AND THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD. R. Jose adduced here the verse: “Now, therefore, what do I here, saith the Lord, seeing that my people is taken away for nought” (Isa. 52, 5). ‘This’, he said, ‘shows the love of God for Israel, for although their sins caused Him to depart from them, and they were scattered among the nations, yet He avenges their wrong. When Israel were in their land, God used to delight Himself in His garden and draw near to Israel and hear their voice and glory in them.
But since through their sins Israel have been banished from their land, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not enter His garden nor take delight in it, and He even exclaims, “What do I here, saith the Lord?”
Since the day that Israel were banished from their land there has been no joy before the Holy One, blessed be He. Therefore because of the love which God shows to Israel it is written, “thou shalt love the Lord thy God”, which means that man should bind himself to Him with very strong love, and that all service performed by man to God should be with love, since there is no service like the love of the Holy One, blessed be He.’ R. Abba said: ‘These words are the epitome of the whole Law, since the Ten Commandments are summed up here, as the Companions have explained.
Nothing is so beloved of God as that a man should love Him in the fitting manner. How is this? As it is written, “with all thy heart”, which includes two hearts, one good and one evil; “with all thy soul”, one good and one evil;1T. B. Berachoth, 54a. and “with all thy might”. What lesson can be learnt from the word “all” here?’ R. Eleazar said: ‘The word “might” refers to money, and “all” means both money which comes to a man from inheritance and money which a man earns himself.’
R. Abba said: ‘To return to the words “and thou shalt love”: one who loves God is crowned with lovingkindness on all sides and does lovingkindness throughout, sparing neither his person nor his money. We know this from Abraham, who in his love for his Master spared neither his heart nor his life nor his money.
He paid no heed to his own desires because of his love for his Master; he spared not his wife, and was ready to sacrifice his son because of his love for his Master; and he sacrificed his money also by standing at the cross-roads and providing food for all comers’ Therefore he was crowned with the crown of lovingkindness. Whoever is attached in love to his Master is deemed worthy of the same, and what is more, all worlds are blessed for his sake.
Once when R. Jose was ill, R. Abba and R. Judah and R. Isaac went to see him. They found him asleep lying on his face. When he awoke they perceived that his face was wreathed in smiles. Said R. Abba to him: ‘Have you seen some notable thing?’ Assuredly so,’ he replied, ‘for my soul went aloft and I saw the glory of those who have sacrificed themselves for the sanctity of their Master, how they were given thirteen streams of pure balsam, and how the Holy One, blessed be He, held joyous converse with them. I saw things which I am not permitted to tell. I asked for whom was this honour, and they replied: For those who loved their Master in the other world. My soul and my heart were illumined with what I saw, and therefore my face was wreathed in smiles.’
R. Abba said: ‘Happy is thy portion. The Torah testifies of them saying, “Eye hath not seen, O God, beside thee what he shall do for him that waiteth for him” (Isa. 64, 4).’ R. Judah said to him: ‘The Companions have already asked: Why is it written here, “he shall do”, and not “thou shalt do”?’
He replied: ‘The reason is to be found in the inner meaning of the words, “To behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple” (Ps. 27, 4). The “beauty of the Lord”, as we have explained, is that which comes from the Ancient Holy One, and wherewith the Holy One, blessed be He, delights himself. So here, “he shall do” refers to the Ancient Hidden One on whom it depends.’ He said: ‘Assuredly it is so. Happy those to whom the love of their Master cleaves; there is no limit to their portion in the other world.’
R. Isaac said: ‘Many are the abodes of the righteous in the other world, one above another, and highest of all that of those to whom was attached the love of their Master, for their abode is linked with the palace that surpasses all, the Holy One, blessed be He, being crowned in this one.
This Palace is called Love, and it is established for the sake of love. So it is too with the Holy Name, the forms of the letters of which are linked together, so that the whole is called “love”;
(דברים ו׳:ה׳) וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ. רִבִּי יוֹסִי פָּתַח, (ישעיהו נ״ב:ה׳) וְעַתָּה מַה לִי פֹה נְאֻם יְיָ' כִּי לֻקַּח עַמִּי חִנָּם וְגוֹ'. תָּא חֲזֵי, רְחִימוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אַף עַל גַּב דְּחוֹבַיְיהוּ גָּרְמוּ לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מִבֵּינַיְיהוּ, וְאִתְבָּדָּרוּ בֵּינֵי עַמָמַיָא, הוּא תָּבַע עֶלְבּוֹנָא דִּלְהוֹן. וְתָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁרָאן בְּאַרְעֲהוֹן, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִשְׁתַּעֲשָׁע בְּגִנְתֵּיהּ, וְקָרִיב לְגַבַּיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְשָׁמַע קַלֵּיהוֹן, וְאִשְׁתְּבַּח בְּהוּ.
AND THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD. R. Jose adduced here the verse: “Now, therefore, what do I here, saith the Lord, seeing that my people is taken away for nought” (Isa. 52, 5). ‘This’, he said, ‘shows the love of God for Israel, for although their sins caused Him to depart from them, and they were scattered among the nations, yet He avenges their wrong. When Israel were in their land, God used to delight Himself in His garden and draw near to Israel and hear their voice and glory in them.
כֵּיוָן דְּגַרְמוּ חוֹבַיְיהוּ, וְאִתְגְּלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא עָאל בְּגִנְתֵּיהּ, וְלָא מִשְׁתַּעֲשָׁע בֵּיהּ. וְלָא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּאִיהוּ צָוַוח וְאָמַר, וְעַתָּה מַה לִּי פֹה נְאֻם יְיָ', וּכְתִיב הָתָם (תהילים קל״ב:י״ד) פֹּה אֵשֵׁב כִּי אִוִּיתִיהָ. כִּי לֻקַּח עַמִּי חִנָּם, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ישעיהו נ״ב:ה׳) חִנָּם נִמְכַּרְתֶּם.
But since through their sins Israel have been banished from their land, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not enter His garden nor take delight in it, and He even exclaims, “What do I here, saith the Lord?”
וּמֵהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּאִתְגְּלִיאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַרְעֲהוֹן, לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח חֶדְוָותָא קָמֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (ישעיהו נ׳:ג׳) אַלְבִּישׁ שָׁמַיִם קַדְרוּת וְשַׂק אָשִׂים כְּסוּתָם. וְכָל דָּא, בְּגִין רְחִימוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן, דְּרָחִים לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר, (מלאכי א׳:ב׳) אָהַבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אָמַר יְיָ'. (ועל דא) וְאָהַבְתָּ אֶת יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ. וְאָהַבְתָּ: דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בֵּיהּ בִּרְחִימוּתָא עִלָּאָה, דְּכָל פּוּלְחָנָא דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְמִפְלַח לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּיִפְלַח בִּרְחִימוּ. דְּלֵית לָךְ פּוּלְחָנָא, כְּמוֹ רְחִימוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר, הָנֵי מִלֵּי כְּלָלָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִינּוּן, בְּגִין דְּעֶשֶׂר אֲמִירָן דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, הָכָא אִתְכְּלִילוּ, וְהָא אוֹקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא.
Since the day that Israel were banished from their land there has been no joy before the Holy One, blessed be He. Therefore because of the love which God shows to Israel it is written, “thou shalt love the Lord thy God”, which means that man should bind himself to Him with very strong love, and that all service performed by man to God should be with love, since there is no service like the love of the Holy One, blessed be He.’ R. Abba said: ‘These words are the epitome of the whole Law, since the Ten Commandments are summed up here, as the Companions have explained.
תָּא חֲזֵי, לֵית לָךְ מִלָּה בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּמַאן דְּרָחִים לֵיהּ כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת. וּמַה הוּא. כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ. בְּכָל, מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי, בִּלְבָבְךָ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. בְּנַפְשְׁךָ, בִּמְאֹדֶךָ, מַהוּ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ. אֶלָּא לְאַכְלְלָא תְּרֵין לִבִּין, חַד טַב וְחַד בִּישׁ. בְּכָל נַפְשְׁךָ: חַד טַב, וְחַד בִּישׁ. בְּכָל מְאֹדֶךָ, דָּא לָא אַתְיָא לִדְּרָשָׁא. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וַאֲפִילּוּ הַאי לִדְּרָשָׁא הוּא. מַאי טַעְמָא. בֵּין דְּנָפַל לֵיהּ מָמוֹנָא מִיְּרוּתָא, אוֹ מִסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא, אוֹ בֵּין דְּאִיהוּ רָוַוח לֵיהּ, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּכָל מְאֹדֶךָ.
Nothing is so beloved of God as that a man should love Him in the fitting manner. How is this? As it is written, “with all thy heart”, which includes two hearts, one good and one evil; “with all thy soul”, one good and one evil;1T. B. Berachoth, 54a. and “with all thy might”. What lesson can be learnt from the word “all” here?’ R. Eleazar said: ‘The word “might” refers to money, and “all” means both money which comes to a man from inheritance and money which a man earns himself.’
אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, אַהֲדַרְנָא לַקְּרָא וְאָהַבְתָּ. מַאן דְּרָחִים לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אִתְעֲטָּר בְּחֶסֶד מִכָּל סִטְרִין, וְעָבִיד חֶסֶד בְּכֹלָּא, וְלָא חָיִיס עַל גּוּפֵיהּ וְעַל מָמוֹנֵיהּ. מְנָלָן. מֵאַבְרָהָם. כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר, דְּהָא לָא חָס בִּרְחִימוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהּ, עַל לִבֵּיהּ, (דהוא יצריה) וְעַל נַפְשֵׁיהּ, וְעַל מָמוֹנֵיהּ.
R. Abba said: ‘To return to the words “and thou shalt love”: one who loves God is crowned with lovingkindness on all sides and does lovingkindness throughout, sparing neither his person nor his money. We know this from Abraham, who in his love for his Master spared neither his heart nor his life nor his money.
עַל לִבֵּיהּ לָא אַשְׁגַּח, עַל רְעוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ, בְּגִין רְחִימוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהּ. עַל נַפְשֵׁיהּ, דְּלָא חָס עַל בְּרֵיהּ, וְעַל אִתְּתֵיהּ, בְּגִין רְחִימוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהּ. עַל מָמוֹנֵיהּ, דְּהֲוָה קָאִים בְּפָרָשַׁת אָרְחִין, וְאַתְקִין מְזוֹנֵי לְכָל עָלְמָא. בְּגִין כָּךְ, אִתְעֲטָּר בְּעִטְרָא דְּחֶסֶד. כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, (מיכה ז׳:כ׳) חֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם. וּמַאן דְּאִתְקְשַּׁר בִּרְחִימוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהּ, זָכָה לְהַאי. וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּעָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְבָּרְכָן בְּגִינֵיהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהילים קמ״ה:י׳) וַחֲסִידֶיךָ יְבָרְכוּכָה, אַל תִּקְרֵי יְבָרְכוּכָה, אֶלָּא יְבָרְכוּ כֹּ"ה. (דכתיב, (בראשית י״ב:ג׳) ונברכו בך כל משפחות האדמה)
He paid no heed to his own desires because of his love for his Master; he spared not his wife, and was ready to sacrifice his son because of his love for his Master; and he sacrificed his money also by standing at the cross-roads and providing food for all comers’ Therefore he was crowned with the crown of lovingkindness. Whoever is attached in love to his Master is deemed worthy of the same, and what is more, all worlds are blessed for his sake.
יוֹמָא חַד, הֲוָה חָלַשׁ רִבִּי יוֹסִי, עָאל (עאלו) לְגַבֵּיהּ רִבִּי אַבָּא וְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרִבִּי יִצְחָק, חָמוּ לֵיהּ דְּהֲוָה נָפִיל עַל אַנְפּוֹי וְנָאִים. יָתְבוּ. כַּד אִתְּעַר, חָמוּ לֵיהּ לְאַנְפּוֹי דְּחַיְיכִין. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אַבָּא, מִלָּה חַדְתָּא חֲמֵיתָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ וַדַּאי, דְּהַשְׁתָּא סַלְּקָא נַפְשִׁי, וְחָמֵית יְקָרָא, מֵאִינּוּן דְּמָסָרוּ גַּרְמַיְיהוּ עַל קְדוּשָּׁה דְּמָארֵיהוֹן, דַּהֲווֹ עָאלִין בִּתְלֵיסָר נַהֲרֵי דְּאֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַּכְיָא. וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִשְׁתַּעֲשָׁע בְּהוּ. וַחֲמֵינָא מַה דְּלָא יָהֲבוּ לִי רְשׁוּתָא לְמֵימַר. וְשָׁאִילְנָא לוֹן, אֲמֵינָא, הַאי יְקָרָא דְּמַאן הוּא. אָמְרוּ לִי, מֵאִינּוּן דִּרְחִימוּ לְמָארֵיהוֹן בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא. וּמִמָּה דְּחָמִית, נַפְשָׁאי וְלִבָּאי אִתְנְהִיר, וְעַל דָּא אַנְפָּאִי חַיְּיכִין.
Once when R. Jose was ill, R. Abba and R. Judah and R. Isaac went to see him. They found him asleep lying on his face. When he awoke they perceived that his face was wreathed in smiles. Said R. Abba to him: ‘Have you seen some notable thing?’ Assuredly so,’ he replied, ‘for my soul went aloft and I saw the glory of those who have sacrificed themselves for the sanctity of their Master, how they were given thirteen streams of pure balsam, and how the Holy One, blessed be He, held joyous converse with them. I saw things which I am not permitted to tell. I asked for whom was this honour, and they replied: For those who loved their Master in the other world. My soul and my heart were illumined with what I saw, and therefore my face was wreathed in smiles.’
אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אַבָּא, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָךְ, אֲבָל אוֹרַיְיתָא אַסְהִיד בְּהוּ, דִּכְתִּיב, (ישעיהו ס״ד:ג׳) עַיִן לָא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתְךָ יַעֲשֶׂה לִמְחַכֵּה לוֹ. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, הָא שָׁאִילוּ חַבְרַיָּיא, דָּא דִּכְתִּיב יַעֲשֶׂה, תַּעֲשֶׂה מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ.
R. Abba said: ‘Happy is thy portion. The Torah testifies of them saying, “Eye hath not seen, O God, beside thee what he shall do for him that waiteth for him” (Isa. 64, 4).’ R. Judah said to him: ‘The Companions have already asked: Why is it written here, “he shall do”, and not “thou shalt do”?’
אָמַר לֵיהּ, הָא אִתְּמַר. אֲבָל רָזָא דְּמִלָּה, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב, (תהילים כ״ז:ד׳) לַחֲזוֹת בְּנֹעַם יְיָ' וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ. וְאוֹקְמוּהָ, נֹעַם יְיָ', הַהוּא דְּאַתְיָא מֵעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִשְׁתַּעֲשָׁע בֵּיהּ. דְּהָא הַהוּא נֹעַם מֵעַתִּיקָא נָפְקָא. וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ, בְּהֵיכָלָא עִילָּאָה עַל כֹּלָּא. אוּף הָכָא, עַיִן לֹא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתְךָ יַעֲשֶׂה. מַאן, הַהוּא עַתִּיקָא סְתִימָא דְּכֹלָּא, דְּהָא בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָא, אָמַר לֵיהּ, וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּאִינּוּן דִּרְחִימוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן מִתְדַּבְּקָן בְּהוּ, לְאִלֵּין לֵית שִׁעוּרָא לְחוּלָקֵיהוֹן בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא.
He replied: ‘The reason is to be found in the inner meaning of the words, “To behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple” (Ps. 27, 4). The “beauty of the Lord”, as we have explained, is that which comes from the Ancient Holy One, and wherewith the Holy One, blessed be He, delights himself. So here, “he shall do” refers to the Ancient Hidden One on whom it depends.’ He said: ‘Assuredly it is so. Happy those to whom the love of their Master cleaves; there is no limit to their portion in the other world.’
אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, כַּמָה מָדוֹרִין עַל מָדוֹרִין אִית לְהוּ לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, וּמָדוֹרָא עִלָּאָה דְּכֹלָּא, אִינּוּן דִּרְחִימוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן אִתְקְשַּׁר בְּהוּ, דְּהָא מָדוֹרֵיהוֹן אִתְקְשַּׁר בְּהֵיכָלָא דְּסָלִיק עַל כֹּלָּא. מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַאי אִתְעֲטָּר.
R. Isaac said: ‘Many are the abodes of the righteous in the other world, one above another, and highest of all that of those to whom was attached the love of their Master, for their abode is linked with the palace that surpasses all, the Holy One, blessed be He, being crowned in this one.
תָּא חֲזֵי, (ס"א כלא אהבה) הֵיכָלָא דָּא, אַהֲבָה אִתְקְרֵי, וּבְגִין אַהֲבָה קַיְּימָא כֹּלָּא. כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, (שיר השירים ח׳:ז׳) מַיִם רַבִּים לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְכַבּוֹת אֶת הָאַהֲבָה. וְכֹלָּא בִּרְחִימוּתָא קַיְּימָא, דְּהָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא הָכִי אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, י' לָא מִתְפְּרַשׁ קוֹצָא דִּלְעֵילָּא מִן י' לְעָלְמִין. דְּהָא בִּרְחִימוּתָא שַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ, וְלָא מִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ לְעָלְמִין. ה', הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דְּיוֹד לָא מִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנָהּ, וְאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ כַּחֲדָא בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא, לָא אִתְפָּרְשָׁן דָּא מִן דָּא. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא ה' וְהָא אִתְּמַר, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית ב׳:י׳) וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן, יוֹצֵא תָּדִיר לְעָלְמִין, בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא אִתְדַּבְּקָן.
This Palace is called Love, and it is established for the sake of love. So it is too with the Holy Name, the forms of the letters of which are linked together, so that the whole is called “love”;
ו"ה כַּד אִתְדַּבְּקָן דָּא בְּדָא, אִתְדַּבְּקָן בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא כַּחֲדָא, חָתָן בְּכַלָּה, דְּאָרְחַיְיהוּ תָּדִיר בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא אִשְׁתְּכַח. י' בְּה', ה' עִם ו', ו' עִם ה'. וְדָא בְּדָא אִתְקְשַּׁר בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא. וְכֹלָּא אַהֲבָה אִקְרֵי. וְעַל דָּא מַאן דְּרָחִים לְמַלְכָּא, הָא אִתְקְשַׁר בְּהַהוּא אַהֲבָה. וּבְּגִין כָּךְ, וְאָהַבְתָּ אֶת יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ.
wherefore he who loves his Master is linked to that Love. Hence it is written, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God”.’