R. Jose and R. Hiya were walking together, and a certain merchant was walking behind them. Said R. Jose to R. Hiya: ‘We must concentrate our thoughts upon the words of the Torah, for the Holy One goes before us, therefore it is time for us to do some service to Him on the way.’
R. Hiya then began to speak on the words: It is time to act for the Lord, for they have made void thy Torah (Ps. 119, 126). He said: ‘This verse has already been interpreted by the Companions, but the words may also be taken thus. “It is time to act for the Lord”: whenever the Torah is observed and studied in the world, the Holy One, as it were, rejoices in His handiwork, and all the worlds which He has created, and the foundations of heaven and earth are consolidated; and what is more, He calleth into His presence the whole celestial family, saying unto them: “Behold my holy children on earth! Through their loving diligence is the Torah crowned in their midst. Behold those works of my hand of whom ye did say: “What is man that thou shouldst be mindful of him!” (Ps. 8, 51v. Bereshith Rabba, ch. 8. And the celestial family, seeing the joy of the Lord in His people, begin to sing together: “And who is like thy people Israel, one nation on earth?” (2 Sam. 7, 23).
When, however, the Israelites neglect the Torah, the very power of the Holy One is, as it were, weakened, as it is written: “The Rock that made him he (Israel) weakened” (Deut. 32, 15, according to an Haggadic interpretation), and then “all the hosts of heaven stand” (2 Chron. 18, 18) and accuse them. So “it is time to act for the Lord”; that is to say, the remnant of the righteous must gird up their loins and perform works of righteousness, so that in His armies and in His hosts the Lord may gain strength, because the greater number of the people “have made void thy Torah”, and mankind will not occupy themselves seriously with it.’
Said the merchant who followed them: ‘May I be allowed to put to you a question?’ Said R. Jose: ‘Verily, our path is made straight before us. Ask thy question.’ Then said the man: ‘Had it said “One must act”, or “let us act”, your explanation would have been fitting. But it says, “It is time to act”. Besides, should it not have been “to act before the Lord”? Why does it say “for the Lord”?’ Said R. Jose: ‘In many ways is this journey of ours auspicious: one, that we were first two and now we are three, and the Shekinah is present with us; secondly, I thought that thou wert a withered trunk, but I see thou art a green olive tree; and lastly, because thou hast asked a good question. And since thou hast begun, continue!’
The man accordingly then went on as follows: ‘ “It is time to act for the Lord for they have made void thy Torah.” There are times and times-“a time to love and a time to hate” (Eccl. 3, 8). There is a time which is above, the “time” which is a mystery of Faith, and this is called a “time of good will and grace”. This always is the time for men to love the Lord, as it says: “Love the Lord thy God”.
But there is “another” time, the mystery of “other gods”, a “time” which must be hated of man and its attraction guarded against. This is “the time to hate”; concerning which “time” it is written, “Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times unto the holy place (Lev. 16, 2).
The time when Israel diligently studies the Torah and keeps its commandments is the time that is within the mystery of the Holy Faith; it is fitly decked out and adorned with all its proper graces according to the eternal purpose. But the time when Israel neglects the Torah, making it void, is, as it were, a time of incompleteness, and has neither wholeness nor light.
The verse is therefore to be interpreted: “There is a time which is still to be made or finished (la’asot), because at present it is incomplete, because Israel has made the Torah void”; for “time” is thus elevated or depressed according to the works of Israel.’
Then R. Jose and R. Hiya kissed him on the brow, and R. Hiya said: ‘Surely, we are not worthy that thou shouldst go behind us. Blessed is the road on which we were privileged to hear such words! Blessed is the generation which is contemporary with R. Simeon; for in it wisdom is found, even among the mountains!’
רִבִּי יוֹסִי וְרִבִּי חִיָּיא הֲוָה אַזְלֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא, וַהֲוָה חַד טַיְּיעָא טָעִין אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ, אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסִי לְרַ' חִיָּיא, אִית לָן לְאִתְעַסְּקָא וּלְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָזִיל לְקַמָּן, (נ"א דהא שכינתא אזלא קמן דכתיב (תהילים פ"ה) צדק לפניו יהלך) וְעַל דָּא עִידָּן הוּא, לְמֶעְבַּד לֵיהּ (נ"א לה) תִּקּוּנָא בַּהֲדָן בְּהַאי אָרְחָא.
R. Jose and R. Hiya were walking together, and a certain merchant was walking behind them. Said R. Jose to R. Hiya: ‘We must concentrate our thoughts upon the words of the Torah, for the Holy One goes before us, therefore it is time for us to do some service to Him on the way.’
פָּתַח רַבִּי חִיָּיא וְאָמַר (תהילים קי״ט:קכ״ו) עֵת (בראשית קנ"ו ע"ב) לַעֲשׂוֹת לַיְיָ' הֵפֵרוּ תּוֹרָתֶךָ, הַאי קְרָא אִתְּמַר, וְאוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא. אֲבָל עֵת לַעֲשׂוֹת לַיְיָ', בְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא מִתְקַיְּימָא בְּעָלְמָא, וּבְנֵי נָשָׁא מִשְׁתַּדְלָן בָּהּ, כִּבְיָכוֹל, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חַדֵּי בְּעוֹבְדֵי יְדוֹי, וְחַדֵּי בְּעָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ, וּשְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא קַיְימֵי בְּקִיוּמַיְיהוּ. וְלָא עוֹד, אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כָּנִישׁ כָּל פָּמַלְיָא דִּילֵיהּ, וְאָמַר לוֹן, חָמוּ עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִית לִי בְּאַרְעָא, דְּאוֹרַיְיתִי מִתְעַטְּרָא בְּגִינֵיהוֹן. חָמוּ עוֹבְדֵי יְדַי, דְּאָתוּן אֲמַרְתּוּן (תהילים ח׳:ה׳) מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ. וְאִינּוּן כַּד חֲמָאן חֶדְוָה דְּמָארֵיהוֹן בְּעַמֵיהּ, מִיָּד פַּתְחֵי וְאַמְרֵי, (שמואל ב ז׳:כ״ג) וּמִי כְעַמְּךָ כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ.
R. Hiya then began to speak on the words: It is time to act for the Lord, for they have made void thy Torah (Ps. 119, 126). He said: ‘This verse has already been interpreted by the Companions, but the words may also be taken thus. “It is time to act for the Lord”: whenever the Torah is observed and studied in the world, the Holy One, as it were, rejoices in His handiwork, and all the worlds which He has created, and the foundations of heaven and earth are consolidated; and what is more, He calleth into His presence the whole celestial family, saying unto them: “Behold my holy children on earth! Through their loving diligence is the Torah crowned in their midst. Behold those works of my hand of whom ye did say: “What is man that thou shouldst be mindful of him!” (Ps. 8, 51v. Bereshith Rabba, ch. 8. And the celestial family, seeing the joy of the Lord in His people, begin to sing together: “And who is like thy people Israel, one nation on earth?” (2 Sam. 7, 23).
וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְבַּטְלֵי מֵאוֹרַיְיתָא, כִּבְיָכוֹ"ל, תָּשַׁשׁ חֵילֵיהּ, דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים ל״ב:י״ח) צוּר יְלָדְךָ תֶּשִׁי. וּכְדֵין כְּתִיב, (דברי הימים ב י״ח:י״ח) וְכָל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם עוֹמְדִים עָלָיו, וְעַל דָּא עֵת לַעֲשׂוֹת לַיְיָ', אִינּוּן (בני עלמא) צַדִּיקַיָּיא דְּאִשְׁתָּאֲרָן, אִית לוֹן לְחַגְרָא חַרְצִין, וּלְמֶעְבַּד עוֹבָדִין דְּכַשְׁרָאן, בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִתְתָּקַף בְּהוּ בְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, וּמַשְׁרְיָין וְאוֹכְלֹסִין דִּילֵיהּ. מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דְּהֵפֵרוּ תּוֹרָתֶךָ, וְלָא מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בָּהּ בְּנִי עָלְמָא, כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת.
When, however, the Israelites neglect the Torah, the very power of the Holy One is, as it were, weakened, as it is written: “The Rock that made him he (Israel) weakened” (Deut. 32, 15, according to an Haggadic interpretation), and then “all the hosts of heaven stand” (2 Chron. 18, 18) and accuse them. So “it is time to act for the Lord”; that is to say, the remnant of the righteous must gird up their loins and perform works of righteousness, so that in His armies and in His hosts the Lord may gain strength, because the greater number of the people “have made void thy Torah”, and mankind will not occupy themselves seriously with it.’
הַהוּא טַיְּיעָא דְּהֲוָה טָעִין אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ, אָמַר לוֹן בְּמָטוּ מִנַּיְיכוּ, שְׁאֶלְתָּא חֲדָא בָּעֵינָא לְמִנְדַּע. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסִי, וַדַּאי אָרְחָא מִתְתַּקְנָא קָמָּן, שָׁאִיל שְׁאֶלְתָּךְ. אָמַר, הַאי קְרָא, אִי כְּתִיב יֵשׁ לַעֲשׂוֹת, אוֹ נַעֲשֶׂה, הֲוָה אֲמֵינָא הָכִי. מַאי עֵת. וְתוּ, לַעֲשׂוֹת לַיְיָ', לִפְנֵי יְיָ' אִצְטְרִיךְ, מַאי לַעֲשׂוֹת לַיְיָ'. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסִי, בְּכַמָּה גַּוְונִין אָרְחָא מִתְתַּקְנָא קָמָּן. חַד, דַּהֲוֵינָן תְּרֵין, וְהַשְּׁתָּא הָא אֲנָן תְּלָתָא, וּשְׁכִינְתָּא אִתְכְּלִילַת בַּהֲדָן. וְחַד דַּחֲשִׁיבְנָא דְּלָא הֲוֵית אֶלָּא כְּאִילָנָא יַבֶּשְׁתָּא, וְאַנְתְּ רַעֲנָנָא כְּזֵיתָא. וְחַד, דְּיֵאוֹת שָׁאַלְתָּ, וְהוֹאִיל וְשָׁרִית מִלָּה, אֵימָא.
Said the merchant who followed them: ‘May I be allowed to put to you a question?’ Said R. Jose: ‘Verily, our path is made straight before us. Ask thy question.’ Then said the man: ‘Had it said “One must act”, or “let us act”, your explanation would have been fitting. But it says, “It is time to act”. Besides, should it not have been “to act before the Lord”? Why does it say “for the Lord”?’ Said R. Jose: ‘In many ways is this journey of ours auspicious: one, that we were first two and now we are three, and the Shekinah is present with us; secondly, I thought that thou wert a withered trunk, but I see thou art a green olive tree; and lastly, because thou hast asked a good question. And since thou hast begun, continue!’
פָּתַח וְאָמַר עֵת לַעֲשׂוֹת לַיְיָ' הֵפֵרוּ תּוֹרָתֶךָ. עֵת לַעֲשׂוֹת לַיְיָ', אִית עֵת. וְאִית עֵת. (קהלת ג׳:ח׳) עֵת לֶאֱהֹב וְעֵת לִשְׂנֹא. עֵת אִיהוּ לְעֵילָּא. דְּהַהוּא עֵת, רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא אִיהוּ. וְדָא אִקְרֵי עֵת רָצוֹן, וְהַאי אִיהוּ דְּאִתְחַיָּיב בַּר נָשׁ לְמִרְחַם לַיְיָ' תָּדִיר, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (דברים ו׳:ה׳) וְאָהַבְתָּ אֶת יְיָ' אֱלהֶיךָ, וְעַל דָּא, עֵת לֶאֱהֹב, דָּא אִיהוּ עֵת דְּאִתְחַיָּיב בַּר נָשׁ לֶאֱהֹב.
The man accordingly then went on as follows: ‘ “It is time to act for the Lord for they have made void thy Torah.” There are times and times-“a time to love and a time to hate” (Eccl. 3, 8). There is a time which is above, the “time” which is a mystery of Faith, and this is called a “time of good will and grace”. This always is the time for men to love the Lord, as it says: “Love the Lord thy God”.
וְאִית עֵת אָחֳרָא, דְּאִיהוּ רָזָא דֶּאֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים, וְאִתְחַיָיב בַּר נָשׁ לְמִשְׂנָא לֵיהּ, וְלָא יִתְמְשַׁךְ לִבֵּיהּ אֲבַתְרִיהּ, וְעַל דָּא עֵת לִשְׂנֹא, וּבְגִין כַּךְ כְּתִיב (ויקרא ט״ז:ב׳) דַּבֵּר אֶל אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ וְאַל יָבֹא בְכָל עֵת אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ.
But there is “another” time, the mystery of “other gods”, a “time” which must be hated of man and its attraction guarded against. This is “the time to hate”; concerning which “time” it is written, “Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times unto the holy place (Lev. 16, 2).
(והכא) בְּזִמְנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וּפִקוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, הַהוּא עֵת רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא, מִתַּתְקְנָא בְּתִקּוּנָהָא, וּמִתְקַשְּׁטָא בִּשְׁלֵימוּתָא, כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת. וּבְזִמְנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְבַּטְלֵי מֵאוֹרַיְיתָא, כִּבְיָכוֹל הַהוּא עֵת, לָאו אִיהוּ בְּתִקּוּנָהָא, וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַחַת בִּשְׁלִימוּ, וְלָא בִּנְהוֹרָא וּכְדֵין עֵת לַעֲשׂוֹת לַיְיָ'.
The time when Israel diligently studies the Torah and keeps its commandments is the time that is within the mystery of the Holy Faith; it is fitly decked out and adorned with all its proper graces according to the eternal purpose. But the time when Israel neglects the Torah, making it void, is, as it were, a time of incompleteness, and has neither wholeness nor light.
מַאי לַעֲשׂוֹת. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (בראשית ב׳:ג׳) אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אֱלהִים לַעֲשׂוֹת. מַאי לַעֲשׂוֹת. דְּאִשְׁתָּאָרוּ גּוּפֵי דְּשֵׁידֵי, דְּאִתְקַדָּשׁ יוֹמָא, וְלָא אִתְעָבִידוּ, וְאִשְׁתָּאָרוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת, רוּחִין בְּלָא גּוּפֵי. אוּף הָכָא עֵת לַעֲשׂוֹת, אִשְׁתְּאַר בְּלָא תִּקּוּנָא, וּבְלָא שְׁלִימוּ. מַאי טַעְמָא. מִשּׁוּם דְּהֵפֵרוּ תּוֹרָתֶךָ, בְּגִין דְּאִתְבָּטְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא מִפִּתְגָּמֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא. בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא עֵת, הָכִי קַיְּימָא, אוֹ סַלְּקָא, אוֹ נַחְתָּא, בְּגִינֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.
The verse is therefore to be interpreted: “There is a time which is still to be made or finished (la’asot), because at present it is incomplete, because Israel has made the Torah void”; for “time” is thus elevated or depressed according to the works of Israel.’
אָתוּ רִבִּי יוֹסִי וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא וּנְשָׁקוּהוּ בְּרֵישֵׁיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסִי, וַדַּאי לֵית אַנְתְּ כְּדַאי, לְטַיְיעָא אֲבַתְרָן. זַכָּאָה אָרְחָא דָּא, דְּזָכֵינָן לְמִשְׁמַע דָּא, זַכָּאָה דָּרָא דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן שָׁארֵי בְּגַוֵּיהּ, דְּאֲפִילּוּ בֵּינֵי טוּרַיָא, חָכְמְתָא אִשְׁתְּכַחַת תַּמָּן. נָחְתוּ רַבִּי יוֹסִי וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא, וְאָזְלוּ תְּלָתְהוֹן בְּאָרְחָא.
Then R. Jose and R. Hiya kissed him on the brow, and R. Hiya said: ‘Surely, we are not worthy that thou shouldst go behind us. Blessed is the road on which we were privileged to hear such words! Blessed is the generation which is contemporary with R. Simeon; for in it wisdom is found, even among the mountains!’