Said R. Akiba to him: ‘What is the meaning of the words, “I went down into the garden of nuts (Heb. nut)” (S.S. 6, 11)?’ R. Eleazar replied: ‘This garden is the one that goes out of Eden, namely the Shekinah; the “nut” is the supernal holy Chariot, namely the four heads into which the river parted (Gen. 2, 10), like the walnut, which has four sections inside. “I went down” is used in the same sense as in the expression, “So-and-so went down to the Chariot” (i.e. penetrated to its inner meaning).’
Said R. Akiba: ‘In that case it ought to have said: “I went down into the nut”; why does it say, “into the garden of nuts”?’ Said R. Eleazar: ‘As it is the virtue of a nut to be closed in from all sides, so is the Chariot which goes out of the Garden (Paradise) hidden on all sides; as the four sections of the walnut are united at one side and separated at the other, so are all the parts of the Celestial Chariot united in perfect union, and yet each part fulfils a special purpose; one “compasses the whole land of Havilah,’, and the other “compasses the whole land of Cush”, etc.’
Said R. Akiba: ‘What is the symbolism of the moisture in the shell of the walnut?’ R. Eleazar replied: ‘Although the Scripture does not reveal it in this connection, it does in another connection.
Almonds are sweet and also bitter, symbolizing condemnation and acquittal, although every instance in the Bible refers to condemnation only (cf. Jer. 1, 11- 12).’ Said R. Akiba: ‘Indeed, everything that the Holy One has made can teach us deep lessons, as it says, “The Lord hath made all things,to teach us wisdom) concerning himself’ (Prov. 16, 4).’ R. Eleazar remarked: ‘Rather quote the following verse: “And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.” The “very” suggests that we should learn the higher supernal wisdom from all that He made.’
אָמַר לֵיה רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מָהוּ דִּכְתִיב (שיר השירים ו׳:י״א) אֶל גִּנָת אֱגוֹז יָרַדְתִּי. אָמַר לֵיה תָּא חָזֵי, הַהוּא גִּנְתָא נַפְקָא מֵעֵדֶן, וְדָא הִיא שְׁכִינְתָּא. אֱגוֹז: דָא הִיא רְתִיכָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא, דְאִינוּן אַרְבַּע רֵישִׁין דְנַהֲרִין, דְמִתְפָּרְשָׁן מִן גִּנְתָא, כְּהָאי אֱגוֹזָא, דְאִינוּן אַרְבַּע רֵישִׁין קַדִישִׁין לְגוֹ. וּמַאי דְאֲמָר יָרַדְתִּי, כְּמָה דִתְנָן, יָרַד פְּלוֹנִי לַמֶרְכָּבָה.
Said R. Akiba to him: ‘What is the meaning of the words, “I went down into the garden of nuts (Heb. nut)” (S.S. 6, 11)?’ R. Eleazar replied: ‘This garden is the one that goes out of Eden, namely the Shekinah; the “nut” is the supernal holy Chariot, namely the four heads into which the river parted (Gen. 2, 10), like the walnut, which has four sections inside. “I went down” is used in the same sense as in the expression, “So-and-so went down to the Chariot” (i.e. penetrated to its inner meaning).’
אֲמַר לֵיהּ ר' עֲקִיבָא, אִי הָכִי, הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר, לָאֱגוֹז יָרַדְתִּי, מַהוּ אֶל גִּנַּת אֱגוֹז יָרַדְתִּי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, מִשּׁוּם דְּהִיא שְׁבָחָא דֶּאֱגוֹזָא. מָה אֱגוֹזָא, טְמִירָא וּסְתִימָא מִכָּל סִטְרוֹי, כַּךְ רְתִיכָא דְּנָפְקָא מִגִּנְתָּא, סְתִימָא מִכָּל סִטְרוֹי. מַה אִינּוּן אַרְבַּע קְרִישִׁין דִּי בֶּאֱגוֹזָא, מִתְחַבְּרָן בְּהַאי גִּיסָא, וּמִתְפָּרְשָׁן מֵהַאי גִּיסָא. כַּךְ רְתִיכָא, מִתְחַבְּרָן בְּאַחֲדוּתָא בְּחֶדְוָותָא בִּשְׁלֵימוּתָא, וּמִתְפְּרַשׁ כָּל חַד בְּעִבְרוֹי, עַל מַה דְּאִתְמָנֵי הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (בראשית ב׳:י״ג) הוּא הַסּוֹבֵב אֶת כָּל אֶרֶץ הַחֲוִילָה הוּא הַהוֹלֵךְ קִדְמַת אַשּׁוּר, וְכֵן כּוּלָּם.
Said R. Akiba: ‘In that case it ought to have said: “I went down into the nut”; why does it say, “into the garden of nuts”?’ Said R. Eleazar: ‘As it is the virtue of a nut to be closed in from all sides, so is the Chariot which goes out of the Garden (Paradise) hidden on all sides; as the four sections of the walnut are united at one side and separated at the other, so are all the parts of the Celestial Chariot united in perfect union, and yet each part fulfils a special purpose; one “compasses the whole land of Havilah,’, and the other “compasses the whole land of Cush”, etc.’
אָמַר רִבִּי עֲקִיבָא, הַאי לִכְלוּכָא דְּהִיא בִּקְלִיפּוֹי דֶּאֱגוֹזָא, לְמָאי רְמִיזָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא לָא גַּלֵּי לֵיהּ, בְּהַאי גַּלֵּי.
Said R. Akiba: ‘What is the symbolism of the moisture in the shell of the walnut?’ R. Eleazar replied: ‘Although the Scripture does not reveal it in this connection, it does in another connection.
תָּא חֲזֵי, (ס"א שקדים), מִנְּהוֹן מְרִירָן, וּמִנְהוֹן מְתִיקָן, וּרְמִיזָא אִית לוֹן, אִית מָארֵי דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, וְאִית מָארֵי דְּשֵׁירוּתָא, אֲבָל כָּל רְמִיזָא דְּגַלֵּי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא חָזִינָן דְּדִינָא הֲוִי, וְהָכִי הוּא לְיִרְמִיָּהוּ, אַחְזוּ לֵיהּ בְּדִינָא, דִּכְתִיב, (ירמיהו א׳:י״א) מַקֵּל שָׁקֵד אֲנִי רוֹאֶה. מַאי שָׁקֵד. שְׁקֵדִים מַמָּשׁ. וְכֵן בְּמַטֶּה אַהֲרֹן, (במדבר י״ז:כ״ג) וַיִּגְמוֹל שְׁקֵדִים. וּמִן תֵּיבוּתָא מַמָּשׁ, אִשְׁתְּמַע, דְּהוּא דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא. דִּכְתִּיב, (דניאל ט׳:י״ד) וַיּשְׁקוֹד ה' עַל הָרָעָה. וְכֵן (ירמיהו א׳:י״ב) שׁוֹקֵד אֲנִי עַל דְּבָרִי, וְכֵן כּוּלָּם. אָמַר לֵיהּ ר' עֲקִיבָא, מַשְׁמַע כָּל מַה דְּעָבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְמֵילַף מִנֵיהּ חָכְמְתָא סַגִּיאָה, דִּכְתִּיב, (משלי ט״ז:ד׳) כָּל פָּעַל ה' לַמַעֲנֵהוּ. ר' אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר מֵהָכָא, דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית א׳:ל״א) וַיַּרְא אֱלהִים אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד. מַהוּ מְאֹד. לְמֵילָף מִנֵּיהּ חָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה.
Almonds are sweet and also bitter, symbolizing condemnation and acquittal, although every instance in the Bible refers to condemnation only (cf. Jer. 1, 11- 12).’ Said R. Akiba: ‘Indeed, everything that the Holy One has made can teach us deep lessons, as it says, “The Lord hath made all things,to teach us wisdom) concerning himself’ (Prov. 16, 4).’ R. Eleazar remarked: ‘Rather quote the following verse: “And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.” The “very” suggests that we should learn the higher supernal wisdom from all that He made.’