וּמַֽעֲשֵׂה֙ הָא֣וֹפַנִּ֔ים כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה אוֹפַ֣ן הַמֶּרְכָּבָ֑ה יְדוֹתָ֣ם וְגַבֵּיהֶ֗ם וְחִשֻּׁקֵיהֶ֛ם וְחִשֻּׁרֵיהֶ֖ם הַכֹּ֥ל מוּצָֽק׃
At ang pagkakagawa ng mga gulong ay kagaya ng pagkakagawa ng gulong ng karwahe: ang kanilang mga ehe, ang kanilang mga pusod, ang kanilang mga aro, at ang kanilang mga rayos ay pawang hinulma.
Shemot Rabbah
Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you [the first of months]” (Exodus 12:2) – that is what is written: “In his days let the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more” (Psalms 72:7). Before the Holy One blessed be He took Israel out of Egypt, He made it known to them by allusion that their royalty would endure for them for thirty generations, as it is stated: “This month shall be for you the first of months.” The month is thirty days, and your royalty will be thirty generations. On the first of Nisan, the moon begins to shine, and it gradually increases its light until the fifteenth day, and its orb becomes full. From fifteen until thirty days, its light wanes, and on the thirtieth it is not seen. So Israel, for fifteen generations from Abraham until Solomon. Abraham began to give light, as it is stated: “Who has risen from the east, righteousness attends his footsteps” (Isaiah 41:2). Isaac came, and he also gave light, as it is stated: “Light is sown for the righteous” (Psalms 97:11). Jacob came and added light, as it is stated: “The light of Israel shall be fire” (Isaiah 10:17). And then Judah, Peretz, Ḥetzron, Ram, Aminadav, Naḥshon, Salmon, Boaz. Oved, Yishai, David.
When Solomon came, the orb of the moon became full, as it is stated: “Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king” (I Chronicles 29:23). Can a person sit on the throne of the Holy One blessed be He, of whom it is stated: “His throne was fiery flames” (Daniel 7:9)? Rather, just as the Holy One blessed be He rules from one end of the world to the other end, and He rules over all the kings, as it is stated: “All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to You” (Psalms 138:4), so, Solomon ruled from one end of the world to the other end, as it is stated: “And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon…and each of them brought his gift” (II Chronicles 9:23–24). That is why it is stated: “Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king.” The garb of the Holy One blessed be He is majesty and glory, and He granted Solomon royal majesty, as it is stated: “He bestowed upon him royal majesty” (I Chronicles 29:25). Regarding the throne of the Holy One blessed be He it is written: “As for the likeness of their faces, the face of a man, and the face of a lion […and the face of an ox from the left for the four of them]” (Ezekiel 1:10), and regarding Solomon it is written: “And on the borders that were between the frames were lions, oxen” (I Kings 7:29), and another verse says: “Like the work of the chariot wheel” (I Kings 7:33). No evil touches the throne of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Evil will not reside with You” (Psalms 5:5); regarding Solomon, it is written: “There is neither adversary nor evil occurrence” (I Kings 5:18). The Holy One blessed be He made six heavens, and He sits in the seventh, and regarding the throne of Solomon it is written: “The throne had six steps” (I Kings 10:19), and he sat on the seventh step.
The orb of the moon thereby became full, and from there the kings began diminishing: “The son of Solomon, Reḥavam” (I Chronicles 3:10), the son of Reḥavam, Aviya, his son Asa, Yehoshafat, Yehoram, Ahaziah, Yoash, Amatzyahu, Uzziah, Yotam, Hezekiah, Menashe, Amon, Josiah, Yehoyakim. When Zedekiah came, as it is written: “He blinded the eyes of Zedekiah” (Jeremiah 52:11), the light of the moon was lacking. All those years, even though Israel was sinning, the patriarchs were praying for them and making peace between Israel and the Omnipresent, as it is stated: “Let the mountains bear peace to the people” (Psalms 72:3), and the mountains are nothing other than the patriarchs, as it is stated: “Hear, O heights, the Lord’s grievance” (Micah 6:2). Until when were the patriarchs praying for them? Until Zedekiah lost his eyes and the Temple was destroyed, as it is stated: “And abundance of peace, until the moon is no more,” until thirty generations that Israel had royalty. From that moment until now, who makes peace for Israel? It is the Lord, as it is stated: “May the Lord lift His countenance to you and grant you peace” (Numbers 6:26).
When Solomon came, the orb of the moon became full, as it is stated: “Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king” (I Chronicles 29:23). Can a person sit on the throne of the Holy One blessed be He, of whom it is stated: “His throne was fiery flames” (Daniel 7:9)? Rather, just as the Holy One blessed be He rules from one end of the world to the other end, and He rules over all the kings, as it is stated: “All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to You” (Psalms 138:4), so, Solomon ruled from one end of the world to the other end, as it is stated: “And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon…and each of them brought his gift” (II Chronicles 9:23–24). That is why it is stated: “Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king.” The garb of the Holy One blessed be He is majesty and glory, and He granted Solomon royal majesty, as it is stated: “He bestowed upon him royal majesty” (I Chronicles 29:25). Regarding the throne of the Holy One blessed be He it is written: “As for the likeness of their faces, the face of a man, and the face of a lion […and the face of an ox from the left for the four of them]” (Ezekiel 1:10), and regarding Solomon it is written: “And on the borders that were between the frames were lions, oxen” (I Kings 7:29), and another verse says: “Like the work of the chariot wheel” (I Kings 7:33). No evil touches the throne of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Evil will not reside with You” (Psalms 5:5); regarding Solomon, it is written: “There is neither adversary nor evil occurrence” (I Kings 5:18). The Holy One blessed be He made six heavens, and He sits in the seventh, and regarding the throne of Solomon it is written: “The throne had six steps” (I Kings 10:19), and he sat on the seventh step.
The orb of the moon thereby became full, and from there the kings began diminishing: “The son of Solomon, Reḥavam” (I Chronicles 3:10), the son of Reḥavam, Aviya, his son Asa, Yehoshafat, Yehoram, Ahaziah, Yoash, Amatzyahu, Uzziah, Yotam, Hezekiah, Menashe, Amon, Josiah, Yehoyakim. When Zedekiah came, as it is written: “He blinded the eyes of Zedekiah” (Jeremiah 52:11), the light of the moon was lacking. All those years, even though Israel was sinning, the patriarchs were praying for them and making peace between Israel and the Omnipresent, as it is stated: “Let the mountains bear peace to the people” (Psalms 72:3), and the mountains are nothing other than the patriarchs, as it is stated: “Hear, O heights, the Lord’s grievance” (Micah 6:2). Until when were the patriarchs praying for them? Until Zedekiah lost his eyes and the Temple was destroyed, as it is stated: “And abundance of peace, until the moon is no more,” until thirty generations that Israel had royalty. From that moment until now, who makes peace for Israel? It is the Lord, as it is stated: “May the Lord lift His countenance to you and grant you peace” (Numbers 6:26).
Shemot Rabbah
Another matter: “They shall take Me a gift” – Rabbi Berekhya began: “Yours, Lord, is the greatness, and the might…for everything that is in the heavens and on the earth” (I Chronicles 29:11). You find that everything the Holy One blessed be He created above, He created below. Above, an abode and thick cloud, as it is stated: “See from the abode of Your holiness” (Isaiah 63:15). Thick cloud, [as it is stated]: “Moses approached the thick cloud [where God was]” (Exodus 20:18), and it is written: “Can He judge through the thick cloud?” (Job 22:13). Below, “then Solomon said: The Lord said that He would dwell in the thick cloud” (I Kings 8:12), and it is written: “I have built a house as an abode for You” (I Kings 8:13).
Above, “seraphim were standing above Him” (Isaiah 6:2); below, “standing acacia wood” (Exodus 26:15). Above, cherubs, as it is stated: “who abides upon the cherubs” (Isaiah 37:16); below, “the cherubs shall be” (Exodus 25:20). Above, “the wheels were borne parallel to them” (Ezekiel 1:20); below, “The workmanship of the wheels was like the workmanship of the chariot’s wheel” (I Kings 7:33), and likewise, “and behold, there was one wheel on the ground” (Ezekiel 1:15). Above, “the Lord is in His Holy Sanctuary” (Psalms 11:4); below, “the Sanctuary of the Lord” (I Samuel 1:9). Above, “The kings of hosts flee again and again” (Psalms 68:13); below, “the hosts of the Lord departed” (Exodus 12:41). Above, “let there be a firmament in the midst of the water, [and let it divide between water and water]” (Genesis 1:6); below, “the curtain shall divide for you [between the Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies]” (Exodus 26:33). Above, “the throne of the Lord” (I Chronicles 29:23); below, “Throne of glory, exalted from the first, is the place of our Temple” (Jeremiah 17:12). Above, “Is there a number to His companies” (Job 25:3); below, “two men, captains of his companies” (II Samuel 4:2). Above, “And count the stars” (Genesis 15:5); below, “and, behold, you are today as the stars of the heavens in abundance” (Deuteronomy 1:10).
Above, “Behold the man garbed in linen” (Ezekiel 9:11); below, “He shall don a sacred linen tunic” (Leviticus 16:4). Above, “The angel [malakh] of the Lord encamps” (Psalms 34:8); below, “as he is a messenger [malakh] of the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 2:7). Above, “he took it from upon the altar with tongs” (Isaiah 6:6); below, “You shall make for Me an altar of earth” (Exodus 20:21). Above, “and stretches them like a tent for dwelling” (Isaiah 40:22); below, “how goodly are your tents, Jacob” (Numbers 24:5). Above, “He spreads out the heavens like a sheet” (Psalms 104:2); below, “ten sheets” (Exodus 26:1). Above, “light rests with Him” (Daniel 2:22); below, “pure olive oil pressed for illumination” (Exodus 27:20). Moreover, everything that is below is more beloved that what is above. Know that He forsook what was above and descended to what was below, as it is stated: “They shall craft a Sanctuary for Me, and I will dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). That is, “for everything that is in the heavens and on the earth” (I Chronicles 29:11), and it says: “Mine is the silver, and Mine the gold, the utterance of the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2:8).
Above, “seraphim were standing above Him” (Isaiah 6:2); below, “standing acacia wood” (Exodus 26:15). Above, cherubs, as it is stated: “who abides upon the cherubs” (Isaiah 37:16); below, “the cherubs shall be” (Exodus 25:20). Above, “the wheels were borne parallel to them” (Ezekiel 1:20); below, “The workmanship of the wheels was like the workmanship of the chariot’s wheel” (I Kings 7:33), and likewise, “and behold, there was one wheel on the ground” (Ezekiel 1:15). Above, “the Lord is in His Holy Sanctuary” (Psalms 11:4); below, “the Sanctuary of the Lord” (I Samuel 1:9). Above, “The kings of hosts flee again and again” (Psalms 68:13); below, “the hosts of the Lord departed” (Exodus 12:41). Above, “let there be a firmament in the midst of the water, [and let it divide between water and water]” (Genesis 1:6); below, “the curtain shall divide for you [between the Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies]” (Exodus 26:33). Above, “the throne of the Lord” (I Chronicles 29:23); below, “Throne of glory, exalted from the first, is the place of our Temple” (Jeremiah 17:12). Above, “Is there a number to His companies” (Job 25:3); below, “two men, captains of his companies” (II Samuel 4:2). Above, “And count the stars” (Genesis 15:5); below, “and, behold, you are today as the stars of the heavens in abundance” (Deuteronomy 1:10).
Above, “Behold the man garbed in linen” (Ezekiel 9:11); below, “He shall don a sacred linen tunic” (Leviticus 16:4). Above, “The angel [malakh] of the Lord encamps” (Psalms 34:8); below, “as he is a messenger [malakh] of the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 2:7). Above, “he took it from upon the altar with tongs” (Isaiah 6:6); below, “You shall make for Me an altar of earth” (Exodus 20:21). Above, “and stretches them like a tent for dwelling” (Isaiah 40:22); below, “how goodly are your tents, Jacob” (Numbers 24:5). Above, “He spreads out the heavens like a sheet” (Psalms 104:2); below, “ten sheets” (Exodus 26:1). Above, “light rests with Him” (Daniel 2:22); below, “pure olive oil pressed for illumination” (Exodus 27:20). Moreover, everything that is below is more beloved that what is above. Know that He forsook what was above and descended to what was below, as it is stated: “They shall craft a Sanctuary for Me, and I will dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). That is, “for everything that is in the heavens and on the earth” (I Chronicles 29:11), and it says: “Mine is the silver, and Mine the gold, the utterance of the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2:8).