Some might seem straightforward, but when you start digging into the mystical texts, things can get really interesting. Take, for instance, the idea of when scholars should… well, engage in marital relations. It’s not just a random thought!

The Tikkunei Zohar, a core text of Kabbalah elaborates on this very topic in the 76th Tikkun. It suggests that the ideal time for scholars to be intimate is from Sabbath to Sabbath. Why? Because, according to the Tikkunei Zohar, this act is meant to bestow an inheritance – a very special “drop” of Ḥokhmah, or wisdom. This Ḥokhmah is described as the "dew" of Torah.

Think of it like this: the Torah is a wellspring of knowledge and insight, and this act, performed with intention and at the right time, can help transmit that wisdom to their children. The text makes the case that not for nothing did the sages of blessed memory establish that "All who engage in the Tal – the dew – of Torah, the dew of Torah revives them." We find this idea in the Talmud, specifically in Ketubot 62b and 111b.

Now, the text gets even more poetic, using the verse from Song of Songs 4:12: "…a locked wave – gal…" The Tikkunei Zohar draws a connection between gal, meaning wave, and galgal, meaning wheel. This hints that within this "wave" is a sealed wellspring, which is represented by the Hebrew letter Yod (י), a symbol of divine potential. Immediately following this, we have the verse from Genesis 29:7: "...water the flock..."

What does this flock represent? The text tells us that the flock represents the "holy limbs." These are the parts of the body that are used in service of God. As it says in Ezekiel 34:31: "And you are my flock, the flock of my pasture, you are man – adam…" And what are these flocks doing? They are being shepherded.

The text explains that they are all shepherds, and Moses is above all of them. The Tikkunei Zohar reminds us that it is written: "And he sat by a well..." (Exodus 2:15). It further connects this imagery to Psalm 90:1, "A prayer for Moses, the man – iysh – of ELQYM…"

So, what's the takeaway here? It's not just about the physical act itself, but about the intention, the timing, and the connection to something much larger than ourselves. The Tikkunei Zohar invites us to see the sacred in the seemingly mundane, to recognize the potential for transmitting wisdom and divine energy through intentional actions. It suggests that even in the most intimate moments, we can be conduits for something holy, something that can nourish and sustain future generations. It's a beautiful and powerful idea, isn't it?