God Takes Counsel With the Angels and Builds Creation Into Redemption

"These are the generations of the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 2:4): this is the beginning of the Torah. "This month shall be for you" (Exodus 12:2): the beginning of the Book [of commandments]. "The enemy said, I will pursue" (Exodus 15:9): the beginning of the Song. And why did the Holy One, blessed be He, place earlier and later out of order in the Torah? Because of the arrogant, so that a priest should not read in [the order beginning with] Genesis and say, "I began the Torah." The Holy One, blessed be He, took counsel with the angels. He said to them: "I wish to create a world." They said to Him: "Why?" He said to them: "For the sake of one nation called Israel." They said to Him: "And what is their character?" He said to them: "Just as I separated between light and darkness, so in Egypt, 'for all the children of Israel there was light in their dwellings' (Exodus 10:23). Just as I separated between the upper waters and the lower, so too I am destined to do for them, as it is said, 'and the waters were a wall to them on their right' (Exodus 14:22). On the third [day] I created seeds and grasses; so too I am destined to do for them, as it is said, 'and the manna was like coriander seed' (Numbers 11:7), and it says, 'in green pastures He makes me lie down' (Psalms 23:2). I created luminaries to divide between day and night; so too I am destined to do for them, as it is said, 'the pillar of cloud did not depart' (Exodus 13:22). I created birds and fish; for them too, 'a wind went forth from the LORD' [bringing quail] (Numbers 11:31). I created the human being, 'and He breathed into his nostrils' (Genesis 2:7); for them too, 'it is a tree of life to those who grasp it' (Proverbs 3:18)." They said to Him: "Master of the universe, what has this nation done for You that You love it so?" He said to them: "On the first day I created the heavens and stretched them out, as it is said, 'who stretches out the heavens like a curtain' (Isaiah 40:22); among them too I will rest My presence, as it is said, 'they shall make Me a sanctuary' (Exodus 25:8). On the second I separated between water and water; for them too, 'the curtain shall divide for you' (Exodus 26:33). On the third day I created grasses and seeds; they too eat herbs on the night of Passover and bring the showbread. On the fourth I created luminaries; they too, 'you shall make a lampstand of gold' (Exodus 25:31). On the fifth I created birds; they too, 'the cherubim shall spread their wings' (Exodus 25:20). On the sixth I created the human being; they too, 'with this shall Aaron come' to serve before Me (Leviticus 16:3)."