Vayechi: Chapter 47

"Haleluyah! Give praise, O servants of Hashem"

Synopsis

The rabbis explain that when one person praises another, the praise should be in accordance with that person's merit. This is because praise given that is not deserved becomes a reproach. Through a discussion of the title verse, we learn that the name 'Haleluyah' is among the highest kinds of praise to God since it contains both the highest name as well the praise itself. The rest of the verse reveals the name of the praised and those who address the praise. This means that they, the servants of The Creator, praised the place called "the Name of Yah," Malchut. We're then told of the significance of the Yud י in the Hebrew translation of the word let, and its relationship to "the drawing from the most hidden." The discourse then reveals the meaning of the words, "From the rising of the sun to its setting." This alludes to Zeir Anpin, whence the sun shines and Malchut, the place to which Faith is bound.

Relevance

The wisdom to offer praise to others with purity and in the appropriate measure is awakened in us. The Holy Name of "Haleluyah" and the letter Yud י connect us to lofty levels in the spiritual atmosphere, arousing Light, blessing, and praise throughout our physical world [Malchut]. We are inspired to become worthy of praise through spiritual growth and transformation.

Merit Praise

478. Rabbi Chizkiyah opened the discussion with the verse, "Haleluyah! Give praise, O servants of Hashem, praise the name of Hashem" (Tehilim 113:1). Let us examine this verse. After saying Haleluyah, why ADD "Give praise, O servants of Hashem" and then "praise the name of Hashem?" HE ANSWERS, We have so learned that whoever praises someone else should do so in accordance with his merits, and praise should be the extent of that person's merit. We have learned that he who gives him praise which he does not deserve, it is considered to be a reproach; MEANING, his blame shall be revealed. Therefore, he who mourns another man should do so according to his merit and no more. For the praise might turn EVENTUALLY into blame. Praise should always agree with merits.

478. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, הַלְּלוּ יָהּ הַלְּלוּ עַבְדֵּי ה' הַלְּלוּ אֶת שֵׁם ה,' הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בֵּיהּ, כֵּיוָן דַּאֲמַר הַלְּלוּיָה, אַמַּאי הַלְּלוּ עַבְדֵּי ה,' וּלְבָתַר הַלְּלוּ אֶת שֵׁם ה.' אֶלָּא הָכֵי תָּנִינָן, מַאן דִּמְשַׁבַּח לְאַחֲרָא, אִצְטְרִיךְ לְשַׁבָּחָא לֵיהּ כְּפוּם יְקָרֵיהּ, וּכְפוּם יְקָרֵיהּ הָכֵי אִצְטְרִיךְ שִׁבְחֵיהּ, וְתָנִינָן מַאן דִּמְשַׁבַּח לְאַחֲרָא, בְּשִׁבְחָא דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ, הוּא גָלֵי גְנוּתֵיהּ, וְצָבֵי לְגַלָּאָה לֵיהּ, וְעַל דָּא, מַאן דְּעָבֵיד הֶסְפֵּדָא עַל בַּר נָשׁ, אִצְטְרִיךְ כְּפוּם יְקָרֵיהּ, וְלָא יַתִּיר, דְּמִגּוֹ שִׁבְחֵיהּ אָתֵי לִגְנוּתֵיהּ, וּבְכֹלָּא שִׁבְחָא אִצְטְרִיךְ כְּפוּם יְקָרֵיהּ.

Eyes Praise

479. Come and see, "Haleluyah." There is here a supreme praise to the Master of everything, whom no eye can behold or know, who is most hidden. Who is He? THE NAME OF Yah, the highest name of all.

479. תָּא חֲזֵי, הַלְלוּיָהּ: הָכָא אִית שִׁבְחָא עִלָּאָה דְּמָארֵי דְכֹלָּא, אֲתַר דְּלָא שָׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ עֵינָא לְמִנְדַע וּלְאִסְתַּכָּלָא, דְּאִיהוּ טְמִירָא דְכָל טְמִירִין, וּמַאן אִיהוּ. י"ה, שְׁמָא עִלָּאָה עַל כֹּלָּא.

Nukva Praise Samuel

480. Therefore "Haleluyah (lit. 'praise Yah')" contains a praise and a name in one. Here it is undisclosed since he says Haleluyah, yet does not mention the speaker, or to whom the word is addressed. As the name Yah is undisclosed, so is the praise, and I do not know who are those who address the praise. All should be thus covered in the supernal secret. After being concealed by the supernal secret, it is now revealed and said, "Give praise, O servants of Hashem, praise the name of Hashem," BY WHICH THE NAME OF THOSE WHO PRAISE AND THE PRAISED ARE MADE KNOWN. This is because the place is not as hidden as that supernal and most hidden of all, WHICH IS YAH, but is the place called name, NAMELY THE NUKVA, as it is written, "Whose name is called by the name of Hashem" (II Shmuel 6:2), WHICH MEANS THE NUKVA CALLED NAME.

480. וּבְג"כ הַלְּלוּיָהּ: שִׁבְחָא וּשְׁמָא כַּחֲדָא, כְּלִילָן כַּחֲדָא, וְהָכָא סְתִים מִלָּה דַּאֲמַר הַלְּלוּיָהּ, וְלָא אֲמַר מַאן הַלְּלוּיָהּ, לְמַאן אֲמָרוּ הַלְּלוּ, אֶלָּא כְּמָה דְּי"ה סָתִים, הָכֵי שִׁבְחָא דְּשַׁבּוּחֵי סְתִים אִינוּן, דִּמְשַׁבְּחֵי לָא יְדַעְנָא מַאן אִינוּן, וְהָכֵי אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא סְתִים, בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה, וּלְבָתַר דְּסָתִים בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה, גַּלֵּי וַאֲמַר, הַלְּלוּ עַבְדֵּי ה' הַלְּלוּ אֶת שֵׁם ה,' בְּגִין דְּדָא אִיהוּ אֲתַר, דְּלָא סָתִים, כְּהַהוּא עִלָּאָה טְמִירָא דְּכָל טְמִירִין, דָּא הוּא אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי שֵׁם, כְּד"א אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא שֵׁם שֵׁם ה.'

Nukva Praise

481. The first one, YAH, is covered and undisclosed, while the second, THE NAME OF YAH, is both undisclosed and disclosed. And since it may be revealed, SCRIPTURE says that they praise the place CALLED THE NAME OF YAH. Who are those who praise? The servants of Hashem, who are worthy of praising this place, THE NUKVA.

481. קַדְמָאָה סָתִים דְּלָא גַלְיָא, תִּנְיָינָא סָתִים וְגַלְיָא, וּבְגִין דְּקַיְימָא בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָיא, אֲמַר אִינוּן דְּקָא מְשַׁבְּחֵי לְהַהוּא אֲתַר מַאן אִינוּן, וְקָאֲמַר דְּאִינוּן עַבְדֵּי ה,' דְּאִתְחַזּוּן לְשַׁבָּחָא לַאֲתַר דָּא.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit)

482. "Blessed be the name of Hashem" (Tehilim 113:2). HE ASKS, Why does it say here "be (Heb. yehi - or Yud-Hei-Yud)?" HE REPLIES, This word is the secret of drawing from that supernal, hidden place we mentioned, Yah, unto the secret of the Covenant, the lower Yud which resembles the upper Yud; the beginning is like the end.

482. יְהִי שֵׁם ה' מְבוֹרָךְ, מַאי שְׁנָא דְּקָאֲמַר יְהִי. אֶלָּא יְהִי, רָזָא דְּאַמְשָׁכוּתָא מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר עִלָּאָה, דְּאִיהוּ סָתִים דְּקָאֲמָרָן, דְּאִיהוּ י"ה, עַד רָזָא דִבְרִית, דְּאִיהוּ יו"ד תַּתָּאָה, כְּגַוְונָא דְּיוּ"ד עִלָּאָה, שֵׁירוּתָא כְּסוֹפָא.

Creation Firmaments Grades Light Lights

483. Therefore 'Yud-Hei-Yud' is the secret of drawing from the most hidden, THE FIRST YUD OF YUD-ALEPH-HEI-DALET-VAV-NUN-HEI-YUD unto the lower grade, THE LAST YUD OF YUD-ALEPH-HEI-DALET-VAV- NUN -HEI-YUD. THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE TWO YUDS OF YUD-HEI-YUD. With its support the Creation prevailed, as it says, "Let (Heb. yehi) there be a firmament" (Beresheet 1:6), "let there be lights" (Ibid. 14), and "let there be light" (Ibid. 3).

483. וּבְגִין כָּךְ יְהִי, רָזָא דְּאַמְשְׁכוּתָא מִטְּמִירָא דְכָל טְמִירִין, עַד דַּרְגָּא תַּתָּאָה, וּבְמִלָּה דָא אִתְקַיַּים כָּל עוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית, כְּד"א יְהִ"י רָקִיעַ, יְהִ"י מְאוֹרוֹת, יְהִ"י אוֹר.

Earth Firmaments Light Lights Seas

484. In all the works above, THE FIRMAMENT, LIGHT AND THE LIGHTS, it is written Yud-Hei-Yud; in all the works below, THE EARTH, THE SEAS AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM, it does not say Yud-Hei-Vav, since the secret OF YUD-HEI-VAV, the drawing from the most hidden, THE FIRST YUD OF YUD-ALEPH-HEI-DALET-VAV-NUN-HEI-YUD, does not prevail save by the supernal works above and not those below.

484. בְּכָל אִינוּן עוֹבָדִין דִּלְעֵילָא כְּתִיב יְהִי, בְּכָל אִינוּן עוֹבָדִין דִּלְתַתָּא, לָא כְתִיב יְהִ"י, בְּגִין דְּרָזָא דָא דְּאִיהוּ אַמְשָׁכוּתָא מֵרָזָא עִלָּאָה, סְתִימִין דְּכָל סְתִימִין, לָא אִתְקַיַּים אֶלָּא בְּמִלִּין עִלָּאֵי דִּלְעֵילָא, וְלָא אִתְּמָר בְּאִינוּן מִלִּין תַּתָּאִין דִּלְתַתָּא.

Head Holy Name Sun Zeir Anpin

485. Through this, the most Holy Name is blessed by everything. It is therefore written, "Blessed be (Yud-Hei-Yud) the name of Hashem." "From the rising of the sun" (Tehilim 113:3) is the supernal place whence the sun, ZEIR ANPIN, shines from, the place of the supernal undisclosed head, THE HEAD OF ARICH ANPIN.

485. וּבְדָא מִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּכֹלָּא, וְעַל דָּא כְתִיב יְהִי שֵׁם יי' מְבוֹרָךְ וגו,' מִמִּזְרַח שֶׁמֶשׁ עַד מְבוֹאוֹ, דָּא אֲתַר עִלָּאָה, דְּקָא נָהֵיר מִנֵּיהּ שִׁמְשָׁא, וְנָהֵיר לְכֹלָּא, וְדָא הוּא אֲתַר דְרֵישָׁא עִלָּאָה סְתִימָאָה.

Blessing Faith Holy Name Nukva Praise Zeir Anpin

486. "To its setting" (Ibid.): To this place to which faith, THE NUKVA, is well bound, BEING THE PLACE OF THE UNION BETWEEN ZEIR ANPIN AND THE NUKVA, whence blessings issue forth to all, and the world, THE NUKVA, is fed thereof, as we learned. Hence this place, THE NUKVA, is fed and blessed from above. All depends upon awakening below, when the servants of Hashem are aroused while blessing the Holy Name, THE NUKVA, like we said. And when She is revealed, it is written, "Give praise, O servants of Hashem, praise the name of Hashem."

486. וְעַד מְבוֹאוֹ: דָּא הוּא אֲתַר קִשְׁרָא, דְּאִתְקַּשַּׁר בֵּיהּ מְהֵימְנוּתָא כִּדְקָא חָזֵי, וּמִתַּמָּן נָפְקָן בִּרְכָאן לְכֹלָּא, וְעַלְמָא מֵהָכָא אִתְּזָן, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר, וּבְגִין כָּךְ קָיְימָא הַאי אֲתַר לְאִתְּזָנָא מֵעֵילָא, וּלְאִתְבָּרְכָא מִתַּמָּן, וְכֹלָּא קָיְימָא בְּאִתְעֲרוּתָא דִּלְתַתָּא, דְּמִתְעָרֵי אִינוּן עַבְדֵּי יי,' כַּד מְבָרְכֵי שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן. ובְגִין כָּךְ דְּאִיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָיא, כְּתִיב הַלְּלוּ עַבְדֵּי יי' הַלְּלוּ אֶת שֵׁם יי.'

Caves Midnight Morning Mountains Torah

487. By this time, the morning broke and they came out of the cave, not having slept that night. They walked along the way and when they came out of the mountains, they sat down and prayed. They reached a village where they sat the whole day. At night, they slept until midnight when they rose to study the Torah.

487. אַדְהָכֵי הֲוָה נָהֵיר צַפְרָא, נָפְקוּ מִן מְעַרְתָּא, וּבְהַהוּא לֵילְיָא לָא דְמִיכוּ, אָזְלוּ בְּאָרְחָא, כַּד נָפְקוּ מֵאִינוּן טוּרִין, יָתְבוּ וְצַלּוּ צְלוֹתָא, מָטוּ לְחַד כְּפַר, וְיָתְבוּ תַּמָּן כָּל הַהוּא יוֹמָא, בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא נָמוּ, עַד דַּהֲוָה פַּלְגוּת לֵילְיָא קָמוּ, לְאִתְעַסְּקָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא.

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