Sha'ar HaEmunah VeYesod HaChasidut, Entrance to the Gate of Beit Yaakov 12

כל עבודה ותפלה בתפיסת האדם, הוא כך עד התכללות המדות הנגלים, שהוא מדת תפארת, הנקרא זעיר אנפין. וזה הענין שפרעה הבין שהוא המושל על ישראל, כי הוא משל על דעתם ולא היה בהם אתערותא לתפלה. The Connection of Faith, the Secret of Prayer
R. Gershon Hanokh now returns to the topic of faith, which he understand to be a mode of relationship with G-d that transcends perception and the intellect.³⁴⁴This is in line with the Baal Shem Tov’s statement that faith is a level of direct connection with G-d (devekut). Before fully addressing that point, however, he discusses the extent and limitations of our relationship with G-d within the bounds of cognition. Human beings can only perceive G-d through His revealed attributes – the post-emanational world of the sefirot or Divine Names (exemplified here by the Sefirah of Tiferet); they cannot perceive him cognitively above that level. This lower, perceptual level is the basis of all our prayers and acts of worship, and it can be understood by all who live on the mundane level, even Pharaoh. The author bases his discussion on the Kabbalistic idea that the Sefirah of Tiferet (also known as Zeir Anpin) lies at the root of Israel’s service of God. It is not, however, the highest level, which can only be accessed via faith (discussed later as being the level of Atika Kadisha.³⁴⁵See the end of Part 1, chapter 18, for a discussion of the levels of Zeir Anpin and Atika. )

וכמו דאי' בזוה"ק (בשלח נב:) א"ר יהודה אמר רבי יצחק, פרעה חכים מכל חרשוי הוה ובכל אינון כתרין ובכל אינון ידועין אסתכל ובכל סטרא דלהון לא חמו פורקנא דלהון דישראל ולא הוה תלי בחד מנייהו, ועוד דהא בכלהו קשירו קשר קשרא עלייהו דישראל ופרעה לא סבר דאית קשרא אחרא דמהימנותא דאיהו שליט על כלא ועל דא הוה אתקיף לביה. והענין שפרעה היה יודע שאין שום מקום בגדר עבודה שישראל יתגברו עליו, והבין שנתנה לו הממשלה על ישראל, כי ישראל היו משועבדים בגופם ונפשם ועבדו בהם בפרך, וכמו שנתבאר במקומו שהורגלו אותם מעט מעט בעבודת עבד עד שכל כך נשתעבדו בארץ מצרים כדאי' במדרש (מכילתא יתרו א) שאין עבד היה יכול לברוח ממצרים, לפי שהיתה מלאה כל חמדות עולם הזה, עד שהיה נוח לו להיות עבד בארץ מצרים מלהיות שר בארץ אחרת, וכן משל על דעתם ושכלם. ולכן שפט, שלא נמצא בהם שום מקום לעורר שרשם להתפלל שיוציאם משם, וממילא כיון שאין בהם שום אתערותא אפילו לתפלה, ואיך יעוררו אצל הש"י שיגאלם. וזה שביאר בזה"ק שלא ידע פרעה שיש קשורא אוחרא דמהימנותא דאיהו שליט על כלא, שכל התקשרות של ישראל עם הקב"ה הוא ע"י תפלה ועבודה. וכל עבודה ותפלה בתפיסת האדם הוא רק עד התכללות והתאחדות מדותיו של הקב"ה הנגלים שהם כמו שסדרם דהע"ה (ד"ה א כט) לך ה' הגדולה והגבורה והתפארת וגו' וכדאי' בספרי על פסוק ולדבקה בו (דברים י״א:ל׳) וכי אפשר לו לאדם להתדבק בהקב"ה הלא כתיב ה' אלהיך אש אכלה, אלא הדבק במדותיו מה הוא רחום כו'. ועד מדות האלו שהם בהשגת האדם מגעת עבודת האדם, שהוא למדת התפארת הנקרא זעיר אנפין. וזהו המדה שהוא התקשרות ישראל ומשם נקראו בני בכורי ישראל (שמות ד׳:כ״ב) כדאי' בזה"ק (בלק קצא:) ורזא דמלה כתיב ברזא דלעילא (משלי) מה שמו ומה שם בנו כי תדע ההוא שם ידיע ה' צבאות שמו. שם בנו ישראל שמו דכתיב בני בכורי ישראל, והא ישראל כל מפתחאן דמהימנותא ביה תליין ואיהו משתבח ואמר (תהילים ב׳:ז׳) ה' אמר אלי בני אתה, והכי הוא ודאי דהא אבא ואמא אעטרו ליה וברוכי ליה בכמה ברכאן ואמרו ופקידו לכלא (שם) נשקו בר נשקו ידא להאי בר כביכול שלטנו דכל יהב ליה על כלא דכלא יפלחון ליה וכו' ובזה"ק (יתרו עט.) סופא דקרא מאי קא מיירי דכתיב מה שמו ומה שם בנו כי תדע וכו' אמר ליה רזא דמלה היינו דכתיב בני בכורי ישראל וכתיב (ישעיהו מ״ט:ג׳) ישראל אשר בך אתפאר כו' חכמה שמו תפארת בנו יעו"ש: On the subject of the connection of faith, the Zohar writes (Beshalach, 52b): Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak, Pharaoh was smarter than all the sorcerers of his day. He looked into all of the crowns (Sefirot) and all of the knowledge, and didn’t see any sign of the Israel’s redemption. He did not see that the redemption was hinged on any of these crowns. However, though he looked into all the ways that Israel was connected to God, he failed to see the other connection – the connection of faith, which rules over all. For this reason his heart was hardened. Pharaoh knew that there was no place in the realm of Divine service³⁴⁶That is, within the created world, everything “under heaven,” as opposed to the level prior to creation, which he could not perceive. where Israel could overpower him. From this, he understood that he was given the authority to rule over them, enslaving Israel in their bodies and souls, and subjugating them to harsh labor. It is explained how he gradually accustomed the Israelites to ever greater levels of slavery, until they were thoroughly entrenched in bondage. This is as it is written in the Midrash (Mechilta Yitro 1), “No slave could ever escape from Egypt, because Egypt was filled with all the most powerful of worldly delights, to the point where it was more comfortable to be a slave in Egypt than a lord in another country.” In this way, he ruled over their minds and intellect.³⁴⁷It may be implied by this that even the Israelites themselves could not that escape from Egypt was possible, or even desirable – their minds and hearts having been so thoroughly enslaved. What they, and Pharaoh, did not realize is that Israel is connect to G-d on a level that transcends the intellect and the natural order - that is the dimension of faith and miracles. For this reason, he asserted that there was no way they could arouse the root of their souls in order to pray to God for deliverance, and as a result, God’s compassion would not be aroused to redeem them. To this, the Zohar responds, “He did not see the other connection – the connection of faith, which rules over all. ” All of the connection between Israel and God is through prayer and Divine service.³⁴⁸The author refers here to the revealed connection between Israel and G-d; not that of faith, which is concealed to the intellect. And all Divine service and prayer that is within man’s conscious grasp is only within the inclusion and unification of God’s revealed attributes (sefirot), as King David listed them when he said (Divrei HaYamim 1, 29), “Unto You, God, is the greatness, the strength, the splendor, the victory , and the majesty. For all that is in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, G-d, is the kingdom; and You are exalted over all.”³⁴⁹In this verse, King David alludes to the seven lower sefirot, from hesed to yesod: Greatness - hesed; strength - gevurah; , splendor - tiferet; victory - netzah; majesty - Hod; all - Yesod; kingdom - Malkhut. This is explained in the Sifri, on the verse (Devarim, 11), “If you keep all these commandments that I command you to do, to love the Lord, your God, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave to Him.” Is it possible for man to cleave to God? asks the Sifri? Is it not written that God is a consuming fire? But the answer is: You should cleave to God’s attributes. Just as God is merciful, so you should be merciful (and in this way you cleave to Him).³⁵⁰The author is relying upon an implicit connection between the Divine attributes of loving-kindness, compassion, etc, their human parallels, and the sefirot. The seven lower sefirot are “revealed” – that is, their influence can be felt in the world. When man serves G-d by actualizing these potencies within himself (loving-kindness, mercy), so he clings to the supernal manifestation of these attributes. However, there are worlds far higher than these attributes, to which a human being cannot consciously connect to. Due to man’s limited knowledge, his Divine service only reaches these revealed attributes, which are included under the aegis of Tiferet (splendor), the Sefirah which contains the six lower attributes, which is also called Zeir Anpin (the microprosopus, or the “small face”). This attribute is Israel’s connection,³⁵¹Tiferet is in the center of the middle column and connects to all of the six lower Sefirot: Hesed is to its upper right; Gevurah, its upper left; Nezah, at the lower right, Hod, at the lower left, and Yesod directly below, on the middle column. for through Tiferet, Israel is called, “my firstborn son Israel” (Shemot, 4:). As it is written in the Zohar (Balak, 191b): The secret of the matter is the secret above, “What is his name and what is his son’s name that I should know him?” (Mishlei, 30:4). His name is known, and it is Hashem Tziva’ot (the Lord of Hosts). His son’s name is Israel, as it is written, “My firstborn son Israel.” All of the keys of faith depend on Israel, who takes pride in this and says (Tehillim, 2), “God said to me, you are My son.” It is certainly like this, in that Abba and Imma³⁵²“Father and Mother” – the supernal constellations of sefirot that correspond to Hokhmah and Binah. crowned their son and blessed him with many blessings, telling him and commanding him for everything. They kissed their son’s hand, as it were, and gave him dominion over all, that all should serve him. It is also written in the Zohar (Yitro, 79a), And how does the verse end? “What is his name and what is his son’s name that I should know him?” He told him the secret of this matter. It is written, “My firstborn son Israel,” and it is written (Yeshayahu), “Israel, I shall pride Myself in you.” His name is Hokhmah (wisdom), and His son’s name is Tiferet (Adornment, Pride).³⁵³Here, the Zohar links the supernal persona of Israel to the sefirah of Tiferet, which is connected to Hokhmah, a higher sefirah, representing the Divine.

והענין כי כל התפלות והעבודות הם להקב"ה דרך שם הוי' שהוא ברזא דתפארת הכולל מדות הגלויים, וכל שבחי הקב"ה בסידור שבחים בשלש ראשונות, הוא ג"כ שיכיר האדם את הש"י במדות אלו. ואף שהש"י הוא מרומם מכל המדות, אבל בתפלה אין לאדם לשבח את הש"י במה שאין האדם מכיר את הש"י. וכדאיתא במס' מגילה (כה.) ההוא דנחית קמיה דרבי חנינא אמר האל הגדול הגבור והנורא האדיר והחזק והאמיץ אמר ליה סיימתינהו לשבחיה דמרך, השתא הני תלתא אי לאו דכתבינהו משה באורייתא ואתי כנסת הגדולה ותקנוהו אנן לא אמרינן להו, ואת אמרת כולי האי, משל לאדם שהיה לו אלף אלפי אלפים דינרי זהב והיה מסלק אותו בשל כסף לא גנאי הוא לו. והענין שבודאי זה שעבר לפני התבה הכיר את הש"י באלו התוארים, כמו שבאר הרמב"ם ז"ל (בנ"ט מראשון עי"ש). אכן רבי חנינא אמר לו, האיך תוכל לשבח את הקב"ה במה שאתה משיג בזו הרגע, והרי ברגע האחרת יאיר לך השי"ת שתשיג גבוה מעל גבוה עד שאין ערך ודמיון להשגתך, כמו שאין דמיון לכסף אל הזהב. וזה שאמר לו השתא הני תלתא אי לאו דכתבינהו משה באורייתא, היינו שמה שכתב בתורה כוללת כל הבריאה, וכמו שהבאנו בהקדמה מזוה"ק (יתרו פג:) יעו"ש. ואתו אנשי כנסת הגדולה וקבעינהו בתפלה, היינו שהם בררו שאלו המדות הם בתפיסת כל ישראל, וכדאיתא במס' יומא (סט:) למה נקרא שמן אנשי כנסת הגדולה שהחזירו עטרה ליושנה, שמשה אמר האל הגדול הגבור והנורא ואתא ירמיה ולא אמר נורא ודניאל לא אמר גבור והם החזירו עטרה ליושנה, שבררו שהן הן גבורותיו והן הן נוראותיו, והיינו שאלו התוארים כל נפש מישראל מכיר אותם תמיד. ולכן כל התפלות הם להקב"ה בסידור שבחו בהכרת המדות הגלוים והם נכללים במדת זעיר אפין תפארת ישראל. ואף שיש להקב"ה מדות נעלמים גבוהים, אכן תפלה היא רק למקום שהשגת האדם מגעת. וזה דאיתא ביומא (שם) מתוך שיודעין בהקב"ה שאמתי הוא לפיכך לא כזבו בו ולא הזכירו אלא מה שהראם הקב"ה. אך בימי כנסת הגדולה, שכבר ראו התעוררות ישועה בנס פורים, אז ראו שהראה להם הקב"ה שהן הן גבורותיו ונוראותיו והחזירו עטרה ליושנה. אכן לזה התפילות הם להקב"ה ברזא דזעיר אפין, לפי שכל המדות שרשם בשם הוי"ה שהוא ברזא דתפארת זעיר אפין, ששורש כל השמות הוא שם הוי"ה כדאיתא בזוה"ק (ויקרא דף י:) י"ה בנינא דכולא כו' האי מלכא דשלמא כלא דיליה רזא דתפארת יעו"ש. ועוד (שם יא.) רבי אלעזר אמר כלהו עשרה שמהן כתיבין ואנן תנינן קדמאה אהי"ה דא סתימא עלאה וכו' תנינא י"ה בנין דחכמה אפיק ה' וכו', וחושב שם שלכל ספירה יש שם מיוחד ושרשם שם הוי"ה שתיתאה יקו"ק רחמי שלימו דכלא עקרא דכלא קשרא די מהימנותא אחיד לכל סטרין ודא תפארת ישראל יעו"ש. והיינו שבתפארת שרשו שם הוי"ה, והשם הוא ג"כ שם הוי"ה: All prayer and Divine service come before God by way of the name YHVH, which is the secret of the Sefirah of Tiferet, which includes all of the revealed attributes. And all of the praises of God arranged in the first three blessings of the Amidah³⁵⁴The Amidah is the silent standing prayer, and is the centerpiece of the three daily prayers in Orthodox Jewish practice. also allow man to recognize God’s His revealed attributes. Notwithstanding that God is exalted above all attributes, yet still, in prayer, man should not praise God in a way that he does not know Him. This is referred to in the Gemara (Megilah, 25a): A certain man went to lead the prayer service in the presence of Rabbi Hanina and said, “The great, the mighty, the awesome, the majestic, the strong, the powerful God.” Rabbi Hanina said to him: Have you finished the praises of your Master? Even the first three terms of praise³⁵⁵The Amidah prayer begins: “Blessed are You, our G-d and G-d of our forefathers… the great, mighty and awesome G-d,” based upon Moshe’s words in Devarim 10:17. could not be recited, had not Moshe wrote them in the Torah (Devarim, 10:17) and the Men of the Great Assembly came and ordained them (see Nehemia, 9:32), we could not say them. And you say all this! It is as if a man had billions of gold coins and people praised his wealth by saying that he had a thousand. Wouldn’t that insult him? In this episode, the prayer leader actually related to God through these lofty appellations, as is explained by the Rambam.³⁵⁶See Guide for the Perplexed, section One, chapter 59. Rabbi Hanina was saying to him, how can you praise God based upon your perception at this moment? In another moment God may illuminate to you an understanding of awesome heights thoroughly beyond your present perception, as incomparable as gold is to silver. Thus, Rabbi Hanina said to him, “Even the first three terms of praise could not be recited, had not Moshe wrote them in the Torah.” Meaning, that which is written in the Torah contains the entire creation. This is akin to what we quoted from the Zohar as an introduction (see section 4, Zohar Yitro). “And the Men of the Great Assembly came and established them in the prayer,” which means that they clarified the fact that these three attributes³⁵⁷“Great, mighty, and Awesome” or Hesed, Gevurah and Tiferet. These sefirot are the essential qualities of Zeir Anpin, which the author mentions below. are graspable by all Israel. This is as it is said in the Gemara (Yoma, 69b), “Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, why were they called men of the Great assembly? It is because they restored the crown to its former glory. Moshe had come and said, The great God, the mighty, and the awesome. Then Yirmiyahu and omitted the attribute, ‘Awesome.’³⁵⁸See Yermiyahu 32:18, “…You are the great and mighty God.” Daniel omitted the word ‘Mighty.’³⁵⁹Daniel 9:4, “O Lord, you are a great and awesome God.” But they returned the crown of Divine attributes to its ancient completeness.”³⁶⁰By opening the Amidah prayer with all three attributes mentioned by Moshe. They made it clear that these were truly His attributes of might, and these were truly His attributes of Awe. That is to say, every Jew can always recognize these attributes.³⁶¹The three attributes of Therefore, all prayers to God are arranged in praise via His recognizable, revealed attributes. They are all included in the attribute of Zeir Anpin, also called Tiferet Yisrael (the splendor of Israel). Even though there are attributes far loftier than these, yet prayer can only be directed to the place where man’s mind can reach. This is why Yermiyahu and Daniel omitted certain attributes. Since they knew that G-d was true, they mentioned only the attributes that God revealed to them in their prophetic experience.³⁶²According to the Talmud, they removed these terms of praise after witnessing the destruction of Jerusalem. At that point, they could no longer perceive G-d’s might and awesomeness. However, in the time of the members of the Great Assembly, who had already seen God’s great salvations in the Purim miracle, they identified that these were indeed God’s mighty actions, and these where truly God’s awesome deeds. In this way they restored the crown of God’s attributes to the way it was first perceived by Moshe. Indeed, from this we see that the act of prayer is the mystery of Zeir Anpin, since all of God’s attributes are rooted in God’s great name YHVH, which is the same as the Sefirah of Tiferet³⁶³Tiferet refers to a single sefirah; Zeir Anpin refers to the entire six-sefirah unit from Hesed to Yesod. Since these function as a unit, they are considered here synonymous with Tiferet itself, beings its central focus. and the partsuf of Zeir Anpin.³⁶⁴The ten sefirot each correspond to a different Name of G-d, as derived from the Torah. The sefirah of Tiferet corresponds to the Tetragrammaton, the YHVH, or G-d’s “essential” Name. All of God’s names are included in His great name YHVH. We learn from the Zohar (Vayikra, 10b): All is built from Yud Hei… He is the King to whom all Peace is His, in the mystery of Tiferet. And further in the Zohar (ibid. 11a): Rabbi Elazar said, “All of the ten names of God are written, and we have taught, the name EHYH³⁶⁵G-d’s name as revealed to Moshe at the burning bush (Shemot 3:14), “I will be that which I will be.” is the supernal concealment … Yud Hei, because the Hei comes out of Hokhmah (represented by the Yud).”³⁶⁶The letter yud, of the Tetragrammaton, corresponds to the sefirah of Hokhmah. The first letter hei corresponds to the sefirah of Binah. The letter vav corresponds to the next six sefirot (Zeir Anpin/Tiferet). And the final letter hei corresponds to Malkhut. This passage in the Zohar goes on to say that every name of God finds its root in the name YHVH: The sixth name YHVH is compassion. It is the completion of all, the main point of all, the connection of emunah (faith). It unites all sides (all Sefirot) this is “Tiferet Yisrael” (the splendor of Israel). That is to say, the name YHVH is both the root of Tiferet and its very name.