It is written: “And above the firmament that was over their heads was as the appearance of a sapphire stone, the likeness of a throne” (Ezek. 1, 26). This firmament’, said R. Simeon, ‘is the lower firmament, as you, Companions, have explained. Happy is my portion and happy is your portion, since as regards the supernal firmament there is no one who can ever discern it. Above that lower firmament, then, there is that “sapphire stone”, that precious jewel by which it is adorned.
It says, “the likeness of a throne”, and not “the throne”. For there is throne and throne. The term “the throne” would signify the Supernal Throne, which is undisclosed and beyond all knowledge and comprehension. Hence it says here “a throne”, to wit, a lower throne.
The verse cited continues: “and upon the likness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man” (Ibid.). Why say both “likeness” and “appearance” when “likeness” would be enough? The explanation is that the term “likeness” alludes to the higher glory, the image of Man; whereas the word “appearance” embraces the likenesses generated in his words of Torah exposition and mystic doctrines, which ascend and are crowned on high, and afterwards assume the image of man, of those righteous ones who crown them, for the delight of the Holy One, blessed be He.
And you, Companions, behold, the Holy One disports Himself now with those words you uttered, and you are standing now before your Master as represented by your holy images. For when I saw you and looked well at your inward forms, I saw that you were stamped with the mystical impress of Adam, and so I knew that your image is stationed on high. In this way the righteous are destined in the future to be distinguished in the eyes of all men, and to make their holy countenance manifest before all the world’ It is thus written: “all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed that the Lord hath blessed” (Isa. 51, 9).’
At this point R. Simeon noticed R. Jose meditating worldly matters. Said he to him: ‘Jose, arise and make complete your image, inasmuch as you are short of one letter.’ R. Jose then rose up and joyously absorbed himself in expositions of the Torah. R. Simeon then looked at him again, and said: ‘R. Jose, now you are whole before the Ancient of Days, and your image is complete.’
כְּתִיב (יחזקאל א׳:כ״ו) וּמִמַּעַל לָרָקִיעַ אֲשֶׁר עַל רֹאשָׁם כְּמַרְאֵה אֶבֶן סַפִּיר דְּמוּת כִּסֵּא, הַאי קְרָא הָא אוּקְמוּהָ. אֲבָל וּמִמַּעַל לָרָקִיעַ, בְּהַהוּא רָקִיעַ לְתַתָּא, כְּמָה דְּאָמַרְתּוּן חַבְרַיָּיא, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי, וְזַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיכוֹן. (בההוא רקיע לתתא) דְּהָא בִּרְקִיעָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, לֵית מַאן דְּאִסְתָּכַּל בֵּיהּ. וּמִלְּעֵילָּא מִנֵּיהּ קַיְּימָא הַהוּא אֶבֶן סַפִּיר, דְּהָא אִתְּעַרְנָא בֵּיהּ בְּרָזָא דְּהַהוּא מַרְגָּלִית טָבָא יַקִּירָא, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא.
It is written: “And above the firmament that was over their heads was as the appearance of a sapphire stone, the likeness of a throne” (Ezek. 1, 26). This firmament’, said R. Simeon, ‘is the lower firmament, as you, Companions, have explained. Happy is my portion and happy is your portion, since as regards the supernal firmament there is no one who can ever discern it. Above that lower firmament, then, there is that “sapphire stone”, that precious jewel by which it is adorned.
דְּמוּת כִּסֵּא, וְלָא כְּתִיב דְּמוּת הַכִּסֵּא. בְּגִין דְּאִית כִּסֵּא, וְאִית כִּסֵּא. הַכִּסֵּא: עִלָּאָה טְמִירָא גְּנִיזָא דְּלָא אִתְגַּלְיָיא, וְלֵית מַאן דְּקַיְּימָא בֵּיהּ לְמִנְדַּע וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב כִּסֵּא סְתָמָא, דָּא כִּסֵּא דִּלְתַתָּא.
It says, “the likeness of a throne”, and not “the throne”. For there is throne and throne. The term “the throne” would signify the Supernal Throne, which is undisclosed and beyond all knowledge and comprehension. Hence it says here “a throne”, to wit, a lower throne.
דְּמוּת כְּמַרְאֵה אָדָם, כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר דְּמוּת, אֲמַאי כְּמַרְאֵה, דְּהָא סַגִּי לֵיהּ דְּמוּת אָדָם. אֶלָּא דְּמוּת אָדָם, דָּא אִיהוּ רָזָא עִלָּאָה, בְּהַהוּא כָּבוֹד עִלָּאָה, דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם. אֲבָל הָא דְּאִתּוֹסָף כְּמַרְאֵה, לְאַכְלְלָא אִינּוּן דִּיוּקְנִין דְּמִלִּין דְּחָכְמְתָא, וְאִינּוּן רָזִין דְּחָכְמְתָא דְּסַלְקָן וּמִתְעַטְּרָן לְעֵילָּא, וּלְבָתַר קַיְימִין בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם בְּהַהוּא דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא דִּמְעַטְּרִין לוֹן, וּבְכֻלְּהוּ אִשְׁתֲּעְשָׁע קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּעִטְרוֹי.
The verse cited continues: “and upon the likness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man” (Ibid.). Why say both “likeness” and “appearance” when “likeness” would be enough? The explanation is that the term “likeness” alludes to the higher glory, the image of Man; whereas the word “appearance” embraces the likenesses generated in his words of Torah exposition and mystic doctrines, which ascend and are crowned on high, and afterwards assume the image of man, of those righteous ones who crown them, for the delight of the Holy One, blessed be He.
וְאַתּוּן חַבְרַיָּיא, הָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִשְׁתֲּעְשָׁע הַשְׁתָּא, בְּאִינּוּן מִלִּין דְּקָא אַמְרִיתּוּ, מִתְעַטְּרָן בְּהַהוּא אוֹרְחָא. וְהָא קְיַּימְתּוּן קַמֵּי מָארֵיכוֹן בְּדִיּוּקְנַיְיכוּ קַדִּישִׁין, דְּהָא אֲנָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּחֲמֵינָא לְכוּ, וְאִסְתַּכַּלְנָא בְּדִיּוּקְנַיְיכוּ, חֲמֵינָא בְּכוּ דְּאַתּוּן רְשִׁימִין בְּרָזָא דְּאָדָם, וְיָדַעְנָא דְּהָא דִּיּוּקְנָא דִּילְכוֹן אִתְעַתְּדָא לְעֵילָּא. וְהָכִי אִזְדַמְּנָן צַדִּיקַיָּיא לְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי, לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא לְעֵינֵיהוֹן דְּכֹלָּא, וּלְאַחֲזָאָה פַּרְצוּפָא קַדִּישָׁא לְקָמֵי כָּל עָלְמָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (ישעיהו ס״א:ט׳) כָּל רוֹאֵיהֶם יַכִּירוּם כִּי הֵם זֶרַע בֵּרַךְ יְיָ'.
And you, Companions, behold, the Holy One disports Himself now with those words you uttered, and you are standing now before your Master as represented by your holy images. For when I saw you and looked well at your inward forms, I saw that you were stamped with the mystical impress of Adam, and so I knew that your image is stationed on high. In this way the righteous are destined in the future to be distinguished in the eyes of all men, and to make their holy countenance manifest before all the world’ It is thus written: “all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed that the Lord hath blessed” (Isa. 51, 9).’
אַדְּהָכִי חָמָא לְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי, דְּהֲוָה מְהַרְהֵר בְּמִלֵּי דְּעָלְמָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ, יוֹסֵי קוּם אַשְׁלִים דִּיּוּקְנָךְ, דְּאָת חַד חָסֵר בָּךְ. קָם רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְחַדֵּי בְּמִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְקָם קַמֵּיהּ, אִסְתָּכַּל בֵּיהּ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אֲמַר לֵיהּ, רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, הַשְׁתָּא אַנְתְּ שְׁלִים קַמֵּי עַתִּיק יוֹמִין, וְדִיּוּקְנָךְ שְׁלִים.
At this point R. Simeon noticed R. Jose meditating worldly matters. Said he to him: ‘Jose, arise and make complete your image, inasmuch as you are short of one letter.’ R. Jose then rose up and joyously absorbed himself in expositions of the Torah. R. Simeon then looked at him again, and said: ‘R. Jose, now you are whole before the Ancient of Days, and your image is complete.’