Kabbalah Library

33. “Nor shall he profane his semen among his people, for I the Lord sanctify him.” Anyone who emits semen in vain is not rewarded with seeing the face of the Shechina, and he is called “bad,” as it is written, “For You are not a God who delights in evil; evil shall not dwell with You.” This is one who emits his semen with his hand, or with another woman, who is not kosher [improper/unfit for spiritual use]. One who emits it with a woman who does not conceive is not regarded as emitting semen in vain, except those that we said.

34. Hence, one should pray to the Creator to provide for him a proper vessel, a proper woman, so he will not blemish his semen. One who emits his semen in a vessel that is not kosher, blemishes his semen. As it is for the rest of the people, it is certainly more so for the priest who stands below and aims such as above in the upper holiness. This is why it is written, “Nor shall he profane his semen among his people.”

35. It is written, “A widow, or a divorced woman, or a woman who has been defiled, or a prostitute, these he shall not take.” Afterwards, it is written, “Nor shall he profane his semen among his people.” Why is it written “among his people”? It should have written “in them.” However, this matter is a disgrace in his people, a blemish in his people. This is why it is written, “But he shall take as his wife a virgin from his own people.” Certainly, from his own people. Everything is such as above. “For I the Lord sanctify him.” I sanctify him every day; hence, he will not blemish his semen and no blemish shall be found in him, for I sanctify him, for I want to sanctify him, and he will be holy in everything, and the holy will serve through the holy.

‎36) The Creator will be served by the priest who will be found holy when he comes to serve. Because the Creator will be served by the priest, who is holy, the priest will be served by a pure one, who is sanctified in his purity, which are the Levites. Another person, the priest, will be served by another holy one, the Levite, so that all will be in holiness in serving the Creator. Happy are Israel in this world and in the next world, of whom it is written, “And I ‎will distinguish you from among the nations to be unto Me.” How distinguished are Israel from ‎everyone in Kedusha [holiness], to serve the Creator, as it is written, “Sanctify yourselves and be holy, ‎for I am the Lord your God.”‎

‎37) “Salvation is the Lord’s, Your blessing is upon Your people, Selah.” Happy are Israel, for ‎wherever they are exiled, the Shechina [Divinity] is exiled with them. Thus, when Israel ‎come out of exile, the Shechina will also come out of exile. To whom will be the ‎redemption, to Israel or to the Creator? Salvation is certainly the Lord’s. When? When “Your ‎blessing is upon Your people, Selah,” when the Creator watches over Israel with blessings, to ‎bring them out of exile and do good to them. At that time, salvation is certainly the Lord’s, ‎for the Shechina will come out of exile. For this reason, the Creator will bring the people of ‎Israel back from the exile, as it is written, “And the Lord your God will bring you back from ‎captivity and have mercy on you,” where bringing back means that He, too, will return with Israel ‎from the exile.‎