318 It has been taught:! Rabbi Sh sit on a single-based pillar?” violated Your ‘I [3276] IDRA RABRA XIV TK ‘The Great Assembly n’on said to the Companions, “How long will we pr it is written: forah (Psalms 119:126). Days are few and the creditor is pressing. Time to act for YHVH—they have A herald proclaims every day, but Reapers of the Field are few and at the edges of the vineyard, not noticing or knowing properly where the place is. 1 Iehas been taught Her X29 dra Rabba), The Gi composition ( in begins cv at Assembly. This 27b-—14sa) describes a gather of Rabbi Shimon and his Companions, in which profound mysteries are expounded concerning the divine configurations of /vikh ‘Aapin and Zeer Anpin (ee below, notes 14, 27). On Idra Rabba, see above, pages xii-xii, On the term idra, see below, note 4. On de- Pictions of the divine anatomy in Jewish mys ticism, see Scholem, Kabbalah, 16-18; idem, On the Mystical Shape of the Godhead, 15-55. 2. How long will we sit on a single-based pillar? Rabbi Shim’on seems to be saying, “How long will we remain with an inade- quate, unstable understanding, in which the divine structure is not fully comprehended ‘oF not yet balanced?” See below, note The precise meaning and significance of the question are intentionally unclear and ‘multivalent, ‘The phrase “on a single-based pillar” renders xam0 "na sexmpa (bi-qyama de-had samkha). Qeyama means “pillar,” but in the Zohar also “status, position.” Samkha means “support, base, pedestal,” but in the Zohar also “pillar.” The question could thus be rendered: “How long will we sit on a pillar of one pedestal?” or “How long will we stay in the pose of a single pillar?” “How long will we sit on an unstable pillar?” “How long will we stay in an unstable pose?” Ch, the C (MAN): “How long will we sit xan wampa mpanions’ question in ZL 16a (bigyama hada), on a single pillar Jor: in a single pose], and be unable to proceed?” On qeyama as referring to the event of the Idra Rabba, see below, note 139. ay also reflect the fa ‘The question here mous story (in BT Shabbat 31a) of the po tential convert who approached Shammai and then Hillel, demanding, “Teach me the whole ‘Torah while I stand on one foot.” ‘On the elements and scope of the question here, see Or Yagar; Vital (in Hadrat Melekh); Col be-Ramal, Emet le-Yalagors Addir ba- Maront; Rualy David; Bei'urei ha-Gera; Ni- tsotsei Orot; Yayin ha-Reqalts Sullam; ha-ldra; Liebes, Peragim, 359-603 idem, “Ha-Mashial shel ha-Zohar,” 18-32, 204-5, 227-29; idem, Studies in the Zohar, 12-21% Matog mi-Devash; Hellner-Eshed, Qeri’ah ba-ldra Rabba, On insufficient support and balance, see BY Berakhot 32a; ZI 25¢ (MHN ), Zobiar 2176b (Sd). 3. Time to act for YHVH must be revealed because the g viol ng the ‘Torah. ‘This verse is interpreted below at note 1, The sentence “Days are few..." is a para phrase of M Avot 2:20, in the name of Rabbi ‘Tarfon: “he day is short, the work is mense, the laborer abundant, and the master of the house is pressing,” See below, note 249. Here “the master of the house” is replaced by “the creditor,” on whom ef M Avor 3:16, re lazy, the reward is