Midrasch zu Schemot 37:1

“I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys” (Song of Songs 2:1).
“I am a rose [ḥavatzelet] of Sharon.” The congregation of Israel said: I am as I am, yet I am beloved [ḥaviva]. It is I whom the Holy One blessed be He loved me more than seventy nations. “A rose [ḥavatzelet] of Sharon,” I made Him shelter [tzel] by means of Betzalel, as it is written: “Betzalel crafted the Ark” (Exodus 37:1). “Of Sharon,” as I recited song [shira] before Him by means of Moses, as it is written: “Then Moses and the children of Israel sang” (Exodus 15:1).
Another matter, “I am a rose of Sharon.” The congregation of Israel said: I am as I am, yet I am beloved. It is I who was shrouded in the shadow of Egypt, but the Holy One blessed be He brought me quickly to Rameses. I sprouted good deeds like a lily, and I recited a song before Him, as it is stated: “The song will be for you like the night of the consecration of the festival” (Isaiah 30:29).¹The song after the fall of Sennacherib will be like the Hallel that they recited in Egypt on the night before they left.
Another matter, “I am a rose of Sharon.” The congregation of Israel said: I am as I am, yet I am beloved. It is I who was shrouded in the shadow of the sea,²I was in danger when Pharaoh was pursuing me. but I quickly sprouted good deeds like a lily, and I pointed to Him with my finger [and pronounced that He is] my Master, as it is stated: “This is my God and I will exalt Him” (Exodus 15:2).
Another matter, “I am a rose of Sharon.” I am as I am, yet I am beloved. It is I who was shrouded in the shadow of Sinai.³God suspended the mountain over the Israelites, threatening to obliterate them if they refused to accept the Torah (see Shabbat 88a). I quickly blossomed good deeds with my hand and my heart, and I said before Him: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7).
Another matter, “I am a rose of Sharon.” I am as I am, yet I am beloved. It is I who was shrouded and trampled in the shadow of kingdoms. Tomorrow, when the Holy One blessed be He redeems me from the shadow of the kingdoms, I will blossom like a lily, and I will recite a new song before Him, as it is stated: “A psalm. Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has performed wonders; His right hand and His holy arm have wrought salvation for Him” (Psalms 98:1).

And Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood (Exod. 37:1). Scripture states elsewhere: The opening of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple (Ps. 119:130). When the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, the entire world was composed of water, as it is said: And darkness was upon the face of the deep (Gen. 1:2). R. Judah and R. Nehemiah discussed this verse. R. Judah said: The Holy One, blessed be He, created the darkness first, and then He created the world. R. Nehemiah contended that the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world first and then the darkness. R. Simeon the son of Yehozadak inquired of R. Samuel about this. He said to him: You are an authority on aggadic traditions, so tell me, how did the Holy One, blessed be He, create His world? When He created the world, did He create the light first? R. Samuel the son of Nahman answered: When He decided to create His world, He surrounded Himself with light, and then He created the world, as is said: Who coverest Thyself with light as a garment, and that is followed by: Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain (Ps. 104:2). Therefore Scripture states: The opening of Thy word giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple (ibid. 119:130).

And Bezalel made the ark (Exod. 37:1). You do not find Bezalel’s name associated with any vessel made for the Sanctuary other than the ark. All the other work and all the other implements were made at his suggestion and upon his advice. Why did he make an exception in the work of the ark by doing it himself? Because it was to be a shade for the Holy One, blessed be He, in which He would compress His Shekhinah. That is why He called Bezalel to make a shade for the Holy One, blessed He, between the cherubim, as it is said: And there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from between the two cherubim (Exod. 25:22).

(Exod. 37:1:) THEN BEZALEL MADE THE ARK. This text is related (to Ps. 119:130): THE OPENING OF YOUR WORDS ENLIGHTEN; IT GIVES UNDERSTANDING TO THE SIMPLE. R. Simeon [ben Jehozadak] asked R. Samuel bar {Nehemiah} [Nahman]: < Since > you are a master of Haggadah, tell me: How did the Holy One create the world?²⁸Tanh., Exod. 10:6; Gen. R. 3:4; Exod. R. 50:1; Lev. R. 31:7; M. Pss. 104:4. He said to him: When the Holy One wanted to create the world, he wrapped himself in light and created his world, as stated (in Ps. 104:2): WHO PUTS ON LIGHT LIKE A GARMENT.²⁹See above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 1:10. After that (in the same vs.): WHO SPREADS OUT THE HEAVENS LIKE A SHEET. Therefore (in Ps. 119:130): THE OPENING OF YOUR WORDS ENLIGHTEN…. R. Judah said: To what is the matter comparable? To a king {who had} [who wanted to build himself] a palace,³⁰Lat.: palatium; Gk.: palation. but that place was {one of} darkness.³¹Cf. Gen. R.3:1. What did he do? He lit the lamps, and afterwards he built a palace. So when the Holy One built the world, it was all darkness. What did he do? He wrapped himself in light and created it. Ergo (in Exod. 119:130): THE OPENING (PTH) OF YOUR WORDS ENLIGHTEN…. From the Holy One the righteous have learned that they should begin <any task> in light. When the Holy One said to him (i.e., to Moses in Exod. 25:8): AND LET THEM MAKE ME A SANCTUARY, Moses told Bezalel to make a Tabernacle. With what did he first begin (PTH)? The work on the Ark. (Exod. 37:1:) THEN BEZALEL MADE THE ARK.

And Bezalel made the ark of acacia-wood (Exod. 37:1). Because it was known to Him-who-spoke-and-the-world-came into-being that Israel will sin at Shittim, the Holy One, blessed be He, prepared shittim (acacia-wood) so that they might atone for what happened at Shittim.¹⁴In building the ark of shittim (acacia wood) they were able to obtain forgiveness for the sins perpetrated at Shittim. And he overlaid it with pure gold (ibid., v. 2). This alludes to the students of the Torah, for just as the wood was greatly adorned by the gold that overlaid it, so the students of the Torah are adorned by the Torah within their hearts. Just as men speak of pure gold, so the Torah purifies the heart and the kidneys of the scholar, as it is written: More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold (Ps. 19:11). And Bezalel made the ark. We find that when the Holy One, blessed be he, told Moses to construct the Tabernacle, He described every detail to him, saying: Thou shalt do, but with reference to the ark, He said simply: Make Me. Why? The Holy One, blessed be He, commanded all the Israelites to make it, so that not one of them would be able to humiliate his fellow Israelite by saying: “I contributed more for the building of the ark than you, therefore I am more learned and have a greater right to it than you do. And since you contributed little to the ark, you will have no portion in the Torah.” That is why the Torah is likened to water, as it is said: Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come you for water (Isa. 55:1). Just as no one should be ashamed to say to his companion: “Give me a drink of water,” no one should be ashamed to say to a person younger than himself: “Teach me the law, instruct me in this matter.” And just as one who desires to drink should be able to drink without cost, so all who desire to learn the law should be able to learn without cost and without price, as it is said: Yea, come without money and without price (ibid.).

[(Exod. 37:1:) THEN BEZALEL MADE THE ARK.] This text is related to (Prov. 9:9): GIVE TO ONE WHO IS WISE, AND HE WILL BE STILL WISER; INFORM ONE WHO IS RIGHTEOUS, AND HE WILL INCREASE IN LEARNING. <The verse> speaks about Noah.³²Tanh., Exod. 10:6; Exod. R. 50:2. When he made the ark, the Holy One said to him (in Gen. 7:2): OF EVERY CLEAN BEAST [YOU SHALL TAKE SEVEN PAIRS….] When he left <the ark>, he sacrificed some of the clean < animals >. He said: Did not the Holy One increase the clean animals simply so that I might sacrifice some of them?³³Gen. 26:1; 34:9. Ergo (in Prov. 9:9): GIVE TO ONE WHO IS WISE…. This is Noah.

Another interpretation (of Prov. 9:9): GIVE TO ONE WHO IS WISE…. This is Bezalel. When Moses said to Bezalel: Make a Tabernacle, Bezalel said: What is the Tabernacle for? He said to him: To have the Divine Presence dwell within it and teach Israel Torah. Bezalel said: And where will the Torah be put? He said to him: When we make a Tabernacle, we shall make an Ark. So he began with the Ark, as stated (in Exod. 37:1) THEN BEZALEL MADE THE ARK….

[(Exod. 37:1:) THEN BEZALEL MADE THE ARK OF ACACIA WOOD.] {R.} Jeremiah said (in Jer. 30:17): FOR I WILL RESTORE HEALTH TO YOU, AND I WILL HEAL YOU OF YOUR WOUNDS. A king of flesh and blood wounds with a knife³⁴Gk.: smile. and heals with a bandage, but the Holy One is not like that.³⁵Exod. R. 50:3; cf. above, 4:18; Exod. R. 23:3; Lev. 18:5. The very thing which he uses for wounding he uses for healing. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 15:23): WHEN THEY CAME TO MARAH, [THEY COULD NOT DRINK THE WATER OF MARAH BECAUSE IT WAS BITTER (marim)]. R. Levi said: Why? BECAUSE IT WAS BITTER. The generation was bitter in its deeds. (Exod. 15:25:) THEN HE (i.e., Moses) CRIED UNTO THE LORD, [AND THE LORD SHOWED HIM A TREE]. The Holy One gave him bitter wood, he put it into the bitter <water>, AND (ibid., cont.) THE WATER BECAME SWEET. Ergo (in Jer. 30:17): AND I WILL HEAL YOU OF YOUR WOUNDS. Also, when Israel sinned at Shittim, the Holy One said to them: By your life, through that in which you sinned, you shall be healed. (Exod. 37:1:) THEN BEZALEL MADE THE ARK [OF ACACIA (shittim) WOOD].

And Bezalel made the ark (Exod. 37:1). You find that everything constructed for the Tabernacle was made in its proper order. First he made the boards and joined them together. After that he made the curtain of goats’ hair to spread over them, as it is said: And thou shalt make a curtain of goats’ hair for a tent over the Tabernacle (Exod. 26:7). When he completed the ark, he made the cover that was to be hung before the ark: After he made the ark, he made the ark cover of pure gold (ibid. 37:6).

Rabbi Yuda ben Rabbi Ilai interpreted the verse regarding the Ark. “Palanquin” (Song of Songs 3:9), this is the Ark. What is a palanquin? It is a litter.⁹⁴Just as a covered litter provides an honorable covering for its occupant, the Ark provided a beautiful covering for the tablets. This is analogous to a king who had an only daughter, who was fair, pious, and praiseworthy. The king said to his servants: ‘My daughter is fair, pious, and praiseworthy and you do not craft a litter for her? Craft a litter for her, for it is preferable that my daughter’s beauty be seen from within the litter.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘My Torah is fair, pious, and praiseworthy, and you do not craft an ark for it? It is preferable that the beauty of My Torah will be seen from within the Ark.’
“King Solomon [Shlomo] made himself” (Song of Songs 3:9), the King [of Whom it may be said] that peace is His; “from the timber of Lebanon” (Song of Songs 3:9), just as it says: “Betzalel made the Ark of acacia wood” (Exodus 37:1). “He made its pillars of silver” (Song of Songs 3:10), these are the two pillars that were inside it, that were of silver. “Its cushion of gold” (Song of Songs 3:10), as it is stated: “He plated it with pure gold” (Exodus 37:2). “Its seat of purple wool” (Song of Songs 3:10), Rabbi Tanḥuma said: This is the curtain that is adjacent to it. Rabbi Beivai said: This is the Ark cover, whose gold is similar to purple. “Its interior is plated with love from the daughters of Jerusalem” (Song of Songs 3:10), Rabbi Yudan said: This is the merit of the Torah and those who study it. Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Yuda in the name of Rabbi Simon: This is the Divine Presence.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: “I will commune with you there…” (Exodus 25:22), to teach you that even what was behind the Ark cover was not empty of the Divine Presence. One idolater asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa, he said to him: ‘Why did the Holy One blessed be He speak from within the bush and not from another tree?’ He said to him: ‘Had He spoken from within a carob or within a sycamore, you would have asked me and I would have answered you. Now, to dismiss you with nothing is impossible.⁹⁵Even if God had chosen to speak from within a larger, more impressive tree, you would have asked me why He picked specifically that tree, and therefore I do not really need to answer you. Nonetheless, now that you have asked, I do not want to dismiss you without any response. It is to teach you that there is no place on earth that is empty of the Divine Presence, as even from within the bush He was speaking to Him.’

You find that whatever was in the Tabernacle was made in the proper order.³⁸Tanh., Exod. 10:10; Exod. R. 50:4. First he made the boards and joined them.³⁹Concerning these boards and how they were joined, see above, 7:9. Then after that he made tent sheets, which he stretched out over them, as stated (in Exod. 26:7) THEN YOU SHALL MAKE TENT SHEETS OF GOATS' HAIR. Then after that he made the veil which was placed before the Ark. Then after that he made the Ark. Then after that he made the gold Mercy Seat on top of the Ark. R. Eleazar b. R. Jose said: I have seen it in Rome, and there were several drops of blood on it. I asked them what this blood was upon the Mercy Seat. They said: <It comes > from the blood of the Day of Atonement (rt.: KPR), when the High Priest came in and sprinkled it. Why is it named a Mercy Seat (rt.: KPR)? Because he atoned (rt.: KPR) < there > for the sins of Israel. Then after that he made the table on which the shewbread lay. Then after that he made the menorah which shed light over the table. See, he made it like an <ordered> array⁴⁰Gk.: taxis (“order”) of kings. of kings. Therefore (in Exod. 37:1): THEN BEZALEL MADE <THE ARK>.

[Exod. 37:1:) THEN BEZALEL MADE.] Did Bezalel make them by himself, since it says each and every time: THEN BEZALEL MADE?⁴¹While these exact words only appear here in Exod. 37:1, similar wording does designate Bezalel as having made the altar (II Chron. 1:5) and all that Moses commanded (Exod. 38:22). It is simply because he put his whole heart into the work of the Tabernacle. Therefore, the Holy One did not deprive him of his reward, and proclaimed him on each occasion: THEN BEZALEL MADE. There is also a similar instance (in Ezra 10:15): ONLY JONATHAN BEN ASAHEL AND JAHZEIAH BEN TIKVAH REMAINED FOR THIS PURPOSE, WITH MESHULLAM AND SHABBETHAI THE LEVITES HELPING THEM. The text proclaims Jonathan because he put his heart into it. Here also <the name is proclaimed > (in Exod. 37:1): THEN BEZALEL MADE.