THESE THREE WERE THE SONS OF NOAH. By these was established the whole world, and also the higher symbolism. AND OF THESE WAS THE WHOLE EARTH OVERSPREAD. Herein is a mystical allusion to the three supernal colours. For when that river that flows perennially watered the Garden by the power of those three supernal influences, there spread forth those terrestrial colours here below, each combined with the others, which show that the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, extends through all the heights and the depths, and that He is one above and below.
R. Eleazar said: ‘These three colours are themselves displayed in all those who issue from the side of holiness, and their reflection falls upon all those who issue from the side of the other spirit. And if you ponder the mystery of grades, you will find how the colours radiate to all sides until they enter the lower sphere through those twenty-seven mystic channels which are the sides of the doors that stop up the abyss.
All this is known to the adepts in mystic lore. Happy the portion of the righteous whom the Holy One delights to honour and to whom He reveals the sublime mysteries of wisdom. Of them it is written: “The counsel of the Lord is with them that fear Him” (Ps. 25, 14).’
R. Eleazar here quoted the verse: “O Lord, thou art my God, I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name, for thou hast done wonderful things, even counsels of old, in faithfulness and truth” (Is. 25, 1). ‘How greatly’, he said, ‘it behoves men to reflect on the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, and to offer up songs of praise to His glory, for when one knows how to offer praise to his Master in the manner appropriate, the Holy One, blessed be He, accomplishes his will. Such a man, furthermore, causes an increase of blessings on high and below.
He, therefore, who knows how to offer praise to his Master and to proclaim His unity is held in affection on high and is beloved below; the Holy One, blessed be He, is proud of him, and of him it is written: “And he said unto me, thou art my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified” (Is. 49, 3).’
שְׁלשָׁה אֵלֶּה בְּנִי נֹחַ. קִיּוּמָא דְּכָל עָלְמָא, קִיּוּמָא דְרָזָא עִלָּאָה. וּמֵאֵלֶּה נָפְצָה כָל הָאָרֶץ. הַיְינוּ רָזָא (דא) דִּתְלַת גְּוָונִין עִלָּאִין. דְּכַד הַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק אַשְׁקֵי לְגִנְתָא בְּחֵילָא דִתְלַת אִלֵּין עִלָּאִין. וּמִתַּמָּן אִתְפָּרְשָׁן גְּוָונִין דִּלְתַתָּא כָּל חַד וְחַד כָּלִיל בְּחַבְרֵיהּ, לְאַחֲזָאָה דִּיקָרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְפַּשַּׁט לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא, וְאִיהוּ חַד בְּעִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי.
THESE THREE WERE THE SONS OF NOAH. By these was established the whole world, and also the higher symbolism. AND OF THESE WAS THE WHOLE EARTH OVERSPREAD. Herein is a mystical allusion to the three supernal colours. For when that river that flows perennially watered the Garden by the power of those three supernal influences, there spread forth those terrestrial colours here below, each combined with the others, which show that the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, extends through all the heights and the depths, and that He is one above and below.
אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר תְּלַת גְּוָונִין אִלֵּין בְּכָל אִנוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסְּטַר דִּקְדוּשָׁה, וּמֵחֵיזוּ דִּתְלַת גְּוָונִין אִלֵּין מִתְפָּרְשָׁאן לְכָל אִנוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דְרוּחָא אָחֳרָא. וְכַד תִּסְתַּכֵּל בְּרָזָא דְדַרְגִּין תִּשְׁכַּח הֵיךְ מִתְפָּרְשָׁן גְּוָונִין לְכָל אִנוּן סִטְרִין עַד דְּעָיְילִין לְתַתָּא בְּרָזָא דְּאִנוּן שִׁבְעָה וְעֶשְׂרִין צִנּוֹרִין (סטרי) דְּדַשֵּׁי דְּחָפְיָין לִתְהוֹמֵי.
R. Eleazar said: ‘These three colours are themselves displayed in all those who issue from the side of holiness, and their reflection falls upon all those who issue from the side of the other spirit. And if you ponder the mystery of grades, you will find how the colours radiate to all sides until they enter the lower sphere through those twenty-seven mystic channels which are the sides of the doors that stop up the abyss.
וְכֹלָּא יְדִיעָא לַחֲכִימִין עֶלְיוֹנִין. זַכָּאָה חוּלַקְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָיא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרָעֵי בִּיקְרֵיהוֹן וְגָלֵי לוֹן סִתְרִין עִלָּאִין דְּחָכְמְתָא, עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב, (תהילים כ״ה:י״ד) סוֹד יְיָ לִירֵאָיו וּבְרִיתוֹ לְהוֹדִיעָם.
All this is known to the adepts in mystic lore. Happy the portion of the righteous whom the Holy One delights to honour and to whom He reveals the sublime mysteries of wisdom. Of them it is written: “The counsel of the Lord is with them that fear Him” (Ps. 25, 14).’
פָּתַח רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר (ישעיהו כ״ה:א׳) יְיָ אֱלהַי אַתָּה אֲרוֹמִמְךָ אוֹדֶה שִׁמְךָ כִּי עָשִׂיתָ פֶּלֶא עֵצוֹת מֵרָחוֹק אֱמוּנָה אֹמֶן. כַּמָּה אִית לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בִּיקְרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּלְשַׁבְּחָא לִיקָרֵיהּ. בְּגִין דְּכָל מַאן דְּיָדַע לְשַׁבְּחָא לְמָארֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד לֵיהּ רְעוּתֵיהּ. וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְאַסְגֵּי בִּרְכָאן לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא.
R. Eleazar here quoted the verse: “O Lord, thou art my God, I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name, for thou hast done wonderful things, even counsels of old, in faithfulness and truth” (Is. 25, 1). ‘How greatly’, he said, ‘it behoves men to reflect on the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, and to offer up songs of praise to His glory, for when one knows how to offer praise to his Master in the manner appropriate, the Holy One, blessed be He, accomplishes his will. Such a man, furthermore, causes an increase of blessings on high and below.
וְעַל דָּא מַאן דְּיָדַע לְשַׁבְּחָא לֵיהּ לְמָארֵיהּ וּלְיַחֲדָא שְׁמֵיהּ, חָבִיב הוּא לְעֵילָא וְחָמִיד לְתַתָּא וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִשְׁתַּבֵּחַ בֵּיהּ (נ"א ביקריה), וְעֲלֵיהּ כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו מ״ט:ג׳) וַיֹּאמֶר לִי עַבְדִּי אַתָּה יִשְרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאֵר:
He, therefore, who knows how to offer praise to his Master and to proclaim His unity is held in affection on high and is beloved below; the Holy One, blessed be He, is proud of him, and of him it is written: “And he said unto me, thou art my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified” (Is. 49, 3).’