The Dog (Kelev) in Jewish Tradition

The Dog (Kelev) in Jewish Tradition

\r\n \r\n\r\nJudaism teaches that all creation is divided into four categories:\r\n\r\nDomem (the silent)—stones, sand, and minerals;\r\n\r\nTzomeach (the growing)—trees, plants, and fruit;\r\n\r\nChai (the living)—the animal kingdom, from insects to beasts;\r\n\r\nMedaber (the speaking)—human beings.\r\n\r\nThe souls of human beings return through gilgulim in all four categories.\r\n\r\nThe Mekubalim teach that a soul residing in an animal’s body is sent there for its tikkun, and that in such a gilgul it remembers its previous life.\r\n\r\nThe soul’s presence in an animal is always a punishment—with the exception of fish, which most often receive the souls of tzadikim.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe dog occupies a unique place among animals.\r\n\r\n1. When the Jewish people offered sacrifices in the Beit HaMikdash, the sign that teshuvah had been accepted was the image of a fiery lion.\r\n\r\nThe Holy Zohar says that this refers to the angel Uriel, who conveyed the sacrifice to the Creator.\r\n\r\nBut if the teshuvah was not accepted, people saw the face of a dog above the altar—this is the name given to the Angel of Death.\r\n\r\n2. It is said of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the great commander of the two kings, David and Solomon, in II Samuel 23:20: “He went down and struck down a lion inside a pit.”\r\n\r\nThe Holy Zohar comments:\r\n\r\n“Once, when the River Kevar still carried its waters downward, the children of Israel were whole, bringing sacrifices and offerings for the atonement of their souls. At that time, an image of a lion descended from above, and they saw it upon the altar, stretched over the offering and tearing its prey like a mighty warrior. All the dogs hid from it and did not come outside. When sins brought this about, he descended into the depths of the lower levels and killed that lion. For by no longer wishing to give it nourishment, he was as though killing it. He specifically ‘killed the lion inside a pit’—before the eyes of the sitra achra, the side of evil. When the sitra achra saw this, it grew stronger and sent a certain dog to consume the sacrifices. And what was the name of that lion? Uriel, because his face was the face of a lion. And what was the name of that dog? Baladan was his name—‘bli Adam,’ because he is not contained within Adam; he is a dog, and his face is the face of a dog.” (The Holy Zohar 1:5a–7b)\r\n\r\nThe Torah says: “Meat torn in the field—treifah—you shall not eat; throw it to the dog.” (Exodus 22:30)\r\n\r\nThe Holy Zohar explains that if, during prayer, one’s kavanah is spoiled by external causes rather than by any deficiency in the person praying—for example, if someone distracted him during the Amidah—then that prayer is treifah and goes as food to the Dog, one of the names of the Angel of Death. (Based on a lesson by Rav Tzvi Nisanson, Baal HaSulam, and the Zohar)\r\n\r\n3. The Arizal (may his merit protect us) told his disciples: “If in the morning you see a dog bowing to you, it is a good sign—Hashem is bowing to you and is pleased with you. If the dog turns away from you, Hashem likewise turns away from you.”\r\n\r\n4. The Sages say that whoever has a dog in his home will never see Mashiach.\r\n\r\nWhen a Jew does not make self-improvement his goal, he is called a goy, because what he seeks is not tikkun but the benefits of Torah in this world and in the World to Come. Regarding such people, the Zohar says:\r\n\r\n“The leech has two daughters who bark like dogs, saying ‘Hav, hav’ twice: hav—I desire this world, and hav—I desire the World to Come.”\r\n\r\n5. Rabbeinu Chida (may his merit protect us) writes in his book Tziporen Shamir: “One should not frighten children by saying, ‘A dog will take you,’ or with similar expressions, because the sitra achra is called by such names. Thus, when we say such things, it is as though we give permission for it to come and take the child.” (Rabbeinu Chida, Tziporen Shamir, chapter 11, law 189)\r\n\r\nThe Mekubalim reveal a fascinating matter.\r\n\r\nYosef HaTzaddik was imprisoned for ten years because he had been involved in the episode with Potiphar’s wife. After losing the ten souls he was destined to bring into the world (according to the Arizal), he was imprisoned for ten years on their account.\r\n\r\nThe Holy Zohar writes that a man who has intimate relations with a non-Jewish woman falls under the influence of an impure force—the kelipah of “Kele v” (dog).\r\n\r\nKing David writes: “Miyad kelev yechidati”—“Deliver my soul from the dog” (Psalms 22:21).\r\n\r\nYosef almost entered into a relationship with Zuleikha. At that moment, he saw before him the face of his father, Yaakov, who said to him: “Know, Yosef, that the Kohen Gadol will have a breastplate with twelve stones corresponding to the twelve tribes, and your name will be inscribed on one of them. If you sin now, your name will be erased from the breastplate.” Yosef fled from Zuleikha, but lost ten drops of soul through his fingers.\r\n\r\nBecause of these drops, the word “kelev” becomes the word “kevel” (shackles)—the letters are the same. But because he did not actually have relations with the non-Jewish woman and was only under her influence for a moment, he was imprisoned for ten years, during which he was bound in shackles: “Le’eved nimkar Yosef, inu vakevel raglo…”—“Yosef was sold into slavery; they bound his feet with shackles” (Psalms 105:17–18). (Rav Daniel Cohen, Shaarei HaEmet)\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n6. Rav Yitzchak Abuav writes in Menorat HaMaor that one who takes a non-Jewish woman as a wife enters Gehinnom with her, as it is written concerning Yosef: “He refused her, to lie beside her and be with her”—“to lie beside her” refers to this world, while “to be with her” refers to the World to Come. This sin clings to a person like a dog and remains with him on the Day of Judgment.\r\n\r\n7. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov taught in Sefer HaMiddot that when a dog bites a person, it means that the compassion of the Almighty does not extend to him, and it is clear that he has eaten forbidden food.\r\n\r\nThe only place in Jewish tradition where the dog is given a positive role is Perek Shirah. Its introduction states:\r\n\r\n“Rabbi Isaiah, a disciple of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, fasted eighty-five times (85 being the gematria of the word ‘peh’, mouth), hoping that through purification he would learn why dogs—bold and insatiable creatures—have their own song in Perek Shirah. In the merit of having been the disciple of such a great man, he received an answer from Heaven. The messenger explained that this secret, until then revealed only to the prophet Habakkuk, is that dogs did not bark at the members of the House of Israel in Egypt. In addition, their excrement was used to tan the leather for mezuzot, tefillin, and Torah scrolls. He also reminded him that one who guards his mouth from evil likewise protects his soul from misfortune.”\r\n\r\nThe Dog’s Song in Perek Shirah:\r\n\r\nThe dog says:\r\n\r\n“Come, let us bow down and prostrate ourselves; let us kneel before the L-rd who created us.”\r\n\r\n \r\n

Stories of Tzadikim—The Story of One Gilgul

\r\nOnce, when Rabbi Sholom HaMeorer—the one who awakens Jews in the morning for prayer—was making his usual pre-dawn rounds, humming the familiar daily melody, one of the city’s “enlightened” men, who had attended a secular school as a child, dared to splash filth in his face. Rabbi Sholom did not mention what had happened to anyone. Only the “enlightened” man’s family knew about it. Yet that very day, the offender died suddenly.\r\n\r\nAt first, the relatives saw no connection between the insult to Rabbi Sholom and the sudden death. Later, however, they were forced to see with their own eyes that such a connection existed.\r\n\r\nTwo days later, early in the morning as usual, Rabbi Sholom passed the same house. Suddenly, an enormous, coal-black, terrifying dog appeared before him. It circled and leapt around him, barking furiously. Rabbi Sholom HaGibor was not the sort of man to be frightened by dogs. He continued on his way until he had completed his morning duties. The dog followed him relentlessly the entire time. “There is nothing unusual about it,” Rabbi Sholom thought to himself, “that a foolish dog should trail after me.” But the following day the same thing happened again. Once more, near the house where he had first been insulted, the same dog leapt up, jumping and barking.\r\n\r\nRabbi Sholom continued on, and the dog followed. This time, too, Rabbi Sholom did not take the incident to heart.\r\n\r\nBut when it happened a third and a fourth time, he became convinced that something was wrong.\r\n\r\nOn the fifth day, he went up to the Beit Din in the courtyard of the Hurva Synagogue and, deeply troubled, revealed his secret.\r\n\r\nThe Jerusalem rabbis listened with trepidation to this strange story, initially taking it to be a product of his imagination. Rabbi Sholom, anticipating this, had brought two witnesses with him—students of Jerusalem yeshivot—who solemnly confirmed the truth of the events they themselves had witnessed that very morning.\r\n\r\nMoreover, they added, when one of the “enlightened” man’s relatives jokingly called the dog by the deceased man’s name, the dog flew into indescribable rage and began leaping furiously, trying to reach the joker’s window.\r\n\r\n“Now,” the witnesses reported, “the deceased man’s relatives are utterly dejected and ready to accept whatever order of atonement the members of the Beit Din prescribe!”\r\n\r\nThe rabbanim consulted with one another. Deciding that the matter before them was too complex, they concluded that they needed to approach the Jerusalem Gaon, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, who served as the honored head of the Beit Din. Only he could make sense of this strange situation.\r\n\r\nRabbi Chaim had often taken part in resolving difficult questions, but lately, because of his increasing weakness, he could no longer attend court sessions. This took place a year before his passing.\r\n\r\nNevertheless, the rabbanim decided to disregard this difficulty and persuade Rabbi Chaim to help them.\r\n\r\nThe head of the Beit Din, Rabbi Mordechai-Leib Rubin, went down to the rabbi’s home himself to ask him. To his disappointment, Rabbi Chaim was not at home. The Rabbanit explained that he had left shortly beforehand for the Etz Chaim Talmud Torah, located in one of the rooms of that same Hurvat Rabbi Yehuda HaChassid Synagogue.\r\n\r\n“Phew,” sighed the breathless and somewhat tired Rabbi Mordechai-Leib quietly. “The rabbi was right next door to the Beit Din, and I had no idea!”\r\n\r\n“What is the rabbi doing at the Etz Chaim Talmud Torah?” Rabbi Mordechai-Leib wondered as he retraced his steps in the opposite direction. He quickened his pace. Then he saw the rabbi coming toward him! Rabbi Mordechai-Leib, a straightforward man, asked the rabbi without catching his breath why he had suddenly visited the Talmud Torah.\r\n\r\n“Oh, nothing special,” Rabbi Chaim replied. “One of my grandsons is to assume the yoke of the mitzvot in a few days, and I asked the melamed to teach the boy all 613 mitzvot by heart. It is customary,” the rabbi added, “to prepare a Torah discourse for the day of becoming bar mitzvah. But it seems to me that if a young man, upon reaching the age when he becomes obligated to observe the mitzvot, knows them by heart, one could wish for no better discourse!”\r\n\r\nThis was a convenient opportunity to outline the situation involving Rabbi Sholom HaGibor. Rabbi Mordechai-Leib then added that the members of the court greatly hoped that the honored rabbi would join the Beit Din session. The rabbi agreed immediately. He knew Rabbi Sholom well, as Rabbi Sholom had been a regular guest at his home on Shabbat and festivals. The rabbi’s grandsons related that on the night of the Passover Seder, he would usually grant Rabbi Shlomo the honor of asking the traditional first question, “Ma Nishtanah?” Rabbi Shlomo did so with great feeling, and Rabbi Chaim took immense pleasure in it.\r\n\r\nThe rabbi needed no testimony in order to believe Rabbi Sholom’s account; he knew that Rabbi Sholom would not allow even the slightest exaggeration.\r\n\r\nWhen Rabbi Chaim appeared at the court, the entire community hurried to greet him. His first instruction was to send the assistant to the head of the Beit Din to summon the deceased man’s relatives.\r\n\r\nThe family, burning with shame, soon arrived. The rabbi consulted briefly with the members of the court, and the head of the Beit Din, Rabbi Mordechai-Leib, was honored with reading the verdict:\r\n\r\n“Your father committed an offense that is not easily rectified. He attempted to silence the voice of our ancient tradition, which calls the Jews of Jerusalem to serve the Creator. As punishment for this offense, his soul has been reincarnated in a dog that disturbs your peace at the hour when other people are resting and restoring their strength for Torah study and prayer.\r\n\r\n“In accordance with the rabbi’s ruling and with the agreement of the members of the Beit Din,” the head of the court continued, “we establish the following order of atonement for you. In Jerusalem, with the help of the Almighty, there are many synagogues, and Torah is studied at night in many of them. This is precisely what your relative sought to eradicate. We decree that after you ask Rabbi Sholom’s forgiveness, beginning today and continuing thereafter, you shall bring hot drinks to those studying every night, and during the winter you shall also provide firewood for warmth. In this way, may your father’s offense be atoned for.”\r\n\r\nThe deceased man’s family accepted the court’s ruling without complaint and carried out a special ceremony for this purpose.\r\n\r\nIndeed, until very recently, year after year, this family brought hot tea and coffee every night to synagogues and houses of study for Jews immersed in Torah. Even today, one of the former “enlightened” man’s grandsons provides fuel for Jerusalem’s synagogues on cold winter nights.\r\n\r\nThe agreement was written and sealed, and the head of the Beit Din addressed Rabbi Sholom:\r\n\r\n“Rabbi Sholom, we instruct you that when you encounter this reincarnated soul, you are to convey in the name of the Jerusalem rabbi and the members of the court that its tikkun has been completed and that you forgive it wholeheartedly.”\r\n\r\nRabbi Sholom slightly raised his head, which had been bowed in embarrassment, and nodded in agreement.\r\n\r\nThe next day, Rabbi Sholom went out on his usual rounds again. He passed the ill-fated house, and the dog was there to meet him. Rabbi Sholom recalled Rabbi Mordechai-Leib’s words and, drawing a deep breath, said with effort:\r\n\r\n“On behalf of the Jerusalem Gaon, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, and by order of the Beit Din of the Holy City, I declare that your soul has undergone its proper tikkun, and I, for my part, forgive you wholeheartedly!”\r\n\r\nAt that very moment, the dog vanished without a trace and never appeared again.\r\n\r\nRabbi Sholom HaGibor was a simple-hearted man. That same day, he went up to the Beit Din to inform the sages of Jerusalem that the reincarnated soul of the man who had insulted him had been rectified and returned to its proper place.\r\n\r\n(This Elevated City, Menachem Gerlitz)