Seven Things That Preceded Creation and the Heavenly Sanctuary

(Numbers 7:1:) "So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished." Let our master teach us: How many things preceded the act of creation? Thus our Rabbis taught: Seven things preceded the world, and these are they: the Throne of Glory, the Torah, the Temple, the ancestors of the world, [Israel], the name of the Messiah, and repentance; and some say also the Garden of Eden and Gehinnom. Whence the Throne of Glory? As it is said (Psalms 93:2), "Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting." And whence the Torah? As it is said (Proverbs 8:22), "The Lord acquired me as the beginning of His way, the first of His works of old." Whence the Temple? As it is said (Jeremiah 17:12), "A throne of glory, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our Sanctuary." Whence the ancestors? As it is said (Hosea 9:10), "Like grapes in the wilderness I found [Israel; like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season I saw] your ancestors." Whence Israel? [As it is said] (Psalms 74:2), "Remember Your congregation, which You acquired of old." Whence the name of the Messiah? As it is said (Psalms 72:17), "Before the sun his name is Yinnon." Whence repentance? As it is said (Psalms 90:2), "Before the mountains were brought forth," and it is written (ibid. v. 3), "You return man to contrition, [and say: Return, O children of Adam]." Whence the Garden of Eden? As it is said (Genesis 2:8), "And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden from of old." Whence Gehinnom? As it is said (Isaiah 30:33), "For Topheth is prepared from yesterday." Come and see. At the hour when the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses to say to Israel that they should make Him a Tabernacle, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Say to Israel — as it were — it is not because I have no place to dwell that I tell you to make Me a Tabernacle; before the world was created, behold, My Sanctuary was built above, as it is said (Jeremiah 17:12), "A throne of glory, exalted from the beginning," etc. And there the palace of My throne was built, as it is said (Habakkuk 2:20), "But the Lord is in His holy palace," etc. And so Isaiah said (Isaiah 6:1), "And I saw the Lord seated upon a throne high and exalted." But out of My love for you I leave the upper Temple, which was prepared before the world was created, and descend and dwell among you, as it is said (Exodus 25:8), "[And let them make Me a Sanctuary] that I may dwell among them." Said Rabbi Judah bar Simon in the name of Rabbi Yohanan: This is one of three things that Moses heard from the mouth of the Almighty and recoiled backward. At the hour when He said to him (Exodus 30:12), "Then they shall give every man a ransom for his life," Moses said: Who can give a ransom for his life? It is written (Job 2:4), "Skin for skin, and all that a man has he will give for his life," and still it does not suffice, as it is said (Psalms 49:8), "No man can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I do not ask according to My power, but according to their power — "this they shall give" (Exodus 30:13). [Said Rabbi Meir: The Holy One, blessed be He, took something like a coin of fire from beneath the Throne of Glory and showed it to Moses, "this they shall give" — like this they shall give.] And at the hour when He said (Numbers 28:2), "My offering, My bread for My fire offerings," Moses said: Who can supply You with offerings enough? If we offered up every beast of the forest and all the trees of Lebanon, they would not suffice, as it is said (Isaiah 40:16), "Lebanon is not sufficient for fuel, nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering." He said to him: I do not ask according to My power but according to their power, as it is said (Numbers 28:3), "And you shall say to them: This is the fire offering which you shall offer to the Lord" — and not both at once, but (ibid. v. 4) "the one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the second lamb you shall offer at twilight." And at the hour when He said to him (Exodus 25:8), "And let them make Me a Sanctuary," Moses said [before the Holy One, blessed be He] (1 Kings 8:27), "Behold, the heavens and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You," and it says (Jeremiah 23:24), "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth? says the Lord," and it says (Isaiah 66:1), "The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool" — and can we make Him a Sanctuary? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I do not ask [according to My power] but according to their power, as it is said (Exodus 26:1), "And the Tabernacle you shall make with ten curtains." When Israel heard this, they arose and donated willingly and made the Tabernacle. And when they had made the Tabernacle, it was filled with His glory, as it is said (Exodus 40:35), "And Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting," etc. The princes said: Behold, the hour has come for us to offer sacrifices in joy, for the Divine Presence has dwelt among us. Whence? [From what they read concerning the matter,] "So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished."