Deep Intentions

His students asked: What is the meaning of the Cholem The Hebrew vowel point appearing above a letter? He said to them: It is a soul, and its name is Cholem A play on the word 'dream' and 'recovery/strength', for if you listen to it, your body will recover in the future to come. But if you rebel against it, illnesses Hebrew: cholaim will return to one's head. Furthermore, they said that every dream chalom is within the Cholem, and every white pearl is like a Chelem referring to a crystalline stone, as it is written: "and an amethyst" Exodus 28:19; Hebrew: achlamah. He said to them: Come up and hear the nuances of the points of the Torah of Moses, who sits and interprets for them.

The Chiriq The vowel point appearing as a single dot below a letter hates the wicked and chastises them, and at its side are envy, hatred, and strife, as it is written: "and gnashes choreq his teeth at him" (Psalm 37:12). Do not read it as Chiriq, but as Rachoq Distance; rather, through these traits, evil will be distanced from you, and all the more so, the Worthy One will cling to you. Do not read it as Chiriq, but as Qereach Bald/Empty; for in every place the Chiriq clings, it remains bald, as it is said: "and spotted" Genesis 31:10. And from where do we derive that this Chiriq is a language of burning? "The fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, the dust, and licked up the water in the trench" (1 Kings 18:38).

The Master said: "And all the people saw the voices and the torches" (Exodus 20:15). Can voices be seen? No; rather, all the people saw those voices of which David spoke: "The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the God of glory thunders... The voice of the Lord is with power" (Psalm 29:3-4). And it says, "By the power of my hand I have done it" (Isaiah 10:13), and it says, "Even my hand founded the earth" (Isaiah 48:13). "The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars"—this refers to the knot that breaks them, the cypress trees and the cedar trees. "The voice of the Lord hews out flames of fire"—this is what makes peace between the water and the fire, for He hews the power of the fire and prevents it from licking the water, and also prevents it from [burning] the hearts. "The voice of the Lord makes the desert tremble," as it is said: "He shows kindness to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever" (Psalm 18:51). "The voice of the Lord makes the hinds to calve and strips the forests bare, and in His temple all say: Glory!" (Psalm 29:9). And it is written: "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field" (Song of Songs 2:7). Thus you have learned that the Torah was given with seven voices, and in all of them the Lord of the World was revealed to them and they saw Him; and this is what is written: "And all the people saw the voices."

One verse says: "He bowed the heavens and came down, with thick darkness under His feet" (Psalm 18:10), and another verse says: "And the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai" (Exodus 19:20), and yet another verse says: "For from the heavens I have spoken with you" (Exodus 20:19). How can this be? His great fire was on the earth, which is one voice, and the rest of the voices were in the heavens, as it is said: "From the heavens He made you hear His voice to discipline you, and on the earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words from the midst of the fire" (Deuteronomy 4:36). From where did the speech emerge? From the fire, as it is said: "And you heard His words from the midst of the fire." And what is the meaning of "you saw no form, only a voice"?

As it is seen in the Tosafot Additions/Commentaries, Moses said to Israel: "For you saw no form" (Deuteronomy 4:15)—no form at all. This is like a king who stands over his servants wrapped in a white garment; is it not enough for the awe of the kingdom that they look upon his clothing? Furthermore, the king was far away, yet they heard his voice; could they see his greatness? You must say no. Thus you have learned that they saw a form, but not the entire form, and this is what is written: "And a form you did not see, only the voice." And it is written: "You heard the sound of words." One verse says: "And all the people saw the voices," and another verse says: "You heard the sound of words." How can this be? At first, they saw the voices—and what did they see? The seven voices that David mentioned—and in the end, they heard the speech emerging from between them all.

But did we not learn that there were Ten Utterances? They say that all of them were spoken as one matter. Yes, all of them were spoken as one matter, and there were seven "sayings" from the seven voices, and regarding three it is said: "You heard the sound of words and saw no form, only a voice." Thus you have learned that all of them were one matter of speaking. And so that Israel would not err and say that others—from among the angels—helped Him, His voice alone was [distinct]. And because of this, He went back and included them. Another explanation: so they would not say, "Since there are ten utterances for ten angels, perhaps He cannot speak with one mouth," He wrote "I am [the Lord]" Anochi and included all five. And what are the ten angels? The seven voices and the three utterances. And what are the "others"? As it is written: "And the Lord has declared you He'emirecha today" (Deuteronomy 26:18). And what are the three? As it is written: "The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, acquire understanding" (Proverbs 4:7). "The breath of the Almighty gives them understanding" (Job 32:8)—the souls of the high princes give them understanding. What is the third? As that elder said to that youth: "Into that which is too wondrous for you, do not seek; into that which is hidden from you, do not inquire. Contemplate that which you have been permitted, and you have no business with hidden things" A famous quote from Ben Sira 3:21. It was taught: "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter" (Proverbs 25:2). What is "a matter" Davar? As it says: "The beginning of Your word Devar-cha is truth" (Psalm 119:160). "But the glory of kings is to search out a matter." What is "a matter"? As it is written: "A word Davar spoken in its proper way Ofanav" (Proverbs 25:11). Do not read it as Ofanav its ways/wheels, but as Apanav His face, as in "My face shall go."

The students of Rabbi Berechiah asked him: "May our words be pleasing before you." He did not give them permission. Once, he did give them permission, and it was enough light for their morning. He said: "Now, intend for us that there be one day of lightning." He said to them: "Let me hear your wisdom." They opened and said: "In the beginning, one; and one spirit from before Him shall wrap, and souls..."