Talmud zu Tehillim 96:78

³²Babli 14b; Tosephta 2:1. It happened that Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai was on the road, riding on a donkey, and Rebbi Eleazar ben Arakh was walking behind him. He said to him, my teacher, instruct me in a Chapter about the Work of the Chariot. He told him, did the Sagen not state, “nor the Chariot²The details of the Divine Throne as described in the first Chapter of Ezechiel. unless he was wise and understood by himself.” He said to him, my teacher, permit me to say it before you. He told him, say. When Rebbi Eleazar ben Arakh started about the Work of the Chariot, Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai descended from the donkey. He said, it is not appropriate that I should hear about the glory of my Creator riding on a donkey. They went and sat under a tree, when fire descended from Heaven and surrounded them, and the angels of Service were dancing before them like wedding guests happy with the bridegroom. An angel addressed from inside the fire and said, the Work of the Chariot is as you said, Eleazar ben Arakh. Then all trees (around them) [opened their mouths] and sang; then all trees of the forest will sing³³Ps. 96:12.. When Rebbi Eleazar ben Arakh finished with the Work of the Chariot, Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai rose, kissed him on his head, and said: Praised be the Eternal, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who gave a wise son to our father Abraham who knows to speak of the Glory of our Father in Heaven. They are good speakers who do not act well, those who act well but are no good speakers. Eleazar ben Arakh speaks well and acts well. Hail to you, our father Abraham, that Eleazar ben Arakh came from your loins. When Rebbi Yosef Hakohen and Rebbi Simeon ben Nethanael³⁴Cf. Mishnah Avot 2:8. heard, they also started with the Work of the Chariot. They said, it was one day after the summer solstice; the earth trembled and the Arc appeared in the cloud. An unembodied voice came and said to them, the place is free and the triclinium prepared for you. You and your students are invited to the third group. This parallels him who said, seven enjoyments are before Your presence³⁵Ps. 16:11., there are seven groups of just people in the Future World³⁶Who are worthy to see God’s glory, Lev. rabba 30(2)..

On the New Moon it is necessary to say after May the glory⁷⁵Ps. 104, 31. The reference is to the collection of verses beginning with these words (cf. P.B., pp. 28f) or to the whole of Ps. 104 which is added now to the daily Psalm at the end of the morning service of the New Moon. the following: The Lord reigneth,⁷⁶Ps. 93. O sing unto the Lord a new song;⁷⁷Ps. 98. From ‘on the New Moon’ to ‘ a new song’ is the reading of GRA. V, M and H begin with ‘but’, omit ‘on the New Moon’, and conclude with ‘according to the words of the Scribes’. and after that, O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name⁷⁸1 Chron. 16, 8-36. and the six daily psalms;⁷⁹Pss. CXLV to CL. for⁸⁰So according to M. V and H read ‘and’. R. Jose said, ‘May my lot be among those who include in their daily prayers⁸¹lit. ‘those who pray’. those six psalms’. It has also been stated: Why did David mention Abraham, Isaac and Jacob⁸²So GRA. V, M and H read ‘priests, Levites and Israelites’. in the psalm beginning, O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name? Because it has to be said daily.