AND THE WHOLE EARTH WAS OF ONE LANGUAGE AND OF ONE SPEECH. R. Simeon began his discourse with the verse: And the house in its being built, was built of stone made ready at the quarry; and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house in its being built (I Kings 6, 7). He said: The phrase “in its being built” (behibbonotho) implies self-building, as though without the hands of artisans. Were not, then, Solomon with all his workpeople engaged in the work of building?
It was here as with the candlestick, in regard to which we read, “And thou shalt make… of beaten work will the candlestick be made” (Ex. 25, 31). If the candlestick was to be made of itself, why say “thou shalt make it”? In reality it was made of itself, by a miracle. So soon as the artisans set their hands to the work, it showed them how to proceed in a manner quite novel to them,
the reason being that the blessing of the Almighty rested on their hands; and similarly here, in the building of the Sanctuary. It was built of its own accord, though seemingly by the hands of the labourers; it showed the workers a design which guided their hands and from which they did not turn their eyes until the whole building of the house was completed.
Further it says: “Of stone made ready at the quarry” (I Kings 6, 7). The word sh’lemah (made ready, complete) is written defectively, as though sh’lomoh (Solomon), for truly it was of Solomon; while massa (lit. transporting) implies that the hands of the workers were moved involuntarily, so that they did they knew not what.
“And there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house in its being built” (Ibid.), because the shamir (stone-cutting insect) performed all the splitting without any sound being heard. No cutting-tools were thus required, the whole work being accomplished by a miracle.’
Said R. Simeon, ‘How precious are the words of the Torah! Happy is the portion of him who occupies himself with them and knows how to follow the path of truth! The Scripture says, “And the house in its being built.” When the Holy One, blessed be He, wills that His glory should be glorified, there issues from His thought a determination that it should spread forth; whereupon it spreads from the undiscoverable region of thought
until it rests in garon (throat), a spot through which perennially flows the mystic force of the “spirit of life”. When the thought, after its expansion, comes to rest in that place, it is called Elohim hayyim (living God).
It then seeks to spread and disclose itself still further, and there issue from that spot fire, air, and water, all compounded together. There also emerges “Jacob, the perfect man”, symbolic of a certain voice that issues and becomes audible. Thus the thought that was hitherto undisclosed and withdrawn in itself is now revealed through sound.
In the further extension and disclosure of the thought, the voice strikes against the lips, and thus comes forth speech which is the culmination of the whole and in which the thought is completely disclosed. It is thus clear that all is composed of that undisclosed thought which was withdrawn into itself, and that the whole is one essence.
When the expansion has reached that stage, and speech has been generated by the force of that voice, then “the house in its being built”, i.e. throughout the whole process of its construction, “is of complete stones”, as has been explained.
The word “transported” means that the thought issues from within and commences to transport itself outside; it issues from above and commences to transport itself below. “And there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron”: this alludes to the lower grades, which all depend upon the Thought, and which are not heard or admitted inside when the Thought ascends on high to draw fresh sustenance.
When she does so, all of them rejoice and draw sustenance and are filled with blessings. At that time all worlds are sustained as one unity without any division whatever. After they have taken their several portions they all disperse, each to its side and to its assigned function.
מַתְנִיתִין. וַיְהִי כָל הָאָרֶץ שָׂפָה אַחַת וּדְבָרִים אֲחָדִים. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח (מלכים א ו׳:ז׳) וְהַבַּיִת בְּהִבָּנוֹתוֹ אֶבֶן שְׁלֵמָה מַסַּע נִבְנָה וּמַקָּבוֹת וְהַגַּרְזֶן כָּל כְּלֵי בַּרְזֶל לא נִשְׁמַע בַּבַּיִת בְּהִבָּנוֹתוֹ. (האי קרא אית לאסתכלא ביה), וְהַבַּיִת בְּהִבָּנוֹתוֹ. וְכִי לָא הֲוָה בָּנִי לֵיהּ שְׁלמֹה וְכֻלְהוּ אוּמָנִין דְּהֲווּ תַּמָּן, מַהוּ בְּהִבָּנוֹתוֹ.
AND THE WHOLE EARTH WAS OF ONE LANGUAGE AND OF ONE SPEECH. R. Simeon began his discourse with the verse: And the house in its being built, was built of stone made ready at the quarry; and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house in its being built (I Kings 6, 7). He said: The phrase “in its being built” (behibbonotho) implies self-building, as though without the hands of artisans. Were not, then, Solomon with all his workpeople engaged in the work of building?
אֶלָּא כָּךְ הוּא כְּמָה דִכְתִיב, (שמות כ״ה:ל״א) מִקְשָׁה תֵּיעָשֶׂה הַמְנוֹרָה. אִם הִיא מִקְשָׁה מַהוּ תֵּיעָשֶׂה. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי כֹּלָּא בְּאָת וְנִיסָּא אִתְעֲבִיד אִיהוּ מִגַּרְמֵיהּ. כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁרָאן לְמֶעְבַּד עֲבִידְתָּא אוֹלִיף לְאוּמָנִין לְמֶעְבַּד בָּהּ מַה דְּלֹא הֲווּ יָדְעִין מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא.
It was here as with the candlestick, in regard to which we read, “And thou shalt make… of beaten work will the candlestick be made” (Ex. 25, 31). If the candlestick was to be made of itself, why say “thou shalt make it”? In reality it was made of itself, by a miracle. So soon as the artisans set their hands to the work, it showed them how to proceed in a manner quite novel to them,
מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין דְּבִרְכְתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שְׁרָא עַל יְדַיְיהוּ, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּהִבָּנוֹתוֹ אִיהוּ אִתְבְּנִי מִגַּרְמֵיהּ, דְּהוּא אוּלְפָא אוּלְפַן לְאוּמָנִין הֵיאךְ שָׁרָאן לְמֶעְבַּד, וְלָא אִסְתַּלַּק מֵעֵינַיְיהוּ רְשִׁימוּ דְּהַהוּא עֲבִידְתָּא מַמָּשׁ וּמִסְתַּכְּלָאן בֵּיהּ וְעָבְדֵי עַד דְּאִתְבְּנֵי כָּל בֵּיתָא.
the reason being that the blessing of the Almighty rested on their hands; and similarly here, in the building of the Sanctuary. It was built of its own accord, though seemingly by the hands of the labourers; it showed the workers a design which guided their hands and from which they did not turn their eyes until the whole building of the house was completed.
אֶבֶן שְׁלֵמָה מַסַּע נִבְנֶה. שְׁלֵמָה כְּתִיב חָסֵר יו"ד אֶבֶן שְׁלֵמָה וַדַּאי. מַסַּע דְּאִתְנְטִיל וְאַתְיָיא וְשָׁרְיָיא עֲלַיְיהוּ וְאִתְעֲבִיד עֲבִידְתָּא (מסע דאתנטיל ועביד עבידתא), מַסַּע דְּאַנְטִיל יָדָן לְמֶעְבַּד דְּלָא מִדַּעְתַּיְיהוּ. כְּתִיב הָכָא מַסַּע וּכְתִיב הָתָם (במדבר י׳:ב׳) וּלְמַסַּע אֶת הַמַּחֲנוֹת.
Further it says: “Of stone made ready at the quarry” (I Kings 6, 7). The word sh’lemah (made ready, complete) is written defectively, as though sh’lomoh (Solomon), for truly it was of Solomon; while massa (lit. transporting) implies that the hands of the workers were moved involuntarily, so that they did they knew not what.
וּמַקָּבוֹת וְהַגַּרְזֶן כָּל כְּלֵי בַּרְזֶל לֹא נִשְׁמַע. בְּגִין דְּשָׁמִיר בָּזַע כֹּלָּא וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמַע מִלָּה, דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיכוּ לִשְׁאָר מָאנִין לְמֶעְבַּד. וְכֹלָּא בְּאָת וְנִיסָּא הֲוָה.
“And there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house in its being built” (Ibid.), because the shamir (stone-cutting insect) performed all the splitting without any sound being heard. No cutting-tools were thus required, the whole work being accomplished by a miracle.’
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן כַּמָּה חֲבִיבִין אִנוּן מִלֵּי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ מַאן דְּאִתְעַסַּק בְּהוּ וְיָדַע לְמֵיהַךְ (ביה) בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט. וְהַבַּיִת בְּהִבָּנוֹתוֹ. כַּד סָלְקָא בִּרְעוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד יְקָרָא לִיקָרֵיהּ, סָלְקָא מִגּוֹ מַחֲשָׁבָה רְעוּתָא לְאִתְפַּשְׁטָא, וְאִתְפַּשְׁטַת מֵאֲתַר דְּאִיהִי מַחֲשָׁבָה סְתִימָא דְּלָא אִתְיְידַע.
Said R. Simeon, ‘How precious are the words of the Torah! Happy is the portion of him who occupies himself with them and knows how to follow the path of truth! The Scripture says, “And the house in its being built.” When the Holy One, blessed be He, wills that His glory should be glorified, there issues from His thought a determination that it should spread forth; whereupon it spreads from the undiscoverable region of thought
עַד דְּאִתְפַּשְׁטַת וְשַׁרְיָיא לְבֵי גָרוֹן אֲתַר דְּאִיהוּ נְבִיעַ תָּדִיר בְּרָזָא דְּאִיהוּ רוּחַ חַיִּים. וּכְדֵין כַּד אִתְפַּשְׁטַת הַהִיא מַחֲשָׁבָה וְשָׁרְיָא בְּאֲתַר דָּא, אִקְרֵי הַהִיא מַחֲשָׁבָה אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים. דִּכְתִיב, (ירמיהו י׳:י׳) הוּא אֱלהִים חַיִּים.
until it rests in garon (throat), a spot through which perennially flows the mystic force of the “spirit of life”. When the thought, after its expansion, comes to rest in that place, it is called Elohim hayyim (living God).
עוֹד בָּעָא לְאִתְפַּשְׁטָא וּלְאִתְגַּלְּיָא מִתַּמָּן נָפְקוּ אֶשָׁ"א וְרוּחָ"א וּמַיָ"א כְּלִילָן כְּחֲדָא, וְנָפַק יַעֲקֹב גְּבַר שְׁלִים וְאִיהוּ קוֹל חַד דְּנָפִיק וְאִשְׁתְּמַע. מֵהָכָא מַחֲשָׁבָה דְּהֲוָה סְתִימָא בַּחֲשַׁאי אִשְׁתְּמַע לְאִתְגַּלְיָא.
It then seeks to spread and disclose itself still further, and there issue from that spot fire, air, and water, all compounded together. There also emerges “Jacob, the perfect man”, symbolic of a certain voice that issues and becomes audible. Thus the thought that was hitherto undisclosed and withdrawn in itself is now revealed through sound.
עוֹד אִתְפַּשְׁטַת הַאי מַחֲשָׁבָה לְאִתְגַּלְיָא. וּבָטַשׁ הַאי קוֹל וְאַקִּישׁ בְּשִׂפְוָון, וּכְדֵין נַפְקָא דִּבּוּר, דְּאַשְׁלִים כֹּלָּא, וְגָלֵי כֹּלָּא. אִשְׁתְּמַע דְּכֹלָּא אִיהוּ הַהִיא מַחֲשָׁבָה סְתִימָא דְּהֲוַת לְגוֹ וְכֹלָּא חַד.
In the further extension and disclosure of the thought, the voice strikes against the lips, and thus comes forth speech which is the culmination of the whole and in which the thought is completely disclosed. It is thus clear that all is composed of that undisclosed thought which was withdrawn into itself, and that the whole is one essence.
כֵּיוָן דְּמָטָא אִתְפַּשְׁטוּתָא דָא וְאִתְעֲבִיד דִּבּוּר בִּתְקִיפָא דְּהַהוּא קָלָא, כְּדֵין וְהַבַּיִת בְּהִבָּנוֹתוֹ. כַּאֲשֶׁר נִבְנָה לא כְּתִיב אֶלָּא בְּהִבָּנוֹתוֹ בְּכָל זִמְנָא וְזִמְנָא. אֶבֶן שְׁלֵמָה כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר. וּכְתִיב, (שיר השירים ג׳:י״א) בָּעֲטָרָה שֶׁעִטְרָה לוֹ אִמּוֹ.
When the expansion has reached that stage, and speech has been generated by the force of that voice, then “the house in its being built”, i.e. throughout the whole process of its construction, “is of complete stones”, as has been explained.
מַסַּע דְּנַפְקָא מִלְּגוֹ וְשַׁרְיָא וְנָטִיל לְבַר, נַפְקָא מִלְּעֵילָא וְשַׁרְיָא וְנָטִיל לְתַתָּא. וּמַקָּבוֹת וְהַגַּרְזֶן כָּל כְּלֵי בַּרְזֶל. אִלֵּין שְׁאָר דַּרְגִּין תַּתָּאִין דְּכֻלְהוּ תַּלְיָין בֵּיהּ וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמָעוּ וְלָא אִתְקַבְּלָן לְגוֹ כַּד אִיהִי סַלְקָא לְאִתְאַחֲדָא לְעֵילָא וּלְיָנְקָא מִתַּמָּן. וְדָא הוּא בְּהִבָּנוֹתוֹ.
The word “transported” means that the thought issues from within and commences to transport itself outside; it issues from above and commences to transport itself below. “And there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron”: this alludes to the lower grades, which all depend upon the Thought, and which are not heard or admitted inside when the Thought ascends on high to draw fresh sustenance.
וּכְדֵין כַּד אִיהִי יָנְקָא, כֻּלְהוּ קָיְימֵי בְּחֶדְוָותָא וְיָנְקִין וְאִתְמַלְיָין בִּרְכָאן. וּכְדֵין קָיְימִין עָלְמִין כֻּלְהוּ בְּרָזָא חָדָא בְּיִחוּדָא חַד, וְלָא הֲוֵי בְּהוּ בְּכֻלְהוּ עָלְמִין פִּירוּדָא. לְבָתַר דְּנָטְלֵי חוּלַקְהוֹן כָּל חַד וְחַד כֻּלְהוּ מִתְפַּשְׁטָן וּמִתְפָּרְשָׁן לְסִטְרַיְיהוּ לְמָה דְאִתְמַנָּן.
When she does so, all of them rejoice and draw sustenance and are filled with blessings. At that time all worlds are sustained as one unity without any division whatever. After they have taken their several portions they all disperse, each to its side and to its assigned function.