359. Rabbi Shimon said: I wonder about the master of the gates girdled around his waist, THAT IS ELIJAH. Why was he not in our chamber during the time these holy matters were revealed? While he wondered, Elijah arrived with three drops of light, brightening his countenance. Rabbi Shimon said to him: What is the reason that my lord was not present during the wine feast that was being enacted AND PREPARED for his Master on this joyous day?
360. He, ELIJAH, said to him: On your life, Rabbi, seven days before you entered your chamber, all those that were to come in and be with you IN THE CHAMBER were being chosen in the presence of the Holy One, blessed be He. I was there and wanted to be in his presence IN THE CHAMBER. They had me yoked, and I was not able TO GO since, on that particular day, the Holy One, blessed be He, sent me on a mission to do miracles for Rav Hamnuna Saba (the elder) and his friends, who had been compromised by an informer to the king's palace. I caused a miracle to happen. For their sake, I collapsed the wall in the king's temple, so that 45 ministers got entangled in the debris of the wall, FELL WITH IT, and died. I removed Rav Hamnuna Saba and his friends and threw them to the valley of Ono, and they were saved. I prepared for them bread and water, because they hadn't eaten for three days. All that day, THAT YOU WERE IN THAT CHAMBER, I did not leave them.
361. When I returned, I found that three of the friends were on the curtain that these pillars(THAT IS, THE ANGELS) were carrying. I asked THE ANGELS and they told me that this was the portion of the Holy One, blessed be He from Rabbi Shimon's and his friends' festivity. Praised are you, Rabbi Shimon, and praised is your lot and the lot of the friends that reside with you. How many levels were prepared for you in the World to Come and how many bright lights are destined to illuminate for you.
362. Come and see, on this day, Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair, your father-in-law, was adorned with fifty crowns for your sake. I accompanied him in all these rivers of the mountains of pure balsam trees. He picked his place and got ready. RABBI SHIMON said to him: The righteous are connected to the source of the crowns during the new moon, holidays and Shabbat, more than during other days.
363. ELIJAH told him: Also all those that are outside, THEY ASCEND AS WELL, as it is written: "And it shall come to pass, that every new moon, and every Shabbat, shall all flesh come..." (Yeshayah 66:23). THAT IS REFERRING TO THOSE ON THE OUTSIDE, WHO ARE NOT RIGHTEOUS. THEREFORE THE SCRIPTURE REFERS TO THEM AS ALL FLESH. If those come, then most certainly the righteous will come. Why "Every new moon?" Because it is then that the patriarchs, who are the holy Chariots, are decorated. THEN CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN, REFERRED TO AS PATRIARCHS, ARE ELEVATED AND BECOME CHOCHMAH, BINAH AND DA'AT. "And every Shabbat:" Then, the seventh of the six days is decorated, BECAUSE THEN MALCHUT ACQUIRES THE FIRST THREE SFIROT, as it is written: "And Elohim blessed the seventh day" (Beresheet 2:3).
364. You are Rabbi Shimon, the seventh of the six, and you will be crowned and sanctified more than all the others. These righteous friends are will delight in three delights, THAT IS THE THREE MEALS, that are on the seventh, in the World to Come because of you. It is written: "And call the Shabbat a delight, the holy day of Hashem honorable" (Yeshayah 58:13). Who is the holy one of Hashem? That is Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who is called honorable in this world and the World to Come. (The end of the Holy Idra Raba).