In the previous lesson, we concluded chapter 42, thereby completing the entire book. However, the final lesson regarding Iyov was promised to be dedicated to the teachings of the holy Ari, to understand Iyov's trajectory, his state, and the reincarnations he underwent. Through this, an entirely new understanding will emerge regarding all of Iyov's suffering and afflictions: everything he endures becomes comprehensible once we recognize his origin and where he comes from.
The holy Ari teaches: Terach was reincarnated in Iyov, and Terach's wife - Avraham Avinu's mother, whose name was Amathlai bat Karnevo - was reincarnated in Iyov's wife. Let us examine this from the beginning. Terach was deeply wicked. First, he was one of the foremost manufacturers of idolatry in that generation - that was one severe sin. He had an additional sin: Terach engaged with his wife, Amathlai bat Karnevo, while she was a niddah. You might ask, are not all gentile women presumed to be niddot, for which gentile observes the laws of niddah? The meaning, however, is that she was in the midst of her actual menstrual flow, something even gentiles avoided in those times; yet Terach, in his extreme wickedness, paid no heed to this. Terach thus bore two tremendous sins.
And behold, precisely from this defiled and abominable individual, the greatest producer of idolatry, a person capable of such a base act - specifically from him, from an impure person, an impure deed, and an impure union, Avraham Avinu was born. How could such a thing be? To understand this, the holy Ari presents an essential premise that sheds light on many obscure episodes throughout the Torah.
The holy Ari explains: know that following the sin of Adam HaRishon, all souls fell into the depths of the kelipah (the forces of impurity). When the kelipot see a great soul, one endowed with tremendous potential, they have no interest in releasing it from their grasp. They subjugate it under their control and are unwilling to allow it down into the physical world. The reason is twofold: first, they draw nourishment from it - for the kelipah possesses no independent vitality of its own and must suckle from holiness, and such a sublime soul provides immense sustenance for it. Second, they fear that this soul might spark a great revolution in the world and thereby dismantle the power of the kelipot. Why, then, would they ever agree to release it?
What does the Holy One, Blessed be He, do? He outwits the Sitra Achra (the Other Side). In what way? He shows them a severely blemish-ridden and corrupt place, and there they consent to let that soul descend, thinking that on the contrary - from such an abominable place and through such an abominable act, what chance does this soul have to rise and elevate itself? It will surely become defiled and deteriorate just like the environment from which it emerged, for offspring follow their source. At that point, the kelipot no longer oppose its descent.
However, the Holy One, Blessed be He, aids that soul. From that very base and lowly place to which the kelipot agreed it could descend, He assists it in gradually emerging, cleansing itself, and becoming purified until it attains the lofty level designated for it. Not only that, but it rectifies both itself and all those connected to it. Here, when the kelipot saw such an abominable place - the epicenter of idolatry, combined with the defiled act of a forbidden union - they believed there was no better place to bring down the soul of Avraham, and thus they consented to let it descend there.
This is what the Zohar states: because Adam HaRishon transgressed through idolatry, the Holy One, Blessed be He, grafted him into Avraham - who was the rectification of Adam HaRishon for the sin of idolatry by casting himself into the fiery furnace - through the drop of Terach, who provoked and angered the Holy One, Blessed be He. Adam HaRishon transgressed through idolatry, and as is well known, each of the Avot rectified a different facet of his sins: idolatry, sexual immorality, and bloodshed. The aspect of idolatry was rectified by Avraham Avinu. Therefore, Hashem embedded him within the drop of Terach - meaning that the drop that issued from Terach embodied Adam HaRishon.
At first glance, this is astonishing: because Terach worshipped idols, Hashem granted him the merit of fathering a tzaddik like Avraham? How does that make sense? Yet according to what we have explained, this is wondrous: specifically because Terach provoked the Holy One, Blessed be He, through crafting idols and engaging in union with a niddah, Hashem outwitted the Sitra Achra. He brought down the great soul of Avraham Avinu - which is the soul of Adam HaRishon - into precisely such an impure and defiled place, so that the Sitra Achra would consent and release such a sublime soul from its grasp.
This is what the Zohar hints at in explaining the verse spoken by Iyov, "Who can bring a pure thing out of an impure? Not one!" Pure - this refers to Avraham; impure - who emerged from Terach. Who is the one who brings pure out of impure, is it not the Holy One, blessed be He, alone? And it must be this way, for had the Holy One, blessed be He, not brought it forth in this manner, it would have been impossible to extract the pure and bring his soul into the world. The pure must be drawn out of the impure, and only in this way can that soul be brought down and released from the captivity of the kelipot.
Through this we can understand many cases: why righteous people so often stem from impure roots. Anyone who looks at the lineage of the Davidic dynasty sees this in a truly systematic way. From the episode of Yehudah and Tamar, an unsightly and improper event, emerges the Davidic line - Peretz and Zerach. Afterwards, David himself, where does he come from? From the daughters of Lot, a deeply unseemly act. Then Shlomo comes from Bat-Sheva, whose taking was fraught with complexity, as Chazal describe. Furthermore, David descends from Ruth the Moabitess, who came from Moav, concerning which there was great doubt - "A Moabite man [is forbidden], but not a Moabite woman" - whether converts from Moav could even be accepted. Later on, Shlomo descends from Naamah the Ammonitess, which also involved question - "An Ammonite man, but not an Ammonite woman." All of this is done to outwit the kelipot: the Holy One, blessed be He, brings good and holy things out of places of "who can bring a pure thing out of an impure," in order to successfully liberate that great soul.
Furthermore, it is written that Hashem implanted Adam HaRishon specifically within Terach, and there was a measure-for-measure aspect to this. Adam HaRishon sinned with idolatry - the simple meaning being that he thought, "I will eat from the Tree of Knowledge and thereby 'you shall be like God, knowing good and evil,' and I will have no need for the Creator of the universe." The serpent said to him: He created worlds because He ate from the tree; you, too, eat from the tree and become gods. And this is heresy. Thus, Adam HaRishon sinned with idolatry, and therefore Hashem brought him down specifically into Terach, who was an idolatrous priest and the leader of idolatry.
The holy Arizal explains that within Terach himself there was already a holy spark beforehand, and on account of it Terach repented at the end of his days. However, that teshuvah was not sufficient - it came too late, and evidently was not great enough in scope, which is why he needed to return in a gilgul (reincarnation) to endure suffering. Now let us notice that Iyov is described as a "blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil" (tam veyashar verei Elokim vesar mera). Tam - because he was born circumcised, for tam denotes wholeness. And "turns away from evil" (sar mera) - because a person is called "turning away from evil" only if he was evil initially and turned away from it. He is not described as a "tzaddik," but rather as "turning away from evil," because he was once evil and departed from it. This is because Iyov was the reincarnation of Terach: once he was wicked, and in this incarnation he turned away from evil.
Amathlai bat Karnevo, the mother of Avraham Avinu, also required a tikkun (rectification). Granted, her rectification was lighter, for although she engaged in idolatry and was a partner in relations during niddah, the responsibility fell less upon her, especially since a woman is considered passive ("karka olam"). Nevertheless, she too needed rectification, and she reincarnated into Dinah bat Leah, the wife of Iyov. Chazal state that Iyov married Dinah bat Leah - there are several opinions in Chazal on this, and one is that Dinah bat Leah was Iyov's wife. Notice: "Dinah" (דינה) and "niddah" (נדה) share the exact same Hebrew letters, because she was the reincarnation of Amathlai bat Karnevo and came to rectify this matter.
Therefore, Dinah was afflicted with something of that very nature: she was defiled by Shechem ben Chamor - a gentile who observes nothing of the laws of niddah. Specifically by him, because this served to atone for the blood of niddah. Furthermore, the Arizal explains: Know that there was great benefit for Dinah in being violated by Shechem ben Chamor, for when a woman has relations while in niddah, the partner absorbs her impurity, as it is written, "and her impurity shall be upon him." Thus, Shechem ben Chamor drew the spiritual impurity from her and took that defilement upon himself, leaving Dinah herself rectified.
Through this we can explain the verse, "And the sons of Yaakov answered Shechem and Chamor his father with guile (bemirmah)." What does "with guile" mean? They said, "Shall he treat our sister like a harlot?" and spoke in very harsh terms - and in this itself they deceived him: they projected that he had caused catastrophic damage, whereas in truth, on a deeper level, a benefit had occurred - the defilement had transferred to him. Through this, that sin of niddah from the previous gilgul was removed from her, as the reincarnation of Amathlai bat Karnevo. Granted, she contracted a new impurity by having been defiled by a gentile, but this impurity was far lighter than the ancient sin she previously bore. This was one stage in the rectification of Iyov's wife.
Afterward, once Amathlai bas Karnevo is reincarnated as Dinah, she marries Iyov, and Iyov is stricken with tzara'as. Although tzara'as is not explicitly mentioned regarding him, the Midrash states: Three were stricken with tzara'as - Kayin, Iyov, and Uziyahu. And the holy Ari explains: It is written that he was stricken with severe boils (shechin ra), and boils are a category of tzara'as. And why was he stricken with tzara'as? Because Iyov, as mentioned, was the reincarnation of Terach, and Terach had relations with a niddah; and the holy Zohar teaches that one who has relations with a niddah is stricken with tzara'as. Now we understand the true origin of Iyov's severe boils.
However, explains the Ari z"l, for Dinah, the suffering of being violated by Shechem the son of Chamor was sufficient punishment. Therefore now, when married to Iyov, she is not stricken with tzara'as and does not suffer from it. For as we explained, the man's transgression is far more severe, since he is the active perpetrator while the woman is passive (karka olam), and furthermore, she was considered an unwilling victim. Thus, only Iyov, the reincarnation of Terach, was stricken with tzara'as.
The reincarnation of Terach into Iyov is alluded to in the verse: "And you turn aside and serve other gods... and the wrath of Hashem will burn against you, and He will shut up the heavens so that there will be no rain" (Devarim 11:16-17). Consider the initial letters of the Hebrew words: "Vechara" (וְחרה) begins with Vav; "Af" (אַף) begins with Alef; the four-letter Name of Hashem (ה') begins with Yud; and "Bachem" (בָּכֶם) begins with Beit. Together, they form the letters of Iyov (איוב). First of all, Iyov endured divine wrath; Hashem's anger burned against him. Why? "And you turn aside and serve other gods" - you engaged in idol worship in your reincarnation as Terach, and therefore "and the wrath of Hashem will burn against you." "And He will shut up [ve'atzar] the heavens" - he was destined to suffer, and the letters of ve'atzar (ועצר) spell tzaru'a (צרוע, a leper), alluding to the additional affliction he endured through tzara'as. "Et hashamayim" (אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם) - the letters of et (א"ת) form an acronym for Iyov Terach (איוב תרח), indicating that Iyov is the reincarnation of Terach. Thus, Iyov's entire identity and destiny are hinted to here. Furthermore, another allusion can be found in the words "Af Hashem bachem" (אף ה' בכם) at intervals of two letters: the Alef of "Af", skip Peh, the Yud of the Divine Name, skip Hei, Vav, skip the second Hei, and the Beit of "Bachem" - spelling out the name Iyov (איוב). In multiple ways, the name Iyov is woven into this text.
The holy Ari teaches: Terach did not reincarnate into Iyov immediately; there was an intermediate station along the way - Terach reincarnated into his grandson, Utz. Utz was the firstborn son of Nachor, and Nachor was the son of Terach. It is written: "And it came to pass after these things, that it was told to Avraham, saying: Behold, Milkah, she also has borne children unto your brother Nachor: Utz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram" (Bereishis 22:20-21). Hashem informs Avraham of this immediately after the Akeidah. Why? The holy Ari explains: To tell him, know that the rectification of your father has begun, and your father is beginning to return in a reincarnation in order to be rectified. For Avraham had previously been told, "And you shall go to your fathers in peace" (Bereishis 15:15), teaching that Terach repented; consequently, the Holy One, Blessed is He, informs Avraham that he has already returned in a reincarnation, and this rebirth is another milestone in the process of his rectification.
In his reincarnation as Utz, says the holy Ari, Terach died childless. And because he died childless, his widow required yibum (levirate marriage). As is well known, yibum was practiced even in early times - as we see with Yehudah: "Go in to your brother's wife and perform levirate marriage with her" (Bereishis 38:8); and as we find with Boaz and Ruth, where yibum took place in its broader sense, not strictly with a brother's widow, but where a relative marries the woman to redeem the deceased's lineage and estate. Here, too, after Utz died, his widow was bound for yibum to his brother - Buz.
Through this, an interesting nuance in the verse becomes clear, one that is easily overlooked when reading: "Utz his firstborn, and Buz his brother." Why does the text add "his brother"? The word seems superfluous - once the first is designated as "his firstborn", the second is naturally his brother. The holy Ari explains: Utz had died, and Buz was called upon to act toward him with brotherhood. And who performs yibum? The brother. Buz marries the widow of the deceased Utz, and this is why the Torah emphasizes "Buz his brother." From Buz - that is, from this levirate union - Iyov was born. This is precisely what the holy Zohar means when it states: Iyov was the son of a yevamah - the son of Utz's widow who married Buz. And whose soul is born from such a union? Whenever yibum is performed, the soul born to the widow is that of the husband who passed away childless. Terach had reincarnated into Utz; Utz died without children; Buz married his widow, and a son was born - who was Iyov. Thus, this Iyov was Utz, who in truth was Terach.
Therefore the book opens: "There was a man in the land of Utz" (Iyov 1:1). In whom had he been reincarnated? In Utz. And according to the holy Ari, "eretz" (land) signifies a woman, as Chazal explain that a woman is passive like the earth ("karka olam") - "There was a man in the eretz of Utz," that is, through the wife of Utz, for Iyov was the reincarnation of Utz and the son of the yevamah. Furthermore, the name Utz (עו"ץ) forms an acronym for Oved Tzelamim (עובד צלמים, an idol worshipper), because he was the reincarnation of Terach, who worshipped idols.
This is also alluded to in the words of Moshe Rabbeinu, who instructed the spies: "Whether there is wood [eitz] in it or not" (Bamidbar 13:20). Rashi explains: Is there a righteous man among them who can shield them like a tree? Moshe was asking: Is Iyov still alive or not? Why did he specifically compare Iyov to a tree (eitz)? Because the Hebrew letters of eitz (עץ) are identical to Utz (עוץ) - vocalizing the word with a kubutz yields Utz (עוּץ). "Is there Utz in it or not?" - that is, the one who is the reincarnation of Utz, Iyov the righteous: is he still alive, and is he still able to protect them? In this, he came to rectify what Terach had corrupted by worshipping idols, about whom it is said: "Who say to a piece of wood [eitz], You are my father" (Yirmeyahu 2:27) - and therefore he now returned in the reincarnation of Utz to rectify those who "say to wood [eitz], You are my father."
The Arizal states: see how wondrous this is, for the matter is alluded to in the verse, "And the Lord appeared to him in the plains of Mamre" (Vayeira elav Hashem be'elonei Mamre). Surely one might not notice, but these are the acronym letters of Iyov: elav - Alef, the Name of Hashem - Yud, be'elonei - Bet. And Alef-Yud-Bet are also the acronym letters for aviv (his father) - the very same letters - since Iyov is Abraham's father. Furthermore, "Hashem be'elonei Mamre" forms the acronym letters Yud, Bet, Mem - yavam (levir), because Iyov, the reincarnation of Terach, came from a levirate union (yevamah). I also found that this is alluded to in the verse, "Go in unto your brother's wife, and marry her as a levir" (bo el eishet achicha veyabeim otah): "achicha veyabeim" at an interval of two letters - the Alef of achicha, skip Cheit, Yud, skip Chaf, the Vav of veyabeim, skip Yud, Bet - you get the word Iyov. "Achicha veyabeim" - Iyov was born from a yevamah.
And why was this alluded to specifically in these verses? After all, here Hashem revealed Himself to Abraham after his circumcision, which seemingly bears no connection to this. The holy Arizal explains: Hashem appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre after his circumcision, and as is well known, Avraham Avinu sits at the entrance of Gehennom and does not permit anyone who is circumcised to enter - meaning someone who is circumcised and upholds the sanctity of the covenant. This power was granted to Abraham only after he was circumcised himself. And by virtue of this merit, Avraham Avinu extracted his father's soul from Gehennom - for if he guards Gehennom and determines who enters and who exits, he also extracted his father who was there. And he brought him out so that he could be reincarnated into Iyov. Therefore, specifically in "And the Lord appeared to him," when he became circumcised, the reincarnation of Iyov was hinted at, for Terach began to reincarnate into Iyov at that very moment.
This is also what is alluded to in "and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day": the acronym letters of "yoshev petach haohel kechom" - Yud, Peh, Hei, Chaf - equal the gematria of Gehennom with the kolel (adding one for the phrase as a whole). This teaches us: from where did the great heat of that day come? Although it is written that Hashem took the sun out of its sheath, perhaps there is another reason here: Gehennom had to be opened to extract Terach, and from there it became hot - "in the heat of the day." Moreover, "chom hayom" (heat of the day) has the gematria of Gehennom. Terach's sin regarding niddah is also hinted at here: "hayom" has the gematria of beniddah (in niddah), and also the gematria of beyibum (through levirate marriage) - pointing to all the reincarnations of Terach here.
There is another explanation and another hint as to why Iyov's reincarnation is alluded to specifically here, when Hashem appeared to Abraham at the tent door in the heat of the day. The holy Zohar writes that Satan leveled an accusation against Isaac following the Akeidah (the Binding of Isaac). Seemingly, what could there be to accuse after such merit, after such a wondrous act of self-sacrifice? But Satan always finds something to claim. He came and said: Master of the Universe, it is written, "He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good," and here there is an offering - Isaac - "and if he shall at all change... then both it and the exchange thereof shall be holy." If so, how could Abraham take Isaac down from the altar and exchange him for the ram he found? An offering cannot be substituted or exchanged, and thus I have an accusation against Isaac. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He handed Iyov over to him in his stead. Satan opened his mouth, and the Holy One silenced him: He pushed Iyov forward, telling him to leave Isaac alone and deal with Iyov instead.
Now, Avraham Avinu received the tidings from the three angels that Isaac was to be born to him - and this is at the beginning of Parashat Vayeira. Hashem informed him: know that Isaac is destined to be born and destined to endure. But there would eventually be an accusation against him! Therefore, Iyov is hinted at here - to tell him, you have nothing to fear, I have already prepared someone to be pushed into Satan's mouth so that he will not be able to accuse Isaac. This is why the matter is alluded to specifically here, upon the announcement of Isaac's birth: there will be an accusation against Isaac, but he will endure, because Iyov will be handed over in his place.
This is also hinted at in the verse, "And bound Isaac his son" (Vaya'akod et Yitzchak beno) - the initial letters spell Iyov (Alef-Yud-Bet). Who was handed over in place of the one bound upon the altar? Who silenced Satan's mouth and was given to him so that he would leave Isaac alone? Iyov. This teaches that he stood in his place. So states the Chida.
Therefore, when Iyov's companions argued with him, the Midrash states that Iyov's mind was not eased until his grandson Isaac spoke with him - namely Elihu ben Berachel the Buzite of the family of Ram. The Zohar states: when did Iyov calm down throughout the entire dispute? When Isaac answered him. And who is Isaac? Elihu ben Berachel the Buzite of the family of Ram. Moreover, "Elihu Berachel Habuzi Mimishpachat Ram" forms the acronym letters of Abraham, indicating that he descended from Abraham. Only when he spoke was Iyov comforted. Why? Because Iyov was the substitute for Isaac, and suddenly he understood all his suffering: why am I suffering? I am the exchange for Isaac. Isaac was bound as an offering and brought down from the altar, and who would atone for this, and who would be handed over to Satan? Iyov.
עַל־כֵּן אֶמְאַס וְנִחַמְתִּי עַל־עָפָר וָאֵפֶר׃ - Wherefore I abhor myself, and am comforted concerning dust and ashes.
This is the esoteric secret within Iyov's words. What is "and am comforted concerning dust and ashes"? I was comforted through the son of the one who said, "and I am dust and ashes" - and who said "and I am dust and ashes"? Abraham. That is to say: I was comforted by Isaac, the son of Abraham. Thus explains the holy Arizal. There is another explanation by the holy Shelah: I was comforted after realizing that from me, in my previous reincarnation, came the righteous man who said, "and I am dust and ashes." For who was Iyov? Terach, a great wicked man. And he was told: recognize who came from you, who your son is - Avraham Avinu! Therefore, "and am comforted concerning dust and ashes": from me came Avraham Avinu, the father of the Jewish nation, who said, "and I am dust and ashes" - and in this, I found comfort.
וַיְהִי אַחַר דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֶל־אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־אֱלִיפַז הַתֵּימָנִי חָרָה אַפִּי בְךָ וּבִשְׁנֵי רֵעֶיךָ כִּי לֹא דִבַּרְתֶּם אֵלַי נְכוֹנָה כְּעַבְדִּי אִיּוֹב׃ - And it was, after Hashem had spoken these words to Iyov, that Hashem said to Elifaz the Temanite: "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Iyov has."
It is said of Elihu: "Against Iyov his wrath was kindled, because he justified his soul before God; and against his three friends his wrath was kindled, because they found no answer and yet condemned Iyov." We explained that both factions were right and wrong at the same time. Iyov was justified in his claim: "I am righteous; I do not deserve suffering." Hashem says to him: True, you are righteous - but your soul is not righteous. This is not the first time this soul has been here; it has already come in a previous gilgul (reincarnation). Therefore it is said, "because he justified his soul" - is your soul righteous? No, you were a great wicked man in your previous gilgul, and for that there is wrath against you. On the other hand, Iyov was justified in his claim that in this gilgul he did nothing wrong - true, but he carries debts from previous gilgulim.
And against his three friends His wrath was kindled because they condemned Iyov. They too were right in a sense, for they asserted that he possessed iniquity - and that was true. But did the Iyov who stood before them possess iniquity? That was a false libel and a groundless accusation, and therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, was angry with them. Iyov considered himself righteous - and to that it was said to him: You are mistaken; your soul is wicked from its previous gilgul. Thus, each side had an aspect in which they were right and an aspect in which they were wrong, and therefore there was wrath on the one hand against Iyov, and on the other hand against his friends. This is how the Alshich explains Sefer Iyov, as does the holy Shelah.
The entire Book of Iyov takes on a new light in view of the teachings of the holy Ari: Iyov is the gilgul of Terach - the idol worshipper who consorted with his wife during her niddah - who passed through an intermediate station in Utz and was born from the yibum of Buz; therefore he "shunned evil," therefore he was stricken with shechin, which is a form of tzara'at, and therefore his wife is the gilgul of Amatlai bat Karnevo who was reincarnated in Dinah. Added to this is that Iyov was delivered to the Satan in exchange for Yitzchak, so that the Satan could not bring accusations against the Akeidah. From this, it is understood why Hashem's wrath was kindled against him for "justifying his soul," and also against his friends who condemned him - each was right in one respect and wrong in another. From this also stems his comfort: "And I relent concerning dust and ashes" - through Yitzchak, the son of Avraham, and in the knowledge that from Terach himself emerged Avraham Avinu, who said, "and I am dust and ashes." All this teaches us a profound principle of the Creator's providence: "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?" - the Holy One, blessed be He, brings great souls down specifically into the lowest places, in order to rescue them from the captivity of the kelipot and elevate them to their fully rectified stature.