Zohar on the Torah
Parshat Vayikra - Zohar, Page 8a and b
Translated and adapted by Mr. Simcha Treister
Rabbi Yehuda opened his discourse with the verse: ‘Serve the Lord with
gladness (simcha); come before His presence with singing (ranana)’
(Psalms 100,2). We have learned that all service and worship of G-d that a
person does, should be performed with joyfulness and heartfelt desire in order
that the worship should be complete. How can it be said then, that a person who
brought a sacrifice in repentance could be happy? Such a person has
transgressed the commandments of his Master and the commandments of the Torah.
What sort of face should he show in standing before his Master? Certainly it
should be with a broken and saddened spirit. Where is the joy and where is the
singing that he needs to bring together with his sacrifice?
However we have learned elsewhere that a person who has sinned before
his Master and transgressed His commandments and comes to bring a sin offering
to rectify himself, needs to feel broken and remorseful in spirit. If he weeps
while bringing his sacrifice, that is better than anything else he might do –
and so we see that neither joy nor singing were present. So how were these two
aspects present at the bringing of the sacrifice?
They were actualized through the Priest (Cohen) and the Levi who
were also present at the offering of the sacrifice. They fulfilled the joy and
singing on his behalf. The joy was represented by the Cohen who is always far
from strict judgement (din) because he is rooted in kindness (chesed)
the opposite of din. A Cohen should always show himself with a shining face –
happier than all the rest of the people – because his crowning sphira is chesed
that constantly receives power from the sphira of Binah (understanding). The singing was performed
by the Levi, and this is appropriate because the Levites would sing and this
would sweeten the dinnim (judgements), as we have learned. [In Hebrew the word
for song is Shir or Zemer, both of which mean to cut. The idea is
that a song cuts the harsh judgement at its source. In English the word din means
a loud, confused noise. Singing rectifies this annoying commotion and the
resulting sweet tones uplift the spirit. In English as well as in Hebrew,
singing cuts away din! - Ed.]
So both the Cohen and the Levi were present performing their roles of
joy and singing when the penitent brought his sacrifice with a broken heart,
thus completing proper worship of G-d. The Cohen would conduct the ceremony in
happiness and with heartfelt desire in order to unify the Holy Name as is
fitting and the Levi would sing. This is what is meant by the continuation of
the verse above: ‘Know (Deu from the word Daat) that the Lord is
G-d’ (Psalms 100,3).
Da’at (knowledge) is in the middle channel of the Tree of the Sphirot;
and the sacrificial ceremony (korban) caused Mercy to draw in (lekarev)
the Judgement so both were in equilibrium under Daat. [Note that lekarev
is the root of the word korban].
In these days, when the Temple is destroyed, and we can’t bring
sacrifices, one who has sinned and wishes to return to his Master, certainly
should have a bitter soul, and be full of remorse and weeping and have a broken
spirit. But if this so – how can he fulfill the requirement to serve G-d with
joy and with song, especially since he doesn’t feel it.
The answer is as we have learned. When a person prays and praises his
Master and rejoices in his learning Torah and sings his learning out loud in a
melodious way, that is the gladness and singing referred to in our text. [And
when he arrives at the place of viddui/confession in prayer he should
then pray with a broken and contrite heart.]