00:00 Sefer Yeshayahu, chapter 6. "In the year of the death of King Uziyahu, I saw the Lord seated upon a throne, high and lofty, and its skirts filled the Heichal." "In the year of the death of King Uziyahu": the Radak says that Yonatan translated it as "in the year that King Uziyahu was afflicted." "Death" here does not mean actual death, but rather tzaraat. What happened there? Chazal say that Uziyahu wanted to offer incense inside the Beit HaMikdash, and as a result he was stricken with tzaraat. We will see this stated more explicitly later on, and we will also see a connection to it in the pesukim that follow. I would just like to dwell on a fine point of grammar in Lashon HaKodesh: why do Chazal say that "in the year of the death of King Uziyahu" means tzaraat? Why not understand it according to its plain meaning, namely "in the year of the death of King Uziyahu," the year in which King Uziyahu died?
"And it was after the death of Pharaoh, king of Egypt" - Chazal say that he was stricken with tzaraat. "And Bnei Yisrael groaned": he would take a slaughterer to kill 150 children in the morning and 150 children in the evening, so that he could bathe in their blood to be cured of his tzaraat. There too, why do Chazal take the verse out of its plain meaning? "Death": it is written "and it was after the death of Pharaoh, king of Egypt," which means that Pharaoh died. Why offer an explanation that does not fit the plain meaning of the texts? And I am not asking about commentators; I am asking about those who follow the plain meaning of the verses. Rashi always explains according to the plain meaning of Scripture, so why do we see here that they departed from the plain meaning? The answer is: there is no dominion on the day of death. When a person dies, kingship is not written concerning him. Regarding David HaMelech, throughout the way it is written "the king David," "David the king," "king David." "And David lay with his fathers," not "and the king David lay." There is no dominion on the day of death; one cannot call him king when he lies down, when he passes away, for "a living dog is better than a dead lion." There is no kingship when a person dies. If so, it is not fitting to call him king, and we see this in many verses.
If so, how can it say "in the year of the death of King Uziyahu"? It should have been written "in the year of the death of Uziyahu," without the title "king," since he had died. If so, how can it say "and it was after the death of Pharaoh, king of Egypt"? It should have been written "and it was after the death of Pharaoh." What is "king of Egypt"? After all, there is no dominion on the day of death. You are therefore forced to say that he was still alive. So what does "death" mean? "Death" can mean a poor man, "death" can mean a leper, and "death" can also mean a blind man. But of all these three, the most plausible is tzaraat. Why? Because we saw explicitly regarding Uziyahu, "and the tzaraat broke out on his forehead." That is, we saw explicitly that concerning him it is written "death," and what is the death referred to concerning him? Tzaraat. So too, concerning Pharaoh it is written "death." We already explained that "death" in its plain sense cannot be, since he is called king. So what can it be? One of the other possibilities. Poverty certainly cannot be, since as king he was not poor, and we have already seen that death is referred to as tzaraat. Therefore we explain that "Pharaoh died" means he was stricken with tzaraat. So too here, "the death of King Uziyahu" means "in the year that King Uziyahu was afflicted," the year in which he was stricken with the affliction of tzaraat.
The Abarbanel here emphasizes something we saw at the beginning of the sefer, that in fact Yeshayahu chapter 6 is the beginning of Sefer Yeshayahu, and the preceding chapters were said afterward. The earlier chapters, from chapter 1 through chapter 5, were said later. But since there is no strict chronological order even in the Neviim, he opened with the earlier chapters. The proof is that it is written there in the earlier chapters, "and the daughter of Tzion is left like a hut in a vineyard," and this was after the earlier chapters were spoken to Yehuda, once the ten tribes had already gone into exile, leaving only Yehuda and Yerushalayim. "The vision of Yeshayahu concerning Yehuda and Yerushalayim" - that is, the ten tribes had already gone into exile. "Why should you be smitten again, that you continue to rebel?" Who is "you"? The ten tribes; "you will add rebellion," you, Yehuda and Yerushalayim. That is, there we are already speaking of the second stage, when there had already been one exile. If so, it cannot be that this is the beginning of Yeshayahu's prophecies. Therefore he comes and says: know that here, in this chapter, this was the beginning of Yeshayahu's prophecy, when King Uziyahu was stricken with tzaraat.
Chazal say: everything that Yechezkel saw, Yeshayahu also saw. Yechezkel too prophesied about the Merkava, with serafim standing above him, and everything that we will see here in the chapter, Yechezkel prophesied about as well. But, Chazal say, to what may Yechezkel be compared? To a villager who saw the king. And to what may Yeshayahu be compared? To a city dweller who saw the king. What does this mean? Yechezkel describes at great length, the appearance of the chashmal and everything written there concerning the Merkava; that was with Yechezkel. In contrast, with Yeshayahu he writes briefly: Hashem sits upon a throne, high and lofty, its skirts fill the Heichal, serafim standing above Him. He does not elaborate on all the visions that Yechezkel elaborated upon. Because Yechezkel was like a villager who sees the king. A villager who sees the king's procession with the king in it, when he returns to the village, elaborates in his descriptions of what a special procession it was, what flags there were, what trumpets, and what motorcyclists rode before him; he elaborates on the details, he is overwhelmed the first time he sees something like this. In contrast, a city dweller who sees the king has seen him many times, so he describes it simply: yes, the king's procession passed by. He does not need to describe all the details with meticulous descriptions of every single thing; he is not so overwhelmed by it. Yeshayahu, on account of his great stature, did not find the vision such a novelty, and the people of his generation were also more complete than those of Yechezkel's generation, since Yechezkel was already truly in exile by the river Kevar. Therefore Yeshayahu mentioned serafim and did not mention the chayot. The meaning is that it is essentially the same, and do not think that Yechezkel saw more; rather, the opposite is true. Precisely Yeshayahu saw more, only that Yechezkel was more overwhelmed, and therefore Yechezkel's descriptions are much fuller and more detailed. But this does not mean that he saw more than Yeshayahu saw.
"And I saw Hashem." The Malbim says: the exalted Essence cannot be grasped with the eye of flesh. "The exalted Essence" is a term for Hashem Yitbarach, exalted beyond human understanding: "no man shall see Me and live." It is impossible to see the Kadosh Baruch Hu. So what is "and I saw Hashem"? "And I saw Hashem" means seeing with the intellect; it means comprehension. Sight with the eye - the physical senses cannot grasp Him; how is it possible to see Hashem? Rather, the meaning is seeing with the intellect. And since, the Malbim says, it is impossible to grasp the Kadosh Baruch Hu from the aspect of His Essence, from what can He be grasped? From the aspect of His actions. This is something we have discussed several times on various occasions, both when we learned Nefesh HaChaim and when we learned the Kuzari: we cannot grasp the Kadosh Baruch Hu from the aspect of His Essence, but we can grasp Him from the aspect of His actions and the effects that emanate from Him. When the Kadosh Baruch Hu shows mercy, I say Hashem is merciful. When the Kadosh Baruch Hu shows grace, I say Hashem is gracious. But to grasp who Hashem is, what Hashem is, His quality, His essence, an apprehension of Him - no thought can grasp Him at all. What can I know? What He does, what He acts. From His actions I can draw conclusions about Him, but not from knowing His Essence and His essential nature.
Therefore Chazal indeed raise the question: "and I saw Hashem seated upon a throne, high and lofty," yet is it not written "no man shall see Me and live"? Who asked whom this question? Menashe asked it. To whom? To his grandfather, to Yeshayahu HaNavi, before he killed him. He asked him: how can you say "and I saw Hashem seated"? You prophesy in this way, contradicting what is written, "no man shall see Me and live"? The Gemara says: Yeshayahu did not answer him, but as to the question itself, the Gemara says, here through the clear glass, here through the unclear glass. Let me first explain the plain meaning. A "clear glass" is a polished mirror through which you see clearly. An "unclear glass" is a dirty mirror through which you do not see clearly. Therefore, to see Hashem through the clear glass - "no man shall see Me and live." To see Hashem through the unclear glass - "and I saw Hashem seated upon a throne, high and lofty" - that is indeed possible to see.
The Malbim says, according to what we explained, the explanation would be as follows: "the clear glass" means to see the Kadosh Baruch Hu in His Essence, to grasp His Essence, which is impossible, as we said. This is called the clear glass. "The unclear glass" means to receive and grasp His Essence from the aspect of His actions. Through seeing His actions I draw conclusions about Him Yitbarach, but to grasp Him in His Essence is called the clear glass. To what may the matter be compared? For example, I cannot look directly at the light of the sun, but I look at a white wall here and I see that it is brightly illuminated. By what is it illuminated? By the sun. What did I receive? The light of the sun, but I did not receive it in its essence; I received it as it acts upon a physical object, and from it I received the light of the sun. So too, Hashem Yitbarach - you cannot even see His servants and ministers, which is the sun. You cannot see that. So can He Himself be seen? No. Rather, the unclear glass. What is the unclear glass? It refers to the aspect of the recipients, that is, His actions; that I can indeed grasp. And this is what it means, "and I saw Hashem": it refers to an intellectual seeing from the aspect of the influence of the actions of Hashem Yitbarach; that indeed was possible to grasp.
The Malbim says: know that the supernal governance - we are explaining that he saw the ways of His governance, for he saw what emanated from Him according to His actions. Know that the supernal governance is divided into two modes. There is one governance which is natural governance. Natural governance is a fixed governance, a governance that does not change; it is the more constant Will of the Creator of the world, as the Chazon Ish defines it. The Malbim says: through what does the Kadosh Baruch Hu conduct natural governance? What are His instruments for bringing natural governance down here? It is the host of the heavens. The stars, the constellations, through their rotation, their governance descends and cascades down here, natural governance. And this is what we explained several times, that "mazal" is from the word for something that flows and descends and cascades and influences. So through the governance of the stars and constellations, the Kadosh Baruch Hu conducts His world in a natural way. The second is miraculous governance. Miraculous governance is a governance that Hashem conducts at times, when the Kadosh Baruch Hu wants to overturn the systems of nature; then the Kadosh Baruch Hu conducts the world in a miraculous way. Who conducts it? Through whom does the Kadosh Baruch Hu conduct the world in a miraculous way? Through the host of angels, not the host of the heavens, the stars and constellations, but the angels. The angels are on a higher level and rank than the host of the heavens, that is, than the stars and constellations. And by the power of the command of Hashem Yitbarach, by the power of the Name that is high and lofty, they overturn the systems of nature. They succeed in nullifying the natural governance that comes through the stars and constellations. But this is not a fixed governance; it is a governance that, as we said, happens only at times, and only for some great need, to redeem Yisrael from Egypt. Only in very specific ways does the Kadosh Baruch Hu conduct this governance.
Now the prophet Yeshayahu describes for us the modes of governance of Hashem Yitbarach which he sees. At first he describes how he sees natural governance; afterward he describes how he sees miraculous governance. At first he describes natural governance, and he describes Hashem Yitbarach as it were as a king seated upon a throne. What is the definition of sitting upon a throne? A person sitting on a chair is a person who is fixed in his place, rooted in his place; he sits, he is at rest, this is his so-called standard state. When a person stands, that is not his usual state; a person's usual state is when he sits. When I want to describe the Kadosh Baruch Hu's fixed governance, I describe Him as a king seated upon a throne. A king seated upon a throne means the governance of sitting, which is His usual, fixed governance; this is natural governance. The throne is the host of the heavens. The host of the heavens, the stars and constellations: the King sits upon the throne, as it were; the King conducts His world through the host of the heavens in fixed governance. This is what "sitting" indicates: sitting as something fixed, something that operates continuously. As it is written, "the heavens are My throne." What are the heavens? It refers to the stars and constellations; they are in the category of the throne, as it were; they are the fixed governance. "Hashem established His throne in the heavens," upon them is the constant natural governance.
"Seated upon a throne, high and lofty." Who is "high and lofty"? It is Hashem Yitbarach. He comes and tells you: I told you that the Kadosh Baruch Hu - I described Him as a king seated upon a throne. You might think for a moment that perhaps I am describing something physical, material, like seeing a person sitting on a chair. He says: no, no, no, do not be confused. "High and lofty" - Hashem is high and lofty; do not take the words literally. Distance yourself from corporeality, as the books of the mekubalim elaborate in their introductions to explain that the ABC's for a person who wants to learn Kabbalah is to distance himself from corporeality. "You shall not make other gods with Me" - one should not picture a throne, think of a throne, picture Hashem, picture Him as a body sitting on a throne. No; after he said this as a metaphor, he immediately comes and warns "high and lofty": Hashem is high and lofty, He is above all these descriptions; this is only to make it comprehensible to the ear. It is like a parenthetical remark. "High and lofty": be careful not to overstep in your mind.
"And its skirts filled the Heichal." "Its skirts" does not refer to Hashem Yitbarach, but "its skirts" refers back to the throne. And the skirts of the throne filled the Heichal. "Its skirts": if we explained that the throne is in fact the mode of natural governance, then "its skirts filled the Heichal" comes to tell you that the governance of the reign of the throne, which comes to symbolize the fixed natural governance, fills the Heichal, meaning it descends and cascades and fills all the palaces down to the physical world. This is "its skirts filled the Heichal" - "and the earth is My footstool." The throne, the skirts of the throne, reach as it were down to the earth, down to all the palaces, all the way below. And what is the meaning of "filled the Heichal"? What is the definition of "filled"? That you should not err into thinking that the governance is only a general governance. He says: no, it is a particular governance descending into the finest details. "Filling the Heichal": there is no detail, no point, nothing however fine, that is not under the particular hashgacha of Hashem Yitbarach. And this is the fixed governance, the natural governance, in which the Kadosh Baruch Hu watches over every single detail, until His skirts literally fill the entire Heichal.
"Serafim stood above Him, six wings, six wings to each one; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew." "Serafim stood above Him" - serafim stood above Hashem Yitbarach; this is the plain meaning of the verse. And these serafim, angels, each have six wings. With two he covers his face, with two the saraf covers his feet, and with two he flies - with two wings, two additional wings with which he flies. That is my explanation of the words. Rashi explains: "serafim stood above Him" - this does not mean above Him but rather to serve Him. Right? They serve before Him Yitbarach. "With two he covered his face" - why does the saraf need to cover his face with his wings? Because he stands facing Hashem Yitbarach, and he needs to cover his face so as not to gaze toward the Shechina, for that would involve a lack of honor. "With two he covered his feet" so that his whole body should not be seen before his Creator. This too involves a lack of honor, that his body be seen before Hashem Yitbarach, and especially the feet, which symbolize the lower part of a person. As we see that a distinguished person covers his feet. Rashi brings another explanation from the Tanchuma, that the Midrash Tanchuma states that the covering of the feet is because what kind of feet do the serafim have? "Their feet were like a calf's hoof." So as not to constantly recall the sin of the calf before Hashem Yitbarach, "with two he covered his feet" - they would cover their feet, with their two wings, so as not to recall the sin of the calf. "Serafim stood, and with two he flew" means that with two he serves before Him Yitbarach. This is the meaning of "and with two he flew."
The Malbim explains, according to what we explained earlier, that at first he described natural governance, which is in the category of Hashem seated upon a throne, high and lofty, that governance which is bestowed through the host of the heavens, through the stars and constellations. In our verse he moves to explain miraculous governance, the governance that is above nature, the governance that is superior to natural governance, which is not carried out by the host of the heavens but by the serafim. The serafim are the angels who are on a higher level than the host of the heavens. Why does he call them serafim and not angels? We will see an explanation for this later. "Serafim stood above Him": the word "Him" here refers to the throne. As we said, "its skirts filled the Heichal" refers to the skirts of the throne; "serafim stood above Him" means above the throne. That is, they are the ones who move the throne, and they are higher than it. That is, the throne is natural governance, and there is someone who moves it from above, namely the serafim. And when the serafim wish, they in fact change the governance of the throne. The throne, we said, alludes to natural governance; the serafim have the power to change natural governance when there is a need. Based on what? Based on what they receive from Him Yitbarach, not based on their own power.
And it says "serafim stood." What is the meaning of "stood"? "Stood" means as one who stands and waits and awaits. I am on standby. The saraf stands and waits: when will there be an instruction? "Overturn the systems of nature," and the saraf immediately does it. Therefore this is not in the category of "sitting." Sitting, we said, is the fixed governance, the natural governance. In contrast, when I speak of miraculous governance, he does not sit; he only stands, ready. Ready for what? To receive an instruction, to overturn the systems of nature. So natural governance is "sitting," and miraculous governance is in the category of "standing."
Now he describes their wings for us. "Six wings to each one." The Malbim says: why does he describe the angels as having wings? To understand this, you need to understand the source of the word "kanaf" (wing) in Lashon HaKodesh and what this word comes to express. The Malbim says: wings - the word "kanaf" in its origin refers to the feathers attached to the limb of the dove. The dove's limb, the wing, is called "ever" (limb). "Who will give me wings like a dove." What is the "ever"? What the dove moves. That is called the limb. What covers the limb is the feathers; that is called "kanaf." Collectively - each one is called a feather, but collectively it is called "kanaf" - referring to the feathers covering the limb. The Malbim says: from this meaning the term "kanaf" is borrowed for several other things. First, from this the term "kanaf" is borrowed for something that flies easily; the expression "kanaf" is used about it. For example, about the wind, "the wings of the wind." "The wings of the dawn," about the sun, "the sun of righteousness with healing in its wings." Something that flies away from a person's memory - "it will fly away, they make themselves wings," as it is written in Mishlei. And since a bird, when it flies, spreads its wings, we also find the expression of spreading with wings, "He spreads His wings, He takes him." When it spreads its wings, what does it make below? Shade. So we also find "kanaf" as an expression of shade, "the land of the buzzing of wings." Since beneath the bird's wings, beneath the shade, one can take shelter, we also find the expression "in the shadow of Your wings they take shelter." We see sheltering beneath the wings. And since the bird hides its chicks beneath its wings, "kanaf" also expresses the idea of hiding. "In the secret of Your wings I will cover." Until we find the expression of "kanaf" as an expression of hiddenness: "your Teacher will no longer hide Himself." Who is "your Teacher will no longer hide Himself" said about? About whom is it said? "Your Teacher will no longer hide Himself" - about whom is it said? About Hashem Yitbarach. Hashem Yitbarach now: "and I will surely hide My face from them," Hashem is hidden from us. But in the future, "your Teacher," Hashem Yitbarach, "your Teacher will no longer hide Himself," He will no longer be hidden from you. We see that "kanaf" became an expression of hiddenness. And likewise "he shall not uncover his father's kanaf," which the Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim explains in the name of Ibn Janach: "his father's kanaf" means his father's private matter. Here you see that "kanaf" also expresses concealment. And since the wing is at the end of the bird's body, therefore "kanaf" also expresses an edge, an end. As in "from where did we hear songs? From the kanaf of the earth," right? "From the kanaf of the earth" means from the edge of the earth. Or "upon the kanaf of their garments," "kanaf" from the meaning of an edge, the edge of the garment.
So if we want to summarize, "kanaf" expresses three things. First, an edge, a boundary, the corners of the garment. Second, a covering, a concealment, hiddenness, "your Teacher will no longer hide Himself." Third, to fly; flight is expressed with wings; something that flies easily, we say "it spread its wings and disappeared," right? Even if it is not a bird. We say "kanaf" from the meaning of something that flies easily. These three aspects are the descriptions with which we will now describe the serafim.
First, he comes and tells us "six wings, six wings to each one; with two he covered his face." He comes to teach us: know that these serafim have a boundary, they have a measure. A physical measure? Certainly not, for they are spiritual. So what is their measure? In spirituality they have a limitation. For who is unlimited in spirituality? Only the Kadosh Baruch Hu. All other spiritual beings are in fact limited. If so, he wants to tell you that they receive from someone else. Through what do we express a recipient? Through what? It is always through the face. The face expresses what I receive from you. The Gemara says "my level is greater than his because I saw Rabbi" - how? Rabbi Meir from the front, right? If he saw him from behind, his level was lower; if he saw him from the front, his level was higher. To see from the front always symbolizes the way of a recipient. As it appears in the books of the mekubalim, when they want to speak of the union of the supernal middot, how is it expressed that there is a union of the supernal middot? When is it? When they are face to face. In contrast, face to back, and all the more so back to back, there is no reality of union. To receive is by way of face to face. So when I speak of their faces, I am speaking of what they receive. So he tells you: know that he is not limited - sorry, know that he is limited, he is not unlimited. And the proof: "and with two he covered his face." He comes and tells you: see that he needs to cover his face, meaning there is someone who bestows upon him. This is what the face expresses, that he is a recipient, that he receives from someone above him. This is "with two he covered his face." Furthermore, he comes and tells you: know that there is here a concealment and a covering. The essence of those serafim is not grasped by us. Why? We do not grasp anything that is above time or above space. We have no ability to grasp such a thing. Why? Because all the physical, material things that we know are things in which time and space apply. Time means what passes over us; if someone speaks to us of a reality above time, can we grasp it? We have no apprehension of it. Above space is also something that cannot be grasped and apprehended. Today, when people speak to us of things such as, for example, atoms, which is something that is not grasped by the eye - no one to this day has ever seen an atom, even though they draw it - so we begin to understand that there are also things that are above matter. But even so, it is difficult for us to grasp the essence of the thing. Therefore he tells you: know that "with two he covered his feet." What is "with two he covered his feet"? The feet, the Malbim says, always express someone who is influenced by me. As it is written, "and Hashem blessed you on account of me (leragli)." From me all this abundance was bestowed; at his feet came the abundance. So if until now we spoke of them being limited in that they receive, he comes and tells you: know that we also cannot fully receive and grasp their essence, "with two he covered his feet." "His feet" means what we are influenced by from them; that is in the category of covered, it is in the category of hidden. And these are the additional wings that cover the feet, to teach and hint that we have no ability to grasp it fully. A third thing that further makes it difficult for us to grasp their whole essence: he comes to indicate to you the actual flight. If in the first we explained that they have an edge and a boundary, "kanaf," an edge and a boundary like the edge of a garment, like the edge of the earth, we said they are limited, they receive through the face; after that we say they bestow, we have no ability to grasp them fully, it is in the category of concealment and covering, their influence is hidden from us because they are spiritual. Now he comes to explain, according to the third explanation from the meaning of flying, "and with two he flew," he comes and describes for you their own essential matter, their task, their essence: they run to do the will of their Owner. "And with two he flew," the Targum renders "and with two he serves." The meaning is that he does and serves the will of his Owner.
Now let us note: he always attributed the wings to twos. Why always to twos? One could say according to the plain meaning, because he gives an example from a reality familiar to us, that every winged bird has two wings, right? But the Malbim says that here he wanted to teach us something additional. He wanted to show us that even though they are abstracted from corporeality, know that there is no simple unity in them as there is in the Creator. Rather, the Creator is in fact a simple unity, a unity in which there is no composition. Therefore when we speak of "one," it refers to Him Yitbarach; there is no composition in Him. But if I describe someone and I describe something in him with twos, that says it is no longer a simple unity. That is, do not be confused: the serafim are on a very high level, but this is still not the Creator. It is still not the Creator; there are twos in them - see that there is an even number of wings in them. Now he says "with two he covered his face"; they receive, as we explained, and these twos with which he covers his face come to hint that the abundance bestowed upon them shows me that they are in fact limited, since they receive abundance and vitality and existence from what is above them. So he says it is written with twos. Why? Because there are two apprehensions in them. An apprehension in which he apprehends himself and also apprehends his Creator, receiving abundance from his Creator. Therefore this is attributed to twos. "With two he covered his feet," this is again: he has his own power and the power that he bestows downward - we said "leragli" is the power that they bestow downward - and therefore this too is two, his own and what he bestows. "With two he flew," again: this is his own essential matter, in which we see the composition, that there are already two wings in him, and also for the sake of doing the will of his Creator, so here too I need two wings to express the two natures in him.
The Gemara says: in Sefer Yechezkel we saw that there the wings numbered four, the chayot there had four wings, while here we see six wings, "six wings to each one." The question arises: how can Yechezkel's vision and Yeshayahu's vision differ when we explain that they in fact saw the same thing? The Gemara is in Masechet Chagiga, daf 13a. One verse says "six wings, six wings to each one," and one verse says in Yechezkel chapter 1, "and four faces to each one and four wings to each one of them." There are, incidentally, several answers to this; what I am telling you now is the Gemara in Masechet Chagiga. The Gemara says: it is not difficult; here when the Beit HaMikdash exists, here when the Beit HaMikdash does not exist. As it were, the wings of the chayot were diminished. In the time of Yeshayahu the Mikdash existed in its place, "six wings, six wings to each one." In the days of Yechezkel the time had come for the Beit HaMikdash to be destroyed, and as it were the heavenly retinue was diminished. For in truth diminishment does not apply there, but the meaning is that the moment they no longer have proper influence here below, then consequently the heavenly retinue too is, as it were, diminished. Which wings were diminished? Which of them? Those with which they say song. So the Gemara says. Those wings with which - which of them were diminished? Rav Chananel said in the name of Rav: those with which they say song. The wings with which they say song are the ones that were diminished. It is written here - and incidentally, how do we know this? Because after they were diminished, what is written? "From the kanaf of the earth we heard songs." Why "from the kanaf of the earth"? Because the earth must now say song, since those two wings of the angels with which they say song are the ones that were diminished. It is written "and with two he flew" and "and one called to another and said," and it is written "you set your eyes upon it and it is gone." You see that those "with two he flew" and "it is gone," "you set your eyes upon it and it is gone," are the ones that were diminished. And who tells me that with them he says song? Because it is written "and with two he flew, and one called to another and said, Kadosh, Kadosh." That is, the "with two he flew" - with them, "one called to another and said, Kadosh, Kadosh," and this is what we say, "and with two he serves," right? With them he in fact serves before his Owner and says before Him kedusha.
The Gemara says: the Rabbanan say those with which they cover their feet are the ones that were removed. For regarding Yechezkel it is written "and their feet were a straight foot." From where did you see their feet? For what did we say? "And with two they cover their feet." If two cover their feet, how did Yechezkel see their feet? Rather, the Gemara says, from here you learn that these are the ones that were diminished. But the Gemara rejects this: perhaps it was revealed and he saw it. The Gemara says: perhaps it was revealed to him for a short time and he saw it. For if you do not say so, "and the likeness of their faces was the face of a man" - how did you see the likeness of their faces? For we said "and with two he covered his face." So how were you able to see it? So from here the Gemara says I can also say about the feet that for a moment it was revealed and he saw their feet; there is no proof from here. The Rabbanan do not accept this. The Rabbanan say: it is proper conduct to uncover the face before one's master, so he uncovers his face. But to uncover his feet is not proper conduct to uncover before his master; is it proper conduct to uncover one's feet before one's master and lord? This is not proper conduct. Therefore the Rabbanan say that the two feet, the two wings that were removed, are those two wings which "with two he covered his feet." These are the ones that were removed, and not the wings with which they say "songs from the kanaf of the earth."
The Malbim in Sefer Yechezkel explains that from the day the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed, the wings of the chayot were diminished, for from then on they do not receive and bestow in the miraculous, hidden matter, but only through the system, in a revealed and known matter, which is not covered by many wings and coverings. That is, the Malbim explains what it means that two wings were already removed. He says those two wings come to hint at the abundance that descends through the system. "Through the system" means through the systems of the stars and constellations, and this is, as it were, revealed to all. As though even astrologers can tell you what will be. He is speaking of astrologers, true astrologers who existed in their times, not the horoscope that exists today. In their times there were those who truly knew what they were talking about. So this is called revealed governance. The governance has already become revealed; in the past we had miracles. Miracles, we explained, are in the category of hidden governance. In contrast, revealed governance can, as it were, be seen clearly. So he tells you: from the time the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed, the wings of the chayot were diminished; the wings of the chayot mean that miraculous governance was, as it were, diminished and no longer rules, no longer influences us; we no longer see revealed miracles, we do not see hailstones falling from the heavens, we do not see the splitting of the Yam Suf, we do not see ten plagues as we saw in Egypt - that is miraculous governance. Rather, even if Hashem performs miracles, it is with many garments of nature. Right? In a way of concealment. Rather, He brings it down in the way of nature, and the way of nature is called revealed governance, because it is seen through the systems of the stars; one can know what needs to descend and which things are meant to be bestowed upon the lower world. "And one called to another and said, Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh is Hashem Tzevaot, the whole earth is full of His glory." So first let us note what Rashi says: "and one called to another and said," and they receive one from another. The meaning is that they need to begin as one, for if one of them precedes or one of them is late, he would be liable to burning. Therefore "and one called to another and said" - they all began as one. And therefore we too say the kedusha, "all as one answer and say." For if it is not as one, Heaven forbid he would be liable to burning. Therefore "one called to another" means they summon one another so that it will be simultaneous. The Malbim explains: "and one called to another," its Targum is "they receive one from another." This fits the view of the philosophers and the mekubalim, the Malbim says, who maintain that each of the angels is, as it were, influenced by his fellow. Each one, as it were, receives strength and vigor and power from another angel. And, as it were, they invite one another in order to comprehend and express in their words the holiness of the Creator, the greatness of the Creator. "And one called to another and said," and then they say Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh. Here they come to express His holiness, His excellence, the greatness of the Creator of all. And according to the plain meaning, the Malbim says, Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh is like "King of kings of kings." What is the meaning of "King of kings of kings"? The meaning is this: there are kings, and there is someone above them, and there is a king who rules over all the kings. According to the explanation here, Hashem is holier than one who is holy above all the holy ones. There is one who is holy above all the holy ones, and Hashem is holier than him. A king who rules above the king of all the kings. Holy above the one who is above the holy ones, He is holier than him. That is, what is the highest level of holiness you know, which is above all holiness? The Kadosh Baruch Hu is still holy and separate and more exalted than that. Its Targum: "Holy in the highest heavens, the abode of His Shechina. Holy on the earth, the work of His might. Holy forever and for all eternity." We render it in the Kedusha DeSidra. And now we will explain what we say there. "Holy in the highest heavens, the abode of His Shechina," that is, in the highest heavens, there is the dwelling of His Shechina. This comes to say that the Kadosh Baruch Hu is, as it were, separate from form. Everything has form and matter. Matter is the physical part. Form comes to express the spirituality in the thing, the form of the thing. So if I speak of the Kadosh Baruch Hu, the first thing I say is that He is holy in the heavens. This means that even in the heavens, where there is no matter, but what is there? Form. Form like an angel. The Kadosh Baruch Hu is exalted above this; He is separate from form. "Holy in the heavens, the abode of His Shechina." And He is also holy on the earth; this states with certainty that He also has no matter. "Holy on the earth, the work of His might." Holy and exalted. What is "holy" in Lashon HaKodesh? Separate. Set apart. As in "you are betrothed (mekudeshet) to me," the meaning being that you are set apart and designated for me, that is, separated from all the world. To sanctify something always means to separate it, to set it apart from the other things, so that it will be sanctified only for this. A holy person is a person who is separate from the desires of this world. In the same sense, only in the opposite meaning, is "kedesha" (a harlot). A kedesha means one who is designated and set apart for the matter of harlotry, specifically designated for the matter of harlotry. In the same sense, then, "kadosh" means separate and set apart, but from matters of impurity - rather, holy and exalted. So the Kadosh Baruch Hu is holy in the heavens, meaning separate from everything in the heavens. That is, He is separate even from spiritual form. And He is also holy on the earth, "holy on the earth, the work of His might," for the earth is from the work of His might; from this too He is holy and separate; there is no physical, material reality in Him. "Holy forever and for all eternity" - "forever and for all eternity" no longer speaks of His essence; it speaks of time. The meaning is that the Kadosh Baruch Hu, in the Malbim's language, is "beyond nonexistence." Do you know what "beyond nonexistence" means? He exists for all eternity. That is the meaning. He exists forever. So we say that Hashem is exalted above spirituality, and certainly Hashem is exalted above physicality as well, and Hashem is exalted above time. For time is something that limits, and the Kadosh Baruch Hu exists for all eternity. And the Malbim explains what the continuation, "Hashem Tzevaot, the whole earth is full of His glory," means. This comes to explain the beginning of the verse. "Hashem" is what we said, that Hashem is "holy forever and for all eternity," meaning that nonexistence does not apply to Hashem; Hashem is eternal. This comes to express "Hashem," Y-H-V-H, from the language of existence (havaya). If you notice, in the Name Y-H-V-H there is "was, is, will be." The letters that make up the Name of existence express the three tenses, which is what "holy forever and for all eternity" means, above time, was, is, and will be; this is what "Hashem" says. Afterward, "Tzevaot," Tzevaot, the hosts above; "Hashem Tzevaot" is said mainly about the hosts above. So this comes to express "Holy in the highest heavens," what we said, that Hashem is holy even above the angels, even above the holy ones who are above; that is Tzevaot, that Hashem's holiness is above all the hosts. "The whole earth is full of His glory" comes to express the additional "holy" that we said comes to express "Holy on the earth." Hashem is holy on the earth, so "the whole earth is full of His glory," holy and exalted, and His glory fills the whole earth. With this, the Malbim says, the words of the vision are completed. For what we saw earlier, that he saw that there is governance, "I see Hashem seated upon a throne, high," and this throne, we said, comes to express natural governance in the category of sitting - about this he said, this is "Holy on the earth," for the essence of natural governance is on the earth. Afterward he spoke of "serafim standing above Him," and this we explained is miraculous governance, that the Kadosh Baruch Hu conducts the world above nature in a miraculous way; this is "Holy in the highest heavens," which is attributed to the heavens. Natural governance, as it were, nature is here on the earth, but miraculous governance is attributed to the heavens, which is above the earth. And corresponding to His Essence, His holiness in itself, this is what we said, "holy forever." "Holy forever" says that before any creature was created His holiness already existed, and also after all the created beings are finished His holiness will remain; the Kadosh Baruch Hu is above time. And we saw above that the serafim had three apprehensions, and we explained that they are: first, they recognize their Cause, which we explained is "with two he covered his face." We explained that the face comes to symbolize what I receive from you, for a person receives through the face. "With two he covered his face" means that they, as it were, do not want to reveal their face toward the One from whom they receive, toward the Kadosh Baruch Hu. So this is what "and one called to another and said" means: the angels, as it were, call to one another and say, know that Hashem is holy, Hashem is hidden from our apprehension, we have, as it were, no connection with Him, He is above, high above high, above our apprehension. We said that the angels also apprehend, recognizing themselves; this is "with two he flew," their action, what they are able to do. About this he says "Holy in the highest heavens," that the Kadosh Baruch Hu is holy even above the angels, exalted above them. And the third thing, we said, is that they recognize the abundance that they bestow upon the lower beings. The serafim bestow downward upon the lower beings, so he said "Holy on the earth," that even in the lower beings our abundance is only from Him; as it were, Hashem is high and lofty above all that He bestows and gives. "The whole earth is full of His glory." So if this is so, a person might come and say: listen, He is so exalted and lofty, why does He busy Himself with us? So perhaps He has no connection to us at all? As the philosophers claimed, we spoke in the previous lesson that the philosophers claimed that the Kadosh Baruch Hu is so high and lofty that He is not interested in your marginal problems here. To this he comes and adds: know that the whole earth is full of His glory. The praise and glory of the Kadosh Baruch Hu is that He fills the whole earth. The excellence, the greatness of Hashem Yitbarach is that He watches over what happens here. That despite all His loftiness and despite all that He is exalted, even so He watches over everything that happens here with the lowly, down to the smallest points. Down to the tiny worm that needs a leaf above it to be shaded so as not to be struck by the sun's blow - to that extent. The Kadosh Baruch Hu watches over everything, so says the Baal Shem Tov. "And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the sound of the one who called."