וַיְכַ֖ל לְדַבֵּ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ וַיַּ֣עַל אֱלֹהִ֔ים מֵעַ֖ל אַבְרָהָֽם׃
At natapos siyang makipag-usap sa kaniya, at umakyat ang Diyos mula kay Abraham.
Mekhilta DeRabbi Shimon Ben Yochai
And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God the Omnipotent: Rabbi Eliezer, the son of Yosei HaGelili, says. "There is a difference between the prophecy of the forefathers and the prophecy of Moses and the other prophets: When the Holy One, blessed be He, arose upon them to speak with them, He did not arise with chayot [angelic creatures], nor with a chariot, nor with any other types of glory, but the divine presence would rather rest [directly] on top of them."
Rabbi Shimon said, "The forefathers are the chariot themselves, as it is stated: And He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham (Genesis 17:22); And, behold, the Lord was standing over him (Genesis 28:13)."
Why was that? Because they were sanctified for the habitation of the divine presence.
But he arose over the other prophets with glory, each one according to his ability.
When the Holy One blessed be He, revealed Himself to the forefathers to speak with them, He did not arise with thunder, with lightning, with sounds or with a whirlwind, since they knew His power, His strength, His Greatness, and His Loftiness.
But upon the other prophets, the Holy One, blessed be He, would arise upon them with sounds, with thunder, with lightning, and with torchfires according to the need of the people of their generations. Why was that? Because the people of their generations did not know the power and the might of the Holy One, blessed be He. If only with voices and thunder, if only they would humble themselves!
When the Holy One, blessed be He, would arise upon the forefathers to command them, He would not make stipulations with them: If you will follow my statutes; But if you will reject my statutes (Leviticus 26:3, 15). Why was that? Because they knew the power of the giving of reward to the righteous and the punishment of the wicked, so He did not need to make stipulations with them.
When the Holy One, blessed be He, would speak with them, His voice would not shake up the world, but it was rather quiet, since there was no need for the people of their generations to hear.
But when the Holy One, blessed be He, would speak with the other prophets, He would shake up the world, as it is stated: The voice of the Lord breaks cedars (Psalms 29:5).
About what are these words speaking? Until the Tabernacle was erected. But when the Tabernacle was erected, He isolated a place for [His] speech, so the world was not shaken up.
When the Holy One, blessed be He, would command the forefathers to move from one land to another land, He would not promise what He would to them. Why was that? Because they were faithful.
But with the other prophets, how many promises did He promise them? And if only the people of their generations would trust [them]! How many promises did He promise our fathers? In Egypt: to a land flowing milk and honey (Exodus 3:8). And likewise in the desert. But even so, they were in doubt. How much did He promise even us? Rejoice, barren one (Isaiah 54:1); Comfort, comfort, My people (Isaiah 40:1); Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion (Zechariah 9:9); Lo, a day of the Lord is coming (Zechariah 44:1); Behold, I am sending My messenger (Malakhi 3:1). And still they are hesitating!
It was not necessary to express [God's] explicit name to the forefathers, but He expressed the explicit name to the other prophets.
As the people of their generations needed it.
The proof of the thing is from our teacher Moses, as it is stated:And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God the Omnipotent, but I did not make them know My name, Lord
I did not reveal Myself to them like [I did] to You.
Rabbi Shimon said, "The forefathers are the chariot themselves, as it is stated: And He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham (Genesis 17:22); And, behold, the Lord was standing over him (Genesis 28:13)."
Why was that? Because they were sanctified for the habitation of the divine presence.
But he arose over the other prophets with glory, each one according to his ability.
When the Holy One blessed be He, revealed Himself to the forefathers to speak with them, He did not arise with thunder, with lightning, with sounds or with a whirlwind, since they knew His power, His strength, His Greatness, and His Loftiness.
But upon the other prophets, the Holy One, blessed be He, would arise upon them with sounds, with thunder, with lightning, and with torchfires according to the need of the people of their generations. Why was that? Because the people of their generations did not know the power and the might of the Holy One, blessed be He. If only with voices and thunder, if only they would humble themselves!
When the Holy One, blessed be He, would arise upon the forefathers to command them, He would not make stipulations with them: If you will follow my statutes; But if you will reject my statutes (Leviticus 26:3, 15). Why was that? Because they knew the power of the giving of reward to the righteous and the punishment of the wicked, so He did not need to make stipulations with them.
When the Holy One, blessed be He, would speak with them, His voice would not shake up the world, but it was rather quiet, since there was no need for the people of their generations to hear.
But when the Holy One, blessed be He, would speak with the other prophets, He would shake up the world, as it is stated: The voice of the Lord breaks cedars (Psalms 29:5).
About what are these words speaking? Until the Tabernacle was erected. But when the Tabernacle was erected, He isolated a place for [His] speech, so the world was not shaken up.
When the Holy One, blessed be He, would command the forefathers to move from one land to another land, He would not promise what He would to them. Why was that? Because they were faithful.
But with the other prophets, how many promises did He promise them? And if only the people of their generations would trust [them]! How many promises did He promise our fathers? In Egypt: to a land flowing milk and honey (Exodus 3:8). And likewise in the desert. But even so, they were in doubt. How much did He promise even us? Rejoice, barren one (Isaiah 54:1); Comfort, comfort, My people (Isaiah 40:1); Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion (Zechariah 9:9); Lo, a day of the Lord is coming (Zechariah 44:1); Behold, I am sending My messenger (Malakhi 3:1). And still they are hesitating!
It was not necessary to express [God's] explicit name to the forefathers, but He expressed the explicit name to the other prophets.
As the people of their generations needed it.
The proof of the thing is from our teacher Moses, as it is stated:And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God the Omnipotent, but I did not make them know My name, Lord
I did not reveal Myself to them like [I did] to You.
Midrash Aggadah
"And behold, messengers of God." These are Moses and Aaron. Another interpretation: "Going up and going down on it." They go down and go up as he asks? Rather, these angels that went with him in the land of Israel do not go with him to outside of the land, but instead they go up. And others went down with him to outside of Israel. And at the moment that they went up into heaven and saw the image of Jacob, our father, inscribed on the Throne of Glory, they said: Isn't he down below? Then who brought him here?! They went down and saw him and wanted to injure him, so immediately the Holy One Blessed Be God came down to save him. This is the meaning of what is written, "And standing beside him was God." (Genesis 28:13) From here we learn that the pious ones are first and He rides upon them, as it is stated, God was gone from Abraham." (Genesis 17:22)
Bereshit Rabbah
“He concluded speaking with him, and God ascended from upon Abraham” (Genesis 17:22).
It is taught: One who departs from another person, whether of greater or lesser stature, must take his leave from him. From whom do you derive this? From Abraham. On one occasion,23Genesis 18:1–3. Abraham was speaking with the Holy One blessed be He, when the ministering angels came to speak with him. He said to them: ‘Let me first take my leave from the Divine Presence, which is of greater stature than you, then I will speak with you.’ When he finished saying to the Holy One blessed be He all that he needed [to say], he said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I must speak [with the angels].’ He said: ‘You may leave in peace.’24From this incident we learn that one must take his leave when departing from someone of greater stature. That is what is written: “[He concluded speaking with him,] and God ascended from upon Abraham.”25The Midrash interprets this to mean that God bade farewell to Abraham before leaving him. From this we learn that one should take his leave even from someone of lesser stature.
Reish Lakish said: The patriarchs are themselves the divine chariot,26God’s presence rests directly upon them, as one rides upon a chariot. as it is stated: “God ascended from upon Abraham,” “God ascended from upon him,” (Genesis 35:13) “And behold, the Lord stood upon him” (Genesis 28:13).27God is described as being “upon” the Patriarchs.
It is taught: One who departs from another person, whether of greater or lesser stature, must take his leave from him. From whom do you derive this? From Abraham. On one occasion,23Genesis 18:1–3. Abraham was speaking with the Holy One blessed be He, when the ministering angels came to speak with him. He said to them: ‘Let me first take my leave from the Divine Presence, which is of greater stature than you, then I will speak with you.’ When he finished saying to the Holy One blessed be He all that he needed [to say], he said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I must speak [with the angels].’ He said: ‘You may leave in peace.’24From this incident we learn that one must take his leave when departing from someone of greater stature. That is what is written: “[He concluded speaking with him,] and God ascended from upon Abraham.”25The Midrash interprets this to mean that God bade farewell to Abraham before leaving him. From this we learn that one should take his leave even from someone of lesser stature.
Reish Lakish said: The patriarchs are themselves the divine chariot,26God’s presence rests directly upon them, as one rides upon a chariot. as it is stated: “God ascended from upon Abraham,” “God ascended from upon him,” (Genesis 35:13) “And behold, the Lord stood upon him” (Genesis 28:13).27God is described as being “upon” the Patriarchs.