(א) בִּשְׁנַת־מוֹת֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ עֻזִּיָּ֔הוּ
וָאֶרְאֶ֧ה אֶת־אֲדֹנָ֛י יֹשֵׁ֥ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֖א רָ֣ם וְנִשָּׂ֑א וְשׁוּלָ֖יו מְלֵאִ֥ים אֶת־הַהֵיכָֽל׃
(ב) שְׂרָפִ֨ים עֹמְדִ֤ים ׀ מִמַּ֙עַל֙ ל֔וֹ
שֵׁ֧שׁ כְּנָפַ֛יִם שֵׁ֥שׁ כְּנָפַ֖יִם לְאֶחָ֑ד
בִּשְׁתַּ֣יִם ׀ יְכַסֶּ֣ה פָנָ֗יו
וּבִשְׁתַּ֛יִם יְכַסֶּ֥ה רַגְלָ֖יו
וּבִשְׁתַּ֥יִם יְעוֹפֵֽף׃
(ג) וְקָרָ֨א זֶ֤ה אֶל־זֶה֙ וְאָמַ֔ר
קָד֧וֹשׁ ׀ קָד֛וֹשׁ קָד֖וֹשׁ
יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת
מְלֹ֥א כׇל־הָאָ֖רֶץ כְּבוֹדֽוֹ׃
(ד) וַיָּנֻ֙עוּ֙ אַמּ֣וֹת הַסִּפִּ֔ים מִקּ֖וֹל הַקּוֹרֵ֑א וְהַבַּ֖יִת יִמָּלֵ֥א עָשָֽׁן׃
(ה) וָאֹמַ֞ר אֽוֹי־לִ֣י כִֽי־נִדְמֵ֗יתִי כִּ֣י אִ֤ישׁ טְמֵֽא־שְׂפָתַ֙יִם֙ אָנֹ֔כִי
וּבְתוֹךְ֙ עַם־טְמֵ֣א שְׂפָתַ֔יִם אָנֹכִ֖י יוֹשֵׁ֑ב
כִּ֗י אֶת־הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת רָא֥וּ עֵינָֽי׃ (ו) וַיָּ֣עׇף אֵלַ֗י אֶחָד֙ מִן־הַשְּׂרָפִ֔ים וּבְיָד֖וֹ רִצְפָּ֑ה בְּמֶ֨לְקַחַ֔יִם לָקַ֖ח מֵעַ֥ל הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ (ז) וַיַּגַּ֣ע עַל־פִּ֔י וַיֹּ֕אמֶר:
הִנֵּ֛ה נָגַ֥ע זֶ֖ה עַל־שְׂפָתֶ֑יךָ וְסָ֣ר עֲוֺנֶ֔ךָ וְחַטָּאתְךָ֖ תְּכֻפָּֽר׃
(ח) וָאֶשְׁמַ֞ע אֶת־ק֤וֹל אֲדֹנָי֙ אֹמֵ֔ר:
אֶת־מִ֥י אֶשְׁלַ֖ח
וּמִ֣י יֵֽלֶךְ־לָ֑נוּ?
וָאֹמַ֖ר: הִנְנִ֥י שְׁלָחֵֽנִי׃
(1) In the year that King Uzziah died,
I beheld my Lord seated on a high and lofty throne; and the skirts of His robe filled the Temple.
(2) Seraphs stood in attendance on Him. Each of them had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his legs, and with two he would fly.
(3) And one would call to the other,
“Holy, holy, holy!
The LORD of Hosts!
His presence fills all the earth!”
(4) The doorposts would shake at the sound of the one who called, and the House kept filling with smoke.
(5) I cried, “Woe is me; I am lost!
For I am a man of unclean lips
And I live among a people Of unclean lips; Yet my own eyes have beheld The King LORD of Hosts.”
(6) Then one of the seraphs flew over to me with a live coal, which he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. (7) He touched it to my lips and declared,
“Now that this has touched your lips, Your guilt shall depart
And your sin be purged away.”
(8) Then I heard the voice of my Lord saying,
“Whom shall I send?
Who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I; send me.”
(א) וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בִּשְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֗ה בָּֽרְבִיעִי֙ בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֣ה לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ וַאֲנִ֥י בְתֽוֹךְ־הַגּוֹלָ֖ה עַל־נְהַר־כְּבָ֑ר נִפְתְּחוּ֙ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וָאֶרְאֶ֖ה מַרְא֥וֹת אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (ב) בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ הִ֚יא הַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַחֲמִישִׁ֔ית לְגָל֖וּת הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ יוֹיָכִֽין׃ (ג) הָיֹ֣ה הָיָ֣ה דְבַר־יְ֠הֹוָ֠ה אֶל־יְחֶזְקֵ֨אל בֶּן־בּוּזִ֧י הַכֹּהֵ֛ן בְּאֶ֥רֶץ כַּשְׂדִּ֖ים עַל־נְהַר־כְּבָ֑ר וַתְּהִ֥י עָלָ֛יו שָׁ֖ם יַד־יְהֹוָֽה׃ (ד) וָאֵ֡רֶא וְהִנֵּה֩ ר֨וּחַ סְעָרָ֜ה בָּאָ֣ה מִן־הַצָּפ֗וֹן עָנָ֤ן גָּדוֹל֙ וְאֵ֣שׁ מִתְלַקַּ֔חַת וְנֹ֥גַֽהּ ל֖וֹ סָבִ֑יב וּמִ֨תּוֹכָ֔הּ כְּעֵ֥ין הַחַשְׁמַ֖ל מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֵֽשׁ׃ (ה) וּמִ֨תּוֹכָ֔הּ דְּמ֖וּת אַרְבַּ֣ע חַיּ֑וֹת...
(טז) מַרְאֵ֨ה הָאוֹפַנִּ֤ים וּמַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶם֙ כְּעֵ֣ין תַּרְשִׁ֔ישׁ וּדְמ֥וּת אֶחָ֖ד לְאַרְבַּעְתָּ֑ן וּמַרְאֵיהֶם֙ וּמַ֣עֲשֵׂיהֶ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יִהְיֶ֥ה הָאוֹפַ֖ן בְּת֥וֹךְ הָאוֹפָֽן...
(כו) וּמִמַּ֗עַל לָרָקִ֙יעַ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־רֹאשָׁ֔ם כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה אֶבֶן־סַפִּ֖יר דְּמ֣וּת כִּסֵּ֑א וְעַל֙ דְּמ֣וּת הַכִּסֵּ֔א דְּמ֞וּת כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה אָדָ֛ם עָלָ֖יו מִלְמָֽעְלָה...
ה֕וּא מַרְאֵ֖ה דְּמ֣וּת כְּבוֹד־יְהֹוָ֑ה וָֽאֶרְאֶה֙ וָאֶפֹּ֣ל עַל־פָּנַ֔י וָאֶשְׁמַ֖ע ק֥וֹל מְדַבֵּֽר׃ {פ}
(1) In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, when I was in the community of exiles by the Chebar Canal, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God. (2) On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— (3) the word of the LORD came to the priest Ezekiel son of Buzi, by the Chebar Canal, in the land of the Chaldeans. And the hand of the LORD came upon him there. (4) I looked, and lo, a stormy wind came sweeping out of the north—a huge cloud and flashing fire, surrounded by a radiance; and in the center of it, in the center of the fire, a gleam as of amber. (5) In the center of it were also the figures of four creatures....
(16) As for the appearance and structure of the wheels, they gleamed like beryl. All four had the same form; the appearance and structure of each was as of two wheels cutting through each other....
(26) Above the expanse over their heads was the semblance of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and on top, upon this semblance of a throne, there was the semblance of a human form... That was the appearance of the semblance of the Presence of the LORD. When I beheld it, I flung myself down on my face. And I heard the voice of someone speaking.
יֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר.
אָמַר לוֹ: גַּנָּב אַתָּה אוֹ קוּבְיוּסְטוּס אַתָּה שֶׁמִּתְיָירֵא מִן הַשַּׁחַר.
אָמַר לוֹ: מַלְאָךְ אֲנִי וּמִיּוֹם שֶׁנִּבְרֵאתִי לֹא הִגִּיעַ זְמַנִּי לוֹמַר שִׁירָה עַד עַכְשָׁיו.
מְסַיַּיע לֵיהּ לְרַב חֲנַנְאֵל אָמַר רַב דְּאָמַר רַב חֲנַנְאֵל אָמַר רַב שָׁלֹשׁ:
כִּתּוֹת שֶׁל מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אוֹמְרוֹת שִׁירָה בְּכׇל יוֹם
אַחַת אוֹמֶרֶת קָדוֹשׁ וְאַחַת אוֹמֶרֶת קָדוֹשׁ וְאַחַת אוֹמֶרֶת קְדוֹשׁ ה' צְבָאוֹת.
מֵיתִיבִי: חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹתֵר מִמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת
שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה בְּכׇל שָׁעָה
וּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אֵין אוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה אֶלָּא פַּעַם אַחַת בַּיּוֹם.
וְאָמְרִי לַהּ פַּעַם אַחַת בְּשַׁבָּת.
וְאָמְרִי לַהּ פַּעַם אַחַת בְּחוֹדֶשׁ.
וְאָמְרִי לַהּ פַּעַם אַחַת בַּשָּׁנָה.
וְאָמְרִי לַהּ פַּעַם אַחַת בְּשָׁבוּעַ.
וְאָמְרִי לַהּ פַּעַם אַחַת בְּיוֹבֵל.
וְאָמְרִי לַהּ פַּעַם אַחַת בָּעוֹלָם.
וְיִשְׂרָאֵל מַזְכִּירִין אֶת הַשֵּׁם אַחַר שְׁתֵּי תֵּיבוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' וְגוֹ'
וּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אֵין מַזְכִּירִין אֶת הַשֵּׁם אֶלָּא לְאַחַר שָׁלֹשׁ תֵּיבוֹת
כְּדִכְתִיב קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ ה' צְבָאוֹת.
וְאֵין מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה לְמַעְלָה עַד שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַטָּה
שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּרׇן יַחַד כּוֹכְבֵי בֹקֶר וַהֲדַר וַיָּרִיעוּ כׇּל בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים.
אֶלָּא אַחַת אוֹמֶרֶת קָדוֹשׁ
וְאַחַת אוֹמֶרֶת קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ
וְאַחַת אוֹמֶרֶת קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ ה' צְבָאוֹת
וְהָאִיכָּא בָּרוּךְ?
בָּרוּךְ אוֹפַנִּים הוּא דְּאָמְרִי לֵיהּ.
וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְיְהִיב רְשׁוּתָא אִתְיְהִיב.
“And he said: Let me go, for the dawn has risen. And he said: I will not let you go until you bless me” (Genesis 32:27).
Jacob said to the angel: Are you a thief, or are you a gambler [kuveyustus], who is afraid of dawn?
The angel said to him: I am an angel, and from the day I was created my time to recite a song before God has not arrived, until now. Now I must ascend so that I can sing songs of praise to God.
The Gemara comments: This supports the opinion of Rav Ḥananel when he related what Rav said. As Rav Ḥananel said that Rav said:
Three groups of ministering angels recite a song every day from the verse “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord”; one says: “Holy,” and another one says: “Holy,” and another one says: “Holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:3).
The Gemara raises an objection from the following baraita:
The Jewish people are more dear to the Holy One, Blessed be He, than the ministering angels, as the Jewish people may recite a song of praise to God at any time,
but ministering angels recite a song of praise only one time per day.
And some say that the ministering angels recite a song of praise one time per week.
And some say that they recite a song of praise one time per month.
And some say that they recite a song of praise one time per year.
And some say that they recite a song of praise one time in every seven years.
And some say that they recite a song of praise one time per Jubilee.
And some say that they recite a song of praise one time in the entire history of the world.
And furthermore, the Jewish people mention the name of God after two words,
as it is stated: “Hear, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).
But the ministering angels mention the name of God only after three words, as it is written: “And one called unto another, and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:3).
And the ministering angels do not recite their song above
until the Jewish people recite their song below, on earth,
as it is stated: “When the morning stars sang together” (Job 38:7),
referring to the Jewish people, who are compared to stars;
and only then does the verse state: “And all the sons of God shouted for joy,”
which is a reference to the angels.
This baraita teaches that the angels mention the name of God only after three words,
i.e., after saying the word “holy” three times,
whereas according to what Rav Ḥananel stated that Rav said,
the third group of angels says the word “holy” once
and then immediately mentions the name of God.
The Gemara emends Rav Ḥananel’s statement citing Rav: Rather, Rav said that
one group of ministering angels says: “Holy,”
and another one says: “Holy, holy,”
and another one says: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.”
The Gemara challenges the statement of the baraita that the angels mention the name of God only after three words:
But there is the verse: “Then a spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great rushing: Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His place” (Ezekiel 3:12).
In this praise, “Blessed be the glory of the Lord,”
the word “Lord” appears as the third Hebrew word,
apparently uttered by the ministering angels.
The Gemara answers that it is the ofanim who say the verse:
“Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His place,”
as the next verse mentions “the noise of the ofanim” (Ezekiel 3:13),
and Rav Ḥanina’s statement citing Rav was referring not to ofanim but to ministering angels.
And if you wish, say that once permission has been given to them to mention
the name of God after three words when they say: “Holy, holy, holy,”
permission is also given to them to mention the name of God again while praising Him
even after fewer than three words.