עֹֽטֶה־א֭וֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָ֑ה נוֹטֶ֥ה שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם כַּיְרִיעָֽה׃
El que se cubre de luz como de vestidura, Que extiende los cielos como una cortina;
Ibn Ezra
“E-lohim” – After we have found [the word] e-loah, we know that E-lohim is its plural form, and the root [of this] is in the nature of language. For every language has a formal form. The way of expressing formality in non-Hebrew languages is by the lesser using the plural in the presence of the greater. In Arabic the way of formal expression is for the greater to speak, as royalty, in the plural. In the Holy Tongue, the way is to refer to the greater in the plural. Like “master” (adonim), “owner” b’alim as they said, “a harsh master” (b’alim) Isaiah 19:4, “his master (b’alim) shall take”. Likewise the word “upon him” (alav), “to him” (elav), “until him” (adav). For this reason does Scripture state “He created” and not “they created”. Now from a perspective of wisdom, we know that speech is called “lip” [Hebrew parallel to the English “tongue”] since people see that words emanate from there. Likewise, the supernal human soul is called “heart”, yet the heart is [part of the] body, since the heart is the first “chariot” for it. Now is called thus [“(E-lohim)”)since all the acts of Hashem are [delivered] into the hands of the angels, who do His Will. (I will explain a bit more of the secret of the Name on the verse “for My Name is within him” – Exodus 23:21). And pay no attention to the words of [Rav Sa’adiah] Ga’on who said that man is more prestigious than angels. I’ve already explained in Sefer HaYesod that all his proofs are actually the opposite. Now we know that, amongst men, there are none more prestigious than the prophets, yet Yehoshua fell on his face before an angel of Hashem and prostrated himself, and said, “what is my master speaking to his servant” – Joshua 5:14. and likewise Zechariah and Daniel, but why should I go on? And the meaning of “G-d of hosts” is like “G-d of gods [masters]”. So the meaning of E-lohim is like “king”, and people who are involved in divine law will be called thus – but it is an adjective [lit. descriptive name], not a [true] noun – you won’t find any future or past forms. And don’t think that, since we find it written, “He makes the winds His angels” that angels are [made] from fire and wind, for that is not the straightforward way of interpreting that verse. It’s rather that David spoke initially of the work of creation, beginning with light and saying, “He enwraps [in] light” and afterwards “He spreads out the heavens” – that is, the firmament, with the waters above it, and fire, snow and wind. He [then] said that the wind is Hashem’s messenger to go to any place He may send it, likewise is fire amongst His servants, and he said, “He founded the earth upon its elements” – this is regarding the dry land. Likewise is it written, “the stormy wind does His will” Psalms 148:8
Rabbeinu Bahya
A Kabbalistic approach: The words וידבר ה' אל משה reflect the inner force, the concealed force, the word לאמור is a reference to the fact that this force had become manifest by means of the Shechinah. This is the meaning of the words in Exodus 24,12 אשר כתבתי להורותם, “which I wrote to teach them.” The word להורתם is written defective, without the letter ו which should be part of the plural ending, thus making it similar to Song of Songs 3,4 ואל חדר הורתי, “into the bedroom of my parents.” This is merely a euphemism for the acquisition of information reserved for the intimates of G’d.
You are aware already that the expression דבור is a deeper form of communication than אמירה. Whereas אמירה describes the oral Torah, דבור describes the written Torah [with its multifaceted ways of interpretations. Ed.] The experts of Kabbalah were thoroughly familiar with this. This is what prompted Eicha Rabbah to translate the words בצע אמרתו In Lamentations 2,17 as בזע פרפורין שלו, “He tore His purple curtain (allowed the Temple curtain to be destroyed).” [The standard translation of the words is: “He carried out His decree.” Ed.]
We have to ask ourselves what made the author of this Midrash translate these words in this fashion? The word אמרא, as cloak, i.e. or better “a fringed garment,” is well known. In this instance the word פרפורין may be understood as a euphemism for the edge of such a cloak. Our sages understood the verse in Lamentations as explaining the reason why the Temple was destroyed. First the Jews had despised the תורת ה' צבאות (Isaiah 5,24). This was a reference to the written Torah. Then (same verse) ואת קדוש ישראל נאצו, “and the Holy One of Israel they spurned.” This is a reference to the oral Torah.
To get back to our verse here. The word ויאמר or לאמור is derived from אמרא, the edge of a cloak a person wears on his left side. We have a verse in Samuel I 28,14 illustrating this: “he is wrapped in a cloak.” We also have a verse symbolically depicting G’d Himself as wrapped in such a cloak, i.e. עוטה אור כשלמה, “He wraps light around Himself as a man would wrap a cloak around himself” (Psalms 104,2). The cloak referred to in that verse is the attribute of Justice. On the other hand, the word דבור, and therefore וידבר, when employed by the Torah is derived from the word דבורה, the bee, which though providing honey, i.e. sweetness, also harbors a deadly sting. The bee therefore symbolizes an attribute of G’d which combines both the attribute of Mercy and the attribute of Justice. The oral Torah is emanated from that attribute, seeing it is a derivative of the written Torah and the written Torah itself is based on the combination of the attribute of Justice and the attribute of Mercy.
You are aware already that the expression דבור is a deeper form of communication than אמירה. Whereas אמירה describes the oral Torah, דבור describes the written Torah [with its multifaceted ways of interpretations. Ed.] The experts of Kabbalah were thoroughly familiar with this. This is what prompted Eicha Rabbah to translate the words בצע אמרתו In Lamentations 2,17 as בזע פרפורין שלו, “He tore His purple curtain (allowed the Temple curtain to be destroyed).” [The standard translation of the words is: “He carried out His decree.” Ed.]
We have to ask ourselves what made the author of this Midrash translate these words in this fashion? The word אמרא, as cloak, i.e. or better “a fringed garment,” is well known. In this instance the word פרפורין may be understood as a euphemism for the edge of such a cloak. Our sages understood the verse in Lamentations as explaining the reason why the Temple was destroyed. First the Jews had despised the תורת ה' צבאות (Isaiah 5,24). This was a reference to the written Torah. Then (same verse) ואת קדוש ישראל נאצו, “and the Holy One of Israel they spurned.” This is a reference to the oral Torah.
To get back to our verse here. The word ויאמר or לאמור is derived from אמרא, the edge of a cloak a person wears on his left side. We have a verse in Samuel I 28,14 illustrating this: “he is wrapped in a cloak.” We also have a verse symbolically depicting G’d Himself as wrapped in such a cloak, i.e. עוטה אור כשלמה, “He wraps light around Himself as a man would wrap a cloak around himself” (Psalms 104,2). The cloak referred to in that verse is the attribute of Justice. On the other hand, the word דבור, and therefore וידבר, when employed by the Torah is derived from the word דבורה, the bee, which though providing honey, i.e. sweetness, also harbors a deadly sting. The bee therefore symbolizes an attribute of G’d which combines both the attribute of Mercy and the attribute of Justice. The oral Torah is emanated from that attribute, seeing it is a derivative of the written Torah and the written Torah itself is based on the combination of the attribute of Justice and the attribute of Mercy.
Rabbeinu Bahya
אורך היריעה האחת שמונה ועשרים באמה, “the length of a single curtain was approximately 28 cubits.” It is common knowledge that the entire Tabernacle and its components were meant to be sort of a replica of what exists in the heavens (primarily the parts we can see). Seeing that the luminaries are fixed in the sky, and all their activities inasmuch as they have impact on our terrestrial world are decreed to occur at predetermined times, the Torah called the Tabernacle, i.e. the covering, the ceiling of the structure, by the name יריעה, “curtain.” David uses the same expression to describe the heaven in psalm 104,2 where he speaks about G’d as נוטה שמים כיריעה, “spreading the heaven like a tent (curtain).”
There were a total of ten such curtains corresponding to ten different גלגלים, i.e. the seven fixed stars, plus what is known as the גלגל השכל, גלגל המקיף, and the גלגל המזלות, the domain (orbit) of ‘intelligence,’ a domain which surrounds all the planetary systems, near the domain of the sign of the zodiac. The reason that the length of each curtain was to be 28 cubits was that it was to correspond to the 28 times Solomon mentions the word עת in Kohelet chapter three. With regard to the significance of that word עת, we read in Chronicles I 12,32 that the men whom the tribe of Issachar dispatched to participate in the crowning of King David were all יודעי בינה לעתים, “conversant with the meaning of these different periods described as עת.” David himself said concerning the significance of each different time period: אברכה את ה' בכל עת, “let me bless the Lord in each one of these time periods” (Psalms 34,2). Another occasion when David mentions the word עת specifically is in Psalm 31,16 בידך עתתי, “my times are in Your hands.”
Another reason for the number 28 may be connected to the lunar cycle, i.e. the number of days the moon either gains or loses size (according to our observation).
There were a total of ten such curtains corresponding to ten different גלגלים, i.e. the seven fixed stars, plus what is known as the גלגל השכל, גלגל המקיף, and the גלגל המזלות, the domain (orbit) of ‘intelligence,’ a domain which surrounds all the planetary systems, near the domain of the sign of the zodiac. The reason that the length of each curtain was to be 28 cubits was that it was to correspond to the 28 times Solomon mentions the word עת in Kohelet chapter three. With regard to the significance of that word עת, we read in Chronicles I 12,32 that the men whom the tribe of Issachar dispatched to participate in the crowning of King David were all יודעי בינה לעתים, “conversant with the meaning of these different periods described as עת.” David himself said concerning the significance of each different time period: אברכה את ה' בכל עת, “let me bless the Lord in each one of these time periods” (Psalms 34,2). Another occasion when David mentions the word עת specifically is in Psalm 31,16 בידך עתתי, “my times are in Your hands.”
Another reason for the number 28 may be connected to the lunar cycle, i.e. the number of days the moon either gains or loses size (according to our observation).