10a (י׳:א׳)

And it is possible to say (וְאֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר) that this too was the error of Korach and his assembly (שֶׁגַּם זֹאת הָיְתָה טְעוּת קֹרַח וַעֲדָתוֹ), those who assembled against Hashem (הַנּוֹעָדִים עַל ה׳), when they said (בַּאֲמָרָם): “It is too much for you, for the entire congregation-all of them are holy” (רַב לָכֶם כִּי כָל הָעֵדָה כֻּלָּם קְדֹשִׁים). And was Korach a fool and simpleton (וְכִי טִפֵּשׁ וּפֶתִי הָיָה קֹרַח) who did not recognize his own deficiency and worth (שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מַכִּיר חֶסְרוֹנוֹ וְעֶרְכּוֹ), and the worth of all Yisrael relative to Moshe Rabbeinu in prophecy (וְעֶרֶךְ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֶרֶךְ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ בַּנְּבוּאָה), about whom Hashem, may He be blessed, said (שֶׁאָמַר עָלָיו ה׳ יִתְבָּרַךְ): “In all My house he is faithful”? (בְּכָל בֵּיתִי נֶאֱמָן הוּא).

But his intention was (אֲבָל כַּוָּנָתוֹ הָיְתָה) that Moshe had descended somewhat from his greatness (שֶׁיָּרַד מֹשֶׁה מִגְּדוּלָּתוֹ דָּבָר מָה), as I explained above (כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי לְעֵיל). And Korach said (וְאָמַר קֹרַח): this is only because the level of prophecy that came to him directly from Hashem (אֵין זֶה אֶלָּא מִשֶּׁנֶּעְדְּרָה מִמֶּנּוּ מַדְרֶגֶת הַנְּבוּאָה הַמַּגַּעַת לוֹ מֵאֶת ה׳), has been taken from him (וְנִטְּלָה מִמֶּנּוּ), and he remains influenced through Gavriel (וְנִשְׁאַר מֻשְׁפָּע עַל יְדֵי גַּבְרִיאֵל) like all the other prophets (כְּמוֹ כָּל הַנְּבִיאִים), like us (כָּמוֹנוּ) who already attained prophetic stature at Sinai (שֶׁכְּבָר הִשַּׂגְנוּ מַעֲלַת הַנְּבוּאָה בְּסִינַי). If so (אִם כֵּן), since you are equal to us in prophecy (כְּבָחִינַת שָׁוֶה בַּנְּבוּאָה), therefore he said (לָכֵן אָמַר): “And why do you exalt yourselves over the congregation?” (וּמַדּוּעַ תִּתְנַשְּׂאוּ עַל קְהַל ה׳). He became envious of Moshe and Aharon (נִתְקַנֵּא בְּמֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן).

Fortunate are our sages (אַשְׁרֵיהֶם רַבּוֹתֵינוּ) that nothing was hidden from them (שֶׁלֹּא נֶעְלַם מֵהֶם שׁוּם דָּבָר). And let us return to the matter we were discussing (וְנָשׁוּב לָעִנְיָן שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ בוֹ). The Holy One Blessed Be He said (אָמַר הקב״ה): Moshe, I have already placed the keruvim between Me and you (מֹשֶׁה, כְּבָר שַׂמְתִּי הַכְּרוּבִים בֵּינִי וּבֵינְךָ), therefore do not strive further to attain (לָכֵן אַל תִּשְׁתַּדֵּל עוֹד לְהַשִּׂיג). Therefore it is said (לָכֵן נֶאֱמַר): “You shall not be able to see My face” (Exodus 33:20) (לֹא תוּכַל לִרְאוֹת אֶת פָּנַי), and here there is a pause (etnachta) (וּבְכָאן אֶתְנַח). And afterward it says (וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָמַר): “For no man shall see Me and live” (כִּי לֹא יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי).

The explanation is (פֵּרוּשׁ): when Ha-Adam (the Man) is whole with the letter Heh-which is the soul (כַּאֲשֶׁר "הָאָדָם" שָׁלֵם עִם הַה״א, שֶׁהִיא הַנְּשָׁמָה)-then he had the power to attain Divine matters (הָיְתָה לוֹ כֹּחַ לְהַשִּׂיג דְּבָרִים אֱלוֹהִיִּים). But when he sinned (אֲבָל כְּשֶׁחָטָא), and united his intellectual faculty with the animal aspect (וְשִׁתֵּף חֶלְקוֹ הַשֵּׂכְלִי עִם חֶלְקוֹ הַבְּהֵמִית), he no longer has the power to perceive Me (אֵין בּוֹ כֹּחַ לְהַשִּׂיגֵנִי). This is what the verse said (זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב): “For no man shall see Me and live” (Exodus 33:20) (כִּי לֹא יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי).

Explanation: he will not attain or understand supernal intelligibles (פֵּרוּשׁ: לֹא יַשִּׂיג וְלֹא יָבִין בַּמּוּשְׂכָּלוֹת עֶלְיוֹנִים) because he has sought beastly vitality (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא בִּקֵּשׁ חַיּוּת בְּהֵמִית). “And the flaming sword which turned” (Bereshit 3:24) (״וְאֵת לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת״) because the Divine secrets from the Torah were concealed from flesh and blood due to his sin (לְפִי שֶׁנֶּעְלְמוּ מִבָּשָׂר וָדָם סוֹדוֹת הָאֱלוֹהִיִּים מִן הַתּוֹרָה בְּסִיבַת חֶטְאוֹ), and when the prophets receive their prophecy, they do not see the matter clearly (וּכְשֶׁהַנְּבִיאִים מַשִּׂיגִים נְבוּאָתָם אֵינָם רוֹאִים הַדָּבָר עַל בּוּרְיוֹ), for there is a veil that separates between them and the Shekhinah (לְפִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ מָסָךְ מַבְדִּיל בֵּינֵיהֶם וּבֵין הַשְּׁכִינָה), and even Moshe Rabbeinu was uncertain (וַאֲפִלּוּ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ נִסְתַּפֵּק), for the glory did not appear to him, of which he said “Show me, please, Your glory” (שֶׁלֹּא נִרְאָה אֵלָיו הַכָּבוֹד אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו אָמַר "הַרְאֵנִי נָא אֶת כְּבוֹדֶךָ). This is what the verse said, “And the flaming sword which turned” (זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב "וְאֵת לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת)-the flame changes when one turns the sword (שֶׁמִּשְׁתַּנֶּה הַלַּהַט כְּשֶׁמְּהַפֵּךְ הָאָדָם הַחֶרֶב), and in this is hinted the deficiency in prophetic perception after Adam sinned (וּבָזֶה רִמֵּז חִסָּרוֹן הַשָּׂגַת הַנְּבִיאִים אַחַר שֶׁחָטָא אָדָם).

And He, Blessed Be He, decreed that mankind not comprehend or attain the Torah as it is written before Him (וְגָזַר הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁלֹּא יָבִינוּ וְלֹא יַשְׂכִּילוּ בְּנֵי אָדָם הַתּוֹרָה כַּאֲשֶׁר הִיא כְּתוּבָה לְפָנָיו), for if they could attain its secrets they would be able to create worlds and destroy them (שֶׁאִם יַשִּׂיגוּ סוֹדוֹתֶיהָ יוּכְלוּ לִבְרוֹא עוֹלָמוֹת וּלְהַחֲרִיבָם). This is what the verse said, “to guard the way to the Tree of Life” (Bereshit 3:24) (זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: ״לִשְׁמֹר אֶת דֶּרֶךְ עֵץ הַחַיִּים). Therefore Hashem, Blessed Be He, placed the keruvim and the flaming sword (לָכֵךְ הִשְׁכִּין ה׳ יִתְבָּרַךְ אֶת הַכְּרוּבִים וְאֵת לַהַט הַחֶרֶב) so that the awesome secrets of the Torah would be guarded and concealed from mankind (כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נִשְׁמָרִים וּנְעָלָמִים סוֹדוֹת הַתּוֹרָה הַנּוֹרָאִים מִבְּנֵי אָדָם). And the Torah is “the way of the Tree of Life” (וְהַתּוֹרָה הִיא ״דֶּרֶךְ עֵץ הַחַיִּים), as it is said, “She is a tree of life” (Proverbs 3:18) (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא״ וגו׳). And “way” as it is written, “And all her paths are peace” (Proverbs 3:17) (וְ״דֶּרֶךְ״, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְכָל נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם).

What is “peace”? Eternal life (מָהוּ ״שָׁלוֹם״ חַיִּים נִצְחִיִּים), for behold it is written of it, “and he shall eat and live forever” (Bereshit 3:22) (שֶׁהֲרֵי כְּתִיב בּוֹ ״וְאָכַל וָחַי לְעוֹלָם), for if he had taken and held his hand upon the Tree of Life, he would be eternal and enduring forever (שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיָה לוֹקֵחַ וּמַחֲזִיק יָדוֹ בְּעֵץ הַחַיִּים הָיָה נִצְחִי וְקַיָּם לְעוֹלָם). And thus we find it said of Pinchas, “Behold, I give him My covenant of peace” (Numbers 25:12) (וְכֵן מָצִינוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עַל פִּנְחָס: ״הִנְנִי נֹתֵן לוֹ אֶת בְּרִיתִי שָׁלוֹם)-peace with the supernal and with the lower beings (שָׁלוֹם עִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְעִם הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים), as our Sages said: “Pinchas, this is Eliyahu” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַז״ל: פִּנְחָס זֶה אֵלִיָּהוּ), who is alive and exists in body and soul (שֶׁהוּא חַי וְקַיָּם בְּגוּף וְנֶפֶשׁ). And so was Adam before he sinned (וְכֵן הָיָה אָדָם קֹדֶם שֶׁחָטָא). And Yisrael were worthy at the time they received the Torah to attain the hidden and awesome paths of the Torah (וְדַאיִּין הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּזְמַן שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ הַתּוֹרָה לְהַשִּׂיג דַּרְכֵי הַתּוֹרָה וּנְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ הַנֶּעְלָמִים וְהַנּוֹרָאִים), and they were likewise prepared to revive the dead (וְכֵן הָיוּ מֻכָּנִים לְהַחֲיוֹת מֵתִים) and to live and endure forever (וְלִהְיוֹת חַיִּים וְקַיָּמִים לְעוֹלָם). And due to the sin of the Calf, that preparation which they had received at Sinai was not taken away from them (וּבַעֲוֹן הָעֵגֶל לֹא נִטְּלָה מֵהֶם אוֹתָהּ הֲכָנָה שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ בְּהַר סִינַי), for the Holy One Blessed Be He atoned and forgave them the deed of the Calf (לְפִי שֶׁהקב״ה כִּפֵּר וְסָלַח לָהֶם מַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל), and He returned and gave them the second Tablets (וְחָזַר וְנָתַן לָהֶם לוּחוֹת שְׁנִיּוֹת), and He desired that they receive the Torah and know its awesome secrets (וְרָצָה שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ הַתּוֹרָה וְיִדְּעוּ סוֹדוֹתֶיהָ הַנּוֹרָאִים).

And Yisrael had the strength to hold on to it, for it is the Tree of Life (וְהָיָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כֹּחַ לְהַחֲזִיק בָּהּ, שֶׁהִיא עֵץ הַחַיִּים), so that all of Yisrael should live forever (כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל חַיִּים לְעוֹלָם). And this is what our Sages hinted in the blessing on the Torah: “And eternal life You have planted within us” (וְזֶה רָמְזוּ רַז״ל בִּבִרְכַּת הַתּוֹרָה: ״וְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם נָטַע בְּתוֹכֵנוּ). And if you say (וְאִם תֹּאמַר), if so, how does death reach Yisrael (אִם כֵּן אֵיךְ יַשִּׂיג מָוֶת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל) when they have the Torah (בְּהִיוֹת לָהֶם הַתּוֹרָה), that whoever holds fast to it is alive and eternal in the world? (שֶׁהַמַּחֲזִיק בָּהּ חַי וְנִצְחִי בָּעוֹלָם).

I have already informed you (כְּבָר הוֹדַעְתִּיךָ), that before Adam HaRishon sinned (שֶׁעַד שֶׁלֹּא חָטָא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן), the paths of the Torah and her awesome secrets were revealed (הָיוּ גְּלוּיִים שְׁבִילֵי הַתּוֹרָה וְסוֹדוֹתֶיהָ הַנּוֹרָאִים), and he was prepared to be living and eternal forever (וְהָיָה מוּכָן לִהְיוֹת חַי וְקַיָּם לְעוֹלָם) by holding fast to the Tree of Life (בְּהַחֲזִיקוֹ בְּעֵץ הַחַיִּים) which is in the midst of the Garden (אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן).

For only the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was forbidden to him (כִּי לֹא נֶאֶסַר עָלָיו זוּלַת עֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע), which is an allusion to bodily pleasures (שֶׁהוּא רֶמֶז לִתְּעַנּוּגֵי הַגּוּף) as we said (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ). And when he ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (וּכְשֶׁאָכַל מֵעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע), he lost and forfeited the spiritual power and preparation that was within him (אִבֵּד וְהִפְסִיד הַכֹּחַ וְהַהֲכָנָה הָרוּחָנִית שֶׁהָיְתָה בּוֹ).