Said R. Jose: ‘There never was a father as merciful and loving to his children as the Holy One to Israel. That lovingkindness is expressed in thc words: “Blessed be the Lord that hath given rest unto his people… there hath not failed one word of all his good words which he promised” (I Kings 8, 56). Observe His great mercy and love, how it is spccially manifested in this passage. For had it merely said, “There hath not failed one word of all his words”, it would have been better for the world and all the people thereof never to have been created; but as it says, “of all His good words”, evil and punishment were not included, for the Lord prefers if possible to leave His intention of punishment unfulfilled’
And even when He threatens and raises the lash (to punish), the “Mother” (the Shekinah) comes and takes hold of His Right Arm so that the lash remains suspended, but does not descend, because both are of one counsel, He in threatening, and she in holding his hand.
If you ask, Whence do we know all this? we answer, from the following clear statement. “And the Lord said to Moses: Go, get thee down, for thy people have corrupted themselves” (Ex. 32, 7). The Lord began to lift the lash, and Moses, not knowing the ways of the “Mother”, was silent in fear. As soon as the Holy One perceived this, He pricked him and incited him by saying, “Now, therefore, let Me, that My wrath may wax hot against them.” Moses divined immediately what this foreboded, and realized what he must do: so he seized the Holy One’s arm, for it is written that he said, “Remember Abraham”, etc. (Ibid., v. 13), on account of which the lash did not descend.
But where was the “Mother”, whose proper function it was to stay the Arm and prevent punishment? Why did She leave the task to Moses? I ask this question and am utterly baffled, knowing not what answer to give, until we repair to the Holy Lamp (R. Simeon).’ When they came into his presence R. Simeon at once saw from their faces that something was troubling them. He said to them: ‘Enter, my holy children! Come, O ye beloved sons of the King! Come, my cherished and dearly loved ones, ye who love one another!’
-for R. Abba once said that Companions who love not one another pass away from the world before their time. All the Companions in the time of R. Simeon loved one another with heart and soul, and therefore in his generation the secrets were revealed; for he was wont to say that students of the Holy Torah who do not love one another cause a departure from the right path, and what is even more serious, cause a blemish in the very Torah itself, for the Torah is the essence of love, brotherhood, and truth. Abraham loved Isaac, and Isaac loved Abraham. They embraced one another; and Jacob was held by both in love and fellowship, intermingling their spirits each with each. Therefore members of the fellowship follow that example in order not to cause any blemish in the Torah.
As we have said, R. Simeon, having observed a certain sign in the faces of the newcomers, welcomed them with words of love; and they answered him saying, ‘Of a truth the spirit of prophecy rests upon the Holy Lamp, and so we should have known.’ R. Simeon, having heard them, wept and said; ‘This is one of those sayings whose significance was revealed to me in a whisper from the school of knowledge in Paradise itself, and which should not be repeated openly. Yet, in spite of all this, I will now reveal it unto you, O my beloved children, my children whom my soul loves! What else can I do? It was told to me in a whisper, but I will tell it to you openly, and when the days of the Messiah shall be come, when we shall see face to face, all the “faces” will give their consent.
Now, the sin which the “outsiders”- “the mixed multitude”-committed, and in which the holy people participated, was a sin against the “Holy Mother”, the Shekinah, because they said, “Up, make us a god” (Elohim) (Ex. 32, 1)-Elohim, the Glory of Israel, She who rested upon them like a mother on her children. This is the secret contained in the words: “They changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass” (Ps. 106, 20). Yea, verily, that is the Glory of Israel: their Mother. Therefore it also says, “The glory has departed” (I Sam. 4, 22), because they caused the Shekinah to go into exile with them. They changed their glory with what? “The similitude of an ox.”
Herein lies a mystery. From out of the midst of the dregs of the wine, the dregs of evil, an Accuser emerges, the first Damager, in the form of a man approaching the Sanctuary. As soon as he passes on from there and desires to descend and wreak his evil will upon the earth he has to cover himself with a garment. Then he comes down with his hosts. And the first garment in which he clothes himself is the form of an ox. Therefore the first of those accusing demons is an ox. He is one of the “four principal damagers”1Cf. T. B. Baba Kama, ad init. who come down to inflict misery on the world. All the three other damagers belong to and are under this first ox.
What is the significance of “that eateth grass”? We have already explained it, but the essence of it is that those evil principalities have no portion in the residue of bread or of the seven kinds of wheat. Therefore the “Mother” was not there, and it would have been unfitting for Her to be there. But, knowing Her love and Her compassionate ways, the Father said to Moses: “My beloved son, both (of us) do ever concur in this counsel.” This has been whispered to me secretly, and, as I have told you, it is not meant to be noised abroad lest the children should see that the lash is ready to descend, and so be ever in fear and trembling. However, God and the Shekinah are in one counsel, and rule according to the selfsame plan.’
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, לָאו הֲוָה אַבָּא רַחֲמָן עַל בְּנוֹי כְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּקְרָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, (מלכים א ח׳:נ״ו) לֹא נָפַל דָּבָר אֶחָד מִכֹּל דְּבָרוֹ הַטּוֹב וְגוֹ'. תָּא חֲזֵי רַחְמָנוּ דִּילֵיהּ, אִלּוּ אָמַר לֹא נָפַל דָּבָר אֶחָד מִכֹּל דְּבָרוֹ וְלָא יַתִּיר, נֹחַ לְעָלְמָא דְּלָא אִתְבְּרֵי. אֲבָל מִדְּאָמַר מִכֹּל דְּבָרוֹ הַטּוֹב, וְאַפִּיק בִּישׁ לַאֲחוֹרָא, דְּהָא מִלָּה דְּבִישׁ לָא בָּעֵי לְמֶעְבַּד.
Said R. Jose: ‘There never was a father as merciful and loving to his children as the Holy One to Israel. That lovingkindness is expressed in thc words: “Blessed be the Lord that hath given rest unto his people… there hath not failed one word of all his good words which he promised” (I Kings 8, 56). Observe His great mercy and love, how it is spccially manifested in this passage. For had it merely said, “There hath not failed one word of all his words”, it would have been better for the world and all the people thereof never to have been created; but as it says, “of all His good words”, evil and punishment were not included, for the Lord prefers if possible to leave His intention of punishment unfulfilled’
וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאַגְזִים, וְאָרִים רְצוּעָה, אָתָאת אִמָא וְאִתָּקָפָת בִּדְרוֹעֵיהּ יְמִינָא, וְקָם רְצוּעָה בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ, וְלָא נָחִית לְתַתָּא, וְלָא אִתְעַבִיד, בְּגִין דִּבְעֵיטָא חֲדָא הֲווֹ תַּרְוַויְיהוּ, אִיהוּ דְּאַגְזִים, וְאִיהוּ דַּאֲחִידַת בִּיְמִינֵיהּ.
And even when He threatens and raises the lash (to punish), the “Mother” (the Shekinah) comes and takes hold of His Right Arm so that the lash remains suspended, but does not descend, because both are of one counsel, He in threatening, and she in holding his hand.
וְאִי תֵּימָא מְנָלָן. מִמִּלָּה דְּאִיהִי בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא, דִּכְתִּיב לֵךְ רֵד כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ, שָׂרֵי לְאָרָמָא רְצוּעָה, וּמֹשֶׁה דְּלָא הֲוָה יָדַע אָרְחָא דְּאִמָא, שָׁתִיק. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּךְ, אַנְקִיד לֵיהּ, וּבָטַשׁ בֵּיהּ וְאָמַר וְעַתָּה הַנִּיחָה לִּי, מִיָּד אַרְגִּישׁ מֹשֶׁה, וְאָחִיד בִּדְרוֹעֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דִּכְתִּיב זְכוֹר לְאַבְרָהָם, דָּא דְּרוֹעֵיה יְמִינָא, וּבְּגִין כָּךְ לָא נָחִית רְצוּעָה.
If you ask, Whence do we know all this? we answer, from the following clear statement. “And the Lord said to Moses: Go, get thee down, for thy people have corrupted themselves” (Ex. 32, 7). The Lord began to lift the lash, and Moses, not knowing the ways of the “Mother”, was silent in fear. As soon as the Holy One perceived this, He pricked him and incited him by saying, “Now, therefore, let Me, that My wrath may wax hot against them.” Moses divined immediately what this foreboded, and realized what he must do: so he seized the Holy One’s arm, for it is written that he said, “Remember Abraham”, etc. (Ibid., v. 13), on account of which the lash did not descend.
וְאִי תֵּימָא, אִמָא דְּאִיהִי רְגִּילָה לְאַחֲדָא בִּרְצוּעָה דְּמַלְכָּא, אָן הֲוַת, דְּשַׁבְקַת מִלָּה לְמֹשֶׁה. שָׁאִילְנָא וַאֲמֵינָא וְהָא לָא יְדַעְנָא בְּרִירָא דְּמִלָּה, עַד דְּנְהֱוֵי קָמֵיהּ דְּבוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא. כַּד אָתוּ לְקָמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, חָמָא בְּאַנְפַּיְיהוּ סִימָן. אָמַר עוּלוּ בְּנֵי קַדִּישִׁין, עוּלוּ רְחִימִין דְּמַלְכָּא, עוּלוּ רְחִימִין דִּילִי, עוּלוּ רְחִימִין אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין.
But where was the “Mother”, whose proper function it was to stay the Arm and prevent punishment? Why did She leave the task to Moses? I ask this question and am utterly baffled, knowing not what answer to give, until we repair to the Holy Lamp (R. Simeon).’ When they came into his presence R. Simeon at once saw from their faces that something was troubling them. He said to them: ‘Enter, my holy children! Come, O ye beloved sons of the King! Come, my cherished and dearly loved ones, ye who love one another!’
דְּאָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, כָּל אִלֵּין חַבְרַיָּיא, דְּלָא רְחִימִין אִלֵּין לְאִלֵּין, אִסְתָּלָקוּ מֵעָלְמָא עַד לָא מָטָא זִמְנַיְיהוּ, כֹּל חַבְרַיָּיא בְּיוֹמוֹי דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, רְחִימוּ דְּנַפְשָׁא וְרוּחָא הֲוָה בֵּינַיְיהוּ, וּבְּגִין כָּךְ בְּדָרָא דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָיא הֲוָה, דְּהֲוָה אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, כָּל חַבְרַיָּיא דְּלָא רַחֲמִין אִלֵּין לְאִלֵּין, גַּרְמִין דְּלָא לִיהַךְ בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר. וְעוֹד דְּעַבְדִין פְּגִימוּ בָּהּ, דְּהָא אוֹרַיְיתָא רְחִימוּ וְאַחֲוָה וּקְשׁוֹט אִית בָּהּ. אַבְרָהָם רָחִים לְיִצְחָק, יִצְחָק לְאַבְרָהָם, מִתְחַבְּקָן דָּא בְּדָא, יַעֲקֹב תַּרְוַויְיהוּ אֲחִידָן בֵּיהּ, בִּרְחִימוּ, וּבְאַחֲוָה, יָהֲבִין רוּחַיְיהוּ דָּא בְּדָא. חַבְרַיָּיא כְּהַהוּא דּוּגְמָא אִצְטְרִיכוּ, וְלָא לְמֶעְבַּד פְּגִימוּ.
-for R. Abba once said that Companions who love not one another pass away from the world before their time. All the Companions in the time of R. Simeon loved one another with heart and soul, and therefore in his generation the secrets were revealed; for he was wont to say that students of the Holy Torah who do not love one another cause a departure from the right path, and what is even more serious, cause a blemish in the very Torah itself, for the Torah is the essence of love, brotherhood, and truth. Abraham loved Isaac, and Isaac loved Abraham. They embraced one another; and Jacob was held by both in love and fellowship, intermingling their spirits each with each. Therefore members of the fellowship follow that example in order not to cause any blemish in the Torah.
כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא סִימָן בְּאַנְפַּיְיהוּ, וְאָמַר לוֹן הָכִי. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ וַדַּאי רוּחַ נְבוּאָה שָׁרָא עַל בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְהָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ לָן לְמִנְדַּע. בָּכָה רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר, חַד מִלָּה מֵאִינּוּן מִלִּין דִּלְחִישׁוּ לִי מִגּוֹ רֵישׁ מְתִיבְתָּא דְּגִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן, דְּלָא אָמְרוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא מִלָּה דָּא סִתְרָא אִיהִי, וְאֵימָא לְכוּ בָּנַי רְחִימָאי, בָּנַי רְחִימִין דְּנַפְשָׁאי, מָה אַעֲבִיד, אֲמַרוּ לִי בִּלְחִישָׁא, וַאֲנָא אֵימָא בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא. וּלְזִמְנָא דְּנֶחמֵי אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין, כָּל אַנְפִּין יִסְתַּמְּכוּן בְּדָא.
As we have said, R. Simeon, having observed a certain sign in the faces of the newcomers, welcomed them with words of love; and they answered him saying, ‘Of a truth the spirit of prophecy rests upon the Holy Lamp, and so we should have known.’ R. Simeon, having heard them, wept and said; ‘This is one of those sayings whose significance was revealed to me in a whisper from the school of knowledge in Paradise itself, and which should not be repeated openly. Yet, in spite of all this, I will now reveal it unto you, O my beloved children, my children whom my soul loves! What else can I do? It was told to me in a whisper, but I will tell it to you openly, and when the days of the Messiah shall be come, when we shall see face to face, all the “faces” will give their consent.
בָּנַי. חוֹבָא דְּעָבְדוּ (ערב רב) עַמָּא דִּלְבַר. וְאִשְׁתָּתָּפוּ בֵּיהּ עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא, בְּאִמָּא חָאבוּ, דִּכְתִּיב קוּם עֲשֵׂה לָנוּ אֱלהִים, אֱלֹהִים וַדַּאי. כְּבוֹד יִשְׂרָאֵל דָּא, אִיהוּ דְּשַׁרְיָא עָלַיְיהוּ כְּאִמָּא עַל בְּנִין, וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דִּכְתִּיב, (תהילים ק״ו:כ׳) וַיָּמִירוּ אֶת כְּבוֹדָם בְּתַבְנִית שׁוֹר. דָּא כְּבוֹדָם דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, אִמָּא דִּלְהוֹן. וְדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, (שמואל א ד׳:כ״א) גָּלָה כָבוֹד. דְּגָרְמוּ לִשְׁכִינְתָּא דְּאִתְגְלֵי בְּגָלוּתָא עִמְּהוֹן. וְעַל דָּא וַיָּמִירוּ אֶת כְּבוֹדָם, בְּמָה. בְּתַבְנִית שׁוֹר.
Now, the sin which the “outsiders”- “the mixed multitude”-committed, and in which the holy people participated, was a sin against the “Holy Mother”, the Shekinah, because they said, “Up, make us a god” (Elohim) (Ex. 32, 1)-Elohim, the Glory of Israel, She who rested upon them like a mother on her children. This is the secret contained in the words: “They changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass” (Ps. 106, 20). Yea, verily, that is the Glory of Israel: their Mother. Therefore it also says, “The glory has departed” (I Sam. 4, 22), because they caused the Shekinah to go into exile with them. They changed their glory with what? “The similitude of an ox.”
הָכָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דְּמִלָּה, תָּא חֲזֵי, לְתַתָּא גּוֹ שְׁמָרִים דְּחַמְרָא, דּוּרְדְיָין בִּישִׁין, נָפַק חַד עִרְעוּרָא, מְקַטְרְגָא, מַזִיקָא קַדְמָאָה, וְאִיהוּ בְּרָזָא דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם. כַּד קָרִיב לְגוֹ קֻדְשָׁא. כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְעֲבָר מִתַּמָּן, וּבָעֵי לְנַחְתָּא לְתַתָּא. בָּעֵי לְאִתְלַבְּשָׁא בִּלְבוּשָׁא, לְנַזְקָא עָלְמָא. וְנָחִית הוּא וּרְתִיכוֹי. וּלְבוּשָׁא (קצ"ג ע"ב) קַדְמָאָה דְּקָא נָקִיט, תַּבְנִית שׁוֹר, דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּשׁוֹר, וְקַדְמָאָה לַנְּזִיקִין מֵאִינּוּן אַרְבַּע, שׁוֹר אִיהוּ. וְאִינּוּן אַרְבַּע (קי"ח ע"א) אָבוֹת לְנַזְקָא עָלְמָא. וְכֻלְּהוּ תְּלָתָא דְּאָבוֹת נְזִיקִין בַּר שׁוֹר, כֻּלְּהוּ דִּילֵיהּ, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, וַיָּמִירוּ אֶת כְּבוֹדָם בְּתַבְנִית שׁוֹר.
Herein lies a mystery. From out of the midst of the dregs of the wine, the dregs of evil, an Accuser emerges, the first Damager, in the form of a man approaching the Sanctuary. As soon as he passes on from there and desires to descend and wreak his evil will upon the earth he has to cover himself with a garment. Then he comes down with his hosts. And the first garment in which he clothes himself is the form of an ox. Therefore the first of those accusing demons is an ox. He is one of the “four principal damagers”1Cf. T. B. Baba Kama, ad init. who come down to inflict misery on the world. All the three other damagers belong to and are under this first ox.
מַהוּ אוֹכֵל עֵשֶׂב. הָא דַּרְשִׁינָן בֵּיהּ. אֲבָל עִקָּרָא דְּמִלָּה, מִתַּמְצִית דְּלֶחֶם וְשִׁבְעָה זִינֵי דָּגָן, לֵית לֵיהּ בְּהוּ חוּלָקָא. וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ, אִימָא לָא הֲוַת תַּמָּן, וְלָא יֵאוֹת לָהּ לְמֶהוֵי תַּמָּן. וּבְגִין דְּאַבָּא הֲוָה יָדַע רָחֲמָנוּ דְּאִמָא וְאָרְחָא דִּילָהּ, אָמַר לְמֹשֶׁה, בְּנִי רְחִימָאי, עֵיטָא בְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ בְּדָא תָּדִיר. וְדָא הוּא דִּלְחִישׁוּ לִי בִּלְחִישׁוּ, דְּלָא חֲזֵי לְגַלָּאָה, דִּבְּרָא לָא יִנְדַּע, וְיֶחְמֵי דְּהָא רְצוּעָה אִתְתַּקְנַת, וְיִדְחַל תָּדִיר. אֲבָל תַּרְוַיְיהוּ בְּעֵיטָא דָּא, וּבְעֵיטָא חֲדָא.
What is the significance of “that eateth grass”? We have already explained it, but the essence of it is that those evil principalities have no portion in the residue of bread or of the seven kinds of wheat. Therefore the “Mother” was not there, and it would have been unfitting for Her to be there. But, knowing Her love and Her compassionate ways, the Father said to Moses: “My beloved son, both (of us) do ever concur in this counsel.” This has been whispered to me secretly, and, as I have told you, it is not meant to be noised abroad lest the children should see that the lash is ready to descend, and so be ever in fear and trembling. However, God and the Shekinah are in one counsel, and rule according to the selfsame plan.’