Vayelech: Chapter 5

Song and poem

Synopsis

The matter of Moses' song is examined in great detail, and we are reminded that the song was meant to testify against Yisrael later when they transgressed the laws of God. Rabbi Shimon clarifies which is the most valuable and important song ever written, since the discussion has also included the Song of Songs and the song that David sang towards the end of his life. The purpose of the song is to connect everyone to God and to unify His Name.

Mishnah Moses

25. We learned that Rabbi Elazar said, regarding the verse, "And Moses spoke...the words of this poem, until they were ended" (Devarim 31:30), we have to observe here the meaning of, "the words of." It should have said, 'the poem.' And what is, "until they were ended"? AND HE ANSWERS, we have so learned according to the secret of the Mishnah. All the words Moses spoke were engraved with the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and all these words were coming, going up and down engraved there WITH THE NAME OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. Each word would come before Moses to be engraved by him, and stood before him. THAT IS, IT IS WRITTEN, "THE WORDS OF THIS POEM" BECAUSE EACH WORD WOULD COME BEFORE HIM TO BE ENGRAVED. This is the meaning of, "until they were ended," THAT IS, UNTIL THEY FINISHED BEING ENGRAVED WITH THE NAME OF HASHEM.

25. תָּאנָא, א"ר אֶלְעָזָר, מַאי דִּכְתִּיב וַיְדַבֵּר מֺשֶׁה וְגוֹ,' אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֺּאת עַד תּוּמָּם. הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, מַהוּ אֶת דִּבְרֵי, אֶת הַשִּׁירָה הַזֺּאת מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. וּמַהוּ עַד תּוּמָּם. אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּאנָא בְּרָזָא דְּמַתְנִיתִין, כָּל אִינּוּן מִלֵּי דְּאָמַר מֺשֶׁה, כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְגַּלְּפֵי בִּשְׁמָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְכָל אִינּוּן מִלִּין הֲווֹ אַתְיָין, וְסַלְּקִין וְנַחְתִּין, וּמִתְגַּלְּפִין תַּמָּן. וְכָל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה הֲוָה אַתְיָיא קַמֵּי מֺשֶׁה לְאִתְגַּלְּפָא עַל יְדוֹי וְקַיְּימָא קַמֵּיהּ. וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב עַד תּוּמָּם.

Peace Shabbat Singing Solomon

26. Rabbi Aba said, "the words of this poem." HE ASKS, it should have said, 'a poem,' AND NOT "THE POEM." What does THE DEFINITE ARTICLE (HEI) allude to? AND HE ANSWERS, it is the poem the Holy One, blessed be He, recited, as in, "The song of songs, which is Solomon's (Heb. Shlomo)" (Shir Hashirim 1:1), who is the King that the peace (Heb. shalom) is His, WHO IS THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. We have already explained this matter. "A Psalm, a song for the Shabbat day" (Tehilim 92:1), precisely for the Shabbat day, WHICH IS MALCHUT, a song the Holy One, blessed be He, recited FOR THE SHABBAT DAY, WHICH IS MALCHUT.

26. ר' אַבָּא אָמַר, אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֺּאת, שִׁירָה הַזֺּאת מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ: מַאי קָא רְמִיזָא. אֶלָּא שִׁירָתָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר, כד"א שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים אֲשֶׁר לִשְׁלֹמֺה, מַלְכָּא דִּשְׁלָמָא כֺּלָּא דִּילֵיהּ, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלֵי. מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר לְיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, לְיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת מַמָּשׁ. שִׁיר דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר.

Moses Prophets Shabbat Singing Zeir Anpin

27. Yet we should examine this. There it says "a song (Heb. shir)," while there, "a poem (Heb. shirah). Shir is masculine, ZEIR ANPIN, and shirah is feminine, MALCHUT. We learned that all the prophets, in relation to Moses, are like a monkey in the sight of men. They said 'shir,' THAT IS, "THE SONG OF SONGS," "A SONG FOR THE SHABBAT DAY," while Moses recited 'shirah,' and they are shirah. The esoteric meaning is that Moses did not say it for himself but for the sake of Yisrael.

27. אֶלָּא הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, הָתָם שִׁיר, וְהָכָא שִׁירָה. דָּא דְּכַר, וְדָא נוּקְבָּא. וְהָא תָּנֵינָן, כָּל נְבִיאֵי כֻּלְּהוּ לְגַבֵּי מֺשֶׁה, כְּקוֹף בְּעֵינַיְיהוּ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, וְאִינּוּן אָמְרוּ שִׁיר, וּמֺשֶׁה אָמַר שִׁירָה. מֺשֶׁה הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר שִׁיר, וְאִינּוּן שִׁירָה. אֶלָּא דָּא הִיא רָזָא דְּמִלָּה, מֺשֶׁה לְגַרְמֵיהּ לָא קָאָמַר דָּא, אֶלָּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל.

Grades Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness) Male Moses Praise Singing Zeir Anpin

28. Rabbi Shimon said to him, this is not so. But it is known from here that Moses was of a much higher grade than all of them. Moses rose from below upward and they descended from above downward. He, MOSES, rose from below upwards, as we learned that we increase in holiness, not decrease. Moses rose from below upwards by reciting a shirah, which is the praise of the Queen, with which she praises the King. HE STARTED WITH MALCHUT. And Moses himself joined the King, SO HIS SHIRAH ROSE FROM BELOW UPWARDS. But they descended from above downward, as they recited a shir, WHICH IS THE ASPECT OF THE MALE, which is the praise with which the King praises the Queen. They joined the Queen, SO THEIR SHIR WAS FROM ABOVE DOWNWARDS, FROM ZEIR ANPIN TO MALCHUT. This praise of Moses was made known which is above them all. This is the meaning of, "Then sang Moses and the children of Yisrael this song (Heb. shirah) to Hashem" (Shemot 15:1), that is, the shirah of the Queen. To whom? To Hashem. Hence it is written, "Moses therefore wrote this poem the same day" (Devarim 31:22), AND ALSO "that this poem shall testify" (Ibid. 21).

28. א"ל ר"ש, לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא, מֺשֶׁה וַדַּאי מֵהָכָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע, דְּאִיהוּ בְּדַרְגָּא עִלָּאָה יַתִּיר מִכֺּלָּא. מֺשֶׁה סָלִיק מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא, וְאִינּוּן נַחְתֵּי מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא. הוּא סָלִיק מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא, כְּמָה דְּתָנֵינָן מַעֲלִין בַּקֺּדֶשׁ וְאֵין מוֹרִידִין. מֺשֶׁה סָלִיק מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא, דְּאָמַר שִׁירָה תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, דְּאִיהִי מְשָׁבַּחַת לְמַלְכָּא. וּמֺשֶׁה בְּמַלְכָּא אִתְאֲחָד. וְאִינּוּן נַחְתֵּי מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא, דְּאַמְרוּ שִׁיר, דְּהוּא שְׁבָחָא דִּמְשַׁבְּחָא מַלְכָּא לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, וְאִינּוּן בְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא אִתְאֲחָדוּ. וְעַל דָּא, בְּהַאי אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע שְׁבָחָא דְּמֺשֶׁה, יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ. וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב, אָז יָשִׁיר מֺשֶׁה וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַשִּׁירָה הַזֺּאת לַיְיָ,' שִׁירָתָא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא לְמַאן. לַיְיָ.' ובג"כ, וַיִכְתּוֹב מֺשֶׁה אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֺּאת, וְעָנְתָה הַשִּׁירָה הַזֺּאת.

Death Death and the Afterlife Earth Job Judgment Moses Punishment Witnesses

29. "That this poem shall testify." HE ASKS, It should have said, 'these words shall testify.' AND HE ANSWERS that the secret meaning of this is as we explained that it is written, "and the earth shall rise up against him" (Iyov 20:27), WHICH MEANS THAT THE EARTH, WHICH IS MALCHUT, RISES UP TO EXECUTE JUDGMENT AGAINST MAN. And Moses observed everything, and so he said a shirah, WHICH IS AN ASPECT OF MALCHUT, in order to give the words a hold in that place, MALCHUT FROM WHICH they will be judged, as it is written, "that shall testify against them as a witness." Why is that? Because, it is written, "for I know their inclination" (Devarim 31:21), and, "For I know that after my death..." (Ibid. 29). When you shall do that, forthwith, "this poem shall testify against them as a witness," WHICH MEANS THAT MALCHUT SHALL PUNISH YOU.

29. וְעָנְתָה הַשִּׁירָה הַזֺּאת, וְעָנּוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא רָזָא דְּמִלָּה כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא, דִּכְתִּיב וְאֶרֶץ מִתְקוֹמָמָה לוֹ, וּמֺשֶׁה בְּכֺלָּא אִסְתָּכַּל, וְעַל דָּא אָמַר שִׁירָה, בְּגִין לְאִתְאַחֲדָא מִלִּין בַּאֲתָר דָּא, לְמֶהֱוֵי עָלַיְיהוּ דִּינָא, דִּכְתִּיב וְעָנְתָה הַשִּׁירָה הַזֺּאת לְפָנָיו. וְלָמָּה. דִּכְתִּיב כִּי אֲנִי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת יִצְרוֹ, וּכְתִיב כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אַחֲרֵי מוֹתִי וְגוֹ.' וְכַד תַּעְבְּדוּ דָּא, מִיַּד וְעָנְתָה הַשִּׁירָה הַזֺּאת לְפָנָיו לְעֵד.

Earth Heaven Job Judgment Zeir Anpin

30. Come and see, it is written, "The heaven shall reveal his iniquity" (Iyov 20:27), WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN THAT IS CALLED HEAVEN, and no more, REVEALING THE INIQUITY ALONE. But, "the earth shall rise up against him." By this, THE EARTH, WHICH IS MALCHUT, judgment is executed on whomever it is executed.

30. ת"ח, כְּתִיב יְגַלּוּ שָׁמַיִם עֲוֹנוֹ וְלָא יַתִּיר, אֲבָל וְאֶרֶץ מִתְקוֹמָמָה לוֹ. בְּהַאי, דִּינָא אִתְעָבֵיד לְמַאן דְּאִתְעָבֵיד.

David Grades Hands Merit Moses Praise Samuel Singing Zeir Anpin

31. It is written, "And David spoke to Hashem the words of this song (Heb. shirah)" (II Shmuel 22:1). It is to David's praise because he recited the shirah from below upward, FROM MALCHUT TO ZEIR ANPIN LIKE MOSES, and attained that grade OF RECITING SHIRAH FROM BELOW UPWARD. He said this shirah only at the end of his days when he was exceedingly perfected by this shirah, as we learned, 'Do not believe in yourself until the day you die.' And here, why did David merit to say a shirah from below upward at the end of his days? It is because he was then at rest in every respect, as it is written, "in the day that Hashem delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies" (Ibid.).

31. כְּתִיב, וַיְדַבֵּר דָּוִד לַיְיָ' אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֺּאת. הַשְׁתָּא תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּדָוִד הוּא, בְּגִין דְּאָמַר שִׁירָה מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא, וְזָכָה לְהַאי דַּרְגָּא, וְלָא אָמַר הַאי שִׁירָה, אֶלָּא בְּסוֹף יוֹמוֹי, דַּהֲוָה בִּשְׁלִימוּ יַתִּיר, מֵהַאי שִׁירָה. כְּמָה דְּתָנֵינָן, אַל תַּאֲמֵן בְּעַצְמָךְ עַד יוֹם מוֹתָךְ. וְהָכָא, אֲמַאי זָכָה דָּוִד לְמֵימַר שִׁירָתָא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא, בְּסוֹף יוֹמוֹי. דַּהֲוָה בְּנַיְיחָא מִכָּל סִטְרוֹי, דִּכְתִּיב בְּיוֹם הִצִּיל יְיָ' אוֹתוֹ מִכַּף כָּל אוֹיְבָיו.

Heart Mishnah Unity

32. Rabbi Shimon said, shirah is the most valuable. What is it? AND HE ANSWERS, it is according to what we learned in the secret of the Mishnah THAT SERVICE SHOULD BE in speech and action, IN THE TWO DECLARATIONS OF UNITY FROM BELOW UPWARD AND FROM ABOVE DOWNWARD. Here also it is from below upward and from above downward. Then one is to meditate in the heart and bind everything into one bond.

32. אר"ש, שִׁירָתָא מְעַלְּיָא מִכֺּלָּא מַאי הִיא. כְּמָה דְּתָנֵינָן בְּרָזָא דְּמַתְנִיתִין, בְּמִלִּין וּבְעוֹבָדָא הָכִי נָמֵי מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא, וּמֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא. וּלְבָתַר לְכַוְּונָא בְּלִבָּא, וּלְקַשְּׁרָא כֺּלָּא בְּחַד קִשְׁרָא.

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