Midrash sobre Exodo 26:29
וְֽאֶת־הַקְּרָשִׁ֞ים תְּצַפֶּ֣ה זָהָ֗ב וְאֶת־טַבְּעֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה זָהָ֔ב בָּתִּ֖ים לַבְּרִיחִ֑ם וְצִפִּיתָ֥ אֶת־הַבְּרִיחִ֖ם זָהָֽב׃
Y cubrirás las tablas de oro, y harás sus anillos de oro para meter por ellos las barras: también cubrirás las barras de oro.
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).
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Shir HaShirim Rabbah
“We will make you golden rings with studs of silver” (Song of Songs 1:11).
“We will make you golden rings.” “We will make you golden rings,” this is the plunder at the sea; “with studs of silver,” this is the plunder of Egypt. Just like the difference between silver and gold, so was the property at the sea more valuable than the plunder of Egypt, as it is stated: “You came with ornaments upon ornaments [ba’adi adayim]” (Ezekiel 16:7). Ba’adi, this is the plunder of Egypt, adayim, this is the plunder at the sea.263Adayim is a plural term while adi is singular, implying that the Egyptian property recovered by the Israelites at the sea was significantly more valuable than the Egyptian property the Israelites took with them from Egypt.
Another matter, “we will make you golden rings,” this is the Torah that Alekulin learned from the knowledge of the Holy One blessed be He. “With studs of silver,” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: These are the letters. Rabbi Aḥa said: These are the words.264There is great hidden wisdom hinted to by the very letters and individual words of the Torah.
Another matter, “we will make you golden rings,” this is the script. “With studs of silver,” this is the ruler.265The ruler with which the lines are scored on the parchment before writing a Torah scroll. Alternatively, “golden rings,” this is the Tabernacle; that is what is written: “The boards you shall plate with gold” (Exodus 26:29); “with studs of silver,” just as you say: “The hooks of the pillars and their bands silver” (Exodus 27:10).
Rabbi Berekhya interpreted the verse regarding the Ark. “Golden rings,” this is the Ark, as it is written: “You shall plate it with pure gold” (Exodus 25:11). “With studs of silver,” these are the two pillars that stood within, which were made of silver like round cylinders.266See Bava Batra 14a.
How was the Ark crafted? Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, Rabbi Ḥanina said: He crafted it from three boxes, two of gold and one of wood. He placed the wooden one on a golden one, and a golden one on the wooden one, and he plated the upper edges with gold. Reish Lakish said: He crafted one box and plated it [with gold] inside and out, as it is written: “From within and without you shall cover it” (Exodus 25:11). How does Rabbi Ḥanina interpret the verse of Reish Lakish? Rabbi Pinḥas said: He plated between the boards.267The wooden box was made from boards that were attached to each other, and the places on the boards where they attached to each other were overlaid with gold. See also Matnot Kehuna and Etz Yosef, who emend the text of the midrash and offer a different explanation.
Yehuda ben Rabbi says: “Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,” this is the Torah; your neck with beads,” these are the Prophets; “golden rings,” these are the Writings; “with studs of silver,” this is the Song of Songs, one word enigmatic and one word distinct.
“We will make you golden rings.” “We will make you golden rings,” this is the plunder at the sea; “with studs of silver,” this is the plunder of Egypt. Just like the difference between silver and gold, so was the property at the sea more valuable than the plunder of Egypt, as it is stated: “You came with ornaments upon ornaments [ba’adi adayim]” (Ezekiel 16:7). Ba’adi, this is the plunder of Egypt, adayim, this is the plunder at the sea.263Adayim is a plural term while adi is singular, implying that the Egyptian property recovered by the Israelites at the sea was significantly more valuable than the Egyptian property the Israelites took with them from Egypt.
Another matter, “we will make you golden rings,” this is the Torah that Alekulin learned from the knowledge of the Holy One blessed be He. “With studs of silver,” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: These are the letters. Rabbi Aḥa said: These are the words.264There is great hidden wisdom hinted to by the very letters and individual words of the Torah.
Another matter, “we will make you golden rings,” this is the script. “With studs of silver,” this is the ruler.265The ruler with which the lines are scored on the parchment before writing a Torah scroll. Alternatively, “golden rings,” this is the Tabernacle; that is what is written: “The boards you shall plate with gold” (Exodus 26:29); “with studs of silver,” just as you say: “The hooks of the pillars and their bands silver” (Exodus 27:10).
Rabbi Berekhya interpreted the verse regarding the Ark. “Golden rings,” this is the Ark, as it is written: “You shall plate it with pure gold” (Exodus 25:11). “With studs of silver,” these are the two pillars that stood within, which were made of silver like round cylinders.266See Bava Batra 14a.
How was the Ark crafted? Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, Rabbi Ḥanina said: He crafted it from three boxes, two of gold and one of wood. He placed the wooden one on a golden one, and a golden one on the wooden one, and he plated the upper edges with gold. Reish Lakish said: He crafted one box and plated it [with gold] inside and out, as it is written: “From within and without you shall cover it” (Exodus 25:11). How does Rabbi Ḥanina interpret the verse of Reish Lakish? Rabbi Pinḥas said: He plated between the boards.267The wooden box was made from boards that were attached to each other, and the places on the boards where they attached to each other were overlaid with gold. See also Matnot Kehuna and Etz Yosef, who emend the text of the midrash and offer a different explanation.
Yehuda ben Rabbi says: “Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,” this is the Torah; your neck with beads,” these are the Prophets; “golden rings,” these are the Writings; “with studs of silver,” this is the Song of Songs, one word enigmatic and one word distinct.
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Bamidbar Rabbah
An idolater asked Rabban Gamliel, "Why was the Holy One, Blessed be He revealed to Moses in the Burning Bush?" Rabban Gamliel replied to him, "If God had been revealed in a carob tree or a fig tree, you would have asked me the same thing, and I could not send you away without an answer. This teaches you that there is no place in the world devoid of the Shekhinah."
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