Erev Rav - 005 Amalek EXposed

Erev Rav/Amalek

When the Jewish people left Egypt, the possuk says “And the “Erev Rav”[1] also went up with them.” We have previously discussed the four different kinds of “Erev Rav”. Here we will analyze the fifth group of “Erev Rav” souls, which are called “Amalek.”

Chazal [2] used an acronym to describe five different groupings of “Erev Rav” souls: “Nega Ra” (Evil affliction), which stands for “Nefilim”, “Giborim”, “Anakim”,“Refaim”, and “Amalekim”. The Vilna Gaon lists[3] the five groups of “Erev Rav” as follows:

1. Nefilim are those who seek lust

2. Giborim are those who seek to gain an honorable name for themselves, even building synagogues and donating items for the Sefer Torah so that their name can be honored

3. Anakim are those who ridicule Torah scholars

4. Refaim are those who slacken off from doing kindness and charity for those who learn Torah

5. Amalekim are those who are at the heads of the nation of Yisrael during the exile and steal from poor Jews

They all have one root. First, we will delve into the roots of Erev Rav, and then we will examine the particular kind that is “Amalek”.

The Erev Rav Is Like ‘Chometz’

The five types of “Erev Rav” are also termed by the Zohar as “chometz v’seohr”, “leavened wheat and barley.” They are also called kash and teven (chaff in the straw).

The Erev Rav Are The Egyptian Sorcerers

Who is the “Erev Rav”? They are identified as the Egyptian sorcerers. When Moshe gave signs to Pharoah that He will redeem the Jewish people with miracles, the sorcerers came forth and copied all the signs. These very same sorcerers were able to get themselves to resemble the Jewish people.

The Erev Rav Is The Root of All Mixtures

The root of “Erev Rav”, as Chazal  explain, is contained in the mixture of good and evil that was introduced by the Eitz HaDaas (The Tree of Knowledge of good and evil). All mixtures, which contain evil, are thus rooted in and caused by the force of evil in the world that is the “Erev Rav”.

The Erev Rav Is Compared To The Raven

The Talmud[4] identifies “Erev Rav” as people who never do kindness. The Sages compared “Erev Rav” to the oirev, the raven. A raven is cruel to its children; the cruelty of Erev Rav is like the cruelty of the raven. An allusion to this is that the word “erev” contained in the word (“Erev Rav”) is similar to the word “oirev.”

Our Sages also said that Moshe Rabbeinu, who personifies daas (human knowledge), shares the same root as the Erev Rav; thus, they are all rooted in one root. The power of “daas” exists in both the sides of holiness and evil. Moshe is the holy side to daas, and Erev Rav is the evil side of daas.

In contrast, Klal Yisrael is compared by our Sages to the yonah, the dove[5], and the Erev Rav is compared to the oirev/raven. The deeper meaning of this is as follows. We know that Noach first sent a raven out of the Ark to report to him if it was safe to leave the Ark, but the raven did not return. Chazal learn from here that the raven is a rebellious kind of bird. Noach then sent a dove, and the dove was loyal to Noach and returned. Thus, Chazal compare the Erev Rav to the evil raven, and Klal Yisrael to the loyal dove. Just as the raven rebelled against Noach, so did the Erev Rav rebel against Moshe [when they instigated the sin of the Golden Calf].

Erev Rav – A Mixture That Cannot Be Sifted

Erev Rav is the source of all mixtures. They are compared to chometz, as we stated before; chometz cannot be nullified to any amount of se’ohr, because chometz in a mixture always stays chometz[6]. So too, when Erev Rav is part of a mixture, it is not nullified to the mixture – rather, it is always there. That is the depth behind Erev Rav.

Leaving Egypt With No Chometz: The Key To Separating From Erev Rav

When we left Egypt, we weren’t allowed to have chometz with us. We had to leave in a hurry, and there was no time for us to bake any bread; thus, we left with unleavened bread, with matzah. The Erev Rav came with us, though. They were the “chometz” that came with us.

However, although the Erev Rav came with us when we left Egypt, at least we were still separated from them, since we only had matzah with us and no chometz, while they were completely chometz. In this aspect lays the key of how we can detach ourselves from the Erev Rav; it paved the way for us to be able to separate from them. (Later, we will return to this point and elaborate upon it].

Although this distinction didn’t totally separate us from the Erev Rav at that point, still, at least there was some tiny degree of separation from them. This hints that we do have hope in separating from them. And at Har Sinai, again, we separated from them, because the Erev Rav didn’t want to hear the Torah from Hashem, so they stood at a distance from the Jewish people; at that point, we were once again separated from them.

When we left Egypt, they were with us, just, they weren’t totally mixed with us yet. The fact that we didn’t have chometz with us is what helped us begin to separate from the “chometz” that is the Erev Rav.

Thus, when we reveal the power to ‘separate from mixture’, this is what can take away the entire strength of Erev Rav, which draws it strength from us being mixed with us. We separate from Erev Rav not by merely trying to separate from them in the simple sense; rather, when we need to separate from the concept of “mixtures”, which is the source of their power. When we separate from ‘mixtures’, the strength of Erev Rav is taken away as a direct result; herein will lay the key in ridding ourselves of them.

Erev Rav’s Power of “Mixture”

So the entire power to “mix” thrives on Erev Rav, and the way to separate from Erev Rav is by leaving the concept of “mixture”.

The Maharal says that chometz consists of several ingredients; matzah, however, is just plain water and flour. Chometz is a mixture, which hints to the idea of “complexity”, while matzah is a simple combination that involves no mixing, which hints to the concept of “simplicity.” Matzah is thus seen as a revelation of a concept in which there are no mixtures.

Erev Rav, which is called “se’ohr v’chometz” – also known as the sorcerers of Egypt, people who got themselves to resemble the actions of the Jewish people – thrive on the fact that they can “mix” with us. They can mix us by trying to copy us, just as they copied Moshe’s miracles.

Moshe represents the power of good in Creation, and Erev Rav is the equally powerful force of evil. Whatever good can do, evil can also do; that is the depth of evil. Evil “copies” good, and that is the depth of evil, which is represented by the force of Erev Rav in the world. That is how Erev Rav “mixes” with things. ‘Mixing’[7] is thus what defines nature of the Erev Rav.

The depth of their power to “mix” is as follows. There are 70 nations, and the Sages state that Erev Rav is the head of all of them[8]. In other words, the Erev Rav includes all of them together, and in addition, it mixes them all together. Erev Rav has the power to mix everything; it can mix the 70 nations [and thus unite them all together to fight the Jewish people].

Even more disturbing, though, is that it can mix the Jewish people into the other 70 nations, to lower the holiness of the Jewish people into the lower status of the other nations.

The Erev Rav and Kayin

Chazal  also state that the sons of Kayin are part of Erev Rav, and in another statement, Chazal  state that Kayin himself is the root of the Erev Rav. The Talmud says that the Snake placed a “zuhama” (spirit of impurity) into Chavah when it sinned with her, and this is what led to the conception of Kayin.

Adam and Chavah had two sons named Kayin and Hevel. Hevel was for the most part pure; it was Kayin who was mainly affected by the zuhama that was placed into Chavah. We also see that Kayin was given a choice by Hashem: “If you repent, good, and if not, you are opening the door to sin”. Kayin represents the free will to break up the mixture of good and evil that came from the Eitz HaDaas.

There are both holy and evil ways to use mixtures. Had Adam not sinned, there would have been no mixtures. After the sin, mixtures came into Creation, and Kayin’s soul came about from this mixture. The Erev Rav comes from this mixture.

Erev Rav and Amalek

The root of Erev Rav, though, is Amalek. Chazal  state that the two sons of Bilaam are the heads of Erev Rav. The mixture of the Erev Rav is most apparent in Amalek. Amalek is called reishis goyim, the “first” nation, meaning, that they were the first of the nations to fight against the Jewish people [after we became a nation].

The wicked Sancheriv, who came and ‘mixed up’ all the nations, was only able to do as a result of the Erev Rav’s power to “mix”. Amalek is the root of all this mixing that Erev Rav can cause. Amalek is a nation to itself, but they also serve as the root of Erev Rav (these are two distinct matters).

Amalek: Combining Yishmael and Esav Together

In the side of holiness, there were three Avos. Each of our Avos revealed a holy power in the world; Avraham was chessed, Yitzchok was gevurah.[9] Yaakov Avinu is the connecting point between Avraham and Yitzchok. From Avraham came one major root of evil, Yishmael, and from Yitzchok came Esav. And Esav and Yishmael are mixed together through Amalek.

Amalek combined Yishmael and Esav. Yishmael and Esav are the two roots of the 70 nations. Amalek connects both Yishmael and Esav to their root. It reveals how they are all one evil, and this one evil comes to counter the Jewish people, who are called “one” nation. When the nations are unified against Klal Yisrael, this is the evil kind of “oneness” that fights the holy “oneness” of the Jewish people.[10]

Where did we see this actually take place?

There were four exiles. Egypt is the root of all exiles, but the four exiles are the Babylonian exile, the Persian exile, the Greek exile, and the exile of Edom (Esav). Within the exile of Edom, though, is the exile of Yishmael. What, indeed, is the connection between Edom/Esav and Yishmael? We can see it clearly. We are in the exile of Edom, but within that, we are surrounded by the Arabs. Anyone who thinks is aware of this and sees it clearly. But what is the connection between Edom and Yishmael? If we are in the exile of Edom, how is it that we also in the exile of Yishmael? The answer is: they are connected together through Amalek. The exile of Yishmael is all due to Amalek.

The roots of Amalek were already present in Egypt [they were the sorcerers]; Egypt is the root of the four exiles, thus, Amalek was already present at the root. Amalek also reappears in our history in the exile of Edom, connecting the nations of Yishmael with Esav together.

Thus, the deeper way to define the current exile is by understanding that we are in the “exile of Amalek”.

Amalek is compared by Chazal as one who jumps into a scalding bath, who burns himself but cools it off for others. After Amalek fought with us, this allowed other nations to fight with us.

So the connection between Edom and Yishmael, the exile we are in, is all because of Amalek. They are all called “reishis goyim”, the “first of the nations”, and simply speaking, this was because they were the first nation to fight us, after we left Egypt. But upon a more subtle understanding, they were already in Egypt.

Amalek contains two opposite aspects: they are called both reishis (the beginning) and acharis (the end). They are called ‘reishis’ goyim, the first nation to fight Klal Yisrael, but they also show up again at the acharis/end of days.

In the end of the exile, Amalek reappears. Soon, when the end of the exile actually occurs – in which Hashem’s Name will once again be one - Amalek will once again reappear right before the end happens, for Amalek exists in order to fight the revelation of oneness of Hashem. The force of evil that is Amalek doesn’t want the oneness of Hashem to be revealed, therefore, it connects all the nations as one in order to fight the oneness of the Jewish people, so that the oneness of Hashem doesn’t become revealed.

That is what lies behind the exile of Amalek. Now we will delve a bit more into this.

The Secret Meaning of The Korbon Pesach

Amalek will be destroyed on the 14^th of Nissan, as stated in the Zohar. What is the depth behind this?

Earlier, we mentioned the words of Chazal that the sorcerers of Egypt were the first Amalekites. Amalek is the “reishis” (beginning) in the side of evil. The 14^th of Nissan was the day in which the firstborns of Egypt perished. When we combine these two facts, the connection is that the 14^th of Nissan is the day in which evil ‘beginnings’ are destroyed.

However, according to this reason, Amalek should really be obliterated on the night of the 15^th, not on the 14^th, just as the firstborns were slain by Hashem on the following night, which was the 15^th. Why, then, will Amalek be slain on the 14^th?

The reason is as follows. The 14^th generation [after the giving of the Torah] is called ‘the generation of Dovid’, and the 15^th generation is called ‘the generation of Shlomo’, who represents the perfected level of mankind (The word Shlomo is from the word shaleim, “perfect”). The 14^th and the 15^th, when added together, equal “29” - the amount of days in the month. The deep implication of this is that when “Dovid” (14) and “Shlomo” (15) are connected, there is the power of a “new month”.

The Korbon Pesach (the paschal sacrifice) is brought on the 14^th [Erev Pesach]. The festival of Pesach is observed on the 15^th. The Talmud states that although we begin the festival of Pesach on the 15^th (which is the night after the 14^th), the 14^th is still considered to be like a festival, since we ate the Korbon Pesach on the 14^th. In other words, the 14^th and the 15^th of Pesach are connected, since they are both called a festival.

(The month of Nissan is called “Rosh L’Chodashim”, the ‘head of the months’. We will explain the depth of this.)

When we fought Amalek, we had the “name of Hashem” with us, as we see from the possuk by the war with Amalek, “Yad al keis kah” (“The hand of Amalek is on the throne of Hashem”). [11] The Name of Hashem contains either the letters yud and daled, or the letters yud and hey.  The Korbon Pesach was eaten on the 15^th, the night after the 14^th, and not on the 14^th. Interestingly, it was called “Pesach”, which means to “skip over”, even before Hashem performed the miracle of skipping over the Jewish homes to kill the Egyptian firstborns. Why indeed was it called the korbon Pesach if it wasn’t Pesach yet? It is because the Korbon Pesach connects the 14^th of Nissan with the 15^th of Nissan.

The simpler understanding is that Amalek fights the letters of yud and hei in the name of Hashem, as Chazal  state. The deeper meaning of this as follows.

Let’s reflect: Which is a holier day – the 14^th of Nissan, or the15th of Nissan? In other terms, the question is: Are the letters yud and daled together a greater name of Hashem, or are the letters yud and hei a greater name of Hashem?

Simply, we would say that the letters yud and hei is the higher level, because yud and hei is 15, which represents Shlomo, who reached a more perfected level of Dovid. In Shlomo’s time it was erected the Beis HaMikdash, which had 15 steps leading to the Heichal.

But the deeper understanding is that “14” is a higher level than “15”, because “14” is the numerical value of the word yad (hand), and the hand can reach above the head, which shows us that yad/hand (14) is the point that extends ‘above’ a person. Thus, yad, the hand, which goes ‘above’ the head, represents the point above Creation.

Furthermore, Dovid represents “14”, and he is also called “bar nafli”, which means to “fall”. Simply speaking, this is because he was supposed to die at birth. But the deeper meaning is, he “falls” from the perspective of This World - meaning, he cannot be in This World, for he is really above it.

The Jewish People Are Called ‘Raishis’ – The ‘Beginning’

The Sages state that “Yisrael was conceived in Hashem’s thoughts”, even before Hashem created the world. Yet, we are also within this world. How do we reconcile this paradox? Is the nation of Yisrael above Creation, because they come before it - or are they found within Creation?

The answer is: the nation of Yisrael has the power to connect to the very beginning which came before the actual beginning of Creation. Since we came before Creation, and since we are within the Creation, we are able to connect the point “after” Creation with the point of “before” Creation.

Creation is also called ‘maaseh yodov’ (the handiwork)of Hashem, alluding to the power of “yad” that Hashem made Creation with. All of Creation is really “yad Hashem,” and Yisrael has the power of “yad”, which represents the power to go “above” Creation. In other words, Yisrael can link together the point of “after” Creation with “before Creation”, and connect the two endpoints together.

Amalek is the beginning nation of creation: “Reishis goyim Amalek”. The nation of Yisrael is also called the beginning, for Chazal say that “Yisrael is called reishis.” But Yisrael possesses a deeper kind of reishis that Amalek does not have. Yisrael can connect to an even earlier beginning than the beginning of Creation. Yisrael can connect to the state of before the Creation. Amalek, by contrast, has a beginning and end – they are called reishis goyim, and it is also said of them, “L’achariso adei oived”[12] (the end will be met with destruction).

Thus, the ongoing war between good and evil - between Amalek and Yisrael - is essentially a war between the two ‘beginnings’. Amalek begins with the ‘beginning’ of Creation, therefore, it can fight within the bounds of this Creation - but it is limited to the Creation itself. But Yisrael begins with the point that came before Creation (for ‘Yisrael was conceived in thoughts’ already before Creation came into concept).

Thus, the nation of Yisrael (the Jewish people) has an advantage over Amalek: we possess the power to connect to the ‘beginning’ point that came before the ‘beginning’ of Creation.

Taaruvos/Mixing – Both In The Sides of Evil and In Holiness

Now we can understand better what constitutes the Erev Rav, which are about taaruvos/mixtures. There are different kinds of mixtures. The simpler kind of mixture is the kind of mixing that the Erev Rav can do, which is evil; but there is a higher kind of mixture, which is holy, and it is the power which the Jewish people have.

Erev Rav mixes up things within Creation. They are the simpler kind of mixture. But there is a holy kind of mixture which can mix together Creation (or the point after Creation began) with the point of “before” Creation; this is the holy kind of “mixing” that Yisrael can do.

The Erev Rav is rooted in Amalek, and Amalek is the beginning of Creation, so Erev Rav can only mix things that are within Creation. They have no understanding of anything before Creation; all of their mixing is done within Creation. The Jewish people, who were conceived in Hashem’s thoughts before creation, can mix the Creation with the point of before creation, by combining the two points together.

“Hashem, the Torah, and Yisrael are one”[13] – thus, Yisrael is the connecting point of “after” Creation with “before” Creation. This is the holy kind of taaruvos\mixing.

“Erev Rav” gets its strength from mixing, as we have explained at lenth, but all of that mixing takes places within Creation. The Eitz HaChaim, the Tree of Life, actually contained a holy kind of daas, which was also able to mix; it contained a kind of daas which could mix together the point of after creation with the point of before creation.

In other words, Yisrael has the power to connecting our life to the point of before creation – to connect our life with Hashem. Moshe has the power of daas, and Erev Rav is the evil side to daas. Moshe, though, had the power to connect to what came before creation. Erev Rav can only connect together things that came after creation.

Thus, the deep root of Erev Rav is that they mix together “new” things. Holy mixing, though, doesn’t involve anything new; the holy kind of mixing is to connect together what came after creation with what came before creation.

That is the secret behind the concept “Kol Yisrael areivim”, “All of the Jewish people are mixed together.” It is the concept of arvus/areivus/combining/mutual unity. It is the holy kind of taaruvos. It is a taaruvos which does not create a taaruvos of tov and ra (mixture of good and evil) that the Erev Rav brings; rather, it is a taaruvos which brings areivus, togetherness.

The depth of holy taaruvos is described in the words[14]: “You existed before the world was created, and You existed after the world was created.” It is also what is written, “I am the First and I am the Last.”   The state of after Creation can become connected with the state of before Creation [and this is the role of the Jewish people].

The Depth of Amalek’s Power of “Reishis”

The power of mixing which Amalek uses, though, comes to fight the holy kind of mixing that the Jewish people can do.

Yishmael and Esav came from Avraham and Yitzchok. Hashem told Avraham to expel Yishmael from his home, so that he should not influence Yitzchok. This was really what paved the root of the redemption from Egypt. Hagar was the daughter of Pharoah, and by the redemption from Egypt, Pharoah was told that he must “divorce” the Jewish people from Egypt. The redemption of Egypt was called a “divorce”.

The first “divorce” that the Torah speaks about is the divorce of Adam from Gan Eden. It was really a hint to him that he needs to divorce evil from his midst.

So there were three kinds of ‘divorces’ from evil – when Adam was sent out from Gan Eden, when Avraham sent out Yishmael, and when Pharoah sent out the Jewish people. The root of all “ruin” of mankind was when Adam was expelled from Gan Eden. The rectification process to this began when Avraham sent out Yishmael. That rectification wasn’t revealed yet, though; but the roots had been laid. It became manifested in reality when Pharoah sent out the Jewish people, in which we separated from evil.

This signifies how we can separate from the Erev Rav. A bridge, which is called gesher in Hebrew, connects two points and enables them to mix together. The opposite of gesher is geresh, to divorce, to separate.

Amalek is called reishis, and it connects Esav and Yishmael. These two concepts are interconnected. Yishmael was born to Avraham, but not to Sarah. Esav, though, was born to both Yitzchok and Rivkah. Yishmael and Esav were both firstborns. Yishmael was totally thrown out of the house, and Esav sold his firstborn rights to Yaakov. But they both fought about their reishis.

Amalek combines Yishmael and Esav – what does it combine? It combines the reishis of Yishmael and the reishis of Esav. Yishmael was born first, and Esav was born first – that is what Amalek connects together. Thus, Amalek is called “reishis”.

Edom, The Yetzer Hora, Kayin, and Amalek/Erev Rav

There is also another way of describing this concept.

Edom ruled before Yisrael became kings, thus, Amalek can fight with Yisrael, because there were already kings of Edom before there were Jewish kings.

The yetzer hora (the evil inclination) is called by our Sages as “an old king”. Why is he called an old king? Simply, it is because he is around for 13 years before the yetzer tov comes to a person. But the deeper meaning is because the kings of Edom, which represent the yetzer hora, were around for many years before the kingdom of Yisrael.

The world for “old” is zaken, which alludes to Kayin, for Kayin’s name is rooted in the words “zeh konoh”, “This, I acquired.” Kayin is all about acquisition. What is the difference between Kayin and Hevel? Kayin, the root of Erev Rav, is about kinyan, acquisition. Hevel means to making things into “nothing”, as the Maharal states. In other words, Hevel represents the power to connect the point of after creation to the point of before creation; while Kayin mixes together good and evil within Creation.

Kayin represents ability to “choose” between good and evil, as he was told by Hashem to choose; on a deeper level, this implies that he allows evil to be a possibility in creation. Hevel represents a higher perspective: he makes everything in this world into hevel/nothing. He turns it into nothing by connecting it to the point of before creation. Thus, Kayin represents the point after creation, and Hevel represents the point before creation. So Kayin is about taaruvos, to mix around good and evil, within Creation.

Amalek connects together the reishis of Esav and Yishmael; he brings together the two evil beginnings. Of this evil kind of reishis, it is written, “L’achariso adei oived (His end will be met with destruction)”[15]. The holy kind of reishis, by contrast, is to connect oneself to the reishis that comes before “me”, as opposed to connecting to “my” reishis.

This is the power Yisrael, who is called “Li Rosh”, “A head unto Me”. [The essence of] Yisrael is what comes before the rosh/head – the point that is before the beginning.

Kayin is about what “I acquire”, that acquisitions begin with “me.” Kayin/Kinyan is the voice of evil: “I am the beginning of everything.” That is the concept of Amalek/Erev Rav. Hevel, though, represents the power to be aware of what comes before the beginning. This is the power of Yisrael.

Thus, the side of holiness is about what came before my existence, while the side of evil says that “I” am the beginning point.

The Two Powers of the Erev Rav: ‘Mixing’ and ‘Descent’

The Vilna Gaon explains two distinct evil aspects in Erev Rav: they contain an aspect called “reid” (‘descent’) and an aspect called “ra” (‘evil’).

They have an evil kind of daas, which is called ‘daas ra’ [which was introduced by the Eitz HaDaas]. But they also contain an aspect called “reid”, ‘descent’. The words “reid ra” (“evil descending”), has the same numerical value in Hebrew as the word “Erev Rav.”

Additionally, the Vilna Gaon also wrote that part of the Erev Rav has been rectified, and part of the Erev Rav is not rectified. The part in them that is “ra” has already been rectified, but the part that is “reid” is not yet rectified.

The Eitz HaDaas contained “daas tov v’ra” (good and evil knowledge), and we explained that this is the root of Erev Rav. There were two aspects of the “daas tov v’ra” in the Eitz HaDaas. One aspect of it, which is obvious, is that it simply mixes together “tov” with “ra”. The other aspect is that it causes reid/yeridah/descent.

Adam separated from Chavah for 131 years; this rectified the sin partially. Some of the sin still needed to be rectified even after this separation. The descent to Egypt, which was called “reid” in the Torah (“Go down to Egypt”), is what rectified the other remainder of the sin of the Eitz HaDaas that hadn’t been rectified yet. Adam fixed the “reid” aspect of the “daas tov v’ra”, but he didn’t rectify the “ra” aspect within the “daas ra”. So even when “ra” is rectified, we still remain with “reid”.

Moshe was told by Hashem, “Leich, reid m’hahar” (“Go descend from the mountain”), after the people sinned with the Golden Calf, which was instigated by the Erev Rav. Thus, the Erev Rav caused Moshe to ‘descend’ from where he was. We see from this that the Erev Rav has this power to cause spiritual descent.

Egypt is personified by the word “reid” – “Go down to Egypt”. Reid/Yeridah/’descending’ is the opposite of the concept of “going up” to Eretz Yisrael. Egypt is thus the epitome of yeridah, descent. When we left Egypt, we began to “go up” to Eretz Yisrael.

When we left Egypt, the possuk says, “And the Erev Rav also went up with them.” The Erev Rav “went up” with us when we left Egypt. This alludes to the concept of the Vilna Gaon, that part of them was rectified.[16]

Thus, the Erev Rav’s real power lies in its power to cause “reid”, or yeridah (spiritual descent) the force in Creation which pulls a person down from his spiritual level.

So are two powers of Erev Rav, as we mentioned: ra (evil/mixing) and reid (descent) Erev Rav pulls a person after evil due to its power of taaruvos, mixing. [This its power of ‘ra’ that resembles the daas ra of the Eitz HaDaas which created a mixture of good and evil in the world]; this aspect was discussed earlier. Erev Rav can also cause ‘reid’, descent - they pull everything down with them.

A hint to this concept is that one of the groups of Erev Rav is called “Nefilim”, those who cause “falling”,[17] and this refers to the aspect of “reid” in the Erev Rav: they cause a spiritual descent and pull people down with them.

Erev Rav Comes When There Is A Laxity In Keeping The Bris

Moshe Rabbeinu circumcised the Erev Rav. Yosef also circumcised the Egyptians, and those were called the Erev Zeir (a “small” group). That was how he fought with them – by circumcising them.

The Erev Rav, though, fought against Moshe, even though Yosef circumcised them. It is brought from the words of our Sages that Erev Rav comes when there is damage to the Bris Kodesh, which is symbolized as the trait of Yosef. Yosef connected heaven and earth, because he is called “ki chol bashamayim u’varetz.” The Bris removes orlah (the foreskin), and orlah contains the words al and ra; the ra of the orlah represents Erev Rav, and the al in orlah represents Amalek, who, as our Sages report, threw the Bris Milah of Yisrael into the sky when they came to fight with us.

The “Yad”/Hand of Amalek Against The “Yad” of Yisrael

Amalek came when we were “rafu yedeihem”, when “our hands were week.” The yad, the hand, can either be raised upward or it falls downward. Amalek fights through their “yad” (hand), as the possuk says by the war with Amalek, “Ki yad al keis kah” (”For their hand is upon the throne of G-d”). They seek to use their ‘yad’ (hand) to raise it upward, as we see from the fact that they threw the Bris Milah upward.

By contrast, the Jewish people possess the holy kind of yad (hand), which equals “14”; earlier, we explained that “14” represents the power of Yisrael to connect to the point before the beginning of Creation, just as the hand can reach above the head. Thus, Yisrael has the power to go above the beginning.

Erev Rav – Riv/Strife

So far, we have explained that Erev Rav’s power is through using taaruvos (mixture) to bring in ra (evil). The depth of their power of taaruvos is that they mix together tov v’ra; they combine “se’ohr with chometz”; and they combine together the concepts of “ra” (evil) and “reid” (descent).

Another aspect of Erev Rav is that they are a force of causing “riv”, strife. One root of Erev Rav is Bilaam, as the sons of Bilaam are called the heads of the Erev Rav. Another root of Erev Rav, though, took place within the Jewish people from Dasan and Aviram. These are two different roots of Erev Rav. Bilaam is the root of an external kind of Erev Rav, and Dasan and Aviram are the root of an Erev Rav within the camps of the Jewish people. They instigate riv/strife amongst the Jewish people.

Dasan and Aviram were rectified, when they were swallowed up with the sons of Korach. Therefore, this aspect of the Erev Rav was rectified when Dasan and Aviram were destroyed. However, the name of Hashem, which is still incomplete due to the presence of Amalek/Erev Rav, still didn’t get rectified yet.

In Conclusion

The “Erev Rav” is one of the most complicated and deep matters of the Torah. We have only covered a bit of it here, as all parts of the Torah are an endless ocean.

May we all merit the complete redemption, speedily – today. Amen.