IF THE ANOINTED PRIEST SHALL SIN SO AS TO BRING GUILT ON THE PEOPLE. R. Abba cited here the verse: “Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth… if thou know not, O fairest among women, go thy way forth, etc.’ (S.S. 1, 7-8). ‘The Companions’, he said, ‘have explained these verses in reference to Moses at the time when he departed from the world, as it says, “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation… who shall go out before them, etc.” (Num. 27, 16).
In the Book of Rab Hamnuna the Elder it is written that so long as the Community of Israel is in the Holy One, blessed be He, the latter, so to speak, is complete and pleased with himself from sucking the milk of the supernal Mother, and from that draught He waters all the others and gives them suck. We have learnt also that R. Simeon said that as long as the Community of Israel is in the Holy One, blessed be He, the latter is complete and joyful, and blessings abide in Him and issue from Him to all the others, but when the Community of Israel is not in the Holy One, blessed be He, then, as it were, blessings are withheld from Him and from all the others.
The secret of the matter is that wherever male and female are not found together, blessings do not rest. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, laments and weeps, as it says, “The Lord shall mightily roar over his fold” (Jer. 25, 30).
And when the Community of Israel went into exile, she said to Him, “Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, how shalt thou feed thyself from the deep river that ever flows, how shalt thou feed thyself from the light of the supernal Eden, how shalt thou feed all the others that depend on thee, just as I too was fed from thee every day and water all those below, and Israel too were fed by me?
And now how shall I be as one that is veiled, as one that fainteth without blessings for lack of the blessings that I require and have not? How shall I be able to lead without feeding the flocks of thy companions, to wit, Israel, the children of the patriarchs, who are a holy chariot above?
To which the Holy One, blessed be He, answers: Leave this to me, for the secret thereof is with me. But if thou knowest not, here is a counsel for thee. Go thy way by the footsteps of the flock, to wit, the righteous who are trodden underfoot, and for whose sake I will give thee strength to rise, and feed thou thy kids, to wit, the school children for whose sake the world is preserved, and who give strength to the Community of Israel in exile, beside the shepherds’ tents, the schools in which the Torah is ever to be found.
Or the last words may be explained thus. When there are in the world righteous men and children learning the Torah, then the Community of Israel can exist with them in exile, but if not, God forbid, then neither She nor they can endure. And if there are any righteous, then they suffer first [for the sins of the age], and if not, then those kids for whose sake the world is preserved suffer first, and God takes them from the world although there is no sin in them. And not only this, but He also banishes from Himself the Community of Israel and She goes into exile.
Hence it is written, “If the anointed High Priest shall sin so as to bring guilt on the people”, or rather, “on account of the guilt of the people”, the word yeheta (sin), meaning here “withhold his kindness and exercise judgement.”
(ויקרא ד׳:ג׳) אִם הַכֹּהֵן הַמָּשִׁיחַ יֶחטָא לְאַשְׁמַת הָעָם. רִבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח (שיר השירים א׳:ח׳) הַגִּידָה לִּי שֶׁאָהֲבָה נַפְשִׁי וְגוֹ', אִם לא תֵדְעִי לָךְ הַיָּפָה בַּנָּשִׁים צְאִי לָךְ וְגוֹ', הָנֵי קְרָאֵי אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא בְּמֹשֶׁה, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּהֲוָה סָלִיק מֵעָלְמָא, דְּאָמַר (במדבר כ״ז:י״ז) יִפְקוֹד יְיָ' אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחוֹת לְכֹל בָּשָׂר וְגוֹ', אֲשֶׁר יִצֵא לִפְנֵיהֶם וְגוֹ', ותָנֵינָן דְּעַל גָּלוּתָא אִתְּמַר.
IF THE ANOINTED PRIEST SHALL SIN SO AS TO BRING GUILT ON THE PEOPLE. R. Abba cited here the verse: “Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth… if thou know not, O fairest among women, go thy way forth, etc.’ (S.S. 1, 7-8). ‘The Companions’, he said, ‘have explained these verses in reference to Moses at the time when he departed from the world, as it says, “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation… who shall go out before them, etc.” (Num. 27, 16).
ותָּא חֲזִי, הָנֵי קְרָאֵי כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אַמָרָן לְמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא. הַגִּידָה לִּי שֶׁאָהֲבָה נַפְשִׁי, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (שיר השירים ג׳:ג׳) אֵת שֶׁאָהֲבָה נַפְשִׁי רְאִיתֶם. וּלְמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא אִתְּמַר, אַנְתְּ שֶׁאָהֲבָה נַפְשִׁי אֵיכָה תִרְעֶה.
We may also, however, suppose them to be addressed by the Community of Israel to the Holy King.
בְּסִפְרָא דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא אָמַר, כָּל זִמְנָא דְּכְּנְסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כִּבְיָכוֹל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּשְׁלִימוּ, וְרֵעָי בִּרְעוּתָא לֵיהּ (ולאחרנין זן ליה) לְגַרְמֵיהּ, מֵהַהוּא יְנִיקוּ דַּחֲלָבָא (ס"א דמלכא) דְּאִימָא עִלָּאָה, וּמֵהַהוּא יְנִיקוּ דְּאִיהוּ יָנִיק, אַשְׁקֵי לְכָל שְׁאָר אָחֳרָנִין, וְיָנִיק לוֹן. וְאוֹלִיפְנָא דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, כָּל זִמְנָא דִכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִשְׁתְּכָחַת בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּשְׁלִימוּ, בְּחֶדְוָה, בִּרְכָאן בֵּיהּ שַׁרְיָין, וְנָפְקִין מִנֵּיהּ לְכָל שְׁאָר אָחֳרָנִין. וְכָל זִמְנָא דִּכְנְסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחַת בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כִּבְיָכוֹל בִּרְכָאן אִתְמְנָעוּ מִנֵּיהּ וּמִכָּל שְׁאָר אָחֳרָנִין.
In the Book of Rab Hamnuna the Elder it is written that so long as the Community of Israel is in the Holy One, blessed be He, the latter, so to speak, is complete and pleased with himself from sucking the milk of the supernal Mother, and from that draught He waters all the others and gives them suck. We have learnt also that R. Simeon said that as long as the Community of Israel is in the Holy One, blessed be He, the latter is complete and joyful, and blessings abide in Him and issue from Him to all the others, but when the Community of Israel is not in the Holy One, blessed be He, then, as it were, blessings are withheld from Him and from all the others.
ורָזָא דְּמִלְתָּא, בְּכָל אֲתַר דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא, בִּרְכָאן לָא שָׁרָאן עֲלוֹי, וְעַל דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּעֵי וּבָכֵי, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (ירמיהו כ״ה:ל׳) שָׁאֹג יִשְׁאַג עַל נָוִהוּ. וּמַאי אוֹמֵר, אוֹי שֶׁהחֶרַבְתִּי אֶת בֵּיתִי וְשָׂרַפְתִּי אֶת הֵיכָלִי וְכוּ'.
The secret of the matter is that wherever male and female are not found together, blessings do not rest. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, laments and weeps, as it says, “The Lord shall mightily roar over his fold” (Jer. 25, 30).
וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל נַפְקַת בְּגָלוּתָא, אַמְרַת קַמֵּיהּ, הַגִּידָה לִּי שֶׁאָהֲבָה נַפְשִׁי, אַנְתְּ רְחִימָא דְּנַפְשָׁאי, אַנְתְּ דְּכָל רְחִימוּ דְּנַפְשִׁי בָּךְ. אֵיכָה תִרְעֶה, אֵיךְ תָּזוּן גַּרְמָךְ, מֵעֲמִיקָא דְּנַחֲלָא דְּלָא פָּסִיק. אֵיךְ תָּזוּן גַּרְמָךְ מִנְּהִירוּ דְּעֵדֶן עִלָּאָה. אֵיכָה תַּרְבִּיץ בַּצָּהֳרָיִם, אֵיךְ תָּזוּן לְכָל אִינּוּן אָחֳרָנִין דְּאִשְּׁתַקְיָין מִנָךְ תָּדִירָא.
And when the Community of Israel went into exile, she said to Him, “Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, how shalt thou feed thyself from the deep river that ever flows, how shalt thou feed thyself from the light of the supernal Eden, how shalt thou feed all the others that depend on thee, just as I too was fed from thee every day and water all those below, and Israel too were fed by me?
וַאֲנָא הֲוִינָא אַתְּזְנָא מִנָךְ בְּכָל יוֹמָא, וּמִשְּׁתַקְיָא, וְאַשְׁקֵינָא לְכָל אִינּוּן תַּתָּאֵי, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְּזָנוּ בִּי, וְהַשְׁתָּא שַׁלָּמָה אֶהְיֶה כְּעוֹטְיָה, אֵיךְ אֶהֱוִי מִתְעַטְּפָא, בְּלָא בִּרְכָאן, כַּד יִצְטָרְכוּן אִינּוּן בִּרְכָאן, וְלָא יִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן בִּידִי. עַל עֶדְרֵי חֲבֵרֶיךָ, הֵיאךְ אִיקוּם עָלַיְיהוּ, וְלָא אֶהְיֶה רַעְיָא לְהוּ, וְזָנָא לְהוּ. עֶדְרֵי חֲבֵרֶיךָ, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִינּוּן בְּנֵי אֲבָהָן, דְּאִינּוּן רְתִיכָא קַדִּישָׁא לְעֵילָּא.
And now how shall I be as one that is veiled, as one that fainteth without blessings for lack of the blessings that I require and have not? How shall I be able to lead without feeding the flocks of thy companions, to wit, Israel, the children of the patriarchs, who are a holy chariot above?
אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, שְׁבוֹק אַנְתְּ דִּידִי, דְּהָא דִּידִי מִלָּה טְמִירָא הוּא לְאִתְיְדַע. אֲבָל אִם לא תֵדְעִי לָךְ, לְגַרְמָךְ, הֲרֵי לָךְ עֵיטָא. הַיָּפָה בַּנָּשִׁים, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר הִנָּךְ יָפָה רַעְיָתִי. צְאִי לָךְ בְּעִקְבֵי הַצֹּאן, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא, דְּאִינּוּן נִדָּשִׁין בֵּין עֲקֵבִין, וּבְגִינֵיהוֹן יָהִיב לָךְ חֵילָא לְקַיְּימָא. (ועם כל דא) וּרְעִי אֶת גְּדִיּוֹתַיִךְ עַל מִשְׁכְּנוֹת הָרוֹעִים, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן תִּנוֹקוֹת שֶׁל בֵּית רַבָּן, דְּעָלְמָא מִתְקַיְּימָא בְּגִינֵיהוֹן, וְיָהֲבִין חֵילָא לִכְּנְסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא. מִשְׁכְּנוֹת הָרוֹעִים, אִלֵּין בָּתֵּי רַבָּן אֲתַר בֵּית מִדְרָשָׁא דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח אוֹרַיְיתָא בְּהוֹן תָּדִירָא.
To which the Holy One, blessed be He, answers: Leave this to me, for the secret thereof is with me. But if thou knowest not, here is a counsel for thee. Go thy way by the footsteps of the flock, to wit, the righteous who are trodden underfoot, and for whose sake I will give thee strength to rise, and feed thou thy kids, to wit, the school children for whose sake the world is preserved, and who give strength to the Community of Israel in exile, beside the shepherds’ tents, the schools in which the Torah is ever to be found.
דָּבָר אַחֵר אִם לֹא תֵדְעִי לָךְ הַיָּפָה בַּנָּשִׁים וְגוֹ'. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּעָלְמָא, וְאִינּוּן תִּנוֹקוֹת שֶׁל בֵּית רַבָּן מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי וְלָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, יַכְלָא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְקַיְּימָא עִמְּהוֹן בְּגָלוּתָא. וְאִי לָאו, כִּבְיָכוֹל הִיא וְאִינּוּן לָא יַכְלֵי לְאִתְקַיְּימָא בְּעָלְמָא. וְאִי זַכָּאִין אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ, אִינּוּן אִתָּפְסָן בְּקַדְמִיתָא. וְאִי לָא, אִינּוּן גַּדְיָין דְּעָלְמָא מִתְקַיְּימָא בְּגִינֵיהוֹן, מִתָּפְסִין בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סָלִיק לוֹן מֵעָלְמָא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהוּ חוֹבָה. וְלָא דָּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, אֶלָּא רָחִיק מִנֵּיהּ לִכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל ואִתְגַּלְיָיא בְּגָלוּתָא.
Or the last words may be explained thus. When there are in the world righteous men and children learning the Torah, then the Community of Israel can exist with them in exile, but if not, God forbid, then neither She nor they can endure. And if there are any righteous, then they suffer first [for the sins of the age], and if not, then those kids for whose sake the world is preserved suffer first, and God takes them from the world although there is no sin in them. And not only this, but He also banishes from Himself the Community of Israel and She goes into exile.
הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אִם הַכֹּהֵן הַמָּשִׁיחַ יֶחטָא לְאַשְׁמַת הָעָם. אֲמַאי יֶחטָא. לְאַשְׁמַת הָעָם, בְּגִין חוֹבֵי עָלְמָא דְּגַרְמוּ הַאי, לְאַשְׁמַת הָעָם ודַּאי, וְלָא לְאַשְׁמָה דִּילֵיהּ. יֶחטָא: יִגְרַע טוּבֵיהּ, וְדָאִין דִּינֵיהּ בְּכֹלָּא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (מלכים א א׳:כ״א) וְהָיִיתִי אֲנִי וּבְנִי שְׁלמֹה חַטָּאִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר אִם הַכֹּהֵן הַמָּשִׁיחַ, דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כִּדְקָאַמָרָן. יֶחטָא, יִגָרַע מִן כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמֵעָלְמָא, דְּלָא יָהִיב לְהוֹן סִפּוּק בִּרְכָאן. אֲמַאי. אִיהוּ לְאַשְׁמַת הָעָם ודַּאי, בְּגִין חוֹבָה דְּעַמָּא הִיא.
Hence it is written, “If the anointed High Priest shall sin so as to bring guilt on the people”, or rather, “on account of the guilt of the people”, the word yeheta (sin), meaning here “withhold his kindness and exercise judgement.”