1The translation begins with the concluding lines of the Hebrew text.R. Eleazar said: ‘This section, dealing with the ceremonies of the candlestick, is a repetition of another section dealing with the same. The reason for the repetition is as follows. Having recorded the offerings brought on the altar by the Princes, and all the ceremony of its dedication, Scripture records the service of the candlestick, which was a finishing touch ministered by Aaron, inasmuch as it was through Aaron that the supernal candlestick with all its lamps was lighted.
Observe that the altar had to be dedicated and perfected by the twelve Princes, representing the twelve tribes, who were ranged on four sides carrying four standards. It was all on the supernal pattern, to wit, the candlestick with its seven lamps to be lighted by the hand of the priest.
Candlestick and the inner altar together minister to the joy of the whole of existence, as Scripture says: “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart” (Prov. 27, 9). For of the two altars, the inner one [on which the incense was offered] radiated its force to the outer one, the one assigned for other offerings; and it is by meditating on the inner altar that one obtains a knowledge of the Supernal Wisdom, which is concealed within the words ADoNaY TETRAGRAMMATON. Hence the incense had to be offered up only when the oil had been poured in the lamps.
The following is found in the Book of King Solomon. The incense has the virtue of diffusing joy and putting away death. For whereas Judgement prevails on the exterior, joy and illumination, on the other hand, proceed from the interior, the seat of all happiness. So when this bestirs itself all Judgement is removed and is powerless. The incense thus has the virtue of annulling death and binds all together, and was therefore offered on the interior altar.
רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, הַאי פַּרְשְׁתָא, הָא אִתְּמַר עוֹבָדָא דִּמְנַרְתָּא וְתִקוּנָהָא וְכָל מַה דְּבָהּ, אֲמַאי הָכִי זִמְנָא אַחֲרָא. אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן דִּנְשִׂיאִים קְרִיבוּ (לעילא) קוּרְבְּנָא דְּמַדְבְּחָא, וְכָל תִּקּוּנָא דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ, אָתָא קְרָא וְאִשְׁתָּעֵי עוֹבָדָא דִּמְנַרְתָּא, דְּהִיא תִּקּוּנָא עַל יְדָא דְּאַהֲרֹן, דְּהָא לְעֵילָּא מְנַרְתָּא, וְכָל בּוּצִינִין (ס"א תקונין) דִּילָהּ, עַל יְדָא דְּאַהֲרֹן נַהֲרִין כֹּלָּא.
1The translation begins with the concluding lines of the Hebrew text.R. Eleazar said: ‘This section, dealing with the ceremonies of the candlestick, is a repetition of another section dealing with the same. The reason for the repetition is as follows. Having recorded the offerings brought on the altar by the Princes, and all the ceremony of its dedication, Scripture records the service of the candlestick, which was a finishing touch ministered by Aaron, inasmuch as it was through Aaron that the supernal candlestick with all its lamps was lighted.
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַדְבְּחָא, תְּרֵיסָר נְשִׂיאִין הֲווֹ לְחַנְּכָא לֵיהּ, וּלְאַתְקְּנָא לֵיהּ, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ תְּרֵיסָר אִינּוּן שְׁבָטִין, לְד' סִטְרִין, ד' דְּגָלִים, וְכֻלְּהוּ תְּרֵיסָר. וְכֹלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא. מְנַרְתָּא אִתְמְנֵי בְּשִׁבְעָה בּוּצִינִין, לְאַדְלְקָא עַל יְדָא דְּכַהֲנָא, וְכֹלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא. וּמְנַרְתָּא, עַל אָת קַיָּימָא, וּבְנִיסָא אִתְעָבִידַת, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ בְּעוֹבָדָא דִּמְנַרְתָּא.
Observe that the altar had to be dedicated and perfected by the twelve Princes, representing the twelve tribes, who were ranged on four sides carrying four standards. It was all on the supernal pattern, to wit, the candlestick with its seven lamps to be lighted by the hand of the priest.
וּמַדְבַּח פְּנִימָאָה, וּמְנַרְתָּא, קַיְימֵי כַּחֲדָא, לְחֶדְוָותָא דְּכֹלָּא. דִּכְתִּיב, (משלי כ״ז:ט׳) שֶׁמֶן וּקְטֹרֶת יְשַׂמַּח לֵב. וְאוֹקִימְנָא דִּתְרֵי מַדְבְּחָן הֲווֹ, חַד פְּנִימָאָה דְּכֹלָּא, וְהַאי קַיְּימָא לְחֶדְוָותָא. וְחַד לְבַר, לְקָרְבָא קָרְבְּנִין. וּמֵהַאי פְּנִימָאָה נָפִיק לְהַאי דִּלְבַר, וּמַאן דְּחָמֵי וְיִסְתָּכַּל, יִנְדַּע חָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה, רָזָא דְּמִלָּה אֲדֹנָי יְדוָֹד. וְעַל דָּא לָא אִתְקְרַב קְטָרְתָּא, אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּשֶמֶן אִשְׁתְּכַח.
Candlestick and the inner altar together minister to the joy of the whole of existence, as Scripture says: “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart” (Prov. 27, 9). For of the two altars, the inner one [on which the incense was offered] radiated its force to the outer one, the one assigned for other offerings; and it is by meditating on the inner altar that one obtains a knowledge of the Supernal Wisdom, which is concealed within the words ADoNaY TETRAGRAMMATON. Hence the incense had to be offered up only when the oil had been poured in the lamps.
אַשְׁכַּחְנָא בְּסִפְרָא דִּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא, קְטֹרֶת הוּא לְחֶדְוָה, וּלְסַלְּקָא מוֹתָנָא. מַאי טַעֲמָא. בְּגִין דְּדִינָא מֵהַאי דִּלְבַּר אִשְׁתְּכַח, וְחֶדְוָותָא וְחַדוּ וְקִשּׁוּרָא דִּנְהִירוּ, מֵהַהוּא פְּנִימָאָה, דְּכָל חֵידוּ בֵּיהּ קַיְּימָא. וְכַד הַאי אַתְעַר, כָּל דִּינָא אִסְתַּלָּק מֵהַאי, וְלָא יָכִיל לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ קְטֹרֶת קַיְּימָא לְבַטְּלָא מוֹתָנָא, וְעַל דָּא, קְטֹרֶת קְשִׁירוּ הוּא דְּכֹלָּא, וְדָא אִתְקְרִיב בְּהַהוּא פְּנִימָאָה. זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, עָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב (ישעיהו מ״ט:ג׳) וַיֹּאמֶר לִי עַבְדִּי אָתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ'.
The following is found in the Book of King Solomon. The incense has the virtue of diffusing joy and putting away death. For whereas Judgement prevails on the exterior, joy and illumination, on the other hand, proceed from the interior, the seat of all happiness. So when this bestirs itself all Judgement is removed and is powerless. The incense thus has the virtue of annulling death and binds all together, and was therefore offered on the interior altar.