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Adapted by Mrs. C.B.B. Leiter from a letter by the great Kabbalist
THE pious one [Rabbi Yosef Caro] and I agreed to make
a mighty effort on Shavuot night to keep sleep from our eyes, and not to stop
learning for even one second. Thank G-d we were successful. When you hear what
transpired, it will enliven your souls.
For the night of Shavuot, this is the order of study I
prepared.... All this we did in a spirit of great fear and awe, with melody and
trepidation. But what will be told next won't be believed.  | | " Happy you will be in the World to Come, because you took it upon yourselves to crown Me on this night..." | | |
After all the verses, we recited aloud all the
Mishnas of Zeraim (the first of the Six Orders), and then we started
again, learning it in the way of true learning, and we completed two tractates.
At that moment, the Creator graced us and we heard a great voice coming from
Rabbi Caro, the words unintelligible. The people nearby heard but could not
understand. The voice was very pleasing but at the same time was growing
continually stronger, and we fell on our faces from the great awe. No one dared
to lift his eyes and face to see.
The voice spoke:
"Listen my beloved, those who most glorify the
Creator, my loved ones, peace to you. Happy are you and happy those that bore
you. Happy are you in This World and happy you will be in the World to Come,
because you took it upon yourselves to crown Me on this night. It has been many
years since my crown has fallen, and there has been no one to comfort Me. I had
been cast to the dust embracing the filth, but now you have restored the crown.
"Strengthen yourselves my dear ones; forge ahead my
beloved; be happy and joyous, and know that you are among the exalted. You
merited to be in the King's palace. The voice of your Torah and breath of your
mouths arose before G-d and pierced through the surroundings and many
firmaments, until the messenger-angels on high were quieted, and the fire-angels
hushed and all G-d's lofty army listened to your voices. | | " The voice then resumed, Happy are you, my children...!" | | |
"I am the Mishna that admonishes mankind. I have come
to speak to you. If only there were ten of you, you would have ascended higher.
Even so, you have elevated yourselves and those who bore you. You are fortunate,
my dear ones, for because of you, sleep passed from the eyes of those who bore
you. I have been summoned this night through those gathered in this great and
prestigious city. You are not like those lying on their beds, sleeping a sleep
that is one-sixtieth of death, besmirching their beds. You bound to the One and
have pleased Him. Therefore, my children, strengthen yourselves and strive forth
in my love, my Torah, and my fear.
"If you could imagine even one thousandth myriad of my
pain, no joy could enter your hearts, no laughter could escape your mouths,
considering that on your account I have been cast to the dust. Therefore,
strengthen and fortify yourselves my children, my dear ones who glorify Me. Do
not halt your efforts, for the thread of kindness is drawn to you, and your
Torah is sweet before Him. Therefore, stand my sons, my dear ones, on your feet
and elevate me. With a loud voice, as on Yom Kippur, declare, 'Blessed is the
name of his glorious kingdom for ever and ever.'" | | " Move to the Land of Israel...Do not value your belongings, for you will partake of the best of the supernal levels..." | | |
Standing on our feet, we recited aloud, as bidden. The
voice then resumed:
"Happy are you, my children. Return to your learning
and do not stop one minute. Move to the Land of Israel, because not all times
are equal, and there is no preventing salvation, whether by much or by a little.
Do not value your belongings, for you will partake of the best of the supernal
levels.
And if you desire and will obey, the choicest of that
land you will consume. Therefore, hurry and travel there for I am the cause that
sustains you, and will continue to sustain you. Peace to you in your houses, and
peace in all there is to you. Eternal G-d gives strength to His people and
blesses them with peace'."
All these things were spoken to us, and our ears did
hear. Additional matters of wisdom were shared, and great were the promises that
brought us all to tears from so much joy. We also heard of the Shechina's
suffering, due to our sins, and the voice was as a sick person
imploring us. Then we strengthened ourselves until daybreak, reciting verses
unceasingly with joy and trembling.
When morning came, we went to immerse, as we did the
two previous days, and there we met the three others that had been absent the
night before. We reprimanded them and told them the favor G-d had wrought us.
Their hearts melted and they turned their faces and wept, as did we. At the same
time, we maintained a harsh façade, since it was because of them that we had not
merited greater revelations. | | " If permission were granted, your eyes would behold the fire surrounding this house..." | | |
The lack of a quorum had imposed a severe limitation,
as we were told. They answered that they would afford us this opportunity on the
second night (of Shavuot): we would join and be ten. We consented even though we
had slept not a wink the first night. During the day, we also had not rested
because after the Mincha prayer, Rabbi Caro had delivered a sermon.
Still, we girded our loins, performing the same rites as the night before, and
did do with much joy because now we were ten.
On this occasion, however, the voice did not wait
until we started to recite the Mishna. Nor did it wait until midnight (as
it had the night before, when it began exactly at midnight), but it made itself
heard immediately. As we were reading the verses of Shema, the voice of
our cherished one knocked and began, "Listen my dear ones, those most glorifying
G-d. Arise! And raise those who are lying in dust, through the mystical secret
"of the dust from Above".
Many matters of wisdom He taught, and afterwards said:
"Happy are you, my dear ones that raise me. How high
you have been elevated now that you are ten, as is proper in all matters of
holiness. Happy are you in the future world. Fear not the reproach of man or his
goading because you elevate all of Israel. Know that you are among the exalted,
that glory rinses your hands and that the thread of kindness is drawn to you. If
permission were granted, your eyes would behold the fire surrounding this house.
Therefore, strengthen yourselves and do not break the bond with Above. Say
aloud, 'Hear, oh Israel...Blessed is the name of his glorious kingdom'." | | " Rabbi Alkabetz left immediately for Israel, and soon afterwards both Rabbi Caro and he established residence in Safed..." | | |
After another half an hour, we returned to studying
the secrets of Torah. Exactly at midnight, the Voice returned a second time,
teaching for over an hour and a half. It praised the learning and said:
"See and hear this voice speaking? Ask your elders and
know that for hundreds of years you are the only ones to merit such an
experience. Therefore, from now on, be alert to help each other, and to
strengthen the weak. Hold yourselves as leaders, for you are the princes of the
king's palace, and you have merited to enter the hallway. Now strive to enter
the inner chamber, but do not forsake the entry, for he who leaves the gate -
his blood is on his head.
"Wake up my sons and understand what I am explaining
to you. Wake up, my dear ones, and strive to be sons of valor... Behold the day
is coming when men will remove their silver and worldly pleasures, and gods of
gold, and desires of wealth, and travel to the Holy Land. It is possible, except
that you are sinking in the mire of worldly vanities... Behold! You have merited
what others, for many generations, have not."
These matters continued at great length. All who were
present, resolved to turn to G-d with all their might.
Rabbi Alkabetz also wrote that the following Shabbat,
the voice again came to Rabbi Caro, whereupon he again gathered the ten together
to warn them and to urge them to enter the "inner place". They agreed to set
aside every desire, to refrain from meat and wine, and to mourn the exile of the
Divine Presence, and the causes of Exile. Rabbi Alkabetz left immediately for
Israel, and soon afterwards both Rabbi Caro and he established residence in
Safed.
Visitor Comments: 3
Anonymous, 6/1/2006
Nehadar, mafli BH"Nathan Lichtwar, from New York NY, 5/29/2006
It just shows me that I have a Eric S. Kingston, from USA, 5/29/2006
"Strive to be sons of valor."
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