"The earth is Hashem's, and the fullness thereof"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yosi says that, since the day the Temple was destroyed, we are not allowed to look at joyful things. The rabbis discuss the title verse, and they learn from Rabbi Shimon that all the Mochin come from the supernal river that flows out of Eden, and Malchut is established by them so that it can nourish the worlds. The main theme is that the world depends on righteousness.

Balsam Balsam Tree Eyes Smoke Temple, The Tree

66. רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְר' יוֹסֵי הֲווֹ אָזְלֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא, כַּד מָטוּ חַד בֵּי חֲקַל, חָמוּ חַד דַּפְטִירָא דְּקִיטְפָא בֵּין אָרְחָא לִסְטַר יְמִינָא. א"ר יוֹסֵי, עֲטִיפָא דְּקוּטְרָא בְּעַיְינִין שְׁכִיחַ, לֵית לָן רְשׁוּ לְמֵחֱמֵי בְּחֶדְוָותָא, מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְחֲרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא.

Earth

67. He opened the discussion with, "The earth is Hashem's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell in it" (Tehilim 24:1). HE ASKS, Having said, "The earth is Hashem's, and the fullness thereof," why REITERATE WITH "the world, and they that dwell in it?" HE ANSWERS, This is what is meant. "The earth is Hashem's, and the fullness thereof" refers to the holy earth called the land of the living. "The world, and they that dwell in it" refers to other lands, as it is written, "And He will judge the world in righteousness" (Tehilim 9:9), since the world depends on righteousness. It all amounts to the same thing.

67. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, לַיְיָ' הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ תֵּבֵל וְיוֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ, כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר לַיְיָ' הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ, אֲמַאי תֵּבֵל וְיוֹשְׁבֵי בָה, וְכִי תֵּבֵל לָאו מִן אַרְעָא הוּא. אֶלָּא הָכִי קָאָמַר, לַיְיָ' הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ, דָּא אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּאִקְרֵי אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים. תֵּבֵל וְיוֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ, דָּא שְׁאָר אַרְעָאן, כד"א וְהוּא יִשְׁפֺּט תֵּבֵל בְּצֶדֶק, דְּתֵבֵל בְּצֶדֶק תַּלְיָא, וְכֺלָּא חַד מִלָּה.

Crowns Earth Eden Flood Flow Mochin Righteous Rivers Seas Soul, The

68. Rabbi Chiya said, "The earth is Hashem's, and the fullness thereof." What are that specific land, MALCHUT, and the fullness thereof? HE ANSWERS, These are the souls of the righteous IN MALCHUT. In "the world, and they that dwell in it," the world is the lower earth IN THIS WORLD "and they that dwell in it" are people. Rabbi Yosi said, If this is so THAT THE EARTH MEANS MALCHUT, how are we to explain, "For He had founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods" (Tehilim 24:2)? He said to him, Assuredly it is so, since the land of the living, MALCHUT, "He had founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods." For they all, ALL THE MOCHIN, come from that supernal river that comes out and flows from Eden, WHICH IS BINAH, AND MALCHUT is established by them so as to be crowned by the Holy King and to nourish the worlds.

68. ר' חִיָּיא אָמַר, לַיְיָ' הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ. הָאָרֶץ תִּינַח, וּמְלוֹאָהּ מַאי הִיא. אֶלָּא אִלֵּין נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא. תֵּבֵל וְיוֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ, תֵּבֵל: דָּא אַרְעָא דִּלְתַתָּא. וְיוֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ: אִלֵּין אִינּוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, אִי הָכִי בְּמַאי אוֹקִימְנָא כִּי הוּא עַל יַמִּים יְסָדָהּ וְעַל נְהָרוֹת יְכוֹנְנֶהָ. אָמַר לֵיהּ וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, דְּהַהִיא אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים עַל יַמִּים יְסָדָהּ וְעַל נְהָרוֹת יְכוֹנְנֶהָ, דְּכֻלְּהוּ נַפְקֵי מֵהַהוּא נָהָר עִלָּאָה דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק מֵעֵדֶן, וּבְהוּ אִתְתְּקָנַת לְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, וּלְמֵיזָן עָלְמִין.

David Hands Heart Mountains Nefesh (Soul) Samuel Soul (Nefesh)

69. "Who shall ascend into the mountain of Hashem...? He that has clean hands, and a pure heart, who has not taken My name (lit. Nefesh) in vain" (Ibid. 3-4). HE ASKS, It is spelled 'his Nefesh,' yet is read "My Nefesh." Why are My Nefesh and his Nefesh MENTIONED IN THE VERSE? HE ANSWERS, It is all the same thing, as it is written, "Hashem Elohim has sworn by His Nefesh" (Amos 6:8), "that shall do according to that which is in My heart and in My Nefesh" (I Shmuel 2:35). MY NEFESH IS MALCHUT. King David united with that heart and Nefesh, NAMELY WITH MALCHUT. Hence it says, "who has not taken his Nefesh in vain."

69. מִי יַעֲלֶה בְהַר יְיָ' וְגוֹ,' נְקִי כַפַּיִם וּבַר לֵבָב אֲשֶׁר לֹא נָשָׂא לַשָּׁוְא נַפְשִׁי וְגוֹ.' נַפְשׁוֹ כְּתִיב, מַהוּ נַפְשִׁי וְנַפְשׁוֹ. אֶלָּא כֺּלָּא חַד מִלָּה, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר נִשְׁבַּע יְיָ' בְּנַפְשׁוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר בִּלְבָבִי וּבְנַפְשִׁי יַעֲשֶׂה. וְדָוִד מַלְכָּא אִתְאֲחִיד בְּהַהוּא לֵב וּבְהַהוּא נֶפֶשׁ, וְעַל דָּא לֹא נָשָׂא לַשָּׁוְא נַפְשׁוֹ.