וַיִּלֹּ֜נוּ כָּל־עֲדַ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִֽמָּחֳרָ֔ת עַל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ר אַתֶּ֥ם הֲמִתֶּ֖ם אֶת־עַ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃
모세가 이스라엘 자손에게 고하매 그 족장들이 각기 종족대로 지팡이 하나씩 그에게 주었으니 그 지팡이 합이 열둘이라 그 중에 아론의 지팡이가 있었더라
Pesikta Rabbati
… it is written there “Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You…” (Melachim I 8:27) and here it is written “…the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.” (Shemot 40:35) R’ Yehoshua of Sachnin said in the name of R’ Levi ‘to what is this likened? To an open cave at the edge of the sea. When the sea storms the cave is filled, but the sea is not reduced. So too, even though it is written that ‘the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle’ the upper and lower worlds did not lose anything of the brilliance of the glory of the Holy One, just as it is written “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth? says the Lord.” (Yirmiyahu 23:24) Therefore it is written here ‘And it was’. Just as the Divine Presence was here below at the beginning of the creation of the world but withdrew to above, now it returned to be below as it had been “And it was that on the day that Moses finished…” (Bamidbar 7:1) ... [Another explanation. “And it was that on the day that Moses finished erecting the Mishkan…” (Numbers 7:1)] R’ Simon said: at the time when the Holy One told Israel to erect the Tabernacle, He hinted that when the Tabernacle below is erected, the Tabernacle above is erected, as it says “And it was that on the day that Moses finished…” (ibid.) It does not say ‘erecting the Tabernacle’ but rather ‘erecting this (et) the Tabernacle.’ This refers to the Tabernacle above. The Holy One said: in this world, when the Tabernacle was erected, I commanded Aharon and his sons that they bless you. In the time to come I, in my glory, will bless you. So it is written “May the Lord bless you from Zion, He Who made heaven and earth.” (Psalms 134:3)
Bamidbar Rabbah
“Vayhi” – there was woe [vai haya]. Who said woe? Rabbi Avin said: As it were, the Holy One blessed be He said woe. To what is the matter comparable? It is to a king who had a cantankerous noblewoman wife. The king said to her: Fashion for me a royal purple garment. All her days that she was engaged in that garment, she did not complain. Days later, she completed the garment and gave it to the launderer. He prepared it and she brought it to the king. When the king saw her, he began shouting woe. Let her not return to her cantankerous nature. So, you find that Israel were complaining all the time, just as it is written: “The people complained against Moses” (Exodus 15:24), and likewise: “the entire congregation of the children of Israel complained [against Moses and against Aaron]” (Exodus 16:2), and likewise: “You have killed the people of the Lord” (Numbers 17:6). The Holy One blessed be He demanded that they craft a Sanctuary for Him, as it is written: “They shall craft a sanctuary for Me…” (Exodus 25:8). You find that all the days that they were engaged in the labor of the Tabernacle, they were not complaining. When they completed the labor of the Tabernacle, the Holy One blessed be He was shouting woe, let them not return to complaining like they used to complain.
“Vayhi” – the firstborn said woe because the priesthood had been taken from them, as until the Tabernacle was erected, the independent altars were permitted and the service was performed by the firstborn, as it is stated: “He sent the young men of the children of Israel, and they offered up burnt offerings…” (Exodus 24:5), and likewise it is written: “You shall ascend, and Aaron with you, but the priests and the people [shall not advance to ascend]” (Exodus 19:24). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa and Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi]: One of them says: “The priests” – these are the firstborn; and the other said: These are Nadav and Avihu.
Likewise, it is written: “The Lord broke the staff of the wicked, the rod [of rulers]” (Isaiah 14:5). Rabbi Abba bar Mamal said: These are the firstborn; because they sacrificed to the calf, they lost the priesthood. Likewise, you find that all the priests who performed service for idol worship in the first Temple, the Holy One blessed be He disqualified them in the second Temple, as it is stated: “But the priests, the Levites, sons of Tzadok, [who kept the commission of My Sanctuary when the children of Israel strayed from Me, they shall approach Me to serve Me]” (Ezekiel 44:15). That is why the firstborn shouted woe when the Tabernacle was erected.
“Vayhi” – who said woe? The ministering angels said woe. They said: Now the Holy One blessed be He will forsake us and descend and reside on earth. Nevertheless, the Holy One blessed be He appeased them and said to them: As you live, the essence is on high, as it is written: “His glory covered the heavens” (Habakkuk 3:3), and then “His praise filled the earth” (Habakkuk 3:3). Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: The Holy One blessed be He misled them when He said to them that the essence is on high. From where is that derived? It is as it is written: “His glory is on earth and the heavens” (Psalms 148:13) – first earth and then the heavens. That is why they said woe.
“Vayhi” – who said woe? The nations of the world said woe. Why woe? It is, rather, that this is what they said: Before the Holy One blessed be He was resting in their midst, He would stand over them and fight their wars; now that they crafted a Tabernacle for Him and He resides in their midst, all the more so. That is why they said woe.
“Vayhi” – the firstborn said woe because the priesthood had been taken from them, as until the Tabernacle was erected, the independent altars were permitted and the service was performed by the firstborn, as it is stated: “He sent the young men of the children of Israel, and they offered up burnt offerings…” (Exodus 24:5), and likewise it is written: “You shall ascend, and Aaron with you, but the priests and the people [shall not advance to ascend]” (Exodus 19:24). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa and Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi]: One of them says: “The priests” – these are the firstborn; and the other said: These are Nadav and Avihu.
Likewise, it is written: “The Lord broke the staff of the wicked, the rod [of rulers]” (Isaiah 14:5). Rabbi Abba bar Mamal said: These are the firstborn; because they sacrificed to the calf, they lost the priesthood. Likewise, you find that all the priests who performed service for idol worship in the first Temple, the Holy One blessed be He disqualified them in the second Temple, as it is stated: “But the priests, the Levites, sons of Tzadok, [who kept the commission of My Sanctuary when the children of Israel strayed from Me, they shall approach Me to serve Me]” (Ezekiel 44:15). That is why the firstborn shouted woe when the Tabernacle was erected.
“Vayhi” – who said woe? The ministering angels said woe. They said: Now the Holy One blessed be He will forsake us and descend and reside on earth. Nevertheless, the Holy One blessed be He appeased them and said to them: As you live, the essence is on high, as it is written: “His glory covered the heavens” (Habakkuk 3:3), and then “His praise filled the earth” (Habakkuk 3:3). Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: The Holy One blessed be He misled them when He said to them that the essence is on high. From where is that derived? It is as it is written: “His glory is on earth and the heavens” (Psalms 148:13) – first earth and then the heavens. That is why they said woe.
“Vayhi” – who said woe? The nations of the world said woe. Why woe? It is, rather, that this is what they said: Before the Holy One blessed be He was resting in their midst, He would stand over them and fight their wars; now that they crafted a Tabernacle for Him and He resides in their midst, all the more so. That is why they said woe.