The moon has no light whatsoever of its own. Rather, it receives light from the sun. That is, because the moon is like a polished mirror, it receives light from the sun and then the light reflects off it to illuminate the earth. But if it was [more] corporeal, dense and dark, [if it was] “unpolished,” it would not be able to receive the light of the sun at all.
Similarly, teacher and student correspond to sun and moon, as explained elsewhere. And if the student has a face—i.e., the aspect of “shining faces,” a polished mirror—he can then “receive the face,” receive the light of the face of the teacher.
At that point, the teacher should be able to observe himself in the face of the student who receives his face. This is like with any polished mirror, anyone who stands facing it sees himself in the mirror. It has to be that way here as well. The student should “receive the face” of the teacher—he should receive the face of the teacher within him—so that the face of the teacher can be observed in him. This is the meaning of “greeting”: actually receiving the face.
Yet, this is specifically if the student has a face—i.e., “shining faces,” corresponding to a polished mirror, as above. But if he has no face—i.e., he is an aspect of “dark faces”—then he is unable to “receive the face” in the manner mentioned above regarding the sun and the moon. The face of the teacher can certainly not be observed in him, as when one stands facing something thick and dark.
This way, it is possible to know whether a person is stuck in the desire for money. For if one does not see himself in him, one knows that he is an aspect of “dark faces.” This corresponds to being stuck in the desire for money, as explained elsewhere (see above, Lesson #236). Likewise, each person vis-à-vis his fellow, can know in this way. For whoever has emerged from the desire for money more than his fellow, is, vis-à-vis him, called a tzaddik. This has been explained elsewhere.
7
וְזֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים ה):
This is the meaning of: {“Face to face God spoke with you” (Deuteronomy 5:4) .}
Face to face—That is, at the Giving of the Torah, Israel was in the aspect of “shining faces.” They were able to “receive the face” of holiness—i.e., the face of holiness was observable in them.
But someone who is brazen has no face of holiness, and he cannot “receive the face,” as mentioned. Therefore, our Sages teach (Nedarim 20a): Whoever is brazen-faced, it is certain that the feet of his ancestors did not stand at Mount Sinai.
עִנְיַן קַבָּלַת פְּנֵי תַּלְמִיד־חָכָם –
Regarding the matter of kabbalat p’nei (greeting) a Torah scholar:
כִּי הַלְּבָנָה אֵין לָהּ אוֹר מֵעַצְמָהּ כְּלָל, רַק הִיא מְקַבֶּלֶת אוֹר מֵהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ. הַיְנוּ עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁהַלְּבָנָה הִיא כְּמַרְאָה מְלֻטֶּשֶׁת, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מְקַבֶּלֶת אוֹר מֵהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, וּמִתְנוֹצֵץ מִמֶּנָּה אוֹר לְהָאִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ. אַךְ אִם הָיָה גִּשְׁמָהּ עָב וְחָשׁוּךְ, בִּלְתִּי מְלֻטֶּשֶׁת, לֹא הָיְתָה יְכוֹלָה לְקַבֵּל אוֹר הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ כְּלָל.
The moon has no light whatsoever of its own. Rather, it receives light from the sun. That is, because the moon is like a polished mirror, it receives light from the sun and then the light reflects off it to illuminate the earth. But if it was [more] corporeal, dense and dark, [if it was] “unpolished,” it would not be able to receive the light of the sun at all.
וְכֵן הַתַּלְמִיד וְהָרַב הֵם בְּחִינַת חַמָּה וּלְבָנָה, כַּמְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר. וְאִם הַתַּלְמִיד יֵשׁ לוֹ פָּנִים, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין, בְּחִינַת מַרְאָה מְלֻטֶּשֶׁת, אֲזַי יָכוֹל לְקַבֵּל פָּנִים, לְקַבֵּל אוֹר פְּנֵי הָרַב.
Similarly, teacher and student correspond to sun and moon, as explained elsewhere. And if the student has a face—i.e., the aspect of “shining faces,” a polished mirror—he can then “receive the face,” receive the light of the face of the teacher.
וַאֲזַי רָאוּי שֶׁהָרַב, יִתְרָאֶה עַצְמוֹ בְּתוֹךְ פְּנֵי הַתַּלְמִיד הַמְקַבֵּל פָּנָיו, כְּמוֹ בְּכָל מַרְאָה מְלֻטֶּשֶׁת, שֶׁכָּל הָעוֹמֵד כְּנֶגְדָּהּ רוֹאֶה אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הַמַּרְאָה. כֵּן מְחֻיָּב גַּם כֵּן כָּאן, שֶׁהַתַּלְמִיד יְקַבֵּל פְּנֵי הָרַב, הַיְנוּ שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל פְּנֵי הָרַב לְתוֹכוֹ, שֶׁיִּתְרָאֶה בְּתוֹכוֹ פְּנֵי הָרַב. וְזֶהוּ קַבָּלַת פָּנִים, הַיְנוּ קַבָּלַת פָּנִים מַמָּשׁ כַּנַּ"ל.
At that point, the teacher should be able to observe himself in the face of the student who receives his face. This is like with any polished mirror, anyone who stands facing it sees himself in the mirror. It has to be that way here as well. The student should “receive the face” of the teacher—he should receive the face of the teacher within him—so that the face of the teacher can be observed in him. This is the meaning of “greeting”: actually receiving the face.
וְזֶהוּ דַּוְקָא אִם יֵשׁ לְהַתַּלְמִיד פָּנִים, הַיְנוּ אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת מַרְאָה מְלֻטֶּשֶׁת כַּנַּ"ל. אַךְ אִם אֵין לוֹ פָּנִים, הַיְנוּ שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אַנְפִּין חֲשׁוּכִין, אֲזַי אֵין יָכוֹל לְקַבֵּל פָּנִים, כַּנִּזְכַּר לְעֵיל לְעִנְיַן חַמָּה וּלְבָנָה. וּבְוַדַּאי אֵין מִתְרָאֶה בְּתוֹכוֹ פְּנֵי הָרַב, כְּמוֹ הָעוֹמֵד נֶגֶד כָּל דָּבָר עָב וְחָשׁוּךְ.
Yet, this is specifically if the student has a face—i.e., “shining faces,” corresponding to a polished mirror, as above. But if he has no face—i.e., he is an aspect of “dark faces”—then he is unable to “receive the face” in the manner mentioned above regarding the sun and the moon. The face of the teacher can certainly not be observed in him, as when one stands facing something thick and dark.
וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה אֶפְשָׁר לָדַעַת, אִם הוּא מְשֻׁקָּע בְּתַאֲוַת מָמוֹן, כִּי אִם אֵין רוֹאֶה אֶת עַצְמוֹ בּוֹ, יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהוּא בִּבְחִינַת אַנְפִּין חֲשׁוּכִין, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַמְשֻׁקָּע בְּתַאֲוַת מָמוֹן, כַּמְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (לְעֵיל בְּסִימָן כ"ג עַיֵּן שָׁם). וְכֵן כָּל אֶחָד נֶגֶד חֲבֵרוֹ, אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לָדַעַת עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה. כִּי כָּל אֶחָד שֶׁיָּצָא מִתַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן יוֹתֵר מֵחֲבֵרוֹ, נִקְרָא כְּנֶגְדּוֹ צַדִּיק, כַּמְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (שם).
This way, it is possible to know whether a person is stuck in the desire for money. For if one does not see himself in him, one knows that he is an aspect of “dark faces.” This corresponds to being stuck in the desire for money, as explained elsewhere (see above, Lesson #236). Likewise, each person vis-à-vis his fellow, can know in this way. For whoever has emerged from the desire for money more than his fellow, is, vis-à-vis him, called a tzaddik. This has been explained elsewhere.
וְזֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים ה):
This is the meaning of: {“Face to face God spoke with you” (Deuteronomy 5:4) .}
פָּנִים בְּפָנִים וְכוּ'; הַיְנוּ בִּשְׁעַת מַתַּן תּוֹרָה הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּבְחִינַת אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין, וְהָיוּ יְכוֹלִים לְקַבֵּל פָּנִים דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, הַיְנוּ שֶׁיִּתְרָאֶה בְּתוֹכָם פָּנִים דִּקְדֻשָּׁה כַּנַּ"ל.
Face to face—That is, at the Giving of the Torah, Israel was in the aspect of “shining faces.” They were able to “receive the face” of holiness—i.e., the face of holiness was observable in them.
וְזֶהוּ: פָּנִים בְּפָנִים – שֶׁפָּנִים דִּקְדֻשָּׁה הָיָה בְּתוֹךְ פְּנֵיהֶם, בְּחִינַת קַבָּלַת פָּנִים כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶהוּ:
This is the meaning of “face to face.” The face of holiness was in their faces, corresponding to “receiving the face,” as above. And thus:
דִּבֶּר ה' עִמָּכֶם – שֶׁהַדִּבּוּר הָיָה מְדַבֵּר עִם כָּל אֶחָד, וְיוֹצֵא מִכָּל אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, מֵאַחַר שֶׁנִּכְלָל בְּתוֹכוֹ פָּנִים דִּקְדֻשָּׁה כַּנַּ"ל.
God spoke with you—The Word would speak to each one. Then it would come forth from each Jew after the face of holiness had been encompassed in him.
אַךְ מִי שֶׁהוּא עַזּוּת פָּנִים, אֵין לוֹ פָּנִים דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְקַבֵּל פָּנִים כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל־כֵּן אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (נדרים כ): כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עַזּוּת, בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁלֹּא עָמְדוּ רַגְלֵי אֲבוֹתָיו עַל הַר סִינַי:
But someone who is brazen has no face of holiness, and he cannot “receive the face,” as mentioned. Therefore, our Sages teach (Nedarim 20a): Whoever is brazen-faced, it is certain that the feet of his ancestors did not stand at Mount Sinai.