Parashat Pequdei: A Torah Perspective on a Cloudy Day

(33) And he set up the enclosure around the Tabernacle and the altar, and put up the screen for the gate of the enclosure. When Moses had finished the work, (34) the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of HASHEM filled the Tabernacle. (35) Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud had settled upon it and the Presence of HASHEM filled the Tabernacle.

(1) ויכם 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.] (2) Nachmanides writes that it is quite possible that the second verse which speaks about the attribute כבוד filling the Tabernacle (compare verses 34 and 35) alludes to His glory which resides within that attribute. Thus far Nachmanides. (3) I believe I should draw your attention to the fact that we are dealing with five verses (34-38) in each of which the ענן, “cloud” is mentioned. I believe these five are allusions to the five emanations, i.e. references to the five times the Torah speaks of קולות, sounds, thunder, at the time G’d revealed Himself at Mount Sinai (compare Berachot 6).The Talmud there stated that the Torah was given by means of five קולות, “sounds, voices.” Even though we have pointed out in that connection that Moses achieved an understanding of seven emanations, i.e. seven קולות, as I explained on my commentary on Exodus 20,1, the sages in the Talmud meant the five “hidden” קולות whose identities the Torah did not reveal at the time. The other two emanations which were spelled out, i.e. תפארת and כבוד, were not mentioned by the Talmud, as they have been mentioned in our verses, i.e. in Exodus 20,2 as ה' אלוקיך in connection with the revelation at Sinai, and as the words וכבוד ה' twice here in connection with the Tabernacle, in order to hint at the presence of the attribute תפארת which resides within the attribute כבוד.
This is what Nachmanides had in mind when he wrote that the Torah repeated the words וכבוד ה' another time. We find something very similar in connection with the Temple where we are told in Chronicles II 7,1-2: “it was when Solomon had completed to pray (during the consecration ceremonies) that the fire descended from the heavens and consumed the burnt-offering and the meat-offerings, and the attribute כבוד of the Lord filled the House; as a result the priests were unable to enter the House of the Lord as the attribute כבוד had filled the House of the Lord.” You have learned from all this that in our instance seven emanations, attributes, are referred to; the five times the Torah mentions the word ענן and the two occasions when the Torah speaks of the כבוד ה'. Just as seven emanations were part of the Sinai experience of the Jewish people, so seven emanations were part of what the people experienced during the inauguration of the Tabernacle. In both instances mention of these seven emanations is testimony to Moses’ spiritual attainments.

(1) ולא יכל משה לבא אל אהל מועד AND MOSES WAS NOT ABLE TO COME INTO THE APPOINTED TENT — But another verse says, (Numbers 7:89) “And when Moses came into the appointed tent [to speak with Him then he heard the voice]”! There comes, however, a third verse and reconciles these apparently contradictory verses, for it says here כי שכן עליו הענן “For (or when) the cloud abode thereon (on the appointed tent)”. Hence you may say: so long as the cloud was upon it “he was not able to come into the appointed tent”, but as soon as the cloud disappeared he entered it and spoke with Him (Sifra, Braita d'Rabbi Yishmael 18).

(18) One verse states (Bamidbar 7:89): "And when Moses came to the tent of meeting to speak with him, etc." and another, (Shemoth 40:35): "And Moses could not come to the tent of meeting!" This is resolved by (Shemoth 40:35): "for the cloud rested upon it." Say: Whenever the cloud was there, Moses did not enter. When the cloud departed, he entered and spoke with Him. R. Yossi Haglili says: It is written (I Kings 8:11): "And the Cohanim were not able to stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the L–rd filled the house of the L–rd" — whence it is seen that the angels were given license to destroy (all who would approach). And, similarly, (Shemoth 33:22): "And I shall cover you with My 'palm' until I have passed" — whence it is seen that the angels were given license to destroy. And, similarly, (Psalms 95:11): "So I swore in My wrath that they would not enter My rest" — When My wrath abates, they will enter My rest."

(36) When the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the Israelites would set out, on their various journeys; (37) but if the cloud did not lift, they would not set out until such time as it did lift. (38) For over the Tabernacle a cloud of HASHEM rested by day, and fire would appear in it by night, in the view of all the house of Israel throughout their journeys.