Rabbi Ishmael by John Greenleaf Whittier — Read

"Rabbi Ishmael Ben Elisha said, Once, I entered into the Holy of Holies [as High Priest] to burn incense, when I saw Aktriel [the Divine Crown] Jah, Lord of Hosts, sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, who said unto me, 'Ishmael, my son, bless me. ' I answered, 'May it please Thee to make Thy compassion prevail over Thine anger; may it be revealed above Thy other attributes; mayest Thou deal with Thy children according to it, and not according to the strict measure of judgment. ' It seemed to me that He bowed His head, as though to answer Amen to my blessing. " -- Talmud (Beraehoth, I. f. 6. b.)

THE Rabbi Ishmael, with the woe and sin / Of the world heavy upon him, entering in / The Holy of Holies, saw an awful Face / With terrible splendor filling all the place. / "O Ishmael Ben Elisha! " said a voice, / "What seekest thou? What blessing is thy choice? " / And, knowing that he stood before the Lord, / Within the shadow of the cherubim, / Wide-winged between the blinding light and him, / He bowed himself, and uttered not a word, / But in the silence of his soul was prayer / "O Thou Eternal! I am one of all, / And nothing ask that others may not share. / Thou art almighty; we are weak and small, / And yet Thy children: let Thy mercy spare! " / Trembling, he raised his eyes, and in the place / Of the insufferable glory, lo! a face / Of more than mortal tenderness, that bent / Graciously down in token of assent, / And, smiling, vanished! With strange joy elate, / The wondering Rabbi sought the temple's gate. / Radiant as Moses from the Mount, he stood / And cried aloud unto the multitude / "O Israel, hear! The Lord our God is good! / Mine eyes have seen his glory and his grace; / Beyond his judgments shall his love endure; / The mercy of the All Merciful is sure! " / 1881.