and Uriel appears there like a mighty lion crouching over his prey. When the priests and the Israelites saw this they rejoiced because they knew that the sacrifice was acceptable to the Holy King. Then another holy fire from above came down to meet the fire from below, and men trembled before their Master and repented.
As a king to whom an acceptable present had been sent might say to his servant, Go and take this present which has been brought to me, so the Holy One, blessed be He, says to Uriel, Go and receive the present which my sons offer me. How great is the joy, how great the sweetness everywhere when the priest, the Levite and the bringer of the sacrifice are intent to bring the offering with perfect devotion!
When, however, Israel were not virtuous or the sacrifice was not brought in the proper spirit, and was not accepted, they used to observe that the smoke did not ascend in a straight line, being blown aside by a wind from the hollow of the north, and they used to see the likeness of an impudent dog Iying on the offering, and then they knew that it was not acceptable.
As a king to whom an unworthy present has been brought might say, Take this present and give it to the dog, so when the offering was unacceptable it was given as a gift to the dog.
הָא אִתְּמַר, דִּבְמַדְבְּחָא סַלְּקָא וְאִתְחַזֵּי אוּרִיאֵ"ל, כְּחֵיזוּ דְּחַד אַרְיָא תַּקִּיפָא, רְבִיעַ עַל טַרְפֵיהּ. וַהֲווּ חָמָאן כַּהֲנֵי וְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְחַדָּאן, דַּהֲווֹ יַדְעִין דְּאִתְקַבַּל בְּרַעֲוָא קָמֵי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא. וְאֶשָּׁא אָחֳרָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא נָחִית, לְקַבְּלָא אֶשָּׁא תַּתָּאָה, כְּדֵין בַּר נָשׁ אָזִיל (נ"א דחיל) וְאִזְדַּעְזָע קָמֵי מָארֵיהּ, וְתָב בְּתִיּוּבְתָּא שְׁלֵימָתָא.
and Uriel appears there like a mighty lion crouching over his prey. When the priests and the Israelites saw this they rejoiced because they knew that the sacrifice was acceptable to the Holy King. Then another holy fire from above came down to meet the fire from below, and men trembled before their Master and repented.
לְמַלְכָּא דְּשַׁדְּרוּ לֵיהּ דּוֹרוֹנָא, וְאִתְיְישָׁר קָמֵיהּ, אָמַר לְעַבְדֵיהּ, זִיל וְטוֹל דּוֹרוֹן דָּא, דְּאַיְיתִיאוּ לִי. כַּךְ אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאוּרִיאֵ"ל, זִיל וְקַבִּיל דּוֹרוֹנָא דִּבְנַי מַקְרִיבִין קָמַאי. כַּמָה חֶדְוָוה מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי בְּכֹלָּא, כַּמָה בְּסִימוּתָא בְּכֹלָּא מִשְׁתְּכַח, כַּד כַּהֲנָא וְלֵיוָאָה, וְהַהוּא דְּמַקְרִיב קָרְבְּנָא, מְכַוְּונֵי לְקָרְבָא קָרְבְּנָא כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים.
As a king to whom an acceptable present had been sent might say to his servant, Go and take this present which has been brought to me, so the Holy One, blessed be He, says to Uriel, Go and receive the present which my sons offer me. How great is the joy, how great the sweetness everywhere when the priest, the Levite and the bringer of the sacrifice are intent to bring the offering with perfect devotion!
תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב, (ויקרא ט׳:כ״ד) וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי יְיָ' וַתֹּאכַל עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֶת הָעוֹלָה וְגוֹ'. דָּא אוּרִיאֵ"ל, דְּנָחִית בְּחֵיזוּ דְּאֶשָּׁא בְּשַׁלְהוֹבָא, עַד דְּנָחִית לְמַדְבְּחָא, לְקַבְּלָא דּוֹרוֹנָא וְאִתְחַזֵּי כְּאַרְיֵה רַבְרְבָא, רְבִיעַ עַל קָרְבְּנָא.
וְכַד יִשְׂרָאֵל לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ זַכָּאִין, אוֹ הַהוּא דְּמַקְרִיב קָרְבְּנָא לָא קָרִיב כַּדְקָא יָאוּת, וְלָא אִתְקַבָּל קָרְבָּנֵיהּ, הֲווֹ חָמָאן דְּלָא סָלִיק תְּנָנָא בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר, וַהֲוָה קָם חַד רוּחָא מִנוּקְבָּא דְּצָפוֹן, וְעָאל לְמַדְבְּחָא, וַהֲווּ חָמָאן דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּחַד כַּלְבָּא חֲצִיפָא, רְבִיעַ עַל קָרְבְּנָא. כְּדֵין הֲווֹ יַדְעֵי דְּלָא אִתְקַבָּל בְּרַעֲוָא הַהוּא קָרְבְּנָא.
When, however, Israel were not virtuous or the sacrifice was not brought in the proper spirit, and was not accepted, they used to observe that the smoke did not ascend in a straight line, being blown aside by a wind from the hollow of the north, and they used to see the likeness of an impudent dog Iying on the offering, and then they knew that it was not acceptable.
לְמַלְכָּא דְּשַׁדְּרוּ לֵיהּ דּוֹרוֹן, חָמָא לֵיהּ מַלְכָּא דְּלָאו אִיהוּ כְּדַאי לְקָרְבָא קַמֵּיהּ, אָמַר מַלְכָּא, אֲסִיקוּ הַהוּא דּוֹרוֹנָא, וְהָבוּ לֵיהּ לְכַלְבָּא, דְּלָאו אִיהוּ כְּדַאי לְאַעֲלָא קָמַאי. כַּךְ בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקָרְבְּנָא אִתְקְרִיב, וְלָא אִתְקַבָּל בְּרַעֲוָא, דּוֹרוֹנָא לְכַלְבָּא אִתְמְסַר. וּבְגִין כָּךְ הֲווֹ חָמָאן, דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּכַלְבָּא עַל גַּבֵּי מַדְבְּחָא.
As a king to whom an unworthy present has been brought might say, Take this present and give it to the dog, so when the offering was unacceptable it was given as a gift to the dog.
תָּא חֲזֵי כְּתִיב (ויקרא ט׳:כ״ד) וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי יְיָ' וַתֹּאכַל עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֶת הָעוֹלָה. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, דָּא אוּרִיאֵ"ל, דְּאִתְחֲזֵי בְּשַׁלְהוֹבִיתָא דְּאֶשָּׁא עַל מַדְבְּחָא, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר רְבִיעַ עַל קָרְבְּנָא. וּכְדֵין חֶדְוָותָא הֲוָה בְּכֹלָּא, דְּהָא אִתְקַבָּל בְּרַעֲוָוא, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, וַיֵּרָא כְבוֹד יְיָ' אֶל כָּל הָעָם. וְאִי לָא הֲוָה עִרְבּוּבְיָא דִּבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן, מִן יוֹמָא דְּנָפְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם, לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח רַעֲוָא הָכִי לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא.
R. Judah said: ‘When the fire went forth from the altar and consumed the offering (Lev. 9, 24), this was Uriel, who appeared in a flame on the altar;