Bamidbar Rabbah 12, a section of the classic midrashic text, wrestles with this very question, using the construction of the Tabernacle – the mishkan – as a lens. It all starts with a rather cryptic verse from Proverbs (30:4): “Who ascended heavenward and descended? Who gathered the wind in his fists? Who bound water in a garment? Who established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if you know?”

The Rabbis of the Midrash unpack this verse in layers. Initially, it's interpreted as referring to God Himself. "Who ascended heavenward?" – that's the Holy One, blessed be He, echoed in the verse "God ascended with acclaim" (Psalms 47:6). "And descended?" – "The Lord descended upon Mount Sinai" (Exodus 19:20). "Who gathered the wind?" – well, God is "in whose hand is the life of every living being" (Job 12:10). You get the idea. Every phrase points back to the awesome power and majesty of the Divine. God's name, we're told, is Rock, Almighty, Lord of Hosts, and His son? "My son, My firstborn, Israel" (Exodus 4:22).

But the Midrash doesn't stop there. It cleverly layers another interpretation onto the same verse. "Who ascended heavenward?" This time, it's Elijah the prophet, who, as we know, "ascended heavenward in a storm" (II Kings 2:11). "And descended?" – referring to when the angel of the Lord told Elijah, "Go down with him; do not fear" (II Kings 1:15). And so on. Elijah, with his dramatic displays of power – controlling rain and even raising the dead – embodies the qualities described in Proverbs.

There's still more! The Midrash connects this verse to the importance of tzedakah, righteous giving, specifically the giving of tithes. "Who ascended heavenward and descended?" – the one whose prayers ascend and bring rain. "Who gathered the wind?" – the one who distributes tithes generously. In other words, our actions here on Earth directly impact the flow of blessing from above. If we're stingy, we're told, the rains will be withheld, and the land will suffer, echoing the curses in Deuteronomy (28:24): “The Lord will render the rain of your land dust and dirt."

And who first separated tithes? None other than Abraham, who "gave him a tithe from everything" (Genesis 14:20). Because of this, the Holy One granted him the heavens and the earth. And his son, Isaac, who also tithed, reaping a hundredfold harvest (Genesis 26:12). The message is clear: giving leads to abundance. "You shall tithe [aser te’aser]… tithe [aser] so you will become wealthy [shetitasher]."

Finally, the Midrash turns to Moses. "Who ascended heavenward?" – "Moses ascended to God" (Exodus 19:3). "And descended?" – "Moses descended from the mountain to the people" (Exodus 19:14). But the most intriguing connection is to the Tabernacle itself. Did Moses establish the ends of the earth? No, but he established the mishkan, the Tent of Meeting.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, makes a powerful point: The Torah doesn't just say "erecting a Tabernacle [mishkan]"; it says "erecting the Tabernacle [et hamishkan]." That extra word, et, is significant. It implies a second Tabernacle, a tent within the tent, symbolizing the cosmic significance of this structure. Before the Tabernacle was erected, the world was unstable. Only with its construction was the world truly established and grounded.

So, what does it all mean? This passage from Bamidbar Rabbah invites us to see the world as interconnected. The actions of individuals, the giving of tithes, the construction of sacred spaces – all contribute to the stability and well-being of the cosmos. The Tabernacle, in this light, isn't just a physical structure; it's a symbol of our responsibility to create a world grounded in generosity, justice, and connection to the Divine. And maybe, just maybe, that's how we keep the winds gathered, the waters bound, and the earth firmly beneath our feet.