ezek

(But it is said) heads (in the plural number, for the purpose of denoting a vast multitude, as well of species as of individuals in that genus); like as it is written, Ezek. i. 22: “And a likeness, as a firmament, above the heads of the living creature.” (Where also the word living creature, ChIH, Chiah, is put in the singular as a genus of angels; and heads in the plural for the purpose of denoting species and innumerable individuals.)

But in one balance are they equiponderated. (The balance denoteth the male and the female; and the meaning is, that the letters I, Yod, and H, He—of which the former is masculine and referreth to the path of the foundation; and the latter is feminine, pertaining to the queen—are interchangeable; since whilst the equilibrium existeth there is an intercommunication between them, and they are joined together as one. Add to this that the queen is also called ADNI, Adonai, wherein the letter I, Yod, bringeth up the rearguard of the army, as it were; because also it is accustomed to be called the Lesser Wisdom.) And the living creatures rush forth and return. (This is what is said in Ezek. i. 14 concerning the living creatures, which is accustomed to be said concerning those letters of the Tetragrammaton, which sometimes hold the last place and sometimes the first; as when I, Yod, rusheth forth unto the last place, and when it returneth unto the beginning again; and so also the letter H, He. Likewise, then, also the living creatures are said to rush forth, when the Tetragrammaton is written with the final H, He, because then the whole system of emanatives is exhausted. But they are said to return when the Tetragrammaton is written with the final I, Yod, so that the sense may be collected in such a manner as to return from the last path of the queen into the penultimate of the foundation, which is designated by this letter I, Yod.

(But that this may be done by the sins of the inferiors is clear from those words) Ezek. i. 14: “And the living creatures rush forth and return.” Also Num. xxiv. 11: “Flee unto thy place.” Also Obad. i. 4: “Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I cast thee down.”

(Thus also) the form and person of a man was seated upon the throne; and it is written, Ezek. i. 26: “And upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above it.”

Come—behold! It is written, Ezek. xxxvii. 9: “Thus saith the Lord, ‘Come from the four winds, O Spirit!’ But what have the four winds of the world to do with this?

Because it is written, Ezek. xxxvii. 9: “From the four spirits, come, O spirit!” It is not written thus: “Ye four spirits, come!” but “From the four spirits, come!”

“So that He may be placed upon His throne, because it is written, Ezek. i. 26: ‘And above the likeness of a throne, the appearance as the likeness of a man upon it above.’

Like as it is said: “And he hath shut up flesh before her.” Ezek. xxxvi. 26: “And I will take away from you the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”

And nevertheless it is written, Dan. x. 6: “And his body like as ThRShISh, Tarshish;” also, Ezek. x. 12: “And their backs full of eyes;” also, Dan. ix. 21: “The man Gabriel.” All these passages refer to the analogy of the Man.

And in that formation appeareth the true perfection of all things, which existeth above the Throne. Like as it is written: “And the appearance as the likeness of Adam upon it from above” (Ezek. i. 26).

And therefore is it read, Num. xxiv. 11: “Fly thee in thy place;” and Ezek. i. 14. The Chaioth, living creatures, are said to run forth and return.

And therefore is it written, Ezek. i. 14: “And the living creatures rush forth and return.”

R. Jose b. R. Hannina also said in the name of R. Eliezer b. Jacob : Whoever prays must direct his feet ; as it is said, "And their feet were straight feet" (Ezek. i. 7).

Should the reason [of exemption] be on account of anxiety, then it ought also to apply to one whose ship has sunk at sea ! Shouldest thou say that he likewise is exempt, why does R. Abba b. Zabda declare in the name of Rab : A mourner is under the obligation to observe all the commandments mentioned in the Torah except Tefillin, because they are called an adornment ; as it is said, "Bind thine adornment upon thee" (Ezek. xxiv. 17)?

Rabbah b. Hinnana the Elder also said in the name of Rab : Whoever commits a transgression and is filled with shame thereby, all his sins are forgiven him; as it is said, "That thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame; when I have forgiven thee all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God" (Ezek. xvi. 63).

Should the reason [of exemption] be on account of anxiety, then it ought to apply also to one whose ship has sunk at sea ! Why, then, does R. Abba b. Zabda declare in the name of Rab : A mourner is under the obligation to observe all the commandments mentioned in the Torah except Tefillin, because they are called an adornment; as it is said, "Bind thine adornment upon thee" (Ezek. xxiv. 17)?

'But the dead know not anything' — this refers to the wicked who are called dead in their life-time; as it is said, 'And thou, O wicked one, thou art slain, the prince of Israel' (Ezek. xxi. 30)." Or if thou wilt, derive it from the following : "At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall the dead be put to death" (Deut. xvii. 6). But he is alive ! Nay, he is accounted as dead from the beginning.

The master said above, "If his children or members of his household are minors, it is permitted." Up to what age? Rab Hisda said: With females, three years and one day; with a male, nine years and one day. Others declare : With females, eleven years and one day ; with a male, twelve years and one day — i.e. with both of them until the age when "the breasts were fashioned and the hair grown" (Ezek. xvi. 7).

If he did not stop, what then? R. Meyasha, the grandson of R. Joshua b. Levi, said : Of him the Scriptures state, "Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and ordinances whereby they should not live" (Ezek. xx. 25).

Rab Judah said : It is forbidden to read the Shema' in the presence of a naked gentile. Why is a gentile specified ? Even by a naked Israelite it is likewise [forbidden] ! [That it is forbidden with an Israelite is obvious] ; but it was necessary to specify the case of a gentile. For thou mightest have said : Since it is written with reference to the gentiles, "Whose flesh is as the flesh of asses" (Ezek. xxiii. 20), argue that [in this matter the naked gentile is to be considered] only like an ass ; therefore he informs us that to them also [when exposed] is "nakedness" attributed ; for it is written, "And they saw not their father's nakedness" (Gen. ix. 23).

He does not ? Behold it is written, "But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity" (Ezek. xviii. 24)! That refers to a man who was originally wicked; but the man who is originally righteous does not.

first, that which is written, "Her that I have afflicted" (ibid.); second, that which is written, "Behold as the clay in the potter's hand, so are ye in My hand, O house of Israel" (Jer. xviii. 6) ; third, that which is written, "I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh" (Ezek. xxxvi. 26).

R. Eleazar also said : From the day the Temple was destroyed, a wall of iron divides between Israel and their Father in Heaven ; as it is said, "And take thou unto thee an iron griddle, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city" (Ezek. iv. 3).

Come and hear : For Rab Hisda b. Abdemi quoted, "The cedars in the garden of God could not darken ['amam] it" (Ezek. xxxi. 8).

"He who prolongs his stay at table" — perhaps a poor man will come and he will give him [some food] ; for it is written, "The altar of wood three cubits high... and he said unto me, This is the table that is before the Lord" (Ezek. 41:22). He opens with "altar" and concludes with "table"! R. Johanan and R. Eleazar both say : So long as the Temple was in existence, the altar used to atone for Israel, but now a man's table atones for him.

R. Johanan said : There are three things which the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself proclaims, viz. : famine, plenty and a good leader. "Famine" — for it is written, "The Lord hath called for a famine" (II Kings 8:1). "Plenty" — for it is written, "I will call for the corn and will increase it" (Ezek. 36:29). "A good leader" — for it is written, "And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, See I have called by name Besalel, the son of Uri" etc. (Exod. 31:1 f.).

R. Joshua b. Levi said : Who dreams of a river should on rising say, "Behold I will extend peace to her like a river" (Is. Ixvi. 12), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "For distress will come in like a river" (ibid. lix. 19). Who dreams of a bird should on rising say, "As birds hovering so will the Lord of hosts protect" (ibid. xxxi. 5), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place" (Prov. xxvii. 8). Who dreams of a pot should on rising say, "Lord, Thou wilt establish [shapat] peace for us" (Is. xxvi. 12), before another verse occurs to him, viz. : "Set on [shapat] the pot, set it on" (Ezek. xxiv. 3).

When he went out, the man said to him, "Does the All-merciful perform a miracle for such liars!" He replied, "Thou evil-doer ! Are not they called 'asses'? For it is written, 'Whose flesh is as the flesh of asses' (Ezek. xxiii. 20)." [R. Shela] perceived that the man was going to tell them that he called them asses. He said [to himself], "That man is a pursuer, and the Torah has stated, If one seeks to kill thee, do thou kill him first" ; so he smote him with the staff and killed him.

He then said, "Since a miracle was wrought for me with this verse, I will expound it." [He went to the House of Study and expounded]: "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness" — that refers to the work of Creation ; for so it is stated, "Who doeth great things past finding out" (Job ix. 10). "And the power" — that refers to the Exodus from Egypt ; as it is said, "And Israel saw the great work" etc. (Exod. xiv. 31). "And the glory" — that refers to the sun and moon which stood still for Joshua; as it is said, "And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed" (Josh. x. 13). "And the victory" [nesah] — that refers to the overthrow of Rome; for so it is stated, "And their life-blood [nesah] is dashed against My garments" (Is. Ixiii. 3). "And the majesty" — that refers to the battle at the valleys of Arnon ; as it is said, "Wherefore it is said in the book of the Wars of the Lord : Vaheb in Suphah, and the valleys of Arnon" (Num. xxi. 14). "For all that is in heaven and earth" — that refers to the war of Sisera ; as it is said, "They fought from heaven, the stars in their courses fought against Sisera" (Judges 5:20). "Thine is the kingdom, O Lord" — that refers to the war of Amalek ; for so it is stated, "The hand upon the throne of the Lord, the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation" (Exod. xvii. 16). "And Thou art exalted" — that refers to the war of Gog and Magog ; for so it is stated, "Behold I am against thee, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal" (Ezek. xxxviii. 3). "As head above all" — Rab Hanan b. Raba said in the name of Rab : Even the waterman is appointed by Heaven.

'Ulla and Rab Hisda were journeying along the road. When they reached the entrance of the house of Rab Hanna b. Hanilai, Rab Hisda broke down and sighed. 'Ulla asked him, "Why dost thou sigh? For lo, Rab has said : A sigh breaketh half the body of a man ; as it is said, 'Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins,' etc. (Ezek. xxi. 11); and R. Johanan has said : It even breaks the whole body ; as it is said, 'And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou ? that thou shalt say, Because of the tidings, for it cometh ; and every heart shall melt' etc. (ibid. v. 12)."

Rab Kattina himself explained [that the phenomenon was due to God] clapping His hands ; as it is said, "I will also smite My hands together, and I will satisfy My fury" (Ezek. xxi. 22). R. Nathan says : The rumbling is due to His sighing; as it is said, "I will satisfy My fury upon them, and I will be eased" (ibid. v. 13). The Rabbis say : He treads upon the firmament ; as it is said, "He giveth a noise, as they that tread grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth" (Jer. xxv. 30). Rab Aha b. Jacob said : He presses His feet beneath the Throne of Glory ; as it is said, "Thus saith the Lord, the heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool" (Is. Ixvi. 1).

R. Alexander said in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi : Thunder was only created to break the pride of the heart ; as it is said, "God hath so made it that men should fear before Him" (Eccles. iii. 14). Also said R. Alexander in the nanie of R.Joshua b. Levi : Who sees the rainbow should prostrate himself upon his face; as it is said, "As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud...and when I saw it, I fell upon my face" (Ezek. i. 28). In the West they curse one who acts thus, because it has the appearance as though he worships the rainbow ; but he should certainly pronounce a benediction. What is the benediction ? "Blessed. ..Who remembrest the Covenant." It has been taught in a Baraita : R. Ishmael, the son of R. Johanan b. Baroka says: [The benediction is, "Blessed...] Who art faithful with Thy Covenant and fulfillest Thy word." Rab Pappa said: Let us therefore say both : "Blessed ... Who remembrest the Covenant, art faithful with Thy Covenant and fulfillest Thy word."

R. Abbahu said : If it was originally a public path, it is permitted [as a short cut for all]. R. Helbo said in the name of Rab Huna: Who enters a Synagogue to pray is allowed to use it as a short cut ; as it is said, "But when the people of the land shall come before the Lord in the appointed seasons, he that entereth by the way of the north gate to worship shall go forth by the way of the south gate" (Ezek. xlvi. 9).

R. 'Ashi said, in the case of intoxicated priests the Rabbis were apprehensive, because they desecrate the service, but priests with long hair do not desecrate the service, hence the Rabbis felt no apprehension. Rabina raised an objection from the following Baraita (Tosefta, Zebaḥim, 12. 17): "The following priests die a premature death, those who perform their service while drunk, and those who perform it with long (neglected) hair." As regards drunken priests it is explicitly stated (Levit., 10. 9): "Drink no wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tent of meeting, that ye die not." And how do we know that long hair is in the same category? It is written (Ezek., 44. 20): "Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long," and immediately following it is written (ib., 44. 21): "Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court." Priests with long hair are thus compared to priests who are drunk, and we conclude that just as drunken priests die prematurely, so also priests with long hair. Now, does it not follow from this that the reason is because long hair is a desecration of the service as well as drink? Said R. 'Ashi in reply to Rabina: (this analogy based on Ezekiel has no force, for) who knew of it prior to the time of Ezekiel? If you use such argument, retorted Rabina, you must apply it also to the statement of R. Ḥisda (Zebaḥim, 22b): This law (that an uncircumcized priest is not fit for service) we do not derive from the Torah of our teacher Moses, but from the words of Ezekiel the son of Buzi (44. 9): "No alien, uncircumcized in heart and uncircumcized in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary." How could any one have knowledge of this law before Ezekiel? You will have to say therefore that the law in question was a tradition and Ezekiel expressed it in a verse; why not say the same in our case, namely, that the law (of long hair desecrating the service) was known by tradition and that Ezekiel expressed it in a verse? No, the burden of that tradition was only that long-haired priests die prematurely, but not that they desecrate the service.

We read in a Mishnah (Pesaḥim, 54b): Wherever it is customary to work on the ninth of Ab, one may do so, but if it is the custom of the place not to work, one must refrain from work; scholars must abstain from work in whatever place they may happen to be; Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel said: Everybody should in this respect always conduct himself as if he were a scholar. We further read in a Baraita: Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel said, one should always conduct himself as a scholar (and abstain from work), so that he may be more conscious of his fast; Rabban Gamaliel said, he who eats and drinks on the ninth of Ab, is as if he ate on the Day of Atonement; R. 'Aḳiba said, he who works on the ninth of Ab will never see a sign of blessing (success); the other Sages said, he who eats and drinks on the ninth of Ab, will not live to see the rejoicing of Jerusalem, for it is said (Is., 66. 10): "Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her"—that is to say, all those who mourn for her will witness her rejoicing, while those who do not mourn for her, will not witness her rejoicing; moreover, of him who eats meat and drinks wine on the ninth of Ab, Scripture says (Ezek., 32. 27): "And their iniquities are upon their bones."

The one refers to that which is within, the other to that which is without. And R. Acha bar Jacob said, There is again a firmament above the heads of the living creatures, for it is written, "And over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, like the colour of the terrible crystal" (Ezek. i. 22). So far thou hast permission to speak. Thenceforward thou hast not permission to speak. For thus it is written in the Book of Ben Sira, "Seek not out the things that are too hard for thee, and into the things that are hidden from thee enquire thou not. In what is permitted to thee instruct thyself; thou hast no business with secret things" (Ecclus. iii. 21, 22).

R. Jochanan said to R. El'azar, Come, I will fully instruct thee in the subject of the Chariot. He said to him, I am not old enough. When he was old enough, R. Jochanan's soul had passed away. R. Asi said to him, Come, and I will fully instruct thee in the subject of the Chariot. He said to him, If I had been worthy, I should have received full instruction from R. Jochanan thy teacher. R. Joseph was giving full instruction in the subject of the Chariot. The wise men of Pumbeditha were teaching the subject of Creation. They said to him, Would that our lord would instruct us fully in the subject of the Chariot. He said to them, Instruct me fully in the subject of Creation. After they had instructed him fully, they said to him, Would that our lord would instruct us fully in the subject of the Chariot. He said to them, There is a Baraitha with reference to these things which says, "Honey and milk are under thy tongue" (Cant. iv. 11). Let words sweeter than honey and milk be under thy tongue. R. Abohu said, It is drawn from this passage, viz., "things to be concealed under thy clothes" (Prov. xxvii. 26), that is to say, things which are the secrets of the world shall be under thy clothes. They said to him, We have worked in them as far as the words, "And he said unto me, Son of man" (Ezek. ii. 1). He said to them, But this is the subject of the Chariot. Some one puts a difficulty. How far does the subject of the Chariot reach? Rab says, It reaches to the last occurrence of the expression, "I saw" (Ezek. i. 27). R. Isaac says, It reaches to the Chashmal. We instruct fully to the words, "and I saw;" thenceforward we only impart the heads of the divisions. There are others who say, As far as, "and I saw," we impart the heads of the divisions; thenceforward, if the man be wise and of ready intelligence, Yes; if not, No. And how are we to expound in Chashmal? For there is the story of the child, who was studying in Chashmal, and there came out a fire and consumed him. The case of the child is different, for he had not reached the fitting age.

R. Jochanan said to R. El'azar, Come, I will fully instruct thee in the subject of the Chariot. He said to him, I am not old enough. When he was old enough, R. Jochanan's soul had passed away. R. Asi said to him, Come, and I will fully instruct thee in the subject of the Chariot. He said to him, If I had been worthy, I should have received full instruction from R. Jochanan thy teacher. R. Joseph was giving full instruction in the subject of the Chariot. The wise men of Pumbeditha were teaching the subject of Creation. They said to him, Would that our lord would instruct us fully in the subject of the Chariot. He said to them, Instruct me fully in the subject of Creation. After they had instructed him fully, they said to him, Would that our lord would instruct us fully in the subject of the Chariot. He said to them, There is a Baraitha with reference to these things which says, "Honey and milk are under thy tongue" (Cant. iv. 11). Let words sweeter than honey and milk be under thy tongue. R. Abohu said, It is drawn from this passage, viz., "things to be concealed under thy clothes" (Prov. xxvii. 26), that is to say, things which are the secrets of the world shall be under thy clothes. They said to him, We have worked in them as far as the words, "And he said unto me, Son of man" (Ezek. ii. 1). He said to them, But this is the subject of the Chariot. Some one puts a difficulty. How far does the subject of the Chariot reach? Rab says, It reaches to the last occurrence of the expression, "I saw" (Ezek. i. 27). R. Isaac says, It reaches to the Chashmal. We instruct fully to the words, "and I saw;" thenceforward we only impart the heads of the divisions. There are others who say, As far as, "and I saw," we impart the heads of the divisions; thenceforward, if the man be wise and of ready intelligence, Yes; if not, No. And how are we to expound in Chashmal? For there is the story of the child, who was studying in Chashmal, and there came out a fire and consumed him. The case of the child is different, for he had not reached the fitting age.

Fiery beings who speak. In a Kabbalistic Mishnah we are taught that it means, At times they are silent and at times they speak; at the time that the utterance goeth forth from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, they are silent, and at the time that the utterance goeth not forth from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, they speak. "And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning" (Ezek. i. 14). What is the meaning of "ran and returned?" R. Jehudah said, As the light which goeth forth from the mouth of the furnace. What is the meaning of "as the appearance of a flash of lightning?" R. Jose bar Chănina said, Like the flame that goeth forth from between the potsherds. "And I looked, and, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire infolding itself, and a brightness round about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire" (Ezek. i. 4). Whither did it go? R. Jehudah said that Rab said, It went forth to subdue the whole world under the wicked Nebuchadnezzar. And wherefore was all this done? That the peoples of the world might not say, The Holy One, blessed be He, delivered His children into the hand of a mean people. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, What forced me to minister to worshippers of carved images? The iniquities of Israel, they forced me.

Fiery beings who speak. In a Kabbalistic Mishnah we are taught that it means, At times they are silent and at times they speak; at the time that the utterance goeth forth from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, they are silent, and at the time that the utterance goeth not forth from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, they speak. "And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning" (Ezek. i. 14). What is the meaning of "ran and returned?" R. Jehudah said, As the light which goeth forth from the mouth of the furnace. What is the meaning of "as the appearance of a flash of lightning?" R. Jose bar Chănina said, Like the flame that goeth forth from between the potsherds. "And I looked, and, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire infolding itself, and a brightness round about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire" (Ezek. i. 4). Whither did it go? R. Jehudah said that Rab said, It went forth to subdue the whole world under the wicked Nebuchadnezzar. And wherefore was all this done? That the peoples of the world might not say, The Holy One, blessed be He, delivered His children into the hand of a mean people. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, What forced me to minister to worshippers of carved images? The iniquities of Israel, they forced me.

"Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures" (Ezek. i. 15). R. El'azar said, It means a certain angel, who stands upon the earth and his head reaches to the level of the living creatures. In a Kabbalistic Mishnah we are taught that his name is Sandalphon, who is higher than his fellows by the space of a journey of five hundred years, and he stands behind the chariot and binds crowns for his Maker. Is it so? But there is the passage, "Blessed be the glory of the LORD from his place" (Ezek. iii. 12). Strictly speaking, His place it is impossible to know, but he utters the Name over the wreath and thereupon it goes and rests by His head.

"Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures" (Ezek. i. 15). R. El'azar said, It means a certain angel, who stands upon the earth and his head reaches to the level of the living creatures. In a Kabbalistic Mishnah we are taught that his name is Sandalphon, who is higher than his fellows by the space of a journey of five hundred years, and he stands behind the chariot and binds crowns for his Maker. Is it so? But there is the passage, "Blessed be the glory of the LORD from his place" (Ezek. iii. 12). Strictly speaking, His place it is impossible to know, but he utters the Name over the wreath and thereupon it goes and rests by His head.

A certain passage says, "And as for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side, etc." (Ezek. i. 10) and it is written, "And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle" (Ezek. x. 14). And lo, the ox is not reckoned in. Resh Lakish said, Ezekiel besought the Merciful One with regard to him, and He changed him into a cherub. He addressed Him thus, Lord of the Universe, shall an accuser become an advocate? What is the meaning of cherub? R. Abohu said, It is equivalent to a growing child. For so in Babylon a young child is called Rabya. R. Papa said to Abohu, But, as it is written, "The first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle" (Ezek. x. 14), this shews that the face of a cherub is the same thing as the face of a man. There are large faces and there are small faces.

A certain passage says, "And as for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side, etc." (Ezek. i. 10) and it is written, "And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle" (Ezek. x. 14). And lo, the ox is not reckoned in. Resh Lakish said, Ezekiel besought the Merciful One with regard to him, and He changed him into a cherub. He addressed Him thus, Lord of the Universe, shall an accuser become an advocate? What is the meaning of cherub? R. Abohu said, It is equivalent to a growing child. For so in Babylon a young child is called Rabya. R. Papa said to Abohu, But, as it is written, "The first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle" (Ezek. x. 14), this shews that the face of a cherub is the same thing as the face of a man. There are large faces and there are small faces.

A certain passage says, "And as for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side, etc." (Ezek. i. 10) and it is written, "And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle" (Ezek. x. 14). And lo, the ox is not reckoned in. Resh Lakish said, Ezekiel besought the Merciful One with regard to him, and He changed him into a cherub. He addressed Him thus, Lord of the Universe, shall an accuser become an advocate? What is the meaning of cherub? R. Abohu said, It is equivalent to a growing child. For so in Babylon a young child is called Rabya. R. Papa said to Abohu, But, as it is written, "The first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle" (Ezek. x. 14), this shews that the face of a cherub is the same thing as the face of a man. There are large faces and there are small faces.

There is a passage which says, "each one had six wings" (Is. vi. 2), and there is a passage which says, "And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings" (Ezek. i. 6). There is no difficulty. The one case was at the time when the Holy House was standing, the other at the time when the Holy House was not standing. As if it were possible to say which two of the wings of the living creatures were taken away. Which of them were taken away? R. Chănaneel said, that Rab said, Those with which they utter their song. It is written thus, "And with twain he did fly. And one cried to another and said," (Is. vi. 2, 3) and it is written, "Wilt thou set thine eyes upon it? But it is gone" (Prov. xxiii. 5). But our Rabbis say, Those with which they cover their feet, as it is said, "And their feet were as a straight foot" (Ezek. i. 7). And if none had been taken away, how would he have known? Perhaps it was uncovered, and he saw it. But if thou sayest, Not so, then I may argue thus: "And as for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man," and I may argue that in this case also they were taken away. But when you reply that in this case it was uncovered and he saw it, then I rejoin that in this case also it was uncovered and he saw it. But no, for in this case, even granting that the face is customarily uncovered before one's teacher, the legs are not customarily uncovered before one's teacher.

There is a passage which says, "each one had six wings" (Is. vi. 2), and there is a passage which says, "And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings" (Ezek. i. 6). There is no difficulty. The one case was at the time when the Holy House was standing, the other at the time when the Holy House was not standing. As if it were possible to say which two of the wings of the living creatures were taken away. Which of them were taken away? R. Chănaneel said, that Rab said, Those with which they utter their song. It is written thus, "And with twain he did fly. And one cried to another and said," (Is. vi. 2, 3) and it is written, "Wilt thou set thine eyes upon it? But it is gone" (Prov. xxiii. 5). But our Rabbis say, Those with which they cover their feet, as it is said, "And their feet were as a straight foot" (Ezek. i. 7). And if none had been taken away, how would he have known? Perhaps it was uncovered, and he saw it. But if thou sayest, Not so, then I may argue thus: "And as for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man," and I may argue that in this case also they were taken away. But when you reply that in this case it was uncovered and he saw it, then I rejoin that in this case also it was uncovered and he saw it. But no, for in this case, even granting that the face is customarily uncovered before one's teacher, the legs are not customarily uncovered before one's teacher.

Everyone, who does not respect the glory of his Maker, it would have been a mercy for him that he had not come into the world. What is the case here meant? R. Abba said, This is the man who gazes into the rainbow. R. Joseph said, This is the man who commits a transgression secretly. In support of the explanation that it means the man who gazes into the rainbow, it is written, "As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about" (Ezek. i. 28). This is the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. R. Joseph said, The explanation that this is the man who commits a transgression secretly, agrees with the view of R. Isaac, for R. Isaac said, Every one who committeth a transgression secretly is as though he jarred the feet of the Shechinah, as it is said, "Thus saith the LORD, the heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool" (Is. lxvi. 1). Is it so? and yet R. El'a the elder said, If a man sees that his evil nature is mastering him, let him go to a place where they do not know him, and let him put on black garments, and cover himself with black, and do what his heart desireth, but let him not profane the name of God openly. There is no difficulty. The one is the case of a man who has found a means of checking his evil nature, the other of a man who has not found a means of checking his evil nature.

R. Jehudah in the name of R. Nachmani the interpreter of Resh Lakish expounded the saying, Every one who gazes upon three things, his eyes grow weak, viz., upon the bow, and the prince, and the priests: upon the bow, for it is written, "As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was ... the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD;" (Ezek. i. 28) upon the prince, for it is written, "And thou shalt put of thine honour upon him" (Numb. xxvii. 20). He that gazeth upon the priests—this has to do with the time that the House of the Sanctuary was in existence, when they stood upon their platform and blessed Israel in the Ineffable Name.

For the merciful One calls it wood, as it is written, "The altar was of wood, three cubits high, and the length thereof two cubits; and the corners thereof, and the length thereof, and the walls thereof, were of wood: and he said unto me, This is the table that is before the LORD" (Ezek. xli. 22). He began with "altar," and he ended with "table." R. Jochanan and Resh Lakish say both of them, At the time that the Holy House was set up, an altar made atonement for a man; now a man's table makes atonement for him.