Vayechi: Chapter 40

"Serve Hashem with fear"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yosi discourses on the title verse, explaining that the righteous should worship God in the morning and in the evening. The prayer should be performed with gladness and singing in order to bring union to Zeir Anpin. In the morning, our realm of Malchut is blessed by the two sides, Chesed and Gvurah, and in the evening she distributes the blessings to those who deserve it.

Relevance

The mystical Light that glows during the morning and evening hours through the prayer-connections made by the righteous radiates throughout this section. Harmony and union between the body and soul, and connection between the Lower and Upper Worlds, are achieved by meditating upon these verses with gladness and song in our hearts.

Fear Morning Singing

414. Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion saying, "Serve Hashem with fear, and rejoice with trembling" (Tehilim 2:10). It is also written, "Serve Hashem with gladness, come before His presence with singing" (Tehilim 100:2). Come and see, only a man who serves the Holy One, blessed be He, should worship Him morning and evening.

414. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, עִבְדוּ אֶת ה' בְּיִרְאָה וְגִילוּ בִּרְעָדָה, וּכְתִיב עִבְדוּ אֶת ה' בְּשִׂמְחָה בֹּאוּ לְפָנָיו בִּרְנָנָה. תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל ב"נ דְּאָתֵי לְמִפְלַח לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּצַפְרָא וּבְפַנְיָא בָּעֵי לְמִפְלַח לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.

Blessing Flow Light Morning Prayer Strength

415. When light appears in the morning, there is an awakening of the right side, CHESED, in the world. It behooves man then to cling to the right of the Holy One, blessed be He, and worship Him through prayer, for prayer brings power and strength from above, and draws blessings from the supernal deep, BINAH, to all the SUPERNAL worlds, whence blessings flow upon the lower beings. Thus, upper and lower are blessed through the service of prayer.

415. בְּצַפְרָא, כַּד סָלֵיק נְהוֹרָא, וְאִתְעָרוּתָא דִסְטַר יְמִינָא אִתְעַר בְּעַלְמָא, כְּדֵין בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ, לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בִּימִינָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּלְמִפְלַח קַמֵּיהּ בְּפוּלְחָנָא דִצְלוֹתָא. בְּגִין דִּצְלוֹתָא אַחְסֵין תּוֹקְפָא לְעֵילָא, וְאַמְשֵׁיךְ בִּרְכָאן מֵעוֹמְקָא עִלָּאָה, לְכֻלְּהוּ עַלְמִין, וּמִתַּמָּן אַמְשֵׁיךְ בִּרְכָאן לְתַתָּאֵי, וְאִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין מִתְבָּרְכָאן, בְּהַהוּא פּוּלְחָנָא דִצְלוֹתָא.

Congregation Nukva Prayer Singing Zeir Anpin

416. The service prayer should be performed before the Holy One, blessed be He, with gladness and singing, CHESED AND GVURAH, in order to include the Congregation of Yisrael, THE NUKVA, between them, and to properly bring about union TO ZEIR ANPIN, as it is written, "Know that Hashem He is Elohim" (Tehilim 100:3). This is the secret of union in the secret of the service.

416. פּוּלְחָנָא דִצְלוֹתָא, דְּקָא בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְמִפְלַח קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבִרְנָנָה, לְאַכְלָלָא לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּינַיְיהוּ, וּלְבָתַר לְיַיחֲדָא יִחוּדָא כִּדְקָא חָזֵי, דִּכְתִיב דְּעוּ כִּי ה' הוּא אֱלֹקִים, דָּא רָזָא דְּיִחוּדָא בְּרָזָא דְפוּלְחָנָא.

Lambs Morning Offering, Daily Prayer Singing

417. Nevertheless, man should worship the Holy One, blessed be He, with gladness and show joy in his service. Corresponding to the two, gladness and singing, are the two prayers and two daily offerings; of the two, gladness is in the morning and singing in the evening. Therefore, "The one lamb shall you offer in the morning, and the other lamb shall you offer at evening" (Bemidbar 28:4).

417. וְעִם כָּל דָּא, בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְמִפְלַח קַמֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּחֶדְוָה, וּלְאַחֲזָאָה חֶדְוָה בְּפוּלְחָנֵיהּ, וְאִלֵּין תְּרֵין שִׂמְחָה וּרְנָנָה, לָקֳבֵל תְּרֵין אִלֵּין, תְּרֵין צְלוֹתִין, תְּרֵין קוּרְבָּנִין לְיוֹמָא לָקֳבֵל תְּרֵין אִלֵּין, דְּאִינוּן שִׂמְחָה וּרְנָנָה, שִׂמְחָה בְּצַפְרָא, וּרְנָנָה בְּרַמְשָׁא, וְעַל דָּא אֶת הַכֶּבֶשׂ אֶחָד תַּעֲשֶׂה בַּבֹּקֶר וְאֵת הַכֶּבֶשׂ הַשֵּׁנִי תַּעֲשֶׂה בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם.

Blessing Food Morning Singing

418. The evening service is therefore optional, since at that time She distributes prey among the legions. It is no time to be blessed but to deal sustenance. In the daytime, She is blessed by the two sides, CHESED AND GVURAH, in morning and evening with gladness and singing. At night, She gives the blessings to those who deserve it. Hence it says, "She rises also while it is yet night, and gives food to her household..." (Mishlei 31:15).

418. וְעַל דָּא, צְלוֹתָא דְעַרְבִית רְשׁוּת אִיהִי, בְּגִין דְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא מְחַלֵּק טַרְפָּא לְכָל חֵילָהָא, וְלָאו שַׁעְתָּא לְאַדְכָּרָא אֶלָּא לְמֵיהַב מְזוֹנָא. בִּימָמָא הִיא מִתְבָּרֶכֶת מִתְּרֵין סִטְרִין אִלֵּין, בְּצַפְרָא וּבְרַמְשָׁא מִגּוֹ שִׂמְחָה וּרְנָנָה, וּבְלֵילְיָא פָּלֵיג בִּרְכָאן לְכֹלָּא כִּדְקָא חָזֵי, הה"ד וַתָּקָם בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ וגו.'

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