Now, each person must say: “The entire world was created only for my sake” (Sanhedrin 37a). Consequently, because the world was created for my sake, I must constantly look into and consider ways of making the world better; to provide what is missing in the world and pray on its behalf.
{“The verdict is decreed by the destroying angels, and the request is through the maamar of the holy ones” (Daniel 4:14).} And in the matter of prayer, there are two approaches. Before the decree has been issued we follow the regular order of prayer and there is no need to veil the prayers. But after the decree has been issued our prayers have to be disguised <within stories>, so that the <accusing angels> standing to the left do not understand and protest. As is written, “The verdict is decreed by the destroying angels”—i.e., when it is after the decree has been issued—then, “the request is through the maamar of the holy ones”—then the tzaddikim disguise their requests in a maamar.
2. But how do we know whether it is before the decree has been issued or after the decree has been issued? We can determine whether it is before the decree or after the decree by means of the mitzvot we perform.
And this is specifically when a person performs the mitzvot with such great joy, that he has no desire for any reward in the World to Come. Instead, his only desire is that the Holy One provide him with the opportunity to do another mitzvah as a reward for the first mitzvah. As in the saying of the Sages: The reward for a mitzvah is a mitzvah (Avot 4:2) —for he derives pleasure from the mitzvah itself.
This is the difference between the prophecy of Moshe Rabbeinu and the prophecy of the other prophets. It is similar to Rashi’s commentary to, “Moshe spoke to the tribal heads of the Children of Israel, saying, ‘Zeh hadavar (This is the word) God has commanded’” (Numbers 30:2). Rashi explains: All the prophets prophesied with “Koh (Thus) says God.” Moshe achieved even more than they in that he prophesied with “Zeh hadavar.” For koh corresponds to a dull looking-glass, whereas zeh hadavar corresponds to a clear looking-glass.
These two aspects of prophecy are also found in our service of the Creator. There is the person who does the mitzvah for the reward of the World to Come—he has no enjoyment from the mitzvah itself. If he were not given the World to Come as a reward, he would not do it. This corresponds to koh, a dull looking-glass. Just like the person who sees something from a distance, so, too, he performs the mitzvah for the reward it will bring at a distant time, after this world. {“He who goes weeping on his way carrying a seed-bag, yavo verina nosay alumotav (will come back with songs of joy, carrying his sheaves)” (Psalms 126:6).}
The payment of reward is also alluded to in the verse itself. <As Rashi explains:> “He who goes weeping on his way carrying a seed-bag”—he is pained by the [mitzvah’s] performance. “He will come back with songs of joy, carrying his sheaves”—he will rejoice in the Future, when he will receive reward for the mitzvot.
But the prophet who prophesies with zeh hadavar does not desire the reward of the mitzvot. Rather, he desires the mitzvah itself. He rejoices so much in its performance that he rejects any kind of reward. We see, then, that his World to Come is in the mitzvah itself.
This is therefore the concept of NAVY —i.e., the payment of reward—corresponding to zeh hadavar, a clear looking-glass. Just like the person who sees something from up close, with a splendidly clear view, so, too, he enjoys the mitzvah itself and his reward is right before his eyes.
And it is the person who is on this level—who performs the mitzvah with such great joy that he has no desire for any reward of the World to Come in return—who is able to differentiate between before the decree has been issued and after the decree has been issued.
This is because the mitzvot form a complete construct. And they give life to all other constructs; whether it be the construct of Man, or the construct of World, or the construct of Year. For World-Year-Soul receive vitality from the mitzvot, as in (Psalms 33:4), “All His work is done with faith,” and also (ibid. 119:86), “All Your mitzvot are faith.” Thus, the Holy One is in simple unity with the mitzvot.
Therefore, when the Holy One’s works are as they should be and in proper order, the Holy One is happy with them and delights in them, as is written (Psalms 104:31), “God rejoices in His works.” Like a craftsman who makes some vessel. If the vessel is beautiful, then he delights in it. And the joy of the Holy One is clothed in the mitzvot, because they are His unity.
Now, when the person who performs the mitzvah with a joy derived from the mitzvah itself enters into the joy of the mitzvah, he enters into the joy of the Holy One, who rejoices in His works. This corresponds to “Israel rejoices in its Maker” (Psalms 149:2).
We find, therefore, that if there is any misfortune or harsh decree affecting World-Year-Soul, then certainly the joy of the Holy One is lessened, as in (Genesis 6:6), “He grieved in His heart.” As <the Sages taught: When a person sins,> what does the Shekhinah say? “My head is heavy! My arms are heavy!” (Sanhedrin 46a).
Thus, this person who has entered into the joy [of the mitzvah] will certainly know, by the state of the joy, whether it is before the decree has been issued or after the decree has been issued. He can also discern the part of the structure against which the judgment has been decreed. He knows this based on the structure of the mitzvot. If he cannot joyfully perform the “head” of the mitzvot—i.e., those mitzvot that relate to the head—he will know that a judgment has been decreed against the “heads” of World-Year-Soul. And it is likewise for the rest of the structure of the mitzvot.
This is the meaning of what the Sages said concerning Shabbat: Remember it from the first day of the week (Mekhilta, Yitro 7; Beitza 16a). The joy and pleasure of the World to Come, which is an aspect of Shabbat, should be experienced during the six days of work. [These six weekdays] correspond to the performance of the mitzvot, because World-Year-Soul were created on them.
{“You must pay him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets” (Deuteronomy 24:15).} This is, “You must pay him his wages on the same day”—the person’s reward will come from the mitzvot themselves. “Before the sun sets”—because he does not perform the mitzvot for the reward of the World to Come, which is after his “sun sets,” after his death.
3. Now, the essence of joy is found in the heart, as is written (Psalms 4:8), “You have put joy in my heart.” But it is impossible for the heart to rejoice unless a person removes the crookedness in his heart, so that he might have a straight heart. Then he will merit <true> joy, as is written (ibid. 97:11), “and joy for the straight of heart.”
And the heart’s crookedness is made straight by means of thunder. As our Sages taught: Thunder was only created to straighten the crookedness of the heart (Berakhot 59a). Thunder corresponds to the voice a person releases <with great force> while praying. From this [voice], thunder is generated.
As stated in the Zohar (III, 235b): When the voice is released and encounters the rain clouds, the voice is transmitted to the creation—and this is thunder. For thunder is essentially from gevurot (severities), as is written (Job 26:14), “Who can understand the thunder of His gevurot (strength)?”
This is the why [when hearing thunder] we recite the blessing “… for His might and gevurah fill the universe.” These gevurot are an aspect of might and strength. A person releases the voice with great force, and this voice strikes the rain clouds—i.e., the aspect of <upper> mentalities from where drop after drop descends. As is brought in the Zohar (III, 235b): “a well of fresh water, and drops from LeBaNon” (Song of Songs 4:15) —from the LiBuNa (whiteness) of the mind.
And when [this voice] strikes the rain clouds, then “the voice is transmitted to the creation”—i.e., the aspect of thunder. This is the meaning of “The sound of Your thunder was in the sphere” (Psalms 77:19) —i.e., in the sphere of the mind. For when it encounters the skull, the voice is converted into thunder and is transmitted to the creation. {“My mouth will speak wisdom and the meditation of my heart will be understanding” (Psalms 49:4).}
This <corresponds to> “My mouth will speak wisdom….” The speech that leaves my mouth strikes wisdom—i.e., the sphere of the mind. As a result, “the meditation of my heart will be understanding”—i.e., <the heart> will be stirred by the thunder. <This is because> the voice stimulates kavanah (Berakhot 24b).
This is what our Sages taught: When a person has fear of Heaven, his words are heard (Berakhot 6b). For when someone possesses fear of Heaven, his voice is converted into thunder. This is because thunder is from the side of Yitzchak, as in, “the thunder of His gevurot .” This causes his words to be heard—i.e., “the voice is transmitted to the creation.” For hearing is linked to [the fear of Heaven], as is written (Habakkuk 3:2), “O God, I heard of Your message; I feared” (Zohar III, 230a).
And this is the explanation of “geborei koach (mighty ones) who do His bidding, hearkening to the sound of His word” (Psalms 103:20). [As] the Zohar (I, 90a) states: “They merit hearing voices from Above.” In other words, by means of the gevurot, thunder is generated. This causes the heart to hear—i.e., “the meditation of my heart will be understanding”—as is written (1 Kings 3:9), “Give Your servant a hearing heart [to judge Your people].” And then his words are “transmitted to the creation”; this being “hearkening to the sound of His word.”
This also corresponds to the sound of the shofar—i.e., the shofar-horn of the ram, the ram of Yitzchak (Zohar III, 235b) —which is an aspect of “the thunder of His gevurot .”
This, then, is the meaning of (Psalms 89:16), “Happy is the nation who knows the shofar’s blast.” Specifically “knows,” because the voice hits the mind—corresponding to rain clouds—and is converted into the aspect of thunder. And whoever hears the shofar blown by a man who is God-fearing and pious, will certainly have no fear of thunder the entire year. As it is written: “With sounds [of thunder] and lightning You revealed Yourself to them, and with the shofar-sound You appeared to them.” You appeared to them through the sound of the shofar, [protecting them] from thunder and lightning.
4. But it is [first] necessary to clear the mentalities of secular wisdom and undesirable thoughts—of chametz. A person must not sour his wisdom with secular wisdom or <evil> passions, so that the voice emerges <pure and clean.> It will then strike the <upper mentalities> and be converted into thunder. But when the sphere of the mind is clogged with impurity—as in (Leviticus 11:43), “… because nitmeitem (you will be made unclean) by them”—then his voice is not heard.
He must also safeguard his fear of Heaven—from which the voice emerges, as in, “the thunder of His gevurot”—so that he has no extrinsic fears <but only a fear of the Holy One>. This is: Where there is no wisdom, there is no fear of Heaven; where there is no fear of Heaven, there is no wisdom (Avot 3:21).
And <this corresponds to that which our Sages taught: When King Shlomo married Pharaoh’s daughter,> the angel GaVRiel descended and plunged a reed into the sea (Shabbat 56b; Sanhedrin 21b). The explanation is: From the devolution of the GeVuRot —<which correspond to gold dross,> extrinsic fears—he “plunged a reed into the sea” of wisdom. A kaneh (reed) is the aspect of the voice released from the kaneh (windpipe). Thus, <because of the secular wisdom and> extrinsic fears, the voice remains plunged in the mire of the intellect and will not be transmitted to the creation.
But the most important thing is that a person safeguard his mind from becoming chametz. This is (Psalms 68:31), “Rebuke ChayaT (the beast of) the reed.” As the Zohar (III, 252a) states: Break the reed of the CheT and make it a heh, thus transforming the letters ChaMeTZ into MaTZaH. Your wisdom will then not turn sour.
This is the connotation of “rebuke,” which conveys conflict. For the word MaTZah also implies conflict: the tzaddikim engage in MaTZuta (battle) with the Other Side in order to keep it from approaching the dwelling place of holiness (Zohar III, 251b).
That is, when you protect your wisdom so that secular wisdom does not penetrate it, <and> you do not entertain evil thoughts—which is the KaNeH (reed) of the Other Side, in contrast to <the KaNeH (windpipe) of holiness, i.e.,> “K’NeH wisdom, K’NeH understanding” of holiness—you will be saved from the aspect of chametz, which is the side of death. As is stated (Zohar, ibid.): MaChMeTZeT —it contains < ChaMeTZ and MeT>. And believe that all strife and conflict between those tzaddikim who have reached perfection is only to dispel the Other Side.
This is the meaning of (Proverbs 15:31), “He whose ear hears the reproof of life talin (lodges) among the wise.” < TaLiN> is similar to TeLuNah (complaint) and conflict. When you hear the tzaddikim arguing, know that this is to let you hear reproof for having blemished the drops of your mind. Concerning this it is said (Proverbs 2:19), “None that go to her return, nor do they regain the paths of life.” You have become attached to the side of death, the aspect of chametz, of “Gavriel descended.” Know also that “a reed has been plunged”—extrinsic wisdom has been plunged—into your sea of wisdom.
And, certainly, if your mind had not been blemished, you would not have been given to hear the conflicts among the tzaddikim. This conflict is only for your sake, in order that you return from death to life, from chametz to matzah, from chet to heh ; and so that you repent from unwholesome fear <to fear of His exaltedness>, from a marred voice <to a flawless voice>, from blemished wisdom <to complete and true wisdom>.
But when you guard your mind from the aspect of chametz, so that it does not become clogged, then your voice will strike your skull and be converted into thunder, and the heart’s crookedness will be made straight. Then, you will merit joy, as in, “and joy for the straight of heart.” This is the meaning of (Psalms 81:8), “When you called in secret, I answered you thunderously; I tested you at the Waters of Conflict, Selah .” The Waters of Conflict are an aspect of matzah, of mentalities, through which thunder is generated.
5. Know as well that a person must couple the gevurot (severities) with chasadim (benevolences), left with right, as is written (Psalms 20:7), “with the saving gevurot (strength) of His right arm.” For the main revelation comes about <through the right,> by means of chasadim, as is written (ibid. 110:1), “Sit at My right hand [while I make your enemies your footstool].”
It is likewise necessary to couple love with fear of Heaven, in order to generate thunder. This [love] is from the right side, from “a mind as white as silver” (Tikkuney Zohar #70).
This is <the meaning of “When it turned morning, the sea returned to its might”> (Exodus 14:27). “The sea” alludes to the sea of wisdom; “when it turned morning”—this is the morning of Avraham (Zohar II, 170b), corresponding to “Avraham My beloved” (Isaiah 41:8) ; “to its might”—this is gevurot, corresponding to “The sound of Your thunder was in the sphere.”
And this is (Song of Songs 8:7), “Many waters cannot extinguish the love.” For the ability to conquer is mainly by means of love, as in, “Sit at My right….”
And this is the explanation of (Psalms 29:3), “the El (God) of Glory thunders.” “El” is chesed (lovingkindness); “glory” is wisdom, as is written (Proverbs 3:35), “The wise will inherit glory”; “thunders” alludes to the thunder. In other words, the gevurot, an aspect of thunder, must be coupled with love, so that they will strike the glory, the aspect of wisdom, and be converted into thunder. Then, you will conquer your enemies, as in, “Sit at My right hand while I make your enemies your footstool.”
Rabbah bar bar Chanah recounted: One time we were traveling on a sephinta (ship) . To sail between a fish ’s two shitza (fins) took the ship three days and three nights, [even though] it was swimming upwind and we were sailing downwind. And lest you think the ship was not sailing quickly, when Rav Dimi came, he said, “In the time it takes to heat a kettle of water, it went sixty parsay (parasangs) . And a parsha (rider) shot an arrow, yet [the ship] preceded it.” Rav Ashi said, “This [fish] was a sea gyldena, which has two fins” (Bava Batra 73b).
sephinta — This connotes importance. It corresponds to gevurah /fear, as is written (Isaiah 33:6), “The fear of God is His treasure.” For [the fear of Heaven] is what is most important.
ShiTZa — This connotes misfortune, as is written (Numbers 16:21), “[Separate yourselves from this congregation,] and I will destroy them in an instant.” The Aramaic translation [of “and I will destroy them”] is v’aShayTZay yas’hone.
three days and three nights — This corresponds to the mitzvot, which are [divided into three categories]: the rational, the tradition-based, and the statutes. Concerning them it is written (Joshua 1:8), “You shall study [Torah] day and night.”
And a parsha shot an arrow —PaRSha is the aspect of chesed (lovingkindness). It refers to someone who brings to light that which is hidden, someone who mePhaReSh (explains) those matters which are obscure.
an arrow — As in, “Shoot Your arrows and panic them” (Psalms 144:6). This corresponds to “Sit at My right hand while I make your enemies your footstool.”
the ship preceded it — This is the aspect of fear, which “precedes.” For fear of Heaven precedes all else, as is written (Psalms 111:10), “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of God.”
Rabbah bar bar Chanah recounted that he had delved so deeply into the attribute of the fear of Heaven, and had seen the great power of this fear, that he was now able to use it to discern between before the decree has been issued and after the decree has been issued—i.e., between two shitza .
He then explains how he could discern: by means of the mitzvot, which are the aspect of three days …, it is possible to discern. And this is only when one performs [the mitzvot] with joy; for through the joy of the mitzvot it is possible to discern. This is because the Holy One rejoices in His works and this joy is clothed in the mitzvot, as explained. And we below also rejoice in the Holy One, as in, “Israel rejoices in its Maker.” We desire no reward, even the reward of the World to Come. This is, It was swimming upwind and we were sailing downwind —our joy <below> is in accordance with His joy <Above>. In this way we can discern [whether it is before or after the decree has been issued].
[Rabbah bar bar Chanah] then explains how to achieve this joy: by means of the aspect of thunder. This is, when Rav Dimi came, he said: In the time it takes to heat a kettle of water it went sixty parsay —i.e., corresponding to “The sound of Your thunder was in the sphere,” <and to “The voice stimulates kavanah”>. Sixty is an allusion to gevurot, which strike the skull and are converted into thunder. And then “the voice is transmitted”—this corresponds to “The voice stimulates kavanah,” and to “Thunder was only created [to straighten the crookedness of the heart].”
He then said that, in essence, the conquering-ability of the gevurot is only due to chasadim. Thus, it is necessary to encompass the left within the right, as explained. But even so, a person must put the fear of Heaven first, because “the owner of a lost object searches after what he has lost.”
{As the Sages taught: It is the way of the man to search after the woman. This is analogous to a person who has lost something. Who searches after whom? Certainly, the owner of the object searches after what he has lost (Kiddushin 2b). The explanation of this is: Man is the aspect of love, whereas woman is the aspect of fear, as is known. It is therefore necessary to put the fear of Heaven first, as, then, love will automatically follow. For the love [of God] constantly goes out and searches after the fear of Heaven, just as the owner of the object searches after what he has lost.} This is, And a rider shot an arrow….
Rav Ashi said, This [fish] was a sea gyldena. Gyldena alludes to the Holy Name AGLA, which is an aspect of gevurot in that it is an acronym for “Atah Gebor L’olam Adonoy (You are mighty forever, O Lord!)” (Amidah Prayer), as is brought (Zohar Chadash, Terumah). GYLDeNA is made up entirely of the letters AGL and the Holy Name ADoNoY —i.e., the Holy Name AGLA. <And this is what is alluded to by two fins .>
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וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ:
7. This is the explanation [of the opening verse]: {“With trumpets and the sound of the shofar shout out before God, the King. Let the sea thunder and all within it, the tevel (world) and all its inhabitants. Let the rivers clap their hands, the mountains y’ranainu (sing joyously) together. At the presence of God, for He is coming to judge the earth” (Psalms 98:6-9).}
TeVeL is made up of the letters Tav LeV. TaV connotes a mark, as is written (Ezekiel 9:4), “and hitvita TaV (inscribe a mark).” The voice is imprinted on the heart, as in, “Thunder was only created to straighten [the crookedness of the LeV].” And because of this:
mountains — This alludes to tzaddikim. By means of the heart’s joy they are able to pray, and once they realize that the judgment has already been decreed, they disguise their prayer in a maamar. This is the explanation of < mountains> together —[the tzaddikim] disguise their prayers together with stories.
לְשׁוֹן רַבֵּנוּ זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה בַּחֲצֹצְרוֹת וְקוֹל שׁוֹפָר הָרִיעוּ לִפְנֵי וְכוּ': (תהילים צ״ח:ו׳)
“B’chatzotzrot (With trumpets) and the sound of the shofar shout out before God, the King.” (Psalms 98:6)
א כִּי צָרִיךְ כָּל אָדָם לוֹמַר: כָּל הָעוֹלָם לֹא נִבְרָא אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִילִי (סנהדרין לז). נִמְצָא, כְּשֶׁהָעוֹלָם נִבְרָא בִּשְׁבִילִי, צָרִיךְ אֲנִי לִרְאוֹת וּלְעַיֵּן בְּכָל עֵת בְּתִקּוּן הָעוֹלָם, וּלְמַלְּאוֹת חֶסְרוֹן הָעוֹלָם, וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעֲבוּרָם.
Now, each person must say: “The entire world was created only for my sake” (Sanhedrin 37a). Consequently, because the world was created for my sake, I must constantly look into and consider ways of making the world better; to provide what is missing in the world and pray on its behalf.
וְעִנְיַן הַתְּפִלָּה הֵן בִּשְׁנֵי פָּנִים, הַיְנוּ קֹדֶם גְּזַר דִּין מִתְפַּלְּלִין כְּסֵדֶר הַתְּפִלָּה, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לְהַלְבִּישׁ הַתְּפִלָּה, אֲבָל לְאַחַר גְּזַר דִּין צָרִיךְ לְהַלְבִּישׁ הַתְּפִלָּה, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יָבִינוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים הָעוֹמְדִים לִשְׂמֹאל, וְלֹא יְקַטְרְגוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דניאל ד׳:י״ד): בִּגְזֵרַת עִירִין פִּתְגָּמִין, הַיְנוּ לְאַחַר גְּזַר דִּין, אֲזַי: בְּמֵאמַר קַדִּישִׁין שְׁאֵלְתִּין, אֲזַי הַצַּדִּיקִים מַלְבִּישִׁים שְׁאֵלָתָם בְּמַאֲמָר:
{“The verdict is decreed by the destroying angels, and the request is through the maamar of the holy ones” (Daniel 4:14).} And in the matter of prayer, there are two approaches. Before the decree has been issued we follow the regular order of prayer and there is no need to veil the prayers. But after the decree has been issued our prayers have to be disguised <within stories>, so that the <accusing angels> standing to the left do not understand and protest. As is written, “The verdict is decreed by the destroying angels”—i.e., when it is after the decree has been issued—then, “the request is through the maamar of the holy ones”—then the tzaddikim disguise their requests in a maamar.
ב אֲבָל אֵיךְ יַדְעִינָן בֵּין קֹדֶם גְּזַר דִּין בֵּין לְאַחַר גְּזַר דִּין, עַל־יְדֵי הַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁאָנוּ עוֹשִׂים, יְכוֹלִין אֲנַחְנוּ לֵידַע בֵּין קֹדֶם גְּזַר דִּין לְאַחַר גְּזַר דִּין.
2. But how do we know whether it is before the decree has been issued or after the decree has been issued? We can determine whether it is before the decree or after the decree by means of the mitzvot we perform.
וְדַוְקָא כְּשֶׁעוֹשִׂין הַמִּצְווֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה כָּל כָּךְ, עַד שֶׁאֵין רוֹצֶה בְּשׁוּם שְׂכַר עוֹלָם הַבָּא, אֶלָּא הוּא רוֹצֶה שֶׁיַּזְמִין לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא מִצְוָה אַחֶרֶת בִּשְׂכַר מִצְוָה זֹאת, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (אבות ד): שְׂכַר מִצְוָה – מִצְוָה; כִּי הוּא נֶהֱנֶה מֵהַמִּצְוָה בְּעַצְמָהּ.
And this is specifically when a person performs the mitzvot with such great joy, that he has no desire for any reward in the World to Come. Instead, his only desire is that the Holy One provide him with the opportunity to do another mitzvah as a reward for the first mitzvah. As in the saying of the Sages: The reward for a mitzvah is a mitzvah (Avot 4:2) —for he derives pleasure from the mitzvah itself.
וְזֶהוּ הַחִלּוּק שֶׁבֵּין נְבוּאַת משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ לְבֵין נְבוּאַת שְׁאָר נְבִיאִים, כְּפֵרוּשׁ רַשִׁ"י: וַיְּדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל רָאשֵׁי הַמַּטּוֹת וְכוּ' זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה'*), פֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: כָּל הַנְּבִיאִים נִתְנַבְּאוּ בְּכֹה אָמַר ה', נוֹסַף עֲלֵיהֶם מֹשֶׁה, שֶׁהִתְנַבֵּא בְּזֶה הַדָּבָר. כִּי בְּחִינַת כֹּה הוּא אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא שֶׁאֵינָהּ מְאִירָה, וְזֶה הַדָּבָר הוּא בְּחִינַת אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא הַמְּאִירָה.
This is the difference between the prophecy of Moshe Rabbeinu and the prophecy of the other prophets. It is similar to Rashi’s commentary to, “Moshe spoke to the tribal heads of the Children of Israel, saying, ‘Zeh hadavar (This is the word) God has commanded’” (Numbers 30:2). Rashi explains: All the prophets prophesied with “Koh (Thus) says God.” Moshe achieved even more than they in that he prophesied with “Zeh hadavar.” For koh corresponds to a dull looking-glass, whereas zeh hadavar corresponds to a clear looking-glass.
וְאֵלּוּ הַשְּׁתֵּי בְּחִינוֹת נְבִיאוּת יֵשׁ בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא: יֵשׁ אָדָם הָעוֹשֶה הַמִּצְוָה בִּשְׂכַר עוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁאֵינוֹ נֶהֱנֶה מֵהַמִּצְוָה בְּעַצְמָהּ, אִלּוּ לֹא הָיוּ נוֹתְנִין לוֹ עוֹלָם הַבָּא בִּשְׂכָרָהּ, לֹא הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָהּ, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת כֹּה, אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא שֶׁאֵינָהּ מְאִירָה, כְּמוֹ אָדָם שֶׁרוֹאֶה אֵיזֶה דָּבָר מֵרָחוֹק, כֵּן הוּא עוֹשֶׂה הַמִּצְוָה בִּשְׁבִיל שְׂכָרָהּ הַבָּא לְעֵת רָחוֹק, הַיְנוּ אַחַר עוֹלָם הַזֶּה.
These two aspects of prophecy are also found in our service of the Creator. There is the person who does the mitzvah for the reward of the World to Come—he has no enjoyment from the mitzvah itself. If he were not given the World to Come as a reward, he would not do it. This corresponds to koh, a dull looking-glass. Just like the person who sees something from a distance, so, too, he performs the mitzvah for the reward it will bring at a distant time, after this world. {“He who goes weeping on his way carrying a seed-bag, yavo verina nosay alumotav (will come back with songs of joy, carrying his sheaves)” (Psalms 126:6).}
וְשִׁלּוּם שָׂכָר נִקְרָא בְּשֵׁם נָבִיא, כִּי רָאשֵׁי תֵּבוֹת שֶׁל: יָבֹא בְרִנָּה נֹשֵׂא אֲלֻמּוֹתָיו,
And the payment of reward is called navy (prophet). This is because the first letters of “Yavo Verina Nosay Alumotav” <spell NAVY>.
וְשָׁם בַּפָּסוּק הַזֶּה נִרְמַז עַל שִׁלּוּם שָׂכָר: הָלוֹךְ יֵלֵךְ וּבָכֹה נוֹשֵׂא מֶשֶׁךְ הַזָּרַע (תהילים קכ״ו:ו׳) – שֶׁמִּצְטַעֵר בַּעֲשִׂיָּתָהּ, בֹּא יָבֹא בְרִנָּה נֹשֵׂא אֲלֻמּוֹתָיו – שֶׁיִּשְׂמַח לֶעָתִיד, כְּשֶׁיְּקַבֵּל שְׂכַר הַמִּצְווֹת. רָאשֵׁי תֵּבוֹת שֶׁל יָבֹא בְּרִנָּה נֹשֵׂא אֲלֻמּוֹתָיו, רָאשֵׁי־תֵּבוֹת נָבִיא:
The payment of reward is also alluded to in the verse itself. <As Rashi explains:> “He who goes weeping on his way carrying a seed-bag”—he is pained by the [mitzvah’s] performance. “He will come back with songs of joy, carrying his sheaves”—he will rejoice in the Future, when he will receive reward for the mitzvot.
אֲבָל נָבִיא שֶׁמִּתְנַבֵּא בְּזֶה הַדָּבָר, שֶׁאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה בִּשְׂכַר הַמִּצְווֹת, אֶלָּא רוֹצֶה בַּמִּצְוָה בְּעַצְמָהּ, שֶׁהוּא מְשַׂמֵּחַ כָּל כָּךְ בַּעֲשִׂיָּתָהּ, עַד שֶׁמְּמָאֵס בְּכָל מִין שָׂכָר, נִמְצָא שֶׁעוֹלָם הַבָּא שֶׁלּוֹ בְּהַמִּצְוָה בְּעַצְמָהּ.
But the prophet who prophesies with zeh hadavar does not desire the reward of the mitzvot. Rather, he desires the mitzvah itself. He rejoices so much in its performance that he rejects any kind of reward. We see, then, that his World to Come is in the mitzvah itself.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת נָבִיא, הַיְנוּ שִׁלּוּם שָׂכָר, בִּבְחִינַת זֶה הַדָּבָר, בִּבְחִינַת אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא הַמְּאִירָה, כְּמוֹ אָדָם הָרוֹאֶה דָּבָר מִקָּרוֹב בִּרְאִיָּה יָפָה וּבָרָה, כְּמוֹ כֵן הוּא נֶהֱנֶה מֵהַמִּצְוָה בְּעַצְמָהּ, וּשְׂכָרוֹ נֶגֶד עֵינָיו.
This is therefore the concept of NAVY —i.e., the payment of reward—corresponding to zeh hadavar, a clear looking-glass. Just like the person who sees something from up close, with a splendidly clear view, so, too, he enjoys the mitzvah itself and his reward is right before his eyes.
וּמִי שֶׁהוּא בַּמַּדְרֵגָה הַזֹּאת, שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה הַמִּצְוָה בְּשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה כָּל כָּךְ, עַד שֶׁאֵין רוֹצֶה בְּשׁוּם שְׂכַר עוֹלָם הַבָּא בִּשְׁבִילָהּ – הוּא יָכוֹל לֵידַע בֵּין קֹדֶם גְּזַר דִּין לְאַחַר גְּזַר דִּין,
And it is the person who is on this level—who performs the mitzvah with such great joy that he has no desire for any reward of the World to Come in return—who is able to differentiate between before the decree has been issued and after the decree has been issued.
כִּי הַמִּצְווֹת הֵם קוֹמָה שְׁלֵמָה, וְהֵם מְחַיִּין אֶת כָּל הַקּוֹמוֹת, הֵן קוֹמַת אָדָם, הֵן קוֹמַת עוֹלָם, הֵן קוֹמַת שָׁנָה, כִּי עוֹלָם, שָׁנָה, נֶפֶשׁ – הֵן מְקַבְּלִין הַחִיּוּת מֵהַמִּצְווֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים ל״ג:ד׳): וְכָל מַעֲשֵׂהוּ בֶּאֱמוּנָה; וּכְתִיב (שם קיט): כָּל מִצְוֹתֶיךָ אֱמוּנָה. וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא הוּא אַחְדוּת פָּשׁוּט עִם הַמִּצְווֹת,
This is because the mitzvot form a complete construct. And they give life to all other constructs; whether it be the construct of Man, or the construct of World, or the construct of Year. For World-Year-Soul receive vitality from the mitzvot, as in (Psalms 33:4), “All His work is done with faith,” and also (ibid. 119:86), “All Your mitzvot are faith.” Thus, the Holy One is in simple unity with the mitzvot.
וּכְשֶׁמַּעֲשֵׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא כְּתִקּוּנָן וּכְסִדְרָן, אֲזַי הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא מְשַׂמֵּחַ בָּהֶם וּמִתְעַנֵּג בָּהֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם קד): יִשְׂמַח ה' בְּמַעֲשָׂיו, כְּמוֹ בַּעַל־מְלָאכָה, שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה אֵיזֶה כְּלִי, וְהַכְּלִי הוּא יָפֶה – אֲזַי הוּא מִתְעַנֵּג בָּה; וְהַשִּׂמְחָה שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא הִיא מְלֻבֶּשֶׁת בְּהַמִּצְווֹת, כִּי הֵם אַחְדוּתוֹ,
Therefore, when the Holy One’s works are as they should be and in proper order, the Holy One is happy with them and delights in them, as is written (Psalms 104:31), “God rejoices in His works.” Like a craftsman who makes some vessel. If the vessel is beautiful, then he delights in it. And the joy of the Holy One is clothed in the mitzvot, because they are His unity.
וּמִי שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה הַמִּצְוָה בְּשִׂמְחָה מֵהַמִּצְוָה בְּעַצְמָהּ, נִמְצָא כְּשֶׁנִּכְנָס בְּהַשִּׂמְחָה שֶׁבַּמִּצְוָה, הוּא נִכְנָס בְּשִׂמְחַת הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, שֶׁמְּשַמֵּחַ בְּמַעֲשָׂיו, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (שם קמט): יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעוֹשָׂיו.
Now, when the person who performs the mitzvah with a joy derived from the mitzvah itself enters into the joy of the mitzvah, he enters into the joy of the Holy One, who rejoices in His works. This corresponds to “Israel rejoices in its Maker” (Psalms 149:2).
נִמְצָא, כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ אֵיזֶה צַעַר וְדִין בְּעוֹלָם, שָׁנָה, נֶפֶשׁ – אֲזַי בְּוַדַּאי נִגְרָע מִשִּׂמְחַת הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בראשית ו׳:ו׳): וַיִּתְעַצֵּב אֶל לִבּוֹ, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ (סנהדרין מו.): שְׁכִינָה מָה אוֹמֶרֶת, קָלַנִי מֵרֹאשִׁי וְכוּ'.
We find, therefore, that if there is any misfortune or harsh decree affecting World-Year-Soul, then certainly the joy of the Holy One is lessened, as in (Genesis 6:6), “He grieved in His heart.” As <the Sages taught: When a person sins,> what does the Shekhinah say? “My head is heavy! My arms are heavy!” (Sanhedrin 46a).
וְזֶה שֶׁנִּכְנָס בְּתוֹךְ הַשִּׁמְחָה יָכוֹל בְּוַדַּאי לֵידַע לְפִי עִנְיַן הַשִּׂמְחָה, אִם הוּא קֹדֶם גְּזַר דִּין, אִם הוּא לְאַחַר גְּזַר דִּין. גַּם יָכוֹל לֵידַע עַל אֵיזֶהוּ חֵלֶק מֵהַקּוֹמָה נִגְזַר הַדִּין, כִּי יוֹדֵעַ לְפִי קוֹמַת הַמִּצְווֹת: אִם אֵין יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה רָאשֵׁי הַמִּצְווֹת, הַיְנוּ מִצְווֹת הַתְּלוּיִים בָּרֹאשׁ, יֵדַע שֶׁהַדִּין נִגְזַר עַל רָאשֵׁי עוֹלָם שָׁנָה נֶפֶשׁ, וְכֵן בִּשְׁאָר קוֹמַת הַמִּצְווֹת.
Thus, this person who has entered into the joy [of the mitzvah] will certainly know, by the state of the joy, whether it is before the decree has been issued or after the decree has been issued. He can also discern the part of the structure against which the judgment has been decreed. He knows this based on the structure of the mitzvot. If he cannot joyfully perform the “head” of the mitzvot—i.e., those mitzvot that relate to the head—he will know that a judgment has been decreed against the “heads” of World-Year-Soul. And it is likewise for the rest of the structure of the mitzvot.
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מכילתא ועיין ביצה טז.) בְּשַׁבָּת: זָכְרֵהוּ מֵאֶחָד בְּשַׁבָּת, הַיְנוּ שִׂמְחַת וְתַעֲנוּג עוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת שַׁבָּת, יַרְגִּישׁ בְּשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה, שֶׁהֵן בְּחִינַת מַעֲשֵׂה הַמִּצְווֹת, שֶׁבָּהֶם נִבְרְאוּ עוֹלָם שָׁנָה נֶפֶשׁ.
This is the meaning of what the Sages said concerning Shabbat: Remember it from the first day of the week (Mekhilta, Yitro 7; Beitza 16a). The joy and pleasure of the World to Come, which is an aspect of Shabbat, should be experienced during the six days of work. [These six weekdays] correspond to the performance of the mitzvot, because World-Year-Soul were created on them.
[וְזֶהוּ:] (דברים כ״ד:ט״ו) בְּיוֹמוֹ תִתֵּן שְׂכָרוֹ – שֶׁיְּהֵא שְׂכָרוֹ מֵהַמִּצְווֹת בְּעַצְמָן, וְלֹא תָבוֹא עָלָיו הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ – שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשֶׂה הַמִּצְווֹת בִּשְׂכַר עוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁהִיא אַחַר בִּיאַת שִׁמְשׁוֹ, אַחַר מוֹתוֹ:
{“You must pay him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets” (Deuteronomy 24:15).} This is, “You must pay him his wages on the same day”—the person’s reward will come from the mitzvot themselves. “Before the sun sets”—because he does not perform the mitzvot for the reward of the World to Come, which is after his “sun sets,” after his death.
ג וְעִקַּר הַשִּׂמְחָה הוּא בַּלֵּב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים ד׳:ח׳): נָתַתָּה שִׂמְחָה בְלִבִּי. וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לַלֵּב לִשְׂמֹחַ אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁיָּסִיר עַקְמוּמִיּוּת שֶׁבְּלִבּוֹ, שֶׁיְּהֵא לוֹ יַשְׁרוּת לֵב, וְאָז יִזְכֶּה לְשִׂמְחָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם צז): וּלְיִשְׁרֵי לֵב שִׂמְחָה.
3. Now, the essence of joy is found in the heart, as is written (Psalms 4:8), “You have put joy in my heart.” But it is impossible for the heart to rejoice unless a person removes the crookedness in his heart, so that he might have a straight heart. Then he will merit <true> joy, as is written (ibid. 97:11), “and joy for the straight of heart.”
וְעַקְמוּמִיּוּת שֶׁבַּלֵּב מַפְשִׁיטִין עַל־יְדֵי רְעָמִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות נט.): לֹא נִבְרְאוּ רְעָמִים אֶלָּא לְפַשֵּׁט עַקְמִימִיּוּת שֶׁבַּלֵּב, וּרְעָמִים הוּא בְּחִינַת קוֹל, שֶׁאָדָם מוֹצִיא בְּכֹחַ בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ, וּמִזֶּה נַעֲשֶׂה רְעָמִים.
And the heart’s crookedness is made straight by means of thunder. As our Sages taught: Thunder was only created to straighten the crookedness of the heart (Berakhot 59a). Thunder corresponds to the voice a person releases <with great force> while praying. From this [voice], thunder is generated.
כִּי אִיתָא בַּזֹּהַר (פינחס רלה:): כַּד קָלָא נָפִיק וְאַעָרָא בְּעָבֵי מִטְרָא, אִשְׁתַּמַּע קָלָא לִבְרִיָּתָא, וְדָא אִינוּן רְעָמִים. וְעִקַּר הָרְעָמִים הֵם מִגְּבוּרוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (איוב כ״ו:י״ד): וְרַעַם גְּבוּרוֹתָיו מִי יִתְבּוֹנָן;
As stated in the Zohar (III, 235b): When the voice is released and encounters the rain clouds, the voice is transmitted to the creation—and this is thunder. For thunder is essentially from gevurot (severities), as is written (Job 26:14), “Who can understand the thunder of His gevurot (strength)?”
וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה אָנוּ מְבָרְכִין: שֶׁכֹּחוֹ וּגְבוּרָתוֹ וְכוּ'. וְהַגְּבוּרוֹת הֵם בְּחִינַת כֹּחַ וּגְבוּרָה, שֶׁאָדָם מוֹצִיא אֶת הַקּוֹל בְּכֹחַ גָּדוֹל, וְהַקּוֹל הַזֶּה פּוֹגֵעַ בְּעָבֵי מִטְרָא, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת מֹחִין, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם יוֹרְדִין טִפִּין טִפִּין, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר (פינחס רלה:): בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים וְנוֹזְלִים מִן לְבָנוֹן, מִן לִבּוּנָא דְּמֹחָא.
This is the why [when hearing thunder] we recite the blessing “… for His might and gevurah fill the universe.” These gevurot are an aspect of might and strength. A person releases the voice with great force, and this voice strikes the rain clouds—i.e., the aspect of <upper> mentalities from where drop after drop descends. As is brought in the Zohar (III, 235b): “a well of fresh water, and drops from LeBaNon” (Song of Songs 4:15) —from the LiBuNa (whiteness) of the mind.
וּכְשֶׁפּוֹגֵעַ בְּעָבֵי מִטְרָא, אֲזַי אִשְׁתַּמַּע קָלָא לִבְרִיָּתָא, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת רְעָמִים. וְזֶהוּ (תהילים ע״ז:י״ט): קוֹל רַעַמְךָ בַּגַּלְגַּל, הַיְנוּ בְּגַלְגַּלְתָּא דְּמֹחָא; כַּד אַעָרָא בְּגַלְגַּלְתָּא דְּמֹחָא, נַעֲשֶׂה מֵהַקּוֹל רְעָמִים, וְנִשְׁמָע לִבְרִיָּתָא.
And when [this voice] strikes the rain clouds, then “the voice is transmitted to the creation”—i.e., the aspect of thunder. This is the meaning of “The sound of Your thunder was in the sphere” (Psalms 77:19) —i.e., in the sphere of the mind. For when it encounters the skull, the voice is converted into thunder and is transmitted to the creation. {“My mouth will speak wisdom and the meditation of my heart will be understanding” (Psalms 49:4).}
וְזֶה (שם מט): פִּי יְדַבֵּר חָכְמוֹת, הַיְנוּ הַדִּבּוּר הַיּוֹצֵא מִפִּי פּוֹגֵעַ בַּחָכְמָה, הַיְנוּ בְּגַלְגַּלְתָּא דְּמֹחָא, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה: וְהָגוּת לִבִּי וְכוּ', הַיְנוּ*) שֶׁנִּתְעוֹרֵר עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הָרַעַם, נִתְעוֹרֵר הַלֵּב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ: קוֹל מְעוֹרֵר הַכַּוָּנָה**).
This <corresponds to> “My mouth will speak wisdom….” The speech that leaves my mouth strikes wisdom—i.e., the sphere of the mind. As a result, “the meditation of my heart will be understanding”—i.e., <the heart> will be stirred by the thunder. <This is because> the voice stimulates kavanah (Berakhot 24b).
וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות ו:): מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם, דְּבָרָיו נִשְׁמָעִין, כִּי מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ יִרְאָה, קוֹלוֹ נַעֲשֶׂה רְעָמִים, כִּי רַעַם מִסִּטְרָא דְּיִצְחָק, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וְרַעַם גְּבוּרוֹתָיו, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה דְּבָרָיו נִשְׁמָעִין, הַיְנוּ מִשְׁתַּמַּע קָלָא לִבְרִיָּתָא, כִּי תַּמָּן תַּלְיָא שְׁמִיעָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (חבקוק ג׳:ב׳): ה' שָׁמַעְתִּי שִׁמְעֲךָ יָרֵאתִי.
This is what our Sages taught: When a person has fear of Heaven, his words are heard (Berakhot 6b). For when someone possesses fear of Heaven, his voice is converted into thunder. This is because thunder is from the side of Yitzchak, as in, “the thunder of His gevurot .” This causes his words to be heard—i.e., “the voice is transmitted to the creation.” For hearing is linked to [the fear of Heaven], as is written (Habakkuk 3:2), “O God, I heard of Your message; I feared” (Zohar III, 230a).
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ (תהילים ק״ג:כ׳): גִּבּוֹרֵי כֹחַ עוֹשֵׂי דְּבָרוֹ לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹל דְּבָרוֹ; אִיתָא בַּזֹּהַר (לך לך צ.): זַכְיָן לְמִשְׁמַע קָלִין מִלְּעֵילָא, הַיְנוּ עַל יְדֵי הַגְּבוּרוֹת נַעֲשֶׂה רְעָמִים, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הַלֵּב שׁוֹמֵעַ, וְהַיְנוּ: וְהָגוּת לִבִּי תְּבוּנוֹת; וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (מלכים־א ג): וְנָתַתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ לֵב שׁוֹמֵעַ, וְגַם דְּבָרָיו נִשְׁמָעִין לִבְרִיָּתָא, וְזֶהוּ: לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹל דְּבָרוֹ.
And this is the explanation of “geborei koach (mighty ones) who do His bidding, hearkening to the sound of His word” (Psalms 103:20). [As] the Zohar (I, 90a) states: “They merit hearing voices from Above.” In other words, by means of the gevurot, thunder is generated. This causes the heart to hear—i.e., “the meditation of my heart will be understanding”—as is written (1 Kings 3:9), “Give Your servant a hearing heart [to judge Your people].” And then his words are “transmitted to the creation”; this being “hearkening to the sound of His word.”
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר, דָּא שׁוֹפָר שֶׁל אַיִל – אֵילוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק, בְּחִינַת: וְרַעַם גְּבוּרוֹתָו.
This also corresponds to the sound of the shofar—i.e., the shofar-horn of the ram, the ram of Yitzchak (Zohar III, 235b) —which is an aspect of “the thunder of His gevurot .”
וְזֶהוּ (תהלים פט): אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם יוֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה – יוֹדְעֵי דַּיְקָא, שֶׁיִּפְגַּע הַקּוֹל בַּמֹּחַ, בְּחִינוֹת עָבֵי מִטְרָא, וְיִהְיֶה בִּבְחִינַת רְעָמִים. וּמִי שֶׁשּׁוֹמֵעַ תְּקִיעַת שׁוֹפָר מֵאִישׁ יָרֵא וְחָרֵד, בְּוַדַּאי לֹא יִדְאַג כָּל הַשָּׁנָה מֵרְעָמִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: בְּקוֹלוֹת וּבְרָקִים עֲלֵיהֶם נִגְלֵיתָ, וּבְקוֹל שׁוֹפָר עֲלֵיהֶם הוֹפַעְתָּ – שֶׁבְּקוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר הוֹפִיעַ עֲלֵיהֶם מִקּוֹלוֹת וּבְרָקִים:
This, then, is the meaning of (Psalms 89:16), “Happy is the nation who knows the shofar’s blast.” Specifically “knows,” because the voice hits the mind—corresponding to rain clouds—and is converted into the aspect of thunder. And whoever hears the shofar blown by a man who is God-fearing and pious, will certainly have no fear of thunder the entire year. As it is written: “With sounds [of thunder] and lightning You revealed Yourself to them, and with the shofar-sound You appeared to them.” You appeared to them through the sound of the shofar, [protecting them] from thunder and lightning.
ד אֲבָל צָרִיךְ לְפַנּוֹת אֶת הַמֹּחִין מֵחָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת וּמִמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת זָרוֹת. מֵחָמֵץ, שֶׁלֹּא יַחְמִיץ אֶת חָכְמָתוֹ בְּחָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת וּבְתַאֲווֹת, כְּדֵי כְּשֶׁיּוֹצִיא אֶת הַקּוֹל וְיִפְגַּע בְּמֹחוֹ, יִתְעַבֵד מִמֶּנּוּ רַעַם; אֲבָל כְּשֶׁגַּלְגַּלְתָּא דְּמֹחָא אָטוּם בְּטֻמְאָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ויקרא י״א:מ״ג-מ״ד): וְנִטְמֵתֶם בָּם; אֲזַי אֵין קוֹלוֹ נִשְׁמָע.
4. But it is [first] necessary to clear the mentalities of secular wisdom and undesirable thoughts—of chametz. A person must not sour his wisdom with secular wisdom or <evil> passions, so that the voice emerges <pure and clean.> It will then strike the <upper mentalities> and be converted into thunder. But when the sphere of the mind is clogged with impurity—as in (Leviticus 11:43), “… because nitmeitem (you will be made unclean) by them”—then his voice is not heard.
גַּם יִשְׁמֹר יִרְאָתוֹ, שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ תּוֹצְאוֹת הַקּוֹל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וְרַעַם גְּבוּרֹתָו; שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לוֹ יִרְאָה חִיצוֹנִיוּת, וְזֶה (אבות פ"ג): אִם אֵין חָכְמָה אֵין יִרְאָה; אִם אֵין יִרְאָה אֵין חָכְמָה.
He must also safeguard his fear of Heaven—from which the voice emerges, as in, “the thunder of His gevurot”—so that he has no extrinsic fears <but only a fear of the Holy One>. This is: Where there is no wisdom, there is no fear of Heaven; where there is no fear of Heaven, there is no wisdom (Avot 3:21).
וְזֶהוּ (שבת נו: ובסנהדרין כא:): יָרַד גַּבְרִיאֵל וְנָעַץ קָנֶה בַּיָּם. פֵּרוּשׁ, מֵהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הַגְּבוּרוֹת, הַיְנוּ יִרְאָה חִיצוֹנִיוּת, נָעַץ קָנֶה בְּיַם הַחָכְמָה. קָנֶה דָּא בְּחִינַת קוֹל הַיּוֹצֵא מֵהַקָּנֶה, הַיְנוּ עַל־יְדֵי הִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הַגְּבוּרוֹת, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת סוּסְפִיתָּא דְּדַהֲבָא – יִרְאָה חִיצוֹנִיוּת, נִשְׁאָר הַקּוֹל נָעוּץ בַּאֲטִימַת הַשֵּׂכֶל, וְלֹא יִשְׁתַּמַּע לִבְרִיָּתָא.
And <this corresponds to that which our Sages taught: When King Shlomo married Pharaoh’s daughter,> the angel GaVRiel descended and plunged a reed into the sea (Shabbat 56b; Sanhedrin 21b). The explanation is: From the devolution of the GeVuRot —<which correspond to gold dross,> extrinsic fears—he “plunged a reed into the sea” of wisdom. A kaneh (reed) is the aspect of the voice released from the kaneh (windpipe). Thus, <because of the secular wisdom and> extrinsic fears, the voice remains plunged in the mire of the intellect and will not be transmitted to the creation.
וְעִקָּר – לִשְׁמֹר מֹחוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יַחְמִיץ, וְזֶהוּ (תהילים ס״ח:ל״א): גְּעַר חַיַּת קָנֶה, כִּדְאִיתָא בַּזֹּהַר (פינחס רנב): קָנֵה חֵי"ת תְּשַׁבֵּר וְתַעֲשֶׂה מִמֶּנָּה הֵ"א, וְתַעֲשֶׂה מֵאוֹתִיּוֹת חָמֵץ מַצָּה, הַיְנוּ שֶׁלֹּא תַּחְמִיץ חָכְמָתְךָ.
But the most important thing is that a person safeguard his mind from becoming chametz. This is (Psalms 68:31), “Rebuke ChayaT (the beast of) the reed.” As the Zohar (III, 252a) states: Break the reed of the CheT and make it a heh, thus transforming the letters ChaMeTZ into MaTZaH. Your wisdom will then not turn sour.
וְזֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן גְּעַר, לְשׁוֹן מְרִיבָה, כִּי מַצָּה לְשׁוֹן מְרִיבָה, דְּצַדִּיקַיָא עָבְדִּין מַצּוּתָא בְּסִטְרִין אָחֳרָנִין, דְּלָא יִתְקְרֵבוּ לְמִשְׁכְּנָא דִּקְדֻשָּׁה,
This is the connotation of “rebuke,” which conveys conflict. For the word MaTZah also implies conflict: the tzaddikim engage in MaTZuta (battle) with the Other Side in order to keep it from approaching the dwelling place of holiness (Zohar III, 251b).
הַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁתִּשְׁמֹר אֶת חָכְמָתְךָ שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנֵס בּוֹ חָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת, שֶׁלֹּא תְּהַרְהֵר בְּהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת קָנֶה דְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא, כְּנֶגֶד קְנֵה חָכְמָה קְנֵה בִּינָה דִּקְדֻשָּׁה – עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תִּנָּצֵל מִבְּחִינַת חָמֵץ, שֶׁהִיא סִטְרָא דְּמוֹתָא, כִּדְאִיתָא: מַחְמֶצֶת, תַּמָּן סִטְרָא דְמוֹתָא. וְתַאֲמִין, כִּי כָּל מַצּוּתָא וּמְרִיבָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בֵּין הַצַּדִּיקִים הַשְּׁלֵמִים, אֵין זֶה אֶלָּא כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּגָרְשׁוּ סִטְרִין אָחֳרָנִין,
That is, when you protect your wisdom so that secular wisdom does not penetrate it, <and> you do not entertain evil thoughts—which is the KaNeH (reed) of the Other Side, in contrast to <the KaNeH (windpipe) of holiness, i.e.,> “K’NeH wisdom, K’NeH understanding” of holiness—you will be saved from the aspect of chametz, which is the side of death. As is stated (Zohar, ibid.): MaChMeTZeT —it contains < ChaMeTZ and MeT>. And believe that all strife and conflict between those tzaddikim who have reached perfection is only to dispel the Other Side.
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ (משלי ט״ו:ל״א): אֹזֶן שֹׁמַעַת תּוֹכַחַת חַיִּים בְּקֶרֶב חֲכָמִים תָּלִין – לְשׁוֹן תְּלוּנָה וּמְרִיבָה; כְּשֶׁאַתָּה שׁוֹמֵעַ מְרִיבוֹת שֶׁבֵּין הַצַּדִּיקִים, תֵּדַע, שֶׁזֶּה מַשְׁמִיעִין אוֹתְךָ תּוֹכָחָה, עַל שֶׁפָּגַמְתָּ בְּטִפֵּי מֹחֲךָ, שֶׁעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (משלי ב׳:י״ט): כָּל בָּאֶיהָ לֹא יְשׁוּבוּן, וְלֹא יַשִׂיגוּ אָרְחוֹת חַיִּים; שֶׁאַתָּה דָּבוּק בְּסִטְרָא דְּמוֹתָא, בְּחִינַת חָמֵץ, בְּחִינַת יָרַד גַּבְרִיאֵל וְכוּ', וְתֵדַע שֶׁנָּעַץ קָנֶה, הַיְנוּ חָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת נְעוּצִים בְּיַם חָכְמָתְךָ,
This is the meaning of (Proverbs 15:31), “He whose ear hears the reproof of life talin (lodges) among the wise.” < TaLiN> is similar to TeLuNah (complaint) and conflict. When you hear the tzaddikim arguing, know that this is to let you hear reproof for having blemished the drops of your mind. Concerning this it is said (Proverbs 2:19), “None that go to her return, nor do they regain the paths of life.” You have become attached to the side of death, the aspect of chametz, of “Gavriel descended.” Know also that “a reed has been plunged”—extrinsic wisdom has been plunged—into your sea of wisdom.
וּבְוַדַּאי אִם לֹא הָיָה נִפְגָּם מֹחֲךָ, לֹא הָיָה נִשְׁמָע לְךָ מְרִיבוֹת שֶׁבֵּין הַצַּדִּיקִים, וְאֵין הַמְּרִיבָה אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִילְךָ, כְּדֵי שֶׁתָּשׁוּב מִמָּוֶת לְחַיִּים, מֵחָמֵץ לְמַצָּה, מֵחֵית לְהֵ"א, וְתָשׁוּב מִיִּרְאָה רָעָה, מִקּוֹל פָּגוּם, מֵחָכְמָה פְּגוּמָה לְיִרְאָה טוֹבָה, לְקוֹל טוֹב, לְחָכְמָה טוֹבָה.
And, certainly, if your mind had not been blemished, you would not have been given to hear the conflicts among the tzaddikim. This conflict is only for your sake, in order that you return from death to life, from chametz to matzah, from chet to heh ; and so that you repent from unwholesome fear <to fear of His exaltedness>, from a marred voice <to a flawless voice>, from blemished wisdom <to complete and true wisdom>.
וּכְשֶׁתִּשְׁמֹר אֶת מֹחֲךָ מִבְּחִינַת חָמֵץ, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה אָטוּם, אֲזַי יִפְגַּע קוֹלְךָ בְּגַלְגַּלְתְּךָ, וְיִתְעַבֵד רַעַם, וְיִתְפַּשֵּׁט עַקְמִימִיּוּת שֶׁבְּלִבְּךָ, וְאָז תִּזְכֶּה לְשִׂמְחָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וּלְיִשְׁרֵי לֵב שִׂמְחָה, וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ (תהלים פא): אֶעֶנְךָ בְּסֵתֶר רַעַם, אֶבְחָנְךָ עַל מֵי מְרִיבָה סֶלָה, מֵי מְרִיבָה זֶה בְּחִינַת מַצָּה, בְּחִינַת מֹחִין, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה רְעָמִים:
But when you guard your mind from the aspect of chametz, so that it does not become clogged, then your voice will strike your skull and be converted into thunder, and the heart’s crookedness will be made straight. Then, you will merit joy, as in, “and joy for the straight of heart.” This is the meaning of (Psalms 81:8), “When you called in secret, I answered you thunderously; I tested you at the Waters of Conflict, Selah .” The Waters of Conflict are an aspect of matzah, of mentalities, through which thunder is generated.
ה וְתֵדַע, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְשַׁתֵּף הַגְּבוּרוֹת בַּחֲסָדִים, שְׂמָאלָא בִּימִינָא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים כ׳:ז׳): בִּגְבוּרוֹת יֵשַׁע יְמִינוֹ. כִּי עִקַּר הִתְגַּלּוּת עַל יְדֵי הַחֲסָדִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם קי): שֵׁב לִימִינִי.
5. Know as well that a person must couple the gevurot (severities) with chasadim (benevolences), left with right, as is written (Psalms 20:7), “with the saving gevurot (strength) of His right arm.” For the main revelation comes about <through the right,> by means of chasadim, as is written (ibid. 110:1), “Sit at My right hand [while I make your enemies your footstool].”
וְכֵן צָרִיךְ לְשַׁתֵּף הָאַהֲבָה עִם הַיִּרְאָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְעַבֵד רְעָמִים, וְזֶה: מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא, מֹחָא חִוְרָא כְּכַסְפָּא (תיקון ע).
It is likewise necessary to couple love with fear of Heaven, in order to generate thunder. This [love] is from the right side, from “a mind as white as silver” (Tikkuney Zohar #70).
וְזֶה: וַיָּשָׁב הַיָּם, הַיְנוּ יָם הַחָכְמָה, לִפְנוֹת בֹּקֶר, דָּא בֹּקֶר דְּאַבְרָהָם, בְּחִינַת: אַבְרָהָם אוֹהֲבִי (ישעיהו מ״א:ח׳); לְאֵיתָנוֹ דָּא גְּבוּרוֹת, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת: קוֹל רַעַמְךָ בַּגַּלְגַּל.
This is <the meaning of “When it turned morning, the sea returned to its might”> (Exodus 14:27). “The sea” alludes to the sea of wisdom; “when it turned morning”—this is the morning of Avraham (Zohar II, 170b), corresponding to “Avraham My beloved” (Isaiah 41:8) ; “to its might”—this is gevurot, corresponding to “The sound of Your thunder was in the sphere.”
וְזֶהוּ (שיר השירים ח׳:ז׳): מַיִם רַבִּים לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְכַבּוֹת אֶת הָאַהֲבָה, כִּי עִקַּר הִתְגַּבְּרוּת עַל יְדֵי הָאַהֲבָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: שֵׁב לִימִינִי וְכוּ'.
And this is (Song of Songs 8:7), “Many waters cannot extinguish the love.” For the ability to conquer is mainly by means of love, as in, “Sit at My right….”
וְזֶהוּ פֵּרוּשׁ (תהלים כט): אֵל הַכָּבוֹד. אֵל דָּא חֶסֶד; כָּבוֹד דָּא חָכְמָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי ג׳:ל״ה): כָּבוֹד חֲכָמִים יִנְחָלוּ; הִרְעִים דָּא בְּחִינַת רְעָמִים, הַיְנוּ הַגְּבוּרוֹת בְּחִינַת רְעָמִים צָרִיךְ לְשַׁתֵּף עִמָּהֶם אַהֲבָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּפְגְּעוּ בַּכָּבוֹד, בִּבְחִינַת חָכְמָה, שֶׁיִּתְעֲבֵד מֵהֶם רְעָמִים וְתִתְגַּבֵּר עַל אוֹיְבֶיךָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: שֵׁב לִימִינִי וְכוּ':
And this is the explanation of (Psalms 29:3), “the El (God) of Glory thunders.” “El” is chesed (lovingkindness); “glory” is wisdom, as is written (Proverbs 3:35), “The wise will inherit glory”; “thunders” alludes to the thunder. In other words, the gevurot, an aspect of thunder, must be coupled with love, so that they will strike the glory, the aspect of wisdom, and be converted into thunder. Then, you will conquer your enemies, as in, “Sit at My right hand while I make your enemies your footstool.”
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ:
6. This is the explanation:
אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָא: זִימְנָא חֲדָּא הֲוָה אַזְלִינָן בִּסְפִינְתָּא, וְסַגָּאִי סְפִינְתָּא בֵּין שִׁיצָא לְשִׁיצָא דְּכַוְרָא תְּלָתָא יוֹמָא וּתְלָתָא לֵילוּתָא, אִיהוּ בִּזְקִיפוּ וְאָנָן בְּשִׁפּוּלֵי. וְכִי תֵּימָא לָא מַסְגֵּי סְפִינְתָּא טוּבָא, כִּי אָתָא רַב דִּימִי אָמַר: כְּמֵיחַם קֻמְקוּמָא דְּמַיָא מַסְגֵּי שִׁתִּין פַּרְסֵי, וְשָׁדִי פַּרְשָׁא גִּירָא וְקָדְמָה לֵהּ אִיהִי. וְאָמַר רַב אַשִׁי: הַהוּא גִּילְדְּנָא דְּיַמָא הֲוָא, דְּאִית לֵהּ תְּרֵי שִׁיצָא:
Rabbah bar bar Chanah recounted: One time we were traveling on a sephinta (ship) . To sail between a fish ’s two shitza (fins) took the ship three days and three nights, [even though] it was swimming upwind and we were sailing downwind. And lest you think the ship was not sailing quickly, when Rav Dimi came, he said, “In the time it takes to heat a kettle of water, it went sixty parsay (parasangs) . And a parsha (rider) shot an arrow, yet [the ship] preceded it.” Rav Ashi said, “This [fish] was a sea gyldena, which has two fins” (Bava Batra 73b).
סְפִינְתָּא לְשׁוֹן חֲשִׁיבוּת, דָּא בְּחִינַת גְּבוּרָה יִרְאָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו ל״ג:ו׳): יִרְאַת ה' הִיא אוֹצָרוֹ; שֶׁהִיא עִקַּר הַחֲשִׁיבוּת.
sephinta — This connotes importance. It corresponds to gevurah /fear, as is written (Isaiah 33:6), “The fear of God is His treasure.” For [the fear of Heaven] is what is most important.
שִׁיצָא לְשׁוֹן צָרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (במדבר ט״ז:כ״א) וַאֲכַלֶּה אֹתָם כְּרָגַע, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וַאֲשַׁצֵי יַתְהוֹן.
ShiTZa — This connotes misfortune, as is written (Numbers 16:21), “[Separate yourselves from this congregation,] and I will destroy them in an instant.” The Aramaic translation [of “and I will destroy them”] is v’aShayTZay yas’hone.
תְּלָתָא יוֹמָא וְלֵילוּתָא דָּא בְּחִינַת מִצְווֹת, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם מֻשְׂכָּלוֹת וּמְקֻבָּלוֹת וְחֻקּוֹת, וּכְתִיב בָּהֶם (יהושע א׳:ח׳): וְהָגִיתָ בּוֹ יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה.
three days and three nights — This corresponds to the mitzvot, which are [divided into three categories]: the rational, the tradition-based, and the statutes. Concerning them it is written (Joshua 1:8), “You shall study [Torah] day and night.”
אִיהוּ בִּזְקִיפוּ וְאֲנַן בְּשִׁפּוּלֵי זֶה בְּחִינַת: יִשְׂמַח ה' בְּמַעֲשָׂיו, יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעוֹשָׂיו.
it was swimming upwind and we were sailing downwind — This corresponds to “God rejoices in His works; Israel rejoices in its Maker.”
כְּמֵיחַם קֻמְקוּמָא דְמַיָא דָּא מֹחָא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שיר השירים ד׳:ט״ו): וְנוֹזְלִים מִן לְבָנוֹן.
In the time it takes to heat a kettle of water — This is the mind, as in, “and drops from Lebanon.”
מַסְגֵּא שִׁתִּין פַּרְסֵי דָּא בְּחִינַת גְּבוּרוֹת, שִׁשִּׁים גִּבּוֹרִים, וְרַעַם גְּבוּרוֹתָיו.
it went sixty parsay — This corresponds to gevurot: “sixty geborim (mighty men)” (Song of Songs 3:7), and “the thunder of His strength.”
וְכִי שָׁדִי פַּרְשָׁא גִּירָא פַּרְשָׁא דָּא בְּחִינַת חֶסֶד, שֶׁהוּא מוֹצִיא לָאוֹר תַּעֲלוּמוֹת, דְּבָרִים הַמְּצֻמְצָמִין הוּא מְפָרֵשׁ אוֹתָם.
And a parsha shot an arrow — PaRSha is the aspect of chesed (lovingkindness). It refers to someone who brings to light that which is hidden, someone who mePhaReSh (explains) those matters which are obscure.
גִּירָא דָּא (תהילים קמ״ד:ו׳): שְׁלַח חִצֶּךָ וּתְהֻמֵּם, דָּא בְּחִינַת: שֵׁב לִימִינִי וְכוּ'.
an arrow — As in, “Shoot Your arrows and panic them” (Psalms 144:6). This corresponds to “Sit at My right hand while I make your enemies your footstool.”
קָדְמָה לֵיהּ אִיהִי דָּא בְּחִינַת יִרְאָה שֶׁהִיא קֹדֶם, שֶׁהַיִּרְאָה הִיא קוֹדֶמֶת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם קיא): רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה וְכוּ'.
the ship preceded it — This is the aspect of fear, which “precedes.” For fear of Heaven precedes all else, as is written (Psalms 111:10), “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of God.”
שֶׁרַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה סִפֵּר, שֶׁהָלַךְ כָּל כָּךְ בְּמִדַּת הַיִּרְאָה, וְרָאָה גֹּדֶל כֹּחַ הַיִּרְאָה, עַד שֶׁיָּכוֹל לְהָבִין עַל יָדָהּ בֵּין קֹדֶם גְּזַר דִּין לְאַחַר גְּזַר דִּין, וְזֶהוּ: בֵּין שִׁיצָא וְכוּ'.
Rabbah bar bar Chanah recounted that he had delved so deeply into the attribute of the fear of Heaven, and had seen the great power of this fear, that he was now able to use it to discern between before the decree has been issued and after the decree has been issued—i.e., between two shitza .
וְהָדָר מְפָרֵשׁ אֵיךְ יָכוֹל לְהָבִין, הַיְנוּ עַל־יְדֵי הַמִּצְווֹת, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת תְּלָתָא יוֹמָא וְכוּ', יָכוֹל לְהָבִין. וְדַוְקָא כְּשֶׁעוֹשִׂין אוֹתָן בְּשִׂמְחָה, וְעַל־יְדֵי שִׂמְחַת הַמִּצְווֹת יָכוֹל לְהָבִין, כִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא מְשַׂמֵּחַ בְּמַעֲשָׂיו, וְהַשִּׂמְחָה הִיא מְלֻבֶּשֶׁת בְּמִצְווֹת כַּנַּ"ל, וַאֲנַחְנוּ מְשַׂמְּחִין לְמַטָּה גַּם כֵּן בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעוֹשָׂיו, וְאֵין רְצוֹנֵנוּ בְּשׁוּם שָׂכָר, אֲפִלּוּ שְׂכַר עוֹלָם הַבָּא כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה: אִיהוּ בִּזְקִיפוּ וְאֲנַן בְּשִׁפּוּלֵי, לְפִי שִׂמְחָתוֹ כֵּן שִׂמְחָתֵנוּ, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אֲנַחְנוּ יְכוֹלִין לְהָבִין.
He then explains how he could discern: by means of the mitzvot, which are the aspect of three days …, it is possible to discern. And this is only when one performs [the mitzvot] with joy; for through the joy of the mitzvot it is possible to discern. This is because the Holy One rejoices in His works and this joy is clothed in the mitzvot, as explained. And we below also rejoice in the Holy One, as in, “Israel rejoices in its Maker.” We desire no reward, even the reward of the World to Come. This is, It was swimming upwind and we were sailing downwind —our joy <below> is in accordance with His joy <Above>. In this way we can discern [whether it is before or after the decree has been issued].
וְהָדָר מְפָרֵשׁ אֵיךְ לְהַשִּׂיג בְּחִינַת שִׂמְחָה, עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת רַעַם. וְזֶהוּ: כִּי אָתָא רַב דִּימִי אָמַר: כְּמֵיחַם קֻמְקוּמָא דְּמַיָא וְכוּ', הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת: קוֹל רַעַמְךָ בַּגַּלְגַּל. שִׁיתִּין זֶה בְּחִינַת גְּבוּרוֹת, הַפּוֹגְעִין בְּגַלְגַּלְתָּא, וְנַעֲשֶׂה מִמֶּנּוּ רְעָמִים. וְאִשְׁתַּמַע קָלָא, זֶה בְּחִינַת: הַקּוֹל מְעוֹרֵר הַכַּוָּנָה, בְּחִינַת: לֹא נִבְרְאוּ רְעָמִים וְכוּ'.
[Rabbah bar bar Chanah] then explains how to achieve this joy: by means of the aspect of thunder. This is, when Rav Dimi came, he said: In the time it takes to heat a kettle of water it went sixty parsay —i.e., corresponding to “The sound of Your thunder was in the sphere,” <and to “The voice stimulates kavanah”>. Sixty is an allusion to gevurot, which strike the skull and are converted into thunder. And then “the voice is transmitted”—this corresponds to “The voice stimulates kavanah,” and to “Thunder was only created [to straighten the crookedness of the heart].”
וְהָדָר אָמַר, שֶׁעִקַּר הִתְגַּבְּרוּת הַגְּבוּרוֹת אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא עַל־יְדֵי חֲסָדִים, וְצָרִיךְ לְאַכְלָלָא שְׂמֹאלָא בִּימִינָא כַּנַּ"ל, וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן צָרִיךְ לְאַקְדָּמָא אֶת הַיִּרְאָה, כִּי בַּעַל אֲבֵדָה מַחֲזִיר עַל אֲבֵדָתוֹ.
He then said that, in essence, the conquering-ability of the gevurot is only due to chasadim. Thus, it is necessary to encompass the left within the right, as explained. But even so, a person must put the fear of Heaven first, because “the owner of a lost object searches after what he has lost.”
(כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה קִדּוּשִׁין ב: דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל אִישׁ לַחֲזֹר אַחַר אִשָּׁה. מָשָׁל לְאָדָם, שֶׁאָבְדָה לוֹ אֲבֵדָה וְכוּ'. פֵּרוּשׁ, כִּי אַהֲבָה הוּא בְּחִינַת אִישׁ, וְיִרְאָה הִיא בְּחִינַת אִשָּׁה, כַּיָּדוּעַ, וְעַל־כֵּן צָרִיךְ לְהַקְדִּים אֶת הַיִּרְאָה, כִּי אָז תָּבוֹא אֵלָיו הָאַהֲבָה מִמֵּילָא, כִּי הָאַהֲבָה הוֹלֶכֶת וּמְחַזֶּרֶת אַחַר הַיִּרְאָה תָּמִיד, כִּי בַּעַל אֲבֵדָה מַחֲזִיר אַחַר אֲבֵדָתוֹ כַּנַּ"ל; כָּךְ שָׁמַעְתִּי מִפִּיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ בְּפֵרוּשׁ). וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת: וְכִי שָׁדָא פָּרְשָׁא גִּירָא וְכוּ'.
{As the Sages taught: It is the way of the man to search after the woman. This is analogous to a person who has lost something. Who searches after whom? Certainly, the owner of the object searches after what he has lost (Kiddushin 2b). The explanation of this is: Man is the aspect of love, whereas woman is the aspect of fear, as is known. It is therefore necessary to put the fear of Heaven first, as, then, love will automatically follow. For the love [of God] constantly goes out and searches after the fear of Heaven, just as the owner of the object searches after what he has lost.} This is, And a rider shot an arrow….
וְאָמַר רַב אַשִׁי: הַאי גִּלְדָּנָא דְיָּמָא וְכוּ'. גִּילְדְנָא הוּא בְּחִינַת שֵׁם אגל"א, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת גְּבוּרוֹת, כִּי הוּא רָאשֵׁי־תֵּבוֹת: אַתָּה גִּבּוֹר לְעוֹלָם אֲדֹנָי, כַּמּוּבָא, כִּי גִּלְדְּנָא הוּא אוֹתִיּוֹת אג"ל וְשֵׁם אדֹנ"י בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, הַיְנוּ שֵׁם אגל"א כַּנַּ"ל.
Rav Ashi said, This [fish] was a sea gyldena. Gyldena alludes to the Holy Name AGLA, which is an aspect of gevurot in that it is an acronym for “Atah Gebor L’olam Adonoy (You are mighty forever, O Lord!)” (Amidah Prayer), as is brought (Zohar Chadash, Terumah). GYLDeNA is made up entirely of the letters AGL and the Holy Name ADoNoY —i.e., the Holy Name AGLA. <And this is what is alluded to by two fins .>
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ:
7. This is the explanation [of the opening verse]: {“With trumpets and the sound of the shofar shout out before God, the King. Let the sea thunder and all within it, the tevel (world) and all its inhabitants. Let the rivers clap their hands, the mountains y’ranainu (sing joyously) together. At the presence of God, for He is coming to judge the earth” (Psalms 98:6-9).}
בַּחֲצֹצְרוֹת וְקוֹל שׁוֹפָר וְכוּ', הַיְנוּ עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת קוֹל דְּנָפִיק, כַּנַּ"ל,
With trumpets and the sound of the shofar — That is, by means of the voice that is released [during prayer]
עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה: יִרְעַם הַיָּם וְכוּ', נַעֲשֶׂה בְּחִינַת רְעָמִים, בְּחִינַת: קוֹל רַעַמְךָ בַּגַּלְגַּל.
Let the sea thunder — thunder is generated. This corresponds to “The sound of Your thunder was in the sphere.”
תֵּבֵל וְיֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ – דָּא בְּחִינַת לִבָּא וְעָרְקִין דִּילֵהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ: לֹא נִבְרְאוּ רְעָמִים וְכוּ':
the tevel and all its inhabitants — This alludes to the heart and its arteries. “Thunder was only created….”
כִּי תֵּבֵל – אוֹתִיּוֹת תָּי"ו לֵב: תָּיו לְשׁוֹן רְשִׁימָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (יחזקאל ט׳:ד׳): וְהִתְוִיתָ תָּו – שֶׁנִּרְשַׁם הַקּוֹל בַּלֵּב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ: לֹא נִבְרְאוּ רְעָמִים וְכוּ'; וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה:
TeVeL is made up of the letters Tav LeV. TaV connotes a mark, as is written (Ezekiel 9:4), “and hitvita TaV (inscribe a mark).” The voice is imprinted on the heart, as in, “Thunder was only created to straighten [the crookedness of the LeV].” And because of this:
נְהָרוֹת יִמְחֲאוּ כָף – בְּחִינַת שִׂמְחָה כַּנַּ"ל, וּלְיִשְׁרֵי לֵב שִׂמְחָה. וְעַל יְדֵי הַשִּׂמְחָה:
Let the rivers clap their hands — This alludes to joy, as mentioned above: “and joy for the straight of heart.” And by means of this joy…
יַחַד הָרִים יְרַנֵּנוּ. רִנָּה לְשׁוֹן תְּפִלָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (מלכים־א ח): לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל הָרִנָּה וְכוּ';
the mountains y’RaNainu together — RiNah connotes prayer, as is written (1 Kings 8:28), “Hearken to the rinah and to the prayer.”
הָרִים בְּחִינַת צַדִּיקִים, הַיְנוּ עַל יְדֵי שִׂמְחַת הַלֵּב יְכוֹלִין לְהִתְפַּלֵּל וּלְהַלְבִּישׁ אֶת תְּפִלָּתָן בְּמַאֲמָר, כְּשֶׁיָּבִינוּ כִּי נִגְזַר הַדִּין, וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ יַחַד – שֶׁמַּלְבִּישִׁים תְּפִלָּתָם בְּסִפּוּרִים יַחַד:
mountains — This alludes to tzaddikim. By means of the heart’s joy they are able to pray, and once they realize that the judgment has already been decreed, they disguise their prayer in a maamar. This is the explanation of < mountains> together —[the tzaddikim] disguise their prayers together with stories.