Match-making is as difficult before the Holy One, blessed be He, as splitting the Red Sea
When the Red Sea parted, we learn, some people were saved and some were killed. Someone dies and there is weeping, yet his wife is given to another and there is singing. And sometimes a wicked person gets a good woman. Rabbi Shimon says here that there are concealed secrets in all this; nonetheless, it is all according to the law. He then tells us that 'before the Holy One' refers to Malchut; these things are difficult for Her because they are not under Her authority; she receives everything from the Holy One. Rabbi Shimon next questions the meaning of, "And that soul will be cut off from before Me," and decides that it means that the soul will be cut off from all the delights of the world to come, which is Binah. Then we read of Jonah: "And Yonah rose to flee to Tarshish from before the Creator," and, "for the men knew that he had fled from before the Creator." How is it possible to flee from God? Rabbi Shimon explains that this means Jonah was afraid to be in the Holy Land so that the spirit of prophecy should not come upon him. He then speaks of the role of the Shechinah, who dwells in the Holy Land, and who rested on King David before he said, "Yud Hei Vav Hei is my shepherd; I shall not want." When the Shechinah receives food above for all the worlds, all the angels delight and awaken and raise their wings to cover their faces when She comes to deliver their food to them, so that they do not gaze upon Her. There are three companies of worshipping angels, we are told, who fit into each other like the tendons in the standing boards of acacia in the tabernacle.
Rabbi Shimon next discusses, "For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and its gain than fine gold," and, "He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters." "He restores my soul," we learn, means the soul of David, which is Malchut, who wishes to amend his level properly. The righteous will rest in the world to come with these "still waters" that are drawn and emerge from Eden.
Here we see that there is an underlying and hidden, yet lawful, reason for life and death, good and evil, grieving and rejoicing. We are told that these things are not hard for the Holy One but they are hard for Malchut, and from this we see that it is only because our understanding is so much lower than God's that we have difficulty accepting the seeming inequities of the world. This difficulty is ultimately caused by the existence of time. Kabbalah defines time as the distance between cause and effect.
It is the separation between action and reaction; the measurement between conduct and recompense; the space between deed and dividend; and the chasm between crime and consequence. Because of time's existence, we believe mistakenly that goodness goes unrewarded, that evil goes unpunished, and that life lacks true justice. The world appears chaotic and random; when in reality, there is an exquisite and elegant order, the law of cause and effect, beneath the turmoil. Through David, we correct the sins of our past, rectifying and restoring all Malchut. All the waters of earth become still and the green pastures upon our earth welcome us as the Light of the Shechinah reaches her maximum intensity.
818. Similarly, match-making is as difficult before the Holy One, blessed be He, as the splitting of the Red Sea; just as by the splitting of the Red Sea, these are killed on the one hand while others are kept alive on the other hand. By match-making, it is also written, "He brings out the prisoners into prosperity (Heb. bakosharot)" (Tehilim 68:7). We have learned that IT IS SPELLED WITH THE LETTERS of weeping and singing (Heb. bechi veshirot), because this one dies AND THERE IS WEEPING, and He gives his wife to another AND THERE IS SINGING. Sometimes a wicked person gets a good woman; THEREFORE, MATING IS AS DIFFICULT BEFORE HIM AS THE SPLITTING OF THE RED SEA. There are concealed secrets in it all, and it is all according to the law. And what the friends have remarked ABOUT THIS, TO EXPLAIN WHY ONE IS THRUST ASIDE BEFORE ANOTHER, certainly it is so.
818. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, קָשִׁין זִוּוּגִין קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כִּקְרִיעַת יַם סוּף, מַה קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף קָטִיל לְאִלֵּין בְּהַאי סִטְרָא, וּמְקַיֵים לְאִלֵּין בְּהַאי סִטְרָא, אוּף הָכָא בְּזִוּוּגִין, כְּתִיב מוֹצִיא אֲסִירִים בַּכּוֹשָׁרוֹת, וְתָנֵינָן בְּכִי וְשִׁירוֹת, מַיִּית הַאי, וְיָהִיב אִתְּתֵיהּ לְהַאי וּלְזִמְנִין לַחַיָּיבָא, מִזְדַּמְנָא לֵיהּ אִתְּתָא מָעַלְיָא. אֲבָל רָזִין סְתִימִין אִינּוּן בְּכֹלָּא וְכֹלָּא הוּא בְּדִינָא, וּמַה דְּאִתְעֲרוּ חַבְרַיָּיא בְּהָא, וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא.
819. And the remark that we were taught about 'before,' MEANING THAT 'MATCH-MAKING IS AS DIFFICULT BEFORE THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE,' instead of 'from before the Holy One, blessed be He,' it is because 'before' refers to that which stands before the Holy One, blessed be He, and serves before Him, NAMELY MALCHUT THAT RECEIVES FROM THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. Therefore, it was not said that match-making is difficult for the Holy One, blessed be He, and similarly, IT WAS NOT SAID that man's food is difficult to obtain for the Holy One, blessed be He. Rather it is before the Holy One, blessed be He, WHICH IS MALCHUT, because all these things are difficult FOR MALCHUT, for they are not under Her authority even though She does accomplish it but this is under another's authority. BECAUSE SHE RECEIVES EVERYTHING FROM THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, IT IS APPROPRIATE TO SAY THAT THESE THINGS ARE DIFFICULT FOR HER.
819. וּמַה דְּאִתְעֲרוּ לִפְנֵי, וְלֹא מִלְּפָנַי לִפְנֵי הַהוּא דְּקָאֵים לִפְנֵי קָמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְשִׁמֵּשׁ קַמֵּיהּ, וְע"ד לָא אָמְרוּ דְּקָשִׁין זִוּוּגִין לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְכֵן קָשִׁין מְזוֹנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אֶלָּא לִפְנֵי וּלְהַאי קַשְׁיָין כָּל הָנֵי, דְּהָא לָאו בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ קַיְימֵי, אע"ג דְּאִיהוּ עָבֵיד, בִּרְשׁוּתָא אַחֲרָא עָבֵיד.
820. It is written, "And that soul will be cut off from before Me" (Vayikra 22:3). HE QUESTIONS, What is the meaning of "from before Me?" HE ANSWERS, It refers to the World to Come, MEANING BINAH, where all life forms are present. Another explanation, This is the supernal Channel, the river whose waters will never be interrupted, WHICH IS YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN. It is all one, because this YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN receives all the delights of the World to Come, WHICH IS BINAH. AND THE VERSE, "AND THAT SOUL WILL BE CUT OFF FROM BEFORE ME" MEANS THAT THE SOUL will be cut off from all these supernal delights that are in the place where the joy of Hashem is, NAMELY BINAH. That is THE MEANING OF "from before Me," BEFORE THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, FOR THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, RECEIVES FROM HER, BINAH, THAT PROVIDES TO ZEIR ANPIN THAT IS CALLED 'THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE.'
820. כְּתִיב וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִיא מִלְּפָנַי. מַאי מִלְּפָנַי. אֶלָּא דָּא עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, הַהוּא דְּכָל חַיִּין קַיְימִין תַּמָּן. דָּבָר אַחֵר, דָּא צִנּוֹרָא עִלָּאָה, נָהָר דְּלָא פַּסְקִין מֵימוֹי לְעָלְמִין. וְכֹלָּא חַד, וְדָא אִיהוּ דְּנָטִיל כָּל עִדּוּנִין דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. וּמֵאִינּוּן עִדּוּנִין עִלָּאִין תִּשְׁתֵּצֵי, מֵאֲתָר דְּהַהוּא נֹעַם יְיָ' תַּמָּן, וְדָא אִיהוּ מִלְּפָנַי.
821. You may say, If so, it is written, "And Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from before Hashem" (Yonah 1:3) and "for the men knew that he had fled from before Hashem" (Ibid. 10). We have learned the reason why Jonah fled. Is it then possible to flee from the Holy One, blessed be He? But he fled in order to go out of the Holy Land, since the Shechinah does not dwell outside the Land of Yisrael, and in order that the Shechinah should not dwell upon him, he fled from the Holy Land. The Shechinah dwells there, as it is written, "Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your house" (Tehilim 128:3). "A fruitful vine" is the Shechinah. Just as the Shechinah is concealed inside, in the Holy of Holies, similarly, a modest woman does not go out from the entrance of her house outside. THEREFORE, THE TORAH COMPARES THE WOMAN TO THE SHECHINAH, and Jonah fled outside of the Holy Land. HE QUESTIONS, Here it is "from before" and it does not say 'before,' AND STILL IT MEANS THE SHECHINAH AND NOT BINAH.
821. וְאִי תֵּימָא, אִי הָכִי, הָא כְּתִיב, וַיָּקָם יוֹנָה לִבְרוֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה מִלִּפְנֵי יְיָ' כִּי יָדְעוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים כִּי מִלִּפְנֵי יְיָ' הוּא בּוֹרֵחַ, וְתָנֵינָן מ"ט אָזַל יוֹנָה וּבָרַח, וְכִי מַאן יֵיכוּל לְמִבְרַח מִקָּמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אֶלָּא הֲוָה אָזִיל וּבָרַח לְנָפְקָא מֵאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּהָא שְׁכִינְתָּא לָא שַׁרְיָא לְבַר מֵאַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּבְגִין דְּלָא תִּשְׁרֵי עֲלוֹי שְׁכִינְתָּא, הֲוָה בְּרַח בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּהָא שְׁכִינְתָּא אִיהִי שַׁרְיָא תַּמָּן, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פּוֹרִיָּה בְּיַרְכְּתֵי בֵיתֶךָ. גֶּפֶן פּוֹרִיָּה דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא, מַה שְׁכִינְתָּא הֲוָה סְתִימָא לְגוֹ בְּבֵית קוה"ק, אוּף הָכִי אִתְּתָא צְנִיעָא, לָא נָפְקָא מִתַּרְעָא דְּבֵיתָה לְבַר. וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ הֲוָה בְּרַח יוֹנָה לְבַר מֵאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְהָא הָכָא כְּתִיב מִלִּפְנֵי, וְלָא כְּתִיב לִפְנֵי.
822. HE ANSWERS, It is certainly so, "from before" MEANING BEFORE THE SHECHINAH, because the spirit of prophecy does not come from the Shechinah but rather "from before" MEANING BEFORE THE SHECHINAH, which are the two levels of prophets, WHICH ARE NETZACH AND HOD, that dwell upon the Shechinah. From that place, NETZACH AND HOD, he was afraid to be in the Holy Land so that the prophecy should not dwell upon him. Therefore, it says, "from before Me" because "he fled from before Hashem" and not 'before Hashem,' WHICH WOULD MEAN THE SHECHINAH. Because he knew that prophecy comes only from "from before Me," WHICH IS NETZACH AND HOD.
822. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, מִלִּפְנֵי, דְּהָא רוּחַ נְבוּאָה לָא אַתְיָא מִגּוֹ שְׁכִינְתָּא, אֶלָּא מִלִּפְנֵי. אִינּוּן תְּרֵין דַּרְגִּין דִּנְבִיאִים, דְּקָא שַׁרְיָין עַל שְׁכִינְתָּא, וּמֵהַהוּא אֲתָר דָּחִיל לְמֶהֱוֵי תַּמָּן בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְע"ד מִלִּפְנֵי. כִּי מִלִּפְנֵי יְיָ' הוּא בּוֹרֵחַ, וְלָא לִפְנֵי יְיָ,' דְּהָא הֲוָה יָדַע דִּנְבוּאָה לָא הֲוָה אָתֵי אֶלָּא מִלִּפְנֵי.
823. Because of this, matings and food of people are difficult before the Holy One, blessed be He, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH, AS MENTIONED. Therefore, King David aspired for his food higher THAN THE SHECHINAH, FOR HE SAID "HASHEM IS MY SHEPHERD... ," WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. Above, the flow is never interrupted, but it can be interrupted here BY THE SHECHINAH, because the food is not dependent upon Her but higher IN ZEIR ANPIN. Therefore, it is written, "Hashem is my shepherd; I shall not want," WHICH MEANS THAT food will never be interrupted from me, because that river which is drawn and emerges from Eden, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN THAT RECEIVES FROM ABA AND IMA, never has its flow interrupted. Therefore, the Shechinah preceded AND RESTED ON HIM, AND AFTERWARDS HE SAID PRAISE.
823. וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ קָשִׁין זִוּוּגִין, קָשִׁין מְזוֹנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם לִפְנֵי הַקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וע"ד דָּוִד מַלְכָּא תָּלֵי מְזוֹנוֹתָיו לְעֵילָּא, בְּגִין דִּלְעֵילָּא לָא פָּסִיק לְעָלְמִין. אֲבָל הָכָא פָּסִיק, דְּהָא לָא תַּלְיָן בֵּיהּ מְזוֹנוֹת. לְעֵילָּא אִינּוּן. וְע"ד כְּתִיב, יְיָ' רֹעִי לָא אֶחְסָר, לָא יִפְסְקוּן מְזוֹנוֹת מִנִּי לְעָלְמִין, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק מֵעֵדֶן לָא פָּסִיק לְעָלְמִין, וּבג"ד קַדְמָא שְׁכִינְתָּא עַל דָּא.
824. Come and see, When that place, THE SHECHINAH, receives food above, FROM ZEIR ANPIN, FOR THE WORLDS, all THE ANGELS who sanctify their Master delight and awaken and raise their wings TO COVER THEIR FACE when the Shechinah comes with their food TO THEM, in order that they should not gaze upon THE SHECHINAH.
824. ת"ח, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּהַאי אֲתָר מְקַבְּלָא מְזוֹנָא מִלְּעֵילָּא, כֻּלְּהוּ דִּמְקַדְּשֵׁי לְמָארֵיהוֹן, כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְעַדְּנִין, וּמִתְעָרִין, וְסַלְּקִין גַּדְפִין, כַּד אַתְיָא שְׁכִינְתָּא בְּהַהוּא מְזוֹנָא, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִסְתַּכְּלוּן בָּהּ.
825. There are three companies OF ANGELS on one level, who call and say, 'Holy.' These call to the second company and the first and the second ones raise their wings, and the second ones say, 'Holy.' Then these call to the third company and all three companies in union raise their wings and all say, 'Holy is Hashem Tzva'ot, the whole earth is full of His glory.' Therefore, ALL THREE COMPANIES are fitted one into the other, interpenetrating each other, as we say BY THE BOARDS, "Connected one with the other, thus shall you make the boards for the tabernacle" (Shemot 26:17).
825. וְאִינּוּן תְּלַת מַשִּׁרְיָין בִּסְלִיקוּ חַד, קָרָאן וְאַמְרֵי קָדוֹשׁ. קָרָאן אִלֵּין לְּמַשִׁרְיָיתָא תִּנְיָינָא, וְסַלְּקִין גַּדְפִּין אִלֵּין קַדְמָאֵי, וְאִלֵּין תִּנְיָּינֵי, וְאָמְרִין אִלֵּין תִּנְיָּינֵי קָדוֹשׁ. קָרָאן אִלֵּין לְּמַשִׁרְיָּיתָא תְּלִיתָאָה, וְסַלְּקִין גַּדְפִּין תְּלַת מַשִּׁרְיָין כַּחֲדָא, וְכֻלְּהוּ אַמְרֵי קָדוֹשׁ יְיָ' צְבָאוֹת מְלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ. וְע"ד כֻּלְּהוּ מְשֻׁלָּבָן דָּא בְּדָא, אִלֵּין עָאלִין לְגוֹ אִלֵּין, וְאִלֵּין עָאלִין לְגוֹ אִלֵּין, מְשֻׁלָּבָן דָּא בְּדָא, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר מְשׁוּלָּבוֹת אִשָּׁה אֶל אֲחוֹתָהּ כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה לְכָל קַרְשֵׁי הַמִּשְׁכָּן.
826. The boards always stand erect and do not bend, like these who stand, MEANING THE SERAPHIM, who do not bend, because they have no knees to kneel. They stand constantly without sitting, so it is written of the boards, "standing up."
826. קְרָשִׁים קַיְימֵי תָּדִיר בְּקִיּוּמַיְיהוּ, וְלָא מִתְכַּפְפֵי, כְּגַוְונָא דְּאִינּוּן עוֹמְדִים, דְּלָא מִתְכַּפְפֵי דְּלֵית לוֹן קְפִיצֵי, וְקַיְימֵי תָּדִיר בְּלָא יְשִׁיבָה, וְע"ד כְּתִיב בַּקְרָשִׁים עוֹמְדִים.
827. It is written, "Two tenons shall there be in one board" (Ibid.). Here also, JUST AS BY THE SERAPHIM, each including two aspects, WHICH ARE THE TWO TENONS, each one has its own aspect and that of its neighbor, and the same with its neighbor. Therefore, they are fitted one with the other.
827. מָה כְּתִיב, שְׁתֵּי יָדוֹת לַקֶּרֶשׁ הָאֶחָד, אוּף הָכִי, בִּתְרֵי גְּוָונֵי אִינּוּן כְּלִילָן כֹל חַד וְחַד מִנַּיְיהוּ, הַהוּא דִּילֵיהּ וּדְחַבְרֵיהּ, וְחַבְרֵיהּ אוּף הָכִי בֵּיהּ, וְעַל דָּא מְשֻׁלָּבָן דָּא עִם דָּא.
828. It is similarly written in the Torah: "For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and its gain than fine gold" (Mishlei 3:14). The one teaches the other and the other teaches the former, so they become fitted one to the other. The one takes his own portion and that of his neighbor, and the other takes his own portion and the portion of his neighbor, MEANING HIS REWARD AND THE REWARD OF HIS FRIEND WITH WHOM HE IS STUDYING, and they are fitted together. THEREFORE, "FOR THE MERCHANDISE OF IT IS BETTER THAN THE MERCHANDISE OF SILVER," BECAUSE THERE ONE TAKES THE MERCHANDISE AND THE OTHER TAKES THE VALUE OF THE SILVER, BUT HERE EACH ONE IS INTERCONNECTED WITH HIS FRIEND. FOR EACH ONE HAS THE MERCHANDISE AND ALSO THE VALUE HE RECEIVES FROM HIS FRIEND WITH WHOM HIS IS STUDYING.
828. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא כְּתִיב בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כִּי טוֹב סַחְרָהּ מִסְּחַר כָּסֶף וּמֵחָרוּץ תְּבוּאָתָהּ, דָּא אוֹלִיף לְדָא, וְדָא אוֹלִיף לְדָא, אִתְעֲבָדוּ מְשֻׁלָּבָן דָּא עִם דָּא. דָּא נָטִיל דִּילֵיהּ וּדְחַבְרֵיהּ, וְדָא נָטִיל דִּילֵיהּ וּדְחַבְרֵיהּ, וּמְשֻׁלָּבָן דָּא בְּדָא.
829. It is written, "He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters" (Tehilim 23:2). 'Green pastures' refers to the supernal sources, WHICH ARE THE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN, from which all food and sustenance come. THEY ARE CALLED 'pastures (Heb. neot),' BECAUSE THESE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN are called "the habitations (Heb. neot) of Jacob" (Eichah 2:2). AND THEY ARE CALLED 'green pastures,' because there are external pastures that are called "the pastures of the wilderness" (Yoel 2:22). Therefore, HE CALLS THESE OF HOLINESS BY THE NAME, 'green (Heb. deshe) pastures.' Yet you may argue it is written, "Let the earth bring forth grass (Heb. deshe)" (Beresheet 1:11). So we see that 'DESHE' is below, IN THE EARTH THAT IS MALCHUT? HE ANSWERS, But "deshe" comes for these pastures, where it is born and grows, AND THEY COME TO MALCHUT. Therefore, IT SAYS, "He makes me to lie down in green pastures."
829. כְּתִיב בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא יַרְבִּיצֵנִי עַל מֵי מְנוּחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי. נְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן מְקוֹרִין עִלָּאִין, דְּכָל מְזוֹנָא וְסִפּוּקָא אַתְיָא מִנַּיְיהוּ. נְאוֹת אִלֵּין אִקְרוּן נְאוֹת יַעֲקֹב. נְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא, בְּגִין דְּאִית נְאוֹת לְבַר דְּאִקְרוּן נְאוֹת מִדְבָּר, וְע"ד בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא. וְאִי תֵּימָא הָא כְּתִיב תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא, דְּהָא אִיהוּ לְתַתָּא. אֶלָּא דֶּשֶׁא מֵאִינּוּן נְאוֹת אַתְיָא דְּאִתְיְילִיד וְאַצְמַח מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְע"ד בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא יַרְבִּיצֵנִי.
830. "He leads me beside the still waters." These are the waters of stillness that are drawn from that place that is drawn and emerges from Eden, WHICH IS BINAH, and these waters are called 'still waters.' "He restores my soul" (Tehilim 23:3): This is the soul of David, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and the only reason that David wants this is to amend his level properly. With these "still waters" will the righteous rest in the World to Come, as it is written, "And Hashem lead you continually... " (Yeshayah 58:11).
830. עַל מֵי מְנוּחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי, אִלֵּין מַיִין דְּנַיְיחָא, דְּקָא נַגְדִּין מֵהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק מֵעֵדֶן, וְאִינּוּן מַיִין אִקְרוּן מֵי מְנוּחוֹת. נַפְשִׁי יְשׁוֹבֵב דָּא הוּא נֶפֶשׁ דָּוִד, וְלָא בָּעָא דָּוִד לְאַתְקְנָא אֶלָּא לְהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא דִּילֵיהּ כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת. בְּאִלֵּין מֵי מְנוּחוֹת, זְמִינִין צַדִּיקַיָּא לְנַיְיחָא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, דִּכְתִּיב וְנָחֲךָ יְיָ' תָּמִיד וְגוֹ.'