נָהִיר עַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא חִיוָּרָא דִּילֵיהּ, וְלָהֲטָא בְּאִמָּא, וְאִתְמַלְּיָיא מֵחֲלָבָא, וְיָנְקָא לְהָנֵי, (לכלא) וְאִסְתְּחָן כֻּלְּהוּ עַיְינִין, בְּהַהוּא חֲלָבָא דְּאִמָּא, דְּאִתְנְגִיד וְנָפִיק תָּדִיר. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שיר השירים ה) רוֹחֲצוֹת בֶּחָלָב. בֶּחָלָב דְּאִמָא, דְּנָגִיד תָּדִירָא וְלָא פָּסִיק.
A place to draw from that river, to bathe in the whiteness of Atika‘, in the milk that flows from the Mother. —Sefer ha-Zohar 2: 122b
אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, גֵּיא חִזָּיוֹן, דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא דְּהֲוַת בְּמַקְדְּשָׁא. וְכָל בְּנֵי עַלְמָא, מִינָהּ הֲווּ יָנְקִין יְנִיקוּ דִּנְבוּאָה. דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּכָל נְבִיאִין, קָא הֲווּ מִתְנַבְּאִין מֵאֲתַר אָחֳרָא, מִגַּוָּוהּ הֲווּ יָנְקִין נְבוּאַתְהוֹן. וְעַל דָּא אִתְקְרֵי אִיהִי גֵּיא חִזָּיוֹן. חִזָּיוֹן, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דְאִיהוּ חֵיזוּ דְּכָל גְּוָונִין עִלָּאִין.
But come and see: “Valley of Vision,” (Isaiah 22: 1) this is the Shekhinah who was in the Temple and all the children of the world used to suckle (yanqin) from her; they suckled (yeniqu) of prophecy. For although all the prophets surely used to prophecy from another place, they used to suckle (yanqin) their prophecy from within her. And for this reason she is called “Valley of Vision.” … For when the Temple used to stand, Israel used to perform services and offer offerings and sacrifices. And the Shekhinah rested upon them in the Temple, like a mother covering over her children. And all the faces used to shine, while blessings were found above and below. And there was not a day on which blessings and rejoicings were not found. And Israel rested in safety in the land, and all the world was nourished (itzan) because of them.--- Sefer ha-Zohar 1: 203a
(יט) אַיֶּ֥לֶת אֲהָבִ֗ים וְֽיַעֲלַ֫ת־חֵ֥ן דַּ֭דֶּיהָ יְרַוֻּ֣ךָ בְכָל־עֵ֑ת בְּ֝אַהֲבָתָ֗הּ תִּשְׁגֶּ֥ה תָמִֽיד׃
(19) A loving doe, a graceful mountain goat. Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be infatuated with love of her always.
א"ר שמואל בר נחמני מאי דכתיב (משלי ה, יט) אילת אהבים ויעלת חן וגו' למה נמשלו דברי תורה לאילת לומר לך מה אילה רחמה צר וחביבה על בועלה כל שעה ושעה כשעה ראשונה אף דברי תורה חביבין על לומדיהן כל שעה ושעה כשעה ראשונה ויעלת חן שמעלת חן על לומדיה דדיה ירווך בכל עת למה נמשלו דברי תורה כדד מה דד זה כל זמן שהתינוק ממשמש בו מוצא בו חלב אף דברי תורה כל זמן שאדם הוגה בהן מוצא בהן טעם
Rabbi Samuel bar Naḥmani said: Why is it written, “A loving doe and a graceful mountain goat, [her breasts will satisfy you at all times, you will always be infatuated with her love” (Proverbs 5: 19). Why are the words of Torah compared to a doe? To tell you that as a doe has a narrow womb and is loved by her lover each and every time as she was the first time, so the words of Torah are loved by those who study them each and every time as they were the first time. “And a graceful mountain goat?” Because She [the Torah] bestows grace on those who study Her. “Her breasts will satisfy you (yeravukha) at all times.” Why are the words of Torah compared to a breast? As with this breast, that every time the child touches it he finds milk in it, so it is with the words of Torah. Every time that a man reasons in them, he finds pleasure (t‘am) in them. ---Babylonian Talmud Eruvin 54b
ד"א כולך יפה רעייתי מדבר בשבטים ואם תאמר הרי יעקב אביהן (קומקנתר) [בירך לשבטים וקמקנתר] לראובן ושמעון ולוי והיאך אתה אומר א"ר אליעזר אעפ"י שבירך את השבטים האחרונים וקינתר את הראשונים אלא חזר וברכם כמה שכתב כל אלה שבטי ישראל שנים עשר (בראשית מ"ט כ"ח) מהו וזאת אשר דבר להם אביהם ויברך אותם (שם) אמר רבי אלעזר עשה אותם יונקים זה מזה לפיכך אמר רב הונא ורבי לוי שהוא מונה אותם לעצמן בספר אלה שמות ומייחסן אצל משה ואהרן אלה ראשי בית אבותם בני ראובן [וגו'] ובני שמעון [וגו'] ובני לוי (שמות ו' י"ד) כך דרש רבי הונא ורבי לוי
[The verse], “All of you is beautiful, my beloved, [and there is no blemish in you”] (Song 4: 7), speaks of the tribes. And if you will say: Behold, their father Jacob blessed the tribes, but chided Reuben and Shimon and Levi, and [so] how can you say [that this verse applies to them]? Rabbi Eleazar said: Although he blessed the latter tribes and chided the first, rather he returned and blessed them. As it is written: “All of these are the twelve tribes of Israel [and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them. Each according to his blessing, he blessed them”] (Genesis 49: 28). What is it: “And this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them?” Rabbi Eleazar said: He made them suckle one from another. ---Pesikta Rabbati 7: 9
(ט) דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים קמז, יט): מַגִּיד דְּבָרָיו לְיַעֲקֹב, אֵלּוּ הַדִּבְּרוֹת. (תהלים קמז, יט): חֻקָּיו וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אֵלּוּ הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַגִּיד דְּבָרָיו לְיַעֲקֹב, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ פַּרְדֵּס וְהָיָה נוֹטֵעַ בּוֹ כָּל מִינֵי אִילָנוֹת וְלֹא הָיָה נִכְנַס לְתוֹכוֹ אֶלָא הוּא, שֶׁהָיָה מְשַׁמְּרוֹ, מִשֶּׁעָמְדוּ בָנָיו עַל פִּרְקָן, אָמַר לָהֶם בָּנַי הַפַּרְדֵּס הַזֶּה אֲנִי הָיִיתִי מְשַׁמְּרוֹ וְלֹא הִנַּחְתִּי אָדָם לְהִכָּנֵס בְּתוֹכוֹ, אַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ מְשַׁמְּרִין אוֹתוֹ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהָיִיתִי אֲנִי מְשַׁמְּרוֹ. כָּךְ אָמַר הָאֱלֹקִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַד שֶׁלֹא בָּרָאתִי אֶת הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הִתְקַנְתִּי אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ח, ל): וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן, מַהוּ אָמוֹן, אוֹמֵן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יא, יב): כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשָֹּׂא הָאֹמֵן אֶת הַיֹּנֵק, לֹא נְתַתִּיהָ לְאֶחָד מִן עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים אֶלָּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁעָמְדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמְרוּ (שמות כד, ז): כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יי נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע, מִיָּד נְתָנָהּ לָהֶם, הֱוֵי: מַגִּיד דְּבָרָיו לְיַעֲקֹב חֻקָּיו וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא עָשָׂה כֵן לְכָל גּוֹי, אֶלָא לְמִי, לְיַעֲקֹב, שֶׁבְּחָרוֹ מִכָּל הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, וְלֹא נָתַן לָהֶם אֶלָּא מִקְצָת, נָתַן לְאָדָם שֵׁשׁ מִצְווֹת, הוֹסִיף לְנֹחַ אַחַת, לְאַבְרָהָם שְׁמוֹנֶה, לְיַעֲקֹב תֵּשַׁע, אֲבָל לְיִשְׂרָאֵל נָתַן לָהֶם הַכֹּל.
Another thing: “He tells his words to Jacob, [his rules and laws to Israel. He did not do so for any other nation and they do not know laws– Halleluyah”] (Psalms 147: 19– 20). Rabbi Abbahu said in the name of Rabbi Yosi bar Rabbi Ḥanina: A parable– to what may the matter be compared? To a king who had a garden, and he planted all kinds of trees in it. And none entered into it except him who was its guard. When his sons came to maturity, he said to them, My sons, I have guarded this garden and have not allowed (hinaḥti) a man to enter into it. You will guard it in the way that I have guarded it. Thus said God to Israel: Before I created this world, I established the Torah. As it is said: “And I was beside him [as a] suckling child (amon)” (Proverbs 8: 30). What is amon? [It is] omen. As it is said, “As the nursing father (ha-‘ omen) carries the suckling child (ha-yoneq)” (Numbers 11: 12). I did not give it to one of those who serve the stars, but rather to Israel. For when Israel stood and said, “All that God has spoken we will do and we will obey” (Exodus 24: 7), immediately he gave it to them. 61 Thus, “He tells his words to Jacob, his rules and laws to Israel. He did not do so for any other nation” (Psalms 147: 19– 20). But rather [He gave them] to Jacob, whom he chose from all of those who serve the stars, to whom he gave only a few. He gave Adam six commandments, He added one to Noah, to Abraham eight, to Jacob nine, but to Israel he gave all. ---Exodus Rabbah 30: 9
And the paths, they are the Mothers (imot) of the ways, for the path is the mother of the way (em ha-derekh), and the way is a generality and a principle, for the ways disperse, and separate, and extend from there. 12 And the paths of the wonders are like cavities that are within the tree's core, and Ḥokhmah is the root. And they are interior and subtle beings (havayot) [that] no created being (briyah) is able to contemplate (lehitbonen), except he who suckles (hayoneq) from it. For it is a way of contemplation by way of his suckling (yeniqto), and not by way of knowledge (yediy‘ah). ---Rabbi Isaac the Blind
Commentary on Song 8: 1: “If only you were as a brother to me, [suckling at my mother's breasts]” (Song 8: 1). The Glory replied: If you desire and yearn that I will unite with you, I shall also direct all of my desire to you, so that you will be as a brother to me and I will not be separated from you. “Suckling (yoneq) at my mother's breasts.” And you will receive suckling (yeniqah) from the place of my suckling (yeniqati), [from this place] which is the spirit of the living God.'
Commentary on Song 8: 10: “I am a wall and my breasts are like towers. [Then I was in his eyes as one who finds peace]” (Song 8: 10). She is proud that she will be like a fortified wall, to strengthen [herself] with her faith and with the two Torahs; the Written Torah and the Oral Torah, that are the [source of] vitality for man, as the breasts are the [source of] life for the infant. “Then,” she said, I was in the eyes of the Holy One, blessed be He, “as one who finds peace.” - Rabbi Ezra of Gerona
“Know that this attribute is also called Shaddai. And the reason is that from Her divine overflow (shefa‘) comes to all that are found in the world, and She sustains all created beings…. [She] is the place of divine overflow and emanation and nursing…. Every one receives joy and existence and life from Her, each according to his food and to his type. Therefore this attribute is called Shaddai, because there is in Her enough (day) sustenance and life and existence and placement for all who are found in the world. And there is no lack in Her, and all suckles from Her. And this is as it says in Ḥagiga of the name Shaddai: Who said to the world enough! … And the matter is likened to the breasts from which an infant suckles.”
---Rabbi Joseph Gikatilla, 'Sha‘arey Tzedeq' (Gates of Righteousness).
ויֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אַל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, אֲמַאי לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, וְלָא לְאָחֳרָא, וְהָא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא רַבְיָא הֲוָה, דִּכְתִּיב, (שמות לג) וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן נַעַר, וְכַמָּה הֲווֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל תַּקִּיפִין מִנֵּיהּ. אֶלָּא מֹשֶׁה בְּחָכְמְתָא אִסְתָּכַּל וְיָדַע. מַאי חָמָא. חָמָא לסמאל דְּהֲוָה נָחִית מִסִּטְרָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, לְסַיְּיעָא לַעֲמָלֵק לְתַתָּא. אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, וַדַּאי קְרָבָא הָכָא תַּקִּיפָא אִתְחָזִיִ. יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא בְּדַרְגָּא עִלָּאָה יַתִּיר אִשְׁתְּכַח. אִי תֵּימָא דִּבְשְׁכִינְתָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא לָאו הָכִי, דְּהָא בְּמֹשֶׁה אִתְנְסִיבַת וְאִתְאַחֲדַת, אִשְׁתְּכַח יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּאִתְאַחֲד לְתַתָּא מִינָּהּ. וּבַמֶּה. אָמַר ר' שִׁמְעוֹן, בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר, דְּאִתְקְרֵי נַעַ''ר. וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, מַאי דִּכְתִּיב, (ישעיה לג) עֵינֶיךָ תִּרְאֶינָה יְרוּשָׁלַ ם נָוְה שַׁאֲנָן אֹהֶל בַּל יִצְעָן בַּל יִסַּע יְתֵדוֹתָיו לָנֶצַח. יְרוּשָׁלַ ם: יְרוּשָׁלַ ם דִּלְעֵילָּא, דְּאִקְרֵי אֹהֶל בַּל יִצְעָן, דְּלָא יִשְׁתְּכַּח יַתִּיר לְמֵהַךְ בְּגָלוּתָא, וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דִּכְתִּיב, וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן נַעַר. נַעַר וַדַּאי. לא יָמִישׁ מִתּוֹךְ הָאֹהֶל, הַהוּא דְּאִקְרֵי אֹהֶל בַּל יִצְעָן. מְלַמֵּד דִּבְכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא, הֲוָה יָנִיק מִשְׁכִינְתָּא, כְּמָה דְּהַהוּא נַעַר דִּלְעֵילָּא, לֹא יָמִישׁ מִתּוֹךְ הָאֹהֶל, וְיָנִיק מִנֵּיהּ תָּדִירָא. כַּךְ הַאי נַעַר דִּלְתַתָּא לא יָמִישׁ מִתּוֹךְ הָאֹהֶל, וְיָנִיק מִנָּהּ תָּדִירָא. בְּגִין כַּךְ, כַּד חָמָא מֹשֶׁה, לסמאל, נָחִית לְסַיְּיעָא לַעֲמָלֵק, אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, וַדַּאי הַאי נַעַר יְקוּם לָקֳבְלֵיהּ, וְיִשְּׁלוֹט עָלֵיהּ, לְנַצְּחָא לֵיהּ. מִיַּד וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בָּחַר לָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים וְצֵא הִלָּחֵם בַּעֲמָלֵק, דִּילָךְ הַאי קְרָבָא דִּלְתַתָּא, וַאֲנָא אִזְדָּרֵז לִקְרָבָא דִּלְעֵילָּא. בָּחַר לָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים, זַכָּאִין בְּנֵי זַכָּאִין, דְּיִתְחֲזוּן לְמֵהַךְ עִמָּךְ.
Rabbi Shimon said: And if this battle with Amalek is inconsequential in your eyes, come and see: From the day that the world was created until that time, and from that time until the king Messiah comes, and even in the days of Gog and Magog, one like it will not be found. Not because of the mighty and vast armies, but rather because it was on all sides of the Holy One, blessed be He. “And Moses said to Joshua, [Choose men for us, and go out: battle with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand at the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand”] (Exodus 17: 9). Why “to Joshua” and not to another? For behold, at that time he was a youth. As it is written: “And Joshua son of Nun, a youth [did not depart from within the Tent”] (Exodus 33: 11)… At that time, Joshua was found at a very high level. If you will say that he was found with Shekhinah at that time, [this is] not so. For behold, She was married and united with Moses. Joshua was found united below him…. And this is the secret, as it is written: “And Joshua son of Nun, a youth.” Truly, a youth. “Did not depart from within the Tent,” that is called “a tent that will not wander” (Isaiah 33: 20). This teaches that on each and every day he was suckling (yaneq) from the Shekhinah, like that upper youth who does not depart from within the Tent and suckles (ve-yaneq) from her continuously. Likewise, this youth below does not depart from within the Tent, and he suckles (ve-yaneq) from her continuously…. Rabbi Shimon said: At the time that the youth Joshua went out, the youth above was stirred, and was prepared with many preparations, with many weapons that his Mother prepared for him for this battle to take vengeance for the covenant. This is the secret, as it is written: “A sword taking vengeance for the covenant” (Lev. 26: 25). And this is the secret, as it is written: “And Joshua weakened Amalek and his people with the sword.”
---Sefer ha-Zohar 2: 65b-66a