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Tehillim Tools: Psalm 65:5: Rashbi: Ten Canopies



“Fortunate is he whom You choose and bring near, that he may dwell in Your courts; may we be satisfied with the goodness of Your House, the Holy place of Your Sanctuary (Psalms 65:5).” This verse speaks first of “courts,” then of “house,” then of “sanctuary.” These are three levels, one with in the other and one above the other.

 

At first a person “dwells in Your courts,” and of him it may be said, “He who is left in Zion and he who remains in Jerusalem shall be called holy (Isaiah 4:3).”

As a next step, “we are satisfied with the goodness of Your House,” which is explained by the text, “a house shall be built through Wisdom.” (Note that it does not say, “Wisdom shall be built as a house,” which would imply that Wisdom itself is called “House,” but, “by Wisdom,” with allusion to the verse, “A river went forth from Eden to water the Garden.”)

Finally, “the holy place of Your Temple,” is the culmination of all, as we have been taught: the word Heichal may be divided into hey and Kol (all), implying that both are in it in complete union.

The opening words of the verse, “fortunate is the man whom You choose and bring near,” indicates that whoever brings his son as an offering before God (for Brit Milah and to study Torah) pleases God, so that God draws him near and places his abode in two courts, which He joins so as to form one.

He who does not recite these words at a circumcision excludes himself from the 10 Canapés which God intends to raise for the righteous in the Future World, and which all depend upon this. Hence it is that there are 10 words in this verse, out of each of which, if recited with proper faith, is made a canopy.

Happy your portion in this world and in the World to Come, for the Torah is fixed in your hearts as if you had yourselves stood at Mount Sinai when the Law was given to Israel. (Zohar I, 94b-95a)

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