Behar: Chapter 1

"Which shall be burning upon the altar all night"

Synopsis

Rabbi Elazar talks about the nighttime when Judgments are awakened in the world and sorcery is performed. He tells what happens when midnight approaches, and the joy that God finds among the Righteous in the Garden of Eden. In the morning the Judgments and flames are stilled, and Abraham brings rest to all.

Altar Congregation Moses Mount Sinai Offering Torah

1. "And Hashem spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, 'Speak to the children of Yisrael, and say to them: When you come to the land...'" (Vayikra 25:1-2). Rabbi Elazar commenced the discussion with the verse: "This is the Torah of the burnt offering (Heb. olah). It is the burnt offering..." (Vayikra 6:2). We established this verse address the Congregation of Yisrael, which rises (Heb. olah) and joins with the Holy King in a perfect union.

1. וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֶל מֹשֶׁה בְּהַר סִינַי לֵאמֹר. דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ.' רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח, זֹאת תּוֹרַת הָעוֹלָה הִיא הָעוֹלָה וְגוֹ.' הַאי קְרָא בִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹקִימְנָא, דְּהִיא סַלְּקָא וּמִתְחַבְּרָא בְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא בְּזִוּוּגָא שְׁלִים.

Altar Balaam Dogs Gates Judgment Offering Sorcery Witchcraft

2. "It is the burnt offering, which shall be burning upon the altar all night" (Ibid.). Come and behold: when night comes and the gates are shut, Judgments below are awakened in the world, and mules and dogs go and roam about. We established THAT ON THE FIRST WATCH OF THE NIGHT A MULE BRAYS. At this time, dogs and donkeys do not roam about; sorcery is performed with the mules by people such as Bilaam, WHO RODE ON HIS MULE. Then all of mankind is asleep, and the lower outer altar, BEING MALCHUT WHEN FILLED WITH JUDGMENT, burns.

2. הִיא הָעוֹלָה עַל מוֹקְדָה עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ כָּל הַלַּיְלָה וְגוֹ.' ת"ח, כֵּיוָן דְּעָאל לֵילְיָא, וְתַרְעִין סְתִימִין, דִּינִין תַּתָּאִין מִתְעֲרִין בְּעָלְמָא, וְאַזְלִין וְשָׁאטִין, חֲמָרֵי וַאֲתָנֵי וְכַלְבֵי. חֲמָרֵי הָא אוֹקִימְנָא, וְכַלְבֵי וְאַתְנֵי, לָא שָׁאטָן וְלָא אַזְלִין, אֶלָּא בְּהוּ עַבְדֵי חֲרָשַׁיָּא לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא. כְּגוֹן בִּלְעָם, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ. כְּדֵין כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא נַיְימִין, וּמִזְבֵּחַ תַּתָּאָה דִּלְבַר אִתּוֹקַד.

Altar Directions Female Fire Flame Garden of Eden Gates Midnight North Rooster Wind

3. At midnight, the north wind is stirred, and from that lower altar, FROM MALCHUT, comes a flame of fire. The gates open and the lower Judgments, MEANING THE JUDGMENTS OF THE FEMALE, assemble in their holes. That flame goes and spreads, and the gates of the Garden of Eden open until that flame reaches and then divides to several directions of the world. It then enters beneath the wings of the cock, and it crows.

3. בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא, אִתְּעַר רוּחַ צָפוֹן, וּמֵהַהוּא מִזְבַּח תַּתָּאָה, נָפִיק שַׁלְהוֹבָא דְּאֶשָּׁא, וְתַרְעִין אִתְפְּתָחוּ, וְדִינִין תַּתָּאִין אִתְכְּנָשׁוּ בְּנוּקְבַיְיהוּ, וְהַהוּא שַׁלְהוֹבָא אָזִיל וְשָׁאט, וְתַרְעִין דג"ע אִתְפְּתָחוּ, עַד דְּמָטֵי הַהוּא שַׁלְהוֹבָא, אִתְפְּלַג לְכַמָּה סִטְרִין דְּעָלְמָא, וְעָאל תְּחוֹת גַּדְפּוֹי דְּתַרְנְגוֹלָא וְקָארֵי.

Abraham Altar Congregation Morning Praise Righteous

4. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, is found among the righteous, and the Congregation of Yisrael offers praise to the Holy One, blessed be He, until the onset of morning. With the arrival of morning, they are found chatting about one secret, ONE WITH THE OTHER, THE SECRET OF THE THIRD WATCH WHEN THE WIFE CONVERSES WITH HER HUSBAND. She has rest with her husband. This is what is written: "which shall be burning upon the altar all night until the morning." ALL NIGHT SHE BURNS IN HER JUDGMENTS. "Until morning," that is, in the morning, the Judgments and flames are stilled. Then Abraham is stirred, BEING CHESED, with the world, and he brings rest to all.

4. כְּדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּין צַדִּיקַיָּיא, וכ"י מְשָׁבַּחַת לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עַד דְּאָתֵי צַפְרָא. כֵּיוָן דְּאָתֵי צַפְרָא, אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ מִשְׁתַּעְיָן בְּרָזָא חֲדָא. וְאִית לָהּ נַיְיחָא בְּבַעְלָהּ. הה"ד, עַל מוֹקְדָה עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ כָּל הַלַיְלָה וְגוֹ.' עַד הַבֹּקֶר, דְּהָא בְּצַפְרָא דִּינִין וֹשַׁלְהוֹבִין אִשְׁתְּכָכוּ, וּכְדֵין אִתְּעַר אַבְרָהָם בְּעָלְמָא, וְנַיְיחָא הוּא דְּכֹלָּא.

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