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eaching the house of Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Shim'on son of
Upon 325
they saw Rabbi Shim'on son of Yoḥai and rejoiced. [7b] Rabbi
Lekonya,
rejoiced, saying to them, ``Indeed you have traversed a path of heavenly
Shim'on
miracles and signs. For I was just now sleeping, and I saw you and
son of Yehoyada, who was sending you two crowns 326 by the hand
Benayahu
a certain old man to crown you. The blessed Holy One was certainly on this
of
Further, I see your faces transfigured.''
path!
Yose said, ``Well have you said, `A sage is preferable to a prophet.''' 327
Rabbi
I heard what You made heard; I am awed (Habakkuk 3:2). This verse
``YHVH,
spoken by Habakkuk when he saw his death and was restored to life by
was
Kings 4:16). He 330 was the son of the Shunammite! Furthermore there were
(2
embracings 331 Ðone by his mother, one by ElishaÐas is written: He placed
two
sing before YHVH because He is coming to
will
the earth (Psalms 96:12±13; 1 Chroni-
judge
16:33). cles
too the trees exult in song at
Elsewhere
revelation of secrets of Torah. See JT
the
2:1, 77a; BT Ḥagigah 14b; Zohar
Ḥagigah
Seder Gan Eden (Beit ha-Midrash,
1:77a;
3:138).
Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Shim'on
325.
of Lekonya See the beginning of this
son
above, page XX205. As noted there,
story,
Zohar changes Shim'on son of Yose
the
Yose son of Shim'on, transposing
into
and son. Similarly, the apparent son
father
Hamnuna turned out to be Hamnuna
of
himself.
two crowns Two new words of
326.
each of which becomes a crown.
Torah,
donkey-driver presented the rabbis with
The
interpretations of two biblical passages,
new
concerning the Sabbath, the other concerning
one
Benayahu son of Yehoyada. See BT
88a; Zohar 1:4b;3:291a(IZ ).
Shabbat
A sage is preferable to a prophet
327.
BT Bava Batra 12a, in the name of
See
Zohar 1:183b; 2:6b; 3:35a. Rabbi
Amemar;
placed his head . . . Placing one's
328.
between one's own knees was a medi-
head
posture in early rabbinic mysticism.
tative
1 Kings 18:42; Zohar 3:166b. Here Rabbi
See
his head between his father's
El'azarplaces
before relating what has happened to
knees
on the road.
them
spoken by Habakkuk when he saw
329.
was born miraculously, died suddenly,
who
was restored to life by the prophet
and
(2 Kings 4), is identified by the Zohar
Elisha
the prophet Habakkuk. See 2:44b±45a;
with
and El'azarof Worms, Rimzei Haftarot
3:195a;
for Shavu'ot (Scholem).
desire to know secrets and his
Habakkuk's
intimacy with God are noted in
special
Tehillim 7:17; 77:1; cf. BT Ta'anit 23a.
Midrash
appears as a paradigmatic mystic in Bahir
He
(68±69). This particular verse, which
46±47
Habakkuk's theophany, appears again
opens
Zohar 2:45a; 3:128a, 138b (IR). See Liebes,
in
in the Zohar, 34±35.
Studies
Haqdamat Sefer ha-Zohar
[1:7b]
El'azarapproached, placed his head between the knees of his father 328
Rabbi
told him what happened. Rabbi Shim'on was frightened and wept. He said,
and
329 Why was he named I GYC Y (Ḥavaqquq), Habakkuk? Because it is
Elisha.
At this time next year, you will be I YCG \ (ḥoveqet), embracing, a son
written:
47
his mouth on his mouth (ibid., 34).
his death . . .
The son of the Shunammite,
330. He Habakkuk.
two embracings I KYGC Q [(Ḥibbu-
331.
qin]), which explains the doubling in the
name
GYC
(Ḥavaqquq).
Shim'on's visionary power is unrivaled.
I
Y