God Descends in Glory to Save Abraham From the Fiery Furnace

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Tetzaveh 8:1

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

[(Exod. 29:1:) AND THIS IS THE THING, etc.] This is what Scripture says (Ps. 119:89): "Forever, O LORD, Your word stands firm in the heavens." Rabbi Berekhyah the Priest said: From of old You have conducted Yourself with us by the measure of mercy. When? At the hour when Abraham our father was cast into the fiery furnace, the angels were contending with one another. Michael said, "I will go down and rescue him," and Gabriel said, "I will go down and rescue him." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "I will go down in My glory and rescue him," as it is said (Gen. 15:7): "I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldees, etc." He said to them (the angels): "You shall rescue his children's children." When Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah went down into the fiery furnace, the angel went down and rescued them. At that hour the angels said (Ps. 119:89): "Forever, O LORD, Your word stands firm in the heavens"; (Ps. 119:90) "You have established the earth and it stands" — You are the sustaining of the world.

Themes

AbrahamFireAngelsDavidPsalms

Biblical References

Continue Reading

Apocalypse of AbrahamAbraham Ascends to Heaven on the Wings of a BirdThe sun went down. Smoke rose from the ground like the smoke of a furnace (Genesis 15:17). The angels who held the portions of the sacrifice ascended from the tApocalypse of AbrahamAbraham Grows Faint Before the Approaching PresenceAbraham turned to the angel in distress. "Why have you brought me up here? I cannot see anymore. I am already grown weak, and my spirit is departing from me." TApocalypse of AbrahamAbraham Sings the Celestial Hymn Before God's ThroneWhile Iaoel was still speaking, fire closed in around them on every side. A voice was inside the fire, like the voice of many waters (Ezekiel 1:24), like the roApocalypse of AbrahamGod Shows Abraham the Seven Firmaments from AboveA voice came from the midst of the fire. "Abraham, Abraham!" "Here I am." "Consider the expanses beneath the firmament on which you are now placed, and see thatMekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelWhat Triggered the Redemption Was Something Far Older a Promise GodRabbi Elazar ben Azaryah taught that God split the Red Sea for the Israelites in the merit of their forefather Abraham. His proof comes from a sweeping passage Mekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelRabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Akiva Disagreed About What This Means(Exodus 20:15) describes an extraordinary moment at Sinai: "And all the people saw the sounds and the lightnings." The people did not merely hear the divine voi