Exile by Stages: Rosh HaShanah 31a

This section describes how the Divine Presence slowly, by stages, left its home in the First Temple.  It is a beautiful but sad idea.  I think that it kept moving slowly away hoping that people would notice and change for the better, reversing the process.

The Divine Presence made ten journeys: From the ark covering to one cherub, from one cherub to the other cherub, from the second cherub to the threshold of the Holy of Holies, from the threshold to the Temple courtyard, from the courtyard to the outer altar, from the outer altar to the Temple roof, from the Temple roof to the exterior wall, from the exterior wall into the city of Jerusalem, from the city of Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives, from the Mount of Olives to the wilderness, and from the wilderness back to its place.