AND THEY BROUGHT THE TABERNACLE UNTO MOSES, ETC. It is written: “And above the firmament” (Ezek. 1, 26). This alludes to the firmament that is placed over the four Hayoth (Holy Animals) who are impinged on by the spirit of the Hayah (Holy Animal),
by whose spirit they all rise aloft, as it says: “and when the Hayoth were lifted up from the earth, the Ofanim (Wheels) were lifted up beside them, for the spirit of the Hayah was in the Ofanim” (Ibid. 1, 21).
It is when the space of that region, as it were, impinges on them that the four.Hayoth rise and carry aloft the superior Hayah, bringing it to the Supernal Illumination. This is esoterically alluded to in the words, “The virgins her companions in her train being brought unto thee” (Ps. 45, 15), the four Hayoth being so designated. These raise the Supernal Hayah higher and higher so as to uphold the Supernal Throne, as esoterically indicated in the words, “and [they] bore up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth” (Gen. 95, 17). The same allusion can be found in the words, “And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses”,
when suffused with a holy desire for the union of the male and female principles. So “they brought the tabernacle”, since the bride is first to be brought to her spouse, who subsequently takes up his abode with her permanently.
Again, the words, “And they brought the tabernacle to Moses” are an allusion to those who daily concentrate their minds [whilst reciting their prayers] on the mysteries of the divine unification, and lift up this throne until they bring it unto “Moses”. Thereby they draw unto themselves blessings from the very source of life. Of this Scripture says: AND MOSES SAW ALL THE WORK…. AND MOSES BLESSED THEM, the blessings thus flowing from the region that is of the grade of Moses.
Thus the prayer of every man is scrutinized, whether it is recited with the proper concentration on divine unification and if it is found to be so, then the man receives blessings from the fount of blessings. Thus, so soon as “they had done it, etc.” “Moses blessed them’
AND THEY BROUGHT THE TABERNACLE TO MOSES, inasmuch as he was the “master of the house”, whom it behoved to supervise its arrangements and mysteries, which none else was permitted to observe and look upon.
When they brought the tabernacle to Moses, they brought it in all its parts, each part to be fitted in its place, and all the parts to be joined together to form a whole. For when they attempted to do so themselves, they did not succeed; so they brought it to Moses, who straightway succeeded in joining the parts together, putting each in its place. So we read, “and Moses reared up the tabernacle”, and also, “the tabernacle was reared up”.
Observe that when Moses was about to set up the tabernacle and to adjust all its parts and members, fitting them one into the other, all the components of the unclean, or “other” side, became enfeebled. For when the one side, the side of holiness, ascends in power, the unclean side relaxes, and similarly, when the other side ascends this side becomes feeble. When one is full the other is desolate, as with Jerusalem and Tyre.1Vide T. B. Pesahim, 42b.
Moses thus “reared up the tabernacle” so as to be fortified by the supernal power and not be overcome by the lower power. Moses, moreover, whose vision was through the “luminous glass”, was the one needed for the rearing up of the tabernacle, that he might be enlightened by it and not by some inferior light, just as the moon must receive its light from the sun and not from any other source. ‘Observe now, that the Community of Israel had to raise and attach itself to the sun.’
(שמות ל״ט:ל״ג) וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶל מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ'. כְּתִיב (יחזקאל א׳:כ״ו) וּמִמַּעַל לָרָקִיעַ, דָּא אִיהוּ רְקִיעָא, דְּקַיְּימָא עָלַיְיהוּ דְּאַרְבַּע חֵיוָון, דְּכַד מִסְתַּלְּקֵי בְּגוֹ חַד אֲוֵירָא דְּבָטַשׁ בְּהוּ, לָא זַקְפִין רֵישָׁא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא לְעֵילָּא.
AND THEY BROUGHT THE TABERNACLE UNTO MOSES, ETC. It is written: “And above the firmament” (Ezek. 1, 26). This alludes to the firmament that is placed over the four Hayoth (Holy Animals) who are impinged on by the spirit of the Hayah (Holy Animal),
בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא רוּחַ הַחַיָּה, בָּטַשׁ בְּכֻלְּהוּ, וּבְהַהוּא רוּחַ מִסְתַּלְּקֵי כֻּלְּהוּ, דִּכְתִּיב, וּבְהִנָּשֵׂא הַחַיּוֹת מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ יִנָּשְׂאוּ הָאוֹפַנִּים לְעֻמָּתָם. וּכְתִיב כִּי רוּחַ הַחַיָּה בָּאוֹפַנִּים.
by whose spirit they all rise aloft, as it says: “and when the Hayoth were lifted up from the earth, the Ofanim (Wheels) were lifted up beside them, for the spirit of the Hayah was in the Ofanim” (Ibid. 1, 21).
אֲמַאי מִסְתַּלְּקֵי. אֶלָּא כַּד בָּטַשׁ הַהוּא אֲוִירָא עָלַיְיהוּ, סָלִיק לְאִלֵּין אַרְבַּע דִּתְחוֹת הַאי חַיָּה, וְאִינּוּן סַלְקֵי לָהּ לְעֵילָּא, עַד דְּמַתְיָין לָהּ לְגַבֵּי זִהֲרָא עִלָּאָה, וְהַיְינוּ רָזָא דִּכְתִּיב, (תהילים מ״ה:ט״ו) בְּתוּלוֹת אַחֲרֶיהָ רְעוֹתֶיהָ מוּבָאוֹת לָךְ, בְּגִין דְּהָנֵי אַרְבַּע אִקְרוּן הָכִי, וְלָא זָזוּ מִן חַיָּה דָּא, דְּאִיהִי כּוּרְסְיָיא, לְעָלְמִין. וְסָלְּקִין לָהּ מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא, לְאַתְקְנָא כּוּרְסְיָיא לְגַבֵּי עֵילָּא, וְרָזָא דָּא (בראשית ז׳:י״ז) וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת הַתֵּבָה וַתָּרָם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ. וְכַד אִסְתָּלָקַת לְעֵילָּא, וְאִלֵּין סַלְּקִין לָהּ, כְּדֵין כְּתִיב, וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶל מֹשֶׁה.
It is when the space of that region, as it were, impinges on them that the four.Hayoth rise and carry aloft the superior Hayah, bringing it to the Supernal Illumination. This is esoterically alluded to in the words, “The virgins her companions in her train being brought unto thee” (Ps. 45, 15), the four Hayoth being so designated. These raise the Supernal Hayah higher and higher so as to uphold the Supernal Throne, as esoterically indicated in the words, “and [they] bore up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth” (Gen. 95, 17). The same allusion can be found in the words, “And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses”,
וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר מוּבָאוֹת לָךְ, וּכְתִיב וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת הַתֵּבָה. אֶל מֹשֶׁה, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר דְּמוּת כְּמַרְאֵה אָדָם עָלָיו מִלְמָעְלָה, וְהַיְינוּ רָזָא דְּאָדָם. וּמְנָלָן דְּאִקְרֵי אָדָם, דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית ו׳:ג׳) לָא יָדוֹן רוּחִי בָאָדָם לְעוֹלָם בְּשַׁגַּם הוּא בָּשָׂר, וְהַיְינוּ מֹשֶׁה. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, עַל הַאי כּוּרְסְיָיא, דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם קַיְּימָא עָלֵיהּ, וְהַיְינוּ מֹשֶׁה. וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, אִלֵּין אַרְבַּע חֵיוָון, כַּד סַלְּקִין כִּדְקַאמְרָן.
Moses being a synonym of Adam. The Tabernacle is symbolic of all the members of the Body
וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, אִלֵּין כָּל שַׁיְיפִין דְּגוּפָא, דְּכֻלְּהוּ בְּתִיאוּבְתָּא קַדִּישָׁא, (אמר רבי אבהו) כֻּלְּהוּ אַחֲדִין בֵּיהּ, לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא כַּחֲדָא. וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, לְמֵיעַל כַּלָּה לַחוּפָּה בְּקַדְמִיתָא, אִינּוּן צְרִיכִין לְסַלְּקָא לָהּ, וּלְאַיְיתָאָה לָהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ, וּלְבָתַר אִיהוּ יֵיתֵי לְגַבָּהּ תָּדִיר, וְהָא (רל"ה ע"א) אוֹקִימְנָא.
when suffused with a holy desire for the union of the male and female principles. So “they brought the tabernacle”, since the bride is first to be brought to her spouse, who subsequently takes up his abode with her permanently.
וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, רָזָא דְּכָל אִינּוּן דְּקַשְׁרֵי קִשְׁרִין דְּיִחוּדָא, וְיַחְדֵי יִחוּדָא דְּרָזֵי דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא כָּל יוֹמָא, (אלין ארבע חיון) אִינּוּן סַלְּקִין לָהּ לְכוּרְסְיָיא דָּא, עַד דְּאַתְיָין לָהּ לְגַבֵּי מֹשֶׁה, וְכֵיוָן דְּדַבְקֵי לָהּ לְגַבֵּי מֹשֶׁה, כְּדֵין אִינּוּן הֲווֹ דְּרָוְוחֵי בִּרְכָאן מִמְקוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי, עַל רָזָא דָּא, בְּקִשּׁוּרָא דְּיִחוּדָא דְּאִינּוּן קִשְׁרִין. וְרָזָא דָּא, כַּד מִתְקַשְּׁרִין יִחוּדָא דְּכֹלָּא כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, וְרָזָא דָּא כְּתִיב, וַיַּרְא מֹשֶׁה אֶת כָּל הַמְּלָאכָה וְגוֹ', וַיְבָרֶךְ אוֹתָם מֹשֶׁה, רַוְוחֵי בִּרְכָאן מֵאֲתָר דַּרְגָּא דְּמֹשֶׁה שַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ, וְדָא אִיהוּ הַחֲכָמִים הָעוֹשִׂים אֵת כָּל מְלֶאכֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ, בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן יַדְעֵי לְסַדְּרָא עֲבִידְתָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי.
Again, the words, “And they brought the tabernacle to Moses” are an allusion to those who daily concentrate their minds [whilst reciting their prayers] on the mysteries of the divine unification, and lift up this throne until they bring it unto “Moses”. Thereby they draw unto themselves blessings from the very source of life. Of this Scripture says: AND MOSES SAW ALL THE WORK…. AND MOSES BLESSED THEM, the blessings thus flowing from the region that is of the grade of Moses.
וְעַל דָּא, כָּל מַאן דְּצַלֵּי צְלוֹתָא, (וקשורא) וְקָשִׁיר יִחוּדָא, מִסְתַּכְּלִין בֵּיהּ אִי אִיהִי צְלוֹתָא וְקִשּׁוּרָא כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, וְאִי הַהִיא צְלוֹתָא וְהַהוּא קִשּׁוּרָא כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, כְּדֵין אִתְבְּרַךְ אִיהוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, מֵאֲתָר דְּכָל בִּרְכָאן נָפְקִין. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְהִנֵּה עָשׂוּ אוֹתָהּ וְגוֹ', מִיַּד וַיְבָרֶךְ אוֹתָם מֹשֶׁה.
Thus the prayer of every man is scrutinized, whether it is recited with the proper concentration on divine unification and if it is found to be so, then the man receives blessings from the fount of blessings. Thus, so soon as “they had done it, etc.” “Moses blessed them’
וּבְגִין כָּךְ, וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶל מֹשֶׁה, דְּאִיהוּ מָארֵי (בראשית נ"א ע"ב) דְּבֵיתָא, לְאַחֲזָאָה בְּתִקּוּנָא דְּבֵיתֵיהּ, וְלֵיהּ אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֵחזֵי תִּקּוּנָהָא וְרָזִין דִּילָהּ, דְּלָא אִתְיְיהִיבוּ לְאַחֲרָא, לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא וּלְמֶחזֵי בָּה, בְּאִינּוּן סִתְרִין וּבְאִינּוּן רָזִין דִּילָהּ, בַּר מֹשֶׁה בִּלְחוֹדוֹי.
AND THEY BROUGHT THE TABERNACLE TO MOSES, inasmuch as he was the “master of the house”, whom it behoved to supervise its arrangements and mysteries, which none else was permitted to observe and look upon.
וְעַל דָּא וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶל מֹשֶׁה אֶת הָאֹהֶל וְאֶת כָּל כֵּלָיו. וְכַד אַיְיתִיאוּ לֵיהּ לְמֹשֶׁה, כֹּלָּא אַיְיתִיאוּ לֵיהּ בְּשַׁיְיפִין יְדִיעָאן, כָּל חַד וְחָד לְאַתְקְנָא, שַׁיְיפָא בְּשַׁיְיפָא, לְאַעֲלָא דָּא בְּדָא, וְכַד הֲווֹ בָּעָאן לְתַקְּנָא דָּא בְּדָא, וּלְאַעְלָאָה דָּא בְּדָא, לָא הֲוָה סָלִיק בִּידֵיהוֹן. כֵּיוָן דְּאַיְיתִיאוּ לֵיהּ לְמֹשֶׁה, מִיַּד כֹּלָּא אִסְתָּלִיק בִּידֵיהּ, וְכָל שַׁיְיפָא וְשַׁיְיפָא הֲוָה אִסְתָּלִיק וְעָאל בְּדוּכְתֵּיהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וַיָּקֶם מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וּכְתִיב הוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא.
When they brought the tabernacle to Moses, they brought it in all its parts, each part to be fitted in its place, and all the parts to be joined together to form a whole. For when they attempted to do so themselves, they did not succeed; so they brought it to Moses, who straightway succeeded in joining the parts together, putting each in its place. So we read, “and Moses reared up the tabernacle”, and also, “the tabernacle was reared up”.
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא כַּד שָׁארֵי מֹשֶׁה לְאַקָּמָא מִשְׁכְּנָא, וְשָׁאֲרִי לְאַתְקְנָא תִּקּוּנָא דְּשַׁיְיפִין, לְאַעֲלָא דָּא בְּדָא. כְּדֵין, אִתְרְפִיוּ כָּל שַׁיְיפִין וְכָל תִּקּוּנִין דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא מְסַאֲבָא, כַּד שָׁרֵי לְאַתְקְפָא הַאי סִטְרָא דְּאִיהִי קַדִּישָׁא, אִתְרַפֵי סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא מְסַאֲבָא, אִתָּקַף דָּא וְאִתְרַפֵי דָּא. וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא, דְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּהִיא בִּתְקִיפוּ, סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא אִתְרַפָן כָּל שַׁיְיפוֹי, דָּא מַלְיָא, וְדָּא חָרוּב, וְרָזָא דָּא יְרוּשָׁלַ ם וְצוֹר חַיָּיבָא, כַּד מַלְיָא דָּא, חָרוּב דָּא. וְעַל דָּא, כַּד אִתָּקַף דָּא אִתְרַפֵי דָּא.
Observe that when Moses was about to set up the tabernacle and to adjust all its parts and members, fitting them one into the other, all the components of the unclean, or “other” side, became enfeebled. For when the one side, the side of holiness, ascends in power, the unclean side relaxes, and similarly, when the other side ascends this side becomes feeble. When one is full the other is desolate, as with Jerusalem and Tyre.1Vide T. B. Pesahim, 42b.
וּבְגִין כַּךְ, וַיָּקֶם מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, לְאִתְתַּקְּפָא מֵרָזָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְלָא יִתְקַף מֵרָזָא דִּלְתַתָּא. וְעַל דָּא מֹשֶׁה דְּהֲוָה מֵרָזָא דְּגוֹ אַסְפָּקָלַרְיָא דְּנַהֲרָא, אִצְטְרִיךְ אִיהוּ לְאַקָּמָא מַשְׁכְּנָא, לְאַנְהָרָא מִנֵּיהּ, וְלָא מֵאַחֲרָא. (ועל דא) סִיהֲרָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַנְהָרָא מִן שִׁמְשָׁא, וְלָא מֵאַחֲרָא. תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִצְטְרִיכַת לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא, וּלְאִתְדַּבְּקָא גּוֹ שִׁמְשָׁא. (צו כ"ו ע"א)
Moses thus “reared up the tabernacle” so as to be fortified by the supernal power and not be overcome by the lower power. Moses, moreover, whose vision was through the “luminous glass”, was the one needed for the rearing up of the tabernacle, that he might be enlightened by it and not by some inferior light, just as the moon must receive its light from the sun and not from any other source. ‘Observe now, that the Community of Israel had to raise and attach itself to the sun.’