Êxodo 26:30 Midrash: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Esther Rabbah & Pesikta Rabbati

We are taught that R. Jose b. R. Juda says: "A fire in the shape of an ark, in the shape of a table and in the shape of a candle-stick, came down from heaven, which Moses saw and make like those shapes, for the passage says (Ex. 25, 40) And see that thou make them after their pattern, which is being shown thee in the mount." According to this then the verse (Ib. 26, 30) And thou shalt rear up the Tabernacle according to its rules thereof which hath been shown thee in the mount, does it also mean [that a fire in the shape of the Tabernacle was shown to Moses]? Here the passage says, according to its rules, but there [concerning the ark, the table, and the candle-stick] it is written according to their pattern. R. Chiya b. Abba said in the name of R. Jochanan that Gabriel attired himself with an apron and showed Moses how to make the candle-stick, as it is written (Num. 8, 4) And this was the work of the candle-stick. In the academy of R. Ishmael it was taught that three things were difficult for Moses to comprehend, until the Holy One, praised be He! showed them to him. The three things are: The candle-stick, the new moon and the [distinction between the clean and unclean] reptiles. Concerning the candle-stick we infer from the above-mentioned passage, And this was the work of the candle-stick; the new moon, as it is written (Ex. 12, 2) This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; reptiles, as it is written (Lev. 11, 29) And these shall be unclean unto you. According to some authorities also the laws concerning slaughtering were difficult for Moses to understand, as it is written (Ex. 29, 38) And this is what thou shall offer upon the altar.

“Who viewed the face of the king” – there were two families [who had permission] to appear before Rabbi Yehuda haNasi; that of Rabbi Hoshaya, and that of the household of Rabbi Yehuda ben Pazzi. After the family of Rabbi Yehuda ben Pazzi married into the family of Rabbi Yehuda haNasi, they sought to enter first, but Rabbi Ammi would not allow them to do so. He said to them, it is written: “You shall establish the Tabernacle in accordance with its law [kemishpato] that you were shown on the mountain” (Exodus 26:30).⁷Kemishpato in this verse is usually understood to mean in the appropriate manner. Is there law for wood? Rather, a beam that was privileged to be placed in the north shall be placed in the north, and a beam that was privileged to be placed in the south shall be placed in the south.⁸Likewise, the arrangements of precedence for appearing before Rabbi Yehuda haNasi are fixed.
When they wanted to appoint new judges, from where did they do so? Rabbi Simon said to them: From the south, as it is stated: “The Lord said: Judah will go up”⁹Judah is in the south of the Land of Israel. Judges should be appointed from the lands to the south. (Judges 1:2). Rabbi Mani said: That is in war; however, regarding appointments: “Who viewed the face of the king, who were seated first in the kingdom” ¹⁰The judges should be chosen from those who live in proximity to the Nasi and the Sanhedrin. (Esther 1:14).

... In the hour that Shlomo built the Holy Temple, the whole world was filled with the fragrance of spices. In the end he saw that it would be destroyed and he wept, saying ‘this fragrance was all for naught!’ The Holy One said to him ‘do not be distressed, I will build it as an eternal construction “…between my breasts he shall lie.” (Shir HaShirim 1:13)’ Thus it says “His jaws are like a bed of spice…” (Shir HaShirim 5:13)