R. Jose, R. Judah, and R. Hiya, were riding together, when R. Eleazar suddenly met them. On seeing him they all alighted from their asses. Said R. Eleazar: ‘Verily I behold the face of the Shekinah! For, to see the righteous and saintly of one’s generation is to see the very face of the Shekinah. And why are these called the face of the Shekinah? Because in them is the Shekinah hidden: She is hidden in them, and they reveal Her. For they who are the friends of the Shekinah and are near to Her, are regarded as Her “face”. And who are they? They are those with and by whom She adorns Herself in order to appear before the Supernal King. Now, as you are three, the Shekinah is surely in your midst!’
רַבִּי יוֹסִי וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא, הֲווֹ אַזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא, פָּגַע בְּהוּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, עַד דְּחָמוּ לֵיהּ, נָחְתוּ מִן חֲמָרֵי כֻּלְּהוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וַדַּאי אַנְפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא חֲמֵינָא, דְּהָא כַּד חָמֵי בַּר נָשׁ צַדִּיקַיָּא, אוֹ זַכָּאִין דִּי בְּדָרָא, וְאִעֲרַע בְּהוּ, וַדַּאי אִינּוּן אַנְפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא. וַאֲמַאי אִקְרוּן אַנְפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא. בְּגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא אִסְתָּתָּרַת בְּגַּוַּויְיהוּ, אִיהִי בִּסְתִימוּ, וְאִינּוּן בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא. בְּגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא אִינּוּן דִּקְרִיבִין לָהּ, אִקְרוּן פָּנִים דִּילָהּ. וּמַאן אִינּוּן. אִינּוּן דְּאִיהִי אִתְתַּקְנַת בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ, לְאִתְחֲזָאָה לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה. וְהוֹאִיל וְאַתּוּן הָכָא, וַדַּאי שְׁכִינְתָּא אִתְתַּקְנַת עָלַיְיכוּ, וְאַתּוּן פָּנִים דִּילָהּ. (ס"א ואערע בהו ודאי חמי אנפי שכינתא בגין דשכינתא אסתתר בגוייהו איהי בסתימו ואינון באתגלייא ואיהי אתתקנת בהדייהו לאתחזאה קמי מלכא והואיל ואתון הכא תלתא ודאי שכינתא אתתקנת עלייכו ושרייא בגווייכו)
R. Jose, R. Judah, and R. Hiya, were riding together, when R. Eleazar suddenly met them. On seeing him they all alighted from their asses. Said R. Eleazar: ‘Verily I behold the face of the Shekinah! For, to see the righteous and saintly of one’s generation is to see the very face of the Shekinah. And why are these called the face of the Shekinah? Because in them is the Shekinah hidden: She is hidden in them, and they reveal Her. For they who are the friends of the Shekinah and are near to Her, are regarded as Her “face”. And who are they? They are those with and by whom She adorns Herself in order to appear before the Supernal King. Now, as you are three, the Shekinah is surely in your midst!’