זוהר, האדרא זוטא מ״גZohar, Idra Zuta 43

Segment 1א׳

אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, לָא סִיֵּים בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא לְמֵימַר חַיִּים, עַד דְּאִשְׁתְּכָכוּ מִלּוֹי, וַאֲנָא כָּתַבְנָא, סָבַרְנָא לְמִכְתַּב טְפֵי, וְלָא שְׁמַעְנָא. וְלָא זָקִיפְנָא רֵישָׁא, דִּנְהוֹרָא הֲוָה סָגִי, וְלָא הֲוָה יָכִילְנָא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא. אַדְּהָכִי אִזְדַּעֲזַעַנָא, שְׁמַעְנָא קָלָא דְּקָארֵי וְאָמַר (משלי ג׳:ב׳) אֶרֶךְ יָמִים וּשְׁנוֹת חַיִּים וְגוֹ'. שְׁמַעְנָא קָלָא אַחֲרָא, (תהילים כ״א:ה׳) חַיִּים שָׁאַל מִמְּךָ וְגוֹ'.

Said Rabbi Abba: "The Holy Beacon had not yet finished speaking the word 'life' when his words weakened. I myself was writing, preparing to write more, but I did not hear. I did not raise my head, because the light was strong, and I could not see. While I was shuddering, I heard a voice that called and said (Prov. 3:2) 'Length of days and years of life,' etc. I heard another voice (Ps. 21:5): 'Life he asked of you' etc.

Segment 2ב׳

כָּל הַהוּא יוֹמָא, לָא אַפְסִיק אֶשָּׁא מִן בֵּיתָא, וְלָא הֲוָה מַאן דְּמָטֵי לְגַבֵּיהּ, דְּלָא יָכִילוּ דִּנְהוֹרָא וְאֶשָּׁא הֲוָה בְּסוּחֲרָנֵיהּ. כָּל הַהוּא יוֹמָא נָפִילְנָא עַל אַרְעָא, וְגָעֵינָא. בָּתַר דְּאָזִיל אֶשָּׁא, חֲמֵינָא לְבוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים, דְּאִסְתְּלַּק מִן עָלְמָא, אִתְעֲטָּף שָׁכִיב עַל יְמִינֵיהּ, וְאַנְפּוֹי חַיְיכִין.

All that day, fire did not stop from the house, and no one could come into it, because they could not due to the light and fire that was around it. All that day I fell to the earth and moaned. After the fire left, I saw the Holy Beacon, the Holy of Holies, departing from the world. covered, lying on his right side, his face smiling."

Segment 3ג׳

קָם רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ, וְנָטִיל יְדוֹי וְנָשִׁיק לוֹן, וַאֲנָא לָחִיכְנָא עַפְרָא דִּתְחוֹת רַגְלוֹי. בָּעוּ חַבְרַיָיא לְמִבְכֵּי, וְלָא יָכִילוּ לְמַלְּלָא. שָׁארוּ חַבְרַיָיא בְּבִכְיָה, וְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ נָפִיל תְּלַת זִמְנִין, וְלָא יָכִיל לְמִפְתַּח פּוּמֵיהּ. לְבָתַר פָּתַח וְאָמַר, אַבָּא אַבָּא. תְּלַת הֲווֹ, חַד אִתְחֲזָרוּ. הַשְׁתָּא תְּנוּד חֵיוָתָא, צִפֳּרָאן טָאסִין, מִשְׁתַּקְּעָן בְּנוּקְבָּאן דְּיַמָּא רַבָּא, וְחַבְרַיָּיא כֻּלְּהוּ שַׁתְיָין דָּמָא.

Rabbi Elazar his son stood up and took his hands and kissed them, and I licked the dust that was under his feet. The Companions wished to weep, but could not find the words. The companions started weeping, and Rabbi Elazar his son fell three times, and could not open his mouth. Afterwards, he started and said, "Father! Father! Three there were, one returned! Now the animals migrate, the birds fly, sinking into the pits of the great sea, and the Companions all drink blood!"