R. Eleazar and R. Jose once set forth upon a journey at dawn. Suddenly they beheld two stars which shot across the sky from either side. Said R. Eleazar: ‘The time is now come when the morning stars do praise their Master: shooting forth in awe across the heavens, they prepare to glorify His Name in song, as it is written: “When the morning stars sing together” (Job 38, 7). Verily they sing in perfect unison, and in harmony do the sons of God shout for joy.’
He then discoursed on the verse: To the musician. Upon the hind of the morning. A song of David (Ps. XXII, I). ‘When the face of the east lightens’, he said, ‘and the darkness of the night is dispersed, an angel appears in the east, and from the south he draws a thread of light, and then the sun comes forth and, throwing open the casements of the sky, illumines the world.
Then the “hind of the morning” comes, a red light enters into the darkness and it becomes day. And the light of the day draws that “hind” into itself. Now it is concerning that “hind” when it separates itself from the day, after it had been with it, that David sang.
And the following verse - “My God (Eli), my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” - suggests the cry over the “hind (ayala) of the morning”, when she separates herself from the day.’ As they were thus walking, the day lightened and the time for prayer arrived. Said R. Eleazar: ‘Let us pray, and then continue our journey.’ They sat down and prayed, and then resumed their walk.
ר' אֶלְעָזָר ור' יוֹסֵי הֲווֹ אַזְלֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא, וּקְדִימוּ בִּנְהוֹרָא לְמֵיזָל. חָמוּ חַד כּוֹכָבָא דְּהֲוָה רָהִיט מִסִּטְרָא דָּא, וְכוֹכָבָא אַחֲרָא מִסִּטְרָא דָּא. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, הַשְׁתָּא מָטָא זִמְנָא דְּכוֹכְבֵי בֹּקֶר לְשַׁבְּחָא לְמָארִיהוֹן, וְרַהֲטֵי מִדְּחִילוּ וְאֵימָתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן, לְשַׁבְּחָא וּלְזַמְּרָא לֵיהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (איוב ל״ח:ז׳) בְּרָן יַחַד כּוֹכְבֵי בֹּקֶר וַיָּרִיעוּ כָּל בְּנִי אֱלהִים. בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ בְּיִחוּדָא חֲדָא קָא מְשַׁבְּחָן לֵיהּ.
R. Eleazar and R. Jose once set forth upon a journey at dawn. Suddenly they beheld two stars which shot across the sky from either side. Said R. Eleazar: ‘The time is now come when the morning stars do praise their Master: shooting forth in awe across the heavens, they prepare to glorify His Name in song, as it is written: “When the morning stars sing together” (Job 38, 7). Verily they sing in perfect unison, and in harmony do the sons of God shout for joy.’
פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (תהילים כ״ב:א׳) לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל אַיֶּלֶת הַשַּׁחַר מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד. אַיֶּלֶת הַשַּׁחַר: דְּכָד נְהִירוּ אַנְפּוֹי דְּמִזְרָח, וְאִתְפַּרְשָׁא חֲשׁוֹכָא דְּלֵילְיָא, חַד מְמָנָא אִית לִסְטַר מִזְרָח, וּמָשִׁיךְ חַד חוּטָא דִּנְהִירוּ דִּסְטַר דָּרוֹם, עַד דְּאָתֵי וְנָפִיק שִׁמְשָׁא, וּבָקַע בְּאִינוּן כַּוֵּי רְקִיעָא, וְאַנְהִיר עָלְמָא, וְהַהוּא חוּטָא אַפְרִישׁ חֲשׁוֹכָא דְּלֵילְיָא.
He then discoursed on the verse: To the musician. Upon the hind of the morning. A song of David (Ps. XXII, I). ‘When the face of the east lightens’, he said, ‘and the darkness of the night is dispersed, an angel appears in the east, and from the south he draws a thread of light, and then the sun comes forth and, throwing open the casements of the sky, illumines the world.
כְּדֵין אַיַּלְתָּא דְּשַׁחְרָא אָתֵי, וְאָתֵי נְהִירוּ אוֹכָמָא בְּקַדְרוּ, לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בִּימָמָא, וְנָהִיר יְמָמָא. וּנְהִירוּ דִּימָמָא, כָּלִיל וְשָׁאִיב בְּגַוֵּיהּ, לְהַהוּא אַיַּלְתָּא וְעַל הַאי אַיַּלְתָּא, כַּד אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִיּוֹמָא, לְבָתַר דְּכָלִיל לָהּ, אָמַר דָּוִד שִׁירָתָא, דִּכְתִּיב לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל אַיֶּלֶת הַשַּׁחַר.
Then the “hind of the morning” comes, a red light enters into the darkness and it becomes day. And the light of the day draws that “hind” into itself. Now it is concerning that “hind” when it separates itself from the day, after it had been with it, that David sang.
וּמָאי קָא אָמַר אֵלִי אֵלִי לָמָּה עֲזַבְתָּנִי. דְּהָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ אַיַּלְתָּא דְּשַׁחְרָא, מִנְּהִירוּ דִּימָמָא. עַד דַּהֲווּ אַזְלֵי, נָהִיר יְמָמָא, וּמַטָּא עִידָן צְלוֹתָא, אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, נְצַלֵּי צְלוֹתָא וְנִיזִיל, יָתְבוּ וְצַלּוּ. לְבָתַר קָמוּ וְאָזְלוּ.
And the following verse - “My God (Eli), my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” - suggests the cry over the “hind (ayala) of the morning”, when she separates herself from the day.’ As they were thus walking, the day lightened and the time for prayer arrived. Said R. Eleazar: ‘Let us pray, and then continue our journey.’ They sat down and prayed, and then resumed their walk.