R. Simeon began a discourse, citing the verse: “[A Psalm] of David. Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift my soul. O my God, in thee have I trusted”, etc. (Ps. 25, 1-22). ‘Why did David’, he asked, ‘compose this Psalm in an alphabetic acrostic, and besides, why is the letter Vau absent therefrom? Why, again, has this Psalm been prescribed as the “falling-on-one’s-face prayer”?1This in accordance with the Sephardi ritual. v. Common Prayer Book, ed. Gaster. The Ashkenazi ritual prescribes Psalm 6.
Now the solution of all this is based on an esoteric doctrine known to the Companions, which is as follows. When night falls the Nethertree, from which death issues, spreads its branches so as to cover the whole of the universe. And so darkness prevails, and all the people of the world have a foretaste of death. And every man hastens to surrender his soul into His Hand as a trust. And inasmuch as He takes them in trust He returns each one to her owner in the morning. Thus, as each morning arrives, man, having received back his deposit, ought to render blessings to the Holy One, blessed be He, who is trustworthy above all.
Then, having risen, a man goes to Synagogue, adorns himself with phylacteries and enwraps himself in a garment provided with fringes, then he first purifies himself by the [recital of the regulations concerning the] sacrifices, then follows the recital of the hymns of David by which he accepts upon himself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. After that comes the prayer said sitting, followed by the prayer said standing, the two being knit together into one.
Observe the inwardness of the matter, to wit, that although prayer is performed by speech and verbal utterance, its efficacy springs primarily from the preparatory actions performed. First action, then prayer- utterance corresponding to that action.
Thus a man has in the first place to cleanse himself [by ablution], then accepts upon himself the Heavenly Yoke symbolized in the act of spreading over his head the fringed robe. Then he makes tight on himself the knot expressive of unification, to wit, the phylacteries, consisting of the phylactery of the head and that of the hand, the latter on the left hand over against the heart, in consonance with the Scriptural verses, saying: “Let his left hand be under my head”, etc. (S.S. 2, 6), and “Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm” (Ibid. 8, 6). So far the preparatory actions.
Then corresponding to these, man, in entering Synagogue, first cleanses himself by the [recital of the regulations concerning the] sacrifices; then he accepts upon himself the Heavenly Yoke by the recital of the hymns of King David. Then comes the prayer said sitting, which corresponds to the arm-phylactery, followed by the prayer said standing, which corresponds to the head-phylactery. So prayer is made up of both action and speech,
and when the action is faulty speech does not find a spot to rest in; such prayer is not prayer, and the man offering it is defective in the upper world and the lower. The main thing is to perform the act and to give utterance to words in co-ordination with it; this is perfect prayer. Woe to him who spoils his prayer, the worship of his Master. Of such a one Scripture says: “When ye come to appear before me… yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear” (Isa. 1, 12-15).
Observe this. Both upper and lower worlds are blessed through the man who performs his prayer in a union of action and word, and thus effects a unification. And so with the conclusion of the prayer said standing, a man has to assume the appearance of one who has departed this world in that he has separated himself from the Tree of Life. Now he has to be gathered towards that Tree of Death and fall on his face and say: “Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul….” As much as to say: “Before, I gave Thee my soul in trust, now that I have effected unification and performed act and word in befitting manner and have confessed my sins, behold, here is my soul which I surrender to Thee completely.”
A man must then look upon himself as having departed this world, his soul having been surrendered to the region of death. This is the reason that that Psalm does not contain the letter Van, since that letter is symbolic of the Tree of Life, whereas that Psalm is concerned with the Tree of Death. For there are sins which are beyond forgiveness until a man departs this world, of which Scripture says: “Surely this iniquity shall not be expiated by you till ye die” (Isa. 22, 14), so that man has given himself over, as it were, to death, and delivered his soul into that region, not merely in trust as during the night, but as though he had actually departed this world.
This service must be performed by the man with full devotion of heart, and then the Holy One, blessed be He, will take pity on him and forgive his sins. Happy is the man who knows how to persuade, as it were, and how to offer worship to his Master with devotion of will and heart. Woe to him who comes to persuade his Master with an absent heart and without true intent in the way described in the words: “But they beguiled him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongue. For their heart was not steadfast with him” (Isa. 78, 36-37). Such a one may recite: “Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul…”, but all his words proceed from an absent heart; and this causes him to be removed from the world before his allotted days, at a moment when that Tree bestirs itself in the world to execute judgement.
Hence it is incumbent on man to cleave heart and soul to his Master, and not to come to Him with deceitfulness. Of such a one Scripture says: “He that speaketh falsehood shall not be established before mine eyes” (Ibid. 101, 7). Being interpreted, this means that when a man prepares himself for this, but with a heart remote from the Holy One, blessed be He, a Voice proclaims, saying: He will not be established before Mine eyes. All the more is this so when a man comes to effect unification of the Divine Name, but does not do so in the proper manner.
Happy is the portion of the righteous in this world and in the world to come. Of them it is written, “and they shall come, and shall see my glory”, etc. (Isa. 66, 18); and again, “Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name”, etc. (Ps. 140, 14).’ R. Eleazar then approached and kissed his father’s hand, saying: ‘Had I not come into the world for aught else but to hear these words it would have sufficed me.’ Said R. Judah: ‘Happy is our portion and the portion of Israel who cleave to the Holy One, blessed be He. So Scripture says: “But ye that did cleave”, etc. (Deut. 4, 4); and again, “Thy people also shall be all righteous”, etc. (Isa. 60, 21).’
רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח (תהילים כ״ה:א׳-ב׳) לְדָוִד אֵלֶיךָ יְיָ נַפְשִׁי אֶשָּׂא אֱלֹהַי בְּךָ בָטַחְתִּי וְגוֹ', מַאי קָא חָמָא דָּוִד לְסַדְּרָא הַאי שְׁבָחָא הָכִי. וְכֻלְּהוּ שְׁבָחֵי דְּאִינּוּן בְּאַלְפָא בֵּיתָא כֻּלְּהוּ שְׁלֵמִין, וְהַאי חַסְרָא דְּלָא אִית בֵּיהּ ו'. וַאֲמַאי סִדּוּרָא דָּא לְמִנְפַּל עַל אַנְפִּין.
R. Simeon began a discourse, citing the verse: “[A Psalm] of David. Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift my soul. O my God, in thee have I trusted”, etc. (Ps. 25, 1-22). ‘Why did David’, he asked, ‘compose this Psalm in an alphabetic acrostic, and besides, why is the letter Vau absent therefrom? Why, again, has this Psalm been prescribed as the “falling-on-one’s-face prayer”?1This in accordance with the Sephardi ritual. v. Common Prayer Book, ed. Gaster. The Ashkenazi ritual prescribes Psalm 6.
אֶלָּא (תא חזי) רָזָא עִלָּאָה הוּא, גָּנִיז בֵּין חַבְרַיָּיא. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּלֵילְיָא עָאל, (ושלטא) אִילָנָא תַּתָּאָה דְּתַלְיָיא בֵּיהּ מוֹתָא פָּרִישׁ עַנְפּוֹי וּמְכַסְּיָא לְכֹלָּא. וְעַל דָּא אִתְחֲשָׁךְ. וְכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא טַעֲמִין טַעֲמָא דְּמוֹתָא, וְאַקְדִּים בַּר נָשׁ וְיָהִיב לֵיהּ פִּקְדוֹנָא דְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ, וְאַפְקְדֵיהּ בִּידֵיהּ בְּפִקְדוֹנָא. וּבְגִין דְּנָטִיל לוֹן בְּפִקְדוֹנָא, תָּב פִּקְדוֹנָא לְמָארֵיהּ בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאָתֵי צַפְרָא. כַּד אָתֵי צַפְרָא וְתָב לְגַבֵּיהּ פִּקְדוֹנֵיהּ, בָּעֵי לְבָרְכָא לֵיהּ לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּאִיהוּ מְהֵימָנָא עִלָּאָה.
Now the solution of all this is based on an esoteric doctrine known to the Companions, which is as follows. When night falls the Nethertree, from which death issues, spreads its branches so as to cover the whole of the universe. And so darkness prevails, and all the people of the world have a foretaste of death. And every man hastens to surrender his soul into His Hand as a trust. And inasmuch as He takes them in trust He returns each one to her owner in the morning. Thus, as each morning arrives, man, having received back his deposit, ought to render blessings to the Holy One, blessed be He, who is trustworthy above all.
לְבָתַר דְּקָם, עָאל לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, מִעְטַּר בְּטוֹטְפֵי. אִתְכְּסֵּי בְּכִיסוּי דְּצִיצִית. עָאל וּמַדְכֵּי גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּקוּרְבְּנִין בְּקַדְמִיתָא. לְבָתַר קַבִּיל עָלֵיהּ עוֹל מַלְכוּתָא בְּסִדּוּרָא דִּשְׁבָחֵי דְּדָוִד, דְּאִינּוּן סִדּוּרָא דְּעוֹל מַלְכוּתָא. וּבְסִדּוּרָא דִּשְׁבָחָא דָּא, אַשְׁרָא עָלֵיהּ הַהוּא עוֹל. לְבָתַר סִדּוּרָא דִּצְלוֹתָא דִּמְיוּשָׁב, וּצְלוֹתָא דִּמְעוּמָד, לְקַשְּׁרָא לוֹן כַּחֲדָא.
Then, having risen, a man goes to Synagogue, adorns himself with phylacteries and enwraps himself in a garment provided with fringes, then he first purifies himself by the [recital of the regulations concerning the] sacrifices, then follows the recital of the hymns of David by which he accepts upon himself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. After that comes the prayer said sitting, followed by the prayer said standing, the two being knit together into one.
תָּא חֲזֵי רָזָא דְּמִלָּה אַף עַל גַּב דִּצְלוֹתָא תַּלְיָיא בְּמִלּוּלָא וְדִבּוּרָא דְּפוּמָא, כֹּלָּא תַּלְיָיא בְּעִקָרָא דְּעוֹבָדָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר בְּדִבּוּרָא וּבְמִלּוּלָא דְּפוּמָא. מַאן עוֹבָדָא, אֶלָּא הַהוּא עוֹבָדָא דְּעָבִיד בַּר נָשׁ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, כְּגַוְונָא דִּצְלוֹתָא הוּא, וְלָא יִצְלֵי בַּר נָשׁ צְלוֹתָא, עַד דְּיִתְחֲזֵי עוֹבָדָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּגַוְונָא דִּצְלוֹתָא. (שמות ר"א ע"ב)
Observe the inwardness of the matter, to wit, that although prayer is performed by speech and verbal utterance, its efficacy springs primarily from the preparatory actions performed. First action, then prayer- utterance corresponding to that action.
עוֹבָדָא דְקַדְמֵיתָא (ס"א בקדמיתא עובדא) בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבַר נָשׁ קָאִים, בָּעֵי לְדַכְּאָה גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא. וּלְבָתַר יְקַבֵּל עָלֵיהּ הַאי עוֹל, לְפָרְשָׂא עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ פְּרִישׂוּ דְּמִצְוָה. לְבָתַר יִתְקְשַׁר קִשּׁוּרָא דְּיִחוּדָא דְּאִינּוּן תְּפִלִּין, (מהו תפלין) תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל רֹאשׁ, וְשֶׁל יַד. וּלְאַתְקְנָא לוֹן בְּקִשּׁוּרָא חֲדָא בִּשְׂמָאלָא, וְעַל לִבָּא, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא (שיר השירים ב׳:ו׳) שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי וְגוֹ'. וּכְתִיב (שיר השירים ח׳:ו׳) שִׂימֵנִי כַחוֹתָם עַל לִבֶּךָ כַּחוֹתָם עַל זְרוֹעֶךָ. וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא. וְדָא הוּא עוֹבָדָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא.
Thus a man has in the first place to cleanse himself [by ablution], then accepts upon himself the Heavenly Yoke symbolized in the act of spreading over his head the fringed robe. Then he makes tight on himself the knot expressive of unification, to wit, the phylacteries, consisting of the phylactery of the head and that of the hand, the latter on the left hand over against the heart, in consonance with the Scriptural verses, saying: “Let his left hand be under my head”, etc. (S.S. 2, 6), and “Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm” (Ibid. 8, 6). So far the preparatory actions.
לְבָתַר בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבַּר נָשׁ עָאל לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, יִדְכֵּי גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, בְּקָרְבְּנִין, בְּמִלּוּלָא דְּפוּמָא. לְבָתַר יְקַבֵּל עָלֵיהּ הַאי עוֹל מַלְכוּת, לְפָרְשָׂא עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ (פרישו דמצוה) בְּשִׁבְחֵי דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא. כְּגַוְונָא דְּעוֹבָדָא דְּפָרִישׂ עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ פְּרִישׂוּ דְּמִצְוָה. וּלְבָתַר צְלוֹתָא דִּמְיוּשָׁב, לָקֳבֵל תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל יַד. לְבָתַר צְלוֹתָא דִּמְעוּמָד, דְּהִיא לָקֳבֵל תְּפִלָּה דְּרֵישָׁא. וְדָא כְּגַוְונָא דְּדָא. עוֹבָדָא כְּגַוְונָא דְּדִבּוּרָא. וַדַּאי בְּעוֹבָדָא וּמִלּוּלָא תַּלְיָיא צְלוֹתָא.
Then corresponding to these, man, in entering Synagogue, first cleanses himself by the [recital of the regulations concerning the] sacrifices; then he accepts upon himself the Heavenly Yoke by the recital of the hymns of King David. Then comes the prayer said sitting, which corresponds to the arm-phylactery, followed by the prayer said standing, which corresponds to the head-phylactery. So prayer is made up of both action and speech,
וְאִי פָּגִים עוֹבָדָא, מִלּוּלָא לָא אַשְׁכַּח אֲתָר דְּשַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ, וְלָאו אִיהוּ צְלוֹתָא, וְאִתְפְּגִים הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא. (ולא עוד אלא) דְּבָעֵינָן לְאַחֲזָאָה עוֹבָדָא, וּלְמַלְּלָא מִלּוּלָא עָלֵיהּ, וְדָא הוּא צְלוֹתָא שְׁלִים. וַוי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ דְּפָגִים צְלוֹתֵיהּ, פּוּלְחָנָא דְּמָארֵיהּ. עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו א׳:ט״ו) כִּי תָבוֹאוּ לֵרָאוֹת פָּנָי וְגוֹ'. גַּם כִּי תַרְבּוּ תְפִלָּה אֵינֶנִּי שׁוֹמֵעַ, דְּהָא בְּעוֹבָדָא וּבְמִלּוּלָא תַּלְיָא מִלְּתָא.
and when the action is faulty speech does not find a spot to rest in; such prayer is not prayer, and the man offering it is defective in the upper world and the lower. The main thing is to perform the act and to give utterance to words in co-ordination with it; this is perfect prayer. Woe to him who spoils his prayer, the worship of his Master. Of such a one Scripture says: “When ye come to appear before me… yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear” (Isa. 1, 12-15).
תָּא חֲזֵי, כֵּיוָן דְּבַר נָשׁ עָבִיד צְלוֹתָא כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, בְּעוֹבָדָא וּבְמִלּוּלָא, וְקָשִׁיר קִשּׁוּרָא דְּיִיחוּדָא, אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּעַל יְדֵיהּ מִתְבָּרְכָן עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין. כְּדֵין בָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאַחֲזָאָה גַּרְמֵיהּ, בָּתַר דְּסִיֵּים צְלוֹתָא דַּעֲמִידָה, כְּאִלּוּ אִתְפְּטַר מִן עָלְמָא, דְּהָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִן אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי, וְכָנִישׁ רַגְלוֹי לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא, דְּאָהֲדָר לֵיהּ פִּקְדוֹנֵיהּ. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (בראשית מ״ט:ל״ג) וַיֶּאֱסוֹף רַגְלָיו אֶל הַמִּטָּה. דְּהָא אוֹדֵי חֶטְאוֹי, וְצַלֵּי עָלַיְיהוּ. הַשְׁתָּא בָּעֵי לְאִתְכַּנְּשָׁא לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא, וּלְמִנְפַּל, וְלֵימָא לְגַבֵּיהּ אֵלֶיךָ יְיָ נַפְשִׁי אֶשָּׂא. בְּקַדְמִיתָא, יָהִיבְנָא לָךְ בְּפִקְדוֹנָא, הַשְׁתָּא דְּקַשִׁירְנָא יִיחוּדָא, וְעָבֵידְנָא עוֹבָדָא וּמִלּוּלָא כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, וְאוֹדֵינָא עַל חֲטָאַי, הָא נַפְשִׁי מָסִירְנָא לָךְ וַדַּאי.
Observe this. Both upper and lower worlds are blessed through the man who performs his prayer in a union of action and word, and thus effects a unification. And so with the conclusion of the prayer said standing, a man has to assume the appearance of one who has departed this world in that he has separated himself from the Tree of Life. Now he has to be gathered towards that Tree of Death and fall on his face and say: “Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul….” As much as to say: “Before, I gave Thee my soul in trust, now that I have effected unification and performed act and word in befitting manner and have confessed my sins, behold, here is my soul which I surrender to Thee completely.”
וְיֶחֶזֵי בַּר נָשׁ גַּרְמֵיהּ כְּאִילּוּ פָּטִיר מִן עָלְמָא, דְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ מָסִיר לְהַאי אֲתָר דְּמוֹתָא, בְּגִין כַּךְ לָא אִית בֵּיהּ וָא"ו, דְּוָא"ו אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי הוּא, וְהַאי אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא הוּא. וְהָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לָן, דְּרָזָא דְּמִלָּה, (מאי קא משמע לן רזא דמלה) דְּאִית חוֹבִין דְּלָא מִתְכַּפְּרָן, עַד דְּאִתְפְּטַר בַּר נָשׁ מֵעָלְמָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (ישעיהו כ״ב:י״ד) אִם יְכוּפַּר הֶעָוֹן הַזֶּה לָכֶם עַד תְּמוּתוּן, וְהַאי יָהִיב גַּרְמֵיהּ וַדַּאי לְמוֹתָא, וּמָסִיר נַפְשֵׁיהּ לְהַאי אֲתָר. לָאו בְּפִקְדוֹנָא כְּמָה בְּלֵילְיָא, אֶלָּא כְּמַאן דְּאִתְפְּטָר מִן עָלְמָא וַדַּאי.
A man must then look upon himself as having departed this world, his soul having been surrendered to the region of death. This is the reason that that Psalm does not contain the letter Van, since that letter is symbolic of the Tree of Life, whereas that Psalm is concerned with the Tree of Death. For there are sins which are beyond forgiveness until a man departs this world, of which Scripture says: “Surely this iniquity shall not be expiated by you till ye die” (Isa. 22, 14), so that man has given himself over, as it were, to death, and delivered his soul into that region, not merely in trust as during the night, but as though he had actually departed this world.
וְתִקּוּנָא דָּא בָּעֵי בְּכַוָּונָא דְּלִבָּא וּכְדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְרַחֵם עֲלוֹי, וּמְכַפֵּר לֵיהּ לְחוֹבֵיהּ. זַכָּאָה הוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּיָדַע לְמִפְּתֵּי לֵיהּ, וּלְמִפְלַח לְמָארֵיהּ, בִּרְעוּתָא וּבְכַוָּונָא דְּלִבָּא. וַוי לֵיהּ לְמַאן דְּאָתֵי לְמִפְתֵּי לְמָארֵיהּ, בְּלִבָּא רְחִיקָא, וְלָא בִּרְעוּתָא. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (תהילים ע״ח:ל״ו-ל״ז) וַיְפַתּוּהוּ בְּפִיהֶם וּבִלְשׁוֹנָם יְכַזְּבוּ לוֹ וְלִבָּם לֹא נָכוֹן עִמּוֹ. הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהילים כ״ה:א׳) אֵלֶיךָ יְיָ נַפְשִׁי אֶשָּׂא, וְלָאו כָּל מִלּוֹי אֶלָּא בְּלִבָּא רְחִיקָא, הָא גָּרַם עָלֵיהּ לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מֵעָלְמָא, עַד לָא מָטוּן יוֹמוֹי, בְּזִמְנָא דְּהָא אִילָנָא אִתְּעַר בְּעָלְמָא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא.
This service must be performed by the man with full devotion of heart, and then the Holy One, blessed be He, will take pity on him and forgive his sins. Happy is the man who knows how to persuade, as it were, and how to offer worship to his Master with devotion of will and heart. Woe to him who comes to persuade his Master with an absent heart and without true intent in the way described in the words: “But they beguiled him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongue. For their heart was not steadfast with him” (Isa. 78, 36-37). Such a one may recite: “Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul…”, but all his words proceed from an absent heart; and this causes him to be removed from the world before his allotted days, at a moment when that Tree bestirs itself in the world to execute judgement.
וְעַל דָּא בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאַדְבְּקָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ בְּמָארֵיהּ, וְלָא יֵיתֵי לְגַבֵּיהּ בִּרְעוּתָא כְּדִיבָא, בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב, (תהילים ק״א:ז׳) דּוֹבֵר שְׁקָרִים לֹא יִכּוֹן לְנֶגֶד עֵינָי. מַאי לֹא יִכּוֹן. אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּהוּא אַתְקִין גַּרְמֵיהּ לְהַאי, וְלִבֵּיהּ רְחִיקָא מִּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, קָלָא נָפִיק וְאָמַר, לֹא יִכּוֹן לְנֶגֶד עֵינָי. (אמאי) הַאי בָּעֵי לְאַתְקְנָא גַּרְמֵיהּ, לֹא יִכּוֹן, לָא בָּעֵינָא דְּיִתְתָּקַּן. כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִי אָתֵי לְיַחֲדָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְלָא מְיָחֵד לֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת.
Hence it is incumbent on man to cleave heart and soul to his Master, and not to come to Him with deceitfulness. Of such a one Scripture says: “He that speaketh falsehood shall not be established before mine eyes” (Ibid. 101, 7). Being interpreted, this means that when a man prepares himself for this, but with a heart remote from the Holy One, blessed be He, a Voice proclaims, saying: He will not be established before Mine eyes. All the more is this so when a man comes to effect unification of the Divine Name, but does not do so in the proper manner.
זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, עָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב (ישעיהו ס״ו:י״ח) וּבָאוּ וְרָאוּ אֶת כְבוֹדִי וְגוֹ'. וּכְתִיב, (תהילים ק״מ:י״ד) אַךְ צַדִּיקִים יוֹדוּ לִשְׁמֶךָ וְגוֹ'. אָתָא רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְנָשִׁיק יְדוֹי. אָמַר, אִלְמָלֵא לָא אֲתֵינָא לְעָלְמָא אֶלָּא לְמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין אִלֵּין דַּיָי. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָנָא, וְזַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִינּוּן מִתְדַּבְּקִין בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים ד׳:ד׳) וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים וְגוֹ'. (ישעיהו ס׳:כ״א) וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים וְגוֹ'. בָּרוּךְ יְיָ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן. יִמְלוֹךְ יְיָ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן
Happy is the portion of the righteous in this world and in the world to come. Of them it is written, “and they shall come, and shall see my glory”, etc. (Isa. 66, 18); and again, “Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name”, etc. (Ps. 140, 14).’ R. Eleazar then approached and kissed his father’s hand, saying: ‘Had I not come into the world for aught else but to hear these words it would have sufficed me.’ Said R. Judah: ‘Happy is our portion and the portion of Israel who cleave to the Holy One, blessed be He. So Scripture says: “But ye that did cleave”, etc. (Deut. 4, 4); and again, “Thy people also shall be all righteous”, etc. (Isa. 60, 21).’