The Tent Of Meeting

What is written above? "And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments" (Exodus 33:6). Rabbi Hanin of Sepphoris said: The crown that He had placed upon their heads, as it is said: "And a crown of beauty upon your head" (Ezekiel 16:12). And Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says: The weapons that He had girded upon them. And Rabbi Simai said: Purple robes, as it is said: "And I clothed you with embroidered garments" (Ezekiel 16:11). And so it says: "You have declared the LORD this day, and the LORD has declared you this day" (Deuteronomy 26:17-18). In that hour Moses was angry with them, and he took the tent and went off, as it is said: "And Moses would take the tent" (Exodus 33:7). Rabbi Yehuda the son of Rabbi said: See the honor that the Holy One, blessed be He, accorded to Moses, that He left the upper beings and came to Moses. And the ministering angels would come to recite a hymn before Him, yet He was set beside Moses. And likewise the sun and the moon and the stars would come to bow down before Him and to take permission to go out and give light to the world, for were it not that they take permission and bow down, they would not go out, as it is said: "And the host of heaven bow down to You" (Nehemiah 9:6). They asked the living creatures: Where is the throne of glory? They said to them: Go to Moses. From where do we know that it is so? As it is said: "And it came to pass that everyone who sought the LORD" (Exodus 33:7). "Sought Moses" is not written here, but rather "sought the LORD." What is written there? "And the LORD would speak to Moses face to face" (Exodus 33:11). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Did I not make this condition with you, that when your face is angry My face will appease your face, and when My face is angry your face will appease My face? Return, and enter the camp, as it is said: "And the LORD would speak to Moses face to face."