Pekudei: Chapter 37

The hair in the Tefilin

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon tells us that God gave the Other Side power to rule over the world in several areas. We should be careful to avoid the Other Side's judgment, and there are some secret means of doing this. In the Tfilin we enclose a small calf's hair, with a little bit of it poking out so that the Other Side can see it and leave us alone, seeing that we have given the Other Side its due. If the Other Side is not given its due, it may inflict harm and judgment on us. Yisrael knew this secret, so that when they were purifying themselves during Yom Kippur they gave the Other Side its share. Rabbi Aba is crying because he does not understand this explanation, and Rabbi Shimon comforts him, saying that on the day of Rosh Hashanah God sits in judgment over the world, while the Other Side watches carefully. But the Other Side gets distracted by the sound of the Shofar that awakens mercy, and then it forgets who has been condemned to death. People should protect themselves from the prosecutor's attention by sacrificing a he-goat once a month when the moon is new. He concludes by saying that Yisrael is blessed by the fact that God tells them how to be saved.

Hair Holiness (Kedushah) Other Side Tfilin

329. Rabbi Shimon said: Though it is all as we said, yet the Holy One, blessed be He, lets THE OTHER SIDE rule, and we should subjugate the spirit of defilement on all sides. Come and I will tell you a high secret, that may not be revealed outside the circle of exalted saints.

329. אר"ש, אַף עַל גַּב דְּכָל הָנֵי מִלִּין כִּדְקַאמְרָן, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהִיב לֵיהּ שׁוּלְטָנוּ. וְרוּחַ מְסַאֲבָא בָּעֵי לְאַכְפְּיָא לֵיהּ בְּכָל סִטְרִין. תָּא וְאִימָא לְךָ רָזָא חֲדָא, וְלָא אִתְיְיהִיב לְגַלָּאָה בַּר לְאִינּוּן קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין.

Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness)

330. Come and see: The Holy One, blessed be He gave that place, the spirit of defilement, power to rule over the world in several ways. It can inflict harm, and we may not treat it with contempt, but should be careful to avoid it so it may not denounce our holiness. Therefore, we have a secret means, that we give it a small place within that which is holy, for its power originates in holiness.

330. ת"ח, לְהַאי אֲתָר דְּאִיהוּ רוּחַ מְסַאֲבָא. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהִיב לֵיהּ שׁוּלְטָנוּ, לְמִשְׁלַט בְּעָלְמָא, בְּכַמָּה סִטְרִין, וְיָכִיל לְנַזְקָא, וְלֵית לָן רְשׁוּ, לְאַנְהָגָא בֵּיהּ קְלָנָא, דְּבָעֵינָן לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא מִנֵּיהּ, דְּלָא יְקַטְרֵג עֲלָן בְּגוֹ קְדוּשָּׁה דִּילָן. וע"ד רָזָא חֲדָא אִית לָן, דְּבָעֵינָן לְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ דּוּכְתָּא זְעֵיר, בְּגוֹ קְדוּשָּׁה דִּילָן דְּהָא מִגּוֹ קְדוּשָּׁה נָפִיק שׁוּלְטָנוּ דִּילֵיהּ.

Hair Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness) Tfilin

331. IT IS, in the secret of Tefilin we enclose a small calf's hair, jutting out to be seen. This hair does not defile, unless it is joins together and reaches the required size, less than that does not bring uncleanness. We should put this hair within our highest holiness, and give it place so it will not denounce us within our holiness.

331. דְּבָעֵינָן גּוֹ רָזָא דִּתְפִלִּין, לְאַצְנְעָא חַד שַׂעֲרָא דְּעֶגְלָא, דְּיִפּוּק לְבַר וְיִתְחָזֵי. דְּהָא חוּטָא דְּשַׂעֲרָא דָּא לָא מַסְאִיב, בַּר דְּאִי אִתְחַבָּר הַאי שַׂעֲרָא, וְאִתְעָבֵיד כַּשְּׂעוֹרָא, אֲבָל פָּחוּת מִן דָּא לָא מַסְאִיב. וְהַהוּא שַׂעֲרָא בָּעֵי לְאַעֲלָא לֵיהּ בְּגוֹ קְדוּשָּׁה עִלָּאָה דִּילָן, וּלְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ דּוּכְתָּא, בְּגִין דְּלָא יְקַטְרֵג לָן בְּקִדוּשָׁן.

Dwellings Hair Holiness (Kedushah) Judgment Kedushah (Holiness) Other Side Sin Tfilin

332. SOME of the hair should jut out OF THE TEFILIN, to be seen, for when THE OTHER SIDE sees a man dwelling in upper holiness, with its own portion taking part, it would not denounce, nor be able to inflict harm above or below, for it was given place. But if it is not given a portion in holiness, it may inflict harm below and it goes up to prosecute above saying, 'A certain man, who now makes himself holy, did that and that on a certain day, and these are his sins.' So Judgment descends upon that man and he is punished by it.

332. וְיִפּוּק מִן הַהוּא שַׂעֲרָא לְבַר, דְּיִתְחָזֵי, דְּכַד חָמֵי לְהַהוּא ב"נ בִּקְדוּשָּׁה עִלָּאָה, וְחוּלָקָא דִּילֵיהּ מִשְׁתַּתֵּף לְתַמָן, כְּדֵין לָא יְקַטְרֵג לֵיהּ, וְלָא יָכִיל לְאַבְאָשָׁא לֵיהּ לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, דְּהָא דּוּכְתָּא יְהַב לֵיהּ. וְאִי הַהוּא חוּלָקָא לָא יָהֲבִין לֵיהּ בְּהַאי קְדוּשָּׁה, יָכִיל לְאַבְאָשָׁא לֵיהּ לְתַתָּא, וְסָלִיק מְקַטְרְגָא לֵיהּ לְעֵילָּא, וְאָמַר פְּלוֹנִי דְּקָא מְקַדֵּשׁ הַשְׁתָּא, כַּךְ וְכַךְ עֲבַד יוֹמָא פְּלוֹנִי, וְכַךְ אִינּוּן חוֹבוֹי, עַד דְּיִמְטֵי דִּינָא עַל הַהוּא ב"נ, וְיִתְעֲנֵשׁ עַל יְדוֹי.

Atonement Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness) Sin

333. So did the children of Yisrael do, who knew this secret: when they started to make themselves holy in the supernal holiness of Yom Kippur, they were careful to immediately give it its share and a portion among themselves so it would not denounce them, nor mention the sins of Yisrael. For how many are the bands and legions ready to take words of denouncements from it? Happy is the portion of he, who is able to guard himself so his sins may not be mentioned above, and he would not be noticed for the worse.

333. וְכַךְ הֲווֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדֵי, דַּהֲווֹ יַדְעֵי רָזָא דָּא, כַּד שָׁרָאן לְאִתְקַדְּשָׁא בִּקְדוּשָּׁה עִלָּאָה בְּיוֹמָא דְּכִפּוּרֵי, הֲווֹ מִסְתַּכְּלֵי מִיַּד לְמֵיהַב חוּלָקֵיהּ לְהַאי אֲתָר, וּלְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בֵּינַיְיהוּ, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִשְׁתְּכַּח מְקַטְרְגָא עָלַיְיהוּ, וְלָא יֵיתוּן לְאַדְכְּרָא חוֹבֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. דְּכַמָּה חֲבִילִין, וְכַמָּה מַשִׁרְיָין, אִינּוּן דְּאִזְדַמְּנָן לְנַטְלָא מִלָּה מִנֵּיהּ, כַּד אָתֵי לְקַטְרְגָא. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ, מַאן דְּיָכִיל לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא, דְּלָא יִדְכְּרוּן חוֹבוֹי לְעֵילָּא, וְלָא יַשְׁגִחוּן עָלֵיהּ לְבִישׁ.

Eyes Fear Heaven

334. Meanwhile, the eyes of Rabbi Aba were pouring tears, BECAUSE HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THAT MYSTERY COMPLETELY. RABBI SHIMON told him: Aba, Aba, unloose your girdle, and see to it that you perceive, because the mysteries in heaven were revealed to the meritorious, as it is written, "the secret of Hashem is for them that fear Him" (Tehilim 25:14).

334. אַדְּהָכִי הֲווֹ זַלְגִין עֵינוֹי דְּרִבִּי אַבָּא. אָמַר לֵיהּ, אַבָּא אַבָּא, זִיל טַנְפִיר קְטוּרָךְ, וְאַקְפִּיד בְּקוּלְטָךְ, דְּהָא רָזִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא לְזַכָּאֵי אִתְיְיהִיבוּ דִּכְתִּיב סוֹד יְיָ' לִירֵאָיו.

Death Death and the Afterlife Judgment Mercy Other Side Repentance Shofar Year

335. Come and see: On the day of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) the world is judged, and the Holy One, blessed be He, sits in Judgment over the world. The Other Side stands on one side, looking closely at and registering those condemned to death. When Yisrael awakens Mercy by the sound of the Shofar, it loses count, and does not know nor notices the condemned, until after those who do not repent are condemned to death, and the orders come out of the house of the King and delivered TO THE OTHER SIDE. Once THE ORDERS are delivered, they are not revoked until Judgment is executed.

335. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּיוֹמָא דְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, עָלְמָא אִתְּדָּן, וְקוּדְשָׁא ב"ה יָתִיב, וְדָן כָּל עָלְמָא. וְהַהוּא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא קָאֵים מִסִּטְרָא דָּא, וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאִתְּדָנוּ לְמוֹתָא אַשְׁגַּח עָלַיְיהוּ, וְאִתְרְשִׁימוּ קָמֵיהּ. וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְעָרֵי רַחֲמֵי, בְּהַהוּא קוֹל שׁוֹפָר, כְּדֵין אִתְעַרְבְבָא לֵיהּ כֹּלָּא, דְּלָא יָדַע וְלָא מַשְׁגַּח, בְּאִינּוּן דְּאִתְּדָנוּ. עַד דִּלְבָתַר כָּל אִינּוּן דְּלָא מְהַדְּרֵי בְּתִיּוּבְתָּא, וְאִגְזַר עָלַיְיהוּ מוֹתָא, וַדַּאי נָפְקִין פִּתְקִין מִבֵּי מַלְכָּא, וְאִתְמְסָרוּ לֵיהּ, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְמְסָרוּ לֵיהּ, לָא אָהַדְרוּ פִּתְקִין, עַד דְּאִתְעָבֵיד דִּינָא.

Astrology Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness) Moon Prosecution

336. Yisrael should beware of it, OF THE PROSECUTOR, all the more so a person alone, and they should be protected by means of the holy secret above, BECAUSE IT HAS ITS ROOT IN HOLINESS. They should give it monthly, when the moon, MALCHUT, is new, a he-goat, so it would not denounce the waxing, but will take its deserved portion from the he-goat, while the holy moon, MALCHUT, will suck from holiness and wax properly.

336. וְיִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלְּהוּ, בַּעְיָין לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא מִנֵּיהּ, כ"ש ב"נ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי. דְּהָא בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה דִּלְעֵילָּא, בָּעֵינָן לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא, וּלְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ בְּכָל יַרְחָא וְיַרְחָא, כַּד סִיהֲרָא בָּעֵי לְאִתְחַדְּתָּא, חַד שָׂעִיר, בְּגִין דְּלָא יְקַטְרֵג חַדְּתּוּתָא וְיִטּוֹל חוּלָקֵיהּ כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי לֵיהּ. וְסִיהֲרָא קַדִּישָׁא לְיָנְקָא בִּקְדוּשָּׁה לְחַדְּתּוּתֵי כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת.

Hands Other Side Righteous World to Come, The

337. Since it waxes every month, it is called 'a youth', as we already explained. And that one, THE OTHER SIDE, always immersed in defilement, never to leave, is called "old and foolish king" (Kohelet 4:13). For that reason, holy Yisrael is the one nation in holy unison, to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, gives them advice on how to be saved from all. Happy are they in this world and in the World to Come, as it is written, "Your people also shall be all righteous, they shall inherit the land forever; they shall be the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified" (Yeshayah 60: 21).

337. וְכַד מִתְחַדְּשָׁא בְּכָל יַרְחָא וְיַרְחָא, בְּגִין כַּךְ אִקְרֵי נַעַר, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא. וְהַאי אַחֲרָא דָּא, דְּאִיהוּ תָּדִיר בִּמְסָאֲבוּ, וְלָא נָפִיק מִנֵּיה, אִקְרֵי מֶלֶךְ זָקֵן וּכְסִיל. ובג"כ, יִשְׂרָאֵל קַדִּישִׁין דְּאִינּוּן עַמָּא חַד, בְּיִחוּדָא קַדִּישָׁא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהִיב לוֹן עֵיטָא, לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא מִכֹּלָּא. זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, דִּכְתִּיב וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִרְשׁוּ אָרֶץ נֵצֶר מַטָּעַי מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי לְהִתְפָּאֵר.

<
>