The Faces of the Righteous Shine in the World to Come

Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya says: Who is greater, the lovers or the beloved? You must say, the beloved. If the lovers are as the sun going forth, all the more so the beloved. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says: Do not read "fullness [sova] of joys" but "seven [sheva] joys" (Psalms 16:11) (as written elsewhere). The faces of the righteous in the time to come are like the sun, the moon, the firmament, the stars, the lightnings, the lilies, and the lamp of the Temple. Like the sun and the moon — from where? "Fair as the moon, clear as the sun" (Song of Songs 6:10), and it is written, "But they that love Him shall be as the sun going forth in its might." Like the firmament and the stars — from where? As it is written, "And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars" (Daniel 12:3). Like the lightnings — from where? "They shall run to and fro like lightnings" (Nahum 2:5). Like the lilies — from where? "For the leader, upon the lilies" (Psalms 45:1). Like the lamp of the Temple — from where? "And two olive trees by it" (Zechariah 4:3).