It is written: “Who hath measured the water in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?” (Isa. 40, 12). “The water” here symbolizes “Understanding”.’ R. Eleazar referred it to “Grace”, whereupon R. Simeon said to him: ‘The two views are equivalent. “Heaven” symbolizes “Beauty” (Tifereth), and “dust” refers to “Power” (Geburah). “Mountains” refers to the other crowns which are called “Mountains of pure balsam”, and “hills” alludes to somewhat lower chariots.’
Said R. Eleazar: ‘It would seem that Jacob emanated from the region of severe Judgement, for Isaac laid hold on this attribute as his portion.’ Said R. Simeon to him: ‘But was this the only grade? Isaac emanated from Grace, surely, and so did all the Fathers. In fact, Judgement proceeds from Mercy, and Mercy from Judgement. Abraham inherited Mercy, and Isaac proceeded therefrom, but with the aura of Judgement about him; and Jacob in turn issued in Mercy from the midst of Judgement. So one quality emanates from another, each imbibes from each, and finally it is made manifest that all are one, and all depend on One, and the One is all in all. Blessed be His Name for ever and ever.’
Said R. Eleazar: ‘It is evident that there can be no perfection except the one aspect be joined to the other and a third hold them together to harmonize and complete them, like Jacob in relation to Abraham and Isaac. That is why it is written: “And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall be fastening from one end to the other.”
We have been taught that all this differentiation of the Divine Personality is from our side and relative to our knowledge, and that, above, all is one, all is set in one balance, unvarying and eternal, as it is written: “I the Lord change not” (Mal. 3, 6).’ Said R. Judah: ‘All the heavenly lights are illumined from one and depend on one, and all the lights there form only one Light, and desire never to be separated, and he who does separate them in his mind is as though he separated himself from life eternal.’
תָּאנָא, כְּתִיב (ישעיהו מ׳:י״ב) מִי מָדַד בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ מַיִם וְגוֹ'. בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ מַיִם. מַאן מַיִם. דָּא הוּא בִּינָה. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר מַתְנִי הָכִי, דָּא חֶסֶד. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, כֹּלָּא בְּחַד מַתְקְלָא סַלְּקָא. (ס"א מתתקן) (ישעיהו מ׳:י״ב) וְשָׁמַיִם בַּזֶּרֶת תִּכֵּן, מַאן שָׁמַיִם. תִּפְאֶרֶת. דִּכְתִּיב תִּפְאֶרֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְכָל בַּשָּׁלִישׁ עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ. דָּא הוּא גְּבוּרָה. וְשָׁקַל בַּפֶּלֶס הָרִים, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן שְׁאַר כִּתְרִין, דְּאִקְרוּן טוּרֵי אֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַּכְיָא. וּגְּבָעוֹת בְּמֹאזְנָיִם, אִלֵּין שְׁאַר רְתִיכִין תַּתָּאִין מִנַּיְיהוּ.
It is written: “Who hath measured the water in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?” (Isa. 40, 12). “The water” here symbolizes “Understanding”.’ R. Eleazar referred it to “Grace”, whereupon R. Simeon said to him: ‘The two views are equivalent. “Heaven” symbolizes “Beauty” (Tifereth), and “dust” refers to “Power” (Geburah). “Mountains” refers to the other crowns which are called “Mountains of pure balsam”, and “hills” alludes to somewhat lower chariots.’
תָּא חֲזִי, בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ, מָאי שָׁעֳלוֹ. דָּא רוּחַ חָכְמְתָא דְּהָכִי תָּנֵינָן, שָׁעֳלָא דְּקִיטְרֵי בְּקִיזְפָא שְׁקִיעָן.
וְשָׁמַיִם בַּזֶּרֶת תִּכֵּן, מַאן זֶרֶת. אִלֵּין אִינּוּן (חמשין) תַּרְעִין דְּאִתְפָּתָחוּ וְאִתְפָּזְרוּ לְכָל סִטְרִין, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (מלאכי ב׳:ג׳) וְזֵרִיתִי פֶרֶשׁ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם וְגוֹ'. וְכָל בַּשָּׁלִישׁ, מַאן שָׁלִישׁ. רַחֲמֵי. שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא. וְשָׁקַל בַּפֶּלֶס, מַאי פֶּלֶס, אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, דִּכְתִּיב, (ויקרא י״ט:ל״ו) מֹאזְנֵי צֶדֶק. אַבְנֵי צֶדֶק. תּוּ אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, הָנֵי מִילֵּי בְּשִׁיעוּרָא דְּיוֹצֵר כֹּלָּא אוֹקִימְנָא.
אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, שְׁמַע מִינָּהּ, דְּיַעֲקֹב מִגּוֹ דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא נָפִיק, דְּהָא יִצְחָק דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא, אָחִיד לְחוּלָקֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, וְדָא הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, וְהָא יִצְחָק מִגּוֹ חֶסֶד נְפַק, וְהָכִי כֻּלְּהוּ, דִּינָא מִגּוֹ רַחֲמֵי נָפְקָא, וְרַחֲמֵי מִדִּינָא. אַבְרָהָם יָרִית אַחֲסָנָא דְּחֶסֶד, נָפַק יִצְחָק בְּדִינָא מִגּוֹ חֶסֶד. יַעֲקֹב נְפַק בְּרַחֲמֵי, מִגּוֹ דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא, וְכַךְ הוּא לְעֵילָּא, דָּא מִן דָּא, וְיַנְקָא דָּא מִן דָּא, עַד דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע כֹּלָּא דְּהוּא חַד, וּמֵחָד תַּלְיָין כֻּלְּהוּ, וְכֹלָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח חַד. בְּרִיךְ שְׁמֵיהּ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמִין.
Said R. Eleazar: ‘It would seem that Jacob emanated from the region of severe Judgement, for Isaac laid hold on this attribute as his portion.’ Said R. Simeon to him: ‘But was this the only grade? Isaac emanated from Grace, surely, and so did all the Fathers. In fact, Judgement proceeds from Mercy, and Mercy from Judgement. Abraham inherited Mercy, and Isaac proceeded therefrom, but with the aura of Judgement about him; and Jacob in turn issued in Mercy from the midst of Judgement. So one quality emanates from another, each imbibes from each, and finally it is made manifest that all are one, and all depend on One, and the One is all in all. Blessed be His Name for ever and ever.’
אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע, דְּלֵית שְׁלֵימוּתָא אֶלָּא כַּד אָחִיד דָּא מִן דָּא, (ס"א וחד) וְדָא אָחִיד בְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ, לְשַׁכְלְלָא כֹּלָּא, כְּגוֹן יַעֲקֹב, וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב מַבְרִיחַ מִן הַקָּצֶה אֶל הַקָּצֶה.
Said R. Eleazar: ‘It is evident that there can be no perfection except the one aspect be joined to the other and a third hold them together to harmonize and complete them, like Jacob in relation to Abraham and Isaac. That is why it is written: “And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall be fastening from one end to the other.”
תָּאנָא, כּוּלֵי הַאי לָא אִתְקְרֵי אֶלָּא מִסִּטְרָא דִּילָן, וּמִסִּטְרָא דִּילָן אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע כֹּלָּא. (ס"א דהא בהאי לעילא) וּלְעֵילָּא כֹּלָּא בְּחַד מַתְקְלָא סַלְּקָא. לָא שָׁנִי, וְלָא יִשְׁתָּנִי, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, (מלאכי ג׳:ו׳) אֲנִי יְיָ' לָא שָׁנִיתִי. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, כֻּלְּהוֹן בּוּצִינִין נְהִירִין מֵחַד, וּמֵחָד תַּלְיָין, וּבוּצִינִין אִינְהוּ חַד כֹּלָּא. דְּהָא לָא בָּעוּ לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא, וּמַאן דְּפָרִישׁ לוֹן, כְּאִלּוּ אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִן חַיֵּי עָלְמָא.
We have been taught that all this differentiation of the Divine Personality is from our side and relative to our knowledge, and that, above, all is one, all is set in one balance, unvarying and eternal, as it is written: “I the Lord change not” (Mal. 3, 6).’ Said R. Judah: ‘All the heavenly lights are illumined from one and depend on one, and all the lights there form only one Light, and desire never to be separated, and he who does separate them in his mind is as though he separated himself from life eternal.’