485. "You shall make a table of acacia wood... " (Shemot 25:23). Rabbi Yitzchak opened the discussion saying, "When you have eaten and are replete, then you shall bless Hashem your Elohim... " (Devarim 8:10). How fortunate are the children of Yisrael that the Holy One, blessed be He, favors them and brings them close to Him from among all the nations. Because of them, He gives His sustenance and satisfies the whole world. If it were not for Yisrael, the Holy One, blessed be He, would not give sustenance to the world. Now that they are in exile, surely the whole world receives SUSTENANCE doubly, IN ORDER THAT THE REMAINS SHOULD SUFFICE FOR YISRAEL.
486. As long as the children of Yisrael were in the Holy Land, sustenance would descend to them from a high place, and they would give a portion of the remnants to the idol worshipping peoples. All the nations were sustained only from the remnants. But now that they are in exile, the situation has changed into a different manner. THE SUSTENANCE REACHES THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD, AND THEY RECEIVE THE REMNANTS FROM THEM.
487. For example, a king prepares a meal for his household. As long as they do his bidding, they eat together with the king, and they give the dogs a portion of bones to chew. But when the household does not do the bidding of the king, he gives the entire meal to the dogs, and he gives the bones to them.
488. Similarly, as long as the children of Yisrael do the bidding of their Master, they eat at the table of the King and the entire meal is prepared for them. Because of their joy, they give the bones, which are the remains, to the idol worshippers. As long as the children of Yisrael are not doing the bidding of their Master, they go into exile and the meal is given to the dogs, while they are given the remains, AS IT IS WRITTEN, "Thus shall the children of Yisrael eat their bread, unclean, among the nations" (Yechezkel 4:13). They eat the remnants of their abhorrence, MEANING OF THEIR REPUGNANT FOOD. Woe is to the king's son who sits and waits at the table of the servant, and eats what is left of his table.
489. King David said, "You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies, You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over" (Tehilim 23:5). "You prepare a table for me," namely the King's meal, "in the presence of my enemies." They are the dogs that sit under the table and wait for the portion of bones, while he sits with the King at His table with the delight of the meal.
490. "You anoint my head with oil:" This is the beginning (head) of the meal, for all the oil and fats and the prepared items of the meal are given at the beginning to the friend of the king. Whatever is left over is given afterwards to the dogs and those who serve at the table. "My cup runs over" means that the cup in front of the king's friend is always full and he does not have to request. Upon this secret, the children of Yisrael were consistently IN RELATION with the other nations.
491. Rabbi Chiya went to Rabbi Shimon in Tiberias with Rabbi Ya'akov bar Idi, and Rabbi Yesa Junior. While they were still traveling, Rabbi Yesa said to Rabbi Chiya: I wonder about the words "But show loyal love to the sons of Barzillay the Giladite, and let them be of those that eat at your table... " (I Melachim 2:7). According to this, all the kindness and truthfulness means to eat at his table and no more, in accordance with the words, "and let them be of those that eat at your table." Also, it is not the honor of the king that someone else eats by his table. It should not be so, rather the king should eat alone and around him all his ministers that are lower than he.
492. Rabbi Chiya said, I have heard nothing about this matter and I make no comment. He said to Rabbi Ya'akov bar Idi, Did you hear anything about this matter? He said to him, You who nurture daily from the honey of the supernal oil, MEANING RABBI SHIMON, if you did not hear, of course I did not. He said to Rabbi Yesa: Did you hear anything about this matter? He said to him, Even though I am a youth, and it has only been a few days since I came to you and before that I had no merit, NONETHELESS I did hear.
493. He opened the discussion saying, "Who gives bread to all flesh: for His steadfast love endures forever" (Tehilim 136:25). HE QUESTIONS, What did David have in mind, that he concluded the great praise with this passage? HE ANSWERS, There are three rulers above through whom the Holy One, blessed be He, is known, and they are the mystery of His glory. They are the brain, the heart, and the liver, MEANING BINAH, ZEIR ANPIN, AND MALCHUT. They are opposite of this world, MEANING FROM THE ASPECT OF THE AWAKENING FROM BELOW THAT ASCENDS FROM THIS WORLD, AS DURING A FAST DAY OR THE LIKE, AS IT IS WRITTEN BEFORE US. Above, the brain receives first and afterwards gives to the heart. Then the heart takes and gives to the liver, and afterwards, the liver gives a portion to all the sources that are below, each one as is proper. Below, THROUGH THE AWAKENING FROM BELOW, the liver, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is first to awaken and later brings it near to the heart, BEING ZEIR ANPIN. The heart takes the best of the food and, after it has received and has become strengthened from the power and desire that it received, it gives and brings awakening to the brain, WHICH IS BINAH. AND THEN THE SUPPLY IS PROJECTED FROM BINAH TO ZEIR ANPIN, AND FROM ZEIR ANPIN TO MALCHUT, WHICH IS THE LIVER. Afterwards, the liver again distributes sustenance to all the sources of the body, WHICH ARE THE THREE WORLDS BRIYAH, YETZIRAH, AND ASIYAH.
494. HE EXPLAINS HIS WORDS, On a fast day, man offers food and drink to the supernal liver, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and what does he offer? HE OFFERS his fat and blood and desires. That liver takes it all willingly. Once everything is already by it, it takes and offers it all to the heart, MEANING ZEIR ANPIN, who is superior and dominates it. After the heart has taken and becomes strengthened in will, it offers it all to the brain, WHICH IS BINAH, who is the highest ruler over the whole body THAT IS ZEIR ANPIN. THE SUPPLY RETURNS FROM BINAH TO ZEIR ANPIN AND FROM ZEIR ANPIN TO MALCHUT, WHICH IS LIVER, and afterwards the liver again divides portions to all the sources and limbs below IN BRIYAH, YETZIRAH, AND ASIYAH.