Rosh Hashanah

There the case is different, because it is the psalm of the day.1 It has been taught: ‘R. Judah said in the name of R. Akiba: On the first day [of the week] what [psalm] did they [the Levites] say? [The one commencing] The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof,2 because He took possession and gave possession3 and was [sole] ruler in His universe.4 On the second day what did they say? [The one commencing], Great is the Lord and highly to be praised,5 because he divided His works6 and reigned over them like a king.7 On the third day they said, God standeth in the congregation of God,8 because He revealed the earth in His wisdom and established the world for His community.9 On the fourth day they said, O Lord, Thou God, to whom vengeance belongeth,10 because He created the sun and the moon and will one day punish those who serve them. On the fifth day they said, Sing aloud to the God of our strength,11 because He created fishes and birds to praise His name.12 On the sixth day they said, The Lord reigneth, He is clothed in majesty,13 because He completed His work and reigned over His creatures. On the seventh day they said, A psalm a song for the Sabbath day,14 to wit,for the day which will be all Sabbath.15 Said R. Nehemiah: What ground had the Sages16 for making a difference between these sections?17 No. On the first day [the reason for the psalm said is] because He took possession and gave possession and was [sole] ruler in His world; on the second day because He divided and ruled over them; on the third day because He revealed the earth in His wisdom and established the world for His community; on the fourth day, because He created the sun and the moon and will one day punish those who serve them; on the fifth day because He created birds and fishes to praise His name; on the sixth day because He completed His work and reigned over His creatures; on the seventh day, because He rested. The point at issue between them18 is whether to accept or not the dictum of R. Kattina; for R. Kattina said: The world is to last six thousand years, and one thousand it will be desolate, as it says, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.19 Abaye, however, said: It will be desolate two thousand, as it says, After two days He will revive us.20 At the additional sacrifice of Sabbath what did they say? — R. Anan21 b. Raba said in the name of Rab: Hazyw Lak.22 R. Hanan b. Raba said also in the name of Rab: As these sections are divided here, so they are divided [when read on Sabbath] in the synagogue.23 At the afternoon sacrifice of Sabbath what did they say? — R. Johanan said: Then sang,24 and Who is like thee,25 and Then sang.26 The question was raised: Were all these portions said on each Sabbath, or was only one said on every Sabbath? — Come and hear, since it has been taught: ‘R. Jose said: By the time the first of these sections27 has come round once, the second has come round twice’.28 This shows that each Sabbath one portion was said: and this may be taken as proved. R. Judah b. Idi said in the name of R. Johanan: The Divine Presence [so to speak] left Israel by ten stages29 — this we know from references in Scripture — and the Sanhedrin correspondingly wandered to ten places of banishment30 — this we know from tradition. ‘The Divine Presence left Israel by ten stages — this we know from references in Scripture’: [it went] from the Ark-cover to the Cherub31 and from the Cherub to the threshold [of the Holy of Holies], and from the threshold to the court, and from the court to the altar,32 and from the altar to the roof [of the Temple], and from the roof to the wall, and from the wall to the town, and from the town to the mountain, and from the mountain to the wilderness, and from the wilderness it ascended and abode in its own place,33 as it says, I will go and return to my place.34 ‘From the Ark-cover to the Cherub35 and from the Cherub to the threshold’, as it is written, And there will I meet with thee . . . from above the ark-cover,36 and it is written, And the glory of the Lord was gone up from the cherub whereupon it was to the threshold of the house.37 ‘And from the threshold to the court’, as it is written, And the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord's glory,38 ‘From the court to the altar’, as it is written, I saw the Lord standing on the altar.39 ‘And from the altar to the roof’, as it is written, It is better to dwell it, a corner of the housetop [than in a house in common with a contentious woman].40 ‘From the roof to the wall’,as it is written, Behold, the Lord stood by a wall made by a plumbline.41 ‘From the wall to the town’, as it is written, The voice of the Lord crieth unto the city.42 ‘And from the city to the mountain’, as it is written, And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.43 ‘And from the mountain to the wilderness as it is written, It is better to dwell in a desert land [than with a contentious woman].44 ‘And from the wilderness it went and abode in its own place’, as it is written, I shall go and return to my place until they acknowledge their guilt. 45 R. Johanan said: The Divine Presence tarried for Israel in the wilderness six months in the hope that they would repent. When [it saw that] they did not repent, it said, Let their soul expire, as it says, But the eyes of the wicked shall fail and they shall have no way to flee and their hope shall be the expiry of the soul.46 ‘Correspondingly the Sanhedrin wandered to ten places of banishment, as we know from tradition’, namely, from the Chamber of Hewn Stone47 to Hanuth,48 and from Hanuth to Jerusalem, and from Jerusalem to Jabneh,49 as it says, ‘Who shall go up in the Mount of the Lord’ etc. elevation in the city of a great king’. [R. Hananel: Thus did He set aside Jerusalem to become ‘the city of our God, the mountain of his holiness’.] they take to refer to the future. sight are but as yesterday’; v. Sanh. 97a. day. ride), Wayar (and he saw), Lule (but that), Ki (when), the first words of verses 1, 7, 13, 19, 27 and 36 in Deut. XXXII, the ‘Song of Ha'azinu’. ‘and it is written, And he rode upon a cherub and did fly’ (II Sam. XXII, 11), which is omitted by Rashi. as prophetic. idol which was placed in the Temple. on the Temple Mount outside the Chamber of Hewn Stone. Derenbourg, Essai p. 467, identifies it with the Chamber of the Sons of Hanan (a powerful priestly family, cf. Jer. XXXV, 4) mentioned in J. Pe'ah 1,5.]