4. Rabbi Yitzchak said: Why is the Bet open ON ONE SIDE and closed ON THE OTHER? HE EXPLAINS that when a man comes to attach himself to the Torah, it is open to receive him and to join with him, but when he closes his eyes to it and walks in the other way, it is closed from the other side, LIKE THE BET, as it is written: "If you forsake Me one day, I will forsake you two." There will be no opening until he returns to attach himself to it face-to-face, and never abandons it again. Therefore, the Torah first APPROACHES men, calling to them: "To you, O men I call" (Mishlei 8:4), and also: "She utters her voice in the squares, she cries in the chief place of concourse, at the entrance of the gates, in the city she utters her words" (Mishlei 1:21).
4. ר' יִצְחָק אָמַר, מִפְּנֵי מַה ב' פְּתִיחָא וּסְתִימָא. אֶלָּא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּב"נ אָתֵי לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, הֲרֵי הִיא פְּתִיחָא לְקַבְּלָא לֵיהּ, וּלְאִשְׁתַּתְּפָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ. וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּב"נ, סָתִים עֵינוֹי מִנָּהּ, וְיֵהַךְ לְאָרְחָא אָחֳרָא, הֲרֵי הִיא סְתִימָא, מִסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא. כד"א, אִם יוֹם תַּעַזְבֵנִי יוֹמַיִם אֱעֶזְבֶךָּ. וְלָא יִשְׁכַּח פִּתְחָא, עַד דְּיֵתוּב לְאִתְחַבָּר בָּהּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין, וְלָא יִתְנְשֵׁי מִנָּהּ. וְעַ"ד אוֹרַיְיתָא פַּתְחָת קָמֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא וְאַכְרְזָא וְקָרֵי לְהוֹן אֲלֵיכֶם אִישִׁים אֶקְרָא וְגוֹ' וּכְתִיב בְּרֹאשׁ הוֹמִיּוֹת תִּקְרָא בְּפִתְחֵי שְׁעָרִים בָּעִיר אֲמָרֶיהָ תֹאמֵר.