THEN THE TENT OF M EETING, WITH THE CAMP OF THE LEVITES…. THE STANDARD OF THE CAMP OF EPHRAIM, ACCORDING TO THEIR HOSTS, SHALL BE ON THE WEST SIDE. This was because the Shekinah is in the west.1v. T. B. Baba Bathra, 25a. In this regard it is written: “And he blessed them that day, saying, By thee shall Israel bless, saying…. And he set Ephraim before Manasseh” (Gen. 48, 20).
It is not written “shall be blessed”, but “shall bless”, as much as to say: Holy Israel will not bless the world save by invoking Thee,1Referring to the Shekinah. who art in the west. This shows that Jacob then saw the Shekinah.
It is true that it is written, “the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see” (Ibid. 10), but it also says, “putting his hands crosswise” (Ibid. 14). That is, he first raised up his right hand, but the Shekinah turned it toward Ephraim, and having caught the scent of the Shekinah, as it were, over his head, he said: By Thee will Israel bless. He saw then that the Shekinah is in the west.
The reason for this, as has been explained, is that She may be between north and south, in an attitude of nuptial union, with the north supporting Her beneath Her head and the south embracing Her. So says Scripture: “Let his left hand be under my head, and his right hand embrace me”. There is a dictum: “Whoever recites the Psalm Praise of David (Ps. CXLV) thrice daily may be assured that he is destined for the world to come”.1T. B. Berakoth, 4b. This is because thereby we symbolize daily the union that is effected between north and south.
Thus in the morning a man takes upon himself the yoke of heaven by reciting the Psalm headed “Praise of David”, followed by ten “Hallelukahs”, to wit, the five Psalms each commencing with “Hallelukah” and ending with “Hallelukah”, with the very last of them containing ten, times the expression “praise ye” (Ibid. 150).
Then follows the Song of Moses, which contains all praises, and whereby a man takes upon himself the yoke of the Holy Kingdom. Then at the end of the Service he places Her in Hesed at the end of the prayer proper, to be sanctified therewith. Then the same Psalm is repeated at Minha (Afternoon Prayer), when Vigour is in the ascendant and Rigour prevails alongside the south. Thus unification is effected all along between north and south; and whoever co-ordinates daily his prayers in this way is assuredly destined for the world to come.
Thus ON THE WEST SIDE SHALL BE THE STANDARD OF THE CAMP OF EPHRAIM, that is, lying between north and south; with the standard of the camp of Reuben on the south, and the standard of the camp of Dan on the north, Ephraim is found on the west between the two, between north and south, all on the heavenly pattern.
The following is a mystery known to those who inhabit the south, and has been sent to us by our “brethren who arrange the lamps”. ‘That ye may effect unification by means of the intertwined mysteries that are of the shape of the celestial intertwining, accept upon yourselves the first thing every day the yoke of the Holy Kingdom; thereby will ye enter into the holy intertwining of the south. These encircle the sides of the world until they become bound up in one knot, but keep firm hold of the south and there abide.’
(במדבר ב׳:י״ז) וְנָּסַע אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד מַחֲנֵה הַלְּוִיִּם וְגוֹ'. לְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב, וְנָסַע דֶּגֶל מַחֲנֵה אֶפְרַיִם לְצִבְאוֹתָם יָמָּה. הַיְינוּ שְׁכִינָה שְׁרוּיָה בְּמַּעֲרָב, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ. כְּתִיב (בראשית מ״ח:כ׳) וַיְבָרַכֵם בַּיוֹם הַהוּא לֵאמֹר בְּךָ יְבָרֵךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר וְגוֹ'. וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת אֶפְרַיִם וְגוֹ'. בְּךָ יְבָרֵךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל, יִשְׂרָאֵל סָבָא. מַאי קָא מַשְׁמַע לָן.
THEN THE TENT OF M EETING, WITH THE CAMP OF THE LEVITES…. THE STANDARD OF THE CAMP OF EPHRAIM, ACCORDING TO THEIR HOSTS, SHALL BE ON THE WEST SIDE. This was because the Shekinah is in the west.1v. T. B. Baba Bathra, 25a. In this regard it is written: “And he blessed them that day, saying, By thee shall Israel bless, saying…. And he set Ephraim before Manasseh” (Gen. 48, 20).
אֶלָּא בְּךָ יִתְבָּרֵךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לָא כְּתִיב, אוֹ בְּךָ יְבוֹרָךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל, מַהוּ יְבָרֵךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֶלָּא, יִשְׂרָאֵל קַדִּישָׁא לָא יְבָרֵךְ לְעָלְמָא, אֶלָּא בְּךָ, דְּאַנְתְּ בְּמַּעֲרָב. וּכְתִיב (בראשית ל״ה:י״א) אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי פְּרֵה וּרְבֵה. אוֹלִיפְנָא דְּחָמָא עִמֵּיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא, וּכְדֵין אָמַר בְּךָ יְבָרֵךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר. בְּךָ יְבָרֵךְ לְעָלְמָא.
It is not written “shall be blessed”, but “shall bless”, as much as to say: Holy Israel will not bless the world save by invoking Thee,1Referring to the Shekinah. who art in the west. This shows that Jacob then saw the Shekinah.
וְהֵיאַךְ חָמָא, וְהָכְּתִיב (בראשית מ״ח:י׳) וְעֵינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּבְדוּ מִזּוֹקֶן וְגוֹ'. אֶלָּא שִׂכֵּל אֶת יָדָיו כְּתִיב. מַאי שִׂכֵּל. אֶלָּא יְמִינָא הֲוָה זָקִיף, וְסָטֵי לֵיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא כְּלַפֵּי אֶפְרַיִם, וְאָרַח רֵיחָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ, כְּדֵין אָמַר בְּךָ יְבָרֵךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְחָמָא דְּאִיהוּ לְמַעֲרָב.
It is true that it is written, “the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see” (Ibid. 10), but it also says, “putting his hands crosswise” (Ibid. 14). That is, he first raised up his right hand, but the Shekinah turned it toward Ephraim, and having caught the scent of the Shekinah, as it were, over his head, he said: By Thee will Israel bless. He saw then that the Shekinah is in the west.
וַדַּאי שְׁכִינְתָּא בְּמַּעֲרָב, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא בְּגִין דְּלִהֱוֵי בֵּין צָפוֹן לְדָרוֹם, וּלְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּגוּפָא, וּלְמֶהֱוִי בְּזִוּוּגָא חַד. וְצָפוֹן מְקַבְּלָא לָהּ תְּחוֹת רֵישָׁא, וְדָרוֹם מְחַבְּקָא לָהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שיר השירים ב׳:ו׳) שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי וִימִינוֹ תְּחַבְּקֵנִי. וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא וַדַּאי, מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹה בֵּין צָפוֹן לְדָרוֹם, וּלְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּגוּפָא, וּכְדֵין כְּלָלָא חַד לְאִתְבָּרְכָא עָלְמָא. תְּנָן, כָּל הָאוֹמֵר תְּהִלָּה לְדָוִד ג' פְּעָמִים בְּכָל יוֹמָא, מוּבְטַח לוֹ שֶׁהוּא בֶּן הַעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא בְּגִין לְזַוְּוגָא לָהּ לְהַאי תְּהִלָּה, וּלְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא בֵּין צָפוֹן לְדָרוֹם.
The reason for this, as has been explained, is that She may be between north and south, in an attitude of nuptial union, with the north supporting Her beneath Her head and the south embracing Her. So says Scripture: “Let his left hand be under my head, and his right hand embrace me”. There is a dictum: “Whoever recites the Psalm Praise of David (Ps. CXLV) thrice daily may be assured that he is destined for the world to come”.1T. B. Berakoth, 4b. This is because thereby we symbolize daily the union that is effected between north and south.
אָתֵי בַּר נָשׁ בְּצַפְרָא, מְקַבֵּל עָלֵיהּ עוֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם (כמה דאתמר מסדר שבחא) בְּאִינּוּן תּוּשְׁבְּחָן דְּקָאָמַר (עם) תְּהִלָּה לְדָוִד, וְכֻלְּהוּ הַלְלוּיָהּ דְּאִינּוּן סִדּוּרָא דַּעַשְׂרָה תּוּשְׁבְּחָן, דַּעַשְׂרָה כִּתְרִין קַדִּישִׁין דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא. וּבְגִין כַּךְ עַשְׂרָה אִינּוּן הַלְלוּיָהּ. לְבָתַר סִיֵּים בַּעַשְׂרָה תּוּשְׁבְּחָן, דְּאִינּוּן (תהילים ק״נ:א׳) הַלְלוּיָהּ הַלְלוּ אֵל בְּקָדְשׁוֹ וְגוֹ'. הַלְלוּהוּ וְגוֹ'. מַאן אִינּוּן עַשְׂרָה הַלְלוּיָהּ, וְהָא חֲמִשָּׁה אִינּוּן. אֶלָּא שָׁרֵי שְׁבָחָא בְּהַלְלוּיָהּ, וְסִיֵּים בְּהַלְלוּיָהּ.
Thus in the morning a man takes upon himself the yoke of heaven by reciting the Psalm headed “Praise of David”, followed by ten “Hallelukahs”, to wit, the five Psalms each commencing with “Hallelukah” and ending with “Hallelukah”, with the very last of them containing ten, times the expression “praise ye” (Ibid. 150).
לְבָתַר עִלּוּיָא דְּסִדּוּר שְׁבָחָא, בְּאָז יָשִׁיר מֹשֶׁה, דְּאִית בֵּיהּ כֹּלָּא. וּבְדָא מְקַבֵּל עָלֵיהּ עוֹל מַלְכוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא. לְבָתַר אַשְׁרֵי לֵהּ בְּחֶסֶד, בְּסִיוּמָא דִּצְלוֹתָא, לְאִתְקַדְּשָׁא בֵּיהּ. לְבָתַר בִּצְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה דִּגְבוּרָה תַּלְיָיא, וְדִינָא שָׁארֵי. אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּכָל דָּרוֹמָא (ס"א יומא) דָּא מִטָּה דְּאִתְיְהִיבַת בֵּין צָפוֹן לְדָרוֹם. לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּזִוּוּגָא דָּא בְּגוּפָא כְּדְקָא יָאוּת. וּמַאן דִּמְסַדֵּר וּמְחַבֵּר לָהּ בְּכָל יוֹמָא כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא, וַדַּאי הוּא בֶּן העוֹלָם הַבָּא.
Then follows the Song of Moses, which contains all praises, and whereby a man takes upon himself the yoke of the Holy Kingdom. Then at the end of the Service he places Her in Hesed at the end of the prayer proper, to be sanctified therewith. Then the same Psalm is repeated at Minha (Afternoon Prayer), when Vigour is in the ascendant and Rigour prevails alongside the south. Thus unification is effected all along between north and south; and whoever co-ordinates daily his prayers in this way is assuredly destined for the world to come.
בְּגִין כַּךְ הַאי דֶּגֶל מַחֲנֵה אֶפְרַיִם יָמָּה, וְאִיהוּ בֵּין צָפוֹן לְדָרוֹם. דָּרוֹם רְאוּבֵן מִן סִטְרָא חַד, דִּכְתִּיב דֶּגֶל מַחֲנֵה רְאוּבֵן תֵּימָנָה. צָפוֹן דָּן מִסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא, דִּכְתִּיב דֶּגֶל מַחֲנֵה דָן צָפוֹנָה. אֶפְרַיִם, בֵּין דָּא לְדָא. אִשְׁתְּכַח מַעֲרָב דְּאִיהוּ אֶפְרַיִם, בֵּין צָפוֹן לְדָרוֹם, כֹּלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא.
Thus ON THE WEST SIDE SHALL BE THE STANDARD OF THE CAMP OF EPHRAIM, that is, lying between north and south; with the standard of the camp of Reuben on the south, and the standard of the camp of Dan on the north, Ephraim is found on the west between the two, between north and south, all on the heavenly pattern.
רָזָא לְיַתְבֵי דְּרוֹמָא אֲחוּנָא. וְהָכִי שָׁדַר לוֹן אֲחוּנָא, מִסִּטְרָא דְּבּוּצִינִין (ס"א מסדרי בוצינין) בְּרָזִין קְטִירִין, דְּבָעִיתוּ לְיַחֲדָא יִחוּדָא בְּטוּפְסְרָא דְּקִטְרָא עִלָּאָה, קַבִּילוּ עָלַיְיכוּ עוֹל מַלְכוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּכָל יוֹמָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּבְדָא תַּעֲלוּן (ס"א בקשורא) בְּקִסוּרָא (ס"א בקסטרא) קַדִּישָׁא דְּדָרוֹם, וְאַסְחֲרוּ סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא, עַד דְּמִתְקַשְּׁרָן בְּקִטוּרָא חֲדָא, וּבְדָרוֹם תְּקִיפוּ (ס"א תקיעו) דּוּכְתָּא, וְתַמָּן תִּשְׁרוּן.
The following is a mystery known to those who inhabit the south, and has been sent to us by our “brethren who arrange the lamps”. ‘That ye may effect unification by means of the intertwined mysteries that are of the shape of the celestial intertwining, accept upon yourselves the first thing every day the yoke of the Holy Kingdom; thereby will ye enter into the holy intertwining of the south. These encircle the sides of the world until they become bound up in one knot, but keep firm hold of the south and there abide.’