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R. Eleazar then asked his father, R. Simeon, for a mnemonic suggestive of this method of effecting unification. In reply his father mentioned the manner in which the priest goes round the altar, regarding which the Mishnah-Code says: “And [the priest] came to the south-eastern, then to the north-eastern, the north-western, and the south-western horn”.1Mishnah Zebahim 5, 3. R. Eleazar then asked: ‘How could one come to the south before taking upon oneself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven?’
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R. Simeon, in reply, said: ‘Just so. It says [literally] “and he came to the horn of south-east”, that is, first to the horn, symbolic of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, and then to the south-east, symbolic of the Tree of Life….
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And whoever accomplishes unification in the proper way as just indicated, happy is his portion in this world and in the world to come, and, moreover, in such a one the Holy One, blessed be He, glorifies Himself. Concerning such a one, Scripture says: “And he said unto me, Thou art my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified” (Isa. 49, 3).’