"Give ear, O heavens - hear heavens"

Synopsis

Rabbi Chiya tells us about the time that Isaiah said, "Hear, heavens, and give ear, earth"; when Isaiah was then challenged by a voice he answered that it was not he himself who was speaking. And yet when Moses spoke it was indeed his own voice. Rabbi Yosi's interpretation is that Moses was addressing the supernal heaven and earth while Isaiah was addressing the lower heavens and earth.

Earth Heavens Isaiah Moses Prophets

6. הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה, רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּמֺשֶׁה, יַתִּיר מִכָּל נְבִיאֵי עָלְמָא. ת"ח, כְּתִיב שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמַיִם וְהַאֲזִינִי אֶרֶץ כִּי יְיָ' דִּבֵּר. שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמַיִם, יְשַׁעְיָה דַּהֲוָה יַתִּיר רְחִיקָא מִמַּלְכָּא, כְּתִיב שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמַיִם. מֺשֶׁה דַּהֲוָה יַתִּיר קָרִיב לְמַלְכָּא, כְּתִיב הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם.

Earth Fear Head Heavens Hebrew Letters Isaiah Moses Prosecution Tetragrammaton Yud Hei Vav Hei (YHVH)

7. We learned that when Isaiah said, "Hear, heavens, and give ear, earth," many prosecutors came to break his head. A voice resounded, saying, Who is that who wishes to shake worlds! Then he opened with the words, It is not I nor is it mine, but, "Hashem has spoken" and not I. Of Moses it is written, "Give ear, O (lit. 'the') heavens, and I will speak," I and no other. "I will speak" without fear, "and hear O (lit. 'the'), earth, the words of my mouth" and not anybody else's. Blessed is his portion. Rabbi Aba said, In the engraved letters of Rabbi Elazar HE SAID, In "Give (spelled with Vav) ear, the (Heb. Hei) heavens, and (Heb. Vav) I will speak; and hear, the (Heb. Hei) earth" the holy, supernal Name is alluded to, NAMELY YUD HEI VAV HEI.

7. תָּאנָא, בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּאָמַר יְשַׁעְיָהוּ שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמַיִם וְהַאֲזִינִי אֶרֶץ. כַּמָה גַּרְדִּינֵי טְהִירִין אִזְדְּמָנוּ לְתַּבְרָא רֵישֵׁיהּ, נָפְקָא קָלָא וְאָמַר, מַאן הוּא דֵּין דְּבָעֵי לְאַרְעֲשָׁא עָלְמִין, עַד דְּפָתַח וְאָמַר, לָאו אֲנָא, וְלָאו דִּידִי, אֶלָּא כִּי יְיָ' דִּבֵּר, וְלָא אֲנָא. בְּמֺשֶׁה מַה כְּתִיב. הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה, אֲנָא וְלָא אַחֲרָא. וַאֲדַבֵּרָה בְּלָא דְּחִילוּ. וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ אִמְרֵי פִי, וְלָא מֵאַחֲרָא. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ. א"ר אַבָּא, בְּאַתְוָון גְּלִיפָן דר' אֶלְעָזָר, הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ, הָכָא אִתְרְמִיז שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה.

Earth Fear Heavens Isaiah Moses Punishment Zeir Anpin

8. Rabbi Yosi said, Another difference between Moses and Isaiah is that Moses said, "Hear, the heavens" WITH THE DEFINITE ARTICLE, "the heavens," namely the supernal heavens, those known to be called the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He. "and hear, the earth" is the supernal earth, the one known to be the land of the living, NAMELY MALCHUT. In Isaiah it is written, "Hear, heavens," instead of "the heavens," because these are the lower heavens and earth. Nevertheless, they wanted to punish him until he said, "for Hashem has spoken" and not I. Moses spoke much more, as it is written, "Give ear, the heavens, and I will speak; and hear, the earth, the words of my mouth," WHO ARE ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT. HE DID NOT FEAR, AND NONE WANTED TO PUNISH HIM.

8. ר' יוֹסֵי אָמַר, תּוּ מַה בֵּין מֺשֶׁה לִישַׁעְיָהוּ. מֺשֶׁה אָמַר הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם, הַשָּׁמַיִם, שָׁמַיִם עִלָּאִין, אִינּוּן דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן, דְּאִקְרוּן שְׁמָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ, אֶרֶץ עִלָּאָה, הַהִיא דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא, וְאִיהִי אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים. בִּישַׁעְיָה כְּתִיב, שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמַיִם וְלָא הַשָּׁמַיִם. הַאֲזִינִי אֶרֶץ, וְלָא הָאָרֶץ. וְאִינּוּן שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ תַּתָּאִין. וְעִם כָּל דָּא, בָּעוּ לְאַעְנְשָׁא לֵיהּ, עַד דְּאָמַר כִּי יְיָ' דִּבֵּר, וְלֺֹא אֲנָא. וּמֺשֶׁה אָמַר כּוּלֵי הַאי, דִּכְתִּיב הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ אִמְרֵי פִי.