מדרש אויף ישעיהו 54:3

“Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon,” just as the nose is located at the highest part of a person, so the Temple is located at the highest part of the world. Just as the nose has much jewelry suspended from it,³⁴Although people generally do not suspend much jewelry from their nose, it was customary to include one’s most beautiful jewel in a nose ring (Yefei Kol). Alternatively, the term nose [af] in this instance includes the area up to the forehead, from which people would suspend various types of chains and jewelry (Matnot Kehuna). so do priesthood, Levitical status, and kingship descend from Jacob. “Like the tower of Lebanon,”³⁵Many commentaries (see, e.g., Matnot Kehuna) assert that the text should read: “Like the tower of Lebanon,” this is the Temple, as it is stated… as it is stated: “This good mountain and the Lebanon” (Deuteronomy 3:25). Rabbi Tavyomi said: Because it whitens [malbin] the iniquities of Israel like snow, as it is stated: “If your sins will be like scarlet they will become white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: Because all the hearts [levavot] rejoice there, as it is stated: “Beautiful in its view, joy of all the land” (Psalms 48:3). The Rabbis say: [It is so called] because of [what is stated]: “My eyes and My heart [libi] will be there for all days” (I Kings 9:3).
“Overlooking Damascus,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Jerusalem is destined to reach until the gates of Damascus, as it is stated: “A prophecy, the word of the Lord: Ḥadrakh [and Damascus]” (Zechariah 9:1). What is Ḥadrakh? Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥamya, Rabbi Yehuda said: There is a place that is called Ḥadrakh. Rabbi Yosei ben Durmaskit said to him: By the Temple service, I am from Damascus and there is a place there named Ḥadrakh. Rabbi Neḥemya said: This is the messianic king who is sharp [ḥad] and gentle [rakh]; sharp to the nations and gentle to Israel.
Another matter, Ḥadrakh, this is the messianic king who is destined to guide [lehadrikh] all mankind in repentance before the Holy One blessed be He. “Damascus is His resting place” (Zechariah 9:1). Is Damascus His resting place? But is His resting place not the Temple, as it is stated: “This is My resting place forever” (Psalms 132:14)? He said to him: Jerusalem is destined to expand on all its sides until it reaches the gates of Damascus, and all the exiles will come and rest under its auspices, to realize what is stated: “Damascus is His resting place,” His resting place will reach Damascus.
How does Rabbi Yoḥanan realize: “The city will be rebuilt on its mound” (Jeremiah 30:18)?³⁶This verse implies that it will be rebuilt upon its original location, but will not expand significantly beyond its original location. Like a fig tree that is narrow below and wide above, so Jerusalem is destined to expand on all its sides, and all the exiles will come and rest under its auspices, to realize what is stated: “For you will spread right and left” (Isaiah 54:3). This is lengthwise; from where is it derived [that it will expand] widthwise? The verse states: “From the Tower of Ḥananel to the winepresses of the king” (Zechariah 14:10). Rabbi Zakkai the Great said: Until the pits of Rifa,³⁷Some assert that the correct reading is “the pits of Jaffa” (see Etz Yosef). In any event, the reference is to a location on the Mediterranean coastline in the land of Israel. until the winepresses that the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, dug out;³⁸This is a reference to the oceans. that is lengthwise and widthwise. From where is upward [that it will expand] derived? The verse states: “The side-chambers widened and wound about higher and higher” (Ezekiel 41:7). It is taught: Jerusalem is destined to expand and ascend and reach the Throne of Glory, until you will say: “The place is crowded for me” (Isaiah 49:20).³⁹Even when Jerusalem expands so greatly in all directions, it will still be crowded due to all the exiles who will return there. Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Yirmeya said: We have still not learned the praise of Jerusalem. From where do you learn its praise? From its walls, as it is stated: “I will be for it, the utterance of the Lord, a wall of fire all around” (Zechariah 2:9).

The way of the world is that a person empties a full vessel into an empty vessel. Can one, perhaps, pour a full vessel into a full vessel? The world in its entirety is all water, and yet you say “to one place”? But from here [we see] that a smaller space was able to contain a greater amount [than its size]. Kohelet and in Vayikra Rabba 19:9>.
Similarly, “Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly [to the front of the rock]” (Numbers 20:10). It [the front of the rock] was the size of a small sieve, and yet all of Israel was standing before it? But from here [we see] that a smaller space was able to contain a greater amount [than its size].
Similarly, “the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: Take for yourselves [cupped handfuls of soot of a furnace]” (Exodus 9:8). Rav Huna said: Did Moses’s cupped hand hold eight clenched handfuls? This is bewildering. A cupped handful and a clenched handful are not the same; a cupped handful holds twice as much as a clenched handful.⁶God told Moses and Aaron (two people) to take “handfuls”, in the plural, indicating two handfuls each, totaling four handfuls, each handful being equal to two clenched handfuls, for a total of eight. And it is written: “Moses threw it” (Exodus 9:8).⁷And to throw powerfully one must use one hand. It emerges, then, that the cupped hand of Moses held eight clenched handfuls. But from here [we see] that a smaller space was able to contain a greater amount [than its size].
Similarly, Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta said: “The length of the courtyard shall be one hundred cubits and the width shall be fifty on each side” (Exodus 27:18), and yet all of Israel could stands inside of it?⁸See Leviticus 8:3. This is bewildering. But from here [we see] that a smaller space was able to contain a greater amount [than its size].
Similarly, “Joshua said to the children of Israel: Come here…” (Joshua 3:9). Rav Huna said: He had them stand up between the two staves of the Ark. Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: He had them all lean on one another between the two staves of the Ark. Rava said: He crowded them between the two staves of the Ark. Joshua said to them: ‘From the fact that the two staves of the Ark was able to contain you all, you may know that the Divine Presence of the Holy One blessed be He is in your midst.’ That is what is written: “Joshua said: With this you will know that the living God is in your midst” (Joshua 3:10).
This was so in Jerusalem, too, as we learned: They stood crowded, but prostrated themselves spaciously.⁹Yoma 21a. Rabbi Shmuel ben Rabbi Ḥana said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: There were four cubits for each person to occupy, and a [further] cubit on each side so that none of them would hear the prayer of the other.
This will be so in the future, too, as it is stated: “At that time, they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord, and all the nations will be gathered into it” (Jeremiah 3:17). Rabbi Yoḥanan ascended to inquire after the wellbeing of Rabbi Ḥanina and found him sitting and expounding this verse: “At that time, they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord, [and all the nations will be gathered into it].” He said to him: ‘Can Jerusalem contain the Throne of the Lord?’¹⁰And all the nations. He said to him: ‘The Holy One blessed is He will say to it: Expand and extend and receive your populations.’ That is what is written: “Expand the place of your tent” (Isaiah 54:3). Why? “For you will spread out right and left…” (Isaiah 54:3).

“And the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams” (Leviticus 8:2), Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: He fashioned a hill of sorts; a ram on one side, a ram on the other side, and a bull in the middle.²⁹The different heights of the animals produced the effect of a hill. This symbolized the fact that Aaron and his sons were becoming exalted through the process of investiture on these days (Etz Yosef).
“Assemble the entire congregation at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting” (Leviticus 8:3).
“Assemble the entire congregation at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.” Rabbi Elazar said: All of Israel was six hundred thousand, and you say: “At the entrance of the Tent of Meeting”? Rather, this is one of the places where the lesser contained the greater.³⁰A large number of people were able to gather in a relatively small area.
Similarly, “Let the water under the heavens be gathered to one place” (Genesis 1:9). The way of the world is that a person empties a full vessel into an empty vessel. Or, is it, perhaps, a full vessel into a full vessel? The entire world was full of water, and you say: “Let the water…be gathered”? Rather, this is one of the places where the lesser contained the greater.
Similarly, “take for yourselves cupped handfuls of soot of a furnace” (Exodus 9:8). Rav Huna said: This cupped handful and this clenched handful are not comparable. The cupped handful is twice the clenched handful. Four cupped handfuls are eight clenched handfuls. The outcome is that the cupped hand of Moses holds eight clenched handfuls.³¹Two handfuls for Moses and two handfuls for Aaron are altogether four cupped handfuls. But it says that “Moses shall throw it heavenward.” In order to do so powerfully, he must use one hand. Rather, it teaches that the Holy One blessed be He provided the ability. [Moses and] Aaron took cupped handfuls, and Moses threw them. And you say: “Moses threw then heavenward” (Exodus 9:8) all at once. Rather, this is one of the places where the lesser contained the greater.
Similarly, “The length of the courtyard shall be one hundred cubits and the width shall be fifty on each side” (Exodus 27:18). Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta said: The length of the courtyard was one hundred cubits and all of Israel was standing inside it? Rather, this is one of the places where the lesser contained the greater.
Similarly, “Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock” (Numbers 20:10). Rav Ḥanin said: It was the size of a sieve and all of Israel was standing before it? Rather, this is one of the places where the lesser contained the greater.
Similarly, “Joshua said to the children of Israel: Come here” (Joshua 3:9). Rav Huna said: He stood them all erect between the two staves of the Ark. Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: He arranged them between the two staves of the Ark. Rava said: He crowded them between the two staves of the Ark. That is what is written: “Joshua said: With this you will know that the living God is in your midst” (Joshua 3:10). He said to them: Because the two staves of the Ark contained you, I know that His Divine Presence is in your midst.
This occurred in the Temple, too, as we learned: They would stand crowded and prostrate themselves spaced.³²Mishna Avot 5:5. Rabbi Shmuel bar Ivya said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: There were four cubits between each and every one, and a cubit on each side so that none of them would hear the voice of another praying.
This will occur in the future, too, as it is stated: “At that time, they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord, and all the nations will be gathered to it” (Jeremiah 3:17). Rabbi Yoḥanan ascended to inquire after the wellbeing of Rabbi Ḥanina and found him engaged in this verse: “At that time, they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord, and all the nations will be gathered to it.” He said to him: ‘Will it [Jerusalem] contain them?’ He said to him: ‘The verse says: “Expand the place of your tent” (Isaiah 54:2) “for you will spread right and left”’ (Isaiah 54:3).