Daf 59a (דַּף נ״ט ע״א)

And in the book of Rav Ḥamnuna Sava it is written (וּבְסִפְרָא דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סַבָא כְּתִיב): What are Olamot [Worlds]? (מַאי עוֹלָמוֹת). As it is said (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר), “She gives prey to her household, and a portion to her maidens” (וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ וְחֹק לְנַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ) (Proverbs 31:15). Her maidens—these are the Alamot [Virgins] (נַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ הָנֵי עֲלָמוֹת). “They love You”—to bless Your Name and to sing before You (אֲהֵבוּךָ, לְבָרְכָא שְׁמָךְ, וּלְזַמְּרָא קַמָּךְ). From there blessings are found among all those below, and those Above and those below are blessed (וּמִתַּמָּן אִשְׁתַּכְּחָן בִּרְכָאן בְּכֻלְּהוּ תַּתָּאֵי, וּמִתְבָּרְכִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין). Another matter (דָּבָר אַחֵר): “Therefore the Alamot [Virgins] love You.” (עַל כֵּן עֲלָמוֹת אֲהֵבוּךָ). Well is he who says, “al-mavet [over death] they love You.” (שַׁפִּיר הוּא מַאן דְּאָמַר, עַל מָוְת אֲהֵבוּךָ). For by this word the Master of judgments is sweetened (דְּהָא בְּמִלָּה דָּא מָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינִין אִתְבַּסְּמָן). And because this incense is bound with the supernal oil more than all else (וּבְגִין דְּהַאי קְטֹרֶת אִתְקְטַר בְּמִשְׁחָא דִּלְעֵילָּא יַתִּיר), it is considered before Kudsha Berikh Hu more than all offerings and elevations (אִתְחֲשָׁב קָמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, מִכָּל קָרְבְּנִין וְעִלָּוָון).

Kenesset Yisrael said: I am like the incense, and You are like the oil — draw me after You, we will run (אָמְרָה כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲנָא כִּקְטֹרֶת, וְאַנְתְּ כְּמִשְׁחָא, מָשְׁכֵנִי אַחֲרֶיךָ נָרוּצָה) (Song of Songs 1). We will run — as it is said: therefore the Alamot love You (נָרוּצָה: כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, עַל כֵּן עֲלָמוֹת אֲהֵבוּךָ). I and all the hosts, for all are bound in me — therefore draw me, for in me they depend (אֲנָא וְכָל אוּכְלוּסִין, דְּהָא כֻּלְּהוּ בִּי אֲחִידָן, וְעַל דָּא מָשְׁכֵנִי, דְּהָא בִּי תַּלְיָין). The King has brought me into His chambers (הֱבִיאַנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ חֲדָרָיו) (Song of Songs 1). If the King will enter me into His chambers, then we will rejoice and be glad in You — I and all the hosts (אִם יֵיעוּל לִי מַלְכָּא בְּאִדָרוֹי, נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בָּךְ, אֲנָא וְכֻלְּהוּ אוּכְלוּסִין). It was taught (תָּאנָא): all the hosts, when Kenesset Yisrael is renewed and blessed, all are joyful, and judgment does not rest in the world (כֻּלְּהוּ אוּכְלוּסִין, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל חַדָּאת וּמִתְבָּרְכָא, כֻּלְּהוּ חַדָּאן, וְדִינָא לָא שַׁרְיָא כְּדֵין בְּעָלְמָא). And of this it is written: let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, יִשְׂמְחוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְתָגֵל הָאָרֶץ) (Psalms 96). For in the cloud I will appear upon the kapporet (כִּי בֶּעָנָן אֵרָאֶה עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת) (Leviticus 16). Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): blessed are the Righteous, for Kudsha Berikh Hu desires their honor (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּא, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי בִּיקָרֵיהוֹן).

We learned (וְתָנֵינָא): a king of flesh and blood — if a man rides upon his horse, he is liable to death (מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם, אִי בַּר נָשׁ רָכִיב עַל סוּסְיָא דִּילֵיהּ, בַּר קַטָלָא הוּא). But Kudsha Berikh Hu made Eliyahu ride upon His own, as it is written: and Eliyahu went up by a whirlwind into heaven (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַרְכִּיב אֵלִיָּהוּ עַל דִּילֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב, וַיָּעַל אֵלִיָּהוּ בַּסְּעָרָה הַשָּׁמָיִם) (II Kings 2). Here what is written: that he die not, for in the cloud I will appear upon the kapporet (הָכָא מַאי כְּתִיב, וְלֹא יָמוּת כִּי בֶּעָנָן אֵרָאֶה עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת). And Kudsha Berikh Hu brought Moshe into it, as it is written: and Moshe came into the cloud — into the cloud itself — for in the cloud I will appear upon the kapporet (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַיְילֵיהּ לְמֹשֶׁה בֵּיהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן, בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן מַמָּשׁ, כִּי בֶּעָנָן אֵרָאֶה עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת) (Exodus 24). This is what is written: and Hashem will create over every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud by day, and smoke (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וּבָרָא יְיָ עַל כָּל מְכוֹן הַר צִיּוֹן וְעַל מִקְרָאֶיהָ עָנָן יוֹמָם וְעָשָׁן) (Isaiah 4). And it is written: for the cloud of Hashem was upon the Mishkan by day (וּכְתִיב, כִּי עָנָן יְיָ עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן יוֹמָם) (Exodus 40). And we learned (וְתָאנָא): this that is written, and Hashem descended in a cloud (הַאי דִּכְתִיב, וַיֵּרֶד יְיָ בֶּעָנָן) (Exodus 34). In the cloud I will appear upon the kapporet (בֶּעָנָן אֵרָאֶה עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת).

It was taught (תָּאנָא): The place where the keruvim rested, as we have established (אֲתַר דַּהֲווֹ שָׁרָאן אִינּוּן כְּרוּבֵי, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא), the keruvim sat upon the letter Alef (כְּרוּבִים עַל אָת הֲווֹ יַתְבִין). And it was taught (וְתָאנָא): Three times each day a miracle occurred in their wings (ג׳ זִמְנִין בְּיוֹמָא אִתְרְחִישׁ נִיסָא בְּגַדְפַיְיהוּ). At the moment when the holiness of the King was revealed upon them (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְגְּלֵי עָלַיְיהוּ קְדוּשָּׁה דְּמַלְכָּא), they themselves would raise their wings, spread them out, and cover the kapporet (אִינּוּן מִגַּרְמַיְיהוּ סַלְּקִין גַּדְפַיְיהוּ, וּפַרְסִין לוֹן, וְחַפְּיָין עַל כַּפּוֹרְתָּא). Afterwards they would fold their wings and cling to their wings (לְבָתַר קְמִיטִין גַּדְפַיְיהוּ, וְנֶאֱחָזִין בְּגַּדְפַיְיהוּ). Some say (ס״א): They clung to their bodies (וְנֶאֱחָזִין בְּגוּפַיְיהוּ). As it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “And the keruvim shall spread out their wings above” (וְהָיוּ הַכְּרוּבִים פּוֹרְשֵׂי כְנָפַיִם לְמַעְלָה), “spreading, but not fully spread; covering, but not fully covered” (פּוֹרְשֵׂי וְלָא פְּרוּשֵׂי, סוֹכְכִים וְלָא סְכוּכִים) (Exodus 25:20). This is in the letter Zot [This] they stood, rejoicing in the Shekhinta (דָּא בְּאָת הֲווֹ קַיְימֵי וְחַדָּאן בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא).

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): What is meant here: “For in the cloud I will appear upon the kapporet” (מַה בָּעָא הָכָא, כִּי בֶּעָנָן אֵרָאֶה עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת)? And it is written (וּכְתִיב): “With this shall Aharon come” (בְּזֹאת יָבֹא אַהֲרֹן) (Leviticus 16:3). But the priest did not see the Shekhinta at the time when he entered (וְהָא כַּהֲנָא לָא חָמֵי לִשְׁכִינְתָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא כַּד הֲוָה עָאל). Rather, a cloud would descend (אֶלָּא עֲנָנָא הֲוָה נָחִית). And when it descended, it rested upon this kapporet, and the wings of the keruvim were aroused; they struck one another and sang a song (וְכַד הֲוָה נָחִית מָטָא עַל הַאי כַּפֹּרֶת, וּמִתְעָרִין גַּדְפַּיְיהוּ דִּכְרוּבִין, וְאַקְשֵׁי לְהוּ וְאַמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא). And what song did they sing? (וּמַה שִׁירָתָא אַמְרֵי). “For great is Hashem, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods” (כִּי גָּדוֹל יְיָ וּמְהֻלָּל מְאֹד נוֹרָא הוּא עַל כָּל אֱלֹהִים) (Psalms 96:4)—this, when they lifted their wings (הַאי כַּד סַלְקֵי גַּדְפַּיְיהוּ). At the time they spread them (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּפַרְסִין לְהוּ), they said (אַמְרֵי): “For all the gods of the nations are idols, but Hashem made the heavens” (כִּי כָּל אֱלֹהֵי הָעַמִּים אֱלִילִים וַיְיָ שָׁמַיִם עָשָׂה) (Psalms 96:5). When they covered the kapporet (כַּד חַפְיָין עַל כַּפּוֹרְתָּא), they said (אַמְרֵי): “Before Hashem, for He comes to judge the earth; He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity” (לִפְנֵי יְיָ כִּי בָא לִשְׁפּוֹט אֶת הָאָרֶץ, יִשְׁפּוֹט תֵּבֵל בְּצֶדֶק וְעַמִּים בְּמֵישָׁרִים) (Psalms 98:9). And their voices were heard by the priest in the Mikdash (וְקַלְהוֹן הֲוָה שָׁמַע כַּהֲנָא בְּמַקְדְּשָׁא). Then (כְּדֵין) he placed the incense in its place, and directed his kavvanah [intention] as it was required (שַׁוִּי קְטֹרֶת בְּאַתְרֵיהּ, וְאִתְכְּוָון בְּמָה דְּאִתְכָּוַּון), so that all might be blessed (בְּגִין דְּיִתְבְּרַךְ כֹּלָּא). And the wings of the keruvim rose and descended, singing a song, covering the kapporet, and raising them (וְגַדְפֵּי כְּרוּבְיָיא, סַלְּקִין וְנַחְתִּין, וְזַמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא, מְחַפְּיָין לְכַפּוֹרְתָּא וְסַלְקֵי לְהוּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Sokhkhim [Covering]” (סוֹכְכִים)—“covering” specifically (סוֹכְכִים דַּיְיקָא). And from where do we know that their voices were heard? (וּמְנָא לָן דְּקַלְהוֹן אִשְׁתְּמַע). As it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “And I heard the voice…” (וָאֶשְׁמַע אֶת קוֹל) (Ezekiel 1:28).