וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֞וּ אֶת־ק֨וֹל יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ בַּגָּ֖ן לְר֣וּחַ הַיּ֑וֹם וַיִּתְחַבֵּ֨א הָֽאָדָ֜ם וְאִשְׁתּ֗וֹ מִפְּנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים בְּת֖וֹךְ עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃
Y oyeron la voz de SEÑOR Dios que se paseaba en el huerto al aire del día: y escondióse el hombre y su mujer de la presencia de SEÑOR Dios entre los árboles del huerto.
Pesikta DeRav Kahana
"And it was on the day that Moses completed (kalot) [establishing the Tabernacle] (Num. 7:1)."*Thus begins the Torah reading for the first day of Chanukah
"I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride (kalah)" (Songs 5:1). Rabbi Azariah in the name of Rabbi Simon said, [this can be compared] to a king that became angry at the matrona and banished her and removed her from within his palace. Then afterwards, he sought to bring her back, and she said, "He should give me something new, and after that he can have me return." So too in the past, the Holy One Blessed be He received sacrifices from above, as it is said, "And God smelled the pleasing fragrance" (Gen. 8:21.) And now, he receives [them] from below: "I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride."
Said Rabbi Chaninah, this teaches you the proper course of conduct (derech eretz), that the groom should not enter the wedding canopy until the bride gives him permission, [for it first says] "My beloved shall come to his garden" (Songs 4:16), and after that [it says], "I have come to my garden."
Rabbi Tanchum, the son-in-law of Rabbi Elazar ben Avina, in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yosnai [says]: It is not written here, "I have come to the garden (l'gan); rather, "I have come to my garden (l'gani)" -- [meaning] to My royal stateroom (l'ganuni), in the place that was preeminent from the beginning. The preeminent dwelling place (Shekhinah) is in the lower regions (i.e., on Earth). That is what is written, "And they heard the sound of the Lord God [moving about in the Garden], etc." (Gen. 3:8).
Said Rabbi Abba bar Kahana, "walking" (m'halech) is not written here; rather, "moving about" (mit'halech), [as in] leaping and ascending (i.e., following Adam's sin).
"And the man and his wife hid themselves" (ibid). Said Rabbi Aivo, at that very moment, Adam's high stature diminished and he became [only] one hundred cubits [tall].
Said Rabbi Yitzchak, it is written, "The righteous will inherit the Earth (or 'the Land'), etc." (Ps. 37:29). And the wicked, where will they be? Will they hover in the air? Rather, what does it [mean], "And they will dwell (v'yish'kenu) forever in it" (ibid.)? [It means that the righteous] will cause the Shekhinah to dwell (yash'kinu) on the Earth. The preeminent dwelling place (Shekhinah) had originally been in the lower regions, but as soon as Adam the First Man (harishon) sinned, it leapt up to the first (harishon) firmament. [When] the generation of Enosh arose and sinned, it leapt from the first to the second. [When] the generation of the Flood [arose] and sinned, it leapt from the second to the third. [When] the generation of the dispersion (i.e., following the Tower of Babel) [arose] and sinned, it leaped from the third to the fourth. [When] the Egyptians in the days of Abraham our Father [arose] and sinned, it leaped from the fourth to the fifth. [When] the Sodomites [arose] and sinned, from the fifth to the sixth. The Egyptians in the days of Moses, from the sixth to the seventh. And corresponding to them arose seven righteous people, and they lowered it back down to the Earth. Abraham our Father arose and merited to lower it from the seventh to the sixth. Isaac arose and merited to lower it from the sixth to the fifth. Jacob arose and merited to lower it from the fifth to the fourth. Levi arose and merited to lower it from the fourth to the third. Kehat arose and merited to lower it from the third to the second. Amram arose and merited to lower it from the second to the first. Moses arose and merited to lower it to the Earth, and therefore it says, "And it was on the day that Moses completed, etc."
"I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride (kalah)" (Songs 5:1). Rabbi Azariah in the name of Rabbi Simon said, [this can be compared] to a king that became angry at the matrona and banished her and removed her from within his palace. Then afterwards, he sought to bring her back, and she said, "He should give me something new, and after that he can have me return." So too in the past, the Holy One Blessed be He received sacrifices from above, as it is said, "And God smelled the pleasing fragrance" (Gen. 8:21.) And now, he receives [them] from below: "I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride."
Said Rabbi Chaninah, this teaches you the proper course of conduct (derech eretz), that the groom should not enter the wedding canopy until the bride gives him permission, [for it first says] "My beloved shall come to his garden" (Songs 4:16), and after that [it says], "I have come to my garden."
Rabbi Tanchum, the son-in-law of Rabbi Elazar ben Avina, in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yosnai [says]: It is not written here, "I have come to the garden (l'gan); rather, "I have come to my garden (l'gani)" -- [meaning] to My royal stateroom (l'ganuni), in the place that was preeminent from the beginning. The preeminent dwelling place (Shekhinah) is in the lower regions (i.e., on Earth). That is what is written, "And they heard the sound of the Lord God [moving about in the Garden], etc." (Gen. 3:8).
Said Rabbi Abba bar Kahana, "walking" (m'halech) is not written here; rather, "moving about" (mit'halech), [as in] leaping and ascending (i.e., following Adam's sin).
"And the man and his wife hid themselves" (ibid). Said Rabbi Aivo, at that very moment, Adam's high stature diminished and he became [only] one hundred cubits [tall].
Said Rabbi Yitzchak, it is written, "The righteous will inherit the Earth (or 'the Land'), etc." (Ps. 37:29). And the wicked, where will they be? Will they hover in the air? Rather, what does it [mean], "And they will dwell (v'yish'kenu) forever in it" (ibid.)? [It means that the righteous] will cause the Shekhinah to dwell (yash'kinu) on the Earth. The preeminent dwelling place (Shekhinah) had originally been in the lower regions, but as soon as Adam the First Man (harishon) sinned, it leapt up to the first (harishon) firmament. [When] the generation of Enosh arose and sinned, it leapt from the first to the second. [When] the generation of the Flood [arose] and sinned, it leapt from the second to the third. [When] the generation of the dispersion (i.e., following the Tower of Babel) [arose] and sinned, it leaped from the third to the fourth. [When] the Egyptians in the days of Abraham our Father [arose] and sinned, it leaped from the fourth to the fifth. [When] the Sodomites [arose] and sinned, from the fifth to the sixth. The Egyptians in the days of Moses, from the sixth to the seventh. And corresponding to them arose seven righteous people, and they lowered it back down to the Earth. Abraham our Father arose and merited to lower it from the seventh to the sixth. Isaac arose and merited to lower it from the sixth to the fifth. Jacob arose and merited to lower it from the fifth to the fourth. Levi arose and merited to lower it from the fourth to the third. Kehat arose and merited to lower it from the third to the second. Amram arose and merited to lower it from the second to the first. Moses arose and merited to lower it to the Earth, and therefore it says, "And it was on the day that Moses completed, etc."
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
“I came to my garden, my sister, my bride; I gathered my myrrh with my perfume; I ate my honeycomb with my honey; I drank my wine with my milk. Eat, friends; drink abundantly, beloved ones” (Song of Songs 5:1).
“I came to my garden” – Rabbi Menaḥem, son-in-law of Rabbi Elazar bar Avuna, said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Rabbi Yosena: It is not written here, “I came to a garden,” but rather “to my garden [legani]” – to My wedding canopy [leginuni], to the place that was the site of My initial appearance. Was not the first appearance of the Divine Presence in the lower realm? That is what is written: “They heard the voice of the Lord God moving about in the garden” (Genesis 3:8). Rabbi Abba said: It is not written here, “walking [mehalekh],” but rather moving about [mithalekh], leaping and ascending, leaping and ascending.1It gradually ascended from the lower, earthly realm to the heavens. Adam the first man sinned, and the Divine Presence ascended to the first firmament. Cain sinned, and it ascended to the second firmament. Enosh sinned, and it ascended to the third firmament. The Generation of the Flood sinned, and it ascended to the fourth firmament. The Generation of the Tower sinned, and it ascended to the fifth firmament. The residents of Sodom sinned, and it ascended to the sixth firmament. The Egyptians sinned during the days of Abraham, and it ascended to the seventh firmament. Corresponding to them were seven righteous men who lowered it to earth. Abraham was virtuous, and he lowered it from the seventh [firmament] to the sixth. Isaac arose and lowered it from the sixth to the fifth. Jacob arose and lowered it from the fifth to the fourth. Levi arose and lowered it from the fourth to the third. Kehat arose and lowered it from the third to the second. Amram arose and lowered it from the second to one, which is the first. Moses arose and lowered it to earth.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: That is what is written: “The righteous will inherit the earth and dwell upon it forever” (Psalms 37:29). What will the wicked do? They will be suspended in the air, because they did not cause the Divine Presence to rest upon the earth. But the righteous caused the Divine Presence to rest upon the earth. What is the source? “The righteous will inherit the earth and dwell [veyishkenu] upon it forever” – they caused the Divine Presence to rest [veyashkinu] upon it; “He dwells forever,2Just as in this verse the reference to dwelling forever is referring to the Divine Presence, the same is true of the verse in Psalms cited above. and Holy is His name” (Isaiah 57:15). When did the Divine Presence rest upon it? It was 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).
Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon: This is analogous to a king who was angry at the queen and expelled her from his palace. Later, he sought to appease her. She said: ‘Let the king prepare for me something new3This will serve as an indication that the king is no longer angry. and come to me.’ So too, in the past, the Holy One blessed be He would accept offerings from on high,4From heaven, without resting His Presence on earth. as it is written: “The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma…” (Genesis 8:21). Now He accepts them from below.5The midrash is stating that “now,” with the establishment of the Tabernacle, the Divine Presence rested on earth. That is what is written: “I came to my garden, my sister, my bride.”
“I gathered my myrrh with my perfume” – this is the incense of the spices and the handful of frankincense. “I ate my honeycomb with my honey” – these are the limbs of the burnt offering and the portions of the offerings of the most sacred order that are burned on the altar. “I drank my wine with my milk” – these are the libations and the portions of the offerings of lesser sanctity that are burned on the altar. “Eat, friends” – these are Moses and Aaron. “Drink abundantly, beloved ones” – these are Nadav and Avihu, who became inebriated to their detriment.
Rabbi Idi said: David sought to sacrifice an offering for himself like the offering of the princes;6He sought to build the Temple and to sacrifice offerings similar to those brought by the tribal princes upon the inauguration of the Tabernacle (see Numbers, chap. 7). Rabbi Idi interprets the phrase “eat, friends” as a reference to the princes. that is what is written: “I will sacrifice to You burnt offerings of fattened animals [with the burning of rams; I will sacrifice bulls and goats]” (Psalms 66:15). What offering includes bull, rams, and goats? Say that this is the offering of the princes. That is what is written: “And for the peace offering, two oxen, [five rams, five goats]” (Numbers 7:17). Rabbi Shimon ben Yosena said: Why does he call the princes “friends”? It is because He intended to make them beloved and to draw them close.7The midrash questions why the verse in Song of Songs, which states “eat, friends,” and is interpreted as referring to the princes, used the term friends. The answer is that God, by accepting their offerings, sought to make them beloved to the Israelites and draw them near to Him.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yosena said: In every other circumstance, an individual may not bring a voluntary incense offering, but here8In the offerings of the tribal princes upon the inauguration of the Tabernacle. there was a voluntary incense offering. In every other circumstance, an individual may not bring a voluntary sin offering, but here there was a voluntary sin offering. In every other circumstance, the offering of an individual does not override impurity and Shabbat, but here the offering of an individual did override Shabbat and impurity. In every other circumstance, an individual brings a sin offering only for a sin, but here an individual brought a sin offering not for a sin. Another matter: “Eat, friends” – these are the princes; “drink abundantly, beloved ones” – these are the libations.9The princes were so overjoyed to bring their offerings that it was as though they were inebriated.
Another matter: “Eat, friends” – Rabbi Berekhya said: [This is analogous] to a king who made a feast and invited guests, but an insect fell onto the tray. Had the king withdrawn his hand, everyone would have withdrawn his hand. The king extended his hand, so everyone extended his hand.10Although these offerings were anomalous, since they were accepted by God, the princes could also partake of the parts that were not burned on the altar. “Drink abundantly, beloved ones” – Rabbi Yannai said: [This is analogous] to a king who made a feast and invited guests, and he would circulate among them and say to them: ‘May it be pleasant for you and may it be sweet for you.’ Rabbi Abbahu said: [This is analogous] to a king who made a feast and invited guests. After they ate and drank, he said: ‘Take this fine portion and give it to the host.’ Here, too, it was so.11In the analogy, a particular nobleman made the feast for the king and the king’s guests, and did not eat because he was busy ensuring that the king and the guests were satisfied. The king eventually ensured that the host also was able to eat. So too, after parts of the princes’ offerings were burned on the altar and other parts were given to the priests, the princes also partook of the remainder of the offerings. “I came to my garden, my sister, my bride; I gathered my myrrh with my perfume; I ate my honeycomb with my honey” – you, too, eat. “I drank my wine with my milk” – you, too, “eat, friends; drink abundantly, beloved ones.”
“I came to my garden” – Rabbi Menaḥem, son-in-law of Rabbi Elazar bar Avuna, said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Rabbi Yosena: It is not written here, “I came to a garden,” but rather “to my garden [legani]” – to My wedding canopy [leginuni], to the place that was the site of My initial appearance. Was not the first appearance of the Divine Presence in the lower realm? That is what is written: “They heard the voice of the Lord God moving about in the garden” (Genesis 3:8). Rabbi Abba said: It is not written here, “walking [mehalekh],” but rather moving about [mithalekh], leaping and ascending, leaping and ascending.1It gradually ascended from the lower, earthly realm to the heavens. Adam the first man sinned, and the Divine Presence ascended to the first firmament. Cain sinned, and it ascended to the second firmament. Enosh sinned, and it ascended to the third firmament. The Generation of the Flood sinned, and it ascended to the fourth firmament. The Generation of the Tower sinned, and it ascended to the fifth firmament. The residents of Sodom sinned, and it ascended to the sixth firmament. The Egyptians sinned during the days of Abraham, and it ascended to the seventh firmament. Corresponding to them were seven righteous men who lowered it to earth. Abraham was virtuous, and he lowered it from the seventh [firmament] to the sixth. Isaac arose and lowered it from the sixth to the fifth. Jacob arose and lowered it from the fifth to the fourth. Levi arose and lowered it from the fourth to the third. Kehat arose and lowered it from the third to the second. Amram arose and lowered it from the second to one, which is the first. Moses arose and lowered it to earth.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: That is what is written: “The righteous will inherit the earth and dwell upon it forever” (Psalms 37:29). What will the wicked do? They will be suspended in the air, because they did not cause the Divine Presence to rest upon the earth. But the righteous caused the Divine Presence to rest upon the earth. What is the source? “The righteous will inherit the earth and dwell [veyishkenu] upon it forever” – they caused the Divine Presence to rest [veyashkinu] upon it; “He dwells forever,2Just as in this verse the reference to dwelling forever is referring to the Divine Presence, the same is true of the verse in Psalms cited above. and Holy is His name” (Isaiah 57:15). When did the Divine Presence rest upon it? It was 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).
Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon: This is analogous to a king who was angry at the queen and expelled her from his palace. Later, he sought to appease her. She said: ‘Let the king prepare for me something new3This will serve as an indication that the king is no longer angry. and come to me.’ So too, in the past, the Holy One blessed be He would accept offerings from on high,4From heaven, without resting His Presence on earth. as it is written: “The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma…” (Genesis 8:21). Now He accepts them from below.5The midrash is stating that “now,” with the establishment of the Tabernacle, the Divine Presence rested on earth. That is what is written: “I came to my garden, my sister, my bride.”
“I gathered my myrrh with my perfume” – this is the incense of the spices and the handful of frankincense. “I ate my honeycomb with my honey” – these are the limbs of the burnt offering and the portions of the offerings of the most sacred order that are burned on the altar. “I drank my wine with my milk” – these are the libations and the portions of the offerings of lesser sanctity that are burned on the altar. “Eat, friends” – these are Moses and Aaron. “Drink abundantly, beloved ones” – these are Nadav and Avihu, who became inebriated to their detriment.
Rabbi Idi said: David sought to sacrifice an offering for himself like the offering of the princes;6He sought to build the Temple and to sacrifice offerings similar to those brought by the tribal princes upon the inauguration of the Tabernacle (see Numbers, chap. 7). Rabbi Idi interprets the phrase “eat, friends” as a reference to the princes. that is what is written: “I will sacrifice to You burnt offerings of fattened animals [with the burning of rams; I will sacrifice bulls and goats]” (Psalms 66:15). What offering includes bull, rams, and goats? Say that this is the offering of the princes. That is what is written: “And for the peace offering, two oxen, [five rams, five goats]” (Numbers 7:17). Rabbi Shimon ben Yosena said: Why does he call the princes “friends”? It is because He intended to make them beloved and to draw them close.7The midrash questions why the verse in Song of Songs, which states “eat, friends,” and is interpreted as referring to the princes, used the term friends. The answer is that God, by accepting their offerings, sought to make them beloved to the Israelites and draw them near to Him.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yosena said: In every other circumstance, an individual may not bring a voluntary incense offering, but here8In the offerings of the tribal princes upon the inauguration of the Tabernacle. there was a voluntary incense offering. In every other circumstance, an individual may not bring a voluntary sin offering, but here there was a voluntary sin offering. In every other circumstance, the offering of an individual does not override impurity and Shabbat, but here the offering of an individual did override Shabbat and impurity. In every other circumstance, an individual brings a sin offering only for a sin, but here an individual brought a sin offering not for a sin. Another matter: “Eat, friends” – these are the princes; “drink abundantly, beloved ones” – these are the libations.9The princes were so overjoyed to bring their offerings that it was as though they were inebriated.
Another matter: “Eat, friends” – Rabbi Berekhya said: [This is analogous] to a king who made a feast and invited guests, but an insect fell onto the tray. Had the king withdrawn his hand, everyone would have withdrawn his hand. The king extended his hand, so everyone extended his hand.10Although these offerings were anomalous, since they were accepted by God, the princes could also partake of the parts that were not burned on the altar. “Drink abundantly, beloved ones” – Rabbi Yannai said: [This is analogous] to a king who made a feast and invited guests, and he would circulate among them and say to them: ‘May it be pleasant for you and may it be sweet for you.’ Rabbi Abbahu said: [This is analogous] to a king who made a feast and invited guests. After they ate and drank, he said: ‘Take this fine portion and give it to the host.’ Here, too, it was so.11In the analogy, a particular nobleman made the feast for the king and the king’s guests, and did not eat because he was busy ensuring that the king and the guests were satisfied. The king eventually ensured that the host also was able to eat. So too, after parts of the princes’ offerings were burned on the altar and other parts were given to the priests, the princes also partook of the remainder of the offerings. “I came to my garden, my sister, my bride; I gathered my myrrh with my perfume; I ate my honeycomb with my honey” – you, too, eat. “I drank my wine with my milk” – you, too, “eat, friends; drink abundantly, beloved ones.”
Pesikta Rabbati
… 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)