Midras Yesaya 54:2: Bereshit Rabbah, Vayikra Rabbah, Midrash Tanchuma & Midrash Tanchuma Buber

The way of the world is that a person empties a full vessel into an empty vessel. Can one, perhaps, pour a full vessel into a full vessel? The world in its entirety is all water, and yet you say “to one place”? But from here [we see] that a smaller space was able to contain a greater amount [than its size]. Kohelet and in Vayikra Rabba 19:9>.
Similarly, “Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly [to the front of the rock]” (Numbers 20:10). It [the front of the rock] was the size of a small sieve, and yet all of Israel was standing before it? But from here [we see] that a smaller space was able to contain a greater amount [than its size].
Similarly, “the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: Take for yourselves [cupped handfuls of soot of a furnace]” (Exodus 9:8). Rav Huna said: Did Moses’s cupped hand hold eight clenched handfuls? This is bewildering. A cupped handful and a clenched handful are not the same; a cupped handful holds twice as much as a clenched handful.⁶God told Moses and Aaron (two people) to take “handfuls”, in the plural, indicating two handfuls each, totaling four handfuls, each handful being equal to two clenched handfuls, for a total of eight. And it is written: “Moses threw it” (Exodus 9:8).⁷And to throw powerfully one must use one hand. It emerges, then, that the cupped hand of Moses held eight clenched handfuls. But from here [we see] that a smaller space was able to contain a greater amount [than its size].
Similarly, Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta said: “The length of the courtyard shall be one hundred cubits and the width shall be fifty on each side” (Exodus 27:18), and yet all of Israel could stands inside of it?⁸See Leviticus 8:3. This is bewildering. But from here [we see] that a smaller space was able to contain a greater amount [than its size].
Similarly, “Joshua said to the children of Israel: Come here…” (Joshua 3:9). Rav Huna said: He had them stand up between the two staves of the Ark. Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: He had them all lean on one another between the two staves of the Ark. Rava said: He crowded them between the two staves of the Ark. Joshua said to them: ‘From the fact that the two staves of the Ark was able to contain you all, you may know that the Divine Presence of the Holy One blessed be He is in your midst.’ That is what is written: “Joshua said: With this you will know that the living God is in your midst” (Joshua 3:10).
This was so in Jerusalem, too, as we learned: They stood crowded, but prostrated themselves spaciously.⁹Yoma 21a. Rabbi Shmuel ben Rabbi Ḥana said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: There were four cubits for each person to occupy, and a [further] cubit on each side so that none of them would hear the prayer of the other.
This will be so in the future, too, as it is stated: “At that time, they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord, and all the nations will be gathered into it” (Jeremiah 3:17). Rabbi Yoḥanan ascended to inquire after the wellbeing of Rabbi Ḥanina and found him sitting and expounding this verse: “At that time, they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord, [and all the nations will be gathered into it].” He said to him: ‘Can Jerusalem contain the Throne of the Lord?’¹⁰And all the nations. He said to him: ‘The Holy One blessed is He will say to it: Expand and extend and receive your populations.’ That is what is written: “Expand the place of your tent” (Isaiah 54:3). Why? “For you will spread out right and left…” (Isaiah 54:3).

“And the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams” (Leviticus 8:2), Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: He fashioned a hill of sorts; a ram on one side, a ram on the other side, and a bull in the middle.²⁹The different heights of the animals produced the effect of a hill. This symbolized the fact that Aaron and his sons were becoming exalted through the process of investiture on these days (Etz Yosef).
“Assemble the entire congregation at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting” (Leviticus 8:3).
“Assemble the entire congregation at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.” Rabbi Elazar said: All of Israel was six hundred thousand, and you say: “At the entrance of the Tent of Meeting”? Rather, this is one of the places where the lesser contained the greater.³⁰A large number of people were able to gather in a relatively small area.
Similarly, “Let the water under the heavens be gathered to one place” (Genesis 1:9). The way of the world is that a person empties a full vessel into an empty vessel. Or, is it, perhaps, a full vessel into a full vessel? The entire world was full of water, and you say: “Let the water…be gathered”? Rather, this is one of the places where the lesser contained the greater.
Similarly, “take for yourselves cupped handfuls of soot of a furnace” (Exodus 9:8). Rav Huna said: This cupped handful and this clenched handful are not comparable. The cupped handful is twice the clenched handful. Four cupped handfuls are eight clenched handfuls. The outcome is that the cupped hand of Moses holds eight clenched handfuls.³¹Two handfuls for Moses and two handfuls for Aaron are altogether four cupped handfuls. But it says that “Moses shall throw it heavenward.” In order to do so powerfully, he must use one hand. Rather, it teaches that the Holy One blessed be He provided the ability. [Moses and] Aaron took cupped handfuls, and Moses threw them. And you say: “Moses threw then heavenward” (Exodus 9:8) all at once. Rather, this is one of the places where the lesser contained the greater.
Similarly, “The length of the courtyard shall be one hundred cubits and the width shall be fifty on each side” (Exodus 27:18). Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta said: The length of the courtyard was one hundred cubits and all of Israel was standing inside it? Rather, this is one of the places where the lesser contained the greater.
Similarly, “Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock” (Numbers 20:10). Rav Ḥanin said: It was the size of a sieve and all of Israel was standing before it? Rather, this is one of the places where the lesser contained the greater.
Similarly, “Joshua said to the children of Israel: Come here” (Joshua 3:9). Rav Huna said: He stood them all erect between the two staves of the Ark. Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: He arranged them between the two staves of the Ark. Rava said: He crowded them between the two staves of the Ark. That is what is written: “Joshua said: With this you will know that the living God is in your midst” (Joshua 3:10). He said to them: Because the two staves of the Ark contained you, I know that His Divine Presence is in your midst.
This occurred in the Temple, too, as we learned: They would stand crowded and prostrate themselves spaced.³²Mishna Avot 5:5. Rabbi Shmuel bar Ivya said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: There were four cubits between each and every one, and a cubit on each side so that none of them would hear the voice of another praying.
This will occur in the future, too, as it is stated: “At that time, they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord, and all the nations will be gathered to it” (Jeremiah 3:17). Rabbi Yoḥanan ascended to inquire after the wellbeing of Rabbi Ḥanina and found him engaged in this verse: “At that time, they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord, and all the nations will be gathered to it.” He said to him: ‘Will it [Jerusalem] contain them?’ He said to him: ‘The verse says: “Expand the place of your tent” (Isaiah 54:2) “for you will spread right and left”’ (Isaiah 54:3).

(Lev. 8:3:) “And assemble the whole congregation.” He said to him, “Where?”³⁰See Lev. R. 10:9; cf. Gen. R. 5:7. He said unto him, “Unto the door of the tent of meeting.” Moses our master said to him, “Master of the world, [there are] sixty myriads of adults and sixty myriads of young people. How will I have them stand at the opening of the tent of meeting? [The area is] only the size of a field requiring of two seah of seed; yet you are saying (in Lev. 8:3:), ‘And assemble the whole congregation?’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Are you surprised about this thing? Are the heavens not like a cataract on the eye? And [yet] I made them [to stretch] from one end of the world to the other, as stated (in Is. 40:22), “Who has stretched out the heavens like a curtain [and spread them out like a tent to dwell in].’ And also in the world to come I will do likewise for Zion. How will all those populations³¹Gk.: ochloi. from the first Adam until the dead rise [have room to] stand? Then they are going to say (in Is. 49:20), ‘The place is too crowded for me; make room for me to dwell.’ What shall I do for them? I shall enlarge it, as stated (in Is. 54:2), ‘Enlarge the site of your tabernacle.’” From where do you learn [so]? From Mount Sinai. When the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared upon it, it immediately expanded, as stated (in Ps. 68:18), “The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; [the Lord is among them on Sinai].” R. Avdimi of Haifa said, “I have learned in my mishnah: When the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared on Mount Sinai to give the Torah, twenty-two thousand chariots came down with him.³²PRK 12:22; PR 21:7; Exod. R. 29:2. R. Berekhyah the Priest said, “[It was] since the Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that none would remain in their faith except the tribe of Levi. He therefore came down [with a number] corresponding to the camp of the Levites (according to Numb. 22:39).” R. Jannay said to him, “If so, it must be written about the tribe of Levi, ‘The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousand.’ What is [then] the meaning of, ‘The chariots (rt.: rkb) of God are myriads?’ It is simply that twenty-two thousand chariots came down with the Holy One, blessed be He, with each and every chariot like the chariot which Ezekiel saw (Ezek. 1:19–21). And [yet] it (i.e., Mt. Sinai) contained them? Indeed the event was a miracle. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Become wider (rt.: rhb) and longer to receive My children, [who are] faithful children.” And so you find in the world to come, that the Holy One, blessed be He, will widen (rt.: rhb) Jerusalem, as stated (in Ezek. 41:7), “And it became wider (rt.: rhb) as it wound about higher (lm'lh),” until it was rising to the heavens.³³See PRK 20:7. On the enlargement of Jerusalem in the age to come, cf. BB 75b. Now, “higher (m'lh)” can only mean heaven (shmym). Thus it is stated [(in Ps. 108:5), “For Your kindness is great, above (m'l) [heaven (shmym)”].³⁴Note that the Mss. reading (in the braces) adds an extra H to the Masoretic Text. Thus the H appears at the end of M‘L to make M‘LH. When it (i.e., Jerusalem) reaches the heavens, it says (in Is. 49:20), “The place is too crowded for me.” Nevertheless, the Holy One, blessed be He, brings clouds and raises it up from the heavens to the firmament, [from the second (heaven) to the third, from the third to the fourth, from the fourth to the fifth, from the fifth to the sixth, and from the sixth to the seventh.] R. Eliezer ben Jacob said, “[The elevation of Jerusalem continues] until it reaches the throne of glory. But how are they (the Israelites) to ascend? By the time the higher one goes up, the lower one [needs to] eat and drink and sleep. So what does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He will bring clouds and will have them fly, as stated (in Is. 60:8), ‘Who are these that fly like a cloud?’” Then each and every one of the righteous will have a canopy (huppah) for himself. Thus it is stated (in Is. 4:5), “for over [all] the glory there shall be a canopy (huppah).” When it reaches the throne of glory, the Holy One, blessed be He, shall say to them, “I and you shall walk through the world [together], as stated (in Lev. 26:12), “And I will walk among you.” The Holy One, blessed be He, will dwell in the middle and the righteous shall point to Him with their finger. It is so stated (in Is. 25:9), “In that day they shall say, ‘See, this is our God; we waited for Him, and He delivered us […].’” It also says (in Ps. 48:15), “For this is God, our God, for ever and ever; He will lead evermore.” Because the nations say (in Deut. 32:37), “And He will say, ‘Where are their gods’”; Israel shall therefore say in the future (in Ps. 48:15), “For this is God, our God, for ever and ever; He will lead evermore.”