Tazria: Chapter 1

"By night on my bed"

Synopsis

Rabbi Elazar explains that the title verse means that the children of Yisrael lay in the dust in exile, and beseeched God to take them out of it. Rabbi Yitzchak says that they asked God to join them so that He would gladden them and bless them in perfect joy.

Children Congregation Exile Moses Soul, The Women

1. "And Hashem spoke to Moses saying, Speak to the children of Yisrael, saying, If a woman has conceived seed, and born a male child..." (Vayikra 12:2). Rabbi Elazar opened with, "By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves" (Shir Hashirim 3:1). HE ASKS, It says, "on my bed," while it should have said, "in my bed," why "on my bed?" AND HE ANSWERS, The Congregation of Yisrael spoke before the Holy One, blessed be He, and beseeched him concerning the exile, because she is sitting among the other nations with her children, and lying in the dust. And since she is lying in another, defiled land, she said, "on my bed" I beseech, since I am lying in exile, AND EXILE IS CALLED 'NIGHTS.' Therefore, "I sought him whom my soul loves," to take me out of it.

1. וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֶל מֺשֶׁה לֵאמֺר אִשָּׁה כִּי תַזְרִיעַ וְיָלְדָה זָכָר וְגוֹ.' ר' אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח, עַל מִשְׁכָּבִי בַּלֵּילוֹת בִּקַּשְׁתִּי וְגוֹ.' עַל מִשְׁכָּבִי, בְּמִשְׁכָּבִי מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַהוּ עַל מִשְׁכָּבִי. אֶלָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמְרָה קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּבָעָאת מִנֵּיהּ עַל גָּלוּתָא, בְּגִין דְּהִיא יָתְבָא בֵּין שְׁאָר עַמִּין עִם בְּנָהָא, וּשְׁכִיבַת לְעַפְרָא, וְעַל דְּהִיא שְׁכִיבַת בְּאַרְעָא אָחֳרָא מִסְאֲבָא, אָמְרָה, עַל מִשְׁכָּבִי בָּעֵינָא, דְּשָׁכִיבְנָא בְּגָלוּתָא, וְעַל דָּא, בִּקַּשְׁתִּי אֵת שֶׁאָהֲבָה נַפְשִׁי וּלְאַפָּקָא לִי מִנֵּיהּ.

Exile

2. "I sought him, but found him not" (Ibid.) BECAUSE it is not His custom to join me save in His palace AND NOT IN EXILE. "I sought him, but I could not find him" (Shir Hashirim 5:6), since I dwelt among other nations, and only His children hear His voice, as it is written, "Did ever people hear the voice of Elohim...?" (Devarim 4:33)

2. בִּקַּשְׁתִּיו וְלֹא מְצָאתִיו, דְּלָאו אָרְחֵיהּ לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בִּי אֶלָּא בְּהֵיכָלֵיהּ, קְרָאתִיו וְלֹא עָנָנִי. דְּהָא בֵּינִי עַמִּין אָחֳרָנִין יָתִיבְנָא, וְקָלֵיהּ לָא שַׁמְעִין אֶלָּא בְּנוֹי. דִּכְתִּיב, הֲשָׁמַע עָם קוֹל אֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ.'

Blessing Congregation Mochin Righteous Shechinah Zeir Anpin

3. Rabbi Yitzchak said, "By night on my bed" said the Congregation of Yisrael, THE SHECHINAH. "On my bed" I complained before Him, NAMELY I ASKED HIM to join me to gladden me FROM THE LEFT COLUMN and bless me FROM THE RIGHT COLUMN in perfect joy FROM THE CENTRAL COLUMN. For we have learned that from the union of the King, ZEIR ANPIN, with the Congregation of Yisrael, many righteous people receive the inheritance of a holy portion, NAMELY SUPERNAL MOCHIN, and many blessings thus abide in the world.

3. רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר, עַל מִשְׁכָּבִי בַּלֵּילוֹת. אָמְרָה כנ"י עַל מִשְׁכָּבִי אִתְרָעַמְנָא קַמֵּיהּ, דִּיְהֵא מִזְדְּוַּוג עַמִּי לְמֶחְדֵּי לִי, וּלְבָרְכָא לִי, בְּחֵידוּ שְׁלִים. דְּהָכִי תָּנֵינָן דְּמִזִוּוּגָא דְּמַלְכָּא בכ"י, כַּמָּה צַדִּיקִים יַרְתּוּ יְרוּתַת אַחֲסַנְתָּא קַדִּישָׁא, וְכַמָּה בִּרְכָאן מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי בְּעָלְמָא.

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