"While the King was reclining at his board"

Synopsis

Rabbi Aba opens by saying that the title verse means that Yisrael emitted a wonderful fragrance when they stood at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah. While Moses went up to receive the tablets, Yisrael deserted their wonderful fragrance and turned to the golden calf. Rabbi Aba explains the verses from the esoteric point of view, telling us about the flow of wisdom and understanding down from the highest realms and culminating in the union of Zeir Anpin and Malchut; this brings blessings to every level.

Crowns Fragrance Golden Calf Moses Mount Sinai Stone Tablets Torah

100. Rabbi Aba opened the discussion with the verse, "While the king was reclining at his board, my nard sent forth its fragrance" (Shir Hashirim 1:12). This verse has been explained by the friends. When the Holy One, blessed be He, was ready and present on Mount Sinai to give Torah to Yisrael, "my nard sent forth its fragrance," as Yisrael emitted a wonderful fragrance that has shielded them for countless generations. This was what they said then, "All that Hashem has said will we do, and obey" (Shemot 24:7). Another explanation of, "While the King was reclining at his board:" While Moses went up to receive the Torah from the Holy One, blessed be He, which was engraved within the two tablets of stone, Yisrael deserted that wonderful fragrance that crowned them and said to the golden calf, "These are your Elohim, Yisrael" (Shemot 32:4).

100. פָּתַח ר' אַבָּא וְאָמַר עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ נִרְדִּי נָתַן רֵיחוֹ. הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִשְׁתְּכַח וְזַמִּין בְּטוּרָא דְּסִינַי, לְמֵיהַב אוֹרַיְיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, נִרְדִּי נָתַן רֵיחוֹ, יִשְׂרָאֵל יָהֲבוּ וּסְלִיקוּ רֵיחָא טַב, דְּקָאֵים וְאָגִין עָלַיְיהוּ לְדָרֵי דָּרִין. וְאָמְרוּ, כָּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְיָ' נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע. ד"א עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ, בְּעוֹד דְּסָלִיק מֺשֶׁה לְקַבְּלָא אוֹרַיְיתָא מְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאִתְחֲקָק בִּתְרֵי לוּחֵי אֲבָנִין, יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁבְקוּ הַהוּא רֵיחָא טָבָא דַּהֲוָה מִתְעַטֵּר עָלַיְיהוּ, וְאָמְרוּ לָעֵגֶל, אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל.

Aba and Ima Crowns Eden Job Mochin Rivers Streams Water Wisdom Zeir Anpin

101. Now, LET US EXPLAIN this verse from the standpoint of the secret of wisdom. Come and see, "And a river went out of Eden to water the garden" (Beresheet 2:10). This river, DENOTING BINAH, spreads on all sides when this Eden, NAMELY CHOCHMAH, joins with it in complete union in this path not known above or below, DENOTING YESOD OF CHOCHMAH, as in the verse, "There is a path which no bird of prey knows" (Iyov 28:7). Thus, CHOCHMAH AND BINAH desire not to part from one another. Then fountains and streams exit FROM THEM, DENOTING THE MOCHIN OF ZEIR ANPIN, and crown the holy son, ZEIR ANPIN THE SON OF YUD HEI, with all these crowns, DENOTING MOCHIN. It is then written, "With the crown with which his mother crowned him" (Shir Hashirim 3:11), DENOTING MOCHIN ALSO KNOWN AS CROWN. At that time, that son ZEIR ANPIN will inherit the inheritance of his father and mother, NAMELY THE MOCHIN THAT EXUDES FROM THE UNION OF CHOCHMAH AND BINAH THAT ARE REFERRED TO AS ABA AND IMA. Then, He will delight in pleasures.

101. הַשְׁתָּא הַאי קְרָא בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא הוּא, ת"ח, כְּתִיב וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן, הַאי נַהֲרָא אִתְפְּשָׁט בְּסִטְרוֹי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִזְדְּוַּוג עִמֵּיהּ בְּזִוּוּגָא שְׁלִים, הַאי עֵדֶן בְּהַהוּא נָתִיב, דְּלָא אִתְיְידַע לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, כד"א נָתִיב לֹא יְדָעוֹ עָיִט. וְאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בִּרְעוּתָא דְּלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁן תְּדִירָא חַד מֵחַד. כְּדֵין נָפְקִין מַבּוּעִין וּנְחָלִין, וּמְעַטְּרִין לְבֵן קַדִּישָׁא, בְּכָל אִינּוּן כִּתְרִין, כְּדֵין כְּתִיב בַּעֲטָרָה שֶׁעִטְּרָה לּוֹ אִמּוֹ. וּבְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא יָרִית הַהוּא בֵּן אַחֲסַנְתָּא דַּאֲבוֹי וְאִמֵּיהּ, כְּדֵין הוּא אִשְׁתַּעֲשַׁע, בְּהַהוּא עִנּוּגָא וְתַפְנוּקָא.

Aba and Ima Blessing Crowns Fragrance Grades Mochin Nukva Praise Wine Zeir Anpin

102. We have learned that when the supernal King, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, with delicacies fit for kings sits crowned, it is written, "While the king was reclining at his board, my nard sent forth its fragrance." "MY NARD" refers to Yesod that emits blessings so that the holy King, ZEIR ANPIN, joins with the Queen, NAMELY MALCHUT. Then blessings are given to the worlds and those in the upper and lower worlds are blessed. Now the holy luminary is crowned by this level, MEANING THE MOCHIN OF ZEIR ANPIN FROM ABA AND IMA, ALSO KNOWN AS CROWNS. He and the friends lift up the praise from below upward, NAMELY FROM MAYIM NUKVIN (FEMALE WATERS), and MALCHUT crowns herself with these praises AS SHE JOINS WITH ZEIR ANPIN. Now there are blessings to pour from above downward to all friends of this MENTIONED level. Rabbi Elazar, his son, should now say some of the praiseworthy words he heard from his father.

102. וְתָאנָא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה בְּתַפְנוּקֵי מַלְכִין, יָתִיב בְּעִטְרוֹי, כְּדֵין כְּתִיב עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ נִרְדִּי נָתַן רֵיחוֹ. דָּא יְסוֹד דְּאַפִּיק בִּרְכָאן לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא בְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא. וּכְדֵין אִתְיַיהֲבוּן בִּרְכָאן בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין, וּמִתְבָּרְכָן עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין. וְהַשְׁתָּא הָא בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא מִתְעַטָּר בְּעִטְרוֹי דְּהַאי דַּרְגָּא, וְהוּא וְחַבְרַיָּיא סְלִיקוּ תּוּשְׁבְּחָן מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא, וְהִיא מִתְעַטְּרָא בְּאִינּוּן תּוּשְׁבְּחָן. הַשְׁתָּא אִית לְאַפָּקָא בִּרְכָאן לְכֻלְּהוּ חַבְרַיָּיא מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא, בְּהַאי דַּרְגָּא קַדִּישָׁא, ור' אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ לֵימָא מֵאִינּוּן מִלִּין מְעַלְּיָין דְּאוֹלִיף מֵאֲבוֹי.