זוהר ויקרא — דף כב ע”ב

That merchant opened and said: "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38). Come and see: when the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to delight with the righteous in the Garden of Eden, all the words of the world above, and all the upper and lower beings, awaken toward Him, and all the trees of the Garden of Eden open in praise toward Him. This is what is written: "Then shall the trees of the forest sing out before the Lord, for He comes" (1 Chronicles 16). And even the birds of the earth all murmur praise before Him. Then a flame goes out and strikes the wings of the rooster, and it crows and praises the Holy King, and calls the sons of man to strive in Torah and in the praise and service of their Master. Happy is the portion of those who rise from their beds to strive in Torah.<br />
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When morning comes, the gates of the south open, the gates of healing go out to the world, the east wind awakens, and mercy is found; and all those stars and constellations appointed under the dominion of this morning all open in praise and praise the supreme King. This is what is written: "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." What are the "sons of God" doing here, summoning a shout at this morning? But do not all judgments pass away when lovingkindness awakens in the world? Rather, "and all the sons of God shouted for joy" means that the force of the harsh judgments is broken, their power is broken, as it is said: "The earth is utterly broken" (Isaiah 24).<br />
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And all this is because this morning awakened in the world, and Abraham awoke and came to plant a tamarisk in Beer-Sheba. I have heard this said: it was indeed in Beer-Sheba, and it is written: "And he called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God" (Genesis 21).<br />
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His fellow merchant opened and said: "The morning being light, the men were sent away" etc. (Genesis 44). What is "the morning being light"? Thus have we learned: what is morning? At the time when morning comes and the judgments pass and lovingkindness wishes to awaken, all those who come from this side visit their places to summon blessings upon the world. And this is "the morning being light": mercy settles upon the world, and lovingkindness comes after it — then it is morning, light. And it is written: "And God saw the light, that it was good" (Genesis 1).<br />
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Come and see: everything proceeds by known grades. Night — it is known. Morning light — it is known, it is a supernal grade always present within it. When? When the sun shines. The sun is known, it is a supernal grade that perfumes everything and lights everything, as it is said: "For the Lord God is a sun and shield" (Psalm 84). And this morning light shines from the sun, and it shines upon the night, and therefore everything depends on the other. And this morning light, when it awakens, all the people of the world unite in unity and joy, and they are found in the world. And now that the day shines, it is a time of favor to set out on the way.<br />
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Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yossei blessed them, kissed them on their heads, and sent them off. Rabbi Chiya said to Rabbi Yossei: Blessed is the Merciful One who prepared our way before us; surely the Holy One, blessed be He, sent them to us. Happy are those who strive in Torah and do not let go of it for a single hour. Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yossei set out and went on their way. Rabbi Yossei said: surely the love of my heart is bound to these merchants. Rabbi Chiya said: I am not surprised at this, for in the days of Rabbi Shimon even the birds of heaven murmur wisdom, so well known are his words above and below.<br />
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Rabbi Chiya opened and said: "And the Lord said to Moses: behold, you shall lie with your fathers" etc. (Deuteronomy 31). Come and see: as long as Moses existed in the world, he would rebuke Israel so that they would not be found in sin before the Holy One, blessed be He. And because Moses was found among them, it was not like that generation until the generation when the Messiah King will come, when they shall see the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, as they did, for they attained what no other generations attained.<br />
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For we have learned: a maidservant saw at the sea what the eye of the prophet Ezekiel did not see. And if they attained so much, how much more the women of Israel, how much more their children, how much more the men, how much more the Sanhedrin, how much more the princes, and how much more the supreme, faithful prophet Moses, who is above all. And now, if these desert merchants murmur so much wisdom, how much more the sages of the generation, how much more those who stand before Rabbi Shimon and learn from him every day. How much more, and how much more Rabbi Shimon himself, who is supreme above all.