Halakhah do Diwrej ha-jamim II 4:24

Birkat ha-mazon consists of three blessings from the Torah, and one blessing from the words of the scribes. The oldest at the table leads the blessing, even if he came after the meal.²⁰⁷So the Tur and Shulhan Arukh Orah Hayim 201. A mnemonic acronym for the three blessings from the Torah comes from the verses “You shall make a table of acacia wood… and make around it a molding of gold – ZaHa”B:”²⁰⁸Ex 25:23,24. the blessing ha-Zan (“who feeds”), the blessing Ha-aretz (“for the land”) and the blessing Boneh Yerushalayim (“who builds Jerusalem”) – the initials of which are ZH”B, and zahav is numerically equivalent to DaVi”D,²⁰⁹I.e., both = 14. and thus the table hints at malkhut – “kingdom.”²¹⁰According to b. Yoma 72, “there were three rims in the sanctuary, one on the altar, one on the ark, and on the table…David earned the rim on the table, and he took it.” In other words, King David and his kingdom are associated with “the table.” The symbol of kingdom is the house of David son of Jesse, which includes the both the kingdom of the house of David below, and the kingdom above, which is the power of the frankincense: Dovid melekh Yisrael hay ve-kayam(“Long live David King of Israel!”) – this is what is meant by “We have no portion in David, No share in Jesse’s son! Every man to his tent (le–ohalav), O Israel!”²¹¹2 Sam 20:1. not “le-ohalav – to his tent” but rather “le’lohav– to his God.”²¹²In other words, the Torah is using “his tent” (ohalav) as a euphemism for “his God” (elohav), because it is quoting a wicked person, Sheba the son of Bichri, and it would have been disrespectful to God to quote Sheba’s call to rebellion that invoked God. I think what R. Bahya has in mind in all this is that “house of David,” “malkhut,” and “elohim” are all symbolic synonyms for the tenth sefirah – Malkhut, or Shekhinah. For you already knew that the table in the sanctuary corresponds to midat ha-din – God’s attribute of justice – which is the reason why it is located on the north, that is the left side,²¹³That is, if one is standing facing the east. the side of Gevurah – “Might.” And on the table were two cloths, one made of crimson, the other blue.²¹⁴Nu 4:7-8. The crimson one corresponds to midat ha-din above, and the blue one corresponds to midat ha-din below, which is comprised of all the other attributes. And here the showbread was on the table itself, without anything in between, as it is said, “And the regular bread shall rest upon it [the table],”²¹⁵Nu 4:7. and over the bread was spread the blue cloth. And on this cloth were put all the utensils for the table, and over the utensils was spread the crimson cloth; was the highest on top of everything else. The crimson cloth would be on top, and the blue cloth below, that’s just how the upper midat din emanates down into the lower one, and the point of this whole arrangement is that from the table in the sanctuary comes sustenance for the whole world.²¹⁶Zohar 153b: “This table stands inside the Mishkan, and from it goes out food for the whole world.” Corresponding to it is the midat din above that sustains the upper beings, the host on high, even as it does the lower beings, for it is the attribute “that supplies provisions for her household and, the daily fare of her maids.”²¹⁷Prv 31:15. From this you will understand the reason why the height of the table with all of the things arrayed on was ten handbreadths. For even so, the table in the sanctuary with what was on top of it should instruct you about midat ha-din, and understand this! For you need to be awakened to what our sages z”l said about this: “Ten tables King Solomon (peace be upon him) made, as it is explained in Scripture, and likewise ten lampstands, and ten washbasins.²¹⁸2 Chr 4:6-8. Clearly, R. Bahya is alluding to the ten sefirot, for whose array the arrangement of cloths, utensils, and shewbread on the table in the sanctuary is a microcosm.