Vaetchanan: Chapter 27

"Face to face"

Synopsis

A stranger sits with the rabbis in a cave and speaks to them about Moses, saying that he was distinguished from all other prophets in the world. Moses was able to lift up his head and actually look at the supernal radiance, while still retaining a settled mind. As long as Joshua was with Moses he drew nourishment from Malchut and had no fear, but after he was on his own he could not even look directly at a messenger from God.

Camp Face Joshua Leaven Moses Shechinah

163. The man began by saying, "And Hashem spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks..." (Shemot 33:11). In this verse the beginning does not fit the end nor does the end the beginning; a word does not fit with another. For at first it says, "And Hashem spoke to Moses face to face," which is good. Then it says, "And he turned back to the camp" (Ibid.), WHICH IS NOT CONNECTED WITH, "AND HASHEM SPOKE..." Then, "but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man..." (Ibid.). What does that mean? IT HAS NO CONNECTION TO, "AND HE TURNED BACK TO THE CAMP." Rabbi Elazar said, Surely the Holy One, blessed be He, wishes to honor us, for now we are connected with the Shechinah, who shall not leave us. Whoever opened this opening, let him speak.

163. פָּתַח הַהוּא גַּבְרָא וְאָמַר, וְדִבֶּר יְיָ' אֶל מֺשֶׁה פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים כַּאֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר וְגוֹ,' הַאי קְרָא לָאו רֵישֵׁיהּ סֵיפֵיהּ וְלָאו סֵיפֵיהּ רֵישֵׁיהּ. וְלָא מִלָּה דָּא כְּמִלָה דָּא, בְּקַדְמֵיתָא וְדִבֶּר ה' אֶל מֺשֶׁה פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים שַׁפִּיר, לְבָתַר וְשָׁב אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה, לְבָתַר וּמְשָׁרֲתוֹ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן נַעַר, מַהוּ. א"ר אֶלְעָזָר וַדַּאי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בִּיקָרָא דִּילָן, דְּהַשְׁתָּא זִוּוּגָא דִּילָן בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, וּשְׁכִינְתָּא לָא אִתְעָדֵי מִנָן. מַאן דְּפָתַח פִּתְחָא, לֵימָּא מִלָּה.

Daniel Face Grades Ground Mirror Moses Prophets

164. He said, "And Hashem spoke to Moses face to face." With many supernal, precious grades Moses the faithful prophet was distinguished from all other prophets in the world, who were all before him as a monkey before man. The other prophets used to look at the non-shining mirror, yet they did not lift up their faces to behold, but, as it is written, "I was in a deep sleep on my face, and my face towards the ground" (Daniel 10:9). Moreover, these things were not in the open for them.

164. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, וְדִבֶּר יְיָ' אֶל מֺשֶׁה פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים, בְּכַמָּה דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין וְיַקִּירִין, אִתְפְּרַשׁ מֺשֶׁה נְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא, עַל כָּל שְׁאַר נְבִיאֵי דְּעָלְמָא. דְּהָא כֻּלְּהוּ לָקֳבְלֵיהּ, כְּקוֹף בִּפְנֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא. שְׁאַר נְבִיאֵי הֲווֹ מִסְתַּכְּלֵי בְּאַסְפָּקָלַרְיָא דְּלָא נָהִיר, וְעִם כָּל דָּא לָא הֲווֹ זַקְפָן אַנְפִּין לְעֵילָּא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, אֶלָּא כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, וַאֲנִי הָיִיתִי נִרְדָּם עַל פָּנַי וּפָנַי אָרְצָה. וְלֺֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּמִלִּין לָא הֲווֹ גַּבַּיְיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא.

Face Fear Ground Head Mirror Moses Prophets

165. Moses the faithful prophet was not so, for he beheld the shining mirror and stood his ground. Furthermore, he used to lift up his head to look, as one saying to his neighbor, Lift up your head and let your face gaze at mine, so you shall know what I am saying. So did Moses do, who lifted up his head face to face without fear. His face was lifted UPWARDS and he was beholding the supernal, precious radiance. His mind and countenance did not change like other prophets, since OTHER PROPHETS, if they looked when prophesying, went out of their mind, their countenance changed, and they knew nothing of this world.

165. וּמֺשֶׁה נְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא לָאו הָכִי, דְּהוּא הֲוָה מִסְתָּכַּל בְּאַסְפָּקָלַרְיָא דְּנַהֲרָא, וְקָאֵים בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ. וְלֺֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דַּהֲוָה זָקִיף רֵישָׁא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, כְּמַאן דְּאָמַר לְחַבְרֵיהּ, זָקוֹף רֵישָׁךְ, וְיִסְתַּכְּלוּן אַנְפָּךְ בְּאַנְפִּי, בְּגִין דְּתִנְדַּע מִלֵּי. כַּךְ מֺשֶׁה, פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים זָקִיף רֵישָׁא, בְּלָא דְּחִילוּ, אַנְפּוֹי זַקְפָאן וּמִסְתְּכַּל בְּזִיו יְקָרָא עִלָּאָה, וְלָא אִשְׁתַּנֵי דַּעְתּוֹי וְאַנְפּוֹי, כִּשְׁאַר נְבִיאִין, דְּכַד הֲווֹ נַבְאָן לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, נַפְקָא מֵרְשׁוּתַיְיהוּ וּמִדַּעֲתַּיְיהוּ, וְאִשְׁתָּנֵי זִיו אַנְפַּיְיהוּ, וְלָא הֲווֹ יַדְעֵי מֵהַאי עָלְמָא כְּלוּם.

Camp Children Face Grades Joshua Moses Samuel Tents Zeir Anpin

166. Moses was not so, since Moses used to behold that very highest grade, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, and did not lose his mind, because when he beheld the precious supernal radiance, immediately, "he turned back to the camp" and talked with them about their needs. His mind was settled as before, and even more so. Hence, AFTER, "HASHEM SPOKE TO MOSES FACE TO FACE," it is said, "And he turned back to the camp." THEN IT IS SAID, "but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man..." Surely he received from the tent, for he was studying how to observe through the Holy Spirit, as it is written, "And the child Samuel ministered to Hashem" (I Shmuel 3:1).

166. וּמֺשֶׁה לָאו הָכִי, דְּמֺשֶׁה בְּהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא עִלָּאָה מַמָּשׁ הֲוָה מִסְתָּכַּל, וְלָא נָפַק מֵרְשׁוּתֵיהּ וּמִן דַּעְתֵּיהּ, דְּהָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּהֲוָה מִסְתָּכַּל בְּזִיו יְקָרָא עִלָּאָה, מִיַּד וְשָׁב אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה, לְמַלְּלָא עִמְּהוֹן בְּכָל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיכָאן, וְדַעְתּוֹי מִתְיַשְּׁבָא בֵּיהּ כְּקַדְמִיתָא, וְיַתִּיר. וְדָא הוּא וְשָׁב אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה. וּמְשָׁרֲתוֹ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן נַעַר, וַדַּאי דַּהֲוָה יָנִיק מִתּוֹךְ הָאֺהֶל, אוֹלִיף לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא, כד"א וְהַנַּעַר שְׁמוּאֵל מְשָׁרֵת אֶת יְיָ.'

Earth Face Fear Joshua Moses Tents

167. Come and see, as long as Joshua was with Moses, he used to study and be nourished from within the tent, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and have no fear. After he separated from Moses and was on his own, it is written, "And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down" (Joshua 5:14), because he could not look. This was before a messenger; all the more so from another place.

167. ת"ח, כָּל זִמְנָא דַּהֲוָה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לְגַבֵּי דְּמֺשֶׁה, הֲוָה אוֹלִיף וְאָנִיק מִתּוֹךְ הָאוֹהֶל, וְלָא דָּחִיל. בָּתַר דְּאִתְפְּרַשׁ מִמֺּשֶׁה, וַהֲוָה בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, מַה כְּתִיב, וַיִּפּוֹל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶל פָּנָיו אַרְצָה וְיִשְׁתָּחוּ, דְּלָא הֲוָה יָכִיל לְאִסְתַּכָּל, וְהַאי מֵחַד שְׁלִיחָא, כ"ש מֵאֲתָר אַחֲרָא.

Gold House Stones Vessels

168. THIS IS LIKENED to a man with whom the king deposited vessels of gold and precious stones. As long as it was with him, the servant of the house used to touch them and look at them. Once that man died, the king left nothing with the servant but came and took his keepsake. The servant said, Woe to me that I lost ALL THESE PRECIOUS THINGS. When my master was alive, they were all at my disposal.

168. לְבַר נָשׁ, דְּאַפְקִיד מַלְכָּא גַּבֵּיהּ מָאנֵי דְּהָב וְאַבְנֵי יְקָר, כָּל זִמְנָא דְּמִשְׁתַּכַּח גַּבֵּיהּ, שַׁמָּשָׁא דְּבֵיתֵיהּ, אָחִיד בְּהוּ וְאִסְתְּכַּל בְּהוּ. כֵּיוָן דְּסָלִיק הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ מֵעָלְמָא, לָא שָׁבִיק מַלְכָּא לְגַבֵּי שַׁמָּשָׁא כְּלוּם, וְאָחִיד פִּקְדּוֹנָא דִּילֵיהּ. אָמַר הַהוּא שַׁמָּשָׁא, וַוי דְּאָבָדִית. בְּיוֹמוֹי דְּמָארֵי, כָּל אִלֵּין הֲווֹ בִּידֵי.

Face Fear Joshua Moses Tents Torah

169. Such was Joshua. When Moses was alive he used to be nourished daily from the tent, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and had no fear. After MOSES died, "Joshua fell on his face." And I, since I am among you, may look at words of Torah without fear. After withdrawing from you, I cannot look on my own.

169. כַּךְ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, בְּיוֹמוֹי דְּמֺשֶׁה הֲוָה יָנִיק בְּכָל יוֹמָא מִתּוֹךְ הָאֺהֶל, וְלָא דָּחִיל. בָּתַר דְּשָׁכִיב, וַיִּפּוֹל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶל פָּנָיו. וַאֲנָא בְּגִין דַּאֲנָא שְׁכִיחַ בְּגַּוַויְיכוּ, אֶסְתָּכַּל בְּמִלֵי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְלָא אֱהֵא דָּחִיל. בָּתַר דְּאֶתְפְּרַשׁ מִנַּיְיכוּ, וְלָא אֵיכוּל לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בִּלְחוֹדָאי.

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