Idra Raba: Chapter 51

The passing of the three friends

Synopsis

We learn that before they could leave the chamber, Rabbi Yosi, Rabbi Chizkiyah and Rabbi Yesa died, and the other friends saw holy angels carrying them away. Rabbi Shimon is beside himself with fear that his revelations have caused this event, until a voice tells him that he deserves praise. The voice says that the souls of the friends passed away through perfection and that they joined with great passionate will and valor at the time of their deaths. The uppermost angels took their souls and raised them above. All the faces of the rabbis were shining brightly. Rabbi Aba was sad for some days until he and Rabbi Shimon saw the angels showing their dead friends the treasures and chambers prepared for their honor, and then he was comforted. From that day on the friends did not leave Rabbi Shimon's house, and no one else was ever present when he revealed secrets to them. He called them 'the seven eyes of Hashem,' and Rabbi Yehuda referred to him as Shabbat, from which all six days get their blessing.

Angels Chambers Heaven Jacob Moses Mount Sinai

353. We have learned that before these friends came out from that chamber, Rabbi Yosi ben Rabbi Ya'akov, Rabbi Chizkiyah and Rabbi Yesa died. The friends saw that holy angels carried them in that veil. Rabbi Shimon said something and THE FRIENDS calmed down. He cried out and said: Perhaps, heaven forbid, a writ was decreed for us to be punished, since it was revealed through us what has not been revealed since the day Moses stood on Mount Sinai, as it is written: "And he was there with Hashem forty days and forty nights... " (Shemot 34:28). Why am I here if this is the reason for their punishment?

353. תָּנָא, עַד לָא נַפְקוּ חַבְרַיָיא מֵהַהוּא אִדָּרָא, מִיתוּ ר' יוֹסֵי בַּר' יַעֲקֹב, וְר' חִזְקִיָּה, וְר' יֵיסָא. וְחָמוּ חַבְרַיָּיא, דַּהֲווֹ נַטְלִין לוֹן מַלְאֲכִין קַדִּישִׁין בְּהַהוּא פַּרְסָא. וְאר"ש מִלָּה, וְאִשְׁתְּכָכוּ. צָוַוח וְאָמַר, שֶׁמָּא ח"ו גְּזֵרָה אִתְגְּזַר עֲלָנָא לְאִתְעַנְּשָׁא, דְּאִתְגְלֵי עַל יְדָנָא, מַה דְּלָא אִתְגְּלֵי מִיּוֹמָא דְּקָאֵים מֹשֶׁה עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי, דִּכְתִּיב וַיְהִי שָׁם עִם יְיָ' אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה וְגוֹ.' מַה אֲנָא הָכָא. אִי בְּגִין דָּא אִתְעֲנָשׁוּ.

Angels Firstborn Gates Praise Soul, The

354. He heard a voice say: Rabbi Shimon, you deserve praise. Praised is your lot and the lot of the friends that are with you, since it was revealed to you what has not been revealed to all the legions above. However, come and see that it is written: "He shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it" (Yehoshua 6:26). Certainly, the souls OF THE FRIENDS ever devoted with great, strong will and valor at the time they were taken BY THE ANGELS. Praised is their lot that, through perfection, they passed away.

354. שָׁמַע קָלָא, זַכָּאָה אַנְתְּ ר"ש, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָךְ וְחַבְרַיָּיא, אִלֵּין דְּקַיְימִין בַּהֲדָךְ, דְּהָא אִתְגְּלֵי לְכוֹן מַה דְּלָא אִתְגְּלֵי לְכָל חֵילָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, אֲבָל ת"ח, דְּהָא כְּתִיב, בִּבְכוֹרוֹ יְיַסְּדֶנָּה וּבִצְעִירוֹ יַצִּיב דְּלָתֶיהָ. וכ"ש דְּבִרְעוּ סַגִּי וְתַקִּיף, אִתְדָּבָקוּ נַפְשַׁתְהוֹן בְּשַׁעֲתָא דָּא דְּאִתְנְסִיבוּ. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵהוֹן, דְּהָא בִּשְׁלֵימוּתָא אִסְתָּלָקוּ.

Angels Curtain Kisses Soul, The

355. We have learned that while these matters were revealed, higher and lower beings trembled and a sound was roused AND DECLARED in 250 worlds, that ancient matters were revealed below. While they were still soothing their souls with these matters, their soul left with a kiss and was connected in that veil, and the uppermost angels took them and raised them above.

355. תָּאנָא, בְּעוֹד דְּאִתְגַּלְּיָין מִלִּין, אִתְרְגִישׁו עִלָּאִין וְתַּתָּאִין, וְקָלָא אִתְּעַר בְּמָאתָן וְחַמְשִׁין עָלְמִין דְּהָא מִלִּין עַתִּיקִין לְתַתָּא אִתְגַּלְיָין, וְעַד דְּאִלֵּין מִתְבַּסְּמָן נִשְׁמָתַיְיהוּ בְּאִינּוּן מִלִּין, נַפְקָא נִשְׁמָתַיְיהוּ בִּנְשִׁיקָה, וְאִתְקַשָּׁר בְּהַהוּא פַּרְסָא, וְנַטְלִין לְהוּ מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי, וְסַלְּקִין לוֹן לְעֵילָּא. וַאֲמַאי אִלֵּין. מִשּׁוּם דְּעָאלֻן וְלָא נַפְקוּ זִמְנָא אַחֲרָא מִן קַדְמַת דְּנָא, וְכֻלְּהוּ אַחֲרִינֵי עָאלוּ וְנַפְקוּ.

Face World to Come, The

356. Rabbi Shimon said: How happy is the lot of these three, and praised is our lot in the World to Come for this. A second voice sounded and said, "But you that did cleave to Hashem your Elohim are alive every one of you this day" (Devarim 4:4). They got up and left. Everywhere they looked, fragrances were missing. Rabbi Shimon said: It seems from this that the world is being blessed because of us. All their faces were shining bright and people could not look at them.

356. אר"ש, כַּמָה זַכָּאָה חוּלָקְהוֹן דְּהָנֵי תְּלָתָא, וְזַכָּאָה חוּלָקָנָא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, בְּגִין דָּא. נָפַק קָלָא תִּנְיָינוּת וְאָמַר, וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּיְיָ' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם חַיִּים כֻּלְכֶם הַיּוֹם. קָמוּ וְאַזְלוּ. בְּכָל אֲתָר דַּהֲווֹ מִסְתַּכְּלֵי סָלִיק רֵיחִין. אר"ש שְׁמַע מִינָּהּ, דְּלְעָמָא מִתְבְּרָךְ בְּגִינָן. וַהֲווֹ נַהֲרִין אַנְפּוֹי דְּכֻלְּהוּ, וְלָא הֲווֹ יַכְלִין בְּנֵי עָלְמָא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּהוּ.

Angels Balsam Chambers Mountains Peace Seven Ten

357. We have learned that ten entered THE GATHERING and seven left it. Rabbi Shimon was rejoicing but Rabbi Aba was sad. One day, Rabbi Shimon was sitting with Rabbi Aba. Rabbi Shimon said something. They saw the three FRIENDS, whom upper angels were bringing and showing them the treasures and chambers above for their honor. They were introducing them into the mountains of pure balsam. Rabbi Aba's mind was calm and at peace.

357. תָּאנָא, עֲשָׂרָה עָאלוּ, וְשֶׁבַע נַפְקוּ, וַהֲוָה חַדֵּי ר"ש. וְרִבִּי אַבָּא עָצִיב. יוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה יָתִיב ר"ש וְרִבִּי אַבָּא עִמֵּיהּ, אר"ש מִלָּה, וְחָמוּ לְאִלֵּין תְּלָתָא דַּהֲווֹ מַיְיתִין לְהוֹן מַלְאֲכִין עִלָּאִין, וּמְחַזְיָין לְהוּ גְּנִיזִין וְאִדָּרִין דִּלְעֵילָּא, בְּגִין יְקָרָא דִּלְהוֹן. וַהֲווֹ עַיְילֵי לוֹן בְּטוּרֵי דְּאֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַּכְיָא. נַח דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי אַבָּא.

Blessing Candles Eyes Seven Shabbat

358. We have learned that from that day on, the friends did not leave the residence of Rabbi Shimon. When Rabbi Shimon was revealing secrets, nobody was present except for them. Rabbi Shimon referred to them as 'We are the seven eyes of Hashem' as it is written: "Those seven...the eyes of Hashem" (Zechariah 4:10), which is applicable to us. Rabbi Aba said: We are six candles illuminating from the seventh, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF BINAH. You are the seventh of all, because the six cannot endure, WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD, save from the seventh, WHICH IS BINAH, since everything is dependent on the seventh. Rabbi Yehuda used to refer to him as Shabbat, from which all six days get their blessing, as it is written: "Shabbat to Hashem" (Shemot 20:10) or holy to Hashem. Just as Shabbat is holy to Hashem, so is Rabbi Shimon holy Shabbat to Hashem.

358. תָּאנָא, מֵהַהוּא יוֹמָא לָא אַעְדּוּ חַבְרַיָּיא מִבֵּי ר"ש. וְכַד הֲוָה ר"ש מְגַלֶּה רָזִין, לָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין תַּמָּן אֶלָּא אִינּוּן. וַהֲוָה קָארֵי לְהוּ רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, שִׁבְעָה אֲנָן עֵינֵי יְיָ.' דִּכְתִּיב, שִׁבְעָה אֵלֶּה עֵינֵי יְיָ' וְעָלָן אִתְּמַר. א"ר אַבָּא, אֲנָן שִׁיתָא בּוֹצִינֵי, דְּנַהֲרָאן מִשְּׁבִיעָאָה. אַנְתְּ הוּא שְׁבִיעָאָה דְּכֹלָּא. דְּהָא לֵית קִיוּמָא לְשִׁיתָא, בַּר מִשְּׁבִיעָאָה. דְּכֹלָּא תָּלֵי בִּשְׁבִיעָאָה. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה קָארֵי לֵיהּ שַׁבָּת, דְּכֻלְּהוּ שִׁיתָא מִנֵּיהּ מִתְבָּרְכִין, דִּכְתִּיב שַׁבָּת לַיְיָ,' קֹדֶשׁ לַיְיָ,' מַה שַׁבָּת לַיְיָ' קֹדֶשׁ, אוֹף ר"ש שַׁבָּת לַיְיָ' קֹדֶשׁ.

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