R. Jose and R. Hiya were once walking together. They went on until darkness fell. Then they sat down and conversed upon many subjects until dawn appeared, when they rose up once more and continued on their way. Said R. Hiya: ‘Look at the East, how its face begins to lighten! Now all children of the East who inhabit the mountains of light will be worshipping the light which heralds the sun before it appears. For the sun himself has many votaries, but these are the worshippers of his harbinger, which they call “the god of the shining pearl”, and their oath is by “Allah of the shining pearl”.’
Yet say not that this worship is idle, for there is a wisdom in it known from former ancient days. When before the rising of the sun the light shines forth, the angel appointed to rule and guide the sun steps forth with the holy letters of the supernal blessed Name inscribed upon his brow, and in the power of those letters opens all the windows of Heaven and flies out. Then he enters into the aura of brightness which surrounds the sun and waits there till the sun himself arises to spread his light over the world.’
And the same angel who is the guardian of the sun is appointed also over gold and rubies; therefore the sun worshippers and the votaries of dawn worship that angel, and by certain spots and signs which they know from tradition and which they perceive in the sun, they find the place of gold and rubies.’ Said R. Jose ‘How long will all these pagan worships continue! Surely, “falsehood has no feet on which to stand!”’
רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרִבִּי חִיָּיא הֲווֹ אַזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא, עַד דַּהֲווֹ אַזְלִין רָמַשׁ לֵילְיָא, יָתְבוּ. אַדְהֲווֹ יַתְבִין, שְׁרִיאַת צַפְרָא לְאַנְהֲרָא, (ס"א אמרו קום ונהך) קָמוּ וְאָזְלוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא, חָמֵי אַנְפּוֹי דְּמִזְרָח דְּקָא מְנַהֲרִין, הַשְׁתָּא כָּל אִינּוּן בְּנֵי מְדִינְחָא דְּטוּרֵי נְהוֹרָא, סַגְדִּין לְגַבֵּי הַאי נְהוֹרָא, דְּנָהִיר בַּאֲתָר דְּשִׁמְשָׁא, עַד לָא יִפּוּק, וּפָלְחִין לֵיהּ, דְּהָא כֵּיוָן דְּנָפִיק שִׁמְשָׁא, כַּמָה אִינּוּן (ל"ה ע"א) דְּפָלְחִין לְשִׁמְּשָׁא. וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן דְּקָא פַּלְחִין לִנְהוֹרָא דָּא, וּקְרָאן לְהַאי נְהוֹרָא, אֱלָהָא דְּמַרְגְּלָא דְּנָהִיר. וְאוֹמָאָה דִּלְהוֹן בֵּאֱלֹ"הַּ דְּמַרְגְּלָא דְּנָהִיר.
R. Jose and R. Hiya were once walking together. They went on until darkness fell. Then they sat down and conversed upon many subjects until dawn appeared, when they rose up once more and continued on their way. Said R. Hiya: ‘Look at the East, how its face begins to lighten! Now all children of the East who inhabit the mountains of light will be worshipping the light which heralds the sun before it appears. For the sun himself has many votaries, but these are the worshippers of his harbinger, which they call “the god of the shining pearl”, and their oath is by “Allah of the shining pearl”.’
וְאִי תֵּימָא פּוּלְחָנָא דָּא לְמַגָּנָא הוּא. מִיּוֹמִין עַתִּיקִין קַדְמָאֵי, חָכְמְתָא יָדְעוּ בֵּיהּ. בְּזִמְנָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא נָהִיר, עַד לָא יִפּוֹק, הַהוּא מְמָנָא דְּפָקִיד עַל שִׁמְשָׁא, נָפִיק, וְאַתְוָון (ק"ל ע"ב) קַדִּישִׁין דִּשְׁמָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא רְשִׁימָן עַל רִישֵׁיהּ, (דשמשא) וּבְחֵילָא דְּאִינּוּן אַתְוָון, פָּתַח לְכָל כַּוֵּי שְׁמַיָא וּבָטַשׁ בְּהוּ, וְעָבַר. וְהַהוּא מְמָנָא עָאל גּוֹ הַהוּא זֹהֲרָא דְּנָהִיר סָחֲרָנֵיהּ דְּשִׁמְשָׁא, וְתַמָּן שְׁכִיחַ, עַד דְּנָפַק שִׁמְשָׁא, וְאִתְפָּשַּׁט בְּעָלְמָא.
Yet say not that this worship is idle, for there is a wisdom in it known from former ancient days. When before the rising of the sun the light shines forth, the angel appointed to rule and guide the sun steps forth with the holy letters of the supernal blessed Name inscribed upon his brow, and in the power of those letters opens all the windows of Heaven and flies out. Then he enters into the aura of brightness which surrounds the sun and waits there till the sun himself arises to spread his light over the world.’
וְהַהוּא מְמָנָא, אִיהוּ פְּקִידָא, עַל דַּהֲבָא, וְעַל מַרְגְּלָן סוּמָקָן. וְאִינּוּן פַּלְחִין לְהַהוּא דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּתַמָּן, וּבְנִקוּדִין וְסִימָנִין דְּיַרְתּוּ מִקַּדְמָאֵי מִיּוֹמִין עַתִּיקִין, אַזְלֵי וְיַדְעֵי נְקוּדִין דְּשִׁמְשָׁא, לְמִשְׁכַּח אַתְרִין דְּדַהֲבָא וּמַרְגְּלָן, אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, עַד כַּמָה יְהוֹן פּוּלְחָנִין סַגִּיאִין אִלֵּין בְּעָלְמָא, דְּהָא שִׁקְרָא לֵית לֵיהּ קַיְימִין לְקַיְּימָא.
And the same angel who is the guardian of the sun is appointed also over gold and rubies; therefore the sun worshippers and the votaries of dawn worship that angel, and by certain spots and signs which they know from tradition and which they perceive in the sun, they find the place of gold and rubies.’ Said R. Jose ‘How long will all these pagan worships continue! Surely, “falsehood has no feet on which to stand!”’