Parashat Nasso - Finishing What God Started

(1) On the day that Moses finished setting up the Tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it and all its furnishings, as well as the altar and its utensils. When he had anointed and consecrated them, (2) the chieftains of Israel, the heads of ancestral houses, namely, the chieftains of the tribes, those who were in charge of enrollment, drew near (3) and brought their offering before יהוה: six draught carts and twelve oxen, a cart for every two chieftains and an ox for each one. Then they brought them before the Tabernacle.

"I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride" (Shir 5:1). Rabbi Azaria said in the name of Rabbi Simon: This can be compared to a king who became angry with the queen, banished her and sent her away from his palace. After some time, he wanted to bring her back. She said: "Make me something new, and then he can bring me back". So too, in the past, the Holy Blessed One would receive sacrifices on high, as it says: "God smelled the pleasing odour" (Gen 8:21). Now God would receive them from below, as it says: "I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride".

Rabbi Chanina said: The Torah is teaching you the way of the world, that the groom does not enter the chuppah until the bride has given him permission: "let my beloved come to his garden" (Shir 4:16) and then "I have come into my garden".

Rabbi Tanchum son in law of Rabbi Elazar ben Avina said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yosnai: It doesn't say "I have come to the garden" but "I have come to my garden (le-gani)" - to my wedding canopy (le-ginuni) to my first place. The first place of the Shechinah was in the lower realms, as it says: "they heard the voice of the Eternal God walking in the garden..." (Gen 3:8).

Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: It doesn't say walking (mehalech) but rather moving about (mithalech) leaping and ascending...

At first, the essence of the Shechinah was in the lower world. But when the first man sinned, [the shechina] withdrew to the first heaven. The generation of Enosh arose and sinned and it withdrew from the first to the second. The generation of the flood sinned and it withdrew from the second to the third. The generation of the tower of Babel sinned and it went from the third to the fourth. The Egyptians in the days of Abraham sinned and it went from the fourth to the fifth. The Sodomites sinned and it went from the fifth to the sixth. The Egyptians in the time of Moses [sinned] and it went from the sixth to the seventh. But against them arose seven righteous people who brought [the shechina] back to earth. Abraham, our father, arose and through his merit brought the shechina from the seventh to the sixth. Isaac arose and through his merit brought it from the sixth to the fifth. Jacob arose and through his merit brought it from the fifth to the fourth. Levi arose and through his merit brought it from the fourth to the third. Kehat arose and through his merit brought it from the third to the second. Amram arose and through his merit brought it from the second to the first. Moses arose and through his merit brought [the shechina] to the earth. Therefore the torah says “It came to pass on the day Moses finished”

(1) (Numb. 7:1), “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished.” Rav says, “Every place where it is stated, ‘So it came to pass (vayehi),’ [is referring to] something new”; but R. Simeon says, “Every place where it says, ‘So it came to pass (vayehi)’ [is referring to] something which existed, has ceased [to exist] for a long time, and has returned to be as it was. This text is related (to Cant. 5:1), “When I come to my garden, my sister bride.” R. Samuel bar Nahman said, “When the Holy Blessed One created the world, God longed to have an abode below just as on high. Having created Adam, God commanded and said to him (in Gen. 2:16–17), ‘You may freely eat of any tree in the garden; But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you may not eat of it.’ Then he transgressed against his commandment. The Holy Blessed One said this to him, ‘This is what I longed for, that just as I have a dwelling on high, I would likewise have one below. Now when I have given you one command, you have not kept it. Immediately the Holy Blessed One removed the Divine Presence [up] to the first firmament. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Gen. 3:8), “Then they heard the voice of the Lord God moving about in the garden.” [When] Cain arose and killed Abel, He immediately removed His Divine Presence from the first firmament to the second firmament…. The Holy Blessed One, said, ‘I created seven firmaments, and up to now there are wicked ones [still] arising upon [the world].’ What did God do? God folded away all the generations of the wicked and raised up our father Abraham. When our father Abraham arose and performed good works, the Holy Blessed One immediately descended from the seventh firmament to the sixth. [When] Isaac arose and stretched out his neck upon the altar, He descended from the sixth firmament to the fifth…. [When] Moses arose, he brought down [the Divine Presence] to earth, as stated (in Exod 19:20), ‘And the Lord came down onto Mount Sinai.’” And [so] it is written (in Cant. 5:1), “When I come to my garden, my sister bride.” When? When the Tabernacle was set up.

(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,

R. Jacob the son of Issi asked: Why does it say; I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth? (Ps 26:8) Because the Tabernacle is equal to the creation of the world itself. How is that so? Concerning the first day, it is written: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth (Gen. 1:1), and it is written elsewhere: Who stretched out the heavens like a curtain (Ps. 104:2), and concerning the Tabernacle it is written: And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair (Exod. 26:7). About the second day of creation it states: Let there be a firmament and divide between them, and let it divide the waters from the waters (Gen. 1:6). About the Tabernacle it is written: And the veil shall divide between you (Exod. 26:33). With regard to the third day it states: Let the waters under the heavens be gathered (Gen. 1:9). With reference to the Tabernacle it is written: Thou shalt also make a laver of brass … and thou shalt put water therein (Exod. 30:18). On the fourth day he created light, as is stated: Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven (Gen. 1:14), and concerning the Tabernacle it is said: And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold (Exod. 25:31). On the fifth day God created birds, as it is said: Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let the fowl fly above the earth (Gen. 1:20), and with reference to the Tabernacle. God directed them to offer sacrifices of lambs and birds, and it says as well: And the cherubim shall spread out their wings on high (Exod. 25:20). On the sixth day God created people, as it is said: And God created humans in the Divine image, in the image of God, God created him (Gen. 1:27), and about the Tabernacle it is written: A man who is a high priest who has been anointed to serve and to minister before God. On the seventh day The heaven and the earth were finished (Gen. 2:1), and with regard to the Tabernacle it is written: Thus was completed all the work of the Tabernacle (Exod. 39:32). Concerning the creation of the world it is written: And God blessed (Num. 2:3), and of the Tabernacle it is said: And Moses blessed them (Exod. 39:43); with regard to the creation it is said: And God finished (Gen. 2:2), and of the Tabernacle it is written: On that day Moses made an end (Num. 7:1); of creation it says: And hallowed it (Gen. 2:2), and of the Tabernacle: And had anointed it and sanctified it (Num. 7:1). Why is the Tabernacle equal to heaven and earth? Because even as heaven and earth bear witness concerning Israel, as it is written: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day (Deut. 30:19), so the Tabernacle bears witness in behalf of Israel, as is said: These are the accounts of the Tabernacle, even the Tabernacle of the testimony (Exod. 38:21). Hence it is said: Eternal, I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth (Ps. 26:8).