R. Hizkiah then began with the text: “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of them that are taught, that I should know how to sustain with words him that is weary” (Isa. 50, 4). ‘Happy are Israel in that God has chosen them above all other peoples and called them “holy” and given them as their portion union with the holy name. How do they effect this union? By their attainments in the Torah, for knowledge of the Torah means union with the Holy One, blessed be He.
We have learnt in the presence of our Master: What is holiness? The consummation of the whole which is called Supernal Wisdom. From thence issue streams and fountains in all directions till they reach this zoth. And when this zoth is blessed from the supernal place called Holiness and Wisdom, it is called “the spirit of holiness”; and when mysteries of the Torah proceed from it, it is called “the language of holiness”.
When the holy oil flows to those two pillars1Nezah and Hod. that are called “the disciples of the Lord”, it is gathered in there, and when it issues thence through the grade called Yesod to this lesser Wisdom, it is called “the tongue of the disciples”, and it goes forth to arouse the superior holy saints. Hence it is written, “The Lord has given me the tongue of disciples”, and why? “To know how to sustain with words him that is weary”. God gives this tongue to the Sacred Lamp, R. Simeon, nay more, He raises him higher and higher: therefore he speaks his mind openly without concealment.’
פָּתַח רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְאָמַר, (ישעיהו נ׳:ד׳) יְיָ' אֱלֹהִים נָתַן לִי לְשׁוֹן לִמוּדִים לָדַעַת לָעוּת אֶת יָעֵף דָּבָר וְגוֹ'. זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בְּהוּ מִכָּל שְׁאָר עַמִין, וּקְרָאָן, קֹדֶשׁ. דִּכְתִּיב, (ירמיה ב) קֹדֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַיְיָ'. וְיָהִיב לְהוּ חוּלָק, לְאִתְאַחֲדָא בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא. וּבְמָּה אֲחִידוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא. בְּגִין דְּזָכוּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּכָל מַאן דְּזָכֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא זָכֵי בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
R. Hizkiah then began with the text: “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of them that are taught, that I should know how to sustain with words him that is weary” (Isa. 50, 4). ‘Happy are Israel in that God has chosen them above all other peoples and called them “holy” and given them as their portion union with the holy name. How do they effect this union? By their attainments in the Torah, for knowledge of the Torah means union with the Holy One, blessed be He.
(נ"א בקדש) (רצ"ז ע"א) וְתָנֵינָן קָמֵיהּ דְּמַר, מַאי קֹדֶשׁ. שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא דְּאִקְרֵי חָכְמָה עִלָּאָה, וּמֵהַאי אֲתַר (נגיד משח רבות קדישא בשבילין ידיען, לאתר דאקרי בינה עלאה), וּמְתַּמָן נַפְקִין מְבּוּעִין וּנְחָלִין לְכָל עֵבָר, עַד דְמַטוּ לְהַאי זֹאת. (ומהאי אתר אתער רוחא קדישא) וְהַאי זֹאת כַּד מִתְבָּרְכָא, אִקְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ, וְאִקְרֵי חָכְמָה, וּקְרָאן לֵיהּ (נ"א והאי זאת כד אתברכא מאתר עלאה דא דאקרי קדש ואקרי חכמה קראן ליה) רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ. כְּלוֹמַר, רוּחַ, מֵהַהוּא קֹדֶשׁ דִּלְעֵילָּא. וְכַד נָפְקִין וּמִתְעָרִין מִנֵּהּ רָזֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, כְּדֵין אִתְקְרֵי לָשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ.
We have learnt in the presence of our Master: What is holiness? The consummation of the whole which is called Supernal Wisdom. From thence issue streams and fountains in all directions till they reach this zoth. And when this zoth is blessed from the supernal place called Holiness and Wisdom, it is called “the spirit of holiness”; and when mysteries of the Torah proceed from it, it is called “the language of holiness”.
וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּנָגִיד הַהוּא רְבוּת קַדִּישָׁא, לְאִינּוּן תְּרֵי קַיְימִין, דְּאִקְרוּן לִמּוּדֵי ה', וְאִקְרוּן צְבָאוֹת, אִתְכְּנַשׁ תַּמָּן, וְכַד נָפִיק מִתַּמָּן, בְּהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא דְּאִקְרֵי יְסוֹד, לְהַהוּא חָכְמָה זְעֵירָא, כְּדֵין אִתְקְרֵי לְשׁוֹן לִמוּדִים. וְנָפִיק לְאִתְּעָרָא לְאִינּוּן קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִים. כְּדֵין כְּתִיב, יְיָ' אֱלֹהִים נָתַן לִי לְשׁוֹן לִמוּדִים. וְלָמָּה. לָדַעַת לָעוּת אֶת יָעֵף דָּבָר. וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהִיב הַאי לְבוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. וְעוֹד דְּסָלִיק לֵיהּ לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא, בְּגִין כָּךְ כָּל מִלּוֹי בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא אִתְּמָרוּ, וְלָא אִתְכַּסְיָין. עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב, (במדבר י״ב:ח׳) פֶּה אֶל פֶּה אֲדַבֶּר בּוֹ וּמַרְאֶה וְלֹא בְחִידוֹת.
When the holy oil flows to those two pillars1Nezah and Hod. that are called “the disciples of the Lord”, it is gathered in there, and when it issues thence through the grade called Yesod to this lesser Wisdom, it is called “the tongue of the disciples”, and it goes forth to arouse the superior holy saints. Hence it is written, “The Lord has given me the tongue of disciples”, and why? “To know how to sustain with words him that is weary”. God gives this tongue to the Sacred Lamp, R. Simeon, nay more, He raises him higher and higher: therefore he speaks his mind openly without concealment.’