אָ֥ז יְרַנְּנ֖וּ עֲצֵ֣י הַיָּ֑עַר מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה כִּי־בָ֖א לִשְׁפּ֥וֹט אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
Pada waktu itu pohon-pohon di hutan akan bersorak-sorai di hadapan Yang Mahakekal, sebab Ia datang untuk menghakimi bumi.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
Our masters have said (concerning Exod. 26:28): THE CENTER BAR < THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE BOARDS > came down to Egypt at the hands of Jacob, the one which served <as a bolt> FROM END TO END.42On the miraculous bending of the bar around three sides of the Tabernacle, see Rashi and the Tosafot on Shab. 94b. It did not do so without the cedars uttering43So also Yalqut Shim’oni, Exod. 369–370. Cf. Codex Vaticanus, Ebr. 34; Tanh., Exod. 7:9; etc., which read, “Not only that, but the cedars uttered….” a song, <i.e.> that which David utters (in I Chron. 16:33 // Ps. 96:12): THEN (az) SHALL ALL FOREST TREES SHOUT FOR JOY. THEN (az) is nothing but a song which one utters to the Holy One44Tanh., Exod. 7:9 adds Exod. 15:1 as another example of this use of az. and says: When will the Tabernacle be made? Now when the Holy One said [to Moses] that he should make the Tabernacle, what did he say to him (in Exod. 26:15)? AND YOU SHALL MAKE THE BOARDS INTO A TABERNACLE <OF ACACIA WOOD>,45The traditional vocalization of the verse would be translated: AND YOU SHALL MAKE THE BOARDS FOR THE TABERNACLE OF ACACIA WOOD; but the midrash assumes that the boards were already prepared. Cf. Tanh., Exod. 7:9, which inserts the following clarification here: “And you shall make boards” is not stated here, but AND YOU SHALL MAKE THE BOARDS. the same boards which their father (Jacob) had prepared for them. R. Samuel bar Nahmani said: There were twenty-four kinds of cedar; but from all of them, only seven were chosen.46yKet. 7:11 (31d). Thus it is stated (in Is. 41:19): IN THE WILDERNESS I WILL PLANT THE CEDAR, THE ACACIA, THE MYRTLE, AND THE OLIVE; IN THE DESERT I WILL SET THE CYPRESS, THE PLANE TREE, AND THE ELM TOGETHER. Cypress is silver fir;47Gk.: elate, i.e., pinus picea. plane is maple;48Gk.: sphendamnos, i.e., acer. elm is boxwood,49Gk.: pyxinon or pyxos, i.e., buxos. which is more approved than all species of cedar. But of them all, none was selected except the acacia alone. [It is so stated] (in Exod. 26:15): <AND YOU SHALL MAKE THE BOARDS FOR THE TABERNACLE> OF ACACIA (shittim) WOOD. And why did he call it shittim? Simply in order to heal what Israel did in Shittim (Numb. 25:1–9). Another interpretation (of Exod. 26:15): ACACIA (shittim) WOOD. They sinned in Shittim, and they were stricken in Shittim. They sinned in Shittim (according to Numb. 25:1): WHILE ISRAEL WAS STAYING AT SHITTIM, <THE PEOPLE BEGAN TO GO WHORING WITH THE DAUGHTERS OF MOAB>. And they were stricken in shittim (according to Numb. 25:9): AND THOSE WHO DIED FROM THE PLAGUE WERE <TWENTY-FOUR THOUSAND >. Moreover, they did not move from there until they were healed. Phinehas arose and turned back the wrath from them, as stated (in vs. 11): PHINEHAS BEN ELEAZAR <BEN AARON THE PRIEST HAS TURNED AROUND MY WRATH FROM UPON THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL >…. The Holy One said: In the world to come I will heal the shittim, as stated (in Joel 4:18 [3:18]): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS ON THAT DAY THE MOUNTAINS SHALL FLOW WITH FRESH GRAPE JUICE, THE HILLS SHALL RUN WITH MILK, AND [ALL] THE WATERCOURSES OF JUDAH SHALL RUN WITH WATER. THEN A SPRING SHALL ISSUE FROM THE HOUSE OF THE LORD AND SHALL WATER THE WADI OF THE ACACIAS (shittim).
Midrash Tanchuma
Our sages of blessed memory said: And the middle bar in the midst of the boards (ibid., v. 28). They went down to Egypt with Jacob our patriarch, for it was difficult for them to bolt the boards from end to end. Furthermore, these cedars intoned a song before the Lord. Whence do we know that they sang a song? Because it is written: Then shall all the trees of the world sing for joy before the Lord (Ps. 96:12). The word then is employed in reference to a song, as is said: Then sang Moses (Exod. 15:1). When did that occur? At the time the Sanctuary was erected from them. The Holy One, blessed be He, commanded Moses concerning the Tabernacle: And thou shalt make the boards for the Tabernacle of acacia wood, standing up (ibid. 26:15). “Thou shalt make boards” is not written here, but rather Thou shalt make the boards standing, that is, they should use those boards that their fathers had previously prepared for them. The word standing refers to the boards that were already in existence.
Shemot Rabbah
“You shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin; and you shall not go out, each from the door of his house, until the morning” (Exodus 12:22).
“You shall take a bunch of hyssop” – that is what is written: “Everything the Lord has done is for His purpose” (Proverbs 16:4). You find that everything that the Holy One blessed be He created during the six days of Creation, He created only for His glory and to perform His will with them. On the first day, He created the heavens and the earth, and He created them, too, for His glory, as it is stated: “So said the Lord, the heavens are My throne” (Isaiah 66:1), and it says: “The heavens relate the glory of God” (Psalms 19:2). Likewise, the light that He created was for His glory, as it is written: “He covers Himself with light as with a garment” (Psalms 104:2).
What was created on the second day? The firmament, and He created it for His glory, so that the angels would stand there and laud him, as it is stated: “Praise Him in the firmament of His power” (Psalms 150:1).
What did He create on the third day? Grasses and trees, and we found that the grasses laud the Holy One blessed be He as it is stated: “They shout for joy, they even sing” (Psalms 65:14). From where is it derived that the same is true of the trees? It is as it is stated: “Then the trees of the forest will sing before the Lord” (I Chronicles 16:33). You find that the Holy One blessed be He issued a command to perform mitzvot with the trees. Regarding the red heifer, He issued a command to cast into its conflagration cedar wood and hyssop; He issued a command to perform the sprinkling of the waters of sprinkling with hyssop;1After the red heifer is burned, its ashes are mixed with spring water and a priest uses hyssop to sprinkle the mixture on people or objects that have become impure due to contact with a corpse. See Numbers 19:17–18. and He commanded to perform the purification of the leper with cedar wood and hyssop. Likewise, in Egypt, He issued a command to apply the blood to the lintel and the two doorposts with hyssop, as it is stated: “You shall take a bunch of hyssop.” Likewise, He created the water on the third day, as He collected it from covering the earth. From there, His laudation ascends, as it is stated: “From the sound of much water, the mighty breakers of the sea, [the Lord on high is mighty]” (Psalms 93:4).
What was created on the fourth day? The lights, and He created them for His glory, as it is stated: “Praise Him, sun and moon; [praise Him, all stars of light]” (Psalms 148:3). On the fifth day, He created the birds for His glory, to sacrifice an offering from them, as it is stated: “If his offering is a burnt offering from the birds…” (Leviticus 1:14). What was created on the sixth day? Animals, for His glory, and He commanded to sacrifice an offering from them, as it is stated: “A person among you who sacrifices an offering to the Lord from the animal, from the cattle” (Leviticus 1:2). And He created man for His glory, as it is stated: “Praise the Lord, from the earth, sea creatures…[young men…elders…let them praise the name of the Lord]” (Psalms 148:7, 12–13); that is: “Everything the Lord has done is for His purpose.”
“You shall take a bunch of hyssop” – that is what is written: “Everything the Lord has done is for His purpose” (Proverbs 16:4). You find that everything that the Holy One blessed be He created during the six days of Creation, He created only for His glory and to perform His will with them. On the first day, He created the heavens and the earth, and He created them, too, for His glory, as it is stated: “So said the Lord, the heavens are My throne” (Isaiah 66:1), and it says: “The heavens relate the glory of God” (Psalms 19:2). Likewise, the light that He created was for His glory, as it is written: “He covers Himself with light as with a garment” (Psalms 104:2).
What was created on the second day? The firmament, and He created it for His glory, so that the angels would stand there and laud him, as it is stated: “Praise Him in the firmament of His power” (Psalms 150:1).
What did He create on the third day? Grasses and trees, and we found that the grasses laud the Holy One blessed be He as it is stated: “They shout for joy, they even sing” (Psalms 65:14). From where is it derived that the same is true of the trees? It is as it is stated: “Then the trees of the forest will sing before the Lord” (I Chronicles 16:33). You find that the Holy One blessed be He issued a command to perform mitzvot with the trees. Regarding the red heifer, He issued a command to cast into its conflagration cedar wood and hyssop; He issued a command to perform the sprinkling of the waters of sprinkling with hyssop;1After the red heifer is burned, its ashes are mixed with spring water and a priest uses hyssop to sprinkle the mixture on people or objects that have become impure due to contact with a corpse. See Numbers 19:17–18. and He commanded to perform the purification of the leper with cedar wood and hyssop. Likewise, in Egypt, He issued a command to apply the blood to the lintel and the two doorposts with hyssop, as it is stated: “You shall take a bunch of hyssop.” Likewise, He created the water on the third day, as He collected it from covering the earth. From there, His laudation ascends, as it is stated: “From the sound of much water, the mighty breakers of the sea, [the Lord on high is mighty]” (Psalms 93:4).
What was created on the fourth day? The lights, and He created them for His glory, as it is stated: “Praise Him, sun and moon; [praise Him, all stars of light]” (Psalms 148:3). On the fifth day, He created the birds for His glory, to sacrifice an offering from them, as it is stated: “If his offering is a burnt offering from the birds…” (Leviticus 1:14). What was created on the sixth day? Animals, for His glory, and He commanded to sacrifice an offering from them, as it is stated: “A person among you who sacrifices an offering to the Lord from the animal, from the cattle” (Leviticus 1:2). And He created man for His glory, as it is stated: “Praise the Lord, from the earth, sea creatures…[young men…elders…let them praise the name of the Lord]” (Psalms 148:7, 12–13); that is: “Everything the Lord has done is for His purpose.”