“Now they do not see the light” (Job 37:21). It is taught: One who sees the sun in its brightness, the moon in its roundness, the planets in their orbit, or the signs of the zodiac aligned in their order, recites: Blessed…Who performed the act of Creation. Rav Huna said: That which you said applies during the rainy season provided that it is after three days.13If the sun or the moon could not be seen for three days due to clouds, this blessing is recited when they again become visible.
“Now they do not see the light.” Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Yirmeya son of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Rabbi Levi bar Sisi expounded in Neherde’a: “They saw the God of Israel [and under His feet was like a configuration of sapphire brick and like the very heavens in purity]” (Exodus 24:10). This was before they were redeemed. However, once they were redeemed, it was placed in a location a brick would typically be placed.14Before Israel was redeemed from Egypt, God had under His feet, as it were, a sapphire brick, in order to identify with their suffering “with mortar and bricks” (Exodus 1:14).
After they were redeemed the brick was no longer under God’s feet. Instead, under His feet was a view “like the very heavens in purity.” Rabbi Berekhya said: “A configuration of sapphire brick” is not written here, but rather, “like the configuration”; it and all its accessories were placed. It and its basket and its trowel were placed.
Bar Kappara said: Before Israel was redeemed from Egypt, its imprint was in the sky. Once they were redeemed, it was no longer visible in the sky. What is the source? “Like the very heavens in purity,” when it is cloud free.