זוהר ויקרא — דף סד ע”א

And that other goat, which remained for the Holy One, blessed be He, they made it a sin offering first. And we have already explained in what place it was bound. And afterward they would offer these, and all is perfumed, and Israel remains righteous before the Holy One, blessed be He, free of all the sins they committed and by which they sinned before Him. This is what is written: "For on this day He shall atone for you, etc."<br />
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Rabbi Shimon said further: (Genesis 27) "And Jacob said to Rebecca his mother: behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man and I am a smooth man." What does this allude to? Certainly Esau is a hairy man, and he belongs to that which is called "se'ir," for from that side he comes. "And I am a smooth man" — a man of that one who allotted to all the other nations great appointed ones, as it is written (Deuteronomy 4), "which the Lord your God has allotted," and it is written (ibid. 32), "for the Lord's portion is His people, etc." Further, "a smooth man," from two goats, of which one remains: for the priest would divide them — one for his portion, and one for the Holy One, blessed be He. Why? So that it bear on its shoulder all the sins of Jacob, as it is written: "and the goat shall bear upon it all their iniquities" — the iniquities of the perfect man (tam).<br />
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We have learned: on that day, how many gates are opened toward Israel to receive their prayers. Happy is the portion of Israel, for the Holy One, blessed be He, wishes to purify them and acquit them, this is what is written "for on this day, etc." On this day the priest is crowned with several crowns. On this day the service of the priest is more honored and greater than all other services. To all he gives a portion in those sacrifices of the Holy One, blessed be He. On this day mercy is crowned (aroused) in the world through the priest, who offers the sacrifices for the sins of the people, first for his own sin, and afterward for the sins of the people. He offers burnt offerings for himself and for the people, and we have already explained these matters.<br />
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While they were walking, they sat down in a field and prayed. A cloud of fire descended and surrounded them. Rabbi Shimon said: I see that the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, is here; let us sit. They sat and spoke words of Torah. He opened and said: (Proverbs 25) "As cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a distant land." I have examined the words of King Solomon, and he spoke them all with wisdom. Come and see: Solomon brought forth three books of wisdom to the world, all of them in supernal wisdom. Song of Songs — wisdom; Ecclesiastes — understanding; and Proverbs — knowledge. He made three books corresponding to these three. Song of Songs corresponds to wisdom, so it is. Ecclesiastes corresponds to understanding, so it is. Proverbs corresponds to knowledge. In what way does this appear? In that all these verses have two shades, a beginning and an end, two shades appear; and when one examines the verses, one is included in the other and the other in the one, and therefore it is weighed equal to knowledge. This verse has no beginning that is its end nor end that is its beginning, and when I examined it, all is included one with the other, both from its end to its beginning and from its beginning to its end: "good news from a distant land, cold water upon a weary soul"; "cold water upon a weary soul and good news from a distant land" — both the one and the other bring contentment of spirit. Just as this brings contentment of spirit, so does that bring contentment of spirit. While they were sitting, a man came and said: the wife of Rabbi Shimon has recovered from her illness. And the companions heard a voice, that the Holy One, blessed be He, had forgiven the sins of that generation. Rabbi Shimon said: behold, here the verse is fulfilled, "good news from a distant land," for this is contentment of spirit, like cold water upon a weary soul. He said to them: let us arise and go, for the Holy One, blessed be He, performs wonders for us. He opened and said: "cold water upon a weary soul" — this is the Torah; for whoever has the merit to engage in Torah and to water his soul from it, what is written? "and good news from a distant land." The Holy One, blessed be He, proclaims over him many good things, to do him good in this world and in the world to come. This is what is written, "and good news." From what place? "from a distant land" — from the place from which the Holy One, blessed be He, was distant from him at first, from the place where a person was in hatred with Him at first, as it is written (Job 20), "and the earth rises up against him"; from that same place they now bring him tidings of peace, this is what is written "from a distant land." And it is written (Jeremiah 31), "From afar the Lord appeared to me: I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with kindness." "And he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for himself." Rabbi Yehuda opened and said: (Psalm 50) "A psalm of Asaph. God, the Lord, has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting." We have learned: one thousand five hundred fifty myriads of masters of song sing to the Holy One, blessed be He, when the day shines forth; and one thousand five hundred forty-eight at midday; and one thousand five hundred ninety thousand myriads at that hour called the twilight between the evenings.