545. "...All your males shall appear" (Ibid.). HE ASKS, Why "all your males?" Rabbi Elazar said, literally all males for they receive the blessing from the fountain of the spring, DENOTING YESOD. From here we learned that every circumcised Yisrael needs to be seen before the Holy king in order to receive the blessings from the fountain of the spring. This is the essence of the verse "according to the blessing of Hashem your Elohim which he has given you" (Devarim 16:17), and, "before the Master, Hashem." As explained, THE MASTER IS YESOD, because from there the blessings flow, and they receive blessings. Fortunate is the lot of Yisrael above that of other nations.

546. One time the children of Yisrael made a pilgrimage TO JERUSALEM to celebrate the festival and there were idol worshippers among them. That year no blessings were present in the world. They came and asked Rav Hamnuna Saba. He said to them, did you see any sign TO INDICATE THAT THE PILGRIMAGE WAS UNFAVORABLE? They replied, we did see a sign; when we returned from there, all roads were blocked by water, there were clouds and darkness so that none of us who went there were unable TO RETURN. Furthermore, when we came to be seen, the surface of the heavens became dark and stormy. He said to them, certainly either there were among you some uncircumcised people or idol worshippers. For in such moments, the blessing reaches only circumcised children of Yisrael. The Holy One, blessed be He, looks for that sign and blesses them.

547. The next year, they made pilgrimage, and idol worshippers were dispersed with them. When they ate of the meat of the sacrifice and were rejoicing, they saw the idol worshippers look like a wall, NAMELY SAD. They watched how everybody made the blessing but they did not. They told this in a court of law. They came and asked them, What part of the sacrifice did you eat? They did not know. Inquiring showed they were idol worshippers and they were slain. They said, blessed is the Merciful One who saved His people. The blessing rests only with Yisrael, holy seed, children of Faith, children of truth. That year the blessing in the world reached its zenith. They explained, "Surely the Righteous shall give thanks to Your name..." (Tehilim 140:14).

548. Rabbi Chiya said, due to the merit of circumcised Yisrael, the enemy is humbled before them and they inherit their land. Come and behold, it is written, "all you males appear" (Shemot 34:23), MEANING CIRCUMCISED MALES, then it is written, "For I will cast the nations before you, and enlarge your borders" (Ibid. 24). MEANING, IN THE MERIT OF CIRCUMCISION, the Holy One, blessed be He, WHO POSSESSES JUDGMENT AND MERCY, uproots dwellers from their place, REFERRING TO THE ENEMY, and replaces dwellers to their place MEANING THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL. For this reason, "all you males appear before the master, Hashem," NAMELY THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WHO IS TIFERET POSSESSING JUDGMENT AND MERCY AND SO HE CAN UPROOT SOME AND REPLACE WITH OTHERS. Rabbi Yehuda said, "The master" resembles the words in the verse, "Behold, the master, Hashem Tzva'ot, shall lop the bough with terror" (Yeshayah 10:33), WHICH REFERS TO UPROOTING DWELLERS. "And there shall come forth a rod..." (Yeshayah 11:1) REFERS TO BRINGING BACK DWELLERS. It is all the same, JUDGMENT AND MERCY WORKING TOGETHER and he uproots dwellers and settles other dwellers. Rabbi Yitzchak said, there is a master WHICH IS TIFERET, and there is a master (Heb. adon) WHICH IS YESOD. All are dependent in one, NAMELY MALCHUT CALLED ADONAI.