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THE ZOHAR |
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HA'AZINU Deuteronomy XXII, 1-52 GIVE EAR, YE HEAVENS, AND I WILL SPEAK, ETC. R. Judah cited here the verse: "I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone", etc. (S.S. V, 6). 'And just before this it is written, "I was asleep but my heart waked" (Ibid. 2). Said the Community of Israel: I was asleep to the precepts of the Law when I went in the wilderness, but my heart was awake to enter the land so as to perform them, since they all are meant for the land. "It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh": this is Moses, who administered many reproofs [286b] and rebukes, as it says, "These are the words", etc. (Deut. I, 1). "Ye were rebellious", etc. (Ibid. IX, 24). Yet withal he spoke only in love for Israel, as it says, "Ye are a holy people", etc. (Ibid. VII. 6). Said the Israelites: When we were about to enter into the land and to receive precepts of the Law, then "my beloved withdrew himself and was gone", for "Moses the servant of the Lord died there". "I sought him but I could not find him", as it is written, "There arose not a prophet like Moses". "I called him but he gave me no answer", for there was no generation like that of Moses, one to whose voice God hearkened and for whom He did such wonders and miracles. R. Isaac said: "I rose to open to my beloved": this was in the days of Moses, during the whole of which there was no need of angel or messenger to guide Israel. "My beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone": this was in the days of Joshua, as it is written, "Nay, but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come" (Joshua V, 14). Moses heard the voice of the holy supernal King without trembling; "I came in the days of Moses thy master but he would not accept me". Then did the children of Israel realize the greatness of Moses; they sought the Holy One. blessed be He, but He was no longer at hand for them as in the days of Moses.' GIVE EAR, YE HEAVENS, AND I WILL SPEAK. R. Hiya said: 'Blessed is Moses in that he was superior to all other prophets. For Isaiah being further removed from the King said only, "Hear, heavens", but Moses being nearer to the King [1] said, "Give ear". We have learnt that when Isaiah said "Hear, heavens, and give ear, earth", many translucent angels sought to break his head and a voice came forth saying: Who is this that seeks to throw the world into confusion; and he therefore made haste to say: I do this not of myself, but "the Lord speaketh". In regard to Moses, however, it says, "Hear, ye heavens, and I will speak" -- I, and no other, "and let the earth hear my voice" -- mine and no other's.' R. Jose said: 'There is a further difference between Moses and Isaiah in that Moses said, "Give ear, the heavens", that is, those highest heavens which are called the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and further, "and let the earth hear", the upper earth, the land of the living. But Isaiah said only "heaven" and "earth", meaning the lower heaven and earth, and withal he was nearly punished.' R. Isaac discoursed on the verse: "As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons" (S.S. II, 3). 'Just as the apple is superior in its colouring to all other fruits, so the Holy One, blessed be He, is distinguished from all forces, higher and lower. Observe that the Holy One, blessed be He, is compared to the apple, which has three colours, and the Community of Israel to the lily, which has two, red and white.' [287a] R. Judah said: 'The Holy One, blessed be He, is called Heaven, and because He is called heaven, therefore all the seven firmaments which are included under this name when they are joined together are also called heaven and are called the name of the Holy One, blessed be He.' R. Jose asked: 'Why is this discourse called "song"?' R. Isaac answered: 'Just as [287b] a song is drawn from heaven to earth by the holy spirit, so these words were drawn from heaven to earth by the holy spirit. Observe that Moses made a long exordium saying, "Give ear, ye heavens, and hear, O earth, let my discourse drop as the dew", etc. Why all this? "Because I will call on the name of the Lord". We have learnt that when Moses said "Give ear, ye heavens, and I will speak", all worlds were shaken. A voice came forth and said: Moses, why dost thou shake the world, being but a mortal? He replied: Because I will call on the name of the Lord. Forthwith they were silent and listened to his words.' [2] [296b] R. Jose said: 'God first called Israel "holy", as it is written, "For thou art a holy people", etc. (Deut. XIV, 2). Then He called them "holiness", as it is written, "Israel is holiness (kodesh) to the Lord, the firstfruits [297a] of his increase" (Jer. II, 3). What is the difference between the two terms?' R. Abba said: ' "Holiness" is higher than all, for so we have learnt that when all sanctities are combined they are called "holiness", and all assemble together to that place which is called "holiness".' R. Eleazar said: 'The beginning and end of all is comprised in "holiness", and the supreme Wisdom is called "holiness", and when this Wisdom shines forth the wisdom of Solomon is illumined, the Moon being then at the full. When it is illumined from Yesod we call it "holiness" when this illumines her fully, but when it is not illumined completely we call it "the spirit of holiness". And when it is blessed from Yesod and gives suck to all below, we call it Mother, and we call them "holinesses", and so it becomes "holy of holies".' FOR I WILL PROCLAIM THE NAME OF THE LORD, ETC. R. Abba said: '"Ascribe ye greatness" refers to Gedulah; "The Rock, his work is perfect" to Geburah; "For all his ways are judgement" to Tifereth; "a God of faithfulness" to Nezah; "and without iniquity" to Hod; "just" to Yesod; "and right" to Zedek; "is he" completes the holy name of the Holy One, blessed be He.' R. Jose said: 'Then only did Moses reveal this name to the children of Israel, as it is written, "I am an hundred and twenty years old this day", etc. (Deut. XXXI, 2). From this we learn that one in whom resides divine wisdom, when his time arrives to depart from the world, should reveal that wisdom to those among whom is the holy spirit. If he does not, we apply to him the words, "Withhold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to do it" (Prov. III, 27).' R. Hiya said: 'The end of this verse makes fast the knot of faith in the word "he", as if to say "He is all, He is one without division", and all the others mentioned are not diverse but are all united in One, who is, was, and will be. Happy is he who calls upon the King and knows how to call upon him fittingly. But if one calls without knowing to whom he calls, the Holy One, blessed be He, is far from him, as it is written, "God is near to all who call upon him, (to wit) to all who call upon him in truth" (Ps. CXLV, 18). Is there, then, one who calls upon Him in falsehood?' Said R. Abba: 'Yes; he that calls and knows not to whom he calls. 'THEY HAVE CORRUPTED THEMSELVES, THEY ARE NOT HIS CHILDREN, IT IS THEIR BLEMISH. We have learnt: Sinners, if one may say so, create a blemish above, [297b] in that through them all the divine adornments are not in their proper condition.' Said R. Jose: 'What is the blemish? That the Fathers do not obtain full blessing from the watering of the Stream, and even less of course the Children.' Similarly R. Simeon said: 'When sinners are numerous in the world, the Holy Name, if one may say so, is not blessed in the world, but when sinners are not numerous, the Holy Name is blessed in the world.' R. Abba said: 'This text also says so explicitly. Who is the cause of the corruption here mentioned? "A perverse and crooked generation." Hence, after Moses had expressed the Holy Name in fitting manner, closing with the words, "just and right is he", he went on, "but they corrupted themselves being not his sons", etc. Why? Because they were a perverse and crooked generation. 'Do YE THUS REQUITE THE LORD, to wit, for all those kindnesses that He has shown thee.' R. Eleazar said: 'Blessed are Israel above all heathen peoples, because although they have provoked their Master, the Holy One, blessed be He, was fain not to abandon them. For in every place to which they have been exiled the Holy One, blessed be He, is with them in their banishment, as it is written, "And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies I will not reject them", etc. (Lev. XXVI, 44). Now how great is the love of the Holy One, blessed be He, for Israel, for although they brought exile upon themselves the Shekinah never leaves them, as it says, "and this (zoth) also (is with them) when they are in the land of their enemies". A king had a son who provoked him so that he condemned him to depart from him and to go to a distant land. The Queen on hearing this said: Seeing that my son is going to a distant land and the King casts him out of his palace, I will not leave him, but either we will both return together to the palace or both will dwell together in another land. In course of time the King sought the Queen and did not find her, because she had gone with her son. He said: Since the Queen is there, let them both return. But it is the Queen whom the King seeks out first, and for her sake he seeks out his son, as it is written, "I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel". Why? Because "I remember my Covenant" (Ex. VI, 5).' [298a] As R. Isaac was once journeying on the road, R. Hiya met him. He said to him: 'I see from the look of your face that your abode is with the Shekinah. Why is it written, "And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians"? Surely it should be, "And I shall come down"? It means, however, "I went down at first", namely, when Jacob went down to Egypt; I then went down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians, since otherwise they could not have endured the captivity; and so it says, "I am with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him" (Ps. XCI, 15).' He replied: 'Of a truth wherever Israel dwell the Holy One, blessed be He, is among them, and wherever the wise of the generation walk the Holy One, blessed be He, walks with them. How do we know? From Jacob, of whom it is written, "And Jacob went on his way" (Gen. XXII, 1), and then, "And Jacob said when he saw them, This is God's host". Now let us join one another and proceed, as I know we are going to the same place, to pay our respects to the Shekinah.' 'Assuredly so,' replied the other. As they went along, R. Hiya said: 'It is written, "These are the generations of the heavens and the earth" (Gen. II, 4). "The heavens" includes the Holy One, blessed be He, and "the earth" includes the Holy One, blessed be He, and all that is lower is called "the generations of the heavens". We have learnt that this world was created with He and the future world with Vau. From the Head of the King the streams issue forth to Binah, and thence they flow to all corners until finally they are collected in the place called the Great Sea, whence issue generations for all.' Said R. Isaac: 'When we studied with R. Simeon, all this was set forth explicitly and not by way of allusion.' He replied: 'R. Simeon is not like other men, for they are to him as the other prophets to Moses.' As they went along, R. Hiya asked R. Isaac the meaning of the verse: "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?" (Isa. LXIX, 15)'. Said the other: 'If in the company of the colleagues we could find no proper explanation for it, how can I say?' He thereupon said: 'I once caught a hint of the meaning as I was going along the road, but I do not know who said it or exactly what he meant. For seven days I was troubled by this and did not eat anything, and now I am going to the Sacred Lamp in case he may be able to remind me.' Said R. Isaac: 'Perhaps it was the day when R. Eleazar was going to his father-in-law, and I was with him, and I can remember. For thus said R. Eleazar in the name of his father: Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Since the day that we fell into captivity God has forsaken and forgotten us, as it is written, "But Zion said, The Lord hath forgotten me" (Ibid. 14). Whereupon the Shekinah replied: "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son [298b] of her womb?" "Yea, these may forget" -- to wit, those mentioned in the verse, "These are the generations of heaven and earth", "yet will not I forget thee". This shows that the Holy One, blessed be He, will not forsake Israel for ever. Further, there is a deep mystery here, since God said that "these" things are attached to His name, and just as the Holy One, blessed be He, cannot forget His name, which is all, so He does not forget Israel, who are attached to His very name.' R. Hiya thereupon became excited and said: 'In truth that is the thing. Blessed be God that I reminded you, so that now I know what it was and who said it. I ran four miles that day and could not find out who it was.' R. Isaac said: 'I heard it because I went into a cave where R. Eleazar was resting.' REMEMBER THE DAYS OF OLD, CONSIDER THE YEARS OF MANY GENERATIONS. R. Abba said: 'The "days of old" are the six Days in which God made the world; and these Days know and are acquainted with all the years of the world, and all generations up to this generation to which we ourselves belong. ASK THY FATHER AND HE WILL SHOW THEE: this is the Holy One, blessed be He, who will reveal to thee the hidden depths of Wisdom, to wit, that when those six Days constructed the universe they did so only for thy sake that thou mightest come and perform the Law, as we have learnt, that God made a condition with creation that if when Israel came they would accept the Torah it should stand, and if not that it should revert to chaos. Therefore God assigned other peoples to Chieftains and Overseers, but of you it is written, FOR THE LORD'S PORTION IS HIS PEOPLE, JACOB IS THE LOT OF HIS INHERITANCE, since He assigned them to no Potentate or Angel or Chieftain, but took them for his own portion. Where did He find them? IN A DESERT LAND AND IN A WASTE HOWLING WILDERNESS, as it is written, "Terah the father of Abraham ... and I took your father Abraham", etc. (Joshua XXIV, 2, 3); and from there He guided Israel in every generation, never separating from them.' AS AN EAGLE THAT STIRRETH UP HER NEST. R. Jose said: 'There is no creature so devoted to her young as the eagle, being as kind to them as it is cruel to others. THE LORD ALONE DID LEAD HIM AND THERE WAS NO STRANGE GOD WITH HIM: He alone, as it is written, "And the Lord went before them", etc. (Ex. XIII, 21), and they were not led by an angel or any other Chieftain such as are called "strange god".' O THAT THEY WERE WISE, THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD THIS. R. Jose said: 'All the verses of this section are reproofs addressed by Moses to Israel, with the exception of the Holy Name which he disclosed at the beginning of his discourse.' R. Abba said: 'Even his reproofs are included in the holy name, since there is no word in the Torah which is not comprised in the holy name. That the name [299a] of the Holy One, blessed be He, however, might be inscribed in this section, we have had to wait till here, where it is indeed written, "O that they were wise, that they understood this (zoth)", meaning that if Israel knew how zoth takes hold of judgement to punish sinners "they would consider their latter end", and take heed to be faithful to her. Or we may explain that She is united with Israel when they keep the precepts of the Torah and dwell with Her in peace, and then they know that this zoth is on their side to help them to punish their enemies. Israel who are the least of nations will then know "how one should chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight". 'EXCEPT THEIR ROCK HAD SOLD THEM AND THE LORD HAD DELIVERED THEM UP. Why so? Because "Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful" (V. 18), and the divine adornments are not in their proper place.' R. Judah said: 'The "rock" here is Abraham, who said, "Let Israel be condemned to exile rather than to Gehinnom", and God consented, so that whenever Israel sin they are sent into captivity and their enemies rule over them.' R. Judah said: 'Why did Moses reprove Israel thus in this song? Because they were about to enter into the land where the Shekinah would dwell in their midst.' R. Isaac said: 'When the prophet said, "The Lord hath a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways" (Hosea XII, 2), the nations of the world exulted, saying: "Now they will be utterly destroyed". But when God saw them rejoicing, He changed His mind, and it is written, "In the womb he took his brother by the heel", etc. (Hos. XII, 4). A woman had a quarrel with her son, and went to complain against him to the court. When she saw the judge condemning prisoners to stripes, to crucifying, to burning, she said: Alas, what shall I do with my son? When the judge was ready he said to her: Tell me what I shall do with your son. She said: I was only shouting. 'HE FOUND HIM IN A DESERT LAND AND IN THE WASTE HOWLING WILDERNESS. Assuredly he afterwards made all those "shells" [3] subservient to him. 'Up to this point this section was transcribed in the Book of Kartana the physician. Then in a note to this verse were set down all the precautions that a wise physician should take for a person laid up in his sickness, among the prisoners of the King, for the service of his Master, the Lord of the Universe. When the wise physician goes in to him, he "finds him in a desert land and in the waste howling wilderness". Are we to say that because God has commanded him to be seized, no one should seek to help him? Not so, for David said, "Blessed is he that considereth the poor" (Ps. XLI, 2), and the "poor" is one confined to a bed of sickness. What, then, is the wise physician to do? He "compasses him about", finding means to protect him against the things that injure him, by letting blood and removing the bad blood from him. "He cares for him", examining the cause of the disease, and taking steps that it should not grow worse. Then "he keeps him as the apple of his eye", that he may be careful to prescribe for him the proper medicines, since if he makes a mistake in a single particular God imputes it to him as if he were to shed blood, for, although that man is among the prisoners of the King, yet God desires that his fellow man should tend him and help to release him from the prison. He used to say thus: Goo passes sentence on human beings above, whether for death or [299b] banishment or confiscation of goods or imprisonment. He who is liable to confiscation of goods falls ill and is not healed until he pays all that is decreed against him. When he has paid his money penalty he is healed and goes out from his prison, and therefore it is fitting that one should assist him to pay his fine and be released. He who is liable to uprooting is seized and thrown into the prison until he is completely uprooted, though sometimes he is uprooted only from his limbs or from one of them and is then released. But one who is liable to death cannot save himself by any ransom whatever. Hence a wise physician must do his best first to provide him a healing for his body, and if he cannot do this he must try to find a healing for his soul. This is the physician whom God assists both in this world and in the next.' R. Eleazar said: 'I never heard before of this physician and this book, save once when a certain merchant told me that he had heard his father say that in his days there was a physician who on looking at a patient would say: This one will live, or this one will die. He was said to be a virtuous God-fearing man, and if a patient could not afford to get what he prescribed he would give him out of his own pocket. It was said, too, that there was no physician so skilful as he, and that he accomplished more with his prayer than with his hands. I fancy this was that same physician. Said that merchant: His book is indeed in my possession, as 1 inherited it from my father's father, and all the words of that book are founded upon hidden meanings of the Torah, and 1 have discovered profound secrets in it and many remedies which he said should not be administered save by one who was God-fearing, they being of those which were employed by Balaam, who used to utter an incantation over a sickness and heal it forthwith. All this he explained in that book, saying: This is forbidden and this is permitted to one who fears sin, since, as he said, the cure of many illnesses depends on the incantation. These are from the side of enchantment, some of them from the side of magic. All those which it is forbidden to pronounce with the mouth or to do with the hands were set down, and we found that certain diseases it was necessary to excommunicate, which was a great wonder to us.' R. Eleazar and the Companions were greatly interested to hear this. Said R. Eleazar: 'If 1 had that book I would see what it says, and I vow that I would show it to the Sacred Lamp'. We have learnt that R. Eleazar said: I had that book for twelve months and I found in it many illuminating things. When I came to the incantations of Balaam I was in some perplexity. One day I uttered one in a certain place, and letters went up and down and a voice said to me in a dream: Why dost thou enter into a domain which is not thine and not thy concern? When I woke I was sore displeased with the hidden mysteries there. I sent to a certain Jew named R. Jose, son of R. Judah, and gave him the book. In the secrets of Balaam I had found some of the names of the angels which Dalak sent to him, but not set down in the proper manner. I also, however, found a number of remedies which were based on arrangements of texts and secret mysteries of the Torah, and saw that they consisted of pious remarks and prayers and supplications to the Almighty. It must not be thought, however, that he performed healing with verses of the Scripture or with mysteries of the Torah; far from it. He used to pronounce mysteries of the Torah, and thereby he discovered secret healings the like of which I have never seen. I said: Blessed be God who has imparted to man of the supernal wisdom. I also took some of the words of Balaam, from which I could see that there never was a sorcerer like him. I said: Blessed be God for removing sorcery from the world, so that men should not be led astray from the fear of the Holy One, blessed be He. _______________ Notes: 1. v. Yalkut, Is. I. 2. Here in the original follows the Idra Zuta. 3. The klifoth.
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