AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES… THEN SHALL THE LAND KEEP A SABBATH UNTO THE LORD. R. Eleazar introduced this portion with a discourse on the verse: “This is the law of the burnt-offering, the burnt-offering shall be”, etc. (Lev. 6, 2). ‘We have explained this verse’, he said, ‘to refer to the Community of Israel when she ascends to join the Holy King in perfect union.
When night enters and the gates are closed, the lower judgements are aroused in the world, and asses, she-asses and dogs wander about; that is to say, the asses of their own accord, but the she-asses and dogs only if human beings practise sorceries with them. Then all men sleep, and a fire is kindled on the lower altar without [the curtain].
At midnight the north wind awakes, and from the lower altar there goes forth a flame of fire, and the gates are opened and the lower judgements shrink back into their holes. The flame of fire in its passage parts and travels in many directions and enters under the wings of the cock, which thereupon crows.
Then the Holy One, blessed be He, enters the company of the righteous, and the Community of Israel utters His praises until morning, when they are found to be discoursing on a certain secret. The daybreak is a time for flames and judgements, but then Abraham awakens and there is rest for all.
(ויקרא כ״ה:א׳-ב׳) וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֶל מֹשֶׁה בְּהַר סִינַי לֵאמֹר. דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ'. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח, (ויקרא ו׳:י״ח) זֹאת תּוֹרַת הָעוֹלָה הִיא הָעוֹלָה וְגוֹ'. הַאי קְרָא בִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹקִימְנָא, דְּהִיא סַלְּקָא וּמִתְחַבְּרָא בְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא בְּזִוּוּגָא שְׁלִים.
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES… THEN SHALL THE LAND KEEP A SABBATH UNTO THE LORD. R. Eleazar introduced this portion with a discourse on the verse: “This is the law of the burnt-offering, the burnt-offering shall be”, etc. (Lev. 6, 2). ‘We have explained this verse’, he said, ‘to refer to the Community of Israel when she ascends to join the Holy King in perfect union.
הִיא הָעוֹלָה עַל מוֹקְדָה עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ כָּל הַלַּיְלָה וְגוֹ'. תָּא חֲזֵי, כֵּיוָן דְּעָאל לֵילְיָא, וְתַרְעִין סְתִימִין, דִּינִין תַּתָּאִין מִתְעֲרִין בְּעָלְמָא, וְאַזְלִין וְשָׁאטִין, חֲמָרֵי וַאֲתָנֵי וְכַלְבֵי. חֲמָרֵי הָא אוֹקִימְנָא, וְכַלְבֵי וְאַתְנֵי, לָא שָׁאטָן וְלָא אַזְלִין, אֶלָּא בְּהוּ עַבְדֵי חֲרָשַׁיָּא לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא. כְּגוֹן בִּלְעָם, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ. כְּדֵין כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא נַיְימִין, וּמִזְבֵּחַ תַּתָּאָה דִּלְבַר אִתּוֹקַד.
When night enters and the gates are closed, the lower judgements are aroused in the world, and asses, she-asses and dogs wander about; that is to say, the asses of their own accord, but the she-asses and dogs only if human beings practise sorceries with them. Then all men sleep, and a fire is kindled on the lower altar without [the curtain].
בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא, אִתְּעַר רוּחַ צָפוֹן, וּמֵהַהוּא מִזְבַּח תַּתָּאָה, נָפִיק שַׁלְהוֹבָא דְּאֶשָּׁא, וְתַרְעִין אִתְפְּתָחוּ, וְדִינִין תַּתָּאִין אִתְכְּנָשׁוּ בְּנוּקְבַיְיהוּ, וְהַהוּא שַׁלְהוֹבָא אָזִיל וְשָׁאט, וְתַרְעִין דְגַּן עֵדֶן אִתְפְּתָחוּ, עַד דְּמָטֵי (נ"א צפרא) הַהוּא שַׁלְהוֹבָא, אִתְפְּלַג לְכַמָּה סִטְרִין דְּעָלְמָא, וְעָאל תְּחוֹת גַּדְפּוֹי דְּתַרְנְגוֹלָא וְקָארֵי.
At midnight the north wind awakes, and from the lower altar there goes forth a flame of fire, and the gates are opened and the lower judgements shrink back into their holes. The flame of fire in its passage parts and travels in many directions and enters under the wings of the cock, which thereupon crows.
כְּדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּין צַדִּיקַיָּיא, וּכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מְשָׁבַּחַת לֵיהּ לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עַד דְּאָתֵי צַפְרָא. כֵּיוָן דְּאָתֵי צַפְרָא, אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ מִשְׁתַּעְיָן בְּרָזָא חֲדָא. וְאִית לָהּ נַיְיחָא בְּבַעְלָהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, עַל מוֹקְדָה עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ כָּל הַלַיְלָה וְגוֹ'. עַד הַבֹּקֶר, דְּהָא בְּצַפְרָא דִּינִין וְשַׁלְהוֹבִין אִשְׁתְּכָכוּ, וּכְדֵין אִתְּעַר אַבְרָהָם בְּעָלְמָא, וְנַיְיחָא הוּא דְּכֹלָּא.
Then the Holy One, blessed be He, enters the company of the righteous, and the Community of Israel utters His praises until morning, when they are found to be discoursing on a certain secret. The daybreak is a time for flames and judgements, but then Abraham awakens and there is rest for all.