Where Job Searched for God and Could Not Find Him

Another interpretation (of Gen. 2:4): THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WHEN THEY WERE CREATED. This text is related (to Job 25:2): DOMINION AND AWE ARE WITH HIM. Thus Job had said (in 23:3): OH THAT I KNEW WHERE I MIGHT FIND HIM THAT I MIGHT COME TO HIS ABODE. R. Abba bar Kahana said: If he is in a temple above, I will come to his abode; and if he is in a temple below, I will come to his abode.

Now HIS ABODE is nothing but a temple, as stated (in Ezra 3:3): AND THEY SHALL SET THE ALTAR UPON ITS BASE. (Job 23:8:) SEE, I GO EAST, AND HE IS NOT THERE; AND WEST, BUT I DO NOT PERCEIVE HIM. R. Johanan said: You learn from here that the Divine Presence is in the west. I went south and north without finding him. Why? (Job 23:10:) BECAUSE HE KNOWS THE WAY I TAKE.

WHEN HE HAS TRIED ME, I SHALL COME FORTH LIKE GOLD. His friends said to him: Job, how long will you pester with words? Are we not telling you that you cannot go out to meet him and speak insolently with him? They said to him: Can you speak insolently with Michael?