נְאֻ֕ם שֹׁמֵ֖עַ אִמְרֵי־אֵ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר מַחֲזֵ֤ה שַׁדַּי֙ יֶֽחֱזֶ֔ה נֹפֵ֖ל וּגְל֥וּי עֵינָֽיִם׃
pahayag ng nakaririnig ng mga salita ng Diyos, na nakakikita ng pangitain ng Makapangyarihan sa Lahat, nakahandusay ngunit bukas ang mga mata:
Midrash Mishlei
[1] (Proverbs 1:1): "The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel" - Rabbi Tanhum ben Hanilai began and said: (Job 28:12): "But wisdom - where can it be found? And where is the place of understanding?" - This refers to Solomon, who fasted for forty days, so that God would grant him a spirit of wisdom and understanding, and he wandered around and sought after it. God said to him (1 Kings 3:5): "Ask, what shall I give you?" He replied, 'Master of the Universe, I ask of You neither silver nor gold, but wisdom alone,' as it is written (1 Kings 3:9): "Give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people." God answered him and said, 'Since you asked for neither silver nor gold, wisdom and knowledge are given to you as a gift.' Moreover, wisdom preceded the Torah, as it is written (Psalms 111:10): "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." There we learned (Mishnah Avot 3:17): "Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah says: If there is no Torah, there is no proper conduct." And since his wisdom preceded, the scripture said about him (1 Kings 3:3): "And Solomon loved the Lord"; it teaches that Solomon's wisdom was a gift. "And where is the place of understanding?" - Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: Wisdom and understanding are one, where there is wisdom there is understanding, and where there is understanding there is wisdom. And since he fasted for forty days and sought wisdom, God did not withhold his reward, as it is written (1 Kings 5:26): "And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon," and it is written: (1 Kings 5:11): "And he was wiser than all men" - this refers to Adam the first, as it is written about Solomon (Proverbs 30:2): "For I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man"; "than Ethan from the East" - this is Abraham, as it is written (Isaiah 41:2): "Who raised up one from the east, He calls him to His foot"; "Heman" - this is Moses, as it is said (Numbers 12:7): "Not so, My servant Moses, in all My house he is faithful"; "Calcol" - this is Joseph, as it is written (Genesis 47:12): "And Joseph sustained his father, and his brothers"; "Darda" - this refers to the generation of the desert, who were of exceptional knowledge; "the sons of Mahol" - this is David, whom God forgave for that sin. "And his name was among all the nations around" - this refers to Solomon, whose name went from one end of the world to the other. ANOTHER interpretation: "And wisdom, from where can it be found?" - this refers to the Queen of Sheba, who heard of his wisdom, said 'I will go and see if he is wise or not', and from where do we know that she heard his wisdom? It is written (1 Kings 10:1): "And the Queen of Sheba heard the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, and she came to prove him with hard questions." What are "hard questions"? Rabbi Jeremiah Bar Shalom said: she asked him 'Are you Solomon, about whom I heard, and about your kingdom, and about your wisdom?' He replied 'Yes.' She said to him 'You are a great sage, but if I ask you one thing, will you answer me?' He replied (Proverbs 2:6): "For the LORD giveth wisdom; out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding." She asked him a riddle 'What are the seven that go out, the nine that enter, the two that pour, and the one who drinks?' He answered her 'Certainly, the seven days of menstruation go out, the nine months of pregnancy enter, two breasts pour, and the baby drinks.' She said to him 'You are a great sage, but if I ask you another thing will you answer me?' He replied 'For the LORD giveth wisdom', She asked him 'What is it, a woman said to her son: your father - my father, your elder - my husband, you - my son, and I - your sister?' He answered her 'Certainly, these are Lot's two daughters.' And another example she did: she brought before him children of one height and one garment, and said to him 'Distinguish for me from these males and females.' He hinted to his eunuch, and brought him nuts and shells, and began to scatter them before them; males, who were not ashamed, took them in their garments, and females, who were ashamed, took them in their handkerchiefs. He said to her 'These are males and these are females.' She said to him 'Son, you are a great sage!'. And another example she did: she brought circumcised and uncircumcised, said to him 'Distinguish for me the circumcised from the uncircumcised'; he immediately hinted to the high priest and opened the Ark of the Covenant, the circumcised among them bowed down to half their height, and not only that but their faces were filled with the radiance of the Divine Presence, and the uncircumcised among them fell on their faces, he immediately said to her 'These are uncircumcised and these are circumcised.' She said to him 'Where did you get that from?' He said to her 'From Balaam, for it is written (Numbers 24:4): "He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling but with opened eyes", if he had not fallen - he would not have seen anything.' And if you don't want to learn from Balaam, come and learn from Job: at the hour when the three friends of Job came to comfort him, he said to them (Job 12:3): 'I have a heart like you; I am not inferior to you,' 'I am not inferior to you.' At that hour it was said to him (1 Kings 10:7): 'I did not believe the words until I came and my eyes saw, and behold, the half was not told to me; you have added wisdom and goodness to the hearing that I have heard; happy are your men, happy are these your servants who stand before you always and hear your wisdom; may the Lord your God be blessed who desired you, to place you on the throne of Israel and so on, and he made you king to do justice and righteousness.' It was said about Solomon 'justice and righteousness,' and it was said about David 'justice and righteousness,' from where? Because it is written (2 Samuel 8:15): 'David administered justice and righteousness to all his people,' and it is said about Solomon 'justice and righteousness,' the Scripture tells us that the wisdom of Solomon is equal to the wisdom of David, and the wisdom of David is equal to the wisdom of Solomon. Alternatively, 'Where can wisdom be found?' - this teaches that Solomon was searching for where wisdom is found. Rabbi Eliezer says: in the head, Rabbi Joshua says: in the heart. As it is said (Psalms 4:1): 'You have given joy in my heart,' and it is written (Proverbs 27:11): 'Be wise, my son, and gladden my heart.' And why was wisdom given in the heart - because all the organs depend on the heart. Solomon said: I am doing as my father opened, who opened with his wisdom with the first letters and ended with the middle letters: [opened] with the head - because it is written (Psalms 1:1): 'Happy is the man who does not walk,' and he ended in the middle - as it is said (Psalms 150:6): 'Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.' In the beginning, I open in the middle, and I end at the end: I open from the place where wisdom is given, where is it - in the heart, and where is the heart given - in the middle. It turns out you are saying that David caught on to Rabbi Eliezer's words, and Solomon to Rabbi Joshua's words. And not only that, but the heart is in God's hands, as it is written (Proverbs 21:1): 'The king's heart is like streams of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he wills.' And since Solomon saw that wisdom is given in the heart, he said: I am beginning from the place where wisdom was given, for he says 'The proverbs of Solomon.' 'The son of David' - what son of David, and don't all know that he is the son of David?! Rather, everything he did, he did in honor of David. 'King of Israel' - and don't all know that he is the King of Israel?! Rather, what he did, he did for the honor of Israel."
Aggadat Bereshit
[2] Different interpretation: "God's anger I will raise." There are those who were struck and kicked, and there are those who were struck and asked their father why this belt is hanging on them. And there are those who said to their father, "Why is this belt hanging on me?" There are those who were struck and kicked, and this is Job, for when Satan struck him, he began to cry out, "Remove your rod from me, and let not dread of you terrify me." (Job 9:34). And I speak and am not afraid, as it says (I will speak) [I will speak up] and not be afraid, etc. (Job 9:35). A parable about Isratyotus (Suldaat in Greek) who became a thief. "The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: I have examined this and that, and all of the diseases come from Egypt. Similarly, Job's friends said to him: You have lost your hope (lepīs in Greek), which means expectation and hope", You said (I will speak) and we did not fear; they said, "Is it possible that you are speaking and not afraid?" The first human being, formed in the image and likeness of the Almighty, was unable to withstand hearing His voice, as it is said, "And they heard the voice of the Lord God" (Genesis 3:8).But when my wife wants to say to me, "So bless/curse God and die," (Job 2:9) I said to her, "Speak like one of the foolish women," etc. (Job 2:10). Therefore, (I will speak) [I will speak up] and not be afraid, for I am not like myself, I am not like the man who said",(Job 9:35) "The woman You gave me," etc. (Genesis 3:12). They said to him, "But Abraham heard Your words and could not stand," as it says, "And he fell on his face," etc. (Genesis 17:3), and so did Balaam fall and his eyes were open (Numbers 24:4). Even we hear His words and fall and you speak against Him and are not afraid, we are not like you," he said to them, "My heart is like yours, and I do not fall from you," etc. (Job 12:3). This is a story about King Hezekiah who became sick and turned his face towards the wall, as it says "And Hezekiah turned his face towards the wall" (Isaiah 38:2). It is said "remember now" (Isaiah 38:3), and what does "remember now" mean? When Israel sinned, God sent burning serpents upon them, and when they cried out to Moses, God told him to make a bronze serpent (Numbers 21:8-9). Whoever looked upon it would be healed. Hezekiah saw that Israel was committing sins and said, "Now anyone who needs to be healed will go to this and leave God." So, he destroyed the bronze serpent (2 Kings 18:4). The people asked him, "What are you doing? What Moses established, you are abolishing?" He replied, "Whoever needs to be healed should look up to God and be healed," as it says, "Look to Him and be radiant, so that your faces may never be ashamed" (Psalm 34:6). Likewise, it says, "There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him" (2 Kings 18:5), "This is the one who cried out and asked his father. And who is the one who said to his father, 'Why is this strap hanging from me?' These are the Israelites, who said to God, 'You have dealt harshly with Your people' (Micah 7:14) and also said, 'I will raise up the Lord's anger...I will see His righteousness' (Micah 7:9)."
Bamidbar Rabbah
“On the day” – that is what is written: “Go out and gaze, daughters of Zion, [at King Solomon, at the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, and on the day of the rejoicing of his heart]” (Song of Songs 3:11). It is speaking at the time that the Divine Presence rested upon the Tabernacle. “Go out and gaze” – just as it says: “The entire people saw, shouted, and fell on their faces” (Leviticus 9:24).30This was their reaction to seeing the Divine Presence in the Tabernacle. “The daughters of Zion [Tziyon]” – [alludes to] those who are marked [metzuyanim] for Him with circumcision, as had they not been circumcised they would not have been able to look at the Divine Presence. Rather, they would have fallen, just as Abraham our patriarch fell, as it is stated: “Abram fell on his face, and God spoke with him” (Genesis 17:3). Likewise, regarding Bilam, it says: “He falls with uncovered eyes” (Numbers 24:4, 16). Likewise it says: “Moses said: This is the matter that the Lord commanded that you shall do, and the glory of the Lord will appear to you” (Leviticus 9:6). What is, “this is the matter [ze hadavar]”? It was regarding circumcision that he said to them, just as it says: “This is the reason [veze hadavar] that Joshua circumcised” (Joshua 5:4). “That the Lord commanded” – to do to Abraham; this is analogous to a storekeeper who had a friend who was a priest. There was impurity in the house of his friend [the storekeeper], who sought to bring him to his house. The priest said to him: If you wish that I will come into your house, listen to me and remove the impurity from inside your house. When the storekeeper knew that there was no impurity there, he went and brought the priest into his house. So, the Holy One blessed be He, when he sought to appear to Abraham, his beloved, a foreskin was still attached to him. Once he circumcised himself, He immediately appeared, as it is stated: “On that very day, Abraham was circumcised” (Genesis 17:26), and then: “The Lord appeared to him” (Genesis 18:1). That is why Moses said to them: ‘God commanded to have circumcision performed on Abraham your patriarch when He sought to appear to him. You too, anyone of you who has someone uncircumcised, let him come out and have himself circumcised, “and the glory of the Lord will appear to you.”’ That is why Solomon said: “Go out and gaze, daughters of Zion, at King Solomon [Shelomo],” at the king who desires faultless [shelemim] people, just as it says: “Walk before Me and be faultless” (Genesis 17:1), as the foreskin is a blemish on the body.
Another matter: “At King Solomon [Shelomo]” (Song of Songs 3:11) – at the King who created His creations complete [shelemim]. He created the sun and the moon in their fullness, and all the acts of Creation were created in their full stature, as it is stated: “[The heaven and] the earth and all their hosts [tzevaam]” (Genesis 2:1).31Tzevaam is expounded as tzivyonam, in their full form. Bar Kappara said: Adam and Eve were created as twenty-year-olds.
Another matter: “At King Solomon [Shelomo]” (Song of Songs 3:11) – at the King who made peace between his creations and those who love Him. He made peace between fire and Abraham32This refers to a midrash that states that Nimrod placed Abraham in a furnace and that God saved Abraham (Bereshit Rabba 39:3)., the sword and Isaac, and angels and Jacob.
Another matter: “At King Solomon [Shelomo]” (Song of Songs 3:11) – at the King who makes peace between his creations. The heavenly beasts are of fire, and the firmament is of snow. The heavenly beasts are of fire, as it is stated: “The beasts were darting to and fro like the appearance of a flash” (Ezekiel 1:14). The firmament is of snow, as it is stated: “Over the heads of the beast there was the likeness of a firmament, resembling the [awesome] ice…” (Ezekiel 1:22). Neither does this one extinguish that one, nor does that one consume this one.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Dominion and fear are with Him; [He makes peace in His heights]” (Job 25:2). “Dominion” – this is Mikhael, and he is of snow; “and fear” – this is Gavriel, and he is of fire. What is “with Him”? They are devoted [mushlamim] to Him; this one does not harm that one, and that one does not harm this one.
Not only does He go so far as to make peace between angel and angel, but even within one angel he makes peace, as he has five faces. That is what is written: “His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, [his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and his legs like burnished bronze, and the sound of his speech like the noise of a multitude]” (Daniel 10:6) – neither does this one extinguish that one, nor does that one extinguish this one.33The lightning and the fire are against the beryl, which is translated as resembling the sea, and the great multitude is likewise an allusion to water.
It is written: “A river of fire flowed and emerged [from before Him]” (Daniel 7:10), and the firmament is of water, as it is stated: “He roofs His upper chambers with water” (Psalms 104:3). Neither does this one extinguish that one, nor does that one extinguish this one.
Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Ḥanan said: “He makes peace in His heights” (Job 25:2) – the sun has never seen the concave side of the moon.34See Rosh HaShana 23b where the Gemara states that this is to prevent the moon from feeling bad.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: There is no constellation that sees what preceded it, and there is no constellation that sees what is above it, only what is below it, like this person that descends a ladder, turned backwards.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: The firmament is of water and the stars of fire, and they reside one with the other and they do not harm one another.
Even between the plagues He makes peace [shalom]. That is what is written: “There was hail and fire igniting [mitlakaḥat] within the hail” (Exodus 9:24). Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya: Rabbi Yehuda said: Bowls of hail filled with fire. Rabbi Neḥemya said: Fire and water intermingled one with the other. Rabbi Ḥanan said: The explanation of Rabbi Yehuda is that it is like the seed of a split pomegranate that can be seen from the outside. The explanation of Rabbi Neḥemya is that it is like this lantern of a lamp, in which water and oil are mixed as one, and it is kindled above them. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: What is mitlakaḥat? It means dies [maita] and regroups [umitkahala] to perform its mission in order to perform the will of its Creator. Rav Ada said: This is analogous to a king who had two powerful legions that would contend with one another. When a war involving the king came about, they made peace with one another and came and waged the king’s war. So, hail and fire contended with one another. When they saw the war of the Holy One blessed be He with Egypt, it is stated: “There was hail and fire igniting within the hail” – a miracle within a miracle. That is why it is stated: “At King Solomon [Shelomo]” (Song of Songs 3:11).
“At the crown with which his mother crowned him” (Song of Songs 3:11) – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: We have reviewed the entire Bible, and we have not found that Batsheva fashioned a crown for her son Solomon. Rather, “crown” – this is the Tent of Meeting, which is like this crown that is set with jewels and gems and is adorned with sky-blue, purple, and crimson wool, and fine linen. Rav Ḥoneya said: Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai asked Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Yosei, he said to him: ‘Did you, perchance, hear from your father, what is: “At the crown with which his mother crowned him”?’ He said to him: ‘Yes. It is analogous to a king who had an only daughter and he loved her excessively. He did not relent from loving her, to the extent he called her his sister. He did not relent from loving her to the extent he called her his mother. So, the Holy One blessed be He loved Israel. He called them: “My sister, my love, my faultless dove” (Song of Songs 5:2). He did not relent from loving them, to the extent he called them His mother. That is what is written: “Pay attention to Me, My people, and listen to Me, My nation [ule’umi]” (Isaiah 51:4); ule’imi is written.’35Without a vav, meaning My mother. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai stood and kissed him on his head. He said to him: ‘Had I emerged into the world only to hear this explanation from your mouth, it would have been sufficient.’ Alternatively, “his mother [imo]” means his nation [umato].
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: When the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘They shall craft a Tabernacle for Me,’ he should have placed four poles upright and stretched the Tabernacle atop them. Rather, it teaches that the Holy One blessed be He showed Moses on high red fire, green fire, black fire, and white fire; He said to him: ‘In the form “that you are shown on the mountain”’ (Exodus 25:40).
Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Batzla: This is analogous to a king who had a magnificent garment fashioned with jewels. He said to a member of his household: ‘Fashion me one like this.’ He said to him: ‘My lord the king, am I able to craft one like it?’ He told him: ‘I in my glory, and you with your dyes.’36Do your best to approximate the garment that you see. So, Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘My God, am I able to craft like these?’ He said to him: ‘Like the form “that I [am showing you]”’ (Exodus 25:9), “with the sky-blue, the purple, and the crimson wool, and with the fine linen” (Exodus 38:23).
The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: If you craft what is above, below, I will abandon My supernal council and descend and constrict My Divine Presence into your midst below. Above, “seraphim standing” (Isaiah 6:2); below, “acacia wood standing” (Exodus 26:15). It is not written here: “Place acacia wood upright,” but rather, “standing,” as though placed among the hosts on high. That is what is written: “Seraphim standing above Him” (Isaiah 6:2). Just as above there are stars, so below37In the Tabernacle. there are stars. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: It teaches that the gold hooks in the Tabernacle looked like the stars fixed in the firmament.
“On the day of his wedding” (Song of Songs 3:11) – this is Sinai. There was matrimony, as it is stated: “Sanctify them [vekidashtam]38This is expounded to mean betrothal [kidushin]. today and tomorrow” (Exodus 19:10). “And on the day of the rejoicing of his heart” (Song of Songs 3:11) – this is the giving of the Torah, as it is stated: “He gave to Moses, when He concluded [kekhaloto] [speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the Testimony]” (Exodus 31:18). Kekhalato is written.39Meaning: Like His bride.
Another matter: “On the day of his wedding” (Song of Songs 3:11) – this is the Tent of Meeting. “And on the day of the rejoicing of his heart” (Song of Songs 3:11) – this is the eternal Temple. From where is it derived that there was matrimony at the Tent of Meeting? It is as it is written: “On the day that Moses concluded [kalot] erecting the Tabernacle.” Kalat is written; on the day that the bride [kala] entered the wedding canopy.
Another matter: “At King Solomon [Shelomo]” (Song of Songs 3:11) – at the King who created His creations complete [shelemim]. He created the sun and the moon in their fullness, and all the acts of Creation were created in their full stature, as it is stated: “[The heaven and] the earth and all their hosts [tzevaam]” (Genesis 2:1).31Tzevaam is expounded as tzivyonam, in their full form. Bar Kappara said: Adam and Eve were created as twenty-year-olds.
Another matter: “At King Solomon [Shelomo]” (Song of Songs 3:11) – at the King who made peace between his creations and those who love Him. He made peace between fire and Abraham32This refers to a midrash that states that Nimrod placed Abraham in a furnace and that God saved Abraham (Bereshit Rabba 39:3)., the sword and Isaac, and angels and Jacob.
Another matter: “At King Solomon [Shelomo]” (Song of Songs 3:11) – at the King who makes peace between his creations. The heavenly beasts are of fire, and the firmament is of snow. The heavenly beasts are of fire, as it is stated: “The beasts were darting to and fro like the appearance of a flash” (Ezekiel 1:14). The firmament is of snow, as it is stated: “Over the heads of the beast there was the likeness of a firmament, resembling the [awesome] ice…” (Ezekiel 1:22). Neither does this one extinguish that one, nor does that one consume this one.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Dominion and fear are with Him; [He makes peace in His heights]” (Job 25:2). “Dominion” – this is Mikhael, and he is of snow; “and fear” – this is Gavriel, and he is of fire. What is “with Him”? They are devoted [mushlamim] to Him; this one does not harm that one, and that one does not harm this one.
Not only does He go so far as to make peace between angel and angel, but even within one angel he makes peace, as he has five faces. That is what is written: “His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, [his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and his legs like burnished bronze, and the sound of his speech like the noise of a multitude]” (Daniel 10:6) – neither does this one extinguish that one, nor does that one extinguish this one.33The lightning and the fire are against the beryl, which is translated as resembling the sea, and the great multitude is likewise an allusion to water.
It is written: “A river of fire flowed and emerged [from before Him]” (Daniel 7:10), and the firmament is of water, as it is stated: “He roofs His upper chambers with water” (Psalms 104:3). Neither does this one extinguish that one, nor does that one extinguish this one.
Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Ḥanan said: “He makes peace in His heights” (Job 25:2) – the sun has never seen the concave side of the moon.34See Rosh HaShana 23b where the Gemara states that this is to prevent the moon from feeling bad.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: There is no constellation that sees what preceded it, and there is no constellation that sees what is above it, only what is below it, like this person that descends a ladder, turned backwards.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: The firmament is of water and the stars of fire, and they reside one with the other and they do not harm one another.
Even between the plagues He makes peace [shalom]. That is what is written: “There was hail and fire igniting [mitlakaḥat] within the hail” (Exodus 9:24). Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya: Rabbi Yehuda said: Bowls of hail filled with fire. Rabbi Neḥemya said: Fire and water intermingled one with the other. Rabbi Ḥanan said: The explanation of Rabbi Yehuda is that it is like the seed of a split pomegranate that can be seen from the outside. The explanation of Rabbi Neḥemya is that it is like this lantern of a lamp, in which water and oil are mixed as one, and it is kindled above them. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: What is mitlakaḥat? It means dies [maita] and regroups [umitkahala] to perform its mission in order to perform the will of its Creator. Rav Ada said: This is analogous to a king who had two powerful legions that would contend with one another. When a war involving the king came about, they made peace with one another and came and waged the king’s war. So, hail and fire contended with one another. When they saw the war of the Holy One blessed be He with Egypt, it is stated: “There was hail and fire igniting within the hail” – a miracle within a miracle. That is why it is stated: “At King Solomon [Shelomo]” (Song of Songs 3:11).
“At the crown with which his mother crowned him” (Song of Songs 3:11) – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: We have reviewed the entire Bible, and we have not found that Batsheva fashioned a crown for her son Solomon. Rather, “crown” – this is the Tent of Meeting, which is like this crown that is set with jewels and gems and is adorned with sky-blue, purple, and crimson wool, and fine linen. Rav Ḥoneya said: Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai asked Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Yosei, he said to him: ‘Did you, perchance, hear from your father, what is: “At the crown with which his mother crowned him”?’ He said to him: ‘Yes. It is analogous to a king who had an only daughter and he loved her excessively. He did not relent from loving her, to the extent he called her his sister. He did not relent from loving her to the extent he called her his mother. So, the Holy One blessed be He loved Israel. He called them: “My sister, my love, my faultless dove” (Song of Songs 5:2). He did not relent from loving them, to the extent he called them His mother. That is what is written: “Pay attention to Me, My people, and listen to Me, My nation [ule’umi]” (Isaiah 51:4); ule’imi is written.’35Without a vav, meaning My mother. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai stood and kissed him on his head. He said to him: ‘Had I emerged into the world only to hear this explanation from your mouth, it would have been sufficient.’ Alternatively, “his mother [imo]” means his nation [umato].
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: When the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘They shall craft a Tabernacle for Me,’ he should have placed four poles upright and stretched the Tabernacle atop them. Rather, it teaches that the Holy One blessed be He showed Moses on high red fire, green fire, black fire, and white fire; He said to him: ‘In the form “that you are shown on the mountain”’ (Exodus 25:40).
Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Batzla: This is analogous to a king who had a magnificent garment fashioned with jewels. He said to a member of his household: ‘Fashion me one like this.’ He said to him: ‘My lord the king, am I able to craft one like it?’ He told him: ‘I in my glory, and you with your dyes.’36Do your best to approximate the garment that you see. So, Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘My God, am I able to craft like these?’ He said to him: ‘Like the form “that I [am showing you]”’ (Exodus 25:9), “with the sky-blue, the purple, and the crimson wool, and with the fine linen” (Exodus 38:23).
The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: If you craft what is above, below, I will abandon My supernal council and descend and constrict My Divine Presence into your midst below. Above, “seraphim standing” (Isaiah 6:2); below, “acacia wood standing” (Exodus 26:15). It is not written here: “Place acacia wood upright,” but rather, “standing,” as though placed among the hosts on high. That is what is written: “Seraphim standing above Him” (Isaiah 6:2). Just as above there are stars, so below37In the Tabernacle. there are stars. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: It teaches that the gold hooks in the Tabernacle looked like the stars fixed in the firmament.
“On the day of his wedding” (Song of Songs 3:11) – this is Sinai. There was matrimony, as it is stated: “Sanctify them [vekidashtam]38This is expounded to mean betrothal [kidushin]. today and tomorrow” (Exodus 19:10). “And on the day of the rejoicing of his heart” (Song of Songs 3:11) – this is the giving of the Torah, as it is stated: “He gave to Moses, when He concluded [kekhaloto] [speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the Testimony]” (Exodus 31:18). Kekhalato is written.39Meaning: Like His bride.
Another matter: “On the day of his wedding” (Song of Songs 3:11) – this is the Tent of Meeting. “And on the day of the rejoicing of his heart” (Song of Songs 3:11) – this is the eternal Temple. From where is it derived that there was matrimony at the Tent of Meeting? It is as it is written: “On the day that Moses concluded [kalot] erecting the Tabernacle.” Kalat is written; on the day that the bride [kala] entered the wedding canopy.