신명기 33:30의 Quotation

The fourth principle Preexistence and that is that we believe that this Unity that we mentioned is absolutely preexisting, and that no other existing thing besides Him was preexisting in relation to Him. And the proofs to this in the holy Scriptures are many. And this fourth principle is indicated by that which is stated (Deuteronomy 33:27), "The abode of the preexisting God."

The fourth principle Preexistence and that is that we believe that this Unity that we mentioned is absolutely preexisting, and that no other existing thing besides Him was preexisting in relation to Him. And the proofs to this in the holy Scriptures are many. And this fourth principle is indicated by that which is stated (Deuteronomy 33:27), "The abode of the preexisting God."

Why does the Torah begin with the letter Bet? In order that it begin with a berachah (blessing). How do we know that the Torah is called a blessing? Because it is written (Deut. 33:23), "And full of the LORD’s blessing, Take possession on the west and south." The Sea is nothing other than the Torah, as it is written (Job 11:9), "Its measure is longer than the earth And broader than the sea." What is the meaning of the verse, "full of the LORD’s blessing"? This means that wherever we find the letter bet it indicates a blessing. It is thus written (Gen. 1:1), "Bereshit..." ("In the beginning") The word reshit ("beginning") is nothing other than Wisdom. It is thus written (Ps. 111:10), "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD;" Wisdom is a blessing. It is thus written, that, the LORD blessed Solomon. It is furthermore written (I Kings 5:26), "The LORD had given Solomon wisdom". This resembles a king who marries his daughter to his son. He gives her to him at the wedding and says to him, "Do with her as you desire."

Rabbi Rahumai sat and expounded: What is the meaning of the verse (Deut 33:23), "And full of the LORD’s blessing, Take possession on the west and south."? This means that wherever we find the letter bet, it is blessed. This is the Filling referred to in the verse, "And full of the LORD’s blessing" From there it nourishes those who need it. It was from this Filling that God sought advice. What example does this resemble? A king wanted to build his palace among great cliffs. He mined into the bedrock and uncovered a great spring of living water. The king then said, "Since I have flowing water, I will plant a garden. Then I will delight in it, and so will all the world." It is therefore written (Pro. 8:30), "I was with Him as a confidant, A source of delight every day, Rejoicing before Him at all times," The Torah is saying, "For two thousand years I was in the bosom of the Blessed Holy One as His delight." The verse therefore says, "every day" Each day of the Blessed Holy One is a thousand years, as it is written (Ps. 90:4), "For in Your sight a thousand years are like yesterday that has passed, like a watch of the night." From then on, it is at times, as the verse states, "Rejoicing before Him at all times" The rest is for the world. It is thus written (Is. 48:9), "I control My wrath; To My own glory," What is the meaning of "My own glory"? As it is written (Ps. 145:1), "A song of praise. Of David. I will extol You..." Why is this a praise? Because "I will extol You". And what is this extolling? Because "Every day will I bless You and praise Your name forever and ever." [Ps. 145:2]

Rabbi Amorai sat and expounded: What is the meaning of the verse (Deut. 33:23), "And full of the LORD’s blessing, Take possession on the west and south." Moses was saying, "If you follow my decrees, you will inherit both this world and the next." The World to Come is likened to the sea, as it is written (Job 11:9), "And broader than the sea." The present world is referred to as the South. It is thus written (Josh. 15:19), "...for you have given me away as Negeb-land..." The Targum translates this, "behold the earth is the south."

What is the meaning of (Deut. 33:23), "...take possession..."? (yerashah) It would have been sufficient if the verse said, "...inherit..." (rash) But this comes to teach us that God must also be included. The word yerashah thus contains the letters resh, shin, yud, and he [or, rash Yah: "inherit God"]. What does this resemble? A king had two treasuries, and he hid one away. After many days he said to his son, "Take what is in these two treasuries." The son replied, "Perhaps you are not giving me all that you have hidden away." The king said, "Take everything." It is thus written, "Take possession on the west and south." Inherit God (rash Yah) - everything will be given to you if you only keep My ways.