315. As they were walking along, Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion, saying, '"Bless Hashem, you angels of His, you mighty ones who perform His bidding..." (Tehilim 103:20). Happy are Yisrael of all the peoples of the world, because the Holy One, blessed be He, chose them from among all the other nations, and He made them His part and portion. This is why He gave them the Holy Torah, since they shared one desire on Mount Sinai. And their "doing" preceded their "hearing," AS THEY SAID, "WILL WE DO" AND THEN THEY SAID, "AND OBEY (LIT. 'HEAR')" (SHEMOT 24:7).

316. Because their "doing" preceded their "hearing," the Holy One, blessed be He, called upon His retinue, THE ANGELS, and said to them, 'Until now, you alone have stood before Me. But from now on, My children on earth are your companions in everything. You have no permission to sanctify My Name until Yisrael on earth joins you. And all of you together shall become friends to sanctify My Name.' Because they put "doing" before "hearing," just as the angels do in the heavens above, as it is written, "Bless Hashem, you angels of His, you mighty ones who perform His bidding, hearkening to the voice of His word." "Who perform his bidding" is first; only then is, "hearkening."

317. Another explanation of the verse "Bless Hashem, you angels of His" is that these are the righteous people on earth, who are important to the Holy One, blessed be He, as the supernal angels in heaven. They are "mighty ones," as they overcome their inclination like a mighty man who overcomes all his enemies, "hearkening to the voice of His word." This means that they have the merit of hearing a voice from heaven every day and every time they need to!

318. "Now, who is able to be among them - among all those holy and sublime beings? Happy are those who are able to stand before them; Happy are those who are able to save themselves from them. The Holy One, blessed be He, supervises them every day; how can we stand before them?" ALL THIS WAS SAID BY RABBI CHIYA IN PRAISE OF RABBI ELAZAR, WITH WHOM THEY COULD NOT STAY. Therefore, it is written, "Blessed is the man whom You choose, and cause to approach to You, that he may dwell in your courts" (Tehilim 65:5), and also, "Blessed is the man whose strength is in you" (Tehilim. 84:6). (End of Sitrei Torah)