The Two Crowns at Sinai

Rabbi Simai taught: When Israel accorded precedence to the declaration “We will do” over the declaration “We will hear,” 600,000 ministering angels came and tied two crowns to each and every member of the Jewish people, one corresponding to “We will do” and one corresponding to “We will hear.” And when the people sinned with the Golden Calf, 1,200,000 angels of destruction descended and removed them from the people, as it is stated in the wake of the sin of the Golden Calf: “And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments from Mount Horeb onward” (Exodus 33:6). Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: At Horeb they put on their ornaments, and at Horeb they removed them. The source for this is: At Horeb they put them on, as we have said; at Horeb they removed them, as it is written: “And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments from Mount Horeb.” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: And Moses merited all of these crowns and took them. What is the source for this? Because juxtaposed to this verse, it is stated: “And Moses would take the tent [ohel]” (Exodus 33:7). The word ohel is interpreted homiletically as an allusion to an aura or illumination [hila]. Reish Lakish said: In the future, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will return them to us, as it is stated: “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads” (Isaiah 35:10). The joy that they once had will once again be upon their heads.

Rav Ḥananel bar Pappa said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Listen, for I will speak royal things, and my lips will open with upright statements” (Proverbs 8:6)? Why are matters of Torah likened to a king? To teach you that just as this king has the power to kill and to grant life, so too, matters of Torah have the power to kill and to grant life. And that is what Rava said: To those who are right-handed in their approach to Torah, and engage in its study with strength, good will, and sanctity, Torah is a drug of life, and to those who are left-handed in their approach to Torah, it is a drug of death. Alternatively, why are matters of Torah referred to as royal? Because to each and every utterance that emerged from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He, two crowns are tied.

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: There were three crowns on the sacred vessels in the Temple: The crown of the altar, and of the Ark, and of the table. The regal appearance they provided symbolized power and authority: The crown of the altar symbolized the crown of priesthood; Aaron was deserving and took it, and the priesthood continues exclusively through his descendants. The crown of the table symbolized the abundance and blessing associated with the crown of kingship; David was deserving and took it for himself and his descendants after him. The crown of the Ark symbolized the crown of Torah; it is still sitting and waiting to be acquired, and anyone who wishes to take it may come and take it and be crowned with the crown of Torah. Perhaps you will say it is inferior to the other two crowns and that is why nobody has taken it; therefore, the verse states about the wisdom of Torah: “Through me kings will reign” (Proverbs 8:15), indicating that the strength of the other crowns is derived from the crown of Torah, which is greater than them all.

(1) 9. Now, holy boldness is achieved through joy, as in (Nechemiah 8:10), “For the delight in God is your boldness.” In other words, [it is achieved] through the concept of “naaseh v’nishma (we will do and we will hear)” (Exodus 24:7). This is the concept of joy. As our Sages said (Shabbat 88a): “At the time that the Jewish people said, ‘We will do and we will hear,’ 600,000 angels descended and placed two crowns on the head of each one of them… and when they sinned, they were taken away. But in the Future the Holy One will return them [the crowns] to them, as is written (Isaiah 35:10), ‘an everlasting joy on their heads.’” Thus, “we will do” and “we will hear” are synonymous with joy, corresponding to “an everlasting joy on their heads.”

(2) And know! these two ornaments with which they were crowned at Chorev as a result of “we will do and we will hear” correspond to “In the beginning, He created.” As is brought in the fifth chapter of Sifra De’Tzniuta: “‘In the beginning’—this is a complete-statement; ‘He created’—a half-statement. This is Upper Eden, Lower Eden; upper wisdom lower wisdom; father and son.”

(3) For “we will do and we will hear” corresponds to [concepts] hidden and revealed. “We will do” is synonymous with the revealed—i.e., the precepts that each and every person can fulfill commensurate with his level. And “we will hear” is synonymous with the hidden—that which is elevated and hidden from him, so that he is incapable of serving [God] with this.

(4) For example: Every precept has that which accompanies it. Aside from the command recorded in the Torah to fulfill the precept, there are additional statements in the Torah, such as, “And God spoke to Moshe,” as well as the other statements of the Torah surrounding the precept.

(5) Now, the service which is contained in these Torah statements accompanying the precept corresponds to “we will hear,” the hidden. For the precept itself, can fulfill, . But the service contained in these statements, we have no knowledge of—corresponding to “we will hear,” the hidden.

(6) This corresponds to Torah and prayer. “We will do” is synonymous with Torah—the revealed, that which we know to fulfill. “And we will hear” is synonymous with the hidden, corresponding to the statements of Torah. These are the statements of Torah accompanying each precept—the concept of hidden, with which one does not know how to serve the Holy One. It corresponds to prayer, a cleaving [to God]. This is because “hearing is dependent upon the heart” (Tikkuney Zohar #58), as is written (1 Kings 3:9), “Give Your servant a hearing heart.”

(7) And the service of the heart is prayer (Taanit 2a) —namely, negation [of the self] and cleaving to the Infinite One. This is because, conceptually, the Infinite One is that of which we have no grasp. And, because one has no grasp of this {namely, of the above mentioned statements of the Torah, for it is the concept of hidden}, it corresponds to prayer/cleaving to God—which is nothing other than negation [of the self] to the Infinite One.

(II Samuel 7:19) "This is the Torah of man": We find that there are three crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood and the crown of kingdom. The crown of priesthood was merited by Aaron and he took it. The crown of kingdom was merited by David and he took it. The crown of Torah is left (vacant), so that those who enter the world be given no pretext to say: If the crown of kingdom and the crown of priesthood were left (vacant), I would merit them and take them. The crown of Torah is left (vacant) for all who enter the world. For whoever merits it, I account it to him as if all three were left (vacant) to him and he merits all of them. And whoever does not merit it, I account it to him as if all three were left (vacant) for him and he did not merit any one of them. And if you would ask: Which is the greatest of all? R. Shimon b. Elazar was wont to say: Who is greater, the crowner or the king? Certainly, the crowner. The maker of officers or the officers? Certainly, the maker of officers. All that inheres in these two crowns, comes through the power of Torah. And thus is it written (Proverbs 8:15-16) "Through me (Torah) do kings reign … Through me do princes rule." And, (in reversion to "This is the Torah of man"), (Koheleth 12:13) "The end of the matter, all has been heard. Fear G-d and do His mitzvoth. For this (Torah) is all of man."

ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש, “and you are to be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” The plain meaning of these words is that “you will be My share.” God calls the Jewish people “kings, priests, and holy nation,” at the time they received the Torah in order to make clear that he who wears the כתר תורה, the crown of Torah, also has attained the stature of the other two crowns i.e. priesthood and Royalty. This is the meaning of the statement by the sages in Horiot 13 that the meaning of Proverbs 3,15: “she (wisdom, read Torah) is more precious than rubies.” Seeing that the “crown” of Torah includes the two other crowns it is more precious than rubies. Although the High Priest (crown of priesthood) may enter the Holy of Holies, a great distinction, the crown of Torah is superior even to that distinction.

A king’s task in administering the affairs of state is divided into two aspects. 1) He must dispense justice, or appoint people who see to it that justice is dispensed. 2) He must concern himself with the defense of the realm, again, either personally, or by delegating his authority to loyal experts. This is how the people requesting that Samuel appoint a king for them defined the king’s duties in Samuel I 8,20. Accordingly, the table actually had two “crowns.” One of the “crowns” is for the table as such, the table symbolising the physical nourishment of the people and the general conduct of its affairs, the second symbolises an “enclosure, security fence,” מסגרת, a defensive system against harm to the people from whatever source, signaling that any attacker will not only be repelled but will be crushed.

...Then let him recite the bedtime Shema with concentration, after which he should be careful to read the Ten Commandments every night. Specifically, he should read them as they appear in Parashas Va’eschanan. For in Parashas Yisro it is written, “Remember [the Shabbos day]” (Shemos 20:8), reflecting the attribute of the day, while in Va’eschanan it is written, “Keep [the Shabbos day]” (Devarim 5:12), reflecting the attribute of the night (Zohar 1:48b and 2:138a). Through this recitation a person attains two crowns [corresponding to “We will do” and “we will hear”]. For this reason the Ten Commandments have two sets of ta’amim [musical cantillation marks], one written above the letters and one written below them.

(6) Rabbi Shimon says, "There are three crowns: The crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood and the crown of monarchy - but the crown of a good name rises above them."

(7) Rabbi Shimon says, "There are three crowns, etc.": It may be asked [about] that which he said, "three crowns": And why did he not say, "four crowns?" And he did not count the main crown - which is the crown of a good name! And also difficult: In the Temple, there was a vessel corresponding to all the crowns, hinting to each crown. For behold, there was a rim on the ark - which is a crown - symbolic for the crown of Torah. And there was a rim on the table, and that was symbolic for the crown of monarchy; it is like they say, 'the table of kings." And there was a rim on the altar, symbolic of the crown of priesthood. And it is like they said in Tractate Yoma (72b) about all of these three crowns. But there was nothing in the Temple corresponding to the crown of a good name - which is above all the crowns!

(8) And in Midrash [Rabbah], they said on Parshat Naso (Bemidbar Rabbah 14:10), that the menorah hints to the crown of a good name. For a good name is upon one who is a master of commandment[s]. And that is the menorah, [as it is stated] (Proverbs 6:23), "For the commandment is a lamp, and the Torah is a light." Therefore the menorah teaches about the crown of a good name. So that which he says, "but the crown of a good name rises above them," comes out well. For the menorah is also above these three vessels.

(9) However according to that which appears, this is not from the core midrash, but it is from the additions that attached themselves to the Midrash but are not part of the Midrash. And this is indicated from the wording; as one could ask, all the more so - you should note that there was no crown on the menorah, but it would have been appropriate for there to be a crown on the menorah! But this can be resolved: It is since the lamps would rise still further, as it is written (Exodus 27:20), "to draw up a lamp constantly." Hence it is impossible that there be a crown on the menorah; for the lamp would rise above the rim, if there was a rim. And [this] is not similar to the table, upon which the bread was lain. For rising is not relevant to bread. But even if bread would rise above the rim - since the bread would lay on the table and the rim rises above the table; behold the bread is [considered to be] above the table. But with the lamps, rising is relevant. For behold, it is written, "to draw up a lamp constantly." Yet it is inappropriate that anything rise over the crown. And because the crown of a good name rises above everything, it is written, "to draw up a lamp constantly."

(10) And it is also because a crown is the culmination of a level and the height of the one with a crown. So each crown of these three crowns has a culmination and an end, for it reaches [only] up to there. Hence it is possible that a crown indicate these three crowns. But [regarding] the crown of a good name - there is no culmination or end to this crown. For it rises higher and higher and expands infinitely, as will be explained (Paragraph 17). Hence it is inappropriate that there would be a crown on the menorah that indicates a good name. Rather, it is written (Exodus 27:20), "to draw up a lamp constantly." For this crown rises higher and higher constantly, since there is no end to this crown. And that is why there was no crown in the Temple that indicated the crown of a good name. For if so, there would be a culmination and a limit to [this] crown.

(11) And in the Midrash (Kohelet Rabbah 7:1): Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said, "A good name is more beloved than the ark of the covenant. For the ark of the covenant only went in front of them three days (Numbers 10:33). But a good name rises from [one] end of the world to its [opposite] end. From where do we [know this]? From David, as it is stated (I Chronicles 14:17), 'And David's name went forth throughout all the lands, and the Lord set his fear upon all of the nations.'" To here [is the midrash]. And the explanation of this thing is that because it is the crown of Torah - in that it is separated from man, hence the ark of the Lord's covenant could not go amongst the camp of Israel. Rather it would travel in front of them, and went before the camp. And this thing was similar to man. For the intellect is separated from the man and is not embedded in the physical man, but is separated from him. Nevertheless, there is a bond here, as the intellect is bound to the man. And that is why it is written (Numbers 10:33), "and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them a distance of three days." And one who walks three days still has a bond with the one behind him; and it is like we found that Israel said, (Exodus 5:3), "[let us] walk three days into the wilderness." And certainly that which Israel said, that they would walk three days, is that they did not want to distance themselves completely. And it is as Pharaoh said (Exodus 8:24), "just do not surely distance yourselves, etc." That is why the ark was not completely separated from them. But the crown of a good name does not have this thing at all. Rather it is from [one] end of the world to its [opposite] end, as it will be explained. For it is appropriate that a good name be from [one] end of the world to its [opposite] end. Hence it is inappropriate that there be a crown on the menorah at all. For there is no limit to this crown. Rather, it is written (Exodus 27:20), "to draw up a lamp constantly" - such that it always rises.

(12) Moreover it is inappropriate that there be a crown for the menorah, because this crown is different from the other crowns. As [regarding] the other crowns, the virtue is found in the one with the crown himself. For the Torah is with the Torah master, and likewise the priesthood, and likewise the monarchy - it is all visible and felt upon the one with the crown. But [regarding] one with a good name - the good name is not found with the one with the good name. For what does the one with the good name know of the good name that he has with others? Hence it is inappropriate that there be a crown to the menorah. For if so, this crown would indicate that [the virtue] is in the menorah itself - that there is a crown in the one with the crown himself. But this thing is not the case at all. For this crown of a good name is found with others, not with the one with good name. Hence it is simple that it is inappropriate that there be a crown on [this] vessel, as it indicates the one with the crown.

(13) And with this, we can answer that which he said, "there are three crowns"; and he did not count the crown of a good name with them. As this is its explanation: There are three crowns [that] are visible and felt for everyone to see. For the Torah is a crown that is felt by the Torah master; as the wisdom of a man and his Torah are with him. And likewise priesthood; and likewise monarchy. All of [these] crowns are visible and felt. But the crown of a good name is not felt and not recognizable. Hence there was no crown with the menorah - because the crown is not recognizable.

(14) But there is another difficulty: That if the menorah indicates the crown of a good name - given that the crown of a good name rises above [the others] - why is the menorah not in the inner sanctum, like the ark which is before [His] presence? But this too is not difficult. As the menorah was not before [His] presence because of this: It is as we learned [in a mishnah] (Avot 3:9) - that anyone whose wisdom precedes his deeds, his wisdom does not endure; but anyone whose deeds precedes his wisdom, his wisdom does endure. Hence the menorah that indicates the deed is first, and afterwards one reaches the ark before [His] presence. And from now, all of the crowns are in proper order: First of all is the altar. And this thing is since before one knows about good and about evil, he is born into the priesthood, and the law of the priest is upon him in every matter - since the adults are commanded about the children and a priest is born with his holiness. And afterwards, one reaches the doing of the commandments - and corresponding to that is the table, which is monarchy. As these two things come together: To do the commandments, and to be a king from the time that one is obligated in the commandments. And afterwards, one reaches the level of the Torah, but that is on its own, before [His] presence. And everything is in order.

(15) And that which he did not say, "And the crown of deeds rises above them" - for behold, in every place it says (Avot 3:9, 17) "anyone whose deeds are greater than his wisdom" - so why did he say, "the crown of a good name?" It is because he is coming to say from which angle do deeds rise over everything. So he said [that] it is because deeds are a good name, and a good name rises over everything. And another difficulty: Why does the crown of a good name rise above [the other crowns]? Even though they said (Avot 1:17), "It is not the study which is the main thing, but the deed which is the main thing"; yet certainly that which he said, "the crown of Torah," here, he did not say it when one does not have [good] deeds - as in that way, it is not a crown at all - but when he has deeds; so he has two crowns [of Torah. If so,] it would appear that the crown of Torah is more than the [crown of] deeds! But this is not difficult. For the crown of a good name is when he has very magnificent deeds; and deeds like those bring a good name to a person and they rise above everything. And that is why, "the crown of a good name rises over them."

(16) But the main explanation [regarding] that which there was no vessel in the Temple with a rim upon, it corresponding to the crown of a good name, is because of this [that] he said, "and the crown of a good name rises over them." And the reason that this crown rises over them is because a name - since it indicates the essence of the one with the name - is detached from the physical. For this is the concept of a name: That it is completely detached, as it is only spiritual. And this is not similar to Torah. For there is no doubt that there is a connection of wisdom to a man: Even though wisdom is separated from a man, the body nevertheless carries the wisdom - so the wisdom has a connection to a man, who has a body. But a good name, which is detached from [its] carrier, is completely separated. And that is why it is over [the other other crowns]. And that is what they said in the Midrash (Kohelet Rabbah 7:3), that the ark would would not go more than just three days ahead of Israel. Such that you see that the Torah has a connection to Israel. For a three day walk is not completely distant, as was explained above (Paragraph 11). It is like - when you say that x is a a three day distance from the city, it would not be said that he is completely separated and detached from the city. For he is within [a journey of] three days. And this indicates that the crown of Torah has an attachment to a man, whereas a good name is in the whole world. Since the name is completely detached, it is spiritual and indicates the essence. So it is detached from the physical and it has no connection with the body at all.

(17) Therefore no vessel in the Temple indicated the crown of a good name. As if a vessel in the Temple would indicate [this] crown, this crown would be in a limited place, whereas the crown of a good name does not have a limited place. For behold, it said (Kohelet Rabbah 7:1) that a good name is from [one] end of the world to its [opposite] end. And that is why it is inappropriate for a vessel in the Temple to indicate this vessel. And even the ark - did it not rest in the inner sanctum (Exodus 26:34), such that it was separated from man completely? And no man entered there except for the high priest on Yom Kippur (Rashi on Leviticus 16:3). So this indicates that the crown of Torah is also separated from a man. But the crown of a good name is above them, because a good name is [even] more separated. That is why it is impossible to say that it had a vessel in the Temple upon which was [its] crown. And this is an explanation that is choice, and there is no doubt about it.

(18) And it is from this reason that he said, "there are three crowns," and he did not include the crown of a good name with them - to say, "there are four crowns." It is because these three crown resemble each other, since all of these three crowns share a commonality together. It is only the crown of a good name that is unique, because there is no limit to this crown; as it is from [one] end of the world to its [opposite] end. For this is not the case with the other crowns. As this crown is detached [and] completely separated, as was explained above (Paragraph 16). [So] this crown cannot be grouped with them. And behold even in the Temple, this crown was not together with the other crowns. And all of this is because of the stature of this crown, such that no place is relevant to it - since place is [only] connected to something physical. Even though the Torah is spiritual, there is nevertheless some angle here that relates to the physical. For behold Torah is with a person who has a body, whereas a name is not like this. Hence the crown of a good name cannot be grouped with these three crowns at all.

(19) But that which we explained above (Paragraph 12) is also correct: That the explanation of that which he said, "There are three crowns," is that there are crowns that are crowns in front of you. But the crown of a good name is not a crown that is in front of you; since it is with those who absorb and hear his name. So this is its explanation: There are three crowns that are known and visible in front of you; but there is another crown that is unfelt. And that is the crown of a good name [which] rises above them. And from this, you can understand that which he said, "the crown of a good name rises above them." For this crown is over them, from the angle that this crown is completely separated and has no connection with the body, which is [rooted in] the ground (Genesis 2:7) [and] does not rise so much. And that is why the crown of Torah - which has a connection with the body - does not rise above like this crown - which is the crown of a good name.

(20) And it may be asked, “Why do [I] have a count,” such that he said, "there are three crowns" - why do I need the count (mention of the number)? But you should know that these three crowns that he mentioned here that God, may He be blessed, gave to Israel - Torah, monarchy and priesthood - correspond to man. For man has three parts: The first part is the intellect that is in man, the second part is the spirit and the third part is the body. And these three parts are all the parts of man; and these three crowns correspond to the these parts. For the crown of the Torah corresponds to the intellect. And the crown of the priesthood corresponds to the being. For the priesthood is the virtue and the holiness of the body. As behold, a priest is born with holiness; and [an individual's] priesthood depends on the drop [of semen] that comes from the priest. And that is the distinction there is between the priesthood and the crowns of monarchy and Torah. For the crown of priesthood is sanctity of the body; and therefore one who is born from the body [of a priest] is also holy, unless he profanes his seed. But the king is not like this. For it is possible that his son is not a king. And all the more so with Torah, as the son of a Torah scholar is not [necessarily] a Torah master. And the father that has this stature does not give the spirit or the intellect to the son. But the body is from the father - that is the drop, as is explained in the chapter [entitled] HaMapalet (Niddah 31a). Hence a son inherits the priesthood.

(21) So behold the crown of the priesthood that God, may He be blessed, gave to Israel corresponds to the holiness of the body that there is in man. Hence blemishes are a disqualification with priests. And that is because the priest is holiness of the body. So when there is a blemish in [his] body, he is disqualified from the [Temple] service. And from this you can understand that which they said in Ketuvot (72b), that all the blemishes that disqualify for the priesthood, disqualify women. But what is their connection together? Rather its explanation is also that a woman is more physical than a man. For a man is similar to the spirit which rules - as it is written (Genesis 3:16), "but he will rule over you" - whereas a woman is similar to the body. And that is why the blemishes that disqualify for the priesthood [also] disqualify for women.