וַיְהִי־ק֕וֹל מֵעַ֕ל לָרָקִ֖יעַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־רֹאשָׁ֑ם בְּעָמְדָ֖ם תְּרַפֶּ֥ינָה כַנְפֵיהֶֽן׃
At may isang tinig mula sa itaas ng kalawakan na nasa ibabaw ng kanilang mga ulo; kapag sila ay tumitigil, ibinababa nila ang kanilang mga pakpak.
Midrash Tanchuma
(Lev. 19:2:) “You shall be holy.” R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest said that R. Reuben said, “What is the meaning of that which is written (in Ezek. 3:12), ‘and I heard after me?’14This translation follows the interpretation of the midrash. A more traditional translation would be BEHIND ME. I heard a great roaring sound. What is the meaning of ‘after me ('hry)?’15Tanh., Exod. 4:13. After ('hry) I and my friends praised Him, I heard the ministering angels, as they praised Him and said (ibid., cont.), ‘Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His place.’” You should know that at the time that Moses went up above, he heard the voice of the angels praising like this. He [then] came down and taught Israel that they should say like this in a whisper, “Blessed be the name of His glorious majesty forever and ever.” R. Shmuel bar R. Nahmani said, “See what is written there (Ezekiel 1:25), ‘when they stood, their wings would droop.’ One who hears, ‘when they stood,’ would think there is sitting above. But [in fact] it is all in standing, as stated (Is. 6:2), ‘Seraphs standing above Him.’ And so does it state (Dan. 7:16), ‘I approached one of those standing.’ And so too (I Kings 22:19), ‘I saw the Lord sitting on His throne and all the host of the heavens were standing over Him.’ And what is the meaning of ‘in their standing, their wings drooped?’ From when Israel praised [God], the wings of the ministering angels drooped, [meaning] they stopped (stood) from saying praise, as they say praise with their wings.” It also says (in Job 38:7), “When the morning stars (i.e., the seed of Jacob)16This interpretation of THE MORNING STARS is explicit in the parallel passage of Gen. R. 65:21, which explains that Jacob’s offspring are likened to stars in Dan. 12:3. sang together, all the children of God (i.e., all the angels) shouted for joy.” R. Mani said, “Let not the recitation of the Shema be trivial in your eyes, because there are two hundred forty-eight words in it17The number includes the response after the first line of the Shema (cited below) plus the three preliminary words with which one precedes the Shema when praying in private, i.e., El melekh ne’eman (“God is a faithful King”). corresponding to [the number of] parts that are in a human being; and out of them [comes], ‘Blessed be the name of His glorious majesty forever and ever.’”18This blessing is the liturgical response to the first line of the Shema. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “If you have kept what is Mine in reciting it properly, I will also keep what is yours.” Therefore, David offered praise19Rt.: QLS; cf. Gk.: kalos (“beautifully”). (in Ps. 17:8), “Keep me as the pupil of an eye.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Prov. 4:4), “Keep My commandments and live.” R. Simeon ben Halafta said, “To what is the matter comparable?20Deut. R. 4:4. To someone who [lives] in the Galilee and has a vineyard in Judea, while someone in Judea has a vineyard in the Galilee. The one who [lives] in the Galilee goes to Judea to cultivate his vineyard. The one in Judea goes to the Galilee to cultivate his vineyard. [One day] they meet with each another, and one said to the other, ‘Instead of you coming to my place, keep watch over what is mine in your area; and I will keep watch over what is yours in my area.’” So did David say (in Ps. 17:4), “Keep me as the pupil of an eye.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Prov. 4:4), “keep My commandments and live.” Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Keep the commandment to recite the Shema morning and evening, and I will keep you.” So is it stated (in Ps. 121:7), “The Lord shall keep you from all evil; He shall keep your soul.”
Shemot Rabbah
Another matter, “Moses implored [vayḥal],” what is this? Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo, in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: He dissolved the vow of his Maker. How so? When Israel crafted the calf, Moses rose to placate God, so He would pardon them. God said: ‘But I already took an oath: “One who sacrifices to gods shall be destroyed” (Exodus 22:19), and an oath that emerged from My mouth, I do not recant.’ Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, did You not give me [the laws of] nullification of vows, and You said: “If a man takes a vow to the Lord, or takes an oath to impose a prohibition upon himself, he shall not profane [yaḥel] his word”? (Numbers 30:3). He does not profane it, but a Sage may pardon [moḥel] his vow when he requests it. Any elder who issues rulings, who wants others to accept his ruling, must first fulfill it himself. You commanded me regarding the nullification of vows, it is only right that You nullify Your vow, as You commanded me to nullify for others.’ Immediately, he wrapped himself in his cloak and sat as an elder, and the Holy One blessed be He, may his name be blessed, was standing like one who requests nullification of his vow.
Likewise, it says: “I sat on the mountain” (Deuteronomy 9:9).10The verse is usually translate “I remained [va’eshev] on the mountain” but a more literal translation is “I sat on the mountain.” Is it possible that Moses was sitting, and God, may His name be blessed, was standing? Rabbi Derusai said: [God] crafted him a special chair like the chair of the scholars who enter before the sovereign; they appear to be standing but are actually sitting. Here too, it is sitting that appears like standing. That is, “I sat on the mountain.”
Another matter, “I sat on the mountain,” is there sitting above? You find that all of them are standing, as it is stated: “Seraphs standing above Him” (Isaiah 6:2); likewise, “when they stood their wings would slacken” (Ezekiel 1:24); and likewise, “I approached one of those standing” (Daniel 7:16). Likewise, even Moses would stand when he ascended on high, as it is stated: “I stood on the mountain” (Deuteronomy 10:10), and it is written: “I was standing between the Lord and you” (Deuteronomy 5:5). No one sits there other than the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “I saw the Lord sitting on His throne” (II Chronicles 18:18); yet he says: “I sat on the mountain”? What is this? Rav Huna bar Aḥa said: He sat to dissolve the vow of his Maker. What did he say to Him? A difficult matter. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The difficult matter he said to Him was: ‘Do You regret it?’11If the individual who made a vow regrets it, the rabbi may nullify it. Although it is difficult to speak of God as experiencing regret, that is what Moses asked Him. He said: ‘I regret the evil that I said I would perform against My people.’ At that moment, Moses said: ‘It is dissolved for You, it is dissolved for You. There is no vow here and there is no oath here.’ That is, “Moses implored [vayḥal]” – that he nullified the vow of his Maker, just as it says: “He shall not profane [yaḥel] his word’ (Numbers 30:3). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: That is why he is called man of God, to say that he dissolved a vow for God.12Just as a man can dissolve his wife’s vow, Moses dissolved God’s vow. Likewise, “Moses implored [vayḥal].”
Likewise, it says: “I sat on the mountain” (Deuteronomy 9:9).10The verse is usually translate “I remained [va’eshev] on the mountain” but a more literal translation is “I sat on the mountain.” Is it possible that Moses was sitting, and God, may His name be blessed, was standing? Rabbi Derusai said: [God] crafted him a special chair like the chair of the scholars who enter before the sovereign; they appear to be standing but are actually sitting. Here too, it is sitting that appears like standing. That is, “I sat on the mountain.”
Another matter, “I sat on the mountain,” is there sitting above? You find that all of them are standing, as it is stated: “Seraphs standing above Him” (Isaiah 6:2); likewise, “when they stood their wings would slacken” (Ezekiel 1:24); and likewise, “I approached one of those standing” (Daniel 7:16). Likewise, even Moses would stand when he ascended on high, as it is stated: “I stood on the mountain” (Deuteronomy 10:10), and it is written: “I was standing between the Lord and you” (Deuteronomy 5:5). No one sits there other than the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “I saw the Lord sitting on His throne” (II Chronicles 18:18); yet he says: “I sat on the mountain”? What is this? Rav Huna bar Aḥa said: He sat to dissolve the vow of his Maker. What did he say to Him? A difficult matter. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The difficult matter he said to Him was: ‘Do You regret it?’11If the individual who made a vow regrets it, the rabbi may nullify it. Although it is difficult to speak of God as experiencing regret, that is what Moses asked Him. He said: ‘I regret the evil that I said I would perform against My people.’ At that moment, Moses said: ‘It is dissolved for You, it is dissolved for You. There is no vow here and there is no oath here.’ That is, “Moses implored [vayḥal]” – that he nullified the vow of his Maker, just as it says: “He shall not profane [yaḥel] his word’ (Numbers 30:3). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: That is why he is called man of God, to say that he dissolved a vow for God.12Just as a man can dissolve his wife’s vow, Moses dissolved God’s vow. Likewise, “Moses implored [vayḥal].”
Bereshit Rabbah
Another matter, “the voice is the voice of Jacob” – his voice silences the celestial beings and the earthly beings. Rabbi Reuven said: It is written: “When they stood, their wings would slacken” (Ezekiel 1:25). “When they stood” – is there sitting on High? Did Rabbi Shmuel not say: There is no sitting on High, as it is stated: “Their legs were a straight leg” (Ezekiel 1:7). They have no joints – “I approached one of those angels [kamaya]” (Daniel 7:16). What is this expression kamaya? It is standing [kayamaya]. “Seraphim were standing above Him” (Isaiah 6:2). “[He said: Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne,] and all the host of the heavens were standing [to His right and His left]” (II Chronicles 18:18), and you say: “When they stood”? I wonder. What is “when they stood [beomdam]”? When the nation comes, [there is] silence [ba am dom]. When Israel recites Shema Yisrael, the angels are silent, and then their wings would slacken. What do they recite? “Blessed is the glory of the Lord from His place” (Ezekiel 3:12), and blessed is the name of the glory of His kingdom.
Rabbi Levi said: “When the morning stars sang together, and all the children of the great shouted” (Job 38:7) what the offspring of Jacob, who was likened to the stars, laud, as it is written in their regard: “Those who lead the multitudes to righteousness, like the stars” (Daniel 12:3). Then, “all the children of the great shouted” – these are the ministering angels. What do they recite? “Blessed is the glory of the Lord from His place” (Ezekiel 3:12).
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: It is written: “A wind lifted me, and I heard behind me the sound of a great noise…” (Ezekiel 3:12). “Great noise” – I wonder. Rather, after I and my counterparts lauded, then, “ I heard behind me the sound of a great noise: Blessed is the glory of the Lord from His place.” What do they recite? Blessed is the name. Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai would expound: “The voice is the voice of Jacob” screaming because of what “the hands are the hands of Esau” did to him. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The voice [of Jacob, due to] the emperor Hadrian who killed eight hundred million people in Beitar.47The point is that a very large number of people were killed.
Rabbi Levi said: “When the morning stars sang together, and all the children of the great shouted” (Job 38:7) what the offspring of Jacob, who was likened to the stars, laud, as it is written in their regard: “Those who lead the multitudes to righteousness, like the stars” (Daniel 12:3). Then, “all the children of the great shouted” – these are the ministering angels. What do they recite? “Blessed is the glory of the Lord from His place” (Ezekiel 3:12).
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: It is written: “A wind lifted me, and I heard behind me the sound of a great noise…” (Ezekiel 3:12). “Great noise” – I wonder. Rather, after I and my counterparts lauded, then, “ I heard behind me the sound of a great noise: Blessed is the glory of the Lord from His place.” What do they recite? Blessed is the name. Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai would expound: “The voice is the voice of Jacob” screaming because of what “the hands are the hands of Esau” did to him. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The voice [of Jacob, due to] the emperor Hadrian who killed eight hundred million people in Beitar.47The point is that a very large number of people were killed.