Our colleagues who dwell in the South have explained the inner meaning of the four compartments of the phylacteries in their own way, viz., that the passage “sanctify to me every firstborn” is to correspond to the Supernal Crown (Kether); “and it shall come to pass when the Lord bringeth thee” to Wisdom; “hear, O Israel,” to Binah; and “and it shall come to pass if thou hearkenest diligently” to Hesed. Then they are all combined in one on the left arm which is called Strength (Geburah).
We, however, do not accept this view, because the Supreme Crown comprises all and is not reckoned (among the grades). Further, the section “and it shall come to pass when the Lord bringeth thee” is connected with the going forth from Egypt, and so with that place in which is freedom for slaves.1Binah. Hence our colleagues are not right. We commence from Wisdom, and we hold that the Holy One, blessed be He, wears them, four above, four below, four in the place of the brain, and four in the place where the heart is, because one is linked with the other.
and whoever crowns himself with the supernal Holy Crown is called king on earth as the Holy One, blessed be He, is king in the firmament. AND THOU SHALT WRITE THEM ON THE DOORPOSTS OF THY HOUSE AND ON THY GATES in order that a man may be found complete in all, complete in the precepts of his Master, inscribed above and inscribed below. Happy is the portion of Israel.
R. Eleazar then discoursed as follows. ‘We find sometimes the expression “Thus saith the Lord of Hosts”, and sometimes “Thus saith the Lord God”. What is the difference? A message opening with the words “Thus saith the Lord of Hosts” is one of mercy, whereas a message opening with Thus saith the Lord God” is one of judgement.
The reason is that in the first case the Koh (thus)1A name of the Shekinah. is blessed from the Zaddik and Nezah and Hod, which are called “the Lord of Hosts”, and therefore the message is delivered in gentleness, since it comes from the place thereof. But in the other case it sucks from the side of judgement, from the side of the supernal Geburah; and I have learnt from my father that it is then judgement with mercy.
וְחַבְרַיָּיא יַתְבֵי דָּרוֹמָא אוֹקְמוּהָ בְּרָזָא דִּלְהוֹן, אַרְבַּע בָּתֵּי דִּתְפִילִין כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא. (נ"א בגוונא אחרא) קַדֶּשׁ לִי כָל בְּכוֹר סְתָם, לָקֳבֵל כִּתְרָא עִלָּאָה דְּכֹלָּא. וְהָיָה כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ, לָקֳבֵל חָכְמָה. שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָהַבְתָּ, לָקֳבֵל בִּינָה. וְהָיָה לָקֳבֵל חֶסֶד. לְבָתַר כְּלִילָן כֻּלְּהוּ בִּדְרוֹעָא שְׂמָאלָא, דְּאִקְרֵי עֹז. וּכְתִיב, (ישעיהו ס״ב:ח׳) וּבִזְרוֹעַ עְֵזּוֹ. וְאֵין עֹז, אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, וְאֵין עֹז, אֶלָּא תְּפִלִּין.
Our colleagues who dwell in the South have explained the inner meaning of the four compartments of the phylacteries in their own way, viz., that the passage “sanctify to me every firstborn” is to correspond to the Supernal Crown (Kether); “and it shall come to pass when the Lord bringeth thee” to Wisdom; “hear, O Israel,” to Binah; and “and it shall come to pass if thou hearkenest diligently” to Hesed. Then they are all combined in one on the left arm which is called Strength (Geburah).
וּמִלִּין לָא מִתְיַשְּׁבָן לְגַבָּן. מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דְּכִתְרָא עִלָּאָה הוּא כָּלִיל כֹּלָּא, דְּלָאו הוּא בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא. וְעוֹד, וְהָיָה כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם תַּלְיָיא, הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ חֵירוּ לְעַבְדִין, וְעַל דָּא לָא מִתְתַּקְּנָן בְּאָרְחַיְיהוּ. וַאֲנָן מֵחָכְמָה שַׁרְיָין, וְהָכִי הוּא וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָטִיל לוֹן, אַרְבַּע לְעֵילָּא, אַרְבַּע לְתַתָּא, אַרְבַּע בַּאֲתָר דְּמוֹחָא. אַרְבַּע בַּאֲתָר דְּלִבָּא שַׁרְיָיא. בְּגִין דְּדָא בְּדָא אִתְקְשַּׁר.
We, however, do not accept this view, because the Supreme Crown comprises all and is not reckoned (among the grades). Further, the section “and it shall come to pass when the Lord bringeth thee” is connected with the going forth from Egypt, and so with that place in which is freedom for slaves.1Binah. Hence our colleagues are not right. We commence from Wisdom, and we hold that the Holy One, blessed be He, wears them, four above, four below, four in the place of the brain, and four in the place where the heart is, because one is linked with the other.
וּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּהוּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה. דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים כ״ח:י׳) וְרָאוּ כֹּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ כִּי שֵׁם יְיָ' וְגוֹ'. וְכָל מַאן דְּמִתְעַטָּר בְּעִטְרָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה דָּא, אִקְרֵי מֶלֶךְ בְּאַרְעָא. וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֶלֶךְ בִּרְקִיעָ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שיר השירים ז׳:ו׳) מֶלֶךְ אָסוּר בָּרְהָטִים. כְּמָה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֶלֶךְ לְעֵילָּא, הָכִי נָמֵי הוּא מֶלֶךְ לְתַתָּא. (ועם כל דא) וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל מְזוּזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ, בְּגִין דִּיהֱוֵי בַּר נָשׁ שְׁלִים בְּכֹלָּא, וְיִשְׁתְּכַּח שְׁלִים בְּפִקּוּדֵי דְּמָארֵיהּ, רָשִׁים לְעֵילָּא, רָשִׁים לְתַתָּא, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.
and whoever crowns himself with the supernal Holy Crown is called king on earth as the Holy One, blessed be He, is king in the firmament. AND THOU SHALT WRITE THEM ON THE DOORPOSTS OF THY HOUSE AND ON THY GATES in order that a man may be found complete in all, complete in the precepts of his Master, inscribed above and inscribed below. Happy is the portion of Israel.
פָּתַח רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר, תְּרֵי קְרָאֵי אַשְׁכַּחְנָא, דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֹלָּא בְּחַד דַּרְגָּא תַּלְיָין, לָאו אִינּוּן מִדַּרְגָּא חַד. חַד קְרָא כְּתִיב, (חגי א) כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ' צְבָאוֹת. וְחַד קְרָא כְּתִיב, (ישעיה ו) כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ' אֱלֹהִים. מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי. אֶלָּא בְּזִמְנָא דִּכְתִּיב כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ' צְבָאוֹת, כְּדֵין מִלָּה אַתְיָא בְּרַחֲמֵי. וּבְזִמְנָא דִּכְתִּיב כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ' אֱלֹהִים, כְּדֵין מִלָּה אַתְיָא בְּדִינָא.
R. Eleazar then discoursed as follows. ‘We find sometimes the expression “Thus saith the Lord of Hosts”, and sometimes “Thus saith the Lord God”. What is the difference? A message opening with the words “Thus saith the Lord of Hosts” is one of mercy, whereas a message opening with Thus saith the Lord God” is one of judgement.
כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ' צְבָאוֹת, בְּגִין דְּהַאי כֹּה, אִתְבָּרְכָא מִצַדִּיק וּמִנֶצַח וְהוֹד, דְּאִקְרֵי יְיָ' צְבָאוֹת. וּכְדֵין, מִלָּה בְּאִתְבַּסְּמוּתָא אַתְיָיא, דְּהָא מֵאֲתָר דָּא קָא אַתְיָא. כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ' אֱלֹהִים, כְּדֵין הַאי כֹּה יַנְקָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא, מֵאֲתָר דִּגְבוּרָה עִלָּאָה, וְאוֹלִיפְנָא מֵאַבָּא, דְּדִינָא הוּא בְּרַחֲמֵי, בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב יְיָ' אֱלֹהִים.
The reason is that in the first case the Koh (thus)1A name of the Shekinah. is blessed from the Zaddik and Nezah and Hod, which are called “the Lord of Hosts”, and therefore the message is delivered in gentleness, since it comes from the place thereof. But in the other case it sucks from the side of judgement, from the side of the supernal Geburah; and I have learnt from my father that it is then judgement with mercy.
דְּהָא אֱלֹהִים גְּבוּרָה הוּא בְּכָל אֲתָר אֲדֹנָי, גְּבוּרָה תַּתָּאָה הִיא בְּכָל אֲתָר. וְעַל דָּא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן מִלֵּי מִפּוּמָא דִּנְבִיאָה, וְהוּא הֲוָה מִתְכַּוֵּין לְמֵימַר מִלָּה מֵאַתְרֵיהּ. וּכְדֵין הֲווֹ יַדְעֵי אִלֵּין בְּנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא, מֵאָן אֲתָר תַּלְיָיא מִלְּתָא.
Thus the prophet was careful to give the source of his message, and the sons of the true faith knew whence it depended.