Нехемья 9:6 Мидраш: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Bereshit Rabbah, Midrash Tehillim & Midrash Tanchuma Buber

(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."

Where are the orbs of the sun and the moon situated? They are in the second firmament, as it is stated: “God set them in the firmament of the heavens.” Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Abahu: There is an explicit verse, and the members of the Great Assembly elaborated on it: “You, the Lord, alone, You made the heavens, the heaven of heavens, and all their host…” (Nehemiah 9:6). Where is all their host situated? It is in the firmament that is above the heavens. From the earth to the firmament is a distance of five hundred years’ walk, and the thickness of the firmament is a distance of five hundred years’ walk, and from firmament to firmament is a distance of five hundred years’ walk. See how high it is. And we learned, on the first day of the summer solstice, there is no shade for any creature,²⁰The sun is directly overhead. as it is written: “Nothing can shelter from its heat” (Psalms 19:7).
The orb of the sun has a sheath, as it is stated: “In a tent within, He placed the sun” (Psalms 19:5), and there is a pool of water before it. When it emerges [from the sheath], the Holy One blessed be He mitigates its strength through that water so that it should not emerge and incinerate the world. But in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will strip it of its sheath and burn the wicked with it, as it is stated: “The day that is coming will burn them” (Malachi 3:19).
Rabbi Yanai and Rabbi Shimon both say: There will be no Gehenna [in the future];²¹On Judgment Day the wicked will not receive their punishment by fire in Gehenna. rather, there will be a [scorching] day that will burn up the wicked. What is the source? “For, behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace…” (Malachi 3:19). The Rabbis say: There will be a Gehenna,²²An actual fire. as it is stated: “The utterance of the Lord, for whom there is fire in Zion…” (Isaiah 31:9). Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai says: There will be neither a [scorching] day nor a Gehenna, but rather, a fire that emerges from the body of the wicked themselves and burns them. What is the source? It is as it is written: “Conceive stubble, give birth to straw, your spirit is a fire that will consume you” (Isaiah 33:11).
Rabbi Yehoshua bar Avin said: “The heavens will declare His beneficence” (Psalms 50:6) – in the future, the heavens will relate the beneficence that the Holy One blessed be He bestowed upon His world, in that He did not situate them in the first firmament. Had He situated them in the first firmament, no creature could have withstood the fire of the day.

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]."