"That they bring Me an offering"

Synopsis

Rabbi Aba explains that before Moses constructed the tabernacle, the people were afraid that the Holy One would not stay with them, even though He had performed for them, through Moses, miracles and wonders. This is because if a king is among his people but without his queen, it is not certain that he will remain. But on the day that Moses completed the tabernacle, the Shechinah descended to the earth. Yet before the Shechinah descended, an accuser appeared, and she became covered with darkness to prevent her from descending. We read that fifteen hundred myriads of accusing angels gathered against her, because all their glow and all their light was concentrated in her, and if she descended her light would become darkened. Yet at that moment she broke the darkness and the demons, descended to the earth and ruled over all. The hosts and camps of angels suffered great pain on the day that Moses' bride descended to the earth. The text goes on to explain that here in the world the work of the tabernacle is like the work of the body, that it should be suitable to include the spirit within it. The comparison is made of the Shechinah to the brain in the body. The Holy Spirit, the Shechinah, is fashioned in the body so that it should include within itself another high, delicate spirit that illuminates, which is Zeir Anpin attired in the Shechinah. Lastly the text speaks of the outer shell of the world and the inner shell of the skull, within which are impurities.

Relevance

Often, when we begin the spiritual path, miracles and wonders appear before our eyes. But, in truth, miracles cannot support us, long term, in our spiritual work and journey. Miracles do provide an intense flash of Light, for a moment, for a particular situation, but this Light does not continue to glow enduringly. Consequently, we now tie ourselves to the Shechinah and our connection to the Light becomes constant. This is what the Tabernacle achieved for the Israelites in the desert. And this is precisely what we accomplish here.

Moses Offering

262. Rabbi Aba opened the discussion saying, "... that they bring Me an offering, of every man... " (Shemot 25:2). When the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Moses the construction of the tabernacle, he found it difficult and could not grasp it, as we have already established. Now we can ask here if this offering, WHICH IS MALCHUT, was given by the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moses alone, how could He give it to another? How could He say that the children of Yisrael should take this offering?

262. פָּתַח ר' אַבָּא וְאָמַר, וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה מֵאֵת כָּל אִישׁ וְגוֹ.' מֹשֶׁה בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַחְמֵי לֵיהּ עוֹבָדָא דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא, הֲוָה קָשֶׁה קָמֵיהּ, וְלָא יָכִיל לְמֵיקָם בֵּיהּ, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ. וְהַשְּׁתָּא אִית לָן לְמִקְשֵׁי הָכָא, אִי תְּרוּמָה דָּא, יָהֲבָהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, הֵיךְ יָהֲבָהּ לְאַחֲרָא, וְאָמַר דְּלִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יִקְחוּ הַאי תְּרוּמָה.

Bride Earth Miracle Moses Offering Point

263. HE ANSWERS, Surely that He gave it to Moses and did not give it to another. THIS IS LIKE a king who was among his people, but the queen was not with the king. As long as the queen was not with the king, the people were not certain THAT HE WOULD REMAIN WITH THEM. They did not sit securely, but all the people rejoice and sit securely when the queen arrives. Thus, in the beginning, even though the Holy One, blessed be He, performed for them miracles and wonders through Moses, the people were still not certain THAT THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WOULD REMAIN WITH THEM. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "... that they bring Me an offering" and "I will set My tabernacle among you" (Vayikra 26:11), they are immediately certain THAT THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WOULD BE WITH THEM. So they rejoiced in the service of the Holy One, blessed be He. This is what is meant by, "And it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished (Heb. kalot)" (Bemidbar 7:1), that Moses' kalah (Eng. 'bride') descended to the earth. THEREFORE, KALOT IS SPELLED WITHOUT VAV TO POINT OUT THE SUPERNAL BRIDE, WHO IS MALCHUT, WHO DESCENDED TO EARTH TO DWELL IN YISRAEL.

263. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי לְמֹשֶׁה יָהֲבָהּ, וְלָא יָהֲבָהּ לְאַחֲרָא. לְמַלְכָּא דַּהֲוָה בְּגוֹ עַמֵּיהּ, וְלָא הֲוַת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא עִמֵּיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא. כָּל זִמְנָא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא לָא הֲוַת עִמֵּיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא, לָא מִתְיָּאֲשֵׁי עַמָּא בֵּיהּ, וְאִינּוּן לָא יַתְבִין לְרַחֲצָן. כֵּיוָן דְּאָתַת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא, כָּל עַמָּא חֲדָאן, וְיַתְבֵי בְּרוּחְצָּנוּ. כַּךְ בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, אע"ג דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבַד לוֹן נִסִּין וְאָתִין ע"י דְּמֹשֶׁה, לָא מִתְיַאֲשֵׁי עַמָּא. כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה, וְנָתַתִּי מִשְׁכָּנִי בְּתוֹכְכֶם. מִיַּד אִתְיָאַשׁוּ כֻּלְּהוּ, וְחַדּוּ בְּפוּלְחָנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הה"ד וַיְהִי בְּיוֹם כַּלֹּת מֹשֶׁה דְּנַחְתַּת כַּלַּת מֹשֶׁה לְאַרְעָא.

Angels Darkness Earth Hundred Myriads Shechinah

264. וְאִי תֵּימָא, וַיְהִי בְּכָל אֲתָר לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא לִישָׁנָא דְּצַעֲרָא, וְהָכָא כְּתִיב וַיְהִי בְּיוֹם. אֶלָּא, בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא נַחְתַּת לְאַרְעָא, אִשְׁתְּכַח מְקַטְרְגָא לְגַבָּהּ, וְחַפְיָא הַהוּא חָשׁוּךְ קְבַל לְגַבָּהּ, בְּגִין דְּלָא תֵּיחוֹת. וְתָנֵינָן, אֲלַף וַחֲמֵשׁ מְאָה רִבּוֹא מַלְאָכִין מְקַטְרְגִין, אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ לְגַבָּהּ בְּגִין דְּלָא תֵּיחוֹת.

Angels Bride Camp Darkness Demons Earth Hosts Light Moses Shechinah Universe Zeir Anpin

265. At that time, all the groups of the supernal angels were gathered before the Holy One, blessed be He. They said before Him, 'Master of the Universe, all our brilliance and all our light is in the Shechinah of Your glory. Now You are going to descend to those below'-MEANING THAT THE LIGHT OF CHOCHMAH IN HER WILL SPREAD FROM ABOVE DOWNWARDS, AND THEN HER LIGHT WILL BECOME DARK. At that moment, the Shechinah became strengthened, MEANING THAT SHE BECAME UNITED WITH ZEIR ANPIN AND INCLUDED IN HIS DECISION, SO THAT THE BRILLIANCE OF THE LEFT WILL ALWAYS ILLUMINATE ONLY FROM BELOW UPWARDS. Then She broke the darkness and gloom as one breaks strong spears, MEANING THE GREAT DEMONS, and descended to earth. As soon as they saw this, they started saying, "Hashem our lord, how majestic is Your Name in all the earth" (Tehilim 8:2). Assuredly, it is majestic, for She broke many strong spears and forces, descended to the earth and dominated everything. It is written, "And it came to pass," which POINTS OUT the pain that many hosts and camps of angels suffered on the day that Moses' bride descended to the earth.

265. וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ כָּל כְּנוּפְיָא דְּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. אָמְרוּ קַמֵּיהּ, מָארֵי דְּעָלְמָא, כָּל זִיוָא וְכָל נְהוֹרָא דִּילָן בִּשְׁכִינַת יְקָרָךְ אִיהוּ, וְהַשְׁתָּא תֵּיחוֹת לְגַבֵּי תַּתָּאֵי. בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא אִתַּתְקְפַת שְׁכִינְתָּא, וְתַבְרַת הַהוּא חָשׁוּךְ קְבַל, כְּמַאן דְּמִתְּבָּר גְּזִּיזִין תַּקִּיפִין, וְנַחְתַּת לְאַרְעָא. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמוּ כֻּלְּהוּ כַּךְ, פָּתְחוּ וְאָמְרוּ יְיָ' אֲדוֹנֵינוּ מַה אַדִּיר שִׁמְךָ בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ. אַדִּיר וַדַּאי, דְּתַבְרַת כַּמָה גְּזִּיזִין וְחֵילִין תַּקִּיפִין, וְנַחְתַּת לְאַרְעָא, וּשְׁלִיטַת בְּכֹלָּא. וְע"ד כְּתִיב וַיְהִי, צַעֲרָא דְּקַבִּילוּ כַּמָה חַיָּילִין וּמַשִּׁירְיָין, בְּיוֹמָא דְּכַלַּת מֹשֶׁה נַחְתַּת לְאַרְעָא.

Body Likenesses Offering Shechinah

266. Therefore, it is written, "... that they bring Me an offering." It is not written, '... that they bring Me and an offering' but rather "that they bring Me an offering" to show that it is all one without separation, THAT THE SHECHINAH CALLED 'OFFERING' IS ONE WITH 'ME' WITHOUT SEPARATION. The work of the tabernacle is in the likeness of above, one corresponding to the other, in order to include the Shechinah in all the sides, above and below. Here in the world, the work OF THE TABERNACLE is like the work of the body, THAT IT SHOULD BE SUITABLE to include the spirit within it. This is the Shechinah that is included above and below, and She is the Holy Spirit.

266. וּבְגִין כַּךְ וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה וְגוֹ.' וְיִקְחוּ לִי וּתְרוּמָה לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה, לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּכֹלָּא חַד בְּלָא פִּרוּדָא. וְעוֹבָדָא דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, דָּא לָקֳבֵל דָּא, לְאִתְכַּלְּלָא שְׁכִינְתָּא מִכָּל סִטְרִין עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, הָכָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא עוֹבָדָא דִּילֵיהּ, כְּעוֹבָדָא דְּגוּפָא, לְאִתְכַּלְּלָא רוּחָא בְּגַוֵּיהּ, וְדָא אִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא, דְּאִתְכְּלִילַת לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא, וְאִיהִי רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא.

Body Brain Shechinah Vessels Zeir Anpin

267. THE SHECHINAH is always drawn and enters the secret of the body, WHICH IS THE TABERNACLE, so that the brain should dwell in the shell, FOR THE TABERNACLE AND ITS VESSELS ARE LIKE A SHELL TO THE SHECHINAH, WHICH IS THE BRAIN. Everything is as is befitting. This Holy Spirit, NAMELY THE SHECHINAH, is fashioned in the body so that it should include within itself another high, delicate spirit that illuminates, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN THAT IS ATTIRED IN THE SHECHINAH. Everything is tied and included one within the other, and they enter one into the other until they unite and become attired in this world, which is the last peel on the exterior.

267. וּלְעוֹלָם אִתְמַשְּׁכָת וְעָאלַת גּוֹ רָזָא דְּגוּפָא, לְאַשְׁרָאָה מוֹחָא גּוֹ קְלִיפָא כֹּלָּא כְּמָה דְּאִתְחָזֵי. הַאי רוּחָא דְּקֻדְשָׁא, אִתְעָבֵיד בְּגוּפָא, לְאִתְכַּלְּלָא בְּגַוֵּיהּ רוּחַ אַחֲרָא עִלָּאָה, דָּקִיק וְנָהִיר, וְכֹלָּא הָכִי אִתְאֲחִיד וְאִתְכְּלִיל דָּא בְּדָא, וְעָאל דָּא בְּדָא, עַד דְּאִתְאֲחִיד בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, דְּאִיהוּ קְלִיפָה בַּתְרָאָה דִּלְבַר.

Body Brain Earth Klipot (Shells – Negativity) Light Nefesh (Soul) Ruach (Soul) Shechinah Shells (Klipot) Soul (Nefesh) Soul (Ruach) Zeir Anpin

268. The strong Klipah OF IMPURITY is within the Klipah of this world. Just as in a nut, the external shell is not hard, NAMELY THE GREEN SHELL THAT IS ON THE NUT WHICH IS SOFT. The more inner shell is a strong shell HARD AS WOOD, SO THE GLOBE OF THE EARTH ITSELF IS A LIGHT SHELL AND THE SHELL THAT IS WITHIN IT IS HARD. It is also so above, in that the strong Klipah is another spirit that dominates the body. More inside there is a soft Klipah and even more inside there is the brain, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE NEFESH. AND WITHIN IT IS ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE RUACH, AS MENTIONED ABOVE.

268. קְלִיפָה תַּקִּיפָא אִיהִי לְגוֹ מִקְלִיפָה דְּהַאי עָלְמָא. כְּגַוְונָא דֶּאֱגוֹזָא, דְּהַאי קְלִיפָה דִּלְבַר לָאו אִיהִי תַּקִּיפָא, קְלִיפָה דְּאִיהִי לְגוֹ מִינָּהּ, אִיהִי קְלִיפָה תַּקִּיפָא. אוּף הָכִי לְעֵילָּא, קְלִיפָה תַּקִּיפָא, אִיהִי רוּחָא אַחֲרָא דְּשָׁלְטָא בְּגוּפָא. לְגוֹ מִנֵּיהּ, אִיהִי קְלִיפָה קְלִישָׁא. לְגוֹ מִנֵּיהּ מוֹחָא.