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.
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.
694. WE SHOULD EXPLAIN THIS PASSAGE. When the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to the synagogue and all the people come together and pray and give thanks and praise the Holy One, blessed be He, it is the King's glory. A 'king' without attributes is the Holy King, THAT IS THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, that is perfected with beauty and perfection to ascend above, to ABA AND IMA.
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.
695. "But in the lack of people is the downfall of the prince." This is when THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, comes earlier to the synagogue, but the people did not come to pray and praise the Holy One, blessed be He. Then all the dominions of above and the supernal appointees and legions are cut from the elevation of preparing the adornments of that King, WHO IS THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE.
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.
696. What is the reason THAT THEY ARE CUT FROM THEIR LOFTY PLACES? Because when the children of Yisrael below arrange their prayers and requests and are supporting the supernal King, all these supernal legions arrange praises and support that Holy Perfection. For all the supernal legions are friends with Yisrael below to praise the Holy One, blessed be He, together, so that the elevating of the Holy One, blessed be He, should be done above and below together.
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.
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.
698. Even if they were not many that came to the synagogue and just ten, the supernal legions would come to be comrades with these ten to praise THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. What is the reason? It is because all the perfections of that King are done with ten. Therefore, ten is sufficient if there are no more.
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.