Chapter Seven (פֶּרֶק שְׁבִיעִי)

And further I will write one awesome account concerning the Ari, of blessed memory (עוֹד אֶכְתּוֹב מַעֲשֶׂה נוֹרָא אַחַת מִן הָאֲרִ״י זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה). Once he said to his disciples on the holy Shabbat day (פַּעַם אַחַת אָמַר לְתַלְמִידָיו בְּיוֹם שַׁבָּת קֹדֶשׁ), “If you will accept upon yourselves not to speak at all in the synagogue during Shacharit (אִם תְּקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיכֶם שֶׁלֹּא תְדַבְּרוּ כְּלָל בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת בַּשַּׁחֲרִית), until after leaving the synagogue (עַד אַחַר יְצִיאַת בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת), and not one of you shall fill his mouth with laughter at anything that you will see (וְלֹא יְמַלֵּא אֶחָד מִכֶּם פִּיו בְּשְׂחוֹק מִכָּל מַה שֶּׁתִּרְאוּ). For I will pray with you today before the Teivah [Prayer Ark] (כִּי אֲנִי אֶתְפַּלֵּל עִמָּכֶם הַיּוֹם לִפְנֵי הַתֵּיבָה), and I will call the Seven Shepherds to the Torah (וַאֲקָרֵא לַסֵּפֶר תּוֹרָה הַשִּׁבְעָה רוֹעִים).” And the disciples answered him (וְהֵשִׁיבוּ הַתַּלְמִידִים אֵלָיו), “We accept upon ourselves with joy everything that you have commanded us (אֲנַחְנוּ מְקַבְּלִים עָלֵינוּ בְּשִׂמְחָה מִכָּל מַה אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתָ עָלֵינוּ).” And he said to them (וְאָמַר לָהֶם), “I see through Ruach haKodesh [Divine Inspiration] that one of you will be punished for laughing (רוֹאֶה אֲנִי בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁאֶחָד מִכֶּם יִהְיֶה נֶעֱנָשׁ עַל שֶׁיִּשְׂחָק).” And they urged him greatly (וְהֵם הִפְצִירוּ בּוֹ מְאֹד), until he granted their request (עַד שֶׁעָשָׂה אֶת רְצוֹנָם). And he called Aharon to the Torah as Kohen (וְקָרָא אֶת אַהֲרֹן לַכֹּהֵן), and he came and read his portion (וַיָּבֹא וְקָרָא עַצְמוֹ הַפָּרָשָׁה שֶׁלּוֹ), and recited the blessing at the beginning and at the end (וְאָמַר הַבְּרָכָה בַּתְּחִילָּה וּבַסּוֹף). And likewise Moshe in place of Levi (וְכֵן מֹשֶׁה בִּמְקוֹם לֵוִי), and he read his portion, recited the blessings, and departed (וְקָרָא הַפָּרָשָׁה שֶׁלּוֹ וְאָמַר הַבְּרָכוֹת וְהָלַךְ לוֹ). And likewise Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya'akov (וְכֵן אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יַעֲקֹב), and likewise Yosef the Tzaddik [Righteous One] read as the sixth (וְכֵן יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק קָרָא לִהְיוֹתוֹ שִׁשִּׁי). Until the seventh, David son of Yishai read (עַד לַשְּׁבִיעִי קָרָא דָּוִד בֶּן יִשָׁי), and he appeared leaping and rejoicing, skipping and dancing with all his might (וְהָיָה מַרְאֶה עַצְמוֹ מְרַקֵּד וּמְשַׂחֵק מְפַזֵּז וּמְכַרְכֵּר בְּכָל עֹז), before the Ark of the Covenant of Hashem (לִפְנֵי אֲרוֹן בְּרִית י״י), and he was girded with an ephod and a linen robe upon his loins (וְהוּא חָגוּר אֵפוֹד וּמְעִיל בַּד עַל מָתְנָיו).

And behold, Michal was punished because of this (וְהִנֵּה מִיכַל נִתְעַנְשָׁה עַל זֶה), because she laughed in her heart (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁשָּׂחֲקָה בְּלִבָּהּ), and she said, “How glorious today is the king of Yisrael (וַתֹּאמֶר: מַה נִּכְבַּד הַיּוֹם מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל), who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the maidservants of his servants (אֲשֶׁר נִגְלָה הַיּוֹם לְעֵינֵי אֲמָהוֹת עֲבָדָיו), as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself” (כְּהִגָּלוֹת נִגְלוֹת כְּאַחַד הָרֵיקִים) (II Samuel 6:20). And she did not know this great and awesome secret (וְהִיא לֹא יָדְעָה הַסּוֹד הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה וְהַנּוֹרָא), that the attribute of the kingship of the House of David (כִּי מִדַּת מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד), is like the moon, which has nothing of her own (הִיא דִּמְיוֹן הַלְּבָנָה דְּלֵית לַהּ מִגַּרְמָהּ כְּלוּם), and if she does not receive light from the sun she does not shine (וְאִם אֵין לָהּ אוֹר מֵהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְלֹא יָאִירָה), and she has no abundance, Heaven forbid (וְאֵין לָהּ שֶׁפַע חַס וְשָׁלוֹם), and always in exile she says (וְתָמִיד בַּגָּלוּת הִיא אוֹמֶרֶת), “I will return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now” (אָמַרְתִּי "אָשׁוּבָה אֶל אִישִׁי הָרִאשׁוֹן כִּי טוֹב לִי אָז מֵעָתָּה") (Hosea 2:9). And so our Sages, of blessed memory, said (וְכֵן אָמְרוּ חֲז״ל), “Never did the sun see the blemish of the moon” (מֵעוֹלָם לֹא רָאֲתָה חַמָּה פְּגִימָתָהּ שֶׁל לְבָנָה) (Rosh Hashanah 23b), for whenever she goes opposite her face she receives her light (כִּי כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהִיא הוֹלֶכֶת נֶגֶד פָּנֶיהָ הִיא מְקַבֶּלֶת אוֹרָהּ), and when she goes behind her there is blemish and deficiency (וּכְשֶׁהִיא הוֹלֶכֶת לַאֲחוֹרֶיהָ יֵשׁ לָהּ פְּגִימָה וְחִסָּרוֹן), for the sun cannot see or gaze upon her (כִּי הַחַמָּה אֵינָהּ יְכוֹלָה לִרְאוֹת וּלְהַבִּיט בָּהּ). Therefore David always devised thoughts to rectify her (לָכֵן תָּמִיד הָיָה דָּוִד חוֹשֵׁב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת לְתַקֵּן אוֹתָהּ), for she is his attribute (כִּי הִיא מִדָּתוֹ). And therefore he swore (וְלָכֵן נִשְׁבַּע), “If I give sleep to my eyes, slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for Hashem, dwellings for the Mighty One of Ya'akov” (אִם אֶתֵּן שֵׁנָה לְעֵינַי לְעַפְעַפַּי תְּנוּמָה, עַד אֶמְצָא מָקוֹם לַייָ מִשְׁכָּנוֹת לַאֲבִיר יַעֲקֹב) (Psalms 132:4–5). And this is the wonder of King Shlomo, peace be upon him (וְזֹאת הִיא הַתְּמִיָּה שֶׁל שְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ ע״ה), who said, “The way of the eagle in the heavens” (שֶׁאָמַר: דֶּרֶךְ הַנֶּשֶׁר בַּשָּׁמַיִם) (Proverbs 30:19). For its nature is to soar up to the heavens (כִּי טִבְעוֹ הוּא לִפְרוֹחַ עַד לַשָּׁמַיִם), and its feathers are burned (וְנִשְׂרְפוּ נוֹצוֹתָיו), and it falls to the earth (וְנוֹפֵל לָאָרֶץ), until its feathers grow and its wings sprout (עַד שֶׁגְּדֵלִים נוֹצוֹתָיו וְהַכְּנָפַיִם שֶׁלּוֹ צוֹמְחִים), and it returns and soars up to the heavens (וְחוֹזֵר וּפוֹרֵחַ עַד לַשָּׁמַיִם). And certainly this is a great wonder (וּבוָדַאי הִיא תְּמִיָּה גְּדוֹלָה), that one who was burned once would not go to the light a second time (מִי שֶׁנִּשְׂרַף פַּעַם אַחַת לֹא יֵלֵךְ לָאוֹר פַּעַם שֵׁנִית), and all the more so repeatedly (וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן יוֹתֵר).

But because there are four Chayot [Creatures] in the Merkavah (אֶלָּא לִהְיוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ אַרְבַּע חַיּוֹת בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה), and the lion is from Abba (וַאֲרִיֵּה מֵאַבָּא), and a spark of the ox from Imma (וְנִיצוֹץ שׁוֹר מֵאִמָּא), and a spark of man from Ze’ir (וְנִיצוֹץ אָדָם מִזְּעֵיר), and a spark of eagle from his Nukvah (וְנִיצוֹץ נֶשֶׁר מִנּוּקְבֵיהּ), and all from Yetzirah (וְהַכֹּל מִיְצִירָה). For from there come the sparks of the birds to the world (כִּי מִשָּׁם בָּאִים נִיצוֹצוֹת הָעוֹפוֹת לָעוֹלָם). It is found that the eagle’s nature and spark are like the kingship of the House of David (נִמְצָא כִּי הַנֶּשֶׁר טִבְעוֹ וְנִיצוֹצוֹ כְּמוֹ מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד). She is the Oral Torah (הִיא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה), whose desire is to cleave to the Written Torah (רְצוֹנָהּ לְדָבֵק בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב). He is Ze’ir Anpin, the Written Torah (הוּא זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב), called the heavens (נִקְרָא הַשָּׁמַיִם). And the earth is Malkhut (וְהָאָרֶץ הִיא מַלְכוּת), whose nature is to ascend above to Ze’ir Anpin, her husband (טִבְעָהּ לַעֲלוֹת לְמַעְלָה אֶל זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין בַּעֲלָהּ), and her longing is very great (וְחֵשֶׁק שֶׁלָּהּ הוּא גָּדוֹל מְאֹד), as it is said, “I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but I found him not” (בִּקַּשְׁתִּי אֶת שֶׁאָהֲבָה נַפְשִׁי בִּקַּשְׁתִּיו וְלֹא מְצָאתִיו) (Song of Songs 3:1). And because the spark of David was from Malkhut, which is called “eagle” (וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּיצוֹץ דָּוִד הָיָה מִמַּלְכוּת הַנִּקְרֵאת נֶשֶׁר), and since he saw the Written Torah (וּכְיוֹן שֶׁרָאָה הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב), he danced before it with great joy and with all might (רָקַד כְּנֶגְדָּהּ בְּשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה בְּכָל עֹז), and so every time that he saw the Torah (וְכֵן בְּכָל פַּעַם שֶׁרוֹאֶה אֶת הַתּוֹרָה). And therefore Michal daughter of Shaul was punished for this (וְלָכֵן מִיכַל בַּת שָׁאוּל נִתְעַנְשָׁה עַל זֶה), and also this disciple who laughed was punished and died in that same year (וְגַם תַּלְמִיד זֶה שֶׁשָּׂחַק נִתְעַנֵּשׁ וּמֵת בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁנָה), for so is the way of fools, to laugh at what they do not understand (כִּי כֵן דֶּרֶךְ הַכְּסִילִים לִשְׂחוֹק עַל מַה שֶּׁאֵינָם מְבִינִים). Woe to him and alas to him, that he should be punished for this (אוֹי לוֹ וַאֲבוֹי לוֹ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נֶעֱנָשׁ עַל זֶה). Behold, everyone whose heart has been touched by the fear of God (הִנֵּה כָּל מִי שֶׁנָּגַע יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים בְּלִבּוֹ), shall act and take care when he sees (יַעֲשֶׂה וְיִזָּהֵר כְּשֶׁיִּרְאֶה), when they take out the Sefer Torah [Torah Scroll] from the Ark (כְּשֶׁמוֹצִיאִין הַסֵּפֶר תּוֹרָה מִן הַהֵיכָל), or when they return it into the Ark (אוֹ כְּשֶׁמַּחֲזִירִין אוֹתָהּ תּוֹךְ לַהֵיכָל), he shall go quickly toward it (יֵלֵךְ בִּזְרִיזוּת כְּנֶגְדָּהּ), and he shall embrace and kiss it with love, with affection, and with great yearning (וִיחַבֵּק וִינַשֵּׁק אוֹתָהּ בְּאַהֲבָה בְּרַחִימוּ וּבִתְשׁוּקָה גְּדוֹלָה). For from the days of Yehoshua son of Nun we stand in the level of the moon (כִּי מִימֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן אֲנַחְנוּ עוֹמְדִים בְּמַדְרֵגַת הַלְּבָנָה), and he who has eyes in his head will understand this by himself (וּמִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עֵינַיִם בְּרֹאשׁוֹ יָבִין זֶה מֵעַצְמוֹ). And Hashem will command for us the blessing, life forever (וַה׳ יְצַוֶּה אִתָּנוּ אֶת הַבְּרָכָה, חַיִּים עַד הָעוֹלָם), Amen (אָמֵן).