Zohar by Gershom Scholem

Author:Gershom Scholem [Scholem, Gershom]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-49369-9
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published: 2011-07-19T16:00:00+00:00

A SEAL UPON THY HEART

On a certain occasion, wishing to get away from the heat of the sun, Rabbi Eleazar and Rabbi Abba turned into a cave at Lydda. Rabbi Abba spoke: Let us now compass this cave about with words of the Torah. Rabbi Eleazar then began, quoting the verse: “Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm … the flashes thereof are flashes of fire, a very flame of the Lord” {Cant. 8:6}.

He said: This verse has provoked great discussion. One night I was in attendance on my father, and I heard him say that it is the souls of the righteous, they alone, which effect the true devotion of the Community of Israel to God, and her longing for him, for these souls make possible the flow of the lower waters toward the upper, and this brings about perfect friendship and the yearning for mutual embrace in order to bring forth fruit. When they cleave one to the other, then says the Community of Israel in the largeness of her affection: “Set me as a seal upon thy heart.” For, as the imprint of the seal is to be discerned even after the seal is withdrawn, so I shall cling to you, even after I am taken from you and enter into captivity: thus says the Community of Israel.

Thus, “Set me as a seal upon thy heart,” so that I may remain upon you in semblance, as the imprint of a seal.

“For love is strong as death” {ibid.}, violent, as is the separation of the spirit from the body; for we have learned that when a man is come to leave this world and he sees wondrous things, his spirit, like an oarless boatman tossing up and down and making no headway on the sea, also tosses up and down through his limbs, asking leave of each one; and only with great rending is its separation performed. Thus, violently, does the Community of Israel love God. “Jealousy is cruel as the grave” {ibid.}. Without jealousy, it is not true love. Thus we learn that for a man’s love of his wife to be perfect, he should be jealous, for then he will not look after any other woman.

As they sat, they heard Rabbi Simeon approaching on the road, with Rabbi Judah and Rabbi Isaac. When Rabbi Simeon came to the cave, Rabbi Eleazar and Rabbi Abba emerged from it. Said Rabbi Simeon: From the walls of the cave I perceive that the Divine Presence hovers here. And they all sat down.

Rabbi Simeon asked: What have you been discoursing of?

Rabbi Abba replied: Of the love that the Community of Israel bears to God. And Rabbi Eleazar cited in that connection the words: “Set me as a seal upon thy heart.”

Rabbi Simeon said: Eleazar, it was the celestial love and the ties of affection which you were in the act of perceiving. Then he remained silent for a time, and at last said: Always silence is agreeable, save where the Torah is concerned.

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