הוד והדר לפניו עז ותפארת במקדשו – Hode v’hadar lefanav oze v’siferes b’mikdasho.
Glory and majesty are before Him, might and splendor in His Sanctuary.
The Malbim distinguishes between hode, which is intrinsic glory – the true essence of Hashem, and hadar, the majesty which is visible to us. A perceptive person will perceive majesty and, after delving into it, realize that the real glory is what one does not see. We are all witness to the pomp and circumstance of secular leaders, those who consider themselves to be monarchs and world leaders. This majesty may seem impressive, but when one delves into the true essence of this leader, does he find glory? Hashem’s majesty is present for us to perceive, but anyone with a modicum of intelligence understands that the true essence, the hode, is beyond our comprehension. Likewise, Malbim defines oze as inner might, the strength that fortifies its possessor. Tiferes, splendor, is a reference to the external splendor which impresses its beholder. Once again, it is important to reiterate that, upon looking at externals, one must realize that what we see (or think we see) is barely a speck of the real essence.
