R. Isaac put the following question to R. Simeon: ‘Seeing that, as we have learnt, no blessing dwells in whatever is numbered or measured, why were all things connected with the Tabernacle made to be numbered?’ R. Simeon replied: ‘Wherever holiness abides, there, if the act of numbering proceeds from the side of holiness, blessing will abide continuously, and not pass away. This we learn from the tithe, which is a cause of blessing, the reason being that the act of counting is performed for a sacred purpose. How much more so, then, should that be with the Tabernacle, which was a sacred edifice and derived from the side of holiness!
But it is not so with worldly matters, such as are not derived from the side of holiness; no blessing rests upon them if they are numbered. For then the “other side”, that is, the Evil Eye, may obtain dominion over them; and wherever the Evil Eye rules there blessings cannot reach.
Contrariwise, in holy affairs, through measuring and numbering blessings continuously increase. Hence, “And the silver of them that were counted of the congregation”; indeed, “counted”, without fear of the Evil Eye, without fear of any evil consequences, as the blessings from above rested there upon all.
R. Abba and R. Aha and R. Jose were walking on the way from Tiberias to Sepphoris, when they caught sight of R. Eleazar, who was coming up in the company of R. Hiya. Said R. Abba: ‘Truly, we are now going to have the company of the Shekinah.’ They waited for them until they came up with them. Then R. Eleazar cited the verse: “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry” (Ps. 34, 16). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘presents a difficulty. It cannot mean that God’s providence cares for the righteous for to endow them with the goods of this world, since, indeed, we see so many righteous in this world who cannot procure even so much sustenance as would satisfy the ravens of the air.
But there is a recondite meaning here. Observe that all beings of this world are known in the upper world, either to one side or to the other side. Those of the side of holiness are known to that side, whose watchful providence is ever towards them. Similarly those belonging to the side of defilement are known to that side, being under its continuous care. Now, when a man is under the care of the side of holiness, the “other side” will never come near him and is powerless to thrust him out of his place, or of whatever he is doing. Thus, “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous”, etc., so that the “other side” is powerless to obtain rule over him. Now,’ concluded R. Eleazar, ‘the support of heaven is here with us, we are watched over from on high, and no power from the “other side”, no evil thing, can rule over you.’
Said R. Abba: ‘Behold, we have learned that wherever the holy side hovers, there, despite its association with any act of numbering, blessings will never cease.’ Said R. Eleazar: ‘Assuredly it is so.’ ‘Now’, rejoined R. Abba, ‘behold, Israel is holy and comes from the side of holiness, as we read: “Israel is the Lord’s hallowed portion” (Jer. 2, 3); also, “ye shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Lev. 19, 2). Why, then, when David took a census of Israel did death rage among the people, as Scripture says: “So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed” (2 Sam. 22, 15)?’
R. Eleazar said in reply: ‘This was because he did not take from them shekels as a ransom in accordance with the injunction, “then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; and there be no plague among them when thou numberest them” (Ex. 30, 12) For that which is holy should give a holy ransom, and that holy ransom was not taken from them at the time. Observe that Israel is holy and not meet for numbering, and hence a ransom had to be taken from them, and this could be numbered whilst they themselves were not to be numbered.
For holiness is the essence of the highest of grades; and just as to that highest degree of holiness there is attached a lower degree1Malkuth. that admits of number and computation, so Israel, “the Lord’s hallowed portion”, have to give as ransom something of another degree of holiness, that admits of computation. Esoterically speaking, Israel is the tree that stands in the innermost. The ransom is of another kind of holiness, standing outside and admitting of computation. The latter is thus a shield to the former.’
The company then pursued their journey, and R. Eleazar began to discourse on the verse: “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered” (Hos. 2, 1). ‘The comparison to the sand of the sea’, he said, ‘is of a twofold aspect. First, just as when the sea rages and its waves hurl themselves forward to overwhelm the world, so soon as they encounter the sand of the shore their force is broken and they recede and rage no more,
so the nations rage and fume and seek to overwhelm and flood the world; but when they behold Israel in close attachment to the Holy One, blessed be He, they recede, broken and powerless. Again, as the sand of the sea cannot be numbered or measured, so is Israel.
Observe that there is somewhere a measuring hidden away and undisclosed, and similarly a hidden and undisclosed numbering, that measuring and that numbering upholding the upper world and the lower just because the basis of that measuring and of that numbering is beyond anyone’s knowledge. This constitutes the all-in-all Divine Faith.
Now, Israel on earth does not fall within the scope of number save through the side of something extraneous to themselves; thus it is their ransom that falls within the scope of number. Hence, when Israel are about to be numbered, a ransom has to be taken from them, as already said. Thus, when David took a census of Israel without having taken from them a ransom, wrath was provoked and there perished of Israel many hosts and legions.
This, then, is the significance of the words, “And the silver of them that were counted of the congregation… for every one that passed over to them that are numbered”. It was all consecrated to the work of the Tabernacle. It has been stated that the talents represented one category of number, whilst the shekels represented another category. For there are higher existences who come within a superior kind of number; and there are others who belong to a lower kind.’
רִבִּי יִצְחָק שָׁאִיל לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ דְּבִרְכְתָא לָא שַׁרְיָא בְּמִלָּה דְּקָאִים בִּמְדִּידוּ, וּבְמִלָּה דְּקָאִים בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא, הָכָא בְּמַשְׁכְּנָא אֲמַאי הֲוָה כֹּלָּא בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ הָא אִתְּמַר, אֲבָל בְּכָל אֲתָר דְּסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה שַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ, אִי הַהוּא חוּשְׁבָּנָא אַתְיָא מִסִּטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה, בִּרְכָתָא שַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ תָּדִיר, וְלָא אִתְעָדֵי מִנֵּיהּ. מְנָלָן. מִמַּעֲשֵׂר. בְּגִין דְּאַתְיָא חוּשְׁבָּנָא לְקַדְּשָׁא. בִּרְכָתָא אִשְׁתְּכַחַת בֵּיהּ. כָּל שֶׁכֵּן מַשְׁכְּנָא דְּאִיהוּ קֹדֶשׁ, וְאַתְיָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּקֹדֶשׁ.
R. Isaac put the following question to R. Simeon: ‘Seeing that, as we have learnt, no blessing dwells in whatever is numbered or measured, why were all things connected with the Tabernacle made to be numbered?’ R. Simeon replied: ‘Wherever holiness abides, there, if the act of numbering proceeds from the side of holiness, blessing will abide continuously, and not pass away. This we learn from the tithe, which is a cause of blessing, the reason being that the act of counting is performed for a sacred purpose. How much more so, then, should that be with the Tabernacle, which was a sacred edifice and derived from the side of holiness!
אֲבָל כָּל שְׁאָר מִלֵּי דְּעָלְמָא, דְּלָא אַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה, בִּרְכָתָא לָא שַׁרְיָא עָלַיְיהוּ, כַּד אִינּוּן בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא. בְּגִין דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, דְּאִיהוּ רַע עַיִן, יָכִיל לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עָלֵיהּ. וְכֵיוָן דְּיָכִיל לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עָלֵיהּ, בִּרְכָתָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַחַת בֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִמְטוּ בִּרְכָאן לְהַהוּא רַע עַיִן. (ולא הוי מסטרא דקדושה).
But it is not so with worldly matters, such as are not derived from the side of holiness; no blessing rests upon them if they are numbered. For then the “other side”, that is, the Evil Eye, may obtain dominion over them; and wherever the Evil Eye rules there blessings cannot reach.
וּמְדִידוּ דִּקְדוּשָּׁה, וְחוּשְׁבָּנָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה, תָּדִיר בִּרְכָאן אִתּוֹסְפָאן בֵּיהּ. וְעַל דָּא, וְכֶסֶף פְּקוּדֵי הָעֵדָה. פְּקוּדֵי הָעֵדָה בְּקוּשְׁטָא וַדַּאי, וְלָא דְּחִילוּ מֵעֵינָא בִּישָׁא, וְלָא דְּחִילוּ מִכָּל חוּשְׁבָּנָא דָּא, דְּהָא בְּכֹלָּא שָׁרָאן בִּרְכָאן מִלְּעֵילָּא.
Contrariwise, in holy affairs, through measuring and numbering blessings continuously increase. Hence, “And the silver of them that were counted of the congregation”; indeed, “counted”, without fear of the Evil Eye, without fear of any evil consequences, as the blessings from above rested there upon all.
וְתָא חֲזֵי, בְזַרְעָא דְּיוֹסֵף לָא שַׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ עֵינָא בִּישָׁא, בְּגִין דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא, וְעַל דָּא אִתְעָבִיד מַשְׁכְּנָא עַל יְדָא דִּבְצַלְאֵל, דְּהָא אִיהוּ בְּרָזָא דְּיוֹסֵף קָא שַׁרְיָא, דְּאִיהוּ רָזָא דִּבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא. וְעַל דָּא, מֹשֶׁה פָּקִיד, וּבְצַלְאֵל עָבִיד, לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא בְּרָזָא דְּגוּפָא, וְסִיּוּמָא דְּגוּפָא, דְּאִיהוּ אָת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא, לְאַסְגָּאָה רְחִימוּ וְקִשּׁוּרָא דְּיִחוּדָא בְּמַשְׁכְּנָא, וְכֹלָּא בְּרָזָא דִּימִינָא קָא אִתְעָבִיד, וּבְגִין כַּךְ וְכֶסֶף פְּקוּדֵי הָעֵדָה, וְהַהוּא חוּשְׁבָּנָא, אִיהוּ חוּשְׁבַּן דַּרְגִּין רַבְרְבִין מְמָנָן, דְּאִתְאַחֲדָן מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב מְאַת כִּכָּר וְגוֹ'.
רִבִּי אַבָּא, וְרִבִּי אֲחָא, וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי, הֲווֹ אַזְלֵי מִטְּבֶרְיָה לְצִפּוֹרִי, עַד דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלֵי, חָמוּ לֵיהּ לְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר דְּהֲוָה אָתֵי, וְרִבִּי חִיָיא עִמֵּיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, וַדַּאי נִשְׁתַּתֵּף בַּהֲדֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא. אוֹרִיכוּ לְהוּ, עַד דְּמָטוּ לְגַבַּיְיהוּ. כֵּיוָן דְּמָטוּ גַּבַּיְיהוּ, אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, כְּתִיב (תהלים לה) עֵינִי יְיָ' אֶל צַדִּיקִים וְאָזְנָיו אֶל שַׁוְעָתָם. הַאי קְרָא קַשְׁיָא, מַאי עֵינִי יְיָ' אֶל צַדִּיקִים. אִי בְּגִין דְּאַשְׁגָּחוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלַיְיהוּ לְאוֹטָבָא לוֹן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, הָא חֲמֵינָן, כַּמָה זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וַאֲפִילּוּ מְזוֹנָא כְּעוֹרְבֵי בָּרָא לא יַכְלִין לְאַדְבְּקָא, אִי הָכִי מַאי עֵינֵי יְיָ' אֶל צַדִּיקִים.
R. Abba and R. Aha and R. Jose were walking on the way from Tiberias to Sepphoris, when they caught sight of R. Eleazar, who was coming up in the company of R. Hiya. Said R. Abba: ‘Truly, we are now going to have the company of the Shekinah.’ They waited for them until they came up with them. Then R. Eleazar cited the verse: “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry” (Ps. 34, 16). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘presents a difficulty. It cannot mean that God’s providence cares for the righteous for to endow them with the goods of this world, since, indeed, we see so many righteous in this world who cannot procure even so much sustenance as would satisfy the ravens of the air.
אֶלָּא רָזָא הָכָא, תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל אִינּוּן בִּרְיָין דְּעָלְמָא, כֻּלְּהוּ אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָאן לְעֵילָּא, בֵּין לְסִטְרָא דָּא, וּבֵין לְסִטְרָא דָּא. אִינּוּן דִּלְסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה, אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָאן לְעֵילָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְאַשְׁגָחוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ תָּדִיר עָלַיְיהוּ. וְאִינּוּן דִּלְסִטְרָא מִסְאֲבָא, אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָאן לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְאַשְׁגָחוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ תָּדִיר עָלַיְיהוּ. וּבַאֲתָר דְּשַׁלְטָא הַהִיא אַשְׁגָּחוּתָא דְּסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה, לָא אַשְׁגַּח עָלֵיהּ סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, וְלָא יִקְרַב לְגַבֵּיהּ לְעָלְמִין, וְלָא יָכִיל לְדַחְיָיא לֵיהּ מֵאַתְרֵיהּ, בְּכֹלָּא, בְּכָל מַה דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד. וְעַל דָּא, עֵינֵי יְיָ' אֶל צַדִּיקִים וְגוֹ', בְּגִין דָּא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא לָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עָלֵיהּ. וְהַשְׁתָּא סִיַּיעְתָּא דִּשְׁמַיָּא הָכָא, וְכָל אַשְׁגָּחוּתָא טָבָא דִּלְעֵילָּא הָכָא, וְכָל סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, וְכָל מִלָּה בִּישָׁא, לָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עָלַיְיכוּ.
But there is a recondite meaning here. Observe that all beings of this world are known in the upper world, either to one side or to the other side. Those of the side of holiness are known to that side, whose watchful providence is ever towards them. Similarly those belonging to the side of defilement are known to that side, being under its continuous care. Now, when a man is under the care of the side of holiness, the “other side” will never come near him and is powerless to thrust him out of his place, or of whatever he is doing. Thus, “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous”, etc., so that the “other side” is powerless to obtain rule over him. Now,’ concluded R. Eleazar, ‘the support of heaven is here with us, we are watched over from on high, and no power from the “other side”, no evil thing, can rule over you.’
אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, הָא אוֹלִיפְנָא דִּבְכָל אֲתָר דְּסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי, אַף עַל גַּב דְּקַיְּימָא בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא, בִּרְכָתָא לָא אִתְמְנַּע מִתַּמָּן. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הָא יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן קֹדֶשׁ, וְאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דְּקֹדֶשׁ, דִּכְתִּיב (ירמיה ב) קֹדֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַיְיָ', וּכְתִיב (ויקרא כ׳:כ״ו) וִהְיִיתֶם קְדוֹשִׁים כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אָנִי, אֲמַאי כַּד עָבֵד דָּוִד חוּשְׁבָּנָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲוָה בְּהוֹן מוֹתָנָא, דִּכְתִּיב, (שמואל ב כ״ד:ט״ו) וַיִתֵּן יְיָ' דֶּבֶר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הַבֹּקֶר וְעַד עֵת מוֹעֵד.
Said R. Abba: ‘Behold, we have learned that wherever the holy side hovers, there, despite its association with any act of numbering, blessings will never cease.’ Said R. Eleazar: ‘Assuredly it is so.’ ‘Now’, rejoined R. Abba, ‘behold, Israel is holy and comes from the side of holiness, as we read: “Israel is the Lord’s hallowed portion” (Jer. 2, 3); also, “ye shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Lev. 19, 2). Why, then, when David took a census of Israel did death rage among the people, as Scripture says: “So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed” (2 Sam. 22, 15)?’
אֲמַר לֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּלָא נָטַל מִנַּיְיהוּ שְׁקָלִים, דְּאִיהוּ פּוּרְקָנָא. דִּכְתִּיב, (שמות ל׳:י״ב) וְנָתְנוּ אִישׁ כֹפֶר נַפְשׁוֹ לַיְיָ' בִּפְקוֹד אוֹתָם וְלא יִהְיֶה בָהֶם נֶגֶף בִּפְקֹד אוֹתָם. בְּגִין דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ קֹדֶשׁ, (דאיהו באתגלייא) לְמֵיהַב פּוּרְקָנָא דְּקֹדֶשׁ, וְהַהִיא פּוּרְקָנָא דְּקֹדֶשׁ לָא אִתְנְטִיל מִנַּיְיהוּ. תָּא חֲזֵי, יִשְׂרָאֵל אִיהוּ קֹדֶשׁ, דְּקַיְּימָא בְּלָא חוּשְׁבָּנָא, (דגרמייהו) וְעַל דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ פּוּרְקָנָא דְיִתְנְטִיל מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְהַהוּא פּוּרְקָנָא קַיְּימָא בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא, וְאִינּוּן לָא קַיְימוּ בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא.
R. Eleazar said in reply: ‘This was because he did not take from them shekels as a ransom in accordance with the injunction, “then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; and there be no plague among them when thou numberest them” (Ex. 30, 12) For that which is holy should give a holy ransom, and that holy ransom was not taken from them at the time. Observe that Israel is holy and not meet for numbering, and hence a ransom had to be taken from them, and this could be numbered whilst they themselves were not to be numbered.
מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דְּקֹדֶשׁ אִיהוּ רָזָא עִלָּאָה דְּכָל דַּרְגִּין, מַה הַהוּא קֹדֶשׁ אִיהוּ סָלִיק עַל כֹּלָּא, וְאִית לֵיהּ לְבַר קֹדֶשׁ אַחֲרָא לְתַתָּא דְּקַיְּימָא תְּחוֹתֵיהּ, וְקָאִים בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא וּבְמִנְיָין. אוּף הָכִי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן קֹדֶשׁ, דִּכְתִּיב קֹדֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַיְיָ', וְאִינּוּן יַהֲבֵי קֹדֶשׁ אַחֲרָא, פּוּרְקָן דִּלְהוֹן, דְּקַיְימֵי בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא, וְרָזָא דָּא, יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן אִילָנָא דְּקַיְּימָא לְגוֹ, פּוּרְקָנָא (נ"א קדש) אַחֲרָא קַיְּימָא לְבַר, וְסָלִיק לְחוּשְׁבָּנָא, וְאָגִין דָּא עַל דָּא. אָזְלוּ.
For holiness is the essence of the highest of grades; and just as to that highest degree of holiness there is attached a lower degree1Malkuth. that admits of number and computation, so Israel, “the Lord’s hallowed portion”, have to give as ransom something of another degree of holiness, that admits of computation. Esoterically speaking, Israel is the tree that stands in the innermost. The ransom is of another kind of holiness, standing outside and admitting of computation. The latter is thus a shield to the former.’
פָּתַח רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר, (הושע ב׳:א׳) וְהָיָה מִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּחוֹל הַיָּם אֲשֶׁר לא יִמַּד וְלא יִסָּפֵר וְגוֹ'. מַהוּ כְּחוֹל הַיָּם. תְּרֵין גַּוְונִין אִינּוּן הָכָא. חֲדָא כְּחוֹל הַיָּם, בְּגִין דְּיַמָּא כַּד סַלְּקִין גַּלוֹי בְּזַעְפָּא וְרוּגְזָא, וְאִינּוּן גַּלִּין סַלְּקָאן לְשַׁטְּפָא עָלְמָא, כַּד מָטָאן וְחָמָאן חוֹלָא דְּיַמָּא, מִיַּד אִתְבָּרוּ וְתָבִין לַאֲחוֹרָא, וְאִשְׁתְּכָכֵי, וְלָא יַכְלִין לְשַׁלְטָאָה וּלְשַׁטְפָא עָלְמָא.
The company then pursued their journey, and R. Eleazar began to discourse on the verse: “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered” (Hos. 2, 1). ‘The comparison to the sand of the sea’, he said, ‘is of a twofold aspect. First, just as when the sea rages and its waves hurl themselves forward to overwhelm the world, so soon as they encounter the sand of the shore their force is broken and they recede and rage no more,
כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן חוֹלָא דְּיַמָּא, וְכַד שְׁאַר עַמִּין דְּאִינּוּן גַּלֵּי יַמָּא, מָארֵי דְּרוּגְזָא, מָארֵי דְּדִינִין קָשִׁין, בָּעָאן לְשַׁלְטָאָה וּלְשַׁטְפָא עָלְמָא, חָמָאן לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִינּוּן מִתְקַשְּׁרָאן בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְתָבִין וְאִתְבָּרוּ קַמַּיְיהוּ, וְלָא יַכְלִין לְשַׁלְטָאָה בְּעָלְמָא. גַּוְונָא אַחֲרָא, בְּגִין דְּחוֹלָא דְּיַמָּא לֵית לֵיהּ חוּשְׁבָּנָא, וְלָא קַיְּימָא בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא, וְלָא בִּמְדִּידוּ, דִּכְתִּיב אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִמַּד וְלֹא יִסָּפֵר, אוּף הָכִי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵית לְהוּ חוּשְׁבָּנָא, וְלָא קַיְּימִין בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא.
so the nations rage and fume and seek to overwhelm and flood the world; but when they behold Israel in close attachment to the Holy One, blessed be He, they recede, broken and powerless. Again, as the sand of the sea cannot be numbered or measured, so is Israel.
תָּא חֲזֵי, אִית מְדִידוּ טָמִיר וְגָנִיז, וְאִית חוּשְׁבָּן דְּקַיְּימָא בִּגְנִיזוּ טָמִיר וְגָנִיז, וְהַאי קַיְּימָא בִּמְדִּידוּ, וְהַאי קַיְּימָא בְּחוּשְׁבָּן. וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא וְקִיּוּמָא דְּכֹלָּא דִּלְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא מְדִידוּ לָא אִתְיְידַע לְעָלְמִין, עַל מַה קַיְּימָא רָזָא דְּהַהוּא מְדִידוּ. וְעַל מַה קַיְּימָא רָזָא דְּהַהוּא חוּשְׁבָּנָא, וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא.
Observe that there is somewhere a measuring hidden away and undisclosed, and similarly a hidden and undisclosed numbering, that measuring and that numbering upholding the upper world and the lower just because the basis of that measuring and of that numbering is beyond anyone’s knowledge. This constitutes the all-in-all Divine Faith.
וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא לָא קַיְימִין בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא, אֶלָּא בְּסִטְרָא דְּמִלָּה אַחֲרָא, וּפוּרְקָנָא אִיהוּ דְּקַיְּימָא בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא. וּבְגִין כַּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּד עָאלִין בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא נַטְלֵי מִנַּיְיהוּ פּוּרְקָנָא כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר. וְעַל דָּא בְּיוֹמוֹי דְּדָוִד, כַּד עָבֵד חוּשְׁבָּנָא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלָא נָטִיל מִנְּהוֹן פּוּרְקָנָא, הֲוָה רוּגְזָא, וְאִתְאֲבִידוּ מִיִשְׂרָאֵל כַּמָה חֵילִין וְכַמָּה מַשִׁרְיָין.
Now, Israel on earth does not fall within the scope of number save through the side of something extraneous to themselves; thus it is their ransom that falls within the scope of number. Hence, when Israel are about to be numbered, a ransom has to be taken from them, as already said. Thus, when David took a census of Israel without having taken from them a ransom, wrath was provoked and there perished of Israel many hosts and legions.
וּבְּגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב בְּעוֹבָדָא דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא, וְכֶסֶף פְּקוּדֵי הָעֵדָה וְגוֹ', וְכֹל הָעוֹבֵר עַל הַפְּקֻדִים. וְכֹלָּא אִתְקַדָּשׁ לַעֲבִידַת מַשְׁכְּנָא, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ כִּכָּרִין חוּשְׁבָּנָא חֲדָא. שְׁקָלִים חוּשְׁבָּנָא חֲדָא. בְּגִין דְּאִית עִלָּאִין דְּסַלְקָן לְחוּשְׁבָּנָא עִלָּאָה, וְאִית אַחֲרָנִין דְּסַלְקָן לְחוּשְׁבְּנָא אַחֲרָא. דָּא עִלָּאָה וְדָא תַּתָּאָה. וּבְגִין כַּךְ כְּתִיב וַיְהִי מְאַת כִּכָּר הַכֶּסֶף לָצֶקֶת אֵת אַדְנֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְגוֹ'. אִלֵּין אֲדָנִים הָא אוּקְמוּהָ.
This, then, is the significance of the words, “And the silver of them that were counted of the congregation… for every one that passed over to them that are numbered”. It was all consecrated to the work of the Tabernacle. It has been stated that the talents represented one category of number, whilst the shekels represented another category. For there are higher existences who come within a superior kind of number; and there are others who belong to a lower kind.’