Who Climbed to Heaven and Came Back Down - God, Elijah, or Moses

Pesikta DeRav Kahana 1:4

"Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His son's name, if you know?" (Proverbs 30:4). "Who has ascended to heaven" - this is the Holy One, blessed be He, of whom it is written, "God has gone up with a shout" (Psalms 47:6). "And come down" - "And the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai" (Exodus 19:20). "Who has gathered the wind" - "In whose hand is the life of every living thing" (Job 12:10). "Who has bound the waters" - "He binds up the waters in His clouds" (ibid. 26:8). "Who has established all the ends of the earth" - "The LORD kills and makes alive" (1 Samuel 2:6). "And what is His name" - "Rock" is His name, "Almighty" is His name, "the LORD of hosts" is His name. "And what is His son's name" - "Israel is My firstborn son" (Exodus 4:22) is His name. Another interpretation: "Who has ascended to heaven" (Proverbs ibid.) - who is the one whose prayer ascends to heaven and brings down rains? This is the one who distributes his tithes by his fistfuls, who brings down dew and rain to the world. "Who has gathered the wind in His fists, who has bound the waters in a garment, who has established all the ends of the earth" (Proverbs ibid.) - who is the one whose prayer does not ascend to heaven and does not bring down the rains? This is the one who does not distribute his tithes by his fistfuls, who restrains the heavens from bringing down dew and rain to the world. Another interpretation: "Who has ascended to heaven" (Proverbs ibid.) - this is Elijah, of whom it is written, "And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven" (2 Kings 2:11). "And come down" - "Go down with him; do not fear" (ibid. 1:15). "Who has gathered the wind in His fists" - "As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I have stood" (1 Kings 17:1). "Who has bound the waters" (Proverbs ibid.) - "And Elijah took his mantle and rolled it together" (2 Kings 2:8). "Who has established all the ends of the earth" (Proverbs ibid.) - "And Elijah said, See, your son lives" (1 Kings 17:23). Another interpretation: "Who has ascended to heaven" (Proverbs ibid.) - this is Moses, of whom it is written, "And Moses went up to God" (Exodus 19:3). "And come down" - "And Moses came down from the mountain" (ibid. ibid. 14). "Who has gathered the wind" - "As soon as I have gone out of the city" (ibid. 9:29). "Who has bound the waters" (Proverbs ibid.) - "The floods stood upright as a heap" (ibid. 15:8). "Who has established all the ends of the earth" - this is the Tent of Meeting, as it is said, "And it came to pass on the day that Moses finished setting up the Tabernacle" (Numbers 7:1), for the world was set up along with it. Rabbi Joshua ben Levi in the name of Rabbi Simeon ben Yochai: It does not say "to set up a tabernacle," but rather "to set up the Tabernacle." What was set up along with it? The world was set up along with it, for until the Tabernacle was set up the world was shaking, and once the Tabernacle was set up the world became firmly founded. Therefore it says, "And it came to pass on the day that Moses finished" (Numbers 7:1).

Themes

Biblical References