11. The firstborn Nadab stands on his own merits and Abihu rests on his own, AND FOLLOWING THEM ELAZAR AND ITAMAR ARE READ AS JOINED TOGETHER TO TEACH that each one OF NADAB AND ABIHU are considered in the eyes OF SCRIPTURE as both Elazar and Itamar TOGETHER. But BOTH Nadab and Abihu by themselves are each considered equal to the seventy members of the Sanhedrin who served before Moses. For this reason, their deaths atoned for Yisrael. Therefore, it is written, "But let your brethren, the whole house of Yisrael bewail the burning" (Vayikra 10:6). Rabbi Shimon said: THEREFORE THE VERSE SPECIFIES "Nadab the firstborn," meaning he is the one that all acclaim and praise are his. How much more so with Nadab and Abihu TOGETHER, because these two have no equal among all Yisrael.

30. "And Hashem said to Moses, Speak to Aaron your brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place" (Vayikra 16:2). Rabbi Shimon said, "All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full..." (Kohelet 1:7). Rabbi Shimon said: I wonder about people, that they have no eyes to see, no heart to observe, they do not know, or pay attention to the wishes of their Master. How asleep they are and do not awaken before the day will come when thick darkness will cover them; the owner of the deposit will demand his due accounting from them.

112. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, "And took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes" (Beresheet 42:24). He questions: For what reason did Joseph see fit to take Simeon with him rather than any one of the OTHER brothers? HE ANSWERS: Joseph said that Simeon always was the opening for Judgment. When I left my father to go to my brothers, Simeon first began the Judgment, as the verse says, "And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer comes. Come now therefore..." (Beresheet 37:19). And later in Shechem, "that two sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi..." (Beresheet 34:25). All these actions pertain to Judgment. THEREFORE, it is better to take this one and not allow him to arouse quarreling among all the tribes.

124. We have learned about "and shall send him away by the hand of an appointed man into the wilderness" (Vayikra 16:21). What is meant by appointed? HE ANSWERS: The secret of the matter is as follows. Whatever needs to be done, THE DOER needs to be ready to do it. There are people through whom the blessing comes true more than through others. THE REASON IS DUE TO HIS PREPARATION FOR THE MATTER. Come and see what is written about the priest. "He that has a good eye shall be blessed" (Mishlei 22:9). Do not read 'shall be blessed,' but rather 'He shall bless.' As a result of his good eye, he is ready so that the blessing will thus prevail through him.

125. There is a man who is fit for curses to occur through him. Wherever he looks, there would be curses, anathemas and confusions. For example, Bilaam was called evil-eyed, as he was ready for every evil but not prepared for good. Even when he blessed, his blessing was no blessing and it was not fulfilled. But when he cursed, it prevailed; even in one instance IT WOULD COME TO BE. Therefore, it is written, "Whose eyes are open," (Bemidbar 24:3). Every place his eye had seen was cursed.

126. Come and see what is written, "But he set his face toward the wilderness" (Ibid. 1) for the purpose of arousing the force that rules there, NAMELY THE OTHER SIDE, so it should come slandering and denouncing Yisrael. It is written of the priests, "He that has a good eye shall be blessed," as he is ready for this and the blessing prevails where he aims his eyes. As a result, we have learned that a person should turn away even from one hundred ways and avoid meeting someone who has an evil eye.

127. Also here, "And shall send him away by the hand of an appointed man," MEANING THAT he is ready for this and marked for it. The priest recognized him, because one eye was slightly larger than the other, the skin above the eye, NAMELY THE EYELIDS, was covered by large hairs and the eye was blue-colored and looked squintingly. This is the person appointed for this matter, TO SEND THE GOAT TO AZAZEL, and he is fitting for this. Therefore, it is written, "By the hand of an appointed man."

128. In Gush Chalav, there was a person that would kill wherever he struck with his hand, and people would not approach him. In Syria, there was a person that wherever he looked, even if he meant well, everything would turn to bad. One day, there was a person going to the market and his face was aglow, so that person came and stared at him and his eye burst. Hence, in all THINGS, EITHER GOOD OR BAD, there is someone fit for either the one or the other. Consequently, the verse says, "He that has a good eye shall be blessed." Do not pronounce it: 'shall be blessed,' but 'shall bless.'

199. He takes three steps, but the others remain where they are and do not follow. He takes another three steps and returns to his place. He walks three paces, closes his eyes, connects to that which is above and enters that certain place, NAMELY THE HOLY OF HOLIES. He hears the sound of wings of the Cherubs, singing and fanning their wings that are stretched upward. When he would offer the incense, the sound of their wings quieted and they were silently clasped together.

278. We have learned that Rabbi Yehuda said: From the boldness of one righteous woman, many good things came to the world. Who is She? It is Tamar, as it is written, "And sat by the entrance of Enayim (lit. 'eyes')" (Beresheet 38:14). Rabbi Aba said: This portion proves TO US that Torah is both concealed and revealed, AND IT CONTAINS REVEALED MATTERS AND HIDDEN. I have looked through the entire Torah and I have not found anywhere a place called the entrance of eyes. This is because it is all concealed, mysteries among mysteries.

280. "And sat by the entrance of Enayim:" HE QUESTIONS: What is "the entrance of Enayim?" HE ANSWERS: It is as it says, "As he sat by the tent door" (Beresheet 18:1), "Hashem will pass over the door" (Shemot 12:23) and, "Open to me the gates of righteousness" (Tehilim 118:19). "Enayim (lit. 'eyes'):" The eyes of the whole world look to this door "which is by the way to Timna" (Beresheet 38:14). What is Timna? The verse reads, "And the similitude (heb. tmunah) of Hashem does he behold" (Bemidbar 12:8). So we explained that Tamar carried this out below, flowers appeared and branches sprouted in the secret of the Faith.

350. We have learned that all these eyes of Hashem, THE ANGELS OF PROVIDENCE, go and roam throughout the world to learn of the actions of men. They raise their eyes and all look at the face of that person, see him, and open their mouths: Woe, woe, woe to him in this world and woe to him in the World to Come. Remove yourselves from around him, as his face testifies that the spirit of defilement rests upon him. THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF THE VERSE, "BEARS WITNESS TO MY FACE," AS THE LEANNESS TESTIFIES TO HIS FACE. All these days, that mark testifies on his face. If he begets a son, he draws upon him the spirit of defilement. Such are the evildoers of the world, insolent people, whose Master allows them to stay in this world in order to vanquish them in the World to Come.

392. Come and see: At the time Moses ascended the cloud and entered among the holy ANGELS, one angel, by the name Kemuel, came to him in a flame of fire with burning eyes and flaming wings, and wanted to swallow him. Then Moses mentioned one Holy Name which was engraven with twelve letters. He trembled and shook, and Moses was thus able to ascend among them. So happened with each one. Blessed is his lot. We discussed this earlier.

397. We have learned it is written, "Also you shall not approach to a woman in the impurity of her menstrual flow, to uncover her nakedness" (Vayikra 18:19). Rabbi Yehuda taught, the generation in which Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai dwells are all meritorious, all pious, all sin fearing, the Shechinah dwelling in their midst. Not so in other generations. For this reason, these things are expounded and not concealed, IN HIS GENERATION. In other generations it is not so, and supernal secrets cannot be revealed. And those who do know them are afraid TO REVEAL. When Rabbi Shimon would relate the secret of this verse among all the friends, their eyes would flow with tears. All the words he said were being revealed before their very eyes, as the verse says, "With him I speak mouth to mouth, manifestly, and not in dark speeches" (Bemidbar 12:8).

412. Rabbi Yitzchak said: It is written, "One thing have I desired of Hashem, that I will seek after...to behold the beauty of Hashem" (Tehilim 27:4). Blessed are the pious that numerous supernal treasures await them in that world, DENOTING BINAH, as the Holy One, blessed be He, delights in them in these worlds, as we have explained. FOR THEIR SAKE HE ASKED TO BEHOLD the beauty of Hashem. We have already learned THAT IT IS THE GLOW OF ATIKA THAT IS DRAWN IN BINAH. RABBI YITZCHAK DISPUTES WITH RABBI YEHUDA, WHO SAID THAT "THE FLOOD OF GREAT WATERS SHALL NOT COME NEAR HIM" REFERS TO THE LIGHTS OF ATIKA THAT CANNOT BE CONCEIVED. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME RIGHTEOUS WHO MERIT THIS TOO. Rabbi Chizkiyah says: From here, IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE PIOUS WHO DO MERIT THE LIGHT OF ATIKA, as it is written, "Neither has the eye seen, that an Elohim, beside You, should do such a thing for him that waits for Him" (Yeshayah 64:3). HE ASKS, 'He should do:' It should have said, 'You should do,' SINCE IT WRITES "BESIDE YOU," A TERM OF SECOND PERSON. HE REPLIES: Rather, 'he should do' is exact, BECAUSE IT REFERS TO ATIKA. THEREFORE, HE SPEAKS IN TERMS OF THIRD PERSON. Similarly, "behold, I (lit. 'he') will add to your days fifteen years" (Yeshayah 38:5). IT SHOULD HAVE SAID, 'I WILL ADD,' SINCE IT PRECEDES IT WITH "BEHOLD (LIT. 'HERE I AM')." IT IS ONLY BECAUSE IT ALLUDES TO ATIKA, WHO IS NOT CONCEIVED TO BE HERE. THEREFORE, HE SAYS IN THIRD PERSON, "HE WILL ADD." IT IS BECAUSE LIFE IS DRAWN FROM MAZAL, MEANING FROM THE BEARD OF ATIKA. Similarly, "Cast your burden upon Hashem" MEANS ABOVE HASHEM, NAMELY MAZAL, FOR THIS IS A PRAYER FOR SUSTENANCE. It is also written, "And prayed to (lit. 'over') Hashem," ALSO REFERRING TO MAZAL THAT IS HIGHER ABOVE OF HASHEM, AS THIS PRAYER WAS FOR CHILDREN. Yet all is one, FOR IT IS ALL DRAWN FROM THE MAZAL, THE BEARD OF ATIKA KADISHA. THUS, IT IS POSSIBLE TO RECEIVE AND DRAW ABUNDANCE ALSO FROM ATIKA KADISHA, UNLIKE RABBI YEHUDA'S WORDS.