Vayikra: Chapter 56

"Watchman, what of the night?"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yosi talks about the time of exile in Edom, whose termination is not known. He likens "the night" to Malchut who is not joined to Zeir Anpin. God calls to His people to return with penance so that the captivity will end.

Dumah (Angel) Edom Exile Watchman

375. Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion saying, "The burden of Dumah (lit. 'silence'). One calls to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?" (Yeshayah 21:11). This verse has been explained by the friends in several places, yet the "burden of Dumah" MEANS THAT as long as Yisrael are in exile, the time and termination of their exile is set. But the exile in Edom is the burden of Dumah, for its termination is not known like that of the others.

375. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח וְאָמַר, מַשָּׂא דּוּמָה אֵלַי קוֹרֵא מִשֵּׂעִיר שׁוֹמֵר מַה מִּלַּיְלָה שׁוֹמֵר מַה מִּלֵּיל. הַאי קְרָא אוֹקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא, בְּכַמָּה אֲתַר. אֲבָל מַשָּׂא דּוּמָה, כָּל זִמְנִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּגָלוּתָא, אִתְיְידַע זִמְנָא וְקִצָא דִּלְהוֹן, וְזִמְנָא וְקִצָא דְּהַהוּא גָּלוּתָא. וְגָלוּתָא דֶּאֱדוֹם, הוּא מַשָּׂא דּוּמָה, דְּלָא אִתְגַּלְיָיא וְלָא אִתְיְידַע כְּאִינּוּן אָחֳרָנִין.

Exile Watchman

376. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "One called to me out of Seir," WHICH MEANS I heard a voice in the exile of Seir of the oppressed, of those who lie in the dust. What do they say? "Watchman, what of the night (Heb. lailah)? Watchman, what of the night (Heb. layil)?" They beg Me on account of My Queen, WHO IS CALLED NIGHT, AND SAY, What have You done to My Queen?

376. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר, אֵלַי קוֹרֵא מִשֵּׂעִיר, קָלָא שְׁמַעְנָא בְּגָלוּתָא דְּשָׂעִיר, אִינּוּן דְּדַחֲקֵי בֵּינַיְיהוּ, אִינּוּן דְּשַׁכְבֵי לְעַפְרָא. וּמַאי אַמְרֵי. שׁוֹמֵר מַה מִּלַּיְלָה שׁוֹמֵר מַה מִּלֵּיל אִינּוּן תַּבְעָן לִי עַל מַטְרוֹנִיתָא, מַה עֲבָדִית מִן מַטְרוֹנִיתָא דִּילִי.

Exile Watchman Zeir Anpin

377. The Holy One, blessed be He, then gathered His retinue - NAMELY, HIS NEAREST SUPERNAL ANGELS - and said, 'Behold My beloved children oppressed in exile. Yet mindless of their sorrow, they ask for the Queen and say to Me, Watchman, You who are called watchman, what of Your watch, where is the watch over Your house? "What of the night?" What have You done with the night, WITH MALCHUT CALLED NIGHT. Is this how You watched over her?' What of layil ALSO REFERS TO MALCHUT, for she is sometimes called lailah and sometimes layil. BEFORE SHE IS ATTACHED TO ZEIR ANPIN, SHE IS CALLED LAYIL AND WHEN SHE IS ATTACHED, SHE IS CALLED LAILAH. Hence, it is written, "It is a night (Heb. layil) of watchfulness" (Shemot 12:42) and, "This night (Heb. lailah)" (Ibid.).

377. כְּדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כָּנִישׁ לְפָמַלְיָא דִּילֵיהּ, וְאָמַר, חָמוּ בָּנַי רְחִימַי, דְּאִינּוּן דְּחִיקִין בְּגָלוּתָא, וְשַׁבְקִין צַעֲרָא דִּלְהוֹן, וְתַבְעִין לִי עַל מַטְרוֹנִיתָא. וְאַמְרֵי, שׁוֹמֵר: אַנְתְּ דְּאִקְרֵי שׁוֹמֵר, אָן הוּא שְׁמִירָה דִּילָךְ אָן הוּא שְׁמִירָה דְּבֵיתָךְ. מַה מִּלַּיְלָה: מַה עַבְדַת מִּלַּיְלָה, הָכִי נַטְרַת לָהּ. מַה מִּלֵּיל. דְּהָא לְזִמְנִין אִתְקְרֵי לַיְלָה, וּלְזִמְנִין אִתְקְרֵי לֵיל, הה"ד לֵיל שִׁמּוּרִים הוּא. וּכְתִיב הוּא הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה.

Congregation Morning Watchman

378. The Holy One, blessed be He, then answered TO YISRAEL: 'Here is she whom I watch, whom I will receive and be with.' Hence, "the watchman said" (Yehayah 21:12), He who watches over the house, NAMELY THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. "The morning comes and also the night" (Ibid.): First, THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, has ascended and raised with Him the morning, YESOD, which is constantly with Him. Now "morning comes," ready to be attached to the night, MALCHUT, and also the night is prepared FOR THE UNION WITH YESOD. They are withheld because of you. If you desire it, why are you dallying? "Return" (Ibid.), return with penance. "Come," come to Me and we will be in the same lodging and return all to our places. Hence, it is written, "Then Hashem your Elohim will turn back your captivity" (Devarim 30:3). It does not say, 'cause to turn,' but it twice says turn, once to the Congregation of Yisrael, WHO WILL TURN TOWARDS THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, and once to the Holy One, blessed be He, WHO WILL TURN TOWARDS THE CONGREGATION OF YISRAEL. It is written, "Then Hashem your Elohim will turn your captivity, and have compassion on you, and will return (or: 'turn') and gather you from all nations."

378. כְּדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָתִיב לוֹן, הָא שְׁמִירָה דִּידִי אִשְׁתְּכַח, דְּהָא אֲנָא זַמִּין לָקֳבְלָהּ, וּלְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בַּהֲדָהּ, הה"ד אָמַר שׁוֹמֵר, הַהוּא דְּנָטִיר בֵּיתָא, אָתָא בֹקֶר וְגַם לָיְלָה. דְּהָא בְּקַדְמֵיתָא אִסְתַּלָּק לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא, וְסָלִיק לְהַהוּא בֹּקֶר דְּאִזְדְּמַן בֵּיהּ תְּדִירָא. הַשְׁתָּא אָתָא בֹּקֶר. הָא זַמִּין לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּלַּיְלָה. וְגַם לַיְלָה, הָא זְמִינָא הִיא. אֲבָל בְּגִינֵיכוֹן אִתְעַכְּבוּ. וְאִי אַתּוּן בָּעָאן דָּא, עַל מַה אַתּוּן מִתְעַכְּבֵי, שׁוּבוּ. שׁוּבוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה. כְּדֵין אֵתָיוּ, אָתוּ לְגַבָּאי, וְנֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא בְּמָדוֹרָא חֲדָא, וְכֻלָּנָא נֵתוּב לְאַתְרָנָא. הה"ד וְשָׁב יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ, וְהֵשִׁיב לָא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא וְשָׁב. תְּרֵין וְשָׁב וְשָׁב כְּתִיב הָכָא. אֶלָּא, חַד לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְחַד לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. הה"ד וְשָׁב יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ וְשָׁב וְקִבֶּצְךָ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים.

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