זוהר, משפטים ל׳Zohar, Mishpatim 30

Segment 1א׳

(שמות כ״ד:א׳) וְאֶל אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, דָּא נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא. לא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ, דְּסָלִיק לוֹן לְבָתַר זִמְנָא, וְלָא אִתְעֲנָשׁוּ הָכָא. רַבִּי יוֹסִי אָמַר, מִלָּה דָּא, לִשְׁבָחָא דִּלְהוֹן, דִּכְתִּיב וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ דְּזָנוּ עֵינֵיהוֹן, מִנְּהִירוּ דָּא. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר, אֲכִילָה וַדָּאִית אָכְלוּ, וְזָנוּ גַּרְמַיְיהוּ, וְהָכָא אִתְקְשָׁרוּ לְעֵילָּא, אִי לָא דְּסָטוּ אוֹרְחַיְיהוּ לְבָתַר, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא.

HE LAID NOT HIS HAND UPON THE NOBLES OF ISRAEL; AND THEY SAW GOD AND DID EAT AND DRINK. The nobles of Israel” refers to Nadab and Abihu: their punishment was postponed. R. Jose declared that these words were said in praise of them, for “they did eat and drink”: that is to say, they feasted their eyes on this splendour. Said R. Judah: ‘It was indeed a true partaking and a true nourishing, and a most veritable and perfect uniting with the supernal world. Oh, if they only had not later sinned!’

Segment 2ב׳

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וַאֲפִילּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא אִתְכְּשָׁרוּ, וְאִתְקַשָּׁרַת בְּהוּ שְׁכִינְתָּא. וְדָא קַיָּימָא, וְאוֹרַיְיתָא כֹּלָּא, בְּחַד זִמְנָא הֲוָה. וְיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא לָא חָמוּ לְעָלְמִין. וּלְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי, זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאִתְגַּלָּאָה עַל בְּנוֹי, וּלְמֵחמֵי כֹּלָּא יְקָרָא דִּילֵיהּ עֵינָא בְּעֵינָא, דִּכְתִּיב (ישעיהו נ״ב:ח׳) כִּי עַיִן בְּעַיִן יִרְאוּ בְּשׁוּב יְיָ' צִיּוֹן. וּכְתִיב, (ישעיהו מ׳:ה׳) ונִגְלָה כְּבוֹד יְיָ' ורָאוּ כָל בָּשָׂר יַחְדָּו וגוֹ'.

R. Eleazar said: ‘Israel also at that time became qualified for a revelation, and the Shekinah was united with them, and the making of the Covenant and the giving of the Torah all took place at one and the same time;.and never again was such a sight vouchsafed to Israel. In the time which is to come the Holy One, blessed be He, will reveal Himself unto His children, so that they shall perceive His full glory eye to eye and face to face, as it is written: “For they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion” (Isa. 3, 8); and it is also written: “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Ibid. 40, 5).’