The Judean then began a discourse on the verse: My food which is presented unto me for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in due season (Num. 28, 2). ‘The offering brought unto the Holy One, blessed be He, every day,’ he said, ‘was for the purpose of feeding the world and providing sustenance both for the upper world and the lower world, inasmuch as the upper world moves in response to the lower world, with the result that every one is supplied according to his due.
The words, “My food which is presented to me as an offering”, are paralleled by the verse, “I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk” (S. S. 5, 1); and “made by fire” by the words: “Eat, O friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved” (Ibid.). Now, if God assigns food above in order that therefrom food may be dispensed below, with how much more reason must he who offers food for the preservation of a soul be rewarded, in that God will bless him and direct to him sustenance from on high, so that the world will receive blessings for his sake!’
R. Isaac remarked: ‘Assuredly this is the inner meaning of the verse.’ R. Jesse said: ‘This incident assuredly bears out the admonition of the Sages that no man should ever treat slightingly another man, for this man has occasioned us a double privilege.’
The stranger then continued his discourse on the above verse, but in the name of R. Eleazar. ‘The accusative particle “eth” here,’ he said, ‘alludes to the Community of Israel; the “offering” is a connecting link (between high and low); “my food” is an allusion to the food that descends from on high in response to the stirring here below; “as a fire offering” includes all the other hosts which receive their necessary sustenance each one in proper measure; “of a sweet savour unto me” signifies the uniting of the whole in one bond of unity and good will so as to form an emblem of the upper world;
“shall ye observe to offer unto me in due season” alludes to the time when Abraham bestirred himself to do the will of God, regarding which it is written: “And Abraham rose early in the morning” (Gen. 22, 3), and also to the time when Isaac was bound on the altar, which was at eventide.’ Said R. Jesse: ‘In that case, we should rather have expected the plural “seasons”.’ The Judean in reply said: ‘At the time of the sacrifice, fire and water are intermingled and become one, and hence it says “season” and not “seasons”.’
The expression “ye shall observe to offer unto me” is used in connection with this offering only, the reason being that this offering ascends to the highest grade in an intermingling of the Right and the Left, symbolised by Abraham and Isaac.’
Said R. Jesse: ‘If only to hear this, it was worth our while coming here. Happy are Israel in this world and in the world to come! In regard to this it is written: “Thy people are all righteous, they shall inherit the land for ever; the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, wherein I glory” (Is. 60, 21).’
אַדְהָכִי פָּתַח הַהוּא יוּדָאי וְאָמַר, (במדבר כ״ח:ב׳) אֶת קָרְבָּנִי לַחְמִי לְאִשַּׁי וְגו'. קָרְבָּנָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּכָל יוֹמָא, בְּגִין לְמֵיזַן עַלְמָא וּלְמֵיהַב סִפּוּקָא לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא. דְּהָא בְּאִתְעֲרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא, אִתְעַר לְעֵילָא. וּבְדָא מִסְתַּפְּקִין כָּל חַד וְחַד כְּדְקָא יְאוּת.
The Judean then began a discourse on the verse: My food which is presented unto me for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in due season (Num. 28, 2). ‘The offering brought unto the Holy One, blessed be He, every day,’ he said, ‘was for the purpose of feeding the world and providing sustenance both for the upper world and the lower world, inasmuch as the upper world moves in response to the lower world, with the result that every one is supplied according to his due.
אֶת קָרְבָּנִי לַחְמִי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שיר השירים ה׳:א׳) אָכַלְתִּי יַעֲרִי עִם דִּבְשִׁי שָׁתִיתִי יִיִנִי עִם חֲלָבִי. לְאִשַּׁי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שיר השירים ה׳:א׳) אִכְלוּ רֵעִים וְגו', וּמַה קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא פַּקִּיד לְאִתְעָרָא מְזוֹנָא לְעֵילָא (לתתא) בְּגִין לְאִתְעָרָא מְזוֹנָא (לעילא) לְתַתָּא מֵהַהוּא מְזוֹנָא. מַאן דְיָהִיב מְזוֹנָא לְקַיְימָא נַפְשָׁא, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּרִיךְ לֵיהּ, וְיִתְעַר לֵיהּ מְזוֹנָא דִלְעֵילָא, וְיִתְבָּרַךְ עַלְמָא בְּגִינֵיהּ.
The words, “My food which is presented to me as an offering”, are paralleled by the verse, “I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk” (S. S. 5, 1); and “made by fire” by the words: “Eat, O friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved” (Ibid.). Now, if God assigns food above in order that therefrom food may be dispensed below, with how much more reason must he who offers food for the preservation of a soul be rewarded, in that God will bless him and direct to him sustenance from on high, so that the world will receive blessings for his sake!’
אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, וַדַּאי רָזָא דָא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי, וְשַׁפִּיר קָאֲמַר. אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא, וַדַּאי עַל דָּא אֲמְרוּ, דְּלָא יְזַלְזֵל בַּר נָשׁ, לְשׁוּם בַּר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא בְּעַלְמָא, בִּתְרֵי גַוְונִי זָכִינָא לְהַאי בַּר נָשׁ.
R. Isaac remarked: ‘Assuredly this is the inner meaning of the verse.’ R. Jesse said: ‘This incident assuredly bears out the admonition of the Sages that no man should ever treat slightingly another man, for this man has occasioned us a double privilege.’
פָּתַח וְאָמַר, הַאי קְרָא אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר (במדבר כ״ח:ב׳) אֶת קָרְבָּנִי לַחְמִי לְאִשַּׁי, אֶת קָרְבָּנִי, רָזָא דִכְנְסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. דִּכְתִיב אֶת, אֶת דַּיְיקָא. קָרְבָּנִי, דָּא אִיהוּ קָרְבָּנָא, וְקִשּׁוּרָא לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא. לַחְמִי, דָּא מְזוֹנָא דְּאָתֵי מִלְעֵילָא, בְּאִתְעֲרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא. לְאִשַּׁי, לְאִתְכְּלָלָא שְׁאָר חֵילִין אָחֳרָנִין דְּאִצְטְרִיכוּ לְאִתְּזָנָא, כָּל חַד וְחַד כְּדְקָא חָזֵי לֵיהּ. רֵיחַ נִיחֹחִי, דָּא רְעוּתָא וְקִשּׁוּרָא, דְּאִתְאַחֲדָא כֹּלָּא בְּרָזָא דְעַלְמָא עִלָּאָה.
The stranger then continued his discourse on the above verse, but in the name of R. Eleazar. ‘The accusative particle “eth” here,’ he said, ‘alludes to the Community of Israel; the “offering” is a connecting link (between high and low); “my food” is an allusion to the food that descends from on high in response to the stirring here below; “as a fire offering” includes all the other hosts which receive their necessary sustenance each one in proper measure; “of a sweet savour unto me” signifies the uniting of the whole in one bond of unity and good will so as to form an emblem of the upper world;
תִּשְׁמְרוּ לְהַקְרִיב לִי בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ, מַאן מוֹעֲדוֹ, בִּזְמַן דְּאִתְעַר אַבְרָהָם לְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית כ״ב:ג׳) וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר. וּבְזִמְנָא דְאִתְעֲקַד יִצְחָק עַל גַּבֵּי מַדְבְּחָא, דְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא, בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם הֲוָה. וְאָמַר רִבִּי (חייא) יֵיסָא, אִי הָכִי, הַאי דִכְתִיב בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ, בְּמוֹעֲדִים מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ, הַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא, אִתְכְּלִיל אֶשָׁא בְּמַיָא וּמַיָא בְּאֶשָׁא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ.
“shall ye observe to offer unto me in due season” alludes to the time when Abraham bestirred himself to do the will of God, regarding which it is written: “And Abraham rose early in the morning” (Gen. 22, 3), and also to the time when Isaac was bound on the altar, which was at eventide.’ Said R. Jesse: ‘In that case, we should rather have expected the plural “seasons”.’ The Judean in reply said: ‘At the time of the sacrifice, fire and water are intermingled and become one, and hence it says “season” and not “seasons”.’
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּכָל קָרְבָּנִין לָא כְּתִיב כְּמָה דִכְתִיב הָכָא, תִּשְׁמְרוּ לְהַקְרִיב לִי. תִּשְׁמְרוּ, רָזָא דְשָׁמוֹר, דְּאִיהוּ צְרִיכָא לְקָרְבָא לְגַבֵּי עֵילָא, דִּכְתִיב תִּשְׁמְרוּ לְהַקְרִיב לִי בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ. בִּימִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר בְּאַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק, וְכֹלָּא בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה.
The expression “ye shall observe to offer unto me” is used in connection with this offering only, the reason being that this offering ascends to the highest grade in an intermingling of the Right and the Left, symbolised by Abraham and Isaac.’
אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא אִלְמָלֵא לָא אָתֵינָא הָכָא, אֶלָּא לְמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין אִלֵּין, דַּיַּי. זַכָּאִין אִינוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּעַלְמָא דֵין וּבְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי. עַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו ס׳:כ״א) וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ נֵצֶר מַטָּעַי מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי לְהִתְפָּאֵר.
Said R. Jesse: ‘If only to hear this, it was worth our while coming here. Happy are Israel in this world and in the world to come! In regard to this it is written: “Thy people are all righteous, they shall inherit the land for ever; the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, wherein I glory” (Is. 60, 21).’