"Serve Hashem with gladness"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yehuda reminds us that man must perform every service for God with a glad and willing heart so that his service will be complete. The difficulty is that a man cannot come before God in gladness when he has sinned, because he should be broken-hearted. The gladness, therefore, is accomplished through the priests, for they are far removed from judgment, and through the Levites, who are responsible for singing. Man must approach God through two gates - Chesed and Fear.

Face Offering Precepts Singing Torah

109. Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion saying, "Serve Hashem with gladness; come before His presence with singing" (Tehilim 100:2). We have learned that any service man wants to perform before the Holy One, blessed be He, should be done with gladness and a willing heart so that his service will be complete. If you say that it is impossible to do so with the service of the offering, because that man transgressed his Master's precept, the precept of the Torah, and repented before his Master, how would he face Him? With a broken spirit at least. Where is gladness, where is singing?

109. פָּתַח רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְאָמַר, עִבְדוּ אֶת יְיָ' בְּשִׂמְחָה וְגוֹ.' עִבְדוּ אֶת יְיָ' בְּשִׂמְחָה, הָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא, דְּכָל פּוּלְחָנָא דְּבָעֵי ב"נ לְמִפְלַח לקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בָּעֵי בְּחֶדְוָותָא, בִּרְעוּתָא דְּלִבָּא, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח פּוּלְחָנֵיהּ בִּשְׁלִימוּ. וְאִי תֵּימָא פּוּלְחָנָא דְּקָרְבְּנָא הָכִי הוּא. לָא אֶפְשָׁר, דְּהָא הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּעָבַר עַל פִּקּוּדָא דְּמָארֵיהּ, עַל פִּקּוּדָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְתָב לְקַמֵּי דְּמָארֵיהּ, בְּמַאן אַנְפִּין יְקוּם קָמֵיהּ, הָא וַדַּאי בְּרוּחַ תְּבִירָא, בְּרוּחַ עָצִיב, אָן הוּא שִׂמְחָה, אָן הוּא רְנָנָה.

Crowns Judgment Levites Offering Precepts Priests Singing

110. HE ANSWERS, oHWe have learned this. A man who has sinned before his Master and transgressed His precepts should be of low spirit, a broken spirit when he comes to bring an offering and rectify himself. It is best if he cries. There is no gladness or singing. They are contrived by the priests and the Levites, who add gladness and singing to him. Gladness is established in the priest, for he is always far removed from Judgment. The priest should always have a more joyful and happier countenance than the rest of the people, for his crown OF PRIESTHOOD causes him this. Singing is in the Levites, because the Levites are always responsible for singing, as we explained.

110. אֶלָּא תַּמָּן תָּנֵינָן, הַהוּא ב"נ דְּחָטֵי קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ, וְעָבַר עַל פִּקּוֹדוֹי, וְאָתֵי לְקָרְבָא קָרְבְּנָא, וּלְתַקְּנָא גַּרְמֵיהּ, בְּרוּחַ תְּבִירָא, בְּרוּחַ עֲצִיבָא בָּעֵי לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא, וְאִי בָּכֵי שַׁפִּיר מִכֹּלָּא. הָא שִׂמְחָה הָא רְנָנָה לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח. אֶלָּא בְּמַאי אִתְתְּקַּן. בְּהַנְהוּ כַּהֲנֵי וְלֵיוָאֵי, דְּהָא אִינּוּן אַשְׁלִימוּ שִׂמְחָה וּרְנָנָה בְּגִינֵיהּ. שִׂמְחָה בְּכַהֲנָא אִתְקַיָּים, בְּגִין דְּהוּא רְחִיקָא מִן דִּינָא תָּדִיר, וְכַהֲנָא בָּעֵי לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא תָּדִיר בְּאַנְפִּין נְהִירִין, חַדָּאן יַתִּיר מִכָּל עַמָּא. דְּהָא כִּתְרָא דִּילֵיהּ גָּרִים. רְנָנָה בְּלֵיוָאֵי, וְהָכִי הוּא, דְּהָא לֵּיוָאֵי מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי עַל שִׁיר לְעָלְמִין, כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ.

Holy Name Judgment Levites Mercy Offering Priests Singing

111. The priests and Levites stand by him and the service of the Holy One, blessed be He, is completed through them. The priest stands by him and proceeds with gladness and joy to properly unify the Holy Name, and the Levites proceed with a song. Then it says, "Know that Hashem He is Elohim" (Tehilim 100:3). This is the offering (lit. 'drawing near'), which draws Mercy nearer to Judgment and then everything is mitigated, FOR HASHEM IS MERCY AND ELOHIM JUDGMENT, AND they ARE PERFUMED TOGETHER AS ONE.

111. וְאִלֵּין קַיְימִין עָלֵיהּ, וּבֵיהּ אִשְׁתְּלִים פּוּלְחָנָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. כַּהֲנָא קָאֵים עָלֵיהּ וְכַוִּון מִילִּין, בְּחֶדְוָותָא בִּרְעוּתָא, לְיַחֲדָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא כַּדְקָא יָאוּת. וְלֵיוָאֵי בְּשִׁיר. כְּדֵין כְּתִיב דְּעוּ כִּי יְיָ' הוּא אֱלֹהִים. דָּא הוּא קָרְבָּן לְקָרְבָא רַחֲמֵי בְּדִינָא, וּמִתְבְּסָם כֹּלָּא.

Sin Singing Torah

112. Now that there are no offerings, whoever has sinned before his Master and has repented is surely bitter, sad and of a broken spirit. How can he observe gladness and singing, seeing that they are not in him? We have learned that the praises he offers to his Master, the rejoicing in the Torah and singing the Torah are the actual gladness and singing. We also learned that it should not be done in sadness; NAMELY, man should not stand before his Master in sadness. If he cannot, FOR HE IS BROKEN-HEARTED FOR HIS SINS, what should he do?

112. הַשְׁתָּא דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח קָרְבְּנָא, מַאן דְּחָטֵי קָמֵי מָארֵיהּ וְתָב לְגַבֵּיהּ, וַדַּאי בִּמְרִירוּ דְּנַפְשָׁא, בַּעֲצִיבוּ, בְּבִכְיָה, בְּרוּחַ תְּבִירָא, הֵיאַךְ אוֹקִים שִׂמְחָה וּרְנָנָה, הָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ גַּבֵּיהּ. אֶלָּא הָכִי אוֹקְמוּהָ, דְּתוּשְׁבְּחָן דְּמָארֵיהּ, וְחֶדְוָותָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וּרְנָנָה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דָּא הוּא שִׂמְחָה וּרְנָנָה. וְהָא תָּנֵינָן וְלָא מִתּוֹךְ עַצְבוּת וְכוּ,' דְּלָא יְקוּם בַּר נָשׁ קָמֵיהּ מָארֵיהּ בַּעֲצִיבוּ וְהָא לָא יָכִיל וּמַאי תָּקַנְתֵּיהּ.

Crowns David Door Gates Grades Head Holy Name Holy of Holies Prayer Sanctuary Temple, The Zeir Anpin

113. HE REPLIES: The secret of this matter is that we learned that a man should always enter the distance of the opening of two gates, then say his prayer. Hence, it says "waiting at the posts of my doors" (Mishlei 8:34); NAMELY, HE SHOULD ENTER TWO GATES. Could you possibly think that these are LITERALLY two gates? Rather, the amount of the distance of the opening two gates. Here is an allusion to David's words: "Lift up your heads, O you gates" (Tehilim 24:9). These are the Temple and the sanctuary that are the inner and innermost at the beginning of the grades CALLED Chesed and Fear, NAMELY GVURAH. These are the gates of the world. It behooves man, therefore, to direct his prayer towards the Holy of Holies, that is the Holy Name, and then say his prayer. These are the two gates, the two crowns, NAMELY THE TWO SFIROT - CHESED AND GVURAH OF ZEIR ANPIN.

113. אֶלָּא רָזָא דְּמִלָּה, הָא תָּנֵינָן לְעוֹלָם יִכָּנֵס אָדָם שִׁעוּר שְׁנֵי פְּתָחִים וְכוּ,' וִיצַלֵי צְלוֹתֵיהּ הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, לִשְׁמוֹר מְזוּזוֹת פְּתָחַי, שְׁנֵי פְּתָחִים ס"ד, אֶלָּא אֵימָּא שִׁיעוּר שְׁנֵי פְּתָחִים. כָּאן רֶמֶז לְמָּה שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד, שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם, אִינּוּן מָעוֹן וּמָכוֹן, דְּאִינּוּן גּוֹ לְגוֹ, שֵׁירוּתָא דְּדַרְגִּין: חֶסֶד, וּפַחַד. וְאִינּוּן פִּתְחִין דְּעָלְמָא. עַל דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ בַּר נָשׁ דְּיִתְכַּוֵּון בִּצְלוֹתֵיהּ לָקֳבֵל קֹדֶשׁ קוּדְשִׁין, דְּאִינּוּן שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וִיצַלֵי צְלוֹתֵיהּ. וְהַנְהוּ אִלֵּין שִׁיעוּר ב' פִּתְחִין, ב' כִּתְרִין.

Aaron Congregation Exile Zot (This, Fem.)

114. Some understand it this way: Gladness is the Congregation of Yisrael, MALCHUT CALLED GLADNESS. Gladness, as we explained, is as in the verse: "For you shall go out with joy" (Yeshayah 55:12), WHICH MEANS THAT Yisrael is destined to go out of exile with joy. What is it? It is the Congregation of Yisrael, MALCHUT. Hence, Scripture says, "Serve Hashem with gladness," NAMELY WITH THE ASPECT OF MALCHUT, as written, "Thus (lit. 'with this' (Heb. zot fem.)) shall Aaron come into the holy place" (Vayikra 16:3), WHICH MEANS WITH THE ASPECT OF MALCHUT CALLED ZOT. HERE TOO, THE MEANING IS TO SERVE HASHEM WITH THE ASPECT OF MALCHUT CALLED GLADNESS, and all is one; NAMELY, MALCHUT IS CALLED 'ZOT' AND GLADNESS.

114. וְאִית דְּמַתְנֵי הָכֵי, שִׂמְחָה, דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְשִׂמְחָה הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, כְּדִכְתִיב, כִּי בְּשִׂמְחָה תֵצֵאוּ וְגוֹ.' וּזְמִינִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְנָפְקָא מִן גָּלוּתָא, בְּהַאי שִׂמְחָה. וּמַאן אִיהִי כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְעַ"ד עִבְדוּ אֶת יְיָ' בְּשִׂמְחָה, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב בְּזֹאת יָבֹא אַהֲרֹן אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ, וְכֹלָּא חַד.

Correction (Tikun) Holy Name Righteous Singing Tikun (Correction) Torah Unity

115. "Come before His presence with singing:" This makes her perfect, for gladness is in the heart and singing in the mouth, and there is more perfection IN THE MOUTH. The perfection of this gladness is revealed and it is known WHAT IT IS. It is the correction of man WHO SHOULD BE PERFECTED before his Master AND BE WORTHY OF IT. WHEN ONE IS WORTHY OF IT, then "know that Hashem He is Elohim," FOR HE FORMS THE UNITY OF 'HASHEM IS ELOHIM.' BOTH INTERPRETATIONS come to the same conclusion that the Holy Name should then be well unified and that one would be connected to the other, so that all will be one. Such is the service of the Holy One, blessed be He. Rabbi Acha and Rabbi Aba said to him: Surely this is so. Happy is the portion of the righteous, who are occupied in the Torah and know the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He. They rose and walked three miles with Rabbi Aba.

115. בֹּאוּ לְפָנָיו בִּרְנָנָה, דָּא שְׁלִימוּ דִּילָהּ. דְּשִׂמְחָה בַּלֵּב, וּרְנָנָה בַּפֶּה. וְדָא הוּא שְׁלִימוּ יַתִּיר. וּשְׁלִימוּ דְּהַאי שִׂמְחָה הָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא, וְהָא יְדִיעָא. וְדָא הוּא תִּקּוּנָא דְּבַר נָשׁ לְקַמֵּיהּ מָארֵיהּ. כְּדֵין דְּעוּ כִּי יְיָ' הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים. וְכֹלָּא בְּחַד מִלָּה אַתְיָא, דְּבָעֵי לְבָתַר לְיַחֲדָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, וּלְקַשְּׁרָא דָּא בְּדָא לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא חַד, וְדָא הוּא פּוּלְחָנָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ רִבִּי אֲחָא וְר' אַבָּא, וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְיַדְעֵי אָרְחוֹי דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, קָמוּ וְאַזְלוּ אֲבַתְרֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי אַבָּא, ג' מִילִּין.