Daf 35a (דַּף ל״ה ע״א)

Rabbi Shimon said: Come and see, it is not called “kingdom of priests,” but “kingdom,” for the priests rule over her and serve her with mastery over all (רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, תָּא חֲזֵי, מַלְכוּת כֹּהֲנִים לָא אִקְרֵי, אֶלָּא מַמְלֶכֶת, דְּאַמְלְכוּ לָהּ כַּהֲנֵי, וְעַבְדוּ לָהּ [גבירתא] גְּבוּרְתָּא עַל כֹּלָּא). But it is not called “kingdom of priests,” for from heaven it is called “kingdom,” truly the kingdom of heaven (אֲבָל מַלְכוּת כֹּהֲנִים לָא אִקְרֵי, דְּהָא מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם אִקְרֵי מַלְכוּת, מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם וַדַּאי). And here it is “kingdom,” as you say, that the priests rule over her and join her with the King, and then she is the kingdom over all the treasuries of the King (וְהָכָא מַמְלֶכֶת, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר דְּכַהֲנֵי אַמְלְכוּ לָהּ, וּמְחַבְּרָאן לָהּ בְּמַלְכָּא, וּכְדֵין הִיא מַמְלֶכֶת, עַל כָּל גִּנְזֵי מַלְכָּא). A kingdom over all the weapons of the King (מַמְלֶכֶת עַל כָּל זַיְנֵי מַלְכָּא). A kingdom over the supernal and the lower (מַמְלֶכֶת בְּעִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי). A kingdom over the whole world (מַמְלֶכֶת עַל כָּל עָלְמָא).

Rabbi Yosi said: It is written (Amos 9): “And His bundle upon the earth He founded it” (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, כְּתִיב וַאֲגֻדָּתוֹ עַל אֶרֶץ יְסָדָהּ). “And His bundle”: when the King joins with her, with all those supernal crowns, in one companionship, then it is written: “And His bundle” (וַאֲגֻדָּתוֹ: כַּד אִזְדְּוַוג מַלְכָּא לָקֳבְלָהּ, בְּכָל אִינּוּן עִטְרִין קַדִישִׁין, בִּכְנוּפְיָא חַד, כְּדֵין וַאֲגֻדָּתוֹ כְּתִיב).

Rabbi Yitzchak said: “And His bundle”—as you say (Exodus 12): “And you shall take a bundle of hyssop” (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר, וַאֲגֻדָּתוֹ: כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, וּלְקַחְתֶּם אֲגֻדַּת אֵזוֹב). What does this mean? That when they are joined together, and blessing is from them, then dominion rules over all, and light shines above and below (מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי. דְּכַד מִתְחַבְּרָאן כַּחֲדָא, וְאִתְבָּרְכָא מִנַּיְיהוּ, כְּדֵין שַׁלְטָא עַל כֹּלָּא, וְנַהֲרָא לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). And all this at the time when the priest serves the service, and offers the sacrifice, and burns the incense, and directs the words to bring all near together (וְכֹלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּכַהֲנָא פָּלַח פּוּלְחָנָא, וְאַקְרִיב קָרְבְּנָא, וְאַקְטַר קְטֹרֶת, וּמְכַוִּון מִלִּין לְקָרְבָא כֹּלָּא כַּחֲדָא). Then it is written: “And His bundle upon the earth He founded it” (כְּדֵין כְּתִיב, וַאֲגֻדָּתוֹ עַל אֶרֶץ יְסָדָהּ).

Rabbi Yosi said: When Aharon took, all took with him, until Knesset Yisrael was blessed, and the supernal and the lower were blessed (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, כַּד נָטַל אַהֲרֹן כֹּלָּא נַטְלִין עִמֵּיהּ, עַד דְּאִתְבָּרְכָא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִתְבָּרְכָאן עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי). Then it is written (Psalms 135): “Blessed is Hashem from Tziyon, Who dwells in Yerushalayim, HalleluYah” (כְּדֵין כְּתִיב, בָּרוּךְ יְיָ׳ מִצִיּוֹן שׁוֹכֵן יְרוּשָׁלַם הַלְלוּיָהּ). And (Psalms 72): “And blessed be His glorious Name forever, and may His glory fill all the earth, amen and amen” (וּבָרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹדוֹ לְעוֹלָם וְיִמָּלֵא כְבוֹדוֹ אֶת כָּל הָאָרֶץ אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).

Rabbi El'azar was going from Cappadocia to Lod, and with him were Rabbi Yisa and Rabbi Ḥizkiyah (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה אָזִיל מִקַּפּוֹטְקַיָּא לְלוּד, וַהֲווּ עִמֵּיהּ רִבִּי יֵיסָא וְרִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה). Rabbi El'azar opened and said (Isaiah 51): “And I have put My words in your mouth, and in the shadow of My hand I have covered you, and so forth” (פָּתַח רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר, וָאָשִׂים דְּבָרַי בְּפִיךָ וּבְצֵל יָדִי כִּסִּיתִיךָ וְגוֹ'). We have learned: every man who toils in the matters of Orayta, and his lips murmur Orayta, Kudsha Berikh Hu covers over him, and the Shekhinta spreads her wings over him (תָּנֵינָן, כָּל בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִשְׁתָּדַּל בְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְשִׂפְוָותֵיהּ מְרַחְשָׁן אוֹרַיְיתָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חַפְּיָא עָלֵיהּ, וּשְׁכִינְתָּא פַּרְשָׂא עָלֵיהּ גַּדְפָהָא). This is what is written: “And I have put My words in your mouth, and in the shadow of My hand I have covered you” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וָאָשִׂים דְּבָרַי בְּפִיךָ וּבְצֵל יָדִי כִּסִּיתִיךָ).

And not only this, but he sustains the world, and Kudsha Berikh Hu rejoices with him as though on that day He planted heavens and earth (וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּהוּא מְקַיֵּים עָלְמָא, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חַדֵּי עִמֵּיהּ, כְּאִלּוּ הַהוּא יוֹמָא נָטַע שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא). This is what is written (Isaiah 51): “To plant the heavens and to found the earth, and to say to Tziyon: you are My people” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב לִנְטוֹעַ שָׁמַיִם וְלִיסוֹד אָרֶץ וְלֵאמֹר לְצִיּוֹן עַמִּי אָתָּה). From here we learn that Yisrael are called by the name of Tziyon, as it is written: “And to say to Tziyon: you are My people” (מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא, דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִקְרוּן בִּשְׁמָא דְּצִיּוֹן, דִּכְתִּיב וְלֵאמֹר לְצִיּוֹן עַמִּי אַתָּה). And we see that Knesset Yisrael is called by the name of Tziyon, as it is written (Isaiah 1): “Tziyon shall be redeemed with justice, and her captives with righteousness” (וַחֲמֵינָא דִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִקְרֵי בִּשְׁמָא דְּצִיּוֹן, דִּכְתִיב צִיּוֹן בְּמִשְׁפָּט תִּפָּדֶה וְשָׁבֶיהָ בִּצְדָקָה).

Then he opened and said (Isaiah 8): “Bind up the testimony, seal the Torah among My disciples” (תּוּ פָּתַח וְאָמַר, צוֹר תְּעוּדָה חֲתוֹם תּוֹרָה בְּלִמּוּדָי). “Bind up the testimony”—this is the testimony of David, as it is written (Psalms 132): “And My testimonies I will teach them” (צוֹר תְּעוּדָה. דָּא סַהֲדוּתָא דְּדָוִד, דִּכְתִיב וְעֵדוֹתִי זוֹ אֲלַמְּדֵם). “Bind up”—this is binding, like one who ties a knot in one place (צוֹר: הִיא קִשּׁוּרָא, כְּמַאן דְּקָטַר קְטוּרָא בַּאֲתַר חַד). Seal the Torah in my studies (חֲתוֹם תּוֹרָה בְּלִמּוּדָי). “Seal the Torah” — the seal of the Orayta (חֲתוֹם תּוֹרָה: חַתִימָה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and all flow and abundance that flow from above are within its seal (וְכָל נְגִידוּ וּרְבוּ דְּנָגִיד מִלְּעֵילָּא, בְּאָן חֲתִימָה דִּילֵיהּ). In my studies (בְּלִמּוּדָי). Because there, abundance and oil are gathered (בְּגִין דְּתַמָּן אִתְכְּנַשׁ רְבוּ וּמִשְׁחָא), between two existences (בֵּין תְּרֵין קַיָימִין), which dwell there (דְּתַמָּן שַׁרְיָין), a place of gathering of all abundance and oil that flows from above (אֲתַר כְּנִישׁוּ דְּכָל רְבוּת וּמְשַׁח דְּנָגִיד מִלְּעֵילָּא), to pour it into the mouth of the people (לְאַשְׁדָּאָה לֵיהּ בְּפוּמָא דְּאַמָּה), and to cast it forth in this testimony (וּלְאַרְקָא לֵיהּ בְּהַאי תְּעוּדָה). And then all is bound in one faithful bond (וּכְדֵין אִתְקְשַׁר כֹּלָּא קִשְׁרָא חַד מְהֵימָנָא).

Come and see, what is the difference between those who toil in Orayta and the faithful prophets (תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה בֵּין אִינּוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, לִנְבִיאֵי מְהֵימְנֵי). Those who toil in Orayta are greater than the prophets in every time (אִינּוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, עֲדִיפֵי מִנְּבִיאֵי בְּכָל זִמְנָא). What is the reason? Because they stand in a higher level than the prophets (מַאי טַעֲמָא. דְּאִינּוּן קַיְימֵי בְּדַרְגָּא עִלָּאָה, יַתִּיר מִנְּבִיאֵי). Those who toil in Orayta stand above, in the place that is called Torah (some say Tiferet) which is the existence of all faith (אִינּוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא קַיְימֵי לְעֵילָּא, בְּאַתְרָא דְּאִקְרֵי תּוֹרָה, [נ״א תִּפְאֶרֶת] דְּהוּא קִיוּמָא דְּכָל מְהֵימְנוּתָא). And the prophets stand below, in the place called Netzach and Hod (וּנְבִיאֵי קַיְימֵי לְתַתָּא, בַּאֲתַר דְּאִקְרוּן נֶצַח וְהוֹד). And because of this, those who toil in Orayta are greater than the prophets, and are higher than them, for these stand above and those stand below (וְעַל דָּא, אִינּוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, עֲדִיפֵי מִנְּבִיאֵי, וְעִלָּאִין מִנְּהוֹן יַתִּיר. דְּאִלֵּין קַיְימִין לְעֵילָּא, וְאִלֵּין קַיְימִין לְתַתָּא). Those who speak words in the Holy Spirit stand below all of them (אִינּוּן דְּאַמְרֵי מִלִּין בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, קַיְימֵי לְתַתָּא מְכֻּלְּהוּ).

Happy are those who toil in Orayta, for they are in a higher level above all (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּאִינּוּן בְּדַרְגָּא עִלָּאָה יַתִּיר עַל כֹּלָּא). And therefore, one who labors in Orayta does not need offerings nor sacrifices, for Orayta is greater than all, and is the bond of all faith (מַאן דְּלָעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לָא לְקָרְבְּנִין, וְלָא לְעִלָּוָון. דְּהָא אוֹרַיְיתָא עָדִיף מִכֹּלָּא, וְקִשּׁוּרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא). And because of this it is written (Proverbs 3): “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב דְּרָכֶיהָּ דַּרְכֵי נֹעַם וְכָל נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם). And it is written (Psalms 119): “Great peace have those who love Your Torah, and there is no stumbling for them” (וּכְתִיב שָׁלוֹם רָב לְאוֹהֲבֵי תוֹרָתֶךָ וְאֵין לָמוֹ מִכְשׁוֹל).