Шмот 40:34 Комментарий: Ramban, Kli Yakar & Rabbeinu Bahya

AND THE CLOUD COVERED THE TENT OF MEETING etc. Scripture is stating that the cloud covered the Tabernacle from all sides, with the result that the building was covered and hidden in it.

And the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. It appears from this that the glory of the Lord is not the cloud itself, but rather it is that the fire and light — that is, the glory of the Lord — was seen from within the cloud. For without the cloud, it would have been impossible to gaze upon it, because if a person cannot look directly at the light of the sun, how much more so could they not look at the radiant light of His blessed Divine Presence. Therefore, that holy light was always seen through the cloud. When the Tabernacle was erected, they became separated from each other, as the divine light entered into the Tabernacle, for there was the place of His blessed holiness, while the cloud remained outside. This is what it says at the end of Parashat Mishpatim (24:16): And the glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. This means that the cloud covered the glory of the Lord so that they would be able to see that glory, as it says there: And the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of all Israel, because in this manner they were able to see the glory.
Therefore it says here: And Moses was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud rested upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. For if the glory of the Lord had been mixed with the cloud, he would have been able to enter there, as it says at the end of Parashat Mishpatim: And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud. This is because at that time, the glory of the Lord was covered by the cloud, making it possible for Moses to enter into the cloud. But now that they were separated from each other — with the cloud outside and the glory of the Lord inside the Tent of Meeting without a cloud — it was impossible for Moses to enter the Tent of Meeting. This implies, however, that Moses could approach right up to the Tent of Meeting, very close to it, even though the cloud rested upon it. Based on our explanation, many questions regarding this matter that commentators have raised can be resolved.

ויכס הענן את אהל מועד, “the cloud enveloped the Tent of Meeting.” At the revelation at Mount Sinai the Torah also reported that the mountain was enveloped in a cloud. Concerning the Tabernacle, the Torah writes that the attribute of Hashem called כבוד filled the Tabernacle, i.e. that this attribute was within the cloud which in turn was within the Tabernacle. When reporting on what happened at Mount Sinai, the Torah had written (Exodus 20,21) that Moses approached the dark cloud within which G’d (Elohim) was present. In our verse (35) the Torah explains Moses’ inability to enter the Tabernacle because the cloud rested upon it and the attribute of כבוד filled the Tabernacle. This means that unless G’d called to Moses inviting him to enter he could not do so. As soon as he would be called the fact that the cloud enveloped the Tabernacle was no impediment preventing Moses from entering. This is the meaning of the verse in Leviticus 1,1 where G’d called to Moses, and Exodus 24,18 where Moses entered the cloud because he had been called (24,12). The call: “Moses, Moses,” did not mean that Moses was to share the “space” with G’d’s attribute of כבוד; rather it was an indication to him that this attribute had departed from the Tabernacle or the mountain (as the case might be) so that Moses could now enter. The only part of G’d’s Shechinah which remained when Moses was called was the part which filled the space between the expanded wings of the cherubs on top of the Ark. Although the experience at Mount Sinai and the experience at the completion of the erection of the Tabernacle were almost nine months apart in time, you could view what happened here as “history repeating itself.” [This had become necessary due to the sin of the golden calf after which the Presence of G’d had left the vicinity of the encampment of the Israelites. Ed.]