.. with one another things that they had not been able to discuss previously. They went out through that door and sat down in a garden under some trees. They said: ‘Now that we are here and see all this, if we die here we shall certainly enter the future world.’ So they sat there and fell asleep, until the guardian came and woke them, saying: ‘Rise and go forth into the outer garden’. So they went out and found the Masters of Holy Writ expounding the verse, IN THIS WILDERNESS THEY SHALL BE CONSUMED: but not (they said) in any other place. AND THERE THEY SHALL DIE: but not in any other place. This speaks of the bodies, but in regard to their souls they shall be like the denizens of the Garden.
The guardian then told them to leave the garden, and they went out with him. He said to them: ‘Did you hear anything from that grade?’ They replied: ‘We heard a voice say, “He who interrupts shall be interrupted, he who shortens shall be shortened, he who shortens shall be lengthened”.’ ‘Did you understand what it meant,’ he asked, and they answered, ‘No’. He said to them: ‘Did you observe a mighty eagle, and a boy who gathered herbs? R. Ilai of Nisibis and his son once came here and saw this cave, and when they went into it they could not endure the darkness and died.
The boy stands every day before Bezalel when he comes down from the heavenly Academy and says three things. “He who interrupts shall be interrupted”: that is, if one interrupts his study of the Torah to speak of idle matters, his life shall be interrupted in this world and his judgement awaits him in the other world. “He who shortens shall be shortened”: if one shortens his “Amen”, and does not draw it out, his life shall be shortened. “He who shortens shall be lengthened”: the first syllable of ehad (one)1In the Shema. should be uttered very rapidly and not dwelt on at all; and if one does so, his life will be prolonged.’
They said to him: ‘He also said: “They are two, and one is joined to them, making three, and when they are three they are one”.’ He said to them: ‘These are the two names “Lord” in the Shema ;1“Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.”. “our God” is, as it were, the signature, and when they are joined they form one.’
They said to him: ‘He also said: “They are two and have become one; when he has sway he flies on the wings of the wind and traverses two hundred thousand and hides himself’.’ He said to them: ‘These are the two cherubim on which the Holy One, blessed be He, used to ride, but from the day that Joseph has been hidden from his brethren one has been hidden away in two hundred thousand worlds, and He who was wont to ride upon it has hidden himself.
Now go forth from here.’ They went forth and the guardian gave them a rose, and the mouth of the cave closed, leaving nothing visible. They saw the eagle come down from a tree and enter another cave. They smelt the rose and entered there, and the eagle said to them: ‘Enter, ye truly virtuous, for yours is the first society I have enjoyed since I came here.’
They went in and came to another garden along with the eagle. When they came to the Masters of the Mishnah the eagle took the form of a man in a resplendent robe like theirs and sat down with them. He said to them: ‘Pay honour to the scholars of the Mishnah who have come here, since their teacher showed us many wonderful things here.’ One of them said to them: ‘Have you a token?’ They said: ‘Yes’, and brought out the two roses. They smelt them and said to them: ‘Sit, members of the Academy, sit, ye truly virtuous.’ Then they took hold of them and they sat down and learnt thirty rules that they did not know before, and other mysteries of the Torah.
They then went back to the Masters of Holy Writ and found them expounding the verse: “I said, Ye are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High” (Ps. 82, 6). ‘This’, they said, ‘is what God said when Israel at Mount Sinai said “we will do” before “we will hear”,1v. Ex. 24, 7. but when they followed their evil imagination He said, “Verily like Adam ye shall die”; like Adam, that is, whose death drew him down to the dust in order that the evil imagination in him might be wiped out; for it is that evil imagination which died and was consumed within him.’
An old man who was at their head said: ‘Here, too, it is written: AND YOUR CARCASES SHALL FALL IN THIS WILDERNESS. What is meant by “carcases”? The evil imagination. “In this wilderness they shall be consumed” (v. 35), to wit, these carcases, and there they shall die, because it is the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, to destroy those carcases from the world.’
R. Ilai said to them: ‘Ye truly virtuous, enter and see, for permission is given you to enter as far as the place where the curtain is hung, happy is your lot!’ So they arose and went to a place where there were Masters of the Agadah,1i.e. the Cabbalah. their faces shining like the sun. ‘Who are these,’ they asked. He replied: ‘These are the Masters of the Agadah who every day see the true splendour of the Torah. They stood there and heard many new expositions of the Torah, but they were not permitted to join with them.
R. Ilai said to them: ‘Come into another place and you will see.’ They went into another garden and saw there people digging graves and dying immediately, and coming to life again with holy, luminous bodies. ‘What does this mean?’ they asked. He replied: ‘They do this every day. As soon as they lie in the dust the evil taint which they received at first is consumed and they rise at once with new and luminous bodies, those in which they stood at Mount Sinai. As you see them, so they stood at Mount Sinai, with bodies free from all taint; but when they drew upon themselves the evil imagination, they were changed into other bodies.’
A voice then came forth saying: ‘Go, assemble, since Aholiab is in his place and all the thrones before him.’ So the others all flew away and they were left alone under the trees of the garden. They saw a door and went in through it, and they then saw a temple, in which they went and sat down. Two young men were there. They lifted up their eyes and saw a tent embroidered with all sorts of figures in various colours, and over it a curtain of flashing light too dazzling to behold.
When the voice ceased the two youths said to them: ‘Have you a token?’ They said ‘Yes’, and brought out the two roses. They smelt them and said: ‘Sit here till you shall hear two profound mysteries from the head of the Academy, which you must always keep secret.’ They promised to do so.
(Said R. Simeon: ‘They wrote down all that they had seen, but when they came to this point they said, “I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue” (Ps. 39, 2): I asked my father about those two words and he said to me: I swear to you, my son, those two words could build worlds and destroy worlds in the hands of one who knew how to use them.’)
When they had heard those two words the two youths said: ‘Go out, go out, you are not permitted to hear any more.’ One of them brought out an apple and said: ‘Smell this’. They did so and went out, and forgot nothing of all they had seen.
Another guardian then came and said to them: ‘Companions, R. Ilai has sent me to bid you wait here at the entrance of the cave till he comes and tells you notable things which you have not heard before; for he has asked permission from the Academy to reveal to you certain things.’ So they went out and waited at the entrance of the cave, discussing with one another what they had seen and heard there.
At last R. Ilai came, resplendent like the sun. They said to him: ‘Have you heard any new exposition?’ He said: ‘Assuredly so, and permission has been given to me to tell you.’ So they gathered together at the mouth of the cave and sat down. He said to them: ‘Happy are you to have been shown by your Master the like of the other world. Are you not afraid?’ They said: ‘Assuredly, we can no longer feel like other human beings, being so amazed at all we have seen in this mountain.’
He said to them: ‘Do you see those rocks? They are the Heads of the Academies of this people in the wilderness, and they enjoy now privileges which they did not enjoy when they were alive. On New Moons and Sabbaths and festivals these Heads of Academies gather to the rock of Aaron the priest and throng round him and enter into his academy, and there they are renewed with the purity of the holy dew which descends upon his head and the oil of anointment which flows upon him, and along with him they are all renewed with the rejuvenation of the beloved of the Holy King, so that this is called the Academy of Love,
and He sustains the whole Academy secretly1The text seems here to be imperfect. … flashing like eagles’ wings in the Academy of light, and this is the Academy of Moses. All stand without and no one enters save Aaron alone, but occasionally one or other of them is called by name.
No one can see Moses, because a veil overspreads his face and seven clouds of glory surround him. Aaron stands within the curtain below Moses, the curtain half separating them, and all the Heads of the Academies remain outside of this curtain. All the rest remain outside of the clouds. The more illuminating the exposition given of the Torah, the more those clouds are lit up,
and they become more and more transparent until the veil becomes visible, and from the midst of that veil they see a light brighter than that of all other lights, and this is the face of Moses. No one actually sees his face, but only the light which proceeds from the veil behind all the clouds.
Moses makes a remark to Aaron, and Aaron explains it to the Heads of the Academies. How does he explain it? With all those founts of wisdom which were closed to him when the time of Joshua came. Now he restores them with wonderful streams that flow from each word.
Similarly all the virtuous women of that generation come to Miriam. Then they all ascend like pillars of smoke in this wilderness. That day is called the day of the marriage celebration. The women on the eves of Sabbaths and festivals all come to Miriam to gain knowledge of the Sovereign of the Universe. Happy is that generation above all other generations. When they emerge from the Academy of Moses they fly to the Academy of the firmament, and those who are qualified fly to the highest Academy. Of that generation it is written: “Happy is the people that is in such a case, yea, happy is the people whose God is the Lord” (Ps. 144, 15).’1The last 13 lines of the Hebrew text do not appear in our translation.2From here to p. 174a the text is fragmentary, and it is not easy to find a connecting thread.
דָּא עִם דָּא, מַה דְּלָא הֲווֹ יַכְלִין לְמַלְּלָא מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא. נַפְקוּ מֵהַהִיא פִּתְחָא, וְיָתְבוּ בְּגִנְתָא תְּחוֹת אִילָנִין. אָמְרוּ דָּא לְדָא, כֵּיוָן דַּאֲנָן הָכָא, וְחָמֵינָן כָּל דָּא, אִי נֵמוּת הָכָא, וַדַּאי נֵיעוּל לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. יָתְבוּ. שֵׁינָתָא נַפְלַת עָלַיְיהוּ. וְדַמְכוּ. אַדְהָכִי, הָא הַהוּא מְמָנָא אָתָא, וְאַתְעַר לוֹן, אָמַר לוֹן, קוּמוּ פּוּקוּ לְגוֹ פַּרְדֵּס דְּאַבְרָא. נַפְקוּ, חָמוּ לְאִלֵּין מָארֵי מִקְרָא, דַּהֲווּ אַמְרֵי בְּהַהוּא קְרָא, (במדבר י״ד:ל״ה) בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה יִתַּמּוּ, הָא בַּאֲתָר אַחֲרָא לָא. וְשָׁם יָמוּתוּ, הָא בַּאֲתָר אַחֲרָא לָא, וְדָא בְּגוּפִין, אֲבָל בְּנִשְׁמָתִין לָא, כְּגַוְונָא דִּבְנֵי גִּנְתָא.
.. with one another things that they had not been able to discuss previously. They went out through that door and sat down in a garden under some trees. They said: ‘Now that we are here and see all this, if we die here we shall certainly enter the future world.’ So they sat there and fell asleep, until the guardian came and woke them, saying: ‘Rise and go forth into the outer garden’. So they went out and found the Masters of Holy Writ expounding the verse, IN THIS WILDERNESS THEY SHALL BE CONSUMED: but not (they said) in any other place. AND THERE THEY SHALL DIE: but not in any other place. This speaks of the bodies, but in regard to their souls they shall be like the denizens of the Garden.
אָמַר לוֹן הַהוּא מְמָנָא, פּוּקוּ. נַפְקוּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ, אָמַר לוֹן, שְׁמַעְתּוּן מִדִי לְגוֹ הַהוּא דַּרְגָּא. אָמְרוּ, שְׁמַעְנָא דְּהָא חַד קָלָא הֲוָה אָמַר, מַאן דְּפָסַק, יִתְפְּסַק. מַאן דְּקָצַר, יִתְקַצָר. מַאן דְּקָצַר, יִתְאֲרָךְ. אָמַר לוֹן, יְדַעְתּוּן מַאי הַאי. אָמְרוּ, לָא. אָמַר לוֹן, חֲמִיתּוּן הַהוּא נִשְׁרָא רַבְרְבָא, וְהַהוּא יְנוֹקָא דְּקָא מְלַקֵּט עֲשָׂבִין, רִבִּי אִילָאִי דִּנְצִיבִין הֲוָה. הוּא וּבְרֵיהּ, וּמָטָא הָכָא, וְחָמָא הוּא וִינוֹקָא בְּרֵיהּ מְעַרְתָּא דָּא, כֵּיוָן דְּעָאלוּ לְגוֹ חָשׁוּךְ, לָא יָכִילוּ לְמִסְבַּל, וּמִיתוּ.
The guardian then told them to leave the garden, and they went out with him. He said to them: ‘Did you hear anything from that grade?’ They replied: ‘We heard a voice say, “He who interrupts shall be interrupted, he who shortens shall be shortened, he who shortens shall be lengthened”.’ ‘Did you understand what it meant,’ he asked, and they answered, ‘No’. He said to them: ‘Did you observe a mighty eagle, and a boy who gathered herbs? R. Ilai of Nisibis and his son once came here and saw this cave, and when they went into it they could not endure the darkness and died.
וְהַהוּא יְנוֹקָא בְּרֵיהּ, קַיְּימָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא קָמֵּיהּ דִּבְצַלְאֵל, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּנָחִית מִמְּתִיבְתָא עִלָּאָה, וְאָמַר קָמֵּיהּ תְּלַת מִלִּין, עַד לָא יִפְתַּח בְּצַלְאֵל בְּרָזִין סְתִימִין דְּחָכְמְתָא, דְּכָל מִלּוֹי רָזִין סְתִימִין אִינּוּן, (ישעיהו ס״ד:ג׳) דְּעַיִן לֹא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתְךָ. הַאי (מאן) דְּאָמַר, מַאן דְּפָסַק יִתְפְּסַק. מַאן דְּפָסַק מִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, עַל מִלִּין בְּטֵלִין, יִתְפַּסְקוּן חָיּוֹהִי מֵהַאי עָלְמָא, וְדִינֵיה קַיְּימָא בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא. מַאן דְּקָצַר יִתְקַצָר, מַאן דְּקָצַר אָמֵן, וְלָא מַאֲרִיךְ בֵּיהּ גּוֹ נַיְיחָא, יִתְקְצַר מֵחַיִּין דְּהַאי עָלְמָא. מַאן דְּקָצַר יִתְאֲרָךְ, מַאן דְּאָמַר אֶחָד, אִצְטְרִיךְ לְחַטְּפָא אָלֶף, וּלְקַצְּרָא קְרִיאָה דִּילֵהּ, וְלָא יְעַכֵּב בְּהַאי אָת כְּלָל. וּמַאן דְּעָבִיד דָּא, יִתְאָרְכוּן חַיָיו.
The boy stands every day before Bezalel when he comes down from the heavenly Academy and says three things. “He who interrupts shall be interrupted”: that is, if one interrupts his study of the Torah to speak of idle matters, his life shall be interrupted in this world and his judgement awaits him in the other world. “He who shortens shall be shortened”: if one shortens his “Amen”, and does not draw it out, his life shall be shortened. “He who shortens shall be lengthened”: the first syllable of ehad (one)1In the Shema. should be uttered very rapidly and not dwelt on at all; and if one does so, his life will be prolonged.’
אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ, תּוּ אָמַר, תְּרֵין אִינּוּן, וַחֲדָא אִשְׁתְּתַּף בְּהוּ, וְאִינּוּן תְּלָתָא. וְכַד הֲווֹ תְּלָתָא, אִינּוּן חַד. אָמַר לוֹן, אִלֵּין תְּרֵין שְׁמָהָן דִּשְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִינּוּן יְיָ יְיָ. אֱלֹהֵינוּ אִשְׁתְּתַּף בְּהוּ, וְאִיהוּ חוֹתָמָא דְּגוּשְׁפַּנְקָא, אֱמֶת. וְכַד מִתְחַבְּרָן כַּחֲדָא אִינּוּן חַד בְּיִחוּדָא חֲדָא.
They said to him: ‘He also said: “They are two, and one is joined to them, making three, and when they are three they are one”.’ He said to them: ‘These are the two names “Lord” in the Shema ;1“Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.”. “our God” is, as it were, the signature, and when they are joined they form one.’
תּוּ אָמַר, תְּרֵין אִינּוּן וְחַד אִתְהַדָר. כַּד שַׁלִּיט. טָאס עַל גַּדְפֵּי רוּחָא, וְשָׁאט בְּמָאתָן אֶלֶף, וְאִתְטָמַּר. אָמַר לוֹן, אִלֵּין תְּרֵין כְּרוּבִים, דְּהֲוָה רָכִיב בְּהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וּמִן יוֹמָא דְּאַגְנִיז יוֹסֵף מֵאֲחוּי, אַגְנִיז אִיהוּ (ס"א חד), וְאִשְׁתְּאַר חַד לְגַבֵּי בִּנְיָמִין, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהילים י״ח:י״א) וַיִּרְכַב עַל כְּרוּב וַיָּעֹף וַיֵדֶא עַל כַּנְפֵי רוּחַ. וְאַגְנִיז בְּמָאתָן אֶלֶף עָלְמִין וְאִתְטָמַּר, הַהוּא דְּרָכִיב עָלֵיהּ, דְּאִינּוּן מָאתָן אֶלֶף גְּנִיזִין, אִינּוּן דִּילֵיהּ, בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
They said to him: ‘He also said: “They are two and have become one; when he has sway he flies on the wings of the wind and traverses two hundred thousand and hides himself’.’ He said to them: ‘These are the two cherubim on which the Holy One, blessed be He, used to ride, but from the day that Joseph has been hidden from his brethren one has been hidden away in two hundred thousand worlds, and He who was wont to ride upon it has hidden himself.
פּוּקוּ מֵהָכָא, זַכָּאִין אַתּוּן, נַפְקוּ, יָהַב לוֹן הַהוּא מְמָנָא וַורְדָא (אחרא) חֲדָא וְנַפְקוּ. כַּד נַפְקוּ אַסְתִּים פּוּם מְעַרְתָּא, וְלָא אִתְחֲזֵי כְּלָל. חָמוּ הַהוּא נִשְׁרָא, דְּהֲוָה נָחִית מֵהַהוּא אִילָנָא, וְעָאַל גּוֹ מְעַרְתָּא אַחֲרָא. אַרְחוּ אִינּוּן בְּהַהוּא וַּורְדָּא, וְעָאלוּ תַּמָּן, אַשְׁכָּחוּ הַהוּא נִשְׁרָא אַפּוּם מְעַרְתָּא, אָמַר לוֹן עוּלוּ זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט חַבְרִין, דְּהָא לָא חֲמֵינָא חֶדְוָה דְּחַבְרוּתָא, מִן יוֹמָא דַּאֲנָא הָכָא, אֶלָּא בְּכוּ.
Now go forth from here.’ They went forth and the guardian gave them a rose, and the mouth of the cave closed, leaving nothing visible. They saw the eagle come down from a tree and enter another cave. They smelt the rose and entered there, and the eagle said to them: ‘Enter, ye truly virtuous, for yours is the first society I have enjoyed since I came here.’
עָאלוּ מָאטוּ לַפַּרְדֵס אַחֲרָא, וְהַהוּא נִשְׁרָא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ, כַּד מָטוּ לְגַבֵּי אִינּוּן מָארֵיהוֹן דְּמִשְׁנָה, אִתְהַדָּר הַהוּא נִשְׁרָא בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם, בִּלְבוּשׁ יְקָר, מְנַהֲרָא כְּוָותַיְיהוּ, וְיָתִיב עִמְּהוֹן כַּחֲדָא, אָמַר לְאִינּוּן דְּיַתְבֵי, הָבוּ יְקָר לְמָארֵי מַתְנִיתָא דְּאָתוּ הָכָא, דְּהָא מָארֵיהוֹן אַחְמֵי לוֹן פְּלִיאָן רַבְרְבָן הָכָא. אָמַר חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ, אִית בְּכוּ סִימָנָא. אָמְרוּ הִין. אַפִּיקוּ תְּרֵין וְרָדִין, וְאַרְחוּ בְּהוּ. אָמְרוּ, תִּיבוּ מָארֵי מְתִיבְתָּא, תִּיבוּ זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט, אֲחִידוּ בְּהוּ, וְיָתְבוּ. בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, אוֹלְפוּ תַּמָּן תְּלָתִין הֲלָכוֹת, דְּלָא הֲווֹ יַדְעֵי מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא, וְרָזִין אַחֲרָנִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא.
They went in and came to another garden along with the eagle. When they came to the Masters of the Mishnah the eagle took the form of a man in a resplendent robe like theirs and sat down with them. He said to them: ‘Pay honour to the scholars of the Mishnah who have come here, since their teacher showed us many wonderful things here.’ One of them said to them: ‘Have you a token?’ They said: ‘Yes’, and brought out the two roses. They smelt them and said to them: ‘Sit, members of the Academy, sit, ye truly virtuous.’ Then they took hold of them and they sat down and learnt thirty rules that they did not know before, and other mysteries of the Torah.
אָהַדְרוּ לְגַבֵּי אִינּוּן מָארֵי מִקְרָא, אַשְׁכָּחוּ דַּהֲווֹ אַמְרֵי, (תהילים פ״ב:ו׳) אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי אֱלֹהִים אַתֶּם וּבְנֵי עֶלְיוֹן כֻּלְכֶם. אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאַקְדִימְתּוּן עֲשִׂיָּה לַשְּׁמִיעָה. דְּהָא אֱלֹהִים אַתֶּם וְגוֹ'. כֵּיוָן דְּאַמְשִׁכְתּוּן בָּתַר יֵצֶר הֵרַע, אָכֵן כְּאָדָם תְּמוּתוּן וְגוֹ'. מַה מִיתָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם אָחִית לֵיהּ לְעַפְרָא, בְּגִין דְּיִתְמְחֵי הַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע דִּי בְּגַוִּיהּ, וְהַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע אִיהוּ דְּמִית, וְאִתְעַכָּל בְּגַוִּיהּ.
They then went back to the Masters of Holy Writ and found them expounding the verse: “I said, Ye are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High” (Ps. 82, 6). ‘This’, they said, ‘is what God said when Israel at Mount Sinai said “we will do” before “we will hear”,1v. Ex. 24, 7. but when they followed their evil imagination He said, “Verily like Adam ye shall die”; like Adam, that is, whose death drew him down to the dust in order that the evil imagination in him might be wiped out; for it is that evil imagination which died and was consumed within him.’
אָמַר הַהוּא סָבָא דְּעָלַיְיהוּ, אוּף הָכָא כְּתִיב, וּפִגְרֵיכֶם אַתֶּם יִפְּלוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה. מַאי פִּגְרֵיכֶם. דָּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, כָּלִיל דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא. חֶסְרוֹנִין דְּאִית בְּכוּ, דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע נָחִית תָּדִיר לְחֶסְרוֹנָא, וְלָא סָלִיק. בַּקֹּדֶשׁ מַעֲלִין וְלָא מוֹרִידִין, בִּמְסָאֲבוּ מוֹרִידִין תָּדִיר, וְלָא מַעֲלִין. וְעַל דָּא אִקְרוּן פִּגְרֵיכֶם, חֶסְרוֹנִין דִּלְכוֹן. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (שמואל א ל׳:י׳) אֲשֶׁר פִּגְּרוּ מֵעֲבוֹר אֶת הַנַּחַל וְגוֹ', סוֹפָא דִּקְרָא אוֹכַח, דִּכְתִּיב יִפְּלוּ, וְלָא תִּפְּלוּ. וְעַל דָּא, בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה יִתַּמּוּ אִינּוּן פְּגָרִים וְשָׁם יָמוּתוּ, בְּגִין דִּרְעוּתָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְשֵׁיצָאָה לְהָנֵי פְּגָרִים מֵעָלְמָא, לְעָלַם.
An old man who was at their head said: ‘Here, too, it is written: AND YOUR CARCASES SHALL FALL IN THIS WILDERNESS. What is meant by “carcases”? The evil imagination. “In this wilderness they shall be consumed” (v. 35), to wit, these carcases, and there they shall die, because it is the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, to destroy those carcases from the world.’
אָמַר לְהוּ רִבִּי אִילָאִי, זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט, עוּלוּ וְתֶחֱמוּ, דְּהָא רְשׁוּ אִתְמְסַר לְכוּ, לְמֵיעָל עַד הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּפָרוֹכְתָּא פְּרִיסָא. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵכוֹן. קָמוּ וְעָאלוּ גּוֹ דּוּכְתָּא חֲדָא, וַהֲווּ תַּמָּן מָארֵיהוֹן דְּאַגָּדָה, וְאַנְפֵּיהוֹן מְנַהֲרָן כִּנְהִירוּ דְּשִׁמְשָׁא. אָמְרוּ מַאן אִלֵּין. אָמַר לְהוֹן, אִלֵּין מָארֵיהוֹן דְּאַגָּדָה. וְחָמָאן בְּכָל יוֹמָא נְהִירוּ דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא כַּדְּקָא יֵאוֹת. קַיְימוּ, וּשְׁמָעוּ כַּמָה מִלִּין חַדְתִּין בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְלָא אִתְיְהִיב לוֹן רְשׁוּ לְמֵיעַל לְגַוַיְיהוּ.
R. Ilai said to them: ‘Ye truly virtuous, enter and see, for permission is given you to enter as far as the place where the curtain is hung, happy is your lot!’ So they arose and went to a place where there were Masters of the Agadah,1i.e. the Cabbalah. their faces shining like the sun. ‘Who are these,’ they asked. He replied: ‘These are the Masters of the Agadah who every day see the true splendour of the Torah. They stood there and heard many new expositions of the Torah, but they were not permitted to join with them.
אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אִילָאִי, עוּלוּ לְדוּכְתָּא אַחֲרָא וְתֶחמוּ. עָאלוּ לְגוֹ גִּנְתָּא אַחֲרָא, וְחָמוּ אוּף הָכִי כָּרָאן קִבְרִין, וּמִיַּד מֵתִין. וּמִתְהַדְּרִין חַיִּין בְּגוּפִין מְנַהֲרָן קַדִּישִׁין. אָמְרֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי הַאי. אָמַר לֵיהּ, דָּא עַבְדֵּי בְּכָל יוֹמָא, וּמִיַּד דְּשַׁכְבֵי מִתְעַכְּלָא הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא בִּישָׁא דְּקַבִּילוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וְקַיְימִין מִיַּד בְּגוּפִין חַדְתִּין מְנַהֲרִין, בְּאִינּוּן גּוּפִין קַדִּישִׁין דְּקַיְימֵי עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי, כְּגַוְונָא דְּאַתּוּן חָמָאן, קַיְימוּ כֻּלְּהוּ עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי, בְּגוּפִין בְּלָא לִכְלוּכָא כְּלַל, כֵּיוָן דְּאַמְשִׁיכוּ עָלַיְיהוּ יֵצֶר הָרָע, אִתְהֲדָרוּ בְּגוּפִין אַחֲרָנִין, דְּגוּפִין קַדְמָאִין, גּוּפִין נוּכְרָאִין, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שמות ל״ג:ו׳) וַיִּתְנַצְּלוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת עֶדְיָם מֵהַר חוֹרֶב.
R. Ilai said to them: ‘Come into another place and you will see.’ They went into another garden and saw there people digging graves and dying immediately, and coming to life again with holy, luminous bodies. ‘What does this mean?’ they asked. He replied: ‘They do this every day. As soon as they lie in the dust the evil taint which they received at first is consumed and they rise at once with new and luminous bodies, those in which they stood at Mount Sinai. As you see them, so they stood at Mount Sinai, with bodies free from all taint; but when they drew upon themselves the evil imagination, they were changed into other bodies.’
קָלָא אִתְּעַר, זִילוּ אִתְכְּנָשׁוּ, הָא אָהֳלִיאָב קָאִים עַל קִיּוּמֵיהּ, וְכָל אִינּוּן קַתֶּדְרָאִין קַמֵּיהּ. לְשַׁעֲתָא פָּרְחוּ כֻּלְּהוּ, וְלָא חָמוּ מִדִי, אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ תְּחוֹת אִילָנִין דְּגִּנְתָּא. חָמוּ פִּתְחָא אַחֲרָא, עָאלוּ תַּמָּן, חָמוּ הֵיכְלָא חֲדָא, עָאלוּ וְיָתִיבוּ תַּמָּן. תְּרֵין עוּלֵימִין הֲווֹ תַּמָּן. זָקְפוּ עַיְינִין, וְחָמוּ חַד מַשְׁכְּנָא מְרֻקְּמָא בְּכָל זִינֵי צִיּוּרִין וּגְוָונִין דְּעָלְמָא, וְעָלֵיהּ פְּרֵיס פְּרִיסָא דִּנְהוֹרָא מְנַצְּצָא, דְּלָא יַכְלִין עַיְינִין לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא (וכפון תרין מלין חמו גו ההוא משכנא עד אתר פרוכתא פריסא דלא חמו), מִתַּמָּן וּלְהָלְאָה לָא חָמוּ כְּלוּם.
A voice then came forth saying: ‘Go, assemble, since Aholiab is in his place and all the thrones before him.’ So the others all flew away and they were left alone under the trees of the garden. They saw a door and went in through it, and they then saw a temple, in which they went and sat down. Two young men were there. They lifted up their eyes and saw a tent embroidered with all sorts of figures in various colours, and over it a curtain of flashing light too dazzling to behold.
אַרְכִּינוּ אוּדְנִין, וּשְׁמָעוּ חַד קָלָא דְּהֲוָה אָמַר, בְּצַלְאֵל רְבִיעָאָה אִיהוּ לִנְהוֹרִין עִלָּאִין. יוֹסֵף רְבִיעָאָה אִיהוּ גּוֹ נְהוֹרִין דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה. סְלִיקוּ דִּלְעֵילָּא, חֲבִיבָא דְּכֹלָּא. עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב, (במדבר כ״ח:ה׳) וְנִסְכּוֹ רְבִיעִית הַהִין בַּקֹּדֶשׁ וְגוֹ'. מַאן דְּיִסְתָּכַּל וְחָמֵי, יִסְמוּן עֵינֵיהּ. מַאן דְּלָא יִסְתָּכַּל, חָמֵי וְאִתְפְּתַח. אִילָנָא דְּתַמְנֵי סְרֵי, כַּד כָּפִיף, יִזְקוֹף וְיִתְקְיַּים. אִי לָא כָּפִיף, חִוְיָא בִּישָׁא אָכִיל לֵיהּ. מַאן דְּעָאל תְּרֵין כְּרוּבִין לְגוֹ, רְעוּתֵיהּ אִתְעָבִיד. מַאן דִּמְעַיֵין, רָחִיק מֵרְעוּתֵיהּ. קָרְבְּנָא דְּרַבְיָא, שְׁלִים לְאִתְקַבְּלָא. פָּסַק הַהוּא קָלָא.
They also heard a voice saying: ‘Bezalel is the fourth of the supernal lights… ‘1Here follow in the text a number of similar enigmatic utterances.
אָמְרוּ אִינּוּן תְּרֵין עוּלֵימִין, סִימָנָא אִית בְּגַּוַיְיכוּ. אָמְרוּ הִין. אַפִּיקוּ אִינּוּן תְּרֵין וְרָדִין, אַרְחוּ בְּהוּ, אָמְרוּ תִּיבוּ, עַד דְּתִשְׁמְעוּן תְּרֵין מִלִּין, בְּרָזִין עַתִּיקִין, מִגּוֹ מָארֵי מְתִיבְתָּא, וִיהוֹן תָּדִיר בְּרָזָא בְּגַוַּיְיכוּ. אָמְרוּ הֵן.
When the voice ceased the two youths said to them: ‘Have you a token?’ They said ‘Yes’, and brought out the two roses. They smelt them and said: ‘Sit here till you shall hear two profound mysteries from the head of the Academy, which you must always keep secret.’ They promised to do so.
אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, כָּל הָנֵי מִלִּין, וְכָל מַה דְּחָמוּ, כַּתְבוּ. וְכַד מָטוּ הָכָא, הֲוָה כְּתִיב (תהילים ל״ט:ב׳) אֶשְׁמְרָה דְּרָכַי מֵחֲטוֹא בִלְשׁוֹנִי. וַאֲנָא שָׁאִילְנָא לַאֲבִי אַבָּא, כַּמָה הֲווֹ אִינּוּן תְּרֵין מִלִּין, וְאָמַר לִי חַיֶּיךָ בְּרִי, אִינּוּן תְּרֵין מִלִּין, בָּאנוּ עָלְמִין, וְחָרִיבוּ עָלְמִין, מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּמָּשׁ בְּהוּ.
(Said R. Simeon: ‘They wrote down all that they had seen, but when they came to this point they said, “I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue” (Ps. 39, 2): I asked my father about those two words and he said to me: I swear to you, my son, those two words could build worlds and destroy worlds in the hands of one who knew how to use them.’)
כֵּיוָן דְּשַׁמְעוּ אִלֵּין תְּרֵין מִילִּין, אָמְרוּ אִינּוּן יְנוּקֵי, פּוּקוּ פּוּקוּ, לֵית לְכוּ רְשׁוּתָא יַתִּיר לְמִשְׁמַע. אַפִּיק חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ, תַּפּוּחַ אֶחָד, וְיָהַב לוֹן. וְאָמַר, אַרְחוּ בְּדָא, אַרְחוּ בֵּיהּ, וְנַפְקוּ, וּמִכָּל דְּחָמוּ לָא אַנְשׁוּ כְּלוּם. נַפְקוּ.
When they had heard those two words the two youths said: ‘Go out, go out, you are not permitted to hear any more.’ One of them brought out an apple and said: ‘Smell this’. They did so and went out, and forgot nothing of all they had seen.
הָא מְמָנָא אַחֲרָא, אָתָא אָמַר לוֹן, חַבְרַיָּיא, רִבִּי אִילָאִי שָׁדַרְנִי לְכוּ, תּוֹרֵיכוּ לֵיהּ הָכָא אַפּוּם מְעַרְתָּא, וְהוּא יֵיתֵי וְיוֹדַע לְכוּ מִלִּין עִלָּאִין דְּלָא יְדַעְתּוּן. דְּאִיהוּ תָּבַע מִגּוֹ מְתִיבְתָּא, דִּיהֵא לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לְגַלָּאָה לְכוּ מִלִּין. נַפְקוּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ וְאוֹרִיכוּ אַפּוּם מְעַרְתָּא, וַהֲווּ מְהַדְרִין מִלֵּי דָּא לְדָא, מִכָּל מַה דְּחָמוּ וְאוֹלִפוּ תַּמָּן.
Another guardian then came and said to them: ‘Companions, R. Ilai has sent me to bid you wait here at the entrance of the cave till he comes and tells you notable things which you have not heard before; for he has asked permission from the Academy to reveal to you certain things.’ So they went out and waited at the entrance of the cave, discussing with one another what they had seen and heard there.
אַדְּהָכִי, הָא רִבִּי אִילָאִי אָתָא, נָהִיר כְּשִׁמְשָׁא. אָמַר לֵיהּ אוֹרַיְיתָא חַדְתָּא שְׁמַעְתָּא. אָמַר לוֹן וַדַּאי, וּרְשׁוּ יָהֲבוּ לִי לְמֵימַר לְכוּ מִלֵּי. אִתְחַבְּרָא כַּחֲדָא אַפּוּם מְעַרְתָּא, וְיָתְבוּ. אָמַר לוֹן זַכָּאִין אַתּוּן, דְּאַחְמֵי לְכוֹן מָארֵיכוֹן כְּגַוְונָא דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, וְהָא לֵית לְכוּ דְּחִילוּ וְאֶמְתָּנוּ, אָמְרוּ וַדַּאי הָא אִתְנְשֵׁי מִנָן אָרְחָא דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, וּתַוָּוהָא אִיהוּ עַל כָּל מַה דַּחֲמֵינָן בְּהַאי טוּרָא.
At last R. Ilai came, resplendent like the sun. They said to him: ‘Have you heard any new exposition?’ He said: ‘Assuredly so, and permission has been given to me to tell you.’ So they gathered together at the mouth of the cave and sat down. He said to them: ‘Happy are you to have been shown by your Master the like of the other world. Are you not afraid?’ They said: ‘Assuredly, we can no longer feel like other human beings, being so amazed at all we have seen in this mountain.’
אָמַר לוֹן, חֲמִיתּוּן אִלֵּין טוּרַיָּא, כֻּלְּהוּ רָאשֵׁי מְתִיבְתֵּי לְעַמָּא דָּא דִּבְמַדְבְּרָא. וְזָכוּ הַשְׁתָּא, מַה דְּלָא זָכוּ כַּד הֲווֹ בַּחַיִּין. וְאִלֵּין רֵישֵּׁי מְתִיבְתֵּי, כֻּלְּהוּ בְּרֵישׁ יַרְחֵי וְשַׁבַּתֵּי וּמוֹעֲדַיָּיא, מִתְכַּנְּשֵׁי לְגַבֵּי טוּרָא דְּאַהֲרֹן כַּהֲנָא, וּמִתְעָרֵי לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְעָאלִין גּוֹ מְתִיבְתָּא דִּילֵיהּ, וּמִתְחַדְּשָׁן תַּמָּן, בְּדַכְיוּ דְּטַלָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּנָחִית עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ, וּמְשַׁח רְבוּ דְּנָגִיד עָלֵיהּ, וְעִמֵּיהּ מִתְחַדְּשָׁן כֻּלְּהוּ בְּחִדּוּשִׁין דִּרְחִימִין דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, עַד דְּאִקְרֵי הָכָא מְתִיבְתָּא דִּרְחִימוּתָא.
He said to them: ‘Do you see those rocks? They are the Heads of the Academies of this people in the wilderness, and they enjoy now privileges which they did not enjoy when they were alive. On New Moons and Sabbaths and festivals these Heads of Academies gather to the rock of Aaron the priest and throng round him and enter into his academy, and there they are renewed with the purity of the holy dew which descends upon his head and the oil of anointment which flows upon him, and along with him they are all renewed with the rejuvenation of the beloved of the Holy King, so that this is called the Academy of Love,
וְאִיהוּ נָטִיל בְּכָל מְתִיבְתָּא, בִּטְמִירוּ דָּקִיק מִתְעָפְפָן כְּנִשְׁרִין גּוֹ מְתִיבְתָּא דִּנְהוֹרָא, וְאִיהִי מְתִיבְתָּא דְּמֹשֶׁה, וְכֻלְּהוּ קַיְימֵי לְבַר, וְלָא עָאלִין לְגוֹ, בַּר אַהֲרֹן בִּלְחוֹדוֹי וּכְפוּם שַׁעֲתָא אִקְרוּן בִּשְׁמָא.
and He sustains the whole Academy secretly1The text seems here to be imperfect. … flashing like eagles’ wings in the Academy of light, and this is the Academy of Moses. All stand without and no one enters save Aaron alone, but occasionally one or other of them is called by name.
וְלֵית מַאן דְּחָמֵי לֵיהּ לְמֹשֶׁה, דְּהָא הַהוּא מַסְוְה דְּאַנְפּוֹי, פְּרֵיס קָמֵיהּ. וּשְׁבַע עֲנָנֵי יְקָר סַחֲרָנֵיהּ. אַהֲרֹן קָאִים גּוֹ פַּרְגּוֹדָא דִּלְתַּתָּא מִן מֹשֶׁה. וּפַרְגּוֹדָא פָּסִיק, וְלָא פָּסִיק בְּגַּוַּיְיהוּ. וְכָל רֵישֵּׁי מְתִיבְתֵּי, לְבַר מִפָּרוֹכְתָּא דְּפַרְגּוֹדָא דָּא. וְכָל שְׁאָר, לְבַר מֵאִינּוּן עֲנָנִין. וּכְפוּם חִדּוּשֵׁי דִּנְהִירוּ דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דְּאִתְנַהֲרָא, הָכִי מְנָהֲרָן אִינּוּן עֲנָנִין.
No one can see Moses, because a veil overspreads his face and seven clouds of glory surround him. Aaron stands within the curtain below Moses, the curtain half separating them, and all the Heads of the Academies remain outside of this curtain. All the rest remain outside of the clouds. The more illuminating the exposition given of the Torah, the more those clouds are lit up,
וְאִתְקְלִישׁוּ בִּדְקִיקוּ דִּנְהוֹרָא, עַד דְּאִתְחֲזֵי הַהוּא מַסְוְה, וּמִגּוֹ הַהוּא מַסְוְה, חָמָאן נְהוֹרָא דְּנָהִיר יַתִּיר מִכָּל נְהִירִין דְּעָלְמָא. וְאִינּוּן אַנְפֵּי מֹשֶׁה. אַנְפּוֹי לָא אִתְחָזוּן כְּלָל, וְלֵית מַאן דְּחָמֵי לוֹן, בַּר הַהוּא נְהִירוּ דְּנָפִיק מִגּוֹ הַהוּא מַסְוְה, בָּתַר כָּל אִינּוּן עֲנָנִין.
and they become more and more transparent until the veil becomes visible, and from the midst of that veil they see a light brighter than that of all other lights, and this is the face of Moses. No one actually sees his face, but only the light which proceeds from the veil behind all the clouds.
מֹשֶׁה אָמַר מִלָּה סְתָם לְאַהֲרֹן, וְאַהֲרֹן פָּרִישׁ לְרַבְרְבֵי מְתִיבְתֵּי. בְּמַה פָּרִישׁ. בְּכָל אִינּוּן מַבּוּעִין דְּאַסְתִּימוּ מִנֵּיהּ, כַּד מָטָא זִמְנֵיהּ דִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ. וְהַשְּׁתָּא אִיהוּ מְהָדָר לוֹן. בְּכַמָּה פְּלִיאָן, וּמְקוֹרִין וּמַבּוּעִין וּנְחָלִין דְּנַבְעִין מִכָּל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה.
Moses makes a remark to Aaron, and Aaron explains it to the Heads of the Academies. How does he explain it? With all those founts of wisdom which were closed to him when the time of Joshua came. Now he restores them with wonderful streams that flow from each word.
כָּל נָשִׁין זַכְיָין דְּהַאי דָּרָא, אָתָאן לְמִרְיָם אוּף הָכָא בְּהָנֵי זִמְנִין. וּכְדֵין סַלְּקִין כֻּלְּהוּ, כְּתִמְרוֹת עָשָׁן גּוֹ מַדְבְּרָא דָּא. וְהַהוּא יוֹמָא, אִקְרֵי יוֹמָא דְּהִלּוּלָא. נָשִׁין בְּלֵילֵי שַׁבָּתוֹת וּבְלֵילֵי יוֹמִין טָבִין, כֻּלְּהוּ אָתָאן לְגַבֵּי מִרְיָם, וְיַדְעִין אִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתָא בִּידִיעָה דְּמָארֵי עָלְמָא. זַכָּאָה דָּרָא דָּא, מִכָּל דָּרִין דְּעָלְמָא. נַפְקֵי מִמְּתִיבְתָּא דְּמֹשֶׁה, וּפַרְחֵי לְגַבֵּי מְתִיבְתָּא דִּרְקִיעָא, וְאִינּוּן דְּאִתְחָזוּן פַּרְחֵי לְגַבֵּי מְתִיבְתָּא עִלָּאָה. עַל הַהוּא דָּרָא כְּתִיב, (תהילים קמ״ד:ט״ו) אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁכָּכָה לוֹ אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁיְיָ אֱלֹהָיו.
Similarly all the virtuous women of that generation come to Miriam. Then they all ascend like pillars of smoke in this wilderness. That day is called the day of the marriage celebration. The women on the eves of Sabbaths and festivals all come to Miriam to gain knowledge of the Sovereign of the Universe. Happy is that generation above all other generations. When they emerge from the Academy of Moses they fly to the Academy of the firmament, and those who are qualified fly to the highest Academy. Of that generation it is written: “Happy is the people that is in such a case, yea, happy is the people whose God is the Lord” (Ps. 144, 15).’1The last 13 lines of the Hebrew text do not appear in our translation.2From here to p. 174a the text is fragmentary, and it is not easy to find a connecting thread.