Midrash sa Mga Awit 103:19: Shemot Rabbah, Shir HaShirim Rabbah, Midrash Tanchuma & Midrash Tehillim

“Moses was herding” – that is what is written: “God was in His sacred Sanctuary” (Habakkuk 2:20). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Until the Temple was destroyed, the Divine Presence rested in it, as it is stated: “God was in His sacred Sanctuary” (Psalms 11:4). When the Temple was destroyed, the Divine Presence removed itself to the heavens, as it is stated: “The Lord established His throne in the heavens” (Psalms 103:19).
Rabbi Elazar says: The Divine Presence did not move from the Sanctuary, as it is stated: “My eyes and My heart will be there…” (II Chronicles 7:16); and likewise it says: “I will call to the Lord with my voice, and He answered me from his sacred mountain, Selah” (Psalms 3:5). Even though it is in ruins, it retains its sanctity; come and see what Cyrus says: “He is the God who is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:3). He [Cyrus] said to them: ‘Even though it is in ruins, God does not move from there.’
Rabbi Aḥa said: The Divine Presence never moves from the western wall,²The reference may be to the western wall of the Temple, not what is now known as the Western Wall, which is the western retaining wall of the Temple Mount. as it is stated: “Behold, he is standing behind our wall” (Song of Songs 2:9), and it is written: “His eyes behold, His eyelids assess the sons of man“ (Psalms 11:4). Rabbi Yannai said: Even though His Presence is in the heavens, “His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of man.” This is analogous to a king who had an orchard and built a tall tower in it; the king commanded laborers into it, to engage in his labor. The king said: Anyone who is industrious in his labor will receive his payment in full, and anyone who is indolent in his labor will be placed in prison.³The Hebrew is dimos, which is obscure. Some suggest it means to be placed in a state of terror. The king – that is the King of kings; the orchard – that is the world that the Holy One blessed be He gave to Israel in which to observe the Torah. He stipulated to them, saying: One who observes the Torah, the Garden of Eden is before him; and one who does not observe it, behold, Gehenna.
Indeed, the Holy One blessed be He, although He appears to be removing His divine presence from the Temple, “His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of man.” Whom does he test? He tests the righteous, as it is stated: “The Lord will test the righteous” (Psalms 11:5).It is with sheepherding.
He tested David with flocks and found him a fine shepherd, as it is stated: “He took him from the sheepfolds [mikhleot tzon]” (Psalms 78:70). What are mikhleot tzon? It is like: “The rain was restrained [vayikkaleh]” (Genesis 8:2). He would hold back the large ones [sheep] due to the small ones, and would take out the small ones so they could graze on the soft grass, then the old ones so they could graze on the middling grass, then he would take out the choice ones to graze on the tough grass. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘One who knows how to herd the flocks, each according to its ability, will come and herd My people.’ That is what is written: “From the suckling ewes He brought him, to herd Jacob His people” (Psalms 78:71).
Moses, too, the Holy One blessed be He tested him only with flocks. Our Rabbis say: When Moses, may he rest in peace, was herding Yitro’s flock in the wilderness, a kid fled from him. He pursued it until it reached cover. Once it reached cover, it happened upon a pool of water, and the kid stopped to drink. When Moses reached it, he said: ‘I didn’t know that you were running due to thirst. You are tired.’ He carried it on his shoulder and was walking. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘You have the compassion to behave with the flocks belonging to flesh and blood in this manner; by your life, you will herd My flock, Israel.’ That is: “Moses was herding.”

Another matter, “palanquin” (Song of Songs 3:9), this is the world. “King Solomon [Shlomo] made himself” (Song of Songs 3:9), the King [of Whom it may be said] that peace is His. “Of the timber of Lebanon” (Song of Songs 3:9), it was constructed from the location of the Holy of Holies below, as we learned: After the Ark was taken, there was a rock from the days of the early prophets, and it was called Foundation. Why was it called Foundation? It is because the entire world was founded from it. That is what is written: “From Zion, the perfection of beauty” (Psalms 50:2).¹⁰²Thus, the world was created by being expanded from the rock in the location of the Holy of Holies. This is alluded to by the phrase “timber of Lebanon,” because Solomon built the Temple with wood from Lebanon (see I Kings 5:16–28).
“He made its pillars of silver” (Song of Songs 3:10), this is the family tree.¹⁰³The Jewish families of pure lineage are pillars of the world (Midrash HaMevoar). “Its cushion of gold” (Song of Songs 3:10), these are fruits of the ground and fruits of the tree that are sold for gold. “Its seat of purple wool” (Song of Songs 3:10), just as it says: “Who rides the heavens in your assistance” (Deuteronomy 33:26). “Its interior is plated with love” (Song of Songs 3:10), Rabbi Yudan said: This is the merit of the Torah and the merit of the righteous people who study it. Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda in the name of Rabbi Simon: This is the Divine Presence.
Another matter, “palanquin” (Song of Songs 3:9), this is the Throne of Glory. “King Solomon [Shlomo] made himself” (Song of Songs 3:9), the King [of Whom it may be said] that peace is His. “Of the timber of Lebanon” (Song of Songs 3:9), this is the location of the Holy of Holies On High, which is opposite the location of the Holy of Holies below. That is what is written: “The place [makhon] of Your dwelling” (Exodus 15:17), corresponding [mekhuvan] to Your dwelling.¹⁰⁴The place of God’s dwelling On High is opposite the Holy of Holies, which is the place of His dwelling on earth.
“He made its pillars of silver” (Song of Songs 3:10), just as it says: “The pillars of heaven sag” (Job 26:11). “Its cushion of gold” (Song of Songs 3:10), these are matters of Torah, as it is stated: “They are more desirable than gold and fine gold” (Psalms 19:11). “Its seat of purple wool” (Song of Songs 3:10), just as it says: “To the Rider of the ancient heavens of heavens” (Psalms 68:34). “Its interior is plated with love” (Song of Songs 3:10), Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Bon [said] in the name of Rabbi Abahu: There are four who are proud: The proudest of the birds is the eagle; the proudest of the domesticated animals is the bull; the proudest of the beasts is the lion; the proudest of them all is man. The Holy One blessed be He took all of them and carved them into the Throne of Glory,¹⁰⁵See Ezekiel 1:10. as it is stated: “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, [and His kingship rules over all]” (Psalms 103:19). From the fact that He established His throne over the proud, you know that “His kingship rules over all.”

(Numb. 7:1), “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished.” Let our master instruct us: How many things preceded the act of creation? Thus have our masters taught: Seven things preceded the world. These are the following: The throne of glory, the Torah, the Temple,⁷⁰See Sifre, Deut. 7:12 (37). the ancestors of the world, Israel, the name of messiah, and repentance. And some say also the Garden of Eden and gehinnom. In the case of the throne of God, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ps. 93:2), “Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting,” [meaning] from before the world was created. And in the case of the Torah, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Prov. 8:22), “The Lord acquired me (i.e., wisdom) as the beginning of His way the first of His works of old.” In the case of the Temple, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Jer. 17:12), “O glorious throne, on high from the beginning, the place of our sanctuary.” In the case of the ancestors (forefathers), where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Hos. 9:10), “I saw your ancestors like the first fruit on a fig tree in its first season.” In the case of Israel, where is it shown? “Where it is stated of them] (in Ps. 74:2), “Remember Your congregation which You acquired of old […].” In the case of the name of the messiah, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ps. 72:17), “Before the sun, his name is Yinon (a name of the messiah).”⁷¹This translation of Ps. 72:17 is a literal rendering, which the midrash understands to mean that this name existed before the sun was created. A more traditional rendering would be MAY HIS NAME ENDURE AS LONG AS THE SUN. In the case of repentance, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ps. 90:2-3), “Before the mountains were brought forth […]. You return humanity to contrition and say, ‘Repent you mortals.’” In the case of the Garden of Eden [that] some say, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Gen. 2:8), “And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, from of old.”⁷²This is the interpretation of miqqedem by the midrash. A more traditional rendering would be IN THE EAST. In the case of gehinnom, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Is. 30:33), “For Topheth has been prepared from of old.” Come and see. When the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses to tell Israel to make a Tabernacle for Him, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Moses, Behold, My sanctuary is [already] built above.” It is so stated (in Jer. 17:12), “O glorious throne, on high from the beginning.” And a chamber is there, as stated (in Hab. 2:20), “But the Lord is in His holy chamber […].”⁷³Cf. Ps. 11:4. So also has Isaiah said (in Is. 6:1), “[I saw the Lord] seated upon a throne, high and lifted up […].” Out of love for you I left my Temple on high, which had been prepared before the world was created, to come down and dwell among you. It is so stated (in Exod. 25:8), “[And make me a sanctuary] that I may dwell among them.” R. Judah bar Simon said in the name of R. Johanan, “This is one of the three commands which Moses heard from the mouth of the Almighty and which took him aback:⁷⁴Numb. R. 12:3; PRK 6:4; PR 16:7; M. Pss. 91:1. When He said to him (in Exod. 30:12), ‘each shall give a ransom for his life.’⁷⁵Here is the second command that shook Moses. Moses said, ‘Who can give a ransom for his life? It is written (in Job 2:4), “Skin for skin; all that one has [he will give for his life],”⁷⁶Cf. above, Exod. 9:6. and still it is not enough. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 49:8), “Surely no one will redeem a brother nor give a ransom for him to God.”’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘I am not asking [a ransom] in accordance with My means but in accordance with their means.’ [Hence,] (Exod. 30:13) ‘This shall they give.’” R. Meir said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, took something like a kind of coin of fire from under the throne of glory and showed it to Moses and He said to Him,⁷⁷See above, Lev. 9:7, and the note there. ‘This shall they give.’” Again, when He said (in Numb. 28:2), “My offering, My bread for My fire offering,” Moses said, “Who can supply enough offerings for You.⁷⁸Numb. 28:2 is the third of the three commands that shook Moses. If we sacrificed all the beasts of the forest and all the trees of Lebanon, they would not be enough, as stated (in Is. 40:16), ‘For Lebanon is not fuel enough, nor its beasts enough for sacrifice.’” He said to him, “I am not asking [offerings] in accordance with My means but in accordance with their means.” Thus it is stated (in Numb. 28:3), “Now you shall say to them, ‘This is the burnt offering [which you shall offer to the Lord: two yearling lambs without blemish…].’” And not both of them at once, but (according to vs. 4), “The one lamb you shall offer in the morning and the second lamb you shall offer at twilight.” And when He said to him (in Exod. 25:8), “And make me a sanctuary [that I may dwell among them],”⁷⁹With this repetition of Exod. 25:8, the midrash returns to the first command that shook Moses. Moses said [to the Holy One, blessed be He,] (in I Kings 8:27), “Even the heavens and the heavens above the heavens cannot contain you!” It also says (in Jer.. 23:24), “’Do I not fill the heavens and the earth,’ says the Lord.” And it says (in Is. 66:1), “The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool.” So can we make Him a sanctuary? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I am not asking [a sanctuary] [in accordance with My means] but in accordance with their means.” Thus it is stated (in Exod. 26:1), “Now as for the Tabernacle, you shall make it with ten curtains.”’ When Israel heard this, they arose and donated gladly. So they made the Tabernacle. Moreover, when they had made the Tabernacle, it was filled with His glory, as stated (in Exod. 40:35), “Now Moses could not enter the tent of meeting, [because … the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle].” The princes said, “Now is the time for us to offer sacrifices with joy, because the Divine Presence is dwelling among us.” Where is it shown? From what they read on the matter (in Numb. 7:1), “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished.”