R. Simeon lifted up his hand and blessed his son R. Eleazar. He then began to speak on the verse: “Who stirred up from the east him whom righteousness called to his foot?” (Isa. 41, 2). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘has been variously interpreted, but, esoterically considered, “Who” refers to the mystery of the supernal world,1Binah. from whence the first revelation of the mystery of Faith is manifested, as we have already pointed out.
Or again, the “Who” denotes that which is concealed, the absolutely impenetrable and undisclosed, and which begins to make its glory known from the region that is called “East”, from which region the whole mystery of the Faith and light commences to be revealed. “Righteousness” reveals the Supernal Power and the reign of the Holy One, blessed be He, who delegates to that Righteousness authority to rule over all the worlds, to guide them and lead them towards perfection. For this reason does it go on to say: “Gave nations before him and made him rule over kings”, since all the kings of the world are under the authority of that “Righteousness”, as it is written: “And he will judge the world in righteousness” (Ps. 95, 16).
Moreover, when it says “Righteousness calleth to his foot”, the question is: Who calleth whom? The answer is that “Righteousness” calls to the resplendent mirror, which is ever bright and refulgent, as it is written: “Keep not thou silence, O God; hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God” (Psa. LXXXIII, I). Now the Holy One has let His light shine upon us on our way for the sake of my son Eleazar, who called down the supernal light upon us, and it has not waned. Happy is the lot of the righteous in this world and in the world to come.’
רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָרִים יְדוֹי וּבָרִיךְ לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (ישעיהו מ״א:ב׳) מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח וְגוֹ'. הַאי קְרָא אוֹקִימְנָא וְאִתְּמַר, אֲבָל רָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא אִיהוּ, מִ"י רָזָא דְּעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ, דְּהָא מִתַּמָּן נָפְקָא שֵׁירוּתָא, לְאִתְגַּלְיָא רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, וְהָא (בהקדמה ב' ע"א) אוֹקִימְנָא.
R. Simeon lifted up his hand and blessed his son R. Eleazar. He then began to speak on the verse: “Who stirred up from the east him whom righteousness called to his foot?” (Isa. 41, 2). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘has been variously interpreted, but, esoterically considered, “Who” refers to the mystery of the supernal world,1Binah. from whence the first revelation of the mystery of Faith is manifested, as we have already pointed out.
תּוּ. מִ"י טְמִירָא דְּכָל טְמִירִין, דְּלָא אִתְיְדַע וְלָא אִתְגַּלְּיָיא כְּלָל. גַּלֵּי יְקָרֵיהּ לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא, מֵהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי מִזְרָח, דְּהָא מִתַּמָּן שֵׁירוּתָא דְּכָל רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, וּנְהוֹרָא לְאִתְגַּלְיָיא. וּלְבָתַר צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ, דְּהָא צֶדֶק, גַּלֵּי גְּבוּרְתָּא עִלָּאָה, וְשׁוּלְטָנִיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּלְהַאי צֶדֶק אַשְׁלְטֵיה עַל עָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ, לְדַבְּרָא לוֹן, וּלְאַתְקְנָא לוֹן, כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת. וְעַל דָּא, (ישעיהו מ״א:ב׳) יִתֵּן לְפָנָיו גּוֹיִם וּמְלָכִים יַרְדְּ, דְּהָא כָּל מַלְכִין דְּעָלְמָא, בִּרְשׁוּתָא דְּהַאי צֶדֶק קַיְימִין, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (תהילים ט׳:ט׳) וְהוּא יִשְׁפּוֹט תֵּבֵל בְּצֶדֶק.
Or again, the “Who” denotes that which is concealed, the absolutely impenetrable and undisclosed, and which begins to make its glory known from the region that is called “East”, from which region the whole mystery of the Faith and light commences to be revealed. “Righteousness” reveals the Supernal Power and the reign of the Holy One, blessed be He, who delegates to that Righteousness authority to rule over all the worlds, to guide them and lead them towards perfection. For this reason does it go on to say: “Gave nations before him and made him rule over kings”, since all the kings of the world are under the authority of that “Righteousness”, as it is written: “And he will judge the world in righteousness” (Ps. 95, 16).
תּוּ, צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ, מַאן קָרֵי לְמַאן. אֶלָּא, צֶדֶק אִיהוּ קָארֵי תָּדִיר לְאַסְפָּקְלַרְיָאה דְּנָהֲרָא, וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ לְעָלְמִין, וְצֶדֶק קָאִים תָּדִיר לְרַגְלוֹי, דְּלָא אִתְעָדֵי מִתַּמָּן, וְקָארֵי וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהילים פ״ג:ב׳) אֱלֹהִים אַל דֳּמִי לָךְ אַל תֶּחרַשׁ וְאַל תִּשְׁקֹט אֵל. וְהַשְׁתָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַנְהַר לָן אָרְחָא דָּא בְּגִינָן (ור') אֶלְעָזָר בְּרִי דְּקָרֵי לִנְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. (ס"א והשתא אלעזר ברי קרי לנהורא עלאה ולא שכיך וקודשא בריך הוא אנהר לן ארחא דא בגיניה, זכאה חולקיה וזכאה חולקיהון דצדיקיא)
Moreover, when it says “Righteousness calleth to his foot”, the question is: Who calleth whom? The answer is that “Righteousness” calls to the resplendent mirror, which is ever bright and refulgent, as it is written: “Keep not thou silence, O God; hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God” (Psa. LXXXIII, I). Now the Holy One has let His light shine upon us on our way for the sake of my son Eleazar, who called down the supernal light upon us, and it has not waned. Happy is the lot of the righteous in this world and in the world to come.’