Said R. Simeon: ‘At the time when the dead will be awakened and be in readiness for the resurrection in the Holy Land, legions upon legions will arise on the soil of Galilee, as it is there that the Messiah is destined to reveal himself. For that is the portion of Joseph, and it was the first part of the Holy Land to be destroyed, and it was thence that the exile of Israel and their dispersion among the nations began, as Scripture says, “but they are not grieved for the hurt of Joseph” (Amos 6, 6).
Thus there they will rise up first, for the reason that it is the portion of him who was put in an ark, as it says, “and he was put in an ark in Egypt”(Gen. 50, 26), and subsequently was buried in the Holy Land, as it says “And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem” (Jos. 24, 32); and he it was who kept the purity of the holy covenant symbol in a special degree.
As soon as they will rise from the dead all those hosts will march, each man to the portion of his ancestors, as Scripture says, “and ye shall return every man unto his possession” (Lev. 25, 10). They shall recognize each other, and God will clothe every one in embroidered garments; and they will all come and offer up thanksgiving to their Master in Jerusalem, where there will assemble multitudes upon multitudes. Jerusalem itself will spread out in all directions, to a further extent even than when the exiles returned there.
When they assemble and offer up praises to their Master the Holy One, blessed be He, will rejoice in them. So Scripture says: “And they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow unto the goodness of the Lord”, etc. (Jer. 31, 12), namely, every one to his portion and the portion of his ancestors. And the possession of Israel will extend till it will reach Damietta of the Romans, and even there they will study the Torah. All this has already been stated, and it is in harmony with the Scriptural passage, saying: “Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust”, etc. (Isa. 16, 19). Blessed be the Lord for evermore! Amen and Amen!’
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּיִתְעָרוּן מֵתֵי עָלְמָא, וְיִתְעַתְּדוּן בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, יְקוּמוּן חַיָּילִין חַיָּילִין, כֻּלְּהוּ עַל אַרְעָא דְּגָלִיל, בְּגִין דְּתַמָּן זַמִּין מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא לְאִתְגַּלָּאָה, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּיוֹסֵף, וְתַמָּן אִתְּבָּרוּ (אתחרב) בְּקַדְמִיתָא. וּמִתַּמָּן שָׁארוּ לְאַגְלָאָה מִכָּל אַתְרַיְיהוּ, וּלְאִתְבַּדְּרָא בֵּינֵי עֲמָמַיָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (עמוס ו׳:ו׳) וְלֹא נֶחְלוּ עַל שֶׁבֶר יוֹסֵף.
Said R. Simeon: ‘At the time when the dead will be awakened and be in readiness for the resurrection in the Holy Land, legions upon legions will arise on the soil of Galilee, as it is there that the Messiah is destined to reveal himself. For that is the portion of Joseph, and it was the first part of the Holy Land to be destroyed, and it was thence that the exile of Israel and their dispersion among the nations began, as Scripture says, “but they are not grieved for the hurt of Joseph” (Amos 6, 6).
וַאֲמַאי יְקוּמוּן תַּמָּן, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא דְּאִשְׁתַּוֵי בַּאֲרוֹנָא, דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית נ׳:כ״ו) וַיִּישֶם בָּאָרוֹן בְּמִצְרָיִם, וּלְבָתַר אִתְקְבַר בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, דִּכְתִּיב, (יהושע כ״ד:ל״ב) וְאֶת עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּ בְנִי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם קָבְרוּ בִשְׁכֶם. וְדָא אִיהוּ דְּקָאִים בְּקִיּוּמָא דִּבְרִית, יַתִּיר מִכֹּלָּא.
Thus there they will rise up first, for the reason that it is the portion of him who was put in an ark, as it says, “and he was put in an ark in Egypt”(Gen. 50, 26), and subsequently was buried in the Holy Land, as it says “And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem” (Jos. 24, 32); and he it was who kept the purity of the holy covenant symbol in a special degree.
וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּיִתְעָרוּן כֻּלְּהוּ חַיָּילִין חַיָּילִין, כֻּלְּהוּ יָהֲכוּן, דָּא לְחוּלָק אֲבָהַתְהוֹן, וְדָא לְחוּלָק אֲבָהַתְהוֹן, דִּכְתִּיב (ויקרא כ״ה:י׳) וְשַׁבְתֶּם אִישׁ אֶל אֲחוּזָּתוֹ. וְיִשְׁתְּמּוֹדְעוּן דָּא לְדָא. וְזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַלְבָּשָׁא לוֹן לְכָל חַד וְחַד לְבוּשֵׁי מְרְקָּמָן, וְיֵיתוּן כֻּלְּהוּ וִישַׁבְּחוּן לְמָארֵיהוֹן בִּיְרוּשָׁלַ ם, וְיִתְחַבְּרוּן תַּמָּן אוּכְלוֹסִין אוּכְלוֹסִין, וִיְרוּשָׁלַ ם יִתְמְשַׁךְ לְכָל סִטְרִין, יַתִּיר מִמַּה דְּאִתְמְשָׁךְ כַּד אִתְחַבָּרוּ תַּמָּן מִגָּלוּתָא.
As soon as they will rise from the dead all those hosts will march, each man to the portion of his ancestors, as Scripture says, “and ye shall return every man unto his possession” (Lev. 25, 10). They shall recognize each other, and God will clothe every one in embroidered garments; and they will all come and offer up thanksgiving to their Master in Jerusalem, where there will assemble multitudes upon multitudes. Jerusalem itself will spread out in all directions, to a further extent even than when the exiles returned there.
כֵּיוָן דְּיִתְחַבְּרוּן וִישַׁבְּחוּן לְמָארִיהוֹן, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יֶחְדֵּי עִמְּהוֹן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (ירמיהו ל״א:י״ב) וּבָאוּ וְרִנְּנוּ בִמְּרוֹם צִיּוֹן, וּלְבָתַר וְנָהֲרוּ אֶל טוּב יְיָ' וְגוֹ', כָּל חַד וְחַד לְחוּלָקֵיהּ, וְחוּלָק אֲבָהֲתוֹי. וְאַחֲסָנְתְּהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל תְּהֵא, עַד (נ"א רמתא דרומא), דְּמָתָא דְּרוֹמָאֵי, וְתַמָּן יֵלְּפוּן אוֹרַיְיתָא, והָא אוּקְמוּהָ, וּכְתִיב (ישעיהו כ״ו:י״ט) הָקִיצוּ וְרַנְּנוּ שׁוֹכְנֵי עָפָר וגוֹ'. בָּרוּךָ ה' לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן.
When they assemble and offer up praises to their Master the Holy One, blessed be He, will rejoice in them. So Scripture says: “And they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow unto the goodness of the Lord”, etc. (Jer. 31, 12), namely, every one to his portion and the portion of his ancestors. And the possession of Israel will extend till it will reach Damietta of the Romans, and even there they will study the Torah. All this has already been stated, and it is in harmony with the Scriptural passage, saying: “Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust”, etc. (Isa. 16, 19). Blessed be the Lord for evermore! Amen and Amen!’