Chasidut for Pirkei Avot 6:8

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יְהוּדָה מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי אוֹמֵר, הַנּוֹי וְהַכֹּחַ וְהָעֹשֶׁר וְהַכָּבוֹד וְהַחָכְמָה וְהַזִּקְנָה וְהַשֵּׂיבָה וְהַבָּנִים, נָאֶה לַצַּדִּיקִים וְנָאֶה לָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם טז) עֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת שֵׂיבָה בְּדֶרֶךְ צְדָקָה תִּמָּצֵא. וְאוֹמֵר (שם כ) תִּפְאֶרֶת בַּחוּרִים כֹּחָם וַהֲדַר זְקֵנִים שֵׂיבָה. וְאוֹמֵר (שם יד) עֲטֶרֶת חֲכָמִים עָשְׁרָם. וְאוֹמֵר (שם יז) עֲטֶרֶת זְקֵנִים בְּנֵי בָנִים וְתִפְאֶרֶת בָּנִים אֲבוֹתָם. וְאוֹמֵר (ישעיה כד) וְחָפְרָה הַלְּבָנָה וּבוֹשָׁה הַחַמָּה, כִּי מָלַךְ ה' צְבָאוֹת בְּהַר צִיּוֹן וּבִירוּשָׁלַיִם וְנֶגֶד זְקֵנָיו כָּבוֹד. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן מְנַסְיָא אוֹמֵר, אֵלּוּ שֶׁבַע מִדּוֹת שֶׁמָּנוּ חֲכָמִים לַצַּדִּיקִים, כֻּלָּם נִתְקַיְּמוּ בְרַבִּי וּבְבָנָיו:

R. Shimon b. Menassia says in the name of R. Shimon b. Yochai: Beauty and strength and wealth and honor and wisdom and old age and hoariness and children are becoming to the righteous and becoming to the world, as it is written (Proverbs 16:21): "A crown of glory is hoary (old age); in the way of righteousness will it be found," and (Ibid 14:24): "The crown of the wise is their wealth," and (Ibid. 17:6): "The crown of the old are grandchildren, and the glory of children are their fathers," and (Ibid. 20:29): "The beauty of youth is their strength, and the glory of the old is their hoariness," and (Isaiah 24:23): "Then the moon shall be confounded and the sun put to shame, for the L rd of hosts will reign in the mountain of Zion and in Jerusalem — but before His elders, honor." R. Shimon b. Menassia says: These seven middoth that the sages ascribed to the righteous were all realized in Rebbi and his sons.

Mareh Yechezkel on Torah

It is well known that Shabbat corresponds to the final hay of God’s name, and that it is called, a daughter. And anyone that observes Shabbat ‘merits the inheritance of Yaakov’ – as is well known. And Yaakov is the vav of the name, and is also called, son – as is elucidated in several places. And that is the meaning of that which is sung, “One who keeps the Shabbat” – who merits to raise up the vav and the hay of the name – which is, “a boy and a girl – will be accepted like a meal offering on the griddle.” That is because it is only from the inanimate and from that which grows – which also only correspond to the vav and the hay of the name. Yet the Holy One, blessed be He, accepts it willingly. And in another place, I explained that this song has seven rhyming stanzas which hint to the seven characteristics (see Avot 6:8). ‘And knowledge comes easily to the intelligent man.’

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