The Seven Clouds of Glory and the LORD Going Before Israel

"And the LORD went before them by day" (Exodus 13:21). You thus find that there were seven clouds. "And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud"; "and Your cloud stands over them" (Numbers 14:14); "and in a pillar of cloud"; "and when the cloud lingered" (Numbers 9:19); "and when the cloud was taken up" (Exodus 40:36); "and if the cloud was not taken up"; "for the cloud of the LORD was upon the Tabernacle" (Exodus 40:38). Behold, there were seven clouds: four from the four directions, one above, one below, and one that traveled before them, raising every low place and lowering every high one, as it is said, "every valley shall be lifted up and every mountain and hill shall be made low," and so forth. And it would strike down snakes and scorpions, and sweep and sprinkle before them. Rabbi Yehudah says: thirteen, two for each direction and two below and one that traveled before them. Rabbi Yoshiyah says: four. Rabbi says: two. "And the LORD went before them by day" - to teach you that by the measure a person measures, so it is measured to him. Abraham accompanied the ministering angels, as it is said (Genesis 18:16), "And Abraham walked with them to send them off," and the Holy One, blessed be He, accompanied His children in the wilderness forty years. Of Abraham it is written (Genesis 18:4), "let a little water be taken," and the Holy One, blessed be He, raised up the well for His children, as it is said, "Then Israel sang." Of Abraham it is written (Genesis 18:5), "and let me take a morsel of bread," and the Holy One, blessed be He, brought down manna for His children, as it is said (Exodus 16:4), "Behold, I will rain down for you bread from heaven." Of Abraham it is written (Genesis 18:7), "And Abraham ran to the herd," and the Holy One, blessed be He, drove the quail to His children, as it is said, "And a wind went forth from the LORD." Of Abraham it is written (Genesis 18:4), "and recline under the tree," and the Holy One, blessed be He, spread out for His children seven clouds of glory, as it is said, "He spread a cloud for a covering." Of Abraham it is written (Genesis 18:8), "and he stood over them," and the Holy One, blessed be He, shielded their houses in Egypt so they would not be struck, as it is said (Exodus 12:23), "and the LORD passed over the entrance." "And the LORD went before them" - is it possible to say so? Has it not already been said, "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?" and it says (Isaiah 6:3), "And one called to another and said," and so forth, and it says (Ezekiel 43:2), "And behold, the glory of the God of Israel," and so forth? Then what does "and the LORD went before them" teach? Rabbi says: Antoninus would sometimes sit in judgment on the platform until nightfall, and his sons would sit in the dark beside him. After he left the platform he would take the lantern and give light before his sons, and the great ones of his kingdom would approach him and say, "We will take the lantern and give light before your sons," and he would say to them, "No, rather I will take the lantern and give light before my sons, in order to make known to you the affection in which I hold my sons, that you should treat them with honor." So too the Holy One, blessed be He, made known the affection of Israel before the nations of the world, that they should treat them with honor. And it was not enough that they do not treat them with honor, but they put them to death by cruel and strange deaths, one worse than another. Concerning this it says, "And I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat," and so forth. I might think it is concerning idolatry, sexual immorality, and bloodshed; therefore it teaches (Joel 4:2), "concerning My people and My inheritance Israel, whom they scattered among the nations," "[and] Egypt shall become a desolation," and so forth; at that hour "[and] Judah shall dwell forever," and it says, "and I will hold their blood guiltless, which I have not held guiltless," when? "and the LORD dwells in Zion" (Joel 4:21). Rav Chisda said: a father who waives his honor, his honor is waived; a master who waives his honor, his honor is not waived. And Rav Yosef said: even a master who waives his honor, his honor is waived, as it is said, "And the LORD went before them by day." Rava said: how can these be compared? There the Holy One, blessed be He, the world is His, He may waive what is His; here the Torah is His. Then Rava said back: yes, the Torah is His, as it is written (Psalms 1:2), "and in His Torah he meditates," and even so he ought to act with deference. Rav Ashi said: even according to the one who says a nasi who waives his honor, his honor is waived, a king who waives his honor, his honor is not waived, as it is said (Deuteronomy 17:15), "you shall surely set a king over you" - that his awe shall be upon you.