R. Isaac once questioned R. Simeon with regard to the verse, “a joyful mother of children”, saying: ‘I know what is meant by the mother, but who are the children?’ R. Simeon answered: ‘There are two children to God, one male and one female. The male he gave to Jacob, as it is written: “Israel is my son, my firstborn” (Ex. 4, 22). The female he gave to Abraham.
The mother sits on the young and gives them suck; whence the precept, “Thou shalt not take the mother with the young.” Our teachers have said: “A man should beware of sinfulness below lest thereby the mother should be parted from the children.”
But when men repent and act virtuously then the mother returns and shelters the young, and this is called “repentance” (t’shubah, lit. returning). Then, too, it can be said, “the mother of the children is joyful”. Hence a man should not cease from propagating his kind till he has a son and a daughter.’
R. Isaac was not yet satisfied. ‘The righteous’, he said, ‘desire no more than to “behold the pleasantness of the Lord” (Ps. 27, 4).’ R. Simeon answered: ‘It is all one, since this pleasantness comes from the Holy Ancient One to this heaven, and the desire of the righteous is fixed on that.’
תַּנְיָא, אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, כְּתִיב, (תהילים קי״ג:ט׳) אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה הַלְּלוּיָה, אִמָּא יְדִיעָא, הַבָּנִים מַאן אִינוּן. אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, הָא תָּנִינָן, תְּרֵין בְּנִין אִית לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, חַד דְּכַר וְחַד נוּקְבָא. דְּכַר, יַהֲבֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב, דִּכְתִיב, (שמות ד) בְּנִי בְּכוֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּכְתִיב, (ישעיהו מ״ט:ג׳) יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאֵר. בַּת, יַהֲבָהּ לְאַבְרָהָם, דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית כ״ד:א׳) וַה' בֵּרַךְ אֶת אַבְרָהָם בַּכֹּל, בַּת הָיְתָה לוֹ לְאַבְרָהָם, וּבַכֹּל שְׁמָה.
R. Isaac once questioned R. Simeon with regard to the verse, “a joyful mother of children”, saying: ‘I know what is meant by the mother, but who are the children?’ R. Simeon answered: ‘There are two children to God, one male and one female. The male he gave to Jacob, as it is written: “Israel is my son, my firstborn” (Ex. 4, 22). The female he gave to Abraham.
וְאִמָא רְבִיעָא עֲלַיְיהוּ, דְּיָנְקָא לְהוּ, וְעַל הַאי כְּתִיב, (דברים קד) לא תִקַּח הָאֵם עַל הַבָּנִים. וְתָנִינָן, לָא יַסְגֵּי בַּר נָשׁ חוֹבוֹי לְתַתָּא, בְּגִין דְּיִסְתַּלַּק אִמָּא מֵעַל בְּנִין. וּכְתִיב, (ויקרא י״ח:ז׳) אִמְּךָ הִיא לא תְגַלֵּה עֶרְוָתָהּ, וַוי לְמַאן דְּגָלֵי עֶרְיָיתָא.
The mother sits on the young and gives them suck; whence the precept, “Thou shalt not take the mother with the young.” Our teachers have said: “A man should beware of sinfulness below lest thereby the mother should be parted from the children.”
וְכַד תָּיְיבִין בְּנֵי עַלְמָא, וְאַסְגִּין בִּזְכוּתָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאִמָּא תָבַת וְכַסְיָא עַל בְּנִין, כְּדֵין אִתְקְרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה. מַאי תְּשׁוּבָה. דָּא תְּשׁוּבָה דְאִמָּא, דְּתָבַת בְּקִיּוּמָהָא, וּכְדֵין (שמות פ"ג ע"א) כְּתִיב, (תהילים קי״ג:ט׳) אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה, אֵם הַבָּנִים וַדַּאי. וְעַל דָּא, לָא לִפָּטַר אִינִישׁ מִפְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה, עַד דְּאוֹלִיד בֵּן וּבַת.
But when men repent and act virtuously then the mother returns and shelters the young, and this is called “repentance” (t’shubah, lit. returning). Then, too, it can be said, “the mother of the children is joyful”. Hence a man should not cease from propagating his kind till he has a son and a daughter.’
תַּנְיָא אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, כְּתִיב, (תהילים כ״ז:ד׳) לַחֲזוֹת בְּנֹעַם ה' וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ, תִּיאוּבְתָּא דְצַדִּיקַיָא לְמֶחֱמֵי דָא, (ז"ח ל"ג נעם ה') וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ עַל ה'. אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, כֹּלָּא חַד. מַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִיב נֹעַם ה', דְּאַתְיָא מֵעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא לְהַאי שָׁמַיִם. וְתִיאוּבְתָּא דְצַדִּיקַיָא כָּךְ הוּא וַדַּאי, וְעַל הַשָּׁמַיִם כְּתִיב, אָז תִּתְעַנֵּג עַל ה'. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ מַאן דְּזָכֵי. וַדַּאי זְעִירִין אִינוּן.
R. Isaac was not yet satisfied. ‘The righteous’, he said, ‘desire no more than to “behold the pleasantness of the Lord” (Ps. 27, 4).’ R. Simeon answered: ‘It is all one, since this pleasantness comes from the Holy Ancient One to this heaven, and the desire of the righteous is fixed on that.’