The heavens go silent when judgment begins.
Zohar, Shemot 7 opens Rabbi Simeon's eyes onto the holy chariot. Wheels roll. Voices sing. Thousands upon thousands of beings fall trembling, then rise into song from below to above. Four hundred and fifty thousand sighted beings join the music.
The vision keeps climbing. The turning wheels chant, "Blessed be the Lord's glory from the place of His Shekhinah" (Ezekiel 3:12). A secret Garden shines in hidden worlds of light. The splendor of the Shekhinah reaches to the ends of creation, and the Garden of Eden is revealed to eyes that can bear it.
Then the singing stops.
Silence falls because judgment has begun. The Lord rises from the throne of judgment and sits on the throne of reconciliation. The divine Name is uttered as a source of mercy and life. The court has not disappeared. It has been sweetened.
The Zohar's chariot is not decorative heaven. It is a world of sound, terror, order, and mercy. The wheels sing until the moment they cannot sing. Then mercy takes the throne, and the Name gives life. The silence is part of the vision because awe also has a sound, and sometimes it is no sound at all.
Said R. Simeon:<sup class="footnote-marker">1</sup><i class="footnote">This paragraph belongs to the Tosefta (and is not found in our Hebrew text of the Zohar proper).</i> We open our eyes And straightway behold. The holy chariot’s Swift-rolling wheels.. Voices of song. Making lovely the air, A joy to the heart, A grace to the ear. Thousand on thousand. To trembling now fall. As they sing and rejoice. From below to above.
In tune with the song. Standing who stand. Joined who are joined In multitudes thronging, Four hundred and fifty. Thousands of beings-. Gifted with sight are they. Yet see and see not. Two hosts them encompass. As great as the first. On the left hand is sorrow, Is crying and moaning-.
The Lords of Weeping. Their dwelling here set. Their being is judgement, And chastisement their end. The Judge is there ready. And the books are open. At this hour and moment. The Lord of judgement. Ascends to His Throne. The singing ceases. And silence falls. Judgement begins.
The Lords of the right hand. Who see and perceive. And eighteen thousand Angelic companions. Fearlessly sing. And trumpets ring forth. And a trembling begins.
Once again do thy sound. And the voices are silent. Then rises the Lord. From the Judgement throne; On the throne of reconcilement The Merciful now sits, And utters the Name-. The holy, the blessed, Source of mercy for men. And life-giving to all.
“<i>Yod He Vau He</i>” He cries; Then murmurs anew. The song of the myriads, Of holy turning wheels.. In ecstasy they chant “Blessed be the Lord’s glory. From the place of His Shekinah”..
The secret Garden In worlds of light hidden -Two hundred and fifty Encompassing worlds- Where Shekinah’s splendour From splendour proceeding Its splendour sends forth To the ends of creation, In the fulness of glory Is revealed in its beauty To the eyes made seeing- The garden of Eden.
The Ancient, the Father, The Holy One speaks His Name again pronouncing, “<i>Yod He Vau He” again</i> Gloriously crying. Then speak the lightful Hosts Making brave music: His thirteen paths of mercy They gladly proclaim. Who sees those mighty ones High in the Heavens Mighty in beauty? Who sees the Chariots Holy and glorious? Who sees the Hosts in The bright courts of glory Exalting and praising In awe and in fear In joy and in wonder The Holy One’s Name? Blessed are the souls of the righteous who perceive it! “There is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great and thy Name is great. Who would not be in awe of thee, thou king of the nations?” (Jer. 10, 6-7).
