Tzav
Earth Heaven Heavens Lips Shadow Shechinah Torah Zion

182. Rabbi Elazar was traveling from Cappadocia to Lod in the company of Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Chizkiyah. Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion, saying: "And I have put My words in your mouth, and I have covered you in the shadow of My hand" (Yeshayah 51:16). We learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, covers every man who is occupied with the Torah, whose lips speak the words of the Torah, and the Shechinah spreads Her wings over him. Hence, it says: "And I have put My words in your mouth, and I have covered you in the shadow of My hand." Moreover, he sustains the world and the Holy One, blessed be He, rejoices with him, as on the day He planted heaven and earth. Hence, the verse CONCLUDES WITH: "That I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say to Zion, 'You are My people'" (Ibid.).

182. ר' אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה אָזִיל מִקַּפּוֹטְקַיָּא לְלוּד, וַהֲווֹ עִמֵּיהּ ר' יֵיסָא וְרִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה. פָּתַח ר' אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר, וָאָשִׂים דְּבָרַי בְּפִיךָ וּבְצֵל יָדִי כִּסִּיתִיךָ וְגוֹ.' תָּנֵינָן, כָּל ב"נ דְּאִשְׁתָּדַּל בְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְשִׂפְוָותֵיהּ מְרַחְשָׁן אוֹרַיְיתָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חַפְּיָא עָלֵיהּ, וּשְׁכִינְתָּא פַּרְשָׂא עָלֵיהּ גַּדְפָהָא, הה"ד וָאָשִׂים דְּבָרַי בְּפִיךָ וּבְצֵל יָדִי כִּסִּיתִיךָ. וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּהוּא מְקַיֵּים עָלְמָא, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חַדֵּי עִמֵּיהּ, כְּאִלּוּ הַהוּא יוֹמָא נָטַע שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא. הה"ד, לִנְטוֹעַ שָׁמַיִם וְלִיסוֹד אָרֶץ וְלֵאמֹר לְצִיּוֹן עַמִּי אָתָּה.

Congregation Judgment Zion

183. From here, we learned that Yisrael are called by the name Zion, as written: "And say to Zion, 'You are My people.'" We saw that the Congregation of Yisrael is called by the name Zion, as written: "Zion shall be redeemed with Judgment, and those that return to her with righteousness" (Yeshayah 1:27).

183. מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא, דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִקְרוּן בִּשְׁמָא דְּצִיּוֹן, דִּכְתִּיב וְלֵאמֹר לְצִיּוֹן עַמִּי אַתָּה, וַחֲמֵינָא דִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִקְרֵי בִּשְׁמָא דְּצִיּוֹן, דִּכְתִּיב צִיּוֹן בְּמִשְׁפָּט תִּפָּדֶה וְשָׁבֶיהָ בִּצְדָקָה.

David Flow Oil Pillar Testimony Torah Zeir Anpin

184. He further quoted: "Bind up the testimony, seal the Torah among My disciples" (Yeshayah 8:16). "Bind up the testimony." This is David's testimony, NAMELY MALCHUT, as written: "And My testimony that I shall teach them" (Tehilim 132:12). "Bind" refers to a bond, as in fastening to make a bond in one place, AND "BIND UP THE TESTIMONY," MEANS MALCHUT IS BOUND. "Seal the Torah among My disciples" MEANS sealing the Torah, ZEIR ANPIN, with all the abundance and greatness drawn from above. Where is his seal, NAMELY ITS END? It is "among My disciples," NETZACH AND HOD, CALLED "TAUGHT OF HASHEM," (YESHAYAH 54:13) since greatness and oil are gathered between the two pillars, NETZACH AND HOD, to dwell there. They are the place of all greatness and oil that flows from above, FROM TIFERET CALLED 'THE TORAH,' and they pour it into the mouth of Yesod to empty it into the testimony, MALCHUT. Then everything is fastened into a faithful bond. THE LESSON OF THE VERSE IS, "BIND UP THE TESTIMONY." THE BOND OF MALCHUT IS CAUSED BY THIS, TO "SEAL THE TORAH IN MY DISCIPLES," SO THAT THE ABUNDANCE OF THE TORAH IS SEALED, NAMELY CONCLUDED IN NETZACH AND HOD, AND FROM THEM YESOD. THEN IS MALCHUT BOUND TO YESOD TO RECEIVE ABUNDANCE, AND ALL IS TIED INTO ONE BOND.

184. תּוּ פָּתַח וְאָמַר, צוֹר תְּעוּדָה חֲתוֹם תּוֹרָה בְּלִמּוּדָי. צוֹר תְּעוּדָה. דָּא סַהֲדוּתָא דְּדָוִד, דִּכְתִּיב וְעֵדוֹתִי זוֹ אֲלַמְּדֵם. צוֹר: הִיא קִשּׁוּרָא, כְּמַאן דְּקָטַר קְטוּרָא בַּאֲתַר חַד. חֲתוֹם תּוֹרָה בְּלִמּוּדָי. חֲתוֹם תּוֹרָה: חַתִימָה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְכָל נְגִידוּ וּרְבוּ דְּנָגִיד מִלְּעֵילָּא, בְּאָן חֲתִימָה דִּילֵיהּ. בְּלִמּוּדָי. בְּגִין דְּתַמָּן אִתְכְּנַשׁ רְבוּ וּמִשְׁחָא, בֵּין תְּרֵין קַיָימִין, דְּתַמָּן שַׁרְיָין, אֲתַר כְּנִישׁוּ דְּכָל רְבוּת וּמְשַׁח דְּנָגִיד מִלְּעֵילָּא, לְאַשְׁדָּאָה לֵיהּ בְּפוּמָא דְּאַמָּה, וּלְאַרְקָא לֵיהּ בְּהַאי תְּעוּדָה. וּכְדֵין אִתְקְשַׁר כֹּלָּא קִשְׁרָא חַד מְהֵימָנָא.