202. Rabbi Yosi said, How beloved are Yisrael before the Holy One, blessed be He, since at first He called them a Holy Nation, as it is written, "For you are a holy people" (Devarim 14:2). He then called them holiness, as it is written, "Yisrael is holiness to Hashem, the first fruits of His increase" (Yirmeyah 2:3). What is the difference between them, BETWEEN HOLY AND HOLINESS? Rabbi Aba said, Holiness is the highest, BEING CHOCHMAH, for so have we learned that when all sanctifications, WHICH ARE THE THREE COLUMNS, CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, are joined together they are called holiness, BECAUSE THEN they rise and gather in the supernal place called holiness, NAMELY SUPERNAL CHOCHMAH.
202. אָמַר ר' יוֹסֵי, כַּמָה חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּקַדְמֵיתָא קָרָא לוֹן גּוֹי קָדוֹשׁ, דִּכְתִּיב כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה וְגוֹ.' לְבָתַר קָרָא לוֹן קֺדֶשׁ, דִּכְתִּיב קֺדֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַיְיָ' רֵאשִׁית תְּבוּאָתֺה. מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי. א"ר אַבָּא, קֺדֶשׁ עִלָּאָה מִכֺּלָּא, דְּהָכִי תָּנֵינָן, כַּד אִתְחַבְּרָן כֻּלְּהוּ קְדוֹשֵׁי כַּחֲדָא, אִקְרוּן קָדוֹשׁ. וְכֻלְּהוּ סַלְּקִין וּמִתְכַּנְּשִׁין לְהַהוּא אֲתָר עִלָּאָה, דְּאִקְרֵי קֺדֶשׁ.