AND THOU SHALT MAKE THE TABERNACLE WITH TEN PIECES OF TAPESTRY. R. Judah expounded in this connection the following verse: In the multitude of people is the king’s honour, but in the want ofpeople is the confusion of the prince (Prov. 14, 28). Said he: ‘It is the people of Israel that is referred to in the first clause, Israel who is called “a holy people to the Lord” (Deut. 7, 6). Their number swells to thousands and myriads, and when they attain such large numbers it is “to the King’s honour”, for those above and those below praise the name of the Supernal King, singing hymns to Him, for the sake of the Holy People, “the wise and understanding people, the great people” (cf. Deut. 4, 6).
But is it not written, “for ye are the fewest of all peoples” (Ibid. 95, 7)? Truly, “of all peoples” taken together, but not fewer than any individual people, for there is no nation in the world as numerous and mighty as Israel. But see how numerous are the Ishmaelites and the Edomites! That is so; but it must not be forgotten that all other peoples are intermixed with one another, unlike Israel, which is a pure and unadulterated race, “a holy people unto the Lord”, chosen by Him. And therefore “in the multitude of the people is the King’s honour”, that is to say, the honour of the Supernal King, the Holy One, blessed be He.
but when Israel does not assemble to worship the Lord, they lose this dignity, since they do not ascend and cannot praise their Master in fitting manner. Even if ten alone are present, the supernal hosts join them in their worship.
Even if ten alone are present, the supernal hosts join them in their worship. The reason is that all the supports of that King are in the number ten, and therefore ten worshippers are sufficient if there are no more.
Therefore, concerning the Tabernacle it says: “And thou shalt make the Tabernacle with ten (‘eser) pieces of tapestry”, ten being the number required for the full perfection of the Tabernacle.
(שמות כ״ו:א׳) וְאֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן תַּעֲשֶׂה עֶשֶׂר יְרִיעֹת וְגוֹ'. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח, (משלי י״ד:כ״ח) בְּרָב עַם הַדְרַת מֶלֶךְ וּבְאֶפֶס לְאֹם מְחִתַּת רָזוֹן. בְּרָב עָם הַדְרַת מֶלֶךְ, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִּיב בְּהוּ (דברים ז׳:ו׳) כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לַיְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ. וְאִינּוּן עַמָּא דְּסַלְּקִין לְכַמָּה אַלְפִין, וּלְכַמָה רִבְּוָון, וְכַד אִינּוּן סַגִּיאִין בְּחוּשְׁבָּנֵיהוֹן, יְקָרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִיהוּ. דְּהָא עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין מְשַׁבְּחָן שְׁמֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, וּמְשַׁבְּחָן לֵיהּ בְּגִין עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא דָּא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (דברים ד׳:ו׳) רַק עַם חָכָם וְנָבוֹן הַגּוֹי הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה.
AND THOU SHALT MAKE THE TABERNACLE WITH TEN PIECES OF TAPESTRY. R. Judah expounded in this connection the following verse: In the multitude of people is the king’s honour, but in the want ofpeople is the confusion of the prince (Prov. 14, 28). Said he: ‘It is the people of Israel that is referred to in the first clause, Israel who is called “a holy people to the Lord” (Deut. 7, 6). Their number swells to thousands and myriads, and when they attain such large numbers it is “to the King’s honour”, for those above and those below praise the name of the Supernal King, singing hymns to Him, for the sake of the Holy People, “the wise and understanding people, the great people” (cf. Deut. 4, 6).
וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָא כְּתִיב, (דברים ז׳:ז׳) כִּי אַתֶּם הַמְעַט מִכָּל הָעַמִּים, אֶלָּא, מִכָּל הָעַמִּים וַדַּאי, אֲבָל מֵעַמָּא חַד יַתִּיר סַגִּיאִין אִינּוּן. דְּהָא לֵית עַמָּא בְּכָל עָלְמָא רַב וְסַגִּי כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאִי תֵּימָא הָא בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, וְהָא בְּנֵי אֱדוֹם, הָא כַּמָּה אִינּוּן. וַדַּאי הָכִי סַגִּיאִין אִינּוּן, אֲבָל כָּל שְׁאַר עַמִּין כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְעָרְבֵי אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין, בְּנִין אִית לְעָם דָּא, בְּעָם דָּא, וּלְאִלֵּין בְּנִין בְּעָם אַחֲרָא, וְאִלֵּין בְּאַחֲרָא. וּבְּגִין כָּךְ לֵית עַמָּא בְּכָל עָלְמָא, רַב סַגִּי כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, עַמָּא בְּרִירָא וִיחִידָאָה, אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין, בְּלָא עִרְבּוּבְיָא אַחֲרָא כְּלַל, דִּכְתִּיב כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לַיְיָ' אֱלהֶיךָ, וּבְךָ בָּחַר יְיָ', וְעַל דָּא בְּרָב עָם הַדְרַת מֶלֶךְ, הִדּוּרָא אִיהוּ דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
But is it not written, “for ye are the fewest of all peoples” (Ibid. 95, 7)? Truly, “of all peoples” taken together, but not fewer than any individual people, for there is no nation in the world as numerous and mighty as Israel. But see how numerous are the Ishmaelites and the Edomites! That is so; but it must not be forgotten that all other peoples are intermixed with one another, unlike Israel, which is a pure and unadulterated race, “a holy people unto the Lord”, chosen by Him. And therefore “in the multitude of the people is the King’s honour”, that is to say, the honour of the Supernal King, the Holy One, blessed be He.
תּוּ בְּזִמְנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָתֵי לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, (דאיהו מק2דש מעט) וְכָל עַמָּא אַתְיָין כַּחֲדָא, וּמְצַלָאן, וְאוֹדָן, וּמְשַׁבְּחָן לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּדֵין הִדּוּרָא דְּמֶלֶךְ אִיהוּ, דְּמֶלֶךְ סְתָם דָּא מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא. (ד"א משיחא) דְּאִתְתָּקַּן בִּשְׁפִירוּ וּבְתִקּוּנָא לְסַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא.
When strengthened by that holy exercise, that the Holy One may be exalted from above and from below in harmony;
וּבְאֶפֶס לְאֹם מְחִתַּת רָזוֹן, וְכַד אִיהוּ אַקְדִּים לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, וְעַמָּא לָא אַתְיָין לְצַלָּאָה וּלְשַׁבְּחָא לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּדֵין כָּל הַהוּא שֻׁלְטָנוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְכָל אִינּוּן מְמָנָן וּמַשִּׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין, כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְבָּרוּ (ס"א אתעברו) מֵהַהוּא עִלּוּיָא דְּמִתַּתְקְנֵי בְּתִקּוּנֵי הַהוּא מֶלֶךְ.
but when Israel does not assemble to worship the Lord, they lose this dignity, since they do not ascend and cannot praise their Master in fitting manner. Even if ten alone are present, the supernal hosts join them in their worship.
מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דִּבְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָּא, דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא קָא מְסַדְּרֵי צְלוֹתְהוֹן וּבָעוּתְהוֹן, וּמְשַׁבְּחָן לְמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה. כָּל אִינּוּן מַשִּׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין, מְסַדְּרִין שְׁבָחִין, וּמְתַּתְקְנָן בְּהַהוּא תִּקּוּנָא קַדִּישָׁא, בְּגִין דְּמַשִּׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין כֻּלְּהוּ חֲבֵרִין אִינּוּן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא, לְשַׁבְּחָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּחֲדָא, לְמֶהוֵי סִלּוּקָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא כַּחֲדָא.
The reason is that all the supports of that King are in the number ten, and therefore ten worshippers are sufficient if there are no more.
וְכַד אִינּוּן מִזְדַּמְּנָן לְמֶהֱוֵי חֲבֵרִים בְּהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא לָא אַתְיָין לְסַדְּרָא צְלוֹתְהוֹן וּבָעוּתְהוֹן וּלְשַׁבְּחָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן, כֻּלְּהוּ מַשִּׁרְיָין קַדִּישִׁין, שֻׁלְטָנוּתָא עִלָּאָה אִתְבָּרוּ (אתעברו) מִתִּקּוּנֵיהוֹן, דְּהָא לָא סַלְּקִין בְּסִלוּקָא, וְלָא יַכְלִין לְשַׁבְּחָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת. בְּגִין דִּשְׁבָחֵי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֶהוֵי כַּחֲדָא עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין בְּשַׁעֲתָּא חֲדָא, וְעַל דָּא מְחִתַּת רָזוֹן וְלָא מְחִתַּת מֶלֶךְ.
Even if ten alone are present, the supernal hosts join them in their worship. The reason is that all the supports of that King are in the number ten, and therefore ten worshippers are sufficient if there are no more.
וַאֲפִילּוּ דְּלָא אַסְגִּיאוּ בְּבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, אֶלָּא עֲשָׂרָה, בְּאִינּוּן עֲשָׂרָה מִזְדַּמְנָן מַשִּׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין, לְמֶהוֵי עִמְּהוֹן חֲבֵרִים. מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין דְּכָל תִּקּוּנֵי דְּהַהוּא מֶלֶךְ, אִינּוּן בַּעֲשָׂרָה, וְעַל דָּא דַּי בַּעֲשָׂרָה, אִי לָאו אִינּוּן יַתִּיר.
Therefore, concerning the Tabernacle it says: “And thou shalt make the Tabernacle with ten (‘eser) pieces of tapestry”, ten being the number required for the full perfection of the Tabernacle.