Said Rabbi Ishmael: All the companions said to me: “Scion of nobles, thou who rulest by the light of the Law as doth Rabbi Nehunya ben Hakkanah, see him and bring him back that he sit with us, leaving the vision which he glimpseth in the vision of the Merkabha, and that he tell us who is he who doth and doth not descend to the Merkabha – he whom the door-keepers of the sixth palace would attack, for they would not touch at all those who [really] descend to the Merkabha. What is the difference between those [who would not be attacked] and those [who would]?”

Said Rabbi Ishmael: Thereupon I took a piece of woolen cloth and gave it to Rabbi Akiba, and Rabbi Akiba gave it to a servant of ours, saying, “Go and lay this cloth beside a woman who immersed herself and yet did not become pure, and let her immerse [herself a second time]. For if that woman will come and will declare the measure of her menstrual flow before the company, it is known that one forbids [her to her husband] and the majority permit. Say to that woman, ‘Touch this cloth with the end of the middle finger of thy hand, and press not the end of thy finger upon it, but [only] as a man [presseth] who taketh a hair, which hath fallen therein, from out his eye-ball, pushing it very gently.’”

They went and did so, and placed the cloth before Rabbi Ishmael. He [picked it up by] thrusting into it a bough of myrrh full of oil of spikenard which was laid up in clean balsam and they placed it upon the knees of Rabbi Nehunya ben Hakkanah and therewith caused him to be dismissed from before the throne of glory where he had been sitting and beholding wonderful loftiness and strange lordship, loftiness of exaltation and lordship of splendor, which come to pass before the throne of His glory three times each day, on high, from the time when the world was created and until now, for praise.

And we besought of him [to know] who is he who “doth and doth not” descend to the Merkabha. He said unto us, “These be the men whom those who [really] descend to the Merkabha do take and cause to stand above them or to sit before them and do say unto them, ‘Behold and see and give ear and write down all that which we say and all that which you hear from before the throne of glory.’ And if those men be not fit for this task, then would the door-keepers of the sixth palace attack them. And take care that ye choose for yourselves fit men and these from the tested companions.”

When thou comest and standest at the entrance of the sixth palace, display three seals of the door- keepers of the sixth palace. Display two seals to Kazpiel the Prince, whose sword is drawn in his hand, and there issue forth from it lightnings, and he shaketh it against everyone who is not fit to behold the King and his throne, and there is no creature who may stay his hand. And his sword crieth and saith: “Pain!” And he standeth by the lintel of the [entrance on the] right. And one seal show Dumiel.

And is Dumiel indeed his name And is not ’byrghydrhym (i.e. Air Earth Water Fire) his name? And why was his name called Dumiel? Said Rabbi Ishmael: Thus said Rabbi Nehunya ben Hakkanah: “Each day doth a voice go forth from the seventh heaven and proclaimeth and saith in the heavenly court of justice (saying as follows): ’t ‘ws wbrmnzh / wpwr g ‘st the Lord God of Israel called him Dumiel according to His Own Name, [saying]: ‘Just as I see and hold my peace so doth Dumiel [viz: The silence of God].’” His authority [extendeth over] the right lintel, but Kazpiel the Prince driveth him away, yet he cherisheth against him neither enmity nor hatred nor jealousy nor contention, but each [doteth] for His honor.