By April 13, 2008 Read More →

Exodus Rabbah 23:15

Jewish Mysticism
R. Berechiah said- Observe the greatness of those who went down to the sea. How much did Moses have to beg and prostrate himself before God before he saw the [divine] image (ha-demut), as it says, “Let me behold Your glory” (Exod. 33-18). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him- “You cannot see My face” (ibid. 20). In the end God showed him a token of it, as it says, “as My glory passes by” (ibid., 22). The beasts who carry the throne do not recognize the [divine] image. When the time comes for them to sing their praises, they say- “Where is He? We do not know if He is here or somewhere else. Yet, wherever He may be, “blessed be the glory of the Lord from His place” (Ezek. 3-12).” Each and every one of those who came up from the sea could point with his finger and say- “This is my God, and I will glorify Him” (Exod. 15-2).

Translated by Elliot Wolfson in Through a Speculum that Shines- Vision and Imagination in Medieval Jewish Mysticism, Princeton- Princeton University Press, 1994.

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