(ד) אִשְׁתַּטַּח רִבִּי חִיָּיא בְּאַרְעָא וּנְשַׁק לְעַפְרָא, וּבְכָה וְאָמַר עַפְרָא עַפְרָא כַּמָּה אַתְּ קְשֵׁי קְדַל, כַּמָּה אַתְּ בַּחֲצִיפוּ. דְּכָל מַחֲמַדֵּי עֵינָא יִתְבְּלוּן בָּךְ, כָּל עַמּוּדֵי נְהוֹרִין דְּעָלְמָא תֵּיכוּל וְתֵידוּק. כַּמָּה אַתְּ חֲצִיפָא, בּוֹצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּהֲוָה נָהִיר עָלְמָא, שַׁלִּיטָא רַבְרְבָא מְמַנָּא דִּזְכוּתֵיהּ מְקַיֵּים עָלְמָא אִתְבְּלֵי בָּךְ. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן נְהִירוּ דְּבוּצִינָא נְהִירוּ דְּעָלְמִין אַנְתְּ בָּלֵי בְּעַפְרָא וְאַנְתְּ קַיַּים וְנָהֵג עָלְמָא. אִשְׁתּוֹמֵם רִגְעָא חָדָא, וְאָמַר עַפְרָא עַפְרָא לָא תִתְגָּאֵי דְּלָא יִתְמַסְּרוּן בָּךְ עַמּוּדִין דְּעָלְמָא דְּהָא רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לָא אִתְבְּלֵי בָּךְ.
(ה) קָם רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְהֲוָה בָּכֵי. אֲזַל וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי עִמֵּיהּ. מֵהַהוּא יוֹמָא אִתְעַנֵּי אַרְבְּעִין יוֹמִין לְמֶחמֵי לְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ לֵית אַנְתְּ רַשַּׁאי לְמֶחֱמֵי לֵיהּ. בְּכָה וְאִתְעַנִּי אַרְבְּעִין יוֹמִין אַחֲרִינִין. אַחֲזִיאוּ לֵיהּ בְּחֶזְוָוא לְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ, דְּהֲווּ לָעָאן בְּמִלָּה דָא דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְהֲווּ כַּמָּה אַלְפִין צַיְיתִין לְמִלּוּלֵיהּ. אַדְהָכִי חֲמָא כַּמָּה גַדְפִין רַבְרְבִין עִלָּאִין וּסְלִיקוּ עֲלַייהוּ רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ וּסְלִיקוּ לִמְתִיבְתָּא דִרְקִיעָא, וְכָל אִלֵּין גַּדְפִין הֲווּ מְחַכָּאן לְהוּ. חֲמָא דְמִתְהַדְּרָן וּמִתְחַדְּשָׁן בְּזִיווֹן וּנְהִירוּ יַתִּיר מִנְהוֹרָא דְזִיוָא דְשִׁמְשָׁא.
(ו) פָּתַח רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר יִיִעוּל רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְלֶיחמֵי בְּכְּמָה דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְחַדְתָּא אַנְפֵּי צַדִּיקַיָּיא לְזִמְנָא דְּאֲתֵי. זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מַאן דְּעָאל הָכָא בְּלָא כִסּוּפָא, וְזַכָּאָה מַאן דְּקָאִים בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא כְּעַמּוּדָא תַּקִּיף בְּכֹלָא. וְחֲמָא דְּהֲוָה עָאל, וְהֲוָה קָם רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וּשְׁאָר עַמּוּדִין דְּיָתְבִין תַּמָּן. וְהוּא הֲוָה כְּסִיף וְאַשְׁמִיט גַרְמֵיהּ וְעָאל וְיָתִיב לְרַגְלוֹי דְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן.
(ז) קָלָא נָפַק וְאָמַר מָאִיךְ עֵינָךְ. לָא תִזְקוֹף רֵישָׁךְ, וְלָא תִסְתַּכַּל. מָאִיךְ עֵינוֹי וְחֲמָא נְהוֹרָא דְּהֲוָה נָהִיר לְמֵרָחוֹק. קָלָא אַהֲדַר כְּמִלְקַדְּמִין וְאָמַר עִלָּאִין טְמִירִין סְתִימִין פְּקִיחֵי עֵינָא אִנּוּן דִּמְשָׁטְטִין בְּכָל עָלְמָא אִסְתְּכָּלוּ וְחֲמוּ. תַּתָּאִין (נ''א תנאין) דְּמִיכִין סְתִימִין בְּחוֹרֵיכוֹן אִתְעָרוּ.
(ח) מָאן מִנְכוֹן דִּי חֲשׁוֹכָא מְהַפְּכָן לִנְהוֹרָא וְטָעֲמִין מְרִירָא לְמִתְקָא עַד לָא יֵיתוֹן הָכָא. מָאן מִנְּכוֹן דִּמְחַכָּאן בְּכָל יוֹמָא לִנְהוֹרָא דְנָהִיר בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְמַלְכָּא פָּקִיד (ויקהל קצ''ו ע''א) לְאַיַּלְתָּא וְאִתְיַיקַר וְאִתְקְרֵי מַלְכָּא מִכָּל מַלְכִין דְּעָלְמָא. מָאן דְּלָא מְצַפֶּה דָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, לֵית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא הָכָא.
(ט) אַדְּהָכִי חֲמָא כַּמָּה מִן חַבְרַיָיא סַחֲרָנֵיהּ כָּל אִנּוּן עַמּוּדִין דְּקַיָּימִין. וְחֲמָא דִסְלִיקוּ לוֹן לִמְתִיבְתָּא דִרְקִיעָא. אִלֵּין סַלְקִין וְאִלֵּין נָחֲתִין, וְעֵילָא דְּכוּלְהוּ חֲמָא מָארֵי דְגַדְפֵי דְּהֲוָה אָתֵי וְהוּא אוֹמֵי אוֹמָאָה דְּשָׁמַע מֵאֲחוֹרֵי פַּרְגּוֹדָא דְּמַלְכָּא מַפְקַד בְּכָל יוֹמָא וּדְכִיר לְאַיַּלְתָּא דִי שְׁכִיבַת לְעַפְרָא, וּבְעַט בְּעִיטִין בְּהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא בִּתְלַת (שמות מ''ב) מְאָה וְתִשְׁעִין רְקִיעִין, וְכֻלְהוּ מְרַתְּתִין וְזָעִין
(א) קַמֵּיהּ. וְאוֹרִיד דִּמְעִין עַל דָּא, וְנָפְלֵי אִנּוּן דִּמְעִין רְתִיחִין כְּאֶשָׁא לְגוֹ יַמָּא רַבָּא, וּמְאִנּוּן דִּמְעִין קָאִים הַהוּא מְמַנָּא דְיַמָּא וְאִתְקְיַּים וְקָדִישׁ שְׁמֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא וְקָבִּיל עֲלֵיהּ לְמִבְלַע כָּל מֵימוֹי דִּבְרֵאשִׁית וְיִכְנוֹשׁ לְהוּ לְגַוֵּיהּ בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְיִתְכַּנְשׁוּן כָּל עַמְמַיָּא עַל עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא, וִינַגְבוֹן מַיָּא, וְיַעַבְרוּן בִּנְגִיבוּ.
(ב) אַדְהָכִי שָׁמַע קָלָא דְּאָמַר פַּנּוּן אֲתַר, פַּנּוּן אֲתַר דְּהָא מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא אָתֵי לִמְתִיבְתָּא דְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בְּגִין דְּכָל צַדִּיקַיָּיא דְּתַמָּן רֵישֵׁי מְתִיבְתָּא וְאִנּוּן מְתִיבְתֵּי דְתַמָּן רְשִׁימִין אִנּוּן. וְכָל אִנּוּן חַבְרִין דִּי בְּכָל מְתִיבְתָּא סַלְקֵי (סלקין) מִמְּתִיבְתָּא דְּהָכָא לִמְתִיבְתָּא דִרְקִיעָא. וּמָשִׁיחַ אָתֵי בְּכָל אִנּוּן מְתִיבְתֵּי וְחָתִים אוֹרַיְיתָא מִפּוּמַיְיהוּ דְרַבָּנָן. וּבְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא אָתֵי מָשִׁיחַ מִתְעַטֵּר מִן (נ''א רישי) רֵיחֵי מְתִיבְתֵּי בְּעִטְרִין עִלָּאִין.
(ג) בְּהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא קָמוּ כָּל אִנּוּן חַבְרַיָיא וְקָם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְהֲוָה סָלִיק נְהוֹרֵיהּ עַד רוּם רָקִיעַ, אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי זַכָּאָה אַנְתְּ דְּאוֹרַיְיתָךְ סָלְקָא בִּתְלַת מְאָה וְשִׁבְעִין נְהוֹרִין, וְכָל נְהוֹרָא וּנְהוֹרָא אִתְפַּרְשַׁת לְשִׁית מְאָה וּתְלֵיסַר טַעֲמִין סָלְקִין וְאִסְתַחְיָין בְּנַהֲרֵי אֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַכְיָא. וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִיהוּ חָתִים אוֹרַיְיתָא מִמְּתִיבְתָּךְ וּמִמְתִיבְתָּא דְּחִזְקִיָּה מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה וּמִגּוֹ מְתִיבְתָּא דְּאֲחִיָּה הַשִּׁילוֹנִי. וְאֲנָא לָא אָתֵינָא לְמִחְתַּם מִמְתִיבְתָּךְ, אֶלָא) מָארֵי דְגַדְפִין אָתֵי הָכָא, דְּהָא יְדַעְנָא דְלָא יֵיעוּל גּוֹ מְתִיבְתֵּי אַחְרִיתִּי אֶלָּא בִּמְתִיבְתָּךְ.
(ד) בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא סָח לֵיהּ רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הַהוּא אוֹמָאָה דְּאוֹמֵי מָארֵי דְגַדְּפִין. כְּדֵין אִזְדַּעְזַע מָשִׁיחַ וְאָרִים קָלֵיהּ וְאִזְדַּעְזְעוּ רְקִיעִין וְאִזְדַּעְזַע יַמָּא רַבָּא וְאִזְדַּעְזַע לִוְיָתָן וְחָשִׁיב עָלְמָא לְאִתְהַפְּכָא. אַדְהָכִי חָמָא לְרִבִּי חִיָּיא לְרַגְלוֹי דְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. אָמַר מָאן יָהִיב הָכָא בַּר נָשׁ לָבִישׁ מַדָּא דְהַהוּא עָלְמָא. אָמַר (ליה) רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן דָּא אִיהוּ רִבִּי חִיָּיא נְהִירוּ דְבוּצִינָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ יִתְכַּנֵּשׁ הוּא וּבְנוֹי וְלֶיהֱווֹן מִמְתִיבְתָּא דִילָךְ. אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן זִמְנָא יִתְיְיהִיב לֵיהּ. יָהֲבוּ לֵיהּ זִמְנָא וְנָפַק מִתַּמָּן מִזְדַּעְזַע וְזָלְגָן עֵינוֹי דִמְעִין. אִזְדַּעְזַע רִבִּי חִיָּיא וּבְכָה וְאָמַר זַכָּאָה חוּלַקְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָיא בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, וְזַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּבַר יוֹחָאי דְּזָכָה לְכָךְ. עֲלֵיהּ כְּתִיב, (משלי ח׳:כ״א) לְהַנְחִיל אוֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ וְאוֹצְרוֹתֵיהֶם אֲמַלֵּא.
(4) Rabbi Chiya prostrated himself on the earth, kissed the dust and cried out, Dust, dust, how stiff-necked you are; how shameless you are that all the delights of the eye perish within you! You consume all the beacons of light in the world and grind them. How impertinent you are! The Holy Light that illuminates the world — the great leader who governs the entire world and whose merit sustains the world — is consumed by you! Rabbi Shimon, the Light of the Illumination, the Light of the Worlds, you perish in the dust while you sustain and govern the world! He then fell into a reverie for a moment and said, Dust, dust, be not proud, because the pillars of the world will not be delivered into your hands and Rabbi Shimon shall not be consumed by you!
(5) Rabbi Chiya stood up and walked along weeping, accompanied by Rabbi Yossi. He fasted from that day on for forty days so that he might meet with Rabbi Shimon. They told him, you are not fit to see him. He then wept and fasted for another forty days. They showed him Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Elazar his son, in a vision. They were discussing the interpretation of that word which Rabbi Yossi mentioned. And many thousands were listening to his words. Meanwhile, he saw many great celestial wings. Rabbi Shimon and his son Rabbi Elazar mounted on them and were borne aloft to the Celestial Assembly. And all those wings were waiting for them. He then saw [Shimon and his son Elazar] were renewed constantly by their own splendor and shone more than the sun.
(6) Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion by saying, Let Rabbi Chiya enter and see how much the Holy One, blessed be He, shall restore the faces of the righteous in the World to Come. How happy is he who comes here without shame, and how happy is he who stands erect in that world as a strong pillar that bears all! [Chiya] saw him[self] entering, and Rabbi Elazar stood up. So did all of the other pillars, [of the world] which had previously been sitting there. And he, [Chiya] was embarrassed. As he entered, he detached himself and sat at the feet of Rabbi Shimon.
(7) A voice came forth, saying: Lower your eyes, do not raise your head up, and do not look! He lowered his eyes and saw a light that shone from afar. The voice returned and said: You hidden and unseen celestials on high, you who are clever and wander throughout the world, behold and see! Earthly beings that are in slumber, concealed in Your sockets [eyes], wake up!
(8) Who among you has, transformed darkness into light, and the taste of bitter into sweet, before he came here? Who among you has awaited eagerly every day the light that shines when the King calls upon the Gazelle? [The Shekhinah] For then - the Shekhinah [increases], and He is called the King of all the other kings of the world. Because he who does not await eagerly for this every day, has no part here.
(9) Meanwhile, he saw many of his friends gathering around the standing Pillars, and he saw how they elevated them to the Celestial Assembly. Some were ascending while others were descending. And high above them all, he saw the owner of the wings, [the angel Metatron] approach. [Metatron] swears that he heard from behind the curtain [of the Holy of Holies, in the Temple] how the King attends the Gazelle every day and remembers how She [the Shekhinah] lies in the dust. At that time, He kicks 390 heavens, which all quake and tremble with fear because of Him.
(1) And He sheds tears because of this, and the tears, that are hot as fire, fall down into the great sea. By the power of these tears, the governor who rules the sea, [Rahab] is sustained and stays alive. And he sanctifies the name of the Holy King by taking it upon himself to swallow all the waters of the days of Creation. He gathers them all within himself so that on that day when all the nations assemble against the holy nation, the waters may dry up while they cross over on dry land.
(2) Meanwhile, he heard a voice call out: "Move aside, make room! the King Messiah is coming to the Academy of Rabbi Shimon, because all the righteous people there are the heads of the Academies, which are known on high!" And all the disciples of each Academy ascend from this Academy here to the heavenly Academy. And the Messiah visits all these Academies and signs the Torah with the seal of the teachings that come from the mouths of the learned Rabbis. At that time, the King Messiah came, crowned by heavenly diadems that He had received from the heads of the Academies.
(3) At the same time, all the friends and Rabbi Shimon, as well, stood up. Rabbi Shimon's light reached up to the empyrean. [The King Messiah] said to him: Rabbi, how blessed you are, that your Torah (teachings) has been elevated by the Illumination of 370 Lights. And every single Light has been explained in 613 ways. Then they rise up and bathe themselves in the rivers of pure persimmon. And the Holy One, blessed be He, approves the Torah study of your Academy, of the Academy of Hezekiah, the King of the Judean Kingdom, and of the Academy of Ahijah the Shilonite. I have come to approve the Torah of your Academy only because the winged one is on his way here, and I know that he shall not enter any other Yeshiva - only yours.
(4) Meanwhile, he told Rabbi Shimon about the oath taken by the winged one. Then Messiah trembled and raised up his voice. The heavens also trembled, as did the great sea and the Leviathan. The world was about to collapse. Also, at this time, he noticed Rabbi Chiya sitting at the feet of Rabbi Shimon. He said: Who allowed a human being, wearing the cloaks of that world, here? Rabbi Shimon answered: This is Rabbi Chiya, the shining light of the Torah. He said: Let he and his sons be gathered, and join your Academy! Rabbi Shimon said, Let him be given time! And time was given to him. He [Moshiach] left there trembling all over, his eyes brimming with tears. Rabbi Chiya was deeply shaken and wept. Then he said, how happy are the righteous with their portion in the World to Come, and how happy is the son of Yochai, who has this distinction. He is described by the verse, "I may cause those who love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures" (Proverbs 8:21).