Sha'ar HaEmunah VeYesod HaChasidut, Introduction to Beit Yaakov 10

בקבלת התורה ניתן הפשט והסוד, וכל אחד הבין לפי השגתו, ונתרבה התורה בדור המדבר, ובמיתת משה רבינו נתמעט אור התורה, והתחיל להאיר תורה שבע"פ. The Transmission of the Sod through the Time of the Prophets and up to Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai
After discussing the centrality of knowledge in religious life and the mystery of faith, the author now turns to the history and means by which this knowledge was transmitted through the generations. At first, esoteric and exoteric knowledge were taught together. However, as time passed, as the holiness and wisdom of the generations declined, the people were less able and less fit to receive the secrets of the Torah. This also accounts for differences in the nature of prophetic revelation, as well as discrepancies between scriptural passages of similar nature. By the era of the Talmud, the Sages chose to conceal the deepest secrets of Torah in stories and parables, rather than teach them outright.

והנה בעת שנתנה התורה לישראל ניתן להם הפשט והסוד ביחד, וכל אחד הבין בפשט וסוד כפי השגתו. כדאיתא בזה"ק (יתרו פג:) הנ"ל כל אינון טעמין כל אינון רזין כל אינון סתרין גזרין וענשין לאמר למיהוי ירותא לכלא וכו'. וכן נתרבה דעת התורה בדור דעה הוא דור המדבר, כי כל הדור הזה היה דור דעה. ובמיתת משה רבינו ע"ה נתמעט אור התורה שבכתב, כדאיתא בזה"ק (תרומה קנו.) בשעתא דמית משה אתחשיך שמשא בטיהרא ואנעלת תורה שבכתב נהורתא דאספקלריא דנהרא. שקדושת נביאים היא קטנה מקדושת תורה. אכן אז התחיל להאיר תורה שבע"פ, שהיא נמשלה לירח המקבל מהשמש שכל זמן שהשמש זורח אין אור הירח ניכר, וכשבא השמש אז יתגלה אור הירח והנביאים הם האירו לאור תורה שבעל פה וכדאיתא בזה"ק (קדושים פב:) ועם כל דא מאן דלא קביל ממאריה אלא משלוחיה איכא אפרשותא ומאי אפרשותא איכא בין דא לדא דהא כתיב משה קבל תורה מסיני ומסרה ליהושע אנא קבילנא ולבתר מוסרנא לכלהו והכי מאן דמקבל מאחרא כקבלת סיהרא וככביא משמשא ובהאי קבול אתמלי: At the time when the Torah was given to Israel, the pshat (simple meaning) and the sod (secret) were given together. Each person understood the pshat and the sod according to his particular level. This is as it is written in the Zohar (Yitro, 83b): All of the various meanings, secrets, mysteries, decrees, and punishments, were all given as an inheritance to all of Israel. This is learned from the words preceding the Ten Commandments (Shemot 20:1), “and God spoke all of these words,” (meaning the pshat and the sod, for the specific purpose,) “to say” (meaning in order to be said and given as an inheritance to all of Israel). The knowledge of the Torah increased in the generation of the desert, for we call this generation the, “dor de’ah” meaning, the generation of knowledge, or the generation of the consciousness of the Torah. With the death of Moshe Rabeynu, the light of the written Torah receded, as it is written in the Zohar (Terumah, 156a), “At the time Moshe died, the sun was darkened in the midst of the day, and the written Torah, which is the aspaclaria d’meira (illuminating mirror),⁶³אספקלריא דמאירה – “A clear lens” means a perfectly lucid source of illumination, a level of clarity unique to the prophecy of Moshe Rabeynu, as the verse says (Shemot 33:11): “And God spoke to Moshe face to face.” This is contrasted with the אספקלריא דאינה מאירה – an unclear lens, or imperfect source of illumination, which is the level of all subsequent prophets, who received their prophecies in visions and dreams, and expressed them using metaphors. Nor were they consciously aware of their own prophecy, as was Moshe. was sealed and locked.” The sanctity of the prophets is inferior to the sanctity of the Torah. This was the beginning of the illumination of the Torah She’ba’al Peh (oral tradition). The Torah She’ba’al Peh is compared to the moon which receives its light from the sun. As long as the sun is shining, we do not see the light of the moon. When the sun sets, then the light of the moon is revealed. The prophets illuminated the light of the Torah She’ba’al Peh. This is as it is written in the Zohar (Kedoshim, 82b): There is a difference between receiving from one’s master, and receiving from the messenger of one’s master. What is the difference? It is written in the beginning of the Pirkei Avot, “Moshe received the Torah at mount Sinai and delivered it over to Yehoshua.” He received it, and then afterwards, transmitted it to everyone. When one receives from another, it is like the reception of the moon from the sun. The light of the moon is entirely a received illumination of the light of the sun.

וכן בכל סדר הקבלה, מה שנתשלשל הוא בסדר משפיע ומקבל, שהדורות מתמעטין, כדאיתא בגמרא שבת (קיב:) אם ראשונים בני מלאכים אנו בני אנשים. ואם ראשונים בני אנשים אנו כחמורים וכו'. וכן סדר הקבלה יהושע לזקנים וזקנים לנביאים ראשונים ונביאים ראשונים לנביאים אחרונים. וכן היה בבית דינו של דוד המלך ע"ה, שהוא היה הכולל מקדושת נביאים וקדושת כתובים שדוד המלך נחשב בכלל נביאים כי דבריו נמנו בכלל נביאים, כנזכר בספר שמואל ב' (פרשה כג) ואלה דברי דוד האחרונים: We find in the progression of generations, where there is a synaptic linkage from the one who bestows knowledge to the one who receives, that each generation is of a lesser stature than the former. This is as it is said in the Gemara (Shabbat, 112b), “If the earlier generations are the sons of angels, then we are the sons of men. And if the earlier generations are the sons of men, then we are as donkeys, but not like the donkey of Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair or the donkey of Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa!”⁶⁴The donkey of Rav Pinchas ben Yair would not eat fodder that was not properly tithed. It was the same way with the chain of reception from Yehoshua to the elders, from the elders to the prophets, from the prophets to the rishonim,⁶⁵Early generation of scholars, from roughly 1000 CE to 1500. and from the rishonim to the aharonim.⁶⁶Later generations of scholars of the past 500 years. There was a similar reduction in quality with the law court of David HaMelech, who included within him the sanctity of the prophets and the sanctity of the writings. That is to say, that even though the Sefer Tehillim is included in the writings, which have a lesser sanctity than the prophets, still, David HaMelech is included in the category of prophets. His words are on the level of prophecy. This is as is mentioned in Shmuel 2 (chapter 23), “These are the last words of David.”

ולכן השירה שנכתבת בשמואל בשנויים ממה שנכתבת בספר תהלים (יח) ששם הוא בקדושת כתובים, וכן נמצא שנויים בדברי דוד ושלמה ממה שנכתבים בשמואל ובמלכים ממה שנכתבים בדברי הימים, מפני ששם הם בקדושת כתובים והרואה יבין. וכדאיתא בזה"ק (ויחי רטו:) ובכל עדן דלא הוה דור ממלל תחות גדפי שכינתא דא מלתא אלא אתנבי מה דליהוי אתקרינא זאת. וזה שמחלק שם בין נבואת נביאים לרוח הקודש שנכתב בו כתובים ע"ש. ובזה"ק (תרומה קנו.) בשעתא דמית דוד מלכא כנישת סיהרא נהורהא ואורייתא דבע"פ כנישת נהורהא. ומההוא זמנא אתגניזו נהורין דאורייתא ואסגיאו מחלוקת על משנה וחכימיא במחלוקת וכלא תקיפי לבא בערבוביא: The shira (poetry) written in Shmuel 2 (ch. 23), a book of the Prophets, is different from the same poem as it appears in Sefer Tehillim (ch. 18), because Sefer Tehillim possesses the sanctity of the Writings.⁶⁷For example, Shmuel, verse 51 reads, “מיגדול ישועות מלכו - He is a tower of the king’s salvations.” In the book of Psalms, the same verse reads, “מגדיל ישועות מלכו – He magnifies the king’s salvations.” So too do we find differences in the words of David and Shlomo as they appear in the books of Shmuel and Melachim, and as they appear in Divrei HaYamim (Writings). This is because there is a difference in the sanctity of the prophets and the sanctity of the writings. It is said in the Zohar (Vayehi, 215b): “Whenever David HaMelech did not speak from under the wings of the Shekhina, but rather prophesized of things to come, it is called zot.”⁶⁸As it is written (Devarim 4:44): “And this – v’zot - is the Torah.” The feminine form of the pronoun “this” - זאת -- implies that the prophetic spirit was initiated from below (through David’s prayers or meditations). When the masculine form of “this” is used – זה – it means that the prophecy descended spontaneously from above. There is a distinction between prophecy and the ruach hakodesh (prophetic spirit) which was used to compose the sacred writings. It is said in the Zohar (Terumah, 156a): When David HaMelech died, the moon gathered in its light, and the Torah SheBaal Peh (oral tradition) gathered in its light. From that time on, the light of the Torah was hidden. Argument in the Mishnah and disagreement among the sages became widespread. The brave of heart were enveloped in confusion.

וכן היה סדר הקבלה בפנימיות התורה ביחד. שפנימיות דברי תורה נקרא קבלה, כדאיתא בתקוני הזהר (תקון כ"א נח.) כד אזלת לגביה לקבלה אתקריאת הלכה כד מקבלא מניה אתקריאת קבלה וכו'. והיינו שנקודת כנסת ישראל כד אזלת, היינו קודם שמקבלת שפע האור ואינו רק בלבושים, זה הוא הלכה, שהוא הלבושים מדברי תורה, וכשקבלה האור להשיג הפנימיות, זה הוא קבלה. וקבלה מתיחס וקרוב לתורה שבכתב יותר מלבושי דברי תורה, שקבלה היא לבאר איך התורה שבעל פה קבועה בתורה שבכתב. ולכן בכל מקום נזכר בזה"ק לשון תא חזי, ובש"ס איתא תא שמע. וסדר הקבלה היה אצל כל המקבלים [כדאיתא בספר ברית מנוחה בהקדמה, שחושב סדר הקבלה בסודות הצפונים בשמותיו של הקב"ה, מאדם הראשון עד רבי שמעון בר יוחאי. וכתב שם שגם הגאונים העמיקו לדעת בסודות הקב"ה כפי חכמת הזמן וכפי חכמת הדור]. וכן הגיע סדר הקבלה עד אנשי כנסת הגדולה, וזה מרומז בסוד שמותיו של הקב"ה, והיו מלמדים לתלמידיהם הפשט והסוד, וכל אחד כפי השגתו, כן השיג בסודות התורה. עד שנתמעט כבוד התורה, כדאיתא בגמרא קידושין (עא.) משרבו הפרוצים וכו' ואז התחילו להעלים סודות התורה כדאיתא (שם.) וכן מצינו שהתנאים הסתירו דבריהם מאד. וכן איתא בזה"ק (לך צו:) שרבי אבא גלה רזי תורה ואמר לו רבי שמעון גוזרנא דבאורייתא דא יגלון לבבל ביני חבריא וכו' אמר ליה חס ושלום דאתענשו אלא בגין דמלין אתגליין ביניהו כל כך יגלון ביני חבריא ילפין אינון ארחין ואתכסיין מלין בגוויהו, דהא מלין לא אתגליין אלא ביננא, דהא קב"ה אסתכים עמנא ועל ידנא אתגליין מלין. והיינו שבבל יודעים להלביש סודות התורה בלבושים. וכדאיתא בזהר הקדוש (ויחי רכד:) אמר רבי שמעון כד אנא בין אינון חבריא דבבל מתכנשי גבאי ואולפי מילי באתגליא ואינון עיילי לון בגושפנא דפרזלא תקיפא סתימא מכל סטרין וזה ענין תלמוד בבלי, דאיתא בגמרא סנהדרין (כד.) במחשכים הושיבני כמתי עולם זה תלמודא של בבל, ששם נסתרו דברי תורה בלבושים, שנראה כלבושים פשטיים, שהם יכלו להסתיר סודות התורה בלבושי עוה"ז. והיו סודות התורה מסורים לבעלי הסוד: Thus was the order of the reception of the inner nature of the Torah. The word Kabbalah means reception, or more precisely, the reception of the penimiut – inner secret nature – of the words of Torah. This is the way it is said in the Tikkunei Zohar (Ch. 12, page 58a): When you go to it (Holekh) to receive it, it is called Halakha (the law). When you receive from it (Mekablah), it is called Kabbalah. This is to say, the inner point of Knesset Yisrael (the Divine presence which dwells with those who guard the Torah) follows this pattern. Before the light of God’s effluence is received, and exists only under the covering of garments, it is called Halakha, or the law. The law is the garments of the words of Torah. When you receive the inner light and understand the penimiyut, it is called Kabbalah. Kabbalah is more closely related to the written Torah (the Pentateuch, Prophets, and Writings) than the garments of the words of Torah (the Oral Torah). Kabbalah comes to explain how the Oral law is found within the Written Torah. This is why the Zohar introduces an explanation with the words, ta hazi – “Come and See!” whereas the Talmud introduces an explanation with the words, ta shma – “Come and Hear!”⁶⁹The author draws a distinction between the esoteric dimension of Torah (the Kabbalah), and the exoteric dimension (Halakha). The exoteric dimension serves as a covering and concealment over the inner dimension. In other words, under the surface of Judaism’s revealed aspects – the laws, the Talmud – lies a vast mystical dimension. The Zohar invites the reader into its discussion of mystical secrets with the words “Come and see,” because seeing represents a direct, non-intellectual grasp of the material. The Talmud, however (which is the root of Halakha), begins its arguments with “Come and hear.” This is because hearing is a more linear way of processing information (one word after another) and requires a degree of constructive thinking. Accordingly, the Written Torah is actually closer in nature to esoteric wisdom, since it is a product of a direct revelation of God to man, and not the result of deductive reasoning, as is the Oral Torah. All who stood in the line of the tranmission of the Torah aslo received its esoteric teachings (as is explained in the introduction to Brit Menuha, which traces the order of transmission of the secrets of Torah, that is, Divine Names, from Adam HaRishon to Shimon Bar Yohai. Even the Geonim⁷⁰The Torah Scholars and leaders from soon after the closing of the Talmudic period: 800 CE to 1000 CE. delved deeply into the secrets of God, according to their wisdom, as is written there). In this way, the order of reception reached the members of the Great Assembly.⁷¹The first of whom was Ezra (c. 500 BCE). The Great Assembly included the last of the Prophets – Haggai Zecharia Malakhi, and Daniel – and lasted until the time of Shimon HaTsaddik (300-270 BCE). See introduction to the Mishne Torah of Maimonides. They understood the knowledge of the mysteries hinted at in the names of God, and would teach their students the simple meaning together with the secret. Each one understood the mysteries of the Torah according to his level and ability. Yet when the spiritual level of the people fell, and they no longer gave honor to the Torah, when sin became widespread (as mentioned in Kiddushin 71a), the sages found it necessary to conceal the secrets of the Torah, as is mentioned there. We find it recorded in the Zohar (Lech L’cha, 86b) that Rabbi Abba once revealed one of the secrets of the Torah. Rabbi Shimon said to him: I decree that the one you revealed this secret to will be exiled together with this teaching among our fellowship in Babylon. Rabbi Shimon said to him, God forbid that they are to be punished! Yet since the mysteries are so greatly revealed among us, thus he should be exiled among our fellowship, and learn their ways, and the secrets shall be concealed among us. In this way, the mysteries will be revealed only among us, as God has agreed. This means that in Babylon, they knew how to hide the mysteries in garments, as the Zohar states (Vayehi, 224b): Rabbi Shimon said, “When I am among our fellowship in Babylon, they all gather around me, and learn these things openly. After the mysteries are revealed, they take them and lock them in an iron box, concealed from all sides.” This is the nature of the Babylonian Talmud. It is said in the Gemara (Sanhedrin, 24a), “It is written in the scroll of Eicha (3:6), ‘He has placed me in darkness like the eternally dead.’ This is the Babylonian Talmud.” For in Babylon, the Torah was hidden beneath garments. They seem on the outside like simple matters, simple garments, yet they are all in order to hide the mysteries of the Torah in garments of this world. Then the mysteries were transmitted only to the masters of sod (secret).