But as soon as the princes of the chariot looked at me and the fiery seraphim fixed
their gaze on me, I shrank back trembling and fell down, stunned by the radiant
appearance of their eyes and the bright vision of their faces, until the blessed Holy
One rebuked them and said, "My servants, my seraphim, my cherubim, and my
ofanim, hide your eyes from Ishmael my beloved son and honored friend, so that he
does not shrink and tremble so." At once Metatron, Prince of the Divine Presence,
came and revived me and raised me to my feet, but I still had not strength enough to
sing a hymn before the glorious throne of the glorious King, the mightiest of kings,
the most splendid of potentates, until an hour had passed. But after an hour the
blessed Holy One opened to me the gates of Shekhinah, gates of peace, gates of
wisdom, gates of strength, gates of might, gates of speech, gates of song, gates of
sanctifying praise, gates of chant. He enlightened my eyes and my heart to utter
psalm, praise, jubilation, thanksgiving, song, glory, majesty, laud, and strength. And
when I opened my mouth and sang praises before the throne of glory, the holy
creatures below the throne of glory and above the throne responded after me, saying,
"Holy, holy, holy" and "Blessed be the glory of YHWH from His place."