"O Jerusalem, built"

Synopsis

This section begins with a brief discussion of the preordained roles of David and Solomon in the construction of the temple, and then proceeds to address the relationship between the terrestrial Jerusalem and the heavenly Jerusalem. It is, we see, mirrored by the relationship of the children of Israel to the Upper and Lower Worlds.

Relevance

Our planet contains many spiritual energy centers that serve as portals through which the supernal Light of the Upper World flows into our dimension. Israel is the energy center of the entire planet. The city of Jerusalem is the energy source of Israel. The Temple is the primal source of energy for Jerusalem, and the Holy of Holies is the Fountainhead of spiritual energy for the Temple. Reading this passage connects us to Jerusalem, the Temple and ultimately, to the Holy of Holies. It ensures that all our prayers, deeds, and meditations draw their Light from this wellspring of spiritual energy.

David Gates Heart House Jerusalem Loins Sacrifice Solomon Temple, The

98. He then quoted the verse, "I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go into the house of Hashem'" (Tehilim 122:4). It has been explained that David said this when he set his heart on building the Temple, as it is written, "And it was in the heart of David, my father, to build a house for the name of Hashem, the Elohim of Yisrael" (I Melachim 8:17). But then it is written, "Yet you shall not build the house; but your son that shall come forth out of your loins, he shall build the house to My Name" (Ibid. 19). All Yisrael knew that and asks, When will David die so that his son Solomon can rise and build the Temple, as "our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem" (Tehilim 122:2), and we will go up to offer sacrifices?

98. פְּתַח וַאֲמַר שָׂמַחְתִּי בְּאוֹמְרִים לִי בֵּית יי' נֵלֵךְ. הַאי קְרָא אוֹקְמוּהָ, דְּדָוִד הֲוָה עִם לִבֵּיהּ לְמִבְנֵי בֵּיתָא, כד"א וַיְהִי עִם לְבַב דָּוִד אָבִי לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת לְשֵׁם יי' וגו.' וּלְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב, רַק אַתָּה לֹא תִבְנֶה הַבַּיִת כִּי אִם בִּנְךָ הַיּוֹצֵא מֵחֲלָצֶיךָ הוּא יִבְנֶה הַבַּיִת לִשְׁמִי, וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲווֹ יָדְעֵי דָא, וַהֲווֹ אָמְרוּ, אֵימָתַי יָמוּת דָּוִד, וְיָקוּם שְׁלֹמֹה בְּרֵיהּ וְיִבְנֶה בֵּיתָא, וּכְדֵין עוֹמְדוֹת הָיוּ רַגְלֵינוּ בִּשְׁעָרַיִךְ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, כְּדֵין נֵיסַק וְנַקְרִיב תַּמָּן קָרְבָּנִין.

David Jerusalem Praise Shechinah Temple, The

99. וְעִם כָּל דָּא, אַף עַל גָּב דַּהֲווֹ אָמְרוּ אֵימָתַי יָמוּת סָבָא דָא, כְּדֵין שָׂמַחְתִּי וְחֶדְוָה הֲוָה לִי, בְּגִין בְּרִי, דַּהֲווֹ אָמְרֵי דִבְרִי יָקוּם תְּחוֹתִי, לְמִגְמַר פִּקוּדָא לְמִבְנֵי בֵיתָא, כְּדֵין שָׁרֵי וְשַׁבַּח לָהּ, וַאֲמַר יְרוּשָׁלַיִם הַבְּנוּיָה כְּעִיר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָהּ יַחְדָּו.

Daughter Jerusalem Jerusalem, Terrestrial Nukva

100. We learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, formed the terrestrial Jerusalem, THE NUKVA, in the image of the heavenly Jerusalem, BINAH, with each facing the other, FOR THE NUKVA IS ESTABLISHED WITH ALL THE IMPLEMENTS OF BINAH. As it is written, "In the place, Hashem, which You have made for you to dwell in" (Shemot 15:17). "Built" means that the Holy One, blessed be He, will cause Jerusalem to descend from above, completely BUILT. Therefore, HE SAYS "built." "That is joined together," as has already been explained. HE SAID, It should have been 'are joined,' IN THE PLURAL. HE ANSWERS, The mother, BINAH, joined her daughter, THE NUKVA, and they became as one. HENCE IT IS WRITTEN IN THE SINGULAR, as has been explained.

100. תְּנַן, עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לְתַתָּא, כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא, וְדָא מִתְתַּקְּנָא, לָקֳבֵל דָּא, דִּכְתִיב מָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ פָּעַלְתָּ יי.' הַבְּנוּיָה: דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְנַחֲתָא לָהּ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם דִּלְעֵילָא כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, וּבְגִין כָּךְ הַבְּנוּיָה. שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָהּ יַחְדָּו, וְהָא אוֹקְמוּהָ, שֶׁחֻבְּרָה שֶׁחִבְּרוּ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא דְּאִתְחַבָּרַת אִמָּא בִּבְרַתָּא, וַהֲווֹ כַּחֲדָא, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ.

Testimony Tribes

101. "There the tribes used to go up ..." (Tehilim 122:4). They sustain the world and support the lower world. And not just the lower world, but also the upper world, as it is written, "The tribes of Yah, an appointed practice (also: 'testimony') for Yisrael" - precisely, "for Yisrael." Because the children of Yisrael support the lower world, they bear testimony above IN THE UPPER WORLD. All this is to thank the Holy One, blessed be He, on all sides, as it is written, "To give thanks to the name of Hashem" (Ibid.).

101. וְאִתְּמָר. שֶׁשָּׁם עָלוּ שְׁבָטִים, אִלֵּין אִינוּן קִיּוּמָא דְעַלְמָא, וְתִקּוּנָא דְעַלְמָא תַּתָּאָה, וְלָא תֵימָא דְּעַלְמָא תַּתָּאָה בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, אֶלָּא אֲפִילּוּ דְּעַלְמָא עִלָּאָה, דִּכְתִיב שִׁבְטֵי יָהּ עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, לְיִשְׂרָאֵל דַּיְיקָא, בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן קִיּוּמָא לְתַתָּא, סַהֲדוּתָא אִינוּן לְעֵילָא, וְכֹלָּא לְהוֹדוֹת לְשֵׁם יי,' לְאוֹדָאָה שְׁמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְכָל סִטְרִין, דִּכְתִיב לְהוֹדוֹת לְשֵׁם יי.'