To return to our text: the words “And he lifted up his eyes and saw the women” contain a mystery of wisdom. On the Day of Atonement, when mankind is on trial and Israel repent before the Almighty to obtain forgiveness of their sins, and the Accuser comes forward to destroy them, they send him a gift and he becomes their advocate.
and he says, “Who are these with thee?”, referring to the children, as much as to say: I understand you, the grown-ups, fasting because you have sinned against the King; but what are these children doing here? Then the holy spirit answers him: “They are the children which God hath graciously given to thy servant”, to wit, to that officer of thine to put them to death though guilty of no sin.
When He hears the mention of those children, he at once goes up to the Holy One, blessed be He, and says: Sovereign of the Universe, all Thy ways are justice and truth. Now if punishment impends over Israel it is because of their sins. But their children who have not sinned-why hast Thou delivered them up to be slain without guilt? God then takes note of his words and has mercy on them, and at that time there is no whooping-cough among the children.
The Accuser is then jealous of his subordinate, saying: To me God has given those who are clad in sin and guilt, and to my subordinate He has delivered children without sin who know not the taste of guilt. Straightway he goes to rescue them from his hands that he should have no power over them. Thus the holy spirit rescues them from the hand of the servant.
Then it “passes before them” when the prayers of Israel ascend on this day before the Holy One, blessed be He, and “bows down seven times”, corresponding to the seven grades above it, so as to include them with it, “until he reaches his brother”, the grade of Mercy, to whom it makes known the distress of their sons below,
So now with the wise children here to whom God has communicated the secrets of the Torah to be crowned and perfected therewith, the evil eye has no power over them because of the good eye, the holy spirit of R. Phineas which rests upon them.’ R. Phineas then approached and kissed him, saying: ‘Had I taken this journey only to hear these words it would have been worth my while. Blessed is this journey which led me to thee,
and God is here who has agreed with us. This well is a symbol of the supernal Well which is hidden and concealed. These three trees represent the three cedars which are called the Cedars of Lebanon, the emblem of the Patriarchs. Happy is our portion at this hour’.
The trees then inclined themselves, one over the head of R. Simeon, one over the head of R. Phineas, and one over the head of R. Eleazar, while the branches spread on every side over the heads of the Companions. R. Phineas wept for joy, saying: ‘Happy is my lot and blessed my eyes that see this. I rejoice not only for myself and for thee, but also for our son, R. Eleazar, who is esteemed before the Holy King as one of us.’ He then arose and kissed him, and R. Simeon said: ‘Eleazar, stand up and repeat before thy Master His words.’ R. Eleazar then rose
וַיִּשָּׂא אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת הַנָּשִׁים. הַאי קְרָא, בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא אִתְּמַר, בְּיוֹמָא דְּכִפּוּרֵי, דִּבְנֵי עָלְמָא קַיְימֵי בְּדִינָא, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל תַּיְיבִין בְּתִיּוּבְתָּא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְכַפְּרָא עַל חוֹבַיְיהוּ. וְהַהוּא מְקַטְרְגָא קַיְּימָא עָלַיְיהוּ, דְּחָשִׁיב לְאוֹבָדָא לוֹן עַל חוֹבַיְיהוּ, שַׁלְחֵי לֵיהּ הַהוּא דּוֹרוֹנָא, וּכְדֵין כְּתִיב, (בראשית לג) כִּי אָמַר אֲכַפְּרָה פָנָיו בַּמִּנְחָה הַהוֹלֶכֶת לְפָנַי. לְבָתַר דִּמְקַבֵּל הַהוּא מְקַטְרְגָא לְהַהוּא דּוֹרוֹנָא, אִתְהַפָּךְ לְהוּ סַנֵּיגוֹרָא.
To return to our text: the words “And he lifted up his eyes and saw the women” contain a mystery of wisdom. On the Day of Atonement, when mankind is on trial and Israel repent before the Almighty to obtain forgiveness of their sins, and the Accuser comes forward to destroy them, they send him a gift and he becomes their advocate.
זָקִיף וְחָמֵי לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְעַנָן בְּתַעֲנִיתָא, יְחֵפֵי רַגְלִין. חָמֵי נָשִׁין, חָמֵי יַנּוּקִין, כֻּלְּהוּ בְּתַעֲנִיתָא, כֻּלְּהוּ נְקִיִּים בְּנַקְיוּ. וַיֹּאמֶר מִי אֵלֶּה לָךְ. שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא לָךְ. מִי אֵלֶּה לָךְ. שָׁאִיל עַל יַנּוּקֵי, וְאָמַר הַיְלָדִים אֲשֶׁר חָנַן אֱלֹהִים אֶת עַבְדֶּךָ. וְכִי אֲמַאי אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאָתָבָא לֵיהּ כְּלוּם. אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן דִּמְקַבֵּל הַהוּא שׁוֹחַד, אִתְהַפָּךְ לְהוּ סַנֵיגוֹר. זָקִיף עֵינוֹי, וְחָמֵי לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, חָשִׁיב דִּבְגִין דְּחִילוּ דִּילֵיהּ אִינּוּן קַיְימִין כַּךְ.
He lifts up his eyes and sees the Israelites all fasting and barefoot, along with their wives and children, and pure and stainless,
שָׁאִיל עַל יַנּוּקֵי, וְאָמַר מִי אֵלֶּה לָךְ. (ואמר באורח סתים הילדים) מַהוּ מִי אֵלֶּה לָךְ. אֶלָּא אָמַר, תִּינַח אַתּוּן דְּחַבְתּוּן קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא. אֲבָל אִלֵּין יַנּוּקֵי, אֲמַאי קַיְימִין הָכִי, מִי אֵלֶּה לָךְ. וַיֹּאמַר הַיְלָדִים, רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא אָמַר, וְעַל דָּא זָקִיף טַעֲמָא. וַיֹּאמַר הַיְלָדִים. בְּאֹרַח סָתִים אֲשֶׁר חָנַן אֱלֹהִים אֶת עַבְדֶּךָ, וְכִי רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ אָמַר אֶת עַבְדֶּךָ. אֶלָּא רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא אָמַר, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן יַנּוּקֵי דְּלָא חָאבוּ, וְלָא טָעִימוּ טַעֲמָא דְּחֶטְאָה, וּמָסַר לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בִּידָא דְּהַהוּא מְמָנָא דִּילָךְ, וְקָטִיל לוֹן בְּלָא חוֹבָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (קהלת ד׳:א׳) וּמִיַּד עוֹשְׁקֵיהֶם כֹּחַ. וְדָא הוּא אֶת עַבְדֶּךָ.
and he says, “Who are these with thee?”, referring to the children, as much as to say: I understand you, the grown-ups, fasting because you have sinned against the King; but what are these children doing here? Then the holy spirit answers him: “They are the children which God hath graciously given to thy servant”, to wit, to that officer of thine to put them to death though guilty of no sin.
כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁמַע מֵאִינּוּן יַנּוּקֵי, מִיַּד סָלִיק לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאָמַר, מָארֵיהּ דְּעָלְמָא, כָּל אָרְחָךְ בְּדִינָא דִּקְשׁוֹט, וְאִי דִּינָא שַׁרְיָא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגִין חוֹבֵיהוֹן אִיהוּ, יַנּוּקִין דִּלְהוֹן דְּלָא חָאבוּ לְקָמָךְ, אֲמַאי מַסְרַת לוֹן לְקָטְלָא לוֹן בְּלָא חוֹבָא. וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָטִיל מִלּוֹי בְּכַךְ, וְחָס עָלַיְיהוּ. וְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, לָא הֲוִי אַסְכָּרָא בַּתִּינוֹקוֹת.
When He hears the mention of those children, he at once goes up to the Holy One, blessed be He, and says: Sovereign of the Universe, all Thy ways are justice and truth. Now if punishment impends over Israel it is because of their sins. But their children who have not sinned-why hast Thou delivered them up to be slain without guilt? God then takes note of his words and has mercy on them, and at that time there is no whooping-cough among the children.
וְהַהוּא מְקַטְרְגָא נָטִיל קִנְאָה מֵהַהוּא מְמָנָא דִּתְחוֹת יְדֵיהּ. אָמַר, וְכִי לִי יָהִיב קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִינּוּן דְּמִתְלַבְּשָׁן בְּחֶטְאִין וְחוֹבִין, וּלְהַהוּא מְמָנָא דִּילִי מָסַר יַנּוּקִין בְּלָא חוֹבָא, דְּלָא טַעֲמוּן טַעֲמָא דְּחוֹבָה. מִיַּד אָזַל לְאַפָּקָא לוֹן מִתְּחוֹת יְדֵיהּ, וְלָא יִשְׁלוֹט בְּהוּ. וְעַל דָּא אַקְדִּים לֵיהּ וְאָמַר לֵיהּ, הַיְלָדִים אֲשֶׁר חָנַן אֱלֹהִים אֶת עַבְדֶּךָ. לְהַהוּא עַבְדֶּךָ, בְּלָא חוֹבָא וּבְלָא חַטָּאָה. וּבְגִין דְּלָא יְהֵא שְׁבָחָא לַמְּמָנָא דִּילֵיהּ יַתִּיר מִנֵּיהּ, בָּעָא לְאַפָּקָא לוֹן מִן יְדוֹי.
The Accuser is then jealous of his subordinate, saying: To me God has given those who are clad in sin and guilt, and to my subordinate He has delivered children without sin who know not the taste of guilt. Straightway he goes to rescue them from his hands that he should have no power over them. Thus the holy spirit rescues them from the hand of the servant.
כַּד סַלְּקִין צְלוֹתִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיוֹמָא דָּא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, מַה כְּתִיב (בראשית ל״ג:ג׳) וְהוּא עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם. הָא רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא אַעְבָּר לְקָמַיְיהוּ, (כמה דאת אמר (מיכה ב׳:י״ג) ויעבור מלכם לפניהם) וְהוּא וַדַּאי עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם. וַיִשְׁתַּחוּ אַרְצָה שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים, רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא, אַזְעַר גַּרְמֵיהּ לְגַבֵּי עֵילָּא ז' זִמְנִין, לְגַבֵּי ז' דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין דְּעָלֵיהּ, וְאַקְטִין גַּרְמֵיהּ, לְאַכְלְלָא לוֹן עִמֵּיהּ כָּל חַד וְחָד. עַד גִּשְׁתּוֹ עַד אָחִיו, לְהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא דְּרַחֲמֵי, דְּהָא בֵּן וּבַת אִינּוּן. בֵּן, (שמות ד) בְּנִי בְכוֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל. בַּת, כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא עָבִיד אַזְעִירוּ דְּגַרְמֵיהּ, עַד גִּשְׁתּוֹ.
Then it “passes before them” when the prayers of Israel ascend on this day before the Holy One, blessed be He, and “bows down seven times”, corresponding to the seven grades above it, so as to include them with it, “until he reaches his brother”, the grade of Mercy, to whom it makes known the distress of their sons below,
כֵּיוָן דְּמָטָא לְגַבֵּיהּ, תָּבַע מִינֵיהּ, וְאוֹדַע לֵיהּ צַעֲרָא דִּבְנַיְיהוּ לְתַתָּא. וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ עָאלִין לְהֵיכָלָא טְמִירָא גְּנִיזָא דְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, אִימָּא דִּלְהוֹן, וְתַבְעִין עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְכַפְּרָא לוֹן, כְּדֵין כְּתִיב (ויקרא ט״ז:ל׳) כִּי בַיוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם וְגוֹ'. אֲכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם.
and then both enter the secret and hidden palace of the Day of Atonement, their Mother, and beseech pardon for Israel.
וְהַשְׁתָּא הַיְלָדִים, אִלֵּין חַכִּימִין דְּהָכָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהַב לוֹן רָזִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, לְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּהוּ, וּלְאִשְׁתַּכְלְּלָא (נ"א ולאשתדלא) בְּהוּ. עֵינָא בִּישָׁא לָא שַׁלְטָא עָלַיְיהוּ, בְּגִין עֵינָא טָבָא, רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא דְּרִבִּי פִּנְחָס, דְּשַׁרְיָא עָלַיְיהוּ. אָתָא רִבִּי פִּנְחָס וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ. אָמַר, אִלְמָלֵא לָא אֲתֵינָא אָרְחָא דָּא, אֶלָּא לְמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין אִלֵּין, דַּי לִי. זַכָּאָה אָרְחָא דָּא דְּאָתֵינָא לְגַבָּךְ.
So now with the wise children here to whom God has communicated the secrets of the Torah to be crowned and perfected therewith, the evil eye has no power over them because of the good eye, the holy spirit of R. Phineas which rests upon them.’ R. Phineas then approached and kissed him, saying: ‘Had I taken this journey only to hear these words it would have been worth my while. Blessed is this journey which led me to thee,
וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הָכָא, דְּאִסְתָּכַּם עִמָּנָא. וְלָא דַּי אִילָנָא חַד, אֶלָּא תְּלַת. אֲבָל מַעְיָינָא דָּא, דִּיּוּקְנָא עִלָּאָה הוּא, לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא מַעְיָינָא דְּטָמִיר וְגָנִיז. תְּלַת אִילָנִין אִלֵּין, תְּלַת אֲרָזִין אִינּוּן, דְּאִקְרוּן אַרְזֵי לְבָנוֹן. וְאִינּוּן דִּיּוּקְנָא דִּתְלַת אִילָנִין רַבְרְבִין, רָזָא דַּאֲבָהָן. (ס"א דאסתכם עמנא. מעיינא דא, דיוקנא דההוא מעיינא עינא עלאה דטמיר וגניז. תלת אילנין אלין אינון דיוקנא דתלת אילנין רברבין, רזא דאבהן.) זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָנָא בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא.
and God is here who has agreed with us. This well is a symbol of the supernal Well which is hidden and concealed. These three trees represent the three cedars which are called the Cedars of Lebanon, the emblem of the Patriarchs. Happy is our portion at this hour’.
אַרְכִּינוּ אִילָנִין, חַד עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, וְחַד עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּרִבִּי פִּנְחָס, וְחַד עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר. אִתְפְּשָׁטוּ עַנְפִין, לְכָל סְטַר, עַל רֵישֵׁיהוֹן דְּחַבְרַיָּיא, בָּכָה (נ"א חדי) רִבִּי פִּנְחָס וְאָמַר, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי וְזַכָּאִין עֵינַי דְּחָמָאן כַּךְ. וְלָא עַל דִּידָךְ וְעַל דִּידִי חַדֵּינָא בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ, אֶלָּא עַל רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרָנָא קָא חַדֵּינָא, דְּחָשִׁיב אִיהוּ קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא כְּחַד מִינָן. קָם וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אֶלְעָזָר קוּם בְּקִיּוּמָךְ, וְאֵימָא לְקַמֵּי מָארָךְ מִלִּין דִּילֵיהּ. קָם רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר.
The trees then inclined themselves, one over the head of R. Simeon, one over the head of R. Phineas, and one over the head of R. Eleazar, while the branches spread on every side over the heads of the Companions. R. Phineas wept for joy, saying: ‘Happy is my lot and blessed my eyes that see this. I rejoice not only for myself and for thee, but also for our son, R. Eleazar, who is esteemed before the Holy King as one of us.’ He then arose and kissed him, and R. Simeon said: ‘Eleazar, stand up and repeat before thy Master His words.’ R. Eleazar then rose