A star that struck another star three times

Synopsis

Here we read the story of what happened at midnight as the rabbis rose to study the Torah. They see a star that strikes another star three times, and then they hear two sounds, one of which is a voice that tells of God entering the Garden of Eden to walk about with the righteous. The Congregation of Yisrael has united with God, and before dawn He holds out to her a thread of Chesed, just as the king held out the golden scepter to Esther.

Directions Light Midnight North Nukva Righteous Stars Torah

40. Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Acha were sitting one night before Rabbi Aba. They rose at midnight to study Torah. As they were going out, they saw a star striking another star three times, masking its light. At the same time they heard two sounds from two directions, one from the north from above, and another from below. That sound BELOW proclaimed, 'Come and gather to your places, for just now the guarding over the Nukva, MALCHUT, has been released, for the Holy One, blessed be He, has entered the Garden to walk about and be delighted with the righteous therein.' That sound passed away and was silenced.

40. רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְר' אֲחָא הֲווֹ יַתְבֵי לֵילְיָא חַד קַמֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי אַבָּא. קָמוּ בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא לְמִלְעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. עַד דְּנָפְקוּ לְבַר, חָמוּ חַד כֺּכָבָא דַּהֲוָה בָּטַשׁ ג' זִמְנֵי בְּכֺכָבָא אָחֳרָא וְסָתִים נְהוֹרֵיהּ. אַדְהָכִי שָׁמְעוּ תְּרֵי קָלֵי בִּתְרֵי סִטְרֵי, קָלָא חַד לִסְטַר צָפוֹן לְעֵילָּא, וְקָלָא חַד לְתַתָּא. וְהַהוּא קָלָא אַכְרִיז וְאָמַר, עוּלוּ וְאִתְכְּנִישׁוּ לְאַתְרַיְיכוּ, הַשְׁתָּא אִסְתַּמְרוּתָא דְּנוּקְבָּא פְּתִיחָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָאל לְטַיְילָא בְּגִנְתָא, לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא בְּצַדִיקַיָּיא דִּי בְּגִנְתָא, אַעְבָר הַהוּא קָלָא וְשָׁכִיךְ.

Congregation Hands Praise Singing Thread Zeir Anpin

41. (A) Rabbi Acha and Rabbi Chiya returned TO THE HOUSE and said, Surely it is time of goodwill of the awakening of the Congregation of Yisrael to unite with the Holy King, ZEIR ANPIN, THE CENTRAL COLUMN. Rabbi Acha said, Surely the Congregation of Yisrael united with the Holy One, blessed be He, only by singing and by her praise for Him.

(B) Before dawn, the King holds out to her a thread of Chesed, SINCE THEN THE CHOCHMAH IN HER IS CLOTHED IN CHESED AND ATTAINS COMPLETION. The secret of this is said in the verse, "and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand" (Ester 5:2). THE KING IS ZEIR ANPIN AND ESTER IS MALCHUT; THE GOLDEN SCEPTER IS THE THREAD OF CHESED, WHICH, WITH THE CLOTHING OF CHOCHMAH IN MALCHUT IN IT IS CALLED A GOLDEN SCEPTER. Do not say that the King holds out to her alone THE GOLDEN SCEPTER but to her and to all those who join her. Let us come together. They sat down.

41. (א). אָהַדְרוּ ר' אֲחָא וְר' חִיָיא, אָמְרוּ, הָא וַדַאי עִדָּן רְעוּתָא, דְּאִתְעָרוּתָא דִּכ"י הוּא לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, א"ר אֲחָא, וַדַאי, לָא אִתְחַבְּרַת לָהּ כ"י בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אֶלָּא מִגּוֹ שִׁירָתָא, מִגּוֹ שְׁבָחָא דִּילָהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ.

(ב). עַד דְּאָתֵי צַפְרָא, וְאוֹשִׁיט לָהּ מַלְכָּא חוּטָא דְּחֶסֶד, וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה כְּמָה דְּאַמְרֵינָן, וַיּוֹשֶׁט הַמֶּלֶךְ לְאֶסְתֵּר אֶת שַׁרְבִיט הַזָּהָב אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ וְגוֹ.' וְלָא תֵּימָא דְּלָהּ בִּלְחוֹדָהָא אוֹשִׁיט לָהּ מַלְכָּא דָּא, אֶלָּא לָהּ, וּלְכָל אִינּוּן דְּמִתְחַבְּרָן בָּה. תָּא וְנִתְחַבֵּר כַּחֲדָא. יָתְבוּ.