"In the multitude of people is the glory of the king"

Synopsis

Here, Rabbi Yehuda discusses, "In the multitude of people is the glory of the king, but in the lack of people is the downfall of the prince." He says that while other nations have more people than Yisrael, they mix with each other, and therefore because the children of Yisrael do not mix, there is no nation in the world as great and numerous as Yisrael. When people are praying in the synagogue, it is to the king's glory. When they do not come and pray, the supernal appointees and legions are lowered, because the praises are required to be said above and below simultaneously. "The downfall of the prince," then, we learn, refers to these supernal beings. Yet even ten people in the synagogue are sufficient to praise God and to make comrades of the supernal legions.

Relevance

The greatness and size of Yisrael is a metaphor alluding to the internal Vessel - the magnitude of desire to receive - that exists within the souls of the children of Yisrael. Prior to the Creation of the world, a single, unified soul - the Vessel - existed in the Endless World. This one infinite soul was comprised of all the souls of humanity, and its essential nature was desire. The one Vessel shattered into countless pieces of all sizes and spilled into our world. Thus, each broken fragment represents a different measure and intensity of desire. The largest pieces of the shattered Vessel are called children of Yisrael. Thus, the Israelites have the capacity to draw the greatest amount of Light into this world by virtue of the intensity of their desire. Since, where there is the greatest capacity for Light, there is also the greatest capacity for negativity, they are in addition accountable for the quantity of darkness that engulfs the world.

"Prayer in the synagogue" is not about worship or offering praise to the Creator. Rather, it denotes the path of spiritual transformation (of which prayer is but a tool to help effect change within a man's nature). Hence, we are being told that the children of Yisrael must embrace spiritual transformation to bring Light to all the nations of the world. Light is created when an Israelite resists his selfish and intense desire to receive for the self alone and, instead, receives for the purpose of sharing with others.

Prayer is one procedure that helps reveal Light as it diminishes the drive of the ego. Ten men are required in a synagogue during prayer, for they correspond to the Ten Sfirot, which creates circuitry. A reading of this passage awakens our momentous responsibility to bring Light to others. We are inspired to perform acts of caring, and we summon the courage to practice self-denial. Our meditation here is a great act of sharing; thus it nourishes all the nations of the world with spiritual Light, ending conflict and crumbling the seeds of intolerance.

Curtain Praise Ten

692. "Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains... " (Shemot 26:1). Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion saying, "In the multitude of people is the glory of the king, but in the lack of people is the downfall of the prince" (Mishlei 14:28). "In the multitude of people is the glory of the king" refers to Yisrael, about whom it is written, "For you are a holy people to Hashem your Elohim" (Devarim 7:6). They are a people that number many thousands and ten thousands, and when their numbers are great, it is the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, because those above and those below praise the Name of the supernal King because of this holy nation. This is what is meant by, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people" (Devarim 4:6).

692. וְאֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן תַּעֲשֶׂה עֶשֶׂר יְרִיעוֹת וְגוֹ.' רַבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח, בְּרָב עַם הַדְרַת מֶלֶךְ וּבְאֶפֶס לְאֹם מְחִתַּת רָזוֹן. בְּרָב עָם הַדְרַת מֶלֶךְ, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִּיב בְּהוּ כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לַיְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ. וְאִינּוּן עַמָּא דְּסַלְּקִין לְכַמָּה אַלְפִין, וּלְכַמָה רִבְּוָון, וְכַד אִינּוּן סַגִּיאִין בְּחוּשְׁבָּנֵיהוֹן, יְקָרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִיהוּ. דְּהָא עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין מְשַׁבְּחָן שְׁמֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, וּמְשַׁבְּחָן לֵיהּ בְּגִין עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא דָּא. הה"ד רַק עַם חָכָם וְנָבוֹן הַגּוֹי הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה.

Edomites

693. If you ask, But it is written, "Because you were more (also: few) in number than all the other peoples" (Devarim 7:7). HE ANSWERS, "Than all the other people:" They are certainly the fewest, but of any of these people they are more numerous, for in the whole world there is no nation as great and numerous as Yisrael. If you ask, Behold the Ishmelites and the Edomites, who are numerous. HE ANSWERS, For sure numerous, but all the other nations mix one with the other. This nation has children in this nation and this nation has children in another nation, BUT THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL DO NOT MIX WITH OTHER NATIONS AND NO NATIONS MIX WITH THEM. Therefore, there is no nation in the world as great and numerous as Yisrael. A select and unique people are they. Among them, there is no intermingle at all, as it is written, "For you are a holy people to Hashem your Elohim, Hashem your Elohim has chosen you... " Hence "in the multitude of people is the glory of the king," namely the glory of the supernal King, the Holy One, blessed be He.

693. וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָא כְּתִיב, כִּי אַתֶּם הַמְעַט מִכָּל הָעַמִּים, אֶלָּא, מִכָּל הָעַמִּים וַדַּאי, אֲבָל מֵעַמָּא חַד יַתִּיר סַגִּיאִין אִינּוּן. דְּהָא לֵית עַמָּא בְּכָל עָלְמָא רַב וְסַגִּי כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאִי תֵּימָא הָא בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, וְהָא בְּנֵי אֱדוֹם, הָא כַּמָּה אִינּוּן. וַדַּאי הָכִי סַגִּיאִין אִינּוּן, אֲבָל כָּל שְׁאַר עַמִּין כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְעָרְבֵי אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין, בְּנִין אִית לְעָם דָּא, בְּעָם דָּא, וּלְאִלֵּין בְּנִין בְּעָם אַחֲרָא, וְאִלֵּין בְּאַחֲרָא. וּבג"כ לֵית עַמָּא בְּכָל עָלְמָא, רַב סַגִּי כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, עַמָּא בְּרִירָא וִיחִידָאָה, אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין, בְּלָא עִרְבּוּבְיָא אַחֲרָא כְּלַל, דִּכְתִּיב כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לַיְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, וּבְךָ בָּחַר יְיָ,' וְע"ד בְּרָב עָם הַדְרַת מֶלֶךְ, הִדּוּרָא אִיהוּ דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.

Aba and Ima Praise Prayer

694. תּוּ בְּזִמְנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָתֵי לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, וְכָל עַמָּא אַתְיָין כַּחֲדָא, וּמְצַלָאן, וְאוֹדָן, וּמְשַׁבְּחָן לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּדֵין הִדּוּרָא דְּמֶלֶךְ אִיהוּ, דְּמֶלֶךְ סְתָם דָּא מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא. דְּאִתְתָּקַּן בִּשְׁפִירוּ וּבְתִקּוּנָא לְסַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא.

Praise Prayer

695. וּבְאֶפֶס לְאֹם מְחִתַּת רָזוֹן, וְכַד אִיהוּ אַקְדִּים לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, וְעַמָּא לָא אַתְיָין לְצַלָּאָה וּלְשַׁבְּחָא לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּדֵין כָּל הַהוּא שֻׁלְטָנוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְכָל אִינּוּן מְמָנָן וּמַשִּׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין, כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְבָּרוּ מֵהַהוּא עִלּוּיָא דְּמִתַּתְקְנֵי בְּתִקּוּנֵי הַהוּא מֶלֶךְ.

Praise Prayer

696. מ"ט. בְּגִין דִּבְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא קָא מְסַדְּרֵי צְלוֹתְהוֹן וּבָעוּתְהוֹן, וּמְשַׁבְּחָן לְמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה. כָּל אִינּוּן מַשִּׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין, מְסַדְּרִין שְׁבָחִין, וּמְתַּתְקְנָן בְּהַהוּא תִּקּוּנָא קַדִּישָׁא, בְּגִין דְּמַשִּׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין כֻּלְּהוּ חֲבֵרִין אִינּוּן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא, לְשַׁבְּחָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּחֲדָא, לְמֶהֱוֵי סִלּוּקָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא כַּחֲדָא.

Angels Praise Prayer

697. When THE ANGELS are bidden to be comrades with the people of Yisrael, TO PRAISE THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, TOGETHER, and the children of Yisrael below do not come to set their prayers and requests and to praise their Master, then all the holy legions of the supernal dominion are cut from their perfection. They are not elevated and they cannot praise their Master properly, because the praises of the Holy One, blessed be He, have to be recited together above and below by those of above and those of below at the same time. Therefore it says, "The downfall of the prince" and not 'the downfall of the king' BECAUSE THIS PERTAINS ONLY TO THE COMPANIES OF ANGELS AND NOT TO THE KING HIMSELF.

697. וְכַד אִינּוּן מִזְדַּמְּנָן לְמֶהֱוֵי חֲבֵרִים בְּהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא לָא אַתְיָין לְסַדְּרָא צְלוֹתְהוֹן וּבָעוּתְהוֹן וּלְשַׁבְּחָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן, כֻּלְּהוּ מַשִּׁרְיָין קַדִּישִׁין, שֻׁלְטָנוּתָא עִלָּאָה אִתְבָּרוּ מִתִּקּוּנֵיהוֹן, דְּהָא לָא סַלְּקִין בְּסִלוּקָא, וְלָא יַכְלִין לְשַׁבְּחָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת. בְּגִין דִּשְׁבָחֵי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֶהֱוֵי כַּחֲדָא עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין בְּשַׁעֲתָא חֲדָא, וְע"ד מְחִתַּת רָזוֹן וְלָא מְחִתַּת מֶלֶךְ.

Praise Ten

698. וַאֲפִילּוּ דְּלָא אַסְגִּיאוּ בְּבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, אֶלָּא עֲשָׂרָה, בְּאִינּוּן עֲשָׂרָה מִזְדַּמְנָן מַשִּׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין, לְמֶהֱוֵי עִמְּהוֹן חֲבֵרִים. מ"ט בְּגִין דְּכָל תִּקּוּנֵי דְּהַהוּא מֶלֶךְ, אִינּוּן בַּעֲשָׂרָה, וְעַל דָּא דַּי בַּעֲשָׂרָה, אִי לָאו אִינּוּן יַתִּיר.