Acharei Mot: Chapter 8

"And their faces shall look one to another"

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon says that when the priest heard the voices of the Cherubs he placed the incense in the right place and had the correct intent, so that the blessings should flow to all. The wings of the cherubs were moving up and down, singing and covering the ark. We learn that the Cherubs are male and female, which establishes equity. Rabbi Yitzchak says that whenever there are not both female and male present, one is not worthy to look at the Shechinah.

Ark Blessing Correction Ezekiel Face Flow (Holy) Temple Incense Priests Singing

55. When the priest heard their voices in the Temple, he placed the incense in its right place and meditated on something, in order that the blessing should flow to all. The wings of the Cherubs were moving up and down, singing and covering the ark. Then they would raise them. This is the meaning of "overspreading." "Overspreading" is exact. Where do we derive that their voices were heard? NAMELY from the verse, "I heard the noise of their wings" (Yechezkel 1:24).

55. וְקַלְהוֹן הֲוָה שָׁמַע כַּהֲנָא בְּמַקְדְּשָׁא, כְּדֵין שַׁוֵּי קְטֺרֶת בְּאַתְרֵיהּ, וְאִתְכְּוָון בְּמָה דְּאִתְכָּוַּון, בְּגִין דְּיִתְבְּרַךְ כֺּלָּא. וְגַדְפֵּי כְּרוּבְיָיא, סַלְּקִין וְנַחְתִּין, וְזַמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא, מְחַפְּיָין לְכַפּוֹרְתָּא וְסַלְקֵי לְהוּ. הה"ד סוֹכְכִים סוֹכְכִים. דַּיְיקָא ומנ"ל דְּקַלֵהוֹן אִשְׁתְּמַע, כד"א וָאֶשְׁמַע אֶת קוֹל וְגוֹ.'

Love Metatron Sandalfon Shechinah Zeir Anpin

56. Rabbi Yosi said, "And the people with equity (Heb. meisharim)" (Tehilim 98:9): What is meant by Meisharim? HE ANSWERS: As the verse says, "sincerely (Heb. meisharim) they love you" (Shir Hashirim 1:4). THE SHECHINAH includes BY THIS the two Cherubs, METATRON AND SANDALPHON, who are assuredly called "meisharim," and IT SAYS about this, "And the people with equity (Heb. meisharim)." BEFORE THIS, IT IS WRITTEN, "WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL HE JUDGE THE WORLD" (Tehilim 98:9) AND "JUDGE" REFERS TO ZEIR ANPIN, WHILE "RIGHTEOUSNESS" DENOTES MALCHUT. LATER, THE VERSE INCLUDES ALSO THE CHERUBS AND THUS SAYS, "AND THE PEOPLE WITH EQUITY."

56. א"ר יוֹסֵי, וְעַמִּים בְּמֵישָׁרִים. מַהוּ בְּמֵישָׁרִים. כד"א, מֵישָׁרִים אֲהֵבוּךָ, לְאַכְלְלָא תְּרֵין כְּרוּבִין, דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא, מֵישָׁרִים וַדַּאי. וְעַל דָּא, וְעַמִּים בְּמֵישָׁרִים.

Ark Face Female Male Shechinah Testimony

57. It is written, "Then he heard the voice speaking to him from off the covering that was upon the ark of Testimony, from between the two Cherubs: and it spoke to him" (Bemidbar 7:89). Rabbi Yitzchak said: From here, we learned that whenever there are not both male and female present, one is not worthy to behold the presence of the Shechinah. THEREFORE, HE HEARD THE VOICE SPEAKING ONLY FROM BETWEEN THE TWO CHERUBS. This is the intent of the verse, "The upright (Heb. yesharim) shall dwell in Your presence" (Tehilim 140:14), MEANING THE CHERUBS REFERRED TO AS MEISHARIM. We have learned that there is a verse, "Just and right is He" (Devarim 32:4), DENOTING male and female. "JUST" REFERS TO THE MALE, MEANING YESOD, AND "RIGHT" REFERS TO THE FEMALE, MEANING MALCHUT. Here also, the Cherubs are male and female, as it is written of them, "You have established equity (Heb. meisharim in the plural)" (Tehilim 99:4) AND ALSO "the people with equity (Heb. meisharim)," AS MENTIONED ABOVE. For this reason, "And their faces shall look one to another" (Shemot 25:20), THE SECRET OF FACE TO FACE UNION, as we have established.

57. וּכְתִיב, וְיִּשְׁמַע אֶת הַקּוֹל מִדַּבֵּר אֵלָיו מִבֵּין שְׁנֵי הַכְּרוּבִים וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו. ר' יִצְחָק אָמַר, מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא דִּבְכָל אֲתַר דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא, לָאו כְּדַאי לְמֵחֱמֵי אַפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא. הה"ד, יֵשְׁבוּ יְשָׁרִים אֶת פָּנֶיךָ, וְתָנֵינָן, כְּתִיב, צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר הוּא, דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא, אוּף הָכָא כְּרוּבִים דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא. וְעָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב, אַתָּה כּוֹנַנְתָּ מֵישָׁרִים. וְעַמִּים בְּמֵישָׁרִים. וּבְגִּינֵי כַּךְ, וּפְנֵיהֶם אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא.

<
>