Greater Treatise on the Palaces of Heaven (Hekhalot rabbati)

This is the longest text of the Hekhalot corpus. It describes the self-initiated ascent of several famous sages through the seven heavens as they acquire power over angelic gatekeepers and finally join the highest ranks of the angels in worship of God. There they acquire learning that will eventually benefit the community of Israel. The opening section of the Hebrew text describes how one can attain a vision of the divine chariot (the merkavah) if one knows the proper hymns. Moreover, it promises that the one who “descends to the chariot” will acquire great, nearly messianic powers. By contrast, the second section seems to suggest that intimacy with the divine can be achieved on earth by any pious Jew who prays.