Individual Uniqueness and Collective Unity

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הָרוֹאֶה אוּכְלוּסֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … חֲכַם הָרָזִים״ — שֶׁאֵין דַּעְתָּם דּוֹמָה זֶה לָזֶה, וְאֵין פַּרְצוּפֵיהֶן דּוֹמִים זֶה לָזֶה. בֶּן זוֹמָא רָאָה אוּכְלוּסָא עַל גַּב מַעֲלָה בְּהַר הַבַּיִת, אָמַר: ״בָּרוּךְ … חֲכַם הָרָזִים וּבָרוּךְ … שֶׁבָּרָא כׇּל אֵלּוּ לְשַׁמְּשֵׁנִי״.

The Sages taught in a Tosefta: One who sees multitudes of Israel recites: Blessed…Who knows all secrets. Why is this? He sees a whole nation whose minds are unlike each other and whose faces are unlike each other, and He Who knows all secrets, God, knows what is in each of their hearts. The Gemara relates: Ben Zoma once saw a multitude [okhlosa] of Israel while standing on a stair on the Temple Mount. He immediately recited: Blessed…Who knows all secrets and Blessed…Who created all these to serve me.

וּלְהַגִּיד גְּדֻלָּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁאָדָם טוֹבֵעַ כַּמָּה מַטְבְּעוֹת בְּחוֹתָם אֶחָד וְכֻלָּן דּוֹמִין זֶה לָזֶה, וּמֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא טָבַע כָּל אָדָם בְּחוֹתָמוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן וְאֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶן דּוֹמֶה לַחֲבֵרוֹ.

וּלְהַגִּיד גְּדוּלָּתוֹ כּוּ׳. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן, לְהַגִּיד גְּדוּלָּתוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁאָדָם טוֹבֵעַ כַּמָּה מַטְבְּעוֹת בְּחוֹתָם אֶחָד וְכוּלָּן דּוֹמִין זֶה לְזֶה, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא טוֹבֵעַ כׇּל אָדָם בְּחוֹתָמוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן וְאֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶן דּוֹמֶה לַחֲבֵירוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״תִּתְהַפֵּךְ כְּחֹמֶר חוֹתָם וְיִתְיַצְּבוּ כְּמוֹ לְבוּשׁ״. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה אֵין פַּרְצוּפֵיהֶן דּוֹמִין זֶה לָזֶה? שֶׁלֹּא יִרְאֶה אָדָם דִּירָה נָאָה וְאִשָּׁה נָאָה וְיֹאמַר: ״שֶׁלִּי הִיא״. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְיִמָּנַע מֵרְשָׁעִים אוֹרָם וּזְרוֹעַ רָמָה תִּשָּׁבֵר״. תַּנְיָא, הָיָה רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים אָדָם מִשְׁתַּנֶּה מֵחֲבֵירוֹ: בְּקוֹל, בְּמַרְאֶה, וּבְדַעַת. בְּקוֹל וּבְמַרְאֶה – מִשּׁוּם עֶרְוָה, וּבְדַעַת – מִפְּנֵי הַגַּזְלָנִין וְהַחַמְסָנִין.

The mishna teaches: And this serves to tell of the greatness of the Holy One, Blessed be He, as when a person stamps several coins with one seal, they are all similar to each other. But the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He, stamped all people with the seal of Adam the first man, as all are his offspring, and not one of them is similar to another. The Sages taught in a baraita (Tosefta 8:5): The fact that Adam the first man was created alone serves to declare the greatness of the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He, as a person stamps several coins with one seal, and they are all similar to each other. But the Holy One, Blessed be He, stamps all people with the seal of Adam the first man, and not one of them is similar to another. As it is stated: “It is changed like clay under the seal and they stand as a garment” (Job 38:14). The verse describes people as being created “under the seal,” but their external appearance is different, just as garments can differ in appearance. The baraita asks: And for what reason are their faces not similar to one another? The baraita answers: It is so that a man will not see a beautiful home or a beautiful woman and say: She is mine. If all people looked the same, no one could contradict him. As it is stated in the following verse: “And from the wicked their light is withheld and the high arm shall be broken” (Job 38:15), indicating that the reason people look different from one another is to prevent the wicked from succeeding in their plans. It is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Meir would say: One person is different from another in three ways: In voice, in appearance, and in thought. The differences in voice and appearance are due to a woman forbidden to him, so that people will not exchange spouses one with another. And the differences in thought are due to the robbers and those who take by force that which is not theirs, as, if everyone thought in a similar way, criminals could take advantage of others because they would understand where they keep their valuables.

בְּגֶדֶר יִחוּד הָאֱלֹהִים בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם הוּא שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַלֵּב וְהַלָּשׁוֹן שָׁוִים בְּיִחוּד הַבּוֹרֵא ית׳ אַחַר אֲשֶׁר יָבִין בְּדַרְכֵי הָרְאָיוֹת בֵּרוּר מְצִיאוּתוֹ וַאֲמִתַּת אַחְדוּתוֹ מִדֶּרֶךְ הָעִיּוּן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיִּחוּד הָאֱלֹהִים מִתְחַלֵּק בַּמְּדַבְּרִים כְּפִי הִתְחַלְּקוּת הַכָּרָתָם וַהֲבָנָתָם.

The definition of the wholehearted acceptance of the unity of G-d is that the heart and the tongue are equal in acknowledging the unity of G-d, after understanding, in the way of logical proofs, the certainty of His existence and the truth of His unity. For acknowledgement of the unity of G-d among men differs according to their level of intelligence and understanding.

(א) אחד למה שהוא חלק עצמה ולתקון מדרגותיה ואורותיה, ועל זה אמר "שוש אשיש בה'", וכבר בארתי לך איך הששון מורה על היסוד. ואמרו "שוש אשיש" יורה על התמדת השפע, שפע אחר שפע, ברכה אחר ברכה.

כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁגּוּפוֹ נִמְאָס וּמְתוֹעָב אֶצְלוֹ, וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ וְהָרוּחַ מִי יוֹדֵעַ גְּדוּלָּתָן וּמַעֲלָתָן בְּשָׁרְשָׁן וּמְקוֹרָן בֵּאלֹקִים חַיִּים. בְּשֶׁגַּם שֶׁכּוּלָּן מַתְאִימוֹת, וְאָב אֶחָד לְכוּלָּנָה, וְלָכֵן נִקְרְאוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל ״אַחִים״ מַמָּשׁ, מִצַּד שׁוֹרֶשׁ נַפְשָׁם בַּה׳ אֶחָד רַק שֶׁהַגּוּפִים מְחוּלָּקִים. וְלָכֵן, הָעוֹשִׂים גּוּפָם עִיקָּר וְנַפְשָׁם טְפֵלָה – אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִהְיוֹת אַהֲבָה וְאַחֲוָה אֲמִיתִּית בֵּינֵיהֶם, אֶלָּא הַתְּלוּיָה בְדָבָר לְבַדָּהּ.

For, whereas one despises and loathes one’s body, while as for the soul and spirit, who can know their greatness and excellence in their root and source in the living G–d? Being, moreover, all of a kind and all having one Father—therefore, all Israelites are called real brothers by virtue of the source of their souls in the One G–d; only the bodies are separated. Hence in the case of those who give major consideration to their bodies while regarding their souls as of secondary importance, there can be no true love and brotherhood among them, but only [a love] which is dependent on a [transitory] thing.

כִּי כְּלָלוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁהֵם שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא נְשָׁמוֹת פְּרָטִיּוֹת, הֵם כְּלָלוּת הַחַיּוּת שֶׁל כְּלָלוּת הָעוֹלָם, כִּי בִּשְׁבִילָם נִבְרָא, וְכָל פְּרָט מֵהֶם הוּא כּוֹלֵל וְשַׁיָּיךְ לוֹ הַחַיּוּת שֶׁל חֵלֶק אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא מִכְּלָלוּת הָעוֹלָם הַתָּלוּי בְּנַפְשׁוֹ הַחִיּוּנִית, לְהַעֲלוֹתוֹ לַה׳ בַּעֲלִיָּיתָהּ, דְּהַיְינוּ, בְּמַה שֶּׁמִּשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ מֵעוֹלָם הַזֶּה לְצוֹרֶךְ גּוּפוֹ וְנַפְשׁוֹ הַחִיּוּנִית לַעֲבוֹדַת ה׳, כְּגוֹן, אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה וְדוֹמֵיהֶם, וְדִירָה וְכָל כְּלֵי תַּשְׁמִישָׁיו. אֶלָּא שֶׁשִּׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא נְשָׁמוֹת פְּרָטִיּוֹת אֵלּוּ הֵן שָׁרָשִׁים, וְכָל שֹׁרֶשׁ מִתְחַלֵּק לְשִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא נִיצוֹצוֹת, שֶׁכָּל נִיצוֹץ הוּא נְשָׁמָה אַחַת, וְכֵן בְּנֶפֶשׁ וְרוּחַ, בְּכָל עוֹלָם מֵאַרְבַּע עוֹלָמוֹת אֲצִילוּת־בְּרִיאָה־יְצִירָה־עֲשִׂיָּה.

For the community of Israel, comprising 600,000 particular souls, is the [source of] life for the world as a whole, which was created for their sake. And each one of them contains and is related to the vitality of one part in 600,000 of the totality of the world, which [part] depends on his vital soul for its elevation to G–d through its own [the soul’s] elevation, by virtue of the individual’s partaking of this world for the needs of his body and vital soul in the service of G–d, viz., eating, drinking, and the like, [his] dwelling and all his utensils. Yet these 600,000 particular souls are roots, and each root subdivides into 600,000 sparks, each spark being one neshamah; and so with the nefesh and ruach in each of the four worlds—Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, Asiyah.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הָרוֹאֶה אוּכְלוּסֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … חֲכַם הָרָזִים״ — שֶׁאֵין דַּעְתָּם דּוֹמָה זֶה לָזֶה, וְאֵין פַּרְצוּפֵיהֶן דּוֹמִים זֶה לָזֶה. בֶּן זוֹמָא רָאָה אוּכְלוּסָא עַל גַּב מַעֲלָה בְּהַר הַבַּיִת, אָמַר: ״בָּרוּךְ … חֲכַם הָרָזִים וּבָרוּךְ … שֶׁבָּרָא כׇּל אֵלּוּ לְשַׁמְּשֵׁנִי״.

The Sages taught in a Tosefta: One who sees multitudes of Israel recites: Blessed…Who knows all secrets. Why is this? He sees a whole nation whose minds are unlike each other and whose faces are unlike each other, and He Who knows all secrets, God, knows what is in each of their hearts. The Gemara relates: Ben Zoma once saw a multitude [okhlosa] of Israel while standing on a stair on the Temple Mount. He immediately recited: Blessed…Who knows all secrets and Blessed…Who created all these to serve me.