When they came to R. Simeon and repeated to him all the expositions they had heard during that walk he quoted the verse: “But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” (Prov. 4, 18). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘has been already expounded in a way, but there is still a deeper truth underlying it. “The path of the righteous” is the path of truth, the path the Holy One, blessed be He, delights in, the path along which the righteous proceed, with the Almighty, as it were, leading the way whilst all the heavenly legions come down to listen to their expositions and teachings; “as the light of dawn”, that is, as a light that continues without ever fading, unlike the path of the wicked, of which it says: “The way of the wicked is as darkness” etc. (Ibid. 19).
The following is an alternate comment. What is the difference between “path” (orah) and “way” (derekh)? A “path” is newly opened and still little trodden, whereas a “way” is a well-worn track, already traversed by many feet.
Hence that whereon the righteous walk is called “path”, since they are the pioneers who open up a new path for themselves; and even though others have preceded them, yet when they walk on it it becomes a new path, as though never trodden on by any before. For they metamorphose it in virtue of the many sublime and holy teachings with which they delight the Holy One.
Moreover, the Shekinah now goes in that path, which she did not before. But “way”, on the other hand, is a common road, open to all and trodden on, even by the wicked. This is hinted in the words, “Who maketh a way (derekh) in the sea” (Ibid. 43, 16), the word “way” being used because it is accessible to the “other side”, the unwanted influence that exerts its power to defile the Tabernacle, and so the righteous are left to themselves, to rule over the region called “path” (orah), as already said. “Way” is thus open for all, for this “side” and its opposite,
and you, O exalted saints,’ concluded R. Simeon, ‘you have entertained the heavenly Visitor (oreah), and sublime expositions have been uttered and displayed by you in the presence of the Ancient of Days. Happy is your portion!’
כַּד מָטוּ לְגַבֵּי דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, וְסַדְּרוּ מִלִּין אִלֵּין קַמֵּיהּ, כָּל מַה דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהַהוּא אוֹרְחָא. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (משלי ד׳:י״ח) וְאוֹרַח צַדִּיקִים כְּאוֹר נֹגַהּ הוֹלֵךְ וְאוֹר עַד נְכוֹן הַיּוֹם. הַאי קְרָא אִתְּמַר. אֲבָל הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ, וְאוֹרַח צַדִּיקִים, הַהוּא אוֹרְחָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא אָזְלוּ בֵּיהּ, אִיהוּ אֹרַח קְשׁוֹט. אוֹרְחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בֵּיהּ. אוֹרְחָא דְּאִיהוּ אָזִיל קָמַיְיהוּ, וְכָל אִינּוּן רְתִיכִין, אַתְיָין לְמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין דְּאִינּוּן מְמַלְּלָן וְאָמְרֵי בְּפוּמַיְיהוּ. כְּאוֹר נֹגַהּ: דְּנָהִיר וְאָזִיל, וְלָא אִתְחֲשָׁךְ (ס"א כלל), כְּאוֹרַח דְּאִינּוּן חַיָּיבַיָּא, דְּאוֹרַח דִּילְהוֹן אִתְחֲשָׁךְ תָּדִיר, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (משלי ד׳:י״ט) דֶּרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים כָּאֲפֵלָה וְגוֹ'.
When they came to R. Simeon and repeated to him all the expositions they had heard during that walk he quoted the verse: “But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” (Prov. 4, 18). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘has been already expounded in a way, but there is still a deeper truth underlying it. “The path of the righteous” is the path of truth, the path the Holy One, blessed be He, delights in, the path along which the righteous proceed, with the Almighty, as it were, leading the way whilst all the heavenly legions come down to listen to their expositions and teachings; “as the light of dawn”, that is, as a light that continues without ever fading, unlike the path of the wicked, of which it says: “The way of the wicked is as darkness” etc. (Ibid. 19).
דָּבָר אַחֵר וְאוֹרַח צַדִּיקִים. מַה בֵּין אוֹרַח לְדֶרֶךְ, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ. אֲבָל (קל"ז ע"א ויקרא פ"ח ע"א) אוֹרַח הוּא, דְּהַשְׁתָּא אִתְפְּתַח וְאִתְגַּלְיָיא, וְאִתְעָבִיד בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר אוֹרַח, דְּלָא כְּתִישׁוּ בֵּיהּ רַגְלִין מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא. דֶּרֶךְ: כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (ישעיה סג) כְּדוֹרֵךְ בְּגַת, דְּכַתְשִׁין בֵּיהּ רַגְלִין כָּל מַאן דְּבָעֵי.
The following is an alternate comment. What is the difference between “path” (orah) and “way” (derekh)? A “path” is newly opened and still little trodden, whereas a “way” is a well-worn track, already traversed by many feet.
וְעַל דָּא לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא קָארֵי אֹרַח, דְּאִינּוּן הֲווֹ קַדְמָאֵי לְמִפְתַּח הַהוּא אֲתָר. וְלָא עַל אֲתָר אִיהוּ אֶלָּא אַף עַל גַּב דְּאַחֲרָנִין בְּנֵי עָלְמָא אָזְלֵי בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר, הַשְׁתָּא דְּאַזְלִין בֵּיהּ צַדִּיקַיָּיא, אִיהוּ אֲתָר חַדְתָּא, דְּהַשְׁתָּא חַדְתָּא אִיהוּ הַהוּא אֲתָר כְּמָה דְּלָא אָזִיל בֵּיהּ בַּר נָשׁ אַחֲרָא לְעָלְמִין. בְּגִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא עַבְדִּין חַדְתָּא לְכָל הַהוּא אֲתָר, בְּכַמָּה מִלִּין עִלָּאִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בְּהוֹן.
Hence that whereon the righteous walk is called “path”, since they are the pioneers who open up a new path for themselves; and even though others have preceded them, yet when they walk on it it becomes a new path, as though never trodden on by any before. For they metamorphose it in virtue of the many sublime and holy teachings with which they delight the Holy One.
וְתוּ, דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא אַזְלָא בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר, מַה דְּלָא הֲוַות מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא. וּבְּגִין כָּךְ אֹרַח צַדִּיקִים אִקְרֵי, בְּגִין דְּאִתְאָרַח בֵּיהּ אוּשְׁפִּיזָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא. דֶּרֶךְ: אִיהוּ פָּתוּחַ לְכֹלָּא, וְכַתְשִׁין בֵּיהּ כָּל מַאן דְּבָעֵי, אֲפִילּוּ אִינּוּן חַיָּיבִין. דֶּרְךְ, רָזָא דָּא, (ישעיהו מ״ג:ט״ז) הַנּוֹתֵן בַּיָּם דָּרֶךְ, בְּגִין דְּדָרִיךְ בֵּיהּ סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ, וְשָׁלִיט לְסַאֲבָא מַשְׁכְּנָא. וְעַל דָּא, צַדִּיקַיָּיא בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ, קַיְימֵי וְשַׁלְטֵי בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי אוֹרַח. כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא דֶּרֶךְ פָּתוּחַ לְכֹלָּא, לְהַאי סִטְרָא וּלְהַאי סִטְרָא.
Moreover, the Shekinah now goes in that path, which she did not before. But “way”, on the other hand, is a common road, open to all and trodden on, even by the wicked. This is hinted in the words, “Who maketh a way (derekh) in the sea” (Ibid. 43, 16), the word “way” being used because it is accessible to the “other side”, the unwanted influence that exerts its power to defile the Tabernacle, and so the righteous are left to themselves, to rule over the region called “path” (orah), as already said. “Way” is thus open for all, for this “side” and its opposite,
וְאַתּוּן קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין, אוֹרַח קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה אִזְדָּמַן לְגַבַּיְיכוּ, וְאָרַחְתּוּן בֵּיהּ וּמִלִּין מְעַלְּיָין עִלָּאִין (נ"א אלין) אִתְסָדָּרוּ קָמֵי עַתִּיק יוֹמִין. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיכוֹן.
and you, O exalted saints,’ concluded R. Simeon, ‘you have entertained the heavenly Visitor (oreah), and sublime expositions have been uttered and displayed by you in the presence of the Ancient of Days. Happy is your portion!’