זוהר, יתרו ט״וZohar, Yitro 15

Segment 1א׳

וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו יְיָ' מִן הָהָר לֵאמֹר כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ'. ר' יִצְחָק פָּתַח, (תהילים ס״ה:ה׳) אַשְׁרֵי תִּבְחַר וּתְקָרֵב יִשְׁכּוֹן חֲצֵרֶיךָ, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בֵּיהּ, וְקָרִיב לֵיהּ, לְמִשְׁרֵי בְּגוֹ הֵיכָלָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִיהוּ אִתְרְעֵי בֵּיהּ לְפוּלְחָנֵיהּ, רָשִׁים הוּא מֵרְשִׁימִין דִּלְעֵילָּא, לְמִנְדַּע דְּהָא הוּא אִתְבָּחַר מִקַּמֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, לְמִשְׁרֵי בִּמְדוֹרוֹי. וְכָל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ הַהוּא רְשִׁימָא, אַעְבַּר בְּכָל תַּרְעִין דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְלֵית דְּיִמְחֵי בִּידוֹי.

AND THE LORD CALLED UNTO HIM OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN, SAYING, THUS SHALT THOU SAY TO THE HOUSE OF JACOB, AND TELL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. R. Isaac referred in this connection to the verse: “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts” (Ps. 65, 5). ‘Blessed is the man’, he said, ‘whom the Holy One befriends and brings near to him to dwell in the holy Palace! He who is united with Him in worship has on him a sign inscribed from above to make it known that he is one who has been chosen by the Holy King to dwell in His courts. A man who has upon him such a sign can pass through all the supernal gates without let or hindrance.’

Segment 2ב׳

ר' יְהוּדָה אָמַר, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּמֹשֶׁה, דְּעָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב אַשְׁרֵי תִּבְחַר וּתְקָרֵב, וּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ (שמות כ״ד:ב׳) וּמֹשֶׁה נִגַּשׁ אֶל הָעֲרָפֶל וְנִגַּשׁ מֹשֶׁה לְבַדּוֹ אֶל יְיָ' וְהֵם לא יִגָשׁוּ. כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב: אִלֵּין נוּקְבֵי, וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנִי יִשְׂרָאֵל: אִלֵּין דּוּכְרִין.

R. Judah said: ‘Blessed was Moses, concerning whom that verse was written! Of him we read: “And Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was” (Ex. 20, 21); and also, “Moses alone came nigh to the Lord, but they did not” (Ibid. 24, 2).’ THUS SHALT THOU SAY TO THE HOUSE OF JACOB: this refers to the females; AND TELL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: this means the males.

Segment 3ג׳

ר' שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, כֹּה תֹאמַר, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (במדבר ו׳:כ״ג) כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ. וּכְתִיב, (תהילים קמ״ה:י׳) וַחֲסִידֶיךָ יְבָרַכוּכָה, כְּלוֹמַר יְבָרְכוּ כֹּה. כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב, בַּאֲמִירָה. וְהַיְינוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא. וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (דברים ד׳:י״ג) וַיַּגֵּד לָכֶם אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ. וּכְתִיב (דברים כ״ו:ג׳) הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַיְיָ' אֱלהֶיךָ. לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, דּוּכְרִין, דְּאָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּרַחֲמֵי.

R. Simeon connected the “thus” (Koh) in this verse with the “thus” in the ordinance of the priestly benediction: “Thus (Koh) shall ye bless” (Num. 6, 23); also with, “Thy saints bless Thee” (yebarakukah), which last word can be separated into two words: yebaraku Koh, “they bless with Koh” (i.e. the Sephirah Malkuth); “Saying” indicates the side of Justice (Severity), while “telling” indicates the side of Mercy, as in the verse: “And he declared (wa-yagged) unto you his covenant (mercy)” (Deut. 4, 13), and also in the declaration made by the Israelite on bringing the basket of firstfruits to the priest: “I proclaim (higgadti) this day unto the Lord thy God” (Ibid. 26, 3).