What is the connection between these two statements? The answer is this: “God gave Solomon wisdom”; and how did Solomon display this wisdom that God gave him? First in this way, that he made Hiram assume a more modest frame of mind. For we have been taught that Hiram at first set himself up as a god, as it is written: “Thou hast said, I am a god, I sit in the seat of God” (Ezek. 28, 2). Solomon, however, with his wisdom induced him to give up these claims, and he deferred to him, and therefore it is written, “and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon”.
We have also learnt that R. Isaac said in the name of R. Judah that Solomon sent him a carriage which took him down to the seven circuits of Gehinnom and brought him up again. We have also learnt that Solomon inherited the Moon complete on all sides. So R. Simeon ben Yohai surpasses all others in wisdom, and none can rise save they make peace with him.’
R. Jose took as his text the verse: “O my dove that art in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the steep place” (S.S. 2, 14). ‘The “dove” here is the Community of Israel, which like a dove never forsakes her mate, the Holy One, blessed be He. “In the clefts of the rock”: these are the students of the Torah, who have no ease in this world. “In the covert of the steep place”: these are the specially pious among them, the saintly and God-fearing, from whom the Divine Presence never departs. The Holy One, blessed be He, inquires concerning them of the Community of Israel, saying, “Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice”; for above only the voice of those who study the Torah is heard.
We have learnt that the likeness of all such is graven above before the Holy One, blessed be He, who delights Himself with them every day and watches them, and that voice rises and pierces its way through all firmaments until it stands before the Holy One, blessed be He. And now the Holy One, blessed be He, has graven the likeness of R. Simeon above, and his voice rises higher and higher and is crowned with a holy diadem, and God crowns him in all worlds and glories in him.’
פָּתַח רִבִּי יֵיסָא וְאָמַר, (מלכים א ה׳:כ״ו) וַיְיָ' נָתַן חָכְמָה לִשְׁלֹמֹה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לוֹ וַיְהִי שָׁלוֹם בֵּין חִירָם וּבֵין שְׁלֹמֹה וְגוֹ'. וַיְיָ' נָתַן חָכְמָה לִשְׁלֹמֹה, דָּא הוּא דְּתָנֵינָן, בְּיוֹמֵי דִּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא, קַיְּימָא סִיהֲרָא בְּאַשְׁלְמוּתָא, כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לוֹ, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר לֵיהּ, (דברי הימים ב א׳:י״ב) הַחָכְמָה וְהַמַּדָּע נָתוּן לָךָ.
R. Jesse then took the text: “And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom as he had promised him, and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon” (I Kings 5, 26).
וַיְהִי שָׁלוֹם בֵּין חִירָם וּבֵין שְׁלֹמֹה. וְכִי מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי. אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּנֵינָן, וַיְיָ' נָתַן חָכְמָה לִשְׁלֹמֹה. וְהַאי חָכְמָה בְּמַאי אוֹקִים לָהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, אוֹקִים לָהּ בְּהַאי, בְּקַדְמִיתָא, דִּשְׁלֹמֹה עֲבַד דְּנָחִית לְחִירָם מֵהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא, דְּהֲוָה אָמַר, (יחזקאל כ״ח:ב׳) מוֹשָׁב אֱלֹהִים יָשַׁבְתִּי וְגוֹ', דְּתַנְיָא, חִירָם מֶלֶךְ צוֹר עָבֵד גַּרְמֵיהּ אֱלוֹהַּ. בָּתַר דִּשְׁלֹמֹה אָתָא, עֲבַד לֵיהּ בְּחָכְמָתֵיהּ, דְּנָחִית מֵהַהוּא עֵיטָא, וְאוֹדֵי לֵיהּ לִשְׁלֹמֹה. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, (מלכים א ה׳:כ״ו) וַיְהִי שָׁלוֹם בֵּין חִירָם וּבֵין שְׁלֹמֹה.
What is the connection between these two statements? The answer is this: “God gave Solomon wisdom”; and how did Solomon display this wisdom that God gave him? First in this way, that he made Hiram assume a more modest frame of mind. For we have been taught that Hiram at first set himself up as a god, as it is written: “Thou hast said, I am a god, I sit in the seat of God” (Ezek. 28, 2). Solomon, however, with his wisdom induced him to give up these claims, and he deferred to him, and therefore it is written, “and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon”.
וְתָנֵינָן, אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, דְּשָׁדַר לֵיהּ, חַד שִׁידָא, וְנָחִית לְיָד שִׁבְעָה מָדוֹרִין דְּגֵיהִנָּם וְסַלְקֵיהּ, וְשָׁדַר לֵיהּ פִּתְקִין בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא בִּידֵיהּ, עַד דְּאָהֲדָר, וְאוֹדֵי לֵיהּ לִשְׁלֹמֹה. וְתָנֵינָן. (ויחי רכ"ג, רכ"ה) שְׁלֹמֹה יָרִית לָהּ לְסִיהֲרָא, בְּכָל סִטְרוֹי. בְּגִין כָּךְ, בְּכֹלָּא שַׁלִּיט בְּחָכְמָתֵיהּ. וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי, שַׁלִּיט בְּחָכְמָתֵיהּ עַל כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא, כָּל אִינּוּן דְּסַלְּקִין בְּדַרְגּוֹי, לָא סַלְּקִין אֶלָּא לְאַשְׁלְמָא עִמֵּיהּ. (ס"א אי לא שלמין עמיה)
We have also learnt that R. Isaac said in the name of R. Judah that Solomon sent him a carriage which took him down to the seven circuits of Gehinnom and brought him up again. We have also learnt that Solomon inherited the Moon complete on all sides. So R. Simeon ben Yohai surpasses all others in wisdom, and none can rise save they make peace with him.’
פָּתַח רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְאָמַר, (שיר השירים ב׳:י״ד) יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוִי הַסֶּלַע בְּסֵתֶר הַמַּדְרֵגָה וְגוֹ'. יוֹנָתִי, דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, מַה יוֹנָה לָא שַׁבְקָת בֶּן זוּגָהּ לְעָלְמִין, כַּךְ כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לָא שַׁבְקָת לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעָלְמִין. בְּחַגְוִי הַסֶּלַע, אִלֵּין תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, דְּלָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי בְּנַיְיחָא בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין. בְּסֵתֶר הַמַּדְרֵגָה, אִלֵּין תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, הַצְּנוּעִין, דִּבְהוֹן חֲסִידִין דַּחֲלֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא לָא אַעְדֵּי מִנַיְיהוּ לְעָלְמִין. כְּדֵין, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִתְּבַע בְּגִינַיְיהוּ לִכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאָמַר, הַרְאִינִי אֶת מַרְאַיִךְ הַשְׁמִיעִנִי אֶת קוֹלֵךְ כִּי קוֹלֵךְ עָרֵב, דְּלֵית קָלָא מִשְׁתְּמַע לְעֵילָּא, אֶלָּא קָלָא דְּאִינּוּן דְּמִתְעַסְּקֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא.
R. Jose took as his text the verse: “O my dove that art in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the steep place” (S.S. 2, 14). ‘The “dove” here is the Community of Israel, which like a dove never forsakes her mate, the Holy One, blessed be He. “In the clefts of the rock”: these are the students of the Torah, who have no ease in this world. “In the covert of the steep place”: these are the specially pious among them, the saintly and God-fearing, from whom the Divine Presence never departs. The Holy One, blessed be He, inquires concerning them of the Community of Israel, saying, “Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice”; for above only the voice of those who study the Torah is heard.
וְתָאנָא, כָּל אִינּוּן דְּמִתְעַסְּקֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּלֵילְיָא, דִּיּוּקְנֵיהוֹן אִתְחַקָּק לְעֵילָּא קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִשְׁתַּעְשַׁע בְּהוּ כּוּלֵיהּ יוֹמָא, וּמִסְתְּכַּל בְּהוּ. וְהַהוּא קָלָא, (דהכא) סָלִיק וּבָקַע כָּל אִינּוּן רְקִיעִין, עַד דְּסָלִיק קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. כְּדֵין כְּתִיב, כִּי קוֹלֵךְ עָרֵב וּמַרְאֵךְ נָאוְה. וְהַשְׁתָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָקַק דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לְעֵילָּא וְקָלֵיהּ לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא סַלְּקָא, וּמִתְעַטְּרָא בְּכִתְרָא קַדִּישָׁא, עַד דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִתְעַטָּר בֵּיהּ בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין. וּמִשְׁתְּבַּח בֵּיהּ. עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו מ״ט:ג׳) וַיֹּאמֶר לִי עַבְדִּי אָתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר.
We have learnt that the likeness of all such is graven above before the Holy One, blessed be He, who delights Himself with them every day and watches them, and that voice rises and pierces its way through all firmaments until it stands before the Holy One, blessed be He. And now the Holy One, blessed be He, has graven the likeness of R. Simeon above, and his voice rises higher and higher and is crowned with a holy diadem, and God crowns him in all worlds and glories in him.’