Midrash su Esodo 25:22

There was one more who used to say: "When our love was strong, we found room to sleep on the broad side of a sword; now when our love is gone a bed of sixty [yards] is not sufficient for us." R. Huna said: We find this in the Scriptures. At first [when Israel was good] it is written (Ex. 25, 22) I will speak with thee from above the cover. And we are taught in a Baraitha that the ark measured nine spans, and the cover one; hence, altogether, it measured ten, and it is written (I Kings 6, 2) And the house which was built by Solomon unto the Lord was sixty cubits in length. And finally there is a passage (Is. 66, 1) Thus hath said the Lord, the heavens are My throne, and the earth is My foot-stool; where is there a house that ye can build unto Me?"

2) The limitations: (Bamidbar 7:89): "And when Moses came to the ohel moed (for the L–rd) to speak to 1 him, that he heard the voice speaking to 2 him … and He spoke to him." (Shemoth 25:22): "And I will be appointed for you there, and I will speak to you … all that I will charge you with to the children of Israel." (Shemoth 29:42): "… where I shall appoint a time for you (plural) to speak to you (singular) there." (Shemoth 30:6):

R. Juda b. Idi said, in the name of R. Jochanan: "Ten journeys did the Shechina make [prior to its disappearance]. This we infer from Biblical passages, and a corresponding number of times were the Sanhedrin exiled. This we know by tradition. The ten journeys which the Shechina made are as follows: From the Kapporeth (cover of the Holy Ark) to the Cherub; from the Cherub to the threshold of the Temple; from the threshold of the Temple to the Temple-court; from the Temple-yard to the altar; from the altar to the roof (of the Temple); from the roof to the fortification wall; from the fortification wall to the city of Jerusalem; from the city of Jerusalem to the Temple mound; from the Temple mound to the wilderness, and thence it finally ascended heaven and occupied its place; as it is said (Has. 5, 15) I will go [from here] and return to my place." "From the Kaporeth to the Cherub, and from the Cherub to the threshold of the Temple," as it is written (Ex. 25, 22) And I will meet with them there, and I will speak with thee from, above the Kaporeth; and it is also written (Ez. 9, 3) And the glory of the God of Israel ascended up from the Cherub, wherefore it was to the threshold of the House. "From the threshold to the Temple-court," as it is written (Ib. 10, 4) Then the glory of the Lord rose upward from the Cherub toward the threshold of the House, and the House was filled with the clouds, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord's glory. "From the Temple-court to the Altar," as it is written (Amos 9, 1) I saw the Lord standing upon the altar. "From the altar to the roof," as it is written (Pr. 25, 24) It is better to dwell in the corner of a roof. "From the roof to the Temple-mound," as it is written (Amos 7, 7) And behold, the Lord was standing upon a wall. "From the Temple-mound to the city of Jerusalem," as it is written (Micha 6, 9) The voice of the Lord calleth unto the city. "From the city to the Temple-mound," as it is written (Ez. 11, 23) And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain. "From the Temple-mound to the wilderness," as it is written (Pr. 21, 19) It is better to dwell in a desert land, etc.; and it finally ascended to heaven and occupied its place; as it is said (Hos. 5, 15) I will go (from here) and return to my place, till they acknowledge their guilt."

5) R. Elazar says (Shemoth 29:43): "Venoadeti there (in the ohel moed) for the children of Israel, and it will be sanctified with My glory" — I am destined to be met (va'ad [from "venoadeti"]) with them (in the ohel moed) and to be exalted by them. When did this transpire? On the eighth day of the investiture (miluim), viz. (Vayikra 9:24): "And all the people saw and they exalted (the L–rd), and they fell upon their faces." — But perhaps it is to give ye'idah (an appointment) for dibroth! — This cannot be, for it is written (Shemoth 25:22): "Venoadeti for you" (in the ohel moed for dibbur) — for you, and not for all of Israel.

And Bezalel made the ark (Exod. 37:1). You do not find Bezalel’s name associated with any vessel made for the Sanctuary other than the ark. All the other work and all the other implements were made at his suggestion and upon his advice. Why did he make an exception in the work of the ark by doing it himself? Because it was to be a shade for the Holy One, blessed be He, in which He would compress His Shekhinah. That is why He called Bezalel to make a shade for the Holy One, blessed He, between the cherubim, as it is said: And there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from between the two cherubim (Exod. 25:22).

He made a cover for its top so that the seraphim might be placed upon it. Then he fashioned the two cherubim for it, which were dear to Him, to correspond to heaven and earth for the dwelling place of the Holy One, blessed be He, was between them, as it is stated: And I will speak with thee from above the ark cover, from between the two cherubim (Exod. 25:22).

7) — But let this exclude them only from appointment (i.e., meeting in the ohel moed), but not from dibroth! — It is, therefore, written (Shemoth 25:22): "and I will speak to you." — But let this exclude (from dibroth) only Israel, but not the elders! Let it exclude the elders, but not the sons of Aaron! — Let it exclude the sons of Aaron, but not Aaron himself! It is, therefore, written (Shemoth 29:42): "to speak to you" — With you there was dibbur, and not with any of the others.

R. Judah the son of Simon stated: Moses heard three things from the lips of the Mighty One that confused and startled him. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Let them make Me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell among them (Exod. 25:8), he replied: Master of the Universe, the heavens and the heavens of the heavens cannot contain Thee. He responded: Moses, it is not as you think. Erect twenty boards on the northern side and twenty boards on the southern side and eight on the eastern side and eight on the western side, and I will compress My Shekhinah and dwell within them; as it is written: And there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee (ibid., v. 22).

Rabbi Yuda ben Rabbi Ilai interpreted the verse regarding the Ark. “Palanquin” (Song of Songs 3:9), this is the Ark. What is a palanquin? It is a litter.⁹⁴Just as a covered litter provides an honorable covering for its occupant, the Ark provided a beautiful covering for the tablets. This is analogous to a king who had an only daughter, who was fair, pious, and praiseworthy. The king said to his servants: ‘My daughter is fair, pious, and praiseworthy and you do not craft a litter for her? Craft a litter for her, for it is preferable that my daughter’s beauty be seen from within the litter.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘My Torah is fair, pious, and praiseworthy, and you do not craft an ark for it? It is preferable that the beauty of My Torah will be seen from within the Ark.’
“King Solomon [Shlomo] made himself” (Song of Songs 3:9), the King [of Whom it may be said] that peace is His; “from the timber of Lebanon” (Song of Songs 3:9), just as it says: “Betzalel made the Ark of acacia wood” (Exodus 37:1). “He made its pillars of silver” (Song of Songs 3:10), these are the two pillars that were inside it, that were of silver. “Its cushion of gold” (Song of Songs 3:10), as it is stated: “He plated it with pure gold” (Exodus 37:2). “Its seat of purple wool” (Song of Songs 3:10), Rabbi Tanḥuma said: This is the curtain that is adjacent to it. Rabbi Beivai said: This is the Ark cover, whose gold is similar to purple. “Its interior is plated with love from the daughters of Jerusalem” (Song of Songs 3:10), Rabbi Yudan said: This is the merit of the Torah and those who study it. Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Yuda in the name of Rabbi Simon: This is the Divine Presence.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: “I will commune with you there…” (Exodus 25:22), to teach you that even what was behind the Ark cover was not empty of the Divine Presence. One idolater asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa, he said to him: ‘Why did the Holy One blessed be He speak from within the bush and not from another tree?’ He said to him: ‘Had He spoken from within a carob or within a sycamore, you would have asked me and I would have answered you. Now, to dismiss you with nothing is impossible.⁹⁵Even if God had chosen to speak from within a larger, more impressive tree, you would have asked me why He picked specifically that tree, and therefore I do not really need to answer you. Nonetheless, now that you have asked, I do not want to dismiss you without any response. It is to teach you that there is no place on earth that is empty of the Divine Presence, as even from within the bush He was speaking to Him.’

An idolater asked Rabban Gamliel, "Why was the Holy One, Blessed be He revealed to Moses in the Burning Bush?" Rabban Gamliel replied to him, "If God had been revealed in a carob tree or a fig tree, you would have asked me the same thing, and I could not send you away without an answer. This teaches you that there is no place in the world devoid of the Shekhinah."

12) "from the tent of meeting": I might think (that the voice came) from the whole house; it is, therefore, written: "from above the kapporeth." If "from above the kapporeth," I might think from above the entire kapporeth; it is, therefore, written: "from between the two cherubs." These are the words of R. Akiva. R. Shimon b. Azzai said: I come not to dispute the words of the master, but to add to them. That great glory, of which it is written, "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" — see how His love of Israel wrought upon this glory! The L–rd, as it were, contracted Himself to speak from above the kapporeth between the two cherubs! R. Dossa says: It is written (Shemoth 33:20): "For a man shall not see Me and live." (Even the holy creatures who bear the Throne of Glory do not behold His glory.) — In their life they do not see (Him), but they see (Him) in their death. And thus is it written (Psalms 22:30): "Before Him (i.e., before His manifest glory) shall bow down all who descend to the dust, when his (i.e., a man's) soul no longer animates (the body" [but departs from it.]). R. Shimon said: I come not to dispute the words of the master, but to add to them: "For a man shall not see Me, and the living" — Even the angels, whose lives are eternal, do not behold the glory.

(Bamidbar 7:89) "And when Moses came to the tent of meeting": (Why is this mentioned? We already know that the L-rd spoke to him from the tent of meeting.) From (Vayikra 1:1) "and the L-rd spoke to him from the tent of meeting," I understand directly from the tent of meeting. It is, therefore, written (Shemot 25:22) "And I will be appointed for you (to speak to you) there, and I will speak to you from above the kaporeth (the ark cover)." It is impossible to say from the tent of meeting, for it is already written "from above the kaporeth," and it is impossible to say "from above the kaporeth," for it is already written "from the tent of meeting." How, then, are these two verses to be reconciled? This is a rule in the Torah: Two verses which contradict each other are to "remain in their place" until a third verse comes and reconciles them, (the third verse, in this instance, being) "And when Moses came to the tent of meeting." Scripture hereby tells us that Moses would enter and stand in the tent of meeting, and the Voice would descend from the heaven of heavens to between the two cherubs (on the ark cover) and he would hear the Voice speaking to him from within. R. Yehudah b. Betheira says: Thirteen utterances were addressed to (both) Moses and Aaron, and, corresponding to these, thirteen "exclusions" (i.e., Aaron being excluded), to teach that they were not addressed to Aaron, but only to Moses to tell to Aaron. They are; (Shemot 25:22) "And I will be appointed for you there, and I will speak with you, all that I shall command you," (Shemot 30:6) "where I will be appointed for you," (Ibid.) "to speak to you there," (Shemot 31:18) "to speak with him," (Vayikra 7:38) "on the day that he commanded," (Bamidbar 7:89) "And when Moses came to the tent of meeting to speak with Him," (Ibid.) "speaking with him," (Vayikra 1:1) "And the L-rd spoke to him," and one in Egypt (Shemot 6:28) "And it was on the day that the L-rd spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt," and one in Sinai (Bamidbar 3:1) "on the day the L-rd spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai," and one in the tent of meeting (Bamidbar 7:89) "And He spoke to him." — Thirteen exclusions, Aaron being excluded in all instances.