This I heard among the secrets of the holy luminary [Rabbi Shimon], but I was not given permission to reveal it, except for you, lofty pious ones. If, at the time when it [the Shechinah] takes hold of souls and spirits [for elevating the holy sparks from the lower worlds of Beriya-Yetzira-Asiya during the time of "vidui/confession" (in the morning service)], a man, concentrating in meditation to unite these sparks as one, sets his heart and intention to surrender his entire being in this devotion, then, if his soul is received at that time [because he has rectified it sufficiently] then, this man is bundled within the bundle of life in this world and in the World to Come [i.e. he merits to become one with the unification that occurs at that time causing a new born flow of energy in both the physical and spiritual worlds].

Also, [in his meditation he needs to unite] the King and the Queen on all sides, including [the abundance] from Above and [the arousal his meditation causes] below, and be adorned with souls on all sides [meditating to include the sparks of holiness from each of the three worlds Beriya-Yetzira-Asiya]. She is adorned with souls from above [the abundance flowing down at this time from Atzilut and Arich Anpin] and souls of the righteous below [who rise up to empower this unification].

And if a man directs his heart and will to all this [during the "vidui/confession" after the Amida/standing prayer] and surrenders his soul to her from below, devotedly and willingly, as we have learned, then G‑d names him "peace" below [showing that he is connected to the sefira of yesod called Shalom], similar to that peace of above [from yesod of Zeir Anpin also called Shalom]. This person causes this blessed flow for the Queen, incorporating her and adorning her [with this flow of Divine consciousness] from all sides is then is named "Shalom" below.

So G‑d names that man peace, as is written: "and G‑d called him peace". (Judges 6:24) And all his days he is called 'peace' in the higher realms, because he caused the unification and adorned the Queen from below, in the same manner as the upper "peace" in the spiritual realms above.

And when that man passes away from this world, his soul goes up and cleaves all the firmaments, and no entity in the higher realms can stop it [from ascending into the higher palaces of the Garden of Eden]. G‑d calls him over to Him and says, "let peace enter" (Isaiah 57:2) and the Shechinah says "they shall rest in their graves". Thirteen mountains of pure balsam trees [wondrous lights of bina consciousness that only the righteous merit] are opened before the soul, and none can restrain it. Therefore happy is he who puts his heart and will into it. That is why it is written: "whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of G‑d," to the supernal King, as I have said.

Rabbi Aba raised his voice and said, Woe, Rabbi Shimon, you are [still] among the living, and I already weep for you. Not for you I weep, but for our colleagues, for the world I weep; Rabbi Shimon is like the flaming light of a lamp that burns above and burns below. And with the light that he lit down below shine all the people of the world. Woe to the world when the terrestrial light will pass on and become a celestial light. Who will illuminate the light of Torah for the world? Rabbi Aba stood and kissed Rabbi Chiya. He said to him, those thoughts were with you, therefore G‑d sent me here to join you. Fortunate is my portion.

BeRahamim LeHayyim: We have learned that there is no greater vessel to receive blessings than Peace. It serves as the final blessing in our Amida prayer , to help channel all from above to below in harmony. It too is the goal of our life, to Rest in Peace. We pray that the One Who makes Peace above, make peace below to us and all Israel.

We learned above that when we try to bring peace on our earth plane, we are acting G‑dly and are fulfilling our creation in G‑d's image. So when faced with disharmony below, to bring together and resolve conflict is a supreme virtue.

What does this mean to you?

[Bracketed annotations from Metok Midevash and Sulam commentaries]