Aggada -- Translations into English; Bible. Old Testament -- Legends; Jewish legends; Midrash -- Translations into English
The most important work done on the third day was the creation of
Paradise. Two gates of carbuncle form the entrance to Paradise,[76] and
sixty myriads of ministering angels keep watch over them. Each of these
angels shines with the lustre of the heavens. When the just man appears
before the gates, the clothes in which he was buried are taken off him,
and the angels array him in seven garments of clouds of glory, and
place upon his head two crowns, one of precious stones and pearls, the
other of gold of Parvaim,[77] and they put eight myrtles in his hand,
and they utter praises before him and say to him, "Go thy way, and eat
thy bread with joy." And they lead him to a place full of rivers,
surrounded by eight hundred kinds of roses and myrtles. Each one has a
canopy according to his merits,[78] and under it flow four rivers, one
of milk, the other of balsam, the third of wine, and the fourth of
honey. Every canopy is overgrown by a vine of gold, and thirty pearls
hang from it, each of them shining like Venus. Under each canopy there
is a table of precious stones and pearls, and sixty angels stand at the
head of every just man, saying unto him: "Go and eat with joy of the
honey, for thou hast busied thyself with the Torah, and she is sweeter
than honey, and drink of the wine preserved in the grape since the six
days of creation,[79] for thou hast busied thyself with the Torah, and
she is compared to wine." The least fair of the just is beautiful as
Joseph and Rabbi Johanan, and as the grains of a silver pomegranate
upon which fall the rays of the sun.[80] There is no light, "for the
light of the righteous is the shining light." And they undergo four
transformations every day, passing through four states. In the first
the righteous is changed into a child. He enters the division for
children, and tastes the joys of childhood. Then he is changed into a
youth, and enters the division for the youths, with whom he enjoys the
delights of youth. Next he becomes an adult, in the prime of life, and
he enters the division of men, and enjoys the pleasures of manhood.
Finally, he is changed into an old man. He enters the division for the
old, and enjoys the pleasures of age.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account