R. Eleazar and R. Jose were sitting one night studying the Torah. When midnight arrived, the cock crew and so they pronounced the benediction1Blessed art Thou, O our God, King of the universe, who gavest the cock understanding to discern between day and night. R. Eleazar wept, and said: ‘Observe this. The Holy One, blessed be He, has just smitten three hundred and ninety firmaments, and made them to shake and to tremble; He has wept on account of the destruction of the Temple, dropping two tears into the great ocean, as He bethought Himself of His children with weeping.
For the night is divided into three courses which extend over a definite space of twelve hours, any additional hours being counted as belonging to the day and not to the night, which has just its own twelve hours. These three nightcourses are divided between three companies of angels.
To the first company is assigned the period of the first four hours for the singing of the night hymn in praise of their Master. That hymn consists of the psalm, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof… For he hath founded it upon the seas… who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord?… He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart…” (Ps. 24, 1-6). Why that hymn? Because when the night spreads its wings over the world all human beings have a foretaste of death, so that their souls quit the bodies and soar upwards to heaven. Hence those angels are stationed there, and proclaim: “Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord?”; to wit, the Temple Mount; “and who shall stand in His holy place?”, to wit, the court of the Israelites.1i.e. the Temple area, where non-priests of the male sex could enter. For the Temple below has been constructed after the pattern of the Temple on high.
Now, in each heaven there are various chieftains and commanders; and when the souls leave the body and attempt to enter heaven those that are unworthy are thrust aside by those angels, so that they roam to and fro in the world, being carried about by disembodied spirits who communicate to them lying statements, often mingled with a grain of truth, regarding events of the near future, as already explained elsewhere.
But the righteous mount into heaven, where doors are opened for them through which they may enter the place called ” the mount of the Lord”, which is after the pattern of the Temple Mount below. From thence they penetrate within the place called “His holy place”, where all the souls appear before their Master. After the same pattern, the place where Israel had to appear before the Holy One, blessed be He,1v. Ex. 34, 23. was called the Court of the Israelites. At the moment when the souls stand in that place there is joy before their Master, because by them the place called Holy of Holies becomes re-established: it is the place where are recorded all their deeds and their merits.
The second camp have assigned to them the second four hours of the night, but their chanting only continues until midnight, when the Holy One, blessed be He, enters the Garden of Eden.
That company consists of the mourners for Zion, the same that wept for the destruction of the Temple. The litany of the middle four hours begins with: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept”, etc. (Ps. 137, 1-9), the angels that chant it having themselves actually wept at the time by the rivers of Babylon together with Israel, as is clear from the words, “yea, we wept”. We leam this also from the statement of the Scripture: “Behold, the angels cry without” (Isa. 33, 7), the word “without” indicating Babylon; for that company of angels accompanied the Shekinah as far as Babylon, and there they wept together with Israel. Hence they commence their chanting with “By the rivers of Babylon” and conclude with “Remember, O Lord, against the children of Edom”, etc. (Ps. 137, 7-9).
The Holy One, blessed be He, then bestirs Himself and strikes the heavens, as already said, so that twelve thousand worlds quake, and He melts in tears, as it were. So Scripture says: “The Lord doth roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he dot mightily roar because of his fold” (Jer. 25, 30). He remembers then Israel and drops two tears into the great ocean. At that moment a flame bursts forth in the North, and, impelled by a northerly wind, roams to and fro about the world. It is the moment of midnight, and the flame strikes against the wings of the cock. The cock then crows, and the Holy One, blessed be He, enters the Garden of Eden,
for He finds no comfort until He goes there to have joyous communion with the souls of the righteous. This is the allegorical meaning of the verses: “for we are sold, I and my people…. Then spoke the King… Who is he…? And the King arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden”, etc. (Esther 7, 4- 7).
At the moment when the Holy One, blessed be He, enters the Garden of Eden, all the trees of the garden, and all the souls of the righteous, break forth and chant: “Lift up your heads, O ye gates… Who is the King of glory?… Lift up your heads, O ye gates…” (Ps. 24, 7-10). And when the souls of the righteous return to their bodies, all those angels lay hold of them and chant: “Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord” (Ibid. 134, 1). We have learned that this hymn is chanted by the third company of angels, who are occupied in song and praise during the last four hours of the night
until daybreak, when all the stars and constellations, and all the superior angels who rule over the day, break forth in song and praise to their Master, this being alluded to in the words of the Scripture: “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38, 7).
Then when the sun appears in full daylight, Israel takes up the song below in unison with the sun above, as Scripture says: “They reverence thee at the appearance of the sun” (Ps. 72, 5). For the sun, on commencing his course, breaks forth into sweet melody, chanting: “O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name… Sing unto him, sing praises unto him…” (Ibid. 105, 1-45).’ Said R. Eleazar: ‘Were mankind not so obtuse and insensitive, they would be thrilled to ecstasy by the exquisite melodiousness of the orb of the sun when he journeys forth singing praises to the Holy One, blessed be He.’
רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי הָווֹ יַתְבֵי לֵילְיָא חַד, וְקָא מִתְעַסְקֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, עַד לָא אִתְפְּלִיג לֵילְיָא. אַדְּהָכִי קָרָא גַּבְרָא, בְּרִיכוּ בִּרְכָתָא, (אמר ליה רבי אלעזר, השתא הוא זמנא דקודשא בריך הוא עאל בגנתא דעדן לאשתעשעא עם צדיקיא, אמר ליה רבי יוסי, אמאי משתעשע קודשא בהך הוא) בָּכָה רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר, תָּא חֲזֵי, עַד הַשְׁתָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִזְדַּעְזָע, תְּלָת מְאָה וְתִשְׁעִין רְקִיעִין, וּבָטַשׁ בְּהוּ, וּבָכָה עַל חָרְבַּן בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, וְאוֹרִיד תְּרֵין (י"ט ע"ב) דִּמְעִין לְגוֹ יַמָּא רַבָּא, וְאַדְכַּר לִבְנוֹהִי מִגּוֹ בִּכְיָה.
R. Eleazar and R. Jose were sitting one night studying the Torah. When midnight arrived, the cock crew and so they pronounced the benediction1Blessed art Thou, O our God, King of the universe, who gavest the cock understanding to discern between day and night. R. Eleazar wept, and said: ‘Observe this. The Holy One, blessed be He, has just smitten three hundred and ninety firmaments, and made them to shake and to tremble; He has wept on account of the destruction of the Temple, dropping two tears into the great ocean, as He bethought Himself of His children with weeping.
בְּגִין דְּלִתְלַת סִטְרִין אִתְפְּלַג לֵילְיָא, בִּתְרֵיסַר שַׁעְתֵּי דַּהֲווֹ רְשִׁימִין בֵּיהּ, וְאִי אִתּוֹסְפָן שַׁעְתֵּי בְּלֵילְיָא, אִינּוּן שַׁעְתֵּי דְּמִתּוֹסְפָאן, דִּימָמָא אִינּוּן, וְלָא אִתְחַשִׁיבוּ מִלֵילְיָא, בַּר תְּרֵיסַר דְּאִינּוּן דִּילֵהּ. וְאִינּוּן תְּרֵיסַר, אִתְפְּלָגוּ לִתְלַת סִטְרִין, (זהר רות כ"ו ע"א) וּתְלַת מַשִׁרְיָין דְּמַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין, אִתְפְּלָגוּ (ס"א אתמנון) בְּאִינּוּן תְּלַת סִטְרִין.
For the night is divided into three courses which extend over a definite space of twelve hours, any additional hours being counted as belonging to the day and not to the night, which has just its own twelve hours. These three nightcourses are divided between three companies of angels.
מַשִּׁרְיָיא קַדְמָאָה, אִתְמַנָּא בְּד' שַׁעְתֵּי קָמַיְיתָא, דְּשֵׁירוּתָא דְּלֵילְיָא, לְשַׁבְּחָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן, וּמָה קָאַמְרֵי. (תהילים כ״ד:ג׳) לַיְיָ' הָאָרֶץ וּמְלֹאָהּ וְגוֹ', כִּי הוּא עַל יַמִים יְסָדָהּ וְגוֹ', מִי יַעֲלֶה בְהַר יְיָ' וְגוֹ', נְקִי כַפַּיִם וּבַר לֵבָב וְגוֹ'. מַאי טַעְמָא דָּא. בְּגִין דְּכַד לֵילְיָא פָּרִישׂ גַּדְפּוֹי עַל עָלְמָא, כְּדֵין, כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא טַעֲמִין טַעֲמָא דְּמוֹתָא, וְנַפְקֵי נִשְׁמָתַיְיהוּ לְסַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא, וְאִינּוּן מַלְאָכִין קַיְימִין וְקָא אַמְרֵי, מִי יַעֲלֶה בְהַר יְיָ'. הַר יְיָ', דָּא הַר הַבַּיִת. מְקוֹם קָדְשׁוֹ, דָּא עֲזָרַת יִשְׂרָאֵל. כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, הָכִי נָמֵי לְתַתָּא.
To the first company is assigned the period of the first four hours for the singing of the night hymn in praise of their Master. That hymn consists of the psalm, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof… For he hath founded it upon the seas… who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord?… He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart…” (Ps. 24, 1-6). Why that hymn? Because when the night spreads its wings over the world all human beings have a foretaste of death, so that their souls quit the bodies and soar upwards to heaven. Hence those angels are stationed there, and proclaim: “Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord?”; to wit, the Temple Mount; “and who shall stand in His holy place?”, to wit, the court of the Israelites.1i.e. the Temple area, where non-priests of the male sex could enter. For the Temple below has been constructed after the pattern of the Temple on high.
בְּגִין דִּבְכָל רְקִיעָא וּרְקִיעָא, כַּמָּה מְמָנָן, וּכְמָּה סַרְכִין קַיְימִין תַּמָּן. וְכַד נִשְׁמָתִין נָפְקִין, בָּעָאן לְסַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא, וְאִי לָא זַכְיָין אִינּוּן דַּחְיָין לוֹן לְבַר, וְאַזְלִין וְשָׁאטִין בְּעָלְמָא, וְנַטְלִין לוֹן כַּמָה חֲבִילֵי טְהִירִין, וְאוֹדְעִין לוֹן מִלִּין כְּדִיבָן, וּלְזִמְנִין מִלִּין דִּקְשׁוֹט, מִמַּה דְּאָתֵי לִזְמַן (רנ"ב ע"ב) קָרִיב, כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ.
Now, in each heaven there are various chieftains and commanders; and when the souls leave the body and attempt to enter heaven those that are unworthy are thrust aside by those angels, so that they roam to and fro in the world, being carried about by disembodied spirits who communicate to them lying statements, often mingled with a grain of truth, regarding events of the near future, as already explained elsewhere.
וְאִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, אָזְלִין וְשָׁאטָן לְעֵילָּא, וּפַתְחִין לוֹן פִּתְחִין, וְסַלְּקִין לוֹן לְגוֹ הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי הַר יְיָ', כְּגַוְונָא דְּרָזָא דְּהַר הַבַּיִת לְתַתָּא. וּמִתַּמָּן עָאלִין לְגוֹ הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי מְקוֹם קָדְשׁוֹ. דְּתַמָּן אִתְחַזְיָין כָּל נִשְׁמָתִין לְקָמֵי מָארֵיהוֹן. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא הַהוּא אֲתָר, דְּאִתְחָזוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי עֲזָרַת יִשְׂרָאֵל. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּנִשְׁמָתִין קַיְימִין תַּמָּן, כְּדֵין חֶדְוָה דְּמָארִיהוֹן, לְאִתְתָּקְנָא בְּהוּ אֲתָר, דְּאִקְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ (רנ"ח ע"ב) הַקָּדָשִׁים. וְתַמָּן רְשִׁימִין כָּל עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן וְזַכְוָון דִּלְהוֹן.
But the righteous mount into heaven, where doors are opened for them through which they may enter the place called ” the mount of the Lord”, which is after the pattern of the Temple Mount below. From thence they penetrate within the place called “His holy place”, where all the souls appear before their Master. After the same pattern, the place where Israel had to appear before the Holy One, blessed be He,1v. Ex. 34, 23. was called the Court of the Israelites. At the moment when the souls stand in that place there is joy before their Master, because by them the place called Holy of Holies becomes re-established: it is the place where are recorded all their deeds and their merits.
מַשִּׁרְיָיא תִּנְיָינָא, אִתְמַנָּא בְּאַרְבַּע שַׁעְתֵּי אַחֲרָנִין, וְלָא אַמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא, בַּר תְּרֵי שַׁעְתֵּי, עַד דְּאִתְפְּלַג לֵילְיָא, וְעָאל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן.
The second camp have assigned to them the second four hours of the night, but their chanting only continues until midnight, when the Holy One, blessed be He, enters the Garden of Eden.
וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן אֲבֵלֵי צִיּוֹן, וְאִינּוּן דְּבָכוּ עַל חָרְבַּן בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא. וּבְשֵׁירוּתָא דְּאַרְבַּע שַׁעְתֵּי אֶמְצָעֲיָּן, פַּתְחֵי וְאַמְרֵי, (תהילים קל״ז:א׳) עַל נַהֲרוֹת בָּבֶל שָׁם יָשַׁבְנוּ גַּם בָּכִינוּ וְגוֹ', וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן דְּבָכוּ עַל נַהֲרוֹת בָּבֶל, עִמְּהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, מִמַּשְׁמַע דִּכְתִּיב גַּם בָּכִינוּ. וּמְנָלָן דְּבָכוּ תַּמָּן. דִּכְתִּיב, (ישעיהו ל״ג:ז׳) הֵן אֶרְאֶלָּם צָעֲקוּ חוּצָה. מַהוּ חוּצָה. דָּא בָּבֶל, בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ אוֹזְפוּהָ לִשְׁכִינָה עַד בָּבֶל. וְתַמָּן בָּכוּ עִמְּהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְעַל דָּא פַּתְחֵי בְּהַאי, וּמְסַיְּימֵי זְכוֹר יְיָ' לִבְנִי אֱדוֹם וְגוֹ'.
That company consists of the mourners for Zion, the same that wept for the destruction of the Temple. The litany of the middle four hours begins with: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept”, etc. (Ps. 137, 1-9), the angels that chant it having themselves actually wept at the time by the rivers of Babylon together with Israel, as is clear from the words, “yea, we wept”. We leam this also from the statement of the Scripture: “Behold, the angels cry without” (Isa. 33, 7), the word “without” indicating Babylon; for that company of angels accompanied the Shekinah as far as Babylon, and there they wept together with Israel. Hence they commence their chanting with “By the rivers of Babylon” and conclude with “Remember, O Lord, against the children of Edom”, etc. (Ps. 137, 7-9).
כְּדֵין אִתְּעַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּדַרְגּוֹי, וּבָטַשׁ בִּרְקִיעִין כִּדְאַמָרָן, וְאִזְדַּעֲזָעוּ תְּרֵיסַר אַלְפֵי עָלְמִין, וְגָעֵי וּבָכֵי, דִּכְתִּיב, (ירמיהו כ״ה:ל׳) יְיָ' מִמָּרוֹם יִשְׁאָג וּמִמְּעוֹן קָדְשׁוֹ יִתֵּן קוֹלוֹ שָׁאוֹג יִשְׁאַג עַל נָוִהוּ, וְאַדְכַּר לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאָחִית תְּרֵין דִּמְעִין לְגוֹ יַמָּא רַבָּא. וּכְדֵין אִתְּעַר שַׁלְהוֹבִיתָא חַד דְּבִסְטַר צָפוֹן, וּבָטַשׁ רוּחָא חַד דְּבִסְטַר צָפוֹן בְּהַהוּא שַׁלְהוֹבִיתָא, וְאַזְלָא וְשָׁאֲטָא בְּעָלְמָא, וְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא אִתְפְּלַג לֵילְיָא, וְשַׁלְהוֹבִיתָא אַזְלָא וּבָטַשׁ בְּגַדְפוֹי דְּתַרְנְגוֹלָא, וְקָארֵי, כְּדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָאל בְּגִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן.
The Holy One, blessed be He, then bestirs Himself and strikes the heavens, as already said, so that twelve thousand worlds quake, and He melts in tears, as it were. So Scripture says: “The Lord doth roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he dot mightily roar because of his fold” (Jer. 25, 30). He remembers then Israel and drops two tears into the great ocean. At that moment a flame bursts forth in the North, and, impelled by a northerly wind, roams to and fro about the world. It is the moment of midnight, and the flame strikes against the wings of the cock. The cock then crows, and the Holy One, blessed be He, enters the Garden of Eden,
וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לֵית לֵיהּ נַיְיחָא עַד דְּעָאל לְגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא בְּנִשְׁמָתֵהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא. וְסִימָן (אסתר ז׳:ד׳) כִּי נִמְכַּרְנוּ אֲנִי וְעַמִּי וְגוֹ'. וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ מִי הוּא זֶה וְגוֹ', וְהַמֶּלֶךְ קָם בַּחֲמָתוֹ מִמִּשְׁתֵּה הַיַּיִן אֶל גִּנַּת הַבִּיתָן וְגוֹ'.
for He finds no comfort until He goes there to have joyous communion with the souls of the righteous. This is the allegorical meaning of the verses: “for we are sold, I and my people…. Then spoke the King… Who is he…? And the King arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden”, etc. (Esther 7, 4- 7).
בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָאל בְּגִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן, כְּדֵין כָּל אִינּוּן אִילָנִין דְּגִּנְתָּא, וְכָל אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, פַּתְחֵי וְאַמְרֵי, (תהילים כ״ד:ז׳) שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם וְגוֹ'. מִי זֶה מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד וְגוֹ'. שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם וְגוֹ'. וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּנִשְׁמָתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא דִּי בְּאַרְעָא אָהַדְרוּ לְגוּפַיְיהוּ, כְּדֵין אַתְקִיפוּ בְּהוּ כָּל אִינּוּן מַלְאָכִין, וְאַמְרֵי (תהילים קל״ד:א׳) הִנֵּה בָּרְכוּ אֶת יְיָ' כָּל עַבְדֵּי יְיָ'. וְאוֹלִיפְנָא דְּדָא מַשִּׁרְיָיא תְּלִיתָאָה קָא אַמְרֵי דָּא, בְּאַרְבַּע שַׁעְתֵּי בַּתְרַיְיתָא.
At the moment when the Holy One, blessed be He, enters the Garden of Eden, all the trees of the garden, and all the souls of the righteous, break forth and chant: “Lift up your heads, O ye gates… Who is the King of glory?… Lift up your heads, O ye gates…” (Ps. 24, 7-10). And when the souls of the righteous return to their bodies, all those angels lay hold of them and chant: “Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord” (Ibid. 134, 1). We have learned that this hymn is chanted by the third company of angels, who are occupied in song and praise during the last four hours of the night
וְקָאֲמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא, עַד דְּסָלִיק נְהוֹרָא דְּצַפְרָא, דִּכְדֵין מְשַׁבְּחִין לְמָרֵיהוֹן כָּל אִינּוּן כֹּכָבַיָא וּמַזָּלֵי, וְכָל אִינּוּן מַלְאָכִין עִלָּאִין, דִּי שֻׁלְטָנֵיהוֹן בִּימָמָא, כֻּלְּהוּ מְשַׁבְּחָן לְמָארִיהוֹן, וְאַמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (איוב ל״ח:ז׳) בְּרָן יַחַד כֹּכְבֵי בֹקֶר וַיָּרִיעוּ כָּל בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים.
until daybreak, when all the stars and constellations, and all the superior angels who rule over the day, break forth in song and praise to their Master, this being alluded to in the words of the Scripture: “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38, 7).
בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא נָפִיק, בִּימָמָא, יִשְׂרָאֵל נַטְלֵי שִׁירָתָא לְתַתָּא, וְשִׁמְשָׁא לְעֵילָּא, דִּכְתִּיב, (תהילים ע״ב:ה׳) יִירָאוּךָ עִם שָׁמֶשׁ. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּנָטִיל שִׁמְשָׁא בְּגַלְגְלוֹי, פָּתַח קַל נְעִימוּתָא, וְאָמַר שִׁירָתָא. וּמַאי שִׁירָתָא קָאַמְרֵי. (תהילים ק״ה:א׳) הוֹדוּ לַיְיָ' קִרְאוּ בִשְׁמוֹ וְגוֹ'. (תהילים ק״ה:א׳) שִׁירוּ לוֹ זַמְּרוּ לוֹ וְגוֹ'. וְיִשְׂרָאֵל מְשַׁבְּחָן לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּימָמָא, עִם שִׁמְשָׁא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב יִירָאוּךָ עִם שָׁמֶשׁ, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּהָא אוֹקִימְנָא לְהַאי קְרָא, אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אִלְמָלֵא דִּבְנֵי עָלְמָא אֲטִימִין לִבָּא וּסְתִימִין עַיְינִין לָא יַכְלִין לְמֵיקָם מִקָּל נְעִימוּתָא דְּגַלְגָלָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא, כַּד נָטִיל (ונפיק) וּמְשַׁבַּח קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
Then when the sun appears in full daylight, Israel takes up the song below in unison with the sun above, as Scripture says: “They reverence thee at the appearance of the sun” (Ps. 72, 5). For the sun, on commencing his course, breaks forth into sweet melody, chanting: “O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name… Sing unto him, sing praises unto him…” (Ibid. 105, 1-45).’ Said R. Eleazar: ‘Were mankind not so obtuse and insensitive, they would be thrilled to ecstasy by the exquisite melodiousness of the orb of the sun when he journeys forth singing praises to the Holy One, blessed be He.’