For when there is food below there is food above; it is as though a king were to prepare a banquet for himself and another for his servants, but were not to eat till his servants ate. Hence the expression “sweet savour” (lit. savour of pleasantness)- savour for the servants, pleasantness for the Lord. Hence we have learnt that Israel feed their Father in heaven. And who are they that eat of the banquet of the King? Who if not the souls of the righteous?
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח מְזוֹנָא לְתַתָּא, אִשְׁתְּכַח מְזוֹנָא לְעֵילָּא. לְמַלְכָּא דְּאַתְקָן סְעוּדָתָא דִּילֵיהּ, וְלָא אַתְקָן לְעַבְדוֹהִי. כַּד אַתְקָן לְעַבְדוֹהִי, אָכִיל הוּא סְעוּדָתָא דִּילֵיהּ, וְאִינּוּן אַכְלֵי סְעוּדָתַיְיהוּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שיר השירים ה׳:א׳) אָכַלְתִּי יַעְרִי עִם דִּבְשִׁי, דָּא סְעוּדָתָא דְּמַלְכָּא. אִכְלוּ רֵעִים שְׁתוּ וְשִׁכְרוּ דּוֹדִים, דָּא סְעוּדָתָא דִּידְהוּ מֵרֵיחָא דְּקָרְבְּנָא, כַּד רֵיחָא דְּקָרְבְּנָא הֲוָה סָלִיק. וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ אִקְרֵי רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ לַיְיָ'. רֵיחַ לְעַבְדוֹהִי. נִיחֹחַ לַיְיָ'. (מאתר דענוגא דעתיקא אשתכח) וְעַל דָּא סְעוּדָתָא דְּמַלְכָּא אִתְעַכָּב, בְּגִין סְעוּדָתָא דְּעַבְדוֹהִי. וּבְגִין כַּךְ, יִשְׂרָאֵל מְפַרְנְסֵי לַאֲבִיהֶן שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם תָּנֵינָן. וּמִסְעוּדָתָא דְּמַלְכָּא מַאן אָכִיל. אֶלָּא אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא.
For when there is food below there is food above; it is as though a king were to prepare a banquet for himself and another for his servants, but were not to eat till his servants ate. Hence the expression “sweet savour” (lit. savour of pleasantness)- savour for the servants, pleasantness for the Lord. Hence we have learnt that Israel feed their Father in heaven. And who are they that eat of the banquet of the King? Who if not the souls of the righteous?