Musar su Salmi 68:78

And from this, we will understand very well what has disappeared from the eyes of researchers in what they have examined regarding, heaven forbid, a change in God's will. The Almighty decrees a decree and then repentance, prayer and charity can change that to the better; and sometimes it changes from good to bad. But they walk in darkness because there can be no change, heaven forbid. Rather all is one and is only a matter of one desire. That is to say this inquiry is a matter of faith. I will also copy what I wrote as a child in my pamphlet, even though it is a little different. In any event, it all goes together in one place. These are my words. Written in section of Godliness in the gate of unity. And the whole faith of unity is complete; as there is no body nor strength of the body, nor a separate mind, and will not change from thought to thought or from action to action or from one leader to another. It is a complete intellect and simple and unique in all parts of His names and in all attributes. And a change in actions on the part of the leadership only exists from the side of the recipients. Because the one who walks in innocence and straightness, and keeps a good home, receives goodness derived from God Almighty. And he who perverts his path and distances himself, is distanced from the good derived from God and the opposite is derived from Him.

And in the Midrash (Vayikra Rabba 11:9) on the verse (Tehilim 48:15) "He shall lead us in youth" - [filled] with zeal as young maidens, as it is said: "in the midst of maidens playing the timbrels" (Tehilim 68:26) ["in youth" and "young maidens" are related words in Hebrew].

The author explains the prohibition of a private individual making anointing oil or incense, or even authorised people making up such incense in the amounts and proportions described here but intended for mundane purposes, as stemming from the fact that G–d has equipped the forces of the סטרא אחרא, the "left" side of the table of emanations, the side under the influence of Satan, with powers representing the equivalent or opposite of the powers of קדושה, holiness. We must therefore on no account provide those forces with additional ammunition by putting the tools of קדושה at their disposal.

The means through which Zeal is acquired are the same ones through which Watchfulness is acquired, and their levels are likewise similar as I wrote earlier.

Briefly: The Sanctuary exists on three levels, i.e. there are three Sanctuaries, היכל השם. One is located on earth, one is in the domain of the emanation תפארת, and yet another one is in the domain of the upper three emanations כתר-חכמה-בינה. Each Sanctuary is situated on ארץ (of a kind). The terrestrial Sanctuary is located in the Jerusalem of our ארץ ישראל. These Sanctuaries are all "opposite" their counterparts in the Celestial Spheres which in turn are also perceived as rooted in a kind of “ארץ”.

We must try and understand why Rabbenu Bachyah was so selective in his comparison of the creation with the construction of the Tabernacle. He could have cited additional parallels. A look at a lengthy Midrash in Shemot Rabbah 33,4 quotes Rabbi Berechyah as presenting a long list of parallels between the Tabernacle and מעשה בראשית. The list includes many items found in the heavens such as ערפל, זבול, עצי שטים, כרובים, אופנים and many others. In each case Rabbi Berechyah demonstrates that the Tabernacle contained something parallel.

G–d may be compared to the physician in the parable. He knew full well that if He were to give the Torah to the Jewish people without having offered it to the Gentile nations, these nations would persecute Israel and try to kill it on account of this gift. He therefore contrived that the Gentile nations even offered some of their own blessings in order to make Israel accept what they perceived to be the סם המות, deadly poison. This is why Israel became heir to the Torah without the slightest objection being raised by any of the Gentile nations. They even bestowed gifts on the Jewish people to encourage Israel to accept the Torah. When Moses ascended to Mount Sinai and thence to higher spiritual regions, he did not face opposition from any of the representatives of the seventy nations, though they all were aware of Moses' purpose in those regions.

JOY: The second [branch of love of G-d] is joy, it is a great, essential principal in serving G-d. This is what David exhorted us saying: "Serve G-d with joy, come before Him with song" (Tehilim 100:2), and "the righteous will rejoice, they will exult before God and delight with joy" (Tehilim 68:4). And our sages said: "the Divine presence rests on a person only through his rejoicing in a mitzva" (Shabbat 30b). On the aforementioned verse: "Serve G-d with joy", our sages said in a Midrash (Shocher Tov, Tehilim 100): "Rabbi Abahu says: 'when you stand to pray, your heart should rejoice, for you are praying to the Almighty of whom there is none like Him'".

Observe that the gifts that Israel received from the princes of the Gentile nations are testimony that they wanted us to receive the Torah. Thus, being in possession of the elixir of life, neither the angel of death nor the influences found in the סטרא אחרא could gain control over us at the critical moment when G–d revealed Himself. Once Israel sinned (during the episode of the golden calf), the Torah describes (Exodus 33,6) that they had to divest themselves of their jewellery which are only man's as a gift [not inalienable, such as an inheritance, but subject to being revoked. Ed]. The only thing that Israel retained from these gifts was called שבי. This is the meaning of Psalms 68,19: למרום עלית שבית שבי, לקחת מתנות באדם, "You ascended to the heights, having taken captives, having received tributes of men."

In order to understand this calculation you must realise that the Ten Commandments are the mystical dimension of the Ineffable Name in the way it is written and in the way it is read. This is what G–d meant when He told Moses: זה שמי וזה זכרי, וה-י-ה-ו-ה בהיכל קדשו, "This is My name and this is the way I wish to be mentioned." [the additional quote may demonstrate that in His own abode G–d is referred to by a different name than when in communication with man. Ed] This refers to the written spelling of G–d's name. The name א-ד-נ-י is G–d's name as it is pronounced when we read it. Between the two spellings we have the mystery of the relationship between G–d and כנסת ישראל the spiritual equivalent of the people of Israel. The soul of Israel, which is called אדם, corresponds to the emanation מלכות, which represents the name א-ד-נ-י, the secret of the union with the emanation תפארת, (the emanation which produces the souls, נשמות). We know that מלכות is the source of Israel from the verse: במקהלות ברכו אלוקים א-דני ממקור ישראל "In assemblies bless G–d, the Lord, you who are the fountain of Israel" (Psalms 68,27). In view of the above it is justified that the first five of the Ten Commandments speak of the name of G–d as it is spelled, i.e. י-ה-ו-ה, whereas the last five Commandments speak of that name as it is read, i.e. א-ד-נ-י the source of Israel, seeing that these five Commandments regulate conduct between Jews and Jews. All is one at the very core of things, all leads back to the Ineffable Name.

As to the eagle, the crown and the image of the dove in the parable related by the Tikkunei Ha-Zohar: This is an allusion to the close relationship between G–d and our people. He is fond of us, and we are fond of Him. This sentiment is clearly expressed in 26,17: את ה' האמרת היום להיות לך לאלוקים וללכת בדרכיו … וה' האמירך היום להיות לו לעם סגולה… "You have affirmed the Lord this day to be your G–d and to walk in His ways,….and the Lord has affirmed you this day to be His own treasured nation…" The eagle symbolizes His fondness of us, as we know from Exodus 19,4 where G–d recalled how He transported us (the whole Jewish nation) (as) on the wings of eagles." The dove symbolizes our own fondness for G–d and our cleaving to Him to the point of preparedness to die for the sake of His Holy Name. Israel is called יונה, dove, as per Psalms 68,14: יונה נחפה בכסף, "wings of the dove covered with silver." Our sages comment on this that it is characteristic of the dove that once it has mated it will not mate with any other female. Our sages also stated (Midrash Tehillim ibid.) that the dove does not go into convulsions when it is slaughtered, just as the people of Israel do not have spasms when dying a martyr's death but accept such a death gracefully.

This is because of the dread these lofty angels constantly experience of G-d's exaltedness, blessed be He, lest they detract a small amount from the honor and holiness due before His presence. Whenever and on whatever place the divine presence reveals itself, there is agitation, trembling, and quaking. This is what scripture refers to saying: "The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped at the presence of G-d" (Tehilim 68:9), and "had You rent the heavens, had You descended, mountains would have melted from before You" (Isaiah 63:19).

This is what our sages said: "Know what is above you: an eye that sees, an ear that hears, and all your deeds are inscribed in a book" (Avot 2:1). For since the Holy One, blessed be He, watches over every thing, and He sees everything and hears everything, certainly every action will leave an impression. And all of them are inscribed in a book, whether for merit or for debt (punishment).

According to the Rekanati even the prohibition to take the garments of a widow as a pledge for a loan (24,17) contains an allusion to transmigration of souls. He sees in the prohibition a device by the Torah not to subject the widow to two painful experiences, the loss of her husband and the loss of her garments. In order to understand how this alludes to transmigration of souls we need to refer to a similarly worded verse in Exodus 22,25: אם חבול תחבול שלמת רעך עד בא השמש תשיבנו לו, "If you have occasion to take your fellow man's garment as a pledge, you must return it to him by sunset." This verse alludes to the mystical dimension called סוד העבור. Kabbalists see in it a reference to the soul which has to return to the Celestial Spheres every night, a concept we are familiar with from our nightly payer המפיל in which we consign our soul to G–d till the following morning. The widow consigning her garment (="soul") to a creditor therefore is punished every night on two counts, her soul suffers its second reincarnation. A widow is metaphor for a soul which has been consigned to a second round of life on earth already. The lender must not become the cause of her having to live a third round on earth. Transgressing the physical commandment described here results in psychic harm to the soul of the person against whom one has sinned.

The general rule is that wherever you find true greatness you find humility. Our sages went so far as to say that "wherever you find the greatness of G–d described you will find His humility described at the same time" (Megillah 31a). Examples of this rule are written in the Torah, repeated in the Books of the Prophets and again repeated in the Hagiographa. We read in Deut. 10,17: "The Lord your G–d is the G–d of all gods, Master of all masters, the Great G–d, the Powerful One, the Awesome One, who does not show favoritism nor accept bribes." This is followed immediately by the statement "who upholds the cause of the orphan, the widow, who loves the proselyte (stranger) to provide him with bread and clothing." We read in Isaiah 57,15: "For thus says He who high aloft dwells forever, whose name is holy; I dwell on high, in holiness; yet with the contrite and the lowly in spirit- reviving the spirits of the lowly, reviving the hearts of the contrite." We read in Psalms 68,5: "Sing to G–d, chant hymns to His name; extol Him who rides the clouds; the Lord is His name. Exult in His Presence--the father of orphans, the champion of widows, G–d in His Holy Habitation. G–d restores the lonely to their homes, sets free the imprisoned safe and sound, etc."

After this our portion discusses strife between people (21,18) to teach us the five categories of compensation applicable when physical injury has been caused as well as the fact that anyone who raises a hand against a Jew is equated with having raised a hand against G–d Himself. This is so because man was created in G–d's image, and every soul of a Jewish person originates in Heaven, the home of the שכינה. We are told in Psalms 68,27 במקהלות ברכו אלוקים, ה' ממקור ישראל, "In assemblies bless the Lord who are from the fountain of Israel." Since the letter ה in ה-אדם, is the last letter in the name of G–d (the four lettered one), it is appropriate that the penalty for inflicting personal injury is fivefold, i.e. ה.

"Thrice repeated in the hagiographa," refers to the subject of wisdom, i.e. חכמה, that the prophet says one should not boast of. A wise man should not use his standing in the community to demand extra consideration, preferential treatment, etc. We are to observe how G–d who is praised, sung to, exalted as the One who "rides in the heavens," and who would have every reason not to concern Himself with the lowly to delegate such activity to creatures of inferior rank, nevertheless undertakes personally to act as אבי יתומים, father of the orphans He even describes His function as such.

When G–d said: "They shall make a Sanctuary for Me and I shall dwell within them," בתוכם, this referred also to the fact that much of the Tabernacle was due to the תוכם, the innermost feelings of the donors. The Tabernacle could not have been completed if the people donating all these materials had not been motivated by a spirit of generosity. The word בתוכם is therefore essentially not much different from the word בתוכו, which we would have expected the Torah to use. There is another dimension to the verse ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם. The word בתוכם, refers to the innermost part of the Tabernacle. It is there that the שכינה resided and merged with the people of Israel. This is the mystical dimension of Exodus 26,24: ויהיו תאמים מלמטה ויחדו יהיו תמים על ראשו אל הטבעת האחת, "They shall match at the bottom and be perfectly aligned at the top inside one ring." It is a reference to the uniqueness of G–d and the uniqueness of the Jewish people respectively. G–d will never abandon His people for the sake of His great Name; the uniqueness of each i.e. אחד=13, i.e. 26 when combined. This equals the numerical value of G–d's "great" Name י-ה-ו-ה =26. The verse is a reference to the mystical union between קודשא בריכיה and כנסת ישראל, between the well known concepts of the holiness of G–d and the spiritual unity of the Jewish people. This is the reason why we find the מקדש described as היכל ה' on occasion. The numerical value of the word היכל equals the numerical value of א-ד-נ-י, a term for G–d which includes the souls of the people of Israel, as in Psalms 68,27: במקהלות ברכו אלוקים, (י-ה-ו-ה) א-ד-נ-י ממקור ישראל. "In assemblies bless G–d, the Lord, O You who are the fountain of Israel." To signify this dual meaning, the name of G–d is spelled as the Ineffable Name but pronounced (read) as א-ד-נ-י. There were one hundred silver sockets (אדנים) for the boards forming the walls of the Tabernacle which are symbolised by our reciting one hundred benedictions daily, which all mention the name of G–d (א-ד-נ-י). The עמודים, columns, each one within a socket, אדני, were an allusion to the emanation תפארת, the Ineffable Name which is found within the name א-ד-נ-י. The ווי העמודים, hooks attached to the columns, allude to the number 6=ו, the sixth emanation, i.e. תפארת, which is the mystical dimension of the letter ו in the Ineffable Name. That letter also represents the mystical dimension of the word אחד as we know from Genesis 1,5: ויהי ערב ויהי בוקר יום אחד. We have explained earlier in this chapter how day and night are part of a single unit. Night has 12 hours, the first six of which until midnight are under the domain of the attribute of Justice, whereas the last 6 hours are under the domain of the attribute of Mercy. The day, too, is divided into these two periods of 6 hours each, the first six hours under the domain of the attribute of Mercy, the last six under the domain of the attribute of Justice. As long as the light intensifies, the attribute of Mercy is in the ascendancy; once it diminishes, the attribute of Justice comes into its own. Since they have both been created by the same Creator, they appear linked together in the story of creation. This is the deeper meaning then of "evening and morning being one day." When you spell the letter ו as a word, thus: ואו, you have an allusion to the respective 6 hour periods during which each attribute exercises its dominance; the letter אלף in the middle alludes to the One and Only Creator who has created both day and night, both the attribute of Justice and the attribute of Mercy. You will also observe that the numerical value of such spelling of the letter ואו=13, the same numerical value as that of the word אחד. When the Torah in 26,6 describes the Tabernacle as becoming אחד, one, this is merely a confirmation of how the various components all combined to create this unified microcosm.

To get back to our main subject, that of "they shall take for Me," i.e. for My Name, which we described earlier as being a reference to G–d in His capacity as His Essence. This holds true for the instructions given by G–d to Moses. When Moses relayed these instructions to the Jewish people in Exodus 35,1 where he assembled the whole nation, he used somewhat different language. The words כל עדת בני ישראל, were an allusion to the concept of כנסת ישראל. Since G–d had told Moses that He wanted the contributions to be dedicated to His Ineffable Name, and that in that capacity He remains concealed, the only way a union between the people's gifts and G–d in His capacity as His Essence could be achieved was by interposing the כנסת ישראל. This concept was represented by the word ויקהל, alluding as it does to the verse from Psalms 68,27 the meaning of which we have discussed earlier.

Another difficulty is that we are told by the Midrash in Song of Songs 2,4, that when G–d descended on Mount Sinai to give Israel the Torah He brought with Him 22,000 ministering angels. We know this from the verse in Psalms 68,18, רכב אלוקים רבותים, אלפי שנאן. "The chariots of G–d are myriads upon myriads, thousands upon thousands." All these angels were made to appear with flags, or like flags. Israel developed a yearning for flags and wished also to have flags like these. This is why it says in Song of Songs, 2,4, "He has brought me to the house of wine," i.e. Sinai where the Torah was given, which in turn has been compared to wine." The verse in Proverbs 9,5,"Drink of the wine I have mixed," refers to Sinai. The words דגלו עלי אהבה, in Song of Songs 2,4, refer to Israel exclaiming "I wish G–d would display His love for me through the flags." G–d responded saying: "Since you yearn for flags, I am surely going to fulfil your request," to wit Psalms 20,6, ימלא השם כל משאלותיך, "may the Lord fulfil your every wish." G–d immediately informed Israel of His decision by instructing Moses to make flags for them, as is written: “איש על דגלו באותות.” So far the Midrash. This Midrash too requires an explanation. Again we need to know what the term "love" is all about! We further need to know how the wording in this Midrash adds anything to the previous Midrash on that subject?

Let me now explain how the twelve tribes and the building, destruction of, and rebuilding of the Holy Temple are all alluded to in the dream. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is quoted in Bereshit Rabbah 69,7 that the Holy Temple in the Celestial Regions is only eighteen miles higher than its counterpart on earth. He bases this on 28,17, where Jacob says: וזה שער השמים, "This is the gateway to Heaven." The numerical value of 18 =וזה. Another version of the meaning of this verse quoted in the same Midrash, says that G–d showed Jacob the Temple built, destroyed and rebuilt. Upon seeing this, Jacob exclaimed: מה נורא המקום הזה, "How awesome is this place!" The expression corresponds to Psalms 68,36 נורא אלוקים ממקדשיך, "G–d You are awesome in Your holy places." The latter expression אין זה, corresponds to Lamentations 5,17: על זה היה דוה לבנו, "Because of this (the destruction of the Temple) our hearts are sick." The words אין זה, are associated only with חרב, destruction. The allusion to the rebuilding of the Temple in the future is based on the use of the word שער in our verse and the corresponding use of that word in Psalms 147,13: כי חזק בריחי שעריך, "For He made the bars of your gates strong."

Rekanati comments that the gallery, מסגרת, which was attached to the surface of the Table all around (Exodus 25,25), was so called because it alludes to something סגור, closed, shut away, as implied in the word צפון which David used in Psalms 31,20 for describing the location where G–d stores His abundant good. It includes a reference to the primordial light which remains hidden. As to the four rings of the Table, they were to be fastened לעומת המסגרת, next to the frame, since their purpose was to exert the influence they symbolised on that מסגרת.

After the דינין and משפטים in this portion have been concluded, the Torah turns its attention to Israel's journey towards the Holy Land with (23,20,) הנה אנ כי שולח מלאך לפניך. "Here I am sending an angel ahead of you." Shemot Rabbah 32,6, quotes Psalms 34,8, חונה מלאך ה' סביב ליראיו ויחלצם, "the angel of the Lord camps around those who fear Him, and rescues them." When man performs a commandment of the Torah, G–d creates an angel to protect that person. When said person performs two commandments, G–d provides two angels to protect him, since we are told in Psalms 91,11, כי מלאכיו יצוה לך לשמרך בכל דרכיך "for He will order His angels (pl) to guard you wherever you go." If a person performs many commandments, G–d gives him half His camp as is written: "A thousand may fall on your left side, ten thousand on your right side, but it (disaster) shall not reach you" (Psalms 91,7). This half of G–ds camp is described in Psalms 68,18, i.e. that "G–d's chariots are myriads upon myriads, thousands upon thousands."

This Midrash is difficult. Surely G–d has innumerable angels at His disposal, and even if their number were limited, who could guess at their total? Granted Psalms 68,18, does not present any difficulty when an indefinite number of thousands is referred to, since this is the manner in which G–d displays His power. Another difficulty is why the Midrash jumps from someone who performs two מצות and does not refer to a list of angels for people performing a given number of commandments over and above two. Also, why does the Midrash describe the performance of a single commandment in the present tense, i.e. עושה, whereas in the other examples given it employs the past tense, i.e. עשה?

It is well known that in order to rehabilitate oneself spiritually one must exercise תשובה, תפלה וצדקה, repentance, prayer and the performance of charitable deeds. All of these three factors of man's rehabilitation depend on his mouth. Prayer and the reciting of G–d's praises are, of course, functions of the mouth. We know that repentance has to include verbalizing one's confession and one's resolution not to sin again. The Torah in 30,14 mentions that Torah is easy of access, i.e. בפיך ובלבבך לעשות. Rabbi Yitzchak says (Eruvin 54) that the Torah is easy to fulfill, לעשות, once one has repented both by mouth and in one's heart. Confession of one's sins with a broken heart is the principal ingredient of repentance. Charity, too, involves the mouth. Our sages (Baba Batra 9b) say that anyone who gives charity acquires six blessings; if someone also tries to make the recipient feel better by kind and encouraging words he will qualify for eleven blessings. Interestingly enough we have three words which symbolize three aspects of repentance, i.e. צום, קול, ממון, each one of which has a numerical value of 136. This suggests that all three aspects of תשובה are of equal importance. Stated differently, תשובה, צדקה, and תפלה equal קול. The very first part of our פרשה alludes to all the three ingredients of repentance. The Torah speaks about going to war, the plain meaning of which refers, of course, to actual warfare and battles with the enemy. Over and beyond this, however, the paragraph refers to the ongoing battle between man and his evil urge. Many of our commentators are at pains to point this out in their commentary on the relevant section in פרשת שופטים when they comment on the verse discussing the siege laid to a city (20,19). In actual fact, the war with his evil urge is the greatest battle man has to fight in this life. The matter is illustrated in the Talmud by the story of the elderly sage who met soldiers of the army of Alexander the Great at the time of his victorious return from a major battle. These soldiers were in a very exuberant frame of mind. The sage, while he congratulated them on their victory, pointed out that the victory they had won was minor, and that they had to get ready for the battle of their lives against the evil urge. This is what the sages meant when they described the whole paragraph of the יפת תואר as an illustration of man's ongoing battle against his baser instincts (Kidushin 21). By extending this allegory a little further we may come to understand the whole reason why a מלחמת רשות, a war which is expansionary, is allowed: We are always permitted to conduct aggressive action against our evil urges. We can be sure of G–d's ongoing support in that undertaking once we make the first move in the struggle against the evil urge. Our sages point out that we would be unable to subdue the יצר הרע without G–d's active assistance, but that we have G–d's promise: ונתנו בידו, "He will deliver him (the evil urge) into your hand" (21,10). It is significant that the Torah here employs the singular whereas in פרשת שופטים it speaks in the plural (20,2—20,3--20,4). This may be a reminder that the fight against the evil urge can only be fought on a person-to-person basis. We have a tradition that a nation neither succumbs to another nation nor to the Jewish people unless its protective spirit in the Celestial Regions had first suffered defeat. We have pointed out examples of this such as Israel observing "Egypt" instead of "Egyptians" "dead on the beaches of the sea" (Exodus 14,30). We learn from all this that our enemy (the evil urge), assumes many guises, i.e. attacks us in the plural, and this is why the Torah always describes our enemy in the plural (אויביכם, אל תערצו מפניהם). We have to battle all these manifold "enemies" because each transgression we commit creates a negative force in the world which comes back to haunt us. All of these negative forces created by our very selves are presided over and directed against us by Samael/Satan/Angel of Death, etc. The Torah describes victory over this multifaceted but essentially single force with the words: ונתנו ה' אלוקיך בידך ושבית שביו, "The Lord your G–d will deliver him into your hand and you will take him captive." Taking this enemy prisoner is possible only with the help of Torah study and מצוה observance. David describes this victory over the evil works in Psalms 68,19: He speaks about: עלית למרום שבית שבי, "You went up to the heights, having taken captives."

To understand the significance of that number one needs to appreciate the concept of מספר קטן, a method of arriving at numerical values by ignoring the "zero" or rather the final digit zero in a given number. If G–d arrived supported by twenty thousand angels from the regions of עולם האצילות, and עולם הבריאה, then the "shadow," צל, of those regions, the עולם היצירה, would have one tenth of that number, i.e. two thousand. This is the meaning of Psalms 68,18, that רכב אלוקים רבותיים, אלפי שנען, that "G–d's chariots are twice ten thousand, thousand upon thousand."

A person must take all these words to heart and recall at all times that Hashem’s “eyes” roam about the entire world continually. Here is a valuable principle to adopt: Do not anything in private that you would be ashamed to do in public! Hashem is a merciful and gracious God. When He sees that your intentions are for the sake of Heaven and that you wish to adhere to the path of virtue and integrity He will send His angel before you to save you from all sin and from every evil matter. And if you do suffer any harm or mishap, accept it with love, as I have already discussed at length (Chapter 31). If you are successful in your business ventures so that your income is generous, do not say, “My cleverness has stood me in good stead.” For one must know that, “Bread is not to the wise” (Koheles 9:1). Rather it is all a “gift from God” (ibid. 5:18). Therefore give praise and acknowledgement to the Holy One Blessed is He for everything. For the Sages comment on the verse, “Blessed is Hashem day by day” (Tehillim 68:20), that one must give praise and acknowledgement to God every day for whatever He metes out, whether for good or for evil, Heaven forbid (Berachos 40a). On this account Hashem will bless you from Tziyon and you will succeed and flourish in all your endeavors, Amein.

The person who is described as having performed "two" commandments, acquires "two" angels, i.e. "two thousand," as represented by the עולם היצירה. This is the meaning of the reference quoted from Psalms 68,18, quoted above.

In other words, such people penetrate to one half of the ribotayim mentioned in Psalms 68,18. This is why the verse in Psalms 91,7 is quoted, since it speaks of revavah =ten thousand, instead of rivotayim, twenty thousand. The meaning of Kohelet 6,6, in which even twice a lifetime of one thousand years is described as ultimately futile, is that unless one achieves רבבה, the level of עולם הבריאה, one has failed to achieve one's goal, i.e. half the “full yud.”

The select few manage to penetrate to an even higher level, i.e. the level of the yud in its full sense equivalent to the שקל הקודש, as we explained earlier. The reason the Torah calls for a contribution of only half this שקל הקודש (Exodus 30,13), is that most people are not able to attain a higher level than that represented by such a half שקל. Psalms 68,18, describes this dual yud when mentioning רבותיים instead of רבבות. There was no need for the Torah in פרשת כי תשא, to describe the שקל as a half שקל and spelling out that a whole שקל contains 20 geyrah, except to remind us of the fact that G–d's input into a human being is limited to ten parts out of of twenty. This means that the "holy" component of a human being to start with is only 50%. Man can be compared to a two sided coin. The scriptural hint for this is תתהפך כחומר חותם (Job 38,14), "it turns over like clay under the seal" (which has a seal imprinted on it). The body thus is viewed like the coin, i.e. the receptacle for the imprint the soul makes upon it. In its most elevated state the soul is to be viewed like G–d's imprint on the body. This is what our sages meant when they said that the soul resembles G–d in five ways. This is also the deeper meaning of our sages in Shekalim 4, saying that G–d showed Moses a fiery coin since He Himself is compared to consuming fire (אש אוכלה, Deut. 9,3). The Jewish people purchased the daily communal sacrifices from the money raised by these contributions (half-שקל). This is perhaps why these sacrifices are described as, אשה לה' "a fire offering to G–d (Numbers 28,3).