God Compares Israel to a Beloved Daughter in a Crown

“At the crown with which his mother crowned him,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai asked Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Yosei, he said to him: ‘Have you possibly heard from your father what is: “At the crown with which his mother crowned him”?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ He said to him: ‘What?’ He said to him: ‘[It is analogous] to a king who had an only daughter and he loved her exceedingly much and would call her: My daughter.

He did not stop loving her until he called her: My sister. He did not stop loving her until he called her: My mother. So too, the Holy One blessed be He loved Israel exceedingly much, and called them My daughter; that is what is written: “Hear, My daughter, and see” (Psalms 45:11); He did not stop loving them until He called them My sister, as it is stated: “Open for me, my sister, my lover” (Song of Songs 5:2); He did not stop loving them until he called them My mother, as it is stated: “Heed Me My people, listen to Me My nation [uleumi]” (Isaiah 51:4), My mother [ule’imi] is written.’112The verse already mentioned “people” such that “nation” is extraneous.

The midrash explains that the verse mentions the word nation [le’umi] because when written without a vav, it can be read “my mother” [le’imi] (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai stood, kissed him on his head, and said: ‘Had I come only to hear from you this explanation, it would have sufficed for me.’ Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak said: We have reviewed the whole Bible in its entirety and we have not found that Batsheva crafted a crown for Solomon her son, and you say: “At the crown with which his mother crowned him”?

Rather, just as a crown is set with jewels and pearls, so the Tent of Meeting was conspicuous with sky-blue, purple, and scarlet wool, and linen.113Thus, the crown mentioned in the verse is not an actual crown that Solomon’s mother made for him, but is rather a description of the beautiful cloth used to cover the Tabernacle. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: You find that when that the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Craft for Me a Tabernacle,’ he could have positioned four poles and stretched a curtain over them, and it would have been a Tabernacle.

However, the Holy One blessed be He did not do so, but rather, He took him up On High and He showed him red, green, black, and white fire, and said to him: ‘Craft like this for Me.’ [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, from where do I have black, red, green, and white fire?’ He said to [Moses]: “In their configuration, that you are being shown on the mountain” (Exodus 25:40).114It is to be made in this pattern, but not with fire.

Rabbi Avun said: [This is analogous] to a king who had a fine image. He said to a member of his household: ‘Craft me one like it.’115He asked him to recreate his image through artwork. He said: ‘My lord the king, am I able to craft one like it?’ He said to him: ‘You, with your materials, and I with my glory.’116He said: ‘I am asking you to create an artistic representation, I am not expecting it to match reality precisely.’

So too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “See and craft” (Exodus 25:40). He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, am I a god that I can craft something like that?’ He said to him: “In their configuration...” Rabbi Berekhya [said] in the name of Rabbi Betzalel: [This is analogous] to a king who appeared to a member of his household in a fine bejeweled garment.

He said to him: ‘Craft me one like this.’ He said: ‘My lord the king, am I able to craft one like this?’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Craft for Me a Tabernacle.’ He said to him: ‘Master of the universe, am I able to craft one like this?’

He said to him: “In their configuration.” Just as you see On High, craft below. It does not say here: “Stand up acacia wood,” but rather, “[acacia wood], standing” (Exodus 26:15), as though they are placed among the hosts On High. If you craft [something] below that is like that which is On High, I will abandon My heavenly council and descend and restrict My Divine Presence in your midst below.

How so? Just as above Seraphim are standing, so too, below, acacia wood is standing. Just as above there are stars, so too, below117In the Tabernacle. there are stars. Rabbi Ḥiya bar Abba said: This teaches that there were gold hooks in the Tabernacle that look like stars in the sky.

“On the day of his wedding,” this is Sinai; they were like bridegrooms. “And on the day of the rejoicing of his heart,” these are words of Torah, just as it says: “The precepts of the Lord are upright, bringing joy to the heart” (Psalms 19:9). Alternatively, “on the day of his wedding,” this is the Tent of Meeting. “And on the day of the rejoicing of his heart,” this is the Temple.