25a (כ״ה:א׳)

But Yisrael are not under the constellation, but they are given to the rod of discipline (אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינָם תַּחַת הַמַּזָּל, אֶלָּא שֶׁהֵם לְשֵׁבֶט מוּסָר לָהֶם), when they act in such a way that His influence and blessing are withdrawn from them (כְּשֶׁעוֹשִׂים שֶׁתִּסְתַּלֵּק הַשְּׁפָעָתוֹ וּבִרְכָתוֹ מֵהֶם), and they do not engage and exert themselves to attain it through observing His ways, as the Avot did (וְאֵינָם עוֹסְקִים וּמִשְׁתַּדְּלִים לְהַשִּׂיגָהּ בְּשִׁמּוּר דְּרָכָיו כְּמוֹ שֶׁעָשׂוּ הָאֲבוֹת). And for this you will find that after it says: “He shall receive blessing from Hashem” (וּלְזֶה תִּמְצָא שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁאָמַר ״יִשָּׂא בְרָכָה מֵאֵת ה׳״) (Psalms 24), it says: “This is the generation of those who seek Him” (אָמַר ״זֶה דּוֹר דֹּרְשָׁיו״), meaning: who are they that will seek the blessing from Hashem? (יִרְצֶה - מִי הֵם אוֹתָם שֶׁיִּדְרְשׁוּ הַבְּרָכָה מֵאֵת ה׳) “They who seek Your face, Ya'akov” (״מְבַקְשֵׁי פָנֶיךָ יַעֲקֹב״) (Psalms 24), meaning: they walk in the ways of Hashem and set their intention and face toward His service (יִרְצֶה - שֶׁיֵּלְכוּ בִּדְרָכֵי ה׳ וִיהְיֶה מִגְמַתָּם וּפְנֵיהֶם לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ), like Ya'akov (כְּיַעֲקֹב), and they will act so that the shefa returns to Kenesset Yisrael (וְיַעֲשׂוּ בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁתָּחֲזֹר הַשְּׁפָעָה עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל).

And this is what it says: “Lift up your heads, O gates” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ״שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם״) (Psalms 24) for there is the place of Kenesset Yisrael, which is the gateway (שֶׁשָּׁם כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל הִיא הַפֶּתַח), “and be lifted up, O everlasting doors” (״וְהִנָּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵי עוֹלָם״), meaning: when the gates of the world, which are now lowly due to our sins, are lifted (יִרְצֶה - כְּשֶׁיִּנָּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵי עוֹלָם שֶׁהֵם עַתָּה שְׁפָלִים בַּעֲו‍ֹנוֹתֵינוּ), and when we act to raise them through our deeds (וּכְשֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ נַעֲשֶׂה בְּמַעֲשֵׂינוּ שֶׁיִּנָּשְׂאוּ), then: “the King of Glory shall come in” (אָז ״יָבוֹא מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד״) (Psalms 24).

All this I have brought to explain how Hashem, may He be blessed, blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning (כָּל זֶה הֵבֵאתִי לְבָאֵר אֵיךְ ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ בֵּרֵךְ אַחֲרִית אִיּוֹב מֵרֵאשִׁיתוֹ), for Job alludes to Yisrael, as we have said (שֶׁאִיּוֹב רוֹמֵז לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ).

And now we return to the verses of Job (וְעַתָּה נָשׁוּב לִפְסוּקֵי אִיּוֹב). It says (אָמַר): “And there were born to him seven sons” (״וַיְהִי לוֹ שִׁבְעָנָה בָנִים״) (Job 42:13). It should have said (הָיָה לוֹמַר): “Seven sons” (״שִׁבְעָה בָּנִים״), but it said shiv‘anah [seven] (אֶלָּא שֶׁאָמַר ״שִׁבְעָנָה״), to allude to the seven sefirot of which we have spoken (לְרַמֵּז עַל הַשֶּׁבַע סְפִירוֹת שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ). And therefore, it said shiv‘anah [seven], in the feminine form (וּלְזֶה אָמַר ״שִׁבְעָנָה״ לְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה), “and three daughters” (״וּשְׁלוֹשׁ בָּנוֹת״), which are the three upper sefirot that complete Yisrael (שֶׁהֵן הַשָּׁלוֹשׁ סְפִירוֹת הָעֶלְיוֹנוֹת הַמַּשְׁלִימוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל).

And even though some of their names are grammatically masculine or feminine (וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶן שֵׁמוֹת לְשׁוֹן זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה), nevertheless when they are mentioned together, they are referred to in feminine form: sefirot (עִם כָּל זֹאת - כְּשֶׁהֵן נִזְכָּרוֹת יַחַד נִזְכָּרוֹת בְּלְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה: סְפִירוֹת). And to these three upper ones, which are alluded to in the three daughters he mentioned (וּלְאֵלּוּ הַשָּׁלוֹשׁ עֶלְיוֹנוֹת שֶׁהֵן רְמוּזוֹת בִּשְׁלוֹשׁ בָּנוֹת שֶׁהִזְכִּיר), he gave them names (קָרָא לָהֶן שֵׁמוֹת). To one he called “Yemimah [dayward],” which is from the root of “day” (וּלְאַחַת קָרָא ״יְמִימָה״, שֶׁהוּא מִלְּשׁוֹן יוֹם), as it is written: “from days to days” (דִּכְתִיב ״מִיָּמִים יָמִימָה״) (Exodus 13), and she is Keter Elyon, in which is His oneness, may He be blessed (וְהִיא כֶּתֶר עֶלְיוֹן, וּבָהּ אַחְדוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ).

Yemimah [dayward], in Mispar katan [reduced numerical value], equals Yod–Heh (יְמִימָה בְּמִסְפָּר קָטָן עוֹלָה י״ה), “For with Yod–Heh, Hashem formed the worlds” (״כִּי בְּיָהּ ה׳ צוּר עוֹלָמִים״) (Isaiah 26).

The second, “Ketziah,” is Chokhmah [Wisdom] (וְהַשֵּׁנִית ״קְצִיעָה״, שֶׁהִיא חָכְמָה), and ketziah [cassia] is an expression for spices (וְקְצִיעָה הוּא מִלְּשׁוֹן בְּשָׂמִים), as Scripture says: “Ketzios [cassias] are all Your garments” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״קְצִיעוֹת כָּל בִּגְדֹתָיִךְ״) (Psalms 45), hinting that she has a connection with the supernal sefirah and bears fragrance from it (לְרַמֵּז שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ הִתְיַחֲסוּת עִם הַסְּפִירָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה, וְיֵשׁ בָּהּ רֵיחַ מִמֶּנָּה).

The third, “Keren haPukh [horn of antimony],” alludes to Binah (וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁית ״קֶרֶן הַפּוּךְ״, הִיא רוֹמֶזֶת לִבִּינָה), and it is called Keren haPukh [horn of antimony] to hint that when the shefa [divine influx] reaches this sefirah, it is reversed (וְנִקְרֵאת ״קֶרֶן הַפּוּךְ״ לְרַמֵּז שֶׁכְּשֶׁמַּגִּיעַ לְסְפִירָה זוֹ הַשֶּׁפַע - מִתְהַפֵּךְ). This good within her is reversed upon Yisrael when the Nunin [letter nuns] are straight, whereas now they are inverted from above to below (מִזֶּה הַטּוֹב שֶׁבָּהּ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּשֶׁתִּהְיֶינָה הַנ״נִים יְשָׁרוֹת, שֶׁהֵן עַתָּה הֲפוּכוֹת מִלְּמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה). Afterwards it says: “And there were no women found as beautiful…” and so forth (וְאָמַר אַחַר כָּךְ ״וְלֹא נִמְצְאוּ נָשִׁים יָפוֹת״ וְגוֹ׳), hinting that among all the sefirot [emanations], none has connection with these three (לְרַמֵּז שֶׁבְּכָל הַסְּפִירוֹת אֵין בָּהֶן הִתְיַחֲסוּת עִם אֵלּוּ).

And nonetheless, Hashem integrates the shefa of all to flow upon Yisrael (וְעִם כָּל זֹאת - הקב״ה מְעָרֵב שֶׁפַע כֻּלָּם שֶׁיְּשַׁפְּעוּ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל), and this is what it means: “And their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ״וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶן אֲבִיהֶם נַחֲלָה בְּתוֹךְ אֲחֵיהֶם״) (Job 42). In such a way that the upper one, which is Ehyeh, will turn and mingle its shefa with Malkhut (בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁהָעֶלְיוֹנָה שֶׁהִיא אֶהְיֶה - תִּתְהַפֵּךְ וְתִּתְעָרֵב הַשֶּׁפַע עִם סְפִירַת מַלְכוּת), which is Kenesset Yisrael, and the Name in her is Adonai (שֶׁהִיא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהַשֵּׁם שֶׁבָּהּ אֲדֹנָי), and this Name in mispar katan is eleven (וְזֶה הַשֵּׁם בְּמִסְפָּר קָטָן - י״א), and Ehyeh is twelve (וְאֶהְיֶה - י״ב), together twenty-three (וְהֵם בֵּין הַכֹּל - כ״ג), like the number of words in Birkat Kohanim until “And I will bless them” (כְּמִסְפַּר תֵּבוֹת שֶׁבִּבִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים עַד ״וַאֲנִי אֲבָרֲכֵם״) (Numbers 6). And this is what it hints in saying: “And he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand she-asses” (וְזֶה רוֹמֵז לָנוּ בְּאָמְרוֹ ״וַיְהִי לוֹ אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר אֶלֶף צֹאן, וְשֵׁשֶׁת אֲלָפִים גְּמַלִּים, וְאֶלֶף צֶמֶד בָּקָר, וְאֶלֶף אֲתֹנוֹת״) (Job 42), which total twenty-three thousand (שֶׁבֵּין הַכֹּל כ״ג אֲלָפִים). The twenty-three alludes to the blessing (הָעֶשְׂרִים וְשָׁלוֹשׁ לְרַמֵּז עַל הַבְּרָכָה), and the thousands allude to Alfei Yisrael [the thousands of Israel], to whom He will give this blessing when the Nunin [letter nuns] are reversed (וְהָאֲלָפִים לְרַמֵּז עַל אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁלָּהֶם יִתֵּן זֹאת הַבְּרָכָה כְּשֶׁיֵּהָפְכוּ הַנ״נִים).

And concerning this David said: “How great is Your goodness, which You have hidden for those who fear You” (וְעַל זֶה אָמַר דָּוִד ״מַה רַב טוּבְךָ אֲשֶׁר צָפַנְתָּ לְיִרְאֶיךָ״) (Psalms 31): this blessing, hidden in His treasuries, may He be blessed, for Yisrael, is abundant and great (שֶׁזוֹ הַבְּרָכָה שֶׁהִיא צְפוּנָה בְּאוֹצְרוֹתָיו יִתְבָּרֵךְ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל - הִיא רַבָּה וּגְדוֹלָה). And this is on account of those who fear Him, who are the Avot [Patriarchs] (וְזֶה בַּעֲבוּר יִרְאָיו, שֶׁהֵם הָאֲבוֹת).

And to hint to this, the nun of “Notzer chesed” [preserves kindness] is written enlarged (וּלְרַמֵּז זֶה - נִכְתְּבָה הַנ״ן שֶׁל ״נֹצֵר חֶסֶד״ רַבָּתִי), hinting that the goodness hidden for Yisrael, when the Nunin [letter nuns] are reversed, is abundant (לְרַמֵּז שֶׁהַטּוֹב הַצָּפוּן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְכְשֶׁיֵּהָפְכוּ הַנ״נִים - הוּא רַב).

And what it says, “Notzer chesed la’alafim” [preserving kindness for thousands] (וּמַה שֶּׁאָמַר ״נֹצֵר חֶסֶד לָאֲלָפִים״) (Exodus 34), means that the kindness of the great Abraham, alluded to by the enlarged nun, is hidden for Alfei Yisrael [the thousands of Israel] (יִרְצֶה - שֶׁחַסְדּוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם הָרַב הַנִּרְמָז בַּנ״ן הַגְּדוֹלָה - הוּא צָפוּן לְאַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), when Hashem will return “the myriads of the thousands of Yisrael” (כְּשֶׁיָּשִׁיב ה׳ רְבָבוֹת אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Numbers 10). And now we shall explain the reason why it says four times, “sevenfold for your sins” (וְעַתָּה נְפָרֵשׁ הַטַּעַם לָמָּה אָמַר ד׳ פְּעָמִים ״שֶׁבַע עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם״).

Know that corresponding to the four directions of the Merkavah, where the throne of glory is (דַּע, שֶׁכְּנֶגֶד אַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת הַמֶּרְכָּבָה שֶׁשָׁם כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד), there are four other directions (יֵשׁ ד׳ רוּחוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת), to allude to the countenance of Hashem (לְרַמֵּז עַל פָּנָיו שֶׁל הקב״ה): for when we say “May Hashem shine His face upon you” (שֶׁכְּשֶׁאָנוּ אוֹמְרִים ״יָאֵר ה׳ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ״) (Numbers 6), the intention is that He shine upon us with the countenance through which He bestows and has mercy upon His creatures (הַכַּוָּנָה - שֶׁיָּאִיר לָנוּ עִם הַפָּנִים שֶׁהוּא מֵיטִיב וּמְרַחֵם בָּהֶם לִבְרִיּוֹתָיו), and these are the right side of the throne (שֶׁהֵם יָמִין הַכִּסֵּא). And when we say “May Hashem lift up His face upon you” (וּכְשֶׁאָנוּ אוֹמְרִים ״יִשָּׂא ה׳ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ״) (Numbers 6), the intention is that He remove from us the face of wrath (הַכַּוָּנָה - שֶׁיְּסַלֵּק מֵעָלֵינוּ פָּנִים שֶׁל זַעַם), which is the left side of the throne, from which anger extends (שֶׁהֵם שְׂמֹאל הַכִּסֵּא, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם הָאַף נִמְשָׁךְ).