The portion of Devarim is the first section of the Book of Deuteronomy.
According to Rav Isaac Luria (the Ari) and the Zohar, this fifth volume was written by Moses himself. The first four books were on the level of Zeir Anpin, the Tree of Life, the level that exists beyond our familiar level of existence. During the course of the reading of Devarim, the Light is brought down into the level of Malchut, our realm.
"There is no Zohar portion on this section of Devarim."
When the sages structured the portions of the Torah 3400 years ago, they calculated that Devarim would be read before Tisha B’Av; Satan is given total dominion over this day.
Although there is no Zohar portion on this section of Devarim, Rav Shimon declared there is a Zohar reading that can be found elsewhere in the section of Balak. Balak was bent on the annihilation of the children of Israel and represented the highest level of Satan in this physical reality. The obvious question then is that if this section concerns Devarim, why is it in the portion of Balak? Why is there seemingly no reference in the Zohar about Devarim? Is it so concealed?
When we investigate the section of Balak in the Zohar, we notice an amazing story about a little child, not older than six years of age, who expounds on a part of the Torah with two students of Rav Shimon—Rav Yitzchak and Rav Yehuda—that they have never heard before. They discussed concepts that have nothing to do with the portion Devarim.
"A little child contained all this concealed information."
To understand what the kabbalists had in mind 3400 years ago when they established that the portion of Devarim would always occur before Tisha B’Av, we need to know it is a coded message. This is the only way to understand the Bible. To read it on a superficial level, it is completely cold. The fact that we read the translation can only reduce the story and its meaning. The collection of words, letters and verses is a coded message. Let go of the fact that you do not understand one word. The Bible is the instrument through which the Lightforce of God can be transmitted.
The relationship between the portions of Balak and Devarim is that this little child contained all this concealed information. This little child is known as the Yenuka, meaning “little boy.” The word “linok” means “to receive sustenance, to nurse,” like a baby sucking milk from his mother’s breast. He was Yenuka—straight from the wellspring of the Lightforce of God. The Zohar says that all of this has some connection to Tisha B’Av.
The Zohar explains that because Devarim was written by Moses we do not have to work at transforming this Lightforce into another level—the level of Malchut—because it has already been done by Moses when he repeats everything that has occurred. What Moses did was create and encapsulate all the Light as we know it.
Without the Lightforce of God, Satan can prevail, it is that simple. Balak was the epitome of evil. Why do we have to keep reading about him and listening to this same story? There is so much mystery around it that it makes us ask questions, like this little child did. Everything is concealed and there is one way to reveal it, just like what this little child did to bring Light. This little boy was not afraid of the Light, he was not afraid of confrontation, he was not afraid to stand up for the Light. It is that simple, like the actions of a child.
