Commentaire de citation sur Isaïe 40:22

For them, it is only a blemish to sacrifice to the Higher realm on their altar, one missing a limb. Dokin is teile (in Old French); as in, "spread out like a dok" (Isaiah 40:22).

ותקהל העדה אל פתח אהל מועד, “and the assembly was gathered in the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.” This required a miracle, of course This is one of several places in the Bible where a very small area was able to accommodate a very large number of people (compare Tanchuma Tzav 12.). When Moses was told to assemble all the people at the entrance of the Tabernacle, he turned to G’d saying: “how can six hundred thousand men and six hundred thousand youngsters fit into the entrance [an area of 50 by 100 cubits] of the Tabernacle? G’d replied: “is this what you are concerned about? Was not the heaven at one time no bigger than the eye of a needle and I managed to fit the entire earth through it?” G’d quoted Isaiah 40,22: “Who spread out the skies like gauze, stretched them out like a tent to dwell in?” At the revelation at Mount Sinai G’d appeared surrounded by 22,000 chariots filled with ministering angels as we know from Psalms 68,18: ‘G’d’s chariots, myriads upon myriads, thousands upon thousands, the Lord is among them as in Sinai in holiness.’ Each of these chariots was similar to the one Ezekiel saw in his vision. Seeing this was so, how could the mountain have supported all these chariots? Clearly, miracles happened which temporarily suspended the rules applying to terrestrial space. At the time G’d had told the mountain: “expand and accommodate all the loyal people.” When the Jewish people crossed the Jordan river 40 years later the entire Jewish people found space between the staves of the Holy Ark behind the Priests who marched ahead. This is based on Joshua 3,9: “Joshua said to the Children of Israel: ‘come close and listen to the words of the Lord. your G’d.’” In the future these miracles will be re-enacted when all the people ever since Adam who qualify for resurrection will have to be accommodated on earth. Aren’t they going to complain that they do not find room to stand? However, G’d promised that at that time “I will expand the size of Jerusalem” as prophesied by Isaiah 54,2 who quotes G’d as addressing Jerusalem saying to her: “enlarge the size of your tent, extend the size of your dwelling; do not stint!” Thus far the comments of the Midrash Tanchuma Tzav 12 on the subject.

“And He said”, the Gaon said regarding the firmament (raki’a) things that could not be; rather its explanation is “extended”, like “they were extended” (vayerak’u) Exodus 39:3, “I shall extend them” (erka’em Samuel II 22:43, and similarly, “and He stretched them [i.e., the heavens] out like a tent for dwelling”. Isaiah 40:22. And how profound is the word of the one who says that the edges of the sun are with the edges of the waters of the oceans. Now this firmament is the atmosphere, for when the light coalesced over the earth and a dry wind from the earth, the blade/flame was changed and became the firmament. And thus did it say in a Psalm Psalms 104:2 “He stretches the heavens like a curtain… the one who makes roofbeams of water”. And it mentions the clouds and the wind and the earth element, which is higher than the water, and thus it writes, “for He founded it upon the seas” Psalms 24:2, “the One Who extends the earth over the waters" Psalms 136:6 and similarly, anyone who goes to the sea is called, “goes down”. The meaning of “the One Who calls to the waters of the sea” Amos 5:8 – so that they should ascend, referring to clouds, and afterwards, “and He pours them out”.

נטע ה' (LIKE THE ALOES] WHICH THE LORD HATH PLANTED in the Garden of Eden. - Another explanation: כאהלים נטע ה׳ LIKE TENTS WHICH THE LORD HATH PLANTED — i.e., like the heavens which are stretched forth as a tent (cf. Isaiah 40:22: וימתחם כאהל לשבת).

או דק — one who has in his eye a membrane which is called “toile” (web) in old French The word is similar in meaning to (Isaiah 40:22) “It is He that stretcheth out the heavens like a web (כַּדֹּק) (Bekhorot 48a).