The Holy One Pulled Moses Into the Cloud

(Exodus 24:18) "And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud." It is written (Exodus 40:35), "And Moses was not able to enter into the Tent of Meeting because the cloud abode upon it," and it is written, "And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud." This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, grasped hold of Moses to bring him into the cloud. The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: It is said here "into the midst of the cloud," and it is said elsewhere, "And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea." Just as there it means a path, as it is written, "and the waters were a wall for them," so too here it means a path.