The Divine Presence That Never Departs the Sanctuary

[(Exodus 3:1:) NOW MOSES WAS TENDING THE FLOCK.] This is what Scripture says (in Psalms 11:4): THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE.... Rabbi Samuel bar Nahman said: Until the Temple was destroyed, the Divine Presence (Shekhinah) was set in the Temple, as it is said: THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE; but once the Temple was destroyed, (the same verse continues:) THE LORD'S THRONE IS IN THE HEAVENS, He removed His Divine Presence to the heavens. Rabbi Eleazar ben Pedat said: Whether destroyed or not destroyed, the Divine Presence does not stir from its place, as it is said: THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE. And from where? As it is said (in I Kings 9:3): AND MY EYES AND MY HEART SHALL BE THERE ALL THE DAYS. And so it says (in Psalms 3:5): WITH MY VOICE I CALL UNTO THE LORD, AND HE ANSWERS ME FROM HIS HOLY MOUNTAIN, SELAH, for even as a mountain it remains in its holiness. Rabbi Eleazar ben Pedat said: See what is written (in Ezra 1:3): AND LET HIM BUILD THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, HE IS THE GOD WHO IS IN JERUSALEM; He does not stir from there. Rabbi Aha said: Never does the Divine Presence stir from the Western Wall of the Temple, as it is said (in Song of Songs 2:9): BEHOLD, HE STANDS BEHIND OUR WALL. Thus, THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE. Rabbi Yannai said: Even though they said, THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE, THE LORD'S THRONE IS IN THE HEAVENS, (the verse continues:) HIS EYES BEHOLD, HIS EYELIDS TEST THE CHILDREN OF MAN (Psalms 11:4). To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had an orchard, and he brought the laborers into it; and at the gate of the orchard there was one storehouse full of all good things. The king said: Whoever does his work with all his soul shall take his reward from here, and whoever does not do his work with all his soul, I shall sit within my palace and judge him. Who is this king? This is the King of the kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. And what is this orchard? This is this world. The Holy One, blessed be He, placed the children of man within it, that they should keep the Torah; and He made a condition with them and said to them: Whoever truly keeps the Torah, behold the Garden of Eden is before him; and whoever does not truly keep the Torah, behold Gehinnom is before him. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Even though I appeared to remove My Divine Presence from the Temple, yet MY EYES BEHOLD whom He tests. THE LORD, THE RIGHTEOUS HE TESTS. And why does He not test the wicked? Rabbi Yannai said: This flax worker, when he is beating and sees that the flax is good, beats it much; but when he sees that it is not good, he does not beat upon it, lest it break apart. Therefore, HIS EYES BEHOLD, HIS EYELIDS TEST THE CHILDREN OF MAN. [And whom does He test? The righteous, as it is said (in the same, verse 5):] THE LORD TESTS THE RIGHTEOUS.