viii

HARTz, Haaretz, “the earth” (the seventh word of this beginning denoteth the queen joined together with the glory and the foundation), like as it is written, Ps. viii. 2: “How magnificent (this is the path of glory) is Thy name in all the world” (whereby is symbolized the foundation); the earth (which is the kingdom. Also) Isa. vi. 3: “The whole earth is full of His glory” (where these three paths again concur).

Therefore is it written, Gen. viii. 12: “And Tetragrammaton smelled a sweet savour.” For all these are attributed unto the nose, to smell a savour, and to emit smoke and fire, and red colour, and therefore is it opposed unto the benevolence (namely, the forehead).

And when that arm is stretched forth, it is as it were the right hand (also); but it is called “the arm of Tetragrammaton”: “O Tetragrammaton! Thine arm hath been stretched forth” (1 Kings viii. 42).

Hence it is said, Prov. viii. 12: “ANI ChKMH, Ani Chokmah, I, Wisdom, have dwelt with Prudence;” read it not ShKNThI, Shekenethi, I have dwelt; but ShIKNThI, Shikeneth-i, My Schechinah or My Presence.

Hence it is written, Gen. viii. 21: “And IHVH smelled a sweet savour.” It is not written (He smelled) the odour of the sacrifice. What is “sweet” save “rest?” Assuredly the spirit at rest is the mitigation of the Lords of Judgment.

And therefore is it written, Cant. viii. 8: “We have a little sister and she hath no breasts.”

As it is written, Cant. viii. 10: “I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers.”

Now, when Christ was eight days old, Joseph, the betrothed of Mary, rose up to circumcise the Child according to the Law, and he circumcised Him according to the custon that was the Law. In like manner Abraham took up his son as an offering, but he at the same time [fore]saw in this [act] the crucifixion of Christ. And this thing did Christ openly proclaim before the multitudes of the Jews, saying, ‘““ Abraham, your father, wanted to see My days, and he saw and was glad” (John viii. 56). Abraham saw the day of the redemption of Adam, and he saw and rejoiced, and it was revealed unto him that Christ would suffer on behalf of Adam.

How were the benedictions of the high priest [performed]? The hazzan of the synagogue takes the Torah scroll and gives it to the president of the synagogue; and the president of the synagogue gives it to the vice-president of the synagogue; and the vice-president of the synagogue gives it to the high priest, and the high priest stands, receives [the scroll] and reads [the following portions]: “After the death” (Leviticus 16:1-34), and “But on the tenth day” (Leviticus 23:26-32). Then he rolls the Torah (scroll), places it in his bosom and exclaims, “More than I have read before you is written here!” [The portion], “On the tenth day” (Numbers 29:7-11), which is in the book of Numbers, he reads by heart. And he blesses upon it eight benedictions: “For the Torah”, “For the Temple service”, “For thanksgiving”, “For the pardon of sin”, “For the Temple”, “For Israel”, “For the priests”, viii) and the rest of the prayer.

And the land of Israel ? For it is written, "As a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee" (Deut. viii. 5), which is followed by "For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land" (ibid. 5:7).

There is a teaching : Abba Benjamin said : A man's prayer is only heard [by God] when offered in a Synagogue ; as it is said, "To hearken unto the song and to the prayer" (I Kings viii. 28) — where there is song, let there be prayer.

This is like what R. Joshua b. Levi said to his sons : Rise early and stay up late to enter the Synagogue, so that you may prolong your life. R. Aha b. R. Hannina asked, What is the Scriptural authority for this ? "Happy is the man that hearkeneth to Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My doors" (Prov. viii. 34), after which it is written, "For whoso findeth me findeth life" (ibid. v. 35).

R. Nathan said : "In the time of finding" refers to Torah; as it is said, "For whoso findeth me findeth life, and obtaineth favour of the Lord" (Prov. viii. 35).

Rab Hamnuna said : What means that which is written, "Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation [pesher] of a thing?" (Eccles. viii. 1)? [It means]. Who is like the Holy One, blessed be He, Who knows how to make a reconciliation [pesharah] between the two righteous men, Hezekiah and Isaiah. Hezekiah said, "Let Isaiah come to me, for so we find that Elijah went to Ahab ; as it is said, 'And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab' (I Kings xviii. 2)." Isaiah said, "Let Hezekiah come to me, for so we find that Jehoram, son of Ahab, went to Elisha" (II Kings iii. 12).

There is a teaching : "After your heart" (ibid. v. 39) means heresy; for thus the Scriptures state, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God" (Ps. xiv, 1). "After your own eyes" (Num. I.c.) means lustful imagination ; as it is said, "And Samson said unto his father. Get her for me, for she is pleasing in my eyes" (Judg. xiv. 3). "After which ye use to go astray" (Num. I.c.) means idolatrous longing; for thus the Scriptures state, "The children of Israel again went astray after the Baalim " (Judg. viii. 33).

GEMARA What was Rabban Gamaliel's reason? He was of the opinion that the application of the laws of mourning in the night is a Rabbinical injunction; for it is written, "And the end thereof as a bitter day" (Amos viii. 10); and in the case of a person in delicate health, the Rabbis do not so decree.

Rab 'Awira expounded (sometimes he said it in the name of R. Ammi and sometimes in the name of R. Assi) : The ministering angels spake before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Lord of the universe ! It is written of Thee in Thy Torah, 'Who regardeth not persons nor taketh reward' (Deut. x. 17); but dost Thou not regard the person of Israel, for it is written, 'The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee' (Num. vi. 26)?" He replied to them, "And should I not regard the person of Israel, for whom I wrote in the Torah, 'And thou shalt eat and be satisfied and bless the Lord thy God' (Deut. viii. 10), but they are strict with themselves [and bless] even with a quantity of food equal in size to an olive or an egg?"

Rab Judah said : Whence is it that Grace after meals is ordained by the Torah? As it is said, "And thou shalt eat and be satisfied and bless the Lord thy God" (Deut. viii. 10).

To what do the twenty-four benedictions of the fast day correspond ? R. Helbo said: To the twenty-four "cries" Solomon mentioned when he brought the Ark into the house of the Holy of Holies (I Kings viii.). In that case, one should say them every day! [No ;] when did Solomon say them ? On a day of supplication ; and so we likewise say them on a day of supplication.

Our Rabbis have taught : A blind man or one who is unable to locate the directions should direct his heart to his Father in Heaven ; as it is said, "And they pray unto the Lord" (I Kings viii. 44).

If he is standing outside the [Holy] Land, he must direct his heart towards the land of Israel ; as it is said, "And pray unto Thee toward their land" (ibid. v. 48). If he is standing in the land of Israel, he must direct his heart towards Jerusalem ; as it is said, "And they pray unto the Lord toward the city which Thou hast chosen" (ibid. v. 44). If he is standing in Jerusalem, he must direct his heart towards the Temple ; as it is said, "And pray toward this house" (II Chron. vi. 32). If he is standing in the Temple, he must direct his heart towards the Holy of Holies; as it is said, "And they pray toward this place" (I Kings viii. 35). If he is standing in the Holy of Holies, he must direct his heart towards the mercy-seat. If he is standing behind the mercy-seat, he must imagine himself to be in front of it. Consequently if he is standing in the East, he must turn West ; if in the West, he must turn East ; if in the South, he must turn North ; if in the North, he must turn South. As a result, all Israel will be directing their heart to one spot.

It is possible to imagine that a man could pray for his own needs and afterwards say the statutory prayers ; but it has already been clearly stated by Solomon, viz. "To hearken unto the cry and to the prayer" (I Kings viii. 28) — "cry" means statutory prayer, and "prayer" means personal supplication. One may not offer anything [of personal supplication] after "True and firm": but after the Tefillah, he can say something even like the order of confession for the Day of Atonement, It has been likewise reported : R. Hiyya b. Ashe declared in the name of Rab :

Rab Aha b. Rab Huna said in the name of Rab Sheshet : That is what people say : "He whose stomach is full increaseth deeds of evil" ; as it is said, "When they were fed, they became full, they were filled, and their heart was exalted ; therefore have they forgotten Me" (Hosea xiii. 6). Rab Nahman said : [It may be learnt] from this passage : "Then thy heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God" (Deut. viii. 14) ; and the Rabbis said from the following: "And they shall have eaten their fill, and waxen fat, and turned unto other gods " (ibid. xxxi. 20) ;

R. Isaac b. Nahmani said : It was explained to me by R. Joshua b. Levi : The ordinary man [acts] as we have stated ; a high priest [bends] at the beginning of each benediction ; a king, when once he bends, should not straighten himself [until the end of the Tefillah] ; as it is said, "And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord from kneeling on his knees" (I Kings viii. 54).

Our Rabbis have taught : "Bowing" means upon the face ; as it is said, "Then Bath Sheba bowed with her face to the earth" (ibid. i. 31)."Bending" means upon the knees; as it is said, "From kneeling on his knees" (ibid. viii. 54). "Prostrating" means spreading out the hands and legs ; as it is said, "Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to prostrate ourselves to thee to the earth?" (Gen. xxxvii. 10).

It is quoted in objection : R. Meir has declared : From the statement of Scripture, "Ye shall deem it an uncircumcision with its fruit" (Lev. xix. 23), do I not know that a food-bearing tree is intended ? Why, then, is there a teaching to tell us "trees for food" (ibid.)? To include a tree whose wood and fruit taste alike. And which is that? Pepper ; to teach thee that pepper is subject to 'Orlah, and to teach thee that the Land of Israel lacks nothing ; as it is said, "A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it" (Deut. viii. 9)!

For over bread one says : "... Who bringest forth bread from the earth." Our Rabbis have taught : What does he say ? "...Who bringest forth [hammosi'] bread from the earth." R. Nehemiah stated : It is "...Who brought forth [mosi'] bread from the earth." Raba said : Nobody disagrees about mosi that it has the meaning "brought forth" ; as it is said, "God Who brought them forth [mosiam] out of Egypt" (Num. xxiii. 22). In what do they differ? In the word hammosi'. The Rabbis hold that hammosi' means "Who brought forth," for it is written "Who brought thee forth [hammosi'] water out of the rock of flint" (Deut. viii. 15) ; and R. Nehemiah holds it means "Who bringeth forth," as it is said, "Who bringeth you out [hammosi'] from under the burden of the Egyptians" (Exod. vi. 7).

for Rab Joseph (another version : R. Isaac) said : Whatever is given precedence in the Scriptural verse must take precedence for the benediction ; as it is said, "A land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey" (Deut. viii. 8).

Rab Hisda and Rab Hamnuna were sitting at a meal, when dates and pomegranates were set before them. Rab Hamnuna took and pronounced the benediction over the dates first. Rab Hisda said to him, "Does not the master agree with the statement of Rab Joseph (another version : R. Isaac), viz. : That which is given precedence in the verse (Deut. viii. 8) must precede for the benediction?"

GEMARA What is Rabban Gamaliel's reason? Because it is written, "A land of wheat and barley and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates" (Deut. viii. 8), and it is written, "A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness" (ibid. v. 9), and it is written "And thou shalt eat and be satisfied, and bless the Lord thy God" (ibid. v. lO).

Our Rabbis have taught : Whence do we derive the Grace after meals from the Torah? As it is said, "And thou shalt eat and be satisfied and bless" (Deut. viii. 10) — this refers to the benediction "Who feedest"; "the Lord thy God" (ibid.)— to the benediction of Zimmun; "for the land" (ibid.) — to the benediction of "the land" ; "the good" (ibid.) — to "Who. . . rebuildest Jerusalem," for so it states "That goodly hill-country and Lebanon" (ibid. iii. 25); "which He hath given thee" (ibid. viii. 10) — to "Who art kind and dealest kindly." I have here only the Grace after meals ; whence do we derive the Grace before meals ? Thou canst reason by a fortiori argument — if a man should bless God when satisfied, how much more so when he is hungry !

Our Rabbis have taught : Whence do we derive the Grace after meals from the Torah? As it is said, "And thou shalt eat and be satisfied and bless" (Deut. viii. 10) — this refers to the benediction "Who feedest"; "the Lord thy God" (ibid.)— to the benediction of Zimmun; "for the land" (ibid.) — to the benediction of "the land" ; "the good" (ibid.) — to "Who. . . rebuildest Jerusalem," for so it states "That goodly hill-country and Lebanon" (ibid. iii. 25); "which He hath given thee" (ibid. viii. 10) — to "Who art kind and dealest kindly." I have here only the Grace after meals ; whence do we derive the Grace before meals ? Thou canst reason by a fortiori argument — if a man should bless God when satisfied, how much more so when he is hungry !

I have here only the benediction for meals ; whence is the benediction over Torah derived? R. Ishmael said : By a fortiori reasoning — for temporal life one says a benediction ; how much more so for the life of the world to come! R. Hiyya b. Nahmani, the disciple of R. Ishmael, says in the name of R. Ishmael : [This reasoning] is unnecessary ; for it states, "For the good land which He hath given thee" (Deut. viii. 10) and elsewhere it is stated, "And I will give thee the tables of stone, and the law and the commandments," etc. (Exod. xxiv, 12).

R. Judah b. Batyra said : [This reasoning] is unnecessary ; for it states, "Good" (Deut. viii. 7) and "the good" (ibid. 5:10) — "good" i.e. Torah, as it is said "For I give you good doctrine" (Prov. iv. 2); "the good" i.e. the rebuilding of Jerusalem, as it is said "That goodly hill-country and Lebanon" (Deut. iii. 25).

R. Johanan said: The statement must be reversed. Abbai said : There is certainly no necessity to reverse it ; for here they differ in the interpretation of Scripture : R. Meir holds, "And thou shalt eat" (Deut. viii. 10) — i.e. eating; "and thou shalt be satisfied" — i.e. drinking ; and "eating" means the minimum quantity of the size of an olive. R. Judah, on the other hand, holds, "And thou shalt eat and be satisfied" — i.e. eating wherein is some satisfaction; and what is that? That is the minimum quantity of the size of an egg.

R. Hannina said : Who dreams of a well will see peace ; as it is said, "And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of living water" (Gen. xxvi. 19). R. Nathan said : He will find Torah; as it is said, "Whoso findeth me findeth life" (Prov. viii. 35), and it is written here "a well of living water." Raba said : [It means] life literally.

Who dreams of the fig, his Torah will be preserved within him ; as it is said, "Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof" (Prov. xxvii. 18). Who dreams of pomegranates, if small, his business will bear fruit like the pomegranate ; if large, his business will grow like the pomegranate ; if split open, should he be a disciple of the wise, he may hope for Torah ; as it is said, "I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate" (Cant. viii. 2); but should he be an 'Am ha'ares, he may hope for commandments [to perform], as it is said, "Thy temples [rakkah] are like a pomegranate split open" (ibid. iv. 3). What means rakkah? Even the illiterate [rekanim] amongst thee will be full of commandments as a pomegranate [is full of seeds].

"Neither is there any peace to him that goeth out or to him that cometh in" (Zech. viii. 10). Rab says, It means when a man leaves off from speaking Halachah to speak Bible only, he has no more peace; but Samuel said, This is he who deserts the Talmud for Mishnah. But R. Jochanan said, Even if he go from one Talmud to the other.

R. Jehudah said, There are two firmaments, as it is said, "Behold, unto the Lord thy God belong the heaven and the heaven of heavens" (Deut. x. 14). Resh Lakish said, There are seven, and these be they, Vilon, Rakia', Sh'chakim, Z'bul, Ma'on, Makhon, Araboth. Vilon serves no purpose whatever save this, that it enters in in the morning, and goes forth in the evening, and renews every day the work of Creation, as it is said, "That stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in" (Is. xl. 22). Rakia' is that in which are set sun and moon, stars and constellations, as it is said, "and God set them in the firmament (Rakia') of the heaven." Sh'chakim is that in which the millstones stand and grind manna for the righteous, as it is said, "Yet he commanded the clouds (Sh'chakim) above and opened the doors of heaven; and he rained down manna upon them to eat, etc." (Ps. lxxviii. 23, 24) Z'bul is that in which is the heavenly Jerusalem and the Temple, and the altar is built there, and Michael the great prince stands and offers upon it an offering, as it is said, "I have surely built thee an house of habitation (Z'bul), a place for thee to dwell in for ever" (1 Kings viii. 13). And whence do we get it that it is called heaven? Because it is written, "Look down from heaven and behold from the habitation (Z'bul) of thy holiness and thy glory" (Is. lxiii. 15). Ma'on is that in which are companies of ministering angels, who utter His song in the night and are silent in the day for the sake of the glory of Israel, as it is said, "By day the Lord gives His merciful command and by night His song is with me" (Ps. xlii. 8).

And whence do we get it that it is called heaven? As it is said, "Look down from thy holy habitation (Ma'on), from heaven" (Deut. xxvi. 15). Makhon is that in which are the treasures of snow and the treasures of hail, and the high dwelling-place of harmful dews, and the high dwelling-place of round drops, and the chamber of the whirlwind and of the storm, and the retreat of noisome vapour, and their doors are made of fire, as it is said, "The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure" (Deut. xxviii. 12). But are not these in the firmament? Nay, they are in the earth, as it is written, "Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons and all deeps; fire and hail, snow and vapour; storm making the substance of the wind" (Ps. cxlviii. 7, 8). R. Jehudah said that Rab said, David besought the Merciful One for them, and He sent them down to the earth. He said before Him, O Lord of the world, "Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness; evil shall not sojourn with thee" (Ps. v. 5; E.V. 4) in thy dwelling. Righteous art thou, O Lord; evil shall not sojourn in thy dwelling. And whence do we get it that it is called heaven? Because it is written, "And hear thou in heaven, the habitation (Makhon) of thy dwelling" (1 Kings viii. 39, 43, 49).

R. Jehudah in the name of R. Nachmani the interpreter of Resh Lakish expounded this question, viz., What is the meaning of that which is written, "Trust ye not in an evil one, put ye not confidence in a guide?" (Mic. vii. 5) It means, if the evil imagination say to thee, Do thou sin and the Lord will forgive, be not persuaded, as it is said, "Thou shalt not trust in an evil one," and "an evil one" is nothing but the evil imagination, as it is said, "for that the imagination of man's heart is evil," (Gen. viii. 21) and there is no "guide" but the Lord, as it is said, "Thou art the guide of my youth" (Jer. iii. 4). Perhaps thou wilt say, Who witnesseth against me? The stones of a man's house and the timbers of his house, these witness against him, as it is said, "For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it" (Hab. ii. 11). And wise men say, The spirit of a man witnesseth against him, as it is said, "Keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom" (Mic. vii. 5). What is this that lieth in a man's bosom? One says, This is his spirit; R. Zarika says, The two angels of the ministry which lead him, these witness against him, as it is said, "For he shall give his angels charge of thee, to keep thee in all thy ways" (Ps. xci. 11). And wise men say, A man's limbs testify against him, as it is said, "Therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and I am God" (Is. xliii. 12).