R. Isaac expounded the verse: “The priests said not, Where is the Lord, and they that handle the law knew me not; the shepherds also transgressed against me” (Jer. 2, 8). ‘By the “priests” here’, he said, ‘are meant the high priests who bring holy words to their place and proclaim each unity in the fitting way. “They that handle the law” are here the Levites who handle the harps which come from the side of the Law, and from whose side the Law was given and who are appointed to sing praises to the Holy King and complete His unity. The “shepherds” are the leaders of the people who care for them as a shepherd cares for his flock.
These three classes must always be present by the offering, that it may be pleasing above and below and that blessings may be in all worlds. The priest brings the offering with intent to unify the Holy Name and to awaken the side to which he is attached. The Levites by their song endeavour to rouse the side to which they are attached and to merge it in the side of the priest. The Israelite seeks to make his heart contrite and humble before God the Holy King, and so his sin is forgiven and there is joy above and below.’
רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח, (ירמיהו ב׳:ח׳) הַכֹּהֲנִים לֹא אָמְרוּ אַיֵה יְיָ' וְתוֹפְשֵׂי הַתּוֹרָה לֹא יְדָעוּנִי וְהָרוֹעִים פָּשְׁעוּ בִי. הַכֹּהֲנִים, אִלֵּין כֹּהֲנִים דִּמְשַׁמְּשִׁין בִּכְהוּנָה גְּדוֹלָה, וּמְקָרְבִין מִלִּין קַדִּישִׁין לְאַתְרַיְיהוּ, וּמְיַיחֲדִין יִחוּדָא כָּל חַד וְחַד כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי. וְתוֹפְשֵׂי הַתּוֹרָה מַאן אִינּוּן תּוֹפְשֵׂי הַתּוֹרָה, וְכִי כַּהֲנֵי לָאו תּוֹפְשֵׂי הַתּוֹרָה נִינְהוּ. אֶלָּא, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן לֵיוָאֵי, דְּתַפְשֵׂי בְּכִנּוֹרוֹת, דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. וְאִתְיְיהִיבַת מִסִּטְרָא דִּלְהוֹן אוֹרַיְיתָא. וְאִינּוּן מְמָנָן עַל שְׁבָחָא דְּתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, לְיַחֲדָא לֵיהּ יִחוּדָא שְׁלִים כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת. וְהָרוֹעִים פָּשְׁעוּ בִי. אִלֵּין אִינּוּן רַבְרְבֵי עַמָּא, דְּאִינּוּן רַעְיָין לְעַמָּא, כְּרַעְיָא דְּמַדְבַּר עָאנֵיהּ.
R. Isaac expounded the verse: “The priests said not, Where is the Lord, and they that handle the law knew me not; the shepherds also transgressed against me” (Jer. 2, 8). ‘By the “priests” here’, he said, ‘are meant the high priests who bring holy words to their place and proclaim each unity in the fitting way. “They that handle the law” are here the Levites who handle the harps which come from the side of the Law, and from whose side the Law was given and who are appointed to sing praises to the Holy King and complete His unity. The “shepherds” are the leaders of the people who care for them as a shepherd cares for his flock.
וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן ג' דַּרְגִּין, דְּבַעְיָא לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא תָּדִיר עַל קָרְבְּנָא, לְאַשְׁכְּחָא רַעֲוָא לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, וּלְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בִּרְכָאן בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין. כַּהֲנָא מְקָרֵב קָרְבְּנָא, וְאִתְכְּוָּון לְיַחֲדָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי, וּלְאַתְעֲרָא סִטְרָא דִּילֵיהּ. וְלֵיוָאֵי אִתְכַּוְּונָן בְּשִׁיר, לְאִתְּעָרָא סִטְרָא דִּלְהוֹן, וּלְאִתְכַּלְּלָא בְּסִטְרָא דְּכַהֲנָא. וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְכְּוָּון לִבָּא וּרְעוּתָא לְתִיוּבְתָּא שְׁלֵימָתָא, וְאִתְכְּנָּע קָמֵי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, וְהַאי נָטִיל כֹּלָּא, וְאִתְכְּפַּר חוֹבֵיהּ, וְאִשְׁתְּכַח חֶדְוָותָא בְּעִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי.
These three classes must always be present by the offering, that it may be pleasing above and below and that blessings may be in all worlds. The priest brings the offering with intent to unify the Holy Name and to awaken the side to which he is attached. The Levites by their song endeavour to rouse the side to which they are attached and to merge it in the side of the priest. The Israelite seeks to make his heart contrite and humble before God the Holy King, and so his sin is forgiven and there is joy above and below.’