Said R. Abba:’ What did the Israelites mean when they said: IS THE LORD AMONG US OR NOT (ain, lit. nothing)? Were they so blind as not to know that He was in their midst? Did not the Shekinah encompass them and the clouds of glory surround them? Had they not seen the radiance of their King’s glorious majesty at the sea?
It is, however, as R. Simeon explained, that they desired to know whether the Divine manifestation which they had experienced was that of the Ancient One, the All-hidden One, the Transcendent, whose designation is Ayin (Nought), because He is above comprehension, or of the “Small Countenance”, the Immanent designated TETRAGRAMMATON. Hence the word “ayin” (nothing) is used here instead of “to” (not).
If so, it may be asked, why were they punished? Because they differentiated between these two aspects in God and “tempted the Lord”; for they said to themselves: “If it is the One, we shall pray in one way, and if it is the Other, we shall pray in another way”.’ THEN CAME AMALEK AND FOUGHT WITH ISRAEL IN REPHIDIM.
אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, מַאי דִּכְתִּיב הֲיֵשׁ יְיָ' בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן. וְכִי טִפְּשִׁין הֲווֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּלָא יַדְעֵי מִלָּה דָּא, וְהָא חָמוּ שְׁכִינְתָּא קָמַיְיהוּ, וַעֲנֵנִי כָּבוֹד עָלַיְיהוּ דְּסַחְרוֹן לוֹן, וְאִינּוּן אָמְרוּ הֲיֵשׁ יְיָ' בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן, גּוּבְרִין דְּחָמוּ זִיו יְקָרָא דְּמַלְכֵּיהוֹן עַל יַמָּא, וְתָנֵינָן, רָאָתָה שִׁפְחָה עַל הַיָּם מַה שֶּׁלֹּא רָאָה יְחֶזְקֵאל, אִינּוּן אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ טִפְּשִׁין, וְאָמְרוּ הֲיֵשׁ יְיָ' בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן.
Said R. Abba:’ What did the Israelites mean when they said: IS THE LORD AMONG US OR NOT (ain, lit. nothing)? Were they so blind as not to know that He was in their midst? Did not the Shekinah encompass them and the clouds of glory surround them? Had they not seen the radiance of their King’s glorious majesty at the sea?
אֶלָּא (נשא קכ"ט ע"א) הָכִי קָאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, בָּעוּ לְמִנְדַּע, בֵּין עַתִּיקָא סְתִימָאָה דְּכָל סְתִימִין, דְּאִקְרֵי אַיִן. וּבֵין זְעֵיר אַפִּין דְּאִקְרֵי יְיָ'. וְעַל דָּא, לָא כְּתִיב הֲיֵשׁ יְיָ' בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם לא, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב הֲיֵלֶךְ בְּתוֹרָתִי אִם לֹא. אֶלָּא הֲיֵשׁ יְיָ' בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן.
It is, however, as R. Simeon explained, that they desired to know whether the Divine manifestation which they had experienced was that of the Ancient One, the All-hidden One, the Transcendent, whose designation is Ayin (Nought), because He is above comprehension, or of the “Small Countenance”, the Immanent designated TETRAGRAMMATON. Hence the word “ayin” (nothing) is used here instead of “to” (not).
אִי הָכִי אֲמַאי אִתְעַנְשׁוּ. אֶלָּא עַל דַּעֲבִידוּ פִּרוּדָא, וַעֲבִידוּ בְּנִסְיוֹנָא, דִּכְתִּיב וְעַל נַסּוֹתָם אֶת יְיָ'. אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, אִי הַאי נִשְׁאַל בְּגַוְונָא חַד. וְאִי הַאי נִשְׁאַל בְּגַוְונָא אַחֲרָא. וְעַל דָּא מִיָּד וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק.
If so, it may be asked, why were they punished? Because they differentiated between these two aspects in God and “tempted the Lord”; for they said to themselves: “If it is the One, we shall pray in one way, and if it is the Other, we shall pray in another way”.’ THEN CAME AMALEK AND FOUGHT WITH ISRAEL IN REPHIDIM.