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Adapted from Talmud Bavli, Taanit (Taanit 5a; Hagigah 12b)
Edition William Davidson Edition - Vocalized Aramaic Translation English translation by Maggid , since no free public English translation of this passage exists.
License Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC-BY-NC) And Rav Nachman said to Rabbi Yitzchak: What is the meaning of that which is written, "The Holy One is in your midst, and I will not come into the city" (Hosea 11:9)? Is it because the Holy One is in your midst that I will not come into the city? He said to him: Thus said Rabbi Yochanan: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I will not come into the Jerusalem that is above until I come into the Jerusalem that is below! And is there a Jerusalem above? Yes, for it is written, "Jerusalem that is built as a city that is joined together" (Psalms 122:3).
וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב נַחְמָן לְרַבִּי יִצְחָק, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״בְּקִרְבְּךָ קָדוֹשׁ וְלֹא אָבוֹא בְּעִיר״, מִשּׁוּם דִּבְקִרְבְּךָ קָדוֹשׁ לֹא אָבוֹא בְּעִיר? אָמַר לֵיהּ: הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: לֹא אָבוֹא בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁל מַעְלָה עַד שֶׁאָבוֹא לִירוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁל מַטָּה! וּמִי אִיכָּא יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לְמַעְלָה? אִין, דִּכְתִיב: ״יְרוּשָׁלִַים הַבְּנוּיָה כְּעִיר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָּהּ יַחְדָּו״.
Commentary This is the Temple of God, standing on the summit of the firmament, its brilliance illuminating all the rooms of heaven. A thousand hosts stand before the Shekhinah in the celestial Temple, calling "Holy, holy, holy." And every host consists of many thousands of ministering angels. Some say that the celestial Temple existed on high even before the world was created, as it is said, O Throne of Glory exalted from the first (Jer. 17: 12). Thus the upper Temple existed first, and God commanded that the lower Temple be made according to the secrets of the upper one. Others say that God began the creation of His world at the foundation stone, and built the world upon it. Then He created the Celestial Temple, as it is said. The place You made to dwell in, O Yahweh (Exod. 15: 17). Just as there is a High Priest in the TempIe"beIow, so there is a High Priest on high. Some say thaU^gos, the divine word, the first angel, serves as the heavenly High Priest. Others say that it islftetatron, while still others say that it is Michael, the prince of Israel, who serves as the High Priest, and offers sacrifices on the altar every day. What does he offer up? The souls of the righteou s. When tReearthly Temple still existed, the High Priest would make sacrifices and bum incense below, while Michael would do the same on high. After the earthly Temple was destroyed, God said to Michael, "From this time forward you shall offer me the good deeds of My children, their prayers, and the souls of the righteous, which are hidden beneath the Throne of Glory."
