R. Abba further discoursed on the verse: “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Ps. CXXXIII, l). ‘Happy are Israel’, he said, ‘in that God gave them in the charge of no chief or messenger, and they are attached to Him and He is attached to them. And from His love for them He called them servants, as it is written: “For unto me the children of Israel are servants” (Lev. 25, 55); and He further called them children, as it is written, “Ye are children of the Lord your God” (Deut. 14, 1); and finally He called them brethren, as it is written, “For my brethren and companions’ sakes” (Ps. 122, 8)’ And because He called them “brethren”, He desired to make his abode with them and not leave them.
תּוּ פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (תהילים קל״ג:א׳) הִנֵּה מַה טוֹב וּמַה נָעִים שֶׁבֶת אַחִים גַּם יָחַד, זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּלָא יָהַב לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְרַבְרְבָא, אוֹ לִשְׁלִיחָא, אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲחִידָן בֵּיהּ, וְהוּא אָחִיד בְּהוּ, וּמֵחַבִיבוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן קָרָא לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַבְדִּין. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (ויקרא כ״ה:נ״ה) כִּי לִי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים עֲבָדַי הֵם. לְבָתַר קָרָא לוֹן בָּנִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (דברים י״ד:א׳) בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַיְיָ' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. לְבָתַר קָרָא לוֹן אַחִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהילים קכ״ב:ח׳) לְמַעַן אַחַי וְרֵעָי וְגוֹ'. וּבְגִין דְּקָרָא לוֹן אַחִים, בָּעָא לְשַׁוָּואָה מָדוֹרֵיהּ בְּהוּ, וְלָא יַעְדֵּי מִנַּיְיהוּ. כְּדֵין כְּתִיב הִנֵּה מַה טוֹב וּמַה נָעִים שֶׁבֶת אַחִים גַּם יָחַד.
R. Abba further discoursed on the verse: “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Ps. CXXXIII, l). ‘Happy are Israel’, he said, ‘in that God gave them in the charge of no chief or messenger, and they are attached to Him and He is attached to them. And from His love for them He called them servants, as it is written: “For unto me the children of Israel are servants” (Lev. 25, 55); and He further called them children, as it is written, “Ye are children of the Lord your God” (Deut. 14, 1); and finally He called them brethren, as it is written, “For my brethren and companions’ sakes” (Ps. 122, 8)’ And because He called them “brethren”, He desired to make his abode with them and not leave them.