Midrash su Neemia 9:6

(Fol. 25) R. Joshua b. Levi said: "We must be grateful to our forefathers for having informed us of the place where we are to pray; as it is said (Nech. 9, 6) And the host of the heavens, the sun and all other illuminaries which are in the east bow down before Thee towards the West." R. Akiba b. Jacob opposed it, saying: "Perhaps they go backwards, as a slave does usually before his master; and when they come to the West, they bow toward the East?" The objection remains. R. Hoshia, however, holds that the Shechina is all over, for R. Hoshia said: "Whence do we learn that the Shechina is all over? It is said (Ib., ib.) Thou indeed art the Eternal One alone; i.e.. Thy messengers are not like the messengers of frail man; for the messenger of frail man usually returns [when he has accomplished his task] to the place from which he was sent [announcing the fulfillment of his duty], but Thy messengers report the fulfillment of duty at the very place to which they were sent; as it is said (Job, 38, 35) Canst thou send out lightnings that may go, and say unto thee, "Here are we." It does not read that they come and say Here are we, but that they go and say it in the place to which they were sent. Hence the Shechina is all over." And R. Ishmael also maintains the same; for at the school of R. Ishmael it was taught, whence do we learn that the Shechina is all over? It is said (Zeeh. 2, 7) And behold, the angel that spoke with me went out, and another angel eame out to meet him. It does not read after him (achrar), but against him (likrath); infer from this that the Shechina is everywhere. And R. Shesheth also agrees with his interpretation, for R. Shesheth [who was blind] would say to his servant: "You may place me [for prayer] in any direction except due East: not because the Shechina is not resting there, but because the minim have decided that one must pray only towards due East." R. Abahu, however, maintains that the Shechina is resting in the West; for R. Abahu said: "Why is the West called Uriya? Because the Divine air is there."

Antonius again questioned Rabbi: "Why does the sun rise in the east and set in the west?" He answered: "If it were contrary, you would also question the same." "I mean to say," said Antonius, "why does it set in the west [why not until it reaches the place from whence it rose]?' And he answered: "For the purpose of greeting with peace its Creator, as it is said (Nehem. 9, 6) And the host of the heavens bow down before thee." "Let it then travel to half of the sky, greet the Creator, and set," he asked. "Because of harm to the laborers, and those who travel on the road [if it would stop shining]."

(Gen. 17:2:)AND LET ME PUT MY COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND YOU. Abram said to him: And who will circumcise me?¹⁰⁶Gen. R. 49:2 (but not in the Theodor edition). He said to him: You yourself. Abraham took the knife and took hold of his foreskin, but he was afraid; because he was old, he was shaking. He said to him: Sovereign of the world, I am an old man. What did the Holy One do, as it were? He stretched out his hand and took hold along with him.¹⁰⁷Cant. R. 4:6:1. So Abraham cut away until he had performed circumcision. Thus Ezra gives praise and says (in Neh. 9:6, 8): YOU ALONE ARE THE LORD … AND YOU FOUND HIS HEART FAITHFUL BEFORE YOU, < AND CUT THE COVENANT ALONG WITH HIM >. "And cut the covenant for him" is not written here, but AND CUT THE COVENANT ALONG WITH HIM. Then there is written at the end of the verse: AND YOU HAVE KEPT YOUR WORDS BECAUSE YOU ARE RIGHTEOUS.

And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights (Exod. 34:28). How did Moses know when it was day? When the Holy One, blessed be He, taught him the Written Law he knew it was the day time, and when He taught him the Oral Law, the Mishnah and the Talmud, he was aware that it was night time. This was so because day and night are alike in the presence of the Holy One, blessed be He, as is said: And the light dwelleth with Him (Dan. 2:22). And as it is also written elsewhere: Even the darkness is not too dark for Thee, but the night shineth as the day; the darkness even as the light (Ps. 139:12). In what other way did he distinguish between night and day? When he beheld the constellations kneeling and bowing (descending), he realized that it was day, and when he saw the sun bowing, he knew that it was night, as it is written: The host of heave worship Thee (Neh. 9:6).