Musar su I Cronache 29:11

All our sages agree that the Tabernacle was a microcosm of the macrocosm, that it reflected to the extent possible, structures and concepts and their development prevalent in the Celestial Regions, though those "structures" and concepts are, of course, abstract. Midrash Rabbah Terumah 33,4 commenting on Chronicles I 29,11: "Yours, O Lord are greatness, might, splendour, triumph, and majesty-- yes all that is in Heaven and earth," quotes Rabbi Berechyah; he sees this as proof that G–d transferred His residence to the Tabernacle. There is also a Midrash Tanchuma on Parshat Pekudey which quotes Psalms 26,8: "O Lord, I love Your temple abode, the dwelling-place of Your glory," as proof that the residence of G–d on earth corresponds to the one He has in the Celestial Regions. Its construction was also a repetition of the process of creation. This is derived from the text of the Bible in Genesis 1,1: "At the beginning G–d created the heaven and the earth," whereas we read in Psalms 104,2: "You spread the heavens like a tent cloth." The Tabernacle was also covered by tent cloth as per Exodus 26,1: "You shall make the Tabernacle from ten strips of tent cloth." When describing what happened on the second day of creation, the Torah speaks about a firmament which is to separate the "upper" waters from the "lower" waters (Genesis 1,6), whereas when giving the instructions for building the Tabernacle the Torah directs that the "curtain shall divide between the Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies" (Exodus 26,33). The Torah, relating the work G–d performed on the third day of creation, mentions that the waters are to be gathered into one area (Genesis 1,9), whereas during the construction of the Tabernacle the Torah commands the construction of a copper basin into which all the water is to be poured (Exodus 30,18). On the fourth day of creation the Torah reports the construction of the great luminaries (Genesis 1,14), whereas the Torah commands the construction of a lampstand as part of the furnishings of the Tabernacle (Exodus 25,31). On the fifth day of creation G–d created the birds, etc. (Genesis 1,20), whereas in the Tabernacle the Torah commands that the cherubs on the lid of the Holy Ark be equipped with wings, bird-like (Exodus 25,20). Sacrifices of birds are also prescribed to be offered up in the Tabernacle. On the sixth day of creation G–d created man in His own image to reflect the glory of his Creator (Genesis 1,27), whereas in the Tabernacle a human being, the High Priest, was to be anointed and consecrated to parallel in this microcosm the function of man in the macrocosm in this microcosm. On the seventh day of creation, the universe is described as having been completed (Genesis 2,1); we find a similar expression when the Torah describes the construction of the Tabernacle as having been completed (Exodus 39,32). When the universe was completed G–d blessed it (Genesis 1,28-2,3), whereas when the Tabernacle was completed Moses blessed it (Exodus 39,43). When the universe was completed the Torah uses the term ויכל to describe the completion (Genesis 2,2); when the Tabernacle was completed the Torah uses the same expression (Exodus 40,33 and Numbers 7,1). When the universe was completed G–d sanctified it (Genesis 2,3); when the construction of the Tabernacle was completed the Torah also relates that Moses anointed and sanctified it (Numbers 7,1).

Bamidbar Rabbah 1,9, on Numbers 1,1, שאו את ראש, says that G–d said to Israel: "I have not liked any other creature more than you, that is why I have 'raised' your head high." I have made you similar to Me. Just as My "head" is high, as stated in Chronicles I 29,11: והמתנשא לכל ראש, "so your head is high," as stated in Psalms 148,14: "He has exalted the horn of His people."

I have used this approach to explain why the Manna did not have the taste of cucumbers and melons, etc. as in Numbers 11,5. The Talmud in Yuma 75, and the Sifri on that verse explain that these fruits were harmful to nursing mothers. Since the Rabbis are on record stating that the Manna was capable of assuming any taste a person wanted, we must ask whether nursing mothers are not included in the definition of כל אדם, i.e. anybody? The real reason then is that in its primordial state the Manna was capable of assuming any taste. This potential was activated by the thoughts of the person about to consume it. Because of the fact that at least a minute amount of the other possible tastes would have been present at all times, and this could have had harmful effects on nursing mothers, G–d already had to exclude the taste of cucumbers, etc. from the primordial potential, i.e. כח היולי, of the Manna. Since we have stated that the total potential reposing in each of the seven days of Creation was used on subsequent days to further the creative activity on such day, we have 7 times 7=49 such potentials. By adding the primordial potential of all these individual potentials we get 50. When you consider the individual potentials of the various acts of Creation and combine them with more generalised potentials you will get a total of fifty. Rashi on Genesis 1,14, already tells us that on the first day of Creation, everything was created in כח, in its potential, though it was not actualised, i.e. did not become functional until the day the Torah reports about it in detail. Similarly, the last day of Creation, i.e. the Sabbath, combined all the potential creative forces within it. This is why the Sabbath is also called "week," seeing it comprises all the elements that make up the week. We therefore have five days of creative activity left, each one of which comprised 7 of the potentials (known as שערי בינה) mentioned previously. This gives you 35. By adding a small part of the three "general potentials" to each of these five intermediate days, i.e. the general potential of the first day, the Sabbath, and the primordial כח היולי, you will get a total of fifty. In this fashion we arrive at a different aspect of the relationship between the spiritual and the physical, i. e. the relationship of "five" and "ten" respectively. Five multiplied by ten makes fifty. This is a very ancient allusion to the ספירות, emanations of יסוד, the lowest of the emanations of the world of יצירה, and the emanation מלכות, the world of עשיה, respectively. The verse in which this is alluded to is Chronicles I 29,11, לך ה' הגדולה, הגבורה, והתפארת, והנצח, וההוד. "Yours O Lord are the greatness, might, splendour, triumph and majesty, yes, all this is in Heaven and on earth." Every one of these five (emanations) is made up of ten aspects, so that between them they total the fifty שערי בינה. This is supported by the end of the verse כי כל בשמים ובארץ. According to the Pardes Rimonim, this is a clear allusion to the "lowest" two ספירות. The word כל has a numerical value of fifty, and as such alludes to those fifty שערי בינה that between them account for all the potentials that exist. This is also the mystical dimension of the letter ה in the word “הששי,” in Genesis 1,31. It alludes to the seven times 7 days plus the כולל, general potential, which combined makes 50. The number 50 must be understood as five times 10, i.e. with the creation of the Sabbath, the material world, עולם הזה, had, so to speak been stamped with the seal of the spiritual world, the עולם הבא.