עברית When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy
Yom Kippur 2023
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy
The one who looks at the autumn sky in the early morning hours, is thrilled and amazed beyond measure by the sight of the shining stars in the sky, and in his heart the verse from the book of Job plays: "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy”. (ברון יחד כוכבי בוקר יריעו כל בני אלהים)
Above your head, high in the sky, the planet Jupiter now shines and sparkles, close to the wreath of the Seven Sisters, the point of the beginning of the world, looking closely at the star Aldebaran, the orange eye of Taurus. If we turn our gaze towards the southeast, the celestial hunter Orion will appear in front of us in all his glory, as Gilgamesh, fighting the heavenly Bull, on his left shoulder the star Betelgeuse, a red supergiant (whose circumference is greater than the orbit of Mars around the sun) and Rigel, the shining star radiating from his left knee, accompanied by his two faithful dogs: the great dog Sirius, the star of the goddess Isis, the brightest of all the stars of the sky, and beside him Procyon, the little dog.
If we turn our gaze from the zenith of the sky to the north, we can participate in another celestial drama inscribed by the gods in the stars, and we see Pegasus growing from the severed neck of Medusa, the Gorgon, overpowered by Perseus, the flying horse on which Perseus rides on his way to save Andromeda chained to the sea rock by Cassiopeia and her husband Cepheus.
And to crown this whole wonderful event and give the heavenly spectacle its most sublime ending, if you wait a little longer, you will witness the rising of Venus, the heralding love and beauty, in her performance as the mysterious morning star, Ayelet HaShahar, the Doe of Dawn!
Now, as the verse resounding in your heart becomes experience: "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy", you hurry to open Sefer Zohar (Parshat Vayikara):
Verse 379
“When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of Elohim shouted for joy" (Job 38:7). Come and see: When the Holy One, blessed be He, goes to be delighted together with the righteous in the Garden of Eden, all things, namely all graded, of the lower world Malchut, and all the upper and lower beings awaken towards Him. All the trees, The grades of the Garden of Eden, start praising Him, as written, "Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy at the presence of Hashem because He comes..." (Chronicles I 16:33). Even the fowls on earth all mutter praises before Him. A flame then comes out and strikes the wings of the cock, and it cries and praises the Holy King, cries for men to labor in the Torah, in the praise of their Master and in His service. Happy is the portion of those who rise from their beds to study the Torah.
Verse 380
When morning comes, the gates on the south, Chesed, are opened and the gates of healing venture into the world. The east wind, Zeir Anpin, awakens, Mercy prevails and all the stars and constellations, which are grades, appointed under the reign of the morning, which is Yesod, shining with Chassadim, Mercies, all begin to praise and chant to the supernal King. Hence, "when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of Elohim shouted for joy." He asks, What is the business of the sons of Elohim, the servants of judgment, calling for and shout, in this morning, the time of Chesed, if all Judgments are removed when Chesed awakens in the world? He answers, "All the sons of Elohim shouted for joy" means that the strength of the severe Judgments was broken and their power was broken, since they shouted, literally means shattered, as written, "The earth is utterly broken down" (Isaiah, 24:19).”
The popular song from the 16th century, "Sim Lev la'neshamah', literaly, "place your heart in your soul', translated variously as "Pay attention to the soul', or 'consider the the soul", is based on this Zohar passage.
Attached below is a link to Ehud Banai's heartfelt performance of this and other songs.
Consider now your neshamah [soul].
A jewel like the opal, the agate, and the amethyst.
The place where your own light, like the light of the sun shines––
seven times greater than morning light.
I turn my thoughts toward the face of God,
the One who searches out the depths of the heart,
as voices sing, they all sing out, all in harmony they sing––
the stars of morning.
From the throne of glory, she was hewn forth,
to live on this earth-plane so desolate.
This was to save her from intense burning
and to illuminate her in the morning.
Odeh la-El…
Wake up now! Wake up now! See that every night,
your neshamah ascends to a place on high
to give cause and accounting of her earthly actions
to the One who formed evening and morning.
Odeh la-El…
If the soul is found to be unclean
from wrongdoing, her shame will be so great,
like that of a maidservant who has been defiled
when she comes home every morning.
Odeh la-El…
But if she is found to be renewed
since she has donned tallis and tefillin,
she will be like a bride then, adorned with fine jewelry,
when she gets up every morning.
Odeh la-El…
What the Faithful One has stored up for you,
He will return it when you truly long for it.
A man need not die then, amidst his transgressions
whether it be in the evening or morning.
Odeh la-El…
So re-animate your poor soul again.
See her unified, pure, and washed clean again.
If your neshamah has not been re-enlivened
how will you merit the light of the morning?
Odeh la-El…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f600InDpT70