EVERY MAN WITH HIS OWN STANDARD, ACCORDING TO THE ENSIGNS…1There is here a lacuna in the text. This signifies the four camps of the Community of Israel, comprising the twelve tribes, forming twelve boundaries enclosing Her, all on the celestial model. Of this Scripture says: “Whither the tribes went up” (Ps. 122, 4), to wit, the twelve tribes, the twelve lower boundaries: “even the tribes of YH, as a testimony unto Israel” (Ibid.), inasmuch as of a truth YH is the attestor of Israel.
This we see in their names, as Hareuben Y (the Reubenite), Hashimeon Y (the Simeonite), and so on. Assuredly it is so, inasmuch as a sacred celestial Tree traced out its boundaries through them, as expounded elsewhere. We find Scripture saying: “As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side”, etc. (Ezek. 1, 10). The image of man, that is, was combined with all of them. The faces turned toward the four cardinal points, each with its own likeness, but all combined with the likeness of man.
Michael was on the right, Gabriel on the left, Uriel in front, and Raphael behind, while the Shekinah was hovering over them all. Thus there were two on each side with the Shekinah in the centre. This model was followed here below, namely, two on either side with YH in the centre;
First “the standard of the camp of the children of Judah set forward” (Num. 10, 14), corresponding to the camp of Uriel; the camp of Reuben corresponded to the camp of Michael; the one was toward the south, the other toward the east, symbolic of the southeast of the altar. Then the camp of Dan toward the north, corresponding to the camp of Gabriel, and the camp of Ephraim to the west, corresponding to the camp of Raphael. This is symbolic of the north-west of the altar. The whole was linked together and was unified in the Divine Name, which is both the starting-point and the consummation of all existence.
the He, is symbolic of the south and the north. Thus, YH (the Yod and the He’) is the upholder of the south and the north; whilst the Vau is the centre, and is significant of the male child. Hence the dictum, “Whoever places his bed between north and south will have male children born to him”.1T. B. Berachoth, 5b.
Then the last He denotes the west. The south is thus interlinked with the east, which constitutes the starting-point of the sun. Hence we have learnt that it is the side of the Father to which is attached the supernal Hesed (Mercy), and the side of the Mother from which depends Geburah (Might).
So are the corners of the altar circled (by the priest when sprinkling the blood), beginning with southeast, as the strength of the south resides in the east, the starting-point of the sun; followed by the east-north, since the south in its turn gives its light to the north, the north being enfolded in the south, as the left hand is clasped in the right;
there follows north-west, the west, symbolised by the last He, deriving from the north; finally, west-south, the west thus proceeding to be embraced, as it were, by the south; in the same way as the south depends on the east, from which it derives its strength, so the west is embraced by the south, as it says: “Let his left hand be under my head, and his right hand embrace me” (S.S. 2, 6). The right signifies the south, and the left the north.
This mystery we are taught by the Holy One, blessed be He, who thus places His bed between the north and the south, and so has man to do-as my father taught me-in order that he may have male children born to him.
In all his deeds it behoves a man to imitate the celestial model, and to realize that according to the nature of a deed below there is a responsive stirring on high.’ R. Phineas, having heard this discourse, kissed R. Eleazar. He wept and laughed, saying: ‘Happy is my portion in this world and in the world to come.’
(במדבר ב׳:ב׳) אִישׁ עַל דִּגְלוֹ בְאוֹתוֹת. אִלֵּין אַרְבַּע מַשִּׁרְיָין דִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִינּוּן תְּרֵיסָר שְׁבָטִין, תְּרֵיסָר תְּחוּמִין, סְחוֹר סְחוֹר לָהּ. כֹּלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, כְּתִיב (תהילים קכ״ב:ד׳) שֶׁשָּׁם עָלוּ שְׁבָטִים שִׁבְטֵי יָהּ וְגוֹ'. שֶׁשָּׁם עָלוּ שְׁבָטִים, אִלֵּין י"ב שְׁבָטִין, י"ב תְּחוּמִין דִּלְתַתָּא.
EVERY MAN WITH HIS OWN STANDARD, ACCORDING TO THE ENSIGNS…1There is here a lacuna in the text. This signifies the four camps of the Community of Israel, comprising the twelve tribes, forming twelve boundaries enclosing Her, all on the celestial model. Of this Scripture says: “Whither the tribes went up” (Ps. 122, 4), to wit, the twelve tribes, the twelve lower boundaries: “even the tribes of YH, as a testimony unto Israel” (Ibid.), inasmuch as of a truth YH is the attestor of Israel.
שִׁבְטֵי יָהּ, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ בְּגִין דְּיָ"הּ עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וַדַּאי. וּבְגִין דָּא, הָראוּבֵנִי, הַשִּׁמְעוֹנִי, יָ"הּ בְּכָל חַד וְחַד. אֲבָל וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, דְּהָא אִילָנָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא, בְּהוּ אַחְתָּם בְּחוֹתָמוֹי. וְאוֹקְמוּהָ דִּכְתִּיב, (יחזקאל א׳:י׳) וּדְמוּת פְּנֵיהֶם פְּנֵי אָדָם וּפְנֵי אַרְיֵה אֶל הַיָּמִין וְגוֹ'. דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם אִתְכְּלִיל בְּכֻלְּהוּ, וְאַפִּין הֲווֹ לְד' סִטְרִין דְּעָלְמָא, וּמִתְפָּרְשָׁן בְּדִיּוּקְנֵיהוֹן, וְכֻלְהוֹן כְּלִילָן בֵּיהּ בְּאָדָם.
This we see in their names, as Hareuben Y (the Reubenite), Hashimeon Y (the Simeonite), and so on. Assuredly it is so, inasmuch as a sacred celestial Tree traced out its boundaries through them, as expounded elsewhere. We find Scripture saying: “As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side”, etc. (Ezek. 1, 10). The image of man, that is, was combined with all of them. The faces turned toward the four cardinal points, each with its own likeness, but all combined with the likeness of man.
מִיכָאֵל מִימִינָא, גַּבְרִיאֵל מִשְּׂמָאלָא, אוּרִיאֵל לְקַדְמַיְיהוּ, רְפָאֵל לַאֲחוֹרַיְיהוּ, שְׁכִינְתָּא עָלַיְיהוּ. תְּרֵין מִכָּאן, וּתְרֵין מִכָּאן, וְהִיא בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא בְּאַרְעָא דִּלְתַתָּא, תְּרֵי מִכָּאן, וּתְרֵי מִכָּאן, וְיָ"הּ בֵּינַיְיהוּ.
Michael was on the right, Gabriel on the left, Uriel in front, and Raphael behind, while the Shekinah was hovering over them all. Thus there were two on each side with the Shekinah in the centre. This model was followed here below, namely, two on either side with YH in the centre;
כֵּיוָן דְּנַטְלִין תְּרֵין דְּגָלִים, מַה כְּתִיב. וְנָסַע אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד מַחֲנֵה הַלְוִיִּם וְגוֹ'. וּלְבָתַר, אִינּוּן תְּרֵין אַחֲרָנִין ד' מַשִּׁרְיָין אִינּוּן לְד' סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא, וְאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ תְּרֵיסָר. אוּף הָכִי לְתַתָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא.
for as soon as two standards had commenced to march, then “the tent of meeting, the camp of the Levites, journeyed”, and then two others set forth.
וְנָסַע בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה דֶּגֶל מַחֲנֵה יְהוּדָה, לָקֳבֵיל מַשִּׁרְיָיא דְּאוּרִיאֵל. וּמַחֲנֶה דִּרְאוּבֵן לָקֳבֵיל מַשִּׁרְיָיא דְּמִיכָאֵל. דָּא לַדָּרוֹם, וְדָא לְמִזְרָח. מִזְבֵּחַ הָכִי נָמֵי דְּרוֹמִית מִזְרָחִית. וּמַחֲנֵה דָּן לַצָּפוֹן. מַחֲנֵה אֶפְרַיִם יָמָה. מַחֲנֵה דָּן לָקֳבֵיל מַשִּׁרְיָיא דְּגַבְרִיאֵל. מַחֲנֶה אֶפְרַיִם לְמַעֲרָב, לָקֳבֵיל מַשִּׁרְיָיא דִּרְפָאֵל מִזְבֵּחַ הָכִי נָמֵי צְפוֹנִית מַעֲרָבִית. כֹּלָּא אָחִיד דָּא בְּדָא, עַד דְּסַלְּקָא כֹּלָּא וְאִתְאֲחָד בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּאִיהוּ שֵׁירוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא. עִלָּאָה דְּכֹלָּא קַדִּישָׁא דְּכֹלָּא. כֹּלָּא אִתְכְּלִיל בֵּיהּ.
First “the standard of the camp of the children of Judah set forward” (Num. 10, 14), corresponding to the camp of Uriel; the camp of Reuben corresponded to the camp of Michael; the one was toward the south, the other toward the east, symbolic of the southeast of the altar. Then the camp of Dan toward the north, corresponding to the camp of Gabriel, and the camp of Ephraim to the west, corresponding to the camp of Raphael. This is symbolic of the north-west of the altar. The whole was linked together and was unified in the Divine Name, which is both the starting-point and the consummation of all existence.
י' מִזְרָח הוּא שֵׁירוּתָא דִּנְהוֹרָא, אָזִיל וְשָׁאט וְאַפִּיק לְדָרוֹם. וְדָרוֹם נָפִיק וְתַלְיָיא בְּשֵׁירוּתָא דְּמִזְרָח. ה' דָּרוֹם. מִנֵּיהּ נָפִיק דָּרוֹם בְּעָלְמָא. וְעָיִיל י' בְּשֵׁירוּתָא דְּמִזְרָח, וְאַפִּיק לֵיהּ.
Thus the Yod, symbolic of the east, is the starting-point of light which moves on toward the south;
וּמִן ה' תַּלְיָיא דָּרוֹם וְצָפוֹן, וְהַהוּא (אד"ג) דְּבֵינַיְיהוּ, י' מִזְרָח יָ"הּ דָּרוֹם וְצָפוֹן תַּלְיָיאן בֵּיהּ. ו' בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא. וְדָא הוּא בֵּן דְּכָר. בְּגִין כָּךְ אִיהוּ בֵּין צָפוֹן לְדָרוֹם. וְעַל דָּא תָּנֵינָן, מַאן דְּיָהִיב מִטָּתוֹ בֵּין צָפוֹן לְדָרוֹם, הַוְיָין לֵיהּ בָּנִים זְכָרִים. דְּהַאי בֵּן דְּכַר אִיהוּ בֵּין צָפוֹן לְדָרוֹם. ה' עִלָּאָה בָּהּ תַּלְיָא צָפוֹן וְדָרוֹם, וּבֵן דְּכָר בֵּינַיְיהוּ, בְּרָזָא דְּיו"ה. ה' בַּתְרָאָה מַעֲרָב.
the He, is symbolic of the south and the north. Thus, YH (the Yod and the He’) is the upholder of the south and the north; whilst the Vau is the centre, and is significant of the male child. Hence the dictum, “Whoever places his bed between north and south will have male children born to him”.1T. B. Berachoth, 5b.
וְעַל דָּא דָּרוֹם אָחִיד מִזְרָח, דְּאִיהוּ שֵׁירוּתָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא וְתַלְיָיא בֵּיהּ. וְעַל דָּא תָּנֵינָן, מִסִּטְרָא דְּאַבָּא אָחִיד וְתַלְיָיא חֶסֶד עִלָּאָה. מִסִּטְרָא דְּאִימָא תַּלְיָיא גְּבוּרָה. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא אָחִיד כֹּלָּא דָּא בְּדָא.
Then the last He denotes the west. The south is thus interlinked with the east, which constitutes the starting-point of the sun. Hence we have learnt that it is the side of the Father to which is attached the supernal Hesed (Mercy), and the side of the Mother from which depends Geburah (Might).
זַוְויָין דְּמַדְבְּחָא הָכִי נָמֵי אִסְתַּחֲרָן, וּבָא לוֹ לְקֶרֶן דְּרוֹמִית מִזְרָחִית. דְּדָרוֹם תּוּקְפֵּיהּ בְּמִזְרָח, דְּאִיהוּ שֵׁירוּתָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא, וְתּוּקְפָּא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא לָא שַׁרְיָיא אֶלָּא בְּשֵׁירוּתָא. מִזְרָחִית צְפוֹנִית. כֵּיוָן דְּדָרוֹם נָטִיל תּוּקְפֵּיהּ דְּמִזְרָח, הוּא אַנְהִיר לַצָּפוֹן וְצָפוֹן אִתְכְּלִיל בְּדָרוֹם, דְּהָא שְׂמָאלָא אִתְכְּלִיל בִּימִינָא.
So are the corners of the altar circled (by the priest when sprinkling the blood), beginning with southeast, as the strength of the south resides in the east, the starting-point of the sun; followed by the east-north, since the south in its turn gives its light to the north, the north being enfolded in the south, as the left hand is clasped in the right;
צְפוֹנִית מַעֲרָבִית, דְּהָא מַעֲרָב דְּאִיהִי בְּה' בַּתְרָאָה, נַטְלָא מִצָּפוֹן. וְעַל דָּא צָפוֹן אָזִיל לְמַעֲרָב. מַעֲרָבִית דְּרוֹמִית, הִיא אַזְלָא (ס"א לאתחבקא) לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּדָרוֹם, כְּמָה דְּדָרוֹם תַּלְיָיא בְּמִזְרָח, וְתוּקְפֵּיהּ אָזִיל בְּשֵׁרוּתָא. הָכִי נָמֵי מַעֲרָב, אַזְלָא (ס"א לאתחבקא) לְאִתְאַחֲדָא בְּדָרוֹם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שיר השירים ב׳:ו׳) וִימִינוֹ תְּחַבְּקֵנִי. יְמִינָא דָּא הוּא דָּרוֹם. בְּגִין כָּךְ יַנְקָא מִתְּרֵין סִטְרִין, מִצָּפוֹן וּמִדָּרוֹם. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שיר השירים ב׳:ו׳) שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי וִימִינוֹ תְּחַבְּקֵנִי. שְׂמֹאלוֹ דָּא הוּא צָפוֹן, וִימִינוֹ דָּא הוּא דָּרוֹם.
there follows north-west, the west, symbolised by the last He, deriving from the north; finally, west-south, the west thus proceeding to be embraced, as it were, by the south; in the same way as the south depends on the east, from which it derives its strength, so the west is embraced by the south, as it says: “Let his left hand be under my head, and his right hand embrace me” (S.S. 2, 6). The right signifies the south, and the left the north.
וְרָזָא דָּא אוֹלִיפְנָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהִיב מִטָּתֵיהּ, בֵּין צָפוֹן לְדָרוֹם. וַאֲחִידַת לְהַאי בֵּן ודַּאי. וְעַל דָּא אִית לְהוּ לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא לְמֵיהַב מִטָּתַיְיהוּ בֵּין צָפוֹן לְדָרוֹם. וְהָכִי אוֹלִיף לִי אַבָּא. דְּיַהֲבִין לְהוּ בְּנִין דִּכְרִין. דְּהָא אִיהוּ אִתְכְּוָון כְּלַפֵּי מְהֵימְנוּתָא שְׁלֵימָא עִלָּאָה, בִּשְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא. לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּאִיהוּ בֵּין צָפוֹן לְדָרוֹם, וּלְגַבֵּי כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל דְאַנְהִירִין (ס"א דאיהי) בֵּין צָפוֹן לְדָרוֹם. וַדַּאי יֶהֶוְוָן לֵיהּ בְּנִין דִּכְרִין.
This mystery we are taught by the Holy One, blessed be He, who thus places His bed between the north and the south, and so has man to do-as my father taught me-in order that he may have male children born to him.
וּבְכֹלָּא בָּעֵי לְאַחֲזָאָה עוֹבָדָא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, וּכְמָּה דְּאַחְזֵי עוֹבָדָא לְתַתָּא, הָכִי נָמֵי אִתְּעַר לְעֵילָּא, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ. שָׁמַע רִבִּי פִּנְחָס, וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ לְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וּבָכָה וְחַיִיךְ אָמַר, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.
In all his deeds it behoves a man to imitate the celestial model, and to realize that according to the nature of a deed below there is a responsive stirring on high.’ R. Phineas, having heard this discourse, kissed R. Eleazar. He wept and laughed, saying: ‘Happy is my portion in this world and in the world to come.’