"Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yehuda explains that he who does not beget children in this world has no life or existence in the World to Come. Therefore, because Hezekiah had no wife or children, he prayed with his face to the wall, an allusion to the Shechinah, so that the Shechinah would be with him. Hezekiah then chose a wife and prayed to The Creator. We learn that he kept and guarded the Covenant, and that he wept before God for redemption.

Relevance

The miraculous power of childbirth is transferred to all those experiencing difficulty bearing children. This divine force also strengthens spiritual bonds between parent and child for those who are blessed with children.

Face Hezekiah Moses Prayer Walls

386. Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion with the verse, "Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to Hashem" (Yeshayah 38:2). It has been derived from the verse that a man should pray near the wall, and nothing should intervene between him and the wall, in accordance with the verse, "Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall." HE ASKS, Why is he different than others who prayed, of whom it does not say that they turned their faces to the wall, but it sufficed to say that they "prayed to Hashem?" For whoever prays does so with proper intention, EVEN IF HE DOES NOT TURN HIS FACE TO THE WALL, as it says of Moses, "And Moses prayed to Hashem" (Bemidbar 11:2). "And Moses cried to Hashem" (Shemot, 17:4), but not that he "turned his face toward the wall." Why does it say of Hezekiah that he "turned his face toward the wall," then prayed?

386. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, וַיַּסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֶל ה.' הָא אוֹקְמוּהָ, דְּלָא לִצְלֵי ב"נ אֶלָּא סָמוּךְ לְכוֹתְלָא, וְלָא יְהֵא מִלָּה חָצֵיץ בֵּינֵיהּ לְבֵין כּוֹתְלָא, דִּכְתִיב וַיַּסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר. מַאי שְׁנָא בְּכֻלְּהוּ דְּצַלֵּי צְלוֹתָא, דְּלָא כְתִיב בְּהוֹ וַיַּסֵּב פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר, דְּהָא דַי לֵיהּ דְּיֵימָא וְיִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל ה,' דְּהָא מַאן דְּמַצְלֵי צְלוֹתָא, אִיהוּ כַּוֵּון דַּעְתֵּיהּ כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, דְּהָא כְתִיב בְּמֹשֶׁה, וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל מֹשֶׁה אֶל ה,' וַיִּצְעַק מֹשֶׁה אֶל ה' וְלָא כְתִיב וַיַּסֵּב פָּנָיו, הָכָא בְּחִזְקִיָּהוּ, מ"ט וַיַּסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר, וּלְבָתַר וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל.

Hezekiah Isaiah Marriage World to Come, The

387. אֶלָּא רָזָא דְמִלָּה אִיהוּ, דְּתָנִינָן, חִזְקִיָּה בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא לָא הֲוָה נָסֵיב, וְלָא הֲוָה לֵיהּ אִנְתּוּ, וְלָא אוֹלִיד בְּנִין, מַה כְּתִיב וַיָּבֹא אֵלָיו וגו' כִּי מֵת אַתָּה וְלֹא תִחְיֶה, וְתָנִינָן כִּי מֵת אַתָּה בָּעה"ז, וְלָא תִחְיֶה בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, מ"ט. בְּגִין דְּלָא אוֹלִיד בְּנִין.

Infertility Punishment Soul, The Torah World to Come, The

388. Whoever does not strive to beget children in this world has no existence in the World to Come, nor any portion thereof. His soul is driven from the world, and cannot find rest in any place in the world. This is the punishment indicted in the Torah by the words, "They shall die childless" (Vayikra 20:20). For when he goes to the World to Come, he who has no children dies there AND IS CONSIDERED DEAD in this world and in the World to Come. It is therefore written, "For you shall die, and not live."

388. דְּכָל מַאן דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּדַּל לְאוֹלָדָא בְּנִין בְּהַאי עַלְמָא, לָא מִתְקַיֵּים בְּעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי, וְלָא יְהֵא לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא, וְאִתְתָּרְכַת נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ בְּעַלְמָא, וְלָא אַשְׁכָּחַת נַיְיחָא בַּאֲתַר דְּעַלְמָא, וְדָא הוּא עוֹנָשָׁא דִּכְתִיב בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, עֲרִירִים יָמוּתוּ, וּמְתַרְגְּמִינָן בְּלָא וְלָד, בְּגִין דְּמַאן דְּאִיהוּ בְּלָא וְלַד, כַּד אָזֵיל בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא. מִית הוּא תַּמָּן, מִית בְּעַלְמָא דֵין, וּבְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי, וְע"ד כְּתִיב כִּי מֵת אַתָּה וְלֹא תִחְיֶה.

Face Hezekiah Shechinah Walls

389. וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא לָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי כְּלָל, כְּדֵין כְּתִיב וַיַּסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר, אוֹלִיפְנָא דְּשַׁוֵּי רַעֲיוֹנוֹי, וְכַוֵּון אַנְפּוֹהִי לְמֵיסַב אִתְּתָא, בְּגִין דְּתִשְׁרֵי עֲלוֹי שְׁכִינְתָּא, רָזָא דְקִיר.

Face Heart Hezekiah Prayer Purification Shechinah Sin Thought Walls

390. Hence it continues, "And prayed to Hashem." From this, we learned that whoever has sinned, and wishes to ask for forgiveness, should first fix his heart and thought upon purifying himself of that sin, and only then to pray, as it says, "Let us search and try our ways" (Eichah 3:40) first, then "turn back to Hashem" (Ibid.). Here too, since Hezekiah was conscious of his sin, it is written, "Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall," in resolution to be purified before the Shechinah CALLED WALL, for he sinned to that place.

390. וּבְג"כ כְּתִיב לְבָתַר, וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֶל ה,' מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא, דְּמַאן דְּאִית בֵּיהּ חוֹבָא, וּבָעֵי לְמִבְעֵי רַחֲמֵי עֲלוֹי, יְכַוֵּין אַנְפּוֹי וְרַעֲיוֹנוֹי, לְאַתְקָנָא גַּרְמֵיהּ מֵהַהוּא חוֹבָא, וּלְבָתַר יִבְעֵי צְלוֹתָא, כְּד"א נַחְפְּשָׂה דְרָכֵינוּ וְנַחְקוֹרָה בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, וּלְבָתַר וְנָשׁוּבָה. אוֹף הָכָא, כֵּיוָן דְּיָדַע חִזְקִיָּהוּ חוֹבֵיהּ, מַה כְּתִיב וַיַּסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר, שַׁוֵּי אַנְפּוֹי לְאַתְקָנָא לְגַבֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא, דְּהָא לְגַבֵּי אֲתַר דָּא חָב.

Hezekiah Marriage Purification Shechinah

391. בְּגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא כָּל נוּקְבֵי דְעַלְמָא קַיְימִין בְּסִתְרָהָא, מַאן דְּאִית לֵיהּ נוּקְבָא, שַׁרְיָא אִיהִי לְגַבֵּיהּ, וּמַאן דְּלֵית לֵיהּ, לָא שַׁרְיָא לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְעַל דָּא אַתְקַן גַּרְמֵיהּ לְגַבָּהּ לְאַתְקָנָא, וְשַׁוֵּי עֲלֵיהּ לְאִתְנַסְּבָא, וּלְבָתַר וְיִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל יי.'

Ark Ark of the Covenant Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Earth Face Hezekiah Jeremiah Rachel Shechinah Temple, The Walls

392. The wall is Master of all the earth, the Shechinah, as it says, "Behold, the Ark of the Covenant (of) the Master of all the earth" (Yehoshua 3:11). HENCE, THE ARK OF THE COVENANT IS THE SHECHINAH CALLED MASTER OF ALL THE EARTH, and also called wall, as in "a breaking down of walls" (Yeshayah 22:5), WHICH MEANS the crying of the wall. For it is Master OF ALL THE EARTH, while the Temple was destroyed, as it says, "Rachel weeping for her children" (Yirmeyah 31:14), which we have already explained. Therefore, "Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall."

392. קִיר: דָּא הוּא אֲדוֹן כָּל הָאָרֶץ, וְדָא שְׁכִינְתָּא, כְּד"א הִנֵּה אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית אֲדוֹן כָּל הָאָרֶץ. קִיר: כְּד"א מְקַרְקַר קִיר וְשׁוֹעַ. קִרְקוּרָא וּנְהִימָא דְקִיר, דְּאִיהוּ אָדוֹן, כַּד אִתְחָרֵיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, כְּד"א רָחֵל מְבַכָּה עַל בָּנֶיהָ, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ וַיַּסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Faith Heart Prayer

393. Come and see, It is said in his prayer, "Remember now, O Hashem, I beseech You, how I have walked before You" (Yeshayah 38:3). Here, he hints that he kept the Holy Covenant not to defile it but to guard it well, as it says here, "I have walked before You" and elsewhere "walk before Me, and be perfect. And I will make My Covenant between Me and you" (Beresheet 17:1-2). AS "WALK" REFERS TO THE HOLY COVENANT, HERE TOO "I HAVE WALKED" MEANS that he kept well the Holy Covenant. "In truth and with a perfect heart" means that he was intent upon the secrets of faith comprised in Truth.

393. תָּא חֲזֵי , בִּצְלוֹתָא מַה כְּתִיב, אָנָא יי' זְכָר נָא אֶת אֲשֶׁר הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ, רָמַז הָכָא, דְּנָטַר בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא, וְלָא סָאֵיב לֵיהּ, וְנָטַר לֵיהּ כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, כְּתִיב הָכָא הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ, וּכְתִיב הָתָם הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וֶהְיֶה תָמִים וְאֶתְּנָה בְרִיתִי בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶיךָ, דְּנָטַר בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת. בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵב שָׁלֵם, דְּאִתְכַּוֵּון בְּכָל אִינוּן רָזֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא דִּכְלִילָן בֶּאֱמֶת.

Amidah (Standing Prayer) Angels Gates Nukva Prayer Redemption and Salvation Standing Prayer (Amidah)

394. "And have done that which is good in Your sight" (Yeshayah 38:3) means that he did not interrupt his prayer between 'redemption (Ga'al Yisrael)' and the Amidah prayer, YESOD BEING CALLED REDEMPTION AND THE NUKVA, PRAYER. We have already explained, and the friends too, that he meant to declare the union in a proper manner. He "wept sore" for no gate resists tears AND REMAINS CLOSED. Redemption COMBINED WITH PRAYER is CALLED THE NUKVA, the redeeming angel, which may be found at every redemption in the world, as we have already explained.

394. וְהַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָ עָשִׂיתִי, דְּסָמַךְ גְּאוּלָה לִתְפִלָּה, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא. וְהָא אוֹקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָיא, דְּאִתְכַּוֵּון לְיַחֲדָא יִחוּדָא כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, וּבְגִין כָּךְ, וַיֵּבְךְֹּ חִזְקִיָּהוּ בְּכִי גָדוֹל, דְּלֵית תַּרְעָא דְּקָיְימָא קַמֵּי דִּמְעִין. גְּאוּלָה: דָּא הוּא מַלְאָךְ הַגּוֹאֵל, דְּדָא אִיהוּ דְאִשְׁתַּכַּח בְּכָל פֵּרוֹקָא דְעַלְמָא, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא.