Beshalach: Chapter 26

Building the lower Temple

Synopsis

We hear that it is a commandment to build the lower Temple like the Temple of above, and that the Temple must have windows in it. One must not pray in the field because an edifice is required to bring down the Shechinah to human beings. Isaac prayed in the field, but he was one of the Patriarchs, and thus exempt from this.

Rabbi Aba speaks of a song [verse 339] that is composed of twenty-two holy engraved letters and ten sayings, and which is imprinted on the Holy Name. Rabbi Shimon says that while the children of Yisrael were standing by the sea and singing, God appeared to them with all his Chariots and hosts; every one of them saw what the other prophets of the world did not. All of them sang the same song simultaneously and in rhythm, and the Holy Spirit was in their mouths. It is obvious that they all perceived the supernal Wisdom at that time. When the song was over, the children of Yisrael did not want to leave because of their great longing to perceive God, until Moses showed them the radiant brilliance of the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He in the wilderness. Thus it is called "the wilderness of Shur (lit 'observe')."

Prayer Shepherd Temple, The

332. Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd). It is a commandment to build the lower Temple similar to the Temple of above, as it is written, "In the place, Hashem, which You have made for You to dwell in" (Shemot 15:17), because it is necessary to build a Temple below, to say a prayer in it every day, and to serve the Holy One, blessed be He, because prayer is called 'service.'

332. (רעיא מהימנא) פִּקּוּדָא לְמִבְנֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא לְתַתָּא, כְּגַוְונָא דְּבֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא דִּלְעֵילָּא, כד"א, מָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ פָּעַלְתָּ יְיָ.' דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִבְנֵי בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא לְתַתָּא, וּלְצַלָּאָה בְּגַוֵּיהּ צְלוֹתָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא, לְמִפְלַח לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּהָא צְלוֹתָא אִקְרֵי עֲבוֹדָה.

333. It is necessary to build that particular synagogue with great beauty and to outfit it with all its necessities and improvements, because the synagogue below corresponds to the synagogue above.

333. וְהַהוּא בֵּי כְּנִשְׁתָּא, אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִבְנֵי לֵיהּ בִּשְׁפִירוּ סַגְיָא, וּלְאַתְקְנָא לֵיהּ בְּכָל תִּקּוּנִין, דְּהָא בֵּי כְּנִשְׁתָּא דִּלְתַתָּא, קַיְּימָא לָקֳבֵל בֵּי כְּנִשְׁתָּא דִּלְעֵילָּא.

(Holy) Temple Moses Tabernacle Temple, The Vessels

334. The Temple below stands similar to the Temple above, for the one corresponds to the other. All the improvements and all the services and all the vessels and the accessory instruments of that Temple are all similar to above. The Tabernacle that Moses erected in the wilderness was a similar reflection of the one above.

334. בֵּית מְקַדֵּשׁ לְתַתָּא, אִיהוּ קָאֵים כְּגַוְונָא דְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ דִּלְעֵילָּא, דְּקָאֵים דָּא לָקֳבֵל דָּא. וְהַהוּא בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, כָּל תִּקּוּנוֹי, וְכָל פּוּלְחָנוֹי, וְכָל אִינּוּן מָאנִין, וְשַׁמָּשִׁין, כֻּלְּהוּ אִינּוּן כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא. מַשְׁכְּנָא דְּקָא עָבֵד מֹשֶׁה בְּמַדְבְּרָא, כֹּלָּא הֲוָה כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא.

(Holy) Temple Prayer Solomon Temple, The

335. The Temple that King Solomon built is a house of rest, similar to the one above in all ITS particulars, with all its supernal perfection, completed to become the house of rest and inheritance. Similarly, a synagogue must have all the accruements of beauty like the supernal one above to be a house of prayer, in which corrections are made through prayer, as has been explained.

335. בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא דְּבָנָא שְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא, הוּא בֵּי נַיְיחָא כְּגַוְונָא עִלָּאָה, בְּכָל אִינּוּן תִּקּוּנִין, לְמֶהֱוֵי בְּתִקּוּנָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, בֵּי נַיְיחָא וְאַחֲסַנְתָּא. הָכִי בֵּי כְּנִשְׁתָּא, אִצְטְרִיךְ בְּכָל תִּקּוּנֵי שַׁפִּירוּ, לְמֶהֱוֵי כְּגַוְונָא עִלָּאָה, לְמֶהֱוֵי בֵּית צְלוֹתָא, לְאַתְקְנָא תִּקּוּנִין בִּצְלוֹתָא, כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ.

(Holy) Temple Prayer Shechinah Temple, The Windows

336. And that Temple MUST have windows in it, as it is written, "and open windows" (Daniel 6:11), similar to above. Of this it is written, "He looks in at the windows; He peers through the lattice" (Shir Hashirim 2:9). If you ask whether IT IS PERMITTED TO PRAY in the field, because a spirit can ascend there, it is not so, because we need an edifice, and there is not any. It is necessary to establish an edifice below, similar to the edifice above, WHICH IS MALCHUT, to bring down the supernal dweller, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH, to the inhabitants of below, HUMAN BEINGS.

336. וְהַהוּא בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא דְּלֶיהֱוִי בֵּיהּ חַלּוֹנוֹת, דִּכְתִּיב וְכַוִּון פְּתִיחָן. כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְע"ד מַשְׁגִּיחַ מִן הַחַלּוֹנוֹת מֵצִיץ מִן הַחֲרַכִּים. וְאִי תֵּימָא אֲפִילּוּ בְּחַקְלָא, בְּגִין דְּרוּחָא לֶהֱוֵי סָלִיק. לָאו הָכִי, דְּהָא אֲנָן צְרִיכִין בַּיִת וְלֵיכָּא. לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בַּיִת לְתַתָּא, כְּגַוְונָא דְּבַיִת עִלָּאָה, לְנַחְתָּא דִּיּוּרָא עִלָּאָה לְדִיּוּרָא תַּתָּאָה.

Firmaments Jerusalem Prayer Shofar

337. Also, that prayer and that spirit should ascend and exit from the narrow strait in a straight path towards Jerusalem. About this is written, "Out of my distress (lit. 'from the narrow strait') I called upon Yah" (Tehilim 118:5). For it is necessary to have a place that is narrow and tight to cast into it that spirit, so that it should not turn to the right or to left. But in a field the voice cannot be projected to Him in this way. Similar to this is the sound of the Shofar that is projected outward in a smooth, straight way from a narrow place, and it goes and splits firmaments, and ascends upwards to stimulate the spirit of above.

337. וְתוּ דְּהַהוּא צְלוֹתָא, וְהַהוּא רוּחָא, אִצְטְרִיךְ לְסַלְּקָא, וְּלְנָפְקָא מִגּוֹ עָאקוּ, בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר, לָקֳבֵל יְרוּשְׁלֵם. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, מִן הַמֵּצַר קָרָאתִי יָהּ, דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ אֲתָר דָּחִיק בְּעָאקוּ, לְשַׁדְּרָא בְּגַוֵּיהּ הַהוּא רוּחָא, דְּלָא יִסְטֵי לִימִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא. וּבְחַקְלָא לָא יָכִיל קָלָא לְשַׁדְּרָא לֵיהּ הָכִי, דְּהָא כְּגַוְונָא דָּא קָלָא דְּשׁוֹפָר, אִתְדַּחְיָיא לְבַר בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר, מִגּוֹ אֲתָר דָּחִיק, וְאָזִיל וּבָקַע רְקִיעִין, וְסָלִיק בִּסְלִיקוּ, לְאַתְּעָרָא רוּחָא לְעֵילָּא.

Abraham Isaac Patriarchs

338. And you may ask: Is it not written, "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field?" (Beresheet 24:63). SO WE SEE THAT PRAYING TAKES PLACE EVEN IN THE FIELD. AND HE ANSWERS, Isaac was different, for he had something else that the rest of the world did not have. HE WAS ONE OF THE PATRIARCHS. And also this verse did not come for this purpose, TO PERMIT PRAYING IN THE FIELD. For certainly, in a different field he would not have been praying, as we have already explained THAT THIS FIELD WAS THE FIELD THAT ABRAHAM HAD PURCHASED. (End of Ra'aya Meheimna).

338. וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָא כְּתִיב, וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה. שָׁאנֵי יִצְחָק, דְּמִלָּה אַחֲרָא הֲוָה בֵּיהּ, מַה דְּלָא הֲוָה בְּכָל עָלְמָא. וְתוּ דְּהַאי קְרָא לָאו לְהָכִי אָתָא, דְּוַדַּאי בַּשָּׂדֶה אַחֵר לָא הֲוָה מְצַלֵּי וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא. (ע"כ רעיא מהימנא)

Hebrew Letters Holy Name Merit Singing Ten World to Come, The

339. We have learned that Rabbi Aba said, Blessed is the portion of those who merit to sing this song in this world and merit to say it in the World to Come. This song is composed of 22 holy engraved letters and with ten sayings, and it is all imprinted on the Holy Name, and it is all the perfection of the Holy Name. And we have made observations about these things.

339. תַּנְיָא אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵהוֹן, דְּאִינּוּן דְּזַכָּאן לְמֵימָר שִׁירָתָא דָּא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, דְּזַכָּאן לְמֵימָר לָהּ בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. וְשִׁירָתָא דָּא, אִתְבְּנֵי בְּעֶשְׂרִין וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון קַדִּישִׁן גְּלִיפָן, וּבְעֶשֶׂר אֲמִירָן, וְכֹלָּא אִתְרְשִׁים בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְכֹלָּא שְׁלֵימוּתָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְהָא אִתְּעַרְנָא מִלֵּי.

Chariot Hosts Miracle Prophets Seas Singing

340. Rabbi Shimon said, At the moment that Yisrael were standing by the sea and singing songs, the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared to them with all His Chariots and hosts, in order that they should know their King who had done for them all these miracles and mighty acts. Each and every one knew and noticed what the other prophets of the world did not know or notice.

340. א"ר שִׁמְעוֹן, בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דַּהֲווֹ קַיְימִין יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל יַמָּא, וַהֲווֹ אַמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא, אִתְגְּלֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלַיְיהוּ, וְכָל רְתִיכוֹי וְחֵילוֹי, בְּגִין דְּיִנְדְּעוּן לְמַלְכֵּיהוֹן, דְּעָבֵד לוֹן כָּל אִינּוּן נִסִּין וּגְבוּרָאן, וְכָל חַד וְחַד יָדַע וְאִסְתַּכַּל, מַה דְּלָא יָדְעוּ וְאִסְתַּכָּלוּ שְׁאַר נְבִיאֵי עָלְמָא.

Singing Wisdom

341. For if you say that they had no knowledge and did not attain supernal Wisdom, then from this song you can see that they all beheld Wisdom, and knew those things they recited. For if not, how could they all say the same words without varying one from another? Whatever this one said, the other one said, and one word was not said before the other, but rather they all said them in the same rhythm. And the Holy Spirit was in the mouth of each and every one, and the words were all enunciated as though they were emitted from one mouth. Most certainly, they all noticed and perceived the supernal Wisdom, and were familiarized with these lofty particulars, and the Holy Spirit was in the mouth of each and every one.

341. דְּאִי תֵּימָא דְּלָא יָדְעִין וְלָא אִדְבָּקוּ חָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה, מִן שִׁירָתָא דָּא תֶּחֱמֵי, דְּכֻלְּהוּ בְּחָכְמְתָא אִסְתַּכָּלוּ, וְיָדְעוּ מִלִּין וְאָמְרוּ. דְּאִי לָאו הָכִי, אֵיךְ אָמְרוּ כֻּלְּהוּ מִלִּין אֲחִידָן, דְּלָא סָטוּ אִלֵּין מֵאִלֵּין, וּמַה דְּאָמַר דָּא, אָמַר דָּא, וְלָא אַקְדִּים מִלָּה דָּא, לְמִלָּה דָּא, אֶלָּא כֻּלְּהוּ בְּשִׁקּוּלָא חֲדָא, וְרוּחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּפוּמָא דְּכָל חַד וְחַד, וּמִלִּין אִתְּמָרוּ כֻּלְּהוּ כְּאִלּוּ נָפְקִין מִפּוּמָא חַד. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי כּוּלְּהוּ בְּחָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה אִסְתַּכָּלוּ, וְיָדְעוּ מִילִין עִלָּאִין, וְרוּחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּפוּם כָּל חַד וְחַד.

Eyes Ezekiel Fragrance Prophets Singing

342. Even those in their mothers' wombs were saying the song all as one. They all saw that which even the prophet Ezekiel did not see, and they therefore watched, as though they saw eye to eye. When they concluded the words, they all bore fragrance on their own, and yearned to conceive and perceive, and did not want to travel from there, so great was their desire.

342. וַאֲפִילּוּ אִינּוּן דְּבִמְעֵי אִמְּהוֹן, הֲווֹ אַמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא כֻּלְּהוּ כַּחֲדָא, וַהֲווֹ חָמָאן כֻּלְּהוּ, מַה דְּלָא חָמָא יְחֶזְקֵאל נְבִיאָה. וְעַל כַּךְ הֲווֹ כֻּלְּהוּ מִסְתַּכְּלֵי, כְּאִלּוּ חָמָאן עֵינָא בְּעֵינָא. וְכַד סִיְּימוּ מִלִּין, כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְבַּסְּמָאן בְּנַפְשַׁיְיהוּ, וְתָּאָבוֹן לְמֵחֱמֵי וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, וְלָא הֲווֹ בָּעָאן לְנַטְלָא מִתַּמָּן, מִסְּגִיאוּת תִּיאוּבְתָּא.

Moses Seas

343. At that moment, Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Your children, because of their great longing to perceive You, do not want to travel from the sea.' What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He concealed His glory out of the wilderness, and there He appeared yet did not appear. Moses said to Yisrael: 'Many times have I said that you should travel from there, but you did not want to until I showed you the splendor of the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, in the wilderness.' They were immediately desirous.

343. בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, אָמַר מֹשֶׁה לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בָּנַיִךְ מִסְּגִיאוּת תִּיאוּבְתָּא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בָּךְ, לָא בָּעָאן לְנַטְלָא מִן יַמָּא. מַה עָבֵד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אַסְתִּים יְקָרֵיהּ לְבַר לְמַדְבְּרָא, וְתַמָּן אִתְגְּלֵי וְלָא אִתְגְּלֵי. אָמַר לוֹן מֹשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, כַּמָּה זִמְנִין אֲמֵינָא לְנַטְלָא מִתַּמָּן, וְלָא בָּעִיתוּן, עַד דִּי אַחְזֵי לוֹן זִיוָא יְקָרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּמַדְבְּרָא, וּמִיַּד הֲווֹ תָּאָבִין.

Moses Sea of Suf Seas

344. But they did not travel until Moses grasped them and showed them the radiant shine of the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, in the wilderness. Then, because of great longing and desire to perceive, Moses caused them to travel. This is what is meant by, "So Moses brought Yisrael from the Sea of Reeds, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur" (Shemot 15:22). What is the meaning of "the wilderness of Shur?" This was the desert where they wanted to perceive and gaze upon the precious splendor of the Holy King. Therefore, it is called "the wilderness of Shur (lit. 'observe')," WHICH MEANS there is gazing there.

344. וְלָא נַטְלוּ, עַד דְּאָחִיד בְּהוּ מֹשֶׁה וְאַחְמֵי לוֹן זִיוָא יְקָרָא דְּקב"ה בְּמַדְבְּרָא, כְּדֵין מִסְּגִיאוּת תִּיאוּבְתָּא וּרְעוּתָא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, אַנְטִיל לוֹן מֹשֶׁה, הה"ד וַיַסַּע מֹשֶׁה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיָּם סוּף וַיֵּצְאוּ אֶל מִדְבַּר שׁוּר. מַאי מִדְבַּר שׁוּר. מַדְבְּרָא, דַּהֲווֹ בָּעָאן לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ, זִיוָא יְקָרָא דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי מִדְבַּר שׁוּר: אִסְתַּכְּלוּתָא שָׁם.

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