{"id":45327,"date":"2018-12-08T08:57:23","date_gmt":"2018-12-08T06:57:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=45327"},"modified":"2022-07-03T17:34:54","modified_gmt":"2022-07-03T14:34:54","slug":"a-mystical-sound-and-light-spectacle-on-the-cover-of-the-ark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/a-mystical-sound-and-light-spectacle-on-the-cover-of-the-ark\/","title":{"rendered":"A Mystical Sound And Light Spectacle On The Cover Of The Ark"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":50634,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[509,670,384],"acf":{"old_id":"45327","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":33877,"related_cahpter":"106","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"The Zohar\u2019s take on cherubim and the divine presence","content":"

In the beginning of Leviticus Chapter 16, after the death of Aaron\u2019s two sons, God tells Moses that Aaron is not, at all times, to enter the place of holiness \u201cbehind the curtain, in front of the cover that is upon the ark, lest he die; for I appear in the cloud over the cover\u201d (verse 2). <\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>kapporet<\/span><\/em>, the cover of the Ark of the Covenant, is also referred to, in some English translations, as the \u201cMercy-Seat\u201d, being the exact place on which the <\/span>Shekhinah<\/span><\/em>, the Presence of God, descended. On this verse, the Zohar (III 59a) elaborates with a spectacular show of sight and sound: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Over the Cover of the Ark\u2019 was also the place where the Cherubim dwelt. Three times a day a miracle took place with their wings. When the \u2018Holiness of the King\u2019 descended upon the Cherubim, of their own accord, they lifted their wings and spread them out to just barely cover the kapporet<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then they would fold their wings and stand upright, rejoicing in the Shekhinah<\/em>. Rabbi Abba asked: \u201cWhat are we to understand \u2018for I (God) appear in the cloud over the cover\u2019? In the next verse is written \u201cOn this (i.e. only on the Day of Atonement) Aaron shall come into the place of holiness\u201d (Leviticus 16:3).\u00a0<\/p>\n

The high priest did not actually see the divine presence when he entered the sanctuary. Rather, a cloud came down, and when it settled on the kapporet<\/em>, the Cherubim would beat their wings together and burst into song. And what did they sing? \u2018For the Lord is great and much acclaimed, He is held in awe by all divine beings\u2019 (Psalms 96:4); this was when they raised their wings. And when they spread out their wings, they sang: \u2018All the gods of the peoples are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens\u2019 (verse 5). And when they covered the kapporet<\/em>, <\/i>they sang: \u201c\u2026at the presence of the Lord, for He is coming to rule the earth; He will rule the world justly, and its peoples with equity [be-mesharim<\/em>]\u2019 (Psalms 98:9)…<\/p>\n

Rabbi Yose said: \u201cThe word mesharim <\/em>is plural (literally \u201cequals\u201d) indicating that the Cherubim were both male and female\u201d. Rabbi Isaac said: \u201cFrom this we learn that only where there are both male and female, can the face of the Shekhinah <\/em>be seen\u2026\u201d.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

illustration: Fer Gregory \/ shutterstock<\/p>\n","image":{"ID":42687,"id":42687,"title":"shutterstock_1120576106","filename":"shutterstock_1120576106.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/shutterstock_1120576106.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/the-meaning-of-the-cherubim\/shutterstock_1120576106\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"shutterstock_1120576106","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":42546,"date":"2018-10-24 07:58:35","modified":"2022-05-18 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