The Leviathan

Synopsis

Rav Hamnuna Saba tells Moses that he is the Leviathan of the sea of the Torah, the master of all fishes. The sages of the Mishnah have stated that the Torah is maintained only by those who are willing to die for it, and part of the meaning here is that death is poverty. In response to Moses' query about the Leviathan, Rabbi Shimon answers that is it he whose grade is the Central Pillar, a righteous man who grows in the sea of supernal Ima where God is unified through the Sh'ma and the prayer 'Blessed be....' Moses says that the world is supported by that Leviathan.

Beasts Death Death and the Afterlife Head Horses Leviathan Mishnah Seas Tents Torah

66. And you support yourself by your sage's statement more than all of them, since you are the Leviathan of the sea of the Torah. For the master of all fishes is called Leviathan, named after the Torah of which it says, "for they are a graceful garland (Heb. liviat) for your head" (Mishlei 1:9). By you, "Hashem, You preserve man and beast" (Tehilim 36:7). Of man, NAMELY TIFERET, it has been said, "when a man dies in a tent" (Bemidbar 19:14), and the sages of the Mishnah have stated that the Torah is maintained only by whoever is willing to die for it, death being no other than poverty. 'Beast' refers to the ignorant, who are submissive like horses and mules to the sages of the Mishnah.

66. וְאַנְתְּ תַּנְיָא דִּמְסַיֵּיעַ לָךְ יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ, בְּגִין דְּאַנְתְּ לִוְיָתָן דְּיַמָּא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, מָארֵיהּ דְּכָל נוּנִין לִוְיָתָן אִתְקְרֵי, עַל שֵׁם אוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ כִּי לִוְיַת חֵן הֵם לְרֺאשֶׁךָ. וּבָךְ אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה תּוֹשִׁיעַ יְיָ.' אָדָם דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ אָדָם כִּי יָמוּת בְּאֺהֶל, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, אֵין הַתּוֹרָה מִתְקַיֶּימֶת אֶלָּא בְּמִי שְׁמֵמִית עַצְמוֹ עָלֵיהּ, וְלֵית מִיתָה אֶלָּא עֲנִיּוּתָא. וּבְהֵמָה, אִלֵּין עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ, דְּאִינּוּן מִתְכַּפְיָין כַּסּוּס כַּפֶּרֶד תְּחוֹת מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין.

Aba and Ima Body Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Fifty Grades Hebrew Letters Leviathan Mishnah Pillar Righteous Seas Shepherd Sh'ma Yisrael

67. In the meantime the Holy Luminary, RABBI SHIMON, came. The Faithful Shepherd opened and said, Mishnah sages, who is the Leviathan? The Holy Luminary answered him, it is he whose grade is the Central Pillar and a righteous man of whom it says that we consider his body, TIFERET, and member of the covenant, YESOD, as one. And he grows in that sea, which is supernal Ima, NAMELY BINAH, which is a sea where the Holy One, blessed be He, is unified in 25 and 25 letters IN SH'MA YISRAEL AND IN 'BLESSED BE...,' the numerical value of which is that of 'yam (Eng. 'sea'),' THAT IS, FIFTY, and who is in it ???, BEING IN THAT SEA THAT IS BINAH. The Faithful Shepherd said, surely this Leviathan stands on the beach and the world is poised on his fins, AS THIS LEVIATHAN is, "the righteous is an everlasting foundation" (Mishlei 10:25). The Holy Luminary said, Blessed is your portion, Faithful Shepherd.

67. אַדְּהָכִי הָא בּוּצִינָא קַדִישָׁא אָתָא, פָּתַח רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא וְאָמַר, מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין מַאן אִיהוּ לִוְיָתָן. אָמַר לֵיהּ בּוּצִינָא קַדִישָׁא, הַאי אִיהוּ דְּדַרְגֵּיהּ עַמּוּדָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא, וְצַדִּיק, דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ, גּוּף וּבְרִית חַשְׁבֵינָן חַד. וְאִתְרַבֵּי בְּיַמָּא דָּא, דְּאִיהִי אִימָּא עִלָּאָה, יָם, דְּבָהּ מְיַיחֲדִין לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כ"ה כ"ה אַתְוָון, דְּאִינּוּן יָם בְּחוּשְׁבָּן, וְאִיהוּ בָּהּ. אָמַר ר"מ, וַדָאי לִוְיָתָן דְּקָאֵים עַל שְׂפַת הַיָּם, וְעָלְמָא קָאֵי עַל סְנַפִּירוֹי, דָּא צַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם, דְּכָל עָלְמָא קָאֵים עֲלוֹי. אָמַר בּוּצִינָא קַדִישָׁא, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָךְ ר"מ.