Introduction: The Continuation of the Vision of Destruction
Chapter 10 of Yechezkel is the direct continuation of the previous chapter. There we saw the prophecy, "The executioners of the city have drawn near," six men each with his weapon of destruction in his hand, and among them one man clothed in linen with a scribe's inkhorn at his waist. Now the prophet continues and envisions the sight of the Throne, the Chariot (Merkavah), and the keruvim, as well as the gradual departure of the Glory of Hashem from the Heichal. Much of what is described here is a repetition of what we saw in Chapter 1, which is why the Malbim does not dwell on these details and directs the reader to consult his commentary there. The primary novel insight here is understanding from which realm the decree emerges, and what this signifies for the salvation of the remnant of Israel.
Pasuk 1: "Above the Head of the Keruvim" - From Accuser to Defender
וָאֶרְאֶה וְהִנֵּה אֶל־הָרָקִיעַ אֲשֶׁר עַל־רֹאשׁ הַכְּרֻבִים כְּאֶבֶן סַפִּיר כְּמַרְאֵה דְּמוּת כִּסֵּא נִרְאָה עֲלֵיהֶם׃ - "And I looked, and behold, on the firmament that was above the head of the keruvim, there appeared above them something like a sapphire stone, with the appearance of the likeness of a throne."
Who is "the head of the keruvim"? Rashi explains that these are the four living creatures (Chayot) of the Merkavah. At first glance, this is perplexing: after all, we saw that only one of the creatures had the face of a keruv, while the others were an ox, a lion, and an eagle. How, then, are all of them suddenly called keruvim? Rashi explains: because the face of the ox was transformed into the face of a keruv, as stated in this passage. And our Sages taught that Yechezkel pleaded for mercy and had it transformed into a keruv. He said before Him: Master of the Universe, can a prosecutor become a defender?
The ox represents the left side. As discussed previously, the Jewish people in the wilderness mistakenly believed that their governance followed the attribute of the left rather than the right side of loving-kindness (Chesed). The wilderness is a realm of strict judgments (Dinim), a desolate and ravaged place, a domain of harmful spirits and demons, home to fiery serpents and scorpions. They therefore presumed that their guidance needed to stem specifically from the face of the ox in the Merkavah, which occupies the left side. This was part of their tragic error, for Hashem's governance, even in such places, is always conducted through loving-kindness and mercy, never purely through judgment. The Holy One, blessed be He, does not guide the Jewish people through the path of strict judgment. Here, Yechezkel pleaded for mercy so that the face of the ox - which represents the left side, strict judgment, and the prosecuting memory of the Sin of the Golden Calf - would be transformed into an advocate. Once transformed, there was no longer just a single keruv, but "keruvim": the ox that became a keruv, alongside the original keruv. "Keruv" derives from the Aramaic keravya (like a child), reflecting the human form within the Merkavah.
The Throne of Mercy and Yirmiyah's Defense
The Malbim explains that Yechezkel now beholds the vision of the Throne of Glory, where Hashem, as it were, sits upon a throne of mercy to lighten the punishment, spurred by the merit that Yirmiyah advocated on their behalf. In the previous chapter, the Malbim explained that the man clothed in linen with the scribe's inkhorn at his waist represents Yirmiyah, who prophesied about the destruction. It is written there that the man clothed in linen reported back, saying, "I have done as You commanded me." The Malbim explains that Yirmiyah pleaded for mercy, arguing: Master of the Universe, there are righteous individuals in the city as well; there are people who listen to my voice and to my prophecies! As recorded in the Book of Yirmiyah, certain ministers rescued Yirmiyah, proving that not everyone could be deemed wicked. And although Hashem later reversed His decree from good to harsh following the command to "mark a tav upon the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry for all the abominations done in its midst," declaring that even they would be held accountable for failing to protest, Yirmiyah nevertheless succeeded in advocating merit and awakening heavenly mercy.
This brings us to the next stage in our chapter. Yechezkel gazes upon the Throne of Glory and realizes: I see how Hashem sits upon a throne of mercy to mitigate the punishment, in the merit of Yirmiyah's advocacy. As the Malbim explains, according to the governance of the Ofanim (wheels) - which symbolize the World of Asiyah, the celestial spheres, and the natural order - it would have been fitting for everyone to perish and fall by the sword. In that scenario, there would have been no burning of the city and the Temple; Hashem would have simply struck down everyone, and that would be the end. Instead, Hashem intervened and altered Nebuchadnezzar's choice: rather than killing everyone, he would burn the city and the Temple, venting his wrath upon the wood and stones, thereby allowing a remnant to survive. A portion of the people would remain under Gedaliah ben Achikam, and others would go into exile, rather than all being slaughtered. "He spent His wrath upon wood and stone" - this is what granted us a surviving remnant.
This is what the verse indicates: this mitigation occurred through direct Divine Providence (Hashgachah) from Hashem, rather than through the fixed system of nature, for according to the natural constellations and the celestial order, absolute destruction was decreed upon us. What, then, brought about this mercy? Divine Providence, emanating from the World of the Throne (Olam HaKissei). The World of the Throne is Olam HaBeri'ah (the World of Creation), the realm directly beneath Olam HaAtzilut (Emanation). It was from there that this decree was issued, as the World of the Throne transcends the governance of the celestial forces of the Ofanim. The hierarchy is: Olam HaAtzilut; beneath it, Olam HaBeri'ah, which is the World of the Throne; beneath it, the world of the Chayot, which is Olam HaYetzirah (Formation); and beneath it, Olam HaAsiyah (Action), the realm of the celestial spheres and Ofanim - referring to the forces governing nature, the sun, the moon, and the heavenly spheres, which are spiritual realities that directly govern the physical realm. Concerning this, the verse says: "And I looked, and behold, on the firmament that was above the head of the keruvim, there appeared above them something like a sapphire stone, with the appearance of the likeness of a throne." It is from that elevated realm that mercy descends through Divine Providence, ensuring that the nation would not be annihilated.
Pasuk 2: The Coals of Fire and the Dual Command
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־הָאִישׁ לְבֻשׁ הַבַּדִּים וַיֹּאמֶר בֹּא אֶל־בֵּינוֹת לַגַּלְגַּל אֶל־תַּחַת לַכְּרוּב וּמַלֵּא חׇפְנֶיךָ גַחֲלֵי־אֵשׁ מִבֵּינוֹת לַכְּרֻבִים וּזְרֹק עַל־הָעִיר וַיָּבֹא לְעֵינָי׃ - "And He spoke to the man clothed in linen, saying: 'Go in between the wheelwork, under the cherub, and fill your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.' And he entered before my eyes."
Rashi explains that "between the wheelwork" (beinot lagalgal) means between the ofanim, and he cites an exposition of Chazal. Rashi asked: Why does the verse say "and He said" twice - "And He said to the man clothed in linen, and He said: Go in between the wheelwork"? Surely there was another statement here that is not recorded in the text. What was it? Chazal say: The Holy One, blessed be He, spoke to Gabriel, and Gabriel went and asked the cherub to give them to him. Why? Because the coals had to be taken from there, from between the wheelwork, and had he taken them directly and immediately, not a remnant or survivor would have remained of the enemies of Israel (a euphemism for Israel itself), Heaven forbid. How did we merit that a remnant did survive? Because Hashem spoke to Gabriel and Gabriel asked the cherub, so that the coals would pass from hand to hand, and in the meantime they would cool down.
Chazal expound the continuation in the same way: "and he took them and put them into the hands of the one clothed in linen." Hashem told him, "and scatter them over the city," yet come and see that even here Gabriel did not carry out the command immediately. According to Rashi's explanation - unlike the Malbim, who holds that the one clothed in linen is Jeremiah, but rather according to Chazal that it refers to Gabriel, specifically Gabriel, who is the angel dispatched for gevurah and strict judgment - when he received the coals, he did not scatter them right away, but only after six years, so that the coals grew dim in his hand. The proof, Rashi notes: this prophecy was delivered in the sixth year, and the city was destroyed in the eleventh year. If you count from the sixth year onward - the sixth, seventh, and so forth until the eleventh - you arrive at six years. Thus we find confirmation of Chazal's teaching in the chronology of the text itself: for six years the coals cooled in Gabriel's hands, and through this, the tragedy and destruction they brought were lessened compared to what was originally destined.
The Malbim's Explanation: The One Who Pleaded Merit Brings the Leniency
According to the Malbim, who holds that the man clothed in linen with the scribe's inkhorn at his side is Jeremiah recording his prophecies, a question arises: why suddenly is he asked to take the coals and scatter them over the city? Was he not the one who pleaded on behalf of their merit? The Malbim answers: on the contrary, precisely because he pleaded their merit, Hashem had mercy and overturned Nebuchadnezzar's decree to massacre all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. In its place, He decreed a burning, venting His wrath upon wood and stone so that a surviving remnant would remain for the Jewish people. Who, then, should carry this out? The one who argued their merit. In other words: you, Jeremiah, through you the mitigation of the decree will come. The harsh decree was that everyone should die, as dictated by the natural order of the celestial system; but since Jeremiah pleaded merit, there will only be a burning, and many will be saved. Therefore, you are the one to take the coals and do this - the merit came through you, and the salvation will come through you as well.
"Between the Wheelwork" - What Is the Galgal?
The Malbim explains: the galgal is not the ofan (wheel); rather, it is the force that turns (megalgel) the wheel. Let us explain: the structure depicted here is like a chariot. Upon the chariot rests the Throne, and the chariot is propelled, as it were, by the Chayot, which steer it with their calf-like hooves, and they turn the wheels and the ofanim. The Chayot represent the realm situated between the Throne of the Chariot and the wheels, and they turn the lower world, which is the world of the wheels and ofanim. Therefore, says the Malbim, do not assume that when the verse says galgal it refers to the world of ofanim. Here it refers to the world of the Chayot, and it is called galgal because it turns the ofan. The Chayot are what turn the ofanim; they channel influence from above into the world of ofanim, which is the lower realm, the World of Asiyah. And why is this called galgal? Because the feet of the Chayot are "like the sole of a calf's foot," and the Hebrew word for calf, egel, shares the root of agol, round, for their sole is round, and they set the round wheels in motion.
This is why He told him, "Go in between the wheelwork, under the cherub" - beneath the feet of the cherub. The Chayot are the cherubs, and "under the cherub" refers to the place of the cherub's feet, whose feet are like the sole of a calf's foot, and they are what are called galgalim here; from there the coals were to be taken. Says the Malbim: it cannot be understood that He told him to take fire from the ofanim, because the ofanim represent the World of Asiyah, the lower world, and according to the natural system within it, they were condemned to death. How could he take coals from the natural order? It would make no sense to take coals from there, for his entire purpose was that he had aroused mercy, and therefore he took coals from a higher realm, the world of the Chayot. By virtue of this awakening of mercy, he shielded them and saved them from total destruction, bringing upon them only the burning of the Beit HaMikdash, venting His wrath upon wood and stone. It would be inconceivable for him to take the coals from the lower physical world, according to which total annihilation was due. The coals come from a higher realm, which embodies an aspect of mercy. Therefore, "between the wheelwork, under the cherub" must still refer to the realm of the cherubs, under the feet of the cherubs whose feet are round like a calf's, which is called the galgal. This signifies that the cherubs were the ones who moved the system beyond nature, overturning the natural order at the command of the Exalted One, so that the city would burn while a remnant of Israel would be saved.
The Malbim proves this from the continuation as well, and whoever wishes may consult his commentary in Biur HaMilot. He explains the difference between galgal and ofan: galgal encompasses anything that rolls or revolves, as in "like tumbleweed (kegalgal) before a whirlwind," "the sound of Your thunder was in the whirlwind (bagalgal)," and even the wheel of a wagon. But ofan is a term used specifically for the wheels of a chariot. Therefore, when the verses speak of ofanim, they refer strictly to the chariot wheels, the lower realm; while when they speak of galgalim, they can also refer to the realm above it, the world of the Chayot, which turn the wheels.
Verse 3: The Cherubs to the Right of the House
וְהַכְּרֻבִים עֹמְדִים מִימִין לַבַּיִת בְּבֹאוֹ הָאִישׁ וְהֶעָנָן מָלֵא אֶת־הֶחָצֵר הַפְּנִימִית׃ - Now the cherubs were standing to the right of the House when the man entered, and the cloud filled the inner courtyard.
What is meant by "to the right of the House"? The Radak explains that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed the prophet that the cherubs were standing on the right because He had previously shown him the terrible abominations committed on the north side of the House; He therefore showed him that the cherubs stood on the opposite side, away from the place where their abominations were performed.
The Malbim explains that the right side represents mercy and lovingkindness, for the right is the attribute of Chessed, while the left is the attribute of strict judgment and Gevurah. He wished to show him the influence that would come from the side of Chessed, venting His wrath upon wood and stone rather than destroying the people of Israel, Heaven forbid, and this came about through the cherubs, as will be seen below. Therefore, the verse tells you: "Now the cherubs were standing to the right of the House" - since merit had been pleaded, the cherubs stood on the right. "And the cloud filled the inner courtyard" - the Glory of Hashem had not yet departed from the Sanctuary, and we will soon see that His departure occurred gradually.
Verse 4: The Departure of the Glory of Hashem to the Threshold of the House
וַיָּרׇם כְּבוֹד־יְהֹוָה מֵעַל הַכְּרוּב עַל מִפְתַּן הַבָּיִת וַיִּמָּלֵא הַבַּיִת אֶת־הֶעָנָן וְהֶחָצֵר מָלְאָה אֶת־נֹגַהּ כְּבוֹד יְהֹוָה׃ - And the glory of Hashem rose from above the cherub to the threshold of the House, and the House was filled with the cloud, and the courtyard was filled with the brightness of the glory of Hashem.
Now the glory of Hashem departs from above the cherub to the threshold, just as we know that the holy Shechinah took several steps to distance itself from the Beit HaMikdash - the ten journeys that the Shechinah traveled. The primary place of the dwelling of the Shechinah is between the two cherubim, and from there the glory of Hashem departs to the threshold of the House.
This indicates that what Hashem is doing now is not through the agency of the cherub. The cherub represents the chayyot, one of whose faces - and even two, as we have seen - had the face of a cherub, related to keravya, the likeness of a youth or child. Here, divine providence stems from a higher realm, from the level of the World of the Throne. The Throne is the World of Beriah (Creation); beneath it are the cherubim and the chayyot, which correspond to the World of Yetzirah (Formation); and beneath them are the spheres and the ophannim, which correspond to the World of Asiyah (Action), the celestial bodies. "And the glory of Hashem rose from above the cherub" - the act Hashem is performing now is by the power of the Holy One, Blessed be He, alone, from the level of the World of the Throne rather than from the level of the cherub, which is the World of Yetzirah, but rather from the World of Beriah. Hashem is the One commanding the burning of the Temple, and as it were, doing it Himself. Why? Because that which stems directly from Hashem flows with mercy and loving-kindness, whereas that which cascades down through the lower attributes can manifest in strict judgment and severity. Regarding the Holy One, Blessed be He, in His essence, it is said, "Evil cannot dwell with You," and when speaking, for instance, of Atzilut, everything is absolute goodness. Consequently, when divine influence descends from a higher source, it comes more in a manner of loving-kindness, whereas when it descends from a lower realm, it emerges more through judgment and severity.
"And the House was filled with the cloud" - the glory of God moves into the House, like someone moving outward from the Holy of Holies. And if you ask, was it not already in the House? The answer is that it was deep inside the House, within the Holy of Holies, and now it fills the House itself, the Sanctuary (Heichal), as it moves outward from the Holy of Holies. And since the core light is now in the Sanctuary, only the brightness (nogah) radiates outward. What is this nogah? The Malbim has already explained this several times, and it is what we refer to as brightness or radiance: light that emanates from the essential light itself, but is not the essential light itself. It is like seeing the moon through light fog, where one sees a halo around it, a sort of sheath of faint light. This is the aspect of nogah. The verse tells us that the reflected light from the Glory spread and reached all the way to the courtyard, which is "and the courtyard was filled with the brightness of the glory of Hashem": because the glory of Hashem was in the House, its radiance reached the courtyard, filling the courtyard with nogah, a glow that is not the essential light of the glory of Hashem.
Verse 5: The Sound of the Wings Like the Voice of El Shaddai
וְקוֹל כַּנְפֵי הַכְּרוּבִים נִשְׁמַע עַד־הֶחָצֵר הַחִיצֹנָה כְּקוֹל אֵל־שַׁדַּי בְּדַבְּרוֹ׃ - And the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer courtyard, like the voice of El Shaddai when He speaks.
The outer courtyard is the Temple Mount. Rashi explains: Lest you say that the sound was soft and therefore could not be heard far away, Scripture states, "like the voice of El Shaddai when He speaks," implying an immensely powerful and mighty voice. If so, how could such a tremendous sound reach only as far as the outer courtyard? Rather, Chazal explain: When it reached the outer courtyard, it abruptly ceased. This was a miraculous sound.
We find a similar phenomenon with Moshe Rabbeinu: When he entered the Mishkan, Hashem would speak with him in an immensely powerful voice, shattering mountains and splitting rocks, and yet when that voice reached the entrance of the Mishkan, it ceased. It was a mighty voice confined within a precise boundary - whoever was meant to hear it heard it, and beyond that boundary, it could not be heard. So too here: The sound of the cherubim's wings was heard up to the outer courtyard, but do not think this was due to any weakness; rather, Scripture immediately adds, "like the voice of El Shaddai when He speaks" - a voice as mighty and powerful as the voice of El Shaddai.
Walking and Flying: Overturning the Natural Order
The Malbim explains that as we have already seen in Chapter 1 - and much of what is discussed here recapitulates what was explained at length there, since Chapter 1 contained Yechezkel's initial vision of the cherubim and the chayyot - when Hashem overturns the natural order, the cherubim operate in two states: there is a state in which they walk, and a state in which they fly. Walking always represents the natural order, proceeding in the usual manner; flying always represents transcending nature, where the Holy One, Blessed be He, elevates His providence above the natural systems, operating in a supernatural, heavenly manner.
Therefore, the prophet says: I hear the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the voice of Shaddai. This means: I see the wings in motion here, signifying that there is about to be supernatural providence. They are overturning the natural order, and as we have already seen, this comes by supreme decree from the World of Beriah, the World of the Throne. From there issues the directive to act by burning the Beit HaMikdash in order to exhaust Hashem's wrath upon wood and stone, thereby saving the Jewish people as a whole. Thus, there is an overturning of the natural order through a higher power, which is why the prophet hears the sound of the cherubim like the voice of Shaddai: the sound of the cherubim's wings, which represents supernatural providence, is "like the voice of Shaddai when He speaks" - not governed by natural providence. The name Shaddai is related to meshadded, overturning the systems of nature, for the Holy One, Blessed be He, is acting here outside the laws of nature so that the tragedy will unfold in a manner that will not, God forbid, bring destruction upon the Jewish people. This sound is essentially the command issuing from above to the lower realms: He sends His voice and His directive down to the lower realms, and from where? From the voice of El Shaddai, from on high, from the realm that transcends the natural order.
In summary:
In the opening pesukim of the chapter, Yechezkel sees the Throne of Glory above the heads of the Keruvim, following his plea for mercy, when the face of the ox was transformed into the face of a cherub, because "a prosecutor cannot become a defender." Under the standard governance of the Ofanim - representing the World of Asiyah (Action) and the laws of nature - total annihilation had been decreed upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Yet, through the advocacy of Jeremiah, the man clothed in linen, a directive of mercy issued forth from the realm of the Throne, the World of Beriah (Creation): pouring out the divine wrath upon wood and stone instead of human souls, thereby preserving a surviving remnant. The coals were not taken from the Ofanim, but from beneath the feet of the Keruvim, from the Galgal above the Ofan, which is a realm of mercy; and Chazal added that the coals passed from hand to hand and cooled for six years in the hands of Gabriel. The Keruvim stand to the right, the side of Chesed, and the Glory of Hashem departs gradually from the Holy of Holies to the Heichal, until the courtyard is filled only with radiance. And the sound of the wings, heard like the voice of El Shaddai and ceasing at the outer courtyard, teaches that this entire upheaval came through an overriding of nature from Above - precisely to ensure that Israel would not suffer complete destruction.