The center of the World

Synopsis

Here, Rabbi Yosi discusses, "When you have eaten and are replete, then you shall bless the Creator your Elohim for the good land which He has given you." He says the Holy Land is the center of the world, and in the center of that is Jerusalem, and in the center of that is the Holy of Holies. Everywhere on earth is nourished from this one place. In the wilderness where the Other Side dominates, we learn, the children of Yisrael wandered for forty years. If they had been righteous during that time they would have removed the Other Side from the world, but instead they strengthened it. Moses died on Mount Avarim and was buried by the Shechinah. We are next told that Moses dominated the mountain, and that he showed thatthose who die in the wilderness will rise at the resurrection of the dead. Rabbi Yosi then tells us that God sent a goat to a mountain called Azazel, which is the stronghold of the Other Side. Finally, we learn that if one who delights at his table worries about the holiness of the Holy Land and the sanctuary of the King that has been destroyed, he will be remembered by God as though he re-built the ruins of the Temple.

Relevance

A reading of this passage conjoinsour souls to the Holy of Holies, the wellspring and fountainhead of all spiritual nourishment. This sacred connection is critical if our prayers are to be answered, if our lives are to be renewed with passion, peace, prosperity, and blessedness.

The Temple is a refuge from death itself, such is the resplendence of this Light. Thus, a heartfelt visual embrace of this text rebuilds the spiritual Temple, as if by our own hands. The long hidden Light begins to shine and death dies. Evil is laid to waste and goodness fills the land. The dead are readied for Resurrection in a process that will embody sweet mercy and disburden.

Creation Earth Food Holy Land Holy of Holies Jerusalem Land of Yisrael Point

561. Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion with the verse, "When you have eaten and are replete, then you shall bless Hashem your Elohim for the good land which He has given you" (Devarim 8:10). HE QUESTIONS, If we bless in the land of Yisrael, how do we know THAT WE HAVE TO BLESS outside of the Land of Yisrael? FOR IT SEEMS that in this circumstance, OUTSIDE OF THE LAND OF YISRAEL, it is not necessary to bless. HE ANSWERS, When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He divided the earth. The PLACE OF habitation was on one side and THE PLACE of desolation was on the other side. And He divided the inhabited PLACE, and circled the world around one point. What is it? It is the Holy Land, because the Holy Land is the center of the world and in the center of the Holy Land is Jerusalem, and the center of Jerusalem is the Holy of Holies. Every goodness and all the food of the entire habitation descend there from above and there is not one place inhabited that is not nourished from there.

561. פָּתַח ר' יוֹסִי וְאָמַר, וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ עַל הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָךְ. אִי בְּאַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מְבָרְכֵינָן, לְבַר מֵאַרְעָא מְנָלָן. דְּהָא בְּגַוְונָא דָּא לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ. אֶלָּא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּד בָּרָא עָלְמָא, פָּלִיג אַרְעָא, יִשׁוּבָא אִיהוּ לִסְטַר חַד, וְחַרְבָּא אִיהוּ לִסְטַר אָחֳרָא. פָּלִיג יִשׁוּבָא, וְאַסְחַר עָלְמָא סַחֲרָנֵיהּ דִּנְקוּדָה חֲדָא. וּמַאן אִיהוּ, דָּא אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא אֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּעָלְמָא. וּבְאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, אִיהוּ יְרוּשְׁלֵם. אֶמְצָעִיתָא דִּירוּשְׁלֵם אִיהוּ בֵּית קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים, וְכָל טִיבוּ וְכָל מְזוֹנָא דְּכָל יִשׁוּבָא, תַּמָּן נָחִית מִלְּעֵילָּא. וְלֵית לְּךָ אֲתָר בְּכָל יִשׁוּבָא דְּלָא אִתְּזַן מִתַּמָּן.

Other Side Righteous Strength Year

562. He divided the desolate place, and there was no greater desolation in the entire world as in that wilderness, that the children of Yisrael broke its strength and power for forty years, as it is written, "... who led you through that great and terrible wilderness" (Ibid. 15). The Other Side dominates in that wilderness and, against its will, the children of Yisrael walked on it and smashed its strength forty years. Had they been righteous during the forty years, they would have removed the Other Side from the world, but because they angered the Holy One, blessed be He, so many times, the Other Side grow strong. They all fell under its power there.

562. פָּלִיג חַרְבָּא. וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח חַרְבָּא תַּקִּיפָא בְּכָל עָלְמָא, בַּר הַהוּא מִדְבָּר, דְּתַבְרוּ חֵילֵיהּ וְתֻקְפֵּיהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר הַמּוֹלִיכְךָ בַּמִּדְבָּר הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא. בְּהַהוּא מַדְבְּרָא, שַׁלְטָא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא, וּבָעַל כָּרְחֵיהּ אַזְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עָלֵיהּ, וְתָבְרוּ חֵילֵיהּ, אַרְבְּעִין שְׁנִין. וְאִי יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁתַּכְחוּ זַכָּאִין בְּאִינּוּן אַרְבְּעִין שְׁנִין, הֲוָה מִתְעַבְּרָא הַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא מֵעָלְמָא, וּמִדְקָא אַרְגִּיזוּ לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כָּל אִינּוּן זִמְנִין, אִתְתָּקַּף הַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא, וְנָפְלוּ כֻּלְּהוּ תַּמָּן תְּחוֹת רְשׁוּתֵיהּ.

Moses Mountains Other Side Valley

563. If you ask, Behold Moses, who was elevated over all the people of the world, how did he die there? HE ANSWERS, It was not so, for Moses was not under the jurisdiction OF THE OTHER SIDE, but rather on the Mount Avarim. What means Avarim? Quarrels, FROM THE EXPRESSION WRATH (HEB. EVRA) AND FURY. The supernal rulers of above quarreled over it, FOR THEY WANTED TO DOMINATE THE MOUNTAIN, but it was handed not to any other ruler and it remained so until Moses, the Faithful Servant, came and dominated it. Moses was buried there, and no one took part in his burial except the Holy One, blessed be He, alone, as it is written, "And he buried him in the valley" (Devarim 34:6).

563. וְאִי תֵּימָא, וְהָא מֹשֶׁה דְּסָלִיק עַל כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא, הֵיךְ מִית תַּמָּן. לָאו הָכִי, דְּהָא מֹשֶׁה מְהֵימָנָא לָא הֲוָה בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ, אֶלָּא בְּהַר הָעֲבָרִים. מַאי הָעֲבָרִים. פְּלוּגְתָּא. דְּאִתְפְּלָגוּ עָלֵיהּ שַׁלִיטִין עִלָּאִין דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְלָא אִתְמְסָר בִּידָא דִּמְמָנָא וְשַׁלִיטָא אָחֳרָא, וְאִשְׁתְּאָר הָכִי, עַד דְּאָתָא מֹשֶׁה עַבְדָּא מְהֵימָנָא, וְשָׁלִיט עָלֵיהּ, וְאִתְקְבָר תַּמָּן, וְלָא אִתְעַסָּק בֵּיהּ בִּקְבוּרָתֵיהּ, בַּר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, דִּכְתִּיב וַיִקְבֹּר אוֹתוֹ בַגַּי.

Moses Mountains Resurrection Shechinah Shepherd World to Come, The

564. "And he buried him... " HE QUESTIONS, Who is the one WHO BURIED HIM? HE ANSWERS, The one of whom it is written in a non-descriptive way, "And he said to Moses" (Shemot 24:1) and similarly, "And... called to Moses" (Vayikra 1:1). It did not write who he is. "And he buried him:" It is not written who he is. But certainly this place is known to the friends, THAT IT IS THE SHECHINAH CALLED 'PLACE,' FOR IT IS THE SHECHINAH WHEREVER IT IS SAID JUST 'HE.' Therefore, no one dominated in this mountain except Moses himself, and he was buried there. He did it so that all the generations of the world would know that those who died in the wilderness will rise AT THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. The Holy One, blessed be He, caused their shepherd to dwell among them, so that they all will be present in the rising to existence of the World to Come.

564. וַיִקְבֹּר אוֹתוֹ, מַאן. הַהוּא דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ בְּאֹרַח סָתִים, וְאֶל מֹשֶׁה אָמַר, וְלָא כְּתִיב מַאן אִיהוּ. וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה, וְלָא כְּתִיב מַאן אִיהוּ. אוּף הָכָא וַיִקְבּוֹר אוֹתוֹ, וְלָא כְּתִיב מַאן אִיהוּ, אֶלָּא וַדַּאי הַאי אֲתָר יְדִיעָא אִיהוּ לְגַבֵּי חַבְרַיָּיא. וְעַל דָּא, בְּהַהוּא טוּרָא לָא שַׁלִּיט עָלֵיהּ, בַּר מֹשֶׁה בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, וְאִיהוּ אִתְקְבַר תַּמָּן. וּבְגִין לְמִנְדַּע לְכָל דָּרִין אַחֲרָנִין דְּעָלְמָא, דְּאִינּוּן מְתֵי מִדְבָּר יְקוּמוּן, הַהוּא רַעְיָא דִּלְהוֹן אַשְׁרֵי לֵיהּ בְּגַּוַּויְיהוּ, לְמֶהֱוֵי כֻּלְּהוּ בְּאִתְעָרוּתָא דְּקִיּוּמָא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.

Azazel Dwellings Goats Mountains Other Side Strength Year

565. If you ask, If that wilderness is the strength of the Other Side, how could the Holy One, blessed be He, command that this goat shall be sent to a different mountain that is called 'Azazel?' They should have sent it to that mountain that Yisrael went over in the wilderness, for there is the place of the strength of the Other Side. HE ANSWERS, Since the children of Yisrael had already gone there forty years, its power was broken. And its power grew strong in a place where nobody ever passed before. Yet that mountain THAT IS IN THE WILDERNESS THAT YISRAEL WALKED IN was the dwelling place of Yisrael for forty years.

565. וְאִי תֵּימָא, אִי הָכִי דְּהַהוּא מַדְבְּרָא אִיהוּ תֻּקְפָּא דְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא, הֵיךְ פָּקִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עַל הַהוּא שָׂעִיר, לְשַׁדְּרָא לֵיהּ לְטוּרָא אָחֳרָא, דְּאִקְרֵי עֲזָאזֵל, הֲוָה לוֹן לְשַׁדְּרָא לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא טוּרָא דְּאַזְלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמַדְבְּרָא בֵּיהּ. אֶלָּא, כֵּיוָן דְּהָא אָזְלוּ בֵּיהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבְּעִין שְׁנִין, הָא אִתְּבַּר תֻּקְפֵּיהּ. וְתֻקְפֵּיהּ אִתְתָּקַּף בַּאֲתָר דְּלָא עָבַר בֵּיהּ גְּבָר תַּמָּן לְעָלְמִין, וּבְהַהוּא טוּרָא, הָא הֲוָה דִּיּוּרֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל תַּמָּן אַרְבְּעִין שְׁנִין.

Goats Other Side Rock

566. אֲבָל בְּהַאי שָׂעִיר, הַהוּא אֲתָר אִיהוּ טִנָרָא תַּקִּיפָא עִלָּאָה, וּתְחוֹת עָמְקָא דְּהַהוּא טִנָרָא, דְּבַר נָשׁ לָא יָכִיל לְמֵיעַל תַּמָּן, אִיהוּ שַׁלִּיט יַתִּיר לְמֵיכַל טַרְפֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּיִתְעַבָּר מֵעַלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלָא יִשְׁתְּכַּח בְּהוּ מְקַטְרְגָא עָלַיְיהוּ בְּיִשּׁוּבָא.

Faith Food Holy Land Holy of Holies Merit Point Strength

567. The dominion of the secret of Faith is found in the central point of the whole Holy Land, in the Holy of Holies, and even though it does not exist today, NONETHELESS, in its merit the whole world is fed. Food and sustenance emit from there to all, in every inhabited place. Therefore, even though the children of Yisrael are outside the Holy Land, because of the strength and merit of the Land there is food and sustenance in the world. Therefore, it is written, "And you shall bless Hashem your Elohim for the good land that He has given you," "the good land" certainly, for there is found food and sustenance in the world because of it.

567. שׁוּלְטָנוּתֵיהּ דְּרָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, גּוֹ אֶמְצָעִיתָא דִּנְקוּדָה דְּכָל אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, בְּבֵי קֹדֶשׁ הַקָּדָשִׁים. וְאע"ג דְּהַשְׁתָּא לָאו אִיהוּ בְּקִיּוּמָא, בִּזְכוּתֵיהּ כָּל עָלְמָא אִתְּזַן, וּמְזוֹנָא וְסִפּוּקָא מִתַּמָּן נָפְקָא לְכֹלָּא, בְּכָל אֲתָר סִטְרָא דִּישׁוּבָא. וּבְגִין כַּךְ, אע"ג דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הַשְׁתָּא לְבַר מֵאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, עִם כָּל דָּא מֵחֵילָא וּזְכוּתָא דְּאַרְעָא, אִשְׁתְּכַח מְזוֹנָא וְסִפּוּקָא לְכָל עָלְמָא. וְע"ד כְּתִיב וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ עַל הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָךְ. עַל הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה וַדַּאי, דְּהָא בְּגִינָהּ מְזוֹנָא וְסִפּוּקָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּעָלְמָא.

Fasting Holiness (Kedushah) Holy Land (Holy) Temple Kedushah (Holiness) Sanctuary Table

568. מַאן דְּאִתְעֲדָּן עַל פָּתוֹרֵיהּ וּמִתְעַנַּג בְּאִינּוּן מֵיכְלִין, אִית לֵיהּ לְאַדְכְּרָא וּלְדָאֲגָא עַל קְדוּשָּׁה דְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְעַל הֵיכָלָא דְּמַלְכָּא דְּקָא אִתְחֲרִיב. וּבְגִין הַהוּא עֲצִיבוּ דְּאִיהוּ קָא מִתְעֲצַב עַל פָּתוֹרֵיהּ, בְּהַהוּא חֶדְוָה וּמִשְׁתְּיָּא דְּתַמָּן, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָשִׁיב עָלֵיהּ כְּאִלּוּ בְּנָה בֵּיתֵיהּ, וּבָנָה כָּל אִינּוּן חַרְבֵּי דְּבֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ.