"Rejoice with Jerusalem"

Synopsis

Rabbi Elazar begins by saying that God and all His hosts pay attention to whoever speaks the words of the Torah because the Torah is so loved by Him. Whoever performs one precept of the Torah causes it to awaken above; this makes peace above and below. Rabbi Elazar says that people are to rejoice only when they are in the Holy Land, but not when they do not live there. Rabbi Aba adds that one may rejoice only when Jerusalem is in a state of happiness, but never when Yisrael is in exile. We learn of why Hashem should be served with gladness and yet also with fear and trembling.

Hosts Israel Jerusalem Love Torah

21. "Every man of the children of Yisrael shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house" (Bemidbar 2:2). Rabbi Elazar began the discussion with, "Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad with her, all you that love her..." (Yeshayah 66:10). How beloved the Torah is before the Holy One, blessed be He, for wherever the words of the Torah are heard, the Holy One, blessed be He, and all His hosts pay attention to His words. And the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to live with him. That is the meaning of, "in all places where I cause My Name to be pronounced..." (Shemot 20:21). And in addition to this, his enemies fall before him. This has already been explained.

21. אִישׁ עַל דִּגְלוֹ בְאוֹתוֹת לְבֵית אֲבוֹתָם יַחֲנוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ.' רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח, שִׂמְחוּ אֶת יְרוּשָׁלַםִ וְגִילוּ בָּהּ כָּל אֹהֲבֶיהָ וְגוֹ.' כַּמָה חֲבִיבָא אוֹרַיְיתָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּהָא בְּכָל אֲתָר דְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִשְׁתְּמָעוּ, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְכָל חַיָּילִין דִּילֵיהּ כֻּלְּהוּ צַיְיתִין לְמִלוּלֵיהּ. וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָתֵי לְדַיְּירָא עִמֵּיהּ, הה"ד בְּכָל הַמָקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי וְגוֹ.' וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּשַׂנְאוֹי נַפְלִין קַמֵּיהּ, וְהָא אוֹקְמוּהָ.

Peace Precepts Strength Torah Zeir Anpin

22. Come and behold: the commandments of the Torah are supernal above. A man comes and performs one precept. That precept stands up before the Holy One, blessed be He, and decorates itself and says, 'This person has made me and I am from him.' For he awakens it above. As he arouses it below, it awakens above and makes peace above and below, THAT IS, HE BRINGS ABOUT A BOND BETWEEN ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, WHICH ARE REFERRED TO AS 'ABOVE' AND 'BELOW,' as it was said, "Or let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me" (Yeshayah 27:5). "That he may make peace with Me," that is, above IN ZEIR ANPIN; "and he shall make peace with Me," that is below, IN MALCHUT. Happy is the lot of that man who performs the precepts of the Torah.

22. ת"ח, פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא עִלָּאִין אִינּוּן לְעֵילָּא. אָתֵי בַּר נָשׁ וְעָבֵיד פִּקּוּדָא חֲדָא, הַהוּא פִּקּוּדָא קַיְּימָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּמִתְעַטְּרָא קַמֵּיהּ, וְאָמַר פְּלַנְיָיא עֲבַד לִי, וּמִן פְּלַנְיָיא אֲנָא, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אִתְּעַר לֵיהּ לְעֵילָּא. כְּגַוְונָא דְּאִיהוּ אִתְּעַר לֵיהּ לְתַתָּא, ה"נ אִתְּעַר לְעֵילָּא, וְעָבֵיד שְׁלָמָא לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר, אוֹ יַחֲזֵק בְּמָעוּזִּי יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם לִי שָׁלוֹם יַעֲשֶׂה לִי. יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם לִי, לְעֵילָּא. שָׁלוֹם יַעֲשֶׂה לִּי, לְתַתָּא. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, דְּעָבֵיד פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא.

Holy Land Israel Jerusalem Women Zeir Anpin

23. "Rejoice with Jerusalem..." That is because festivity is prevalent only when Yisrael reside in the Holy Land. It is there that the woman conjugates with her husband, THAT IS, ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT. Then it is time for everyone to rejoice, above and below. During the time when Yisrael are not living in the Holy Land, a man is not permitted to rejoice and show joy, as it is written: "Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her." This is meant precisely, THAT IS, WHEN YISRAEL ARE IN IT.

23. שִׂמְחוּ אֶת יְרוּשָׁלַםִ וְגוֹ,' בְּגִין דְּחֶדְוָה לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח, אֶלָּא בְּזִמְנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל קַיְימֵי בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא. דְּתַמָּן אִתְחַבְּרַת אִתְּתָא בְּבַעְלָהּ, וּכְדֵין הוּא חֶדְוָותָא דְּכֹלָּא, חֶדְוָותָא דְּעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא. בְּזִמְנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, אָסִיר לֵיהּ לב"נ לְמֵחֱדֵי, וּלְאַחְזָאָה חֵידוּ. דִּכְתִּיב, שִׂמְחוּ אֶת יְרוּשָׁלַםִ וְגִילוּ בָהּ וְגוֹ,' וְגִילוּ בָהּ דַּיְיקָא.

Babylon Exile Jerusalem Shechinah

24. Rabbi Aba observed one man who was rejoicing in the house of a tyrant in Babylon. He kicked and scolded him and said: It is written, "Rejoice with Jerusalem." During a time when Jerusalem is in happiness, a person is required to rejoice, AND NOT DURING THE TIME OF THE EXILE. Rabbi Elazar follows this reasoning in saying, "Rejoice with Jerusalem," namely as it is written, "serve Hashem with gladness" (Tehilim 100:2) - WHICH MEANS THAT JERUSALEM IS THE SHECHINAH, AND IT IS OBLIGATORY TO SERVE HER AND MAKE HER HAPPY.

24. רִבִּי אַבָּא חָמָא חַד ב"נ, דַּהֲוָה חַדֵּי בְּבֵי טְרוֹנְיָיא דְּבָבֶל, בָּטַשׁ בֵּיהּ, אָמַר שִׂמְחוּ אֶת יְרוּשָׁלַםִ כְּתִיב, בְּזִמְנָא דִּירוּשְׁלֵם בְּחֶדְוָה, בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְמֶחְדֵּי. ר' אֶלְעָזָר לְטַעְמֵיהּ, דְּאָמַר שִׂמְחוּ אֶת יְרוּשָׁלַםִ, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב עִבְדוּ אֶת יְיָ' בְּשִׂמְחָה.

Congregation Exile Fear Holy Land Israel

25. One verse says, "Serve Hashem with gladness" (Tehilim 100:2), and one says, "Serve Hashem with fear, and rejoice with trembling" (Tehilim 2:11). What is the difference between them? HE ANSWERS: One speaks of the time when Yisrael live in the Holy Land, THAT IS, WHEN THEY SERVE HASHEM HAPPILY, and one speaks of a time when Yisrael live in other lands - THEN IT IS NECESSARY TO SERVE HASHEM IN FEAR AND REJOICE WHILE TREMBLING. "Serve Hashem with fear." This refers to the Congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY MALCHUT at a time when she is in exile among the nations.

25. כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר, עִבְדוּ אֶת יְיָ' בְּשִׂמְחָה, וְכָתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר, עִבְדוּ אֶת יְיָ' בְּיִרְאָה וְגִילוּ בִּרְעָדָה. מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי. אֶלָּא, כָּאן בְּזִמְנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁרָאן בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא. כָּאן בְּזִמְנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁרָאן בְּאַרְעָא אַחֲרָא. עִבְדוּ אֶת יְיָ' בְּיִרְאָה, דָּא כ"י, בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִיהִי בְּגָלוּתָא בֵּינֵי עֲמַמְיָא.

Congregation Exile Israel Matron Mountains Point

26. Rabbi Yehuda said the scripture says, "For you shall go out with joy" (Yeshayah 55:12), referring to the Congregation of Yisrael. And since it says, "You shall go out," IT MEANS from exile, and it is called 'a rejoicing;' THUS, EVEN WHILE STILL RESIDING IN THE EXILE, WE CALL IT 'A REJOICING.' He replied to him: Certainly, that is the way it is. During all the time she is in exile and lies in the dust, you cannot call it 'happiness' until the Holy One, blessed be He, comes and raises her from the dust, and says to her, "Shake yourself from the dust" (Yeshayah 52:2); "Arise, shine..." (Yeshayah 60:1). And then they will join together. At that point it is called 'rejoicing.' That will be happiness for everyone and then certainly, "you shall go out with joy." Then, many legions will go out to greet and receive the Matron to the joyous festivity of the King, as it is written: "the mountains and the hills shall break forth" (Yeshayah 55:12); and further, "for Hashem will go before you; and the Elohim of Yisrael will be your rearguard" (Yeshayah 52:12).

26. אָמַר ר' יְהוּדָה, וְהָא כְּתִיב כִּי בְּשִׂמְחָה תֵצֵאוּ, וְדָא הִיא כ"י, כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר תֵצֵאוּ, מִן גָּלוּתָא הוּא, וְאִקְרֵי שִׂמְחָה. א"ל, וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, דְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּאִיהִי בְּגָלוּתָא וּשְׁכִיבַת לְעַפְרָא, לָא אִקְרֵי שִׂמְחָה, עַד דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יֵיתֵי לְגַבָּהּ, וְיוֹקִים לָהּ מֵעַפְרָא, וְיֵימָא הִתְנַעֲרִי מֵעָפָר וְגוֹ.' קוּמִי אוֹרִי וְגוֹ.' וְיִתְחַבְּרוּן כַּחֲדָא, כְּדֵין חֶדְוָותָא אִקְרֵי. חֶדְוָותָא דְּכֹלָּא, וּכְדֵין בְּשִׂמְחָה תֵצֵאוּ וַדַּאי. כְּדֵין כַּמָה חַיָּילִין יִפְּקוּן לָקֳבְלָא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, לְחֶדְוָותָא דְּהִלּוּלָא דְּמַלְכָּא, כד"א הֶהָרִים וְהַגְּבָעוֹת יִפְצְחוּ וְגוֹ,' וּכְתִיב כִּי הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיכֶם יְיָ' וּמְאַסִּפְכֶם וְגוֹ.'