Midrash su Isaia 49:20

“Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon,” just as the nose is located at the highest part of a person, so the Temple is located at the highest part of the world. Just as the nose has much jewelry suspended from it,³⁴Although people generally do not suspend much jewelry from their nose, it was customary to include one’s most beautiful jewel in a nose ring (Yefei Kol). Alternatively, the term nose [af] in this instance includes the area up to the forehead, from which people would suspend various types of chains and jewelry (Matnot Kehuna). so do priesthood, Levitical status, and kingship descend from Jacob. “Like the tower of Lebanon,”³⁵Many commentaries (see, e.g., Matnot Kehuna) assert that the text should read: “Like the tower of Lebanon,” this is the Temple, as it is stated… as it is stated: “This good mountain and the Lebanon” (Deuteronomy 3:25). Rabbi Tavyomi said: Because it whitens [malbin] the iniquities of Israel like snow, as it is stated: “If your sins will be like scarlet they will become white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: Because all the hearts [levavot] rejoice there, as it is stated: “Beautiful in its view, joy of all the land” (Psalms 48:3). The Rabbis say: [It is so called] because of [what is stated]: “My eyes and My heart [libi] will be there for all days” (I Kings 9:3).
“Overlooking Damascus,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Jerusalem is destined to reach until the gates of Damascus, as it is stated: “A prophecy, the word of the Lord: Ḥadrakh [and Damascus]” (Zechariah 9:1). What is Ḥadrakh? Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥamya, Rabbi Yehuda said: There is a place that is called Ḥadrakh. Rabbi Yosei ben Durmaskit said to him: By the Temple service, I am from Damascus and there is a place there named Ḥadrakh. Rabbi Neḥemya said: This is the messianic king who is sharp [ḥad] and gentle [rakh]; sharp to the nations and gentle to Israel.
Another matter, Ḥadrakh, this is the messianic king who is destined to guide [lehadrikh] all mankind in repentance before the Holy One blessed be He. “Damascus is His resting place” (Zechariah 9:1). Is Damascus His resting place? But is His resting place not the Temple, as it is stated: “This is My resting place forever” (Psalms 132:14)? He said to him: Jerusalem is destined to expand on all its sides until it reaches the gates of Damascus, and all the exiles will come and rest under its auspices, to realize what is stated: “Damascus is His resting place,” His resting place will reach Damascus.
How does Rabbi Yoḥanan realize: “The city will be rebuilt on its mound” (Jeremiah 30:18)?³⁶This verse implies that it will be rebuilt upon its original location, but will not expand significantly beyond its original location. Like a fig tree that is narrow below and wide above, so Jerusalem is destined to expand on all its sides, and all the exiles will come and rest under its auspices, to realize what is stated: “For you will spread right and left” (Isaiah 54:3). This is lengthwise; from where is it derived [that it will expand] widthwise? The verse states: “From the Tower of Ḥananel to the winepresses of the king” (Zechariah 14:10). Rabbi Zakkai the Great said: Until the pits of Rifa,³⁷Some assert that the correct reading is “the pits of Jaffa” (see Etz Yosef). In any event, the reference is to a location on the Mediterranean coastline in the land of Israel. until the winepresses that the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, dug out;³⁸This is a reference to the oceans. that is lengthwise and widthwise. From where is upward [that it will expand] derived? The verse states: “The side-chambers widened and wound about higher and higher” (Ezekiel 41:7). It is taught: Jerusalem is destined to expand and ascend and reach the Throne of Glory, until you will say: “The place is crowded for me” (Isaiah 49:20).³⁹Even when Jerusalem expands so greatly in all directions, it will still be crowded due to all the exiles who will return there. Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Yirmeya said: We have still not learned the praise of Jerusalem. From where do you learn its praise? From its walls, as it is stated: “I will be for it, the utterance of the Lord, a wall of fire all around” (Zechariah 2:9).

(Lev. 8:3:) AND ASSEMBLE THE WHOLE CONGREGATION…. He said to him: Where?⁴⁷Tanh., Lev. 2:12; see 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: Sovereign 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 seahs of seed; yet you are saying (in Lev. 8:3:) AND ASSEMBLE THE WHOLE CONGREGATION. The Holy One said to him: Are you surprised about this command? Are the heavens not like a cataract on the eye? For 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 populations⁴⁸Gk.: 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 appeared upon it, what is written (in Ps. 68:18 [17])? 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 appeared on Mount Sinai to give the Torah, twenty-two thousand chariots came down with him.⁴⁹PRK 12:22; PR 21:7; Exod. R. 29:2. R. Berekhyah [the Priest] said that the Holy One foresaw that none would remain in their teaching (literally: their water) 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: If so, how is it that THE CHARIOTS (rt.: RKB) OF GOD ARE MYRIADS. It is simply that twenty-two thousand chariots came down with the Holy One, with each and every chariot like the chariot which Ezekiel ben Buzi saw (Ezek. 1:19–21); yet it (i.e., Mt. Sinai) contained them. Indeed the event was a miracle. The Holy One 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 will widen (rt.: RHB) Jerusalem, as stated (in Ezek. 41:7): AND IT BECAME {LONGER} [WIDER] (rt.: RHB) AS IT WOUND ABOUT HIGHER (LM'LH)…, until it was rising to the heavens.⁵⁰See 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 [4]) FOR [YOUR FAITHFULNESS IS] GREAT, ABOVE (M'L) {THE HEAVENS (HShMYM)} [HEAVEN (ShMYM)].⁵¹Note 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 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. Eleazar ben Jacob said: < The elevation of Jerusalem continues > until it reaches the throne of glory. But how are they (the Israelites) to ascend? The Holy One will bring clouds and will have them fly. Thus it is 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 THE LORD WILL CREATE OVER THE [WHOLE] SITE OF MOUNT ZION AND OVER ITS ASSEMBLY [< A CLOUD AND SMOKE BY DAY AND THE BRIGHTNESS OF A FLAMING FIRE BY NIGHT >; FOR OVER < ALL > THE GLORY THERE SHALL BE A CANOPY (huppah)]. When it reaches the throne of glory, the Holy One 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 will dwell in the middle and the righteous shall < proudly > point him out. 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 [14]): 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 Ps. 48:15 [14]): FOR THIS IS GOD, OUR GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER; HE WILL LEAD EVERMORE.

A story (This translation of דלמה follows the Penei Moshe on the Yerushalmi Berachot 7:3, Pesachim 5:5). R’ Elazar ben Azaryah and R’ Elazar haModa’i were sitting occupied with these verses: “At that time, they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the Lord…” (Jeremiah 3:17) R’ Elazar ben Azaryah said to R’ Elazar haModa’i: can Jerusalem really hold it? He replied: in the future the Holy One will say to her - spread out and widen to receive your population, “Widen the place of your tent…” (Isaiah 54:2) R’ Yochanan said: in the future Jerusalem will reach to the gates of Damascus, and why do I say this? “The prophecy of the word of the Lord in the land of Chadrach. And Damascus is His resting place…” (Zechariah 9:1) What is Hadrach? This is an argument of R’ Yodan and R’ Nechemiah. R’ Yodan says: this language of ‘chadrach’ refers to the King Messiah who will be sharp (chad) with the nations and soft (rach) to Israel. R’ Nechemia says: the name of the place is Chadrach. R’ Yosi ben Dormaskit said: by the Temple service! I am from Damascus and there is a place there that they call Chadrach. He said to him: what do you do with rest of the verse ‘And Damascus is His resting place’? Rather, just as a fig tree is narrow below and wide above, to in the future Jerusalem will spread out and rise and the exiles will come and take their rest beneath her. This is to fulfill what is written ‘And Damascus is His resting place’ when in truth His resting place is Jerusalem, as it says “This is My resting place forever; here I shall dwell for I desired it.” (Psalms 132:14) He said to him: and what do you do with the verse “…and the city shall be built on its mound…” (Jeremiah 30:18)? He replied: it will not move from its place in the future, but rather rise up and spread out to all sides and the exiles will come and take their rest beneath her to fulfill what is written ““For right and left shall you prevail…” (Isaiah 54:3) This refers to length, where do we learn breadth? This refers to length, from where do we learn width? The scripture says “…from the tower of Hananel until the king's wine-cellars.” (Zechariah 14:10) R’ Berachia said: until the ocean. R’ Zakai Raba said: to the pits of Yafo. They are not arguing – the one who says to the ocean understands the verse as referring to the cellars dug out by the King, king of kings, and the one who says to the pits of Yafo understands it as the pits dug by King Shlomo. We have length and breadth, from where do we learn height? “And it became wider and it wound higher and higher to the cells…” (Ezekiel 41:7) R’ Eliezer ben Yaakov taught: in the future Jerusalem will rise and be lifted up until it reaches the Throne of Glory, until she says to the Holy One “The place is too narrow for me; move over for me so that I will dwell.” (Isaiah 49:20) R’ Yosi son of R’ Yirmiyah Dostai said in the name of R’ Levi: and you still do not know Jerusalem’s praiseworthiness. Rather, what is written “But I will be for it-says the Lord-a wall of fire around, and for glory I will be in its midst.” (Zechariah 2:9) From here you know the praiseworthiness of Jerusalem.