cant

Jesus said, "A city built and fortified on a high mountain can't fall, nor can it be hidden."

Jesus said, "Whoever doesn't hate their father and mother can't become my disciple, and whoever doesn't hate their brothers and sisters and take up their cross like I do isn't worthy of me."

They saw a Samaritan carrying a lamb to Judea. He said to his disciples, "What do you think he's going to do with that lamb?" They said to him, "He's going to kill it and eat it." He said to them, "While it's living, he won't eat it, but only after he kills it and it becomes a corpse." They said, "He can't do it any other way." He said to them, "You, too, look for a resting place, so that you won't become a corpse and be eaten."

Jesus said, "Someone was planning on having guests. When dinner was ready, they sent their servant to call the visitors. "The servant went to the first and said, 'My master invites you.' "They said, 'Some merchants owe me money. They're coming tonight. I need to go and give them instructions. Excuse me from the dinner.' "The servant went to another one and said, 'My master invites you.' "They said, "I've just bought a house and am needed for the day. I won't have time.' "The servant went to another one and said, 'My master invites you.' "They said, 'My friend is getting married and I'm going to make dinner. I can't come. Excuse me from the dinner.' "The servant went to another one and said, 'My master invites you.' "They said, "I've just bought a farm and am going to collect the rent. I can't come. Excuse me.' "The servant went back and told the master, 'The ones you've invited to the dinner have excused themselves.' "The master said to their servant, 'Go out to the roads and bring whomever you find so that they can have dinner.' "Buyers and merchants won't [enter] the places of my Father."

Jesus said, "Someone was planning on having guests. When dinner was ready, they sent their servant to call the visitors. "The servant went to the first and said, 'My master invites you.' "They said, 'Some merchants owe me money. They're coming tonight. I need to go and give them instructions. Excuse me from the dinner.' "The servant went to another one and said, 'My master invites you.' "They said, "I've just bought a house and am needed for the day. I won't have time.' "The servant went to another one and said, 'My master invites you.' "They said, 'My friend is getting married and I'm going to make dinner. I can't come. Excuse me from the dinner.' "The servant went to another one and said, 'My master invites you.' "They said, "I've just bought a farm and am going to collect the rent. I can't come. Excuse me.' "The servant went back and told the master, 'The ones you've invited to the dinner have excused themselves.' "The master said to their servant, 'Go out to the roads and bring whomever you find so that they can have dinner.' "Buyers and merchants won't [enter] the places of my Father."

Jesus said, "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed shaken by the wind? A [person] wearing fancy clothes, [like your] rulers and powerful people? They (wear) fancy [clothes], but can't know the truth."

"Whoever doesn't hate their [father] and mother as I do can't become my [disciple], and whoever [doesn't] love their [father] and mother as I do can't become my [disciple]. For my mother […], but [my] true [Mother] gave me Life."

"Whoever doesn't hate their [father] and mother as I do can't become my [disciple], and whoever [doesn't] love their [father] and mother as I do can't become my [disciple]. For my mother […], but [my] true [Mother] gave me Life."

The slave seeks only freedom; they don't seek their master's property. But the son isn't just a son; he claims his father's inheritance for himself. Those who inherit the dead are themselves dead, and they inherit the dead. Those who inherit the living are themselves alive, and they inherit (both) the living and the dead. The dead can't inherit anything, because how can the dead inherit? If the dead inherits the living they won't die, but the dead will live even more! A gentile doesn't die, because they've never lived in order that they may die. Whoever has believed in the Truth has lived, and is at risk of dying, because they're alive since the day Christ came. The world is created, the cities gentrified, and the dead carried out.

(So) I myself disagree with the others who say, "It won't arise." Both (sides) are wrong. You who say, "the flesh won't arise," tell me what will arise, so that we may honor you. You say, "the spirit in the flesh and this other light in the flesh." (But) this saying is in the flesh too, because whatever you say, you can't say apart from the flesh. It's necessary to arise in this flesh, since everything exists in it. In this world, people are better than the clothes they wear. In the kingdom of heaven, the clothes are better than the people who wear them.

The impure spirits take male and female [forms]. The males are those that are intimate with the souls which dwell in a female form, and the females are those that mingle with those in a male form through disobedience. No one will be able to escape being bound by them without receiving a male power and a female one – the groom and the bride – in the image of the bridal chamber. When the foolish females see a male sitting alone, they jump on him, play with him, and defile him. In the same way, when the foolish males see a beautiful female sitting alone, they seduce and coerce her, wanting to defile her. But if they see the husband and his wife sitting together, the females can't go inside the husband, nor the males inside the wife. That's what it's like when the image unites with the angel; no one will be able to dare to go inside the [male] or the female.

The powers can't see those who have put on the perfect light, and they can't bind them. But one will put on that light in the mystery of the union.

The powers can't see those who have put on the perfect light, and they can't bind them. But one will put on that light in the mystery of the union.

The world came into being through a transgression, because the one who created it wanted to create it imperishable and immortal. He fell away and didn't get what he wanted, because the world wasn't imperishable, and the one who created it wasn't imperishable; because things aren't imperishable, but rather children. Nothing will be able to receive imperishability without becoming a child. But whoever can't receive, how much more will they be unable to give?

The world is farmed through four things. They gather into barns through water, earth, wind, and light. And in the same way, God farms through four things too: through faith, hope, love, and knowledge. Our earth is the faith in which we're rooted. [And] the [water] is the hope through which [we're] nourished. The wind is the love through which we grow. And the light [is] the knowledge through which we [ripen]. Grace exists in [four kinds. It's] earthly, it's [heavenly, …] the heaven of the heaven […] through [….] Blessed is the one who hasn't […] a soul. This one is Jesus Christ. He went all over the place and didn't burden anyone. So, blessed is someone like this; they're a perfect person, because the Word tells us about how hard it is to keep up. How will we be able to achieve such a great thing? How will he give rest to everyone? First and foremost, it's not right to cause anyone grief – whether great or small, or faithless or faithful – and then give rest to those who are (already) at rest among those who are well off. There are some who benefit from giving rest to the one who's well off. Whoever does good can't give rest to them because they can't just do whatever they want; they can't cause grief because they can't cause distress, but sometimes the one who's well off causes them grief. They're not like that, but it's their (own) evil that causes them grief. Whoever has the nature (of the perfect person) gives joy to the one who's good, but some grieve terribly at this.

The world is farmed through four things. They gather into barns through water, earth, wind, and light. And in the same way, God farms through four things too: through faith, hope, love, and knowledge. Our earth is the faith in which we're rooted. [And] the [water] is the hope through which [we're] nourished. The wind is the love through which we grow. And the light [is] the knowledge through which we [ripen]. Grace exists in [four kinds. It's] earthly, it's [heavenly, …] the heaven of the heaven […] through [….] Blessed is the one who hasn't […] a soul. This one is Jesus Christ. He went all over the place and didn't burden anyone. So, blessed is someone like this; they're a perfect person, because the Word tells us about how hard it is to keep up. How will we be able to achieve such a great thing? How will he give rest to everyone? First and foremost, it's not right to cause anyone grief – whether great or small, or faithless or faithful – and then give rest to those who are (already) at rest among those who are well off. There are some who benefit from giving rest to the one who's well off. Whoever does good can't give rest to them because they can't just do whatever they want; they can't cause grief because they can't cause distress, but sometimes the one who's well off causes them grief. They're not like that, but it's their (own) evil that causes them grief. Whoever has the nature (of the perfect person) gives joy to the one who's good, but some grieve terribly at this.

The world is farmed through four things. They gather into barns through water, earth, wind, and light. And in the same way, God farms through four things too: through faith, hope, love, and knowledge. Our earth is the faith in which we're rooted. [And] the [water] is the hope through which [we're] nourished. The wind is the love through which we grow. And the light [is] the knowledge through which we [ripen]. Grace exists in [four kinds. It's] earthly, it's [heavenly, …] the heaven of the heaven […] through [….] Blessed is the one who hasn't […] a soul. This one is Jesus Christ. He went all over the place and didn't burden anyone. So, blessed is someone like this; they're a perfect person, because the Word tells us about how hard it is to keep up. How will we be able to achieve such a great thing? How will he give rest to everyone? First and foremost, it's not right to cause anyone grief – whether great or small, or faithless or faithful – and then give rest to those who are (already) at rest among those who are well off. There are some who benefit from giving rest to the one who's well off. Whoever does good can't give rest to them because they can't just do whatever they want; they can't cause grief because they can't cause distress, but sometimes the one who's well off causes them grief. They're not like that, but it's their (own) evil that causes them grief. Whoever has the nature (of the perfect person) gives joy to the one who's good, but some grieve terribly at this.

The world is farmed through four things. They gather into barns through water, earth, wind, and light. And in the same way, God farms through four things too: through faith, hope, love, and knowledge. Our earth is the faith in which we're rooted. [And] the [water] is the hope through which [we're] nourished. The wind is the love through which we grow. And the light [is] the knowledge through which we [ripen]. Grace exists in [four kinds. It's] earthly, it's [heavenly, …] the heaven of the heaven […] through [….] Blessed is the one who hasn't […] a soul. This one is Jesus Christ. He went all over the place and didn't burden anyone. So, blessed is someone like this; they're a perfect person, because the Word tells us about how hard it is to keep up. How will we be able to achieve such a great thing? How will he give rest to everyone? First and foremost, it's not right to cause anyone grief – whether great or small, or faithless or faithful – and then give rest to those who are (already) at rest among those who are well off. There are some who benefit from giving rest to the one who's well off. Whoever does good can't give rest to them because they can't just do whatever they want; they can't cause grief because they can't cause distress, but sometimes the one who's well off causes them grief. They're not like that, but it's their (own) evil that causes them grief. Whoever has the nature (of the perfect person) gives joy to the one who's good, but some grieve terribly at this.

There's the Son of Humanity, and there's the son of the Son of Humanity. The Lord is the Son of Humanity, and the son of the Son of Humanity is the one who creates through the Son of Humanity. The Son of Humanity received from God the ability to create. He (also) has the ability to beget. The one who received the ability to create is a creature; the one who received the ability to beget is begotten. The one who creates can't beget; the one who begets can create. They say, "The one who creates, begets." But what they beget is a creature. [So] their begotten aren't their children, but they're […]. The one who creates works [publicly], and are themselves [revealed]. The one who begets, begets [secretly], and they're hidden […] the image. [Again], the one who [creates, creates] publicly, but the one who begets, [begets] children secretly.

VV, Vau, is extended by another (Vau, as it is written VV, for likewise it is elsewhere written with I in the name OB, Aub, and by A in the names SG, Seg, and MH, Mah, in this manner VAV. So also in the name BN, Ben, it is thus written, VV. But to be disclosed it is fully written). Like as it is written, Cant. vii. 9, “Going down sweetly to my delight” (where by “sweetly” are understood these two letters VV properly extended).

The serpent (which was made from the rod of Moses—that is, the shell—NVGH, Nogah, or splendour) which rusheth forth with three hundred and seventy leaps (the thirty-two names together with the five letters of ALHIM, Elohim, which make 37, multiplied by the decad 370, and the judgments of the bride are denoted, to which that shell directeth his springs, because he is of middle nature betwixt the holy and the profane). “He leapeth upon the mountains, and rusheth swiftly over the hills,” like as it is written (Cant. ii. 8. That is, he leapeth high above the rest of the shells). He holdeth his tail in his mouth between his teeth (that is, his extremity, by which he is linked to the shells, turneth towards his other extremity wherewith he looketh towards holiness). He is pierced through on either side (so that he may seek to receive the superior and inferior nature). When the chief ariseth (who is Metatron) he is changed into three spirits (that is, he assumeth the nature of three inferior shells).

Concerning which it is written, Cant. v. 2: “My head is filled with dew.” Is it not written: “It is full with dew;” but NMLA, Nimla, “it is filled.”

“Nevertheless, thus is the tradition: It is written, Cant. v. 11: ‘His locks are bushy and black as a raven.’

Rabbi Chisqiah arose, and began his speech, and said, Cant. vii. 10: “I am my beloved's, and his desire is towards me.”

Rabbi Schimeon commenced, and said, Cant. ii. 3: “‘Like as the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons.’

“Concerning you is it written, Cant. vii. 9: ‘And the roof of thy mouth, like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.’

They are excellent as the great and foliated cedars. This is that which is written, Cant. v. 15: “Excellent as the cedars.”

Like as it is written, Cant. v. 12: “Washed with milk.” What is “with milk?” With this excellent primal whiteness.

This is the same which is written, Cant. iv. 2: “Which go up from the washing, which are all twins.”

What are the places of fragrance? Like as it is said, Cant. v. 13: “Like a bed (singular) of spices,” and not “beds” (plural).

And also the hairs being black, and in careful order, like a handsome man, as it is written, Cant. v. 15: “Excellent as the cedars.”

“This is that same which is written, Cant. v. 11: ‘His locks are bushy, ThLThLIM, Teltelim,’ as if it were ThLI ThLIM, curls heaped upon curls.

“But concerning this it is written, Cant. v. 13: ‘His lips like roses (that is, red as roses), dropping sweet-smelling myrrh while passing over;’ which denoteth notable redness.

“This is that which is said, Cant. iv. 4: ‘Wherein there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.’ And this ‘thousand shields’ is an Arcanum.

“And He appeareth upon the (Red) Sea, like a beautiful youth, which is written in Cant. v. 16: ‘Excellent (or young) as the cedars.’

This is that which is written, Cant. vii. 5: “The hair of Thy head like ARGMN, Argaman, purple.”

And this is that which is written, Cant. v. 15: “His legs are as columns, ShSh, Shesh, of the Number Six.”

We have learned that because the one hath been tempered by the other, hence it is written, Cant. i. 11: “We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.” For judgment and mercy are connected together (otherwise, judgment is tempered through mercy), and She is mitigated by Him.

We have learned in exotic tradition that this is the sense of “We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver” (Cant. i. 11), that judgment is mitigated through mercy, so that there can be no judgment in which mercy is not found.

Rabbi Schimeon commenced, and said, Cant. vii. 10: “‘I am my beloved’s, and his desire is towards me.’

As it is written, Cant. v. 12: “Washed with milk,” flowing down from the fulness of that primal white brilliance.

In the Book of Rav Hamenuna the Elder it is said that Solomon revealeth the primal conformation (that is, the Mother) when he saith, Cant. i. 15: “Behold, thou art fair, my love;” wherefore he followeth it out himself.

But at the end all his praise pertaineth unto Her who is supernal, as it is written, Cant. vi. 9: “She is the only one of Her Mother, She is the choice one of Her that bare Her.”

And concerning His Bride it is written, Cant. vii. 9: “And the smell of thy nostril like apples.” Which if it be true concerning the Bride, how much more concerning Himself? And this is a notable saying.

THOSE hairs cover not the lips, and the entire lips are red and rosy. As it is written, Cant. v. 13, “His lips as roses.” (In the ordinary version ShVShNIM, Shushanim, is translated “lilies,” not “roses.”)

And therefore is it written, Cant. v. 16: “His mouth is most sweet.” And this same palate of His conveyeth a sweet taste; wherefore He smileth when He tasteth food (which is pleasant).

The letter H, He, the golden-yellow colour (otherwise, germinating power) of the Mother, Aima, having been connected with the Female Power, is extended in the Greater Female Potency into the desire of the Holy City, which two (otherwise, for these places) are mutually bound together the one unto the other (these two are Aima, the supernal H of IHVH, and the Holy City, the Bride, as She is called in the Apocalypse, the final H of IHVH). (And the guttural letter H, He, formeth the palatal letter K, Kaph, which is referred unto the Queen.) As it is written, Cant. iv. 6: “Unto the mountain of myrrh, unto the hill of frankincense.”

And She (the Bride) adhereth unto the side of the Male; wherefore also She is called, Cant. v. ii., “My dove, my perfect one.” Read not, “ThMThI, Thamathi, My perfect one;” but “ThAVMThI, Theomathi, My twin sister,” more applicably.

The hairs of the Woman contain colours upon colours, as it is written, Cant. vii. 5: “The hair of Thy head like purple.”

And therefore is it written, Cant. viii. 8: “We have a little sister and she hath no breasts.”

As it is written, Cant. viii. 10: “I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers.”

An Imki sandal and a laced-up bag, Rabbi Judah says: also an Egyptian basket; Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says: also to a Lattakian sandal can be made susceptible to uncleanness and again be made insusceptible without the aid of a craftsman. Rabbi Yose said: But can't all vessels be made susceptible to uncleanness and again insusceptible without the aid of a craftsman? Rather, these, even when they are unlaced are susceptible to uncleanness since a layman is able to restore them. They spoke only of an Egyptian basket which even a craftsman cannot [easily] restore.

But Rebbi Yoḥanan required that traditions should be reported in his name. Also David begged for divine mercy in this respect, (Ps. 61:5) “may I dwell in Your tent forever!” Rebbi Phineas, Rebbi Jeremiah, in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan; Could David think of living forever? Rather, David meant: May I have the merit that my words will be mentioned in my name in synagogues and houses of study. What good does that do to him? Levi, the son of the Nazir said: If someone mentions a tradition in the name of its author, the latter’s lips whisper with him in the grave. What is the reason? (Cant. 7:10) “Dripping from the lips of the sleeping ones.” Like that bunch of grapes which drips by itself. Rebbi Ḥanina bar Pappai and Rebbi Simon, one said, like one who drinks spiced wine, the other said, like one who drinks old wine, even though he consumed it, its taste remains in his mouth.

Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said: (1Kings 6:17) “That is the Temple לִפְנָי”, Inside. A Temple towards which all turn. So far when it is standing. In its destruction, from where? Rebbi Abun said (Cant. 4:4): “Built for talpiot”, a mound (תל) on which all mouths (פיות) pray, in Grace, recitation of Shema, and Amidah. In Grace, “Builder of Jerusalem”. In Amidah, “God of David Who builds Jerusalem”. In the recitation of Shema‘, “He Who spreads a hut of peace over us and His people Israel, Consoler of Zion and Builder of Jerusalem.”

Rebbi said to Rav Periri: Would you show me the bunch of grapes in your vineyard? He said to him, if you come out, I will show it. When he was still far away, he spied something like an ox. He said to him, does not the ox destroy the vineyard? He said to him, what you take for an ox is the bunch of grapes. He quoted for it (Cant. 1:12): “As long as the King was at his round table, my nard gave its fragrance;” the Temple is destroyed and you persist in your obstinacy? Immediately, they looked for it and it was never found again.

Rebbi Justus bar Shunem said, when the people of the Diaspora arrive at Taurus Amanus they will sing. What is the reason? (Cant. 4:8) “Sing from the top of Amanah”.

Rebbi Justus bar Shunem said, when the people of the Diaspora arrive at Taurus Amanus they will sing. What is the reason? (Cant. 4:8) “Sing from the top of Amanah”.

Rab Hisda said : The calf of a woman's leg is to be regarded as nakedness; as it is said, "Uncover the leg, pass through the rivers" (Is. xlvii. 2) and it continues, "Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen" (Is. xlvii. 3). Samuel said : A woman's voice is to be regarded as nakedness ; as it is said, "For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely" (Cant. ii. 14). ab Sheshet said: A woman's hair is to be regarded as nakedness; as it is said, "Thy hair is as a flock of goats" (ibid. iv. 1).

R. Abin (another version : R. Abina) said : What Scriptural authority is there for this ? "Thy neck is like the tower of David, builded with turrets [talpiyyot] (Cant, iv. 4), i.e. a heap [tel] for all mouths [piyyot].

Who dreams of shaving should on rising say, "And [Joseph] shaved himself and changed his raiment" (Gen. xli. 14), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me" (Judges xvi. 17). Who dreams of a well should on rising say, "A well of living waters" (Cant. iv. 15), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "As a cistern welleth with her waters, so she welleth with her wickedness" (Jer. vi. 7). Who dreams of a reed should on rising say, "A bruised reed shall he not break" (Is. xlii. 3), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "Behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed" (ibid, xxxvi. 6).

Who dreams of the fig, his Torah will be preserved within him ; as it is said, "Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof" (Prov. xxvii. 18). Who dreams of pomegranates, if small, his business will bear fruit like the pomegranate ; if large, his business will grow like the pomegranate ; if split open, should he be a disciple of the wise, he may hope for Torah ; as it is said, "I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate" (Cant. viii. 2); but should he be an 'Am ha'ares, he may hope for commandments [to perform], as it is said, "Thy temples [rakkah] are like a pomegranate split open" (ibid. iv. 3). What means rakkah? Even the illiterate [rekanim] amongst thee will be full of commandments as a pomegranate [is full of seeds].

Now you should think that the one who insists on permission to eat it [in order for it to be valid] does not insist upon [its having] monetary value, and that the one who insists upon monetary value does not insist upon permission to eat it It was taught: [An etrog] of unclean terumah, is invalid. This goes well according to him who explains, because there is no permission to eat it, but according to him who explains [that it can't be used] because it has no monetary value, why not? Behold he can kindle it under his cooking!

R. Berechiah said: The Congregation of Israel likewise presented her request in careless language, but the Holy One, blessed be He, answered it favorably. The Congregation of Israel said to Him: Master of the World! "Let us know, eagerly strive to know the Lord, His going forth is sure as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth" (Hos., 6.3). The Holy One, blessed be He, however, replied to her: My daughter! Thou art asking for something which is desirable at times and undesirable at others; I wish to be unto thee something that is desirable at all times, as it is said (ibid., 14.6): "I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon." The Congregation further asked and said: Master of the World! "Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm" (Cant., 8.6). The Holy one, blessed be He, replied to her: My daughter! thou askest for something that is visible at times and invisible at others; I shall make of thee something that is visible at all times, as it is said (Is., 49.16): "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; thy walls are continually before Me."

R. Eleazar said: When the libation is offered during the Feast of Tabernacles, one deep says to the other: "Let thy water spring forth, I hear the voice of two comrades," for it is said (Ps., 42. 8): "Deep calleth unto deep at the voice of Thy cataracts." Said Rabbah bar Bar Ḥanah, I saw that Ridya; he resembles a heifer of three years old; his lip is split and he is stationed between the upper and the lower deep; to the upper deep he says: "Pour down thy water," and to the lower deep: "Let thy water spring up," as it is said (Cant., 2. 12): "The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land."

8. Said Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel: The Israelites never had such joyous days as the fifteenth of Ab and the Day of Atonement, for on those days the sons of Jerusalem used to go out dressed in white garments, which they borrowed from one another in order not to cause shame to him who had none of his own. All these garments had to be immersed (before they were used). The daughters of Jerusalem too used to go out on these days and dance in the vineyards, saying, "Young man, lift up thine eyes, and consider what thou wilt select for thyself (as a wife); do not fix thine eyes upon beauty, but consider the family." And the young man replied (Cant. 3.11): "Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and gaze upon King Solomon, even upon the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart."

R. Tanchum said, He that is lame in one foot is exempt from the holocaust, as it is said, "footgoing times." And this expression, "footgoing times," must mean to exempt men with wooden legs. This comes out of the expression "steps," for there is a Baraitha, viz., Steps are not steps but feet, and so He says, "The foot shall tread it down, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy" (Is. xxvi. 6), and He says, "How beautiful are thy steps in shoes, O prince's daughter!" (Cant. vii. 1). Rabba expounds thus, What is the meaning of that which is written, "How beautiful are thy steps in shoes, O prince's daughter"? It means, How comely are the feet of Israel at the time when they go up to the feast! "Prince's daughter" means daughter of Abraham our father, who is called prince, as it is said, "The princes of the peoples are gathered together to be the people of the God of Abraham:" (Ps. xlvii. 9) "God of Abraham," and not God of Isaac and Jacob, but "God of Abraham"; for he was the first of the proselytes.

R. Jochanan said to R. El'azar, Come, I will fully instruct thee in the subject of the Chariot. He said to him, I am not old enough. When he was old enough, R. Jochanan's soul had passed away. R. Asi said to him, Come, and I will fully instruct thee in the subject of the Chariot. He said to him, If I had been worthy, I should have received full instruction from R. Jochanan thy teacher. R. Joseph was giving full instruction in the subject of the Chariot. The wise men of Pumbeditha were teaching the subject of Creation. They said to him, Would that our lord would instruct us fully in the subject of the Chariot. He said to them, Instruct me fully in the subject of Creation. After they had instructed him fully, they said to him, Would that our lord would instruct us fully in the subject of the Chariot. He said to them, There is a Baraitha with reference to these things which says, "Honey and milk are under thy tongue" (Cant. iv. 11). Let words sweeter than honey and milk be under thy tongue. R. Abohu said, It is drawn from this passage, viz., "things to be concealed under thy clothes" (Prov. xxvii. 26), that is to say, things which are the secrets of the world shall be under thy clothes. They said to him, We have worked in them as far as the words, "And he said unto me, Son of man" (Ezek. ii. 1). He said to them, But this is the subject of the Chariot. Some one puts a difficulty. How far does the subject of the Chariot reach? Rab says, It reaches to the last occurrence of the expression, "I saw" (Ezek. i. 27). R. Isaac says, It reaches to the Chashmal. We instruct fully to the words, "and I saw;" thenceforward we only impart the heads of the divisions. There are others who say, As far as, "and I saw," we impart the heads of the divisions; thenceforward, if the man be wise and of ready intelligence, Yes; if not, No. And how are we to expound in Chashmal? For there is the story of the child, who was studying in Chashmal, and there came out a fire and consumed him. The case of the child is different, for he had not reached the fitting age.

There is a passage which says, "His raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool" (Dan. vii. 9), and yet it is written, "His locks are curling and black as a raven" (Cant. v. 11). There is no difficulty. The one is the case where He is engaged in session, the other where He is engaged in war. For the Mishnah teacher said, No one, look you, is nobler in session than an old man, and no one, look you, is nobler in war than a youth. One passage says, "His throne was fiery flames," but another says, "till thrones were placed, and one that was ancient of days did sit" (Dan. vii. 9). There is no difficulty, One throne is for Him and one for David. As says a Baraitha, viz., One for him and one for David. These are the words of R. Akiba. R. Jose the Galilaean said to him, Akiba, how long dost thou shew irreverence to the Shechinah? Nay, but one is for judgment and one for grace. Was he convinced by him, or was he not? Come and hear. One is for judgment and one for grace. These are the words of R. Akiba. R. El'azar ben Azariah said to him, Akiba, what hast thou to do with Haggadah? Be off. Thy sayings have to do with stripes and bitters. But the real meaning is that one is for a throne and one for a footstool; a throne that He may sit upon it, and a footstool as the resting-place for His feet, as it is said, "The heaven is my throne and the earth is the resting-place of my feet" (Is. lxvi. 1).

When R. Dimi came, he said, They say in the West, R. Meir was eating a date and threw away the stone. Rabba expounded the meaning of the passage, "I went down into the garden of nuts, to see the green plants of the valley, etc." (Cant. vi. 11) Why are the disciples of wise men likened to a nut? It is to tell thee that, just as, although this nut be soiled with mud and dirt, what is in the heart of it is not therefore rejected, so also, although a disciple of a wise man has sinned, his study of the Law is not rejected.

R. Akiba went in to Paradise in peace and came down from it in peace. And it is of him that the Scripture says, "Draw me; we will run after thee" (Cant. i. 4). And also the angels of the ministry sought to thrust away R. Akiba. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, Leave this elder, for he is worthy to avail himself of my glory.

What did he expound? Rabbah bar bar-Channah said that R. Jochanan said, "And he came from the ten thousands of holy ones" (Deut. xxxiii. 2). He is clearly marked among His ten thousand. And R. Abohu said, "The chiefest among ten thousand" (Cant. v. 10). He is a sign among His ten thousand. And Resh Lakish said, "The LORD of hosts is His name" (Is. xlviii. 2). He is LORD amid His host. And R. Chia bar Abba said that R. Jochanan said, "The LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And behold, the LORD passed by" (1 Kings xix. 11, 12).

R. Abohu said that R. Eliezer said, As to the disciples of the wise, the flame of Gehenna has no power over them. For this is shewn by an a fortiori argument drawn from the salamander. And what is the salamander? It is a creature of fire. He that anoints himself with its blood, flame has no power over him. How much more the disciples of the wise, whose whole body is fire, as it is written, "Is not my word like as fire, saith the LORD?" (Jer. xxiii. 29) Resh Lakish said, The flame of Gehenna has no power over the transgressors of Israel. How much less over the altar of gold! As in the case of the altar of gold, upon which is only about the thickness of a denarius of gold, for ever so many years the flame has had no power over it, how much less can it have power over the transgressors of Israel, who are full of the commandments as a pomegranate is full of seeds, as it is written, "Thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate" (Cant. iv. 3). Read not, "thy temples" but, the vain fellows that are in thee.

I would think, since you can't obligate a friend, so too you can't obligate yourself. It comes to teach us [he does pay].

I would think, since you can't obligate a friend, so too you can't obligate yourself. It comes to teach us [he does pay].

And Rebbi Yochanon would say to you, I can even say like Rebbi Yehudah that Rebbi Yehudah only said [that we don't believe the witnesses] over there, because we can't expect the whole world to have been by them [the same two witnesses]. But over here [by this woman], these [witnesses] knew their testimony, and these [witnesses] did not know their testimony.

Rava answered, this is what we say to them, Did you come to see or did you come to testify? If they respond that they came to testify, then if one of them is found to be a relative or a disqualified [witness], the whole [group of] testimony is dismissed. But if they respond that they came to see, [then they can't disqualify the whole group because otherwise] what should two brothers do who together witnessed a murder?

[Is it needed to teach us that it's forbidden do] dwell [in the boundary of the city of refuge]? Derive that from the rule that we can't make a field into an open area, nor an open area into a field, nor an open are into a city, nor a city into an open area. Rav Sheises says, We only need [the verse] to teach us about tunnels. [that it's forbidden to dwell in an underground tunnel which extends into the boundary.]

And why do the Rabbis need achoso d'seifa? To make one liable for his sister who is his father's daughter and his mother's daughter [his full sister], to teach that we can't derive punishment from a kal v'chomer [specifically that we don't derive it from the prohibitions on both half sisters].