Midrash Tanchuma, Nasso 11:1

וַיְהִי בְּיוֹם כַּלּוֹת מֹשֶׁה. יְלַמְּדֵנוּ רַבֵּנוּ, כַּמָּה דְּבָרִים קָדְמוּ לְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית. כָּךְ שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, שִׁבְעָה דְּבָרִים נִבְרְאוּ עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם. אֵלּוּ הֵן, כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד, וְהַתּוֹרָה, וּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וַאֲבוֹת הָעוֹלָם, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּשְׁמוֹ שֶׁל מָשִׁיחַ, וְהַתְּשׁוּבָה. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: אַף גַּן עֵדֶן וְגֵיהִנָּם. כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד מִנַּיִן. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: נָכוֹן כִּסְּאֲךָ מֵאָז, מֵעוֹלָם אַתָּה (תהלים צג, ב), עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם. הַתּוֹרָה מִנַּיִן. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ה' קָנָנִי רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֹ קֶדֶם מִפְעָלָיו מֵאָז (משלי ח, כב). בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ מִנַּיִן. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּסֵּא כָּבוֹד מָרוֹם מֵרִאשׁוֹן מְקוֹם מִקְדָּשֵׁנוּ (ירמיה יז, יב). הָאָבוֹת מִנַּיִן. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כַּעֲנָבִים בַּמִּדְבָּר מָצָאתִי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּבִכּוּרָה בִתְאֵנָה בְּרֵאשִׁיתָהּ רָאִיתִי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם, הֵמָּה בָּאוּ בַּעַל פְּעוֹר וַיִּנָּזְרוּ לַבּשֶׁת וַיִּהְיוּ שִׁקּוּצִים כְּאָהֳבָם (הושע ט, י). יִשְׂרָאֵל מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: זְכוֹר עֲדָתְךָ קָנִיתָ קֶדֶם, גָּאַלְתָּ שֵׁבֶט נַחֲלָתֶךָ, הַר צִיּוֹן זֶה שָׁכַנְתָּ בּוֹ (תהלים עד, ב). שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל מָשִׁיחַ מִנַּיִן. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יְהִי שְׁמוֹ לְעוֹלָם, לִפְנֵי שֶׁמֶשׁ יִנּוֹן שְׁמוֹ (שם עב, יז). וְהַתְּשׁוּבָה מִנַּיִן. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בְּטֶרֶם הָרִים יֻלָּדוּ וַתְּחוֹלֵל אֶרֶץ וְתֵבֵל, וּמֵעוֹלָם עַד עוֹלָם אַתָּה אֵל, תָּשֵׁב אֱנוֹשׁ עַד דַּכָּא וַתֹּאמֶר שׁוּבוּ בְנֵי אָדָם (שם צ, ב-ג). וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: אַף גַּן עֵדֶן. מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּטַּע ה' אֱלֹהִים גַּן בְּעֵדֶן מִקֶּדֶם, וַיָּשֵׂם שָׁם אֶת הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר יָצַר (בראשית ב, ח). גֵּיהִנָּם מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי עָרוּךְ מֵאֶתְמוֹל תָּפְתֶּה (ישעיה ל, לג). בּוֹא וּרְאֵה, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה שֶׁיֹּאמַר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ לוֹ מִשְׁכָּן, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה, מֹשֶׁה, הֲרֵי מִקְדָּשִׁי בָּנוּי לְמַעְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּסֵּא כָּבוֹד מָרוֹם מֵרִאשׁוֹן (ירמיה יז, יב). וְשֵׁם הֵיכָל כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַה' בְּהֵיכַל קָדְשׁוֹ, הַס מִפָּנָיו כָּל הָאָרֶץ (חבקוק ב, כ). וְשָׁם כִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדוֹ בָּנוּי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ה' בַּשָּׁמַיִם הֵכִין כִּסְּאוֹ (תהלים קג, יט). וְכֵן יְשַׁעְיָה אוֹמֵר, יוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא רָם וְנִשָּׂא וְשׁוּלָיו מְלֵאִים אֶת הַהֵיכָל (ישעיה ו, א). וּבִשְׁבִיל חִבַּתְכֶם, אֲנִי מֵנִיחַ בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הָעֶלְיוֹן, שֶׁהוּא מְתֻקָּן עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, וְאֵרֵד וְאֶשְׁכֹּן בֵּינֵיכֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (שמות כט, מה). וּכְתִיב: וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם (שם כה, ח). אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִמּוֹן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, זֶה אֶחָד מִשְּׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים שֶׁשָּׁמַע מֹשֶׁה מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה וְהִרְתִּיעַ לַאֲחוֹרָיו. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לֵיהּ: וְנָתְנוּ אִישׁ כֹּפֶר (שם ל, יב). אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, מִי יוּכַל לִתֵּן כֹּפֶר נַפְשׁוֹ. עוֹר בְּעַד עוֹר וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לָאִישׁ וְגוֹ' (איוב ב, ד). וַעֲדַיִן אֵינוֹ מַגִּיעַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אָח לֹא פָּדֹה יִפְדֶּה אִישׁ, לֹא יִתֵּן לֵאלֹהִים כָּפְרוֹ (תהלים מט, ח). וּכְתִיב: וְיֵקַר פִּדְיוֹן נַפְשָׁם וְחָדַל לְעוֹלָם (שם פסוק ט). אָמַר לֵיהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה, אֵינִי מְבַקֵּשׁ לְפִי כֹּחִי, אֶלָּא לְפִי כֹּחָן. זֶה יִתְּנוּ (שמות ל, יג). אָמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר, נָטַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּמִין מַטְבֵּעַ שֶׁל אֵשׁ מִתַּחַת כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד וְהֶרְאָה לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה וְאָמַר לֵיהּ: כָּזֶה יִתְּנוּ. וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לֵיהּ: אֶת קָרְבָּנִי לַחְמִי (במדבר כח, ב), אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, מִי יוּכַל לְהַסְפִּיק לוֹ קָרְבָּנוֹת. אִם אָנוּ מַקְרִיבִים כָּל חַיְתוֹ יַעַר וְעוֹרְכִים כָּל עֲצֵי לְבָנוֹן, אֵינוֹ כְּדַי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּלְבָנוֹן אֵין דֵּי בָּעֵר, וְחַיָּתוֹ אֵין דֵּי עוֹלָה (ישעיה מ, טז). אָמַר לֵיהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אֵינִי מְבַקֵּשׁ לְפִי כֹּחִי, אֶלָּא לְפִי כֹּחָן. וְאָמַרְתָּ לָהֶם זֶה הָאִשֶּׁה (במדבר כח, ג), וְלֹא שְׁנֵיהֶם בְּבַת אַחַת, אֶלָּא אֶת הַכֶּבֶשׂ אֶחָד תַּעֲשֶׂה בַּבֹּקֶר וְאֶת הַכֶּבֶשׂ הַשֵּׁנִי תַּעֲשֶׂה בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם. וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לֵיהּ וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ (שמות כה, ח), אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, הִנֵּה הַשָּׁמַיִם וּשְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם לֹא יְכַלְכְּלוּךָ אַף כִּי הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר בָּנִיתִי (מל״‎א ח, כז), וְאוֹמֵר: הֲלֹא אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ אֲנִי מָלֵא נְאֻם ה' (ירמיה כג, כד), וְאוֹמֵר: הַשָּׁמַיִם כִּסְּאִי וְהָאָרֶץ הַדּוֹם רַגְלַי (ישעיה סו, א), וְאָנוּ יְכוֹלִין לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ מִקְדָּשׁ. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אֵינִי מְבַקֵּשׁ לְפִי כֹּחִי, אֶלָּא לְפִי כֹּחָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן תַּעֲשֶׂה עֶשֶׂר יְרִיעוֹת (שמות כו, א). כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמְעוּ כָּךְ, עָמְדוּ וְנִתְנַדְּבוּ בְּרָצוֹן וְעָשׂוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן. כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָשׂוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, מִיָּד נִתְמַלֵּא הַמִּשְׁכָּן מֵאוֹרוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּמִכְּבוֹדוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְלֹא יָכֹל מֹשֶׁה לָבוֹא אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְגוֹ' (שם מ, לה). אָמְרוּ הַנְּשִׂיאִים, הֲרֵי הִגִּיעַ הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁנַּקְרִיב קָרְבָּנוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה, שֶׁשֹּׁרָה שְׁכִינָה בֵּינוֹתֵינוּ. מִנַּיִן, מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרְאוּ בָּעִנְיָן וַיְהִי בְּיוֹם כַּלּוֹת מֹשֶׁה. (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.”