R. Eleazar said: ‘Of a truth there is a hidden reference in the name Zippor. It is written, “Yea the sparrow (zippor) hath found her a house, and the swallow a nest for herself’ (Ps. 84, 4). Would King David have said this of a mere sparrow?
The reference, however, is to what we have learnt: How beloved are souls (neshamoth) before the Holy One, blessed be He. This does not mean all souls, but the souls of the righteous whose abode is there with Him.
We have learnt that there are three walls to the Garden of Eden, and between each pair many souls and spirits walk about and enjoy the perfumes from within, though they are not permitted to enter.
On certain days in the year, in the months of Nisan and Tishri, those spirits assemble in a certain place on the walls of the garden, where they look like chirping birds every morning.
This chirping is praise given to the Almighty, and prayer for the life of human beings, because in those days Israel are all busy with performing the commandments and precepts of the Lord of the universe.’
Said R. Simeon: ‘Eleazar, so far very good, since in truth those spirits are there, but what will you make of “and the swallow a nest for herself’?’ He replied: ‘What I have learnt is that this is the holy super-soul that goes aloft to a hidden place which no eye but God’s has seen.’
Said R. Simeon: ‘Eleazar, truly all this is correct, and so it is in the lower Garden of Eden as you have said. The “sparrows’ are the holy spirits that are privileged to enter and then come out again, and these “find a house”, each one its appropriate chamber,
and nevertheless they are all jealous of the canopy of their comrades, those that have freedom from all. God shows them a certain hidden palace, “which no eye has seen but thine, O God”, and which is called “the bird’s nest”. From there are woven crowns for the Messiah in the time to come, and three times a year God holds converse with those righteous and shows them that hidden palace which is not known even to all the righteous there.
“Who hath put her young with thine altars”: these are the righteous whose merit has been perfected with holy sons learned in both Torahs in this world, and who are called two altars crowned before the Holy King, since the merit of their sons in this world shields them and crowns them there. Now continue thy discourse, since we did not mean to shame thee.’
R. Eleazar then proceeded: ‘The “bird” is Jethro and the “swallow” indicates his sons, who used to be in the Chamber of hewn stone (in the Temple) teaching the Torah and giving decisions on religious matters. At first they left the comfort of their homes in Midian to dwell in the wilderness, but when God saw that their yearning was for the Torah, He drew them from there and made them a “house” in the Chamber of hewn stone. The “swallow” here is the same as the “bird”.
This is why the name of Balak’s father, Zippor, is mentioned here, though we do not find this with other (heathen) kings. Jethro abandoned idolatry and came to join Israel, and for this he was banished and persecuted.
Balak, who was of his descendants, abandoned his path. When the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian, who were brothers in idolatry, saw that whereas Jethro and his son had clung to the Shekinah, this one had abandoned it, they came and made him king over them, as it is written, “And Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time”. Hence he is specially mentioned as being the son of Zippor, as if to say that this was not worthy of him. It says that “he saw”. We should have expected “he heard”. What did he see? He saw that he was destined to fall into the hands of the Israelites, after Israel had first fallen into his hands.’
(במדבר כ״ב:ב׳) וַיַּרְא בָּלָק וְגוֹ'. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, וַדַּאי מַה (קפ"ו) דְּאָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא, מִלָּה סְתִימָא הֲוָה. אֲבָל כְּתִיב, (תהילים פ״ד:ד׳) גַּם צִפּוֹר מָצְאָה בַיִת וּדְרוֹר קֵן לָהּ וְגוֹ'. וְכִי דָּוִד מַלְכָּא, עַל צִפָּרָא בְּעָלְמָא, הֲוָה אָמַר מִלָּה דָּא.
R. Eleazar said: ‘Of a truth there is a hidden reference in the name Zippor. It is written, “Yea the sparrow (zippor) hath found her a house, and the swallow a nest for herself’ (Ps. 84, 4). Would King David have said this of a mere sparrow?
אֶלָּא, כְּמָה דְּתָנֵינָן, כַּמָה חֲבִיבִין נִשְׁמָתִין קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. אִי תֵּימָא כָּל נִשְׁמָתִין דְּעָלְמָא. לָאו הָכִי. אֶלָּא אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתֵהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, דְּתַמָּן מָדוֹרֵיהוֹן בַּהֲדֵיהּ, מָדוֹרֵיהוֹן לְעֵילָּא, וּמָדוֹרֵיהוֹן לְתַתָּא. וְהָכִי אִתְּמַר. גַּם צִפּוֹר מָצְאָה בַיִת, אִלֵּין רוּחֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא.
The reference, however, is to what we have learnt: How beloved are souls (neshamoth) before the Holy One, blessed be He. This does not mean all souls, but the souls of the righteous whose abode is there with Him.
תָּנֵינָן, תְּלַת שׁוּרִין אִינּוּן לְגַּן עֵדֶן, וּבֵין כָּל חַד וְחַד, כַּמָה רוּחִין וְנִשְׁמָתִין מְטַיְּילִין תַּמָּן, וְאִתְהֲנָן מֵרֵיחָא דְּעִנּוּגִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא דִּלְגוֹ, אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא זָכוּ לְמֵיעָאל. אֲבָל עִנּוּגָא דְּרוּחֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא דִּלְגוֹ, (ישעיהו ס״ד:ג׳) עַיִן לֹא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ'.
We have learnt that there are three walls to the Garden of Eden, and between each pair many souls and spirits walk about and enjoy the perfumes from within, though they are not permitted to enter.
וְיוֹמִין רְשִׁימִין אִית בְּשַׁתָּא, וְאִינּוּן יוֹמֵי נִיסָן, וְיוֹמֵי תִּשְׁרֵי, דְּאִינּוּן רוּחִין מְשַׁטְטָן וּפַקְדָן לַאֲתָר דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ. וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּזִמְנִין סַגִּיאִין מְשַׁטְטָן, אֲבָל יוֹמִין אִלֵּין רְשִׁימִין אִינּוּן, וְאִתְחָזוּן עַל גַּבֵּי שׁוּרִין דְּגִּנְתָּא, כָּל חַד וְחַד כְּחֵיזוּ דְּצִפָּרִין מְצַפְצְפָן, בְּכָל צַפְרָא וְצַפְרָא.
On certain days in the year, in the months of Nisan and Tishri, those spirits assemble in a certain place on the walls of the garden, where they look like chirping birds every morning.
וְהַהוּא צִפְצוּפָא שְׁבָחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּצְלוֹתָא עַל חַיֵּי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא. בְּגִין דְּאִלֵּין יוֹמִין, יִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְעַסְּקִין בְּמִצְוֹת, וּבְפִקּוּדִין דְּמָארֵי עָלְמָא. וּכְדֵין בְּחֵדוּ אִתְחֲזָן צִפָּרִין מְצַפְצְפָן, וְעַל גַּבֵּי שׁוּרִין דְּגַּן עֵדֶן מְצַפְצְפָן מְשַׁבְּחָן וְאוֹדָן וּמְצַלָּן עַל חַיֵּי דְּהַאי עָלְמָא.
This chirping is praise given to the Almighty, and prayer for the life of human beings, because in those days Israel are all busy with performing the commandments and precepts of the Lord of the universe.’
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אֶלְעָזָר ודַּאי שַׁפִּיר קָאַמָרְת, דְּוַדַּאי אִינּוּן רוּחִין תַּמָּן. אֲבָל מַה תֵּימָא וּדְרוֹר קֵן לָהּ. אָמַר, הָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא, דָּא הִיא נִשְׁמְתָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּסַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא, וְסַלְּקָא לַאֲתָר טָמִיר וְגָנִיז, דְּעַיִן לֹא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתְךָ וְגוֹ'.
Said R. Simeon: ‘Eleazar, so far very good, since in truth those spirits are there, but what will you make of “and the swallow a nest for herself’?’ He replied: ‘What I have learnt is that this is the holy super-soul that goes aloft to a hidden place which no eye but God’s has seen.’
אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אֶלְעָזָר וַדַּאי שַׁפִּיר קָאַמָרְת, וְשַׁפִּיר אִיהוּ. אֲבָל כָּל דָּא בְּגַּן עֵדֶן דִּלְתַּתָּא הִיא, וּכְמָה דְּאַמְרַת הוּא, וְהָכִי הוּא ודַּאי, גַּם צִפּוֹר מָצְאָה בַיִת, אִלֵּין רוּחִין קַדִּישִׁין, דְּזָכוּ לְמֵיעָאל וּלְמֵיפָּק לְבָתַר, בְּגִין דִּמְשַׁטְטָן (קס"ב ע"א) וְאִתְחָזוּן כְּחֵיזוּ דִּצִפּוֹרִין, וְאִלֵּין רוּחִין מָצְאָה בַיִת. וַדַּאי כָּל חֲדָא וַחֲדָא אִית לוֹן מָדוֹרִין יְדִיעָאן לְגוֹ.
Said R. Simeon: ‘Eleazar, truly all this is correct, and so it is in the lower Garden of Eden as you have said. The “sparrows’ are the holy spirits that are privileged to enter and then come out again, and these “find a house”, each one its appropriate chamber,
וְעִם כָּל דָּא, כֻּלְּהוּ נִכְוִין מֵחוּפָּה דְּחַבְרַיְיהוּ. אִינּוּן דְּאִית לוֹן דְּרוֹר, וְחֵירוּ מִכֹּלָּא. וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַחְזֵי לוֹן הֵיכָלָא טְמִירוּ חֲדָא גָּנִיז, דְּעַיִן לֹא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתְךָ, וְהַהוּא הֵיכָלָא אִקְרֵי קַן צִפּוֹר. וּמִתַּמָּן מִתְעַטְּרִין עִטְרִין לְמָשִׁיחַ בְּזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי, וּבְיוֹמִין רְשִׁימִין, תְּלַת זִמְנִין בְּשַׁתָּא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא בְּאִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא, וְאַחְזֵי לוֹן הַהוּא הֵיכָלָא טְמִירָא גָּנִיז, דְּלָא יַדְעִין וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן בֵּיהּ, כָּל צַדִּיקַיָּיא דְּתַמָּן.
and nevertheless they are all jealous of the canopy of their comrades, those that have freedom from all. God shows them a certain hidden palace, “which no eye has seen but thine, O God”, and which is called “the bird’s nest”. From there are woven crowns for the Messiah in the time to come, and three times a year God holds converse with those righteous and shows them that hidden palace which is not known even to all the righteous there.
אֲשֶׁר שָׁתָה אֶפְרוֹחֶיהָ אֶת מִזְבְּחוֹתֶיךָ, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא, דְּאִשְׁתָּכְלָלוּ בִּבְנִין קַדִּישִׁין, דְּזָכוּ לַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב, וְלַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא. וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן תְּרֵין מַדְבְּחָן. מִתְעַטְּרָן לְקַמֵּי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּהָא זְכוּתָא דִּבְנַיְיהוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, אַגִּין עָלַיְיהוּ, וּמְעַטְּרִין לְהוּ תַּמָּן. מַאן רוּחָא זַכָּאָה לְכָל הַאי. הַאי דְּשָׁתָה אֶפְרוֹחֶיהָ, לְאוֹלְפָא לְמִזְבְּחוֹתֶיךָ וְגוֹ'. מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה אֵימָא מִילָּךְ, דְּהָא בְּלָא כִּסּוּפָא אִתְחֲזֵינָא תַּמָּן.
“Who hath put her young with thine altars”: these are the righteous whose merit has been perfected with holy sons learned in both Torahs in this world, and who are called two altars crowned before the Holy King, since the merit of their sons in this world shields them and crowns them there. Now continue thy discourse, since we did not mean to shame thee.’
פָּתַח כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר, גַּם צִפּוֹר מָצְאָה בַיִת, דָּא יִתְרוֹ. וּדְרוֹר קֵן לָהּ, דָּא בְּנוֹי, דַּהֲווֹ בְּלִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית, אוֹלְפֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, וְחַתְכִין מִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא בְּפוּמַיְיהוּ. מָצְאָה בַיִת מַהוּ. אֶלָּא בְּקַדְמִיתָא נַטְלוּ וְשָׁארוּ בְּמַדְבְּרָא, נַטְלוּ מֵעִנּוּגָא דְּמִדְיָן, וּמִמְּתִיקוּ דְּתַמָּן, וְשָׁרוּ בְּמַדְבְּרָא. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּעַל אוֹרַיְיתָא הֲוָה כִּסּוּפָא דִּלְהוֹן, מָשִׁיךְ לוֹן מִתַּמָּן, וְאָעִיל לוֹן לְלִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית. וּדְרוֹר קֵן לָהּ, כֹּלָּא חַד. צִפּוֹר דְּרוֹר כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ חַד. (שופטים ד׳:י״ז) חֶבֶר הַקֵּנִי. (שמואל א ט״ו:ו׳) וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל הַקֵּנִי וְגוֹ'.
R. Eleazar then proceeded: ‘The “bird” is Jethro and the “swallow” indicates his sons, who used to be in the Chamber of hewn stone (in the Temple) teaching the Torah and giving decisions on religious matters. At first they left the comfort of their homes in Midian to dwell in the wilderness, but when God saw that their yearning was for the Torah, He drew them from there and made them a “house” in the Chamber of hewn stone. The “swallow” here is the same as the “bird”.
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב, וַיַּרְא בָּלָק בֶּן צִפּוֹר. וְכִי מַאי שְׁנָא דְּאַדְכִּיר שְׁמָא דַּאֲבוֹי מִשְּׁאַר מַלְכִין. אֶלָּא יִתְרוֹ אִתְמְשַׁךְ וְאִתְעֲבָר מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְאָתָא לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, הוּא וּבְנוֹי, וְכָל עָלְמָא נִדּוּהוּ וְרַדְפוּ אֲבַּתְרֵיהּ.
This is why the name of Balak’s father, Zippor, is mentioned here, though we do not find this with other (heathen) kings. Jethro abandoned idolatry and came to join Israel, and for this he was banished and persecuted.
בָּלָק מִבְּנֵי בְּנוֹי הֲוָה, וְאִתְעֲבָר מֵאָרְחָא דְּאָבוֹי, כֵּיוָן דְּחָמוּ סָבֵי מוֹאָב וְסָבֵי מִדְיָן, דַּהֲווֹ בַּהֲדֵי הַדָדֵי בְּאָחְוָה דִּלְהוֹן בְּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, בְּחוּלָקָא דִּלְהוֹן, דְּיִתְרוֹ וּבְנוֹי אִתְדָּבָקוּ בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, וְדָא אִתְמְשַׁךְ מִנְּהוֹן. אָתוּ וְאַמְלְכוּהוּ עָלַיְיהוּ בְּהַאי שַׁעֲתָא, דִּכְתִּיב וּבָלָק בֶּן צִפּוֹר מֶלֶךְ לְמוֹאָב בָּעֵת הַהִיא. בָּעֵת הַהִיא הֲוָה מֶלֶךְ, מַה דְּלָא הֲוָה מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בֶּן צִפּוֹר, מַה דְּלָא אִתְחֲזֵי לְמֶעְבַּד הָכִי. וַיַּרְא בָּלָק, וַיִּשְׁמַע מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַהוּ וַיַּרְא. רְאִיָּיה חָמָא, וְיָדַע דְּזַמִּין הוּא לְמִנְפַּל בִּידָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִנְפַּל בִּידוֹי בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר אִיהוּ בִּידָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וַיַּרְא בָּלָק בֶּן צִפּוֹר.
Balak, who was of his descendants, abandoned his path. When the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian, who were brothers in idolatry, saw that whereas Jethro and his son had clung to the Shekinah, this one had abandoned it, they came and made him king over them, as it is written, “And Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time”. Hence he is specially mentioned as being the son of Zippor, as if to say that this was not worthy of him. It says that “he saw”. We should have expected “he heard”. What did he see? He saw that he was destined to fall into the hands of the Israelites, after Israel had first fallen into his hands.’