"That they bring Me an offering"

Synopsis

The section title passage summarizes one single great truth, which Rabbi Shimon explains to us, that for one to aspire toward divine union, he must strive with all his heart and soul and with self-purification, and pay the necessary price. We also hear that he is prompted to do this by the heart of God in himself, that he may increase his worthiness by turning a wicked person from the path of evil. In doing so he causes the subjugation of the Other Side, causes God to be elevated in his honor, and thence causes the world to be preserved both above and below. Such a righteous one, we are told, shall enter in through the twelve gates.

Relevance

Perfection comes partly through striving and steadfast self- transformation with the right intent; yet there is more to bettering ourselves. We can increase our merit by tutoring the wicked, helping them to be free of evil.

Through our meditation upon these verses, we grasp in our hearts the source of all goodness from whence we sprang. The evil tendencies of the wicked are abolished and the Other Side is immobilized. We are now free to attain unity with the Light of the Creator.

Blessing Heart Offering Precepts

34. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, "That they bring Me an offering, of every man whose heart prompts him to give" (Shemot 25:2). "That they bring Me" POINTS OUT that if one wishes to undertake a precept and to aspire towards the Holy One, blessed be He, it is necessary that the person not strive in vain and empty handed, but rather that he makes efforts as befitting, and according to, his strengths. We have established this in many places, AND SO it is good for a person to strive after the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, "Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of Hashem your Elohim which He has given you" (Devarim 16:17).

34. פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בְּרֵישָׁא וְאָמַר, וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה מֵאֵת כָּל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ תִּקְחוּ אֶת תְּרוּמָתִי. וְיִקְחוּ לִי, הַאי מַאן דְּבָעֵי לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּמִצְוָה, וּלְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אִצְטְרִיךְ דְּלָא יִשְׁתָּדַּל בֵּיהּ בְּרֵיקָנַיָּיא וּבְמַגָּנָא, אֶלָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בֵּיהּ כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת כְּפוּם חֵילֵיהּ. וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלָּה דָּא בְּכַמָּה אַתְרֵי, יֵאוֹת לְמֵיסַב בַּר נָשׁ הַהוּא אִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. כד"א אִישׁ כְּמַתְּנַת יָדוֹ וְגוֹ'.

Form Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness) Merit Milk Torah Wine

35. And if you ask, Is it not written, "Come, buy, and eat; come, buy wine and milk without money and without a price" (Yeshayah 55:1)? So we see that it is free, and that is the striving after the Holy One, blessed be He, BECAUSE WINE AND MILK MEAN THE TORAH, WHICH IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WAY. HE ANSWERS, Anybody who desires to endeavor for Torah merits it. The striving after the Holy One, blessed be He, is to know Him; for anyone who desires it will merit it without any payment whatsoever. But if the striving after the Holy One, blessed be He, is in the form of an action, it is prohibited to perform that action empty handed and in vain, because one will not merit the drawing down of a spirit of holiness unless he pays in full.

35. וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָא כְּתִיב לְכוּ שִׁבְרוּ וֶאֱכֹלוּ וּלְכוּ שִׁבְרוּ בְּלֹֹא כֶסֶף וּבְלֹֹא מְחִיר יַיִן וְחָלָב, דְּהָא אִיהוּ בְּמַגָּנָא, וְאִיהוּ אִשְׁתַּדְלוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. אֶלָּא אִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כָּל מַאן דְּבָעֵי זָכֵי בָּהּ. אִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמִנְדַּע לֵיהּ, כָּל מַאן דְּבָעֵי זָכֵי בֵּיהּ, בְּלָא אַגְרָא כְּלָל. אֲבָל אִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּקַיְּימָא בְּעוֹבָדָא, אָסִיר לְנַטְּלָא לֵיהּ לְמַגָּנָא וּבְרֵיקָנַיָּיא, בְּגִין דְּלָא זָכֵי בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא כְּלַל, לְאַמְשָׁכָא עָלֵיהּ רוּחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא, אֶלָּא בַּאֲגַר שְׁלִים.

Asmodeus Book of Asmodeus Demons Other Side Sorcery Witchcraft

36. In the books of sorcery that Asmodeus, THE KING OF THE DEMONS, taught King Solomon IT IS WRITTEN THAT whoever wants to endeavor to remove from himself the impure spirit and to subdue the other spirit OF THE OTHER SIDE, must buy in full payment the action in which he wishes to endeavor, and he should give whatever is requested of him, whether a little or a lot. The spirit of impurity is always ready freely and for nothing and is saleable without payment, because he compels people upon whom he dwells and entices them to dwell with him. He tempts them to make their habitation with him in many ways.

36. בְּסִפְרָא דְּחַרְשֵׁי, דְּאוֹלִיף אַשְׁמְדָאי לִשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא, כָּל מַאן דְּבָעֵי לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא לְאַעְבְּרָא מִנֵּיהּ רוּחַ מִסְאָבָא, וּלְאַכְפֵּיָיא רוּחָא אַחֲרָא. הַהוּא עוֹבְדָא דְּבָעֵי לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בֵּיהּ, בָּעֵי לְמִקְנֵי לֵיהּ בַּאֲגָר שְׁלִים, בְּכָל מַה דְּיִבְעוּן מִנֵּיהּ, בֵּין זְעֵיר בֵּין רַב, בְּגִין דְּרוּחַ מִסְאָבָא, אִיהוּ אִזְדָּמַּן תָּדִיר בְּמַגָּנָא וּבְרֵיקָנַיָּא, וְאִזְדְּבַן בְּלָא אַגְרָא, וְאָנִיס לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא לְמִשְׁרֵי עָלַיְיהוּ, וּמְפַתֵּי לוֹן לְדַיְירָא עִמְּהוֹן, בְּכַמָּה פִּתּוּיִין, בְּכַמָּה אָרְחִין, סָטֵי לוֹן לְשַׁוָּואָה דִּיּוּרֵיהּ עִמְהוֹן.

Heart Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness) Merit Soul, The

37. The spirit of holiness is not this way, but only with full payment and great endeavor, and by purifying himself and purifying his habitation with the desire of his heart and soul. AND EVEN THEN, fortunate is he who merits that he will place its habitation with him. With all this, HE MUST go in the straight path, neither turning right nor left. If he does not, He separates itself immediately and distances itself from him, and he will not again be able to merit it as he did originally.

37. וְרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא בַּאֲגַר שְׁלִים, וּבְאִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתָא רַב סַגִּי, וּבְאִתְדַּכְּאוּתָא דְּגַרְמֵיהּ וּבְאִתְדַּכְּאוּתָא דְּמִשְׁכָּנֵיהּ, וּבִרְעוּתָא דְּלִבֵּיהּ וְנַפְשֵׁיהּ. וּלְוָאי דְּיָכִיל לְמִרְוַוח לֵיהּ, דִּישַׁוֵּי מָדוֹרֵיהּ עִמֵּיהּ. וְעכ"ד דְּיָהַךְ בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר, דְּלָא יִסְטֵי לִימִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא, וְאִי לָאו, מִיָּד אִסְתַּלָּק מִנֵּיהּ, וְאִתְרְחַק מִנֵּיהּ. וְלָא יָכִיל לְמִרְוַוח לֵיהּ כְּדִבְקַדְמֵיתָא.

Heart Offering

38. In reference to this, it is written, "That they bring Me an offering, of every man... " MEANING one called 'man' who has overcome his inclination, for whoever overcomes his inclination is called 'man.' "Whose heart prompts him:" HE QUESTIONS, What does "whose heart prompts him" mean? HE ANSWERS, Rather that the Holy One, blessed be He, takes pleasure in him, as it is written, "Of You my heart has said" (Tehilim 27:8); "the strength of my heart" (Tehilim 73:26), "of a merry heart" (Mishlei 15:15) and "His heart was merry" (Rut 3:7). They all refer to the Holy One, blessed be He, MEANING THE HEART OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, THAT IS, HIS GOODWILL. Here also, "Whose heart prompts him" IS THE HEART OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. From Him "shall you take My offering," because there is where THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE is found, FOR HE DWELLS IN HIM and in no other place.

38. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה מֵאֵת כָּל אִישׁ, מֵהַהוּא דְּאִקְרֵי אִישׁ, דְּאִתְגָּבַּר עַל יִצְרֵיהּ. וְכָל מַאן דְּאִתְגָּבַּר עַל יִצְרֵיהּ, אִקְרֵי אִישׁ. אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ, מַאי אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ. אֶלָּא. דְּיִתְרְעֵי בֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כד"א לְךָ אָמַר לִבִּי. צוּר לְבָבִי. וְטוֹב לֵב. וַיִּיטַב לִבּוֹ. כֻּלְּהוּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָאָמַר. אוּף הָכָא אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ. מִנֵּיהּ תִּקְחוּ אֶת תְּרוּמָתִי, דְּהָא תַּמָּן אִשְׁתְּכַח וְלָאו בַּאֲתָר אַחֲרָא.

Dwellings Heart Merit Righteous Shechinah Soul, The

39. How do we know that the Holy One, blessed be He, wants him and places His dwelling place in him? IT IS when we see that the desire of the person IS to endeavor to pursue the Holy One, blessed be He, with his heart and soul and desire. We are certain then that the Shechinah dwells there. Then we should pay in full to befriend him and to learn from him. About this, the ancients said, '... and acquire for yourself a friend.' You must buy him for a full price in order to merit the Shechinah THAT DWELLS IN HIM. This is how far it is necessary to pursue a righteous man and purchase him.

39. וּמְנָא יַדְעֵינָן דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בֵּיהּ, וְשַׁוֵּי מָדוֹרֵיהּ בֵּיהּ. כַּד חֲמֵינָן דִּרְעוּתָא דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, לְמִרְדַּף וּלְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא אֲבַתְרֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּלִבֵּיהּ וּבְנַפְשֵׁיהּ וּבִרְעוּתֵיהּ, וַדַּאי תַּמָּן יַדְעִינָן דְּשַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא. כְּדֵין בָּעֵינָן לְמִקְנֵי הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, בְּכֶסֶף שְׁלִים, לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ וּלְמֵילַף מִנֵּיהּ. וְעַל דָּא קַדְמָאֵי הַווֹ אַמְרֵי, וּקְנֵה לְךָ חָבֵר, בַּאֲגַר שְׁלִים בָּעֵי לְמִקְנֵי לֵיהּ, בְּגִין לְמִזְכֵּי בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא. עַד הָכָא בָּעֵי לְמִרְדַּף בָּתַר זַכָּאָה וּלְמִקְנֵהּ לֵיהּ.

Aaron Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Creation Other Side Praise Righteous Wicked Wickedness

40. In the same way, the righteous one must pursue the wicked person and purchase him for a full price in order to remove from him that filth, subdue the Other Side and build him, for it is considered as though he created him. This is a praise, with which the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, will be elevated, more than with any other praise, and this elevation is quite in excess! What is the reason? Because he caused the Other Side to be subdued and to elevate the honor of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written about Aaron, "And turned many away from iniquity" (Malachi 2:6) and also, "My Covenant was with him" (Ibid. 5).

40. אוּף הָכִי, הַהוּא זַכָּאָה בָּעֵי לְמִרְדַּף בָּתַר חַיָּיבָא, וּלְמִקְנֵי לֵיהּ בַּאֲגַר שְׁלִים, בְּגִין דְּיֶעְבַּר מִנֵּיהּ הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא, וְיִתְכַּפְיָא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, וְיַעֲבִיד לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ, בְּגִין דְּיִתְחַשָּׁב עָלֵיהּ, כְּאִילּוּ הוּא בָּרָא לֵיהּ. וְדָא אִיהוּ שְׁבָחָא דְּיִסְתָּלַּק בֵּיהּ יְקָרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, יַתִּיר מִשְׁבָחָא אַחֲרָא, וְאִסְתַּלְּקוּתָא דָּא יַתִּיר מִכֹּלָּא. מַאי טַעֲמָא. בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ גָּרִים לְאַכְפְּיָא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, וּלְאִסְתַּלְּקָא יְקָרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּאַהֲרֹן, וְרַבִּים הֵשִׁיב מֵעָוֹן. וּכְתִיב בְּרִיתִי הָיְתָה אִתּוֹ.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Darkness Earth Evil Firmaments Gates Hands Light Merit Other Side Peace Twelve Wicked Wickedness World to Come, The

41. Come and see, Everyone who holds the hand of the wicked person and endeavors to help him leave the path of evil is elevated in three elevations, to which another person cannot rise. He causes the subjugation of the Other Side, he causes the Holy One, blessed be He, to be elevated in His honor and he causes the world to be preserved both above and below. About this person, it is written, "My Covenant was with him for life and peace" and he merits to see the children of his children, and gains merit in this world and in the World to Come. All the accusers will not be able to judge him in this world and in the World to Come. He enters through the twelve gates THAT ARE IN THE FIRMAMENT, and there is nothing to prevent him. It is written, "His seed shall be mighty upon earth; the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches shall be in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Light rises in the darkness for the upright: He is gracious and full of compassion, and just..." (Tehilim 112:2-4).

41. תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל מַאן דְּאָחִיד בִּידָא דְּחַיָּיבָא, וְאִשְׁתָּדַּל בֵּיהּ, לְמִשְׁבַק אָרְחָא בִּישָׁא, אִיהוּ אִסְתַּלָּק בִּתְלַת סִלּוּקִין, מַה דְּלָא אִסְתַּלָּק הָכִי בַּר נָשׁ אַחֲרָא. גָּרִים לְאַכְפְּיָיא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא. וְגָרִים דְּאִסְתָּלַּק קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּיקָרֵיהּ. וְגָרִים לְקַיְּימָא כָּל עָלְמָא בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא. וְעַל הַאי בַּר נָשׁ כְּתִיב, בְּרִיתִי הָיְתָה אִתּוֹ הַחַיִּים וְהַשָּׁלוֹם. וְזָכֵי לְמֵחֱמֵי בְּנִין לִבְנוֹי, וְזָכֵי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וְזָכֵי לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. כָּל מָארֵי דִּינִין, לָא יַכְלִין לְמֵידָן לֵיהּ, בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. עָאל בִּתְרֵיסַר תַּרְעֵי, וְלֵית מַאן דְּיִמְחֵי בִּידֵיהּ. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, גִּבּוֹר בָּאָרֶץ יִהְיֶה זַרְעוֹ דּוֹר יְשָׁרִים יְבוֹרָךְ. הוֹן וָעֹשֶׁר בְּבֵיתוֹ וְצִדְקָתוֹ עוֹמֶדֶת לָעַד. זָרַח בַּחֹשֶׁךְ אוֹר לַיְשָׁרִים וְגוֹ'.