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THE ZOHAR

MISHPATIM

Ex. XXI, 1-XXIV, 18

AND THESE ARE THE JUDGEMENTS WHICH THOU SHALT SET BEFORE THEM. R. Simeon here introduced the subject of transmigration of souls, saying: 'Onkelos translates the above words as follows: "These are the judgements which thou shalt order before them". In other words, "These are the orders of the metempsychosis; the judgements of the souls, by which each of them receives its appropriate punishment." Associates, the time is now arrived to reveal diverse hidden and secret mysteries in regard to the transmigration of souls.

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IF THOU BUY AN HEBREW SERVANT, SIX YEARS HE SHALL SERVE. When a soul is doomed to undergo transmigration, should it be one which has emanated from the side of the Servant, Metatron, who represents in himself six aspects, then the successive revolutions of that soul will not be more than six years (i.e. times) until it shall have completed the six stages which lead back to the region from whence it came. But if the soul has emanated from the sphere of the Shekinah Herself, who is symbolized by the number seven, it "shall go forth free", because its owner is righteous, and is not subjected to labour or servitude.'

Now it chanced that while Rabbi Simeon spake these things [94b] a certain "ancient one" came down to his side and said: "If that be so, Master, where is the additional delight of the soul that emanates therefrom, indicated by the words, "In it thou shalt not do any work, thou nor thy son nor thy daughter nor thy manservant, etc." (Ex. XX, 10)?, Rabbi Simeon replied: "O venerable companion! Should a man of thy learning ask this? This verse assuredly speaks of the soul of the Righteous One, teaching us that even though she may have to undergo transmigration in any of these, even in a manservant or maidservant or in any animal, yet "in it thou shalt do no manner of work", or, what amounts to the same thing, "thou shalt not make him serve as a bondman". But, old man, the difficulty is this. Seeing that Sabbath is an only daughter, and that she is the mate of the Righteous One, what is meant by the words in our text, "if he take him another wife"?' He replied: 'These words refer to the weekdays.' 'What do these symbolize?' he asked. 'These', he said, 'are the bondmaid who is the body of the only daughter. Observe this. There is a soul which is called handmaid, and there is also a soul which is called the daughter of the king. Now as for the soul which is doomed to undergo transmigration, if she is the daughter of the Holy One, blessed be He, we cannot suppose that she is sold to an alien body that is under the domination of the evil spirit emanating from the side of Samael, since it is written: "I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another" (Isa. XLII, 8). Nor is it to be thought that the body which harbours the daughter of the king shall be sold into the power of earthly crowns of defilement. Against this the Scripture says: "And the land shall not be sold in perpetuity" (Lev. XXV, 23). Which is the body of the King's daughter? Metatron; and this same body is identical with the handmaid of the Shekinah. Nevertheless, the soul that is the King's daughter is held prisoner therein, having to undergo transmigration.

'According to another interpretation, "man" here signifies the Holy One, blessed be He; "his daughter" denoting the Community of Israel, who emanates from the sphere of the "Only Daughter". The verse therefore indicates that when God delivers His people from the nations of the world "she shall not go out" as the menservants do, namely, as the children of Israel did when they left Egypt in haste. For at that time they were in the grade of "servants", represented by Metraton. who is but the bearer of the Shekinah; but in the days of the Messiah they shall "not go out with haste, nor go by flight" (Isa. LII, 12) from their captivity. See, now. When a human being is born into the world he is given a soul (nephesh) from the primordial "animal" sphere, the sphere of purity, the sphere of those who are designated "Holy Wheels" -- namely, the supernal order of angels. If he is more fortunate he will be endowed with a spirit (ruah) which appertains to the sphere of the Holy Hayoth. Should he possess still greater potential merit he is given a soul (neshamah) from the region of the Throne. These three grades of personality are the "maidservant", the "manservant", and the "bondwoman" of the King's daughter. And if the newly created being deserves still more, the soul which is put into his bodily form derives through a process of emanation (aziluth) from the sphere of the "Only Daughter". and is itself called "the King's daughter". If his merit is still greater he will be endowed with a spirit (ruah, deriving through emanation from the sphere of the "Central Pillar", and its owner is then called "The son of the Holy One", as it is written: "Sons are ye to the Lord your God" (Deut. XIV, 1). Should he be of even greater worth he is given a soul (neshamah) from the sphere of Father and Mother, concerning which it is written: "And he breathed into his nostrils the breath (nishmath) of life" (Gen. II, 7). What does "life" signify? It signifies the Divine Name YH; and therefore it is written of such souls: "Let the whole soul (all souls) praise JaH" (Ps. CL, 6). But if he should acquire still greater merit, the Holy Name YHVH is granted to him in its fulness -- the letters Yod, Hi, Vau, Hi, representing Man in the sphere of the supernal Aziluth, and he is said to be "in the likeness of his Lord", and in him the words, "Have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing" (Gen. I, 28), are properly fulfilled: for his dominion is indeed over all the firmaments and over all the Wheels and Seraphim and Living Beings (Hayoth) and over all the hosts above and below. It is therefore concerning one who has attained to the sphere of the "Only Daughter" and has derived his soul from thence that it says, "She shall not go out as the menservants do".'

R. Hiya and R. Jose met one night at the tower of Tyros, and greatly enjoyed one another's company. Said R. Jose: 'How glad am I to behold the countenance of the Shekinah! For during the whole of my journey here I was molested by the chatter of an old carrier who pestered me with all sorts of foolish questions; [95a] for example, "Which serpent is it that flies in the air whilst an ant lies undisturbed between its teeth? What is it that begins in union and ends in separation? Which eagle is it whose nest is in a tree that does not yet exist, and whose young ones are plundered by creatures who have not yet been created, and in a place which is not? What are those which when they ascend descend, and when they descend ascend? And what is it two of which are one and one of which is three? And who is the beautiful virgin who has no eyes and whose body is concealed and yet revealed -- revealed in the morning and concealed during the day, and who is adorned with ornaments which do not exist?" So he went on plaguing me the whole of the way. But now I shall have peace and quiet, and we can devote ourselves to discussing the Torah instead of wasting time in empty talk.' Said R. Hiya: 'Dost thou know anything of the old man?' R. Jose replied: 'I only know that there is nothing in him; for if there were, he would have expounded some text of Scripture, and the time spent on the road would not have been profitless.' 'Is the old man in this house?' asked R. Hiya. 'For sometimes it happens that in vessels that seem empty grains of gold can be discovered.' 'Yes,' replied R. Jose, 'he is here, preparing fodder for his donkey.' So they called the carrier and he came to them. The first thing the old man said was: 'Now the two have become three, and the three one!' Said R. Jose: 'Did I not tell thee that he only talks nonsense?' The old man seated himself and said: 'Sirs, it is only recently that I have become a carrier. I have a young son whom I send to school, and whom I wish to bring up in the study of the Torah; so whenever I see a scholar on my way I follow him in the hope of picking up some new idea in connection with the Torah; but to-day I have heard nothing new.' Said R. Jose: 'Of all the things I heard you say, one specially surprised me, because it showed exceptional folly in a man of your years, or else you did not know what you were saying.' Said the old man: 'What do you refer to?' Said R. Jose: 'That about the beautiful virgin and so forth.'

Then the old man began thus: ' "The Lord is on my side, I am not afraid ; what can men do unto me? ... It is better to trust in the Lord than to put any confidence in princes" (Ps. CXVIII, 6, 9). How good, how lovely, how precious, how supernal are the words of the Torah. Shall I tell them in the presence of scholars from whom so far I have not heard even one word of enlightenment? However, I feel impelled to speak, and surely there is no need to be shy in speaking of things spiritual to anyone, whether scholars or no.' The old man then drew his cloak round him, opened his mouth, and said: 'It is written: "If a priest's daughter be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of holy things" (Lev. XXII, 12). Now this verse is followed by another verse: "But if the priest's daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father's house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father's meat, but there shall no stranger eat thereof" (Ibid. 18). These verses are plain enough in the literal sense, but the words of the Torah have also an esoteric significance, and every word therein contains hidden seeds of wisdom, comprehensible only to the wise who are familiar with the ways of the Torah. For, truly, the words of the Torah are not mere dreams. And even dreams have to be interpreted according to certain rules; how much more, then, is it necessary that the words of the Torah, the delight of the Holy King, be explained in accordance with the right way! And "the ways of the Lord are upright" (Hos. IV, 10). Now, "the priest's daughter" is the superior soul, the daughter of our father Abraham, the first of proselytes, who drew this soul from a supernal region. [95b] And "a priest's daughter married unto a stranger" refers to the holy soul which emanates from a supernal region and enters into the hidden part of the Tree of Life. And when the breath of the supernal Priest has breathed souls into that Tree, those souls flyaway from there and enter a certain treasure-house. Woe unto the world that knows not how to guard itself! Men draw down the soul along with their evil inclination, which is "the stranger", and this "priest's daughter", the soul, flies down to earth and finds her edifice in a "stranger"; and because it is the will of her Master, she enters there and bears the yoke, and cannot assert herself or become perfected in this world. So when she leaves this world she "may eat of an offering of holy things", like those souls which have perfected themselves in this world. There is still another significance to this verse: it is a great humiliation for the holy soul to enter into a "stranger", namely into a proselyte, for then she has to fly from Paradise into a habitation builded from an uncircumcised and unclean source. There is here, however, a still deeper mystery. Near to the pillar which supports the wheels where the souls are blown in there are two weighing scales, one at each side: these are the "weights of righteousness" and "weights of deception" which never cease to move, and souls rise and fall thereon, and appear and disappear. There are souls which are violently captured and oppressed when "man ruleth over man to his own hurt" (Eccl. VIII, 9). For this world is entirely directed by the "tree of knowledge of good and evil", and when human beings walk in the way of righteousness the scales are weighted on the side of good, and when they walk in the evil way they incline towards the evil side. And all souls found then on the scales are violently caught by the evil side. But this is "to its own hurt"; for these souls tread down and destroy all that they find on the evil side, just as the Philistines captured the holy Ark to their own hurt. And what becomes of these souls? In ancient books it is written that some of them become the souls of pious Gentiles and scholarly bastards of Jewish origin, who, because of their learning, are of a higher merit than even a high priest who has no divine knowledge, although by virtue of his office he enters into the Holy of Holies.'

The old man here stopped and wept for a moment. The two companions were astonished but said nothing, and after a while he continued to speak on the following verse: IF SHE (the maidservant) PLEASE NOT HER MASTER, WHO HATH BETROTHED HER TO HIMSELF, THEN SHALL HE LET HER BE REDEEMED; BUT TO SELL HER TO A STRANGE NATION, HE SHALL HAVE NO POWER (v. 8). 'This passage', said he, 'continues the inner meaning of the "man who sells his daughter as a maidservant". It is written: "Who would not fear thee, O king of the nations? For it becometh thee, as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee" (Jer. X, 7). How many people misunderstand this verse! They repeat the words, but the sense escapes them. Is the Holy One, blessed be He, the "King of the nations"? Is He not rather the King of Israel? Is it not written: "When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of men, he set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. For the Lord's portion is his people" (Deut. XXXII, 8, 9), wherefore He is called the "King of Israel"? If the prophet here called God "King of the nations", he would be praising them more than they praise themselves, for they only claim to be in the charge of His ministers and servitors. The last part of the verse also contradicts this idea, for it says: "As among all the wise men of the nations ... there is none like unto thee." Seeing that the other nations have so much to boast of, it is surprising that with this verse they do not ascend to the very heaven. [96a] But in truth the Holy One, blessed be He, has blinded their eyes, and "all nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him less than nothing and vanity" (Isa. XL, 17). This is the real truth of the matter in their regard.' Said R. Hiya: 'And yet it is written: "God reigneth over the nations"!' The old man replied: 'I see that thou hast been behind their wall, and hast come forward to support them with this verse. I ought first to deal with my own difficulty; but since I have found thee in the way, I will first remove thee, and then go on to remove all other obstacles. See, now. All the Names of the Holy One, blessed be He, and all subsidiary Names, ramify in different directions and are encircled in each other, as it were, and yet branch out into various paths. Only one aspect is not so scattered: and that is the one definite and particular Name, which is the heritage of the one particular people, namely, the Name YHVH; for it is written: "For the portion of YHVH is His people"; "And ye who cleave to YHVH" (Deut. XXXII, 9, IV, 4), which signifies those that cleave to this very Name itself. Thus it is seen that this Name YHVH belongs only to Israel. Above all the other names is one which spreads and separates itself towards many diverse ways and paths, to wit, Elohim. This name has been transmitted to the beings of this lower world, and has been shared among the Chieftains and ministering angels who guide other nations. Hence we read: "And Elohim came to Balaam by night" (Num. XXII, 20); "And Elohim came to Abimelech in the dream of the night" (Gen. xx, 3): and the same is true of all the principalities and powers appointed over the nations -- all are included in this Name, yea, even their objects of worship find a place therein; and so it is this name and aspect of the Divinity which reigns over the nations, but not the peculiar Name, for in that they have no part, since it reigns over Israel only: the one nation, the holy nation. This, however, does not mean that the words, "Who would not fear thee, O King of the nations", are to be interpreted in this sense, namely, that He is the King of the nations in His attribute of Elohim, representing severity and justice; for, as I have pointed out, this Name signifies even the objects of pagan worship. Since, then, the wall on which you were leaning has been shaken, use a little subtlety to get to the true meaning of the words. This is: "Who is the king of the nations that would not fear thee?" The inversion of the order is similar to that found in the verse: "Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye servants of the Lord" (Ps. CXIII, 1), which does not mean that the servants of the Lord shall be praised, but is to be read as "Servants of the Lord, praise ye the Lord."'

The two companions rejoiced and wept, but said nothing. The old man also wept, even as he had done before. Then he went on: 'It is written: "And she (Sarah) said unto Abraham, Cast out the bondwoman and her son" (Gen. XXI, 10), which has been interpreted by the scholars to signify that Sarah desired to cleanse her house from idolatry, and that therefore Abraham was told: "In all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice" (Ibid. V, 12). Now here we read, "And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall go out as the menservants do", which, being interpreted, means: When the soul is made to undergo transmigration because of the evil works of this world, when she is "sold" to be a "maidservant" -- that is, delivered into the hands of the impure principle through the evil revolution of the wheel, so that she is wrenched violently away from the scale of souls -- when her time thus comes to "go out", she shall not go out as the menservants do. And what sort of souls are these which are so violently despoiled and taken away? There is a mystery behind this. They are the souls of infants still at the breast. The Holy One, seeing that should they continue in this world they would lose their sweet savour, their aroma of purity, and, as it were, turn sour like vinegar, gathers them in their infancy while their savour is still sweet, and allows them to be wrenched away by that "maidservant", namely Lilith, [96b] who, when they have been delivered into her power, gloatingly carries them away to other regions. Do not imagine that had they not been so removed they could have done any good in the world. For therefore it is written, "If she (the soul) pleases not her master", that is, the man in whom it is lodged will cause it to turn sour in course of time. Such a one is wrenched away, but no other. Yet, on the other hand, it does not mean that the Holy One has pre-ordained such a soul to be under the domination of impurity from the very day of her creation. Not at all! For in the revolution of the wheel, when the soul gives forth a good savour, "shall he let her be redeemed", namely, the Holy One will redeem her from her sore bondage and raise her unto the highest heights to be with Him. And it should not be imagined that because she had been once purloined by the impure power the Holy One will condemn her perpetually to enter into the bodies of pious Gentiles or scholarly bastards. No! "To sell her into a strange nation, he shall have no power." She will re-enter into the body of an Israelite and not into a stranger. And when she shall be redeemed from the bondage of the "wheel of impurity", "she shall not go out as the menservants do", but receive her crown with uplifted head. Nor is one to imagine that the "side of impurity" has put the soul in the child: for the impure power only snatched, as it were, at that soul and played with it until it entered into the body of that child. But the impure power visits the child occasionally and longs to possess his body. And after some time the Holy One takes into His own guardianship the soul, and the evil power attains mastery over the body. But eventually body and soul become the possession of the Holy One (in the Resurrection).

'"She shall not go out as the menservants do." What does this mean? When the soul emerges from the scales, and the side of righteousness rejoices, the Holy One, blessed be He, stamps upon her the impress of a seal; and He likewise spreads about her His costly garment -- namely the Holy Name, Elohah. This is indicated by the words in the text, "be-bigdo bah" (when his garment is upon her, v. 8), for they signify the costly garment (beged) of the King. Therewith she is guarded and so cannot be delivered to a "strange nation", but only to Israel. Concerning this it is written: "He guards me like the days of Elohah" (Job, XXIX, 2). It is also of this mystery that we read here: "To sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath put his garment upon her." As long as this costly garment of the King adorns her, what power can the evil side have over her? Observe this. All men are in the power of the Holy King, and all have their allotted time in this world; 'but for this one there is no appointed time, and therefore it mocks at the evil spirits and gloats over them. Many admonitions to mankind are contained in these verses, and truly much good and excellent advice is to be found in all the words of the Torah, for they are all true and lead to further truth and are comprehended as such by the wise who know that path and walk therein. When the Holy One, blessed be He, came to create the world, it pleased Him to form all the souls which were destined to be allotted to the children of men, and each was shaped before him in the very outline of the body she was afterwards to inhabit. He examined each one, and saw that some of them would corrupt their ways in the world. When the time of each was arrived, the Holy One summoned it, saying: "Go, descend into such and such a place, into such and such a body." But ofttimes it chanced that the soul would reply, "Lord of the world, I am satisfied to be here in this world, and desire not to leave it for some other place where I shall be enslaved and become soiled." Then would the Holy One respond: "From the very day of thy creation thou hast had no other destiny than to go into that world." At this the soul, seeing that it must obey, would descend against its will and enter into this world. The Torah, which counsels the whole world in the ways of truth, observed this, and proclaimed to mankind: "Behold, how the Holy One has pity upon you! He has sold to you for nothing His costly pearl, for you to use in this world, namely the holy soul." "If a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant" -- that is, when the Holy One delivers His daughter, the holy soul, to be a maidservant, enslaved in bondage unto you, [97a] I adjure you, when her time comes, let her "not go out as the menservants do", polluted by sins, but free, illumined, and pure, in order that her Master may be able to find joy in her, and to give her goodly reward in the splendours of Paradise, as it is written: "And he shall satisfy thy soul with brightness (zahzahoth, lit. places lit by the sun)" (Isa. LVIII, 11); namely, when she shall ascend again thence, bright and pure. But should she "not please her Master", being polluted with sin, then woe to the body which has lost its soul for ever! For when the souls ascend from this world in a bright and pure condition, they are entered into the King's archives, each one by name; and He says: "This is the soul of such a one: she belongs to the body which she left"; as it is written: "Who hath betrothed her to himself." But "if she pleased not her Master", that is, if she be polluted by sin and guilt, He does not again appoint that same body for her, and so she loses it for ever, unless the person should be roused to repentance, for then "shall she be redeemed" -- as it is written: "He will deliver his soul from going into the pit" (Job XXXIII, 28); which signifies that man is advised to redeem his own soul by repentance and amendment. In fact, the words "he shall redeem her" have a double significance: they point to man's own redemption of his soul by repentance, followed by the redemption from Gehenna effected by the Holy One. "To sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power." Who is this "strange nation"? Hapless is the soul when she leaves this world after being attached to a man who has turned away from the right path. She desires to ascend to the heights, in the midst of the holy hosts; for holy hosts stand along the way to Paradise, and "strange" hosts line the other way, to Gehenna. If, then, the soul is worthy and wears the precious protecting garment, multitudes of holy hosts stand ready to join her and accompany her to Paradise. But if she hath not that garment, the "strange" hosts compel her to take the path which leads to Gehenna. Angels of destruction and confusion are they, who will gladly take their revenge on her. But "He shall have no power to sell her unto a strange nation", if "His garment is upon her", by which the Holy One guards her from the "strange nations" of the angels of destruction and despoilment.

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'AND IF HE HAVE BETROTHED HER UNTO HIS SON, HE SHALL ACT TOWARDS HER AFTER THE MANNER OF DAUGHTERS. How careful should a man be not to walk in a crooked way in this world! For if he shall have proved himself worthy in this world, having guarded his soul with all care, then the Holy One, blessed be He, will be well pleased with him, and will praise him daily to His celestial Family, saying: "Behold the holy son whom I have in that lower world! See what acts he performed, how upright are his ways." And when such a soul leaves this world, pure, bright, and unsullied, the Holy One illumines her daily with innumerable radiances and proclaims concerning her: "This is the soul of my son so-and-so: let her be kept for the body which she has left." This is the significance of the words: "And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall act towards her after the manner of daughters." What is the meaning of these words, "after the manner of daughters"? This is a secret entrusted to the keeping of the wise alone, and here is the substance thereof. In the midst of a mighty rock, a most recondite firmament, there is set a Palace which is called the Palace of Love. This is the region wherein the treasures of the King are stored, and all His love-kisses are there. All souls beloved of the Holy One enter into that Palace. And when the King Himself appears, "Jacob kisses Rachel" (Gen. XXIX, 11), that is, the Lord discovers each holy soul, and takes each in turn up unto Himself, fondling and caressing her, "acting towards her after the manner of daughters", even as a father treats his beloved daughter, fondling and caressing her, and giving her presents. "Ear hath not heard, nor eye seen ... what he doeth to him who waiteth for him" (Isa. LXIV, 3): as that "daughter", the soul, has done her work in this world, so will the Holy One "do" His work on her in the world to come.' [97b]

Then the old man prostrated himself in prayer, wept again, and continued: 'IF HE TAKE HIM ANOTHER ONE, HER FOOD, HER RAIMENT, AND HER CONJUGAL COHABITATION SHALL HE NOT DIMINISH. What does it mean by saying, "If he take him another one"? Does it mean that the Holy One will give another soul in this world to the righteous, and not the same one which already had fulfilled in this world the will of her Master? Surely not: for what good tidings would that be for the righteous? However, it is written: "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return untO God who gave it" (Eccl. XII, 7). Now this verse the scholars have applied to the destruction of the Temple: the dust [1] thereof did indeed return upon the earth, so that it reverted to the state in which it was when "the Canaanite was there" (Gen. XII, 6), and the spirit, namely the Shekinah, when she saw that her ten stages were completed and yet Israel did not repent, [2] returned untO God, and since then the "other side" has had dominion over the Holy Land. All this has been established by die members of the Fellowship. Now the spirit (ruah) of a righteous man is adorned with its own form in the lower Paradise; and on sabbaths, festivals, and new-moons the spirits are crowned with new crowns, and ascend to the higher realms of Heaven. And as the Holy One deals with the supernal holy soul (neshamah) in the upper Paradise, so also He deals with this spirit in the lower Paradise: He brings it up before Him and says, "This spirit belongs to such and such a body." Then He crowns it with many crowns and finds His joy therein. This, however, does not mean that this occupation with the spirit interferes with the joy which the Holy One gives to the soul. "If he take him another one, her food, her raiment, and her conjugal cohabitation shall he not diminish." These are the three supreme Names which "no eye hath seen, apart from thee, O God" (Isa. LXIV, 8), all of whom are in the world to come and issue forth from thence. One is designated "sheerah" (her food), namely, the emanation of the radiance, the source of which is undiscoverable. It is the food which nourishes all and is called YHVH with the vowel points of Elohim. The second is called "her raiment": the King's garment which is spread over the soul and protects her always, another emanation of light. And what does the "conjugal cohabitation" stand for? This is the abundance of light and life of the world to come wherein is all bliss. It is YHVH Zebaoth who shines forth with all the hidden lights of the Tree of Life, and wherein is concealed the mystery of conjugal relations and whence it emanates. These three manifestations of the Divine Grace shall "not be diminished" to the soul, if she be worthy; but if she be not so, then she will not be crowned with any of them: "If he do not these three unto her" -- because of the soul's unworthiness --" then shall she go out free without money (keseph)" (V. 11). That is to say, the soul is then pushed away without yearning (kisupha) for union with the supernal light, and without the joy of possessing it.

'So far we have dealt with the good counsel which the Torah gives to the children of men: the Torah, which abounds in good counsel. But now let us return to our former subject, namely to the supernal garment which the Holy One spreads over the soul as an armour of protection so that she should not be delivered to a "strange nation". "And if he hath betrothed her unto his son, he shall act towards her according to the rights of daughters." 'Associates,' said the old man, 'When ye shall draw nigh unto that rock upon which the whole world is sustained (R. Simeon), then shall ye tell him to remember the day of snow whereon beans were sown of fifty-two kinds and colours, [3] and having recalled that day to his mind, recall also the fact that on it we read the above verse: which, when ye have awakened in him the memory thereof, he will then unravel for you himself.' But the companions demurred to this, saying: 'Nay, we pray thee: he who began must himself continue!' Said he: 'So be it then! For I know that ye are wise and righteous scholars, worthy to be informed of all the mysteries which have been entrusted to the keeping of the faithful. I shall indeed interpret; but when ye remind him by that sign and token which I have given you, he will duly supplement and complete my words. We must now explain who is he that is called "son" to the Holy One, blessed be He. Come and see. A boy [98a] who has reached the age of thirteen becomes a son of the Community of Israel and remains so until he is twenty. When he is twenty, if he be worthy he becomes a son of the Holy One, one of those of whom it is written, "Sons are ye to the Lord your God" (Deut. XIV, 1). Thus, when David had reached his thirteenth year it was said concerning him: "The Lord said unto me, My son art thou, to-day have I begotten thee" (Ps. II, 7). What does this mean? It signifies that up till that time he was not in the state of sonship, and the supernal soul did not rest upon him, because he was in the years of immaturity ('orlah). But as soon as he reached the age when he became, being worthy, a son of the Community of Israel, he was, as it were, begotten anew: "To-day have I begotten thee" -- I and not the "other side" as hitherto: I alone. And when Solomon was twenty, what do we read concerning him? "I was a son of my father" (Prov. IV, 3), "father" referring to the Heavenly Father. Thus the words, "And if he have betrothed her unto his son" (in their mystical sense) refer to the time after the age of thirteen when a man emerges from the sphere of impurity to which he had been assigned. Then "he shall act towards her according to the rights of daughters". What is this? We have been taught that every day the Holy One, blessed be He, gazed steadfastly down from the celestial heights upon the young boy who is still held in the power of the unclean spirit ('orlah), noting how he gradually liberates himself therefrom: first by attending school, where he begins to weaken it, and then by going to the synagogue, where he masters it still further. What does the Holy One then do to the soul of such a one? He brings her into His Treasure-house, and bestows upon her rich, glorious and supernal gifts, and adorns her with noble ornaments until the time when the boy is thirteen years and upward, when He brings her under the bridal canopy. "And if he take him another" .... What do these wards signify? Ah, they indeed contain a mystery of mysteries, such as is entrusted only to. the wisest of the wise! One thing must be mentioned as a preliminary. On the Sabbath day, when the day is being sanctified, myriads of new souls emerge from the Tree of Life, and these are breathed into the denizens of earth and enter into them and remain in them during the whole of the Sabbath, and at the close of the Sabbath all these souls ascend once more to the regions of light, there to crown themselves with holy crowns of supernal brightness and splendour. And as at man's birth the Holy One provides him with a soul, so also does He provide him with this "other" soul specially far the Sabbath: at the same time not "diminishing" the food, raiment, etc., from his week-day soul.'

Having arrived at this paint in his exposition, the old man wept again and then exclaimed, addressing himself: 'Old man, old man! How long, how toilsomely hast thou laboured after the wards of wisdom, that thou mightest grasp these holy mysteries; and now thou pourest them all out in a moment! And yet how was it possible for thee to hoard these wards and oat express them, seeing that the Scripture tells us, "Withhold not good from the owners thereof, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it" (Prov. III, 27)? Verily, wherever the truths of the Tarah are expounded, the Holy One and the Community of Israel (the Shekinah) are present, "the owners" of the "good" side of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, who crown themselves with all the words of goodness and blessing which they hear spoken an earth. Old man, old man! Art thou, then, uncertain whether the Holy One and the Shekinah are present here, and whether those to whom thou speakest are worthy to hear these mysteries ? Fear not! Hast thou not plunged unafraid into the midst of mighty battles, and art now afeared? Nay, nay, be not so: rather say what thou hast to say to the very end, since the Holy One and the Community of Israel are indeed here, far were it not so thou wouldst not have met with these men, nor even begun thy present discourse. So speak on, old man, speak an and have no fear!'

He then commenced with the text: "O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with majesty and beauty; who coverest thyself with light as with a garment; who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain; who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters; who maketh the clouds his chariots; who walketh upon the wings of the wind; who maketh his angels spirits, his ministers a flaming fire" (Ps. CIV, 1-3). 'The words "O Lord my God",' he said, 'signify the primary hypostasis (lit. beginning of faith), the emergence of the Thought [4] and the Future world, [5] an absolute unity without division. "Thou art great" refers to the beginning of actual creation, the first of the six primordial Days, the Right Side. The "very" symbolizes the Left Side. "Thou art clothed with majesty and beauty" signifies the two branches of the willows, [6] of which more anon. When the Psalmist came to the Tree of Life [7] it hid itself and would not enter the series on account of that "very", to wit the "Left Side" of all the lower branches, including a certain bitter branch. [8] On account of this the Tree of Life hid itself and was loth to be included in the sum of these things until the Psalmist returned to the subject and declared God's praise in another fashion, saying: "Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment" -- to wit, with the light [98b] of the first day, and then, "Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain", thus including the Left Side in the Right, so as to shine under the rubric of "heaven", while the "very" was discarded. Then the verse proceeds: "Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters": here we have the emergence in joy of the Tree of Life, the "River going out of Eden", with the two willow shoots, referred to in the words "upper chambers", rooted in its waters, so that it became "as a tree planted by the waters, that spreadeth out her roots by the river" (Jer. XVII, 8). This is also the allusion contained in the words: "The river, the channels thereof shall make glad the city of God" (Ps. XLVI, 8). What are these channels? They are the roots of the willows, which here are called "upper chambers". These and the roots and the channels -- all are rooted in those waters of that mysterious river. "The clouds his chariots" in the next verse refers to Michael and Gabriel; "Who walketh upon the wings of the wind" to Raphael, who comes to give healing to the world. From that point on "he maketh his angels spirits, his ministers a flaming fire." Old man, old man! As thou art aware of all these things, fear not, but speak out boldly, and let the words of thy mouth spread light!'

The two friends rejoiced and listened in ecstasy and delight to the holy words. Said the old man: 'O ancient, O ancient, upon what a task hast thou entered! Thou hast plunged into the great sea, and now perforce must swim on till thou shalt have gained the farther shore! On, then! "And if he take him another .... " How many ancient mysteries never revealed before, regarding transmigration are indicated here! All the matters of which I am about to speak are perfect truth not deviating by one hair's-breadth from the path of truth. Now, in the first place I must remark that the souls of proselytes fly forth from Paradise in a very recondite manner. When the souls which proselytes have obtained from Paradise pass away from this world, to where do they return? According to the traditional law, he who first seizes the possessions of a proselyte at the time of the latter's death becomes their rightful owner. In the same way, all the holy supernal souls which the Holy One has appointed for those that are below go out at certain times and seasons from their bodily owners and ascend to their first home in order to enjoy the delights of Paradise. There they encounter the souls of proselytes, and whichever of them seizes on one claims it as its own. Each soul then clothes herself with that proselyte soul which she has claimed, and stands thus in Paradise, for there the souls must all be clothed. Not that they thereby forfeit any of the bliss which they enjoyed before, since it says "if he take unto him another, her food, etc." Still, when they ascend into the higher Paradise they remove these garments and are clothed only in their own radiance, for there no garb is worn.' Then the old man wept again as he had done before, and said to himself: 'Old man, old man, thou hast indeed reason to weep and to shed tears over every word; but the Holy One and His Holy Shekinah well know that what I say is said with all sincerity and devoutness, because they are the real source of every word uttered by me, and are crowned by it. All the holy souls which come down to this world to take up each its appropriate place in a human body array themselves with the souls of proselytes which they have appropriated, as we have explained; and they enter into the bodies of the holy seed of Israel wearing this garment to be served therewith in this world. When these garments draw to themselves the good things of this world these holy souls regale themselves with the aroma which they gather from the garments. Now, there is no work of the Holy One so recondite but he has recorded it in the Torah; and the Torah reveals it for an instant and then straightway clothes it with another garment, so that it is hidden there and does not show itself. But the wise, whose wisdom makes them full of eyes, pierce through the garment to the very essence of the word that is hidden thereby. And when the word is momentarily revealed in that first instant of which we have spoken, those whose eyes are wise can see it, though it is so soon hidden again. In how many places does the Holy One insist that the holy seed should deal tenderly with the stranger, the proselyte! In the course of such passages a secret emerges from its sheath, [99a] and as soon as it has been revealed returns thereto and once more conceals itself therein. That is to say, after repeating many times its injunctions concerning the treatment of the proselyte, the Scripture suddenly lays bare its hidden meaning by declaring: " For ye know the soul of the stranger" (i.e. proselyte, Ex. XXIII, 9). After this, however, the word retires again into its sheath, covers itself up, and hides itself again by adding: "For ye were strangers in the land of Egypt", imagining that because it covered itself up immediately, no one noticed it, to wit, this "soul" of the proselyte.' Then the old man expounded in connection with the subject of the soul and her garment the words: "And Moses went into the midst of the cloud and got him up into the mount" (Ex. XXIV, 18). 'Now what does the cloud signify?' he asked, and answered his own question, saying: 'There is a reference here to the words: "I set my bow in the cloud": namely, the rainbow, in reference to which we have learnt that it removed, as it were, its outer garment and gave it to Moses, who went up to the mountain with it and saw through it all the sights with which he was feasted there.'

When the ancient one had reached this point he paused, and the two rabbis prostrated themselves before him, wept and said: 'Had we come into this world only in order to hear these thy words from thy mouth it were sufficient.' Said he: 'Associates, I did not begin to speak to you merely in order to tell you what I have told up till now, for, surely, an old man like myself would not limit himself to one saying, making a noise like a single coin in a jug. How many human beings live in confusion of mind, beholding not the way of truth whose dwelling is in the Torah, the Torah which calls them day by day to herself in love, but alas, they do not even turn their heads! It is indeed as I have said, that the Torah lets out a word, and emerges for a little from her sheath, and then hides herself again. But she docs this only for those who understand and obey her. She is like unto a beautiful and stately damsel, who is hidden in a secluded chamber of a palace and who has a lover of whom no one knows but she. Out of his love for her he constantly passes by her gate, turning his eyes towards all sides to find her. She, knowing that he is always haunting the palace, what does she do? She opens a little door in her hidden palace, discloses for a moment her face to her lover, then swiftly hides it again. None but he notices it; but his heart and soul, and all that is in him are drawn to her, knowing as he does that she has revealed herself to him for a moment because she loves him. It is the same with the Torah, which reveals her hidden secrets only to those who love her. She knows that he who is wise of heart daily haunts the gates of her house. What does she do? She shows her face to him from her palace, making a sign of love to him, and straightway returns to her hiding place again. No one understands her message save he alone, and he is drawn to her with heart and soul and all his being. Thus the Torah reveals herself momentarily in love to her lovers in order to awaken fresh love in them. Now this is the way of the Torah. At first, when she begins to reveal herself to a man, she makes signs to him. Should he understand, well and good, but if not, then she sends for him and calls him "simpleton", saying to her messengers: "Tell that simpleton to come here and converse with me", as it is written: "Whoso is a simpleton let him turn in hither" (Prov. IX, 4). When he comes to her she begins to speak to him, first from behind the curtain which she has spread for him about her words suitable to his mode of understanding, so that he may progress little by little. This is called "Derasha" (Talmudic casuistry, namely the derivation of the traditional laws and usages from the letter of Scripture). Then she speaks to him from behind a thin veil of a finger mesh, discoursing riddles and parables-which go by the name of Haggadah. When at last he is familiar with her she shows herself to him face to face and converses with him concerning all her hidden mysteries and all the mysterious ways which have been secreted in her heart from time immemorial. Then such a man is [99b] a true adept in the Torah, a "master of the house", since she has revealed to him all her mysteries, withholding and hiding nothing. She says to him: "Seest thou the sign, the hint, which I gave thee at first, how many mysteries it contains?" He realizes then that nothing may be added to nor taken from the words of the Torah, not even one sign or letter. Therefore men should follow the Torah with might and main in order that they may become her lovers, as has been described.

'"And if he take him another .... " How many, and how wondrous, are the cycles of the soul as indicated in these words! Truly, all souls must undergo transmigration; but men do not perceive the ways of the Holy One, how the revolving scale is set up and men are judged every day at all times, and how they are brought before the Tribunal, both before they enter into this world and after they leave it. They perceive not the many transmigrations and the many mysterious works which the Holy One accomplishes with many naked souls, and how many naked spirits roam about in the other world without being able to enter within the veil of the King's Palace. Many are the worlds through which they revolve, and each revolution is wondrous in many hidden ways, but men neither know nor perceive these things! Nor do they know how the souls roll about "like a stone inside a sling" (I Sam. XXV, 29). Now, as we have begun to disclose these mysteries, it is opportune to reveal that all souls (neshamah) emanate from a high and mighty Tree, from that "River which goes out of Eden" (Gen. II, 10), and all spirits (ruah) from another, smaller Tree -- the souls from above and the spirits from below -- and they unite after the fashion of male and female. And when they (soul and spirit) unite, they shine with a celestial light, and in their union they are designated "Lamp", as it says, "The lamp of the Lord is the soul of man" (Prov. XX, 27), NeR (lamp) being the abbreviation of Neshamah-Ruah (soul-spirit). Soul and spirit, the union of the masculine and the feminine, bring forth light, but if separate they do not give light. The soul wraps herself in the spirit in order to occupy her station in the upper region, in the hidden Palace, as it is written: "For the spirit becomes a covering (ya'toph) before me and the souls which I have made" (Isa. LVII, 16). There above, in the Garden, in the Palace, the soul wraps herself in the spirit in manner due. And when the soul descends to the lower Paradise she wraps herself in another (lower) spirit (the soul of the proselyte), concerning which we have spoken above -- a spirit which emanates from that lower Paradise and has his abode there. And the soul clothes herself in this world with all these various spirits, and so abides here. Now the spirit which has left this world without procreation and engendering of children undergoes constant transmigration, finding no rest, and rolling about "like a stone inside' a sling" until a "redeemer" [9] comes forward to redeem it and bring it back to the same "vessel" which it formerly used and to which it clave with heart and soul, as to its life's partner, in the union of spirit with spirit. This "redeemer" builds up that spirit again. For the spirit which was left by the deceased still clinging to that vessel has not been lost -- since nothing is lost in the world -- but it is still there and seeks to return to its basis; and so the "redeemer" brings it and builds it up again in its place, and it becomes a new creation, a new spirit in a new body. It may be said, "the spirit becomes the same as what it was": this is so, but it has not been built up save for the sake of the other spirit which was left in that vessel. [100a] There is here a profound mystery. According to the Book of Enoch, this "building" is indeed constructed by the other spirit which was left in the "vessel", and which draws after him the spirit which roams about in the air naked and alone; and these two spirits are welded together, and if the person is worthy to be built up again, the two spirits become one indeed, an organ in which a superior soul may wrap herself. For just as other men have a spirit which is seized by the over-soul and another higher spirit, and the holy over-soul is clothed with both, so here there are two spirits for the superior soul to wrap herself therewith, and for them another body (the child which is to be borne by the widow who married the near of kin), which is now built anew.

'Now the question arises, what becomes of the body of the man who died without issue? Is it lost because he was not worthy to bring forth a descendant? In that case it was in vain that he endeavoured to keep the commandments of the Torah: and even if he kept only one commandment, we know that "even the emptiest in Israel are full of good deeds as a pomegranate is full of grains". [10] This body, although it was not found worthy to bring forth an issue, was yet able to fulfil other commandments, and should it all have been in vain? Friends friends! Open your eyes wide that ye may see more clearly, for I know that at present ye imagine that such bodies are mere figures in the void, incapable of sustained existence. It is, however, not so, and ye must beware of such thoughts. "Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise?" (Ps. CVI, 2). The body of the first husband is not lost: on the contrary, it will have an existence in the time to come, for it has already suffered a sufficiency of punishment, and the Holy One never curtails the reward of any creature which He has created, except of those who have entirely left the faith and in whom was no good whatsoever, and those who have not bowed down at the Modim [11] prayer, who are turned by the Holy One into other creatures, because that body will never again be built into the form of a man, and will not rise for ever. Not so these, however. What, then, does the Holy One do, if that spirit was worthy to be perfected in this world in the body of the other one? Observe now. The "redeemer" brings in his spirit, which mixes with the spirit already in the "vessel", with the result that there are three spirits there: one that was left there (by the deceased husband); one that is now naked but is drawn back there as to its basis (the spirit of the deceased husband); and one that the "redeemer" now brings in. This would seem to be impossible. But behold the mighty works of the Lord! The spirit which the "redeemer" brought in becomes the garment of the deceased's soul, taking the place of the proselyte's soul, and the naked spirit who has returned there to be built up becomes the covering for the supernal holy soul of the deceased. And the spirit which was left (by the deceased) cleaving to the "vessel" flies away from there, and the Holy One prepares for it a place in the mysterious region of the opening of the rock which is behind the walls of Paradise. There it is stored up and it enters eventually into the former body, together with which it will rise on the Resurrection. This is what I meant when I spoke of two that are one (or one that is two). That body, however, undergoes great punishment before the Resurrection, for, because it was not worthy to bring forth an issue, it was put into the earth in the region which adjoins Arqa. [12] There it lies for a while, then it is removed to this world, then back again: it has no rest, except on Sabbaths, festivals, and new moons. [100b] It is concerning such bodies that it is written: "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt" (Dan. XII, 2); the latter are those who have not done their duty (by bearing children) in this world. There are the mighty works of the Supernal Holy King, who does not permit anything to perish, not even the breath of the mouth. He has a place for everything, and makes of it what He wills. Even a human word, yes, even the voice, is not void, but has its place and destination in the universe. This body which is built up again and emerges into the world as a new creation has no mate, and therefore the usual proclamation ("the daughter of so-and-so to so-and-so") [13] is not made about him from above. For his mate has been lost to him, the one whom he should have had becoming his mother, and his brother becoming his father (i.e. it is the brother of the deceased who died without issue, and his wife, to whom it is due that his body should be " built up" again).'

The old man now addressed himself again, saying: 'Old man, old man, what hast thou done? O, if thou hadst only been silent! Verily, thou hast launched thyself upon the great sea without rudder and without sail! What wilt thou do now? Wouldst thou fain ascend? Thou canst not. Descend? It is impossible: the deep abyss will swallow thee up. What wilt thou do? O, old man, old man! Thou canst not turn back. Yet let not thy spirit or thy strength fail thee, for thou knowest that no other man in thy generation has ventured to sail in a little boat on the wide ocean as thou art doing. The son of Yohai knows how to guard his way, and even when he does enter into the deep dangerous waters of the high seas he first looks round him to see whether he will be able to cross; but thou, old man, didst not so. Now, old man, as thou art arrived at this pass, do not weaken in thy efforts, do not give up! Sail to the right and to the left, to the length and to the breadth, down into the depth, and up into the heights! Do not be afraid! Old man, old man, have courage! How many giants hast thou battled with, and how many battles hast thou won!' He wept, and then began again.

'It is written: "Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon in the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart" (S.S. III, 11). This verse has already been properly interpreted, and yet we may still ask, How is one to understand the words, "Go forth and behold King Solomon"? This title, we know, refers to the King of Peace, [14] and who can behold Him who is high above the heavenly hosts in a region which "no eye hath seen apart from thee, O God" (Isa. LXIV, 3)? Him of whose glory the angels above ask: "Where is the place of His glory?" Observe, however, that the text does not say "and the crown", but "in the crown", from which we learn that he who sees the Crown beholds also the loveliness of the King of Peace. Then again, "wherewith his mother crowned him": She (the Shekinah) is sometimes called "Daughter", and sometimes "Sister", and here She is called "Mother". And She is indeed all these. He who penetrates into this mystery has imbibed precious wisdom. Now what shall I do? Should I explain? But such a veiled mystery ought not to be disclosed. Yet should I not explain, these good men will be orphaned of this mystery.'

The old man fell on his face and said: '"Into thine hand I deliver my spirit. Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth" (Ps. XXXI, 7). The vessel which was below, how can it be above? The husband who was above, how can he be below? His spouse become his mother! Wonder upon wonder! His brother become his father! If his real father were to redeem him that would be understood. But that his brother should become his father, is this not a wonder? This would indeed be topsy-turvydom: those that should be above are now below, and they that should be below are now above! However, "Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his. And he changeth the times and the seasons.... He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him" (Dan. II, 20-21). He who is in the light cannot see the darkness; but not so the Holy One, blessed be He; [101a] although the light dwelleth with Him, He knows what is in the darkness. Out of the light He beholds the darkness and knows all that is there. The mystery of the soul and her revolutions is analogous to the mystery of the Divine Hypostases. [15] When a man reaches the age of thirteen he stands, as we have said, in the grade of sonship. When he is twenty, he reaches a higher grade, the grade of "Joseph": the realm of Masculinity, the sphere of Understanding. Now, at first, the man when he married the woman, was lord over the world of Femininity, over the "small tree" -- for the Feminine is in the image of the Small Tree. But when he failed to have children with his wife, and died without leaving an issue, he was excluded from the world of Masculinity, and she, by marrying his brother, became, as it were, his mother (by bringing forth a successor to her deceased husband); and his brother, "the redeemer", becomes, as it were, his father and enters into the realm of Masculinity which was formerly his. Thus the Tree is turned upside down: what was above is now below, and what was below is now above. Oh, if only people knew the pain which the body of the men who died without children must undergo! There is no pain like unto the pain of the body that is in a state of frustration, when it has been uprooted from the sphere of Masculinity and transferred into that of Femininity. Concerning this, it is written: "If the priest's daughter (i.e. the soul) be a widow or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father's house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father's meat, but there shall no stranger eat thereof" (Lev. XXII, 13). We have already pointed out what "the priest's daughter" signifies. If she be a "widow" of the first body, "divorced" in not being able to penetrate into the courtyard of the King -- for those who are not in the sphere of the Masculine realm have no part therein -- "having no child", for if she had, she would not have sunk into the Feminine sphere, "and is returned unto her father's house", that is to say, unto the realm of Femininity (as that realm is called) where she previously was, then, if she be worthy, "she shall eat of her father's meat" [101b] namely, participate in the joys of the Feminine realm, the supernal food coming down from above; but she is still a "stranger", not able to participate in the contemplative joy of the other righteous; she may not eat of "the holy things" (Ibid. v. 10), but may eat the Terumah (the meat of the heave-offering), because this symbolizes the Feminine sphere, and therefore she may eat only at night (v. 7). Whereas holy food which belongs to the world of Masculinity may be eaten only during the day. Therefore "Israel is holiness unto the Lord, the firstfruits (the beginning) of his increase" (Jer. II, 3): the supernal beginning of the whole sphere of the Masculine is holy, and its further development in holiness is Israel. When spirits come to visit the graves, as they do at certain seasons, they do not visit the graves of these men, since they have not merited to rise to that region called "holiness", being only "strangers". Moreover, if that spirit did not succeed in doing its duty (by begetting children) in the period of transmigration, he may not even eat the Terumah, and is called "stranger" even in the lower world.

'So far concerning this mystery. Old man, old man I As thou hast started to sail on the wide sea, go on boldly in all directions and breast its waves! I have now to reveal something more. I said that the "redeemer", when he enters into the "vessel", lets his spirit cleave to that "vessel", so that nothing is lost, not even the breath of the mouth. This is quite correct. Old man, old man! If thou art to reveal mysteries, speak out without fear! What of other men, normal persons, who did procreate and then passed away from this world? We have said that the spirit of a man (the absconditus sponsus) is left in the woman who was his wife. Well, what becomes of it? Supposing she marries again, is it possible that two different spirits of two men should dwell together in one body? For there is no question of a "redeemer" in this case, as the first husband did have children. Is that spirit then entirely lost? Nay, this cannot be. The same problem arises even when the widow does not marry again. What becomes of her husband's spirit which cleaves to her? All this must now be explained. Old man, old man! See what thou hast done and what thou hast taken upon thyself! Arise, old man, and unfurl thy sail! Arise, old man, and humble thyself before thy Master!' He then continued: '"Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself (walk) in great matters, or in things too high for me" (Ps. CXXXI, 1). King David said this: he was a great king, supreme over all kings and rulers from east to west, and yet it never entered his mind to turn from the right path, for he was ever humble before the Lord. When he studied the Torah he summoned up all his strength like a lion, and his eyes looked down at the same time to the earth, out of awe to his Lord, and when he went about among the people he displayed no haughtiness. Hence he said "my heart is not haughty, although I am a mighty king, nor mine eyes lofty, when I stand before Thee studying the Torah, and I do not walk in greatness or haughtiness when I go among the people." Now if David was thus humble, how much more must ordinary people be so! And I, how lowly and with what downcast eyes must I stand before the Holy King 1Far be it from me to be puffed up when I deal with holy words of the Torah.' He wept and his tears trickled on to his beard. Said he: 'Old man, old man, feeble in strength, how fair are the tears on thy cheeks, like "the precious ointment that ran down upon the face of the good old man Aaron" (Ps. CXXXIII, 2). Say thy words, old man, [102a] for the Holy King is here!

'What, then, becomes of the spirit of an ordinary man whose widow has married again? Come ye and see the wonderful and mighty works of the Holy King! Who can utter them? When the second husband's spirit enters into the body of the woman the spirit of the first husband contends with it, and they cannot dwell in peace together, so that the woman is never altogether happy with the second husband, because the spirit of the first one is always pricking her, his memory is always with her, causing her to weep and sigh over him. In fact, his spirit writhes within her like a serpent. And so it goes on for a long time. If the second spirit prevails over the first one, then the latter goes out. But if, as sometimes happens, the first conquers the second, it means the death of the second husband. Therefore we are taught that after a woman has been twice widowed no one should marry her again, for the angel of death has taken possession of her, though most people do not know this. Friends, I am aware that on this point you may well object that in that case the second husband's death was not in accordance with Divine judgement. It is not so, however. It is all decided by fair trial, whether the one spirit should prevail over the other or be at peace with it; but he who marries a widow is like unto one who ventures to brave the ocean during a storm without a rudder and without sails, and knows not whether he will cross safely or sink into the depths.

'Now I have said that when the second spirit prevails over the first, the latter deserts the body. But whither goeth it? What becomes of it? Old man, old man, what hast thou done? Thou didst intend to speak but little, and hast come as far as this! Thou hast entered a place into which no other human being has hitherto entered since the time of Doeg and Ahitophel, when four hundred questions were asked concerning a tower which was suspended in the air, and which no one could answer until Solomon came and made everythi~g clear. [16] Old man, old man! Thou hast commenced to reveal a profound secret. What hast thou done? Old man, old man! thou shouldst indeed have considered beforehand and been careful of thy steps. Now there is no time to hide. Old man, take fresh courage! The spirit that has left the body of the woman, where has it fled?' He wept again and said: 'Friends, the tears which I shed fall not on your account, but for fear of the Lord of the universe, that perchance I have revealed mysteries without permission. It is, however, known to the Holy One, blessed be He, that all I do, I am doing not for my own honour nor for the honour of my father, but because my sole desire is to serve Him. I discern the glory and honour of one of you in the other world; and as to the other one, I know that he is likewise worthy; at first this was not revealed to me, but now I see it clearly. Now where does the first spirit, having been thrust out by the second, go? It roams about in the world for some time, and then visits the grave of the man to whom it belongs, and then it flits about again in the world and reveals itself to men in their dreams, so that they behold in fancy the face of the deceased, who tells them various things after the manner of the original spirit from which this spirit is derived. For as the other spirit is roaming about the other world, so this one roams about this world, making communications to people, and it always visits that grave at the time when the spirits of the dead visit the graves of their bodies. Then the two spirits join one another, the one (the essential) using the other as its garment, and they ascend again. When the essential spirit reaches its place, it puts off its "garment", namely the second spirit, which latter is given a place either [102b] within or without the palaces of Paradise, according to merit, there remaining hidden. And when the spirits visit this world and the dead attach themselves to the living they do it only through drawing down the essential spirit, which then wears the other as a garment. And should ye ask, "In that case the essential spirit of the first husband profits thereby, and the woman therefore has done him a favour in marrying again?" I would say it is not so, for had she not married again, and the spirit of the first husband not so been thrust out by that of the second, he would have profited in a different way: his spirit would not have had to roam about in the world and pay visits to the living. Should the question arise, "In that case her remarriage was her own decision and did not depend on a decree from above; why, then, didst thou say that it was providential and that one man should, as it were, be thrust out by the other and explain that the woman was indeed the preordained mate for the second husband and not for the first?" I would answer: "Indeed it is as I said: The spirit of the first husband is ejected by that of the second, just because it is the latter who was really intended from the first to be her consort, and not the first, and, conversely, if the second husband's spirit is pushed out by that of the first one, it shows that the first one was destined to be her only mate. Hence, he who marries a widow "knows not that it is with the peril of his life" (Prov. VII, 28), for he knows not whether she is predestined to be his real spouse. However, if the widow does not wish to marry again, even when the man who wishes to marry her is meant to be her ideal mate, the Holy One does not condemn her for that, and He prepares another wife for the man whom she had refused, and she is not brought before the heavenly tribunal for her refusal, even when she has no children, because the commandment concerning procreation is not obligatory for women.

'Now what happens to the spirit of a deceased husband whose widow does not marry again? It dwells in her for the first twelve months, visiting his soul (nephesh) every night at the grave, In depression and sadness, and after the twelve months it leaves her and stands before the gates of Paradise, but occasionally visits this world, namely the "vessel" from whence it went out. And when the woman dies that spirit goes out to meet her, and clothes itself in her spirit, and so she comes into contact with her husband; and husband and wife shine together in the closest union.

'As we have come so far, we must now disclose the hidden paths of the Lord of the universe, which the children of men know not, though they are all within the way of truth, as it is written: "For the ways of the Lord are upright; the righteous shall walk in them, and the transgressors shall stumble therein" (Hos. XI, 10). The children of men neither know nor perceive how exalted are the deeds of the Holy One and how strange, yet withal according to the way of truth, turning neither to the right nor to the left. Those who undergo transmigration and are driven out from the other world (because they refused to propagate themselves) without feminine partners, how do they manage to find wives in this world, seeing that no female partner is preordained for them, as for other men? See how wondrous and exalted are the mighty works of God! We have been taught that over him who divorces his first wife the altar sheds tears. Why the altar? Because, as I have said on another occasion all women stand in the image and form of the altar, [17] for which reason they "inherit" the seven benedictions (used at the marriage sacrament), because they all have the "Community of Israel" (the Shekinah) as their prototype. Thus, when [103a] a man divorces his wife he causes, as it were, a defect in the stone of the heavenly altar. Thus it is possible for the divorcements to unite themselves one with the other (i.e. the divorcement of the man's spirit in heaven and of the woman on earth). Concerning this mystery it says: "And hath written to her a bill of divorcement, and gave it in her hand, and sent her out of his house, and she departed from his house, and went and became another man's wife (Deut. XXIV, 1). What is the significance of "another"? It points to the words, "and they shall shoot forth from another place" (Job VIII, 19), i.e. from the region of impurity. Thus the divorcements unite as one, the divorcement of this world and the divorcement of the other world. For this woman who stood formerly in the likeness of the supernal form has now became attached to the low form. He is called "another" (aher), and he is called "latter", "last one" (ahron), as it says, "and if the last husband hate her" (Deut. XXIV, 3); "if the last husband die" (Ibid.). Now, why is the second husband of the divorced woman called "last" and not "second"? It is as we have said, that it has a higher significance, he being "another" and also the "last". Now the stone rolls in the basket (i.e. there is a difficulty). First, why is he called "another" when the whole building (of the conjugal relationship with the first husband) has been destroyed and turned into dust? And then, why is he called "the last"? If he is the right person, well and good, but if not, there will be another development (and he will not be the last). But mark this. It is written: "And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good" (Gen. I, 31), and "good" here has been interpreted to refer to the angel of good, and "very" to the angel of death. [18] Now the Holy One has prepared a remedy for all ills. It is written: "And a river went out of Eden to water the garden" (Gen. II, 10). This "river" never ceases to procreate and to spread itself and to bring forth fruit. But the "other god" (the principle of evil) is emasculated and has no desire to procreate, and does not multiply or bear fruit, for were he to bear fruit, he would reduce the whole world to chaos. Therefore man who causes the "other side" to multiply (by consciously rejecting the commandment of procreation) is called "an evil one", and will nevermore behold the race of the Shekinah, for it is written: "Evil dwelleth not with thee" (Ps. V. 5). A man who undergoes the metamorphosis of the soul, if he sins and joins the "other god" who produces no fruit and engenders no children, is therefore called "other"; the second husband who does likewise is called "the last one" by the Holy One, and not merely "the second", in order to avert an omen pointing to the destruction of the second building also. The Scripture itself teaches us this lesson, since it calls the second Temple "last" (Haggai II, 9), in order to avoid the omen. Therefore "the former husband who sent her away cannot take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled" (Deut. XXIV, 4.). It does not say "he should not", but "he cannot", because, as the woman has united herself with another man and been subjected to a lower grade, the Holy One is unwilling that the former husband should lower himself by uniting with a grade that is not his. And mark this. If that woman, having been divorced, did not marry again, even if she should have misconducted herself with many men, the husband, if he wishes, may take her back, but not when she has been legally married to another man. Once she has united herself with a lower grade, the first husband, [103b] who belongs to the grade of "good", may not associate himself with her any longer nor spread on that side. Other men may marry her, as perhaps she may find a proper mate again. A man who has children by his first wife, and brings such a woman into his house, unites himself with a flaming sword, in two ways: first, because two have already entered and been violently ejected, and now he is the third; and, secondly, how can he let his spirit enter into a vessel which has already been used by others, associate himself with her and cleave to her? It is not that he is prohibited to do so, but in doing it he chooses a bad companion to himself. R. Levitas, from Kephar Oni, used to jeer and scoff at a person who married a woman of this sort, applying to her the words: "And she shall laugh at the last day" (Prov. XXXI, 25), meaning, the "last one" who unites himself with such a woman will be a laughing stock.

'Now we have to turn our attention to a great and noble spot which once was on the earth, being a very root and stock of truth, to wit, Obed the father of Jesse, the grandfather of David. It has been affirmed that he was such a "last one": how, then, could the root of truth (David) emanate from such a place? The fact, however, is that abed worked and laboured at the root of the tree, until it was regenerated and made wholesome: it was therefore that he was called abed (labourer, also "worshipper"), a name which no other man merited to bear. He came, he digged, he hoed round the root of the tree, he pressed out the bitterness from the branches and made wholesome the crown. Then came Jesse, his son, who further improved and invigorated it, and grafted it on to the branches of another stately tree, joining tree with tree so that they were intertwined. And when David came he found the branches entwined and knit together, and was thus enabled to attain dominion over the world. And all these things which came to pass had their cause and beginning in Obed.'

Having spoken thus, the old man wept again and said: 'Old man, old man, did I not say that thou hadst plunged into the midst of the great sea? Now thou art indeed in the very midst of the mighty waves! Old man, old man, thou hast none to blame but thyself; hadst thou remained silent at the beginning all would have been well with thee, but now thou mayest not, and there is none to take hold of thine hand! Thou art alone. But arise, old man, and take courage! Obed remedied himself because he came out from the evil field in which were bad cisterns. Then came Jesse, his son, who improved and hoed round that tree and digged up that which was evil and that which was bitter likewise. This is a mystery of mysteries, and I know not with certainty whether or no to reveal it. Yet say on, old man! Yea, I shall certainly speak, if only in order that these two who shall hear me should be made fully cognizant of the other transmigrations of the souls of men. Now, Obed, as I have said, hoed round the root of the tree, so improving it somewhat; and yet, when King David came, he was left only with the lower, feminine tree, and had to receive life from another tree. Now, if he for whom the way was so well prepared had to develop thus, how much more so ordinary persons who undergo transmigration! Thus, then, it was with Perez, and with Boaz likewise. Obed was also thus. With regard to all of these, the tree emerged from the side of evil and was afterwards joined to the side of good, as we read that "Er, the firstborn of Judah, was wicked in the sight of the Lord" (XXXVIII, 7); so was Onan (Ibid. 9, 10); so also was Mal:tlon, although his evil was not so great. Thus, in all these there was a tincture of ill, from which, however, good eventually emerged; as it is written of David, their descendant: "goodly to look to", "and the Lord was with him" (I Sam. XVI, 12, 18). Thus the tree below was purified and remained so, so that "God ruled over the nations" (through the house of David).

'The grades of Israel took root in the supernal foundation from the beginning: Reuben, Simeon, Levi. But when it comes to Judah it says that Leah, his mother, said: "This time I will praise the lord ... and she left off bearing" (Gen. XXIX, 35); concerning which it is written: "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear" (Isa. LlV, 1). For when Judah was born the Feminine was united with the Masculine.... [104b]

'All the twelve tribes represent on earth their celestial prototypes, and because they were in reality "sons" in this world, the Shekinah [105a] was perfected in them in these twelve "lineaments" (boundaries) of Israel, which are called "Eleh" (these), as it says, "These (eleh) all are the tribes of Israel" (Gen. XLIX, 28), this word, in conjunction with Mi (Who?) forming the name Elohim, [19] and so bringing the building to completion. On this account did the celestial representative of Esau say to Jacob: "Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for thou hast waged war with Elohim and with men and hast prevailed" (Gen. XXXII, 28), i.e. prevailed above, by means of the perfect and original structure, which is also indicated by the words "all these". Therefore Israel can never cease to be. If, God forbid, they should so cease to be, this Divine Name would be ended likewise, as it is written: "When they (the Canaanites) shall cut off our name from the earth, what wilt thou do unto thy great name?" (Josh. VII, 9). The "great Name" is the first building, the first Name, Elohim. And now, when Israel is in exile, the whole building has fallen, as it were. But in the time to come, when the Holy One shall redeem His children from exile, the "Mi" and the "Eleh", which when they were in exile were separated, will be united as one, and the Name Elohim be perfectly established and the world shall be healed. Therefore it is written: "Who (mi) are these (eleh) that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?" (Isa. LX, 8): the one Name, without any separation, namely Elohim. For because of the exile the Mi ascended, as it were, and left the building, and consequently the building fell, and the Name that was perfect, namely the supernal great Name that was from the beginning, fell. Therefore we pray in the synagogues that this Name may be restored as it was: "May His great Name be magnified and sanctified": "May the great Name be blessed." What is that "great Name"? It is the one that was in the beginning, the first of all, without whom there can be no building. The "Mi" will never be built up without the "Eleh". Therefore at that time (the Messianic age) the "Mi" and the "Eleh" "shall fly as a cloud", and the whole world shall see that the supernal Name has been restored to its perfection; and when the Name has been restored and built up again, then shall Israel rule over all, and all the other Names will be restored; for all the Names depend on that great Name, the first of all buildings.

'This mystery may be further explained as follows. When the Holy One created the world, before any other thing was built this Name was built, as it is written: "Lift up your eyes on high and see: who hath created these? (Mi barah eleh)" (Isa. XL, 26). He created His Name in its perfection, and when He created "Eleh" He created it with all the hosts appertaining to it, as it is written: "Who bringeth out their host by number (be-mispar)" (Ibid.). What is the significance of "be-mispar"? The Holy One, blessed be He, has a son, whose glory shines from one end of the world to another. He is a great and mighty tree, whose head reaches heaven, and whose roots are set in the holy ground, and his name is "Mispar" and his place is in the uppermost heaven, and below that heaven are five firmaments, and all these firmaments take this name for his sake, as it is written, "The heavens proclaim (mesaprim) the glory of God" (Ps. XIX, 1). Were it not for this "Mispar" there would be neither hosts nor offspring in any of the worlds. Concerning this it is written: "Who can count the dust of Jacob and the number (Mispar) of the progeny of Israel?" (Num. XXXIII, 10). There are two indeed who did count these without the evil eye having any effect on them. The first "counted the dust of Jacob", the strong rocks, the holy rocks, whence issue waters to the world, concerning which it is written: "And thy seed shall be like the dust of the earth" (Gen. XXVIII, II, 14); as the world is blessed for the sake of the dust, so will "all the nations of the earth be blessed in thy seed" (Ibid. XXII, 18). And the second shall "number the progeny of Jacob", the females, the pearls of the couch whereon Israel lay. [105b] In the future (Messianic Age) "the flocks shall yet pass under one who counts" (Jer. XXXIII, 18). We know not who he shall be ; but since at that time all will be in union without separation, there will be one "reckoner". Arise, old man,' he cried, 'awake, collect thy forces and breast the waves.' Then he continued: "Who can count the dust of Jacob and the number of the progeny of Israel?" When the Holy One shall arise to waken the dead, what will be the plight of those who went through transmigration several times and who have become two in one body, two fathers, two mothers, as we have seen? However, "Who (Mi) shall count the dust of Jacob?" The Lord will make all things straight and nothing will be lost. For so has been expounded the verse: "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt" (Dan. XII, 2). "The dust of the earth" is a reference similar to that explained in the Book of Enoch, that the associates saw the letters of which these words are composed, and a voice was heard, saying: "Awaken and sing, ye who dwell in the dust" (Isa. XXVI, 19). The first edifice of the world (of the pre-resurrection period) will be as refuse in comparison with the second edifice (of the post-resurrection period), for this last will be perfected according to the Divine plan. Those that are worthy will awake to life in the world below, since they have not merited the world above; and those that are not worthy even of this will awaken to shame and everlasting contempt. As the "other side" will pass away from the world (there being no more evil principle or sin), the Holy One will leave these specimens of the past and evil world, who belonged to the stream which issued forth from that side, in order that all the children of the world may, in beholding them, be astonished. All this will be caused by those who suffered their fount to fail and produced no fruit here, having no wish to maintain the Holy Covenant. It is they who cause all this and all the transmigrations of which I spake.'

The old man was silent for a moment, and the companions wondered, not knowing whether it was day or night, whether they stood on their heads or their feet. Then the old man began again with the verse: "If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go out for nothing" (v. 2). 'This verse', said he, 'proves what I have said. Observe, now. Every male before being born is in prototype in the world of Masculinity, and every female in the world of Femininity. Now, so long as a man serves the Holy One, blessed be He, he remains attached to the six first years (i.e. to the six "masculine" emanations); but if he withdraw himself from His service (by neglecting the commandment of procreation), then the Lord separates him from the six years of the world of Masculinity and he is delivered into bondage unto a man [20] who does belong to the six sides, in order that he should serve him six years as a punishment for the supernal six years which he rejected. After that he descends lower and is attached to the world of Femininity: as he refused to take his rightful place in the Masculine world, let him now belong to that of the Female! The Female, the seventh year, comes and receives him, and from now on his part is in the world of Femininity. If he does not seek to fix himself therein, and refuses the redemption which it offers him (of making good his neglect), he descends still lower and joins the "other side". From now on he is finally severed both from the Masculine and the Feminine worlds, and is held fast by the "servants" of the "other side", and he has to be branded and stigmatized, for every stigma comes from the "other side". However, when the Jubilee year arrives, he is freed from that power and begins to undergo transmigration once more, and returns to the world as he was before and is attached to the world of Femininity, but not to a still higher grade. If he be then worthy, he will bring into existence children all of whom will belong to the world of Femininity, symbolically expressed in the words: "The virgins, her companions shall be brought unto thee" (Ps. XLV, 15); it will be a sign of merit, for that he has made good his defect. But should he not be found worthy to procreate even after the Jubilee, he is made as though he were not, having been mercifully returned to this world and yet refusing the opportunity of reparation which was offered to him: "If he came by himself (be-gapo), he shall go out by himself" (v. 8), meaning: "If he enters this world single, without (106a] offspring, not having previously desired the engendering of children, and even now leaving this world single, he departs even as a stone which is thrown from a sling, until it .reaches the place which is called "the mighty rock", into which he enters. As soon as he is there, the breath of him who is the Single one (Samael), who had to be separated from his feminine counterpart (Lilith), and who walks after the manner of a serpent, breathes on him, and straightway he leaves that mighty rock and, wandering lonely forth, begins to roam the world until he shall find a "redeemer" through whose agency he can return to this earth. This is the significance of the words: "If he came by himself, he shall go out by himself"; the reference is to a man who refused to get married and beget children. But "if he get married" (Ibid.), that is to say, if he had a wife but was not blessed with children, he is not thus driven out alone, for the Holy One does not let any creature remain unrewarded. "His wife shall go out with him": husband and wife both undergo transmigration and unite again as they were before. Such a man does not marry a divorced woman, but the woman who was previously his wife but did not then bear him children, in order that now both may gain merit by making good their deficiency.

'The text continues: "If his master have given him a wife, and she have borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's and he shall go out by himself.' Scripture now returns to the former subject, namely to the case of a man who "went out" without a wife (that is, who never married at all), implying that the grade called "the seventh year" should redeem him. This "Seventh" is called "his master": the Master of the whole earth. And if this Master shall have pity on him and bring him back to this world by himself as he was, and give him a wife of the kind for whom the altar sheds tears (i.e. a woman divorced by a man whose first wife she was) and they unite, and she bears him sons and daughters, "the wife and her children shall be her master's", as has been explained. For, as he has made good his former omission, he is received by the Holy King, who restores him to the position intended for him. He is called a "repentant sinner", for he comes into the heritage of his original place in the ever-flowing celestial river. [21] There is no obstacle in the world that can stand in the way of repentance, and the word begapo (by himself) contains an allusion to the phrase :"upon the back of the highest (gape merome) places of the city" (Prov. IX, 3); that is to say: as Wisdom dwells in high and lofty places, so does the man who has repented of his sin attain an eminent position; therefore sinners who repent can enter where even the perfectly righteous are not admitted. Most assuredly the Holy One accepts every sinner who turns to Him. Such a one is set upon the way of life, and, notwithstanding his former stain, everything is put right and restored to its former position. Even when the Holy One has decreed most solemnly against a person, He forgives entirely where there is a perfect repentance. Thus we find it written concerning Jehoiachin: "As I live, says the Lord, if thou Coniah the son of Jehoiakim wert the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee hence ... write ye this man childless ... " (Jer. XXII, 24-30); and yet, when he repented and turned again unto the Lord, we read: "And the sons of Jeconia, Assir, etc." (I Ch. 111, 17), showing that after all he was not childless: which proves that repentance annuls all decrees and judgements, and breaks many an iron chain, and there is nothing that can stand against it. This is also indicated in the words: "And they shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the men that transgress against me" (Isa. LXVI, 24). It does not say: "who have transgressed", but "who transgress": namely those who go on transgressing without thinking of repentance; but as soon as they are penitent and remorseful for their sins the Holy One receives them again. The same applies here: this man (who rejected procreation), although he has sinned and impaired a vital part, when he repents and turns to Him the Holy One has pity on him and receives him again; for He is full [106b] of mercy towards all His works, as it is written: "His tender mercies are over all his works" (Ps. CXLV, 9). His mercies extend even to animals and birds, still more to human beings who know how to praise their Lord. As David expressed it: "Many are thy tender mercies, O Lord: quicken me according to thy Judgement" (Ps. CXIX, 156). Now, if His tender mercies are vouchsafed to sinners, how much more to righteous men! Who is it that needs healing? He who is sick. And who is sick if not the sinner? Therefore, when sinners turn to the Lord for healing and mercy, He stretches out His right hand to receive them. When God draws a man to Himself He draws him with His right hand, but when He pushes him away He does so with His left hand. [22] And even when the left hand pushes away, the right draws near, for the Holy One, blessed be He, does not withhold His tender mercy from sinners. Observe how the Scripture says first, "And he went on frowardly in the way of his heart", and immediately afterwards, "I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also and impart consolations (nihumim) unto him and to his mourners" (lsa. LVII, 17, 18). This shows that even when sinners commit sin purposely, walking according to the desires of their own hearts, and heeding not the warnings of others, even for such, when they repent and begin to walk in the way of righteousness, is healing prepared.

'Now this verse will repay a little closer consideration. The question is, does it refer to the living or to the dead? For the beginning and the end seem to conflict with one another, the first part referring to the living and the second to the dead. We may, however, interpret thus. As long as a man is alive and walks "frowardly in the way of his heart" because the evil inclination is strong in him, making it hard for him to repent and start a new life, the Holy One, seeing the wasted life of him who walks in the evil way, says: "I must give him strength. I see his ways of darkness, and I must open in his heart a way of repentance and bring healing to his soul." This is the meaning of "I will lead him" -- like one who takes hold of somebody's hand and leads him out of darkness. As to the second part: "and impart consolations unto him and to his mourners", this language would naturally apply to the dead, and so indeed it does, for is not a sinner dead, even though he be alive? The meaning of the words, then, is as follows. Through the grace of God, when a person is thirteen years old, two angels are appointed over him, one at his right hand and one at his left. When he walks in the right way these angels rejoice over him and are glad, and joyfully cling to him, proclaiming before him: "Give honour to the King's image!" But when he turns from the path of rectitude and walks in crooked ways his angels mourn over him and turn away from him. Therefore, when the Holy One grants the sinner grace to repent and strength to accomplish his return to righteousness, "He imparts repentance to him, and consolations to his mourners" (nihumim in the double sense of "repentance" and "consolation"), and the man himself is truly and perfectly alive, being joined to the Tree of Life. And, being united with the Tree of Life, he is called "a man of repentance", for he is become a member of the Community of Israel, which is designated by the word "teshubah" (repentance, return), and "repentant sinners can enter even where the perfectly righteous are not admitted."

'King David said: "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight" (Ps. LI, 5). The significance of this is as follows. It is possible to commit sins which are offences both against God and man; also one can commit sins which are offences against man but not against the Holy One; but there are also sins which are committed against the Holy One only. David's sin was of this last kind. Perhaps, however, you will be inclined to question this, saying, [107a] "But what of his sin with Bathsheba? Did he not sin against her husband-to whom she was now prohibited -- as well as against the Holy One?" To this query there is an answer, and it is this. According to tradition Uriah, as was the custom with the warriors in Israel, gave his wife a bill of divorcement before he went out to battle, and so David did not sin against Uriah in the sense of perfidiously robbing him of his wife. And therefore we read: "And David comforted Bathsheba his wife" (2 Sam. XII, 24), which is a proof that she was considered as David's lawful wife, destined for him since the beginning of time, since the day whereon the world was created. Thus his sin was an offence against the Holy One alone. And in what did that offence consist? Not in that he commanded Joab to set Uriah in the forefront of the battle so that he might be killed -- for David had a right to do that, as Uriah called Joab "my lord Joab" while in the king's presence, which was disrespectful (lese-majeste) -- but because he did not kill him then, but let him be killed by the sword of the children of Ammon (Ibid. v. 24); for on every Ammonite sword was engraved a crooked serpent, the image of a dragon, which was their god. Said the Holy One to David: "Thou hast imparted strength to that abomination"; for when the sons of Ammon had killed Uriah and many other Israelites, and the sword of Ammon prevailed, it was as if the pagan god prevailed against the God of Israel. Nor does the title "Hittite" show that Uriah was not virtuous: he was merely called so after the place whence he came, as Jephthah was called "the Gileadite" (Judges XI, 1) because he was from Gilead. Thus the power of the abomination prevailed against the camp of God, and, David's hosts being in the very image of the supernal hosts, when he brought a stain upon the hosts below he caused, as it were, a stigma also on the hosts above. That was his sin, and therefore he said: "Against thee only have I sinned, and done evil in thine eyes" -- "in thine eyes" literally, as much as to say that David was conscious that he had sinned against the omnipresent and all-penetrating eyes of God. "That thou mightest be justified in thy words, and be clear in thy judgements" (Ibid.), and so I may not have any cause of saying that thou art wrong and I am right. The point of these words is as follows. We know that every man naturally uses the language of his occupation. Now David had been a king's jester, and so, though in sore distress and tribulation, when he found himself before the King, he reverted straightway to his quips and witticisms in order to entertain the King. He said: "Lord of the world! I said, Prove me, O Lord, and try me" (Ps. XXVI, 2), and Thou declaredst that I would not be able to withstand temptation. Therefore I have now sinned in order that Thou mayest be justified in Thy words, for if I did not so, my assertion would be proved true and Thy assertion refuted '" We have also been taught that David was not led away by his passions when he committed that sin with Bathsheba; for he said of himself: "My heart is hollowed within me" (Ps. CIX, 22), (107b] and he meant by this: "There are two chambers in my heart, one containing blood, and the other spirit; the one which is filled with blood is the seat of the evil inclination, but my heart is void of that inclination, for I do not allow it to dwell there." Why, then, did David commit that sin? In order to give an opening to sinners so that they might be able to say: "King David sinned, but when he repented the Holy One forgave him; and if he was forgiven, there is still greater hope that common folk such as we shall receive forgiveness '" That is what David meant by saying: "I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall return unto thee" (Ps. LI, 14). It is also written of David that he "went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet, going up and weeping, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot" (2 Sam. XV, 30), He did this to show that he considered himself excommunicated, in order to receive his punishment, and his people kept away from him a distance of four cubits. Blessed is the servant who worshipped his Master thus, confessing his sin and turning back to Him with perfect repentance! See, now. The insulting behaviour of Shimei, the son of Gera (2 Sam. XVI, 5), towards David was worse than anything he had hitherto experienced, and yet David did not answer him a word, accepting the humiliation as deserved, and therefore his sins were forgiven him.

'It is here fitting to consider why Shimei, who was a scholar and a wise man, behaved to David as he did. The truth is that the words of insult and cursing which he uttered were not his own, but entered into his heart from another region (from heaven), for David's benefit, that he might repent with a perfect repentance, with a broken heart and with many tears before the Holy One. Therefore David said: "The Lord hath said unto him, Curse David" (Ibid. v. 10). He knew that the cursing and words of insult were inspired from above. Among the injunctions which David on his death-bed laid upon Solomon, two were of special importance: one concerning Joab and one concerning Shimei. Of Joab he said: "Moreover, thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruia did to me" (I Kings 11, 5). The words "thou knowest" indicate that even Solomon ought not really to have known this, but since others knew of it David told him also. Concerning Shimei he said: "And behold, thou hast with thee Shimei, the son of Gera" (Ibid. v. 8). "With thee" means: "he is always with thee"; for he was Solomon's teacher. We read, "And the king sent and called for Shimei and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem" (Ibid. v. 36). Where. we may ask. was the great wisdom in this? It was, indeed. wiser than it seems. Solomon did all things in wisdom; he knew that Shimei was a wise man, and he said to himself: "I desire him to spread knowledge in the land, and he therefore must not go from Jerusalem, the centre." Another thing did Solomon see in his wisdom, for it says concerning Shimei that "he came forth (yoze yazo) and cursed" (2 Sam. XVI, 5). suggesting that there were two "comings forth": one from the house of study in order to meet David and abuse him, and the second from Jerusalem to Gath to meet his servants (I Kings II, 40); one to meet a king and the other to meet his own servants. And Solomon saw by means of the Holy Spirit the second "coming forth" of Shimei, and concerning this he said to him: "It shall be that on the day thou goest out. and passest over the brook Kidron. thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die" (I Kings II. 37). Shimei "cast dust" at David (II Sam. XVI, 13), and Solomon referred to water when he prohibited him to cross the brook Kidron: dust and water were the means of testing the woman who was suspected of adultery (Num. v. 11-31), and these two symbols were in the mind of Solomon when he thought of Shimei, who maligned his father. In his charge to Solomon concerning this Shimei. David said: "And behold thou hast with thee Shimei ... which cursed me with a strong curse ... and I sware to him by the Lord saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword." Was Shimei, then, a fool to accept an oath like this, which forbade David only to kill him with a sword, but not with a spear or arrow? But this sentence can be taken in two ways. One is based on the saying of the son of the great fish [108a] whose scales reached the highest clouds (i.e. whose wisdom was great), that when David swore he swore by his sword upon which was engraved the Ineffable Name (Tetragrammaton); and thus he swore to Shimei, as it is written: "I sware to him by the Lord (YHVH) ... I will not put thee to death (swearing) by the sword." But Solomon interpreted it differently. He said: "This man cursed my father with words; he shall die by means of a Word (Tetragrammaton)." And, in fact, he did not kill him with the actual sword, but with the Name. There is still, however, a difficulty, namely, that since David swore to him he ought not to have killed him, and that David said something with his lips which he did not mean in his heart. But the fact is that David did not kill him. [As to the question why he did not pardon him], it is well known that the members of the human body can receive foreign particles into themselves without real damage, except the heart, which cannot receive even a hair without being damaged; and in a sense David was, as it were, the heart of humanity and so very sensitive, yet he received such insults as surely ought not to have been left unpunished. Therefore he said: "For thou art a wise man and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him" (I Kings II, 8).

'David in the same Psalm goes on to say: "For thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it; thou delightest not in burnt-offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" (VV. 17, 18). "Thou desirest not sacrifice." But has not the Holy One ordered sacrifices for the forgiveness of sin? It is to be noted, however, that David spake this in regard to the Divine Name Elohim, that is, the attribute of severe judgement: sacrifices must be brought to the Name YHVH, the attribute of Mercy, as this is the Name always mentioned in connection with the different kinds of sacrifices (Lev. I, 2; II, 1; III, 6), but to the Name Elohim the only sacrifice that can be offered is a broken spirit and a sorrowful heart, as it is written, "The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit." For this reason a person who has had a bad dream must wear a sad and sorrowful demeanour, for he stands under the attribute of Elohim, and the sacrifice of the attribute of Justice must express itself through sadness and self-abasement, and such sadness is in itself sufficient fulfilment of the dream, and judgement will not exercise its sway over such a one, since he has brought the fitting sacrifice to the attribute of Judgement. When David says "A broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise", he indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, does despise a proud and arrogant heart. "Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion ; build thou the walls of Jerusalem." There is a double goodness mentioned here. For from the day whereon the Holy One occupied Himself with the building of the supernal Temple, even until this present time, that "goodness of His good pleasure" has not rested upon the edifice, and therefore it has not attained to complete perfection; but when this "good pleasure" shall be aroused the Lord will fill the edifice with such an array of lights that even the heavenly angels will not be able to look steadfastly upon it, and then the building, and indeed the whole work of the Holy One, blessed be He, shall be completed.

'The text continues: "Build thou the walls of Jerusalem." But has He then not built them already? Indeed, did He not begin to raise them at the time when He first began to be occupied with the building of the Temple? And if He has not built the walls, what need to say that He has not built the Temple? However, the Holy One, blessed be He, acts not as men. When human beings built the sanctuary here below, they first built the city walls for protection and then the sanctuary; but the Holy One will first build the Sanctuary and then, when He brings it down from heaven, and sets it in its rightful place, then "He will build the walls of Jerusalem" -- the battlements of the Blessed City. Therefore David says first: "Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion", and then: "Build [108b] thou the walls of Jerusalem." A great and deep mystery is contained in these words. In all His other acts and deeds it may be noted that God made first that which is external and then that which is within; but with regard to the sanctuary the very reverse is the case. Although, for instance, He designed the brain first in thought, yet in fact the cranium comes first. For the shell in all cases emanates from the "other side", and what is of the "other side" always appears first; the husk is there to guard the fruit and then it is thrown away, as it says, "The wicked prepareth and the righteous shall put it on" (Job XXVII, 17): the husk is thrown away and a blessing is uttered on the Righteous One. But in regard to the future building of the Sanctuary, when the evil side shall become extinct and disappear from the face of the earth, this will not be necessary, as both the "brain" and the "husk" will be utterly His. First the "brain", signified by the words: "Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion"; and then the "husk": "Build thou the walls of Jerusalem"; signifying that in the time of the Kingdom of the Messiah the outer protective covering will no more be the powers of the "evil side", but, instead, the Holy One Himself; as it is written: "I will be unto her a wall of fire round about" (Zech. II, 5). Now, Israel is the supreme "brain" of the world. They were first in the mind of the Creator, and therefore it is that the heathen nations, who are but the "husk", gained the start of them, as it is written: "And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel" (Gen. XXVII, 29). But in the future the Holy One will form the brain first without waiting for the husk, as it says: "Israel is holiness unto the Lord, the firstfruit of His increase"; and because of this, "all that devour him shall be considered guilty, evil shall come upon them" (Jer. II, 3). "Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness" (Ps. LI, 20); for in that time all things will be perfectly united and the Holy Name shall also be united in its harmonious wholeness, and sacrifices will be offered to the united Names YHVH Elohim, and shall not be as in former days when Elohim had no part in the sacrifice -- since, if it had had, all the powers of the "other side" would have been on the alert to participate. At that time, "Thou art great and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone" (Ps. LXXXVI, 10), and there will be no other God. It is concerning this time that it is written: "See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no God with me; I kill, and I make alive" (Deut. XXXII, 39). The double "I, I" indicates the absoluteness of the Divine Presence in the Messianic time, when the "other side" shall be vanquished and be no more seen; and even death, which until that time was connected with the "other side", will thenceforth be from Him directly, for those who have not yet experienced physical death, and He will raise them immediately; for nothing of that filth of sin which is the cause of death will remain in the world, and there will be a new world, fashioned and perfected by the hands of the Holy One, blessed be He.

'To return to the word begapo: the Targum (Aramaic) translation of this is "by himself", which is indeed correct. But gapo can also (in Aramaic) mean "wing", and we may therefore connect it with the dictum that the whole world is sustained upon one single "wing" of the Leviathan. The inner meaning is as follows. In the beginning the Holy One, blessed be He, created the Leviathan according to the two kinds, male and female; but whenever they moved the earth shook, and had the Holy One not castrated the male and cooled the sexual instincts of the female, they would eventually have brought the whole world into chaos and destruction. So, because of this, these monsters did not engender; therefore a man who does likewise -- that is, who does not engender -- if "he comes be-gapo, with one wing", is brought under the domination of that wing of the castrated Leviathan, and he "shall go out be-gapo": that is to say, he will be thrust out from the other world and never enter within the curtain. Mark this. It is written: "They will die as solitaries (aririm) without offspring" (Lev. XX, 21). The word aririm is both masculine and feminine, indicating that a man who refuses to generate leaves the world in the sphere of femininity, although he first entered it in the sphere of masculinity. The Holy One, blessed be He, suffers not any man who has emasculated himself in this world to appear before Him, just as in a similar fashion no castrated animal was a permitted sacrifice (Lev. XXII, 24). [109a] It is prohibited throughout all generations to castrate any creature which the Holy One has created, for castration appertains eternally and in all cases to the "other side". And when a person marries a woman and he or she refuses to generate, and so enter into the other world without having begotten any children, then "his wife shall go out with him": which signifies that he undergoes transmigration by himself as a male, and she by herself as a female.

'The text continues: "If his master have given him a wife, and she have borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself." "His master" is "the Lord of the whole earth"; "have given him a wife": from this we learn that it is not in the discretion of man himself to take a wife, but that all things have to be "laid in the balance" (Ps. LXII, 10). And who is the woman whom the Master gives him in this case? One who was not actually intended to be his wife, but the wife of another whom he managed to anticipate in God's good graces, and his Master permitted him to have her because He foresaw that she would bear him children. Now when this man, having, as it were, produced fruit in a garden not rightfully his, shall come to the end of his earthly life, "the wife and her children shall be her Master's, and he shall go out by himself." Poor unfortunate! All his labour was thus in vain. He strove to bring forth fruit in an alien garden, in order to obey the dictates of his Master, and must perforce come out empty I Old man, old man! Confronted with such a problem as this, thou art indeed like unto a man lying helpless and powerless on the ground, who can only kick at the gate with his feet. But take courage, old man, and be not afeared. Now, why is it that this poor soul has perforce to go out from this world empty and alone? Is it because he had sown in a garden which was not his own? Surely not so, for was it not the Holy One Himself who gave him this garden? However, no deed is done by the Lord but has its reason and its justice; and as in all other cases, so also in this. He to whom the Holy One has given a wife, and who has generated with her, is not like others who undergo transmigration. One who in this world truly and humbly endeavoured to make the tree fruitful, but who did not succeed in his attempt, is not to be placed in the same category with one who consciously and wilfully refused the duty of engendering children, so uprooting the tree, scattering its leaves, and wasting its fruit. He to whom the Master gave a wife in order that he might generate children did after all endeavour to enrich the tree, though he did not succeed. The Holy One, therefore, knowing his good intention, has pity on him and, after first collecting His own due, and taking what the fount formerly failed to produce, permits him to start anew, and labour for himself in order to make good his deficiency. In addition it must be remembered that the man has to undergo transmigration because he is not, in any case, of great merit: since if he were so he would not have had to pass into another form and live again upon the earth, but would at once have "a place better than sons and daughters".

'So much, then, for the mysteries contained in this verse. But, old man, old man, thou hast spoken of one whose work was in vain, and dost not observe that thou thyself hast uttered nought but vanity in all this discourse! For close on thy heels is a verse which overthrows all thy edifice, and thou imaginest that thou couldst swim the sea according to thy pleasure! What is this verse? "If the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, etc." Old man, old man, thou hast no strength, thy power is fled! What wilt thou do? Thou didst think that there would be none to pursue thee, and now, alas, this verse springs out from its ambush, leaping after thee like a gazelle in the field with thirteen bounds [23] till it overtake thee. What wilt thou do, old man? Nay, be not downcast. Now must thou gather up thy strength, for until this day thou wert in very deed a mighty warrior. Old man, old man, remember that day of snow, when the beans of wisdom were sown, and mighty men [109b] fought against thee, and thou didst prevail single-handed over thirteen men of might, each one of whom could slay a lion before breakfast. If thou couldst prevail against those giants, surely thou canst now conquer these thirteen, which are mere weaklings, being but words! On, then, and be bold. The expression "amor yomar" (if the servant saying shall say) has been interpreted by certain of the scholars according to its literal sense, i.e. that it indicates two sayings, one at the beginning and one at the end of the six years, before the seventh year has entered; for if he said it even a day after the commencement of the seventh year his words have no validity, as it says "the servant", that is, as long as he is still a servant, namely in the sixth year. And if he spake his words at the beginning of the six years but not at the end, then also his words have no validity. Our interpretation is that, if while he is still with this wife he prays daily to the Holy King, then he both begins and ends with supplication; and if he commences with prayer he shall be received with mercy. What does he say? "I love my Master, etc." Then the Holy One, blessed be He, receives him because of his repentance and his prayers. What, then, does He do for such a one? Instead of sending him back to this world to undergo punishment for the sins of his former life, the Holy One gives him instead into the hands of the celestial Tribunal, who judge him and deliver him unto the house of punishment. And the Holy One records how he was delivered to the Tribunal, and places on him a stigma by putting him under the domination of the Orlah (unclean spirits) [24] for a certain period of time, after which his Master redeems him. But if the Jubilee should appear during the period of his stigmatization, then he is instantly set free -- and this even though he should have been in captivity only one day when the Jubilee appeared- and is permitted to enter within the curtain.'

Then the old man closed his eyes for a moment..... [112b] He continued: 'Solomon said: "So I returned and considered all the oppressions ("oppressed") that are done under the sun, and behold the tears of such that were oppressed and they had no comforter" (Eccl. IV, 1). This verse has already been interpreted. But we have still to explain the words, "So I returned and saw." From whence did he return? Now, we have a tradition that Solomon was wont to rise each day at daybreak and turn his face towards the east, where he saw certain things -- and then toward the south, where also he saw certain things, and finally, to the side of the north. He would stand thus with his head raised and his eyes half-closed until there would come towards him two pillars, one of fire and one of cloud, and borne upon this last an eagle. mighty in stature and strength, his right wing resting upon the fire, and his body and left wing upon the cloud. This eagle bore in his mouth two leaves. The pillar of cloud with the two leaves and the pillar of fire and the eagle upon them, would come and bow before Solomon. Then the eagle would bend down its head a little, and give him the leaves. Solomon would take and smell them, and by their odour could discern from whence they came, and recognize one leaf as belonging to him "who has his eyes shut", and the other to him "who has his eyes open" (cf. Num. XXV, 4). Now there were a number of things which King Solomon desired that these two beings should make known to him. What did he do? He sealed up his throne with a ring on which was engraved the Holy Name, drew forth from a hidden place another ring on which the Holy Name was also engraved, ascended unto the roof of his palace, seated himself upon the eagle's back, and so departed, attended both by fire and cloud. The eagle ascended into the heavens, and wherever he passed the earth below was darkened. The wiser sort in that part of the earth from whence the light was thus suddenly removed would know the cause and would say, "Assuredly that was King Solomon passing by!" but they knew not whither he went. The vulgar sort, however, would say, "Up there the clouds are moving, and that is why it grew dark so suddenly." The eagle would mount up even to the height of four hundred parasangs, until it reached at length the dark mountain, where is Tarmud in the wilderness; and there at last it would descend. Solomon would then lift up his head and see the dark mountain, and would learn therefrom all that it could teach him and also perceive that it was necessary to penetrate further; after which he would mount once more the back of the eagle and fly on as before until they entered into the depths of the mountains, in the midst of which grew an olive tree. When he was arrived at this spot Solomon would cry out with all his might: "Lord, thy hand is lifted up, they see not" (Isa. XXVI, 11). Then he would enter into that place until he reached those who abode there, and he would show them his ring, and there he gained all his knowledge of strange sciences (i.e. witchcraft). When they had told him all that he required he would [113a] fly back to his palace in the same way that he came. Then, as he sat once more on his throne, he would reflect upon all that he had gone through, and would conceive ideas of profound wisdom; and it is in reference to such an occasion that he says: "So I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun .... "

'Could he then have viewed upon his journey all such as were oppressed? Hardly so; but he was referring to the little ones, to the sucklings snatched away from their mothers' breasts. Such as these are indeed "oppressed" from all sides: oppressed above in the celestial regions, and oppressed on earth below. There is none oppressed like those whose oppression is transmitted by heredity, concerning whom it is written: "He visits the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generations" (Ex. XX, 5). How is this? King Solomon loudly gives the answer when he says, "A man that is oppressed through the blood of his soul shall flee to the pit; no one will stay him" (Prov. XXVIII, 17). Since he is "oppressed with the blood of a soul" (i.e. has committed some grievous sin), either he or his son or his son's son will be "oppressed" (i.e. wronged) in the "balance"; he shall flee to the pit away from the place of righteousness and none shall stay him; because he has oppressed the blood of the soul he shall himself be oppressed by the other side, or his seed shall bear this oppression of retribution for him and on his account. Hence it says, "all the oppressed", as much as to say, "I have considered all those that are oppressed and all the manners of their oppression, and the reason of their being oppressed." Now, this class of oppressed ones are said to be "made under the sun", because their bodies were actually made before they were violently carried away, there being others who are never so much as fashioned on this earth, though spirits are waiting for them. Others, again, are "made", as it were, in defiance of the Almighty. Thus, when a man steals his neighbour's wife, either openly or secretly, and a child is born of such adulterous union, and the Holy One has perforce to fashion its body and give it form, then that child is indeed "an oppressed one who is made such", literally, in despite of the Almighty. Solomon reflected on this and said: "I consider the sad fate of these hapless oppressed ones who have been 'made', how they shed tears before the Holy One. They complain before Him and make moan, saying, When a person commits a sin he must assuredly die. But, Sovereign of the Universe, when a child is but one day old, shall he be judged? [113b] These are "the tears of the oppressed ones, who have no comforter". There are many different kinds among them, but they all shed tears. Here is, for instance, a child born in incest. As soon as he emerges into the world he is separated from the community of the holy people, and the unfortunate bastard laments and sheds tears before the Holy One, and complains: "Lord of the world! If my parents have sinned, wherein is my guilt? I have ever striven to do only good works before Thee." But the greatest grief of all emanates from those "oppressed ones" that are but little sucklings which have been removed from their mothers' breasts. These can indeed cause the whole world to weep, and there are no tears like unto theirs, for these are tears which spring from the inmost and deepest recesses of the heart, causing the whole world to wonder and say: "The Holy One's judgements are forever righteous and all His paths are ways of truth. But why is it necessary that these poor little ones, who are blameless and without sin, should die? Where is now the true and righteous judgement of the Lord of the world? If they must die because of their parents' sins, then they certainly "have no comforter." However, the actual fact is that the tears of these "oppressed ones" intercede for and protect the living, and because of their innocence and the ,power of their intercession a place is eventually prepared (or them such as even the perfect righteous cannot attain to or occupy; for the Holy One does in truth love them with a special and particular love, He unites Himself with them and prepares for them a supernal place, very near to Himself. It is concerning such that it is written: "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou founded strength." What is it that they accomplish there and why went they thither? "Because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger" (Ps. VIII, 3). And there is also another place prepared for sinners who repent.

'We have been taught (cf. Pirke Aboth, ch. V) that ten things were created upon the eve of the Sabbath in the twilight, at the time when the work of Creation was ended and the Sabbath not yet begun; among which are the shape of the written characters, the writing, and the tables of stone; for it is written: "And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables" (Ex. XXXII, 16). Now it may be asked, what proof is there in this verse that these things were indeed created on the eve of the Sabbath, and not perhaps a thousand years later, or, maybe, when the Israelites stood at Mount Sinai? However, there can be no doubt that they were created on the eve of this Sabbath, for the following reason. In the whole account of the Creation (Gen. I) it is always the name Elohim which is used to denote God; but after the completion of the whole work God is called with the full name, YHVH Elohim (Gen. II, 4). For, although all things were created [25] in the power of the Name Elohim, that which was created was not actually made [26] until Sabbath eve, when "God ended the work which he had made" (Gen. II, 2); that is to say, Creation only received its permanency with its completion through making. In the same sense it says concerning the tables of stone that they were "the work (ma'ase, lit. making) of God", which indicates that they were produced at the time when the consummation of the whole Creation took place through the act of God's "making" -- and not in the later period concerning which the Name in its fulness is mentioned -- "YHVH Elohim" (Gen. II, 4), and only herewith was the world placed upon a firm basis and permanently established.

'When Moses broke the tablets "under the mountain" (Ex. XXXII, 19), the Ocean overflowed its borders and was on the point of inundating the whole world. When Moses saw how the waves were rising and threatening to overwhelm the universe, straightway he "took the calf which they had made and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water" (Ex. XXXII, 20). Then he stationed himself before the waters of the Ocean and said: "Waters, waters, what would ye?" And they answered: "Was not the world established by and on the merit of the Holy Words engraved upon the tablets? And now, because the Israelites have denied the Torah by making the golden calf, we desire to overwhelm the world." Then Moses answered them and said: "Behold, all that they have done in connection with the sin of the golden calf is delivered unto you; is it not enough that so many thousands of them have perished for their sin?" Straightway he "strawed it (the dust of the calf) upon the water". But even then the floods were not appeased. So he took from those angry seas a portion of water, and poured it upon the place where he had burned the calf, and then at last the Ocean was soothed and returned to its own bed. For in that wilderness there was no water, as it is written: "It is no place of seed ... neither is there any water to drink" (Num. XX, 5). Nor can the place whereon Moses strawed the powder have been Miriam's well, for assuredly Moses would never have permitted evil memories to pollute the place whose waters the Israelites would afterwards have had to drink. Besides, the Israelites only received their cistern when they came to the place Mattanah, as it is written: "Spring up, well .... The princes digged the well.... And from there to Mattanah" (Ibid. XXI, 17). [27] As to the words "graven upon the tables" (harut'al ha-luhoth), it has already been pointed out that this phrase contains an allusion to heruth -- that is, freedom. Freedom from what? From the angel of death, from subjection to the kingdoms of this world, [114a] from all things earthly and from all things evil. And what is freedom? It is the seal of the world to come, in which is every kind of freedom. Had not the tablets been broken, the world would not have suffered as it subsequently did, and the Israelites would have been in the likeness of the supernal angels above. Therefore the Scripture proclaims: "the tablets were the work of God" (Elohim), from the time when the world was still under the aegis of the name Elohim, before the Sabbath had entered. The writing, too, was the "writing of God", black fire on white fire, and it was haruth (engraved) because the Jubilee proclaims freedom (heruth) to all worlds.'

Having spoken these things, the old man paused a moment and then said: 'So far, my friends, and now no further! From now on ye shall know that the evil side has no power over you; and that I, Jebba the Ancient, have stood before you to utter these words.' The two Rabbis stood before him dumbfounded, like men waking out of their sleep. Then they prostrated themselves before him, and so remained, speechless and awestruck. After a while they wept. Finally R. Hiya found his voice again, and spake, saying: ' "Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm; for love is strong as death, zeal is hard as the sheol; the coals thereof are coals of fire, a blaze of Jah" (S.S. VIII, 6). When the Community of Israel cleaves to her Spouse she says: "Set me as a seal upon thy heart." The property of a seal is to leave its impress on the surface wherewith it has come into contact, and this impress naturally remains even after the seal has been removed. So the Community of Israel cries aloud unto her Spouse, saying: "Since I have cleaved to Thee, may my image remain engraven upon Thine heart, so that even when I myself must perforce be driven hither and thither in exile Thou mayst find my likeness there and remember me. May I thus cleave to Thee for ever and not be forgotten of Thee." "For love is strong as death" -as the strength of the region where death dwells is the place called "eternal love". "Her coals are coals of fire." What are these coals? The diamonds and precious gems which are born of that fire. "A blaze of Jah" -- the flame which issues out of the Supernal World to unite itself with the Community of Israel and so bridge the gulf between Heaven and earth and unite both. Of this same quality of love do we also partake in regard to thee, and the coals of that very fire are set within our hearts, warming them towards thee. So may it be the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, that our image may be engraved upon thine heart for ever. as thine is impressed upon ours!'

Then the old man kissed and blessed them. and they departed. When they reached the dwelling of R. Simeon they recounted everything that had befallen them. R Simeon was both delighted and amazed. He said: 'Blessed indeed are you in that ye were found worthy of all this! To think that you were in the presence of this supreme lion of wisdom with whom not even the greatest sages can be compared, and did not recognize him at once I I am astonished that you have escaped punishment for your disrespect towards him; it is evident that the Holy One desired to spare and save you.' Then he applied to them the verses: "And the path of the righteous is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day"; "When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened, and when thou mnnest thou shalt not stumble" (Prov. IV, 12, 18); "and thy people shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of thy planting, the work of thy hands, that I may be glorified" (Isa. LX, 21). Thus ends the incident concerning R Jebba the Ancient. (121a) [28]

***

AND YE SHALL BE MEN OF HOLINESS UNTO ME; AND FLESH THAT IS TORN BY BEASTS IN THE FIELD YE SHALL NOT EAT; YE SHALL CAST IT TO THE DOG (XXII, 30). R Judah quoted here the verse: "And wisdom, where shall it be found? And where is the place of understanding?" (Job XXVIII,12). Said he: "Blessed are the Israelites for that the Holy One desires to honour them more than all the rest of mankind. At first He said unto them: "And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests" (Ex. XIX, 6). His great love to them was, however, not satisfied until he had added: "and a holy nation" (Ibid.), which signifies a higher grade; His love was still not satisfied until He called them "a holy people" (Deut. XIV, 2), which is a still higher grade; and now He shows His endless love to them by calling upon them to be "men of holiness", which is the highest grade and destiny of all. For the Torah itself emanates from Wisdom, from the realm called "holiness", and Wisdom itself emanates from the region called "holy (lit. holiness) 'of holies".' Said R Isaac: 'The Jubilee is also designated "holiness", as it is written: "For it is the jubilee; it shall be holiness (kodesh) unto you" (Lev. XIV, 12). The Israelites who are destined to be "men of holiness" have a share in both (the Torah and the Jubilee). What is the difference in degree between "holy" and "holiness" ?' Said R. Jose: 'The latter is the extremest, the utmost degree, but not so the former, for it is written: "And it shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy" (Isa. IV, 3), which signifies that the grade of "holy" is connected with that place (i.e. with the earthly Zion and Jerusalem), [121b] whereas "holiness" is connected with a higher place.' R. Abba was once walking in company with R. Jose and R. Hiya. Said R. Hiya: 'How do we know that the expression, "and ye shall be unto Me men of holiness", signifies the highest grade?' Said R. Jose: 'All the companions have interpreted it well; it is truly so, for it is written: "Israel is holiness (kodesh) to the Lord, the beginning (reshith) of his increase; all that devour him shall be guilty" (Jer. II, 3). Israel is here designated "reshith", and Wisdom is also called "reshith", as it says, "The beginning (reshith) of wisdom is the fear of the Lord" (Ps. CXI, 10). And because Israel is called "holiness", the completion and harmony of all grades, they must not "eat flesh that is torn by beasts in the field"; they must not derive their nourishment from the side of severe judgement, but "cast it to the dogs", namely to the impudent and impure power on which judgement rests; so the people destined to be "men of holiness" should not be stained by the impurity of the principle of evil left in the flesh of the torn animal.'

Once when R. Isaac was studying with R. Simeon, he asked him: 'What is the meaning of the last part of the verse quoted above (Jer. II, 3): "Israel is holiness to the Lord, all that devour him shall be guilty" (ye'shamu, will bear their guilt, i.e. will be punished)?' R. Simeon referred to the passages (Lev. XXII,10, 14-16) where strangers eating of the holy things "lade themselves with guilt (ashmah) of eating". 'Because Israel is called "holy", "holiness", all that "eat" him, that is to say, all the strange nations who try to devour and make an end of him are guilty of consuming something sacred.' Then R. Isaac came to him, kissed his hands, and said: 'It was worth coming here only to hear this! But, Master, if, as we have been taught, "holiness" is a higher degree than "being holy", how is one to explain "holy, holy, holy (kadosh) is the Lord Zebaoth"?' R. Simeon replied: 'When the triad (the holy, holy, holy) is united in one unity, it forms one "house", and that house is called "holiness"; it is the essence and core of the "holy"; and when Israel attain to the completeness and perfection of faith, they are called "holiness": "Holiness is Israel to the Lord"; "ye should be unto Me men of holiness".'

A certain legionary once asked R. Abba: 'Is it not written in your Law: "Flesh that is terepha (tom by beasts) ye should not eat: ye shall cast it to the dog"? Why, then, does it say: "He hath given tereph (food) to those that fear him" (Ps. CXI, 5)? Assuredly it ought rather to have said: "He gives tereph to the dog"!' R. Abba replied: 'Fool (Reka)! Thinkest thou that tereph is the same as terepha? And even if we admit that it is the same, I say that God gave this prohibition only to those that fear His name, and therefore He gave it not to you, since He knows that you do not fear Him and will not keep His commandments; and so with all the restrictions of the Torah.' R. Eleazar taught that the peculiar expression, "men of holiness", contains a reference to the Jubilee, for there is a tradition that the Israelites came out from Egypt into freedom by means of the Jubilee, which is the source of all freedom, both early and everlasting. When they came out into freedom the Jubilee set them upon his wings, and they were called his men, his children. And of the Jubilee it says: "It is jubilee; holiness is it to you." Yea, verily, "to you". Therefore it says here: "Ye shall be unto Me men of holiness", that is, His men, these words having been spoken by the Holy One, blessed be He. [122a] And therefore they become worthy to be known as "brethren of the Holy One", as it is written: "For my brethren and companions' sake, I will now say, Peace be within thee" (Ps. CXXII, 9). Later they were called "holiness" (Jer. Ibid.), and not merely "men of holiness". We have been taught that because Israel is designated "holiness" no one is allowed to apply to his neighbour an insulting epithet or to bestow upon him a degrading nickname. The punishment for such an offence is indeed great. It is written: "Keep thy tongue from evil" (Ps. XXXI, 15). "From evil": for slander and malicious speech cause disease to enter into the world. Said R. Jose: 'He who offends his neighbour by giving him an insulting nickname or by addressing him in abusive terms will himself eventually suffer for offences which he has not committed.' In this connection R. Hiya also said in the name of R. Hezekiah: 'He who calls his neighbour "wicked" will be thrown into the very jaws of Gehenna. The only people whom one may legitimately call "wicked" are those who speak impudently and blasphemously against the Torah.'

Once, when on a journey, R. Jesse passed close by a man who was cursing and reviling his neighbour; and the Rabbi said to him: "Thou behavest like a wicked one (rasha')." Those who were with R. Jesse, hearing his words, were shocked, thinking that he had assuredly committed a great offence; so they brought him before R. Judah to be judged. In defence he pleaded that he had not called the man "wicked", but only told him that he had behaved "like a wicked one." R. Judah was puzzled, and put the case before R. Eleazar, who said: 'The Rabbi has Scripture on his side, for do we not read: "The Lord was as an enemy" (Lam. II. 5)? which obviously does not mean that He actually became an enemy, for had that been the case Israel would certainly have been utterly annihilated. Similarly, we read: "How is she (Jerusalem) become as a widow" (Ibid. I, 1). which signifies that she is indeed like unto a woman whose husband has gone away to a far country, but for whom she still waits.' Said R. Hiya: 'Is there not a better proof than all these, in fact, the standard example, namely: "And upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man" (Ezek. I, 26)?' Said R. Isaac: 'Also it is written: "As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons" (S.S. II, 3) -- as an apple tree which has varied colours, red, white, and green combined in a unity.' Said R. Judah: 'Ah, had I come here only in order to hear these mystic revelations, it would have sufficed I It is also written: "And he that stumbled among them on that day shall be as David" (Zech. XII, 8). "As David", who said: "In my poverty I have prepared for the Lord an hundred thousand talents of gold ... "; "as David", who said of himself: "For I am poor and needy" (Ps. LXXXVI, 1); yea, he called himself thus, who was king above all other earthly kings!' Said R. Abba: "And how blessed are the Israelites for that the Holy One does not call them "as holiness", but actually "holiness" itself, as it is written: "Holiness is Israel to the Lord"; and therefore: "all who devour him will be made to bear grievous punishment for their guilt.'"

Said R. Jose: 'For what reason did God give Israel rules of judgement after He had given them the Ten Words (the Decalogue)? Because, as we have been taught, the Torah was given from the side of Power (Geburah), and therefore He desired to give them peace among themselves in order that the Torah should be observed under both of its aspects. For, as R. Abba has said in the name of R. Isaac, the world is sustained by Justice, as it was created by, and for, the principle of Justice. R. Abba also said that the words: "Execute judgement in the morning" (Jer. XXI, 12) mean that judges should sit in judgement "in the morning", that is, before they have had anything to eat or drink, since he who executes judgement after eating and drinking is not a true judge, as it is written: "Ye shall not eat with the blood" (Lev. XIX, 26), which means that a judge who eats before sitting in judgement is, as it were, guilty of shedding his neighbour's blood, for, indeed, he gives the "blood" of his neighbour to someone else. Now this is merely in reference to money matters; how much more, then, in criminal cases, when it is a question of life and death, should judges beware of eating and drinking before executing judgement!' Said R. Judah: 'He who betrays judgement betrays the supports of the King. And what are these? Those mentioned in the verse, "For I the Lord exercise lovingkindness, judgement, and righteousness" (Jer. IX, 25). All things depend upon these three.' R. Jose said: "These are the stays of the Throne, for it is written: "Righteousness and judgement are the establishment of thy throne" (Ps. LXXXIX, 15); and also "And in lovingkindness will the throne be established" (Isa. XVI, 5). [122b]

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AND IN ALL THINGS THAT I HAVE SAID UNTO YOU TAKE YE HEED, ETC. Note the passive form tishameru (take heed, lit. ye shall be guarded). We may translate: "From the penalties which I have threatened for a breach of My service ye shall be guarded, so that no harm shall come to you", and therefore, MAKE NO MENTION OF THE NAME OF OTHER GODS. These words may also be expounded thus: "Ye shall not bring it about that ye shall fall among the nations in a strange land so that there be fulfilled concerning you the words of Scripture: "and there shalt thou serve other gods, etc." (Deut. XXVIII, 36).' R. Judah connected this text with the verses: "Hear, O my people, and I will admonish thee ... There shall no strange god be in thee ... I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt, etc." (Ps. LXXXI, 9-11). 'These verses', he said, 'David uttered under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and they should be well pondered. "Hear, O My people", is a reminder of the repeated admonitions of the Torah and of the Holy One, blessed be He, to man, and all for the benefit of man, that he observe the commands of the Torah, for when one [124a] observes the ordinances of the Torah and diligently studies it, it is as though he diligently studied the Divine Name. For the whole Torah is an enfolding of the one Divine Name, the most exalted Name, the Name that comprehends all other names; and hence if one diminishes it, even by a single letter, it is as though he made a gap in the Divine Name. Hence, according to our teaching, the words, "and make no mention of the name of other gods", signify "thou shalt not add to the Torah nor diminish from it".' R. Hiya said: '"The name of other gods" signifies profane books which do not issue from the side of the Torah, and hence we are forbidden to study them: NEITHER LET IT BE HEARD OUT OF THY MOUTH, that is, we may not even mention them nor receive teaching from them, especially concerning the Torah.' R. Judah expounded the passage as follows. 'For what reason is the precept concerning other gods closely followed by the precept, THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD SHALT THOU KEEP? Because the nonobservance of this festival betokens lack of faith in the Holy One, blessed be He, since that festival is closely associated with Him.' R. Isaac said: 'It is the same with the other feasts and festivals, as they all are closely bound up with the most exalted Divine Name. Hence the dictum, that religious faith is closely bound up with the three festivals.'

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ALL THY MALES. Says R. Eleazar: 'Emphatically "all thy males", as they then receive blessings from the eternal spring. Hence the dictum that every circumcised Israelite is bound to appear before the Holy King so as to receive a blessing from the eternal spring. So Scripture says: "according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee" (Deut. XVI, 17), and here it is written: "before the Lord God", that is, from whence blessings pour and blessings are received. Happy is the portion of Israel above that of all other nations.

On one occasion, when the Israelites were going up to celebrate the festival, a number of idolaters mingled with them. That year there was no blessing in the world. So they came to Rab Ham'nuna the Elder to consult him about the matter. He asked them: 'Did you see any portent of this beforehand?' They replied : 'We noticed on our return journey that everywhere the waters were dried up, and there was continuous cloud and darkness, so that the pilgrims could not proceed on their way. Furthermore, when we went in to show ourselves, the face of heaven was darkened.' R. Ham'nuna trembled and said: 'There is no doubt but either there are among you some who are uncircumcised or that idolaters mingled themselves in your company. For at that time blessings come into the world only through circumcised Israelites. The Holy One, blessed be He, looks at the sacred symbol and sends down the blessing.' The following year again a number of idolaters intruded themselves among the pilgrims who went up to Jerusalem. Then when the festive offerings were being joyfully eaten, the Israelites noticed those people covering their faces with their .cloaks, and on further watching them they discovered that they did not pronounce a blessing over the meal, like all the others. This was communicated to the Court of Judges, who examined the strangers and asked them what kind of offering was that of which they had eaten a portion? As they could not give a satisfactory answer, further inquiries were made, and it was discovered that they were idolaters, and so they were put to death. The people said: "Blessed is the Merciful One who delivered His people, for assuredly blessing only rests on Israel, the holy seed, the children of Faith, the children of Truth." That year was one of rich blessing in the world, and the people exclaimed: "Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name, etc." (Ps. CXL, 14). R. Hiya said: 'Through the merit of Israel circumcised their enemies have been subdued before them and their possessions inherited by them. Hence the verse: "Three times in the year shall all thy males appear, etc." (Ex. XXXIV, 23) is immediately followed by the verse: "For I will cast out nations before thee and enlarge thy borders" (Ibid. 24); for the Holy One, blessed be He, uproots one group of inhabitants and restores another, and therefore "shall all thy males appear before the Lord God".' [124b]

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THE LORD (Adon) GOD. R. Judah said: 'Sometimes the superior aspect of the Deity is called by the lower Name, at other times it is the lower aspect that is given the superior Name. Here, in the phrase "before the Lord God" (ha-ADoN YHVH), the lower term Adon (Lord) is expressive of the superior aspect. This matter has already been expounded, and expounded in various ways, which, however, all converge into one. Blessed be the Merciful One, blessed be His name for evermore!'

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BEHOLD, I SEND AN ANGEL BEFORE THEE. R. Isaac quoted in this connection the words: "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth" (S.S. I, 2), and said: 'It is the Community of Israel who says this (to God). Why does she say "Let Him kiss me" instead of "Let Him love me"? Because, as we have been taught, kissing expresses the cleaving of spirit to spirit; therefore the mouth is the medium of kissing, for it is the organ of the spirit (breath), Hence he who dies by the kiss of God [29] is so united with another Spirit, with a Spirit which never separates from him. Therefore the Community of Israel prays: "Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth", that His Spirit may be united with mine and never separate from it. The verse continues: "For thy love is better than wine" (Ibid.). Why is the love of the Holy One compared with wine, which was the cause of Ephraim's degradation (Isa. XVIII, 27), and was prohibited to the priests at the time of service (Lev. X, 9)? Said R. Hiya: 'It is better even than the "wine of the Torah".' R. Hezekiah said: 'It is better than the wine of which the Psalmist said that it "maketh glad the heart of man" (Ps. CIV, 15).' R. Judah referred to the verse: "And Jacob kissed Rachel and lifted up his voice and wept" (Gen. XXIX, I I). Why did he weep? Because the intensity of his attachment to her overpowered him, and he found relief in tears. It is true, it also says of Esau that "he kissed him (Jacob) and they wept" (Gen. XXXIV, 4); but as has been said, the word wa-yishakehu (and he kissed him) has (masoretic) dots on it, to indicate the insincerity of Esau's kisses, [30] for there was no union of spirit with spirit there; and concerning him it is written: "The kisses of an enemy are abundant" (Prov. XXVII, 6; i.e. superfluous, burdensome); they are windy and betoken no attachment of spirit. As long as the Holy One was dwelling and moving in the midst of Israel there was a perfect union between Spirit and spirit; concerning which it is written: "And ye who cleave to the Lord your God, ye are all alive to-day" (Deut. IV, 4); they clave to one another in every possible manner, and were not separated. But when Moses heard the words, "Behold, I send an angel before thee", he knew that it meant separation, therefore he said: "If thy presence go not, carry us not up hence" (Ex. XXXIII, 15). Said R. Abba: 'Note the verse that immediately precedes, viz., "The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord Thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk," The connection is as follows. This verse indicates that one may not mingle lower grades (the k'lifoth) with higher ones (sefiroth), lest the outer side should imbibe nourishment from the inner one, the one being from the side of impurity and the other from that of ·holiness. The "mother" here mentioned is the Community of Israel (the Shekinah), who is called Mother, and the: "kid" symbolizes the principle of impurity. Therefore God said, "[Since you may indeed cause such separation] behold, I send My angel before thee". But Moses said: "I take this command [not to seethe a kid in its mother's milk] as a promise that Thou wilt not separate from us; therefore, 'if thy presence go not, carry us not up hence'."' Said R. Eleazar: 'This the Holy One said in order to soothe the fears of Israel, because He loved them. He was like unto a king who always desired to walk with his son and never entrusted him to anybody else. The son once came to his father [125a], but felt chary of asking him to go out with him. The latter noticing it, said: "Captain So-and-so will accompany thee upon this way and will take care of thee"; then adding: "Beware of him" (V. 21), for he is somewhat quick-tempered. Then said the son: "If so, either I shall remain here or else thou must come with me; for I shall not separate myself from thee." In a similar fashion the Holy One first said: "Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not." Then Moses said: "If Thy presence go not, carry us not up hence.'" When R. Simeon came, he found the Companions discussing this subject. Said he: 'Eleazar my son, thou hast spoken well, yet mark this. On this occasion (when God said that He would send an angel) Moses said nothing and did not object, because no separation was implied in the promise. [31] I have already explained this to the companions. It is true, some understand it just in the opposite way, [32] but that is not according to the interpretation of the ancients (although at bottom there is no contradiction between the two). Here, as I have said, Moses did not object, but he did later, when the Holy One again said: "I will send an angel before thee" (Ex. XXXIII, 2), without saying anything more about him. But here we have the additional explanation concerning the character of the angel, for it says: "But if thou shalt indeed obey his (the angel's) voice and do all that I speak --", indicating that God would speak through the angel; and similarly it continues, "Then will I be an enemy to thine enemies, and will afflict them that afflict thee", showing that everything depends upon him.' Said R. Judah: 'Should one say that on both occasions it is merely an angel that is referred to, then we have to say that Moses made no objection on the first occasion because he did not see an opportunity, but on the second occasion he did object, saying, "If Thy presence go not, carry us not up hence."' To which R. Simeon remarked: 'The long and the short of it is that Moses did not desire that an angel should accompany them, therefore he said: "If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord: let my Lord, I pray thee: go among us" (Ex. XXXIV, 9).'

Said R. Judah: 'In regard to R. Abba's interpretation of the words: "Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk" (v. supra), ought not this passage according to him to have read, "in the mother's" rather than "in his mother's"? For if the "kid" represents the spirit of impurity and the "mother" the Shekinah, dare one thus assert that the Community of Israel (the Shekinah) is the "mother" of the spirit of impurity-the Community of Israel, concerning whom R. Simeon has said that the Holy Mother is the very essence of Israel, part and parcel of her being, as it is written: "For the Lord's portion is his people" (Deut. XXXII, 9)?' R. Simeon replied: 'Your question is good, and yet R. Abba's remark is correct. See now. Two powers hold fast to the Shekinah, imbibing strength from Her strength, and clinging one to Her right hand and one to Her left. Therefore some incline towards the right and some towards the left, and all depend upon this holy "Mother". But the things of the Left are attached to this Mother only when she herself imbibes from the "other side", and the sanctuary is defiled and the mighty serpent begins to manifest himself. Then "the kid sucks of his mother's milk", and judgement is aroused. For this reason the Israelites hastened to bring the firstfruits, and when the priest had taken the basket of fruit from the hands of an Israelite and set it down before the altar, the latter would begin to recite the story of how Laban ("the Syrian", cf. Deut. XXVI, 5) came with his witchcraft to subject Jacob and his holy descendants, but did not succeed, and Israel was not delivered to the "other side". It is concerning this that it is written: "The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord Thy God. Thou shalt not seethe the kid in his mother's milk", so that the "kid", namely the "other side", should not suck the milk of his "mother", and the sanctuary be not defiled, and the severe judgements be not roused. Therefore the holy seed is prohibited to eat flesh together with milk, [33] in order that a place in holiness should not be allotted to him who does not belong to it; for on this action the thing depends: the act below affects the activity above. Blessed are the Israelites above all the heathen nations for that their Lord says concerning them: "Ye are the children of the Lord your God"; "Thou art an holy people to the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself above all the nations that are upon the earth" (Deut. XIV, I, 2).

'It is set forth in the mysteries of King Solomon's book that he who eats a composite of flesh and milk, or drinks milk shortly after eating meat, will appear for a space of forty days to the vision of the accusing angels in the aspect of a slaughtered goat, with myriads of impure powers [125b] surrounding him, and he causes unholy judgements to be awakened in the world. And should he beget a son during those forty days, the latter will imbibe his soul and the breath of his spirit from the "other side". It says: "Ye shall sanctify yourself and ye shall be holy" (Lev. XI, 44), which signifies that he who endeavours to be holy is assisted from above, and, contrariwise, he who defiles himself is drawn on to defilement by the unholy powers, as it is written in the preceding verse (43): "Ye shall not make yourselves unclean ... that ye shall be defiled." This is an impurity which is exceedingly gross, and which cannot be done away with by means of purification as can other defilements. Besides, such a person, having come to look, even in outer seeming, like a goat -- as we have said -- goes in constant fear of wild animals, for the human image has disappeared from both his inner and his outer aspects. R. Jesse used at one time to allow the eating of chicken with cheese or with milk. But R. Simeon said unto him: 'Thou must not permit this, lest thou thereby open the door to evil powers. Does one not say to a Nazarite: "Go away, go away, depart and come not near the vineyard!"? I say to thee, thou must not do this thing I If thou allowest such prohibited minglings of foods it is as though thou gavest wine unto a Nazarite. It is written: "Thou shalt not eat any abomination" (Deut. XIV, 3), where the word "any" includes every kind and sort of food which is forbidden.' There is a tradition that Daniel, Hananniah, Mishael and Azariah were delivered from their trials only because they had not defiled themselves with forbidden food. Said R. Judah: 'It is written: "And Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat" (Dan. I, 8), and there is a tradition that the wicked Nebuchadnezzar used, apart from the other strange dishes for which he had a partiality, to eat flesh with milk and cheese with meat. Because Daniel refrained from partaking of such food, when he was thrown into the lions' den, he attained fully to the image of the Lord, his perfected human form not changing to any other, so that the lions were struck with awe before him and did him no harm. On the other hand, when the wicked Nebuchadnezzar was deprived of his kingdom and he dwelt with the beasts of the field, his human countenance was taken away from him and from that day he did not bear the impress of a man, so that all the beasts of the field considered him as one of themselves. and would readily have devoured him, had it not been that it was decreed from heaven that he should become an object of derision to all men, just as he in his time had "scoffed at kings" (Hab. I, 10). It is written concerning Daniel and his companions that "at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter than the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat" (Dan. I, 5). This was because the image of their Lord was not removed from them, whereas from those others it was. What was the cause of this? The fact that they did not pollute themselves with the abomination of the prohibited food. Blessed are the Israelites who are called to be a "holy people"!'

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AND TO MOSES HE SAID, COME UP UNTO THE LORD. Who said this? The Shekinah. "Come up unto the Lord": as it is written, "And Moses went up to God" (Ex. XIX, 3). And for what other purpose was Moses called up? To establish the covenant, for until that time it had not yet been completed because of the incomplete circumcision of the Israelites, as it is written: "There (at Marah) he made for them a statute and an ordinance" (Ex. XV, 25), these referring to the two acts connected with circumcision; "and there he proved them" (Ibid.), that is, when the holy sign of the covenant was manifested in them. Then the covenant was established through Moses, as it is written: "And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant ... " (Ibid. XXIV, 8). R. Isaac drew attention to the verse: "And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins ; and half of the blood he sprinkled upon the altar" (Ibid. V, 6). 'The "upon" " said he, 'is of special significance, indicating that the covenant was made with the highest grade.'

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AND WORSHIP YE AFAR OFF. The words "afar off" contain the same indication as in the verses, "The Lord appeared to me from afar" (Jer. XXXI, 2), and "and his sister stood afar off" (Ex. II, 4): namely, as R. Abba pointed out, that until that time the Moon (that is, the Shekinah) was on the wane, for Her light was obscured from before the eyes of the Israelites; but when that hour was arrived they were made more worthy of their holy portion, and established a holy covenant with Her and with the Holy One in all His aspects.

Why did the Shekinah say to Moses, "Go up to the Lord"? In order that "Israel and I may now, through thy mediation, participate as one being in the Divine perfection, which has not been the case hitherto". So what did Moses do? He .divided the blood into two parts: "half of the blood he sprinkled upon [126a] the altar" -- according to the significance which we have already revealed -- and the other half he sprinkled upon the people and said: "behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you" (v. 8). HE PUT THE BLOOD IN BASINS. This is an allusion to the words: "Thy navel is a round basin" (S.S. VII, 7), which is applied to the Shekinah.

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AND MOSES ALONE SHALL COME NEAR TO THE LORD. Happy was the lot of Moses in obtaining a privilege vouchsafed to no other mortal! The Israelites, too, attained to more exalted heights than ever before. In that hour they were established in the holy covenant, and given the glad tidings that a sanctuary should be erected in their midst, as it is written: "And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them" (XXV, 8).

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AND THEY SAW THE GOD OF ISRAEL, AND THERE WAS UNDER HIS FEET AS IT WERE A PAVED WORK OF A SAPPHIRE STONE. Said R. Judah: 'It is written: "This thy stature is like to a palm tree" (S.S. VII, 8). What love, indeed, has the Holy One bestowed upon the Community of Israel in that He never separates Himself from her, but is perpetually and perfectly united with her, even as a palm tree in which male and female are one in complete and continual union! See now. When Nadab and Abihu and the seventy elders "saw", what did they actually see? "They saw the God of Israel", that is to say, the Shekinah manifested Herself unto them.' But R. Jose interpreted the demonstrative pronoun eth in this verse ("and they saw eth the God of Israel") as denoting something more, over and above R. Judah's exposition, a kind of extra quality of enlightenment, as it were-although what they saw they saw from a distance. R. Isaac asked: [It says here, "Under his feet was as it were a work of sapphire stone, but Ezekiel said] "This is the living creature (Hayah) which I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar" (Ezek. X, 20). Now, which Hayah is here indicated?' R. Jose replied in the name of R. Hiya that the reference is to the little Hayah. [34] 'But is there then such a little Hayah?' 'Yes, assuredly there is. There is a little one and a superior one, [35] and there is also a very little one. [36] As for the last part of the verse which is being treated, namely: "And under His feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone" -- what was this which they saw? They beheld the precious stone with which the Holy One will build the future Sanctuary, as it is written: "I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with sapphires" (Isa. LIV, 11).'

***

HE LAID NOT HIS HAND UPON THE NOBLES OF ISRAEL; AND THEY SAW GOD AND DID EAT AND DRINK. "The nobles of Israel" refers to Nadab and Abihu: their punishment was postponed. R. Jose declared that these words were said in praise of them, for "they did eat and drink": that is to say, they feasted their eyes on this splendour. Said R. Judah: 'It was indeed a true partaking and a true nourishing, and a most veritable and perfect uniting with the supernal world. Oh, if they only had not later sinned!' R. Eleazar said: 'Israel also at that time [37] became qualified for a revelation, and the Shekinah was united with them, and the making of the Covenant and the giving of the Torah all took place at one and the same time; and never again was such a sight vouchsafed to Israel. In the time which is to come the Holy One, blessed be He, will reveal Himself unto His children, so that they shall perceive His full glory eye to eye and face to face, as it is written: "For they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion" (Isa. LII, 8); and it is also written: "And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together" (Ibid. XL, 5).'

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Notes:

1. The klifah, or evil spirit.

2. According to a tradition, the Shekinah departed from the Sanctuary at the time of the Exile in ten stages.

3. Alluding to a discussion on the word be" (understanding), the numerical value of which is fifty-two.

4. Hokmah.

5. Binah.

6. Nezah and Hod.

7. Tifereth.

8. Samael.

9. The levir, or husband's brother. v. Deut. XXV, 8, 9.

10. v. T. B. Chagigah, sub fin.

11. Lit. "We give thanks": the opening word of one of the Eighteen Benedictions. Cf. T. B. Daba Kama, 16a.

12. v. Zohar, Genesis 39b, 400.

13. v. T. B. Sotah, 2a.

14. v. Zohar. Genesis, 29a.

15. i.e. in virtue of the fact that the Shekinah can be called sometimes "Daughter" and sometimes "Mother".

16. v. T. B. Sanhedrin, 106b.

17. Because it symbolizes Malkuth, the sphere of feminine souls.

18. v. Midrash Rabba, in loco.

19. v. Zohar, Genesis 2a.

20. Metatron, v. page 282.

21. Which is the source of all souls.

22. Cf. T. B. Sanhedrin, 107b.

23. i.e. the thirteen words in the verse.

24. Al. "and puts him under the domination of the Jubilee year".

25. i.e. in posse.

26. i.e. in esse.

27. v. T. B. Nedarim, 55a; Erubin, 54a.

28. The pages omitted belong to the Ray'a Mehemna.

29.According to the Haggadah, Moses and certain other saints died "by the kiss of God".

30. Cf. Aboth de R. Nathan, XXXIII.

31. i.e. because the Angel here denominates Malkuth.

32. That the Angel here denominates Metatron.

33. v. Onkelos to Ex. XXIII, 19.

34. Metatron.

35. Malkuth.

36. Sandalphon.

37. The Zohar evidently adopts the view that the events recorded in this chapter (Ex. XXIV) took place "before the giving of the Law. v. Rashi, ad loc.

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