The stories surrounding Moses, our great leader and prophet, offer glimpses into just such an experience. It's more than just receiving the Ten Commandments; it's about a complete transformation and a journey into the heart of the Divine.
According to Legends of the Jews by Ginzberg, the encounter at the burning bush was a deeply personal one. While the other shepherds saw nothing, Moses alone witnessed the vision. He took just five steps closer, and God, seeing his distress over the suffering of Israel, recognized his worthiness.
But how do you reveal yourself to a prophet still finding his way? God considered this carefully. Too loud, and Moses would be frightened. Too soft, and he wouldn't grasp the gravity of the moment. So, God spoke in the voice of Moses' father, Amram. Imagine the relief Moses must have felt, believing his father was still alive!
"Here am I! What is my father's wish?" he replied.
But it wasn't Amram. "I am not thy father," God said, "I but desired to refrain from terrifying thee, therefore I spoke with thy father's voice. I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
What a powerful moment! God invoking the patriarchs! And, interestingly, placing Amram's name before theirs! According to Ginzberg's retelling of the Midrash, it was as if Amram ranked even higher. Moses, overcome with reverence, covered his face.
When God revealed his mission – to free the Israelites from Egypt – Moses responded with humility, "Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?"
God reassured him, promising to deliver Egypt into his hands and, incredibly, to allow him to ascend to the throne of glory, to gaze upon the angels.
This is where the story takes an extraordinary turn.
God commanded Metatron, the Angel of the Face, to escort Moses to the heavens, accompanied by music, song, and a bodyguard of thirty thousand angels! Can you picture that procession?
Understandably, Moses was terrified. "Who art thou?" he asked Metatron.
"I am Enoch, the son of Jared, thy ancestor," the angel replied, "and God has charged me to accompany thee to His throne." Enoch, as in, the Enoch who, Genesis tells us, "walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." (Genesis 5:24)
But Moses protested, "I am but flesh and blood, and I cannot look upon the countenance of an angel."
So Metatron transformed him! According to the story, Moses' flesh became torches of fire, his eyes became Merkabah wheels (referencing the Divine chariot described by the prophet Ezekiel), his strength became angelic, and his tongue a flame. He ascended, surrounded by his celestial escort.
The journey through the seven heavens is a breathtaking vision.
In the first heaven, Moses saw streams of water and countless windows, each overseen by angels. Metatron identified them: the window of prayer, of supplication, of weeping, of joy, plenitude, starvation, war, peace, and so on. Every aspect of human experience, it seems, has a celestial counterpart.
In the second heaven, he encountered the angel Nuriel, towering three hundred parasangs (an ancient unit of distance) high, surrounded by fifty myriads of angels made of water and fire, all praising God.
The third heaven revealed an angel so immense it would take five hundred years to climb to his height, with seventy thousand heads, each with mouths and tongues, all extolling the Lord. These were the Erelim, appointed over the natural world.
The fourth heaven held a Temple built of fire and precious stones, where angels sang praises to God. Here, Moses learned of the purpose of Venus and Mars: Venus cools the sun, while Mars warms the moon.
In the fifth heaven, he saw the Ishim, angels of snow and fire in perfect harmony, whose sole purpose was to praise God.
The sixth heaven housed the Irin ve-kadishin, "Watchers" and "Holy Ones," led by an angel made of hail.
Finally, in the seventh heaven, Moses encountered the terrifying angels Af ("Anger") and Hemah ("Wrath"), forged from black and red fire, created to execute God's will. Metatron reassured Moses, calming his fears.
He also saw Samael, the angel of death, and prayed not to fall into his hands. He beheld the seraphim with their six wings, covering their faces and feet in humility before the Shekhinah (Divine Presence), and singing, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory."
And he saw the Hayyot, the holy creatures supporting God's throne, and Zagzagel, the prince of the Torah and wisdom, who teaches the Torah in seventy languages. According to the tradition, it was from this angel that Moses learned the ten mysteries!
After witnessing all this, Moses declared, "I will not leave the heavens unless Thou grantest me a gift."
And God replied, "I will give thee the Torah, and men shall call it the Law of Moses."
So, what are we to make of this incredible journey? It’s more than just a fantastical tale. It's a powerful metaphor for spiritual transformation, for overcoming our human limitations to encounter the Divine. Moses’ ascent wasn't just a physical journey; it was a journey of the soul, a preparation for receiving the Torah and leading his people. It reminds us that even in our own lives, we have the potential to rise above our limitations and connect with something greater than ourselves.