Vaetchanan: Chapter 3

One should cover one's eyes so as not to behold the Shechinah

Synopsis

We hear from Rabbi Yosi that Rav Hamnuna Saba said anyone who does not keep his eyes lowered or closed during prayer will not see the light of the Shechinah when he dies, nor will he die by a kiss. Whoever stands in prayer should first praise God and then offer his own prayer, and his prayer should unify night and day.

Angel of Death Angels Death Death and the Afterlife Eyes Ground Head Kisses Light Prayer Samuel Shechinah Soul, The Yisrael-Saba and Tevunah

10. Come and see, whoever stands in prayer should straighten his legs, which has already been explained. He should cover his head as one standing before the king and cover his eyes so as not to behold the Shechinah. In his book Rav Hamnuna Saba said, Whoever opens his eyes during prayer or does not lower his eyes to the ground, the Angel of Death comes to him earlier. When his soul goes out, WHEN HE DEPARTS FROM THE WORLD, he will not see the light of the Shechinah nor die by a kiss. Whoever treats the Shechinah lightly is treated lightly when he needs Her. This is the meaning of, "for them that honor Me I will honor, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed" (I Shmuel 2:30).

10. ת"ח, מַאן דְּקָאֵים בִּצְלוֹתָא, בָּעֵי לְכַוְּונָא רַגְלוֹי, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ. וּבָעֵי לְחַפְּיָא רֵישֵׁיהּ, כְּמַאן דְּקָאֵים קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא. וּבָעֵי לְמִכְסְיָיה עֵינוֹי, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִסְתָּכַּל בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא. וּבְסִפְרָא דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא אָמַר, מַאן דְּפָקַח עֵינוֹי בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּצְלוֹתָא, אוֹ דְּלָא מָאִיךְ עֵינוֹי בְּאַרְעָא, אַקְדִּים עָלֵיהּ מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת, וְכַד תִּיפּוּק נַפְשֵׁיהּ, לָא יִסְתָּכַּל בִּנְהִירוּ דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, וְלָא יָמוּת בִּנְשִׁיקָה. מַאן דִּמְזַלְזֵל בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא מִתְּזַלְזֵּל הוּא בְּהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ בֵּיהּ, הה"ד, כִּי מְכַבְּדַי אֲכַבֵּד וּבוֹזַי יֵקָלּוּ.

Eyes Face Hezekiah Shechinah Walls

11. YOU TALK ABOUT he who beholds the Shechinah when he prays, yet how can he look at the Shechinah? AND HE ANSWERS, It means knowing the Shechinah is surely before him WHEN HE PRAYS. HENCE HE MUST NOT OPEN HIS EYES. This is the meaning of, "Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall" (Yeshayah 38:2), where the Shechinah rested. For that reason there must be nothing between him and the wall WHEN HE PRAYS. This has already been explained.

11. הַאי מַאן דְּאִסְתָּכַּל בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִיהוּ מְצַלֵּי. וְהֵיךְ יָכִיל לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא. אֶלָּא לִינְדַע דְּוַדַּאי שְׁכִינְתָּא קַיְּימָא קַמֵּיהּ, הה"ד, וַיַּסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר, דְּתַמָּן שָׁארִי שְׁכִינְתָּא. בג"כ לָא בַּעְיָא לְמֶהֱוֵי חוֹצֵץ בֵּינוֹ וּבֵין הַקִּיר, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ.

Adonai Moses Praise Prayer Tetragrammaton Yud Hei Vav Hei (YHVH) Zeir Anpin

12. Whoever stands in prayer should first arrange the praise of his Master and then recite his own prayer. For this is what Moses said first, "You have begun..." (Devarim 3:23), and at last HE RECITED HIS PRAYER, "I pray You, let me go over..." (Ibid. 25). Rabbi Yehuda said, What is the difference here in first saying Adonai spelled Aleph Dalet Nun Yud and then Yud Hei Vav Hei, which we pronounce Elohim, NAMELY "ADONAI ELOHIM, YOU HAVE BEGUN..." HE ANSWERS, The order is so, from below upwards, SINCE ADONAI IS MALCHUT AND YUD HEI VAV HEI IS ZEIR ANPIN. HE SAID IT SO in order to include the quality of day with night and the quality of night with day and unify everything together properly. THE QUALITY OF DAY IS ZEIR ANPIN AND THE QUALITY OF NIGHT IS MALCHUT.

12. מַאן דְּקָאֵים בִּצְלוֹתָא, בָּעֵי לְסַדְּרָא שְׁבָחָא דְּמָארֵיהּ בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, וּלְבָתַר יִתְבַּע בָּעוּתֵיהּ. דְּהָא מֺשֶׁה הָכִי אָמַר בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, אַתָּה הַחִלּוֹתָ וְגוֹ.' וּלְבַסּוֹף אֶעְבְּרָה וְגוֹ.' ר' יְהוּדָה אָמַר, מַאי שְׁנָא הָכָא דִּכְתִּיב אֲדֺנָ"י בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, בְּאָלֶ"ף דָּלֶ"ת נוּ"ן יוֹ"ד, וּלְבַסּוֹף ידו"ד, וְקָרֵינָן אֱלֹהִי"ם. אֶלָּא סִדּוּרָא הָכִי הוּא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא, וּלְאַכְלְלָא מִדַּת יוֹם בַּלַּיְלָה, וּמִדַּת לַיְלָה בַּיוֹם וּלְזַוְּוגָא כֺּלָּא כַּחֲדָא כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת.

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