Midrash sobre Êxodo 37:2

R. Hanina of Sepphoris said that Bezalel made three chests for the ark, two of gold and one of wood. He inserted the wooden chest into one golden one, and then the other golden one into the wooden one. After that he covered the edges with gold in order to fulfill what is written: And he overlaid it with gold within and without (Exod. 37:2), and it is written elsewhere; And shalt make upon it a crown of gold roundabout (ibid. 25:11). From here we learn that a scholar’s “inside” should be as his exterior (i.e., he should not be a hypocrite), since it is said: Thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it (ibid.).

What is meant by Thou shalt overlay it with gold, within and without? He said to him: Even though the wooden casket is to be inserted between them, handle it with the utmost care. Why? Because the Torah, the tablets, and even the broken tablets will be placed within it. Hence treat it with honor, since it is said: Thou shalt put them in the ark (Deut. 10:2); that is, both the (second) tablets and the broken tablets shall be placed inside it. And thou shalt put them in the ark. That is to say, even if you should see students of the Torah who are poor and unfortunate, treat them with respect, for the law is stored within them. And make a crown of gold (Exod. 37:2). Why? Because the Torah rests therein. There are three crowns, the crown of the Torah, the crown of priesthood, (and) the crown of kingship, but there is an additional crown, the crown of a good name, that excels them all. How do we know abut the crown of the Torah? It is said: That wisdom preserveth the life of him who has it (Exod. 7:12) both in this world and the world-to-come. Hence it is written: And made a crown of gold.

Why was the acacia-wood placed in between? Because the Torah is called the tree of life, as it is said: She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her (Prov. 3:18). He overlaid it with pure gold (Exod. 37:2). Because the words of the Torah are more precious than gold, yea, than fine gold, as is said: More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold (Ps. 19:11). And thou shalt make staves of acacia-wood wherewith to bear the ark (Exod. 25:15). They bore the ark with them, and it bore away the sins of Israel, for the Torah within it carries away the sins of Israel.¹²The Hebrew word nasa’ means both “to bear” “to forgive.”

Rabbi Yuda ben Rabbi Ilai interpreted the verse regarding the Ark. “Palanquin” (Song of Songs 3:9), this is the Ark. What is a palanquin? It is a litter.⁹⁴Just as a covered litter provides an honorable covering for its occupant, the Ark provided a beautiful covering for the tablets. This is analogous to a king who had an only daughter, who was fair, pious, and praiseworthy. The king said to his servants: ‘My daughter is fair, pious, and praiseworthy and you do not craft a litter for her? Craft a litter for her, for it is preferable that my daughter’s beauty be seen from within the litter.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘My Torah is fair, pious, and praiseworthy, and you do not craft an ark for it? It is preferable that the beauty of My Torah will be seen from within the Ark.’
“King Solomon [Shlomo] made himself” (Song of Songs 3:9), the King [of Whom it may be said] that peace is His; “from the timber of Lebanon” (Song of Songs 3:9), just as it says: “Betzalel made the Ark of acacia wood” (Exodus 37:1). “He made its pillars of silver” (Song of Songs 3:10), these are the two pillars that were inside it, that were of silver. “Its cushion of gold” (Song of Songs 3:10), as it is stated: “He plated it with pure gold” (Exodus 37:2). “Its seat of purple wool” (Song of Songs 3:10), Rabbi Tanḥuma said: This is the curtain that is adjacent to it. Rabbi Beivai said: This is the Ark cover, whose gold is similar to purple. “Its interior is plated with love from the daughters of Jerusalem” (Song of Songs 3:10), Rabbi Yudan said: This is the merit of the Torah and those who study it. Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Yuda in the name of Rabbi Simon: This is the Divine Presence.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: “I will commune with you there…” (Exodus 25:22), to teach you that even what was behind the Ark cover was not empty of the Divine Presence. One idolater asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa, he said to him: ‘Why did the Holy One blessed be He speak from within the bush and not from another tree?’ He said to him: ‘Had He spoken from within a carob or within a sycamore, you would have asked me and I would have answered you. Now, to dismiss you with nothing is impossible.⁹⁵Even if God had chosen to speak from within a larger, more impressive tree, you would have asked me why He picked specifically that tree, and therefore I do not really need to answer you. Nonetheless, now that you have asked, I do not want to dismiss you without any response. It is to teach you that there is no place on earth that is empty of the Divine Presence, as even from within the bush He was speaking to Him.’