And, in truth, when a man reflects upon this, he should be ashamed and humiliated. How should we not trust in the L-rd? I shall begin with my explanation of (Isaiah 26:4): "Trust in the L-rd forever; for in Kah, the L-rd, is the Rock of the worlds." I have explained that "forever" comes to teach us that even in our time, when we see some hester panim ("hiding of the Divine Countenance"), when the ordinance [of the L-rd] is not so manifest as it was before, in the time of the Temple, wherefore there are found some heretics and rebels against the Holy One Blessed be He, still, one should "trust in the L-rd."
To what may this be compared? To [the instance of] a king, who reigned over several hundreds of provinces and ruled over his kingdom with an abundance of strength and splendor, who had the wherewithal to sustain all the places of his rule and all the princes and appointees under him with an abundance of glory and strength. And afterwards there were found some individuals in one city, very few in number, who, in their haughtiness rebelled against the king. And the matter was reported to the king. And while they were yet deliberating the punishment of the rebels, the king went in the morning to promenade in his garden, where he heard a bird of beautiful form and voice singing and bade one of his attendants to take it immediately on that day and put it in his palace so that he could always enjoy it; and he did so. As he was taking it to the king's palace, it began to sing in a sweet beautiful voice — whereupon one of the fools said: "Beautiful bird, how much I would love to see you [always] and hear your beautiful song, and how great my sorrow when I bring to mind the great sorrow that will befall you. For whence will come your food now that we have heard that there are rebels against the king?" And the king's attendant answered: "You fool, with such a king — who reigns over several hundreds of provinces and numberless treasures — will the bird, whose appearance the king enjoys and whose song he rejoices in, have to worry about the few grains it needs for its sustenance because it is found in the province of a little city where one or two rebels have been found?"
So, upon reflection, is it, exactly, in our case, a fortiori, many thousandfold: The Holy One Blessed be He, has created this world, the material world, and the higher world. And it is known that in the higher world many worlds are contained, almost without limit. But, as a whole, they are considered three worlds: the world of formation [olam hayetzirah], the world of the angels; above it, the world of creation [olam habriah]; and, above all, the world of Splendor [olam ha'atziluth], where the splendor of the Blessed One's holiness is found. As Chazal have said: "About this, Scripture states (Isaiah 43:7): 'All that is called by My Name [olam ha'atziluth] and which I have created for My glory [olam habriah, where the Throne of Glory is found] — I have formed it [olam hayetzirah, where are found the holy creatures (chayyoth hakodesh) seen by the prophet Yechezkel, and all the world of the angels] — I have also fashioned it [this world and all of the spheres].'" And it is known that this world and all of its spheres are as nothing compared to olam hayetzirah, for there [in the olam hayetzirah] are found classes of angels without limit. And in each class are found angels almost without number, as it is written in Daniel 7:10: "A thousand thousands serve Him. Ten thousand ten thousands stand before Him," about which Chazal have said (Chagigah 13b): "All this, in one class, and the classes are infinite, as it is written (Iyyov 25:3): 'Is there a number to His troops?'" And we find in Tanna d'bei Eliyahu 31 that 496,000 ten thousands of ministering angels sanctify the name of the Holy One Blessed be He always. From the rising of the sun until its setting, they say: "Holy, Holy, etc." And from its setting until its rising: "Blessed is the glory, etc." And it is known that all of the creations, even the highest of the highest, all require the Divine effluence, as it is written (Nechemiah 9:6): "You have made the heavens, the heavens of the heavens, and all their hosts, and You vivify all of them." But the effluence of their sustenance is not like ours. For it is rarefied, spiritual sustenance. As it is written (Psalms 78:25): "The food of the mighty did a man eat," concerning which Chazal have said: "This is the 'bread' [i.e., the Divine effluence] that the ministering angels 'feed' upon."
And it is known that the withholding of honor from the Holy One Blessed be He because of the fools who have denied Him or rebelled against Him and said: "What profit [is ours] that we have kept His keeping [i.e., His mitzvoth]?" — such dishonor obtains only in this terrestrial, material world, where "eyes" are those of flesh. But in the higher world, all the angels crown the Blessed One's name and proclaim His glory — how He vivifies and leads them. As Scripture states (Nechemiah, Ibid.): "And the host of the heavens bow down to You." And (I Kings 22:14): "I saw the L-rd sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing before Him, on His right and on His left." (Isaiah 6:2-3): "Seraphs were standing above Him … and one called to the other and said: 'Holy, Holy, Holy is the L-rd of hosts [tzevaoth],'" for which reason the Holy One Blessed be He is called "Tzevakoth," as we find throughout the Torah. And when we reflect well, we see in truth that this world is not even like a mustard seed compared to all of the higher worlds. (For there are many worlds on high, as Chazal have said (Avodah Zarah 3b) that every day the Holy One Blessed be He soars through all His eighteen thousand worlds, and, especially, in respect to what is explained in the holy Zohar in many places.) So that their "rebellion," G-d forbid, is considered naught. And in this world, the Holy One Blessed be He found His people Israel, who are especially beloved by Him — so much so, that they are called "sons" unto Him, viz. (Devarim 14:1): "You are sons, etc." And their voice is sweet to Him, viz. Song of Songs 2:14: "Let Me hear your voice." How, then, can we not be ashamed of ourselves if we do not trust, G-d forbid, in His name, which vivifies all of the worlds? And of all the angels, of whom there are found tens of thousands of them in each class, not one of the celestial angels, from the time the Holy One Blessed be He created all of the worlds, has descended, G-d forbid, to apprise us that he is lacking some of the Divine effluence. And it is known that there are angels whose size is several thousand parasangs, as Chazal have said in Chullin 91b, that the size of Gavriel was two thousand parasangs, this being deduced from what is written in Daniel (10:6) when he [Daniel] saw the angel, viz. "And his body was like [the Sea of] Tarshish," (which is two thousand parasangs.) And there are angels who are much taller, as stated in Chazal (Chagigah 13b) about Sandalfon that he was five hundred years "walking distance" taller than his fellows [(The walking distance of an average man is ten parasangs a day.)] And this little man [in this world], who is not even [the size of] a mustard seed compared to them — how can he constantly fret and worry: "Whence will come my livelihood and whence will come my help!" When we reflect upon this well, we should be astonished much more about ourselves in this than we are astonished at the fool in connection with the bird! There is nothing left for us to do but to gird ourselves with strength and do His will without worrying at all, just as the King's son need not worry that he will be left without a loaf of bread, as it is written (Devarim 14:1): "You are sons to the L-rd your G-d."
And all of our words are included in the [aforementioned] verse, in short, viz. (Isaiah 26:4): "Trust in the L-rd forever" — even when Jerusalem is in ruins and Israel is in exile, wherefore there are many rebels against the Holy One Blessed be He — even so, trust in the L-rd and He will help you. For the ability is still in His hand as before, and He certainly did also not remove His will completely from the world. For if not so, the creation would have been entirely annulled. For it is known that the Holy One Blessed be He vivifies the whole creation, as they have formulated for us in the blessing of Yetzer ["Yotzer hameoroth"]: "Who renews in His goodness, every day, always, the act of creation." And, as it is written (Nechemiah 9:6): "and You give life to all of them [the heavens, etc.]." It is not written "You gave life" (as stated in the Zohar.) And this is the intent of the ending of the verse (Isaiah, Ibid.): "For in Kah, the L-rd, is the Rock of the worlds." As Chazal have stated (Menachoth 29b), that the Holy One Blessed be He created this world with the letter "heh" from His name; and the world to come, with the letter "yod." And "Rock" [tzur] signifies strength. That is, His name, "Kah" [yod-heh] is, up to this day, the strength of the world. (As we find in Othioth d'R. Akiva, that the ends of heaven and earth are sealed with His holy name.) And if He removed His will from them [heaven and earth], they would revert to vacuity and void, as before the creation. From all this we can understand the greatness of the trust that one should put in the Holy One Blessed be He.
גַּם זֶה מֵעֵנְיַן מִדַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן.
This, too, relates to the trait of bitachon.
וּבֶאֱמֶת כַּאֲשֶׁר יִתְבּוֹנֵן הָאָדָם, צָרִיךְ לְהִתְבּוֹשֵׁשׁ וּלְהִכָּלֵם, אֵיךְ לֹא נִבְטַח בַּה'. וְאַקְדִּים מַה שֶּׁבֵּאַרְתִּי הַכָּתוּב (ישעיה כ"ו ד'): "בִּטְחוּ בַה' עֲדֵי עַד כִּי בְּיָהּ ה' צוּר עוֹלָמִים". וּבֵאַרְתִּי דִּלְשׁוֹן "עֲדֵי עַד" בָּא לְהוֹרוֹת לָנוּ, שֶׁאַף בִּזְמַנֵּנוּ שֶׁאָנוּ רוֹאִין קְצַת הֶסְתֵּר פָּנִים וְאֵין הַהַנְהָגָה גְּלוּיָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיְתָה מִקֹּדֶם בִּזְמַן הַבַּיִת, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִמְצְאוּ כַּמָּה כּוֹפְרִים וּמוֹרְדִין בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן יִבְטַח בַּה'.
And, in truth, when a man reflects upon this, he should be ashamed and humiliated. How should we not trust in the L-rd? I shall begin with my explanation of (Isaiah 26:4): "Trust in the L-rd forever; for in Kah, the L-rd, is the Rock of the worlds." I have explained that "forever" comes to teach us that even in our time, when we see some hester panim ("hiding of the Divine Countenance"), when the ordinance [of the L-rd] is not so manifest as it was before, in the time of the Temple, wherefore there are found some heretics and rebels against the Holy One Blessed be He, still, one should "trust in the L-rd."
מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה? לְמֶלֶךְ אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה עַל כַּמָּה מֵאוֹת מְדִינוֹת וְנִהֵג אֶת מַלְכוּתוֹ בְּרֹב עֹז וְהָדָר, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ דַי לְפַרְנֵס לְכָל מְקוֹמוֹת מֶמְשַׁלְתּוֹ לְכָל הַשָּׂרִים וְהַמְמוּנִים שֶׁתַּחְתָּיו בְּרֹב כָּבוֹד וָעֹז, וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִמְצְאוּ אֲנָשִׁים יְחִידִים בְּעִיר אַחַת אֲשֶׁר מְתֵי מְעַט מִסְפָּרָם, שֶׁמָּרְדוּ בְּרָמַת רוּחָם בַּמֶּלֶךְ, וְנִשְׁמַע הַדָּבָר לַמֶּלֶךְ. וּבְעוֹד שֶׁיָּשְׁבוּ כִּסְּאוֹת לַמִּשְׁפָּט לְעַיֵּן בְּעֹנֶשׁ הַמּוֹרְדִים, בְּתוֹךְ כָּךְ הָלַךְ הַמֶּלֶךְ בַּבֹּקֶר לְטַיֵּל בַּכֶּרֶם אֲשֶׁר לוֹ וְשָׁמַע קוֹל עוֹף מְצַפְצֵף בְּקוֹל נָעִים וְגַם טוֹב תֹּאַר מְאֹד. וְצִוָּה לְאֶחָד מֵעֲבָדָיו, שֶׁתֵּכֶף בְּיוֹם זֶה יִקָּחֶנּוּ וִישִׂימֶנּוּ בְּהֵיכָלוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּהָנֶה מִנְּעִימוּת קוֹלוֹ וּמִתָּאֳרוֹ, וְכֵן עָשָׂה. וּבְהוֹלִיכוֹ אֶת הָעוֹף לְהָבִיאוֹ לְהֵיכַל הַמֶּלֶךְ, הִתְחִיל הָעוֹף לְשׁוֹרֵר בְּקוֹל מָתוֹק וְנָעִים, וַיַּעַן אֶחָד מֵהַסְּכָלִים וַיֹּאמַר: עוֹף נָעִים וְנֶחְמָד, כַּמָּה גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּקָתִי לִרְאוֹתְךָ וְלִשְׁמֹעַ אֶת קוֹל שִׁירָתְךָ הַנְּעִימָה, וְכַמָּה גָּדוֹל צַעֲרִי בְּזָכְרִי אֶת רֹב יְגוֹנְךָ אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה לְךָ, כִּי מֵאַיִן יִהְיֶה עַתָּה מְזוֹנְךָ, אַחֲרֵי שֶׁנִּשְׁמַע שֶׁיֵּשׁ מוֹרְדִים עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ? וַיַּעַן עֶבֶד הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵלָיו וַיֹּאמַר: הוֹי סָכָל וּפֶתִי, וְכִי מֶלֶךְ שֶׁהוּא מוֹשֵׁל עַל כַּמָּה מֵאוֹת מְדִינוֹת וְאוֹצָרוֹת רַבּוֹת בְּלִי שִׁעוּר, יִצְטָרֵךְ הָעוֹף, שֶׁנֶּהֱנָה הַמֶּלֶךְ מִתָּאֳרוֹ וְשָׂמֵחַ בְּצִפְצוּף נְעִימוּת קוֹלוֹ, לִדְאֹג עַל אֵיזֶה גַּרְגְּרֵי תְּבוּאָה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְדֵי סִפּוּקוֹ, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנִּמְצֵאת בְּאֵיזוֹ מְדִינָה עִיר קְטַנָּה, שֶׁבָּהּ נִמְצְאוּ שְׁנַיִם, שְׁלֹשָה מוֹרְדִים?
To what may this be compared? To [the instance of] a king, who reigned over several hundreds of provinces and ruled over his kingdom with an abundance of strength and splendor, who had the wherewithal to sustain all the places of his rule and all the princes and appointees under him with an abundance of glory and strength. And afterwards there were found some individuals in one city, very few in number, who, in their haughtiness rebelled against the king. And the matter was reported to the king. And while they were yet deliberating the punishment of the rebels, the king went in the morning to promenade in his garden, where he heard a bird of beautiful form and voice singing and bade one of his attendants to take it immediately on that day and put it in his palace so that he could always enjoy it; and he did so. As he was taking it to the king's palace, it began to sing in a sweet beautiful voice — whereupon one of the fools said: "Beautiful bird, how much I would love to see you [always] and hear your beautiful song, and how great my sorrow when I bring to mind the great sorrow that will befall you. For whence will come your food now that we have heard that there are rebels against the king?" And the king's attendant answered: "You fool, with such a king — who reigns over several hundreds of provinces and numberless treasures — will the bird, whose appearance the king enjoys and whose song he rejoices in, have to worry about the few grains it needs for its sustenance because it is found in the province of a little city where one or two rebels have been found?"
כֵּן הַדָּבָר מַמָּשׁ בְּעִנְיָנֵנוּ בְּקַל וָחֹמֶר אֶלֶף אֲלָפִים, כְּשֶׁנִּתְבּוֹנֵן הֵיטֵב, וְהוּא, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּרָא אֶת הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, שֶׁהוּאֹ עוֹלָם הַגַּשְׁמִי, וְהָעוֹלָם הָעֶלְיוֹן. וְיָדוּעַ שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם הָעֶלְיוֹן נִכְלָלִים עוֹלָמוֹת הַרְבֵּה, כִּמְעַט עַד אֵין שִׁעוּר, אַךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ כְּלָל נֶחֱשָׁבִים בּוֹ ג' עוֹלָמוֹת: אֶחָד, עוֹלַם הַיְצִירָה וְהוּא עוֹלַם הַמַּלְאָכִים, וְעָלָיו עוֹלַם הַבְּרִיאָה, וְעַל כֻּלָּם עוֹלַם הָאֲצִילוּת, שֶׁשָּׁם הוּא אֲצִילוּת קָדְשׁוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל, שֶׁעַל זֶה אָמַר הַכָּתוּב: כָּל הַנִּקְרָא בִשְׁמִי (הוּא עוֹלַם הָאֲצִילוּת) וְלִכְבוֹדִי בְּרָאתִיו (הוּא עוֹלַם הַבְּרִיאָה, שֶׁשָּׁם הוּא כִּסֵּא כְבוֹדוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא) יְצַרְתִּיו (הוּא עוֹלַם הַיְצִירָה, שֶׁשָּׁם הוּא חַיּוֹת הַקֹּדֶשׁ, שֶׁרָאָה יְחֶזְקַאל הַנָּבִיא, וְכָל עוֹלַם הַמַּלְאָכִים) אַף עֲשִׂיתִיו (הוּא עוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְכָל הַגַּלְגַּלִּים). וְיָדוּעַ שֶׁעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְכָל גַּלְגַּלָּיו הוּא כְּאַיִן וְאֶפֶס נֶגֶד עוֹלַם הַיְצִירָה, כִּי יֵשׁ בּוֹ כִּתּוֹת מַלְאָכִים הַרְבֵּה עַד אֵין שִׁעוּר, וּבְכָל כַּת נִמְצָאִים מַלְאָכִים כִּמְעַט אֵין מִסְפָּר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דניאל ז' י'): "אֶלֶף אַלְפִין יְשַׁמְּשׁוּנֵּהּ וֻרִבּוֹ רִבְבָן קָדָמוֹהִי יְקוּמוּן" (אלף אלפים משמשים אותו, ורבי רבבות עומדים לפניו), וְאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל בַּחֲגִיגָה (דף י"ג:), שֶׁכָּל זֶה הוּא בְּכַת אַחַת, וְלַכִּתּוֹת אֵין מִסְפָּר כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (איוב כ"ה ג'): "הֲיֵשׁ מִסְפָּר לִגְדוּדָיו" (וְעַיֵּן שָׁם בַּגְּמָרָא עוֹד תֵּרוּצִים). וְאִיתָא בְּתָנָא דְּבֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ פֶּרֶק ל"א, שֶׁאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת וְתִשְׁעִים וְשִׁשָּׁה אֲלָפִים רִבְבוֹת מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מַקְדִּישִׁין שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא תָּמִיד, מִיצִיאַת הַחַמָּה וְעַד שְׁקִיעָתָהּ אוֹמְרִין: קָדוִֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ וְגוֹ', וּמִשְּׁקִיעַת הַחַמָּה וְעַד יְצִיאָתָהּ אוֹמְרִין: בָּרוּךְ כְּבוֹד וְגוֹ'. וְיָדוּעַ הוּא שֶׁכָּל הַבְּרוּאִים אַף הַגָּבוֹהַּ שֶׁבַּגְּבוֹהִים כֻּלָּם צְרִיכִים לְהַשְׁפָּעָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (נחמיה ט' ו'): "אַתָּה עָשִׂיתָ וְגוֹ' וְאַתָּה מְחַיֶּה אֶת כֻּלָּם". אַךְ אֵין הַשְׁפָּעַת מְזוֹנָם כְּמוֹ שֶׁלָּנוּ, שֶׁהוּא מָזוֹן רוּחָנִי וְדַק, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים ע"ח כ"ה): "לֶחֶם אַבִּירִים אָכַל אִישׁ", וְאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל, (יומא ע"ה:) שֶׁזֶּהוּ לֶחֶם שֶׁמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אוֹכְלִין אוֹתוֹ.
So, upon reflection, is it, exactly, in our case, a fortiori, many thousandfold: The Holy One Blessed be He, has created this world, the material world, and the higher world. And it is known that in the higher world many worlds are contained, almost without limit. But, as a whole, they are considered three worlds: the world of formation [olam hayetzirah], the world of the angels; above it, the world of creation [olam habriah]; and, above all, the world of Splendor [olam ha'atziluth], where the splendor of the Blessed One's holiness is found. As Chazal have said: "About this, Scripture states (Isaiah 43:7): 'All that is called by My Name [olam ha'atziluth] and which I have created for My glory [olam habriah, where the Throne of Glory is found] — I have formed it [olam hayetzirah, where are found the holy creatures (chayyoth hakodesh) seen by the prophet Yechezkel, and all the world of the angels] — I have also fashioned it [this world and all of the spheres].'" And it is known that this world and all of its spheres are as nothing compared to olam hayetzirah, for there [in the olam hayetzirah] are found classes of angels without limit. And in each class are found angels almost without number, as it is written in Daniel 7:10: "A thousand thousands serve Him. Ten thousand ten thousands stand before Him," about which Chazal have said (Chagigah 13b): "All this, in one class, and the classes are infinite, as it is written (Iyyov 25:3): 'Is there a number to His troops?'" And we find in Tanna d'bei Eliyahu 31 that 496,000 ten thousands of ministering angels sanctify the name of the Holy One Blessed be He always. From the rising of the sun until its setting, they say: "Holy, Holy, etc." And from its setting until its rising: "Blessed is the glory, etc." And it is known that all of the creations, even the highest of the highest, all require the Divine effluence, as it is written (Nechemiah 9:6): "You have made the heavens, the heavens of the heavens, and all their hosts, and You vivify all of them." But the effluence of their sustenance is not like ours. For it is rarefied, spiritual sustenance. As it is written (Psalms 78:25): "The food of the mighty did a man eat," concerning which Chazal have said: "This is the 'bread' [i.e., the Divine effluence] that the ministering angels 'feed' upon."
וְהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ שֶׁמְּנִיעַת הַכָּבוֹד מֵהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁנִּמְצְאוּ אֵיזֶה שׁוֹטִים שֶׁכָּפְרוּ בּוֹ אוֹ שֶׁמָּרְדוּ בּוֹ וְאָמְרוּ: מַה בֶּצַע כִּי שָׁמַרְנוּ מִשְׁמַרְתּוֹ, הוּא רַק בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם הַתַּחְתּוֹן הַגַּשְׁמִי, אֲשֶׁר עֵינֵי בָּשָׂר לָהֶם, כִּי לְמַעְלָה, בָּעוֹלָם הָעֶלְיוֹן, כָּל הַמַּלְאָכִים מַכְתִּירִין אֶת שְׁמוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ וּמַכִּירִין אֶת כְּבוֹדוֹ, אֵיךְ שֶׁהוּא מְחַיֶּה אוֹתָם וּמַנְהִיגָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (נחמיה שם): "וּצְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם לְךָ מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים", וְנֶאֱמַר (מלכים א' כ"ב י"ט): "רָאִיתִי אֶת ה' יֹשֵב עַל כִּסְאוֹ וְכָל צְבָא הַשָׁמַיִם עֹמֵד עָלָיו מִימִינוֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ", (ישעיה ו' ב') "שְׂרָפִים עֹמְדִים מִמַּעַל לוֹ וְגוֹ', (שם ג') וְקָרָא זֶה אֶל זֶה וְאָמַר" וְגוֹ', וַעֲבוּר זֶה נִקְרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּשֵׁם "צְבָאוֹת", וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֻרְסָם בְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה. וְכַאֲשֶׁר נִתְבּוֹנֵן הֵיטֵב נִרְאֶה בֶּאֱמֶת, כִּי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הוּא אֵינֶנּוּ אֲפִלּוּ כְּגַרְגִּיר חַרְדָּל נֶגֶד הָעוֹלָמוֹת עֶלְיוֹנִים כֻּלָּם, (כִּי עוֹלָמוֹת הַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ לְמַעְלָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בְּפֶרֶק קַמָּא, (ג:) שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שָׁט בְּכָל יוֹם בִּשְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר אֶלֶף עוֹלָמוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ, וּבִפְרָט לְפִי הַמְבֹאָר בַּזֹּהַר הַקָדוֹשׁ בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת). וְאֵין נֶחֱשֶׁבֶת, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, מְרִידָתָם לִמְאוּמָה. וּבְתוֹךְ עוֹלָם הַזֶּה מָצָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁחֲבִיבִים לוֹ בְּיוֹתֵר, עַד שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ לוֹ בְּשֵׁם בָּנִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (דברים י"ד א'): "בָּנִים אַתֶּם" וְגוֹ', וַעֲרֵבִים עָלָיו בְּקוֹלָם כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (שיר השירים ב' י"ד): "הַשְׁמִיעִינִי אֶת קוֹלֵךְ". וְאֵיךְ לֹא נֵבוֹשׁ בְּעַצְמֵנוּ, אִם לֹא נִבְטַח, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, בִּשְׁמוֹ שֶׁהוּא מְחַיֶּה אֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת, וְכָל הַמַּלְאָכִים שֶׁנִּמְצָאִים רִבֵּי רְבָבוֹת בְּכָל כַּת וְכַת. וְלֹא ירד, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אַף מַלְאָךְ אֶחָד מִמַּלְאֲכֵי מַעְלָה מֵעֵת בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הָעוֹלָמוֹת כֻּלָּם, לְהוֹדִיעַ שֶׁחָסֵר לוֹ מְעַט הַשְׁפָּעָה, וְיָדוּעַ שֶׁיֵּשׁ מַלְאָכִים שֶׁמִּדָּתָם כַּמָּה אַלְפֵי פַּרְסָאוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל בְּחֻלִּין (צ"א:), שֶׁגַּבְרִיאֵל מִדָּתוֹ ב' אֲלָפִים פַּרְסָאוֹת מִמַּה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בְּדָנִיֵּאל, כְּשֶׁרָאָה אֶת הַמַּלְאָךְ וּגְוִיָּתוֹ כְּתַרְשִׁישׁ וְיַם תַּרְשִׁישׁ מִדָּתוֹ ב' אֲלָפִים פַּרְסָאוֹת. וְיֵשׁ מַלְאָכִים שֶׁגְּבוֹהִים הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל: אָמְרוּ עָלָיו עַל סַנְדַּלְפוֹן שֶׁהוּא גָּבוֹהַ ת"ק שָׁנָה יוֹתֵר מֵחֲבֵרָיו וְכוּ' (וּמַהֲלַךְ אָדָם בֵּינוֹנִי י' פַּרְסָאוֹת בְּיוֹם וְצֵא וַחֲֹשׂב). וְהָאָדָם הַקָּטָן הַזֶּה, אֲשֶׁר אַף כְּגַרְגִּיר חַרְדָּל לֹא נֶחְשָׁב לְמוּלָם, אֵיךְ יִהְיֶה מֵצֵר וְדוֹאֵג תָּמִיד: מֵאַיִן תִּהְיֶה פַּרְנָסָתִי וּמֵאַיִן יָבוֹא עֶזְרִי? וּכְשֶׁנִּתְבּוֹנֵן הֵיטֵב בְּעִנְיָן זֶה נִצְטָרֵךְ לִתְמֹהַ עַל נַפְשׁוֹתֵינוּ הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר בְּעִנְיָן זֶה, מִמַּה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִתְמֹהַ עַל שְׁאֵלַת הַסָּכָל בְּעִנְיַן הָעוֹף הַנַּ"ל. וְאֵין לָנוּ רַק לְהִתְחַזֵּק בְּכָל עֹז וְלַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנוֹ וְלֹא לִדְאֹג כְּלָל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִצְטָרֵךְ בֶּן הַמֶּלֶךְ לִדְאֹג, אוּלַי יֶחְסַר לוֹ כִּכַּר לֶחֶם כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים י"ד א'): "בָּנִים אַתֶּם" וְגוֹ'.
And it is known that the withholding of honor from the Holy One Blessed be He because of the fools who have denied Him or rebelled against Him and said: "What profit [is ours] that we have kept His keeping [i.e., His mitzvoth]?" — such dishonor obtains only in this terrestrial, material world, where "eyes" are those of flesh. But in the higher world, all the angels crown the Blessed One's name and proclaim His glory — how He vivifies and leads them. As Scripture states (Nechemiah, Ibid.): "And the host of the heavens bow down to You." And (I Kings 22:14): "I saw the L-rd sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing before Him, on His right and on His left." (Isaiah 6:2-3): "Seraphs were standing above Him … and one called to the other and said: 'Holy, Holy, Holy is the L-rd of hosts [tzevaoth],'" for which reason the Holy One Blessed be He is called "Tzevakoth," as we find throughout the Torah. And when we reflect well, we see in truth that this world is not even like a mustard seed compared to all of the higher worlds. (For there are many worlds on high, as Chazal have said (Avodah Zarah 3b) that every day the Holy One Blessed be He soars through all His eighteen thousand worlds, and, especially, in respect to what is explained in the holy Zohar in many places.) So that their "rebellion," G-d forbid, is considered naught. And in this world, the Holy One Blessed be He found His people Israel, who are especially beloved by Him — so much so, that they are called "sons" unto Him, viz. (Devarim 14:1): "You are sons, etc." And their voice is sweet to Him, viz. Song of Songs 2:14: "Let Me hear your voice." How, then, can we not be ashamed of ourselves if we do not trust, G-d forbid, in His name, which vivifies all of the worlds? And of all the angels, of whom there are found tens of thousands of them in each class, not one of the celestial angels, from the time the Holy One Blessed be He created all of the worlds, has descended, G-d forbid, to apprise us that he is lacking some of the Divine effluence. And it is known that there are angels whose size is several thousand parasangs, as Chazal have said in Chullin 91b, that the size of Gavriel was two thousand parasangs, this being deduced from what is written in Daniel (10:6) when he [Daniel] saw the angel, viz. "And his body was like [the Sea of] Tarshish," (which is two thousand parasangs.) And there are angels who are much taller, as stated in Chazal (Chagigah 13b) about Sandalfon that he was five hundred years "walking distance" taller than his fellows [(The walking distance of an average man is ten parasangs a day.)] And this little man [in this world], who is not even [the size of] a mustard seed compared to them — how can he constantly fret and worry: "Whence will come my livelihood and whence will come my help!" When we reflect upon this well, we should be astonished much more about ourselves in this than we are astonished at the fool in connection with the bird! There is nothing left for us to do but to gird ourselves with strength and do His will without worrying at all, just as the King's son need not worry that he will be left without a loaf of bread, as it is written (Devarim 14:1): "You are sons to the L-rd your G-d."
וְכָל דְּבָרֵינוּ נִכְלָלִים בַּכָּתוּב בִּקְצָרָה, כִּי זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר (ישעיה כ"ו ד'): "בִּטְחוּ בַה' עֲדֵי עַד", פֵּרוּשׁ: אַף בְּעֵת שֶׁיְּרוּשָׁלַיִם חֲרֵבָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל בַּגּוֹלָה וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִמְצְאוּ הַרְבֵּה מוֹרְדִים בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן בְּטַח בּוֹ, וְהוּא יַעֲזֹר לְךָ, כִּי עֲדַיִן הַיְכֹלֶת בְּיָדוֹ כְּמִקֹּדֶם, וּבְוַדַּאי לֹא סִלֵּק גַּם כֵּן, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, לְגַמְרֵי אֶת רְצוֹנוֹ מִן הָעוֹלָם, דְאִם לֹא כֵן הָיְתָה בְּטֵלָה הַבְּרִיאָה לְגַמְרֵי, כַּיָּדוּעַ שֶׁבְּכָל עֵת וְעֵת הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְחַיֶּה אֶת הַבְּרִיאָה כֻּלָּהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁסִּדְּרוּ לָנוּ בְּבִרְכַּת יוֹצֵר: "הַמְחַדֵּשׁ בְּטוּבוֹ בְּכָל יוֹם תָּמִיד מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית", וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (נחמיה ט' ו'): "וְאַתָּה מְחַיֶּה אֶת כֻּלָּם" וְלֹא כְּתִיב הֶחְיֵיתָ, (וכמו שכתוב בזוהר). וְזֶהוּ שֶׁמְּסַיֵּם הַכָּתוּב (יְשַׁעְיָה כ"ו ד'): "כִּי בְּיָהּ ה' צוּר עוֹלָמִים", וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל, שֶׁהַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּרָא אֶת הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בְּאוֹת ה' מִשְּׁמוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְעוֹלָם הַבָּא בְּאוֹת יוֹ"ד, וְצוּר הוּא לְשׁוֹן חֹזֶק, פֵּרוּשׁ: שְׁמוֹ יָהּ יִתְבָּרַךְ הוּא עַד הַיּוֹם חָזְקָן שֶׁל הָעוֹלָמִים. וּכְמוֹ דְּאִיתָא בָּאוֹתִיּוֹת דְּר' עֲקַיבָא, שֶׁקְּצוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ חֲתוּמִים בִּשְׁמוֹתָיו הַקְּדוֹשִׁים, עַיֵּן שָׁם. וְאִלּוּ הָיָה מֵסִיר אֶת רְצוֹנוֹ מֵהֶם, הָיוּ חוֹזְרִים לְתֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ כְּקֹדֶם הַבְּרִיאָה. מִכָּל זֶה נוּכַל לְהָבִין אֶת גֹּדֶל הַבִּטָּחוֹן, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לָאָדָם לִבְטֹחַ בַּקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא.
And all of our words are included in the [aforementioned] verse, in short, viz. (Isaiah 26:4): "Trust in the L-rd forever" — even when Jerusalem is in ruins and Israel is in exile, wherefore there are many rebels against the Holy One Blessed be He — even so, trust in the L-rd and He will help you. For the ability is still in His hand as before, and He certainly did also not remove His will completely from the world. For if not so, the creation would have been entirely annulled. For it is known that the Holy One Blessed be He vivifies the whole creation, as they have formulated for us in the blessing of Yetzer ["Yotzer hameoroth"]: "Who renews in His goodness, every day, always, the act of creation." And, as it is written (Nechemiah 9:6): "and You give life to all of them [the heavens, etc.]." It is not written "You gave life" (as stated in the Zohar.) And this is the intent of the ending of the verse (Isaiah, Ibid.): "For in Kah, the L-rd, is the Rock of the worlds." As Chazal have stated (Menachoth 29b), that the Holy One Blessed be He created this world with the letter "heh" from His name; and the world to come, with the letter "yod." And "Rock" [tzur] signifies strength. That is, His name, "Kah" [yod-heh] is, up to this day, the strength of the world. (As we find in Othioth d'R. Akiva, that the ends of heaven and earth are sealed with His holy name.) And if He removed His will from them [heaven and earth], they would revert to vacuity and void, as before the creation. From all this we can understand the greatness of the trust that one should put in the Holy One Blessed be He.