9b (ט׳:ב׳)

And after he sinned and became occupied with the visible, with bodily pleasures and their desires (וְאַחַר שֶׁחָטָא וְנִתְעַסֵּק בַּמְּפֻרְסָמוֹת, בִּתְּעַנּוּגֵי הַגּוּף וְתַּאֲוֹתָיו), the Divine comprehension was withheld and removed from him (נֶעְדְּרָה וְנִטְּלָה מִמֶּנּוּ הַהַשָּׂגָה הָאֱלוֹהִית).

And now He commanded us to make keruvim to allude to the disgrace of man (וְצִוָּנוּ עַתָּה לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּרוּבִים לְרַמֵּז גְּנוּתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם), to say: Know and see how much good was taken from you because of Adam’s sin (לוֹמַר: דְּעוּ וּרְאוּ כַּמָּה טוֹבָה נִטְּלָה מִכֶּם בַּעֲבוּר חֶטְאוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם), and you do not comprehend except bodily matters (וְאֵין אַתֶּם מַשִּׂיגִים כִּי אִם דְּבָרִים גּוּפָנִיִּים).

Therefore, He commanded them to make the form of a male and a female (לָכֵן צִוָּה לַעֲשׂוֹת צוּרָה זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה). And He said concerning the keruvim [cherubim], “And their faces were each toward the other” (וּפְנֵיהֶם אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו) (Exodus 25:20), to allude to Gavriel, the influencer, and to Ya‘akov Avinu [our father Jacob], the recipient (לְרַמֵּז לְגַבְרִיאֵל הַמַּשְׁפִּיעַ וּלְיַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ הַמּוּשְׁפָע).

And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַז״ל): when Yisrael were worthy, the keruvim were joined one to the other (וּבִזְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל זַכָּאִין הָיוּ הַכְּרוּבִים דְּבוּקִים זֶה בָּזֶה), to indicate that influence and prophecy reached the prophets from Gavriel without interruption or delay (לְרַמֵּז שֶׁהַהַשְׁפָּעָה וְהַנְּבוּאָה מַגִּיעָה לַנְּבִיאִים מִגַּבְרִיאֵל בְּלִי הַפְסֵק וְעִכּוּב). But when they were not worthy, the sins of Yisrael prevented the influence and prophecy from being imparted to the prophets (וּכְשֶׁאֵינָם זַכָּאִין הָיוּ מוֹנְעִים עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִלְהַשְׁפִּיעַ הַשְׁפָּעָה וְהַנְּבוּאָה עַל הַנְּבִיאִים). This is what the verse says (זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב): “Your iniquities have separated between you and your God …” (עֲוֹנוֹתֵיכֶם הָיוּ מַבְדִּילִים בֵּינְכֶם וּבֵין אֱלֹקֵיכֶם וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 59:2).

And since Gavriel imparts prophecy, by His blessed utterance, upon the seed of Yisrael (וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁגַּבְרִיאֵל מַשְׁפִּיעַ הַנְּבוּאָה בִּמְאֹמָרוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ עַל זַרְעוֹ שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל), and he is the angel appointed over the moon (וְהוּא מַלְאָךְ מְמֻנֶּה עַל הַלְּבָנָה), therefore they said that the form of Ya‘akov is engraved in the moon (לָכֵן אָמְרוּ שֶׁצוּרַת יַעֲקֹב חֲקוּקָה בַּלְּבָנָה). And it says, “And their faces were each toward the other” (וּפְנֵיהֶם אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו), because both of them are called “ish” [man] (לְפִי שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם נִקְרָאִים אִישׁ), as it is written, “And Ya‘akov was a wholesome man” (וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ תָּם) (Bereshit 25:27), and it is written, “And the man Gavriel …” (וְהָאִישׁ גַּבְרִיאֵל) (Daniel 9:21). Thus, both share one name and are like brothers (הֲרֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם מְשֻׁתָּפִים בְּשֵׁם אֶחָד וְהֵם כְּמוֹ אַחִים). Moreover, Gavriel is called “ish” [man] because he imparts to the prophets (וְעוֹד נִקְרָא גַּבְרִיאֵל אִישׁ לְפִי שֶׁהוּא מַשְׁפִּיעַ לַנְּבִיאִים).

Behold, I have explained to you the secret of the making of the keruvim [cherubim] (הִנֵּה פֵרַשְׁתִּי לְךָ סוֹד מַעֲשֵׂה הַכְּרוּבִים). And it is written, “And He placed at the east of the Garden of Eden the keruvim” (וַיַּשְׁכֵּן מִקֶּדֶם לְגַן־עֵדֶן אֶת־הַכְּרוּבִים) (Bereshit 3:24), to teach us that now it is impossible, by the power of any man, to attain what Adam HaRishon attained before he sinned (לְלַמֵּדֵנוּ שֶׁעַתָּה אִי אֶפְשָׁר בְּכֹחַ שׁוּם אָדָם לְהַשִּׂיג מַה שֶׁהָיָה מַשִּׂיג אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן קֹדֶם שֶׁחָטָא). For even Moshe Rabbeinu did not have the power to attain all the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He (שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ לֹא עָצַר כֹּחַ לְהַשִּׂיג כָּל הַכָּבוֹד שֶׁל הקב״ה), as it is said, “Show me, please, Your glory” (הַרְאֵנִי נָא אֶת כְּבוֹדֶךָ) (Exodus 33:18).

And the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded that an Ark be made, whose height was nine handbreadths, with one handbreadth for the covering (וְצִוָּה הקב״ה לַעֲשׂוֹת אֲרוֹן אֲשֶׁר בְּקוֹמָתוֹ ט׳ טְפָחִים וְטֶפַח בַּכַּפֹּרֶת)—behold, ten measures (הֲרֵי י׳ מִדּוֹת). And when they amount to the number ten, it was possible for the Shekhinah to dwell there (וּכְשֶׁעוֹלִים לְמִנְיָן י׳ הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁתִּשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָה שָׁם), as our Sages, of blessed memory, said (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה): “The Shekhinah never descended below ten handbreadths” (מֵעוֹלָם לֹא יָרְדָה שְׁכִינָה לְמַטָּה מֵעֲשָׂרָה). And even with all this, He commanded that they make cherubim upon the covering and that their wings should be spread above (וְעִם כָּל זֶה צִוָּה שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ כְּרוּבִים עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת וִיהְיוּ פּוֹרְשֵׂי כְנָפַיִם לְמַעְלָה).

From this you will know that the cherubim were made upon the covering and upon the Ark in order to conceal and obscure from the prophets the glory of the Holy One Blessed Be He (מִזֶּה תֵּדַע שֶׁנֶּעֱשׂוּ כְּרוּבִים עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת וְעַל הָאָרוֹן כְּדֵי לְהַעֲלִים וּלְהַסְתִּיר מִן הַנְּבִיאִים כְּבוֹדוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ). And even though the level of Moshe Rabbeinu in prophecy is above all the prophets (וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמַּדְרֵגַת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ בַּנְּבוּאָה מְעוּלָה עַל כָּל הַנְּבִיאִים), for their prophecy was through the angel Gavriel and through his mediation they received the influence (שֶׁנְּבוּאָתָם עַל יְדֵי מַלְאַךְ גַּבְרִיאֵל וּבְאֶמְצָעוּתוֹ הֵם מְקַבְּלִים הַשֶּׁפַע), and Moshe Rabbeinu would receive from the Holy One Blessed Be He without intermediary (וּמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ הָיָה מְקַבֵּל מֵהקב״ה בְּלֹא אֶמְצָעִי), nevertheless that glory was hidden from him (עַל כָּל פָּנִים הָיָה אוֹתוֹ הַכָּבוֹד נֶעְלָם מִמֶּנּוּ).

For behold, it is written, “from between the two keruvim [cherubim]” (Exodus 25:22) (שֶׁהֲרֵי כָתוּב "מִבֵּין שְׁנֵי הַכְּרוּבִים), meaning that they separated and concealed that glory from him (פֵּרוּשׁ: שֶׁהָיוּ מַבְדִּילִים וּמַסְתִּירִים אוֹתוֹ כָבוֹד מִמֶּנּוּ).

And what the verse said, “Hashem spoke to Moshe face to face, as a man speaks to his fellow” (Exodus 33:11) (וּמַה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב "וְדִבֶּר ה׳ אֶל מֹשֶׁה פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים כַּאֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ), thus is its explanation: that the prophecy reached Moshe Rabbeinu from Hashem, Blessed Be He, without intermediary (כֵּן פֵּרוּשׁוֹ: שֶׁהַנְּבוּאָה הָיְתָה מַגַּעַת לְמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ מֵה׳ יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּלֹא אֶמְצָעִי), just as it reaches from Gavriel to our father Yisrael (כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִיא מַגַּעַת מִגַּבְרִיאֵל לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אָבִינוּ), who is called “a man to his fellow” (שֶׁנִּקְרָא "אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ), for Ya'akov is called his brother, as it is said (שֶׁיַּעֲקֹב נִקְרָא אָחִיו שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “and their faces, a man toward his brother” (Exodus 25:20) (וּפְנֵיהֶם אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו), and he is called “brother and companion,” as it is written (וְנִקְרָא אָח וְרֵעַ כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב): “For the sake of my brothers and companions” (Psalm 122:8) (לְמַעַן אַחַי וְרֵעָי). Yet with all this, the cherubim were there as a veil separating between that glory and Moshe Rabbeinu,peace be upon him (עִם כָּל זֶה, הָיוּ שָׁם הַכְּרוּבִים לְמָסָךְ מַבְדִּיל בֵּין אוֹתוֹ הַכָּבוֹד למְרַעֶ״ה).

And you already know that Yisrael merited the level of prophecy at the Revelation at Mount Sinai (וְכְבָר יָדַעְתָּ שֶׁזָּכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַעֲלַת הַנְּבוּאָה בְּמַעֲמַד הַר סִינַי), and when they sinned with the [Golden] Calf, that level was taken from them (וּכְשֶׁחָטְאוּ בָּעֵגֶל נִטְּלָה מֵהֶם אוֹתָהּ מַעֲלָה). And Moshe Rabbeinu also descended somewhat from his level (וּמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ גַּם כֵּן יָרַד מִמַּדְרֵגָתוֹ דָּבָר מָה), as our Sages said on the verse “Go down, for your people have corrupted themselves…” (Exodus 32:7) (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַז״ל בַּפָּסוּק: ״רֵד כִּי שִׁחֵת״ וגו׳): he descended from his level (יָרַד מִמַּדְרֵגָתוֹ).

And when Yisrael knew that Moshe had descended in some way (וּכְשֶׁיָּדְעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי יָרַד מֹשֶׁה אֵי זֶה דָּבָר), it arose in their thought that the level of prophecy bestowed to him directly from the Holy One Blessed Be He without intermediary had been taken from him (עָלָה בְּמַחְשַׁבְתָּם שֶׁנִּטְּלָה מִמֶּנּוּ מַדְרֵגַת הַנְּבוּאָה הַמֻּשְׁפַּעַת לוֹ מֵאִתּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּלֹא אֶמְצָעִי), and they equated him with the rest of the prophets who receive from Gavriel like themselves (וְהִשְׁווּ אוֹתוֹ לִשְׁאָר הַנְּבִיאִים שֶׁמְּקַבְּלִים מִגַּבְרִיאֵל כְּמוֹהֶם). This is what our Sages said on the verse “And they were jealous of Moshe in the camp” (זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַז״ל בַּפָּסוּק: ״וַיְקַנְאוּ לְמֹשֶׁה בַּמַּחֲנֶה״): “This teaches that they suspected him regarding a married woman” (מְלַמֵּד שֶׁחֲשָׁדוּהוּ בְּאֵשֶׁת אִישׁ).

For according to the simple meaning it appears inconceivable to anyone of understanding (שֶׁלְּפִי הַפְּשָׁט נִרְאֶה דָבָר נִמְנָע בְּעֵינֵי כָּל בַּעַל שֵׂכֶל), that such a holy man of God, whose brothers would disgrace his actions because he separated from his wife (שֶׁלְאִישׁ הָאֱלֹקִים קָדוֹשׁ שֶׁאַחָיו מְגַנִּים מַעֲשָׂיו בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ מֵאִשְׁתּוֹ)-how could it enter their minds to suspect him of this? (אֵיךְ יַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתָּם שֶׁיַּחְשְׁדוּהוּ בָּזֶה) Rather, they suspected that his level of prophecy was from the man Gavriel (אֶלָּא שֶׁחֲשָׁדוּהוּ שֶׁהָיְתָה מַדְרֵגַת נְבוּאָתוֹ מֵהָאִישׁ גַּבְרִיאֵל), as we have explained (כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ).