1
What is [the meaning of] to brighten his face with oil (Psalms 104:15)? Those are the twelve faces, four of the lion, four of the ox, and four of the eagle. And they are: Michael, who is the lion, and his four faces are [the letters of God's four-letter name vocalized with a segol and a segol]; the four faces of the ox, and that is Gabriel, and they are [the letters of God's four-letter name vocalized with a patach and a patach]; the four faces of the eagle, and that is Nuriel, and they are [the letters of God's four-letter name vocalized with a chirik and a sheva]. And they are appointed under Kindness, Fear and Truth, the levels of the three forefathers. And the rabbis concluded about this [that] the forefathers are themselves the chariot. And [their] lights add up to "rule, ruled, will rule," which are [God's names of Existing, Will Be and Mastery], the numerical count of which is 112 [Yabok].
2
1The translation is only of the first 15 lines of the Hebrew text.As R. Simeon was once studying this portion, his son, R. Eleazar, came and asked him: ‘What is the connection of Nadab and Abihu with Phineas? If Phineas had not been bom when they died and had afterwards come into the world and taken their place, I could understand, but he was alive at the time, and his soul was already in its place?’
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He replied: ‘My son, there is a deep mystery here. When they departed from the world they were not sheltered under the wings of the holy Rock, because they had no children, and they were therefore not fitted for the high priesthood.
4
Now when Phineas rose up against the adulterers, when he saw all the hosts of the tribe of Simeon gathering around him, his soul fled from him, and then two souls which were flying about naked joined it and they all became one and thus united entered into him, so that he took the place of Nadab and Abihu to become high priest,
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and therefore it is written, “Phineas son of Eleazar son.”’
6
R. Hiya expounded the verse: “He causeth grass to grow for the cattle” (Ps. 104, 14). ‘The “grass”,’ he said, ‘refers to the sixty thousand myriads of angels who were created on the second day of the Creation, being all of flaming fire; and they are called “grass” because they are constantly being cut down and restored. They are food for the “Cattle”, over which rules the “Man”.’