R. Aha was once walking along when R. Hiya and R. Jose met him. Said R. Aha: ‘Verily, being now three, we are fitted to receive the presence of the Shekinah.’ So they went along together. Said R. Aha; ‘Let each one of us give a discourse on the Torah as we go.’
R. Hiya thereupon began with the verse: “Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness” (Isa. 15, 8). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘contains a mystery of wisdom which we have learnt from the Holy Lamp (R. Simeon). The words “drop down” refer to the side of rain, which brings nourishment to all. Therefore the eyes of all the world are turned to the Holy One, blessed be He, because He gives food to all.
Yet think not that this depends on the place called “heaven”, for so it is written here “from above”; the rain in sooth comes from “above”, from the Ancient Holy One, and not from the place called Heaven.
“And let the skies pour down righteousness”: since when the heavens receive this rain from the place above, then the skies pour down righteousness. What is meant by “skies” (shehakim)? The place where manna is ground (shahak) for the righteous, where Victory and Majesty grind manna for the place called Righteous, or, rather, for the two Righteous Ones Zaddik and Zedek.
Then “the earth opens” (Ibid.) beneath, and mankind “are fruitful with salvation”. “Righteousness springs forth together”: mercy and kindness abound and man’s food is provided, and so joy is added to joy and all worlds are blessed.’ Said R. Aha: ‘Had I come but to hear this, it would have been sufficient.’
רִבִּי אֲחָא הֲוָה אָזִיל בְּאוֹרְחָא, וְרִבִּי חִיָּיא וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי אַעְרָעוּ כַּחֲדָא. אָמַר רִבִּי אֲחָא, ודַאי אֲנָן תְּלַת, זְמִינִין לְקַבְּלָא אַנְפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא, אִתְחַבָּרוּ כַּחֲדָא וְאָזְלוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי אֲחָא, כָּל חַד וְחַד לֵימָא מִלָּה דִּקְטוּרָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא ונֵזִיל.
R. Aha was once walking along when R. Hiya and R. Jose met him. Said R. Aha: ‘Verily, being now three, we are fitted to receive the presence of the Shekinah.’ So they went along together. Said R. Aha; ‘Let each one of us give a discourse on the Torah as we go.’
פָּתַח רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְאָמַר, (ישעיהו מ״ה:ח׳) הַרְעִיפוּ שָׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל וְגוֹ', הַאי קְרָא רָזָא הוּא דְּחָכְמְתָא, דְּאוֹלִיפְנָא מִבּוּצִינָא קַדִישָׁא. הַרְעִיפוּ שָׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל. מַאי הַרְעִיפוּ. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (דברים ל״ב:ב׳) יַעֲרוֹף כַּמָּטָר לִקְחִי. וְעַל סִטְרָא דְּמִטְרָא דְּהוּא מְזוֹנָא דְּכֹלָּא קָאָמַר. וְעַל דָּא, כָּל עֵינִי עָלְמָא מְצַפָּן לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לִמְזוֹנֵי, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ יָהִיב מְזוֹנָא לְכֹלָּא, וזָן כֹּל, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (תהילים קמ״ה:ט״ו) עֵינֵי כֹל אֵלֶיךָ יְשַׂבֵּרוּ וגוֹ'.
R. Hiya thereupon began with the verse: “Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness” (Isa. 15, 8). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘contains a mystery of wisdom which we have learnt from the Holy Lamp (R. Simeon). The words “drop down” refer to the side of rain, which brings nourishment to all. Therefore the eyes of all the world are turned to the Holy One, blessed be He, because He gives food to all.
וְאִי תֵּימָא דִּבְאֲתַר דָּא דְּאִקְרֵי שָׁמַיִם תַּלְיָא מִלְּתָא. הָא תָּנִינָן, דְּלָאו בִּזְכוּתָא תַּלְיָא מִלְּתָא. וּזְכוּתָא, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ צְדָקָה. וְתַרְגּוּם צְדָקָה, זְכוּתָא. וּזְכוּתָא וְשָׁמַיִם חַד מִלָּה הוּא, והָכָא הַרְעִיפוּ שָׁמַיִם. (ואי תימא ביה תליא) כְּתִיב מִמַּעַל, מִמַּעַל וַדַּאי, מֵעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא קָא אַתְיָא, וְלָא מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי שָׁמַיִם, וְאִקְרֵי זְכוּתָא, אֶלָּא מִמַּעַל דַּיְיקָא.
Yet think not that this depends on the place called “heaven”, for so it is written here “from above”; the rain in sooth comes from “above”, from the Ancient Holy One, and not from the place called Heaven.
וּשְׁחָקִים יִזְּלוּ צֶדֶק, דְּכַד שָׁמַיִם נָטִיל לֵיהּ מִמַּעַל, מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר עִלָּאָה דְּשָׁארִי עָלוֹי, כְּדֵין שְׁחָקִים יִזְּלוּ צֶדֶק. מַאן שְׁחָקִים. אֲתַר דְּטָחֲנִין מָנָא לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא. וּמַאי נִינְהוּ. נֶצַח וְהוֹד, דְּאִינּוּן וַדַּאי טַחֲנִין מָנָא לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא. לְמַאן. לְהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי צַדִּיק דְּהָא אִינּוּן טַחֲנִין לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא מָנָא דְּאַתְיָא מִלְּעֵילָּא, וְכָל הַהוּא טִיבוּ מִתְכְּנִישׁ בְּגַוויְיהוּ, לְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ לְדַרְגָּא דְּצַדִּיק, בְּגִין דְּיִתְבָּרְכוּן צֶדֶק מֵהַהוּא נְזִילוּ דִּלְהוֹן, וְעַל דָּא טַחֲנִין מָנָא לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא. מַאן צַדִּיקַיָּיא דָּא צַדִּיק וְצֶדֶק, יוֹסֵף ורָחֵל, דְּכַד מִזְדַּוְּוגָן כַּחֲדָא צַדִּיקִים אִקְרוּ.
“And let the skies pour down righteousness”: since when the heavens receive this rain from the place above, then the skies pour down righteousness. What is meant by “skies” (shehakim)? The place where manna is ground (shahak) for the righteous, where Victory and Majesty grind manna for the place called Righteous, or, rather, for the two Righteous Ones Zaddik and Zedek.
וְאִלֵּין טַחֲנִין מָנָא לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא וַדַּאי, וְעַל דָּא וּשְׁחָקִים יִזְּלוּ צֶדֶק. כְּדֵין תִּפְתַּח אֶרֶץ לְתַתָּא. וְיִפְרוּ יֶשַׁע, בְּנֵי עָלְמָא. וּצְדָקָה תַצְמִיחַ יַחַד, כָּל רַחֲמֵי, וְכָל טִיבוּ דְּעָלְמָא סַגִיאוּ, וּמְזוֹנַיְיהוּ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי בְּעָלְמָא, כְּדֵין חֶדְוָה עַל חֶדְוָה אִתּוֹסַף, וְכָל עָלְמִין מִתְבָּרְכָאן. אָמַר רִבִּי אֲחָא, אִלְמָלֵא לָא אֲתֵינָא אֶלָּא לְמִשְׁמַע דָּא דַּיָּי.
Then “the earth opens” (Ibid.) beneath, and mankind “are fruitful with salvation”. “Righteousness springs forth together”: mercy and kindness abound and man’s food is provided, and so joy is added to joy and all worlds are blessed.’ Said R. Aha: ‘Had I come but to hear this, it would have been sufficient.’