצוֹאָה רוֹתַחַת), and this is the most impure defilement in the Klipah (וְהִיא הַזּוֹהֲמָה הַיּוֹתֵר טְמֵאָה שֶׁבַּקְּלִפָּה). And if Mashiach ben Yosef had needed to be profaned (וְאִם הָיָה צָרִיךְ מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן יוֹסֵף לְהִתְחַלֵּל), he would have had to be enclothed there, Heaven forbid (הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ שָׁם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם), in a manner (בְּדֶרֶךְ) by which the Notzrip1-29 himself would receive some power from that enclothement (שֶׁהַנּוֹצְרִי- עַצְמוֹ הָיָה מְקַבֵּל אֵיזֶה כֹּחַ מִן הַהִתְלַבְּשׁוּת הַזֶּה). And then he would come and become enclothed in Armilus the Wicked (וְאָז הָיָה בָּא וּמִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּאַרְמִילוּס הָרָשָׁע), and with the power he would receive from this enclothement (וּבַכֹּחַ שֶׁהָיָה מְקַבֵּל מִן הַהִתְלַבְּשׁוּת הַזֶּה), he would perform wonders in the world (הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה דְבָרִים נִפְלָאִים בָּעוֹלָם), as did the Calf of Yerov‘am (כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה אוֹמֵר עֶגְלוֹ שֶׁל יָרָבְעָם), “[I am Hashem your God]” (אָנֹכִי ה׳), and this would be a very great corruption (וְזֶה הָיָה קִלְקוּל גָּדוֹל עַד מְאֹד), and unbearable suffering, Heaven forbid, for Israel (וְצַעַר חַס וְשָׁלוֹם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁאֵין כָּמוֹהוּ).

And Mashiach ben Yosef himself, after receiving the Meshichutp1-30 (וּמָשִׁיחַ בֶּן יוֹסֵף עַצְמוֹ אַחַר קַבָּלָתוֹ הַמְּשִׁיחוּת), would have had to die (הָיָה צָרִיךְ לָמוּת), in order to rectify this matter through Armilus himself (לְתַקֵּן הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה עַל יְדֵי אַרְמִילוּס עַצְמוֹ), who came in his power (שֶׁבָּא בְּכֹחוֹ). And this too would have been a desecration upon him (וְזֶה גַּם כֵּן חִלּוּל אֵלָיו), and many troubles upon troubles would have been renewed (וְכַמָּה צָרוֹת עַל צָרוֹת הָיוּ מִתְחַדְּשׁוֹת), until the survivors would have been one from a city and two from a family (עַד שֶׁהַנִּצּוֹלִים הָיוּ אֶחָד מֵעִיר וּשְׁנַיִם מִמִּשְׁפָּחָה). But the power of the sufferings that Moshe bears (אֲבָל כֹּחַ הַיִּסּוּרִין שֶׁסּוֹבֵל מֹשֶׁה), caused that this desecration would not happen to Mashiach ben Yosef (גָּרַם שֶׁלֹּא יִתְחַלֵּל בְּחִלּוּל זֶה מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן יוֹסֵף). And then the damage remained only in the vessel of the Meshichut (וְאָז לֹא נִשְׁאַר הַפֶּגֶם אֶלָּא בַּכְּלִי שֶׁל הַמְּשִׁיחוּת), that is, the soul of Yerov‘am himself (דְּהַיְנוּ נִשְׁמַת יָרָבְעָם עַצְמוֹ). And because of this Rabbi Akiva and his companions died (וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה מֵת רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וַחֲבֵרָיו). But the Meshichut itself would not become profaned (אֲבָל הַמְּשִׁיחוּת עַצְמָהּ לֹא תִתְחַלֵּל), until that power departed from him (עַד שֶׁיֵּצֵא הַכֹּחַ הַזֶּה מִמֶּנּוּ), and it returned to its place in holiness (וְחָזְרוּ אֶל מְקוֹמָם בִּקְדוּשָּׁה), in Mashiach ben Yosef himself (בְּמָשִׁיחַ בֶּן יוֹסֵף עַצְמוֹ), which is truly the matter of Rabbi Akiva (שֶׁהוּא מַמָּשׁ עִנְיַן רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא), and Mashiach ben Yosef will be saved from death (וּמָשִׁיחַ בֶּן יוֹסֵף יִנָּצֵל מִן הַמָּוֶת). And now you will understand the meaning of that statement which is said (Zohar, Ki Teitzei, there) (וְעַתָּה תָּבִין עִנְיַן הַמַּאֲמָר הַזֶּה שֶׁאָמַר)-“Because Mashiach ben Yosef should not be killed,” etc. (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְקְטִיל מְב"י" כו׳), and I must explain to you the matter of “he and his seed” (וְצָרִיךְ אֲנִי לְפָרֵשׁ לְךָ מַה הָעִנְיָן: הוּא וְזַרְעֵיהּ).

Know that the Mashiach is called Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben Ephraim (דַּע, שֶׁהַמָּשִׁיחַ נִקְרָא מְב"י וּמָשִׁיחַ בֶּן אֶפְרָיִם). And the secret of this matter is that two aspects are found in the Mashiach (וְסוֹד הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה, כִּי שְׁתֵּי בְּחִינוֹת נִמְצָאוֹת לַמָּשִׁיחַ): one-the Yechidah itself, which is the Meshichut (אַחַת – הַיְּחִידָה עַצְמָהּ שֶׁהִיא הַמְּשִׁיחוּת), and one-the man worthy of being Mashiach, from whose level such a thing is found in every generation (וְאַחַת – הָאִישׁ הָרָאוּי לִהְיוֹת מָשִׁיחַ, שֶׁמִּבְּחִינָה זוֹ נִמְצָאִים בְּכָל דּוֹר תָּמִיד).

And behold, Yosef is the secret of the Meshichut (וְהִנֵּה יוֹסֵף הוּא סוֹד הַמְּשִׁיחוּת), and Yosef is called "Shor" (וְיוֹסֵף נִקְרָא שׁוֹר), in the secret of the ox in the Merkavah, which is on the left (בְּסוֹד הַשּׁוֹר שֶׁבַּמֶּרְכָּבָה שֶׁהוּא לִשְׂמֹאל), for Mashiach ben Yosef is nothing but the rectification of the left (כִּי מְב"י אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא תִּקּוּן הַשְּׂמֹאל). And the Seed itself of Yosef is also called the aspect of the ox (וְהַזֶּרַע עַצְמוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף נִקְרָא גַּם כֵּן בְּחִינַת שׁוֹר).

And truly Ephraim, who is the seed of Yosef, is the aspect of the people of the Meshichut (וּבֶאֱמֶת אֶפְרַיִם שֶׁהוּא זַרְעוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף, הוּא בְּחִינַת אַנְשֵׁי הַמְּשִׁיחוּת), who are also called oxen, as above (הַנִּקְרָאִים גַּם כֵּן שׁוֹר כְּנַ״ל). And behold, in the sin of Yerov‘am, it was decreed that they be profaned through idolatry (וְהִנֵּה בַּחֵטְא שֶׁל יָרָבְעָם הָיָה רָאוּי לִהְיוֹת מִתְחַלְּלִים בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה), he and his seed-that is, the two aspects: the Meshichut and the souls of the Meshichut (הוּא וְזַרְעֵיהּ – שְׁתֵּי הַבְּחִינוֹת: הַמְּשִׁיחוּת וּנְשָׁמוֹת הַמְּשִׁיחוּת), because Yerov‘am was from their seed (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיָּרָבְעָם מִזַּרְעֵיהּ), and the blemish entered into him (וְנִפְגַּם בּוֹ). And I will tell you: Yerov‘am had already been prepared and was close to receiving the Meshichut (וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ: שֶׁיָּרָבְעָם כְּבָר מֻכְנָה הָיָה וְקָרוֹב לְקַבֵּל הַמְּשִׁיחוּת), only he had not yet received it (רַק שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא קִבֵּל).

But since he was close to it, the souls of Yosef and his son Ephraim attached to him (אֲבָל מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁקָּרוֹב לְכָךְ, נִתְחַבְּרוּ אֵלָיו נְשָׁמוֹת יוֹסֵף וְאֶפְרַיִם בְּנוֹ), for this is what is required for one who is worthy to receive the Meshichut (כִּי כָךְ צָרִיךְ לְמִי שֶׁיִּזְכֶּה לְקַבֵּל הַמְּשִׁיחוּת). But once he sinned in any case, they too were damaged (אֲבָל מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁבֵּין כָּךְ וּבֵין כָּךְ פָּגַם, נִפְגְּמוּ גַּם הֵם), and then everything had to become profaned, Heaven forbid-the Meshichut and its branches (וְאָז הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְהִתְחַלֵּל הַכֹּל חַס וְשָׁלוֹם – הַמְּשִׁיחוּת וַעֲנָפָיו). But the power of the sufferings of Moshe rectified that it would not be so (וּכֹחַ יִסּוּרֵי מֹשֶׁה תִּקֵּן שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה כָּךְ), but rather that the Meshichut would be saved (אֶלָּא שֶׁהַמְּשִׁיחוּת תִּנָּצֵל), and for the seed, there would be the matter of Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef, as I have mentioned (וְלַזֶּרַע יִהְיֶה עִנְיָן רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא בֶּן יוֹסֵף שֶׁזָּכַרְתִּי), and this will be sufficient (וְדַי בָּזֶה).

And I will now inform you here a noble matter, so that you may understand the issue correctly (וְאוֹדִיעֲךָ פֹּה עִנְיָן נִכְבָּד, לְמַעַן תָּבִין דָּבָר לְאֻשְׁרוֹ): Mashiach ben David is not at all called Mashiach ben Yehudah (כִּי מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד לֹא נִקְרָא כְּלָל מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן יְהוּדָה). But the secret of the matter is this: for so it would have been proper to be-if not for the sale of Yosef by the brothers (אֲבָל סוֹד הָעִנְיָן: כִּי כֵן הָיָה רָאוּי לִהְיוֹת, לוּלֵי שֶׁמָּכְרוּ הַשְּׁבָטִים אֶת יוֹסֵף).

For this is the secret of the verse (Bereshit 38:1) “And Yehudah went down from his brothers” (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד הַכָּתוּב: "וַיֵּרֶד יְהוּדָה מֵאֵת אֶחָיו), and this was a descent for him-for he lost the kingship (יְרִידָה הָיְתָה לוֹ שֶׁאָבַד הַמַּלְכוּת), and it could not emerge until the days of David (וְלֹא יָכוֹל לָצֵאת אֶלָּא אַחַר כָּךְ בִּימֵי דָוִד), and the matter became attached to him (וְנִתְלָה הָעִנְיָן בּוֹ). And then within David himself were included the two aspects: the aspect of the Meshichut, and his seed, just as we explained regarding Mashiach ben Yosef (וְאָז נִכְלַל בְּדָוִד עַצְמוֹ שְׁתֵּי הַבְּחִינוֹת: בְּחִינַת הַמְּשִׁיחוּת וְהַזֶּרַע שֶׁלּוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁזָּכַרְנוּ בְּמָשִׁיחַ בֶּן יוֹסֵף).