We arose and went on our way, the sun becoming stronger and more oppressive. We saw some trees in the wilderness with water underneath, and we sat down in the shade of one of them. I asked him: How is it that of all peoples of the world, only the Jews sway to and fro when they study the Torah, a habit which seems to come natural to them, and they are unable to keep still?
He replied: You have reminded me of a very deep idea which very few people know. He pondered for a moment and wept. Then he continued: Alas for mankind who go about like cattle without understanding. This thing alone is sufficient to distinguish the holy souls of Israel from the souls of heathen peoples. The souls of Israel have been hewn from the Holy Lamp, as is written, “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord” (Prov. 20, 27). Now once this lamp has been kindled from the supernal Torah, the light upon it never ceases for an instant, like the flame of a wick which is never still for an instant.
But the souls of heathens are like the burning of stubble, which gives no flame, and therefore they keep still like wood burning without a flame.’ Said R. Jose: ‘That is a good explanation; happy am I to have heard this.’
קַמְנָא וְאָזַלְנָא. וְתּוּקְפָּא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא הֲוָה יַתִּיר, וְדָחִיק לָן בְּאוֹרְחָא. חֲמֵינָן אִילָנִין בְּמַדְבְּרָא, וּמַיִין תְּחוֹתַיְיהוּ. יָתִיבְנָא תְּחוֹת חַד טוּלָא דְּאִילָנָא דְּמַדְבְּרָא. שָׁאִילְנָא לֵיהּ, מַאי הַאי דְּכָל עַמִּין דְּעָלְמָא לָא עַבְדִּין נִעְנוּעָא, אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ, דְּכַד לָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, מִתְנַעְנְעָן הָכָא וְהָכָא, בְּלָא לִמּוּדָא דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּעָלְמָא, וְלָא יַכְלִין לְמֵיקָם בְּקִיּוּמַיְיהוּ.
We arose and went on our way, the sun becoming stronger and more oppressive. We saw some trees in the wilderness with water underneath, and we sat down in the shade of one of them. I asked him: How is it that of all peoples of the world, only the Jews sway to and fro when they study the Torah, a habit which seems to come natural to them, and they are unable to keep still?
אָמַר לִי, אַדְכַּרְתָּן מִלְּתָא עִלָּאָה, וּבְנֵי עָלְמָא לָא יַדְעִין, וְלָא מַשְׁגִּיחִין. יָתִיב שַׁעֲתָא וּבָכָה, אָמַר, וַוי לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא דְּאַזְלִין כִּבְעִירֵי חַקְלָא, בְּלָא סוּכְלְתָנוּ. בְּמִלָּה דָּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן נִשְּׁמָתְהוֹן קַדִּישִׁין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, בֵּין נִשְׁמָתְהוֹן דְּעַמִין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת. נִשְׁמָתְהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְגְּזָרוּ, מִגּוֹ בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּדָלִיק, דִּכְתִּיב, (משלי כ׳:כ״ז) נֵר יְיָ נִשְׁמַת אָדָם. וְהַאי נֵר בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְאַחֲד (נ"א דאתדליק) מִגּוֹ אוֹרַיְיתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, לָא שָׁכִיךְ נְהוֹרָא עָלֵיהּ אֲפִילּוּ רִגְעָא. וְרָזָא דָּא, (תהילים פ״ג:ב׳) אֱלֹהִים אַל דֳּמִי לָךְ. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו ס״ב:ו׳) הַמַּזְכִּירִים אֶת יְיָ אַל דֳּמִי לָכֶם, לָא שְׁכִיכוּ לְכוֹן. נְהוֹרָא דְּשַׁרְגָּא כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְאַחֲדָא גּוֹ פְּתִילָה, הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא לָא שָׁכִיךְ לְעָלְמִין, אֶלָּא מִתְנַעְנְעָא נְהוֹרָא לְכָאן וּלְכָּאן, וְלָא מִשְׁתְּכִיךְ לְעָלְמִין.
He replied: You have reminded me of a very deep idea which very few people know. He pondered for a moment and wept. Then he continued: Alas for mankind who go about like cattle without understanding. This thing alone is sufficient to distinguish the holy souls of Israel from the souls of heathen peoples. The souls of Israel have been hewn from the Holy Lamp, as is written, “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord” (Prov. 20, 27). Now once this lamp has been kindled from the supernal Torah, the light upon it never ceases for an instant, like the flame of a wick which is never still for an instant.
כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּנִשְׁמָתַיְיהוּ מִגּוֹ הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דְּשַׁרְגָּא, כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר מִלָּה חֲדָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, הָא נְהוֹרָא דָּלִיק, וְלָא יֵכְלוּן אִינּוּן לְאִשְׁתַּכְּכָא, וּמִתְנַעְנֵעָן לְכָאן וּלְכָּאן, וּלְכָל סִטְרִין. כִּנְהוֹרָא דְּשַׁרְגָּא, דְּהָא (משלי כ׳:כ״ז) נֵר יְיָ נִשְׁמַת אָדָם כְּתִיב.
So when an Israelite has said one word of the Torah, a light is kindled and he cannot keep still but sways to and fro like the flame of a wick.
וּכְתִיב, (יחזקאל לד) אָדָם אַתֶּם, אַתֶּם קְרוּיִין אָדָם, וְלָא אוּמִין עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת. נִשְׁמָתִין דְּעַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת, מִדְעִיכוּ דְּקָשׁ, בְּלָא נְהוֹרָא דְּשָׁרֵי עָלַיְיהוּ. וְעַל דָּא מִשְׁתַּכְכִין, וְלָא מִתְנַעְנְעָן, דְּהָא לֵית לוֹן אוֹרַיְיתָא, וְלָא דַּלְקִין בָּהּ, וְלָאו נְהוֹרָא שַׁרְיָיא בְּהוֹן, אִינּוּן קַיְימִין כְּעֵצִים בְּגוֹ נוּרָא דְּדָלִיק, בְּלָא נְהוֹרָא דְּשַׁרְיָא עָלַיְיהוּ, וְעַל דָּא מִשְׁתַּכְכִין בְּלָא נְהוֹרָא כְּלָל. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, דָּא אִיהוּ בְּרִירוּ דְּמִלָּה, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי דְּזָכֵינָא לְהַאי, לְמִשְׁמַע דָּא.
But the souls of heathens are like the burning of stubble, which gives no flame, and therefore they keep still like wood burning without a flame.’ Said R. Jose: ‘That is a good explanation; happy am I to have heard this.’