Then he began to expound to them this verse: A song of degrees for Solomon (li-shelomoh). Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it; except the Lord guard the city, the watchman waketh but in vain (Ps. 127, 1-2). Said he: ‘Was it Solomon who composed this Psalm when he built the Temple? (for li-shelomoh could be understood to mean “of Solomon”). Not so. It was King David who composed it, about his son Solomon, when Nathan came to him (David) and told him that Solomon would build the Temple. Then King David showed unto his son Solomon, as a model, the celestial prototype of the Temple, and David himself, when he saw it and all the activities connected with it, as set forth in the celestial idea of it, sang this psalm concerning his son Solomon.
There is also yet another interpretation, namely, that “for Solomon” (li-shelomoh) refers to Him “whose is the peace” (shalom), and this psalm is a hymn above all hymns, which ascends higher than all. “Except the Lord build the house”: King David saw all the seven pillars upon which that house, the Universe, stands-for they stand row upon row-and above them all is the Master of the House, who advances with them, giving them power and strength, to each in turn.
It is concerning this that King David said: “Except the King, whose is the peace, and who is the Master of the House, build the house, they labour in vain that build it”-that is to say, the pillars. Except the Lord-the King, whose is the peace-guard the city, “the watchman waketh but in vain”. This is the pillar upon which the Universe stands, namely the “Righteous” who keeps waking guard over the City.
The Tabernacle which Moses constructed had Joshua for its wakeful and constant guard; for he alone guarded it who is called the “young man”, namely Joshua, of whom it says: “Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent” (Ex. 33, 11). Later in its history it was another “young man” who guarded it, namely Samuel (I Sam. 1l, 16), for the Tabernacle could be guarded only by a youth. The Temple, however, was guarded by the Holy One Himself, as it is written, “Except the Lord guard the City, the watchman waketh but in vain”. And who is the watchman? The “young man”, Metatron.
And you, holy saints, ye are not guarded as the Tabernacle was guarded, but as the Temple was guarded, namely, by the Holy One Himself; for, whenever the righteous are on a journey the Holy One guards them continually, as it is written: “The I,ord shall keep thy going out and thy coming in from now and forever” (Ps. 121, 9).’
Then they accompanied him on his journey for a distance of three miles, and, parting from him, returned to their own way, and they were moved to quote these words concerning him. “For he shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands” (Ps. 91, 11, 12); and “Thy father shall be glad and thy mother rejoice” (Prov. 23, 25).
פָּתַח וְאָמַר (תהילים קכ״ז:א׳) שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת (וישלח קע"ב ע"א) לִשְׁלֹמֹה אִם יְיָ' לא יִבְנֶה בַיִת שָׁוְא עָמְלוּ בוֹנָיו בּוֹ אִם יְיָ' לא יִשְׁמָר עִיר שָׁוְא שָׁקַד שׁוֹמֵר. וְכִי שְׁלמֹה אָמַר תּוּשַׁבַּחְתָּא דָּא כַּד בָּנָה בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא. לָאו הָכִי, דְּהָא דָּוִד מַלְכָּא אֲמַר לֵיהּ בְּגִין שְׁלמֹה מַלְכָּא בְּרֵיהּ, כַּד אָתָא נָתָן לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְאֲמַר לֵיהּ עַל שְׁלֹמֹה דְּאִיהוּ יִבְנִי בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא. וּלְבָתַר דָּוִד מַלְכָּא אַחְזֵי לִשְׁלֹמֹה בְּרֵיהּ דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּבֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא דָּוִד דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּבֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא, וְכָל תִּקּוּנוֹי, אָמַר שִׁירָתָא עַל שְׁלמֹה בְּרֵיהּ, וְאָמַר אִם יְיָ' לא יִבְנֶה בַיִת וְגוֹ'.
Then he began to expound to them this verse: A song of degrees for Solomon (li-shelomoh). Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it; except the Lord guard the city, the watchman waketh but in vain (Ps. 127, 1-2). Said he: ‘Was it Solomon who composed this Psalm when he built the Temple? (for li-shelomoh could be understood to mean “of Solomon”). Not so. It was King David who composed it, about his son Solomon, when Nathan came to him (David) and told him that Solomon would build the Temple. Then King David showed unto his son Solomon, as a model, the celestial prototype of the Temple, and David himself, when he saw it and all the activities connected with it, as set forth in the celestial idea of it, sang this psalm concerning his son Solomon.
דָּבָר אַחֵר שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת לִשְׁלֹמֹה, לְמַלְכָּא דִּשְׁלָמָא דִּילֵיהּ. וְהַאי שִׁירָתָא אִיהוּ שִׁירָתָא וְתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא עַל כָּל שְׁאַר שִׁירָתָא, וְשִׁירָתָא הֲדָא סַלְּקָא עַל כֻּלְּהוּ. אִם יְיָ' לא יִבְנְה בַיִת, דְּחָמָא דָּוִד מַלְכָּא, כָּל אִינּוּן עַמּוּדִין שִׁבְעָה, דְּהַאי בַּיִת קָאִים עָלַיְיהוּ, דְּאִינּוּן קַיְימֵי שׁוּרִין שׁוּרִין, לְמִבְנִי הַאי בַּיִת. לְעֵילָּא מְכֻּלְּהוּ קַיְּימָא מָארֵיהּ דְּבֵיתָא דְּאָזִיל עַל גַּבַּיְיהוּ, וְיָהִיב לוֹן חֵילָא וְתּוּקְפָּא, לְכָל חַד וְחַד כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת.
There is also yet another interpretation, namely, that “for Solomon” (li-shelomoh) refers to Him “whose is the peace” (shalom), and this psalm is a hymn above all hymns, which ascends higher than all. “Except the Lord build the house”: King David saw all the seven pillars upon which that house, the Universe, stands-for they stand row upon row-and above them all is the Master of the House, who advances with them, giving them power and strength, to each in turn.
וְעַל דָּא אָמַר דָּוִד, אִי הַאי מַלְכָּא דִּשְׁלָמָא כֹּלָּא דִּילֵיהּ, דְּאִיהוּ מָארֵיהּ דְּבֵיתָא, לָא בָּנֵי לְהַאי בֵּיתָא, שָׁוְא עָמְלוּ בוֹנָיו בּוֹ, אִינּוּן (פי' עמודים) קַיָּימִין דְּקַיְימִין לְמִבְנִי עַל הַאי בֵּיתָא. אִם יְיָ' לֹא יִשְׁמָר עִיר, דָּא מַלְכָּא דִּשְׁלָמָא כֹּלָּא דִּילֵיהּ. שָׁוְא שָׁקַד שׁוֹמֵר, דָּא אִיהוּ חַד קַיָּימָא דְּעָלְמָא אִתְתָּקַּן עָלֵיהּ, וּמַנּוּ. צַדִּיק, דְּהָא אִיהוּ נָטִיר לָהּ לְהַאי עִיר.
It is concerning this that King David said: “Except the King, whose is the peace, and who is the Master of the House, build the house, they labour in vain that build it”-that is to say, the pillars. Except the Lord-the King, whose is the peace-guard the city, “the watchman waketh but in vain”. This is the pillar upon which the Universe stands, namely the “Righteous” who keeps waking guard over the City.
מַשְׁכְּנָא דְּעָבַד מֹשֶׁה, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הֲוָה קָאִים תָּדִיר וְנָטִיר לֵיהּ, דְּהָא לֵית נְטִירוּ דִּילֵיהּ בַּר בֵּיהּ דְּאִקְרֵי נַעַר, דִּכְתִּיב, (שמות ל״ג:י״א) וּמְשָׁרַתוֹ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן נַעַר לֹא יָמִישׁ מִתּוֹךְ הָאֹהֶל. לְבָתַר הַאי מַשְׁכְּנָא לָא הֲוָה נָטִיר, אֶלָּא בְּגִין נַעַר אַחֲרָא, דִּכְתִּיב, (שמואל א ג׳:א׳) וְהַנַּעַר שְׁמוּאֵל מְשָׁרֵת, (והוה מסדר תמן) בְּגִין דְּלֵית נְטִירוּ דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא, אֶלָּא בְּנַעַר. (אבל בי מקדשא לאו הכי דלא נטירו דיליה אלא בקודשא בריך הוא דכתיב אם יי לא ישמור עיר שוא שקד שומר) וּמַאן אִיהוּ שׁוֹמֵר (ק"א ע"א) דָּא. הַהוּא דְּנָטִיר מַשְׁכְּנָא דְּאִקְרֵי הָכִי נַעַר מְטַטְרוֹ"ן.
The Tabernacle which Moses constructed had Joshua for its wakeful and constant guard; for he alone guarded it who is called the “young man”, namely Joshua, of whom it says: “Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent” (Ex. 33, 11). Later in its history it was another “young man” who guarded it, namely Samuel (I Sam. 1l, 16), for the Tabernacle could be guarded only by a youth. The Temple, however, was guarded by the Holy One Himself, as it is written, “Except the Lord guard the City, the watchman waketh but in vain”. And who is the watchman? The “young man”, Metatron.
אֲבָל אַתוּן קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין, לָאו נְטִירוּ דִּלְכוֹן כִּנְטִירוּ דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא, אֶלָּא נְטִירוּ דִּלְכוֹן כִּנְטִירוּ דְּבֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, דִּכְתִּיב אִם יְיָ' לא יִשְׁמָר עִיר שָׁוְא שָׁקַד שׁוֹמֵר, דְּהָא בְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא אַזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָטִיר לוֹן תָּדִיר, דִּכְתִּיב, (תהילים קכ״א:ח׳) יְיָ' יִשְׁמָר צֵאתְךָ וּבוֹאֶךָ.
And you, holy saints, ye are not guarded as the Tabernacle was guarded, but as the Temple was guarded, namely, by the Holy One Himself; for, whenever the righteous are on a journey the Holy One guards them continually, as it is written: “The I,ord shall keep thy going out and thy coming in from now and forever” (Ps. 121, 9).’
אַזְלוּ אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, וְאוֹזְפוּהוּ תְּלַת מִלִּין, וְאָהַדְרוּ לְאָרְחַיְיהוּ קָרוּ עָלֵיהּ, (תהילים צ״א:י״א-י״ב) כִּי מַלְאָכָיו (ויקרא רס"ב ע"א) יְצַוֶּה לָךָ לִשְׁמָרְךָ בְּכָל דְּרָכֶיךָ, עַל כַּפַּיִם יִשָּׂאוּנְךָ וְגוֹ'. (משלי כ״ג:כ״ה) יִשְׂמַח אָבִיךָ וְאִמֶּךָ וְתָגֵל יוֹלַדְתֶּךָ.
Then they accompanied him on his journey for a distance of three miles, and, parting from him, returned to their own way, and they were moved to quote these words concerning him. “For he shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands” (Ps. 91, 11, 12); and “Thy father shall be glad and thy mother rejoice” (Prov. 23, 25).