Midrash sobre Isaías 51:4

(Cant. 3:11): IN THE CROWN WITH WHICH HIS MOTHER CROWNED HIM. R. Isaac said: I have searched through every bit of the whole Scripture, and not found where Bathsheba made a crown for her son Solomon; yet it says (ibid): IN THE CROWN WITH WHICH HIS MOTHER CROWNED HIM.³⁴Exod. R. 52:30; Numb. R. 12:8; Cant. R. 3:11:2; PRK 1:3. R. Simeon ben Johay questioned R. Eleazar bar Jose. He said to him: Is it possible that you heard from your father (R. Jose ben Halafta) what the meaning is of (Cant. 3:11): IN THE CROWN WITH WHICH HIS MOTHER CROWNED HIM? He said to him: Daddy said this: It is comparable to a king who had an only daughter, and loved her excessively. He persisted in his love for her until he called her [my sister. He persisted < further > in his love for her until he called her] my mother. So the Holy One loved Israel and called them, my daughter, as stated (in Ps. 45:11 [10]): HEAR, O DAUGHTER, TAKE NOTE. He persisted until he called them, my sister, as stated (in Cant. 5:2): MY SISTER, MY BELOVED. He persisted <further> until he called them, my mother, as stated (in Is. 51:4): HEARKEN UNTO ME, MY PEOPLE, AND <GIVE EAR UNTO ME,> MY NATION (L'WMY)…. MY MOTHER (L'MY) is what is <actually> written.³⁵The midrash apparently assumes a biblical text which read L’WMY (MY NATION) without the Was L’MY, a word which can be voweled to mean MY MOTHER. R. Simeon ben Johay arose, kissed him on his head, and said: If this had been the only thing I had ever come to hear, it would have been enough for me.

Another matter, “one is my faultless dove,” this is the congregation of Israel, as it is stated: “Who is like Your people, like Israel, one nation on earth” (II Samuel 7:23). “One to her mother [le’imah],” as it is stated: “Pay attention to Me, My people, and listen to Me, My nation [uleumi]” (Isaiah 51:4); le’imi is written.³¹The word My nation [le’umi] is written without a vav, such that it can be pronounced le’imi, meaning my mother. However, the verse is traditionally written with the vav in the word le’umi. The midrash may reflect a tradition regarding the writing of this word that is different from the tradition that has been more accepted over the centuries. Alternatively, the word le’umi is not necessary in the verse at all, and is written because it at times can be pronounced le’imi, when it is written without a vav. “Pure to the one who bore her,” Rabbi Yaakov bar Avuna interpreted before Rabbi Yitzḥak: Other than her, there are no others to the one who bore her.³²Israel is God’s only chosen nation. “Girls see her and laud her,” just as it says: “All the nations will praise you” (Malachi 3:12). “Queens and concubines, and praise her,” just as you say: “Kings will be your caregivers” (Isaiah 49:23).³³This demonstrates that even royalty will admire and praise Israel.

“At the crown with which his mother crowned him,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai asked Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Yosei, he said to him: ‘Have you possibly heard from your father what is: “At the crown with which his mother crowned him”?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ He said to him: ‘What?’ He said to him: ‘[It is analogous] to a king who had an only daughter and he loved her exceedingly much and would call her: My daughter. He did not stop loving her until he called her: My sister. He did not stop loving her until he called her: My mother. So too, the Holy One blessed be He loved Israel exceedingly much, and called them My daughter; that is what is written: “Hear, My daughter, and see” (Psalms 45:11); He did not stop loving them until He called them My sister, as it is stated: “Open for me, my sister, my lover” (Song of Songs 5:2); He did not stop loving them until he called them My mother, as it is stated: “Heed Me My people, listen to Me My nation [uleumi]” (Isaiah 51:4), My mother [ule’imi] is written.’¹¹²The verse already mentioned “people” such that “nation” is extraneous. The midrash explains that the verse mentions the word nation [le’umi] because when written without a vav, it can be read “my mother” [le’imi] (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai stood, kissed him on his head, and said: ‘Had I come only to hear from you this explanation, it would have sufficed for me.’
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak said: We have reviewed the whole Bible in its entirety and we have not found that Batsheva crafted a crown for Solomon her son, and you say: “At the crown with which his mother crowned him”? Rather, just as a crown is set with jewels and pearls, so the Tent of Meeting was conspicuous with sky-blue, purple, and scarlet wool, and linen.¹¹³Thus, the crown mentioned in the verse is not an actual crown that Solomon’s mother made for him, but is rather a description of the beautiful cloth used to cover the Tabernacle. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: You find that when that the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Craft for Me a Tabernacle,’ he could have positioned four poles and stretched a curtain over them, and it would have been a Tabernacle. However, the Holy One blessed be He did not do so, but rather, He took him up On High and He showed him red, green, black, and white fire, and said to him: ‘Craft like this for Me.’ [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, from where do I have black, red, green, and white fire?’ He said to [Moses]: “In their configuration, that you are being shown on the mountain” (Exodus 25:40).¹¹⁴It is to be made in this pattern, but not with fire.
Rabbi Avun said: [This is analogous] to a king who had a fine image. He said to a member of his household: ‘Craft me one like it.’¹¹⁵He asked him to recreate his image through artwork. He said: ‘My lord the king, am I able to craft one like it?’ He said to him: ‘You, with your materials, and I with my glory.’¹¹⁶He said: ‘I am asking you to create an artistic representation, I am not expecting it to match reality precisely.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “See and craft” (Exodus 25:40). He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, am I a god that I can craft something like that?’ He said to him: “In their configuration...”
Rabbi Berekhya [said] in the name of Rabbi Betzalel: [This is analogous] to a king who appeared to a member of his household in a fine bejeweled garment. He said to him: ‘Craft me one like this.’ He said: ‘My lord the king, am I able to craft one like this?’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Craft for Me a Tabernacle.’ He said to him: ‘Master of the universe, am I able to craft one like this?’ He said to him: “In their configuration.” Just as you see On High, craft below.
It does not say here: “Stand up acacia wood,” but rather, “[acacia wood], standing” (Exodus 26:15), as though they are placed among the hosts On High. If you craft [something] below that is like that which is On High, I will abandon My heavenly council and descend and restrict My Divine Presence in your midst below. How so? Just as above Seraphim are standing, so too, below, acacia wood is standing. Just as above there are stars, so too, below¹¹⁷In the Tabernacle. there are stars. Rabbi Ḥiya bar Abba said: This teaches that there were gold hooks in the Tabernacle that look like stars in the sky.
“On the day of his wedding,” this is Sinai; they were like bridegrooms. “And on the day of the rejoicing of his heart,” these are words of Torah, just as it says: “The precepts of the Lord are upright, bringing joy to the heart” (Psalms 19:9). Alternatively, “on the day of his wedding,” this is the Tent of Meeting. “And on the day of the rejoicing of his heart,” this is the Temple.