The time for Minchah, the afternoon prayer. And God, the King majestic, is sitting on His throne. But He's not just sitting there. He's praising the beasts. Not just any beasts, mind you, but the holy, celestial beasts that surround His throne.
Now, according to Heikhalot Rabbati, a key text of Merkabah (chariot) mysticism, things get really interesting at this point. Before the King can even finish praising them, these incredible creatures burst forth from beneath the Throne of Glory.
Can you picture it?
Their mouths are overflowing with exultation. Their wings are vibrating with pure joy. They're clapping their hands, their feet are dancing. It's a cosmic rave, a celebration of divine proportions!
And what do they do? They encircle and surround their King. One on His right, one on His left, one before Him, one behind Him. Total immersion in divine love. They embrace Him, they kiss Him. A complete and utter outpouring of adoration.
But here's where it gets truly mind-blowing. They uncover their faces. Now, this is so intense, so overwhelmingly radiant, that—and this is hard to wrap your head around—the King of Glory covers His face. The light of their devotion is too much even for Him to behold directly!
And the effect of all this? The seventh heaven, the highest of heavens, is broken "like a sieve" because of the sheer effulgence. The splendor, the beauty, the dignity, the loveliness, the mercy, the desire, the brilliance, the glory, the praise, the appearance of their faces…it all combines into a force so powerful it shatters the very fabric of reality.
This, my friends, is the source of the "Holy, holy, holy" that we find in the scriptures. This is the unending song of praise that reverberates throughout the cosmos.
It makes you wonder, doesn't it? What are we holding back? What levels of joy, praise, and love are we capable of expressing? Maybe, just maybe, we can learn a thing or two from those ecstatic beasts beneath the Throne of Glory.