R. Eleazar here adduced the verse: “And Aaron took him Elisheba, the daughter of Aminadab, the sister of Nahshon, to wife” (Ex. 6, 23). ‘Aaron’, he said, ‘acted fitly, copying the supernal model. “Elisheba” was destined for Aaron from the time of the Creation, just as “Bathsheba”1v. p. 37a. was destined for David from the time of the Creation.
Both are one, but the one name refers to judgement, the other to mercy. When she was joined with David, it was for judgement, to wage war and shed blood. Here with Aaron it was for peace, for joy, for gladness and blessing. Hence with David she is called Bathsheba, and with Aaron Elisheba: Elisheba (lit. to seven) to show that she was joined to Grace; Bathsheba (daughter of seven) to signify that she inherited royalty and power.1The text here introduces a brief digression on the esoteric significance of the “voice of the trumpet”, the substance of which has already appeared elsewhere.
Hence, “Aaron took Elisheba” to gratify her, to rejoice her, to join her with the King in a perfect union, that blessings might be diffused through all worlds by means of Aaron. Hence the priest must be ever smiling and joyful, since he is the instrument of joy and blessing, and in this way punishment, wrath and gloom are removed from him, that he may not be disqualified for the place to which he is linked.’
רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח, (שמות ו׳:כ״ג) וַיִּקַּח אַהֲרֹן אֶת אֱלִישֶׁבַע בַּת עַמִּינָדָב אֲחוֹת נַחְשׁוֹן לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה. וַיִּקַח אַהֲרֹן. כֹּלָּא כְּמָה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ, כֹּלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא. תָּא חֲזֵי, רְאוּיָה הָיְתָה בַּת שֶׁבַע לְדָוִד, מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא. רְאוּיָה הָיְתָה אֱלִישֶׁבַע לְאַהֲרֹן מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא.
R. Eleazar here adduced the verse: “And Aaron took him Elisheba, the daughter of Aminadab, the sister of Nahshon, to wife” (Ex. 6, 23). ‘Aaron’, he said, ‘acted fitly, copying the supernal model. “Elisheba” was destined for Aaron from the time of the Creation, just as “Bathsheba”1v. p. 37a. was destined for David from the time of the Creation.
מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי. אֶלָּא כֹּלָּא חַד. אֲבָל הָתָם לְדִינָא, הָכָא לְרַחֲמֵי. כַּד אִתְחַבְּרָא בְּדָוִד, לְדִינָא, לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבִין, לְאוֹשָׁדָא דָּמִין. הָכָא בְּאַהֲרֹן, לִשְׁלָמָא, לְחֶדְוָה, לִנְהִירוּ דְּאַנְפִּין, לְאִתְבָּרְכָא. וְעַל דָּא אִתְקְרֵי (הכי) הָתָם בַּת שֶׁבַע, הָכָא אֱלִישֶׁבַע. אֱלִישֶׁבַע: דְּאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּחֶסֶד, (תא חזי) בַּת שֶׁבַע לְדִינָא, לְיָרְתָא מַלְכוּתָא וּלְאִתָּקְפָא.
Both are one, but the one name refers to judgement, the other to mercy. When she was joined with David, it was for judgement, to wage war and shed blood. Here with Aaron it was for peace, for joy, for gladness and blessing. Hence with David she is called Bathsheba, and with Aaron Elisheba: Elisheba (lit. to seven) to show that she was joined to Grace; Bathsheba (daughter of seven) to signify that she inherited royalty and power.1The text here introduces a brief digression on the esoteric significance of the “voice of the trumpet”, the substance of which has already appeared elsewhere.
אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, הָא דְּתָנֵינָן דִּכְתִּיב, (שמות י״ט:י״ט) קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר, שַׁפִּיר הוּא, וְדָא הוּא יַעֲקֹב, דְּאִסְתַּלָּק בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה דַּאֲבָהָן, וְנַפְקוּ כַּחֲדָא מִגּוֹ שׁוֹפָר, דְּהָא שׁוֹפָר אַפִּיק מַיָּא וְאֶשָּׁא וְרוּחָא כַּחֲדָא, וְאִתְעָבִיד מִנַּיְיהוּ קָלָא. כַּךְ אִמָּא עִלָּאָה, אַפִּיק לַאֲבָהָן, בְּקָל חַד. וּמִגּוֹ מַחֲשָׁבָה אִסְתְּלָקוּ כַּחֲדָא בְּחַד קוֹל, וְהַהוּא קוֹל אִקְרֵי קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר, וְדָא יַעֲקֹב דְּכָלִיל לַאֲבָהָן כַּחֲדָא, וְאִקְּרֵי קוֹל.
וּתְרֵי קַלֵי נִינְהוּ, דְּהָא מִגּוֹ קָלָא, נָפִיק קָלָא. אֲבָל קוֹל חַד דְּאִקְרֵי קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר, וּמֵהָכָא נָפְקוּ שְׁאָר קוֹלוֹת, מִגּוֹ הַהוּא שׁוֹפָר בְּזִוּוּגָא דְּמַחֲשָׁבָה. וְשִׁבְעָה קוֹלוֹת נִינְהוּ, דְּנָפְקִין בְּזִוּוּגָא דְּמַחֲשָׁבָה בְּשּׁוֹפָר, וְדָא שׁוֹפָר דְּאַשְׁקֵי לוֹן וְרַוִּי לוֹן לַאֲבָהָן בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר לִבְנִין, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ מִלָּה.
תָּא חֲזֵי, וַיִּקַּח אַהֲרֹן אֶת אֱלִישֶׁבַע, לְבַסְּמָא לָהּ, לְמֵחֱדֵי לָהּ, לְחַבְּרָא לָה בְּמַלְכָּא, בְּזִוּוּגָא שְׁלִים, לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בִּרְכָאן לְעָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ, עַל יְדֵי דְּאַהֲרֹן. בְּגִין כָּךְ, בָּעֵי כַּהֲנָא לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בִּנְהִירוּ דְּאַנְפִּין, בְּחֵידוּ, כֹּלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, דְּהָא עַל יְדוֹי בִּרְכָאן וְחֶדְוָון מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי. וְעַל דָּא אִתְרַחֲקָא מִנֵּיהּ דִּינָא וְרוּגְזָא וְעָצִיבוּ, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְפְּגָם מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִתְקְטַר בֵּיהּ. וְעַל דָּא וַאֲחֵיכֶם כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל יִבְכּוּ אֶת הַשְּׂרֵפָה, וְלָאו כַּהֲנָא. עָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב (דברים ל״ג:י״א) בָּרֵךְ יְיָ' חֵילוֹ וּפֹעַל יָדָיו תִּרְצֶה וְגוֹ'.
Hence, “Aaron took Elisheba” to gratify her, to rejoice her, to join her with the King in a perfect union, that blessings might be diffused through all worlds by means of Aaron. Hence the priest must be ever smiling and joyful, since he is the instrument of joy and blessing, and in this way punishment, wrath and gloom are removed from him, that he may not be disqualified for the place to which he is linked.’