Page:Ginzburg - The Legends of the Jews - Volume 1.djvu/40

 The most exalted in rank are those surrounding the Divine Throne on all sides, to the right, to the left, in front, and behind, under the leadership of the archangels Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael.

All the celestial beings praise God with the words, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts,” but men take precedence of the angels herein. They may not begin their song of praise until the earthly beings have brought their homage to God. Especially Israel is preferred to the angels. When they encircle the Divine Throne in the form of fiery mountains and flaming hills, and attempt to raise their voices in adoration of the Creator, God silences them with the words, “Keep quiet until I have heard the songs, praises, prayers, and sweet melodies of Israel.” Accordingly, the ministering angels and all the other celestial hosts wait until the last tones of Israel’s doxologies rising aloft from earth have died away, and then they proclaim in a loud voice, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts.”

When the hour for the glorification of God by the angels draws nigh, the august Divine herald, the angel Shamʿiel, steps to the windows of the lowest heaven to hearken to the songs, prayers, and praises that ascend from the synagogues and the houses of learning, and when they are finished, he announces the end to the angels in all the heavens. The ministering angels, those who come in contact with the sublunary world, now repair to their chambers to take their purification bath. They dive into a stream of fire and flame seven times, and three hundred and sixty-five times they examine themselves carefully, to make sure that no taint clings to their bodies. Only then they feel privileged to