The Ohr Hachaim
Yehuda, the Redeemer of Captive Souls, to Establish the Monarchy of Bais Dovid
Gur Aryeh Yehuda – “Yehuda is like a lion cub” (49:9).
The first man, Adom HaRishon, was like a tree whose many branches extended in many directions. All holy souls that once came and will one day come from the side of kedusha are all branches from Adom’s tree. When Adom sinned, the side of evil captured some of these holy souls. Tzaddikim and Anshei Emes (men of truth) in each generation seek out these captive souls to redeem them and save them from the clutches of evil. The holy nation of Am HaShem (G-d’s people), are constantly refining the world and daily trying to save these captives and redeem them. They do this using the holy source that HaShem planted within our nation, the Torah and mitzvos. Sometimes when a holy soul becomes attached to an impure soul by force, the holy soul can redeem the captive spark found in that impure soul as well; this is secret of why Shechem ben Chamor’s soul cleaved in dveikus to Dina bas Yaakov’s soul, because Dina’s holy soul pulled out the captive holy soul which was found in Shechem. The Ariz”l says (in the three sources: Likkutei Torah Vayishlach, Shaar HaGilgulim 36, Shaar HaPesukim Vayeitze) that this was the soul of Rav Chanina ben Tradyon as hinted at by the acrostic his name spells – Rechavas – as the pasuk tells us that the land was rachavas yodayim (34:21) –land bountiful and expansive.
Sometimes such a holy soul is born into the world in a foreign body, because the klippos and impure souls spawn so many numerous offspring and it is easy for such a holy soul to slip in there as well. The holy soul desires to walk on the path of good and righteousness, and this is the secret of the souls of geirim (converts), who convert of their own volition, desiring to attach themselves to the side of holiness. Sometimes the master who holds such holy souls captive only allows them to go free if they are born into the world through sinful abhorrent unions, such as the holy soul of Rus, who was from Moav (Moav was born through an incestuous relationship). Notice how from Rus are descended the kings of Malchus Bais Dovid – and this royalty comes from Moav about whom Chazal declare (Bava Kama 38b) that their sins were worse than Amon’s! Yet, despite this, greater sanctity comes from Moav. Because Lot had greatness, his descendants were great, because even among evil and klipos, there are levels of greatness. We can see clearly that among the nations there are royal families and pedigree of kings, some greater than others and some of lesser stature such as lords, dukes and barons, demonstrating that there is a hierarchy even among the klipos. Our Sages call these final days Ikvesa DiMeshicha – “the heels of Moshiach” – (Sota 49b). The secret here is that we are constantly refining the gross material and releasing captive holy sparks. When the last refinements have all been made, we will have reached the end – the heel. Chazal called this the okeiv (heel) because it is the end or extremity of a man’s limbs. In the past great souls were refined, freed and redeemed, such as our great patriarch and forefather Avrohom Avinu, the first righteous convert, and Sora Imeinu, Rus the Moabite, and in later generations, the souls of Shemaya, Avtalyon and Onkelos the Ger. Although today we also have righteous converts they are of a smaller stature than those great Tzaddikim, because we have reached the final extremity – the heel. All the refinements are coming to an end.
Based on this introduction we can understand why HaShem sent an angel who forced Yehuda to be with Tamar (Bereishis Rabba 84): through such an improper union which was against the Torah, and because Yehuda was forced, and he did not recognize Tamar as his daughter-in-law, he was able to redeem the holy souls of Peretz and Zerach, held captive by the forces of evil. And how many Tzaddikim and the entire Malchus Bais Dovid were their descendants! Only Yehuda, whose lineage was royal and whose destiny was to father kings, could redeem such lofty souls in such a manner. Through this negative act (performed unconsciously and by force), he was able to enter the realm of evil and redeem its captives.
This is what the pasuk means, says the Ohr HaChaim. Before he lived with Tamar, Yehuda was a gur, a cub; afterward, he was uplifted to be an aryeh, a lion, because the souls he redeemed would rule as kings (the lion, king of the beasts, represents royalty). How did he merit this level? The continuation of the pasuk holds the secret: miteref beni olisa – from that teref – from the prey that was captured and held captive, which Yehuda redeemed, olisa – he was uplifted to be the forefather of Malchus Bais Dovid. These lofty souls were captured from Adom HaRishon’s tree branches by the forces of evil after he sinned. Now, through his actions with Tamar, he redeemed them, and thus he too became uplifted, because his descendants would rule as kings.
