"And Hashem gave Solomon wisdom"
Rabbi Yosi opens the discussion by saying, "And the Creator gave Solomon Wisdom, as He promised him. And there was peace between Chiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together." King Solomon saw that even though his generation was highly spiritualized, it was still not time to reveal to them all the wisdom of the Torah. Yet in the time of Rabbi Shimon, we learn, such concealed things were allowed to be revealed. Rabbi Yosi then worries about how future generations of the world will fare after Rabbi Shimon departs, when wise sages are few and far between, and when even Wisdom itself is forgotten.
The wisdom of Solomon is no longer found in the world's rulers and politicians, who make only war, not peace. By reading this passage, however, we summon forth Solomon's great wisdom and the piety and righteousness of Rabbi Shimon and his entire generation. This spiritual event reveals to us the secret wisdom of the Torah now instead of later. This great Light removes conflict and hatred from the hearts of powerful men. It stirs truth and compassion in the souls of leaders, warming them to the true spiritual wisdom. And the sphere of influence of the righteous and the wisdom of Solomon extend to the four corners of the globe.
419. He opened the discussion saying, "And Hashem gave Solomon wisdom, as He promised him. And there was peace between Chiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together" (I Melachim 5:26). We have learned this passage in many places, but "And Hashem" POINTS OUT the approval of above, ZEIR ANPIN, and below, MALCHUT, as one because "And Hashem" INDICATES Him, ZEIR ANPIN, and His court, MALCHUT. "Gave Solomon wisdom," like one who gives a present and gift to his friend. "As he promised Him:" This is the perfection of wisdom in riches and peace and domination, as it is written, "as He promised him."
419. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, וַיְיָ,' נָתַן חָכְמָה לִשְׁלֹמֹה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לוֹ וַיְהִי שָׁלוֹם בֵּין חִירָם וּבֵין שְׁלֹמֹה וַיִכְרְתוּ בְרִית שְׁנֵיהֶם. הַאי קְרָא הָא אִתְּמַר בְּכַמָּה דּוּכְתֵּי. אֲבָל וַיְיָ,' אִסְתַּכְּמוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא כַּחֲדָא. וַיְיָ' אִיהוּ וּבֵי דִּינֵיהּ. נָתַן חָכְמָה, נָתַן: כְּמַאן דְּיָהִיב נְבִזְבְּזָא וּמַתָּנָה לִרְחִימֵיהּ. כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לוֹ, שְׁלִימוּ דְּחָכְמְתָא, בְּעוּתְרָא, וּבִשְׁלָם, וּבְשֻׁלְטָנוּ, הה"ד כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לוֹ.
420. "And there was peace between Chiram and Solomon." What is the reason? They understood each other in the vague words they spoke, but other people did not know how to observe them or understand anything. For their sake, Chiram again conceded AND AGREED with Solomon in all his words.
420. וַיְהִי שָׁלוֹם בֵּין חִירָם וּבֵין שְׁלֹמֹה, מ"ט. בְּגִין דַּהֲווֹ יַדְעֵי דָּא לְדָא, סְתִימוּ דְּמִלִּין דַּהֲווֹ אַמְרֵי, וּבְנֵי נָשָׁא אַחֲרָנִין לָא הֲווֹ יַדְעֵי לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא וּלְמִנְדַּע בְּהוּ כְּלַל, וּבְגִינַיְיהוּ, אִתְהַדָּר חִירָם לְאוֹדָאָה לִשְׁלֹמֹה בְּכָל מִלּוֹי.
421. King Solomon looked and saw that even though that generation was more perfect than all the other generations, it was not the desire of the supernal King that so much wisdom should be revealed through it, and that the Torah that was concealed before it would be revealed. AND HE CAME and opened doors. Even though he opened, they are clogged except for those sages who had merit. They stammer in them and cannot speak about them. But it is the desire of the Holy One, blessed be He, that for the sake of Rabbi Shimon, through the generation in which he lives, concealed things should be revealed.
421. שְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא, אִסְתָּכַּל וַהֲוָה חָמֵי, דְּהָא אֲפִילּוּ בְּהַהוּא דָּרָא, דַּהֲוָה שְׁלִים מִכָּל דָּרִין אַחֲרָנִין, לָא הֲוָה רְעוּתָא דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, דְּיִתְגְּלֵי חָכְמָה כ"כ עַל יְדֵיהּ, דְּאִתְגְּלֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא דַּהֲוָה סְתִימָא בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, וּפָתַח לָהּ פִּתְחִין. וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּפָתַח, סְתִימִין אִינּוּן, בַּר לְאִינּוּן חַכִּימִין דְּזָכוּ, וּמִתְגַמְגְמֵי בְּהוּ, וְלָא יַדְעֵי לְמִפְתַּח בְּהוּ פּוּמָא. וְדָרָא דָּא דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן שַׁרְיָא בְּגַוֵּיהּ, רְעוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּגִינֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, דְּיִתְגַּלְיָין מִלִּין סְתִימִין עַל יְדוֹי.
422. But I wonder about the sages of the generation. How can they even for one moment forsake standing before Rabbi Shimon and studying Torah, as long as Rabbi Shimon is in this world? In this generation, wisdom will not be forgotten from the world. Woe to the generation when he departs and sages will become fewer and wisdom will be forgotten from the world.
422. אֲבָל תַּוַוהְנָא עַל חַכִּימֵי דָּרָא, הֵיךְ שַׁבְקִין אֲפִילּוּ רִגְעָא חֲדָא, לְמֵיקָם קָמֵי דְּר"ש לְמִלְעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּעוֹד דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן קָאֵים בְּעָלְמָא, אֲבָל בְּדָרָא דָּא לָא יִתְנְשֵׁי חָכְמְתָא מֵעָלְמָא, וַוי לְדָרָא כַּד יִסְתָּלַק אִיהוּ, וְחַכִּימִין יִתְמַעֲטוּן, וְחָכְמְתָא יִתְנְשֵׁי מֵעָלְמָא.