Midrash sobre Salmos 93:2

"In the beginning of God's creating..." - Six things preceded the creation of the world; some of them were created and some of them were decided to be created. The Torah and the Throne of Glory were created. How do we know the Torah was? As it says (Proverbs 8:22): "God made me at the beginning of his way." How do we know the Throne of Glory was? As it says (Psalms 93:2): "Your throne is established as of old etc." The Patriarchs, Israel, the Temple, and the name of the Messiah were decided to be created. How do we know the Patriarchs were? As it says (Hosea 9:10): "Like grapes in the wilderness etc." How do we know Israel was? As it says (Psalms 74:2): "Remember your congregation, whom you purchased from old." How do we know the Temple was? As it says (Jeremiah 17:12): "Your throne of glory, on high from the beginning etc." How do we know the name of the Messiah was? As it says (Psalms 72:17): "May his name exist forever etc. [his name shall be Yinnon as long as the sun]." Rabbi Ahavah said in the name of Rabbi Ze'ira: Even repentance was, as it says (Psalms 90:2): "Before the mountains were birthed," and at the same time (Psalms 90:3), "You turned man to contrition etc." However, I do not know which was first--if the Torah preceded the Throne of Glory or the Throne of Glory preceded the Torah. Rabbi Abba Bar Cahana said: The Torah preceded the Throne of Glory, as it says (Proverbs 8:22): "God made me at the beginning of his way, the first of his works of old." This is before that of which it is written (Psalms 93:2): "Your throne is established as of old." Rabbi Hunna and Rabbi Yirmiyah in the name of Rabbi Shmuel the son of Rabbi Yitzchak said: The thought of Israel was before everything. This is like a king who was married to a woman and did not have a son. One time the king was in the market and said: "Take this ink and pen for my son." They said: "He does not have a son." He replied: "Take them; the king must expect a son, because otherwise he would not command that the ink and pen be taken." Similarly, if there was no expectation of Israel receiving it after 26 generations, God would not have written in the Torah: "Command the children of Israel" or "Speak to the children of Israel." Rabbi Bannai said: The world and its contents were only created in the merit of the Torah, as it says (Proverbs 3:19): "God founded the world with wisdom etc." Rabbi Berachiyah said: In the merit of Moses, as it says (Deuteronomy 33:21): "He saw a first part for himself." Rabbi Hunna said in the name of Rabbi Matanah: The world was created in the merit of three things--challah, tithes, and first fruits. The verse "In the beginning God created" refers to challah, as it says (Numbers 15:20): "The beginning of your doughs." It also refers to tithes, as it says (Deuteronomy 18:4): "The beginning of your grains." It also refers to first fruits, as it says (Exodus 23:19): "The beginning of the fruits of the land."

Whence do we know that this applies to the Torah? Because it is said, "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old" (Prov. 8:22). "Of old" means before the world was created. Whence do we know this with regard to the Garden of Eden? Because it is said, "And the Lord God planted a garden of old" (Gen. 2:8). "Of old," whilst as yet the world had not been created. Whence do we know this with reference to the Throne of Glory? Because it is said, "Thy throne is established of old" (Ps. 93:2). "Of old," whilst as yet the world had not been created. Whence do we know that Repentance (was premundane)? Because it is said, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world" (Ps. 90:2); and then in close proximity (we read), "Thou turnest man to contrition" (Ps. 90:3). "Before," i.e. before || the world was created. Whence do we know this with regard to the Temple? Because it is said, "A glorious throne, set on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary" (Jer. 17:12). "From the beginning," whilst as yet the world had not been created. Whence we do know that the name of the Messiah (was premundane)? Because it is said, "His name shall endure for ever; before the sun Yinnôn was his name" (Ps. 72:17). "Yinnôn," before the world had been created. Another verse says, "But thou, Bethlehem Ephrathah, which art to be least among the thousands of Judah, from thee shall he come forth unto me who is to be ruler over Israel; whose ancestry belongs to the past, even to the days of old" (Mic. 5:2). "The past," whilst as yet the world had not been created.

The Holy One of Blessing is High and Exalted, His throne is [also] High and Exalted. And from where do we know that the Holy One of Blessing is called "High and Exalted"? From (Isa. 57:15) "This is what [Ad-nai] High and exalted said". And from whre do we know that even His throne is High and Exalted? From (Isa. 6:1) "And I saw my Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne" etc. The Holy One of Blessing is called Justice as it says "I, Ad-nai, am the Speaker of Justice" (Isa. 45:19) - and from where do we know that even His throne is called Justice? From "Justice and Judgment are the foundation of Your throne" (Ps. 89:15)The Holy One of Blessing is called Judgment as it says "because a God of Judgment is Ad-nai" (Isa. 30:18) and even His throne is called Judgment, as it says "from there were sat thrones of Judgement (Ps. 122:5).The Holy One of Blessing is called Truth as it says "Ad-nai is a God of Truth" (Jer. 10:10) and even His throne is called Truth, as it says "And he readied in Lovingkindness a throne, and sits there in Truth (Isa. 16:5). The Holy One of Blessing is called Glory as it says "May the King of Glory enter" (Ps. 24:7) and even His throne is called Glory, as it says "A throne of Glory, high from the beginning" (Jer. 17:12). May the King of Glory come and sit on the Throne of Glory, in the Temple of Glory as it is said "and in His Temple everything says 'Glory!'" (Ps.29:9) The Holy One of Blessing is called Holy as it says "Holy, holy Holy is Ad-nai Tzevaot, the whole earth is filled with His Glory" (Isa. 6:3) and even His throne is called Holy, as it says "God sat on His throne of Holiness (Ps. 47:9). May the King of Holiness come and sit on the Throne of Holiness, in the great secret of holy ones, as it is said: “A God dreaded in the great secret of the holy ones” (Ps. 89:8). - How many thrones the Holy One of Blessing has!He has an Established throne, as it says "Your throne has been established ever since time" (Ps. 93:2). He has a throne of Justice and Judgment, as it says "Justice and Judgement are the foundation of Your throne" (Ps. 89:15). He has a throne of Lovingkindness, as it says "He readied in Lovingkindness a throne" (Isa. 16:5). He has a Throne of Yah, as it says "because there is a hand against the throne of Yah" (Ex. 17:16). He has a throne of Glory, as it says "a throne of Glory high from the beginning " (Jer. 17:12). He has a throne of Truth, as it says "He readied in Lovingkindness a throne and sits there in Truth" (Isa. 16:5). He has a Holy throne, as it says "God sat on his throne of Holiness"(Ps. 47:9). He has an eternal throne, as it says "Your throne, oh God is forever and ever"(Ps. 45:7). He has a throne of Mercy, as it says "To our Lord belongs Mercy and Forgivenesses" (Daniel 9:9). He has a throne of Sovereignty, as it says "and Sovereignty shall be Ad-nai's"(Obadiah 1:21). He has a High and Exalted throne, as it says "And I saw my Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne" (Isa. 6:1). May the High and Exalted King sit on the High and Exalted throne, blessed, and exalted, and higher than any blessing and praise.