Chapter Six (פֶּרֶק שִּׁשִּׁי)

Behold, do not answer me from one who has not merited her (הִנֵּה אַל תַּשִׁיבֵנִי מִמִּי שֶׁלֹּא זָכָה אֵלֶיהָ), for there is a great distinction between one who denied her (כִּי יֵשׁ חִלּוּק גָּדוֹל בֵּין מִי שֶׁהִכְחִישָׁהּ), and one who does not deny her (לְמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְכַחִישָׁהּ), but rather it is fitting to say of him that he never saw lights in his days (אֶלָּא רָאוּי שֶׁנֹּאמַר עָלָיו שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה מְאוֹרוֹת מִיָּמָיו). And upon both of them there are added punishments of vengeance because he engaged in her (וְיֵשׁ עַל שְׁנֵיהֶם תּוֹסְפוֹת נְקָמִי שֶׁנִּתְעַסֵּק בָּהּ). And Hashem, He is the living God and King of the world (וַה׳ הוּא אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים וּמֶלֶךְ עוֹלָם), who judges the judgment (דָּן אֶת הַדִּין), and justifies the righteous (וּמַזְכֶּה אֶת הַזַּכָּאי), and condemns the guilty (וּמַחַיֵּב אֶת הַחַיָּב), and gives to a man according to his way (וְנוֹתֵן לְאִישׁ כִּדְרָכוֹ). And it is not for us to deny the words of our Rabbis, of blessed memory (וְאֵין לָנוּ לְהַכְחִישׁ דִּבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז״ל), in Midrash Mishlei [Chapter 6] (בְּמִדְרָשׁ מִשְׁלֵי), who ask a man (שֶׁשּׁוֹאֲלִים לָאָדָם), “Did you gaze upon the Merkavah [Chariot]?” (צָפִיתָ בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה), and it is daf 82b (וְהוּא דַּף פ״ב ע״ב), on the verse “Hashem will not make the soul of the righteous hungry” (עַל פָּסוּק לֹא יַרְעִיב ה׳ נֶפֶשׁ צַדִּיק) (Proverbs 10:3). And this is its wording (וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ):

“Rabbi Yishmael said (אָמַר רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל), Come and see how hard is the Day of Judgment (בֹּא וּרְאֵה כַּמָּה קָשֶׁה יוֹם הַדִּין), for in the future the Holy One, Blessed Be He, will judge the entire world (שֶׁעָתִיד הקב״ה לָדוּן אֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ) in the Valley of Yehoshafat (בְּעֵמֶק יְהוֹשָׁפָט). And when a Torah scholar comes before Him (וּכְשֶׁבָּא תַּלְמִיד חָכָם לְפָנָיו), He says to him (אוֹמֵר לוֹ), Did you engage in Torah? (כְּלוּם עָסַקְתָּ בַּתּוֹרָה), he says, yes (אָמַר הֵן). The Holy One, Blessed Be He, says to him (אוֹמֵר לוֹ הקב״ה), since you admitted (הוֹאִיל וְהוֹדִיתָ), say before Me what you have read and what you have studied (אֱמוֹר לְפָנַי מַה שֶּׁקָּרִיתָ וּמַה שֶּׁשָּׁנִיתָ). From here they said (מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ), everything that a man has read should be grasped in his hand (כָּל מַה שֶּׁקָּרָא הָאָדָם יְהֵא תָּפוּשׂ בְּיָדוֹ), and what he has studied should be grasped in his hand (וּמַה שֶּׁשָּׁנָה תְּהֵא תָּפוּשׂ בְּיָדוֹ), so that disgrace will not overtake him on the Day of Judgment (שֶׁלֹּא תַשִּׂיגֵהוּ כְּלִימָּה לְיוֹם הַדִּין). Rabbi Yishmael would say (הָיָה רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר), woe for that shame, woe for that disgrace (אוֹי לְאוֹתָהּ בּוּשָׁה אוֹי לְאוֹתָהּ כְּלִימָּה). And concerning this David, King of Yisrael, sought in prayer and supplications before the Omnipresent (וְעַל זֶה בִּקֵּשׁ דָּוִד מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּתְפִלָּה וּבְתַחֲנוּנִים לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם), and he said (וַיֹּאמַר), “Hashem, in the morning You shall hear my voice” (ה׳ בֹּקֶר תִּשְׁמַע קוֹלִי) (Psalms 5:4). And it is written after it (וְכָתוּב בַּתַּרְיָיהּ), “In the morning I will arrange before You” (בֹּקֶר אֲעָרֵךְ לְךָ) (Psalms 5:4). And the intent of the Midrash is that he said concerning this (וְכוּנַת הַמִּדְרָשׁ שֶׁאָמַר עַל זֶה), I request and I pray concerning the matter of “in the morning You shall hear my voice” (אֲנִי מְבַקֵּשׁ וּמִתְפַּלֵּל עַל עִנְיָן בֹּקֶר תִּשְׁמַע קוֹלִי), for the future Day of Judgment is called morning (כִּי יוֹם הַדִּין שֶׁלֶּעָתִיד נִקְרָא בֹּקֶר). I will arrange before You orally all my learning (אֲעָרֵךְ לְפָנֶיךָ בַּעַל פֶּה כָּל תַּלְמוּדִי), and my prayer is that You guard it in my hand (וּתְפִלָּתִי שֶׁתִּשְׁמְרֵהוּ בְּיָדִי). One comes who has Scripture in his hand, but does not have Mishnah in his hand (בָּא מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ מִקְרָא וְאֵין בְּיָדוֹ מִשְׁנָה), the Holy One, Blessed Be He, turns His face away from him (הקב״ה הוֹפֵךְ אֶת פָּנָיו מִמֶּנּוּ), and the tormentors of Gehinnom overpower him like evening wolves (וּמְצִירֵי גֵיהִנֹּם מִתְגַּבְּרִין בּוֹ כְּזְאֵבֵי עָרֶב), and they take him and cast him into Gehinnom (וְהֵם נוֹטְלִים אוֹתוֹ וּמַשְׁלִיכִין אוֹתוֹ לְגֵיהִנֹּם). One comes before Him who has two or three orders in his hand (בָּא לְפָנָיו מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ שְׁנֵי סְדָרִים אוֹ שְׁלוֹשָׁה), the Holy One, Blessed Be He, says to him (הקב״ה אוֹמֵר לוֹ), My son, why did you not study all the halakhot [laws]? (בְּנִי כָּל הַהֲלָכוֹת לָמָּה לֹא שָׁנִיתָ אוֹתָן). If He says to them, leave him, good (אִם אוֹמֵר לָהֶם הַנִּיחֻהוּ מוּטָב), but if not (וְאִם לָאו), they do to him according to his Midrash [Study], first things first (עוֹשִׂין לוֹ כְּמִדְרָשׁוֹ רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן). [Explanation: If the Holy One, Blessed Be He, says to the tormentors and oppressors of Gehinnom to leave him, good, and they do so; but if not, they do to him according to his Midrash [Study], meaning according to his learning, and for what he did not learn, they punish him] ([וּפֵירוּשׁ אִם אוֹמֵר לָהֶם הקב״ה לְמַצִּיקֵי וּמְצִירֵי גֵיהִנֹּם שֶׁיַּנִּיחֻהוּ מוּטָב וְעוֹשִׂין כֵּן, וְאִם לָאו עוֹשִׂין לוֹ כְּפִי מִדְרָשׁוֹ, רָצוּ לֹאמַר כְּפִי תַּלְמוּדוֹ, וְעַל מַה שֶּׁלֹּא לָמַד מַעֲנִישִׁין אוֹתוֹ]). One comes who has halakhot [laws] in his hand (בָּא מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ הֲלָכוֹת), He says to him (אוֹמֵר לוֹ), My son, why did you not study Torat Kohanim [Priestly Torah]? (בְּנִי תּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים לָמָּה לֹא שָׁנִיתָ), for it contains the impurity of sheratzim [creeping creatures], impurity and purity (שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ טֻמְאַת שְׁרָצִים, טֻמְאָה וְטָהֳרָה), the impurity of afflictions and the purity of afflictions (טֻמְאַת נְגָעִים וּטְהָרַת נְגָעִים), the impurity of netakim [scall afflictions] and the purity of netakim [scall afflictions] (טֻמְאַת נְתָקִים וּטְהָרַת נְתָקִים), the impurity of houses and the purity of houses (טֻמְאַת בָּתִּים וּטְהָרַת בָּתִּים), the impurity of zavim [men with emissions] and the purity of zavot [women with emissions] (טֻמְאַת זָבִים וּטְהָרַת זָבוֹת), the impurity of childbirth and the purity of childbirth (טֻמְאַת לֵידָה וּטְהָרַת לֵידָה), the impurity of the metzora [leper] and the purity of the metzora [leper] (טֻמְאַת מְצוֹרָע וּטְהָרַת מְצוֹרָע), the order of the confession of Yom Kippur (סֵדֶר וִדּוּי שֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים), and Gezerah Shavah [verbal analogy] and the laws of valuations (וּגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה וְדִינֵי עֶרְכִּין), and all the laws of Yisrael that they derive from it (וְכָל דִּינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֵם דָּנִין מִתּוֹכוֹ). One comes who has Torat Kohanim [Priestly Torah] in his hand (בָּא מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ תּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים), the Holy One, Blessed Be He, says to him (הקב״ה אוֹמֵר לוֹ), My son, why did you not study the Five Books of the Torah? (בְּנִי חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה לָמָּה לֹא שָׁנִיתָ), for they contain Keriat Shema [Recitation of Shema], Tefillin [Phylacteries], and Mezuzah [Doorpost Scroll] (שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶן קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וּתְפִלִּין וּמְזוּזָה). One comes who has the Five Books of the Torah in his hand (בָּא מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ ה׳ חֻמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה), He says to him (אוֹמֵר לוֹ), why did you not learn Aggadah [Narrative Teaching] and study it? (לָמָּה לֹא לָמַדְתָּ הַגָּדָה וְלֹא שָׁנִיתָ). That at the time when a sage sits and expounds (שֶׁבַּשָּׁעָה שֶׁחָכָם יוֹשֵׁב וְדוֹרֵשׁ), I forgive and atone for the sins of Yisrael (אֲנִי מוֹחֵל וּמְכַפֵּר עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל). And not only this (וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא), but at the time when they answer: Amen, yehei shemei rabba [may His great Name be blessed] (אֲמֵן יְהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא), even if their decree has been sealed (אֲפִלּוּ אִם נֶחְתַּם גְּזַר דִּינָם), I forgive them and atone for their sins (אֲנִי מוֹחֵל לָהֶם וּמְכַפֵּר עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם). One comes who has Aggadah [Narrative Teaching] in his hand (בָּא מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ הַגָּדָה), the Holy One, Blessed Be He, says to him (הקב״ה אוֹמֵר לוֹ), My son, why did you not study Talmud? (בְּנִי תַּלְמוּד לָמָּה לֹא לָמַדְתָּ). For all the rivers go to the sea, and the sea is never full (כִּי כָּל הַנְּחָלִים הֹלְכִים אֶל הַיָּם וְהַיָּם אֵינֶנּוּ מָלֵא), and which is this? (וְאֵיזֶה זֶה), this is Talmud (זֶה תַּלְמוּד). One comes who has Talmud in his hand (בָּא מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ תַּלְמוּד), the Holy One, Blessed Be He, says to him (הקב״ה אוֹמֵר לוֹ), My son, since you busied yourself with Talmud (בְּנִי הוֹאִיל וְנִתְעַסַּקְתָּ בַּתַּלְמוּד), did you gaze upon the Merkavah [Chariot]? (צָפִיתָ בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה), did you gaze upon My majesty? (צָפִיתָ בִּגְאוֹתִי). For I have no pleasure in My world (שֶׁאֵין לִי הֲנָאָה בְּעוֹלָמִי), except at the time when Talmidei Chachamim [Torah Scholars] sit (אֶלָּא בַּשָּׁעָה שֶׁתַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים יוֹשְׁבִין), and engage in words of Torah (וְעוֹסְקִין בִּדְבָרֵי תוֹרָה), and peer and look and see and meditate upon the multitude of this study (וּמְצִיצִין וּמַבִּיטִין וְרוֹאִין וְהוֹגִין הֲמוֹן הַלִּמּוּד הַזֶּה): how My Throne of Glory stands (כִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדִי הֵיאַךְ הוּא עוֹמֵד), the first leg, with what it serves (רֶגֶל הָרִאשׁוֹן בַּמָּה הִיא מִשְׁתַּמֶּשֶׁת), the second leg, with what it serves (רֶגֶל שֵׁנִית בַּמָּה הִיא מִשְׁתַּמֶּשֶׁת), the third leg, with what it serves (רֶגֶל שְׁלִישִׁית בַּמָּה הִיא מִשְׁתַּמֶּשֶׁת), the fourth leg, with what it serves (רֶגֶל רְבִיעִית בַּמָּה הִיא מִשְׁתַּמֶּשֶׁת). The Chashmal [Electrum], how it stands (חַשְׁמַל הֵיאַךְ הוּא עוֹמֵד), and in how many faces it turns in a single hour (וּבְכַמָּה פָּנִים הוּא מִתְהַפֵּךְ בְּשָׁעָה אַחַת), to which direction it serves (לְאֵיזֶה רוּחַ הוּא מְשַׁמֵּשׁ). The lightning, how it stands (הַבָּרָק הֵיאַךְ הוּא עוֹמֵד), how many faces of radiance are seen between its shoulders (כַּמָּה פָּנִים שֶׁל זוֹהַר נִרְאִין בֵּין כְּתֵיפָיו), to which direction it serves (לְאֵיזֶה רוּחַ הוּא מְשַׁמֵּשׁ). The Keruv [Cherub], how it stands (כְּרוּב הֵיאַךְ הוּא עוֹמֵד), to which direction it serves (לְאֵיזֶה רוּחַ הוּא מְשַׁמֵּשׁ). Greater than all of them is the contemplation of the Throne of Glory (גְּדוֹלָה מִכֻּלָּן עִיּוּן כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד), how it stands (הֵיאַךְ הוּא עוֹמֵד), whether it is round like a kind of rectangle (עֲגוּלָּה הִיא כְּמִין מַלְבֵּן), whether it is fashioned like bridges (מְתוּקָּן הוּא כְּמִין גְּשָׁרִים): how many bridges are in it (כַּמָּה גְּשָׁרִים יֵשׁ בּוֹ), how much space there is between one bridge and another bridge (כַּמָּה הֶפְסֵק יֵשׁ בֵּין גֶּשֶׁר לְגֶשֶׁר), and when I pass, on which bridge do I pass (וּכְשֶׁאֲנִי עוֹבֵר בְּאֵיזֶה גֶּשֶׁר אֲנִי עוֹבֵר), on which bridge the Ofanim pass (בְּאֵיזֶה גֶּשֶׁר הָאוֹפַנִּים עוֹבְרִין), on which bridge the wheels of the Merkavah [Chariot] pass (בְּאֵיזֶה גֶּשֶׁר גַּלְגְּלֵי הַמֶּרְכָּבָה עוֹבְרִין). Greater than all is from My toenails to the crown of My head, how I stand (גְּדוֹלָה מִכֻּלָּן מִצִּפְרְנַי וְעַד קָדְקֳדִי הֵיאַךְ אֲנִי עוֹמֵד), how great is the measure of the palm of My hand (כַּמָּה שִׁעוּר בְּפִיסַּת יָדִי), how great is the measure of the toes of My feet (כַּמָּה שֵׁעוּר אֶצְבְּעוֹת רַגְלַי). Greater than all is My Throne of Glory, how it stands (גְּדוֹלָה מִכֻּלָּן כִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדִי הֵיאַךְ הוּא עוֹמֵד), to which direction it serves (לְאֵיזֶה רוּחַ הוּא מְשַׁמֵּשׁ), on the third day of the week to which direction it serves (בִּשְׁלִישִׁי בַּשָּׁבוּעַ לְאֵיזֶה רוּחַ הוּא מְשַׁמֵּשׁ), on the fourth day of the week to which direction it serves (בְּרְבִיעִי בַּשָּׁבוּעַ לְאֵיזֶה רוּחַ הוּא מְשַׁמֵּשׁ). And is this not My glory, this My greatness, this the splendor of My beauty, that My children recognize My honor by this measure? (וְכִי לֹא זֶהוּ הַדְרִי, זֶה הוּא גְּדוּלָּתִי, זֶהוּ הַדַּר יָפְיִי שֶׁבָּנַי מַכִּירִין אֶת כְּבוֹדִי בַּמִּדָּה הַזֹּאת). Concerning this David said (עָלָיו אָמַר דָּוִד), “How manifold are Your works, Hashem! In wisdom You have made them all” (מָה רַבּוּ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ ה׳ כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ) (Psalms 104:24). From here Rabbi Yishmael would say (מִכָּאן הָיָה רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר), “Fortunate is the Torah scholar whose learning is preserved in his hand” (אַשְׁרֵי תַּלְמִיד חָכָם שֶׁשָּׁמוּר לִמּוּדוֹ בְּיָדוֹ), so that he may have an opening of the mouth to answer the Holy One, Blessed Be He, on the Day of Judgment (כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְהָשִׁיב לַהקב״ה לְיוֹם הַדִּין). Therefore it is said (לָכָךְ נֶאֱמַר), “The path of life is he who keeps discipline” (אֹרַח לְחַיִּים שׁוֹמֵר מוּסָר) (Proverbs 10:17). [Meaning to say: that this discipline and these afflictions should be kept in his heart, so that they will be before the Judge. If he does not know how to answer the Holy One, Blessed Be He, woe to that disgrace, woe to that shame] ([רָצָה לוֹמַר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שָׁמוּר בִּלְבָבוֹ הַמּוּסָר וְהַיִּסּוּרִין הָאֵלּוּ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לוֹ לִפְנֵי בַּעַל הַדִּין, אִם אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לְהָשִׁיב לַהקב״ה אוֹי לָהּ לְאוֹתָהּ חֶרְפָּה וְאוֹי לָהּ לְאוֹתָהּ כְּלִימָּה]). And concerning the Tzaddikim [Righteous Ones] it is said (וְעַל הַצַּדִּיקִים נֶאֱמַר), “And those who love Him are as the sun when it goes forth in its might” (וְאֹהֲבָיו כְּצֵאת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בִּגְבוּרָתוֹ) (Judges 5:31), and they strengthen themselves to answer (וְהֵם מִתְגַּבְּרִים לְהָשִׁיב). And it is said (וְנֶאֱמַר), “That I may cause those who love Me to inherit substance, and I will fill their treasuries” (לְהַנְחִיל אֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ וְאֹצְרוֹתֵיהֶם אֲמַלֵּא) (Proverbs 8:21). Until here (עַד כָּאן).

It follows for us from the Midrash before us (יָצָא לָנוּ מִנִּדוֹן דִּידָן הַמִּדְרָשׁ אֲשֶׁר לְפָנֵינוּ), that it is a great mitzvah to engage in Ma'aseh Merkavah [Work of the Chariot] and the perfection of his soul (שֶׁהוּא מִצְוָה גְּדוֹלָה לַעֲסוֹק בְּמַעֲשֵׂה מֶרְכָּבָה וּשְׁלֵימוּת נַפְשׁוֹ), and if not, he will be punished (וְאִם לָאו יֵעָנֵשׁ). If he is able to cleave and did not cleave (אִי יָכִיל לְאַדְבְּקָא וְלָא אַדְבִּיק), he is judged on account of this (הוּא נִדּוֹן עַל זֶה), and in any case he is compelled to undergo Gilgul [Reincarnation] (וּמוּכְרָח לְהִתְגַּלְגֵּל עַל כָּל פָּנִים). And concerning this it is said (וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר), “Fortunate is the man who has found Chokhmah [Wisdom], and the man who brings forth Tevunah [Understanding]” (אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם מָצָא חָכְמָה וְאָדָם יָפִיק תְּבוּנָה) (Proverbs 3:13). Blessed is Hashem forever. Amen and Amen (יִתְבָּרַךְ ה׳ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).