They said of Sandalphon that he is five hundred years' distance taller than his
companion.
Of him Scripture says: "And there was a single wheel on the ground next to the
creatures" (Ez. 1:15). This is Sandalphon, standing behind the merkavah and binding
crowns for his Master.
But would it occur to you that the ministering angels know the place where the
blessed Holy One is found? Does Scripture not say, "Blessed is the glory of God
from His place"? Not "in His place" but "from His place," teaching that they do not
know the Holy One's place. Rather Sandalphon adjures the crown by which the Holy
One's place is to be crowned in qedushot. The crown ascends on its own and is
seated on his Master's head. Immediately all the legions of heaven tremble and
quake. The holy angels are silent, but the holy seraphim, roaring like lions, call forth:
Holy, holy, holy is YHWH of Hosts; the whole earth is filled with His glory.
This is its meaning: Holy above, holy below, holy in all the worlds, YHWH sanctified by the assembled hosts of Israel.
As soon as the crown reaches the throne, the wheels of the merkavah begin to turn
and the feet of the footstool make a great clamor. All the heavens are seized with
trembling. When the crown passes by the throne to be seated in its place, all the
upper hosts burst out and proclaim: "Blessed is the glory of YHWH from His
place!"
Come and see the praise of the blessed Holy One. When the crown reaches His
head, the Lord holds onto His head to receive the crown from His servants.
All the hayyot, seraphim, wheels of the chariot, the throne of glory, the upper
hosts, the electra, the cherubim, all of them magnified and exalted, join together to
proudly ascribe splendor and majesty [to God]. They all proclaim Him King, and
call out in unison "YHWH is King, YHWH was King, YHWH shall be King forever!"
And this is its meaning: The Lord was King before creation, the Lord has been
King since the world was created, and the Lord shall be King into the world-tocome.
Then the blessed Holy One, praise to His name, agreeing with them, proclaims,
"May YHWH rule forever, your God O Zion from generation to generation,
Halleluyah!