"And I looked, and behold, one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures" (Ezekiel 1:15). Rabbi Elazar said: There is one angel who stands upon the earth, and his head reaches beside the living creatures. In a baraita it was taught: His name is Sandalphon; he is higher than his fellow by a distance of five hundred years' journey, and he stands behind the chariot and binds crowns for his Maker. Is that so? But is it not written: "Blessed be the glory of the LORD from His place" (Ezekiel 3:12), from which it follows that there is no one who knows His place? Rather, he pronounces the Name over the crown, and it goes and rests upon His head.
God's Crown Of Prayers
Hagigah 12a, 13b
״וָאֵרֶא הַחַיּוֹת וְהִנֵּה אוֹפַן אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ אֵצֶל הַחַיּוֹת״, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מַלְאָךְ אֶחָד שֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד בָּאָרֶץ, וְרֹאשׁוֹ מַגִּיעַ אֵצֶל הַחַיּוֹת. בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנָא: סַנְדַּלְפוֹן שְׁמוֹ, הַגָּבוֹהַּ מֵחֲבֵרוֹ מַהֲלַךְ חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה. וְעוֹמֵד אֲחוֹרֵי הַמֶּרְכָּבָה וְקוֹשֵׁר כְּתָרִים לְקוֹנוֹ. אִינִי? וְהָכְתִיב: ״בָּרוּךְ כְּבוֹד ה׳ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ״, מִכְּלָל דִּמְקוֹמוֹ לֵיכָּא דְּיָדַע לֵיהּ! דְּאָמַר שֵׁם אַתָּגָא וְאָזֵל וְיָתֵיב בְּרֵישֵׁיהּ.
Themes
Original Sources
- B. Hagigah 12a, 13b
- Exodus Rabbah 21:4
- Pesikta Rabbati 19:7
- Beit ha-Midrash 1:58-61
- Midrash Konen in Beit ha-Midrash 2:26
- Sefer ha-Komah
- Seder Tkhines u-Vakoshes 3.