Kabbalah Library
Zohar for All, Volume 7
The Shouts of the Donkey That Says Singing
304. If these cows, which are not accustomed to miracles, but only at that time, would say this singing through their moos, the shouts of the donkey of the old Hassid, Rabbi Pinhas Ben Yair, who was accustomed to miracles, it is all the more so that he would say singing. Friends, if you say that this is not the conduct of the donkey since the day when the world was created, that it would say singing, go and see wicked Balaam’s mare, who defeated her master in every way. It is all the more so with the donkey of Rabbi Pinhas Ben Yair’s donkey. Also, when Balaam’s mare spoke, there was a high angel above her who frightened her, but with the donkey of Rabbi Pinhas Ben Yair, there was no one to frighten it.
305. Now we should disclose, listen friends. The mouth of the mare that was created on the eve of Shabbat [Sabbath] in the twilight, would you consider that her mouth was open since that time, or that the Creator has made the stipulation since that time? This is not so. Rather, there is a secret here, which was given to the sages who do not mind the fool-hearted. The mare’s mouth is a degree of mares, that upper force of the side of the females, the one that was on that mare, since you have nothing below on which there is no appointed angel above, and it spoke about her. This is what is called the “mare’s mouth.”
When the Creator created that degree called the “mare’s mouth,” He blocked it inside the hole of the great abyss, and blocked it until that time. When that time arrived, He opened that hole of the great abyss and she came out and was present on Balaam’s mare, and spoke.
306. Similarly, it is written, “And the earth opened its mouth.” “The” comes to add Angel Dumah, who is called the “mouth of the earth.” The verse “the mare’s mouth” comes to add Angel Kamriel, who is called the “mare’s mouth.” It is likewise with the mouth of the well, which is the same degree that was appointed on it from below, which is under the mouth of the Lord, which is Angel Yehadriel.
These three mouths—the mouth of the earth, the mare’s mouth, the mouth of the well—were created on the eve of Shabbat in the twilight, since when the day has already been sanctified, the mouth appointed on all other mouths arose, and it is that day in which it arose and was sanctified in everything, the one called the “mouth of the Lord,” Malchut. On the eve of Shabbat, in the twilight, the rest of the mouths were created, the angels that lead their branches in this world, which are the secular forces. The day was sanctified, the mouth that controls all the forces arose, namely the mouth of the Lord.
307. While doing so, they saw Rabbi Pinhas approaching. They came to him. Rabbi Pinhas came and kissed Rabbi Shimon. He said, “I kissed the mouth of the Lord, and I was perfumed with the perfumes of His garden.” They delighted together and sat. Since they sat, all those birds that were shading them flew away and dispersed.
Rabbi Shimon turned his head back and raised voices on them, and said, “Birds of the sky, you do not mind the glory of your master, who is standing here.” The birds stood, and did not go further from their place, nor did they approach him. Rabbi Pinhas said, “Tell them to go their way, since they are not given permission to return.”
308. Rabbi Shimon said, “I know that the Creator wants to make a miracle for us, to put shade over us from a different place. “Birds, birds, go your way, and tell the one appointed over you that at first, you were in his possession, and he should have sent you to make a shadow over me. Now you are not under his possession since now, Rabbi Pinhas is in control, and he does not want you. However, I will raise you to a day as hard as a rock, when a cloud rises between the teeth of the strong rays of the sun, and they will not be able to connect and make a shadow.” The birds dispersed and went away.
309. In the meantime, three trees are expanding in their branches to three sides over their heads, giving them shade, and a fountain of water springs before them. All the friends rejoiced, and Rabbi Pinhas and Rabbi Shimon rejoiced.
Rabbi Pinhas said, “It was a great effort for those birds to make the shade, in the beginning, and I do not want the labor of animals, for it is written, “And His mercy are over all His works.”
Rabbi Shimon said, “I did not trouble them, but if the Creator had mercy on us and sent the birds to shade us, we cannot reject His gifts.” They sat under that tree and drank from the water, and enjoyed there.
