A certain divine grade is called Bath sheba (daughter of seven in the mystery of Wisdom, and is symbolized by the seven kine, the seven burnings, the seven sprinklings, the seven washings, the seven unclean, the seven clean, the seven priests.1The reference is, apparently, to the section of the Red Heifer, Num. XIX.2V. T. B. Erubin, 18b. This was the hidden meaning in that man’s remark.’
He said: ‘Thank God for granting me to hear this, and for giving me His greeting of peace, and bringing me near to Him when I was far away.’ Said R. Abba to him: ‘ “Peace be unto thee and peace to thy house and peace to all that thou hast” (I Sam. 25, 6).’
אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, בַּת שֶׁבַע אִתְקְרֵי מַמָּשׁ בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא. בְּגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב בָּהּ כֹּלָּא בְּשֶׁבַע. ז' פָּרוֹת. ז' שְׂרֵפוֹת. ז' הֲזָאוֹת. ז' כִּבּוּסִים. ז' טְמֵאִים. ז' טְהוֹרִים. ז' כֹּהֲנִים. וּמֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בְּחוּשְׁבְּנָא דְּהָא כְּתִיב, וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֶל מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וְגוֹ'. וְשַׁפִּיר קָאָמַר הַהוּא גַּבְרָא, דְּאָמַר בַּת שֶׁבַע, וְכֹלָּא רָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא הִיא.
A certain divine grade is called Bath sheba (daughter of seven in the mystery of Wisdom, and is symbolized by the seven kine, the seven burnings, the seven sprinklings, the seven washings, the seven unclean, the seven clean, the seven priests.1The reference is, apparently, to the section of the Red Heifer, Num. XIX.2V. T. B. Erubin, 18b. This was the hidden meaning in that man’s remark.’
אָמַר לֵיהּ, בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּשָׁמַעְנָא מִלָּה דָּא. בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּהָא אַקְדִּים לִי שְׁלָם בְּקַדְמִיתָא, לְמִזְכֵּי לְהַאי. דִּכְתִּיב (ישעיהו נ״ז:י״ט) שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם לָרָחוֹק וְלַקָּרוֹב אָמַר יְיָ'. אֲנָא כַּד הֲוִינָא רָחוֹק, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַקְדִּים לִי שְׁלָם לְמֶהֱוִי קָרוֹב. קָרָא עָלֵיהּ רִבִּי אַבָּא, (שמואל א כ״ה:ו׳) אַתָּה שָׁלוֹם וּבֵיתְךָ שָׁלוֹם וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר לְךָ שָׁלוֹם.
He said: ‘Thank God for granting me to hear this, and for giving me His greeting of peace, and bringing me near to Him when I was far away.’ Said R. Abba to him: ‘ “Peace be unto thee and peace to thy house and peace to all that thou hast” (I Sam. 25, 6).’