Pisqa’ 47¹

1

“So that you extend your lives” (Dt.11:21)—

that is, in this eon.

“And your sons’ lives” (Dt.11:21)—

in the Days of Messiah.

“As long as the days of Heaven above the earth” (Dt.11:21)—

in the coming eon.

“On the Land which HASHEM swore

to grant to your ancestors for you” (lachem) (Dt.11:21).

The text as written in the Torah

does not read: “for you” (lachem).

Rather, the received text reads:

“for them” (lahem),

[thus implying an audience in a future eon].

It turns out, then, that

[we can derive] the revival of the dead

from [this verse in] the Torah!

“As long as the days of Heaven above the earth” (Dt.11:21)—

may the faces of the Righteous

shine like day light.

And so He says:

“May those who love Him march forth like the sun in its glory” (Jud.5:31).

2

R. Shimon b. Yohai says:

In the coming future,

the faces of the Righteous

will greet the face of the Presence

with seven modes of joy.^[1]

And here they are:

“May those who love Him march forth like the sun in its glory” (Jud.5:31).

“Lovely as the moon” (Song 6:10);

“And the Enlightened will shine with the sky’s splendor” (Dan.12:3);

“Like the stars will be those who bring many to righteousness.” (Dan.12:3)

“Like lightning shall they flash” (Nah.2:5);

“Like the lilies” in duration (Ps.45:1);

“And his glory will compare to the olive tree” (Hos.14:7).^[2]

3

And, further, He says:

“A song for ascenders” (shir lama`alot; Ps.121:1)—

this refers to the One Who is preparing

the heavenly ascents for His servants, the Righteous,

in the coming future.

R. Akiva says:

The text [recorded in the Psalter (Ps.121:1)] does not read:

“A song of ascenders” (shir hama`alot; as does Ps.122:1).

Rather, the verse reads:

“A song for ascenders” (lama`alot).

[Since the preposition, la, is numerically equal to “thirty,”]

this suggests that

there are thirty heavenly ascents, each above the other.

Rabbi says:

The text [recorded in the Psalter (Ps. 121:1)] does not read:

“A song for the ascender (lama`aleh).”

Rather, the verse reads:

“A song for ascenders” (lama`alot)—

[the plural doubles the numerical value of the preposition, la,]

suggesting that

there are sixty heavenly ascents, each above the other.

4

Perhaps, since the ascents are arranged

each above the other,

I might infer that there is

enmity, hatred, jealousy, and competition

[among the Righteous in Heaven]?

The Teaching states:

“Like the stars will be those who bring many to righteousness.” (Dan.12:3).

Just as, among the stars, there is no

enmity, hatred, jealousy, and competition,

so, too, among the Righteous!

Just as, among the stars, the light of one is incomparable

to the light of the others,

so, too, among the Righteous!

Another word:

“And those who bring many to righteousness” (Dan.12:3)—

these are the custodians who gather alms.

R. Shimon b. Menasya says:

these are the Elders.

And, similarly He says:

“And may His beloved be like the rising sun in splendor” (Jud.5:31)—

Who is greater?

Those who love or those who engender love in others?

I would say: those who engender love in others!

If those who love “march forth like the sun it its glory,”

it is only logical to conclude that

the same applies to those who engender love!^[3]

5

“And those who bring many to righteousness will be like stars forever and always” (Dan.12:3).

Just as the stars are

lofty and set over all the world’s creatures,

so, too, are the Righteous!

Just as the stars

rule and govern from one end of the earth to the other,

so, too, do the Righteous!

Just as the stars

are at times invisible and at others visible,

so, too, are the Righteous!

Just as the stars are

arrayed in innumerable constellations,

so, to, are the Righteous!

6

Perhaps, the Righteous are in favor

whether they enact the will of the All-Present,

or whether they do not?

The Teaching states [of Abraham]:

“And your descendants shall be like the dust of the earth” (Gn.28:14)—

this means that

if they enact the will of the All-Present

they will indeed be like stars.

But if not, they will indeed by like dust of the earth.

And, similarly, He says:

“For the King of Aram destroyed them,

rendering them like dust into powder” (2Ki.13:7).

7

Another word:

“As long as the days of Heaven above the earth” (Dt.11:21)—

may they continue to exist forever and all eternity!

And, similarly, He says:

“For as the new Heaven and the new earth . . . shall remain before Me . . .

so shall your descendants and your name remain” (Is.66:22).

Now doesn’t it follow logically?

Just as Heaven and Earth,

which were created solely to honor Israel,

continue to exist forever and all eternity,

isn’t it logical that this applies as well to the Righteous,

for whom the world was created?

8

R. Shimon b. Yohai says:

Look at what He says:

“For like the days of a tree are the days of My people” (Is.65:22)—

actually, the term tree implies Torah,

for it is said:

“It is a tree of life to those who cling to it” (Prov.3:18).^[4]

Now doesn’t it follow logically?

Just as the Torah,

which was indeed created solely to honor Israel,

continues to exist forever,

isn’t it logical that this applies as well to the Righteous,

for whom the world was created?

R. Joshua b. Qorhah says:

Look at what He says:

“A generation comes and a generation goes but the earth remains forever” (Ecc.1:4)

Shouldn’t the text have rather read:

“the earth goes and the earth comes, but the righteous generation remains forever”?

Now, however, since Israel changed its behavior,

because of them,^[5]

the All-Present changed the behavior of the world.^[6]

Look at what He says:

“And the number of the children of Israel shall be . . .” (Hos.2:1)

And it is immediately written:

“Like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted” (Hos.2:1).

That is, when Israel enacts the will of the All-Present,

they are

“like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted.”

But if not—

“And the number of the children of Israel shall be” (Hos.2:1)

[finite and diminished].”

And He says:

“Till what remains of you is . . . like a lone flag on a mountain” (Is.30:17).

And He says:

“From a city that sent out a thousand, a hundred shall remain” (Am.5:3).

Another word:

“And the number of the children of Israel shall be . . .” (Hos.2:1)—

this is their number in Heaven’s accounting.

“Like the sand of the sea” (Hos.2:1)—

this is the number in human accounting.

---

1. H:98-100; JN1:152-155.