וְלֹֽא־יָכְל֧וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים לַעֲמֹ֥ד לְשָׁרֵ֖ת מִפְּנֵ֥י הֶֽעָנָ֑ן כִּי־מָלֵ֥א כְבוֹד־יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃ (פ)
Die Priester vermochten nicht da zu stehen, den Amtsdienst zu verrichten vor der Wolke: denn die Herrlichkeit des Herrn hatte erfüllt das Haus des Herrn.
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
“He made its pillars of silver, its cushion of gold, its seat of purple wool; its interior is plated with love, from the daughters of Jerusalem” (Song of Songs 3:10).
“He made its pillars of silver,” these are the pillars, as it is stated: “The hooks of the pillars and their bands, silver” (Exodus 27:11). “Its cushion of gold” as it is stated: “You shall plate the planks with gold” (Exodus 26:29). “Its seat of purple wool,” as it is stated: “You shall make a curtain of blue wool and purple” (Exodus 26:31). “Its interior is plated with love,” Rabbi Yudan says: This is the merit of the Torah and the merit of the righteous who engage in it. Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Yuda in the name of Rabbi Simon: This is the Divine Presence.
One verse says: “The priests were unable to stand and serve [due to the cloud]” (I Kings 8:11), and one verse says: “And the courtyard was filled with the aura of the glory of the Lord” (Ezekiel 10:4). How can the two verses be reconciled? Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: To what was the Tent of Meeting comparable? To a cave that was adjacent to the sea. The sea raged and inundated the cave. The cave was filled [with water], but the sea was missing nothing. So too, the Tent of Meeting was filled with the aura of the Divine Presence, but the world was missing nothing of the Divine Presence. When did the Divine Presence rest in the world? On the day that the Tabernacle was erected, as it is stated: “It was on the day that Moses finished [erecting the Tabernacle]” (Numbers 7:1).
“He made its pillars of silver,” these are the pillars, as it is stated: “The hooks of the pillars and their bands, silver” (Exodus 27:11). “Its cushion of gold” as it is stated: “You shall plate the planks with gold” (Exodus 26:29). “Its seat of purple wool,” as it is stated: “You shall make a curtain of blue wool and purple” (Exodus 26:31). “Its interior is plated with love,” Rabbi Yudan says: This is the merit of the Torah and the merit of the righteous who engage in it. Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Yuda in the name of Rabbi Simon: This is the Divine Presence.
One verse says: “The priests were unable to stand and serve [due to the cloud]” (I Kings 8:11), and one verse says: “And the courtyard was filled with the aura of the glory of the Lord” (Ezekiel 10:4). How can the two verses be reconciled? Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: To what was the Tent of Meeting comparable? To a cave that was adjacent to the sea. The sea raged and inundated the cave. The cave was filled [with water], but the sea was missing nothing. So too, the Tent of Meeting was filled with the aura of the Divine Presence, but the world was missing nothing of the Divine Presence. When did the Divine Presence rest in the world? On the day that the Tabernacle was erected, as it is stated: “It was on the day that Moses finished [erecting the Tabernacle]” (Numbers 7:1).
Bamidbar Rabbah
“And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him, he heard the Voice speaking with him from above the Ark cover that was upon the Ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubs; and He spoke to him” (Numbers 7:89).
“And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him…” – one verse says: “And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him…,” and one verse says: “Moses could not come into the Tent of Meeting…” (Exodus 40:35). It is impossible to say: “When Moses came,” as it is already stated: “Moses could not come.” It is impossible to say: “Moses could not come,” as is already stated: “When Moses came…” It is reconciled: “Because the cloud rested upon it” (Exodus 40:35). Say now: As long as the cloud was there, Moses would not enter there. When the cloud departed, he would enter to speak with Him.
Likewise it says: “The priests were unable to stand and serve due to the cloud, as the glory of the Lord filled the House of the Lord” (I Kings 8:11) – it teaches that permission was given to the angels of destruction to destroy. Likewise, it says: “I will cover you with My hand until I pass” (Exodus 33:22) – from here that permission was given to the angels of destruction to destroy. Likewise it says: “That I took an oath in My wrath that they would not come to My resting place” (Psalms 95:11)109The midrash is interpreting the verse as though it says, “That I took an oath that in My wrath they would not come to My resting place,” which is different from the usual translation, "I took an oath in My wrath that they would not come to My resting place.” – but when My wrath abates, they will come to My resting place.
“Into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him” – why is it stated? Because it says: “The Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting” (Leviticus 1:1), I hear that it was actually from the Tent of Meeting. The verse states: “I will commune with you there and I will speak with you from upon the Ark cover…” (Exodus 25:22). It is impossible to say: “From the Tent of Meeting,” as it is already stated: “From upon the Ark cover.” It is impossible to say: “From upon the Ark cover,” as it is already stated: “From the Tent of Meeting.” In what way can both of these verses be realized? This is a principle of the Torah: Two verses, one opposing the other and they contradict one another, they remain in place until another verse comes and reconciles between them. Why does the verse state: “And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him”? The verse tells us that Moses would enter and stand in the Tent, and a Voice descended from Heaven like a stream of fire between the two cherubs, and he would hear the Voice speaking to him, from within.
“To speak with Him” – Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira said: Thirteen sayings were stated in the Torah to Moses and Aaron, and corresponding to them there were thirteen exclusionary phrases, to teach you that it was not stated to Aaron, but rather to Moses that he should say to Aaron. They are: “And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him, he heard the Voice speaking with him…from between the two cherubs and He spoke to him.” “I will commune with you there and I will speak with you” (Exodus 25:22). “Where I will commune with you” (Exodus 30:36). “That I will speak with you there” (Exodus 29:42). “On the day of His commanding” (Leviticus 7:38). “What he would be commanded” (Exodus 34:34). “Everything that I will command you to the children of Israel” (Exodus 25:22). “It was, on the day that the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 6:28). “These are the generations of Aaron and Moses on the day that the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai” (Numbers 3:1). “The Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying” (Leviticus 1:1). These are thirteen exclusionary phrases; it excludes Aaron from all of them.
Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: In three places speech to Moses is stated in the Torah; in the land of Egypt, at Mount Sinai, and at the Tent of Meeting. In the land of Egypt, what does it say? “It was, on the day that the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 6:28). It excluded Aaron from the speech in the land of Egypt. At Mount Sinai, what does it say? “These are the generations of Aaron and Moses on the day that the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai” (Numbers 3:1). It excluded Aaron from the speech at Mount Sinai. At the Tent of Meeting, what does it say? “The Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying” (Leviticus 1:1). It excluded Aaron from the speech at the Tent of Meeting.
“And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him…” – one verse says: “And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him…,” and one verse says: “Moses could not come into the Tent of Meeting…” (Exodus 40:35). It is impossible to say: “When Moses came,” as it is already stated: “Moses could not come.” It is impossible to say: “Moses could not come,” as is already stated: “When Moses came…” It is reconciled: “Because the cloud rested upon it” (Exodus 40:35). Say now: As long as the cloud was there, Moses would not enter there. When the cloud departed, he would enter to speak with Him.
Likewise it says: “The priests were unable to stand and serve due to the cloud, as the glory of the Lord filled the House of the Lord” (I Kings 8:11) – it teaches that permission was given to the angels of destruction to destroy. Likewise, it says: “I will cover you with My hand until I pass” (Exodus 33:22) – from here that permission was given to the angels of destruction to destroy. Likewise it says: “That I took an oath in My wrath that they would not come to My resting place” (Psalms 95:11)109The midrash is interpreting the verse as though it says, “That I took an oath that in My wrath they would not come to My resting place,” which is different from the usual translation, "I took an oath in My wrath that they would not come to My resting place.” – but when My wrath abates, they will come to My resting place.
“Into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him” – why is it stated? Because it says: “The Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting” (Leviticus 1:1), I hear that it was actually from the Tent of Meeting. The verse states: “I will commune with you there and I will speak with you from upon the Ark cover…” (Exodus 25:22). It is impossible to say: “From the Tent of Meeting,” as it is already stated: “From upon the Ark cover.” It is impossible to say: “From upon the Ark cover,” as it is already stated: “From the Tent of Meeting.” In what way can both of these verses be realized? This is a principle of the Torah: Two verses, one opposing the other and they contradict one another, they remain in place until another verse comes and reconciles between them. Why does the verse state: “And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him”? The verse tells us that Moses would enter and stand in the Tent, and a Voice descended from Heaven like a stream of fire between the two cherubs, and he would hear the Voice speaking to him, from within.
“To speak with Him” – Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira said: Thirteen sayings were stated in the Torah to Moses and Aaron, and corresponding to them there were thirteen exclusionary phrases, to teach you that it was not stated to Aaron, but rather to Moses that he should say to Aaron. They are: “And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him, he heard the Voice speaking with him…from between the two cherubs and He spoke to him.” “I will commune with you there and I will speak with you” (Exodus 25:22). “Where I will commune with you” (Exodus 30:36). “That I will speak with you there” (Exodus 29:42). “On the day of His commanding” (Leviticus 7:38). “What he would be commanded” (Exodus 34:34). “Everything that I will command you to the children of Israel” (Exodus 25:22). “It was, on the day that the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 6:28). “These are the generations of Aaron and Moses on the day that the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai” (Numbers 3:1). “The Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying” (Leviticus 1:1). These are thirteen exclusionary phrases; it excludes Aaron from all of them.
Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: In three places speech to Moses is stated in the Torah; in the land of Egypt, at Mount Sinai, and at the Tent of Meeting. In the land of Egypt, what does it say? “It was, on the day that the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 6:28). It excluded Aaron from the speech in the land of Egypt. At Mount Sinai, what does it say? “These are the generations of Aaron and Moses on the day that the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai” (Numbers 3:1). It excluded Aaron from the speech at Mount Sinai. At the Tent of Meeting, what does it say? “The Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying” (Leviticus 1:1). It excluded Aaron from the speech at the Tent of Meeting.
Sifra
One verse states (Bamidbar 7:89): "And when Moses came to the tent of meeting to speak with him, etc." and another, (Shemoth 40:35): "And Moses could not come to the tent of meeting!" This is resolved by (Shemoth 40:35): "for the cloud rested upon it." Say: Whenever the cloud was there, Moses did not enter. When the cloud departed, he entered and spoke with Him. R. Yossi Haglili says: It is written (I Kings 8:11): "And the Cohanim were not able to stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the L–rd filled the house of the L–rd" — whence it is seen that the angels were given license to destroy (all who would approach). And, similarly, (Shemoth 33:22): "And I shall cover you with My 'palm' until I have passed" — whence it is seen that the angels were given license to destroy. And, similarly, (Psalms 95:11): "So I swore in My wrath that they would not enter My rest" — When My wrath abates, they will enter My rest."