|
THE ZOHAR |
|
BEHA'ALOTHEKHA Numbers VIII, 1-XII, 16 AND THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES, SAYING: SPEAK UNTO AARON, AND SAY UNTO HIM: WHEN THOU LIGHTEST THE LAMPS.... R. Judah discoursed here on the verse: "Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber", etc. (Ps. XIX, 6). 'Happy is the portion of Israel', he said, 'in whom the Holy One, blessed be He, delights and to whom He gave the Torah of truth, the Tree of Life, whoever takes hold of which achieves life in this world and in the world to come. Now the Tree of Life extends from above downward, and it is the Sun which illumines all. Its radiance commences at the top and extends through the whole trunk in a straight line. It is composed of two sides, one to the north, one to the south, one to the right, and one to the left. When the trunk shines, first the right arm of the tree is illumined, and from its intensity the left side catches the light. The "chamber" from which he goes forth is the starting-point of light, referred to also in the words of the next verse, "from the end of the heaven", which is, indeed, the starting-point of all. From that point he goes forth veritably as a bridegroom to meet his bride, the beloved of his soul, whom he receives with outstretched arm. The sun proceeds and makes his way toward the west; when the west is approached the north side bestirs itself to come forward to meet it, and joins it. Then "he rejoices as a strong man to run his course" (Ps. ibid.), so as to shed his light on the moon. Now the words WHEN THOU LIGHTEST THE LAMPS contain an allusion to the celestial lamps, all of which are lit up together from the radiance of the sun.' [1] R. Abba began a discourse with the verse: "Happy is the people that know the joyful shout; they walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance" (Ps. LXXXIX, 16). 'Happy', he said, 'are Israel to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Holy Law [149a] and whom He taught His ways, how to cleave unto Him and observe the precepts of the Torah whereby to merit the world to come; and whom He brought near to Himself at the time when they went forth from Egypt. For then He took them away from a strange dominion and caused them to be united to His Name. Then they were called "the children of Israel", to wit, free men entirely emancipated from any strange power, and united to His Name that is supreme over all, that rules over the upper beings and the lower; and out of His love for them He designated them "Israel my firstborn" (Ex. IV, 22), on the celestial pattern. Then He slew every firstborn on high and below, set free the bondmen and prisoners, the upper and the lower ones, so as to free Israel completely. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, did not send an angel or a seraph, but performed the deed Himself. Furthermore, He alone, being all-knowing, could distinguish and discern and set free the bondmen, things not within the power of any messenger but only within His own. Now on that night when the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to slay all those firstborn, the angels came forward to sing their song of praise before Him. He said to them: "This is not the time for it, as another song my children on earth are about to sing." Then at the division of the night the north wind bestirred itself, and the Holy One, blessed be He, executed judgement and Israel broke forth in loud songs of praise. Then He made them free men, freed from every bondage; and the angels and all the celestial hosts hearkened unto the voice of Israel. After Israel had circumcised themselves they marked their houses with that blood and with the blood of the paschal Iamb in three spots, to wit, "the lintel and the two side-posts" (Ibid. XII, 22). For when the destroying angel went forth and saw the mark of the holy sign on that door he had compassion on Israel, as it is written: "the Lord will compassionately pass over the door" (Ibid. 23). There is a certain difficulty here. For since the Holy One Himself was to come and slay in the land of Egypt, what need was there for a sign on the door, seeing that all is revealed before Him? Further, what signifies "and [He] will not suffer the destroyer" (Ibid.)? We should have expected "and [He] will not destroy". But the truth is as follows. It is written, and "the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt" (Ibid. 29). Now "and the Lord" (V-YHVH) everywhere denotes "He together with His tribunal", and on any such occasion it behoves man to exhibit some visible act in order to be saved. It is thus of importance to have sacrifices offered on the altar so as to keep at a distance the Destroyer during a service. The same applies to the New-Year Day, the Day of Judgement, when the lords of the evil tongue rise up against Israel; it is then that we need prayer and supplication, and, in addition, some outward and visible act. This act consists in blowing the trumpet, the sound of which wakes into action another trumpet. We thereby bring about the working of Mercy and Rigour at one and the same time, like the celestial trumpet that emits a combined sound. Our object is to awaken Mercy and to bring about the subjection of the Masters of Rigour so that they may be impotent on that day. And so when the powers of Mercy are awakened, all the celestial lamps are lit on both sides, and then "In the light of the King's countenance is life" (Prov. XVI, 15). So at the moment when the priest is about to kindle the lamps here below and offers up the perfumed incense, the celestial lights are kindled and all is linked together so that joy and gladness pervade all the worlds. So Scripture says: "Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart" (Prov. XXVII, 9). This, then, is the full import of "When thou lightest the lamps".' R. Eleazar, R. Jose and R. Isaac once on their travels came to the mountains of Kurdistan. As they approached them R. Eleazar raised his eyes and saw some tall and forbidding cliffs, and they were all filled with fear. Said R. Eleazar to his Companions: 'Had my father been here I should not have feared, but all the same, as we are three and are discussing words of the Torah, there is no place here for the divine Rigour.' R. Eleazar then quoted the verse: "And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat" etc. (Gen. VIII, 4). 'How precious', he said, 'are the words of the Torah, seeing that each particular word contains sublime mystical teachings, the Torah itself being designated the sublime general rule. Now, one of the thirteen exegetical principles by which the Law is expounded reads: "If anything is included in a general proposition and is then made the subject of a special statement, that which is predicated of it is not to be understood as limited to itself alone, but is to be applied to the whole of the general proposition." So it is with the Torah itself. It [149b] is itself the supernal all-comprehensive Rule, yet in addition does each particular narrative, seemingly a mere story or fact, standing outside the all-comprehensive Rule of the Torah, teach us not only its own limited lesson, but supernal ideas and recondite doctrines applicable to the whole of the all-comprehensive Rule of the Torah. Thus when we read that "the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat", we assuredly find here a particular statement, apparently a superfluous detail; for what matters it to us whether the ark rested in this or in the other place so long as it rested somewhere? Yet does it contain teaching applicable to the whole principle of the Torah. And happy are Israel to whom was given the sublime Torah, the Torah of truth. Perdition take anyone who maintains that any narrative in the Torah comes merely to tell us a piece of history and nothing more! If that were so, the Torah would not be what it assuredly is, to wit, the supernal Law, the Law of truth. Now if it is not dignified for a king of flesh and blood to engage in common talk, much less to write it down, is it conceivable that the most high King, the Holy One, blessed be He, was short of sacred subjects with which to fill the Torah, so that He had to collect such commonplace topics as the anecdotes of Esau, and Hagar, Laban's talks to Jacob, the words of Balaam and his ass, those of Balak, and of Zimri, and suchlike, and make of them a Torah? If so, why is it called the "Law of truth"? Why do we read "The law of the Lord is perfect.... The testimony of the Lord is sure.... The ordinances of the Lord are true... . More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold" (Ps. XIX, 8-11)? But assuredly each word of the Torah signifies sublime things, so that this or that narrative, besides its meaning in and for itself, throws light on the all-comprehensive Rule of the Torah. See now what the resting of the ark comes to teach us. At the time when Rigour impends over the world and the Holy One, blessed be He, sits on His throne of Judgement to judge the world, within that Throne, in the King's chest, there are deposited ever so many records, notes and books, so that nothing is forgotten by the King. That Throne attains its full significance only in the seventh month, on the Day of Judgement, when all the people of the world pass before it for scrutiny. "The Ark" thus "rested in the seventh month", on the world's Day of Judgement, "on the mountains of Ararat", that is, attended by the lords of Rigour, the lords of the hostile shout. Many are the executioners who bestir themselves on that day and place themselves underneath the Throne to take part in the world's judgement. Israel on that day offer up prayer and supplication before Him, they blow the trumpet, and the Holy One, blessed be He, takes compassion on them and changes Rigour into Mercy. Then all the upper and the lower beings proclaim: "Happy is the people that know the joyful shout" (Ps. LXXXIX, 16). Hence, on that day, whoever blows the trumpet should know the root of the matter, so as to concentrate his mind on the meaning of the blowing and to perform it with understanding. Thus, "happy is the people that know the joyful shout", and not merely "that sound the joyful shout".' The Companions then proceeded on their journey the whole day. When night fell they ascended to a spot where they found a cave. Said R. Eleazar: 'Let one of us enter inside the cave if haply he find there a more convenient spot.' R. Jose entered and noticed therein an inner cave lit by a lamp, and he heard a voice speaking thus: "When thou lightest the lamps the seven lamps shall give light in front of the candlestick". Here (said the voice) the Community of Israel receives the light whilst the supernal Mother [150a] is crowned, and all the lamps are illumined from Her. In Her are two small flames, companions of the King, as it were, which kindle all the lights on high and below.' R. Jose, on hearing this, rejoiced, and reported it to R. Eleazar, who said to him: 'Let us enter therein, for the Holy One, blessed be He, seems to have appointed for us this day as one on which a miracle should happen to us.' When they entered their eyes met there two men engaged in the study of the Torah. R. Eleazar proclaimed: '"How precious is thy lovingkindness, O God! and the children of men take refuge in the shadow of thy wings" (Ps. XXXVI, 8).' The two men stood up, then they all sat down in joyful mood. Said R. Eleazar: 'The Holy One, blessed be He, has shown us lovingkindness in letting us find you in this spot. Now, light the lamps!' R. Jose then began the following discourse: When thou lightest the lamps. 'The term beha'alothekha (when thou lightest) has here its literal meaning [to wit, when thou makest ascend], inasmuch as the verse speaks here of the services performed by the priest, the two which form a unity, to wit, those of the oil and the incense, so that "Oil and perfume rejoice the heart" (Prov. XXVII, 9). So Scripture says: "And Aaron shall burn thereon incense ... when he dresseth the lamps... . And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at dusk he shall burn it" (Ex. XXX, 7-8). Why the term b'hetivo (when he dresseth, lit. = when he maketh good)?' R. Judah said that this points to the idea contained in "but he that is of a merry (lit. good) heart hath a continual feast" (Prov. XV, 15), whilst the expression "when he maketh ascend" (b'ha'aloth) points to the exaltation of the supernal beings after having drunk their fill of the waters of the River, so that blessings and joy are diffused throughout.' Said R. Aha: 'When the Most Profound illumes the River, and the River so illumined flows on in a straight path -- of such a moment it is written, "when he makes ascend", in that from the Most Profound there issue the causes that come from the supernal side of the Most Profound which is called Thought. The two terms ["make ascend" and "make good"] thus signify one and the same thing. At that moment the Community of Israel is blessed and blessings are diffused throughout the worlds.' [151a] R. Eleazar said: 'This section, dealing with the ceremonies of the candlestick, is a repetition of another section dealing with the same. The reason for the repetition is as follows. Having recorded the offerings brought on the altar by the Princes, and all the ceremony of its dedication, Scripture records the service of the candlestick, which was a finishing touch ministered by Aaron, inasmuch as it was through Aaron that the supernal candlestick with all its lamps was lighted. Observe that the altar had to be dedicated and perfected by the twelve Princes, representing the twelve tribes, who were ranged on four sides carrying four standards. It was all on the supernal pattern, to wit, the candlestick [151b] with its seven lamps to be lighted by the hand of the priest. Candlestick and the inner altar together minister to the joy of the whole of existence, as Scripture says: "Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart" (Prov. XXVII, 9). For of the two altars, the inner one [on which the incense was offered] radiated its force to the outer one, the one assigned for other offerings; and it is by meditating on the inner altar that one obtains a knowledge of the Supernal Wisdom, which is concealed within the words ADoNaY YHVH. Hence the incense had to be offered up only when the oil had been poured in the lamps. The following is found in the Book of King Solomon. The incense has the virtue of diffusing joy and putting away death. For whereas Judgement prevails on the exterior, joy and illumination, on the other hand, proceed from the interior, the seat of all happiness. So when this bestirs itself all Judgement is removed and is powerless. The incense thus has the virtue of annulling death and binds all together, and was therefore offered on the interior altar. Take the Levites .... This indicates that it was needful to cleanse them and draw them on that they might be linked to their own proper place. For they symbolize the Left Arm, identical with the side of Judgement, and whoever proceeds from the side of Judgement ought not to let his hair grow, as he thereby strengthens Judgement in the world. For the same reason a woman may not have her hair exposed to view, but it behoves her to cover her head and keep her hair concealed. When this is done, all those who proceed from the side of Judgement are blessed; and thus is explained the significance of the command saying: And thus shalt thou do unto them to cleanse them ... and let them cause a razor to pass over all their flesh.... Furthermore, the Levites could not take up their post until the priest had offered them up for a wave-offering, inasmuch as it is the right that has to lead the left.' Said R. Simeon: The Levites, on entering into their assigned places, had to bring as an offering two bullocks, symbolic of the left side, as they themselves were of the left side. On the other hand, power and adjustment are vested in the priest, inasmuch as the power of the body is chiefly displayed in the right arm. The priest was therefore the right arm of all Israel, charged to set right Israel and all the world. Nevertheless he, together with the left side, was part of the body, the body being the all-in-all. 'THIS IS THAT WHICH PERTAINETH UNTO THE LEVITES, ETC. Observe that the Levite enters on his service when twenty-five years old, and remains in his service for twenty-five years until he reaches the age of fifty. When he reaches the fifty-year grade the strong fire within him is cooled down, and in such a state he cannot but impair the spot to which he is attached. Besides, his singing voice no longer serves him so well, whereas that voice ought not to be impaired, but should constantly gain in vigour; and since the Levite stands in the region of Strength (Geburah), no feebleness whatever can be permitted to attach to him.' AND THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSES IN THE WILDERNESS OF SINAI, ETC. Said R. Abba: 'Why was the command regarding the paschal lamb repeated here after it had been given them once whilst they were still in Egypt ? The reason is that the Israelites thought that that command was intended only for the one year in Egypt and not for future years. Hence, [152a] "in the wilderness of Sinai ... of the second year": the command was renewed to indicate that it was to be kept throughout the generations. "In the first month of the second year" contains a sublime mystery. The month signifies the Moon, [2] and the year points to the Sun [3] that sheds his rays on the Moon. Thus it happened at the time when all the precepts of the Torah were delivered to Israel.' Said R. Simeon: 'Alas for the man who regards the Torah as a book of mere tales and everyday matters! If that were so, we, even we could compose a torah dealing with everyday affairs, and of even greater excellence. Nay, even the princes of the world possess books of greater worth which we could use as a model for composing some such torah. The Torah, however, contains in all its words supernal truths and sublime mysteries. Observe the perfect balancing of the upper and the lower worlds. Israel here below is balanced by the angels on high, of whom it says: "who makest thy angels into winds" (Ps. CIV, 4). For the angels in descending on earth put on themselves earthly garments, as otherwise they could not stay in this world, nor could the world endure them. Now, if thus it is with the angels, how much more so must it be with the Torah -- the Torah that created them, that created all the worlds and is the means by which these are sustained. Thus had the Torah not clothed herself in garments of this world the world could not endure it. The stories of the Torah are thus only her outer garments, and whoever looks upon that garment as being the Torah itself, woe to that man -- such a one will have no portion in the next world. David thus said: "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law" (Ps. CXIX, 18), to wit, the things that are beneath the garment. Observe this. The garments worn by a man are the most visible part of him, and senseless people looking at the man do not seem to see more in him than the garments. But in truth the pride of the garments is the body of the man, and the pride of the body is the soul. Similarly the Torah has a body made up of the precepts of the Torah, called gufe torah (bodies, main principles of the Torah), and that body is enveloped in garments made up of worldly narrations. The senseless people only see the garment, the mere narrations; those who are somewhat wiser penetrate as far as the body. But the really wise, the servants of the most high King, those who stood on Mount Sinai, penetrate right through to the soul, the root principle of all, namely, to the real Torah. In the future the same are destined to penetrate even to the supersoul (soul of the soul) of the Torah. Observe that in a similar way in the supernal world there is garment, body, soul and super-soul. The heavens and their hosts are the outer garment, the Community of Israel is the body which receives the soul, to wit, the "Glory of Israel"; and the super-soul is the Ancient Holy One. All these are interlocked within each other. Woe to the sinners who consider the Torah as mere worldly tales, who only see its outer garment; happy are the righteous who fix their gaze on the Torah proper. Wine cannot be kept save in a jar; so the Torah needs an outer garment. These are the stories and narratives, but it behoves us to penetrate beneath them. [152b] 'IF ANY MAN (lit. a man, a man) OF YOU ... SHALL BE UNCLEAN, ETC. What signifies the repetition of the term "a man"? It signifies "a man who is a man", that is, who is otherwise worthy of the name "man", and fit to receive the supernal soul, but who has allowed himself to be blemished and defiled so that the Shekinah cannot abide with him. We read further: OR BE IN A JOURNEY AFAR OFF. There is a dot over the resh of the word rehokah (afar off) to indicate that if a man sullies himself here, they sully him on high. He is thus "in a journey afar off", far away from the region and the path which the seed of Israel have chosen.' R. Isaac remarked: 'Is it not written, "If a man ... shall be unclean ... or be in a journey afar off", thus signifying two different cases ?' Said R. Jose: 'Just so. The former speaks of a man not yet defiled on high, whilst the latter refers to one who has been thus defiled. Neither upon the one nor upon the other, Scripture implies, can holiness rest, and so neither may offer up the paschal lamb at the time when the rest of Israel offer it up. As for the secondary paschal lamb, the man is only permitted to offer it after he has purified himself and repaired his defect. Israel, however, who offered the passover in its proper time, stand in a higher degree in that they receive the beneficences of the Moon and the Sun [4] together.' [153b] AND ON THE DAY THAT THE TABERNACLE WAS REARED UP. R. Hiya cited here the verse: "He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the needy, his righteousness stands for ever" (Ps. CXII, 9). 'The term "scattered" here', he said, 'is to be interpreted in the light of the saying: "There is that scattereth, and increaseth all the more" (Prov. XI, 24), that is, increaseth in riches, increases in life. Besides, the term nosaf (increaseth) has the secondary meaning of "gathering in", thus pointing to the region of death. The verse thus says that such a man draws to himself, where death would otherwise have been, an increase of life from on high.' R. Judah said, in the name of R. Hiya: 'This verse testifies that whoever gives to the poor induces the Tree of Life to add of itself to the Tree of Death, [5] so that life and joy prevail on high, and so that that man, whenever in need, has the Tree of Life to stand by him and the Tree of Death to shield him. The verse continues, "and his charity [6] standeth for ever", that is, it stands by him to provide him with life and strength; as he has awakened life, so will the two Trees stand by him to shield him and grant him an increase of life.' R. Abba said: 'Every time the tabernacle was set up by the hands of men there was a day of universal joy, and the sacred Oil was poured into the lamps, and these all shed their light abroad, and those who brought this about won redemption for themselves in this world and life in the next. Thus "righteousness delivereth from death".' [154a] MAKE UNTO THEE TWO TRUMPETS OF SILVER, ETC. R. Simeon adduced here the verse: "And when the Hayoth (living creatures) went, the wheels went hard by them; and when the Hayoth were lifted up from the bottom the wheels were lifted up" (Ezek. I, 19). 'The Hayoth', he said, 'are borne along by the supernal power; and so were the movements of the tribes below who bore on their standards the likenesses of the Hayoth, that of Lion, Eagle, Ox, Man. Angels attended each of the standards. The first standard bore the likeness of Lion and was attended by Michael, who had under him two chieftains, Zophiel and Zadkiel. When these set out numerous armed hosts moved in unison on the right-hand side whilst the sun on the left illumined them. The Lion put forth his right hand and summoned to himself all his hosts, to wit, three hundred and seventy thousand lions, and they all assembled round him. When this Lion roars all the firmaments and all their hosts and legions quiver and shake. 'The Fiery River blazes forth and sinks a thousand and five hundred stages to the lower Gehinnom. Then all the sinners in the Gehinnom shake and tremble and bum in the fire. So Scripture says: "The lion hath roared, who will not fear ?" (Amos III, 8). A second roar he emits, which is taken up by his entourage of three hundred and seventy thousand lions. Then he puts forth his left hand, when all the "masters of Rigour" here below are seized with fear and are bowed down underneath that hand. So we read: "Thy hand shall be on. the neck of thy enemies" (Gen. XLIX, 8). Each of the Hayoth had four wings formed of white flaming fire, as well as four faces turned towards the four cardinal points, all illumined by the white light of the sun; the one turned to the east was illumined with a joyous light, the one towards the west with a concentrated light, the one towards the north was within the penumbra of the sun. These contained three groups. [7] One numbered seventy-four thousand and six hundred. These were of the higher grades. There were, besides, a long succession of tower grades. These were innumerable. The second group contained fifty-four thousand and four hundred besides [154b] those of the lower grades, who were innumerable. The third group, which followed behind, contained fifty-seven thousand and four hundred. So soon as the first standard began to march the tabernacle was taken down, and all the Levites chanted hymns, and the lords of praise were all ranged there "for the spirit of the Hayoth was in the Ophanim (Wheels)". The second standard bore on it the Eagle, symbolic of the angel Uriel, and was ranged on the south. Two chieftains accompanied him, namely, Shamshiel and Hasdiel. When the Eagle arose all the winged forces went in front, accompanied by innumerable hosts on all sides. When he set off he put forth his right pinion, and gathered unto him all his hosts to the number of three hundred and fifty thousand. Three groups belonged to that standard; the first contained forty-six thousand and five hundred, the second fifty-nine thousand and three hundred, and the third fifty-four thousand six hundred and fifty. Two heralds, emerging out of these two flanks, marched in front of all these hosts. At their proclamation there assembled all hosts and legions, living creatures, small and large. All the firmaments indeed moved forward along with these hosts in front of the tabernacle. We thus read: "And when the Hayoth went, the Ophanim went hard by them". Then follows the third standard to the north. It had for its ensign Ox and was accompanied by the angel Gabriel and his two chieftains, Kafziel and Hizkiel. The Ox, being of the left side, has horns between his two eyes, which flame as it were with burning fire; he gores and tramples with his feet ruthlessly. When he moos there emerge out of the hollow of the great abyss numerous spirits of wrath who proceed in front in a chorus of shrieking. Seven fiery rivers flow in front of him, and when thirsty he draws up a whole riverful at one gulp. Yet this river is straightway filled again as before, unfailingly. And were it not for a stream of water from the region of the lion quenching the fiery coals, the world could not endure. It is a region where the sun never rises, and where numberless spirits roam about in the darkness, and the fire of the burning river is itself dark and black. You may wonder that there should be such things as fire of various hues, white, black, red and of double hue, but indeed it is so. Thus we have learnt that the Torah was written with black fire on white fire. [155a] Now the third standard also had under it three divisions. One contained sixty-two thousand and seven hundred; the second forty-one thousand and five hundred; whilst the third contained fifty-three thousand and four hundred. All this besides all the other grades scattered all around them, grades upon grades innumerable, as well as lower grades, executioners, who have the impudence of a dog and bite like an ass. Woe to whoever finds himself near them and under their judgement! On the fourth side the fourth standard, on the west, had for its symbol Man, the angel Raphael, [8] with whom there is healing. Blessed are Israel in whose glory the Holy One, blessed be He, delights, and to whom He assigned a portion above all other nations and in whose praise He glorifies Himself, as we read: "And he said unto me, Thou art my servant", etc. (Isa. XLIX, 3).' AND IT CAME TO PASS WHEN THE ARK SET FORWARD.... R. Eleazar said: 'What is the meaning of the inverted letter Nun introduced here twice? [9] We explain it thus. We read a little before: "And the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them three days' journey, to seek a resting-place for them", Now, as soon as the ark set off the Nun [10] accompanied it, with its face turned towards Israel. The Shekinah ever hovered over the ark, but the love of the Holy One, blessed be He, towards Israel was such that even though they strayed from the straight path He would not forsake them, but always turned His countenance towards them, for otherwise they could not endure in the world. So that whilst "the ark ... went before them three days' journey", the Nun (symbol of the Shekinah) remained inseparable from it, and accompanied it, yet turned her face away from the ark and towards Israel, like a young hart that, whilst going, turns its face towards its starting-point. Thus when Moses said, "Rise, O Lord ...", implying "do not forsake us, turn Thy face towards us", the Nun turned round facing Israel in the manner of one turning his face towards his beloved friend. "And when it rested" the Nun turned its face again towards the ark.' Said R. Simeon: 'O Eleazar, assuredly it is as you said, saving that when the ark rested the Shekinah did not turn her countenance away from Israel. This is clearly shown by the second Nun, which is also of an inverted shape. The truth is that when Moses said "Return, O Lord", and the ark rested, the Shekinah turned back and stood on the other side of the ark, [11] but her countenance turned both [155b] towards Israel and towards the ark. Israel, however, caused afterwards the turning away of the Shekinah from them. So we read: And the people were as murmurers [K'mithonnim]. [12]' Said R. Eleazar: 'What I said I found in the Book of R. Yeba the Elder.' R. Simeon replied: 'What he said is rightly said, but you will find my exposition in the book of R. Hamnuna the Elder, and this is assuredly the right exposition.' Now THE MANNA WAS LIKE CORIANDER (gad) SEED. Said R. Jose: 'The term gad (lit. troops) signifies that the manna had the virtue of inducing propagation. It implies further that in the same way as the seed of Gad took their portion in another land, [13] so the manna hovered over Israel outside the Holy Land. We may also explain the words to mean that it was white in appearance, like coriander seed, and coagulated, when it reached the atmosphere, and was transmuted into material substance [14] inside the body. [15] AND THE APPEARANCE THEREOF AS THE APPEARANCE OF BDELLIUM, to wit, it was white in colour like bdellium, this being the colour of the Right in the supernal sphere.' AND IF THOU (at) DEAL THUS WITH ME. R. Isaac asked: 'For what reason did Moses make use of the feminine form at (thou) instead of the masculine atta? The reason is', he explained, 'that Moses directed his words towards the realm of death, the realm associated with the female principle. Therefore he said "Kill me, I pray thee, out of hand', an invocation to the Tree of Death. Hence the feminine at. 'AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: GATHER UNTO ME SEVENTY MEN .... The Holy One, blessed be He, in effect said to him: On every such occasion you wish to die, [16] so "I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them". Observe that Moses was here made to know that he would die [in the wilderness] and not enter into the Land, as, in fact, Eldad and Medad announced. [17] This is a lesson that in time of wrath a man ought not to utter anything in the nature of a curse against himself, inasmuch as ever so many malignant powers are standing by, ready to take up that utterance. On the other occasion, when Moses prayed for death to himself [18] his request was not taken up, for the reason that Moses meant it all for the benefit of Israel. Here, on the other hand, Moses only gave vent to his anger and anguish of heart; his words, therefore, were taken up, and Eldad and Medad, who remained in the camp, announced, "Moses will be gathered in and Joshua will bring Israel into the Land". This made Joshua jealous for the sake of Moses, and so he came to him and said, "My lord Moses, restrain them", or, as we might also render, "withhold from them these words". But Moses, regardless of his own glory, did not consent. Observe the meekness evinced in the reply of Moses: "Art thou jealous for my sake?" Happy is the portion of Moses, who rose high above the highest prophets (al. the prophets of the world).' R. Judah remarked: 'All the prophets were to Moses like the moon to the sun.' One night R. Abba was sitting and studying the Torah, R. Jose and R. Hizkiah being with him. Said R. Jose: 'How obtuse are mankind that they have no regard whatever for the things of the other world.' Said R. Abba: 'This is caused by the badness of their heart, which spreads through an the members of the body.' He then cited the verse: "There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon man" (Eccl. VI, 1). 'The evil here referred to', he said, 'is the evil residing in the hardened heart that longs to obtain dominion in affairs of this world, but is altogether regardless of the other world. Scripture continues: "a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth and honour ... " (Ibid. 2). There is here an apparent contradiction, since it first says, "so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth", and then goes on, "yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof". If he is in want of nothing for himself, how can we say that God gives him not power to eat thereof? There is, however, an inner meaning here as in all the words of Solomon, and although we have to take note also of the outer garb, we must look deeper into the meaning of this verse, which is as follows. There is a man to whom [156a] the Holy One, blessed be He, gives a certain riches which he may enjoy in the next world and which may remain with him as a capital, to wit, the ever-enduring capital, which consists of the realm of the bundle of souls. It is thus incumbent on man to reserve and leave behind him that capital, which he will receive after he has left this world. This capital is indeed the Tree of Life belonging to the other world, the fruit of which alone has any place or room in this world. The good man thus enjoys its fruit in this world whilst the capital remains for him for the other world, where he obtains the superior celestial life. But if a man has sullied himself and followed his selfish desires, and "wanted nothing", that is, abstained from gratifying no desire, then that Tree remains apart and will not acknowledge him on high, for "God giveth him not power to eat thereof" and to have the reward of that riches, "but a stranger eateth it", as we read elsewhere: "He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on" (Job XXVII,17). It thus behoves man to use what the Holy One, blessed be He, has given him so as thereby to merit the next world. He will thus enjoy of it in this world and have the capital left for the next world to be bound up in the bundle of life.' Said R. Jose: 'Assuredly it is so.' R. Jose further said: 'It is written: AND IF THOU DEAL THUS WITH ME, KILL ME, I PRAY THEE, OUT OF HAND.... Is it likely', he asked, 'that Moses, the meekest of men, should have wished death for himself just because the Israelites asked him for food?' R. Abba said in reply: 'There is a deep mystery here which I have learnt. Moses did no evil in His sight, and his asking for death was not by reason of Israel's asking for food. Mark now, that Moses was attached to a high grade to which no other prophet attained. And so when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Behold, I will cause to rain bread from heaven for you" (Ex. XVI, 4), he rejoiced, saying: Verily, there is completeness found in me, seeing that it is for my sake that the manna is now provided for Israel. But when Moses saw that they lowered themselves again to the other grade, and asked for flesh, "If so", he said, "my own grade must be blemished, since it was for my sake that the Israelites have the manna in the wilderness." He therefore besought death for himself rather than fall from his high grade. So the Lord said unto him: GATHER UNTO ME SEVENTY MEN, reassuring him thereby that his grade was not blemished, adding thus, AND I WILL TAKE OF THE SPIRIT THAT IS UPON THEE, AND WILL PUT IT UPON THEM, inasmuch as they all are of the degree of the Moon, and so need the Sun [19] to illumine them; and so this food would not descend for the sake of Moses. Happy the portion of Moses, whom the Holy One, blessed be He, desires to honour, and whom He loves above all other prophets, communicating with him without an intermediary, as it says, "With him do I speak mouth to mouth". 'AND MOSES CRIED UNTO THE LORD SAYING: HEAL HER NOW, O God, I BESEECH THEE. In this prayer is involved the mystery of the Divine Name formed of eleven letters, and Moses did not wish to lengthen his prayer further, for the reason that, since it concerned his own, [20] he was unwilling [156b] to trouble the King, as it were, overmuch. Therefore God was solicitous for the honour of Moses; and, indeed, everywhere He is more solicitous for the honour of the righteous than for His own.' _______________ Notes: 1. There seems to be a lacuna here in the text. 2. Malkuth. 3. Tifereth. 4. Malkuth and Tifereth. 5. The Shekinah. 6. Zidkatho = his righteousness; in later Hebrew = his charity. 7. Corresponding to the three tribes under each standard. 8. Whose chief function, as his name (RaFA=to cure) denotes, was the healing of men. 9. In the Massoretic text there are inserted here two isolated Nuns, turned upside down and sideways, one preceding and the other following the two verses beginning with our text. 10. i.e. the Shekinah, symbolized by this letter. 11. i.e. instead of between the ark and Israel, as during the journey. 12. A play upon the Hebrew word, which contains two Nuns of ordinary shape, their faces, as it were, being away from Israel. 13. i.e. outside the border of the Holy Land proper, in Transjordania. 14. i.e. out of its ethereal state. 15. Al. "it was absorbed by the body", i.e. without leaving any waste, as with material food. v. T.B. Yoma, 75b. 16. Allusion to "blot me, I pray thee out of thy book ... " (Ex. XXXlI, 32), in connection with the Golden Calf. 17. v. T.B. Sanhedrin, 17a. 18. Viz., in connection with the Golden Calf. 19. i.e. Moses. 20. i.e. his own sister.
|