Rabbah bar bar Chanah recounted: I myself saw this akrukta that was as akra deHagrunia (the city of Hagrunia) . And how large was the city of Hagrunia? Sixty houses. A serpent came by and swallowed it. A pushkantza came by and swallowed the serpent. It ascended and perched on a tree. Come, see how great the strength of that tree is! (Bava Batra 73b).

Behold! when someone listens to the singing of a singer who is wicked, it is detrimental to his serving the Creator. But when he listens to a singer who is virtuous and worthy, it helps him, as will be explained.

The reason for this is that the voice of song is drawn from the birds. As we find in the Midrash: Why is the purification of a leper dependent upon two live pure birds? Let the chatterer come and atone for the chatterer (cf. Vayikra Rabbah 16:7). For he was stricken on account of his voice, which spoke lashon hara (slander).

We see, then, that the virtuous person draws his song from the two live pure birds. Thus it is written in the Zohar (III, 53b) that these two birds nurse from the same place that the prophets nurse. This is why a singer is called a ChaZaN, from the word ChaZoN, which connotes prophecy. [The chazan] takes his song from the same place that the prophets nurse.

But when a singer is wicked, he takes his song from other birds, [from] those of the kelipah (evil forces). Thus it is written in the Zohar (I, 217b) that the birds of the kelipah nurse from the breasts of Malkhut (Kingship): When midnight comes, a cry goes out, “As birds are caught in a trap, so are the children of man ensnared” (Ecclesiastes 9:12).And if the singer is wicked, then when a person hears him and is attracted by his singing, he, too, becomes trapped in that evil snare. As is written in the Zohar (ibid.): “… so are the children of man ensnared.”

The remedy, which makes it possible to listen to the voice of any individual without being harmed, is studying the Oral Torah at night. This refers to the Talmud, which is an aspect of night. As is brought in the Midrash (Shochar Tov, 19): When Moshe was on Mount [Sinai] for forty days and forty nights, he had no way of knowing whether it was day or night. Except, that when he was taught the Written Torah, he knew it was day, and when he was taught the Oral Torah, he knew it was night.

We see, then, that the Oral Torah is an aspect of night. As our Sages taught: “He seated me in dark places” (Lamentations 3:6) —this is the Babylonian Talmud (Sanhedrin 24a). And it is written (Genesis 1:5), “and the darkness He called night.”

By studying the six orders of the Mishnah a person rectifies the six rings of the windpipe, via which the voice emerges. This is (Lamentations 2:19), “Rise, sing out in the night.” Song is raised up by means of “the night”—i.e., the six orders of the Talmud.

However, when a person studies not for learning’s own sake [but] in order to be called rabbi, such study is not all that meritorious. Yet if he studies at night, a thread of lovingkindness is drawn over him during the day (Chagigah 12b), and it protects him from being adversely affected by this intention.

2. Now, it is brought in the writings of the Ari, of blessed memory, that the birds of the kelipah are the intellect of Malkhut d’Kelipah (Kingdom of the Other Side), whereas these two live pure birds are the concept of building up Malkhut d’Kedushah (Kingdom of Holiness).

David was therefore lauded before Shaul as one “who is skilled at playing music” (1 Samuel 16:18). This is because song is the concept of building up Malkhut, which is why [David] was deserving of malkhut (kingship). Thus, of [David] it is written, “From behind the nursing ewes He brought him to tend His people Yaakov” (Psalms 78:71). “From behind the nursing ewes”—that is, from behind those that suckle. This refers to Netzach and Hod, for they nourish the prophets and are the concept of building up Malkhut.

3. This is the meaning of what Rabbah bar bar Chanah said:

I myself saw this akrukta — Rashbam comments [that this is a] tzephardeah —i.e., tzipor deah. As explained, the birds of the kelipah are the intellect of Malkhut of the Other Side. This is the tzipor deah.

That was as aKRA dehaGRuNia, the city of Hagrunia — This is phonetically similar to “KRA beGaRoN (cry out from the throat)” (Isaiah 58:1) —i.e., the song is drawn from the tzipor deah mentioned above.

And how large was akra dehagrunia? Sixty houses — That is, by what means is the concept of “cry out from the throat” rectified? By means of the “sixty houses,” the sixty tractates [of the Talmud]. Thus, Rashbam comments: “the Talmud says this.” One should study Talmud.

A serpent came by and swallowed it — Rashbam comments: “Rabbah says this.” That is, his study was not for its own sake, and so the serpent swallowed it. This is why Rashbam comments: “RaBbah says this”—i.e., he studied in order to be called RaBbi.

A pushkantza came by — Rashbam explains [that this is an] OReV, which is similar to ARVit—i.e., at night. One should study at night.

and swallowed the serpent — [The study of Torah at night] protected him from the above mentioned serpent.

It ascended and perched on a tree — Maharsha comments that this is the aspect of Avraham, of whom it is written (Genesis 21:33), “He planted a tree.” This corresponds to lovingkindness. The thread of lovingkindness that is drawn over him protects him from the serpent.

Come, see how great the strength of that tree is! — Rabbah expressed his amazement that God’s lovingkindness on our behalf is so overpowering, that it can even protect us from this.

4. With this, it is possible to reconcile the juxtaposition in the Mishnah: Get yourself a rabbi, acquire for yourself a companion, and judge everyone favorably (Avot 1:6).

By listening to song in the manner explained above and becoming absorbed in it—so that when another sings joyously, he, too, rejoices in God; and when another sings with spiritual inspiration, he, too, is inspired and contemplates repentance—he then rectifies the concept of building up Malkhut, namely, Netzach and Hod, as mentioned.

This is, “Get yourself a rabbi”—i.e., rectify the aspect of Malkhut. It is accomplished by “K’NeH (acquire) for yourself a companion.” That is, by means of the KaNeH (windpipe), via which the voice emerges.

This joins the two cherubs so that they are face to face, “as the embrace of a man and his consort” (1 Kings 7:36) when the Jewish people perform the will of the Holy One (Bava Batra 99a).

But, then, when a person rectifies his aspect of Malkhut, he is able to rule over whatever he chooses. He can bring death to one person, or give life to another. The world would then be ravaged. To this [the Mishnah] says, “and judge everyone favorably.” It is necessary to judge each person favorably, for the Holy One has no desire in the world’s destruction: “He did not create it a wasteland, but formed it to be inhabited” (Isaiah 45:18).

5 . This is also the reason people are now fond of saying that chazanim (cantors) are fools, lacking in deah (knowledge). For Malkhut of Holiness is presently in exile. Song is [generally] drawn from the place of the prophets, from the mentalities and daat of Malkhut of Holiness. But now that Malkhut is in exile and song is consequently impaired, the chazanim lack daat. For, at present, they do not have the power to draw song from its source in holiness, which is the mentalities and intellect of Malkhut of Holiness.

But in the Future, when Malkhut of Holiness ascends and “God will be King over the entire earth” (Zechariah 14:9), then song will be uplifted and perfected in the aspect of the intellect of Malkhut of Holiness, from which song is drawn.

This is the meaning of “For the Lord is King of all the earth, zamru maskil (sing, O intelligent one)” (Psalms 47:8). For when God will be King over all the earth and Malkhut of Holiness ascends, then, “ZaMRu maSKiL”—i.e., the chazanim who m’ZaMRim (sing) will have daat and SeKheL (intelligence) by virtue of Malkhut of Holiness having ascended. They will receive song from its source in holiness, which is the intellect and mentalities of Malkhut of Holiness, as explained.

Addendum relating to the lesson:

6. This is the meaning of, “For Your lovingkindness is higher than the heavens” (Psalms 108:5). “Heavens” corresponds to the voice, as is written, “You caused Your voice to be heard from heaven.” For by means of lovingkindness—i.e., the thread of lovingkindness drawn over one who studies Torah at night—the voice is rectified. This is, “For Your lovingkindness is higher than the heavens.”

7. The two birds of holiness, from which prophecy is drawn, are an aspect of building up Malkhut of Holiness. This is why the appointment of a king was based on prophecy; as was the case for the entire Davidic dynasty, which was prophetically determined. And prophecy is drawn from the cherubs, which correspond to the two birds, the concept of building up Malkhut of Holiness.

8. “From behind the nursing ewes He brought him” —that is, from behind those that suckle. [This refers to Netzach and Hod,] for they nourish the prophets and are the concept of building up Malkhut . This is the meaning of, “From behind the nursing ewes.” King David had the ability to rectify and uplift even the song of someone who was not virtuous, to elevate it to holiness.

This is: From behind the nursing ewes He brought him… —referring even to the song that is from the AChoRey (back) of holiness; corresponding to “From AChaR (behind) the nursing ewes,” from achar those that suckle. For song that is holy is from the place that the prophets nurse. But song that is not holy corresponds to “From achar the nursing ewes…”—from the achorey of holiness. King David was able to correct this song as well. And as a result, Malkhut of Holiness ascended. This is: “From behind the nursing ewes He brought him to tend [His people] Yaakov….” For it was through this that [David] merited malkhut (kingship).