R. Abba took as his text the verse: “While the king sat at his table, my spikenard sent forth its fragrance” (S.S. 1, 12). ‘This has been applied by the Companions to the children of Israel when at the giving of the Law they sent forth a sweet fragrance which will bestead them in all generations by saying “we will do and we will hear”. Or we may translate “my spikenard forsook its fragrance”, applying the words to the making of the calf.
There is, however, also an esoteric allusion in this verse. It says “A river went forth from Eden to water the garden” (Gen. 2, 10). This stream first issues in a path which none knoweth. Then Eden joins with it in perfect union, and then fountains and streams issue and crown the holy Son, who thereupon assumes the inheritance of his Father and Mother, and the supernal King regales himself with royal delights.
Then “my spikenard gives forth its fragrance”: this is Yesod, who sends forth blessings at the union of the Holy King and the Matrona, and so blessings are dispensed to all worlds and upper and lower are blessed. And now the Sacred Lamp is crowned with the crowns of that grade, and he and the Companions send up praises from earth to heaven wherewith She is crowned. Now blessings must be brought down from heaven on to the Companions through that grade. Let, therefore, R. Eleazar his son expound to us some of the profound ideas which he has leamt from his father.
פָּתַח רִבִּי אַבָּא וְאָמַר (שיר השירים א׳:י״ב) עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ נִרְדִּי נָתַן רֵיחוֹ. הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִשְׁתְּכַח וְזַמִּין בְּטוּרָא דְּסִינַי, לְמֵיהַב אוֹרַיְיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, נִרְדִּי נָתַן רֵיחוֹ, יִשְׂרָאֵל יָהֲבוּ וּסְלִיקוּ רֵיחָא טַב, דְּקָאִים וְאָגִין עָלַיְיהוּ לְדָרֵי דָּרִין. וְאָמְרוּ, (שמות כ״ד:ז׳) כָּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְיָ' נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע. דָּבָר אַחֵר עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ, בְּעוֹד דְּסָלִיק מֹשֶׁה לְקַבְּלָא אוֹרַיְיתָא מְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאִתְחֲקָק בִּתְרֵי לוּחֵי אֲבָנִין, יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁבְקוּ הַהוּא רֵיחָא טָבָא דְּהֲוָה מִתְעַטֵּר עָלַיְיהוּ, וְאָמְרוּ לָעֵגֶל, אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל.
R. Abba took as his text the verse: “While the king sat at his table, my spikenard sent forth its fragrance” (S.S. 1, 12). ‘This has been applied by the Companions to the children of Israel when at the giving of the Law they sent forth a sweet fragrance which will bestead them in all generations by saying “we will do and we will hear”. Or we may translate “my spikenard forsook its fragrance”, applying the words to the making of the calf.
הַשְׁתָּא הַאי קְרָא בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא הוּא, תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב (בראשית ב׳:י׳) וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן, הַאי נַהֲרָא אִתְפְּשָׁט בְּסִטְרוֹי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִזְדְּוַּוג עִמֵּיהּ בְּזִוּוּגָא שְׁלִים, כָּדֵי הַאי עֵדֶן (זווגא) בְּהַהוּא נָתִיב, דְּלָא אִתְיְידַע לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (איוב כ״ח:ז׳) נָתִיב לֹא יְדָעוֹ עָיִט. וְאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בִּרְעוּתָא (שמות ע"ז, נ"ה, ס"ד ע"ב) דְּלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁן תְּדִירָא חַד מֵחַד. כְּדֵין נָפְקִין מַבּוּעִין וּנְחָלִין, וּמְעַטְּרִין לְבֵן קַדִּישָׁא, בְּכָל אִינּוּן כִּתְרִין, כְּדֵין (שמות כ"ד ע"א) כְּתִיב (שיר השירים ג׳:י״א) בַּעֲטָרָה שֶׁעִטְּרָה לּוֹ אִמּוֹ. וּבְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא יָרִית הַהוּא בֵּן אַחֲסַנְתָּא דַּאֲבוֹי וְאִמֵּיהּ, כְּדֵין הוּא אִשְׁתַּעֲשַׁע, בְּהַהוּא עִנּוּגָא וְתַפְנוּקָא.
There is, however, also an esoteric allusion in this verse. It says “A river went forth from Eden to water the garden” (Gen. 2, 10). This stream first issues in a path which none knoweth. Then Eden joins with it in perfect union, and then fountains and streams issue and crown the holy Son, who thereupon assumes the inheritance of his Father and Mother, and the supernal King regales himself with royal delights.
וְתָאנָא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה בְּתַפְנוּקֵי מַלְכִין, יָתִיב בְּעִטְרוֹי, כְּדֵין כְּתִיב עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ נִרְדִּי נָתַן רֵיחוֹ. דָּא יְסוֹד דְּאַפִּיק בִּרְכָאן לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא בְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא. (בהא דרגא) וּכְדֵין אִתְיַיהֲבוּן בִּרְכָאן בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין, (ונפקין) וּמִתְבָּרְכָן עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין. וְהַשְׁתָּא הָא בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא מִתְעַטָּר בְּעִטְרוֹי דְּהַאי דַּרְגָּא, וְהוּא וְחַבְרַיָּיא סְלִיקוּ תּוּשְׁבְּחָן מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא, וְהִיא מִתְעַטְּרָא בְּאִינּוּן תּוּשְׁבְּחָן. הַשְׁתָּא אִית לְאַפָּקָא בִּרְכָאן לְכֻלְּהוּ חַבְרַיָּיא מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא, בְּהַאי דַּרְגָּא קַדִּישָׁא, וְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר (ס"א דרבי אלעזר) בְּרֵיהּ לֵימָא מֵאִינּוּן מִלִּין מְעַלְּיָין דְּאוֹלִיף מֵאֲבוֹי.
Then “my spikenard gives forth its fragrance”: this is Yesod, who sends forth blessings at the union of the Holy King and the Matrona, and so blessings are dispensed to all worlds and upper and lower are blessed. And now the Sacred Lamp is crowned with the crowns of that grade, and he and the Companions send up praises from earth to heaven wherewith She is crowned. Now blessings must be brought down from heaven on to the Companions through that grade. Let, therefore, R. Eleazar his son expound to us some of the profound ideas which he has leamt from his father.