בּוֹאוּ וּרְאוּ כַּמָּה גָּדוֹל כֹּחַ הַשָּׁלוֹם, שֶׁבִּתְּחִלַּת בְּרִיָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם נִתְעַסֵּק הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְבָרְאוֹ בְּדָבָר שֶׁל שָׁלוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית א' ג'): "וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יְהִי אוֹר". וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁהָאוֹר שָׁלוֹם? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מ"ה ז'): "יוֹצֵר אוֹר וּבוֹרֵא חֹשֶךְ עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם וּבוֹרֵא רָע", מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (שבת כ"ג:): נֵר בֵּיתוֹ וְקִדּוּשׁ הַיּוֹם, נֵר בֵּיתוֹ עָדִיף מִשּׁוּם שְׁלוֹם בֵּיתוֹ, וְלֹא עוֹד שֶׁהַרְבֵּה תַּקָּנוֹת תִּקְּנוּ חֲזַ"ל מִשּׁוּם דַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם, שֶׁכָּךְ אָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (גיטין נ"ט.): אֵלּוּ דְּבָרִים אָמְרוּ מִשּׁוּם דַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם, כֹּהֵן קוֹרֵא רִאשׁוֹן וְאַחֲרָיו לֵוִי וְאַחֲרָיו יִשְׂרָאֵל מִפְּנֵי דַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם, מְעָרְבִין בְּבַיִת יָשָׁן מִפְּנֵי דַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם, בּוֹר, שֶׁהוּא קָרוֹב לָאַמָּה, מִתְמַלֵּא רִאשׁוֹן מִפְּנֵי דַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (משלי ג' י"ז): "דְּרָכֶיהָ דַּרְכֵי נֹעַם וְכָל נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם". וְאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל בָּאֲגָדָה: י"ג דְּבָרִים חִבְּבָן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּמִכֻּלָּם לֹא כָּפַל אֶלָּא שָׁלוֹם, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: כֹּהֲנִים וּלְוִיִּם וְיִשְׂרְאֵלִים, סַנְהֶדְרִין וְהַבְּכוֹרוֹת וּתְרוּמַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְהַקָּרְבָּנוֹת וְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם וּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וּמַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד וְהַכֶּסֶף וְהַזָּהָב. הַכֹּהֲנִים (שמות כ"ח מ"א): "וְכִהֲנוּ לִי", הַלְוִיִּם (בַּמִּדְבָּר ג' מ"א): "וְלָקַחְתָּ אֶת הַלְוִיִּם לִי", יִשְׂרָאֵל (שמות י"ט ו'): "וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לִי" וְגוֹ'. סַנְהֶדְרִין (במדבר י"א י"ז): "אֶסְפָה לִי שִׁבְעִים" וְגוֹ', הַבְּכוֹרוֹת (שְׁמוֹת י"ג ב'): "קַּדֵּשׁ לִי", הַתְּרוּמוֹת (שמות כ"ה ב'): "וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה", הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת (בַּמִּדְבָּר כ"ח ב'): "תִּשְׁמְרוּ לְהַקְרִיב לִי", שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ל' ל"א): "שֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחַת קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה זֶה לִי". בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ (דברי הימים א' י"ז י"ב): "הוּא יִבְנֶה לִּי בָּיִת", מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד (שמואל א' ט"ז א'): "כִּי רָאִיתִי בְּבָנָיו לִי מֶלֶךְ", הַכֶּסֶף (חגי ב' ח'): "לִי הַכֶּסֶף וְלִי הַזָּהָב", וּמִכֻּלָּם לֹא כָּפַל אֶלָּא הַשָּׁלוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה כ"ז ה'): "אוֹ יַחֲזֵק בְּמָעֻזִּי יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם לִי, שָׁלוֹם יַעֲשֶׂה לִי". גָּדוֹל הַשָּׁלוֹם, שֶׁהוּא קוֹדֵם לְשִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, כְּשֶׁבָּא יִתְרוֹ אֵצֶל מֹשֶה מִיָּד (שמות י"ח ז'): "וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ לְשָׁלוֹם", וְאַחַר כָּךְ (שָׁם ח'): "וַיְסַפֵּר מֹשֶה לְחֹתְנוֹ" אֶת כָּל הַנִּסִּים שֶׁעָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁבְּכָל הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁעוֹשִׂין הָרְשָׁעִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹתֵן לָהֶם שְׂכָרָן בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, כְּגוֹן: עֹשֶר וּנְכָסִים וְשָׁנִים וְכָבוֹד וּשְׁאָר הַטּוֹבוֹת, חוּץ מִשָּׁלוֹם שֶׁאֵינוֹ נוֹתֵן לָהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מ"ח כ"ב): "אֵין שָׁלוֹם אָמַר יקוק לָרְשָׁעִים". וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁהַשָׁלוֹם נוֹתְנוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שָׂכָר לַצַּדִּיקִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה ל"ב י"ז): "וְהָיָה מַעֲשֵׂה הַצְּדָקָה שָׁלוֹם". וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁבַּשָּׁלוֹם מְקָרֵב אֶת הַגֵּרִים וּבַעֲלֵי תְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נ"ז י"ט): "בּוֹרֵא נִיב שְׂפָתַיִם שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם לָרָחוֹק וְלַקָּרוֹב אָמַר" וְגוֹ'. גָּדוֹל הַשָּׁלוֹם שֶׁבְּכָל הַמַּסָּעוֹת כְּתִיב (שמות י"ז א'): "וַיִּסְעוּ וְכוּ' וַיַּחֲנוּ", שֶׁהָיוּ חוֹנִים בְּמַחֲלֹקֶת וְנוֹסְעִים בְּמַחֲלֹקֶת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ לִפְנֵי הַר סִינַי כְּתִיב (שמות י"ט ב'): "וַיִּחַן שָׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶגֶד הָהָר", אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: הֲרֵי הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁאֲנִי נוֹתֵן תּוֹרָה לְבָנַי, שֶׁכָּל זְמַן שֶׁהֵן שְׁרוּיִין בְּשָׁלוֹם זֶה עִם זֶה שְׁכִינָה בֵּינֵיהֶן. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים ל"ג ה'): "וַיְהִי בִישֻׁרוּן מֶלֶךְ בְּהִתְאַסֵּף" וְגוֹ' אֵימָתַי מַלְכוּתוֹ וּשְׁכִינָתוֹ מִתְקַיֶּמֶת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל? בִּזְמַן שֶׁכֻּלָּן נַעֲשִׂין אֲסֵפָה אַחַת. בּוֹאוּ וּרְאוּ כַּמָּה גָּדוֹל כֹּחַ הַשָּׁלוֹם, שֶׁבְּכֹחַ הַשָּׁלוֹם הָעוֹלָם מִתְקַיֵּם, שֶׁכָּךְ אָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (אבות א' י"ז): עַל ג' דְבָרִים הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד, עַל הַדִּין וְעַל הָאֱמֶת וְעַל הַשָּׁלוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (זכריה ח' ט"ז): "אֱמֶת וּמִשְׁפַּט שָׁלוֹם שִׁפְטוּ בְּשַׁעֲרֵיכֶם". וְגוֹ' וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁבִּזְמַן שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁלוֹם בֵּין הַבְּרִיּוֹת פֵּרוֹתֵיהֶן מִתְבָּרְכִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם י"ב): "כִּי זֶרַע הַשָּׁלוֹם הַגֶּפֶן תִּתֵּן פִּרְיָהּ" וְגוֹ', וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהילים קמ"ז י"ד): "הַשָׂם גְּבוּלֵךְ שָׁלוֹם" וְגוֹ'. אָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (וַיִּקְרָא רַבָּה ט'): גָּדוֹל הַשָּׁלוֹם, שֶׁהַמּוֹחֵק אוֹת אַחַת מִן הַשֵּׁם, עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים י"ב ג'): "וְאִבַּדְתֶם אֶת שְׁמָם מִן הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא" וּכְתִיב בַּתְרֵהּ (שם ד'): "לֹא תַעֲשׂוּן כֵּן לַה"' וְגוֹ', וּכְדֵי לְהַטִּיל שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה (במדבר יקוק כ"ג): "וְכָתַב אֶת הָאָלֹת הָאֵלֶּה הַכֹּהֵן בַּסֵּפֶר וּמָחָה אֶל מֵי" וְגוֹ', אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שְׁמִי, שֶׁנִּכְתָּב בִּקְדֻשָׁה, יִמָּחֶה עַל הַמַּיִם. וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל: גָּדוֹל הַשָּׁלוֹם, שֶׁכָּל הַבְּרָכוֹת הַטּוֹבוֹת וְנֶחָמוֹת הַטוֹבוֹת שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְבִיאָן עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל חוֹתְמֵיהֶן שָׁלוֹם, בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע "פּוֹרֵשׂ סֻכַּת שָׁלוֹם", בַּתְּפִלָּה "עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם", בְּבִרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים (במדבר ו' כ"ו) "וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם" וְכוּ', לָכֵן בָּנַי, הֱווּ זְהִירִין בְּמִדָּה זוֹ לֶאֱהֹב שָׁלוֹם וְלִרְדֹף שָׁלוֹם, שֶׁאֵין קֵץ לְמַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל אוֹהֲבֵי שָׁלוֹם וְרוֹדְפָיו. עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹן הַסֵּפֶר מַעֲלַת הַמִּדּוֹת.
Come and see how great is the power of peace. For in the beginning of the creation of the universe the Holy One Blessed be He employed Himself in the creation of an instrument of peace, as it is written (Bereshith 1:3): "And G-d said: 'Let there be light' — and there was light." And how do we know that light is peace? For it is written (Isaiah 45:7): "He fashions light and creates darkness; He makes peace and creates evil." On this basis, our teachers of blessed memory ruled (Shabbath 23b): "As between a candle for his house and wine for kiddush, to sanctify the Sabbath [if he can afford only one], a candle for his house takes precedence because of the peace of his household." What is more, our sages enacted many ordinances in pursuit of the paths of peace, viz. (Gittin 59a): "They declared the following in pursuit of the paths of peace: 'The Cohein reads first [in the Torah], then the Levite, then the Israelite, because of "the paths of peace."'" An eruv [a halachic enabling device] is placed in an old house, because of "the paths of peace." The pit nearest the irrigation canal is filled first because of "the paths of peace."'" And so is it written (Proverbs 3;17): "Its [Torah's] ways are ways of pleasantness and all of its paths are peace." And thus did our sages of blessed memory say in the aggadah (Bamidbar Rabbah 15:13, Tanchuma Beha'alothecha 11): "There are thirteen things that the Holy One Blessed be He loved, and of all of them, He "doubled" [in profusion of love], only "peace." They [(the thirteen)] are: Cohanim, Levites, Israel, Sanhedrin [the high court], the first-born, the offerings of the tabernacle, the sacrifices, the oil of anointment, the Land of Israel, Jerusalem, the Temple, the kingdom of the house of David, and the silver and the gold. The Cohanim — (Shemoth 28:41): "And they shall be priests unto Me." the Levites (Numbers 3:41): "And I shall take the Levites unto Me." Israel — (Shemoth 19:6): "And you [Israel] shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests." Sanhedrin — (Numbers 11:16): "Gather unto Me seventy men." The first-born — (Shemoth 13:2) "Sanctify unto Me every first-born." The offerings of the tabernacle — (Ibid. 25:2): "And they shall take unto Me an offering." The sacrifices — (Numbers 28:2): "You shall heed to sacrifice unto Me in its appointed time." The oil of anointment — (Shemoth 30:31): "The holy oil of anointment shall this be unto Me for your generations." The Land of Israel — (Ibid. 19:5): "For unto Me is all the land." Jerusalem — (I Kings 11:36): "The city that I have chosen unto Me." The Temple — (I Chronicles 17:12): "He shall build unto Me a habitation." The kingdom of the house of David — (I Samuel 16:1): "For I have seen in his sons a king unto Me." The silver and the gold — (Chaggai 2:8): "Mine is the silver, and Mine is the gold." But, of all of these, none was doubled [in profusion of love] but "peace," as it is written (Isaiah 27:5): "Or let him take hold of My strength. He shall make peace unto Me; peace shall he make unto Me." Great is peace, which takes precedence to praise of the Blessed One Himself. For when Yithro came to Moses, immediately (Exodus 18:7): "And each made inquiry of the other's peace," whereas only afterwards (Ibid. 8): "And Moses related to his father-in-law all of the miracles that the Holy One Blessed be He had wrought for Israel." What is more, for all of the mitzvoth that the wicked perform in this world, the Holy One Blessed be He gives them their reward in this world — such as wealth, property, years, honor, and the like — except peace, which He does not give them, as it is written (Isaiah 57:21): "There is no peace, says my G-d, for the wicked." And, what is more, the Holy One Blessed be He gives peace as a reward to the righteous, as it is written (Ibid. 32:17): "And the reward for righteousness shall be peace…" What is more, it is with peace that He draws near to Him converts and penitents, as it is written (Ibid. 57:19): "He creates the utterance of the lips: 'Peace, Peace,' for the far and the near, says the L-rd, and I will heal him." Great is peace, for in regard to all of the journeyings in the desert it is written "And they journeyed and they rested," journeying in strife and resting in strife. But when they came to Mount Sinai, they made one great "resting," as it is written (Shemoth 19:2): "And Israel rested there, before the mountain." (Vayikra Rabbah 9:9): "The Holy One Blessed be He said: 'The time has now arrived for Me to give Torah to My children.'" For as long as they are at peace with one another, the Shechinah is among them. And thus is it said (Devarim 33:5): "And He was a King in Yeshurun when the heads of the people were gathered, together with the tribes of Israel." When does the kingdom and the Shechinah of the Blessed One abide in Israel? When they are all gathered together as one. Come and see how great is the power of peace; for it is through the power of peace that the world endures. For thus have our sages of blessed memory said (Avoth 1:18): "On three things does the world stand: on judgment, on truth, and on peace, as it is written (Zechariah 8:16): 'Truth and a judgment of peace shall you judge in your gates.'" What is more, when there is peace among men, there is blessing in their fruits, as it is written (Ibid. 12): "For as the seed of peace, the vine shall give its fruit, and the earth shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give its dew, and I shall bequeath all of these to the remnant of this people." And thus is it written (Psalms 147:14): "He makes peace on your borders and sates you with the fatness of wheat." Our sages have said (Vayikra Rabbah 9:9): "Great is peace, for if one erases one letter of G-d's name, he transgresses a negative commandment, as it is written (Devarim 12:3): 'And you shall wipe out their [the idols'] name from that place,' followed by (Ibid. 4): 'You shall not do so to the L-rd your G-d.' Yet to make peace between a man and his wife, the Torah says (Numbers 5:23): 'And the Cohein shall write these curses [containing G-d's name] in a book and erase them into the bitter waters.' The Holy One Blessed be He says: 'Let My name, which was written in holiness, be erased by the waters.'" And Chazal have said further (Vayikrah Rabbah 9:9): "Great is peace, for all of the goodly blessings and consolations that the Holy One Blessed be He convokes upon Israel conclude with "peace." The Shema — "He spreads a canopy of peace." The Amidah — "He makes peace." The priestly blessing — "And He shall repose peace upon you." "Therefore, my sons, be circumspect in this trait — to love peace and to pursue peace. For there is no end to the reward for loving peace and pursuing peace." Until here, the language of Ma'aloth Hamiddoth.