זוהר ויקרא — דף סא ע”א

And at the time when that holy anointing flows forth to those two pillars, which are called the disciples of the Lord and are called hosts, it gathers there, and when it goes out from there by that degree called Foundation, to that small Wisdom, then it is called the tongue of the learned, and it goes out to awaken those supernal holy ones. Then it is written: "The Lord God has given me the tongue of the learned." And why? "To know how to sustain with words him who is weary." And the Holy One, blessed be He, gave this to the holy Menorah, Rabbi Shimon. And furthermore, He raised him higher and higher, and therefore all his words are spoken openly, and not hidden. Of him it is written: "Mouth to mouth I speak with him, and in plain sight, and not in riddles."<br />
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Rabbi Yesa opened, saying: "And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, as He had told him, and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, etc." "And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon" — this is what we have learned: in the days of King Solomon the moon stood in its fullness, as He had told him, as it was said to him: wisdom and knowledge are given to you. "And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon." What does the one have to do with the other? Rather, thus we have learned: and the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon. And through what did he establish this wisdom? Rabbi Yose said: he established it first through this, that Solomon brought Hiram down from that rank, he who used to say: "I sat in the seat of God, etc." For we have learned that Hiram, king of Tyre, made himself a god. After Solomon came, he caused him, through his wisdom, to descend from that counsel and submit to Solomon. And therefore it is written: "And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon." And we have learned: Rabbi Yitzchak said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda, that he sent him a demon, and brought him down to seven compartments of Gehinnom, then raised him up and sent him notes every single day by his hand, until he returned and submitted to Solomon. And we have learned: Solomon inherited the moon in all her aspects, and therefore he ruled over everything through his wisdom. And Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai rules through his wisdom over all the children of the world, and all those who ascend to his levels ascend only to perfect themselves with him.<br />
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Rabbi Yose opened, saying: "My dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, etc." My dove — this is the Assembly of Israel. Just as the dove never abandons her mate, so the Assembly of Israel never abandons the Holy One, blessed be He. In the clefts of the rock — these are the disciples of the wise, who find no rest in this world. In the secret places of the stairs — these are the modest disciples of the wise, among whom are pious men who fear the Holy One, blessed be He, from whom the Shechinah never departs. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, pleads for the Assembly of Israel on their behalf and says: show me your countenance, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet — for there is no voice heard above except the voice of those who occupy themselves with the Torah. And we have learned: all those who occupy themselves with the Torah at night, their image is engraved above before the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Holy One, blessed be He, delights in them all day and gazes upon them, and that voice ascends and bursts through all those firmaments until it ascends before the Holy One, blessed be He, and then it is written: for your voice is sweet and your countenance is comely. And now the Holy One, blessed be He, engraves the image of Rabbi Shimon above, and his voice ascends ever higher and higher, and is crowned with the holy crown, until the Holy One, blessed be He, is crowned by it in all the worlds and glories in it. Of him it is written: "And He said to me, You are My servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified."<br />
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Rabbi Chiya opened, saying: "That which has already been is, and that which shall be has already been, etc." That which has already been — this is what we have learned: before the Holy One, blessed be He, created this world, He created worlds and destroyed them, until it arose in the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, to create this world, and He took counsel with the Torah. Then He arranged Himself in His adornments and crowned Himself with His crowns, and He created this world, and everything found in this world had already been before Him and was established before Him.