Half a Shekel

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon begins by speaking about the commandment to give half a shekel, and says it is like the Vav placed between the two Heis. The Faithful Shepherd, Moses, then follows with a discussion of the commandment to sanctify the month. He says that the holy moon, Malchut, is the bride that becomes hallowed by Gvurah of Zeir Anpin, in which are the Levites, who shall also be hallowed. Then when the moon becomes visible we bless it with Tiferet.

Book of Formation Poor Righteous Sanctuary Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Formation) Shekels Stone Ten Zeir Anpin

4. Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd). There is a commandment to give half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary. HE ASKS: What is the half-shekel? HE ANSWERS: It is like a half-hin, which is Vav, WHICH IS placed between the two Heis. The stone with which to weigh is Yud, "A shekel is Twenty gera" (Shemot 30:13), refers to Yud-Vav-Dalet. "The rich shall not give more" (Ibid. 15), refers to the Central Column, ZEIR ANPIN that should not give more than ten. And so have we learned in the Book of Formation, 'Ten Sfirot of nothingness - ten, not eleven.' "And the poor shall not give less" (Ibid.) refers to the Righteous, THAT IS, YESOD. He must "not give less" than ten, as is said IN THE BOOK OF FORMATION, 'ten and not nine,' then half a shekel, which is ten.

4. (רעיא מהימנא) פִּקוּדָא לִיתֵּן מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ. מַאן מַחֲצִית הַשֶׁקֶל אִיהוּ כְּגוֹן חֲצִי הַהִין, וְדָא ו', מְמוּצָע בֵּין שֵׁנִי הֵהִי"ן. אַבְנָא לְמִשְׁקָל בָּהּ, דָּא י', עֶשְׂרִים גֵּרָה הַשֶׁקֶל: דָּא יוֹ"ד. הֶעָשִׁיר לָא יַרְבֶּה, דָּא עַמּוּדָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא, לָא יַרְבֶּה עַל י'. וְהָכִי אִתְּמַר בס"י, עֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹת בְּלִימָּה, עֶשֶׂר וְלָא אֶחָד עָשָׂר. וְהַדַּל לָא יַמְעִיט, דָּא צַדִּיק, לָא יַמְעִיט מֵעֶשֶׂר, כד"א עֶשֶׂר וְלָא תֵּשַׁע. מִמַּחֲצִית הַשֶׁקֶל, דְּאִיהוּ י'.

Heaven Lights Shepherd Table

5. It seems that the author of the previous paragraph was Rabbi Shimon. And the Faithful Shepherd said to him: You are in heaven; you are loved by your Master, therefore it is no wonder that all these precious words come from your mouth. For if one is a king or a prince, there is no wonder his table is full of gems and treasures, and full of lights. For anyone else this would be a wonder. He said to him: Blessed are you, faithful shepherd; from now on you speak, for those above and below have come to hear. He said to him: finish your words. He said to him: I have nothing more to say for the time being. You speak.

5. א"ל רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא, אַנְתְּ בַּשָׁמַיִם, רָחִים אַנְתְּ מִמָּארֵיךְ, לֵית תַּוָוהָא בְכָל אִינּוּן מִלִּין יַקִּירִין דְּיִפְקוּן מִפּוּמָךְ, דְּהָא מַאן דְּאִיהוּ מַלְכָּא, אוֹ בְּרָא דְּמַלְכָּא, לֵית תַּוָוהָא, דְּיִפְקוּן מַרְגְלָאִין בְּפָתוֹרֵיהּ, מַלְיָין סְגוּלוֹת, מַלְיָין נְהוֹרִין. לְבַר נָשׁ אַחֲרָא, אִיהוּ תַּוָוהָא. א"ל בְּרִיךְ אַנְתְּ רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא. מִתַּמָּן וְאֵילָךְ אֵימָא אַנְתְּ, דְּעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין נַחְתּוּ לְמִשְׁמַע מִינָךְ. אָמַר לֵיהּ, אַשְׁלִים מִלּוּלָךְ, אָמַר לֵיהּ, לָא אִית כְּעַן לְמֵימַר יַתִּיר, אֵימָא אַנְתְּ עַד זִמְנָא אַחֲרָא.

Astrology Birth Breath Bride Creation Heavens Hosts Levites Light Mochin Moon Sanctification Shepherd Universe Zeir Anpin

6. The Faithful Shepherd opened the discussion with: The following commandment is to sanctify the month. The holy moon, NAMELY MALCHUT, is the bride that becomes hallowed by the Court of Law, which is Gvurah OF ZEIR ANPIN - BECAUSE MALCHUT IS BUILT FROM THE LEFT SIDE, WHICH IS GVURAH, as therein, GVURAH OF ZEIR ANPIN, are the Levites. For it is said of them, 'And you shall hallow the Levites.' ALSO MALCHUT, WHICH IS OF THE GVURAH OF ZEIR ANPIN, NEEDS SANCTIFICATION. And afterwards, when the moon is visible and we can enjoy its light, MEANING AFTER IT RECEIVED MOCHIN, we bless it, 'Blessed are You, Hashem our Elohim, King of the Universe, With His utterance He created the heavens, and with the breath of His mouth, all their hosts.' And with what is it hallowed and blessed? It is with Tiferet (glory), because it is glory to those born by Him from birth. End of Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd).

6. פָּתַח רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא, פִּקּוּדָא בָּתַר דָּא, לְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת הַחֹדֶשׁ. בְּגִין דְּסִיהֲרָא קַדִּישָׁא אִיהִי כַּלָּה, דְּמִתְקַדֶּשֶׁת ע"פ ב"ד, דְּאִיהוּ גְּבוּרָה, בְּגִין דְּתַמָּן לֵיוָאֵי, דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוּ וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ אֶת הַלְוִיִּם. וּלְבָתַר דְּאִתְחֲזֵי סִיהֲרָא דְּיֵאוֹתוּ לְאוֹרָה, מְבָרֵךְ עָלֶיהָ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ בָּרָא שְׁחָקִים, וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כָּל צְבָאָם. וּבְמִי מִתְקַדֶשֶׁת וּמִתְבָּרֶכֶת, בְּתִפְאֶרֶת בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ עֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת לַעֲמוּסֵי בָטֶן. (ע"כ רעיא מהימנא)