Said R. Abba: ‘Happy are Israel in that God has chosen them from all peoples and has given them this sign of the covenant; for whoever has this sign of the covenant will not descend to Gehinnom if he guards it properly, not subjecting it to another power or playing false with the name of the King; for to betray this sign is to betray the name of God, as it is written, “they have dealt treacherously against the Lord in that they have born strange children” (Hos. 5, 7).’
Said R. Abba further: ‘When a man takes up his son to initiate him in this covenant, God calls to the ministering angels and says, “See what a creature I have made in the world.” At that moment Elijah traverses the world in four sweeps and presents himself there;
and for this reason we have been taught that it behoves the father to prepare an extra chair for his honour, and to say “this is the chair of Elijah”; and if he neglects to do so, Elijah does not visit him nor go up and testify before the Almighty that the circumcision has taken place.
Why has Elijah to testify? For this reason. When God said to him “What dost thou here, Elijah?” (I Kings 19, 9), he answered, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of Hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant.” Said God to him: “As thou livest, wherever my sons imprint this sign upon their flesh, thou shalt be there, and the mouth which charged Israel with forsaking the covenant shall testify that they are observing it.” Our teachers have also taught that the reason why Elijah was punished was because he brought false charges against God’s children.’
By this time it was full daylight and they rose to go, but the host came to them and said: ‘Will you not finish the subject on which you were engaged to-night?’ They said to him: ‘What do you mean?’ He said: ‘To-morrow you have a chance of seeing the sponsor of the covenant,1Elijah. for to-morrow is the celebration of the circumcision of my son, and my wife begs you to stay.’ Said R. Abba: ‘We are invited to a pious act, and if we stay, it will be to behold the divine presence.’ They accordingly stayed the whole of that day.
When night came the host brought together all his friends and they studied the Torah all that night and not one of them slept. Said the host to them, ‘May it please you that each one should give an exposition of the Torah.’
Then one began on the text: For that there was an uncovering of flesh in Israel, for that the people offered themselves willingly, bless ye the Lord (Jud. 5, 2). He said: ‘The reason why Deborah and Barak commenced their song with these words was as follows. The world, as we have been taught, rests only upon this covenant of circumcision, according to the verse in Jeremiah (XXXIII, 25), “If not for my covenant day and night, I had not set the ordinances of heaven and earth.”
Hence as long as Israel observe this covenant, the heaven and earth go on in their appointed course. But if Israel neglect this covenant, then heaven and earth are disturbed, and blessing is not vouchsafed to the world.
Now in the time of the Judges the Gentiles gained power over Israel only because they neglected this covenant, to this extent, that they did not uncover the flesh after circumcision: this is indicated by the words “And the children of Israel forsook the Lord.” Hence God delivered them into the hand of Sisera, until Deborah came and made all Israel vow to circumcise properly; then their enemies fell before them.
Similarly, as we have learnt, God said to Joshua, “Do you not know that the Israelites are not circumcised properly, as the flesh has not been uncovered; how then can you expect to lead them into the land and subdue their enemies?” Hence God said to him, “Circumcise again the children of Israel a second time” (Josh. 5, 2); and until the uncovering was performed, they did not enter the land and their enemies were not subdued. So here, when Israel vowed to observe this sign, their enemies were overcome and blessing returned to the land.’
Another one then discoursed on the text: And it came to pass on the way at the lodging place that the Lord met him and sought to kill him. He said: ‘By “him” is here meant Moses. Said God to him: “How can you think to bring Israel out of Egypt and to humble a great king, when you have forgotten my covenant, since your son is not circumcised?” Forthwith “he sought to slay him”:
that is, as we have learnt, Gabriel came down in a flame of fire to destroy him, having the appearance of a burning serpent which sought to swallow him. The form of a serpent was chosen as emblematical of the king of Egypt, who is compared to a serpent (Ezek. 29, 3).
Zipporah, however, saw in time and circumcised her son, so that Moses was released; so it is written, “And Zipporah took a flint and cut off the foreskin of her son”, being guided by a sudden inspiration.’
Another then discoursed on the text: And Joseph said to his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you, and they came near (Gen. 45, 4). He said: ‘Seeing that they were already standing by him, why did he tell them to come near? The reason was that when he said to them “I am Joseph your brother”, they were dumbfounded, seeing his royal state, so he showed them the sign of the covenant and said to them: “It is through this that I have attained to this estate, through keeping this intact.”
From this we learn that whoever keeps intact this sign of the covenant is destined for kingship. Another example is Boaz, who said to Ruth, “As the Lord liveth, lie down until the morning” (Ruth 3, 13). By this adjuration he exorcised his passion, and because he guarded the covenant he became the progenitor of the greatest lineage of kings, and of the Messiah, whose name is linked with that of God.’
Another then discoursed on the text: Though an host should encamp against me,… in this (zoth) will I be confident (Ps. 27, 3). He said: ‘We have learnt that the word zoth (this) alludes to the sign of the covenant, which is always on a man’s person and also has its counterpart above.
If so, it may be said, why should David alone be confident in it and not everyone else? The answer is that this zoth was attached to him in a peculiar degree, being the crown of the kingdom1i.e. of the Sefirah Malkuth, of which David’s throne was the counterpart below..
It was because David did not guard it properly that the kingship was taken from him for so long a time. For this zoth symbolises also the supernal Kingdom and Jerusalem the holy city,
and when David sinned a voice went forth and said: “David, thou shalt now be disjoined from that with which thou wast united; thou art banished from Jerusalem and the kingship is taken from thee”; thus he was punished in that wherein he had sinned. And if David could be so punished, how much more so other men?’
Another then discoursed on the text: Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had soon dwelt in silence (duma) (Ps. 94, 17). He said: ‘We have learnt that that which saves Israel from descending to Gehinnom and being delivered into the hands of Duma like other nations is this same covenant.
For so we have learnt, that when a man leaves this world, numbers of angels swoop down to seize him, but when they behold this sign of the holy covenant they leave him and he is not delivered into the hands of Duma, so as to be sent down to Gehinnom.
Both upper and lower (angels) are afraid of this sign, and no torture is inflicted on the man who has been able to guard this sign, because thereby he is attached to the name of the Holy One, blessed be He.
So with David, when he was dethroned and driven from Jerusalem, hewas afraid that he would be delivered into the hands of Duma and die in the future world, until the message came to him, “The Lord also hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die” (II Sam. 12, 13). Then it was that he exclaimed “Unless the Lord had been my help, etc.”’
Another one then discoursed as follows: ‘What did David mean by saying (when fleeing from before Absalom): and he shall show me both himself (otho) and his habitation (II Sam. 15, 25)?’ He said: ‘Who is there that can see God? In truth the word otho here means not “him” but “his sign”, and it is as we have learnt, that when David’s punishment was decreed, and he knew that it was for not having guarded properly this sign (which is the sum and substance of all, and without the due observance of which no one can be called righteous), he prayed that God should show him this sign,
fearing that it had parted from him, because on it depended both his throne and Jerusalem; hence he joined the sign and the habitation, meaning that the kingdom conferred by this sign should be restored to its place.’
Another then discoursed on the text: From my flesh shall I see God (Job 19, 26). He said: ‘The words “my flesh” are to be literally taken as the place where the covenant is imprinted, as we have learnt: “Whenever a man is stamped with this holy imprint, through it he sees God”, because the soul (neshamah) is attached to this spot.
So if he does not guard it, then of him it is written, “they lose the soul (neshamah) given by God” (Job 4, 9). If, however, he guards it, then the Shekinah does not depart from him.
He cannot be sure of it till he is married, when at last the sign enters into its place. When the man and wife are joined together and are called by one name, then the celestial favour rests upon them, the favour (Hesed) which issues from the supernal Wisdom and is embraced in the male, so that the female also is firmly established.
Further, it has been pointed out that the word for “God” in this passage, viz. Eloah, may be divided into El, signifying the radiance of Wisdom, the letter Vau, signifying the male, and the letter He, signifying the female; when they are joined, the name Eloah is used, and the holy neshamah is united to this spot. And since all depends on this sign,
therefore it is written, “and from my flesh I shall see Eloah“. Happy are Israel, the holy ones, who are linked to the Holy One, blessed be He, happy in this world and happy in the next: of them it is written, “Ye that cleave unto the Lord your God, are alive every one of you this day” (Deut. 4, 4).’
Said R. Abba: ‘I marvel that with so much learning you are still living in this village.’ They said to him: ‘If birds are driven from their homes, they do not know where to fly, as it is written, “As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place” (Prov. 27, 8).
It is in this place that we have learnt the Torah, because it is our habit to sleep half the night and to study the other half. And when we rise in the morning the smell of the fields and the sound of the rivers seem to instil the Torah into us, and so it becomes fixed in our minds.
Once this place was visited with punishment for neglect of the Torah, and a number of doughty scholars were carried off. Therefore we study it day and night, and the place itself helps us, and whoever quits this place is like one who quits eternal life.’
R. Abba thereupon lifted up his hands and blessed them. So they sat through the night, until at last they said to some boys who were with them: ‘Go outside and see if it is day, and when you come back let each one of you say some piece of Torah to our distinguished guest.’
So they went out and saw that it was day. One of them said: ‘On this day there will be a fire from above.’ ‘And on this house,’ said another. Said a third: ‘There is an elder here who this day will be burnt with fire.’ ‘God forbid,’ said R. Abba, who was greatly perturbed,
and did not know what to say. ‘A cord of the (divine) will has been grasped on earth,’ he exclaimed. And it was indeed so; for on that day the companions beheld the face of the Shekinah, and were surrounded with fire. As for R. Abba, his countenance was aflame with the intoxication of the Torah.
It is recorded that all that day they did not leave the house, which was enveloped in smoke, and they propounded new ideas as if they had on that day received the Torah on Mount Sinai. When they rose they did not know whether it was day or night. Said R. Abba: ‘While we are here, let each one of us say some new word of wisdom in order to make a fitting return to the master of the house, who is making the celebration.’
Thereupon one opened with the text: Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts; we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, the holy place of thy temple (Ps. 65, 5). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘speaks first of courts, then of house, then of temple. These are three grades, one within the other and one above the other. At first a man “dwells in thy courts”, and of him it may be said “he that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy” (Is. 4, 3).
As a next step “we are satisfied with the goodness of thy house”, which is explained by the text “a house shall be built through Wisdom”. (Note that it does not say “Wisdom shall be built as a house”, which would imply that Wisdom itself is called “house”, but “by Wisdom”, with allusion to the verse “a river went forth from Eden to water the Garden”.)
Lastly, “the holy place of thy temple” (hekal) is the culmination of all, as we have been taught: the word hekal (temple) may be divided into he and kol (all), implying that both are in it in complete union.
The opening words of the verse, “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach thee”, indicate that whoever brings his son as an offering before God pleases God therewith, so that God draws him near and places his abode in two courts. which He joins so as to form one (hence the plural “courts”).
Hence when the pious men who lived in this place in former times made this offering of their children, they used to begin by exclaiming, “Blessed he whom thou choosest and bringest near, he shall dwell in thy courts”, while the company present replied, “We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, the holy place of thy temple.” Afterwards the celebrant said the blessing, “who sanctified us with his commandments and commanded us to initiate the child in the covenant of our father Abraham”, while those present responded, “As thou hast initiated him into the covenant, etc.”
This ritual is in accordance with the dictum: “A man should first pray for himself and then for his neighbour,” as it is written, “and (the High Priest) shall make atonement for himself and for all the congregation of Israel”-for himself first and then for the congregation. To this custom we adhere, for so we think proper.’
Said R. Abba: ‘Assuredly it is so, and he who does not recite these words excludes himself from the ten canopies which God intends to raise for the righteous in the future world, and which all depend upon this. Hence it is that there are ten words in this verse, out of each of which, if recited with proper faith, is made a canopy.
Happy your lot in this world and in the world to come, for the Torah is fixed in your hearts as if you had yourselves stood at Mount Sinai when the Law was given to Israel.’
Another then discoursed on the text: An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings and thy peace offerings, etc. (Ex. 20, 24). He said: ‘We have learnt that whoever makes this offering of his son is esteemed no less worthy than if he had offered to God all the sacrifices in the world, and had built an altar before Him.
Therefore it is fitting that he should make a kind of altar in the shape of a vessel full of earth over which the circumcision may be performed, that so God may reckon it to him as if he had sacrificed on it burnt offerings and peace offerings, sheep and oxen,
and be even better pleased therewith; for so it is written in the latter half of the text: “in every place where I record my name I will come to thee and bless thee”, where the words “I wil1 record my name” refer to the circumcision, of which it is written, “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will show them his covenant” (Ps. 25, 14). So much for the altar of earth. In the next verse we read:
The text proceeds: “thou shalt not build it of hewn stones”. This means that the proselyte must enter into the service of God, and that he must not be circumcised until he puts out of his mind the alien worship which he practised hitherto, and removes the stoniness of his heart.
For if he is circumcised before he does this, then he is like a statue which, though hewn into shape, still remains stone. Hence “thou shalt not build it of hewn stones”, since if he is still obdurate, “thou hast lifted up thy tool upon it and hast polluted it”; i.e. the act of circumcision is of no use to him.
Wherefore happy is the lot of him who brings this offering with gladness and pleases God thereby; and it is fitting that he should rejoice in this boon the whole of the day, as it is written, “For all those that put their trust in thee shall rejoice, they shall ever shout with joy, and they that love thy name shall exult in thee” (Ps. 5, 12).’
Another then discoursed on the text: Now when Abram was ninety years (lit. year) and nine years old, the Lord appeared… and said unto him, I am God Almighty, walk before me, etc. (Gen. 17, 1). ‘This verse presents a number of difficulties. In the first place, it seems to imply that God only now appeared to Abram when he had attained this age, whereas God had already spoken to Abram on various occasions (v. Gen. 12, 1; XIII, 14; XV, 13). Again, the word “years” is mentioned twice, first in the singular (shanah) and then in the plural (shanim).
The answer is, as our teachers have stated, that as long as Abram was closed in body, and therefore in heart, God did not fully reveal Himself to him, and hence it is not stated hitherto that God appeared to Abram. Now, however, God appeared to him because He was now about to expose in him this sign and holy crown,
and further because God desired to bring forth from him holy seed, and this could not be so long as his flesh was closed; now, however, that he was ninety-nine years old and the time was drawing near for holy seed to issue from him, it was fitting that he himself should be holy first. Hence his age is stated on this occasion, and not on all the others when God spoke to him.
Further, the expression “ninety year“, instead of “ninety years״, indicates that all his previous years counted for no more than one year, and that his life had been no life; but now that he had come to this point, his years were really years.
Further we may ask, why is the term “God Almighty” (El Shaddai) used here for the first time? The reason is, as we have learnt, that God has made lower crowns which are not holy, and which, in fact, pollute, and with these are marked all who are not circumcised.
The mark consists of the letters Shin and Daleth,1Forming the word Shed (demon). and therefore they are polluted with the demons and cling to them. After circumcision, however, they escape from them and enter under the wings of the Shekinah, as they display the letter Yod, the holy mark and the sign of the perfect covenant, and there is stamped upon them the name Shaddai (Almighty), complete in all its letters. Hence we find written in this connection, “I am El Shaddai.”
It says further: “Walk before me and be perfect”, as much as to say: “Hitherto thou hast been defective, being stamped only with Shin Daleth: therefore circumcise thyself and become complete through the sign of Yod.”
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מַהוּ אֵל שַׁדַּי. הַהוּא דְּבִרְכָאן נָפְקָן מִנֵּיהּ, הוּא דְּשַׁלִּיט עַל כִּתְרִין תַּתָּאִין, וְכֹלָּא מִדַּחַלְתֵּיהּ דָּחֲלִין וּמִזְדַּעְזְעִין, בְגִין כָּךְ מַאן דְּאִתְגְּזַר, כָּל אִנּוּן דְּלָא קַדִּישִׁין אִתְרַחֲקָן מִנֵּיהּ וְלָא שָׁלְטִין בֵּיהּ. וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּלָא נָחִית לַגֵּיהִנֹּם דִּכְתִיב, (ישעיהו ס׳:כ״א) וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים וְגו'. (כל אנון (צג א) דאתגזרו אקרון צדיקים, ובגין כך לעולם ירשו ארץ, דלא ירית האי ארץ אלא ההוא דאקרי צדיק, אוף הכי ועמך כלם צדיקים לעולם ירשו ארץ וגו)
And whoever is so marked is ready to be blessed through this name, as it is written, “And God Almighty (El Shaddai) shall bless thee” (Gen. 28, 3), to wit, the source of blessings, that dominates the “lower crowns” and inspires fear and trembling in them all. Hence all that are not holy keep afar from one who is circumcised, and have no power over him. Moreover, he is never sent down to Gehinnom, as it is written, “Thy people are all righteous, they shall for ever inherit the earth” (Is. 60, 21).’
Said R. Abba: ‘Happy are ye in this world and in the world to come! Happy am I that I am come to hear these words from your mouths! Ye are all holy, all the sons of the Holy God; of you it is written, “One shall say, I am the Lord’s, and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob, and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Israel” (Ibid. 44, 5). Everyone of you is closely attached to the holy King on high: ye are the mighty chieftains of that land which is called “the land of the living”, the princes of which feed on the manna of holy dew.’
Another then discoursed on the text: Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of freedom and thy princes eat in due season (Eccl. 10, 17). ‘Just before this it is written: “Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning.” There is an apparent but not a real contradiction between these verses. The reference in the verse “happy art thou, O land,” is to the supernal realm which has control over all the life above, and is therefore called “land of the living”. Of this it is written, “a land which the Lord thy God careth for continually” (Deut. 11, 12), and again “a land where thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack anything in it” (Ibid. 8, 9). Why so? Because “thy king is a son of freedom”.
By this is meant the Holy One, blessed be He, who is called a “son of freedom” because of the Jubilee, which is the source of freedom. It is true that, according to this explanation, we should expect to have in our text the word heruth (freedom) and not, as we actually find written, horin (free ones).
The reason is, as we have learnt in our secret Mishnah, that when the Yod is united with the He, they produce “the river which issues from Eden to water the Garden” (Gen. 2, 10). It is, in fact, misleading to say “when they unite”, for they are indeed united, and therefore it is written ben horin. Hence “happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a ben horin, and thy princes eat in due season”, with joy, with sanctity, and with God’s blessing.
On the other hand, “Woe to thee, O land, when thy prince is a child.” This is the land of the lower world; for so we have learnt: “All the lands of the Gentiles have been committed to great chieftains who are appointed over them, and above all is he of whom it is written, ‘I was a lad and am now old’ ” (Ps. 37, 25), words which, according to tradition, were pronounced by the “Prince of the Globe”. Hence, “Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a lad”: i.e. woe to the world which derives sustenance from this side; for when Israel are in captivity, they, as it were, derive their sustenance from an alien power.
Further, “when thy princes eat in the morning”; i.e. in the morning only and not the whole day, or any other time of the day. For so we have learnt, that at sunrise when men go forth and bow down to the sun, wrath is suspended over the world, and at the time of the afternoon prayer also wrath is suspended over the world. Why is this? Because “thy king is a lad”, viz. he who is called “lad”.
But you, truly pious ones, sainted to those above, do not derive sustenance from that side, but from that holy place above. Of you it is written: “Ye who cleave to the Lord are alive all of you this day” (Deut. 6, 4).’
R. Abba then discoursed on the text: Let me sing for my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard, etc. (Is. 5, 1). He said: ‘This passage presents many difficulties. In the first place it should rather be called a “reproof’ than a “song”. Then again why first “wellbeloved” and then “beloved”?
Also, we find nowhere else mention of a place called “Keren Ben Shemen” (horn of the son of oil). Our colleagues have expounded these verses in many ways, and all of them are good, but I explain them in this way. The word “wellbeloved” contains an allusion to Isaac, who was called so before he was born.
For so we have learnt, that God showed great love for him in not allowing him to be born until Abraham his father had been circumcised and called perfect and had been completed by the addition to his name of the letter he. To Sarah, too, a he had been given.
Here arises a question. We understand he for Sarah, but for Abram the added letter should have been not he but yod, he being a male. The reason is in truth a somewhat deep and recondite one. Abraham rose to the highest stage, and took as his additional letter the higher he, which symbolises the sphere of the male. For there are two symbolic he’s, one higher and one lower, one associated with the male and the other with the female. Hence Abraham ascended with the he of the higher sphere, and Sarai descended with the he of the lower sphere.
Further it is written, “thus (koh) shall be thy seed”, and the word “seed” here, as we have learnt, is to be taken exactly (of Isaac). For it was he who entered into this covenant from his birth, and whoever enters from his birth really enters. It is for this reason that a proselyte who is circumcised is called “a proselyte of righteousness”, because he does not come from the holy stock who have been circumcised;
and therefore one who enters in this way is called by the name of the first pioneer “Abraham”. Thus the letter he, too, was given to him; and if it had not also been given to Sarah, Abraham would of necessity have begotten on a lower level, in the same way as Koh, which begets on a lower level. But when he was given to Sarah, the two he’s were joined together, and brought forth on a higher level, that which issued from them being yod; hence yod is the first letter of the name of Isaac, symbolising the male. From this point the male principle began to extend, and therefore it is written, “For in Isaac shall thy seed be called”, and not in thee. Isaac bore on the higher level, as it is written, “Thou givest truth to Jacob” (Micah 7, 20), showing that Jacob completed the edifice.
It may be asked: “Was Abraham attached only to this grade and no more?” If so, why does it say, “kindness (hesed) to Abraham”? (Ibid.) The answer is that hesed was his portion because he dealt kindly with mankind, but for bearing children, it was here that he was attached and here that he began. Hence it was that Abraham was not circumcised till he was ninety-nine years old; the inner reason for this is well known and has been explained in our Mishnah.
For this reason, too, Isaac typifies stern justice, which was his portion, but for begetting he was called “kindness” (hesed). Hence Jacob crowned the edifice on this side and on that. In respect of the strivings of Abraham and Isaac for portions above he was the culmination; and in respect of the privilege which was granted to them to bear sons better than themselves he was also the culmination. Hence the Scripture says of him, “Israel in whom I glory” (Is. 49, 3). In him were united attributes both from the higher and the lower.
Hence the word “song” is used in this passage. According to some, the word “wellbeloved” here refers to Abraham, who transmitted this inheritance; but it is more correct to refer it to Isaac, as I do.
To proceed: “the song of my beloved to his vineyard” refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, who is commonly called “beloved” (dod), as in the verse, “My beloved is white and ruddy” (S. S. 5, 10).
The Scripture further says that this vineyard sprang forth in “Keren-Ben-Shemen”. This “Keren” is the same as the “horn” (keren) of the Jubilee, and it is united with the male that is called ben shemen (son of oil),
which is the same as ben horin (son of freedom). “Shemen” is mentioned because it is the source of the oil for lighting the lamps (of understanding). This oil makes faces shine and kindles lamps until it is gathered in a horn, which is then called “the horn of the Jubilee”. For this reason Royalty is always anointed from a horn; and the reason why the kingdom of David endured was because he was anointed from a horn and was true to it.
The next words are, “he put a fence round it and stoned it”: Ten are fixed in one. i.e. he removed from himself and from his portion all the celestial chieftains and champions, and all the “lower crowns”, and chose this vineyard for his portion, as it is written, “For the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob is the lot of his inheritance” (Deut. 32, 9).
Further, “He planted it with the choicest vine”, as it says elsewhere, “I planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed” (Jer. 2, 21). (The word kuloh (wholly) in this sentence is written with he to point the same lesson as the text “thus (koh) shall be thy seed”.)
Our text closes with the words: “He built a tower in the midst of it”-the “tower” is that mentioned in the verse, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it and is safe” (Prov. 18, 10)
“and also hewed out a wine press therein”: this is the “gate of righteousness” mentioned in the verse, “Open to me the gates of righteousness” (Ps. 118, 19). We learn from this that every Israelite who is circumcised has the entry into both the tower and the gate.
He who makes this offering of his son brings him under the aegis of the Holy Name. On this sign, too, are based the heaven and earth, as it is written, “But for my covenant day and night, I had not set the ordinances of heaven and earth” (Jer. 33, 25). Our host of to-day has been privileged to see the Holy One, blessed be He, face to face this day.
Happy we that we have lived to see this day, and happy thy portion with us. To this son that is born to thee I apply the words of the Scripture, “Every one that is called by my name… I have formed him, yea I have made him” (Is. 43, 7); also the verse, “and all thy children shall be taught of the Lord, etc.” (Ibid. 54, 13).’ They then rose and escorted R. Abba on his way for three miles.
They said to him: ‘Your host who made the ceremony deserves all the honour he has received, because his act was a doubly pious one.’ He said: ‘What do you mean?’ They answered: ‘This man’s wife was formerly the wife of his brother, who died without children, and so he married her, and this being the first son, he calls him after the name of his dead brother.’1v. Deut. 25, 5-10. Said R. Abba: ‘From now onwards his name shall be Iddi’; and in fact he grew up to be the well-known Iddi bar Jacob. R. Abba then gave them his blessing and continued his journey.
When he reached home, he informed R. Eleazar of all that had happened, but was afraid to tell R. Simeon. One day as he was studying with R. Simeon, the latter said: ‘It is written: “And Abraham fell on his face and God spoke with him saying, As for me, behold my covenant is with thee.” This shows that until he was circumcised, he used to fall on his face when God spoke with him, but after he was circumcised he stood upright without fear. Further, the words “behold, my covenant is with thee” show that he found himself circumcised.’
Said R. Abba to him: ‘Perhaps your honour will permit me to relate some excellent ideas which I have heard on this subject.’ ‘Speak,’ he said. ‘But I am afraid,’ continued R. Abba, ‘that the people who told me may suffer through my telling.’ ‘God forbid!’ said R. Simeon. ‘Remember the verse: “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings, his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord”.’ He then told him what had happened, and related to him all that he had heard.
Said R. Simeon: ‘You mean to say that you knew all this and did not say a word to me? I order you during the next thirty days to do your very utmost to forget it. Does not the Scripture say: “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it”?’ And so it came to pass. R. Simeon further said: ‘I order that with these explanations they shall be banished to Babylon, I mean to say, among our colleagues in Babylon.’
R. Abba was sorely grieved at this. One day R. Simeon, seeing him, said: ‘Your looks betray some inward sorrow.’ He replied: ‘I am not grieving for myself, but for them.’ He answered: ‘God forbid they should be punished for anything except for speaking too openly. For this let them go into exile among the colleagues and learn from them how to keep things to themselves; for these matters are not to be divulged save among ourselves, since the Holy One, blessed be He, has confirmed our ideas, and made us the instruments for disclosing them.’
R. Jose said: ‘It is written, “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, etc.” (Is. 58, 8). This means that the Holy One, blessed be He, will one day proclaim with regard to his sons: “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy healing shall spring forth speedily, and thy righteousness shall go before thee and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward”.’
אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא זַכָּאִין אִנּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרָעֵי בְּהוֹן מִכָּל שְׁאָר עַמִין, וְיָהִיב לוֹן אָת קְיָימָא דָא, דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִית בֵּיהּ הַאי אָת, לָא נָחִית לַגֵּיהִנֹּם אִי אִיהוּ נָטִיר לֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יָאוּת דְּלָא עָיִיל לֵיהּ בִּרְשׁוּתָא אָחֳרָא וְלָא מְשַׁקֵּר בִּשְׁמֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא, דְּכָל מַאן דִּמְשַׁקֵּר בְּהַאי, כְּמַאן דִּמְשַׁקֵּר בִּשְׁמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דִּכְתִיב, (הושע ה׳:ז׳) בַּיְיָ בָּגָדוּ כִּי בָּנִים זָרִים יָלָדוּ.
Said R. Abba: ‘Happy are Israel in that God has chosen them from all peoples and has given them this sign of the covenant; for whoever has this sign of the covenant will not descend to Gehinnom if he guards it properly, not subjecting it to another power or playing false with the name of the King; for to betray this sign is to betray the name of God, as it is written, “they have dealt treacherously against the Lord in that they have born strange children” (Hos. 5, 7).’
תוּ אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בְּזִמְנָא דְּבַר נָשׁ אַסִּיק בְּרֵיהּ לְאָעֳלֵיהּ לְהַאי בְּרִית, קְרֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְפַמַּלְיָא דִילֵיהּ וְאָמַר חָמוּ מַאי בְּרִיָּה עֲבָדִית בְּעָלְמָא. בֵּיהּ שַׁעֲתָא אִזְדַּמַּן (ליה) אֵלִיָהוּ וְטָאס (מו ב) עָלְמָא בְּד' טָאסִין וְאִזְדַּמַּן תַּמָּן.
Said R. Abba further: ‘When a man takes up his son to initiate him in this covenant, God calls to the ministering angels and says, “See what a creature I have made in the world.” At that moment Elijah traverses the world in four sweeps and presents himself there;
וְעַל דָּא תָּנִינָן דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְתַקָּנָא כֻּרְסְיָיא אָחֳרָא לִיקָרָא דִּילֵיהּ, וְיֵימָא (יג א) דָּא כֻּרְסְיָיא דְּאֵלִיָּהוּ, וְאִי לָאו לָא שָׁרֵי תַמָּן. וְהוּא סָלִיק וְאַסְהִיד קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
and for this reason we have been taught that it behoves the father to prepare an extra chair for his honour, and to say “this is the chair of Elijah”; and if he neglects to do so, Elijah does not visit him nor go up and testify before the Almighty that the circumcision has taken place.
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב, (מלכים א י״ט:ט׳-י׳) מַה לְּךָ פֹה אֵלִיָּהוּ וְגו'. וּכְתִיב קַנֹּא קִנֵאתִי לַיְיָ (אלהי צבאות) כִּי עָזְבוּ בְּרִיתְךָ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגו'. אָמַר לֵיהּ חַיֶּיךָ בְּכָל אֲתַר דְּהַאי רְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא יִרְשְׁמוּן לֵיהּ בָּנַי בִּבְשַׂרְהוֹן אַנְתְּ תִּזְדַּמַּן תַּמָּן, וּפוּמָא דְּאַסְהִיד דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל עָזְבוּ, הוּא יַסְהִיד דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מְקַיְימִין הַאי קְיָימָא. וְהָא תָּנִינָן עַל מָה אִתְעַנַּשׁ אֵלִיָּהוּ קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל דְּאָמַר דִּלְטוֹרָא עַל בְּנוֹי.
Why has Elijah to testify? For this reason. When God said to him “What dost thou here, Elijah?” (I Kings 19, 9), he answered, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of Hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant.” Said God to him: “As thou livest, wherever my sons imprint this sign upon their flesh, thou shalt be there, and the mouth which charged Israel with forsaking the covenant shall testify that they are observing it.” Our teachers have also taught that the reason why Elijah was punished was because he brought false charges against God’s children.’
אַדְהָכִי הֲוָה אָתֵי נְהוֹרָא דְיוֹמָא וְהֲווּ אֲמָרֵי מִלֵּי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא. קָמוּ לְמֵיזַל. אָמַר לֵיהּ הַהוּא גַבְרָא בַּמֶּה דְּעַסְקִיתוּ בְּהַאי לֵילְיָא אַשְׁלִימוּ. אֲמָרֵי מַאי הוּא. אָמַר לֶהוּ דְּתֶחמוּן לִמְחָר אַנְפּוֹי דְּמָרֵיהּ דְּקַיָימָא, דְּהָא דְּבִיתָאי בָּעָאת בָּעוּתָא דָא מִנַּיְיכוּ. וּגְזַר קְיָימָא דִּבְרֵי דְּאִתְיְילִיד לִי, לְמָחָר לֵיהֱוֵי הִלּוּלָא דִילֵיהּ. אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא הַאי בְּעוּתָא דְּמִצְוָה אִיהוּ וּלְמֶחמֵי אַפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא נֵיתִיב.
By this time it was full daylight and they rose to go, but the host came to them and said: ‘Will you not finish the subject on which you were engaged to-night?’ They said to him: ‘What do you mean?’ He said: ‘To-morrow you have a chance of seeing the sponsor of the covenant,1Elijah. for to-morrow is the celebration of the circumcision of my son, and my wife begs you to stay.’ Said R. Abba: ‘We are invited to a pious act, and if we stay, it will be to behold the divine presence.’ They accordingly stayed the whole of that day.
אוֹרִיכוּ כָּל הַהוּא יוֹמָא, בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא כָּנַשׁ הַהוּא גַבְרָא כָּל אִנּוּן רְחִימוֹי, וְכָל הַהוּא לֵילְיָא אִשְׁתַּדָּלוּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וְלָא הֲוָה מַאן דְּנָאִים, אָמַר לֶהוּ הַהוּא גַבְרָא בְּמָטוּ מִנַּיְיכוּ כָּל חַד וְחַד לֵימָא מִלָּה חַדְתָּא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא:
When night came the host brought together all his friends and they studied the Torah all that night and not one of them slept. Said the host to them, ‘May it please you that each one should give an exposition of the Torah.’
פָּתַח חַד (רבי אבא) וְאָמַר (שופטים ה׳:ב׳) בִּפְרוֹעַ פְּרָעוֹת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהִתְנַדֵב עָם בָּרְכוּ יְיָ. מַאי קָא חָמוּ דְּבוֹרָה וּבָרָק דְּפָתְחוּ בְּהַאי קְרָא. אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּנִינָן לֵית עָלְמָא מִתְקָיְימָא אֶלָּא עַל הַאי בְּרִית דִּכְתִיב, (ירמיהו ל״ג:כ׳) אִם לֹא בְרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה וְגו' דְּהָא שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא עַל דָּא קָיְימִין.
Then one began on the text: For that there was an uncovering of flesh in Israel, for that the people offered themselves willingly, bless ye the Lord (Jud. 5, 2). He said: ‘The reason why Deborah and Barak commenced their song with these words was as follows. The world, as we have been taught, rests only upon this covenant of circumcision, according to the verse in Jeremiah (XXXIII, 25), “If not for my covenant day and night, I had not set the ordinances of heaven and earth.”
בְּגִין כָּךְ כָּל זִמְנָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל מְקַיְימִין הַאי בְּרִית, נִמּוּסֵי שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא קָיְימִין בְּקִיּוּמַיְיהוּ, וְכָל זִמְנָא דְּחַס וְשָׁלוֹם יִשְׂרָאֵל מְבַטְּלִין הַאי בְּרִית, שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא לָא מִתְקָיְימִין, וּבִרְכָאן לָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין בְּעָלְמָא.
Hence as long as Israel observe this covenant, the heaven and earth go on in their appointed course. But if Israel neglect this covenant, then heaven and earth are disturbed, and blessing is not vouchsafed to the world.
תָּא חֲזֵי, לָא שַׁלִּיטוּ שְׁאָר עַמִּין עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא כַּדּ בְּטִילוּ מִנַּיְיהוּ קְיָימָא דָּא. וּמַה בְּטִילוּ מִנַיְיהוּ. דְּלָא אִתְפָּרְעָן וְלָא אִתְגַּלְיָין. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב וַיַּעַזְבוּ בְּנִי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת יְיָ וְגו' וַיִּמְכֹּר אוֹתָם בְּיַד סִיסְרָא, וַיַּעַזְבוּ אֶת יְיָ מַמָּשׁ. עַד דְּאֲתַת דְּבוֹרָה וְאִתְנַדְּבַת לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִלָּה דָא, כְּדֵין אִתְכְּנָעוּ שַׂנְאֵיהוֹן תְּחוֹתַיְיהוּ.
Now in the time of the Judges the Gentiles gained power over Israel only because they neglected this covenant, to this extent, that they did not uncover the flesh after circumcision: this is indicated by the words “And the children of Israel forsook the Lord.” Hence God delivered them into the hand of Sisera, until Deborah came and made all Israel vow to circumcise properly; then their enemies fell before them.
וְהַיְינוּ דְּתָנִינָן דְּאָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכִי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲטִימִין אִנּוּן וְלָא (בא מ' א') (ע) אִתְפְּרָעוּ וְלָא אִתְגַּלְיָיא וְלָא קָיְימִין קְיָימָא דִילִי, וְאַתְּ בָּעֵי לְאָעֳלָא לְהוּ לְאַרְעָא וּלְאַכְנָעָא שַׂנְאֵיהוֹן. (יהושע ה׳:ב׳) שׁוּב מוֹל אֶת בְּנִי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֵׁנִית. וְעַד דְּאִתְפְּרָעוּ וְאִתְגַּלְּיָיא הַאי בְּרִית לָא עָאלוּ לְאַרְעָא וְלָא אִתְכְּנָעוּ שַׂנְאֵיהוֹן. אוּף הָכָא כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְנַדְּבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַאי אָת אִתְכְּנָעוּ שַׂנְאֵיהוֹן תְּחוֹתַיְיהוּ וּבִרְכָאן אִתְחֲזָרוּ לְעָלְמָא הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב בִּפְרוֹעַ פְּרָעוֹת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהִתְנַדֵּב עָם בָּרְכוּ יְיָ.
Similarly, as we have learnt, God said to Joshua, “Do you not know that the Israelites are not circumcised properly, as the flesh has not been uncovered; how then can you expect to lead them into the land and subdue their enemies?” Hence God said to him, “Circumcise again the children of Israel a second time” (Josh. 5, 2); and until the uncovering was performed, they did not enter the land and their enemies were not subdued. So here, when Israel vowed to observe this sign, their enemies were overcome and blessing returned to the land.’
קָם אָחֳרָא פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (שמות ד׳:כ״ד) וַיְהִי בַדֶּרֶךְ בַּמָּלוֹן וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁהוּ יְיָ וַיְבַקֵּשׁ הֲמִיתוֹ לְמַאן לְמשֶׁה. אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְכִי אַתְּ אָזִיל לְאַפָּקָא יַת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם וּלְאַכְנְעָא מַלְכָּא רַב וְשַׁלִּיטָא, וְאַתְּ אַנְשְׁיֵית מִנָךְ קְיָימָא. דִּבְרָךְ לָא אִתְגְּזַר, מִיָּד וַיְבַקֵּשׁ הֲמִיתוֹ.
Another one then discoursed on the text: And it came to pass on the way at the lodging place that the Lord met him and sought to kill him. He said: ‘By “him” is here meant Moses. Said God to him: “How can you think to bring Israel out of Egypt and to humble a great king, when you have forgotten my covenant, since your son is not circumcised?” Forthwith “he sought to slay him”:
תָּאנָא נָחַת גַּבְרִיאֵל בְּשַׁלְהוֹבָא דְּאֶשָׁא לְאוֹקְדֵיהּ, וְאִתְרְמִיז חַד חִיוְיָא מִתּוֹקְדָא לְשָׁאפָא לֵיהּ בְּגַוֵּיהּ. אַמַּאי חִיוְיָא, אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַתְּ אָזִיל לְקַטְלָא חִיוְיָא רַבְרְבָא וְתַקִּיפָא וּבְרָךְ לָא אִתְגְּזַר. מִיָּד אִתְרְמִיז לְחַד חִיוְיָא לְקַטְלָא לֵיהּ,
that is, as we have learnt, Gabriel came down in a flame of fire to destroy him, having the appearance of a burning serpent which sought to swallow him. The form of a serpent was chosen as emblematical of the king of Egypt, who is compared to a serpent (Ezek. 29, 3).
עַד דְּחָמַת צִפּוֹרָה וְגַזְרַת לִבְרָהּ וְאִשְׁתְּזִיב הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַתִּקַּח צִפּוֹרָה צוֹר. מַהוּ צוֹר, אֶלָּא אַסְוָותָא. וּמַאי אַסְוָותָא דִּכְתִיב וַתִּכְרוֹת אֶת עָרְלַת בְּנָהּ. דְּנִצְנְצָא בָּהּ רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא.
Zipporah, however, saw in time and circumcised her son, so that Moses was released; so it is written, “And Zipporah took a flint and cut off the foreskin of her son”, being guided by a sudden inspiration.’
קָם אָחֳרָא וְאָמַר (בראשית מ״ה:ד׳) וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף אֶל אֶחָיו גְּשׁוּ נָא אֵלַי וַיִּגָּשׁוּ וַיֹּאמֶר וְגו'. וְכִי אַמַּאי קָרֵי לְהוּ וְהָא קְרִיבִין הֲווּ גַבֵּיהּ. אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאָמַר לוֹן אֲנִי יוֹסֵף אֲחִיכֶם. תְּוָוהוּ דְּחָמוּ לֵיהּ בְּמַלְכוּ עִלָּאָה. אָמַר יוֹסֵף מַלְכוּ דָּא בְּגִין דָּא רַוַוחְנָא לֵיהּ, גְּשׁוּ נָא אֵלַי וַיִּגָּשׁוּ, דְּאַחֲזֵי לְהוּ הַאי קְיָימָא דְמִילָה, אָמַר דָּא גָרְמַת לִי מַלְכוּ דָא בְּגִין דְּנָטְרִית לָהּ.
Another then discoursed on the text: And Joseph said to his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you, and they came near (Gen. 45, 4). He said: ‘Seeing that they were already standing by him, why did he tell them to come near? The reason was that when he said to them “I am Joseph your brother”, they were dumbfounded, seeing his royal state, so he showed them the sign of the covenant and said to them: “It is through this that I have attained to this estate, through keeping this intact.”
מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא מַאן דְּנָטִיר לְהַאי אָת קְיָימָא מַלְכוּ אִתְנַטְרַת לֵיהּ. מְנָלָן מִבֹּעַז דִּכְתִיב, (רות ג׳:י״ג) חַי יְיָ שִׁכְבִי עַד הַבֹּקֶר דְּהֲוָה מְקַטְרֵג לֵיהּ יִצְרֵיהּ עַד דְּאוֹמֵי אוֹמָאָה וּנְטִיר לְהַאי בְּרִית, בְּגִין כָךְ זָכָה דְּנָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ מַלְכִין שַׁלִּיטִין עַל כָּל שְׁאָר מַלְכִין, וּמַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא דְּאִתְקְרֵי בִּשְׁמָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא:
From this we learn that whoever keeps intact this sign of the covenant is destined for kingship. Another example is Boaz, who said to Ruth, “As the Lord liveth, lie down until the morning” (Ruth 3, 13). By this adjuration he exorcised his passion, and because he guarded the covenant he became the progenitor of the greatest lineage of kings, and of the Messiah, whose name is linked with that of God.’
פָּתַח אִידָךְ וְאָמַר כְּתִיב, (תהילים כ״ז:ג׳) אִם תַּחֲנֶה עָלַי מַחֲנְה וְגו'. הָכִי תָאנָא בְּזֹאת אֲנִי בוֹטֵחַ, מַהוּ בְּזֹאת, דָּא אָת קְיָימָא דִּזְמִינָא תָּדִיר גַּבֵּי בַּר נָשׁ וְאִתְרְמִיזָא לְעֵילָא, וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ אִתְּמָר בְּזֹאת כְּמָה דִכְתִיב זֹאת אוֹת הַבְּרִית. זֹאת בְּרִיתִי. וְכֹלָּא בְּחַד דַּרְגָּא. וְתָאנָא זֶה וְזֹאת בְּחַד דַּרְגָּא אִנּוּן וְלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁן.
Another then discoursed on the text: Though an host should encamp against me,… in this (zoth) will I be confident (Ps. 27, 3). He said: ‘We have learnt that the word zoth (this) alludes to the sign of the covenant, which is always on a man’s person and also has its counterpart above.
וְאִי תֵימָא אִי הָכִי הָא שְׁאָר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא הָכִי. אַמַּאי דָּוִד בִּלְחוֹדוֹי וְלָא אָחֳרָא. אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּאֲחִידָא בֵּיהּ וְאִתְרְמִיזָא בֵּיהּ וְהוּא כִתְרָא דְּמַלְכוּתָא.
If so, it may be said, why should David alone be confident in it and not everyone else? The answer is that this zoth was attached to him in a peculiar degree, being the crown of the kingdom1i.e. of the Sefirah Malkuth, of which David’s throne was the counterpart below..
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּגִין דְּהַאי זֹאת לָא נָטַר לֵיהּ דָּוִד מַלְכָּא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי, מַלְכוּתָא אִתְעַדֵּי מִנֵּיהּ כָּל הַהוּא זִמְנָא. וְהָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא הַאי זֹאת אִתְרְמִיזָא בְּמַלְכוּתָא דִלְעֵילָא, וְאִתְרְמִיזָא בִּיְרוּשָׁלַ ם קַרְתָּא קַדִּישָׁא.
It was because David did not guard it properly that the kingship was taken from him for so long a time. For this zoth symbolises also the supernal Kingdom and Jerusalem the holy city,
בְּהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא דְּדָוִד עֲבַר עֲלֵיהּ, נָפַק קָלָא וְאָמַר דָּוִד בַּמֶּה דְּאִתְקַטְרַת תִּשְׁתְּרֵי. לָךְ טַרְדִּין מִיְרוּשָׁלַ ם וּמַלְכוּתָא אִתְעֲדֵי מִינָךְ. מְנָא לָן דִּכְתִיב, (שמואל ב י״ב:י״א) הִנְנִי מֵקִים עָלֶיךָ רָעָה מִבֵּיתְךָ. מִבֵּיתְךָ דַּיְיקָא וְהָכִי הֲוָה בְּמָּה דְּעֲבַר בֵּיהּ אִתְעַנַּשׁ, וּמַה דָּוִד מַלְכָּא הָכִי שְׁאָר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
and when David sinned a voice went forth and said: “David, thou shalt now be disjoined from that with which thou wast united; thou art banished from Jerusalem and the kingship is taken from thee”; thus he was punished in that wherein he had sinned. And if David could be so punished, how much more so other men?’
פָּתַח אִידָךְ וְאָמַר (תהילים צ״ד:י״ז) לוּלֵי יְיָ עֶזְרָתָה לִי כִּמְעַט שָׁכְנָה דּוּמָה נַפְשִׁי. תָּאנָא בַּמֶּה זָכָאן יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּלָא נָחֲתֵי לַגֵּיהִנֹּם כִּשְׁאָר עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת וְלָא אִתְמַסְרָן בִּידוֹי דְּדוּמָה, (אלא) בְּהַאי אָת.
Another then discoursed on the text: Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had soon dwelt in silence (duma) (Ps. 94, 17). He said: ‘We have learnt that that which saves Israel from descending to Gehinnom and being delivered into the hands of Duma like other nations is this same covenant.
דְּהָכִי תָאנָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבַּר נָשׁ נָפִיק מֵעָלְמָא כַּמָּה חֲבִילֵי (מלאכי חבלה) טְהִירִין אִתְפַּקְדָּן עֲלֵיהּ. זְקִפִין עֵינָא וְחָמָאן הַאי אָת דְּהוּא קְיָימָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא, אִתְפָּרְשָׁן מִנֵּיהּ, וְלָא אִתְיְיהִיב בִּידוֹי דְּדוּמָה לְנַחֲתָא לַגֵּיהִנֹּם, דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִתְמָסַר בִּידוֹי נָחִית לַגֵּיהִנֹּם וַדַּאי,
For so we have learnt, that when a man leaves this world, numbers of angels swoop down to seize him, but when they behold this sign of the holy covenant they leave him and he is not delivered into the hands of Duma, so as to be sent down to Gehinnom.
וּמֵהַאי אָת דָּחֲלִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין, וְדִינִין בִּישִׁין לָא שָׁלְטִין בֵּיהּ בַּבַּר נָשׁ אִי אִיהוּ זָכִי לִנְטוּרֵי לֵיהּ לְהַאי אָת, בְּגִין דְּהוּא אִתְאַחִיד בִּשְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
Both upper and lower (angels) are afraid of this sign, and no torture is inflicted on the man who has been able to guard this sign, because thereby he is attached to the name of the Holy One, blessed be He.
כֵּיוָן דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא לָא נָטַר אָת קְיָימָא דָא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי, אִתְעַדֵּי מִנֵּיהּ מַלְכוּתָא וְאִתְטְרִיד מִיְרוּשָׁלַם. מִיָּד דָּחִיל דְסָבַר דְּיֵיחֲתוּן לֵיהּ מִיָּד וְיִמְסְרוּן לֵיהּ בִּידוֹי דְדוּמָה וְיָמוּת בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, עַד דְּאִתְבַּשַּׂר בֵּיהּ דִּכְתִיב, (שמואל ב י״ב:י״ג) גַּם יְיָ הֶעֱבִיר חַטָּאתְךָ לֹא תָמוּת. בֵּיהּ שַׁעֲתָא פָּתַח וְאָמַר לוּלֵי יְיָ עֶזְרָתָה לִי כִּמְעַט שָׁכְנָה דוּמָ"ה נַפְשִׁי.
So with David, when he was dethroned and driven from Jerusalem, hewas afraid that he would be delivered into the hands of Duma and die in the future world, until the message came to him, “The Lord also hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die” (II Sam. 12, 13). Then it was that he exclaimed “Unless the Lord had been my help, etc.”’
פָּתַח אִידָךְ וְאָמַר מַאי הַאי (דכתיב) דְּאָמַר דָּוִד וְהַרְאֵנִי אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת נָוִהוּ. (מאי והראני אותו ואחר כך ואת נוהו), מַאן יָכִיל לְמֶחמֵי לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּנִינָן בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְגְּזַר עֲלֵיהּ הַהוּא עוֹנָשָׁא, וְדָוִד יָדַע דְּעַל דְּלָא נָטַר הַאי אָת כְּדְקָא יְאוּת אִתְעַנַּשׁ בְּהַאי, דְּכֹלָּא כְּחֲדָא אֲחִידָא, וְכֹלָּא מִתְרְמִיז בְּהַאי אָת, וְלָא אִקְרֵי צַדִּיק מַאן דְּלָא נָטַר לֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, הֲוָה בָּעֵי בְּעוּתֵיהּ וְאָמַר (שמואל ב ט״ו:כ״ה) וְהַרְאֵנִי אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת נָוִהוּ.
Another one then discoursed as follows: ‘What did David mean by saying (when fleeing from before Absalom): and he shall show me both himself (otho) and his habitation (II Sam. 15, 25)?’ He said: ‘Who is there that can see God? In truth the word otho here means not “him” but “his sign”, and it is as we have learnt, that when David’s punishment was decreed, and he knew that it was for not having guarded properly this sign (which is the sum and substance of all, and without the due observance of which no one can be called righteous), he prayed that God should show him this sign,
מַאי אוֹתוֹ, (אות דיליה אות הברית דהא אותו דקודשא בריך הוא, את דיליה) דָּא אָת קְיָימָא (דיליה) קַדִּישָׁא דְּהָא דָּחִילְנָא דְּאִתְאֲבִיד מִנָּאי. מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין דִּתְרֵין אִלֵּין מַלְכוּתָא וִיְרוּשָׁלַ ם בְּהַאי אֲחִידָן, וּבְגִין כָּךְ תָּלֵי בְּבָעוּתֵיהּ אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת נָוֵהוּ דְּיִתְהַדַּר מַלְכוּתָא דְּהַאי אָת לְאַתְרֵיהּ. וְכֹלָּא חַד מִלָּה.
fearing that it had parted from him, because on it depended both his throne and Jerusalem; hence he joined the sign and the habitation, meaning that the kingdom conferred by this sign should be restored to its place.’
פָּתַח אִידָךְ וְאָמַר (איוב י״ט:כ״ו) וּמִבְּשָׂרִי אֶחזֶה אֱלוֹהַּ, מַאי וּמִבְּשָׂרִי, וּמֵעַצְמִי מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא מִבְּשָׂרִי מַמָּשׁ. וּמַאי הִיא. דִּכְתִיב, (ירמיהו י״א:ט״ו) וּבְשַׂר קֹדֶשׁ יַעַבְרוּ מֵעָלָיִךְ. וּכְתִיב (בראשית י״ז:י״ג) וְהָיְתָה בְּרִיתִי בִּבְשַׂרְכֶם. דְּתַנְיָא בְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּאִתְרְשִׁים בַּר נָשׁ בְּהַאי רְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּהַאי אָת, מִנֵּיהּ חָמֵי לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. מִנֵּיהּ מַמָּשׁ. וְנִשְׁמְתָא קַדִּישָׁא אִתְאֲחִידַת בֵּיהּ.
Another then discoursed on the text: From my flesh shall I see God (Job 19, 26). He said: ‘The words “my flesh” are to be literally taken as the place where the covenant is imprinted, as we have learnt: “Whenever a man is stamped with this holy imprint, through it he sees God”, because the soul (neshamah) is attached to this spot.
וְאִי לָא זָכֵי. דְּלָא נָטִיר הַאי אָת. מַה כְּתִיב, (איוב ד׳:ט׳) מִנִּשְׁמַת אֱלוֹהַּ יֹאבֵדוּ. דְּהָא רְשִׁימוּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אִתְנְטִיר. וְאִי זָכֵי וְנָטִיר לֵיהּ, שְׁכִינְתָּא לָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ.
So if he does not guard it, then of him it is written, “they lose the soul (neshamah) given by God” (Job 4, 9). If, however, he guards it, then the Shekinah does not depart from him.
אֵימָתַי מִתְקָיְימָא בֵּיהּ כַּד אִתְנְסִיב וְהַאי אָת עָיִיל בְּאַתְרֵיהּ, (מצוין דתניא מאי טעמא וא"ו ה"א אזלין כחדא, אלא חד דכר וחד נוקבא) אִשְׁתַּתָּפוּ כַּחֲדָא וְאִקְרֵי חַד שְׁמָא, כְּדֵין חֶסֶד עִלָּאָה שַׁרְיָיא עֲלַיְיהוּ. בְּאָן אֲתַר שַׁרְיָא בְּסִטְרָא דִּדְכוּרָא. וּמַאן חֶסֶ"ד חֶסֶ"ד אֵ"ל דְּאָתֵי וְנָפַק מֵחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה וְאִתְעַטַּר בִּדְכוּרָא וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִתְבַּסְמַת נוּקְבָא. (נ"א דתנן רזא דוי"ו ה"א אזלין כחדא כגוונא דדכר ונוקבא אשתתפו כחדא ואנון חד, כדין חסד עלאה שרייא עלייהו ואתעטר בדכורא ואתבסמת נוקבא).
He cannot be sure of it till he is married, when at last the sign enters into its place. When the man and wife are joined together and are called by one name, then the celestial favour rests upon them, the favour (Hesed) which issues from the supernal Wisdom and is embraced in the male, so that the female also is firmly established.
תוּ תָּנִינָן אֱלוֹהַ הָכִי הוּא אָמַר לֵיהּ נְהִירוּ דְּחָכְמְתָא. ו' דְּכַר ה' נוּקְבָא. אִשְׁתַּתָּפוּ כְּחֲדָא אֱלוֹהַּ אִקְרֵי. וְנִשְׁמְתָא קַדִּישָׁא מֵהַאי אֲתַר אִתְאַחְדַת, וְכֹלָּא תַּלְיָא בְּהַאי אָת.
Further, it has been pointed out that the word for “God” in this passage, viz. Eloah, may be divided into El, signifying the radiance of Wisdom, the letter Vau, signifying the male, and the letter He, signifying the female; when they are joined, the name Eloah is used, and the holy neshamah is united to this spot. And since all depends on this sign,
וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב וּמִבְּשָׂרִי אֶחֱזֶה אֱלוֹהַּ. דָּא שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא, מִבְּשָׂרִי מַמָּשׁ, מֵהַאי אָת מַמָּשׁ, וְעַל דָּא זַכָּאִין אִנּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל קַדִּישִׁין דְּאֲחִידָן בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, זַכָּאִין אִנּוּן בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי, עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב, (דברים ד׳:ד׳) וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּיְיָ וְגו', וּבְגִין כָּךְ חַיִּים כֻּלְּכֶם הַיּוֹם.
therefore it is written, “and from my flesh I shall see Eloah“. Happy are Israel, the holy ones, who are linked to the Holy One, blessed be He, happy in this world and happy in the next: of them it is written, “Ye that cleave unto the Lord your God, are alive every one of you this day” (Deut. 4, 4).’
אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא וּמַה בְּכָל כָּךְ אַתּוּן חַכִּימִין וְאַתּוּן יָתְבִין הָכָא, אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ אִי צִפּוֹרָאָה יִתְעַקְרוּ מֵאַתְרַיְיהוּ לָא יָדְעִין לְאָן טָאסָן הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (משלי כ״ז:ח׳) כְּצִפּוֹר נוֹדֶדֶת מִן קִנָּהּ כֵּן אִישׁ נוֹדֵד מִמְקוֹמוֹ.
Said R. Abba: ‘I marvel that with so much learning you are still living in this village.’ They said to him: ‘If birds are driven from their homes, they do not know where to fly, as it is written, “As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place” (Prov. 27, 8).
וְאַתְרָא דָא זָכֵי לָן לְאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְהַאי אוֹרְחָא דִילָן. בְּכָל לֵילְיָא פַּלְגוּתָא אֲנַן נָיְימִין, וּפַלְגוּתָא אֲנַן עָסְקִין בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. וְכַד אֲנַן קָיְימִין בְּצַפְרָא רֵיחֵי חַקְלָא וְנַהֲרֵי מַיָא, נְהָרִין לָן אוֹרַיְיתָא, וְאִתְיַישַּׁבְתָּ בְּלִבָּן.
It is in this place that we have learnt the Torah, because it is our habit to sleep half the night and to study the other half. And when we rise in the morning the smell of the fields and the sound of the rivers seem to instil the Torah into us, and so it becomes fixed in our minds.
הָא דַּיְינוּהָ לְעֵילָא זִמְנָא חָדָא. וְכַמָּה סָרְכֵי תְּרִיסִין אִסְתַּלָּקוּ בְּהַהוּא דִינָא עַל עוֹנְשָׁא (עה, קא ב) דְאוֹרַיְיתָא, וּכְדֵין אִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתָא דִילָן יְמָמָא וְלֵילְיָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא הוּא, וְאַתְרָא דָא קָא מְסַיְיעָא לָן, וּמַאן דְּאִתְפְּרַשׁ מִכָּאן, כְּמַאן דְּאִתְפְּרַשׁ מֵחַיֵּי עָלְמָא.
Once this place was visited with punishment for neglect of the Torah, and a number of doughty scholars were carried off. Therefore we study it day and night, and the place itself helps us, and whoever quits this place is like one who quits eternal life.’
זָקִיף יְדוֹי רַבִּי אַבָּא וּבָרִיךְ לוֹן. יָתְבוּ עַד דְּנָהַר יְמָמָא. בָּתַר דְּנָהַר יְמָמָא אָמְרוּ לְאִנּוּן דַּרְדְּקֵי דְּקָמַיְיהוּ פּוּקוּ וְחֲמוּ אִי נָהַר יְמָמָא, וְכָל חַד לֵימָא מִלָּה חַדְתָּא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא לְהַאי גַּבְרָא רַבָּא.
R. Abba thereupon lifted up his hands and blessed them. So they sat through the night, until at last they said to some boys who were with them: ‘Go outside and see if it is day, and when you come back let each one of you say some piece of Torah to our distinguished guest.’
נָפְקוּ וְחָמוּ דְּנָהַר יְמָמָא. אָמַר חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ זַמִּין הַאי יוֹמָא אֶשָׁא מִלְּעֵילָא. אָמַר אָחֳרָא וּבְהַךְ בֵּיתָא. אָמַר אָחֳרָא חַד סָבָא הָכָא דְּזַמִּין הַאי יוֹמָא לְאִתּוֹקְדָא בְּנוּרָא דָא, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא רַחֲמָנָא לִישֵׁזְבָן.
So they went out and saw that it was day. One of them said: ‘On this day there will be a fire from above.’ ‘And on this house,’ said another. Said a third: ‘There is an elder here who this day will be burnt with fire.’ ‘God forbid,’ said R. Abba, who was greatly perturbed,
תָּוָוה וְלָא יָכִיל לְמַלָּלָא, אָמַר קוּטְרָא דְהוּרְמָנָא בְּאַרְעָא אִתַּפְסַת. וְכָךְ הֲוָה, דְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא חָמוּ חַבְרַיָיא אַפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא וְאִסְתַּחֲרוּ בְּאֶשָׁא. וְרַבִּי אַבָּא אִתְלַהִיטוּ אַנְפּוֹי כְּנוּרָא מֵחֶדְוָותָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא.
and did not know what to say. ‘A cord of the (divine) will has been grasped on earth,’ he exclaimed. And it was indeed so; for on that day the companions beheld the face of the Shekinah, and were surrounded with fire. As for R. Abba, his countenance was aflame with the intoxication of the Torah.
תָּאנָא כָּל הַהוּא יוֹמָא לָא נָפְקוּ כֻּלְהוּ מִבֵּיתָא וּבֵיתָא אִתְקַטַּר בְּקִיטְרָא, וְהֲווּ חַדְתָאן מִלֵּי בְּגַוַויְיהוּ, כְּאִלּוּ קִבְּלוּ הַהוּא יוֹמָא אוֹרַיְיתָא מִטּוּרָא דְסִינַי. בָּתַר דְּאִסְתַּלָּקוּ לָא הֲווּ יָדְעֵי אִי הוּא יְמָמָא וְאִי לֵילְיָא. אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בְּעוֹד דְּאֲנַן קָיְימִין לֵימָא כָּל חַד מִינָן מִלָּה חַדְתָּא דְחָכְמְתָא לְאַקְשְׁרָא טִיבוּ לְמָארֵיהּ דְּבֵיתָא מָרֵיהּ דְּהִלּוּלָא:
It is recorded that all that day they did not leave the house, which was enveloped in smoke, and they propounded new ideas as if they had on that day received the Torah on Mount Sinai. When they rose they did not know whether it was day or night. Said R. Abba: ‘While we are here, let each one of us say some new word of wisdom in order to make a fitting return to the master of the house, who is making the celebration.’
פָּתַח חַד וְאָמַר (תהילים ס״ה:ה׳) אַשְׁרֵי תִּבְחַר וּתְקָרֵב יִשְׁכֹּן חֲצֵרֶיךָ וְגו'. בְּקַדְמִיתָא חֲצֵרֶיךָ לְבָתַר בֵּיתֶךָ וּלְבָתַר הֵיכָלֶךָ. דָּא פְּנִימָאָה מִן דָּא, וְדָא לְעֵילָא (נ"א לגו) מִן דָּא. יִשְׁכֹּן חֲצֵרֶיךָ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (ישעיהו ד׳:ג׳) וְהָיָה הַנִּשְׁאָר בְּצִיּוֹן וְהַנּוֹתָר בִּיְרוּשָׁלַ ם קָדוֹשׁ יֵאָמֶר לוֹ.
Thereupon one opened with the text: Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts; we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, the holy place of thy temple (Ps. 65, 5). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘speaks first of courts, then of house, then of temple. These are three grades, one within the other and one above the other. At first a man “dwells in thy courts”, and of him it may be said “he that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy” (Is. 4, 3).
נִשְׂבְּעָה בְּטוּב בֵּיתֶךָ לְבָתַר כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (משלי כ״ד:ג׳) בְּחָכְמָה יִבְנֶה בַיִת. הַחָכְמָה יִבְנֶה בַיִת לָא כְּתִיב, דְּאִי כְּתִיב הָכִי, הֲוָה מַשְׁמַע דְּחָכְמָה בַּיִת אִקְרֵי, אֶלָּא כְּתִיב בְּחָכְמָה יִבְנֶה בַיִת, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית ב׳:י׳) וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן וְגו'.
As a next step “we are satisfied with the goodness of thy house”, which is explained by the text “a house shall be built through Wisdom”. (Note that it does not say “Wisdom shall be built as a house”, which would imply that Wisdom itself is called “house”, but “by Wisdom”, with allusion to the verse “a river went forth from Eden to water the Garden”.)
קְדוֹשׁ הֵיכָלֶךָ לְבָתַר דָּא הוּא שְׁלִימוּ דְּכֹלָּא, דְּהָכִי תָּנִינָן מַהוּ הֵיכָל. כְּלוֹמַר ה"י כ"ל, הַאי וְהַאי. וְכֹלָּא אִשְׁתְּלִים כְּחֲדָא.
Lastly, “the holy place of thy temple” (hekal) is the culmination of all, as we have been taught: the word hekal (temple) may be divided into he and kol (all), implying that both are in it in complete union.
רֵישָׁא דְקְרָא מַה מּוֹכַח דִּכְתִיב אַשְׁרֵי תִּבְחַר וּתְקָרֵב יִשְׁכֹּן חֲצֵרֶיךָ. הַאי מַאן דְּאַקְרִיב בְּרֵיהּ קָרְבָּנָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, רַעֲוָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַהוּא קָרְבָּנָא וְאִתְרְעֵי בֵּיהּ וְקָרִיב לֵיהּ וְשַׁוֵּי מְדוֹרֵיהּ בִּתְרֵין אִדְרִין וְאָחִיד לְהַאי וּלְהַאי דְּאִנּוּן תְּרֵין אִתְקַשְּׁרוּ כְּחֲדָא. דִּכְתִיב יִשְׁכֹּן חֲצֵרֶיךָ. חֲצֵרֶיךָ וַדַּאי תְּרֵי.
The opening words of the verse, “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach thee”, indicate that whoever brings his son as an offering before God pleases God therewith, so that God draws him near and places his abode in two courts. which He joins so as to form one (hence the plural “courts”).
בְּגִינֵי כָךְ חֲסִידֵי קַדְמָאֵי סָבָאן דְּהָכָא כַּד מַקְרִיבִין בְּנַיְיהוּ לְקָרְבָּנָא דָא. פָּתְחֵי וְאָמְרֵי אַשְׁרֵי תִבְחַר וּתְקָרֵב יִשְׁכֹּן חֲצֵרֶיךָ. אִנּוּן דְּקָיְימֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ אָמְרֵי נִשְׂבְּעָה בְּטוּב בֵּיתֶךָ קְדוֹשׁ הֵיכָלֶךָ. לְבָתַר מְבָרֵךְ אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַכְנִיסוֹ בִּבְרִיתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ. וְאִנּוּן דְּקָיְימֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ אָמְרֵי כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהִכְנַסְתּוֹ לַבְּרִית וְכוּ'.
Hence when the pious men who lived in this place in former times made this offering of their children, they used to begin by exclaiming, “Blessed he whom thou choosest and bringest near, he shall dwell in thy courts”, while the company present replied, “We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, the holy place of thy temple.” Afterwards the celebrant said the blessing, “who sanctified us with his commandments and commanded us to initiate the child in the covenant of our father Abraham”, while those present responded, “As thou hast initiated him into the covenant, etc.”
וְתָנִינָן בְּקַדְמִיתָא לִבָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ רַחֲמִין עֲלֵיהּ וּלְבָתַר עַל אָחֳרָא דִּכְתִיב, (ויקרא ט״ז:י״ז) וְכִפֶּר בַּעֲדוֹ בְּקַדְמִיתָא וּלְבָתַר וּבְעַד כָּל קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאֲנַן אוֹרְחָא דָא נַקְטִינָן וְהָכִי שַׁפִּיר וְחָזֵי לְקַמָּאן.
This ritual is in accordance with the dictum: “A man should first pray for himself and then for his neighbour,” as it is written, “and (the High Priest) shall make atonement for himself and for all the congregation of Israel”-for himself first and then for the congregation. To this custom we adhere, for so we think proper.’
אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא וַדַּאי כָּךְ הוּא וְיָאוֹת מִלָּה, וּמַאן דְּלָא אָמַר הָכִי אַפִּיק גַּרְמֵיהּ מֵעֲשָׂרָה חֻפּוֹת דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד לְצַדִּיקַיָּא בְּעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי, וְכֻלְהוּ מִתְקַשְׁרָן בְּהַאי. וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ עֲשָׂרָה מִילֵּי דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא אִית בְּהַאי קְרָא אַשְׁרֵי תִּבְחַר וּתְקָרֵב וְגו'. וְכָל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה חַד חֻפָּה אִתְעֲבִיד מִנָּהּ.
Said R. Abba: ‘Assuredly it is so, and he who does not recite these words excludes himself from the ten canopies which God intends to raise for the righteous in the future world, and which all depend upon this. Hence it is that there are ten words in this verse, out of each of which, if recited with proper faith, is made a canopy.
זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיכוֹן בְּעָלְמָא דָא וּבְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי, דְּהָא אוֹרַיְיתָא מִתְקַשְּׁרָא בְּלִבַּיְיכוּ כְּאִלּוּ קָיְימִיתוּ בְּגוּפַיְיכוּ בְּטוּרָא דְסִינַי בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְיְהִיבַת אוֹרַיְיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל:
Happy your lot in this world and in the world to come, for the Torah is fixed in your hearts as if you had yourselves stood at Mount Sinai when the Law was given to Israel.’
פָּתַח אִידָךְ וְאָמַר (שמות כ׳:כ״א) מִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה תַּעֲשֶׂה לִי וְזָבַחְתָּ עָלָיו אֶת עֹלֹתֶיךָ וְאֶת שְׁלָמֶיךָ וְגו'. תָּאנָא כָּל מַאן דְּקָרִיב בְּרֵיהּ לְקָרְבָּנָא דָא, כְּאִלּוּ אַקְרִיב כָּל קָרְבָּנִין דְּעָלְמָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּכְאִילּוּ בָּנֵי מַדְבְּחָא שְׁלֵימָתָא קַמֵּיהּ.
Another then discoursed on the text: An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings and thy peace offerings, etc. (Ex. 20, 24). He said: ‘We have learnt that whoever makes this offering of his son is esteemed no less worthy than if he had offered to God all the sacrifices in the world, and had built an altar before Him.
בְּגִינֵי כָךְ בָּעֵי לְסַדְּרָא מַדְבְּחָא בְּמָאנָא חַד מַלְיָיא אַרְעָא לְמִגְזַר עֲלֵיהּ הַאי קְיָימָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְאִתְחַשִּׁיב קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּאִלּוּ אַדְבַּח עֲלֵיהּ עִלַוָּון וְקָרְבָּנִין עָאנָא וְתוֹרֵי.
Therefore it is fitting that he should make a kind of altar in the shape of a vessel full of earth over which the circumcision may be performed, that so God may reckon it to him as if he had sacrificed on it burnt offerings and peace offerings, sheep and oxen,
וְנִיחָא לֵיהּ יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְהוּ דִּכְתִיב וְזָבַחְתָּ עָלָיו אֶת עֹלֹתֶיךָ וְאֶת שְׁלָמֶיךָ וְגו'. בְּכָל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי. מַהוּ אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי (את) דָּא מִילָה דִּכְתִיב בָּהּ (תהילים כ״ה:י״ד) סוֹד יְיָ לִירֵאָיו וּבְרִיתוֹ לְהוֹדִיעָם.
and be even better pleased therewith; for so it is written in the latter half of the text: “in every place where I record my name I will come to thee and bless thee”, where the words “I wil1 record my name” refer to the circumcision, of which it is written, “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will show them his covenant” (Ps. 25, 14). So much for the altar of earth. In the next verse we read:
הַאי מִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה וַדַּאי כְּמָא דְּאָמִינָא. בַּתְרֵיהּ מַה כְּתִיב וְאִם מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים תַּעֲשֶׂה לִי. רֶמֶז לְגִיּוֹרָא כַּד אִתְגַיַּיר דְּאִיהוּ מֵעַם קְשֵׁי קְדַל וּקְשֵׁי לִבָּא, הַאי אִקְרֵי מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים.
“And if thou make me an altar of stone.” This alludes to the proselyte who comes from a stubborn and stony-hearted people.
לֹא תִבְנֶה אֶתְהֶן גָּזִית. מָה הוּא, דְּבָעֵי לְאֲעָלָא לֵיהּ בְּפוּלְחָנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא (בגין) וְלָא יִגְזַר יָתֵיהּ עַד דְּיִנְשֵׁי פּוּלְחָנָא אָחֳרָא דְּעֲבַד עַד הָכָא וְיַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ הַהוּא קַשְׁיוּ דְלִבָּא.
The text proceeds: “thou shalt not build it of hewn stones”. This means that the proselyte must enter into the service of God, and that he must not be circumcised until he puts out of his mind the alien worship which he practised hitherto, and removes the stoniness of his heart.
וְאִי אִתְגְּזַר וְלָא אַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ הַהוּא קַשְׁיָא דְלִבָּא לְמֵיעַל בְּפוּלְחָנָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הֲרֵי הוּא כְּהַאי פְּסִילָא דְאַבְנָא דְּגַזְרֵי לֵיהּ מֵהַאי גִיסָא וּמֵהַאי גִיסָא וְאִשְׁתָּאַר אַבְנָא כִּדְבְּקַדְמִיתָא. בְגִין כָּךְ לא תִבְנֶה אֶתְהֶן גָּזִית. דְּאִי אִשְׁתָּאַר בְּקַשְׁיוּתֵיהּ, כִּי חַרְבְּךָ הֵנַפְתָּ עָלֶיהָ וַתְּחַלֲּלֶיהָ, כְּלוֹמַר הַהוּא גְּזִירוּ דְּאִתְגְּזַר לָא מְהַנְיָא לֵיהּ.
For if he is circumcised before he does this, then he is like a statue which, though hewn into shape, still remains stone. Hence “thou shalt not build it of hewn stones”, since if he is still obdurate, “thou hast lifted up thy tool upon it and hast polluted it”; i.e. the act of circumcision is of no use to him.
בְּגִינֵי כָךְ זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּמַאן דְּאַקְרִיב הַאי קָרְבָּנָא בְּחֶדְוָותָא בְּרַעֲוָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּבָעֵי לְמֶחדֵי בְּהַאי חוּלָקָא כָּל (ד"א ל"ג ההוא) יוֹמָא דִּכְתִיב, (תהילים ה׳:י״ב) וְיִשְׂמְחוּ כָל חוֹסֵי בָךְ לְעוֹלָם יְרַנֵּנוּ וְתָסֵךְ עָלֵימוֹ וְיַעְלְצוּ בְךָ אֹהֲבֵי שְׁמֶךָ:
Wherefore happy is the lot of him who brings this offering with gladness and pleases God thereby; and it is fitting that he should rejoice in this boon the whole of the day, as it is written, “For all those that put their trust in thee shall rejoice, they shall ever shout with joy, and they that love thy name shall exult in thee” (Ps. 5, 12).’
פָּתַח אִידָךְ וְאָמַר וַיְהִי אַבְרָם בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים שָׁנָה וְתֵשַׁע שָׁנִים וַיֵּרָא יְיָ וְגו' אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי הִתְהַלֶּךְ לְפָנַי וְגו'. הַאי קְרָא אִית לְעַיְינָא בֵּיהּ וְקַשְׁיָא בְּכַמָּה אוֹרְחִין, וְכִי עַד הַשְׁתָּא לָא אִתְגְּלִי לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַבְרָהָם אֶלָּא (עד) הָאִידְנָא כַּד מָטָא לְהַנֵּי יוֹמִין וַיֵּרָא יְיָ אֶל אַבְרָם וְלָא קֹדֶם. וְהָכְתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל אַבְרָם. וַיְיָ אָמַר אֶל אַבְרָם. וַיֹּאמֶר לְאַבְרָם יָדוֹעַ תֵדַע וְגו'. וְהָאִידְנָא מָנֵי חוּשְׁבַּן יוֹמִין, וְכַד מָנִי לְהוּ כְּתִיב וַיֵּרָא יְיָ אֶל אַבְרָם, אִשְׁתְּמַע דְּעַד הַשְׁתָּא לָא אִתְגְּלִי עֲלוֹי. וְעוֹד דִּכְתִיב בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים שָׁנָה וְתֵשַׁע שָׁנִים, בְּקַדְמִיתָא שָׁנָה וּלְבַסוֹף שָׁנִים.
Another then discoursed on the text: Now when Abram was ninety years (lit. year) and nine years old, the Lord appeared… and said unto him, I am God Almighty, walk before me, etc. (Gen. 17, 1). ‘This verse presents a number of difficulties. In the first place, it seems to imply that God only now appeared to Abram when he had attained this age, whereas God had already spoken to Abram on various occasions (v. Gen. 12, 1; XIII, 14; XV, 13). Again, the word “years” is mentioned twice, first in the singular (shanah) and then in the plural (shanim).
אֶלָּא הָכִי תָאנָא, כָּל אִנּוּן יוֹמִין לָא כְּתִיב וַיֵּרָא, מַאי טַעְמָא, אֶלָּא כָּל כַּמָּה דְהֲוָה אָטִים וְסָתִים (כך) קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אִתְגְּלִי עֲלֵיהּ כִּדְקָחָזֵי. הָאִידְנָא אִתְגְּלִי עֲלֵיהּ דִּכְתִיב וַיֵּרָא. מַאי טַעְמָא. מִשּׁוּם דְּבָעָא לְגַלֵּי בֵּיהּ הַאי אָת כִּתְרָא קַדִּישָׁא.
The answer is, as our teachers have stated, that as long as Abram was closed in body, and therefore in heart, God did not fully reveal Himself to him, and hence it is not stated hitherto that God appeared to Abram. Now, however, God appeared to him because He was now about to expose in him this sign and holy crown,
וְעוֹד דְּבָעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאֲפָקָא מִנֵּיהּ זַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְקַדִּישָׁא לָא לֶהֱוֵי בְּעוֹד דְּאִיהוּ אָטִים בִּשְׂרָא, אֶלָּא אָמַר הַשְׁתָּא דְהוּא בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים שָׁנָה וְתֵשַׁע שָׁנִים וּזְמַן קָרִיב הוּא דְּיִנְפּוֹק מִנֵּיהּ זַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, לֶהוֵי הוּא קַדִּישָׁא בְּקַדְמִיתָא וּלְבָתַר יִנְפּוֹק מִנֵּיהּ זַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא. בְגִין כָּךְ מָנֵי יוֹמוֹי בְּהַאי וְלָא בְּכָל הַנֵּי זִמְנִי קַדְמִיתָא.
and further because God desired to bring forth from him holy seed, and this could not be so long as his flesh was closed; now, however, that he was ninety-nine years old and the time was drawing near for holy seed to issue from him, it was fitting that he himself should be holy first. Hence his age is stated on this occasion, and not on all the others when God spoke to him.
תוּ תִּשְׁעִים שָׁנָה, דְּכָל יוֹמוֹי קַדְמָאֵי לָא הֲווּ שָׁנִים אֶלָּא כְּחַד שָׁנָה דְּלָא הֲווּ יוֹמוֹי יוֹמִין, הַשְׁתָּא דְּמָטָא לְהַאי שָׁנִים, אִנּוּן וְלָא שָׁנָה:
Further, the expression “ninety year“, instead of “ninety years״, indicates that all his previous years counted for no more than one year, and that his life had been no life; but now that he had come to this point, his years were really years.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי. מַאי מַשְׁמַע דְּעַד הַשְׁתָּא לָא קָאֲמַר אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי. אֶלָּא הָכִי תָאנָא, עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כִּתְרִין תַּתָּאִין דְּלָא קַדִּישִׁין לְתַתָּא. וְכָל אִנּוּן דְּלָא אִתְגְזָּרוּ יִסְתָּאֲבוּן בְּהוֹן.
Further we may ask, why is the term “God Almighty” (El Shaddai) used here for the first time? The reason is, as we have learnt, that God has made lower crowns which are not holy, and which, in fact, pollute, and with these are marked all who are not circumcised.
וּרְשִׁימִין בְּהוֹן, וּמַאי רִשּׁוּמָא אִית בְּהוֹן, דְּאִתְחֲזֵי בְּהוּ שי"ן דל"ת וְלָא יַתִּיר, וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִסְתַּאֲבוּן בְּהוּ וְאִתְדַּבְּקוּן בְּהוּ. בָּתַר דְּאִתְגְּזָרוּ נָפְקִין מֵאִלֵּין וְעָאלִין בְּגַדְפוֹי דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא וְאִתְגַּלְּיָא בְּהוּ יו"ד רְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא אָת קְיָימָא שְׁלִים וְאִתְרְשִׁים בְּהוּ שד"י וְאִשְׁתְּלִים בְּקִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּהַאי אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי.
The mark consists of the letters Shin and Daleth,1Forming the word Shed (demon). and therefore they are polluted with the demons and cling to them. After circumcision, however, they escape from them and enter under the wings of the Shekinah, as they display the letter Yod, the holy mark and the sign of the perfect covenant, and there is stamped upon them the name Shaddai (Almighty), complete in all its letters. Hence we find written in this connection, “I am El Shaddai.”
הִתְהַלֶּךָ לְפָנַי וֶהְיֵה תָמִים, שְׁלִים, דְּהַשְׁתָּא אָת חָסֵר בִּרְשִׁימָא דְּשי"ן וְדל"ת, גְּזַר גַּרְמָךְ וֶהֱוֵי שְׁלִים בִּרְשִׁימָא דְּיוּ"ד. וּמַאן דְּאִיהוּ בְּרִשּׁוּמָא דָא אִתְחֲזֵי לְאִתְבָּרְכָא בִּשְׁמָא דָא דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית כ״ח:ג׳) וְאֵל שַׁדַּי יְבָרֵךְ אוֹתְךָ.
It says further: “Walk before me and be perfect”, as much as to say: “Hitherto thou hast been defective, being stamped only with Shin Daleth: therefore circumcise thyself and become complete through the sign of Yod.”
מַהוּ אֵל שַׁדַּי. הַהוּא דְּבִרְכָאן נָפְקָן מִנֵּיהּ, הוּא דְּשַׁלִּיט עַל כִּתְרִין תַּתָּאִין, וְכֹלָּא מִדַּחַלְתֵּיהּ דָּחֲלִין וּמִזְדַּעְזְעִין, בְגִין כָּךְ מַאן דְּאִתְגְּזַר, כָּל אִנּוּן דְּלָא קַדִּישִׁין אִתְרַחֲקָן מִנֵּיהּ וְלָא שָׁלְטִין בֵּיהּ. וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּלָא נָחִית לַגֵּיהִנֹּם דִּכְתִיב, (ישעיהו ס׳:כ״א) וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים וְגו'. (כל אנון (צג א) דאתגזרו אקרון צדיקים, ובגין כך לעולם ירשו ארץ, דלא ירית האי ארץ אלא ההוא דאקרי צדיק, אוף הכי ועמך כלם צדיקים לעולם ירשו ארץ וגו)
And whoever is so marked is ready to be blessed through this name, as it is written, “And God Almighty (El Shaddai) shall bless thee” (Gen. 28, 3), to wit, the source of blessings, that dominates the “lower crowns” and inspires fear and trembling in them all. Hence all that are not holy keep afar from one who is circumcised, and have no power over him. Moreover, he is never sent down to Gehinnom, as it is written, “Thy people are all righteous, they shall for ever inherit the earth” (Is. 60, 21).’
אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא זַכָּאִין אַתּוּן בְּעָלְמָא דֵין וּבְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי דְּאָתֵינָא לְמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין אִלֵּין מִפּוּמֵיכוֹן, כֻּלְכוּ קַדִּישִׁין, כֻּלְכוּ בְּנֵי אֱלָהָא קַדִּישָׁא, עֲלַיְיכוּ כְּתִיב, (ישעיה מה) זֶה יֹאמַר לַיְיָ אָנִי וְזֶה יִקְרָא בְּשֵׁם יַעֲקֹב וְזֶה יִכְתֹּב יָדוֹ לַיְיָ וּבְשֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל יְכַנֶּה. כָּל חַד מִנְּכוֹן אָחִיד וְאִתְקַשַּׁר בְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, וְאַתּוּן רַבְרְבָן מְמַנָּן תְּרֵיסִין מֵהַהִיא אֶרֶץ דְּאִקְרֵי אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים דְּרַבְרְבָנוֹהִי אָכְלִין מִמַּנָּא דְטַלָּא קַדִּישָׁא:
Said R. Abba: ‘Happy are ye in this world and in the world to come! Happy am I that I am come to hear these words from your mouths! Ye are all holy, all the sons of the Holy God; of you it is written, “One shall say, I am the Lord’s, and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob, and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Israel” (Ibid. 44, 5). Everyone of you is closely attached to the holy King on high: ye are the mighty chieftains of that land which is called “the land of the living”, the princes of which feed on the manna of holy dew.’
פָּתַח אִידָךְ וְאָמַר (קהלת י׳:י״ז) אַשְׁרֵיךָ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ בֶּן חוֹרִין וְשָׂרַיִךְ בָּעֵת יֹאכֵלוּ. וּכְתִיב אִי לָךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ נַעַר וְשָׂרַיִךְ בַּבֹּקֶר יֹאכֵלוּ. הַנֵּי קְרָאֵי קַשְׁיָין אַהֲדָדֵי. וְלָא קַשְׁיָין, הַאי דִּכְתִיב אַשְׁרֵיךְ אֶרֶץ, דָּא אֶרֶץ דִּלְעֵילָא דְּשָׁלְטָא עַל כָּל אִנּוּן חַיִּין דִּלְעֵילָא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִקְרֵי אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים, וְעֲלָהּ כְּתִיב, (דברים י״א:י״ב) אֶרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יְיָ אֱלהֶיךָ דּוֹרֵשׁ אוֹתָהּ תָּמִיד. וּכְתִיב אֶרֶץ אֲשֶׁר לא בְמִסְכֵּנוּת תֹּאכַל בָּהּ לֶחֶם לא תֶחְסַר כֹּל בָּהּ. לא תֶחְסַר כֹּל בָּהּ דַּיְיקָא. וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה, מִשּׁוּם דִּכְתִיב שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ בֶּן חוֹרִין דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (שמות ד) בְּנִי בְּכוֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
Another then discoursed on the text: Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of freedom and thy princes eat in due season (Eccl. 10, 17). ‘Just before this it is written: “Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning.” There is an apparent but not a real contradiction between these verses. The reference in the verse “happy art thou, O land,” is to the supernal realm which has control over all the life above, and is therefore called “land of the living”. Of this it is written, “a land which the Lord thy God careth for continually” (Deut. 11, 12), and again “a land where thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack anything in it” (Ibid. 8, 9). Why so? Because “thy king is a son of freedom”.
בֶּן חוֹרִין, מַהוּ בֶּן חוֹרִין כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ויקרא כ״ה:י׳) יוֹבֵל הִיא קֹדֶשׁ תִּהְיֶה לָכֶם. וּכְתִיב וּקְרָאתֶם דְּרוֹר בָּאָרֶץ דְּהָא כָּל חֵירוּ מִיּוֹבְלָא קָא אָתֵי. בְגִין כָּךְ בֶּן חוֹרִין. וְאִי תֵימָא בֶּן חוֹרִין וְלָא כְּתִיב בֶּן חֵירוּת. הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי בֶּן חֵירוּת מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ.
By this is meant the Holy One, blessed be He, who is called a “son of freedom” because of the Jubilee, which is the source of freedom. It is true that, according to this explanation, we should expect to have in our text the word heruth (freedom) and not, as we actually find written, horin (free ones).
אֶלָּא בְּמַתְנִיתָּא סְתִימָאָה דִילָן תָּנִינָא. כַּד מִתְחַבְּרָן יוּ"ד בְּה' כְּדֵין כְּתִיב, (בראשית ב׳:י׳) וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן. וְלָא תֵימָא כַּד מִתְחַבְּרָן, אֶלָּא מִתְחַבְּרָן וַדַּאי. וּבְגִין כָּךְ בֶּן חוֹרִין כְּתִיב, וְעַל דָּא אַשְׁרֵיךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ בֶּן חוֹרִין, וְשָׂרַיִךְ בָּעֵת יֹאכֵלוּ בְּחֶדְוָותָא בִּשְׁלִימוּ בְּרַעֲוָא.
The reason is, as we have learnt in our secret Mishnah, that when the Yod is united with the He, they produce “the river which issues from Eden to water the Garden” (Gen. 2, 10). It is, in fact, misleading to say “when they unite”, for they are indeed united, and therefore it is written ben horin. Hence “happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a ben horin, and thy princes eat in due season”, with joy, with sanctity, and with God’s blessing.
אִי לָךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכָּךְ נַעַר, הַאי אֶרֶץ דִּלְתַתָּא, דְּתַנְיָא כָּל שְׁאָר אַרְעֵי דִּשְׁאָר עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת אִתְיְהִיבוּ לְרַבְרְבִין תְּרֵיסִין דִּמְמַנָּן עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְעֵילָא מִכֻּלְהוּ הַהוּא דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ (תהילים ל״ז:כ״ה) נַעַר הָיִיתִי גַּם זָקַנְתִּי. וְתָאנָא הַאי קְרָא שָׂרוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אֲמָרוֹ. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב אִי לָךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ נַעַר. וַוי לְעָלְמָא דְּמִסִּטְרָא דָא יָנְקָא, וְכַד יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא יַנְקִין כְּמַאן דְּיַנִּיק מֵרְשׁוּתָא אָחֳרָא.
On the other hand, “Woe to thee, O land, when thy prince is a child.” This is the land of the lower world; for so we have learnt: “All the lands of the Gentiles have been committed to great chieftains who are appointed over them, and above all is he of whom it is written, ‘I was a lad and am now old’ ” (Ps. 37, 25), words which, according to tradition, were pronounced by the “Prince of the Globe”. Hence, “Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a lad”: i.e. woe to the world which derives sustenance from this side; for when Israel are in captivity, they, as it were, derive their sustenance from an alien power.
וְשָׂרַיִךָ בַּבֹּקֶר יֹאכֵלוּ וְלָא בְּכוּלֵי יוֹמָא. בַּבֹּקֶר וְלָא בְּזִמְנָא אָחֳרָא דְיוֹמָא. דְּתַנְיָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּחַמָּה זוֹרַחַת וְאַתְיָין וְסָגְדִין לֵיהּ לְשִׁמְשָׁא רוּגְזָא תָּלֵי בְּעָלְמָא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִנְחָה רוּגְזָא תַּלְיָיא בְּעָלְמָא. מַאן גָּרִים הַאי, מִשּׁוּם דְּמַלְכֵּךְ נַעַר הַהוּא דְּאִקְרֵי נַעַר.
Further, “when thy princes eat in the morning”; i.e. in the morning only and not the whole day, or any other time of the day. For so we have learnt, that at sunrise when men go forth and bow down to the sun, wrath is suspended over the world, and at the time of the afternoon prayer also wrath is suspended over the world. Why is this? Because “thy king is a lad”, viz. he who is called “lad”.
וְאַתּוּן זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין בְּנֵי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא לָא יָנְקִין מֵהַאי סִטְרָא, אֶלָּא מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר קַדִּישָׁא דִּלְעֵילָא. עֲלַיְיכוּ כְּתִיב, (דברים ד׳:ד׳) וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּיְיָ אֱלהֵיכֶם חַיִּים כֻּלְּכֶם הַיּוֹם:
But you, truly pious ones, sainted to those above, do not derive sustenance from that side, but from that holy place above. Of you it is written: “Ye who cleave to the Lord are alive all of you this day” (Deut. 6, 4).’
פָּתַח רַבִּי אַבָּא וְאָמַר (ישעיהו ה׳:א׳) אָשִׁירָה נָא לִידִידִי שִׁירַת דּוֹדִי לְכַרְמוֹ וְגו'. וַיְעַזְּקֵהוּ וַיְסַקְּלֵהוּ וְגו'. הַנִּי קְרָאֵי אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּהוּ. אַמַּאי כְּתִיב שִׁירָה, תּוֹכָחָה מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. לִידִידִי, לְדוֹדִי מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב שִׁירַת דּוֹדִי. כֶּרְם הָיָה לִידִידִי בְּקֶרֶן בֶּן שָׁמֶן. אִסְתַּכַּלְנָא בְּכָל אוֹרַיְיתָא וְלָא אַשְׁכַּחְנָא אַתְרָא דְאִקְרֵי קֶרֶן שָׁמֶן.
R. Abba then discoursed on the text: Let me sing for my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard, etc. (Is. 5, 1). He said: ‘This passage presents many difficulties. In the first place it should rather be called a “reproof’ than a “song”. Then again why first “wellbeloved” and then “beloved”?
אֶלָּא הַנִּי קְרָאֵי הָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָיא בְּכַמָּה גְוָונִין וְכֻלְהוּ שַׁפִּיר וְהָכִי הוּא, אֲבָל אָשִׁירָה נָא לִידִידִי, דָּא יִצְחָק דְּהֲוָה יְדִיד, וְאִקְרֵי יְדִיד עַד לָא יִפּוּק לְעָלְמָא.
Also, we find nowhere else mention of a place called “Keren Ben Shemen” (horn of the son of oil). Our colleagues have expounded these verses in many ways, and all of them are good, but I explain them in this way. The word “wellbeloved” contains an allusion to Isaac, who was called so before he was born.
אַמַּאי יְדִיד, דְּתָנִינָן רְחִימוּ סַגֵּי הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בֵּיהּ דְּלָא אִתְעֲבִיד עַד דְּלָא אִתְגְּזַר אַבְרָהָם אֲבוּהָ וְאִקְרֵי שְׁלִים וְאִתּוֹסַף לֵיהּ ה"א לְאַשְׁלָמוּתָא. וְכֵן לְשָׂרָה הַאי ה"א אִתְיְהִיבַת לָהּ.
For so we have learnt, that God showed great love for him in not allowing him to be born until Abraham his father had been circumcised and called perfect and had been completed by the addition to his name of the letter he. To Sarah, too, a he had been given.
הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא, ה' לְשָׂרָה שַׁפִּיר, אֲבָל לְאַבְרָהָם אַמַּאי ה"א וְלָא יו"ד, י' מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ דְּהָא הוּא דְּכַר הֲוָה. אֶלָּא רָזָא עִלָּאָה הֲוָה (ד"א הוא) סָתִים בְּגַוָּון אַבְרָהָם סָלִיק לְעֵילָא וְנָטִיל רָזָא (קי א) מֵה"א עִלָּאָה דְּאִיהוּ עָלְמָא דִדְכוּרָא. ה"א עִלָּאָה וְה"א תַּתָּאָה, הַאי תַּלְיָא בִּדְכוּרָא, וְהַאי בְּנוּקְבָא וַדַּאי. וּבְגִין כָךְ אַבְרָהָם סָלִיק בְה"א דְעֵילָא, וְשָׂרָה נָחֲתָא בְה"א דְּלְתַתָּא.
Here arises a question. We understand he for Sarah, but for Abram the added letter should have been not he but yod, he being a male. The reason is in truth a somewhat deep and recondite one. Abraham rose to the highest stage, and took as his additional letter the higher he, which symbolises the sphere of the male. For there are two symbolic he’s, one higher and one lower, one associated with the male and the other with the female. Hence Abraham ascended with the he of the higher sphere, and Sarai descended with the he of the lower sphere.
תוּ דִּכְתִיב כֹּה יִהְיֶה זַרְעֶךָ. וְתָנָא זַרְעֶךָ, זַרְעֶךָ מַמָּשׁ, דְּהֲוָה שָׁארֵי לְמֵיעַל בְּהַאי קְיָים, וּמָאן דְּשָׁארֵי לְמֵיעַל בְּהַאי קְיָים עָאל. וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ גִּיּוֹרָא דְּאִתְגְּזַר (שלח לך קסה) גֵּר צֶדֶק אִקְרֵי בְּגִין דְּלָא אֲתָא מִגִּזְעָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִתְגְּזָרוּ, וְעַל דָּא מַאן דְּעָאל בְּהַאי שְׁמֵיהּ כְּהַאי
Further it is written, “thus (koh) shall be thy seed”, and the word “seed” here, as we have learnt, is to be taken exactly (of Isaac). For it was he who entered into this covenant from his birth, and whoever enters from his birth really enters. It is for this reason that a proselyte who is circumcised is called “a proselyte of righteousness”, because he does not come from the holy stock who have been circumcised;
אַבְרָהָם, בְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ כֹּה יִהְיֶה זַרְעֶךָ, זַרְעֶךָ מַמָּשׁ. וְאִתְמָסַר לֵיהּ ה"א. וְאִי לָאו דִּאִתְמָסַר ה"א לְשָׂרָה הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְאַבְרָהָם לְאוֹלִיד לְתַתָּא כְּמָה דְּהַאי כ"ה אוֹלִידַת לְתַתָּא. בָּתַר דְּאִתְמַסְרַת ה"א לְשָׂרָה אִתְחַבָּרוּ תְּרֵין ההי"ן כְּחֲדָא וְאוֹלִידוּ לְעֵילָא, וּמַאי דְּנָפַק מִנַּיְיהוּ הוּא יו"ד, בְּגִינִי כָךְ יו"ד אָת רֵישָׁא דְּיִצְחָק דְּכַר. מִכָּאן שָׁארֵי דְכוּרָא לְאִתְפַּשְּׁטָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (בראשית כ״א:י״ב) כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע. בְּיִצְחָק וְלָא בְּךָ. יִצְחָק אוֹלִיד לְעֵילָא דִּכְתִיב, (מיכה ז׳:כ׳) תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב. יַעֲקֹב אַשְׁלִים כֹּלָּא.
and therefore one who enters in this way is called by the name of the first pioneer “Abraham”. Thus the letter he, too, was given to him; and if it had not also been given to Sarah, Abraham would of necessity have begotten on a lower level, in the same way as Koh, which begets on a lower level. But when he was given to Sarah, the two he’s were joined together, and brought forth on a higher level, that which issued from them being yod; hence yod is the first letter of the name of Isaac, symbolising the male. From this point the male principle began to extend, and therefore it is written, “For in Isaac shall thy seed be called”, and not in thee. Isaac bore on the higher level, as it is written, “Thou givest truth to Jacob” (Micah 7, 20), showing that Jacob completed the edifice.
וְאִי תֵימָא וְכִי אַבְרָהָם בְּהַאי אִתְאַחִיד וְלָא יַתִּיר, וְהָא כְּתִיב חֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם. אֶלָּא חוּלָקָא דִילֵיהּ כָּךְ הוּא בְּגִין דְּעֲבִיד חֶסֶד עִם בְּנֵי עָלְמָא. אֲבָל לְאוֹלָדָא הָכָא אָחִיד וּמֵהָכָא שָׁארֵי. וְעַל דָּא לָא אִתְגְּזַר אַבְרָהָם אֶלָּא בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים וְתֵשַׁע שָׁנָה. וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה הָא אִתְיְידַע וְאוֹקִימְנָא בְּמַתְנִיתָּא דִילָן.
It may be asked: “Was Abraham attached only to this grade and no more?” If so, why does it say, “kindness (hesed) to Abraham”? (Ibid.) The answer is that hesed was his portion because he dealt kindly with mankind, but for bearing children, it was here that he was attached and here that he began. Hence it was that Abraham was not circumcised till he was ninety-nine years old; the inner reason for this is well known and has been explained in our Mishnah.
וּבְגִין כָּךְ יִצְחָק דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא נָפַק לְאַחֲדָא לְחוּלָקֵיהּ, וּלְאוֹלָדָא וְחֶסֶד אִקְרֵי, וְעַל דָּא יַעֲקֹב אַשְׁלִים כֹּלָּא מֵהַאי סִטְרָא וּמֵהַאי סִטְרָא, מִסִּטְרָא דְּאֲחִידוּ אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק לְחוּלָקֵיהוֹן לְעֵילָא הוּא שְׁלֵימוּתָא. מִסִּטְרָא דְּאִתְיְהִיב לְהוּ לְאוֹלָדָא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא הוּא שְׁלֵמוּתָא. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו מ״ט:ג׳) יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאַר. בֵּיהּ אִתְאֲחִידוּ גְּוָונִין מֵעֵילָא וּמִתַּתָּא.
For this reason, too, Isaac typifies stern justice, which was his portion, but for begetting he was called “kindness” (hesed). Hence Jacob crowned the edifice on this side and on that. In respect of the strivings of Abraham and Isaac for portions above he was the culmination; and in respect of the privilege which was granted to them to bear sons better than themselves he was also the culmination. Hence the Scripture says of him, “Israel in whom I glory” (Is. 49, 3). In him were united attributes both from the higher and the lower.
וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב הָכָא שִׁירָה דִּכְתִיב, (ישעיהו ה׳:א׳) אָשִׁירָה נָא לִידִידִי. שִׁירָה וַדַּאי, דְּהָא אִקְרֵי לְאוֹלָדָא דְּכַר, דְּהָא אִקְרֵי יְדִיד עַד לָא יִפּוּק לְעָלְמָא.
Hence the word “song” is used in this passage. According to some, the word “wellbeloved” here refers to Abraham, who transmitted this inheritance; but it is more correct to refer it to Isaac, as I do.
וְאִית דְּאָמְרֵי (דא) אָשִׁירָה נָא לִידִידִי דָּא אַבְרָהָם כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ירמיהו י״א:ט״ו) מַה לִּידִידִי בְּבֵיתִי. וְאַבְרָהָם יָרִית יְרוּתָא דְּאַחְסָנַת חוּלָקָא דָא, אֲבָל (על) מַה דְּאֲמִינָא דְּדָא יִצְחָק הָכִי הוּא.
To proceed: “the song of my beloved to his vineyard” refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, who is commonly called “beloved” (dod), as in the verse, “My beloved is white and ruddy” (S. S. 5, 10).
שִׁירַת דּוֹדִי לְכַרְמוֹ. דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּאִקְרֵי דּוֹדִי דִּכְתִיב, (שיר השירים ה׳:י׳) דּוֹדִי צַח וְאָדוֹם. יְדִידִי, אָחִיד בְּדוֹדִי דְּכַר וּמִנֵּיהּ אִתְנְטַע כֶּרֶם, דִּכְתִיב כֶּרְם הָיָה לִידִידִי.
Thus, my wellbeloved unites with my beloved, who is male, and from him springs forth a vineyard, as it is written, “My wellbeloved had a vineyard.”
בְּקֶרֶן בֶּן שָׁמֶן. מַאי בְּקֶרֶן בֶּן שָׁמֶן. אֶלָּא בְּמָּה נָפִיק הַאי כֶּרְם וּבְמָּה אִתְנְטַע, חָזַר וְאָמַר בְּקֶרֶן. מַאי קֶרֶן דִּכְתִיב, (יהושע ו׳:ה׳) בְּקֶרֶן הַיּוֹבֵל. בְּקֶרֶן הַיּוֹבֵל. שָׁארֵי. וְהַאי קֶרֶן אִתְאַחִיד בְּהַהוּא דְּכַר דְּאִקְרֵי בֶּן שָׁמֶן.
The Scripture further says that this vineyard sprang forth in “Keren-Ben-Shemen”. This “Keren” is the same as the “horn” (keren) of the Jubilee, and it is united with the male that is called ben shemen (son of oil),
מַהוּ בֶּן שָׁמֶן כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר בֶּן חוֹרִין. וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ חַד מִלָּה, שֶׁמֶן דְּמִתַּמָּן נְגִיד מִשְׁחָא וּרְבוּ לְאַדְלָקָא בּוֹצִינִין, וּבְגִין כָּךְ בֶּן שָׁמֶן. וְדָא שֶׁמֶן וּרְבוּ נְגִיד וּנְפִיק וְאַדְלִיק בּוֹצִינִין עַד דְּנָטִיל לֵיהּ וְכָנִישׁ לֵיהּ הַאי קֶרֶן, וְדָא אִקְרֵי קֶרֶן הַיּוֹבֵל. בְּגִינֵי כָךְ לֵית מְשִׁיחוּתָא דְמַלְכוּתָא אֶלָּא בְּקֶרֶן, וְעַל דָּא אִתְמְשַׁךְ מַלְכוּתָא דְּדָוִד דְּאִתְמְשַׁח בְּקֶרֶן וְאִתְאַחִיד בֵּיהּ.
which is the same as ben horin (son of freedom). “Shemen” is mentioned because it is the source of the oil for lighting the lamps (of understanding). This oil makes faces shine and kindles lamps until it is gathered in a horn, which is then called “the horn of the Jubilee”. For this reason Royalty is always anointed from a horn; and the reason why the kingdom of David endured was because he was anointed from a horn and was true to it.
וַיְעַזְקֵהוּ, (ויסקלהו) כְּהַאי עִזְקָא דְּאִסְתַּחַר לְכָל סִטְרִין. וַיְסַקְלֵהוּ, דְּאַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ וּמֵחוּלָקֵיהּ כָּל אִנּוּן רַבְרְבִין כָּל אִנּוּן תְּרֵיסִין כָּל אִנּוּן כִּתְרִין תַּתָּאִין, וְהוּא נָסִיב לֵיהּ לְהַאי (קרן) כֶּרְם לְחוּלָקֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב, (דברים ל״ב:ט׳) כִּי חֵלֶק יְיָ עַמּוֹ יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ.
The next words are, “he put a fence round it and stoned it”: Ten are fixed in one. i.e. he removed from himself and from his portion all the celestial chieftains and champions, and all the “lower crowns”, and chose this vineyard for his portion, as it is written, “For the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob is the lot of his inheritance” (Deut. 32, 9).
וַיִּטָּעֵהוּ שׂוֹרֵק, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ירמיהו ב׳:כ״א) וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק, כֹּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת. כל"ה כְּתִיב בְּה"א. מִכָּאן שָׁארֵי אַבְרָהָם לְאוֹלָדָא לְעֵילָא, וּמֵהַאי נָפַק זֶרַע אֱמֶת. כֹּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת וַדַּאי, הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב כֹּה יִהְיֶה זַרְעֶךָ, וְכֹלָּא חַד מִלָּה. זַכָּאָה חוּלַקְהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּיָרְתוֹי רוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא דָּא.
Further, “He planted it with the choicest vine”, as it says elsewhere, “I planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed” (Jer. 2, 21). (The word kuloh (wholly) in this sentence is written with he to point the same lesson as the text “thus (koh) shall be thy seed”.)
סוֹפֵיהּ דִּקְרָא (ישעיהו ה׳:ב׳) וַיִּבֶן מִגְדָּל בְּתוֹכוֹ. מַהוּ מִגְדָּל כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (משלי י״ח:י׳) מִגְדַּל עֹז שֵׁם יְיָ, וְנִשְׂגָּב. בּוֹ יָרוּץ צַדִּיק וַדַּאי.
Our text closes with the words: “He built a tower in the midst of it”-the “tower” is that mentioned in the verse, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it and is safe” (Prov. 18, 10)
וְגַם יֶקֶב חָצֵב בּוֹ דָּא תַּרְעָא דְּצֶדֶק כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (תהילים קי״ח:י״ט) פִּתְחוּ לִי שַׁעֲרֵי צֶדֶק. מַאי מַשְׁמַע, דְּכָל בַּר יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִתְגְּזַר, עֲיִּיל בְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ וְזָכֵי לְתַרְוַויְיהוּ.
“and also hewed out a wine press therein”: this is the “gate of righteousness” mentioned in the verse, “Open to me the gates of righteousness” (Ps. 118, 19). We learn from this that every Israelite who is circumcised has the entry into both the tower and the gate.
וּמַאן דְּקָרִיב בְּרֵיהּ לְקָרְבָּנָא דָּא עֲיִּיל לֵיהּ בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְעַל אָת דָּא מִתְקַיְימִין שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא דִּכְתִיב, (ירמיהו ל״ג:כ״ה) אִם לא בְרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לֹא שָׂמְתִּי. וְהַאי מָארֵיהּ דְּהִלּוּלָא דָא זָכָה לְכֹלָּא לְמֶחזֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין בְּהַאי יוֹמָא.
He who makes this offering of his son brings him under the aegis of the Holy Name. On this sign, too, are based the heaven and earth, as it is written, “But for my covenant day and night, I had not set the ordinances of heaven and earth” (Jer. 33, 25). Our host of to-day has been privileged to see the Holy One, blessed be He, face to face this day.
זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָנָא דְּזָכִינָא לְהַאי יוֹמָא וְזַכָּאָה חוּלָקָךְ עִמָּנָא, וְהַאי בְּרָא דְּאִתְיְילִיד לָךְ קָרֵינָא עֲלֵיהּ כָּל הַנִּקְרָא בִּשְׁמִי וְגו' יְצַרְתִּיו אַף עֲשִׂיתִיו. וּכְתִיב, (ישעיהו נ״ד:י״ג) וְכָל בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי יְיָ וְגו'. אוֹזְפוּהָ לְרַבִּי אַבָּא תְּלַת מִילִין.
Happy we that we have lived to see this day, and happy thy portion with us. To this son that is born to thee I apply the words of the Scripture, “Every one that is called by my name… I have formed him, yea I have made him” (Is. 43, 7); also the verse, “and all thy children shall be taught of the Lord, etc.” (Ibid. 54, 13).’ They then rose and escorted R. Abba on his way for three miles.
אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ הַאי מָרֵיהּ דְּהִלּוּלָא, אוּשְׁפִּיזָךְ, זָכָה לְכוּלֵי הַאי בְּגִין דְּקִיֵּים קִיּוּמָא דְמִצְוָה. אָמַר מַאי הִיא. אָמַר הַהוּא גַבְרָא, דְּבִיתָאי אִתַּת אָחִי הֲוַות, וּמִית בְּלָא בְּנִין, וְנָסִיבְנָא לָהּ, וְדָא הוּא בְּרָא קַדְמָאָה דְּהֲוָה לִי מִנָּהּ וְקָרֵינָא לֵיהּ בִּשְׁמָא דְּאָחִי דְּאִתְפַּטַּר. אָמַר לֵיהּ מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה קְרֵי לֵיהּ אִידִי, וְהַיְינוּ אִידִי בַּר יַעֲקֹב. בָּרִיךְ לוֹן רַבִּי אַבָּא וְאָזִיל לְאָרְחֵיהּ.
They said to him: ‘Your host who made the ceremony deserves all the honour he has received, because his act was a doubly pious one.’ He said: ‘What do you mean?’ They answered: ‘This man’s wife was formerly the wife of his brother, who died without children, and so he married her, and this being the first son, he calls him after the name of his dead brother.’1v. Deut. 25, 5-10. Said R. Abba: ‘From now onwards his name shall be Iddi’; and in fact he grew up to be the well-known Iddi bar Jacob. R. Abba then gave them his blessing and continued his journey.
כַּד אֲתָא סִדֵּר מִלִּין קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וְדָחִיל לְמֵימַר לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. יוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה (קאים) קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. וְאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מַאי דִכְתִיב וַיִּפֹּל אַבְרָם עַל פָּנָיו וַיְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ אֱלֹהִים לֵאמֹר אֲנִי הִנֵּה בְרִיתִי אִתָּךְ. מַשְׁמַע דְּעַד דְּלָא אִתְגְּזַר הֲוָה נְפִיל עַל אַנְפּוֹי וּמַלִּיל עִמֵּיהּ. בָּתַר דְּאִתְגְּזַר קָאִים בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ וְלָא דָּחִיל. אֲנִי הִנֵּה בְרִיתִי אִתָּךְ דְּאַשְׁכַּח גַּרְמֵיהּ גָּזִיר.
When he reached home, he informed R. Eleazar of all that had happened, but was afraid to tell R. Simeon. One day as he was studying with R. Simeon, the latter said: ‘It is written: “And Abraham fell on his face and God spoke with him saying, As for me, behold my covenant is with thee.” This shows that until he was circumcised, he used to fall on his face when God spoke with him, but after he was circumcised he stood upright without fear. Further, the words “behold, my covenant is with thee” show that he found himself circumcised.’
אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי אַבָּא אִי נִיחָא קַמֵּיהּ דְּמַר דְּלֵימָא קַמֵּיהּ מֵאִנּוּן מִלֵּי מַעֲלַיְיתָא דְּשְׁמַעְנָא בְהַאי, אָמַר לֵיהּ אֵימָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ דָּחִילְנָא דְּלָא יִתְעַנְשׁוּ עַל יְדָאי. אָמַר לֵיהּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם (תהילים קי״ב:ז׳) מִשְׁמוּעָה רָעָה לא יִירָא נָכוֹן לִבּוֹ בָּטוּחַ בַּיְיָ. סָח לֵיהּ עוֹבָדָא וְסִדֵּר קַמֵיהּ כָּל אִנּוּן מִלִּין.
Said R. Abba to him: ‘Perhaps your honour will permit me to relate some excellent ideas which I have heard on this subject.’ ‘Speak,’ he said. ‘But I am afraid,’ continued R. Abba, ‘that the people who told me may suffer through my telling.’ ‘God forbid!’ said R. Simeon. ‘Remember the verse: “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings, his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord”.’ He then told him what had happened, and related to him all that he had heard.
אָמַר לֵיהּ וְכִי כָּל הַנֵּי מִלֵּי מַעַלְיָיתָא הֲווּ טְמִירִין גַּבָּךְ וְלָא אֲמַרְתְּ לְהוּ. גּוֹזַרְנָא עֲלָךְ דְּכָל תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין אִלֵּין תִּלְעֵי וְתִנְשֵׁי. וְלָא כְּתִיב, (משלי ג׳:כ״ז) אַל תִּמְנַע טוֹב מִבְּעָלָיו בִּהְיוֹת לְאֵל יָדְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת. וְכָךְ הֲוָה. אָמַר גּוֹזַרְנָא דִּבְאוֹרַיְיתָא דָּא יִגְלוּן לְבָבֶל (ויגלון בבבל) בֵּינֵי חַבְרַיָיא.
Said R. Simeon: ‘You mean to say that you knew all this and did not say a word to me? I order you during the next thirty days to do your very utmost to forget it. Does not the Scripture say: “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it”?’ And so it came to pass. R. Simeon further said: ‘I order that with these explanations they shall be banished to Babylon, I mean to say, among our colleagues in Babylon.’
חָלַשׁ דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי אַבָּא, יוֹמָא חַד חָמָא לֵיהּ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר לֵיהּ טוּפְסְרָא דְּלִבָּךְ בְּאַנְפָּךְ שְׁכִיחַ. אָמַר לֵיהּ לָא עַל דִּידִי הוּא אֶלָּא עַל דִּידְהוּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם דְּאִתְעַנָּשׁוּ, אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּמִלִּין אִתְגַלְּיָין בֵּינַיְיהוּ כָּל כָּךְ. יִגְלוּן בֵּינֵי חַבְרַיְיא יִלְּפוּן אִנּוּן אָרְחִין (ואתבסמן) וְאִתְכַּסְיָין מִלִּין בְּגַוַויְיהוּ. דְהָא מִלִּין לָא אִתְגַּלְיָין אֶלָּא בֵּינָנָא דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִסְתְּכִים עִמָּנָא וְעַל יְדָנָא אִתְגַּלְּיָין מִלִּין.
R. Abba was sorely grieved at this. One day R. Simeon, seeing him, said: ‘Your looks betray some inward sorrow.’ He replied: ‘I am not grieving for myself, but for them.’ He answered: ‘God forbid they should be punished for anything except for speaking too openly. For this let them go into exile among the colleagues and learn from them how to keep things to themselves; for these matters are not to be divulged save among ourselves, since the Holy One, blessed be He, has confirmed our ideas, and made us the instruments for disclosing them.’
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו נ״ח:ח׳) אָז יִבָּקַע כַּשַּׁחַר אוֹרֶךָ וְגו'. זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַכְרְזָא עַל בְּנוֹי וְיֵימָא, אָז יִבָּקַע כַּשַּׁחַר אוֹרֶךָ וַאֲרֻכָתְךָ מְהֵרָה תִצְמָח וְהָלַךְ לְפָנְיךָ צִדְקֶךָ וּכְבוֹד יְיָ יַאַסְפֶךָ,
R. Jose said: ‘It is written, “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, etc.” (Is. 58, 8). This means that the Holy One, blessed be He, will one day proclaim with regard to his sons: “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy healing shall spring forth speedily, and thy righteousness shall go before thee and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward”.’