xii

ANNOTATION. (Belonging to § 19, foregoing.) 1. Another explanation. “Let waters bring forth abundantly.” In this place, in the Chaldee paraphrase, it is said IRChShVN, which hath a general meaning of movement. As if it should be said: “When his lips, by moving themselves and murmuring, produced the words, like a prayer from a righteous heart and pure mind, the water produced the living soul.” (The meaning is concerning the act of generating life.) 2. And when a man wisheth to utter his prayers rightly before his Lord, and his lips move themselves in this manner, (his invocations) rising upward from him, for the purpose of magnifying the majesty of his Lord unto the place of abundance of the water where the depth of that fountain riseth and floweth forth (that is, understanding emanating from wisdom); then (that fountain floweth forth plentifully, and) spreadeth abroad so as to send down the influx from the Highest, downwards from that place of abundance of water, into the paths singly and conjointly, even unto the last path; in order that her bountiful grace may be derived into all from the highest downwards. 3. Then indeed is such a man held to intertwine the connecting links of (them) all, namely, those connecting links of true and righteous meditation; and all his petitions shall come to pass, whether his petition be made in a place of worship, whether in private prayer. 4. But the petition which a man wisheth to make unto his Lord can ordinarily be propounded in nine ways. 5. Either (1) by the alphabet, or (2) by commemorating the attributes of the most holy and blessed God, merciful and gracious, &c. (according to the passage in Exodus xxxiv. 6, &c.); or (3) by the venerable names of the most holy and blessed God; such are these: AHIH, Eheieh (in respect of the Crown), and IH, Yah (in respect of the Wisdom); IHV, Yod He Vau (in respect of the Understanding); AL, El (in respect of the Majesty); ALHIM, Elohim (in respect of the Severity); IHVH, Yod He Vau He (in respect of the Beauty); TzBAVTh, Tzabaoth (in respect of the Victory and the Glory); ShDI, Shaddai (in respect of the Foundation); and ADNI, Adonaï (in respect of the Kingdom). Or (4) by the ten Sephiroth or numerations, which are: MLKVTh, Malkuth, the Kingdom; ISVD, Yesod, the Foundation; HVD, Hod, the Glory; NTzCh, Netzach, the Victory; ThPARTh, Tiphereth, the Beauty; GBVRH, Geburah, the Severity; ChSD, Chesed, the Benignity; BINH, Binah, the Understanding; ChKMH, Chokhmah, the Wisdom; and KThR, Kether, the Crown. Or (5) by the commemoration of just men, such as are patriarchs, prophets, and kings. Or (6) by those canticles and psalms wherein is the true Qabalah. And (7), above all these, if any one should know how to declare the conformations of his Lord, according as it is honourable to do. Or (8) if he may know how to ascend from that which is below to that which is above. Or (9) those who know also how to derive the influx from the highest downward. And in all these nine ways there is need of very great concentration of attention; because if he doeth not that, it is written concerning him, 1 Sam. ii. 30: “And they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.” 6. Hereto also pertaineth the meditation of the word Amen, AMN! which in itself containeth the two names, IHVH, ADNI, Yod He Vau He Adonaï (the numeration of the former alone, and of these two together yielding the same, 91); of which the one concealeth its goodness and benediction in that treasury which is called HIKL, Ha-yekal, the palace. (Which word by equality of numeration is the same as ADNI, Adonaï; but this name is said to be the palace of Tetragrammaton, because, in the first place it is pronounced by its aid; also, in the second place, it is mingled with it alternately, letter by letter, in this way—IAHDVNHI.) 7. And this is pointed out in that saying, Hab. ii. 20: “But the Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him.” (HIKL, Ha-yekal, “the temple, or palace;” HS, Hes, “keep silence;” and ADNI, Adonai, “Lord;” all have the same numeration—namely, 65.) 8. For which reason our wise men of pious memory have said mystically, that every good thing of a man is in his house; according to that which is written, Num. xii. 7: “He is faithful in all Mine house.” Which is the same as if it were said “in all which is with Me.” 9. But if any man attentively meditateth on the nine divisions of these forms (see § 5, ante), like as it is meet to do; that man is one who honoureth the Name of his Lord, even the Holy Name. And hereunto belongeth that which is written, 1 Sam. ii. 30: “Since those who honour Me will I honour; and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.” I will honour him in this world, that I may preserve him, and provide him with all things of which he hath need, in order that all nations of the earth may see that the Name of the Lord is called upon by him; and that they may fear him. And in the world to come he shall be found worthy to stand in the tabernacle of the righteous. 10. Wherefore such an one seeketh nothing of which he hath need, because he is kept under the special providence of his Lord, and can meditate concerning Him, as it is right to do. 11. But what is to be understood by that passage—“And they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed?” Such an one is that man who can neither institute the union of the Holy Name, nor bind together the links of truth, nor derive the supernals into the position required, nor honour the Name of his Lord. Better were it for that man had he never been created, and much more for that man who doth not attentively meditate when he saith Amen! 12. For which reason, concerning that man especially who moveth his lips (in prayer), with a pure heart (meditating) on those purifying waters, in that passage expressly and clearly written, Gen. i. 26: “And the Elohim said, Let us make man.” As if it were said concerning such a man who knew how to unite image and likeness, as it is right: “And they shall have dominion over the fish of the sea,” &c. Hereunto is the annotation.

“What is the difference between the one and the other? In Microprosopus (the matter standeth thus): this path descendeth beneath the nostrils of His nose. It is written, Num. xii. 9: ‘And the anger of Tetragrammaton was kindled against him, and He departed.’

“Also we have learned that on this account it is thus written: ‘Passing over transgression’ in that path. Also concerning that (passage), Exod. xii. 23: ‘And He passeth over to smite the Egyptians.’

And therefore is it written, Dan. xii. 2: “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

“And because those locks are black and obscure, it is written, Job xii. 22: ‘He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.’

This is that which is written, Dan. xii. 13: “And thou shalt rest, and rise again in thy lot at the limit of My right hand.”

Concerning him it is said, Dan. xii. 13: “But go thou thy way till the end be, for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.”

Rab Huna said : Whoever prays at the rear of a Synagogue is called wicked ; as it is said, "The wicked walk on every side" (Ps. xii. 9).

R. Helbo also said in the name of Rab Huna : Every man in whom is the fear of God, his words are heard ; as it is said, "The end of the matter, all having been heard, fear God, and keep His commandments, for this is the whole man" (Eccles. xii. 13).

By virtue of "Moses hid his face" (Exod. iii. 6), he was granted the shining of his countenance (cf.ibid. xxxiv. 29 f.). By virtue of "For he was afraid" (ibid. iii. 6), he merited "And they were afraid to come nigh him" (ibid, xxxiv. 30). By virtue of "[He was afraid] to behold God" (ibid. iii. 6), he merited "The similitude of the Lord doth he behold" (Num. xii. 8).

R. Simeon b. Abishalom said : A parable : To what is it like ? To a man to whom it is said, "To-morrow a bill of debt will be issued against thee." Before he sees it, he worries; but having seen it, he rejoices. So was it likewise with David. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house" (II Sam. xii. 11), he grieved; for he said,

Or if thou wilt, I can say that both refer to the wicked upon whom fortune smiles, and still there is no contradiction; for R. Johanan may be understood as speaking of a perfectly righteous man [contending with the wicked], and the other of one who is not perfectly righteous. For Rab Huna said : What means that which is written, "Wherefore lookest Thou, when they deal treacherously, and holdest Thy peace, when the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he"? (Hab. i. 13). Does, then, the wicked swallow up the righteous? And lo, it is written, "The Lord will not leave him in his hand" (Ps. xxxvii. 33) and "There shall no mischief befall the righteous" (Prov. xii. 21)! Nay; "the wicked swalloweth up the man that is more righteous than he," but a perfectly righteous man he doth not swallow up.

R. Simeon b. Lakish said : Whoever has a Synagogue in his town, and does not enter it to pray, is called "an evil neighbour"; as it is said, "Thus saith the Lord, As for all Mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit" (Jer. xii. 14). More than that, he causes exile to come upon himself and his sons ; as it is said, "Behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from among them" (ibid.).

Rab Joseph said : There is no contradiction ; the statement of the Mishnah being the view of R. Eleazar b. 'Azariah, the other the view of R. 'Akiba. For there is a teaching : "And they shall eat the flesh in that night" (Exod. xii. 8). R. Eleazar b. 'Azariah said, "Here it is stated, 'in that night' and the same phrase occurs in 'For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night' (ibid. 5:12) ; as in the latter passage it means 'until midnight', so also in the former it means 'until midnight'."

"And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning" (Exod. xii. 10).

"They let them have what they asked" (Exod. xii. 36). R. Ammi said : This teaches that they let them have what they asked against their will. Some explain : Against the will of the Egyptians; but others explain ; Against the will of the Israelites.

"And they despoiled Egypt" (Exod. xii. 36). R. Ammi said : This teaches that they made it like a fort without provisions, R. Simeon b. Lakish said : They made it like a pond without fish.

Did not Hezekiah know of the teaching, "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months" (Exod. xii, 2), i.e. this month and none other shall be Nisan?

Rabbah b. Hinnana the Elder also said in the name of Rab : Whoever has it in his power to pray" on behalf of his neighbour and fails to do so is called a sinner ; as it is said, "Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you" (I Sam. xii. 23).

It again happened that a disciple who descended before the Ark in the presence of R. Eliezer unduly shortened [the prayers]. His disciples said to him, "What a shortener he is!" He replied, "Did he shorten more than Moses, our teacher ; for it is written, 'Heal her now, O God, I beseech Thee'" (Num. xii. 13)?

It has been taught : They are stones which remained suspended [in the air] for the sake of a man and descended for the sake of a man. They remained suspended for the sake of a man, viz.: Moses; for it is written, "Now the man Moses was very meek" (Num. xii. 3), and it is written, "And the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain poured not upon the earth" (Exod. ix, 33). They descended for the sake of a man, viz. Joshua ; for it is written, "Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is spirit" (Num. xxvii. 18), and it is written, "And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, that the Lord cast down great stones" (Josh. x. 11).

Three verses in which the word "peace" occurs — "Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith the Lord that createth the fruit of the lips ; and I will heal him" (Is. lvii. 19) ; "Then the spirit clothed Amasai, who was chief of the captains : Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse ; peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thy helpers; for thy God helpeth thee" (I Chron. xii. 18); "Thus ye shall say, All hail! and peace be both unto thee, and peace be to thy house, and peace be unto all that thou hast" (I Sam. xxv. 6).

When Samuel had a bad dream, he used to say, "The dreams speak falsely" (Zech. x. 2) ; but when he had a good dream, he used to say, "Do the dreams speak falsely? For lo, it is written, 'I [God] do speak with him in a dream' (Num. xii. 6)."

Who dreams of Ishmael, his prayer will be heard; but only of Ishmael the son of Abraham, and not of an ordinary Arab. Who dreams of a camel, death had been decreed upon him by Heaven, but he has been delivered therefrom. R. Hamma b. R. Hannina said : What is the Scriptural authority for this ? "I will go down with thee into Egypt ; and I will also surely bring thee up again" (Gen. xlvi. 4). Rab Nahman b. Isaac said : It may be derived from the following, "The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die" (II Sam. xii. 13).

But is it of any avail to pray [during the first forty days that it should be a male child]? For lo, R. Isaac b. R. Ammi has said : If it is the man who first emits seed his wife bears a daughter ; but if the woman first emits seed she gives birth to a son ; as it is said, "If a woman emits seed and bare a male child" (Lev. xii. 2)! With what are we here dealing ? For instance, if they both emit seed simultaneously.

"Attend [hasket]" — i.e. "form classes" and occupy yourselves with Torah, because Torah is only acquired in a class. This is in accord with the statement of R. Jose b. R. Hannina who said : What means that which is written, "A sword is upon the boasters [baddim] and they shall become fools" (Jer. 1. 36)? A sword is upon the enemies of the disciples of the wise who sit separately [bad wa-bad] and study Torah. Not only so, but they become foolish ; for it is written here "And they shall become fools" and in another passage it is written, "For that we have done foolishly" (Num. xii. 11). [not translated]

And he also opened his mouth and expounded the passage, "The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails planted are the words of the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd" (Eccles. xii. 11). Wherefore are the words of the Law likened to goads? It is to tell thee, that as a goad is what keeps the heifer in her furrows, so as to produce sustenance for the world, so the words of the Law keep the learners of them from the ways of death for the ways of life. If you say, that as a goad is what moves, so the words of the Law will move; no, for the teaching says "nails." If you say, that as a nail is a thing which diminishes and does not add, so the words of the Law diminish and do not add; no, for the teaching says "planted." As planting is a thing which is fruitful and multiplies, so too the words of the Law are fruitful and multiply. "Masters of assemblies." These are the disciples of wise men, who sit by companies and study in the Law, some declaring unclean and others declaring clean, some binding and others loosing, some disqualifying and others pronouncing ceremonially pure. Perhaps a man may say, How under those circumstances am I to learn the Law? The teaching says, All of them "are given from one shepherd." One God gave them, one pastor uttered them from the mouth of the Lord of all that is made, blessed be He, for it is written, "and God spake all these words" (Ex. xx. 1). Also do thou make thine ear as the upper millstone, and procure for thyself an understanding heart to hear the words of those who declare unclean and the words of those who declare clean, the words of those who bind and the words of those who loose, the words of those who disqualify and the words of those who pronounce ceremonially pure. On the same occasion he said to them, It is not an orphan generation in the midst of which El'azar ben Azariah lives. And why did they not tell him without hesitation? It was on account of the matter that occurred. For there is a Baraitha, A matter occurred with regard to R. Jose, son of a Damascene woman, viz., that he went to visit R. El'azar in Lod. He said to him, What was there new in the College to day?

There is a Baraitha, The uncircumcised person and the unclean person are exempt from appearing. This is all right as regards an unclean person, for it is written, "And thither thou shalt come: and thither ye shall bring" (Deut. xii. 5, 6). Every one who belongs to the category of coming belongs to the category of bringing, and every one who does not belong to the category of coming does not belong to the category of bringing. But "the uncircumcised person," whence do we get it? Behold, this comes not from a text but from R. Akiba, who includes an uncircumcised person as unclean. For there is a Baraitha, viz., R. Akiba says, The expression "each man" (Lev. xxii. 4) is to include the uncircumcised person. Our Rabbis have taught, The unclean person is exempt from appearing, for it is written, "And thither thou shalt come: and thither ye shall bring" (Deut. xii. 5, 6). Every one who belongs to the category of coming belongs to the category of bringing, and every one who does not belong to the category of coming does not belong to the category of bringing.

There is a Baraitha, The uncircumcised person and the unclean person are exempt from appearing. This is all right as regards an unclean person, for it is written, "And thither thou shalt come: and thither ye shall bring" (Deut. xii. 5, 6). Every one who belongs to the category of coming belongs to the category of bringing, and every one who does not belong to the category of coming does not belong to the category of bringing. But "the uncircumcised person," whence do we get it? Behold, this comes not from a text but from R. Akiba, who includes an uncircumcised person as unclean. For there is a Baraitha, viz., R. Akiba says, The expression "each man" (Lev. xxii. 4) is to include the uncircumcised person. Our Rabbis have taught, The unclean person is exempt from appearing, for it is written, "And thither thou shalt come: and thither ye shall bring" (Deut. xii. 5, 6). Every one who belongs to the category of coming belongs to the category of bringing, and every one who does not belong to the category of coming does not belong to the category of bringing.

R. Jochanan, when he came upon this passage, wept, "For God shall bring every work into judgment concerning every hidden thing" (Eccles. xii. 14). A slave, whose master punishes sins of error as though they were sins of presumption—is there any help for him? What is the meaning of "concerning every hidden thing"? Rab said, This means the man who kills a louse in the presence of his neighbour, so that he is disgusted at it. But Samuel said, This means the man who spits in the presence of his neighbour, so that he is disgusted. What is the meaning of "whether it be good or whether it be evil"? The men of the house of R. Jannai say, This is he that gives a coin to a poor man publicly. For this story is told of R. Jannai himself. He saw a man who gave a coin to a poor man publicly. He said to him, It had been better that thou hadst not given it to him now, for thou hast given it to him and hast put him to shame. The men of the house of R. Shila say, This is he that gives alms to a woman secretly, because he brings her into suspicion. Rabba said, This is he that sends home to his wife meat that is not bled on the eve of the sabbath. But lo, on the other hand, Rabba himself sent such home. Ah, but it was a different matter as regards the daughter of R. Chasda, for he was certain about her, as being a woman of experience.

R. Idi, father of R. Jacob bar Idi, was accustomed to spend three months on his journey and one day in the house of Rab, and our Rabbis used to call him Rab's schoolboy of a day. He became broken-hearted. He read to himself the passage, "I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbour, etc." (Job xii. 4). R. Jochanan said to him, In the prayer that comes from thee do not injure our Rabbis.

Chagigoth. But there is much in Holy Writ concerning them. Nay, but it was necessary, so as to agree with what R. Papa said to Abai, viz., Whence is it that the passage, "and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord" (Exod. xii. 14, Lev. xxiii. 41) involves sacrifice? Perhaps the Merciful One meant merely, Celebrate a Feast without sacrifice. But that sacrifices are meant we learn from this passage, "That they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness" (Exod. v. 1). But, it may be replied, here also it only means, Hold a Feast. But if thou sayest, Here also it only means, Hold a Feast, yet there is the passage, "And Moses said, Thou must also give into our hands sacrifices and burnt-offerings" (Exod. x. 25). But the objector may say, Perhaps here the Merciful One meant merely, Eat and drink and keep the Feast before Me. Thou art not to think so, for it is written, "neither shall the fat of my feast remain all night until the morning" (Exod. xxiii. 18). And if thou dost imagine that this is a mere Feast, Does fat belong to a mere Feast? But perhaps you will object, the Merciful One meant only this, viz., that the fat which comes at the time of a Feast shall not remain. But that such is not the meaning we learn from this consideration, viz., The fat which comes at the time of a Feast shall not remain. Shall then all that which comes all the rest of the year remain? "All night unto the morning" (Lev. vi. 2, E.V. 9) is what is written. Perhaps, if the argument were drawn from that passage only, I might have said, The Merciful One wrote the one as an affirmative, and the other as a negative commandment (Lev. vi. 2. Exod. xxiii. 18). But, it is replied, the Scripture has other negative commandments to the same effect, e.g., "Neither shall any of the flesh, which thou sacrificest the first day at even, remain all night until the morning" (Deut. xvi. 4). But perhaps it was to impose upon him two negative commandments and one positive. But there comes in two passages the word "wilderness," "wilderness." It is written in the one, "That they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness" (Exod. v. 1), and it is written in the other, "Did ye bring unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness?" (Amos v. 25) As in the latter there are sacrifices mentioned, so in the former there are sacrifices meant. And what is the meaning of the expression, as mountains suspended by a hair? Nay, but we do not learn the words of the Law from the words of tradition.

Thou saidst at first, Nor the Chariot with one, and again thou saidst, But if a man do so, he must be a wise man, and one who has much knowledge of his own. This is its meaning. Men are not to expound unlawful unions to three others, nor the work of Creation to two others, nor the Chariot to one other, but if they do, he must be a wise man, and one who has much knowledge of his own. Men are not to expound unlawful unions with three. What is the reason? Shall we say, It is on account of the passage, "each man to any that is near of kin" (Lev. xviii. 6)? "Each man" is equivalent to two, "that is near of kin" is equivalent to one; and the Merciful One said, "Ye shall not approach etc." But regard it thus; as it is written, "each man that curseth his God" (Lev. xxiv. 15), "each man that giveth of his seed unto Molech" (Lev. xx. 2), so it is with this passage also; but as these last must mean to include the strangers, who are cautioned for cursing the Lord, and for idolatry, like Israel, so that first quoted also must mean to include the strangers who are cautioned for unlawful unions, like Israel. But do we get it from the passage, "therefore shall ye keep my charge?" (Lev. xviii. 30) "Therefore shall ye keep" implies two, "my charge" one; for the Merciful One in this passage was forbidding the practice of "abominable customs" (ibid.). But as it is written, Ye therefore shall keep the Sabbath (Exod. xxxi. 14), "and ye shall keep the Unleavened Bread" (Exod. xii. 17), "and ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary" (Numb. xviii. 5), so it is with this passage also. But R. Ashi said, How are we to explain, Men are not to expound unlawful unions with three? It means that they are not to expound the details of the subject with three others. What is the reason? The probability is that when two sit before their Rabbi one is wholly occupied with his Rabbi, and the other inclines his ear to instruction, but if there are three, one is wholly occupied with his Rabbi, but the other two are wholly occupied with each other, and know not what their Rabbi is saying, and they go forth from his lecture to allow things that are prohibited in the matter of unlawful unions. But if this be so, the whole Law should also by parity of reason come under this rule. No, for unlawful unions are different from other subjects. For the Mishnah teacher said, As for robbery and unlawful unions, a man's soul coveteth and lusteth for them. But if it be so, robbery also should come under the rule. No, for in the case of unlawful unions, whether the temptation is visible or not visible, the man's propensity is strong, but in the case of robbery, when the temptation is visible, his propensity is strong; when it is not visible, the propensity is not strong.