The Seven Companies of the Righteous Before the Presence

"You make known to me the path of life" (Psalms 16:11). David said before the Holy One, blessed be He, Master of the worlds, make known to me which open canopy is set for the time to come. Rabbi Judan and Rabbi Azariah. Rabbi Judan said, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to David, David, if it is life you seek, look toward fear, as it is written, "The fear of the LORD adds days" (Proverbs 10:27). And Rabbi Azariah said, David said, if it is life you seek, look toward sufferings, as it is written, "And the way of life is the reproof of correction" (Proverbs 6:23). "Fullness of joys is in Your presence" (Psalms 16:11). We are filled in five joys before You: Scripture, Mishnah, Talmud, supplement, and Aggadah. Another interpretation of "fullness of joys [sova semahot] is in Your presence": do not read it so, but rather "seven joys [sheva semahot]," these are the seven companies of the righteous who are destined to receive the Divine Presence, and their faces are like the sun, the moon, the firmament, lightning, stars, lilies, and the lamps of the Temple. Like the sun, from where? "Clear as the sun" (Song of Songs 6:10). Like the moon, from where? "Fair as the moon" (Song of Songs 6:10). Like the firmament, from where? "And the wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament" (Daniel 12:3). Like lightning, from where? "Their appearance is like torches, they run like lightning" (Nahum 2:5). Like stars, from where? "And those who turn many to righteousness like the stars" (Daniel 12:3). Like lilies, from where? "For the leader, upon lilies, of David" (Psalms 69:1). Like the lamps of the Temple, from where? "I looked, and behold, a lampstand all of gold" (Zechariah 4:2). "Pleasures at Your right hand forever" (Psalms 16:11). David said before the Holy One, blessed be He, Master of the worlds, who will make known to me which company is the most beloved and pleasant among them? Two teachers: one said, it is the company that comes by the strength of Torah and good deeds; and the other said, it is the scribes and teachers who teach children faithfully, who are destined to sit at the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, "Pleasures at Your right hand forever" (Psalms 16:11). Another interpretation of "fullness of joys is in Your presence": these are the seven commandments of the festival, the four species of the lulav, and the sukkah, and rejoicing, and the festival offering. If there is rejoicing, why the festival offering, and if the festival offering, why rejoicing? Rabbi Avin said, like two who came before the judge, and we do not know which is the victor, except that the one who takes up the palm branch, we know that he is the victor. So because Israel and the princes of the nations of the world come and accuse one another before the Holy One, blessed be He, on the New Year, and we do not know which of them are the victors, except that from the fact that Israel goes out from before the Holy One, blessed be He, with their lulavim and etrogim in their hands, we know that Israel are the victors. Therefore Moses warns Israel and says to them, "And you shall take for yourselves on the first day" (Leviticus 23:40).