556. The table of a person merits him to eat on another table in the delight of that world, THE WORLD TO COME, as it is written, "For he did eat continually at the table of the king" (II Shmuel 9:13). King David used to say, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies" (Tehilim 23:5), and this is the preparation of the table in that world, for then there is delight and desire with which the soul has pleasure in the World to Come.
557. HE QUESTIONS, Is there a table for the souls in that world? HE ANSWERS, Yes, because food and the supply of pleasure are eaten by the souls in that world just as the ministering angels eat. HE QUESTIONS, Do the supernal angels eat? HE ANSWERS, Yes, and similar to that eating did the children of Yisrael eat in the desert, NAMELY THE MANNA. That food is the secret of the dew that flows and is drawn from above from the secret of the World to Come, WHICH IS BINAH. It is a food from the light of the Holy Anointing Oil. The souls of the righteous are nourished from there in the Garden of Eden and they gain pleasure there, because the souls of the righteous are clothed there in the Lower Garden of Eden just as they WERE CLOTHED in this world.
558. During Shabbat and Festivals, THE SOULS take off THEIR GARMENTS and ascend to see the glory of their Master and to delight with the supernal Delight properly, as it is written, "'And it shall come to pass, that every new moon, and every Shabbat, shall all flesh come to bow down to the ground before Me,' says Hashem" (Yeshayah 66:23). HE QUESTIONS, Will all flesh come? It must not be so, instead it should have been written, 'Every spirit or every soul.' What is the meaning of "all flesh?" HE ANSWERS, The Holy One, blessed be He, has made for Man in this world the likeness of the honor of the supernal glory above, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF WISDOM OF THE 32 PATHS, AS MENTIONED ABOVE. That supernal glory is a spirit to spirit, AS IT ILLUMINATES UPON ZEIR ANPIN WHICH IS CALLED 'SPIRIT,' and a soul to soul, AS IT ILLUMINATES TO BINAH THAT IS CALLED 'SOUL,' until it reaches a place below that is called 'body,' NAMELY MALCHUT. It inserts in it one spirit of the source of life that is called 'all,' WHICH IS YESOD. This is the secret of, "Moreover, land has an advantage for everyone (lit. 'all')." (Kohelet 5:8). 'All' is a spirit for that body.
559. Similarly, man in this world is a body and the spirit that rules over him resembles that Supernal Spirit called 'all' that rules over the body above, WHICH IS MALCHUT. This spirit, THAT IS IN THE BODY OF MAN, is called 'all flesh' as it is written, "'Shall all flesh come to bow down to the ground before Me,' says Hashem" (Kohelet 5:8). In reference to this delight, 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).
560. The friends rejoiced on the way. When they reached a certain mountain, Rabbi Chiya said to this donkey-driver, What is your name? He said to him, "Chanan." He said to him, May the Holy One, blessed be He, be gracious unto you (Heb. yechonencha) and hear your voice when you need Him. Rabbi Yosi said, For certain the sun is setting and past this mountain there is a village named after you, for it is called 'Village of Chanan.' Let us lodge there in honor of your name. When they arrived there, they came to their lodging and prepared before them the table with many kinds of food. Rabbi Chiya said, This table is in the likeness of the World to Come, and it is incumbent upon us to elevate this table and adorn it with words of Torah.