에스겔 1:10의 Musar

As far as the half-shekel contribution was concerned every Jew being counted, i.e. every ראש was equal. Since the word תרומה appears three times in this paragraph, it is clear that the Torah alludes to three distinct contributions to be made. One of these contributions is a voluntary one, described by the Torah as given to G–d, i.e. לי, "for Me," such as when the Torah described the donations made for building the Tabernacle in 25,2. When you combine the word לי there, with the word ראש used by the Torah here, you have the word ישראל. When all the Jews have made both their mandatory and their voluntary contributions the result is שבת קודש לישראל, meaning that the 600,000 Israelites have each joined their mate, the holy Sabbath, i.e. the seventh day. Tragically, when the Israelites sinned by worshipping the golden calf, an episode introduced by the Torah (32,1) with the words וירא העם כי בשש משה, normally translated as "the people noticed that Moses was late," the word Boshesh can be read as ba-shesh that the people regressed to the spiritual level of six instead of seven. Our sages all refer to the word meaning that Moses was six hours overdue or something to this effect, as mentioned already by Rashi. Israel's conduct discredited both the name of G–d and His throne. Their action was the equivalent of unhitching one of the four animals pulling G–d's chariot. This is the meaning of ופני שור מן השמאל לארבעתן, "the face of an ox to the left of the four" (Ezekiel 1,10). The ox is one of the four חיות described in the vision as pulling the chariot. [You are aware that the connotation of "left" is one that symbolises the domain of Satan. Ed]

The animal שור, ox, has its origin in the emanation גבורה, as we know from Ezekiel's vision of the מרכבה (Ezekiel 1,10): ופני שור מהשמאל, "And the face of the ox from the Left." The lamb mentioned in our verse (22,1), however, refers to Israel the lamb, in dispersion. Jacob's and hence Israel's attribute is תפארת, harmony, the Torah refers to this by hinting that transmigrations of souls due to either the attribute of שור or שה will not result in the souls ultimately becoming נדחים, outcast. The Torah did not need to tell us that transmigrations due to the attribute of חסד would not result in those souls becoming outcast. It is quite clear that such transmigrations were designed to add even greater luster to the personalities these souls represent.

He prayed for the דבקות to become manifest already before the conquest of the land of Canaan. As long as Israel carries out G–d's wishes this affinity exists, and the name of G–d as well as the throne of G–d is complete. When Israel sinned with the golden calf, one of the four supports of G–d's throne, i.e. the פני השור, "slipped," causing G–d's throne and His name to become impaired. As long as Israel carry out G–d's desires, they are the carriers of the Presence of G–d, they serve as the throne. As long as such a situation continues they are called אדם, i.e. they represent the פני אדם mentioned in Ezekiel's vision as one of the four carriers of G–d's throne (Ezekiel 1,10). The study of the Torah is one leg of the four legs supporting G–d's throne, the one called פני השור. This is based on ורב תבואות בכח השור (Proverbs 14,4). Our sages have said that one should apply oneself to Torah study as an ox applies himself to the yoke (Avodah Zarah 5). When it comes to the practical performance of what is written in the Torah one should behave like a lion and an eagle, as we know from Rabbi Yehudah ben Teyma in Avot 5,20. The Rabbi refers to the sharp eye possessed by the eagle and the courage possessed by the lion, a function of the heart. The Torah itself warns us not to allow our eyes and our hearts to make us stray from the path of Torah (Numbers 15,39), evidence that these two organs are of prime importance in carrying out G–d's commandments. Should Israel fail to live up to these obligations, also these two legs of G–d's throne would collapse.

When the Torah instructed that these rings were to serve as housings, בתים, by means of which the Table was transported (25,28), it alluded to an additional mystical dimension. It is an allusion to the four חיות described in Ezekiel 1,10 as the carriers of G–d's מרכבה. They became carriers by means of the "rings." [The meaning of these "rings" in Kabbalistic parlance -according to Pardes Rimonim- is that they symbolise superior wisdom. Ed.]

We now come to the third and final "day" or stage of Creation. We refer to the period when the handiwork of G–d will undergo complete rejuvenation to finally correspond to the Creator's hopes, the time of which the prophet has proclaimed: ישמח ה' במעשיו "G–d will rejoice in His works." At that time the ירושלים של מעלה will be revealed as being "opposite" the ירושלים של מטה, the former together with the letter symbolized by the covenant of circumcision, i.e. the performance of both מילה and פריעה which together represent the union of ציון, spiritual Jerusalem, and ירושלים, terrestrial Jerusalem. At that time Abraham will emerge as having attained his ultimate spiritual perfection, i.e. he will serve as both the terrestrial and the celestial מרכבה. Whereas at the point of לך לך in his career he had been merely the מרכבה described as ארגמן, he will have qualified by that time to become the מרכבה described as מרכבות עמי נדיב.