Meanwhile they found three trees spreading their branches over them in three directions and a stream of water flowing in front of them. All the Companions rejoiced at this, as did also R. Phineas and R. Simeon. Said R. Phineas: ‘It was a great trouble for those birds at first, and we do not desire to give pain to living creatures, since it is written, “and his mercies are on all his works” (Ps. 145, 9).’ R. Simeon replied: ‘I did not trouble them, but if God was kind to us, we cannot reject His gifts.’ They then sat down under the tree and drank of the water and refreshed themselves.
R. Phineas then discoursed on the verse: “A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters and flowing streams from Lebanon” (S.S. 4, 15). ‘Are there not then’, he said, ‘other fountains besides those of the gardens? There is, however, a difference in the benefit they confer. If a fountain gushes forth in the wilderness, in a dry place, it is serviceable to one who sits by it and drinks from it. But how good and precious is a fountain of gardens, for it benefits herbs and plants, and he who draws near to it derives benefit not only from the water but also from the herbs and plants. That fountain is bedecked in all ways, having many fragrant flowers around it, so that it is truly a “well of living waters”.
Now it has been explained that it is the Community of Israel who is called “a fountain of gardens”. The Holy One, blessed be He, has five gardens in which He delights himself, and there is one hidden and secret fountain which waters all of them, and all produce fruit and flowers. There is one garden below them which is guarded on all sides, and below this are other gardens which produce fruit and flowers after their kinds.
This garden transforms itself and becomes according to need either a fountain or a well to water them; for there is a difference between waters flowing of themselves and waters drawn by irrigation. And just as drops of water gradually become a fountain, so those five sources that issue from Lebanon drip gradually into this fountain. What is meant by “flowing streams from Lebanon”? Those five sources that issue from Lebanon above become “streams”, for when they become a fountain water issues from it, drop by drop, sweet water that refreshes the soul. So God has wrought for us a miracle in this place, and I apply this verse to this fountain.
אַדְּהָכִי, הָא תְּלַת אִילָנִין, מִתְפַּשְּׁטָן בְּעַנְפִין לִתְלַת סִטְרִין עָלַיְיהוּ, וּמַעְיָינָא דְּמַיָּא נַבְעִין קַמַּיְיהוּ. חֲדוּ כֻּלְּהוּ חַבְרַיָּיא, וְחַדּוּ רִבִּי פִּנְחָס וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. אָמַר רִבִּי פִּנְחָס טוֹרַח סַגִּי הֲוָה לְאִינּוּן עוֹפֵי בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וְטוֹרַח בַּעֲלֵי חַיִּים לָא בָּעֵינָן. דְּהָא (תהילים קמ״ה:ט׳) וְרַחֲמָיו עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו כְּתִיב. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אֲנָא לָא אַטְרַחְנָא לוֹן. אֲבָל אִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָס עֲלָן לֵית אֲנָן יַכְלִין לְדַחְיָיא מַתְּנָן דִּילֵיהּ. יָתְבוּ תְּחוֹת הַהוּא אִילָנָא, וְשָׁתוּ מִן מַיָּיא, וְאִתְהֲנוּ תַּמָּן.
Meanwhile they found three trees spreading their branches over them in three directions and a stream of water flowing in front of them. All the Companions rejoiced at this, as did also R. Phineas and R. Simeon. Said R. Phineas: ‘It was a great trouble for those birds at first, and we do not desire to give pain to living creatures, since it is written, “and his mercies are on all his works” (Ps. 145, 9).’ R. Simeon replied: ‘I did not trouble them, but if God was kind to us, we cannot reject His gifts.’ They then sat down under the tree and drank of the water and refreshed themselves.
פָּתַח רִבִּי פִּנְחָס וְאָמַר, (שיר השירים ד׳:ט״ו) מַעְיַן גַּנִּים בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים וְנוֹזְלִים מִן לְבָנוֹן. מַעְיַן גַּנִּים, וְכִי לֵית מַעְיָין אֶלָּא הַהוּא מִן גַּנִּים, וְהָא כַּמָה מַעְיָינִין טָבִין וְיַקִּירִין אִית בְּעָלְמָא. אֶלָּא לֵית כָּל הֲנָאוֹת שָׁוִין. אִית מַעְיָין דְּנָפִיק בְּמַדְבְּרָא, בַּאֲתָר יְבֵישָׁא, הֲנָאָה אִית לְמַאן דְּיָתִיב וְשָׁתֵי. אֲבָל מַעְיָין גַּנִּים, כַּמָה אִיהוּ טַב וְיַקִּירָא, הַהוּא מַעְיָין עָבִיד טִיבוּ לַעֲשָׂבִין וְאֵיבִין, מַאן דְּקָרִיב עָלֵיהּ אִתְהֲנֵי בְּכֹלָּא. אִתְהֲנֵי בְּמַיָּא, אִתְהֲנֵי בַּעֲשָׂבִין, אִתְהֲנֵי בְּאֵיבִין. הַהוּא מַעְיָין מִתְעַטְּרָא בְּכֹלָּא. כַּמָה וְורָדִין, כַּמָּה עֲשָׂבִין דְּרֵיחָא סַחֲרָנֵיהּ, כַּמָּה יָאוּת הַהוּא מַעְיָין, מִשְּׁאַר מַעְיָינִין, בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים.
R. Phineas then discoursed on the verse: “A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters and flowing streams from Lebanon” (S.S. 4, 15). ‘Are there not then’, he said, ‘other fountains besides those of the gardens? There is, however, a difference in the benefit they confer. If a fountain gushes forth in the wilderness, in a dry place, it is serviceable to one who sits by it and drinks from it. But how good and precious is a fountain of gardens, for it benefits herbs and plants, and he who draws near to it derives benefit not only from the water but also from the herbs and plants. That fountain is bedecked in all ways, having many fragrant flowers around it, so that it is truly a “well of living waters”.
וְהָכִי אוֹקִימְנָא כֹּלָּא בִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל קָאָמַר, אִיהִי מַעְיָין גַּנִּים. מַאן גַּנִּים. חָמֵשׁ גַּנִּים אִית לֵיהּ לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּקָא מִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא בְּהוּ. וּמַעְיָינָא חֲדָא עִלָוַויְיהוּ, דְּקָא אַשְׁקֵי לוֹן, וְרַוִּי לוֹן, טָמִיר וְגָנִיז, וְכֻלְּהוּ עַבְדִּין פֵּירִין וְאֵיבִין. גִּנְתָּא חֲדָא אִית לְתַתָּא מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְהַהוּא גִּנְתָּא נָטִיר סַחְרָא מִכָּל סִטְרִין דְּעָלְמָא. תְּחוֹת הַאי גִּנְתָּא, אִית גַּנִּים אַחֲרָנִין, עַבְדִּין אֵיבִין לִזְנַּיְיהוּ.
Now it has been explained that it is the Community of Israel who is called “a fountain of gardens”. The Holy One, blessed be He, has five gardens in which He delights himself, and there is one hidden and secret fountain which waters all of them, and all produce fruit and flowers. There is one garden below them which is guarded on all sides, and below this are other gardens which produce fruit and flowers after their kinds.
וְהַאי גִּנְתָּא, אִתְהַפָּךְ וַהֲוִי מַעְיָין דְּאַשְׁקֵי לוֹן, בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים, כַּד אִצְטְרִיךְ הֲוִי מַעְיָין, וְכַד אִצְטְרִיךְ הֲוִי בְּאֵר, מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי. לָא דָּאמֵי, כַּד אִתְמַשְּׁכוּן מַיָּא מִאֵלַיְיהוּ, לְכַד שַׁאֲבִין מַיָּא לְאַשְׁקָאָה. וְנוֹזְלִים מִן לְבָנוֹן, מַאי נוֹזְלִים. אִלֵּין נוֹזְלִים אָהַדְרוּ לְמַעְיָין, (ס"א דכלהו) כַּד נַבְעִין מַיִין וְנוֹזְלִים טִפִּין לְּעֵילָּא (ס"א מלעילא) אִלֵּין בָּתַר אִלֵּין, מַיִין מְתִיקָן, דְּנַפְשָׁא אַזְלָא אֲבַּתְרַיְיהוּ. כַּךְ אִינּוּן חָמֵשׁ מְקוֹרִין, דְּנָפְקוּ מִן לְבָנוֹן, אִתְעָבִידוּ נוֹזְלִים בְּהַאי מַעְיָין. כַּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רָחִישׁ לָן נִיסָא בַּאֲתָר דָּא, קָרֵינָּא עַל מַעְיָינָא דָּא קְרָא דָּא. (ס"א מאי נוזלים. אלין חמש מקורין דנפקו מן לבנון לעילא, אתעבידו נוזלים דכד אהדרו למעיין, נבעין מיין ונוזלים טפין אלין בתר אלין מיין מתיקן, דנפשא אזלא אבתרייהו. כך קודשא בריך הוא רחיש לן ניסא באתר דא, בהאי מעיין ועל מעיינא דא קרינא קרא דא.)
This garden transforms itself and becomes according to need either a fountain or a well to water them; for there is a difference between waters flowing of themselves and waters drawn by irrigation. And just as drops of water gradually become a fountain, so those five sources that issue from Lebanon drip gradually into this fountain. What is meant by “flowing streams from Lebanon”? Those five sources that issue from Lebanon above become “streams”, for when they become a fountain water issues from it, drop by drop, sweet water that refreshes the soul. So God has wrought for us a miracle in this place, and I apply this verse to this fountain.