Mesillat Yesharim, a classic of Jewish ethical literature, was written by Moshe Hayyim Luzzatto, the Ramchal (1707-1746). Its earliest manuscript is from 1738. Mordecai Kaplan (1881-1983) translated it c. 1915 and his translation was published by JPS in 1936.
This sheet was prompted by a problem with Kaplan's translation. He left out a key phrase of the midrash (Leviticus Rabbah or VaYikra Rabbah) quoted by Ramchal in chapter 7, paragraph 9, thereby making the reference unintelligible. In the JPS version of Mesillat Yesharim (published 2010) with commentary by Rabbi Ira F. Stone (1949- ), this is on p. 90.
CONTENTS:
I. Mesillat Yesharim 7:9 (The midrash quoted by Ramchal is underlined)
A. Dictionary entries for key words
B. My comments
II. VaYikra Rabbah (midrash on Leviticus. The phrases quoted by Ramchal are underlined)
A. Psalm 48:13-15
B. Psalm 68:26
C. Dictionary entries for key words
(ט) ובמדרש אמרו (בראשית רבה פ' מח):
הוא ינהגנו על מות, בזריזות, כאלין עולמתא, כמה דאת אמר (תהלים סו): בתוך עלמות תופפות.
(9) And in the Midrash (Leviticus Rabbah 11:9) it is stated:
"God shall lead us evermore/beyond death (al-mut)" (Psalm 48:15) -- [Al-mut means] with zerizut, like those young women, as it says: "in the midst of young women (alamot) playing the timbrels" (Psalms 68:26).
(all definitions are from Jastrow and lightly edited for clarity)
עַל־מוּת al-mut: a musical term of uncertain origin and meaning occurring in Psalm. 9:1 and 48:15. Compare to עֲלָמוֹת alamot.
עֲלָמוֹת alamot f.: a musical term of uncertain origin and meaning, occurring in Psalm. 46:1 and Chronicles 15:20. Compare to עַל־מוּת al-mut.
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Reb Deb comments: So God will lead us with zerizut -- zeal, enthusiasm, energy, the way young woman play tambourines and dance! Zerizut must be an important middah, indeed.
You can stop here and just take Ramchal's word for it. Or you can delve into Leviticus Rabbah (Vayikra Rabbah) to find out how the heck the Rabbis decided that a phrase in Psalm 68 about young women playing tambourines is a key component in proving that the middah of zerizut is so important that even God acts with zerizut. Three verses from Psalm 48 plus the verse from Psalm 68 provide the connection, through word play on cholah-cheylah and almut-almot-uleymta-olamot. There's also a more hidden connection through the action of "circling."
(ט) רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה וְרַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ וְעוּלָא בִּירָאָה וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, עָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִהְיוֹת רֹאשׁ חוֹלָה לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים מח, יד): שִׁיתוּ לִבְּכֶם לְחֵילָה,
לְחוֹלָה כְּתִיב, וְהֵן עוֹלִין עָלָיו בְּעַלְמוּת, וּמַרְאִין עָלָיו כְּאִלּוּ בְּאֶצְבַּע, וְאוֹמֵר (תהלים מח, טו): כִּי זֶה אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֵינוּ עוֹלָם וָעֶד ה֖וּא יְנַהֲגֵ֣נוּ עַל־מֽוּת.
בְּעַלְמוּת, בִּזְרִיזוּת. עַלְמוּת כְּאִלֵּין עוּלֵמְתָּא, כְּדִכְתִיב (תהלים סח, כו): בְּתוֹךְ עֲלָמוֹת תּוֹפֵפוֹת,
תִּרְגֵּם עֲקִילַס, אַתְנִיסָאָה, עוֹלָם שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מוּת,
עַלְמוּת, בִּשְׁנֵי עוֹלָמוֹת, יְנַהֲגֵנוּ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וִינַהֲגֵנוּ בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
Rabbi Berechyah and Rabbi Chelbo and Ulla Bira'ah and Rabbi El'azar in the name of Rabbi Chanina: In the future the Holy Blessed One will be the leader of the dance (rosh cholah) of the tzaddikim in the future-to-come, as it is written, "[Walk around Zion, circle it; count its towers,] take note of its ramparts (cheylah)." (Psalm 48:13-14)
[In Psalm 48 the word cheylah (ramparts) should have been] written "cholah" (group of dancers), for [the tzaddikim] will ascend around God with youthful vigor (almut), and look at God as if pointing with a finger, and say, “For this is God, our God for ever and ever, who will guide us evermore/beyond death (al-mut)” (Psalm 48:15).
"With almut "(youthful vigor) means with z'rizut. Almut -- like those young women (uleymta), as it is written: “In the midst of young women (alamot) playing timbrels” (Psalm 68:26).
Aquila translated [al-mut] as "atnisa'a" (or: atanasya), a world without death (mut).
[Another meaning of] almut: God will guide us in two worlds (olamot): God will guide us in this world and will guide us in the World to Come.
(יג) סֹ֣בּוּ צִ֭יּוֹן וְהַקִּיפ֑וּהָ
סִ֝פְר֗וּ מִגְדָּלֶֽיהָ׃
(יד) שִׁ֤יתוּ לִבְּכֶ֨ם ׀ לְֽחֵילָ֗הֿ
פַּסְּג֥וּ אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֑יהָ
לְמַ֥עַן תְּ֝סַפְּר֗וּ לְד֣וֹר אַֽחֲרֽוֹן׃
(טו) כִּ֤י זֶ֨ה ׀ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֱ֭לֹהֵינוּ עוֹלָ֣ם וָעֶ֑ד
ה֖וּא יְנַהֲגֵ֣נוּ עַל־מֽוּת׃
(13) Walk around Zion, circle it;
count its towers,
(14) take note of its ramparts (cheylah);
go through its citadels,
that you may recount it to a future age.
(15) For this God is our God forever,
who will lead us evermore/beyond death (al-mut).
(כו) קִדְּמ֣וּ שָׁ֭רִים אַחַ֣ר נֹגְנִ֑ים בְּת֥וֹךְ עֲ֝לָמ֗וֹת תּוֹפֵפֽוֹת׃
(26) First come singers, then musicians,
amidst maidens (alamot) playing timbrels.
(all definitions are from Jastrow and lightly edited for clarity)
עַלְמוּת almut, see עֲלִימוּת alimut
עֲלִימוּת alimut f.: strength, vigor.
Examples:
- Y. M. Kat. III, 83ᵇ bot. עלמות בע׳ עלמות בזריזות עלמות כאילין עולימתא ʿalmut (Psalm 48:15) means with strength, … with quickness, … like those maidens;
- Y. Meg. II, 73ᵇ;
- Lev. R. s. 11, end בעַלְמוּת (not בעולמות);
- Cant. R. to I, 3; Yalk. Ps. 757 בעלמות.
Examples:
- Y. Meg. II, 73ᵇ (ref. to חילה, Ps. 48:14) עתיד … להיעשות ראש ח׳ וכ׳ the Eternal will be chosen the leader [or sponsor] of the chorus (Greek choragus) &c.;
- Cant. R. to I, 3; VII, 1 [read:] לֵיעָשׂוֹת וכ׳;
- Lev. R. s. 11, end להיות ראש ח׳; (Yalk. Is. 294 מחול; Koh. R. to I, 11 מחולה); ib. לחילה לחו׳ כתיב read l’ḥolah.
- Cant. R. l. c. כח׳ שנעשה וכ׳ like the chorus which was arranged for us &c.
Examples:
- Y. Meg. I, 71ᶜ top תירגם ע׳ הגר וכ׳ A. "the proselyte interpreted the Torah before R. El. and &c.", see also יְפיפָה (Bab. ib. 3ᵃ תרגום של תורה אונקלוס הגר אמרו מפיוכ׳).
- Y. Kidd. I, 59ᵃ top תירגם ע׳ הגר לפני ר"ע A. "the proselyte interpreted (the verse Lev. XIX, 20) before R. Akiva." Targ. Cant. I, 3, v. אֲתָאנַסְיָא; a. fr.
Examples:
- Song of Songs Rabbah to 1:3 (referring to על־מות al-mot in Psalm 48:15) תרגם עק׳ א׳ וכ׳ "Aquila translates it athanasia (אל־מות al-mot), a world in which there is no death" [Greek thanos; Hebrew mavet, related to mot];
- Y. Meg. II, 73ᵇ אתא נסיא (combine into one w.);
- Y. M. Kat. III, 83ᵇ bot. Ar. (ed. אתנא סירא corr. acc.); Lev. R. s. 11, end (ed. incorr. transp.).
A slight variation of this midrash appears in Ecclesiastes Rabbah at the end of Parashah 1:10. I used both in creating my translations.
Please feel free to copy and further edit this sheet; I don't have time at the moment to bring either the translations or the dictionary entries to the level of clarity I aspire to, but I hope this sheet will be useful especially to anyone using Mordecai Kaplan's translation of Mesillat Yesharim, which leaves out a key phrase in this sentence. -- Reb Deb Gordon