R. Shmuel Bar Nachman said” Cursed be the wicked. In reference to Potiphar’s wife it say, “and she said, ‘lie with me”, like an animal, but of Ruth it says, “and spread your wing over your handmaid (Genesis Rabbah 87,4).
This comparison between Ruth and Potiphar's wife calls to mind an important idea explicated so beautifully by R. Tsadok Hakohen in Likuttei Amarim 80b. I uderstand that this passage had been censored out of some editions of this work. He writes that every element seeks to join itself with what is like it. If a woman on a low spiritual level seeks out an elevated man it is either a sign that something within him still requires correction or, that an element of goodness within her is crying out for redemption. The impure does not desire to attach itself to the pure, if not for one of these two reasons. Why would a Gentile jet-setter, a woman like the wife of Pharaoh’s chief executioner desire to attach herself to a completely pious Jewish man? It must be a desperate cry for meaning and redemption. This is why Joseph was initially tempted somewhat by his master’s wife, for he understood that she could not be attracted to him unless they shared something on a deeper level. So happens, it turned out to be her daughter Asnat, who ultimately married Joseph. The comparison between Potiphar’s wife and Ruth emphasizes that Ruth wanted Boaz solely for his goodness and righteousness. She was motivated by pure and religious motives and he instinctively sensed that. Ruth throws back to Boaz the same words that he said to her at their first meeting: “HaShem recompense your work, and be your reward complete from HaShem, the G-d of Israel, under whose wings you came to take refuge.' (Ruth 2:14). She asks that Boaz spread his wing over her, meaning his outer four-fringed garment (as many still spread a Tallis to constitute a Chuppah), alluding to the commandment of Tsitsit and its power to guard against temptation (see Malbim here, and Rashash to Kiddushin 18b). When a man spreads his garment over a woman he symbolozes that this man and this woman are now wearing the same cloak and face the world under the same cover. Ruth was prepared to cloak herself in the garments of the Sage of Israel with everything that it entailed.
So intermarriage is not, perhaps, something that is bereft of spiritual component. Rather, like all things, it is misdirected spirtuality, a kernel of goodness that is hijacked by impure forces, or it is a call to teshuvah. At times, it is redeemed later, when the non-Jewish partner takes interest in Judasim and ultimately converts. Often, however, the sparks remains trapped in exile, to the tragedy the Jewish people and the entire world.
There are other sources as well:
..through this you will understand the concept of "Yaffas Toar". ...it is known that those who went out to the optional war were righteous, to the extent of not speaking in between prayers. How then is it possible for such great saints to be affected by the desire to defile themselves with a foreign woman? This is why the Torah informed us that is he longs for her, this is nothing more than a spark of holiness that is intermixed in that nation, it is found in that non- Jewish woman - specifically, a spark that is related to the soul of this man is in this woman - therefore he desired her. So the Torah permitted that he come unto her and through that spirit that he injects into her at the time of intimacy, as is known, perhaps the good within her will overcome and push away the bad, and that woman will enter into holiness and convert. Even so, a rebellious son comes out of her, for it is not possible that some impurities do not remain mixed into her (Likuttim of Ari, Ki Teitsei).
A similar but shorter comment is found in Likkutei Torah of the Ari, regarding Shechem and Dinah. Shechem desired to uplift his spark of holiness and it led him to Dinah and to agree to circumcision. Once he elevated this spark through circumcising himself, the remnant was destroyed by Yakov's sons.
This strain of thought is picked up in part by the Lubavitcher Rebbe who wrote ((Insights section in the Gutnick Chumash ad loc) that Dina accomplished what she set out to do, bring the women of Shechem closer to Hashem, albeit not in the way she intended. After the men of Shechem were killed, the women and children of Shechem joined the Jewish people, as it is written in the Torah.
Sounds like Sabbatiasm to me . . Sparks of holiness in forbidden acts . .
Posted by: Toronto Yid | December 15, 2009 at 10:50 PM
I meant Frankism,
Posted by: Toronto Yid | December 15, 2009 at 10:56 PM