Midrash su Salmi 104:1

“Gone from the daughter of Zion is all her splendor. Her princes are like deer that have not found pasture; they went powerless before the pursuer” (Lamentations 1:6)
“Gone from the daughter [mibat] of Zion.” Min bat is written. Rabbi Aḥa said: We have one fine portion; that is the Holy One blessed be He, as it is written in His regard: “The Lord is my lot [menat ḥelki] and my portion” (Psalms 16:5). “All its splendor,” this is the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “You are clothed in glory and splendor” (Psalms 104:1).¹¹⁹Thus, when the children were exiled (Lamentations 1:5), God was exiled too, as it were, as implied in Lamentations 1:6. Alternatively, “all its splendor,” this is the Sanhedrin, as it is written: “Might and splendor are her garments” (Proverbs 31:25).¹²⁰This is stated regarding the Torah. Since it is the Sanhedrin who interpret the Torah and translates it into practical terms, they are the ones who clothe Torah in glory and splendor. The term splendor in Lamentations can therefore also be interpreted as referring to the Sanhedrin. Alternatively, “all its splendor [hadarah],” these are Torah scholars, as it is written: “You shall rise before the aged and honor [vehadarta] the presence of a sage” (Leviticus 19:32). Alternatively, “all its splendor,” these are the priestly watches, as it is written: “Praising with the splendor of holiness” (II Chronicles 20:21).
Alternatively, “all its splendor,” these are the children. Rabbi Yehuda said: Come and see how dear children are before the Holy One blessed be He. The Sanhedrin was exiled, but the Divine Presence was not exiled with them. The priestly watches were exiled, but the Divine Presence was not exiled with them. When the children were exiled, the Divine Presence was exiled with them. That is what is written: “Her infants are led into captivity before the adversary.” Immediately, “gone from the daughter of Zion is all her splendor.”
“Her princes are like deer [that have not found pasture].”¹²¹Pasture is typically associated with sheep, not deer. Rabbi Yehuda said: When they are soft they are likened to sheep, as it is stated: “The sheep will graze as in their pasture” (Isaiah 5:17). When they are rigid they are likened to deer, as it is stated: “Her princes are like deer.”
Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Abba and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua [said]: Just as these deer turn their faces away from one another during a heat wave,¹²²They race directly to a water source with no consideration for any other deer. so too the prominent among Israel would see a matter of transgression and would turn their faces away from it. The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘A time will come when I will do so to you.’
“They went powerless before the pursuer.” Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon: When Israel performs the will of the Omnipresent, they add strength to the power on high, just as it says: “With God we will triumph” (Psalms 60:14). When Israel does not perform the will of the Omnipresent, they, as it were, exhaust the great power on high, as it is written: “You abandoned the Rock that begot you” (Deuteronomy 32:18). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi ben Rabbi Tarfon: When Israel performs the will of the Holy One blessed be He, they add strength to the power on high, just as it says: “Now, please, let the power of the Lord be great” (Numbers 14:17). When Israel does not perform the will of the Holy One blessed be He, they, as it were, exhaust the great power on high, and they, too, go “powerless before the pursuer.”
Rabbi Huna, Rabbi Aḥa, and Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, and the Rabbis in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: A person would say to his counterpart in Jerusalem: ‘Read one Bible column to me,’ and he would say to him: ‘I do not have the strength.’ ‘Teach me one chapter of Mishna,” and he would say to him: ‘I do not have the strength.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘A time will come and I will do so to you.’
“They went powerless before the pursuer [rodef].” Rabbi Aḥa said: Just as Israel was exiled only by a full-fledged pursuer, so, they will be redeemed only with a full-fledged redeemer, as it is written: “A redeemer [goel] will come to Zion” (Isaiah 59:20), it is written full.¹²³The Hebrew word is written with a vav, just as the word rodef in the verse in Lamentations is written with a vav, despite the fact that both could have been written without the vav.

."

And Abraham was old, well stricken in age (Gen. 24:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with glory and majesty (Ps. 104:1). What prompted David to bless the Holy One, blessed be He, with his soul? He did so because the soul sees but is not seen, and the Holy One, blessed be He, sees but is not seen. Hence, the soul that sees but is not seen praised the Holy One, blessed be he, who sees but is not seen. Similarly, the soul guards the body and the Holy One, blessed be He, guards the entire universe. It is fitting, therefore, that the soul which guards the body should praise the Holy One, blessed be He, who guards His world. What is the meaning of the verse O Lord my God, Thou art very great? R. Eleazar explained it thus: “You were great before You created Your world, but Your greatness was magnified after You created Your world,” as it is said: Thou art very great.

Who causeth the grass to spring forth for the cattle (ibid., v. 14). There are three things a man does not wish to have happen to him: weeds in his field; a woman among his sons; and ferment within his wine. Yet all three were created to meet the needs of the world. And thus it is said: O Lord my God, Thou art very great (ibid., v. 1). Another comment on O Lord my God, Thou are very great: Thou art very great refers to the wondrous deeds You performed for man when you gave him old age and a hoary head. If this had not been done, men would not know whom to honor. The word very alludes only to old age, as it is said: Eli was very old (I Sam. 2:22). Thou art clothed with glory and majesty (Ps. 104:1). Glory signifies the strength with which I clothed you at the sea, as is said: The Lord is my strength and my song (Exod. 15:2). R. Judah the son of Ilai said: He praised Me and I praised him (Israel). Majesty alludes to the majesty with which you were adorned through Me at Sinai above all the nations of the world. R. Judah the son of Simon stated: Because they declared: All that the Lord hath spoken we will do and hear (Exod. 24:7), Scripture speaks of them at that moment As a lily between the thorns (Song 2:22). Another comment on Thou art clothed with majesty and glory. This refers to the adornment with which you crowned the head of Abraham when you gave him the crown of old age, as it is said: And Abraham was old.

R. Huna says in the name of R. Eliezer the son of J. Jose the Galilean:²⁴Gen. R. 1:13. He created the new heavens and the new earth ahead of time. Thus it is stated (in Is. 66:22): FOR AS THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH < WHICH I MAKE REMAIN BEFORE ME >.²⁵The argument is that the definite articles imply an already existing new heavens and new earth. Cf. the comment in the nineteenth-century commentary, ‘Ets Josef, by Enoch Zondel ben Joseph, ad loc.: “They existed potentially as an idea and not actually.” David said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World, I offer you praise for the wonders which you have done in the world. It is so stated (in Ps. 104:1): BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL. O LORD, MY GOD, YOU ARE VERY GREAT. YOU HAVE PUT ON HONOR AND MAJESTY. How do the great ones of the world (i.e., the scholars) expound < this verse >? R. Eleazar and R. Joshua: You were great before you created, but you became very great after you created your world. YOU HAVE PUT ON HONOR AND MAJESTY.

“How fair is your loving, my sister, my bride; how much better is your loving than wine, and the fragrance of your oils than all spices” (Song of Songs 4:10).
“How fair is your loving, my sister, my bride” – Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Ḥelbo said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: In ten places Israel is called bride; six here and four in the prophets. Six here: “With me from Lebanon, my bride” (Song of Songs 4:8), “you have charmed me, my sister, my bride” (Song of Songs 4:9), “how fair is your loving, my sister, my bride” (Song of Songs 4:10), “your lips drip [nectar] my bride (Song of Songs 4:11), “a locked garden is my sister, my bride” (Song of Songs 4:12), “I came to my garden, my sister, my bride (Song of Songs 5:1); these are six. And four in the prophets: “The sound of gladness and the sound of joy, the sound of a groom and the sound of a bride” (Jeremiah 33:11), “like a bride who bedecks herself with her jewelry” (Isaiah 61:10), “you will tie them like a bride” (Isaiah 49:18), “like a bridegroom rejoicing over his bride” (Isaiah 62:5).
Corresponding to them, the Holy One blessed be He donned ten garments. “The Lord reigns; He is clothed in grandeur” (Psalms 93:1); this is one. “The Lord is clothed with strength” (Psalms 93:1); this is two. “Girded” (Psalms 93:1); this is three. “He donned righteousness like armor” (Isaiah 59:17); this is four. “He donned garments of vengeance” (Isaiah 59:17); this is five. “Attire” (Isaiah 59:17); this is six. “He clothed Himself with zealotry like a coat” (Isaiah 59:17); this is seven. “This that is majestic in attire” (Isaiah 63:1); this is eight. “Why is there red on Your attire” (Isaiah 63:2); this is nine. “You are clothed in splendor and glory” (Psalms 104:1); this is ten. This is in order to exact retribution from the nations of the world who prevented Israel from fulfilling the Ten Commandments, which [Israel] was holding close to them like a bride.
“And the fragrance of your oils than all spices” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Just like this oil is odorless, but, by means of scenting it you smell several fragrances, so too, you expound this verse and find several good ideas.

“On the seventh day…” (Bamidbar 7:48) This is what is written “You gates, lift your heads…” (Tehillim 24:7) You find that at the time when Shlomo built the Holy Temple he sought to bring the ark into the Holy of Holies, and at that moment the gates cleaved to one another. Shlomo said twenty-four songs of joy from the verse “But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth?” (Divre HaYamim II 6:18) to “And now, arise, O Lord God to Your resting place, You and the Ark of Your might…” (Divre HaYamim II 6:41) Twenty four verses and he was not answered. He tried again and said “You gates, lift your heads and be uplifted…” (Tehillim 24:7) and was not answered. He tried again and said “You gates, lift your heads and lift up…” (Tehillim 24:9) and was not answered. Once he said “O Lord God, do not turn back the face of Your anointed one; remember the kind deeds of David Your servant,” (Divre HaYamim II 6:42) he was answered immediately. The gates lifted up their heads, the ark entered, the Divine Presence dwelled in the House and the fire descended from heaven, as is written afterwards “And when Solomon finished praying, and the fire descended from heaven and consumed the burnt offerings and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the House.” (Divre HaYamim II 7:1) And why did Shlomo suffer all this? Because he was filled with pride and said “I have surely built You a house to dwell in…” (Melachim I 8:13)

[Another interpretation:] What is the meaning (of Ps. 24:10): THE LORD OF HOSTS, HE IS THE KING OF GLORY? That he imparts some of his glory to those who fear him as befits his glory.⁴¹Tanhuma Numb. 3:9 cont.; Numb. R.15:13; see PRK 32:9 (= Suppl. 1:9); M. Pss. 90:1. How? He is called "god" (elohim), and he called Moses "god," as stated (in Exod. 7:1): SEE I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH. He (the Holy One) causes the dead to live, and he imparted some of his glory to Elijah. Thus he (i.e., Elijah) caused the dead to live, as stated (in I Kings 17:23): AND ELIJAH SAID: SEE YOUR SON IS ALIVE. Because the Holy One imparts some of his glory to those who fear him, he put his own clothing on the Messianic King, as stated (in Ps. 21:6 [5]): HONOR AND MAJESTY YOU SHALL LAY UPON HIM. Our masters have taught:⁴²Cf. Sanh. 2:5; see also TSanh. 4:2. In the case of a king of flesh and blood, no one rides upon his horse, no one puts on his clothes, no one uses his crown, and no one sits upon his throne; but in all these <instances> the Holy One shared <his glory> with those who feared him and gave to them.⁴³Above Exod. 2:7; Numb. 2:34. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Nahum 1:3): THE LORD IS IN THE WHIRLWIND, AND THE STORM IS HIS ROAD. But he gave it (i.e., the divine whirlwind horse) to Elijah, as stated (in II Kings. 2:11): AND [ELIJAH] WENT UP IN A WHIRLWIND INTO THE HEAVENS. No one puts on his clothes. What is written (in Ps. 104:1)? {AND} YOU HAVE PUT ON HONOR AND MAJESTY. Also with reference to the Messianic King, it is written (in Ps. 21:6 [5]): HONOR AND MAJESTY YOU BESTOWED UPON HIM. No one uses his crown. What is written concerning Moses (in Exod. 34:29)? AND MOSES DID NOT KNOW THAT THE SKIN OF HIS FACE WAS SHINING. And no one sits upon his throne. Now it is written (in I Chron. 29:23): THEN SOLOMON SAT UPON THE THRONE OF THE LORD AS KING. (Sanh. 2:5:) AND NO ONE USES HIS SCEPTER. But he gave it to Moses as stated (in Exod. 4:17): YOU SHALL TAKE IN YOUR HAND THIS ROD <WITH WHICH YOU SHALL PERFORM THE SIGNS>. What is written about the Holy One (in Ps. 47:6 [5])? GOD HAS ASCENDED AMID ACCLAMATION; THE LORD WITH THE SOUND OF A TRUMPET (shofar). The Holy One said to Moses: I have made you a king. It is so stated (in Deut. 33:5): THEN HE BECAME KING IN JESHURUN. Just as when the king goes forth, they sound trumpets before him, so also will they sound trumpets before you when you go forth. (Numb. 10:2:) MAKE TWO SILVER TRUMPETS (hatsotserot).

R. Berechiah stated in the name of R. Helbo, who had said in the name of R. Samuel the son of Nahman: Most assuredly, the Holy One, blessed be He, judges the thoughts and the heart of man. Nebuchadnezzar praised Him in this verse just as David did in the Book of Psalms. Nebuchadnezzar said praise, and David said Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem (Ps. 147:12); Nebuchadnezzar said extol, and David said: I will extol thee, O Lord, for Thou hast raised me up (Ps. 30:2); Nebuchadnezzar said honor, and David declared: Thou art clothed with honor and majesty (ibid. 104:1). After he achieved greatness, however, he became arrogant, as it is said: Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for a royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty? (Dan. 4:27). Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked him: Wretch! Again you are boastful, as it is said: While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven: “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee” (ibid., v. 28). Hence, whenever the wicked are in trouble, they humble themselves, but when their difficulties cease, they revert to their corrupt practices. Pharaoh did likewise. When he saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he continued to sin (Exod. 9:34). The gentiles add to their sins, but in the case of Israel The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion, he will no more carry thee away into captivity; He will punish thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he will uncover thy sins (Lam. 4:22).

... “For, like the earth, which gives forth its plants…” (Isaiah 61:11) R’ Pinchas and R’ Chilkiya in the name of R’ Simon: like someone who says to his friend ‘may the Holy One make you grow, may you win your judgment, “And nations shall see your righteousness…” (Isaiah 62:2) R’ Levi said: since in this world anyone who explicitly pronounces the name of the Holy One is liable for death, as it says “And one who blasphemously pronounces the Name of the Lord, shall be put to death…” (Leviticus 24:16) so too in the time to come anyone who explicitly pronounces the name of Jerusalem is liable for death, as it says “…and you shall be called a new name…” (Isaiah 62:2) R’ Levi said: there are six things which the Holy One will renew in the time to come and they are: heavens and earth, the heart, the spirit, the name of the Messiah and the name of Jerusalem. From where do we learn the heavens and earth? “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth…” (Isaiah 65:17) From where do we learn the heart and the spirit? “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit will I put within you…” (Ezekiel 36:26) And from where do we learn the name of the Messiah? “May his name be forever; before the sun, his name will be magnified…” (Psalms 72:17) And from where do we learn the name of Jerusalem? “…and you shall be called a new name…” (Isaiah 62:2) R’ Levi said: happy is the city whose name is the same as that of her king and whose king’s name is the same as that of her God. Whose name is the same as her king? “…and the name of the city from that day will be ‘The Lord is There.’” (Ezekiel 48:35) Whose king’s name is the same as that of her God? “…and this is his name that he shall be called, The Lord is our righteousness.” (Jeremiah 23:6)

(Numbers 7:54:) "On the eighth day, the prince of the Children of Manasseh." R. Abbin Berabbi the Levite said, “As Joseph was offering his praise, his master saw him murmuring with his mouth.¹²²Numb. R. 14:3. He said to him, ‘What are you saying.’ Then he answered and said to him, ‘I am offering praise to the Holy One, blessed be He.’ He said to him, ‘I want to see Him.’ Joseph said to him, ‘Consider the sun, [who is merely] one of His several attendants.¹²³In an unvowelled Hebrew text “sun” (shemesh) and “attendant” (shammash) would have the same spelling, i.e., ShMSh. [Since] you cannot look at [His attendant], how much the less [can you look at] His own glory.’¹²⁴See above. Exod. 8:6; below, Numb. 3:15. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘By your life, because of you I am appearing to him.’ Thus it is stated (in Gen. 39:3), ‘When his master saw that the Lord was with him.’” R. Chaninah said, “What is the meaning of (Ps. 24:10), ‘Who is this King of glory]?’ [It is] since He shares His glory with those who fear Him.¹²⁵Above, Exod. 2:7, and the other parallels listed there. In the case of a king of flesh and blood, no one [else] uses his scepter; but the Holy One, blessed be He, gave his scepter to Moses, as stated (in Exod. 4:20), ‘and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.’ In the case of a king of flesh and blood, no one [else] sits on his throne; but it is written about Solomon (in I Chron. 29:23), ‘Then Solomon sat upon the throne of the Lord.’ In the case of a king of flesh and blood, no one [else] rides on his horse; but Elijah ride on the horse of the Holy One, blessed be He. Now which horse belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He? Storm and whirlwind. Thus it is stated (in Nahum 1:3), ‘the Lord is in the whirlwind, and the storm is His road.’ And He gave it to Elijah. So it is written (in II Kings 2:11), ‘and Elijah went up in a whirlwind into the heavens.’ In the case of a king of flesh and blood, no one [else] wears his attire; but the Holy One, blessed be He has put his attire on the messianic king. And what is the attire of the Holy One, blessed be He? Honor and majesty, as stated (in Ps. 104:1), ‘You have put on honor and majesty.’ And it is written (in Ps. 21:6), ‘honor and majesty do You bestow upon him.’” What is written about the Holy One, blessed be He (in Is. 59:18)? “According to their deeds, so shall He repay.”¹²⁶Biblical translations commonly render “RECOMPENSE” (gemulot) as “THEIR DEEDS.” What is the meaning of “[He] shall repay […] He shall repay” (twice)? That He repays the good according to their good [deeds] and the evil according to their evil [deeds]. What is written about Joseph (in Gen. 49:22)? “Joseph is a fruitful son.”¹²⁷So literally. Biblical translations usually render “son” (ben) by a word like “bough” or “vine.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Joseph, there shall be peace upon the eye which you closed and did not look at any of the Egyptian women.”¹²⁸Cf. Gen. R. 98(99):18. Thus it is stated (ibid., cont.), “daughters¹²⁹Again English versions generally read “boughs” or the like. step upon the wall (i.e., to gaze).” R. Abbin said, “What is the meaning of ‘upon the wall ('ly shwr)’?¹³⁰Numb. R. 14:6. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘It is for me ('ly) to pay a reward (skr) for that eye.’” Our masters have taught (in Zev. 14:4, 5, 6, 7, 8) that they would eat in the Temple within the curtains, but in Shiloh (which lay in Ephraimite territory) [they would eat outside the sanctuary as far away as the eye could see,¹³¹See Zev. 118b. as] the Holy One, blessed be He, rewarded Joseph for what he did. What is written [about Joseph (in Gen. 39:12)? “And he left his cloak [in her hand].” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “By your life, when the Children of Israel go out from Egypt in the future, the sea is going to see your coffin and flee.”¹³²See Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Beshallah, 4; Gen. R. 84:5; M. Pss. 114:9. It is so stated (in Ps. 114:3), “The sea saw and fled […].” What did it see? It saw that Joseph had kept all of the Ten Commandments. Simeon, the man of Kitron, says, “It saw the bones of Joseph.”¹³³Gen. R. 87:8). And in addition, Joseph's coffin (aron) proceeded before the ark (aron). And the peoples of the world saw it and said, “What is the nature of this ark which is proceeding before the ark of the Torah?” Then Israel said, “This is a coffin of a dead man that is proceeding before the ark of the Torah, since this [man] fulfilled everything that was written in this [Torah], before the Torah was given. And therefore he merited to proceed with it.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Joseph, “Joseph, although I have rewarded you with a little reward in this world, the main fund remains for you in the world to come, when Israel is redeemed with an everlasting redemption. Through the merit of Jacob and through your merit, they will be redeemed, as stated (in Ps. 77:16), “With Your mighty arm You redeemed Your people, the Children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.”

Another explanation: "The fruit of a beautiful tree (ets hadar)" - this is [referring to] the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written about Him (Psalms 104:1), "You were dressed in splendor and beauty (hadar)." "The branches of a date palm" - this is [referring to] the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written about Him (Psalms 92:13), "The righteous One flourishes like a date palm." "And a branch of a braided tree (a myrtle)" - this is [referring to] the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written (Zechariah 1:8), "and He is standing among the myrtles." "And brook willows (arvei nachal)" - this is [referring to] the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written about Him (Psalms 68:5), "praise the One that rides in the skies (aravot), with His name of the Lord."

R’ Elazar said: the whole Torah hangs on judgment. That is why the Holy One gave the laws of justice after the Ten Commandments - because people cross the line of justice, are punished and this teaches the whole world. Sodom was not overturned until it crossed the line of justice, as it says “…pride, abundance of bread, and careless ease…“ (Ezekiel 16:49) Even Jerusalem was not exiled until she crossed the line of justice, as it says “…the orphan they do not judge, and the quarrel of the widow does not come to them.” (Isaiah 1:23) And why did the Holy One give the crown to Yehudah? He is not the sole mighty one from among his brothers, are not Shimon, Levi and the others mighty as well? Rather, it was because he gave true judgment to Tamar, therefore he was made judge of the world. This is like a judge before whom an orphan’s judgment comes and he finds in her favor. So too Yehudah – Tamar’s judgment that she should be burned came before him, and he found in her merit because he found merit in her. How? Yitzchak and Yaakov were sitting there, and all his brothers were covering for him. Yehudah acknowledged Gd (HaMakom) and spoke the truth of the matter, saying “She is more in the right than I…” (Bereshit 38:26) and the Holy One made him prince. So Ben Zoma used to say and explain: if you were ashamed in this world, you will not be ashamed of the Holy One, who is a consuming fire, in the coming world. Why? Because the shame of this world is nothing other than the shame of one’s standing in the coming world, as it says “For this let every pious man pray to You…” (Tehillim 32:6)

R. Abbin [Berabbi] the Levite said: As Joseph was offering his praise, his master saw him murmuring with his mouth.¹⁴⁵Tanh., Numb. 2:30; Numb. R. 14:3. He said to him: Joseph, what are you saying. Then he answered and said to him: I am offering praise to the Holy One. He said to him: I want to see your God. Joseph said to him: Consider Helios, <who is merely> one of his several attendants.¹⁴⁶In an unvowelled Hebrew text “sun” (shemesh) and “attendant” (shammash) would have the same spelling, i.e., ShMSh. If you cannot look at <his attendant>, how much the less <can you look at> his own glory.¹⁴⁷See above. Exod. 8:6; below, Numb. 3:15. The Holy One said to him: Because of you I am appearing to him. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 39:3): WHEN HIS MASTER SAW THAT THE LORD WAS WITH HIM…. R. Abbin Berabbi the Levite said: What is the meaning of {(Ps. 24:8 or 10): WHO IS THIS <KING OF GLORY>?} [(Ps. 24:9:) AND THE KING OF GLORY SHALL COME IT]? The one who shares some of his glory with those who fear him, i.e., the Holy One.¹⁴⁸Above, Exod. 2:7, and the other parallels listed there. In the case of a king of flesh and blood, no one <else> uses his scepter, but the Holy One gave his scepter to Moses, as stated (in Exod. 4:20): AND MOSES TOOK THE ROD OF GOD IN HIS HAND. Moreover, no one <else> sits on his throne, [but the Holy One had Solomon sit on his throne], as written (in I Chron. 29:23): THEN SOLOMON SAT UPON THE THRONE OF THE LORD AS KING. No one <else> rides on his horse, [but the Holy One had Elijah ride on his horse]. Now which horse belongs to the Holy One? Storm and whirlwind. Thus it is stated (in Nahum 1:33): THE LORD IS IN THE WHIRLWIND, AND THE STORM IS HIS ROAD. So it is written (in II Kings 2:11): AND ELIJAH WENT UP IN A WHIRLWIND INTO THE HEAVENS. Ergo: The Holy One shares his glory with those who fear him. He has also given his attire to the Messianic King, as stated (in Ps. 21:6 [5]): HONOR AND MAJESTY YOU BESTOW UPON HIM; for the attire of the Holy One is HONOR AND MAJESTY, [as stated] (in Ps. 104:1): YOU HAVE PUT ON [HONOR AND MAJESTY]. What is written about the Holy One (in Jer. 51:56)? [FOR THE LORD IS A GOD] OF RECOMPENSE;¹⁴⁹Biblical translations commonly render “RECOMPENSE” (gemulot) as “THEIR DEEDS.” HE SHALL REPAY IN FULL,] for he repays the good according to their good <deeds> and the evil according to their evil <deeds>. What is written about Joseph (in Gen. 49:22)? JOSEPH IS A FRUITFUL SON.¹⁵⁰So literally. Biblical translations usually render “son” (ben) by a word like “bough” or “vine.” The Holy One said to him: Joseph, there shall be peace upon the eye which closed and did not look at any of the Egyptian women.¹⁵¹Cf. Gen. R. 98(99):18. Thus it is stated (ibid., cont.): DAUGHTERS¹⁵²Again English versions generally read “boughs” or the like. STEP UPON THE WALL (i.e., to gaze). R. Reuben said: what is the meaning of UPON THE WALL ('LY SHwr)?¹⁵³Numb. R. 14:6. The Holy One said: It is for me ('LY) to pay a reward (SKR) for that eye. Our Masters have taught (in Zev. 14:4, 5, 6, 7, 8) that they would eat in the sanctuary inside the hangings, but in Shiloh (which lay in Ephraimite territory) <they would eat outside the sanctuary> as far away as the eye could see.¹⁵⁴See Zev. 118b. Whatever Joseph did, the Holy One rewarded him. What is written (in Gen. 39:12)? AND HE LEFT HIS CLOAK {WITH HER} [IN HER HAND], FLED, AND WENT OUTSIDE]. The Holy One said ot him: [By your life,] when the children of Israel go out from Egypt, the sea is going to see your coffin and flee.¹⁵⁵See Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Beshallah, 4; Gen. R. 84:5; M. Pss. 114:9. It is so stated (in Ps. 114:3): THE SEA SAW <IT> AND FLED. What did it see? [It saw] that Joseph had kept all of the Ten Commandments. Simeon, the man of Kitron, says: It saw the bones of Joseph.¹⁵⁶Gen. R. 87:8). And in addition, when Joseph's coffin (aron) proceeded before the ark (aron), the peoples of the world saw it and said: What is the nature of this ark which is proceeding along with the ark of the Torah? Then Israel answered them and said: This confirms what is written in this <ark>. And what was in the ark? The Ten Commandments. Now Joseph fulfilled all of them before they were given from Sinai. The Holy One said to Joseph: Joseph, although I have rewarded you with a little reward in this world, the main fund remains for you in the world to come, when Israel is redeemed with an everlasting redemption. Through the merit of Jacob and through your merit, they will be redeemed, a stated (in Ps. 77:16 [15]): WITH YOUR MIGHTY ARM YOU REDEEMED YOUR PEOPLE, THE DESCENDANTS OF JACOB AND JOSEPH. SELAH.