Q:
Why do we spend a big portion of the brachah Yotzer Ohr talking about what the malachim say, the praises they say?
A:
In the brachah of Yotzer Ohr we thank Hakadosh Baruch Hu for that great gift of light, so why are the malachim mentioned?
The answer is that in order to appreciate the greatness of this gift we bring in experts. We ourselves are not capable enough to appreciate this gift. It’s like if a person, let’s say a woman received from her chosson, from her husband, a diamond ring. So she thinks that probably it’s a good ring but she’s not certain. So she doesn’t tell him but secretly she goes to an appraiser and asks, “How much is this ring worth?”
She goes to him because he knows more than she does. He says “Oh it’s a very good ring.” Therefore she enjoys it more.
So we bring in malachim in that brachah of Yotzer Ohr because they understand more about the light. They have perfect intellect and in one second they understand more than all Mankind, forever, together, will understand.
They are the experts and ועל מאורי אור שעשית יפארוך סלה – for the light that you made they praise you forever. And when they praise Hashem they get excited! They become wild over the light! מתנשאים means that they rise up in excitement over the light. They shout over the light. They never stop talking, shouting! Kadosh kadosh kadosh!
Now some people think kadosh is, they’re talking about kedushah, some mysterious kedushah. No, they’re talking about the light! The light causes them to recognize how great and perfect Hakadosh Baruch Hu is when He gives such a wonderful gift.
Now I cannot tell you enough about the light but from the malachim we have to learn to appreciate the endless value of that gift. And that’s why it’s important that in this brachah we bring in the malachim, the experts, to help us out. They’re given to us as a model for our function in this world. We say כשם שמקדישים – just like the angels, the malachim sanctify, we also will praise Hashem for the light. Now, they do it of course with their perfect intellects, which we cannot hope to approximate, but we attempt to emulate their behavior.
(September 1988)
