R. Abba said: ‘The high priest did not see the divine presence when he entered the sanctuary, and but a cloud came down, and when it lighted on the mercy seat the Cherubim beat their wings together and broke out into song.
What did they chant? “For great is the Lord and highly to be praised, he is to be feared above all gods” (Ps. 96, 4). When they spread out their wings they said: “For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens” (Ibid. 5). And when they covered the mercy seat they said: “Before the Lord for he cometh to judge the earth, he shall judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity” (Ps. 98, 9).
אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, מַה בָּעָא הָכָא, כִּי בֶּעָנָן אֵרָאֶה עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת. וּכְתִיב בְּזֹאת יָבֹא אַהֲרֹן, וְהָא כַּהֲנָא לָא חָמֵי לִשְׁכִינְתָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא כַּד הֲוָה עָאל. אֶלָּא עֲנָנָא הֲוָה נָחִית, וְכַד הֲוָה נָחִית מָטָא עַל הַאי כַּפֹּרֶת, וּמִתְעָרִין גַּדְפַּיְיהוּ דִּכְרוּבִין, וְאַקְשֵׁי לְהוּ וְאַמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא.
R. Abba said: ‘The high priest did not see the divine presence when he entered the sanctuary, and but a cloud came down, and when it lighted on the mercy seat the Cherubim beat their wings together and broke out into song.
וּמַה שִׁירָתָא אַמְרֵי (תהילים צ״ו:ד׳) כִּי גָּדוֹל יְיָ' וּמְהֻלָּל מְאֹד נוֹרָא הוּא עַל כָּל אֱלֹהִים. הַאי כַּד סַלְקֵי גַּדְפַּיְיהוּ. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּפַרְסִין לְהוּ אַמְרֵי, (תהילים צ״ו:ה׳) כִּי כָּל אֱלֹהֵי הָעַמִּים אֱלִילִים וַיְיָ' שָׁמַיִם עָשָׂה. כַּד חַפְיָין עַל כַּפּוֹרְתָא, אַמְרֵי, (תהילים צ״ח:ט׳) לִפְנֵי יְיָ' כִּי בָא לִשְׁפּוֹט אֵת הָאָרֶץ יִשְׁפּוֹט תֵּבֵל בְּצֶדֶק וְעַמִּים בְּמֵישָׁרִים.
What did they chant? “For great is the Lord and highly to be praised, he is to be feared above all gods” (Ps. 96, 4). When they spread out their wings they said: “For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens” (Ibid. 5). And when they covered the mercy seat they said: “Before the Lord for he cometh to judge the earth, he shall judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity” (Ps. 98, 9).
וְקַלְהוֹן הֲוָה שָׁמַע כַּהֲנָא בְּמַקְדְּשָׁא, כְּדֵין שַׁוִּי קְטֹרֶת בְּאַתְרֵיהּ, וְאִתְכְּוָון בְּמָה דְּאִתְכָּוַּון, בְּגִין דְּיִתְבְּרַךְ כֹּלָּא (וקלהון). וְגַדְפֵּי כְּרוּבְיָיא, סַלְּקִין וְנַחְתִּין, וְזַמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא, מְחַפְּיָין לְכַפּוֹרְתָּא וְסַלְקֵי לְהוּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב סוֹכְכִים. סוֹכְכִים דַּיְיקָא ומְנָא לָן דְּקַלֵהוֹן אִשְׁתְּמַע, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (יחזקאל א׳:כ״ד) וָאֶשְׁמַע אֶת קוֹל וְגוֹ'.
Then the priest used to hear their voice in the sanctuary, and he put the incense in its place with all devotion in order that all might be blessed.’
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְעַמִּים בְּמֵישָׁרִים. מַהוּ בְּמֵישָׁרִים. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, מֵישָׁרִים אֲהֵבוּךָ, לְאַכְלְלָא תְּרֵין כְּרוּבִין, דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא, מֵישָׁרִים וַדַּאי. וְעַל דָּא, וְעַמִּים בְּמֵישָׁרִים.
R. Jose said: ‘The word “equity” (mesharim, lit. equities) in the above quoted verse indicates that the Cherubim were male and female.’