The Descent Of The Heavenly Jerusalem

Rabbi Pinhas said in the name of Rabbi Reuven: In time to come the Holy One, blessed be He, will bring Sinai, Tabor, and Carmel, and will build the Temple upon their summits. And what is the proof text? "And it shall come to pass in the end of days, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains" (Isaiah 2:2). Rabbi Huma said: And is this enough for you? Rather, the Temple will recite song and the mountains will respond after it. And what is the proof text? "And it shall be exalted above the hills" (Micah 4:1). And this expression "exalted" means nothing other than song, as it is proved: "And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the carrying; he instructed about the carrying, because he was skillful" (1 Chronicles 15:22). Rabbi Hoshaya said in the name of Rabbi Aphes: Jerusalem is destined to become a lantern for the nations of the world, and they will walk by her light. And what is the proof text? "And nations shall walk by your light" (Isaiah 60:3). Rabbi Aha said: Israel is compared to an olive tree, "a leafy olive tree, fair with goodly fruit" (Jeremiah 11:16), and the Holy One, blessed be He, is compared to a lamp, "the lamp of God is the soul of man" (Proverbs 20:27). Just as it is the way of oil to be placed in a lamp, and the two of them give light as one, so too the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: My children, since My light is your light and your light is My light, I and you, let us go and give light to Zion: "Arise, shine, for your light has come" (Isaiah 60:1).