Chapter 1 (PDF) - Stanford University Press

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the zohar [1:5b] said, `Ìf so, you have turned the Sabbath into something not holy except He the holiness that rests upon it from above!'' for Abba said, ``So it is: Call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of YHVH Rabbi (Isaiah 58:13). Sabbath and holy of YHVH are each mentioned sepa- honored rately.'' said, `Ìf so, who is holy of YHVH?'' He replied, ``Holiness that descends from above, resting upon it.'' He said, `Ìf holiness drawn down from above is called honored, then it He that the Sabbath is not honored. Yet it is written: And honor it (ibid.)!'' appears El'azarsaid to Rabbi Abba, ``Let this man be! Within him lies a new Rabbi we do not know.'' word said to him, ``Speak!'' They \ (Et) 217 SabbathsÐone is the higherSabbath; the other, the lowerSabbath, 220 both My as one, concealed as one. included 221 was left unmentioned and felt ashamed. She said before `ÀnotherSabbath `Master of the universe, since the day You created me, I have been called Him, there can be no day without night.' 222 He replied, `My daughter, SabbathÐand are SabbathÐI call you SabbathÐbut I am about to crown you with a you crown.' He issued a proclamation: My sanctuary you are to hold in awe. higher is the Sabbath of Sabbath eve, who is awe and in whom awe dwells. 223 This sense, but Naḥum of Gimzo and dependent disciple Rabbi Akiva taught that when et his in a biblical verse, it amplifies the appears meaning. original BT Pesaḥim 22b; Ḥagigah 12a±b; Zohar See 247a; 2:90a, 135b. 1:79b, ``to increase''Ðthat is, to include, (le-rabbot), orwiden the scope of meaning. amplify, 2000 cubits The traditional limitation 219. on how farone may walk beyond the limits on the Sabbath. See Mekhilta, city 6; cf. Zohar 2:207a. Here it refers Vayassa the range of holiness beyond the realm to the sefirot; according to KP, the feet of of the higher Sabbath . . . the lower 220. The higherSabbath is Binah, the Sabbath sefirah counting up from Yesod. The seventh is Yesod, the seventh sefirah lowerSabbath down from Binah. counting Another Sabbath Sabbath eve, sy- 221. Shekhinah. mbolizing there can be no day . . . The sefiro- 222. day of Yesod needs the night of Shekhinah. tic Bereshit Rabbah 11:8, where according to See Shim'on son of Yoḥai, the Sabbath Rabbi to God that she has no partner complains the days of the week, and she is told: among Assembly of Israel is your partner.'' ``The BT Ḥullin 60b. See who is awe... The ``Sabbath of 223. eve'' (Friday night) is Shekhinah, Sabbath conveys the attribute of Judgment, in- who awe and fear. The sefirah of Ḥokhmahspiring the fatherof Shekhinah, is also called opened, saying, `` B \ \G\C[ K (Et Shabbetotai), My Sabbaths. B He amplifies the meaning to include 218 the range of Sabbath, which is 2000 cubits every direction. 219 So the meaning is expanded: B \ \G\C[ K (Et Shabbetotai), in 32 B \ (Et) Grammatically, the accusa- 217. particle B \ (et) has no ascertainable intive 218. amplifies the meaning to include F (Le-asga'ah), ``To increase,'' a Zoha- BDSBN rendering of the rabbinic Hebrew N \GCZ ric the divine chariot.
is that? The one included by the blessed Holy One when He said Iam Who 224 YHVH. My Sabbaths are a circle with a square inscribed within. 225 GNMK And they [heaven and earth] were completed ...(Genesis 2:1±3); 226 (Vaykhullu), and in the qiddush that we recite there are thirty-five words, 228 to seventy names of the blessed Holy One, 229 with which Assembly amounting Israel is adorned. 230 Since this circle and square are My Sabbaths, they are of and is reflected in His daughter, who `àwe'' lower Ḥokhmah. is I am YHVH The full verse reads: 224. Sabbaths you are to observe, My sanctu- My you are to hold in awe, I am YHVH (Leviticuary 19:30). Through Shekhinah, God re- the full spectrum of divine personalitveals and is thus called I. In this phrase, I is with YHVH (Tif'eret). Shekhinah manifests joined in both sacred time (Sabbath) and space (sanctuary). sacred circle with a square inscribed 225. cf. Bahir 83 (114±16). Here the reference 76b; to the higher sefirot (beginning with Binah is culminating in Yesod) andShekhinah. and KP; Scholem. Cf. Zohar 2:127a, where See circle of the letter S (samekh) symbolizes the while the square of the letter O (final Binah, of the qiddush (``hallowing, sanctification''), lines the prayer recited over wine Friday which includes the blessing over prayer, and the blessing of hallowing the wine Sabbath. in the qiddush that we recite... 228. O (ki vanu vaḥarta ve-otanu qiddashta mi- KPTF ha-ammim), ``forYou have chosen us and kol us from among all nations.'' hallowed Scholem, 493 (unnumbered); Ta- See Ha-Nigleh she-ba-Nistar, 63, 138±39, Shma, 159. The Zohar's phrase ``that we recite'' n. a particular custom, which differs indicates the standard qiddush. from seventy names... See Bemidbar 229. 14:12; Naḥmanides, Kitvei Ramban, Rabbah cf. Zohar 2:207b. Forvarious lists of 1:135; names, see Alfa Beita de-Rabbi Aqiva these Midrashot, 2:350±51); Shir ha-Shirim (Battei 1:1; Midrash ha-Gadol, Genesis 46:8; Zuta Ba'al ha-Turim, Numbers 11:16. and Yisra'el). In rabbinic Hebrew this (Keneset denotes the people of Israel. The phrase on the Song of Songs describes the midrash affairbetween the maiden (the earthly love of Israel) and her lover (the community One, blessed be He). See Shir ha-Shir- Holy Rabbah on 2:1. In the Zohar, Keneset Yisra'eim can refer to the earthly community but (often primarily) to Shekhinah, the divine also feminine counterpart of the people, the of God most intimately connected aspect them. The lovers in the Song of Songs with pictured as the divine couple: Tif'eret and are Shekhinah. they are both included . . . Both aspects 231. of the Sabbath, the masculine Yesod Haqdamat Sefer ha-Zohar [1:5b] heard my father say so precisely: B \ (Et) includes the range of Sabbath. `Ì They are two, corresponding to which are two hallowings we should recite. One is G the other, GE [ (Qiddush), Hallowing. 227 Vaykhullu contains thirty-five words, Y altogether included in [ GP Z (Shamor), Observe (Deuteronomy 5:12), as is written: both G (Tishmoru), You are to observe (Leviticus 19:30), 231 whereas the higher ZGP[\ 33 within The phrase derives from BT Eruvin Assembly of Israel M \SR NBZ[K 230. mem) symbolizes Shekhinah. G NMK 226. G (Vaykhullu)... The opening evening to hallow the Sabbath. Y GE [ (Qiddush)... The rest of the 227. thirty-five words This total requires the omission of the following ten words from (ki hu yom), ``forit is the qiddush: M K BGF GK O and the feminine Shekhinah, are included in the day,'' and M K GRC \ZIC GR\GBG \[EY NMP
Page 1 and 2: and then there is a rose! Just as a
Page 3 and 4: Shim'on opened, ``The blossoms Rabb
Page 5 and 6: are little children, youngsters, as
Page 7 and 8: is End of Heaven above; What is End
Page 9 and 10: (Mah), What, 56 name throughout the
Page 11 and 12: His great might (Isaiah 40:26). 73
Page 13 and 14: so revealedÐso as not to provide t
Page 15 and 16: M (kaf) descended from the throne o
Page 17 and 18: et). Letters above and letters belo
Page 19 and 20: was not, did not exist. When did th
Page 21 and 22: ``You are not entitled to see him.'
Page 23 and 24: tremble and quake [4b] before Him.
Page 25 and 26: was granted to him. He emerged trem
Page 27 and 28: Torah. Of this is written: I have p
Page 29 and 30: Shim'on said to the Companions, `Ì
Page 31: in the third to be one without divi
Page 35 and 36: awe is the point standing in the ce
Page 37 and 38: Abba and Rabbi El'azar gazed at him
Page 39 and 40: and concealed. 266 In the trunk of
Page 41 and 42: was decreed above by the celestial
Page 43 and 44: He drew near. But the three he did
Page 45 and 46: light created on the first day. 308
Page 47 and 48: eaching the house of Rabbi Yose son
Page 49 and 50: So he was called Habakkuk; it was h

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