16b (ט״ז:ב׳)

“And when it rested, he would say: Return, Hashem…” (וּבְנֻחֹה יֹאמַר: "שׁוּבָה ה׳" וְגוֹ׳). Behold, you will see that “uvenucho” (when it rested) ends with a Heh at the end of the word (הִנֵּה תִּרְאֶה כִּי "וּבְנֻחֹה" הוּא בְּה״א בְּסוֹף הַתֵּיבָה), and it would have been appropriate for it to end with a Vav (וְהָיָה רָאוּי שֶׁיְּהֵא בְּויֹ״ו). And similarly, there is another word-“Kodesh Yisrael to Hashem, the first of His produce” (כָּמוֹ כֵן יֵשׁ תֵּיבָה אַחֶרֶת שֶׁהִיא "קֹדֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַה׳ רֵאשִׁית תּבוּאָתָה)-which ought to have ended with a Vav, but instead ends with a Heh (שֶׁהָיָה רָאוּי שֶׁיְּהֵא בְּויֹ״ו). But this Heh alludes to us that it is speaking to Kenesset Yisrael, who are in the first middah, which is Malkhut (אֲבָל זוֹ הַה״א רוֹמֶזֶת לָנוּ שֶׁמְּדַבֵּר עִם כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֵם בַּמִּדָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁהִיא מַלְכוּת), and the final Heh of the Divine Name alludes to it (שֶׁה״א אַחֲרוֹנָה שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם רוֹמֶזֶת אֵלֶיהָ).

And in her is the throne of glory (וּבָהּ כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד), and she is the place from which Yisrael are sanctified when they fulfill the commandments of the Holy One Blessed Be He (וְהוּא הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁמִּשָּׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְקַדְּשִׁים בִּזְמַן שֶׁמְּקַיְּמִים מִצְוֹתָיו שֶׁל הקב״ה), through which they are sanctified-as our Sages of blessed memory instituted in the wording of the blessing: “Who has sanctified us with His commandments” (שֶׁבָּהֶם הֵם מִתְקַדְּשִׁים כְּמוֹ שֶׁתִּקְּנוּ רַזַ״ל בִּלְשׁוֹן הַבְּרָכָה: ״אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו). And it is written: “A throne of glory, exalted from the beginning…” (וּכְתִיב: ״כִּסֵּא כָבוֹד מָרוֹם מֵרִאשׁוֹן״ וְגוֹ׳) (Jeremiah 17:12), meaning: that in the beginning, when Yisrael fulfilled the mitzvot, the throne of glory was exalted (יְרַצֶּה: שֶׁבָּרִאשׁוֹנָה, כְּשֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל הָיוּ עוֹשִׂים הַמִּצְוֹת, הָיָה כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד מָרוֹם), and the stature of Yisrael was uplifted (וּמַעֲלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַעְלָה), for they were sanctified (שֶׁהָיוּ מְקֻדָּשִׁים), and this is “The place of our sanctity” (וְזֶהוּ ״מְקוֹם מִקְדָּשֵׁנוּ).

If so, “when the Ark rested” alludes to the future time when Yisrael will rest and descend from the elevation they had (אִם כֵּן, ״וּבְנֻחֹה״ הָאָרוֹן הָיָה רוֹמֵז שֶׁעֲתִידִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָנוּחַ וְלֵרֵד מֵהַמַּעֲלָה שֶׁהָיְתָה לָהֶם), and the t'kumah (restoration) will not be in their hands, but in the hands of the Holy One Blessed Be He (וְהַתְּקוּמָה לֹא תִּהְיֶה בְיָדָם אֶלָּא בְּיַד הקב״ה), as it is written: “She has fallen, she shall rise no more-O virgin of Yisrael” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״נָפְלָה לֹא תוֹסִיף קוּם בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Amos 5:2).

And therefore these Nunim are reversed here, to hint at the fall of the enemies of Yisrael (וְלָכֵן נֶהֶפְּכוּ כָּאן אֵלּוּ הַנוּ״נִים לְרַמֵּז עַל מַפַלְתָּן שֶׁל שׂוֹנְאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), for the Nun hints at nefilah (falling) (שֶׁהַנּוּ״ן רוֹמֶזֶת נְפִילָה), and it means “she shall rise no more, O virgin of Yisrael,” that she will not rise by her own strength, as was the case in other exiles, but only by the Holy One Blessed Be He (וִירַצֶּה ״לֹא תוֹסִיף קוּם בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל״ שֶׁלֹּא תָקוּם מֵעַצְמָהּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בִּשְׁאָר הַגָּלוּיוֹת אֶלָּא בְּיַד הקב״ה). And this too is alluded to in the psalm “Tehillah leDavid” (וְזֶה גַּם כֵּן רָמוּז בְּמִזְמוֹר ״תְּהִלָּה לְדָוִד), in which in that Alphabet sequence, the Nun appears missing (שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הָאַלְפָּא-בֵּיתָא נִרְאֶה שֶׁחָסֵר נוּ״ן).

But it is not so-for there, the samekh precedes the nun to hint that the Holy One Blessed Be He will support and raise up Yisrael (וְאֵינוֹ כֵן, אֶלָּא שֶׁשָּׁם הַסָּמֶ״ךְ קוֹדֵם לַנּוּ״ן לְרַמֵּז שֶׁהקב״ה יִסְמֹךְ וִיקִים אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), and the nun is alluded to in the verse: “Hashem supports all the fallen” (וְהַנּוּ״ן רְמוּזָה בְּאָמְרוֹ: סוֹמֵךְ ה׳ לְכׇל הַנֹּפְלִים) (Psalms 145:14). And in the verse “Arise, Hashem,” there are twelve words (וּבַפָּסוּק ״קוּמָה ה׳״ יֵשׁ י״ב תֵּיבוֹת), corresponding to the twelve tribes (כְּנֶגֶד י״ב שְׁבָטִים), to hint that He will raise up all the tribes of Yisrael (לְרַמֵּז שֶׁיָּקִים לְכָל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). And in His saying “Arise, Hashem” (וּבְאָמְרוֹ ״קוּמָה ה׳) He hints that none of them will arise by his own strength or might, but only through the power of the Holy One Blessed Be He (יוּרֶה שֶׁשׁוּם אֶחָד מֵהֶם לֹא יָקוּם בְּכֹחוֹ וּבִגְבוּרָתוֹ אֶלָּא בִּכֹּחַ הקב״ה). If so, it appears that what is said-“She shall rise no more” (אִם כֵּן, נִרְאֶה שֶׁמַּה שֶּׁאוֹמֵר ״לֹא תוֹסִיף קוּם)-the intention is not that they shall not rise, God forbid (אֵין הַכַּוָּנָה שֶׁלֹּא יָקוּמוּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם). For Yisrael are the throne of glory of the Holy One Blessed Be He (כִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵם כִּסֵּא כְבוֹדוֹ שֶׁל הקב״ה), and just as He, may He be blessed, is without end (וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ בִּלְתִּי בַּעַל תַּכְלִית), so too Yisrael are without end (כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵם בִּלְתִּי בַּעֲלֵי תַּכְלִית). And this is what the verse says: “You, Hashem, shall sit forever; Your throne is for generation and generation” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״אַתָּה ה׳ לְעוֹלָם תֵּשֵׁב כִּסְאֲךָ לְדוֹר וָדוֹר) (Lamentations 5:19). That is, just as the Holy One Blessed Be He is eternal, so too are Yisrael eternal, for they are His throne of glory (יִרְצֶה: כְּמוֹ שֶׁהקב״ה הוּא נִצְחִי כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵם נִצְחִיִּים, שֶׁהֵם כִּסֵּא כְבוֹדוֹ). And our Sages of blessed memory said on the verse “For you are Gerim and sojourners with Me” (וְרַזַ״ל אָמְרוּ בַּפָּסוּק ״כִּי גֵרִים וְתוֹשָׁבִים אַתֶּם עִמָּדִי) (Leviticus 25:23) “It is enough for the servant to be like his Master” (דַּיּוֹ לָעֶבֶד שֶׁיֶּהְיֶה כְּרַבּוֹ).

Their intention in this is that Yisrael are called Gerim by virtue of Avraham Avinu (שֶׁכַּוָּנָתָם בָּזֶה הִיא: כִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל נִקְרְאוּ גֵרִים עַל שֵׁם אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ), who was driven from his place and became a Ger [Convert] in order to dwell with the Holy One Blessed Be He (שֶׁנִּגְרַשׁ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ וְנַעֲשָׂה גֵּר כְּדֵי לָשֶׁבֶת עִם הקב״ה). And since we are his children, we too are all Gerim (וּמִצַּד שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ בָּנָיו כֻּלָּנוּ גַּם כֵּן גֵרִים), but we are residents-together with the Holy One Blessed Be He (אֲבָל אֲנַחְנוּ תּוֹשָׁבִים עִם הקב״ה). And the reward that Hashem, may He be blessed, has given us for this (וְהַשָּׂכָר שֶׁנָּתַן לָנוּ ה׳ יִתְבָּרַךְ עַל זֶה) is not like the reward given by others-namely, the sun and the moon and the constellations (אֵינוֹ כְּמוֹ הַשָּׂכָר שֶׁנוֹתְנִין הָאֲחֵרִים שֶׁהֵם הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהַיָּרֵחַ וְהַמַּזָּלוֹת), which the nations worship (שֶׁהָאוּמוֹת עוֹבְדִים לָהֶם), for they are in the hand of the Holy One Blessed Be He to act upon them according to His will (שֶׁהֵם בְּיָדוֹ שֶׁל הקב״ה לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּהֶם כִּרְצוֹנוֹ), and they are all destined to be undone (וְעֲתִידִים כֻּלָּם לִהְיוֹת נִפְסָדִים), as the verse says: “Of old You founded the earth…” etc., “they shall perish but You shall endure…” etc (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״לְפָנִים הָאָרֶץ יָסַדְתָּ״ וְגוֹ׳, ״הֵמָּה (יֹאבֵדוּ וְאַתָּה תַעֲמוֹד״ וְגוֹ׳ (Psalms 102:26–27). And do not think that the intention is that the heavens themselves will perish (וְאַל תַּחְשֹׁב שֶׁהַכַּוָּנָה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם נִפְסָדִים), but rather the ministers-those are the princes of the nations who are upon the heavens (אֶלָּא הַשָּׂרִים שֶׁהֵם שָׂרֵי הָאוּמוֹת שֶׁהֵם עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם), and from them comes loss and damage to Yisrael (שֶׁמִּצַּדָּם בָּא הַהֶפְסֵד וְהַנֶּזֶק לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). And the Holy One Blessed Be He will change their task and their service according to His will (וְיַשְׁנֶה הקב״ה תַּפְקִידָם וְשֵׁרוּתָם כִּרְצוֹנוֹ), that they shall be for the good of Yisrael (שֶׁיְּהיוּ לְטוֹב לְיִשְׂרָאֵל).

If so, the intention is that the Holy One Blessed Be He will make a renewal in the heavens (אִם כֵּן, הַכַּוָּנָה הִיא שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה הקב״ה חִדּוּשׁ בַּשָּׁמַיִם), not that they will be destroyed (לֹא שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נִפְסָדִים), as it is written: “For as the new heavens and the new earth…” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר הַשָּׁמַיִם הַחֲדָשִׁים וְהָאָרֶץ הַחֲדָשָׁה) (Isaiah 66:22). And behold, in this verse it says that also in the earth there will be renewal (וְהִנֵּה בַּזֶּה הַפָּסוּק אוֹמֵר שֶׁבָּאָרֶץ גַּם כֵּן יִהְיֶה חִדּוּשׁ). And so that you may understand all that we have said (וּכְדֵי שֶׁתָּבִין כׇּל מַה שֶּׁאָמַרְנוּ), I will explain to you what is meant by heavens and earth (אֲפָרֵשׁ לְךָ מַהוּ ״שָׁמַיִם״ וְ״אָרֶץ).

Know that the heavens and the earth are all one matter (דַּע שֶׁשָּׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ הַכֹּל דָּבָר אֶחָד). And it is written: “In the beginning, Elohim created…” etc (וְכָתוּב: ״בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים״ וְגוֹ׳), and afterward it says: “And the earth was formless and void” (וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָמַר: ״וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ) (Bereshit 1:2). And behold, it is necessary to consider why He did not mention the heavens as well (וְהִנֵּה יֵשׁ לִרְאוֹת לָמָּה לֹא הִזְכִּיר גַּם כֵּן הַשָּׁמַיִם).

But the reason is that the heavens are called Shamayim [heavens] on account of the hashpa‘ah [influence] that they bestow below (אֲבָל הַטַּעַם הוּא שֶׁהַשָּׁמַיִם נִקְרָאִים שָׁמַיִם עַל שֵׁם הַהַשְׁפָּעָה שֶׁהֵם מַשְׁפִּיעִים לְמַטָּה), from the term simah [placing] (מִלְּשׁוֹן שִׂימָה). For it is known that there is nothing below that does not have a Sar [celestial minister] above (שֶׁיָּדוּעַ הוּא, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ דָבָר לְמַטָּה שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לוֹ שַׂר לְמַעְלָה).

If so, since the earth was tohu va-vohu [formless and void], and there was nothing upon which the heavens could bestow influence (אִם כֵּן, בְּהִיוֹת שֶׁהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְלֹא הָיָה בָּהּ שׁוּם דָּבָר שֶׁיָּשְׁפִּיעוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם עָלָיו), therefore there were no Shamayim [heavens] (אִם כֵּן לֹא הָיוּ שָׁמַיִם)—that is, they could not yet be called Shamayim [heavens] (יִרְצֶה: שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה יָכוֹל לִקְרוֹא לָהֶם שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם). Therefore it says: “And the earth was tohu va-vohu [formless and void],” and did not mention the heavens (וְלָכֵן אָמַר ״וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ״ וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר שָׁמַיִם).