Midrash sobre Exodo 18:12

… it is written there “Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You…” (Melachim I 8:27) and here it is written “…the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.” (Shemot 40:35) R’ Yehoshua of Sachnin said in the name of R’ Levi ‘to what is this likened? To an open cave at the edge of the sea. When the sea storms the cave is filled, but the sea is not reduced. So too, even though it is written that ‘the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle’ the upper and lower worlds did not lose anything of the brilliance of the glory of the Holy One, just as it is written “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth? says the Lord.” (Yirmiyahu 23:24) Therefore it is written here ‘And it was’. Just as the Divine Presence was here below at the beginning of the creation of the world but withdrew to above, now it returned to be below as it had been “And it was that on the day that Moses finished…” (Bamidbar 7:1) ... [Another explanation. “And it was that on the day that Moses finished erecting the Mishkan…” (Numbers 7:1)] R’ Simon said: at the time when the Holy One told Israel to erect the Tabernacle, He hinted that when the Tabernacle below is erected, the Tabernacle above is erected, as it says “And it was that on the day that Moses finished…” (ibid.) It does not say ‘erecting the Tabernacle’ but rather ‘erecting this (et) the Tabernacle.’ This refers to the Tabernacle above. The Holy One said: in this world, when the Tabernacle was erected, I commanded Aharon and his sons that they bless you. In the time to come I, in my glory, will bless you. So it is written “May the Lord bless you from Zion, He Who made heaven and earth.” (Psalms 134:3)

(Fol. 64a) R. Abin the Levite said: "He who forces time will in return be pressed by time; but to him who gives way to time (yielding patiently to circumstances), time will give way. [We know it] from the incident of Rabba and R. Joseph, for R. Joseph was called Sinai (Erudite scholar) and Rabba was called Okar Harim (Dialectician). One of them was wanted [to become the head of an academy] so they sent into Palestine [to in-inquire to which one the office should be offered]: "Sinai or Okar Harim, which one is the better?" Whereupon they were answered that Sinai should be preferred, because all need the possessor of wheat (versed in the Mishnah and the Baraitha). And yet R. Joseph did not accept, for the Chaldeans (soothsayers) foretold unto him, "Thou wilst reign only twelve years." So Rabba became the head and after reigning twenty-two years, R. Joseph became head for twelve and a half years. During all the years in which Rabba was the head, R. Joseph [never conducted himself in any manner of domination]. Not even a barber did he call into his house. Again said R. Abin the Levite: "What is meant by that which is written (Ps. 20, 2) May the Lord answer thee in the day of distress. He should strengthen thee, the God of Jacob; The God of Jacob and not the God of Abraham and Isaac? We infer from this that the owner of the beam must take hold at the thickest part of it [if he desire to remove it successfully]." Further said R. Abin the Levite: "He who enjoys a meal at which a learned man is present is considered as if he were enjoying of Divine Glory, for it is said (Ex. 18, 12.) And Aaron came, with all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses, before God. Were they then eating before God? Behold it was before Moses that they ate? But we learn from this that whoever partakes of a meal at which a learned man is present, is considered to be enjoying the Divine Glory."

“Awake, north wind, and come, south wind; blow upon my garden, that its perfume will spread. Let my beloved come to his garden and eat his delicious fruits” (Song of Songs 4:16).
“Awake, north wind, and come, south wind” – Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina: Rabbi Elazar said: The descendants of Noah sacrificed peace offerings. Rabbi Yosei said: The descendants of Noah sacrificed burnt offerings.¹⁶¹All agree that Noah and his descendants sacrificed burnt offerings, as this is explicit in the text (see, e.g., Genesis 8:20). The dispute is whether they also sacrificed peace offerings. Rabbi Elazar raised an objection to Rabbi Yosei: “Abel, too, brought from the firstborn of his flock and from the choicest of them [umeḥelvehen]” (Genesis 4:4).¹⁶²The understanding is that Abel sacrificed offerings from which only the fats [ḥelev] are burned, i.e., peace offerings. What does Rabbi Yosei do with this? He says: From the fattest among them. Rabbi Elazar raised an objection to Rabbi Yosei: “He sent the young men of the children of Israel [and they offered up burnt offerings and they slaughtered peace offerings [shelamim] of oxen to the Lord]” (Exodus 24:5).¹⁶³This verse explicitly states that they offered peace offerings, despite the fact that this took place before the giving of the Torah, when even the Israelites were considered no more than descendants of Noah (Etz Yosef). What does Rabbi Yosei do with this? Their bodies were whole [shelemim], without flaying and cutting.¹⁶⁴This is in contrast to standard burnt offerings, which require flaying and cutting. Rabbi Elazar raised an objection: It is written: “Yitro took…a burnt offering and a peace offering” (Exodus 18:12), a burnt offering for the sake of a burnt offering and a peace offering for the sake of a peace offering.¹⁶⁵The offerings were sacrificed properly. If an offering is sacrificed with the understanding that it is a different offering, e.g., if an animal designated as a burnt offering is sacrificed as a peace offering, one has not fulfilled one’s vow to bring the burnt offering. What does Rabbi Yosei do with this? He would say to you: Two amora’im disagree. One says: Yitro came after the giving of the Torah;¹⁶⁶When there were both burnt offerings and peace offerings. the other says: Yitro came before the giving of the Torah. The one who said Yitro came before the giving of the Torah [must hold that] the descendants of Noah sacrificed peace offerings. The one who said: Yitro came after the giving of the Torah [holds that] the descendants of Noah sacrificed [only] burnt offerings.
This supports Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina: “Awake, north wind, and come, south wind.” “Awake north wind” – this is the burnt offering, which is slaughtered in the north.¹⁶⁷The north side of the Temple Courtyard. Why was the term “awake” addressed to it? [Because] it is something that was asleep and awakened.¹⁶⁸The patriarchs sacrificed burnt offerings, but the Israelites did not sacrifice burnt offerings while they were in Egypt. “Come, south wind” – this is the peace offering, which is slaughtered in the south.¹⁶⁹Unlike the burnt offering, the peace offering could be slaughtered anywhere in the Temple Courtyard. Why was the term “come” addressed to it? Because it was something new.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana, Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa, and Rabbi Yehoshua say in the name of Rabbi Levi: This verse, too, supports Rabbi Yosei. “This is the law of the burnt offering; it is the burnt offering” (Leviticus 6:2) that the descendants of Noah sacrificed initially. When it arrives at the peace offering, it says: “This is the law of the peace offering [that one shall offer to the Lord]” (Leviticus 7:11). It is not written here, “that they offered,” but rather, that they shall offer, from here forward.
How does Rabbi Elazar interpret this verse: “Awake, north wind, and come, south wind”? When the exiles situated in the north will awaken and they will come and encamp in the south, just as it says: “Behold, I am bringing them from the land of the north, and I will gather them from the ends of the earth” (Jeremiah 31:7). When Gog and Magog, which are situated in the north, will awaken and come and fall in the south, just as it says: “I will lead you astray and I will entice you, and I will take you up” (Ezekiel 39:2). When the messianic king, who is situated in the north, will awaken and come build the Temple, which is located in the south, just as it says: “I have roused one from the north and he came” (Isaiah 41:25).
“Blow upon my garden, that its perfume will spread” – Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Rabbi Binyamin bar Levi: Because in this world when the southern wind blows the northern wind does not blow, and when the northern wind blows the southern wind does not blow. However, in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will bring an unusual wind to the world, and it will lead two winds simultaneously and both will serve. That is what is written: “I will say to the north: Give, and to the south: Do not withhold” (Isaiah 43:6).
“Let my beloved come to his garden” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Torah teaches you proper etiquette, that a bridegroom should not enter the wedding canopy until the bride gives him permission. What is the reason? “Let my beloved come to his garden.”¹⁷⁰The next verse begins “I came to my garden, my sister, my bride,” which is an indication that he came only after receiving permission from his bride.

(Bamidbar 10:29) "And Moses said to Chovav (Yithro) the son of Reuel the Midianite, the father-in-law of Moses": Was Chovav the father-in-law of Moses, or Reuel, viz. (Shemot 2:8) "And they came to Reuel, their father, etc."? — (Judges 4:11) "And Chever the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, from the children of Chovav, the father-in-law of Moses" (indicates that) his name was Chovav and not Reuel. How, then, are we to understand "And they came to Reuel their father"? We are hereby apprised that the young children called their father's father "father." R. Shimon b. Menassia says: His name was Reuel, "the friend (re'a) of G-d," viz. (Shemot 5:12) "And Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before G-d." R. Dostai says: His name was Keini, for he had separated from the provocative deeds of the kanai ("the provokers"), who provoke the L-rd, viz. (Devarim 32:21) "They provoked Me (kinuni) with a no-god," and (Ezekiel 8:3) "where was the seat of the provocative image of provocation ("semel hakinah hamekaneh"). R. Yossi says: His name was Keini, for he had acquired (kanah) Torah for himself. R. Yishmael b. R. Yossi says: His name was Reuel, for he had befriended G-d, viz. (Proverbs 27:10) "Your Friend and the Friend of your father do not forsake." R. Shimon b. Yochai says: He had two names — Chovav and Yithro. "Yithro," because he added a section ("Yithro") to the Torah, viz. (Shemot 18:21) "And (Yithro said) you shall see from all the people men of valor, etc." Now were these things (of appointing judges) not known to Moses from Sinai, viz. (Ibid. 23) "If you do this thing and G-d commands you"? And why did they escape Moses? To credit the thing to Yithro. "Chovav," because he loved ("chivev") the Torah. For we find no other proselyte who loved the Torah as Yithro did. And just as Yithro loved the Torah, so did his descendants love the Torah, viz. (I Chronicles 2:55) "and the families of scribes who dwelt in Yabetz: Tirathim, Shimathim, Suchathim. (These were the Kenites, etc.") "Tirathim" — because they heard the teruah from Mount Sinai. "Tirathim" — because they cried out ("mathri'im) and fasted. "Tirathim" — because they did not shave themselves ("ta'ar" is a blade). "Tirathim" — because they sat in the gates ("tara" is a gate) of Jerusalem. "Shimathim" — because they did not anoint themselves with oil (because of their mourning over the destruction of the Temple). "Suchathim" — because they dwelt in succoth. "who dwelt in Yabetz": They left Yericho and went to Yabetz, to the desert of Judah in the south of Arad to learn Torah from him (Yabetz), viz. (Ibid. 4:10) "And Yabetz called out to the G-d of Israel … and G-d granted him what he requested." They were chassidim, who entreated G-d for someone to learn from, and he was a chassid who entreated G-d for someone to teach. The chassidim came to learn from the chassid, as it is written (Judges 1:16) "And the sons of the Keini, the father-in-law of Moses, etc.", and (Jeremiah 25:12) "Go to the house of the Rechavim and speak to them, and bring them to the house of the L-rd, etc.", and (Ibid. 6) "And they said: We will not drink wine for Yonadav the son of Rechav our father commanded us, saying … and a house you shall not build and seed you shall not sow … so that you may live many years on the land where you live" — Since this house (the Temple) is destined to be destroyed, see it as if it is already destroyed. (Ibid. 8-10) "And we heeded the vice of Yonadav ben Rechav our father … and we live in tents, for we heeded and did according to everything that Yonadav our father commanded us." And whence is it derived that the sons of Yonadav ben Rechav were of the sons of the sons of Yithro? For it is written (I Chronicles 2:55) "These were the Keinites, who descended from Chammath, the father of the house of the Rechavim." And what was their reward for this? (Jeremiah 35:18) "And to the Rechavim Jeremiah said: Thus said the L-rd of hosts, the G-d of Israel: Because you have heeded the command of Yonadav your father … (19) there will not be cut off from Yonadav ben Rechav one who stands before Me all of the days." R. Yehoshua says: Now may proselytes enter the sanctuary? Rather, they sat in the Sanhedrin and taught Torah. Others say: Some of their daughters were wed to Cohanim and their descendents entered the sanctuary. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If those, who drew near (to Israel), were thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near!) And thus do you find with Rachav Hazonah. What is written (of her)? (I Chronicles 4:21) "And the families of the house of the linen work, of the house of Ashbea": "the families" — Rachav Hazonah ("the feeder"), who kept an inn to feed her family. "the linen work" — She hid the spies among the linens. "the house of Ashbea" — The spies swore ("nisb'u") to her (to spare her family). Eight prophets, issued from Rachav Hazonah: Yirmiyahu, Chilkiyahu, Serayah, Machseyah, Baruch, Neriah, Chanamel, and Shalom. R. Yehudah says: Chuldah the prophetess was also of the descendants of Rachav Hazonah, as it is written (II Kings 22:14) "And Chilkiyahu the Cohein and Achikam and Achbor and Shafan and Asayah went to Chuldah the prophetess, the wife of Shalom the son of Tikvah, etc." And it is written (Joshua 2:18) "behold, when we (the spies) come to the land, you (Rachav) shall bind this line (tikvah) of scarlet thread, etc." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If she, who came from a people of whom it is written (Devarim 20:16) "You shall not spare any soul," because she drew near (to Israel), was thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near!) And thus do you find with the Giveonites. What is written of them? (I Chronicles 4:22) "And Yokim and the men of Chezeva. "And Yokim" — Joshua fulfilled ("kiyem") for them his oath (to spare them). "Chezeva" — they deceived ("kizvu") Joshua, saying (Joshua 9:9) "From a very distant land did your servants come," and not from Eretz Yisrael." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If these, who came from a people consigned to destruction, because they drew near (to Israel), were thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near)! And thus do you find with Ruth the Moavitess. What did she say to her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:16-17) "Your people is my people, and your G-d is my G-d. Where you will die, I will die." The L-rd said to her: You have lost nothing. kingdom is yours in this world and in the world to come. What is written (of her)? (I Chronicles 4:22) "and Yoash and Saraph, who had dominion in Moav." Yoash and Saraph are Machlon and Kilyon (viz. Ruth 1:2-6) "Yoash" — they despaired (nithya'ashu) of redemption. "Saraph" — they were liable to (the penalty of) burning, to the L-rd. "who had dominion over Moav" — they married Moavite women and left Eretz Yisrael and went and sojourned in the field of Moav. (I Chronicles, Ibid.) "and Yashuvilechem" — this is Ruth the Moavitess, who returned and dwelt in Beth Lechem. (Ibid.) "And these are ancient things" — each is discussed in its place. (Ibid. 23) "These are 'the keepers'" — the sons of Yonadav ben Rechav, who kept the oath of their father. "and the dwellers among the plants" — Solomon, who was like a (flourishing) plant in his kingdom. "and gedeirah ("the fence") — Sanhedrin, who sit and delimit the "fences" of Torah. "With the king in his work they sat there" — Ruth the Moavitess did not die until she saw Solomon, the grandson of her grandson (Yishai) sitting on his throne of kingdom, as it is written (I Kings 2:19) "And he (Solomon) sat on his throne, and he placed a seat for the mother of the king" — the mother of kingdom (i.e., Ruth). "and she sat at his right hand": as he busied himself with the work of the Temple, viz.: (I Chronicles, Ibid.) "with the king in his work they sat there. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If she, who was of the people of whom it is written (I Kings 11:2) "You shall not come into them, and they shall not come into you," because she drew near (to Israel), she was drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so! And if you would ask: But where do we see this (that the L-rd draws them near) with Israel? It is written (Shemot 1:15) "And the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, the first of whom was named Shifrah; and the second, Puah": Shifra is Yocheved (Moses' mother). Puah is Miriam (Moses' sister). "Shifra" — because she "beautifies (meshapereth) the child. "Puah" — because she "coos" (poeh) to the child. Variantly: "Shifra" — because Israel was fruitful (paru) and multiplied in her days. "Puah" — because she moaned (poah) and wept over her brother, as it is written (Ibid. 2:4) "And his sister stood from afar to know what would be done with him." (Ibid. 1:16) "And he (Pharaoh) said: When you deliver the Hebrew women … (17) and the midwives feared G-d … (21) and He made for them (the midwives) houses": I would not know what these "houses" were if not for (I Kings 9:10) "And it was at the end of twenty years that Solomon built the two houses — the house of the L-rd and the house of the king." "the house of the L-rd" — the priesthood; "the house of the king" — royalty. Yocheved attained to priesthood, and Miriam, to royalty. As it is written (I Chronicles 4:4) "These were the sons of Chur, the first-born of Efrathah, the father of Beth-lechem": "Efrathah" — Miriam, who married Calev, viz.: (I Chronicles 2:19) "And Calev took Efrath, and she bore to him Chur," and (Ibid. 50) "These were the sons of Calev, the son of Chur, the first-born of Efrathah, the father of Beth-lechem. "Efrathah" — This is the (royal) house of David, as it is written (I Samuel 17:12) "And David was the son of an Efrati man of Beth-lechem."