454. Rabbi Yosi said, How long do we have to endure the exile until we reach that time? And the Holy One, blessed be He, made REDEMPTION depend on whether they atone for their sins and repent. As it is written, "I Hashem will hasten it in its time" (Yeshayah 60:22). If they are worthy, THAT IS, IF THEY REPENT, "I...will hasten it," but if they are unworthy, THAT IS, THEY DO NOT REPENT, then, "in its time."
455. As they walked on, Rabbi Yosi said, I have just remembered that I once sat in this place with my father. He said to me, My son, when you are sixty years old, you will find in this place a treasure of sublime Wisdom. And I have just reached this age, yet I have still found nothing. And I do not know if these new explanations are the Wisdom that he told me I SHOULD FIND.
456. And he further said to me, When strikes of fire shall reach the palms of your hands, then the wisdom shall disappear from you. I said to him, My father, how do you know this? He replies, I know this by these two birds that have passed over your head.
457. In the meantime, Rabbi Yosi left RABBI YEHUDA and entered a cave where he found a hidden book in a cleft of a rock at the far end. HE TOOK IT AND left with it.
458. As he opened the book, he saw 72 forms of letters that were handed down to Adam. By these letters, Adam knew the entire Wisdom of the Holy Supernal Beings and all the Klipot that abide "behind the millstones," which revolve around behind the veil THAT COVERS the supernal Lights, together with all the things that are destined to come upon the world until the day when a cloud will rise from the west and the world will be darkened.
459. He called to Rabbi Yehuda and they both started to study the book. After examining only two or three pages, they were already contemplating the supernal Wisdom. As soon as they read further and spoke with each other, a flame and a strong wind struck their hands, and the book vanished. Rabbi Yosi wept and said, It could be that we have sinned, or we are not worthy of knowing this.
460. When they told Rabbi Shimon the story, he said, Maybe you delved into those letters that deal with the Days of Messiah? They answered, We do not know, because we have forgotten everything. Rabbi Shimon continued, The Holy One, blessed be He, does not wish that too much be revealed to the world. But when the Days of Messiah are near, even infants in the world will discover the secrets of Wisdom and, through them, know how to calculate THE TIME OF THE REDEMPTION and figure the End of Days. At that time, it will be revealed to everyone. Therefore, it is written, "For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language..." (Tzefanyah 3:9). What is meant by "then?" It means at the time when the Congregation of Yisrael shall rise from the dust, and the Holy One, blessed be He, shall raise Her up. Then, "I will turn to the peoples a pure language that they may all call upon Hashem and serve Him with one consent" (Ibid.).