Midrash Ha'Ne'elam "And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son, Abraham begot Isaac" (Gen. 25:19). Rabbi Yitzchak began the discussion with the verse: "The mandrakes give a fragrance..." (Shir Hashirim 7:14). The sages taught that in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will raise the dead and shake the dust off them. As a result, they will no longer be made of dust, as they were when first created from dust, which does not endure, as it is written, "And Hashem Elohim formed man of the dust of the ground" (Gen. 2:7).
The instant they shake the dust from their bodily frames, they will have enduring frames, as it is written, "Shake yourself from the dust; arise, and sit down, Jerusalem" (Isaiah 52:2). They will endure and rise from beneath the ground to receive their souls in the land of Yisrael. At that time, the Holy One, blessed be He, will pour upon them all the kinds of fragrances that are in the Garden of Eden, as it is written, "The mandrakes give a fragrance."
Rabbi Yitzchak said, Do not pronounce it dudaim ('mandrakes'), but rather dodim ('lovers'). They are the body and the soul, who are lovers and friends to each other. Rav Nachman said, They are real mandrakes. As the mandrakes bring love into the world, so they create love in the world. And they give off a fragrance, which is how they know and recognize their Creator.
The verse: "And at our gates" (Shir Hashirim 7:14) refers to the gates of heaven, which are open to bring down souls for cadavers. "all manner of choice fruits" refers to the souls; "new and old" refers to those whose souls left them years ago and those whose souls left them only a few days ago. They merited, by their skillful deeds, to enter the World to Come. All of them are destined to descend simultaneously to enter the bodies that are prepared for them.
Rabbi Acha bar Jacob, said that a divine voice resounded, saying: "new and old, which I have laid up for you, O my beloved" (Shir Hashirim 7:14). "I have laid up for you" in these same worlds. "for you" means because of you, because you are a holy and clean body. Another explanation is that these mandrakes are the Angels of Peace. "give a fragrance" refers to souls, the fragrance of the world; "give" means to allow, as it is written, "and Sichon would not allow Yisrael" (Num. 21:23).
Rabbi Yehuda said that three classes of ministering angels appear at the beginning of every month and on every Shabbat to escort the soul to its place of ascension. What does the verse, "And at our gates are all manner of choice fruits," refer to? Rabbi Yehuda said, These are bodies standing at the openings of the graves to receive their souls. And Dumah offers a note of reckoning, and proclaims, Master of the Universe, "old and new," those who were buried long ago, and those buried not so long ago, all these "I have laid up for you," to take them into account.
In the name of the Rav, Rabbi Yehuda said that in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will rejoice with the righteous, and will let His Shechinah dwell among them. Everybody will rejoice in that joy, as it is written, "let Hashem rejoice in His works" (Tehilim 104:31). Rabbi Yehuda said that at that time the righteous will create worlds and raise the dead. Rabbi Yosi said to him: We have learned that "there is nothing new under the sun" (Kohelet 1:9). Rabbi Yehuda responded, Come and hearken. While the wicked are in the world and multiply, the whole world does not endure, but when the Righteous are in the world, it does endure. And in the future they will raise the dead, as it is written, "Old men and old women shall yet again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for every age" (Zecharyah 8:4).
At that time, the Righteous will attain complete knowledge, for as Rabbi Yosi said, When "Hashem rejoices in His works," then the Righteous are destined to grasp the Holy One, blessed be He, in their hearts. And wisdom will abound in their hearts, as if they are seeing Him with their eyes. This is the meaning of the verse: "And it shall be said on that day, this is our Elohim" (Isaiah 25:9). And for their existence together, the soul shall delight in the body more than anything, and that they shall have knowledge and perception of their Master, and shall have the enjoyment of the splendor of the Shechinah. This is the goodness hidden for the Righteous in the future to come. Thus, "And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son," refers to the generations of gladness and laughter that will exist at that time. Abraham's son is the soul worthy of it and is perfect in its ascent; "Abraham begot Isaac," means that the soul sires joy and laughter in the world.
Rabbi Yehuda said to Rabbi Chiya: We have learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, will prepare a feast for the righteous in the future. What is this feast? He replied, Before you went before these holy angels, the sages of the Mishnah, I heard what Rabbi Elazar said. It set my heart at peace. For Rabbi Elazar said that the feast of the Righteous in the future is as it is written, "and they beheld the Elohim, and did eat and drink" (Shemot 24:11). Here it is written, "eat," but Rabbi Elazar noted that in one place it is explained as, "enjoy" and in another, "eat." What is the difference? He responded, Woe to the Righteous who do not have as much merit; they enjoy the splendor, though they do not understand everything. However, the Righteous who merit the divine splendor eat until they grasp it fully. Food and drink refers to this feast and eating alone. From whom do we know this? From Moses, as it is written, "he did neither eat bread, nor drink water" (Shemot 34:28). Why so? Because he ate another meal, which is the supernal splendor. The meal of the Righteous in the future will be in that manner.
Rabbi Yehuda said that the feast of the Righteous in the future is to partake of His joy, according to the verse: "the humble shall hear of it, and be glad" (Tehilim 34:3). Rav Huna said that it is understood from the verse: "But let all those that put their trust in You rejoice: let them ever shout for joy" (Tehilim 5:12). Rabbi Yitzchak said, Both will occur in the future. We were taught by Rabbi Yosi that cellared wine with its grapes, from the six days of Creation, contains the ancient matters that were not revealed to man from the day the world was created. These are destined to be revealed to the Righteous in the future; this is assuredly their food and drink.
In the name of Rabbi Shalom, Rabbi Yehuda said that if that is true, what about the Leviathan and the bull, as it is written, "Surely the mountains bring him forth food" (Iyov 40:20). Rabbi Yosi said that it is also written, "On that day, Hashem with His sore and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the flying serpent, and the Leviathan that crooked serpent; and He will slay the crocodile that is in the sea" (Isaiah 27:1). This was said thrice, to hint at the kingdom. Rabbi Tanchum added that there is nothing to reveal in addition to what the wise men said. This is assuredly so.
Rabbi Yitzchak said, I was present before Rabbi Yehoshua and asked him about this. I said that this feast of the Righteous that will be held in the future (was supposed to be of the Leviathan and the bull). If this is so, there is a contradiction, because Rabbi Elazar said that the feast of the Righteous in the future will be as it is written in the verse: "and they beheld the Elohim, and did eat and drink." Rabbi Yehoshua said that Rabbi Elazar was correct. And so it was.
Rabbi Yehoshua further stated the belief that the sages communicated to most of the people: that they are invited to this meal of the Leviathan and the wild bull, where they will drink of the good wine preserved from the time of the Creation. They came upon this verse: "and you shall eat your bread to the full" (Vayikra 26:5), and interpreted it thus. Rabbi Zeira said, The Holy One, blessed be He, used all kinds of enticements to encourage the children of Yisrael to return to the good path. The greatest of them all was when He said to them, "and you shall eat your bread to the full," or among the curses, the worst is, "and you shall eat, and not be satisfied" (Ibid. 26). Why so? Because it is written, "Would we had died by the hand of Hashem in the land of Egypt" (Shemot 16:3). Rabbi Zeira said, This teaches us that for the sake of eating, they sacrificed their lives to die by their hands. When the Holy One, blessed be He, noticed their lust, He said to them: "If you will hearken to keep the commandments, you shall eat your bread to the full', (Lev. 26:5) in order to appease their minds. In this manner, the wise men saw that the exile would continue. They relied on the verses in the Torah, and said that they would eat and be merry at the great feast that the Holy One, blessed be He, will hold for them. Therefore, most of the people in the world suffer this exile for the sake of that feast.
Rabbi Yochanan said that we should not contradict this belief, but support the idea, because the Torah bears witness to it (Lev. 26:5). We already know the Faith of the Righteous and their desire from the verses, "we will be glad and rejoice in You" (Shir Hashirim 1:4), and not in eating, and "we will praise your love more than wine" (Vayikra 26:5). That feast, that they are destined for, we will partake of it too. This is the part of joy and laughter. "And these are the generations of Isaac (lit. 'will laugh')," for the righteous will laugh in the future. "Abraham begot Isaac," as it is the virtue of the soul that begets that laughter and joy in the world.
מִדְרָשׁ הַנֶּעֱלָם (בראשית כ״ה:י״ט-כ׳) ואֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת יִצְּחָק בֶּן אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָהָם הוֹלִיד אֶת יִצְּחָק. רִבִּי יִצְּחָק פָּתַח, (שיר השירים ז׳:י״ד) הַדּוּדָאִים נָתְנוּ רֵיחַ וגו'. תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן, לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְחַיֶּה אֶת הַמֵּתִים וִינַעֵר אוֹתָם מֵעַפְרָם, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ בִּנְיַן עָפָר כְּמוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בַּתְּחִלָּה שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ מֵעָפָר מַמָּשׁ, דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִתְקַיֵּים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית ב׳:ז׳) וַיִּיצֶּר ה' אֱלהִים אֶת הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן הָאֲדָמָה.
Midrash Ha'Ne'elam "And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son, Abraham begot Isaac" (Gen. 25:19). Rabbi Yitzchak began the discussion with the verse: "The mandrakes give a fragrance..." (Shir Hashirim 7:14). The sages taught that in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will raise the dead and shake the dust off them. As a result, they will no longer be made of dust, as they were when first created from dust, which does not endure, as it is written, "And Hashem Elohim formed man of the dust of the ground" (Gen. 2:7).
וּבְאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה יִתְנַעֲרוּ מֵעָפָר מֵאוֹתוֹ הַבִּנְיָן, וְיַעַמְדוּ בְּבִנְיַן מְקוּיָים לִהְיוֹת לָהֶם קִיּוּמָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (ישעיהו נ״ב:ב׳) הִתְנַעֲרִי מֵעָפָר קוּמִי שְׁבִי יְרוּשָׁלַםִ, יִתְקַיְימוּ בְּקִיּוּמָא. וְיַעֲלוּ מִתַּחַת לָאָרֶץ וִיקַבְּלוּ נִשְׁמָתָם בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה יַצִּיף (נ"א ישיב) קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כָּל מִינֵי רֵיחִין שֶׁבַּגַן עֵדֶן עֲלֵיהֶם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שיר השירים ז׳:י״ד) הַדּוּדָאִים נָתְנוּ רֵיחַ.
The instant they shake the dust from their bodily frames, they will have enduring frames, as it is written, "Shake yourself from the dust; arise, and sit down, Jerusalem" (Isaiah 52:2). They will endure and rise from beneath the ground to receive their souls in the land of Yisrael. At that time, the Holy One, blessed be He, will pour upon them all the kinds of fragrances that are in the Garden of Eden, as it is written, "The mandrakes give a fragrance."
אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְּחָק, אַל תִּקְרֵי הַדּוּדָאִים אֶלָּא הַדּוֹדִים, זְהוּ הַגּוּף וְהַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁהֵם דּוֹדִים וְרֵעִים זֶה עִם זֶה. רַב נַחְמָן אָמַר, דּוּדָאִים מַמָּשׁ. מַה הַדּוּדָאִים מוֹלִידִים אַהֲבָה בָּעוֹלָם, אַף הֵם מוֹלִידִים אַהֲבָה בָּעוֹלָם. וּמַאי נָתְנוּ רֵיחַ, כִּשְׁרוֹן מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם לָדַעַת וּלְהַכִּיר לְבוֹרְאָם.
Rabbi Yitzchak said, Do not pronounce it dudaim ('mandrakes'), but rather dodim ('lovers'). They are the body and the soul, who are lovers and friends to each other. Rav Nachman said, They are real mandrakes. As the mandrakes bring love into the world, so they create love in the world. And they give off a fragrance, which is how they know and recognize their Creator.
(שיר השירים ז) וְעַל פְּתָחֵינוּ, אֵלּוּ פִּתְחֵי שָׁמַיִם שֶׁהֵם פְּתוּחִים לְהוֹרִיד נְשָׁמוֹת לִפְגָרִים. כָּל מְגָדִים, אֵלּוּ הַנְּשָׁמוֹת. (שיר השירים ז׳:י״ד) חֲדָשִׁים גַּם יְשָׁנִים, אוֹתָם שֶׁיָּצְּאוּ נִשְׁמָתָם מֵהַיּוֹם כַּמָּה שָׁנִים, וְאוֹתָם שֶׁיָּצְּאוּ נִשְׁמָתָם מִיָּמִים מוּעָטִים, וְזָכוּ בְּכִשְׁרוֹן מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם לְהִכָּנֵס בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, כֻּלָּם עֲתִידִים לֵירֵד בְּבַת אַחַת לְהִכָּנֵס בַּגּוּפוֹת הַמּוּכָנִים לָהֶם.
The verse: "And at our gates" (Shir Hashirim 7:14) refers to the gates of heaven, which are open to bring down souls for cadavers. "all manner of choice fruits" refers to the souls; "new and old" refers to those whose souls left them years ago and those whose souls left them only a few days ago. They merited, by their skillful deeds, to enter the World to Come. All of them are destined to descend simultaneously to enter the bodies that are prepared for them.
אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב, בַּת קוֹל יוֹצֵּאת וְאוֹמֶרֶת, חֲדָשִׁים גַּם יְשָׁנִים דּוֹדִי צָּפַנְתִּי לָךְ. צָּפַנְתִּי אוֹתָם בְּאוֹתָם הָעוֹלָמוֹת. לָךְ, בִּשְׁבִילְךָ, בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאַתָּה גּוּף קָדוֹשׁ ונָקִי. דָבָר אַחֵר הַדּוּדָאִים (נתנו ריח) אֵלּוּ מַלְאֲכֵי שָׁלוֹם. נָתְנוּ רֵיחַ, אֵלּוּ הַנְּשָׁמוֹת שֶׁהֵם רֵיחַ הָעוֹלָם. נָתְנוּ, שָׁבְקוּ כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (במדבר כ״א:כ״ג) וְלֹא נָתַן סִיחוֹן אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל.
Rabbi Acha bar Jacob, said that a divine voice resounded, saying: "new and old, which I have laid up for you, O my beloved" (Shir Hashirim 7:14). "I have laid up for you" in these same worlds. "for you" means because of you, because you are a holy and clean body. Another explanation is that these mandrakes are the Angels of Peace. "give a fragrance" refers to souls, the fragrance of the world; "give" means to allow, as it is written, "and Sichon would not allow Yisrael" (Num. 21:23).
דְּתָאנָא אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, שָׁלשׁ כִּתּוֹת שֶׁל מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת הוֹלְכִים בְּכָל חֹדֶשׁ וּבְכָל שַׁבָּת לְלַוּוֹת לַנְּשָׁמָה עַד מְקוֹם מַעֲלָתָהּ. וּבְמַאן נוֹקִים עַל פְּתָחֵינוּ כָּל מְגָדִים. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, אֵלּוּ הֵן הַגּוּפוֹת שֶׁהֵם עוֹמְדִים בְּפִתְחֵי קְבָרוֹת לְקַבֵּל נִשְׁמָתָן. וְדוּמָ"ה נוֹתֵן פִּתְקָא דְּחֻשְׁבְּנָא וְהוּא מַכְרִיז וְאוֹמֵר, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, חֲדָשִׁים גַּם יְשָׁנִים, אוֹתָם שֶׁנִּקְבְּרוּ מִכַּמָּה יָמִים וְאוֹתָם שֶׁנִּקְבְּרוּ מִזְּמַן מוּעָט, כֻּלָּם צָּפַנְתִּי לָךְ לְמֵיפַּק לְהוּ בְּחוּשְׁבְּנָא.
Rabbi Yehuda said that three classes of ministering angels appear at the beginning of every month and on every Shabbat to escort the soul to its place of ascension. What does the verse, "And at our gates are all manner of choice fruits," refer to? Rabbi Yehuda said, These are bodies standing at the openings of the graves to receive their souls. And Dumah offers a note of reckoning, and proclaims, Master of the Universe, "old and new," those who were buried long ago, and those buried not so long ago, all these "I have laid up for you," to take them into account.
אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב, עָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִשְׂמוֹחַ בְּאוֹתוֹ זְמַן עִם הַצַּדִּיקִים, לְהַשְׁרוֹת שְׁכִינָתוֹ עִמָּהֶם וְהַכֹּל יִשְׂמְחוּ בְּאוֹתָהּ שִׂמְחָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהילים ק״ד:ל״א) יִשְׂמַח ה' בְּמַעֲשָׂיו. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, עֲתִידִים הַצַּדִּיקִים בְּאוֹתוֹ זְמַן, לִבְרֹא עוֹלָמוֹת וּלְהַחֲיוֹת מֵתִים. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְהָתְנַן (קהלת א׳:ט׳) אֵין כָּל חָדָשׁ תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, תָּא שְׁמַע, בְּעוֹד שֶׁהָרְשָׁעִים בָּעוֹלָם וְיִרְבּוּ, כָּל הָעוֹלָם אֵינוֹ בְּקִיּוּם, וּכְשֶׁהַצַּדִּיקִים בָּעוֹלָם אֲזַי הָעוֹלָם מִתְקַיֵּים. וְעֲתִידִים לְהַחֲיוֹת מֵתִים כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן, (זכריה ח׳:ד׳) עוֹד יֵשְׁבוּ זְקֵנִים וּזְקֵנוֹת בִּרְחוֹבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַם וְאִישׁ מִשְׁעַנְתּוֹ בְּיָדוֹ מֵרוֹב ימִים, כְּדִכְתִיב לְעֵיל. (קי"ד ע"ב)
In the name of the Rav, Rabbi Yehuda said that in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will rejoice with the righteous, and will let His Shechinah dwell among them. Everybody will rejoice in that joy, as it is written, "let Hashem rejoice in His works" (Tehilim 104:31). Rabbi Yehuda said that at that time the righteous will create worlds and raise the dead. Rabbi Yosi said to him: We have learned that "there is nothing new under the sun" (Kohelet 1:9). Rabbi Yehuda responded, Come and hearken. While the wicked are in the world and multiply, the whole world does not endure, but when the Righteous are in the world, it does endure. And in the future they will raise the dead, as it is written, "Old men and old women shall yet again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for every age" (Zecharyah 8:4).
בְּאוֹתוֹ זְמַן, יַשִּׂיגוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים דַּעַת שְׁלֵמָה, דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, בְּיוֹמָא דְּיְחֱדֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּעוֹבָדוֹי, זְמִינִין אִינוּן צַּדִּיקַיָא לְמִנְדַע לֵיהּ בְּלִבְּהוֹן, וּכְדֵין יִסְגֵּי סֻכְלְתָנוּ בְּלִבְּהוֹן כְּאִילּוּ חָזוּ לֵיהּ בְּעֵינָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (ישעיהו כ״ה:ט׳) ואָמַר בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא הִנֵּה אֱלהֵינוּ זְה וְגו'. ושִׂמְחַת הַנְּשָׁמָה בַּגּוּף יְתֶר מִכּוּלָּם, עַל שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שְׁנִיהֶם קַיָּימִים וְיִדְעוּ וְיַשִּׂיגוּ אֶת בּוֹרְאָם ויְהֱנוּ מִזִּיו הַשְּׁכִינָה, וְזְהוּ הַטוֹב הַגָּנוּז לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (בראשית כ״ה:י״ט) ואֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת יִצְּחָק בֶּן אַבְרָהָם, אֵלּוּ הֵם תּוֹלְדוֹת הַשִּׂמְחָה וְהַשְּׂחוֹק שֶׁיְהֵא בָּעוֹלָם בְּאוֹתוֹ זְמַן. בֶּן אַבְרָהָם, הִיא הַנְּשָׁמָה הַזּוֹכָה לְכָךְ וְלִהְיוֹת שְׁלֵימָה בְּמַעֲלָתָהּ. (בראשית כ״ה:י״ט) אַבְרָהָם הוֹלִיד אֶת יִצְּחָק, הַנְּשָׁמָה מוֹלִידָה הַשִּׂמְחָה וְהַשְּׂחוֹק הַזְּה בָּעוֹלָם.
At that time, the Righteous will attain complete knowledge, for as Rabbi Yosi said, When "Hashem rejoices in His works," then the Righteous are destined to grasp the Holy One, blessed be He, in their hearts. And wisdom will abound in their hearts, as if they are seeing Him with their eyes. This is the meaning of the verse: "And it shall be said on that day, this is our Elohim" (Isaiah 25:9). And for their existence together, the soul shall delight in the body more than anything, and that they shall have knowledge and perception of their Master, and shall have the enjoyment of the splendor of the Shechinah. This is the goodness hidden for the Righteous in the future to come. Thus, "And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son," refers to the generations of gladness and laughter that will exist at that time. Abraham's son is the soul worthy of it and is perfect in its ascent; "Abraham begot Isaac," means that the soul sires joy and laughter in the world.
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה לְרִבִּי חִיָּיא, הָא דְתָנִינָן דְּעָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַעֲשׂוֹת סְעוּדָה לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, מַאי הִיא. אָמַר לֵיהּ, עַד לָא אֲזְלִית קַמֵּי אִינוּן מַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין הָכִי שְׁמִיעַ לִי, כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁמְעִית הָא דְּאָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אִתְישְּׁבָא בְּלִבָּאי, דְּאָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, סְעוּדַת הַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, כְּהַאי דִכְתִיב (שמות כ״ד:י״א) וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים וַיּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ, וְדָא הוּא דִתְנַן נִיזוֹנִין. וְאָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּאֲתַר חָד תָּנִינָן נֶהֱנִין, וּבְאֲתַר אָחֳרָא תָּנִינָן נִיזוֹנִין, מַאי בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי. אֶלָּא הָכִי אָמַר אֲבוֹי, הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁלֹּא זָכוּ כָּל כָּךְ נֶהֱנִין מֵאוֹתוֹ זִיו שֶׁלֹּא יַשִּׂיגוּ כָּל כָּךְ, אֲבָל הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁזָּכוּ נִזּוֹנִין עַד שֶׁיַּשִּׂיגוּ הַשָּׂגָה שְׁלֵמָה. וְאֵין אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה אֶלָּא זוֹ וְזוֹ הִיא הַסְּעוּדָה וְהָאֲכִילָה. וּמְנָא לָן הָא, מִמּשֶׁה, דִּכְתִיב, (שמות כ״ד:י״ח) וַיְהִי שָׁם עִם ה' אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה לֶחֶם לא אָכַל וּמַיִם לֹא שָׁתָה. מַאי טַעֲמָא לֶחֶם לֹא אָכַל וּמַיִם לא שָׁתָה. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיָה נִזּוֹן מִסְּעוּדָה אַחֶרֶת מֵאוֹתוֹ זִיו שֶׁל מַעְלָה, וּכְהַאי גַוְונָא סְעוּדָתָן שֶׁל צַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא.
Rabbi Yehuda said to Rabbi Chiya: We have learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, will prepare a feast for the righteous in the future. What is this feast? He replied, Before you went before these holy angels, the sages of the Mishnah, I heard what Rabbi Elazar said. It set my heart at peace. For Rabbi Elazar said that the feast of the Righteous in the future is as it is written, "and they beheld the Elohim, and did eat and drink" (Shemot 24:11). Here it is written, "eat," but Rabbi Elazar noted that in one place it is explained as, "enjoy" and in another, "eat." What is the difference? He responded, Woe to the Righteous who do not have as much merit; they enjoy the splendor, though they do not understand everything. However, the Righteous who merit the divine splendor eat until they grasp it fully. Food and drink refers to this feast and eating alone. From whom do we know this? From Moses, as it is written, "he did neither eat bread, nor drink water" (Shemot 34:28). Why so? Because he ate another meal, which is the supernal splendor. The meal of the Righteous in the future will be in that manner.
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה סְעוּדַת הַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא לִשְׂמוֹחַ בְּשִׂמְחָתוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים לה) יִשְׁמְעוּ עֲנָוִים וְיִשְׂמָחוּ. רַב הוּנָא אָמַר מֵהָכָא, (תהלים ח) וְיִשְׂמְחוּ כָל חוֹסֵי בָךְ לְעוֹלָם יְרַנֵּנוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְּחָק, הַאי והַאי אִיתָא לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא. וְתָאנָא אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, יַיִן הַמְשׁוּמָר בַּעֲנָבָיו מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית, אֵלּוּ דְּבָרִים עַתִּיקִים שֶׁלֹּא נִגְלוּ לְאָדָם מִיּוֹם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, וַעֲתִידִים לְהִתְּגָּלוֹת לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, וְזוֹ הִיא הַשְּׁתִיָה ואֲכִילָה, וַדַּאי דָא הִיא.
Rabbi Yehuda said that the feast of the Righteous in the future is to partake of His joy, according to the verse: "the humble shall hear of it, and be glad" (Tehilim 34:3). Rav Huna said that it is understood from the verse: "But let all those that put their trust in You rejoice: let them ever shout for joy" (Tehilim 5:12). Rabbi Yitzchak said, Both will occur in the future. We were taught by Rabbi Yosi that cellared wine with its grapes, from the six days of Creation, contains the ancient matters that were not revealed to man from the day the world was created. These are destined to be revealed to the Righteous in the future; this is assuredly their food and drink.
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרִבִּי שָׁלוֹם, אִם כֵּן מַהוּ לִוְיָתָן וּמַהוּ הַשּׁוֹר, דִּכְתִיב, כִּי בוּל הָרִים יִשְׂאוּ לוֹ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, והָא כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו כ״ז:א׳) בָּעֵת הַהִיא יִפְקוֹד ה' בְּחַרְבּוֹ הַקָּשָׁה והַגְּדוֹלָה וְהַחֲזָקָה עַל לִויָתָן נָחָשׁ בָּרִיחַ וְעַל לִוְיָתָן נָחָשׁ עֲקָלָתוֹן והָרַג אֶת הַתַּנִּין אֲשֶׁר בַּיָּם, הָא הָכָא תְּלָתָא. אֶלָּא רֶמֶז הוּא דְּקָא רָמַז עַל מַלְכְּוָותָא. אָמַר רִבִּי תַּנְחוּם לֵית לְמֵימַר עַל מַה דְּאָמְרוּ רַבָּנָן, וַדַּאי כָּךְ הִיא.
In the name of Rabbi Shalom, Rabbi Yehuda said that if that is true, what about the Leviathan and the bull, as it is written, "Surely the mountains bring him forth food" (Iyov 40:20). Rabbi Yosi said that it is also written, "On that day, Hashem with His sore and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the flying serpent, and the Leviathan that crooked serpent; and He will slay the crocodile that is in the sea" (Isaiah 27:1). This was said thrice, to hint at the kingdom. Rabbi Tanchum added that there is nothing to reveal in addition to what the wise men said. This is assuredly so.
אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְּחָק, אֲנָא הֲוִינָא קַמֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, וְשָׁאִילְנָא הַאי מִלָּה, אָמַרְנָא, הַאי סְעוּדָתָא דְּצַּדִּיקַיָא לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא אִי כָּךְ הוּא, לָא אִתְיַישְׁבָא בְּלִבָּאי, דְּהָא אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, סְעוּדַת הַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא כְּהַאי גַוְונָא דִּכְתִיב, (שמות כ״ד:י״א) וַיְּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ שַׁפִּיר קָאָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וכָךְ הוּא.
Rabbi Yitzchak said, I was present before Rabbi Yehoshua and asked him about this. I said that this feast of the Righteous that will be held in the future (was supposed to be of the Leviathan and the bull). If this is so, there is a contradiction, because Rabbi Elazar said that the feast of the Righteous in the future will be as it is written in the verse: "and they beheld the Elohim, and did eat and drink." Rabbi Yehoshua said that Rabbi Elazar was correct. And so it was.
עוֹד אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, הַאי מְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּאָמְרוּ רַבָּנָן לְרוּבָּא דְעַלְמָא, דְּזַמִּינִין אִינוּן בְּהַאי סְעוּדָתָא דְלִויָתָן וְהַהוּא תוֹרָא וּלְמִשְׁתֵּי חַמְרָא טַב דְּאִתְנְטַר מִכַּד אִתְבְּרֵי עַלְמָא, קְרָא אַשְׁכָּחוּ ודָרְשׁוּ, דִּכְתִיב, (ויקרא כ״ו:ה׳) וַאֲכַלְתֶּם לַחְמְכֶם לָשׂוֹבַע. דְּאָמַר רִבִּי זֵירָא, כָּל מִינֵי פִּיתּוּי פִּתָּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַחֲזִירָם לְמוּטָב, וְדָא הוּא יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוֹן, דְּאָמַר לְהוּ וַאֲכַלְתֶּם לַחְמְכֶם לָשׂוֹבַע. וּבַקְּלָלוֹת, (ויקרא כ״ו:כ״ו) וַאֲכַלְתֶּם וְלֹא תִשְׂבָּעוּ, וְדָא קַשְׁיָא לְהוּ מִכֻּלְּהוּ. מַאי טַעֲמָא, דִּכְתִיב, (שמותטז) מִי יִתֵּן מוּתֵנוּ בְּיַד ה' בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְּרַיִם וְגו'. אָמַר רִבִּי זֵירָא, מְלַמֵּד דְּמִשּׁוּם הָאֲכִילָה מָסְרוּ נַפְשָׁם לָמוּת בְּיָדָם. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא תַּאֲוָתָם, אָמַר לָהֶם, (ויקרא כ״ו:ה׳) אִם תִּשְׁמְעוּ לְקוֹל הַמִּצְּוֹת, וַאֲכַלְתֶּם לָשׂוֹבַע כְּדֵי לְהָנִיחַ דַּעְתָּם. כְּהַאי גַוְונָא חָמוּ רַבָּנָן דְּגָלוּתָא אִתְמַשַּׁךְ, אִסְתַּכְּמוּ עַל קְרָאֵי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא וְאָמְרוּ דִּזְמִינִין לְמֵיכַל וּלְמֶחֱדֵי בִּסְעוּדָתָא רַבָּה דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד לְהוּ, וְעַל דָּא רוּבָּא דְעַלְמָא סָבְלוּ גָלוּתָא בְּגִין הַהִיא סְעוּדָתָא.
Rabbi Yehoshua further stated the belief that the sages communicated to most of the people: that they are invited to this meal of the Leviathan and the wild bull, where they will drink of the good wine preserved from the time of the Creation. They came upon this verse: "and you shall eat your bread to the full" (Vayikra 26:5), and interpreted it thus. Rabbi Zeira said, The Holy One, blessed be He, used all kinds of enticements to encourage the children of Yisrael to return to the good path. The greatest of them all was when He said to them, "and you shall eat your bread to the full," or among the curses, the worst is, "and you shall eat, and not be satisfied" (Ibid. 26). Why so? Because it is written, "Would we had died by the hand of Hashem in the land of Egypt" (Shemot 16:3). Rabbi Zeira said, This teaches us that for the sake of eating, they sacrificed their lives to die by their hands. When the Holy One, blessed be He, noticed their lust, He said to them: "If you will hearken to keep the commandments, you shall eat your bread to the full', (Lev. 26:5) in order to appease their minds. In this manner, the wise men saw that the exile would continue. They relied on the verses in the Torah, and said that they would eat and be merry at the great feast that the Holy One, blessed be He, will hold for them. Therefore, most of the people in the world suffer this exile for the sake of that feast.
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן, לֵית לָן לִסְתּוֹר מְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא אֶלָּא לְקַיְימָא לֵיהּ, דְּהָא אוֹרַיְיתָא אַסְהִידַת עֲלוֹי, דְּהָא אֲנַן יָדְעִין מְהֵימְנוּתָא דְצַּדִּיקַיָא וְכִסּוּפָא דִלְהוֹן מַאי הִיא, דִּכְתִיב, (שיר השירים א׳:ד׳) נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בָךְ, וְלֹא בַאֲכִילָה. (שיר השירים א׳:ד׳) נַזְכִּירָה דּוֹדֶיךָ מִיָּיִן. וְהַהִיא סְעוּדָתָא דִּזְמִינִין בָּהּ, יְהֵא לָן חוּלַק לְמֶהֱנֵי מִנָּהּ וזוֹ הִיא הַשִּׂמְחָה וְהַשְּׂחוֹק. וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת יִצְּחָק, שֶׁיִּצְּחֲקוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. אַבְרָהָם הוֹלִיד אֶת יִצְּחָק, זַכּוּת הַנְּשָׁמָה מוֹלִיד הַשְּׂחוֹק הַזֶּה וְהַשִּׂמְחָה בָּעוֹלָם.
Rabbi Yochanan said that we should not contradict this belief, but support the idea, because the Torah bears witness to it (Lev. 26:5). We already know the Faith of the Righteous and their desire from the verses, "we will be glad and rejoice in You" (Shir Hashirim 1:4), and not in eating, and "we will praise your love more than wine" (Vayikra 26:5). That feast, that they are destined for, we will partake of it too. This is the part of joy and laughter. "And these are the generations of Isaac (lit. 'will laugh')," for the righteous will laugh in the future. "Abraham begot Isaac," as it is the virtue of the soul that begets that laughter and joy in the world.