A time of goodwill

Synopsis

The mule-driver continues from the previous section, speaking about, "But as for me, let my prayer be to You, the Creator, in an acceptable time (a time of goodwill): Elohim, in the greatness of Your steadfast love hear me, in the truth of Your salvation." He comments that a favorable time is when the congregation is praying. "But as for me," refers to King David. He then explains that a prayer of Redemption in a time of goodwill brings together time and favor. This prayer is said during the Minchah of Shabbat, we learn, because at that time all anger is removed and Judgment is aroused only in order to be sweetened with Chesed and Mercy, and there is joy in everything. The mule-driver next says that Moses died during the time of the Shabbat Minchah; therefore at this time the gates of the Holy Study Hall are locked and everyone has to justify himself before God. Moses, the Faithful Shepherd, Joseph the Righteous and King David all died at this same time, so there are three justification prayers. When Moses died, the light of the sun darkened and the Written Torah was barred. When Joseph died, all the springs dried up and all the tribes went into exile. When King David died, the moon herself gathered in her light, which was gathered up by the Oral Torah. Then, we are told, the lights of Torah were concealed and there was much confusion and many arguments among the scholars; thus, the rabbis decreed severe fasts and locked the gates of the Torah.

Relevance

By invoking the three qualities of Moses, Joseph, and David -- Faithfulness, Righteousness, and Kingship -- we magnify these sublime qualities within our fellow man and ourselves. Judgments are repealed as we repent and meditate upon this mystical text. The iniquities of man and the sins of our own past are accounted for and compassionately corrected by the unfathomable greatness of Moses, Joseph, and David, and through the forbearance they engender.

Congregation Love Prayer Redemption and Salvation

545. That donkey-driver opened the discussion saying, "But as for me, let my prayer be to You, Hashem, in an acceptable time (a time of goodwill): Elohim, in the greatness of Your steadfast love hear me, in the truth of Your salvation" (Tehilim 69:14). We have learned that a favorable time is when the congregation is praying, then it is appropriate. It is certainly so, for the congregation sets out and prepares the establishing of that time. Then it is a favorable time when it is proper to make requests, as it is written, "Elohim, in the greatness of Your steadfast love hear me, in the truth of Your salvation." For then it is the time to make requests.

545. פָּתַח הַהוּא טַיְיעָא וְאָמַר וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ יְיָ' עֵת רָצוֹן אֱלֹהִים בְּרָב חַסְדֶּךָ עֲנֵנִי בֶּאֱמֶת יִשְׁעֶךָ, תָּנֵינָן, אֵימָתַי אִקְרֵי עֵת רָצוֹן. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּצִבּוּר קָא מְצַלָאן. שַׁפִּיר אִיהוּ, וְהָכִי אִיהוּ וַדַּאי. דְּהָא כְּדֵין, צִבּוּרָא מְסַדְּרֵי וּמְתַקְּנֵי תִּקּוּנָא דְּהַאי עֵת, וּכְדֵין אִיהוּ עֵת רָצוֹן, וְאִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִשְׁאַל שְׁאֶלְתָּא, דִּכְתִּיב אֱלֹהִים בְּרָב חַסְדֶּךָ עֲנֵנִי בֶּאֱמֶת יִשְׁעֶךָ דְּהָא כְּדֵין אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִשְׁאַל שְׁאֶלְתָּא.

Amidah (Standing Prayer) David Form Keter Prayer Redemption and Salvation Standing Prayer (Amidah) Unity

546. "But as for me, let my prayer be to You, Hashem." Here is the secret of the union, "But as for me" refers to King David, NAMELY MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED 'I.' It is the place that is called 'Redemption,' WHICH IS MALCHUT WHEN JOINED WITH YESOD, "my prayer" refers to prayer, NAMELY PLAIN MALCHUT. Here THAT HE SAYS "ME... MY PRAYER," the Amidah prayer is adjacent to redemption for they are one, FOR THEY ARE BOTH THE ASPECT OF MALCHUT. When one brings together redemption to the Amidah prayer, then it is a time of goodwill. A time of goodwill is also one inclusion together. Time is one, NAMELY MALCHUT, and favor is one, FOR IT IS THE SECRET OF THE FAVOR THAT BECOMES REVEALED FROM KETER, and they are combined together to become one. King David wanted to form one unity through this verse, AS WE HAVE SAID.

546. וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ יְיָ,' הָא הָכָא רָזָא דְּיִחוּדָא. וַאֲנִי: דָּא דָּוִד מַלְכָּא, אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי גְּאוּלָה. תְפִלָּתִי: דָּא תְּפִלָּה. וְהָכָא אִיהוּ סְמִיכָא לִגְּאוּלָה, דְּאִיהוּ חַד. כַּד אִיהוּ סָמִךְ גְּאוּלָה לִתְפִלָּה, כְּדֵין אִיהוּ עֵת רָצוֹן. עֵת רָצוֹן: אוּף הָכִי, כְּלָלָא אִיהוּ כַּחֲדָא, עֵת חַד, רָצוֹן חַד, אִתְכְּלִילוּ דָּא בְּדָא, וַהֲווֹ חַד. וְדָוִד מַלְכָּא בָּעָא לְיַחֲדָא בְּהַאי קְרָא, יִחוּדָא חֲדָא.

Grades Judgment Mercy Minchah Prayer Shabbat Unity

547. If you ask, Why was this verse selected TO BE SAID during the Minchah of Shabbat? HE ANSWERS, It is proper for it to be in the Minchah service of Shabbat and not in the weekday service, for it is certain that Minchah service of Shabbat is unlike the weekday prayer because Judgment is suspended over the world during the weekday at the time of Minchah, and it is not a time of goodwill. However, during Shabbat, when all anger is removed and everything is combined together, FOR THE JUDGMENT AND CHESED ARE ONE, Judgment is aroused, but it is in order to be sweetened, MEANING ONLY IN ORDER TO REVEAL THE SWEETNESS THAT IT CONTAINS. Therefore, a verse of unity is needed to unite all the grades, for when there is unity, Judgment joins and combines with Mercy and everything is sweetened, as it is written, "A time of goodwill." "A time of goodwill" shows that everything, JUDGMENT AND CHESED, is combined together, that Judgment is sweetened at that time, and there is joy in everything.

547. וְאִי תֵּימָא, אֲמַאי אִתְמָנֵי הַאי קְרָא, בִּצְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה דְּשַׁבָּת. יֵאוֹת אִיהוּ לְמֶהֱוֵי בְּשַׁבָּת בְּהַהוּא צְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה, וְלָא בִּצְלוֹתָא דְּחוֹל, דְּוַדַּאי לָאו צְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה דְּשַׁבָּת כְּחוֹל. בְּגִין דְּהָא בְּחוֹל בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִנְחָה, תַּלְיָא דִּינָא בְּעָלְמָא, וְלָאו אִיהוּ עֵת רָצוֹן. אֲבָל בְּשַׁבָּת, דְּכָל רוּגְזָא אִתְעָדֵי, וְכֹלָּא אִתְכְּלִיל כַּחֲדָא, וְאע"ג דְּדִינָא אִתְּעַר, אִתְבַּסְמוּתָא אִיהוּ, וְע"ד אִצְטְרִיךְ קְרָא דְּיִחוּדָא, לְיַחֲדָא כָּל דַּרְגִּין, דְּכַד הֲוֵי יִחוּדָא, דִּינָא אִתְחֲבָּר וְאִתְכְּלִיל בְּרַחֲמֵי, וְאִתְבָּסַּם כֹּלָּא, וּכְדֵין עֵת רָצוֹן כְּתִיב. עֵת רָצוֹן, כָּלִיל כֹּלָּא כַּחֲדָא. וְדִינָא אִתְבְּסָם בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, וַהֲוֵי חֶדְוָה בְּכֹלָּא.

Death Death and the Afterlife Gates Minchah Moses Shabbat Shepherd Torah

548. מֹשֶׁה אִסְתַּלָּק מֵעָלְמָא, בְּהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא דִּצְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה דְּשַׁבָּת, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּעֵת רָצוֹן אִשְׁתְּכַח. וּבְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא רַעֲוָא הֲוָה לְעֵילָּא, וְצַעֲרָא לְתַתָּא, וְע"ד נִנְעָלוּ תַּרְעִין בְּשַׁבָּת, מִשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִנְחָה וּלְעֵילָּא. מַאן תַּרְעִין נִנְעָלוּ. תַּרְעִין דְּבֵי מִדְרָשָׁא, בְּגִין לְאַדְכְּרָא לְמֹשֶׁה רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא, דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִתְבַּטְלָא בְּגִינֵיהּ.

Door Gates Moses Mountains Praise Torah

549. At the time THAT HE DIED, the Study Hall of Moses and THE STUDY HALLS of others became nullified. Whoever saw the doors of Moses's Study Hall were locked, while all the others be not locked? If Moses's Torah mourned for him at that time, who did not mourn? Therefore, all the gates of the Study Hall are locked, and everyone has to justify the Holy One, blessed be He, by way of praise, THAT WE RECITE THEN, "Your righteousness is like the great mountains" (Tehilim 36:7).

549. בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, בֵּי מִדְרָשָׁא דְּמֹשֶׁה אִתְבְּטִיל, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אַחֲרָנִין. מַאן חָמֵי תַּרְעִין דְּבֵי מִדְרָשָׁא דְּמֹשֶׁה דְּנִנְעָלוּ, דְּלָא נִנְעָלוּ אַחֲרָנִין כֻּלְּהוּ. אוֹרַיְיתָא דְּמֹשֶׁה עֲצִיבָא עָלֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, מַאן לָא עָצִיב. בג"כ כָּל תַּרְעֵי דְּבֵי מִדְרָשֵׁי נִנְעָלוּ, וְאִצְטְרִיכוּ כֹּלָּא לְצַדְקָא לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא ב"ה בְּאֹרַח שְׁבָחָא, וְהַיְינוּ צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל.

David Heavens Joseph Judgment Moses Mountains Prayer Prophets Righteous Shepherd Torah Zeir Anpin

550. There were three who departed from the world at that time, and they are all included in Moses. They are Moses, the Faithful Shepherd, Joseph the Righteous, and King David. Therefore, there are here three justification prayers. One is for Joseph the Righteous, who preceded all these, and this is, "Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your Judgments are a great deep... " This refers to Joseph the Righteous, for he alone is like the great mountains, like all the supernal Mountains, WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH AND HOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, FOR JOSEPH, WHO IS YESOD, IS COMBINED OF THEM ALL. Another is Moses, the Faithful Prophet, and this is what is written, "Your righteousness also, Elohim, reaches the high heavens, who have done great things" (Tehilim 71:19) because he IS ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN THAT takes all the sides, THE RIGHT SIDE AND THE LEFT SIDE, AND MEDIATES BETWEEN THEM. The other is King David, as it is written, "Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your Torah is Truth" (Tehilim 119:142). "Everlasting (lit. 'for the world')" refers to King David, WHO IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED 'WORLD.'

550. תְּלָתָא אִינּוּן דְּאִסְתָּלָקוּ מֵעָלְמָא בְּהַאי זִמְנָא, וְכֻלְּהוּ כְּלִילָן בְּמֹשֶׁה. חַד, מֹשֶׁה נְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא עִלָּאָה. וְחַד, יוֹסֵף צַדִּיקָא. וְחַד, דָּוִד מַלְכָּא. בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ, תְּלַת צִדּוּקֵי דִּינֵי הָכָא, חַד אִיהוּ דְּיוֹסֵף זַכָּאָה, קָדִים לְכָל הָנֵי, וְדָא אִיהוּ צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה וְגוֹ,' דָּא יוֹסֵף, דְּאִיהוּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל, כְּכֻלְּהוּ טוּרִין עִלָּאִין. וְחַד מֹשֶׁה נְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא, וְדָא אִיהוּ דִּכְתִּיב, וְצִדְקָתְךָ אֱלֹהִים עַד מָרוֹם אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ גְּדוֹלוֹת, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ נָטִיל לְכָל סִטְרִין, יְמִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא. וְחַד אִיהוּ דָּוִד מַלְכָּא, וְדָא אִיהוּ דִּכְתִּיב, צִדְקָתְךָ צֶדֶק לְעוֹלָם וְתוֹרָתְךָ אֱמֶת, לְעוֹלָם: דָּא דָּוִד מַלְכָּא.

Astrology David Exile Gates Joseph Judgment Light Mirror Moon Moses Mountains Righteous Sun Torah Tribes Zeir Anpin

551. When everything was gathered at that time, the Written Torah, WHICH IS MOSES, and the Oral Torah, THAT IS DAVID, the gates of Torah were locked and all the gates of the world were locked at that time. At the moment that Joseph the Righteous died, the sources and springs dried up, and all the tribes fell into exile. Those above opened with the words, "Your righteousness is like the great mountains, Your Judgments are a great deep." At that moment that Moses died, the light of the sun darkened at midday and the Written Torah was barred, which is the light of the shining mirror, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. At the moment that King David died, the moon, WHICH IS MALCHUT, gathered in its light and the Oral Torah gathered in its light.

551. כְּדֵין אִתְכְּנִישׁ כֹּלָּא בְּהַאי זִמְנָא, תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב, וְתוֹרָה שבע"פ. וְע"ד בְּהַאי זִמְנָא נִנְעָלוּ תַּרְעֵי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְנִנְעָלוּ תַּרְעֵי דְּכָל עָלְמָא, בְּהַאי זִמְנָא. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִית יוֹסֵף צַדִּיקָא, יָבְשׁוּ מְקוֹרִין וּמַבּוּעִין, וְכֻלְּהוּ שְׁבָטִין נַפְלוּ בְּגָלוּתָא, פָּתְחוּ עִלָּאֵי וְאָמְרוּ, צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה וְגוֹ.' בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִית מֹשֶׁה, אִתְחֲשָׁךְ שִׁמְשָׁא בְּטִיהֲרָא, וְאֲנְעָלַת תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב, נְהוֹרָהָא דְּאַסְפָּקָלַרְיָאה דְּנָהֲרָא. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִית דָּוִד מַלְכָּא, כְּנִישַׁת סִיהֲרָא נְהוֹרָהָא וְאוֹרַיְיתָא דִּבְעַל פֶּה כְּנִישַׁת נְהוֹרָהָא.

Fasting Gates Head Heart Judgment Lights Lock Torah

552. Since that time the lights of Torah were concealed, and arguments multiplied in the Mishnah. The scholars argued and all those of stout heart were confused; therefore, there was no joy of the Torah at that time throughout the generations of the world. This is the cause of the severe fasts that the Rabbis decreed. When a certain person died they decreed a fast, when something happened they decreed so. When the joy of the Written Torah and the Oral Torah was most gathered up at that time, it is so much more necessary to lock the gates of the Torah. Therefore, we say the Justifications of the Judgments, as we have mentioned. Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Chiya rejoiced and kissed him on his head as before. They said, Happy is our portion on this way.

552. וּמֵהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִתְגְּנִיזוּ נְהוֹרִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְאַסְגִּיאוּ מַחֲלוֹקֶת עַל מִשְׁנָה, וְחַכִּימַיָּא בְּמַחְלוֹקֶת, וְכֻלְּהוּ תַּקִיפֵי לִבָּא בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא. וְעַל דָּא, חֶדְוָה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא לָאו אִיהוּ בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, בְּכָל דָּרִין דְּעָלְמָא. וּמָה אִינּוּן חוֹמְרֵי דְּתַעֲנִיוֹת דְּגָזְרוּ רַבָּנָן, כַּד מִית פְּלוֹנִי, גָּזְרוּ תַּעֲנִית. כַּד הֲוָה כַּךְ, גָּזְרוּ כַּךְ. וְכַד הֲוָה כְּנִישׁוּ יַתִּיר דְּחֶדְוָה דְּתוֹרָה דְּבִכְתָּב וְתוֹרָה דִּבְעַל פֶּה, בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, עאכ"ו דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִנְעַל תַּרְעֵי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא. וּבג"כ אַמְרֵינָן הָנֵי צִדּוּקֵי דִּינָא, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר. חֲדוּ רַבִּי יוֹסִי וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא, וּנְשָׁקוּהוּ בְּרֵישֵׁיהּ כְּמִלְקַדְּמִין, אָמְרוּ זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָנָא בְּהַאי אָרְחָא.