Acharei Mot: Chapter 58

Batsheba

Synopsis

The formerly marked man, Elazar, tells Rabbi Aba of a time when a passerby told him that his red cow is called Bathsheba, mother of Solomon, as long as he merits forgiveness. Rabbi Aba explains to him that it was because everything referring to the cow is in sevens, and all pertain to sacrifice and cleansing.

Bread Cows Flesh Merit Red Red Cow Sin Solomon Year

353. THIS MAN ELAZAR prostrated himself before him. He brought him home, prepared three measures of bread and a three year old calf. After eating, the man said to him: Rabbi, tell me one thing. I had a red cow, the mother of this calf whose flesh we are eating. One day, before she became pregnant and gave birth, I followed her to her pasture in the desert. As I led her, a man came by and asked me for the name of the cow. I replied that from the day she was born, I never called her by name. He said to me: Batsheba, mother of Solomon, is she called if you merit forgiveness FOR YOUR SINS. When I turned around, I saw him no more. I laughed at this thing.

353. אִשְׁתָּטַּח קָמֵיהּ, אַיְיתֵיהּ לְבֵיתֵיהּ, אַתְקִין קָמֵיהּ טְרַטִיסָאֵי דְּנַהֲמָא, וּבִשְׂרָא דְּעֶגְלָא תְּלִיתָאָה. בָּתַר דְּאָכְלוּ, א"ל הַהוּא גַּבְרָא, ר,' אֵימָא לִי חַד מִלָּה, חָדָּא תּוֹרָתָא סוּמָקָא אִית לִי, אִימָּא דְּעֶגְלָא דְּבִישְׂרָא דָּא דַּאֲכִילְנָא, וְיוֹמָא חַד עַד לָא אִתְעַבְּרַת וְאוֹלִידַת, אֲזִילְנָא בַּתְרָאָה לְמַרְעָא לְמַדְבְּרָא, עַד דְּדָבַּרְנָא לָהּ אַעְבָּר קָמַאי חַד גַּבְרָא, א"ל, מַה שְׁמָהּ דְּתוֹרָתָא דָּא. אֲמֵינָא, מִן יוֹמָא דְּאִתְיְילִידַת לָא קָרֵינָּא לָהּ בִּשְׁמָא. א"ל, בַּת שֶׁבַע אֵם שְׁלֹמֺה אִתְקְרֵי, אִי תִּזְכֶּה לְכַפָּרָה. וַאֲנָא בְּעוֹד דְּאָהָדַרְנָא רֵישָׁאי, לָא חֲמֵינָא לֵיהּ, וְחָיִיכְנָא מֵהַהוּא מִלָּה.

Fear Light Torah Wisdom

354. Now that I have merited Torah, I have been rushed up again about that matter. From the day Rabbi Samlai departed from here, there was no one who could shed light on Torah as he. I fear to state words of Torah that I have not learned. The thing THAT MAN TOLD ME, I have realized it to be a matter of wisdom, but I do not understand it. He replied: It surely is a matter of wisdom, being a supernal hint above and below.

354. וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּזָכִינָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אִתְּעַרְנָא עַל הַהִיא מִלָּה, וּמִן יוֹמָא דְּאִתְפְּטָר ר' שַׂמְלָאי מֵהָכָא, לָא הֲוָה ב"נ דְּיַנְהִיר לָן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא כְּוָותֵיהּ. וַאֲנָא דָּחִילְנָא לְמֵימַר מִלָּה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דְּלָא אוֹלִיפְנָא. וּמִלָּה דָּא דְּאִסְתַּכַּלְנָא דְּמִלָּה דְּחָכְמְתָא הִיא, וְלָא יְדַעְנָא. אָ"ל, וַדַּאי מִלָּה דְּחָכְמְתָא הִיא, וּרְמִיזָא עִלָּאָה הִיא לְעֵילָּא וּלְתַתָּא.

Aaron Cows Daughter Female Male Moses Ox Priests Red Red Cow Seven Wisdom

355. Come and see: SHE, THE RED COW, is actually called Batsheba according to the secret of wisdom, DENOTING MALCHUT NAMED COW FROM HER LEFT ASPECT, AS THE MALE IS CALLED AN OX AND THE FEMALE A COW. SHE IS RED DUE TO GVUROT. That is why everything referring to her is in sevens, FOR IN THE CHAPTER THERE IS MENTION OF cow seven TIMES; ALSO, seven burnings, seven sprinkles, seven washings, seven unclean, seven clean and seven priests with Moses and Aaron included in the count of seven. THEY ARE ALSO CALLED PRIESTS, as it is written IN THE CHAPTER, "And Hashem spoke to Moses and Aaron..." (Bemidbar 19:2). That man that spoke of Batsheba (lit. 'daughter of seven') spoke very well. All this pertains to the secret of wisdom.

355. אֲבָל ת"ח, בַּת שֶׁבַע אִתְקְרֵי מַמָּשׁ בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא. בְּג"כ כְּתִיב בָּהּ כֺּלָּא בִּשְׁבַע. ז' פָּרוֹת. ז' שְׂרֵפוֹת. ז' הֲזָאוֹת. ז' כִּבּוּסִים. ז' טְמֵאִים. ז' טְהוֹרִים. ז' כֺּהֲנִים. וּמֺשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֺן בְּחוּשְׁבְּנָא דְּהָא כְּתִיב, וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֶל מֺשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֺן וְגוֹ.' וְשַׁפִּיר קָאָמַר הַהוּא גַּבְרָא, דְּאָמַר בַּת שֶׁבַע, וְכֺלָּא רָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא הִיא.

Merit Peace

356. He said to him: Blessed is the Merciful One that I was able to hear this thing. Blessed is he who offered me first a greeting of peace, in order to merit this, as it is written, "'Peace, peace, both for far and near,' says Hashem" (Yeshayah 57:19). When I was far off, the Holy One, blessed be He, greeted me first in peace, MEANING HE INVITED ME to be near. Rabbi Aba announced about him, "Peace be both to you, and peace to your house, and peace to all that you have" (I Shmuel 25:6).

356. אָ"ל, בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּשָׁמַעְנָא מִלָּה דָּא. בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּהָא אַקְדִּים לִי שְׁלָם בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, לְמִזְכֵּי לְהַאי. דִּכְתִּיב שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם לָרָחוֹק וְלַקָּרוֹב אָמַר יְיָ.' אֲנָא כַּד הֲוֵינָא רָחוֹק, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַקְדִּים לִי שְׁלָם לְמֶהֱוֵי קָרוֹב. קָרָא עָלֵיהּ ר' אַבָּא, אַתָּה שָׁלוֹם וּבֵיתְךָ שָׁלוֹם וְכֺל אֲשֶׁר לְךָ שָׁלוֹם.

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