SPEAK UNTO AARON AND UNTO HIS SONS, SAYING: ON THIS WISE YE SHALL BLESS, ETC. R. Isaac quoted here the verse: “But the grace (hesed) of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children” (Ps. 102, 17). ‘How great’, he said, ‘is the virtue of fear in the esteem of the Almighty, inasmuch as fear embraces humility, and humility embraces a state of grace (h’siduth) Hence, whoever is possessed of fear of sin is possessed of all those virtues; but whoever does not fear Heaven possesses neither humility nor the state of grace.
There is a teaching: Whoever emerges from the stage of fear and robes himself in humility, attains thereby a higher degree, as it says, “The fear of the Lord is the heel of humility”1E.V. “The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord is…”. (Prov. 22, 4). Whoever is possessed of the fear of Heaven is rewarded with humility, and he who is possessed of humility is rewarded with the state of grace; so that fear of the Heaven leads to both of these.
We have been taught: Whoever has attained the degree of grace is designated “angel” of the Lord of hosts, as we read: “For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the angel of the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 2, 7). Wherewith did the priest merit to be called “angel of the Lord of hosts”?’ Said R. Judah: ‘As the angel of the Lord of hosts is a priest on high, so is the priest below an angel of the Lord of hosts.
The angel of the Lord of hosts on high is Michael the great prince who issues from the celestial Grace (hesed) and is the celestial High-priest. So the High-priest on earth is called “angel of the Lord of hosts” by reason that he belongs to the side of Grace. He has attained that degree through fear of God. Scripture thus says: “And the grace of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting (lit. world to world) upon them that fear him”.
What means “from world to world”? Said R. Isaac: ‘As it has been established in the exposition of the Holy Assembly;1The idra Rabba. it alludes to the two worlds.’ R. Hiya objected: ‘If so, it should have been written “from the world to the world”.’ Said R. Eleazar: ‘It is an allusion to the celestial Adam and the earthly Adam.
Said R. Judah: ‘But there is a teaching that the term “Adam” signifies the conjunction of male and female?’ R. Eleazar in reply said: ‘Assuredly so. He who achieves for himself the union of male and female is called Adam, and in this way has the fear of sin. He attains, moreover, to the virtue of humility, and even the degree of grace. Contrariwise, he who remains without that union possesses neither fear nor humility nor the state of grace. So Scripture says: “For I have said: The world is built by Grace” (Ibid. 89, 3), to wit, by Adam, who denotes the union of male and female.
Again: “And the grace of the Lord is from world to world” is an allusion to the priests who proceed from the side of Grace and have obtained this inheritance that descends from the upper world to the lower. “Upon those who fear him”, to wit, the priests here below, regarding whom it is written, “and [he shall] make atonement for himself, and for his house” (Lev. 16, 6), by means of which house (i.e. wife) he falls within the category of Adam. The Psalmist continues: “and his righteousness unto children’s children”, in allusion to the priest who was rewarded with children’s children.
(במדבר ו׳:כ״ג) דַּבֵּר אֶל אַהֲרֹן וְאֶל בָּנָיו לֵאמֹר כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ וְגוֹ'. רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (תהילים ק״ג:י״ז) וְחֶסֶד יְיָ מֵעוֹלָם וְעַד עוֹלָם עַל יְרֵאָיו וְצִדְקָתוֹ לִבְנֵי בָנִים. כַּמָה גְּדוֹלָה הַיִּרְאָה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁבִּכְלַל הַיִּרְאָה עֲנָוָה, וּבִכְלַל הָעֲנָוָה חֲסִידוּת. נִמְצָא שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ יִרְאַת חֵטְא, יֶשְׁנוֹ בְּכֻלָן וּמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יְרֵא שָׁמַיִם, אֵין בּוֹ לֹא עֲנָוָה וְלֹא חֲסִידוּת.
SPEAK UNTO AARON AND UNTO HIS SONS, SAYING: ON THIS WISE YE SHALL BLESS, ETC. R. Isaac quoted here the verse: “But the grace (hesed) of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children” (Ps. 102, 17). ‘How great’, he said, ‘is the virtue of fear in the esteem of the Almighty, inasmuch as fear embraces humility, and humility embraces a state of grace (h’siduth) Hence, whoever is possessed of fear of sin is possessed of all those virtues; but whoever does not fear Heaven possesses neither humility nor the state of grace.
תָּאנָא, מִי שֶׁיָּצָא מִן הַיִּרְאָה, וְנִתְלָבַּשׁ בַּעֲנָוָה, עֲנָוָה עָדִיף, וְנִכְלַל בְּכֻלְּהוּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (משלי כ״ב:ד׳) עֵקֶב עֲנָוָה יִרְאַת יְיָ. כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם, זוֹכֶה לַעֲנָוָה. כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ עֲנָוָה, זוֹכֶה לַחֲסִידוּת. וְכָל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם, זוֹכֶה לְכֻלָּם. לַעֲנָוָה, דִּכְתִּיב עֵקֶב עֲנָוָה יִרְאַת יְיָ. לַחֲסִידוּת, דִּכְתִּיב וְחֶסֶד יְיָ מֵעוֹלָם וְעַד עוֹלָם עַל יְרֵאָיו.
There is a teaching: Whoever emerges from the stage of fear and robes himself in humility, attains thereby a higher degree, as it says, “The fear of the Lord is the heel of humility”1E.V. “The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord is…”. (Prov. 22, 4). Whoever is possessed of the fear of Heaven is rewarded with humility, and he who is possessed of humility is rewarded with the state of grace; so that fear of the Heaven leads to both of these.
תָּאנָא, כָּל אָדָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ חֲסִידוּת, נִקְרָא מַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (מלאכי ב׳:ז׳) כִּי שִׂפְתֵי כֹהֵן יִשְׁמְרוּ דַּעַת וְתוֹרָה יְבַקְשׁוּ מִפִּיהוּ כִּי מַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת הוּא. מִפְּנֵי מַה זָכָה כֹּהֵן לְהִקָרֵא מַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, מַה מַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת, כֹּהֵן לְמַעְלָה, אַף כֹּהֵן מַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת לְמַטָּה.
We have been taught: Whoever has attained the degree of grace is designated “angel” of the Lord of hosts, as we read: “For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the angel of the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 2, 7). Wherewith did the priest merit to be called “angel of the Lord of hosts”?’ Said R. Judah: ‘As the angel of the Lord of hosts is a priest on high, so is the priest below an angel of the Lord of hosts.
וּמַאן הוּא מַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת לְמַעְלָה. זֶה מִיכָאֵ"ל הַשַּׂר הַגָּדוֹל, דְּאָתֵי מֵחֶסֶד שֶׁל מַעֲלָה, וְהוּא כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל שֶׁל מַעֲלָה, כִּבְיָכוֹל, כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל דִּלְתַּתָּא, אִקְרֵי מַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת, מִשּׁוּם דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶד. מַהוּ חֶסֶד. רַחֲמֵי גּוֹ רַחֲמֵי. וּבְגִין כַּךְ, כֹּהֵן לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא. מַאי טַעְמָא זָכָה כֹּהֵן לְחֶסֶד, בְּגִין הַיִּרְאָה. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהילים ק״ג:י״ז) וְחֶסֶד יְיָ מֵעוֹלָם וְעַד עוֹלָם עַל יְרֵאָיו.
The angel of the Lord of hosts on high is Michael the great prince who issues from the celestial Grace (hesed) and is the celestial High-priest. So the High-priest on earth is called “angel of the Lord of hosts” by reason that he belongs to the side of Grace. He has attained that degree through fear of God. Scripture thus says: “And the grace of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting (lit. world to world) upon them that fear him”.
עוֹלָם וְעוֹלָם מַהוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק כְּמָה דְּאִתְתָּקַן בְּאִדָּרָא קַדִּישָׁא, עוֹלָם חַד, וְעוֹלָם תְּרֵי. אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא אִי הָכִי מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ, תְּרֵי עָלְמֵי נִינְהוּ. וְאִתְהַדְּרוּ לְחַד. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר לְרִבִּי יִצְחָק עַד מָתַי תִּסְתּוֹם דְּבָרִיךְ. מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם, כְּלָלָא דְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה, אָדָם דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְאָדָם דִּלְתַּתָּא, וְהַיְינוּ עוֹלָם וְעוֹלָם. וּכְתִיב יְמֵי עוֹלָם, וּכְתִיב שְׁנוֹת עוֹלָם, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ בְּאִדָּרָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה.
What means “from world to world”? Said R. Isaac: ‘As it has been established in the exposition of the Holy Assembly;1The idra Rabba. it alludes to the two worlds.’ R. Hiya objected: ‘If so, it should have been written “from the world to the world”.’ Said R. Eleazar: ‘It is an allusion to the celestial Adam and the earthly Adam.
עַל יְרֵאָיו, דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִיהוּ דָּחִיל חַטָּאָה, אִקְרֵי אָדָם. אֵימָתַי. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, דְּאִית בֵּיהּ יִרְאָה עֲנָוָה חֲסִידוּת, כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא.
“Upon those who fear Him”, inasmuch as whoever fears sin is called “Adam” (Man).’
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, וְהָא תָּנֵינָן אָדָם כְּלָלָא דִּדְכַר וְנוּקְבָּא. אָמַר לֵיהּ וַדַּאי הָכָא הוּא, בִּכְלָלָא דְּאָדָם, דְּמַאן דְּאִתְחַבָּר דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא, אִקְרֵי אָדָם, וּכְדֵין דָּחִיל חֲטָאָן. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ עֲנָוָה. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּשַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ חֶסֶד. וּמַאן דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא, לָא הֲווֹ בֵּיהּ לֹא יִרְאָה וְלֹא עֲנָוָה וְלֹא חֲסִידוּת. וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִקְרֵי אָדָם כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא, וְכֵיוָן דְּאִקְרֵי אָדָם, שַׁרְיָיא בֵּיהּ חֶסֶד, דִּכְתִּיב, (תהילים פ״ט:ג׳) אָמַרְתִּי עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה וְגוֹ'. וְלָא יָכִיל לְאִתְבָּנָאָה, אִי לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא.
Said R. Judah: ‘But there is a teaching that the term “Adam” signifies the conjunction of male and female?’ R. Eleazar in reply said: ‘Assuredly so. He who achieves for himself the union of male and female is called Adam, and in this way has the fear of sin. He attains, moreover, to the virtue of humility, and even the degree of grace. Contrariwise, he who remains without that union possesses neither fear nor humility nor the state of grace. So Scripture says: “For I have said: The world is built by Grace” (Ibid. 89, 3), to wit, by Adam, who denotes the union of male and female.
וּכְתִיב וְחֶסֶד יְיָ מֵעוֹלָם וְעַד עוֹלָם עַל יְרֵאָיו. יְרֵאָיו כְּלָלָא דְּאָדָם. דָּבָר אַחֵר וְחֶסֶד יְיָ מֵעוֹלָם וְעַד עוֹלָם, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן כַּהֲנֵי דְּאָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶד, וְאַחֲסִינוּ אַחֲסָנָא דָּא דְּנָחִית מֵעוֹלָם דִּלְעֵילָּא לְעוֹלָם דִּלְתַּתָּא. עַל יְרֵאָיו, כַּהֲנֵי דִּלְתַּתָּא, דִּכְתִּיב, (ויקרא ט״ז:ו׳) וְכִפֶּר בַּעֲדוֹ וּבְעַד בֵּיתוֹ לְאִתְכַּלְּלָא בִּכְלָלָא דְּאָדָם. וְצִדְקָתוֹ לִבְנֵי בָנִים, מִשּׁוּם דְּזָכָה לִבְנֵי בָּנִים. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, אִי הָכִי, מַהוּ וְצִדְקָתוֹ, וְחַסְדּוֹ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ.
Again: “And the grace of the Lord is from world to world” is an allusion to the priests who proceed from the side of Grace and have obtained this inheritance that descends from the upper world to the lower. “Upon those who fear him”, to wit, the priests here below, regarding whom it is written, “and [he shall] make atonement for himself, and for his house” (Lev. 16, 6), by means of which house (i.e. wife) he falls within the category of Adam. The Psalmist continues: “and his righteousness unto children’s children”, in allusion to the priest who was rewarded with children’s children.