Then R. Simeon sat and listened while R. Eleazar, his son, stood and expounded mysteries of wisdom. And as he spoke his countenance was lit as by the radiance of the sun, and his words ascended to the starry heights and flitted across the firmament. They thus continued for a space of two days, neither eating nor drinking, and noticing neither day nor night. When they came forth they found that they had not tasted anything for two days. Said R. Simeon: ‘We are told that Moses “was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water” (Ex. 24, 28). If we, who but for a brief space were caught up into that rapture of Divine contemplation, forgot to eat and drink, how much more so Moses!’
When R. Hiya appeared before R. Judah the Saint and related this occurrence to him, R. Simeon ben Gamliel, R. Judah’s father, said: ‘R. Simeon ben Yohai is indeed a lion and his son likewise. He is different from all others of his kind. Of him it is written: “The lion hath roared, who will not fear?” (Amos 3, 8). And if even the upper worlds do tremble before him, how much more then we? A man who has no need of fasting to proclaim his desires to the Almighty, and to have them fulfilled, since he decides and the Holv One, blessed be He, confirms his decision; or the Holy One deciding, he revokes the decision and it is annulled! As it is said: “There shall be one that ruleth over man, a righteous one ruling in the fear of the Lord” (2 Sam. 23, 3). The Holy One rules over man, but who rules over the Holy One? Surely, the Righteous! For it may even be from time to time that the Holy One proposes and the righteous disposes!’
יָתִיב ר' שִׁמְעוֹן, וְר' אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ קָאִים וּמְפָרֵשׁ מִלֵּי דְּרָזֵי דְּחָכְמְתָא, וַהֲווּ אַנְפּוֹי נְהִירִין כְּשִׁמְשָׁא. וּמִלִּין מִתְבַּדְּרִין וְטָאסִין בִּרְקִיעָא. יָתְבוּ תְּרֵין יוֹמִין דְּלָא אָכְלוּ וְלֹא שָׁתוּ, וְלָא הֲווֹ יַדְעִין אִי הֲוָה יְמָמָא אוֹ לֵילְיָא. כַּד נָפְקוּ, יָדְעוּ דַּהֲווֹ תְּרֵין יוֹמִין דְּלָא טָעֲמוּ מִידִי. קָרָא עַל דָּא רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, (שמות ל״ד:כ״ח) וַיְהִי שָׁם עִם ה' אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה לֶחֶם לֹא אָכַל וְגוֹ'. וּמָה אִי אֲנָן בְּשַׁעֲתָא חֲדָא כַּךְ, מֹשֶׁה, דִּקְרָא אַסְהִיד בֵּיהּ, וַיְהִי שָׁם עִם ה' אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְגוֹ', עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
Then R. Simeon sat and listened while R. Eleazar, his son, stood and expounded mysteries of wisdom. And as he spoke his countenance was lit as by the radiance of the sun, and his words ascended to the starry heights and flitted across the firmament. They thus continued for a space of two days, neither eating nor drinking, and noticing neither day nor night. When they came forth they found that they had not tasted anything for two days. Said R. Simeon: ‘We are told that Moses “was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water” (Ex. 24, 28). If we, who but for a brief space were caught up into that rapture of Divine contemplation, forgot to eat and drink, how much more so Moses!’
כַּד אָתָא רִבִּי חִיָּיא קָמֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי, וְסָח לֵיהּ עוֹבָדָא, תָּוָה רִבִּי, וְאָמַר לֵיהּ ר' שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אָבוֹי, בְּרִי, ר' שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי אַרְיָא, וְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ אַרְיָא, וְלָאו ר' שִׁמְעוֹן כִּשְׁאַר אַרְיְוָותָא, עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב (עמוס ג׳:ח׳) אַרְיֵה שָׁאָג מִי לֹא יִירָא וְגוֹ'. וּמָה עָלְמִין דִּלְעֵילָּא מִזְדַּעְזְעִין מִינֵּיהּ, אֲנָן עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. גַּבְרָא דְּלָא גָּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא לְעָלְמִין עַל מַה דְּשָׁאִיל וּבָעֵי, אֶלָּא הוּא גּוֹזֵר, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְקַיֵּים. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גּוֹזֵר, וְאִיהוּ מְבַטֵּל. וְהַיְינוּ דִּתְנָן, מַאי דִּכְתִּיב, (שמואל ב כ״ג:ג׳) מוֹשֵׁל בָּאָדָם צַדִּיק מוֹשֵׁל יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים, הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מוֹשֵׁל בָּאָדָם, וּמִי מוֹשֵׁל בהַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, צַדִּיק. דְּאִיהוּ גּוֹזֵר גְּזֵרָה, וְהַצַּדִּיק מְבַטְּלָהּ.
When R. Hiya appeared before R. Judah the Saint and related this occurrence to him, R. Simeon ben Gamliel, R. Judah’s father, said: ‘R. Simeon ben Yohai is indeed a lion and his son likewise. He is different from all others of his kind. Of him it is written: “The lion hath roared, who will not fear?” (Amos 3, 8). And if even the upper worlds do tremble before him, how much more then we? A man who has no need of fasting to proclaim his desires to the Almighty, and to have them fulfilled, since he decides and the Holv One, blessed be He, confirms his decision; or the Holy One deciding, he revokes the decision and it is annulled! As it is said: “There shall be one that ruleth over man, a righteous one ruling in the fear of the Lord” (2 Sam. 23, 3). The Holy One rules over man, but who rules over the Holy One? Surely, the Righteous! For it may even be from time to time that the Holy One proposes and the righteous disposes!’