<b>And he gave unto Moses, etc. (Exod. 31:18).</b> Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: <i>Thy lips, O my bride, drop honey</i> (Song 4:11). R. Abba the son of Judah said: The community of Israel praised the Holy One, blessed be He, from on high to below, while the Holy One, blessed be He, praised Israel from below to on high. Israel praised Him from on high to below when she caused Him to descend from the upper spheres to the lower sphere, as it is said: <i>That they make me a Sanctuary</i> (Exod. 25:8). He praised them from below to on high when He said: <i>The Lord Thy God will set them on high</i> (Deut. 28:1). <i>Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness?</i> (Song 3:16). Israel praised him from above to below, that is, from His head to His foot: <i>His head is as the most fine gold … His eyes … His locks … His eyes … His cheeks … His lips … His hands … His loins … His legs … His mouth is most sweet … this is my Beloved</i> (Song 5:11–16), while He praised them from below to above: <i>How beautiful are thy steps … the roundings of thy thighs … thy navel is like a round goblet … thy belly is like a heap … thy two breasts … thy neck is as a tower … thine eyes … thy nose … thy head upon thee is like Carmel</i> (ibid. 7:2–6). <i>Thy lips drip honey</i> (ibid. 4:11).
What is meant by <i>nofet</i> (“drip”)? R. Johanan declared: It is a Greek word for a beautiful bride. Just as a beautiful bride is prized above everything else, you are prized above all nations. <i>Honey and milk under thy tongue</i> (ibid. 4:11). When you devote yourself to the Torah you are consuming milk and honey, for you declared at Sinai: <i>We will do and we will hear</i>. Hence, <i>Thy lips, O my bride, drop honey</i>. Just as I called you My bride, so the Torah adorns and bedecks Israel like a bride. He gave Moses all of Israel’s adornments, the Scripture, the Mishnah, the Talmud, the laws and legends, as one gives gifts to a bride, as it is said: <i>He gave unto Moses as though she was His bride</i> (<i>kekhalto</i><sup class="footnote-marker">28</sup><i class="footnote">The usual English translation of this word is “when he made an end of (speaking).”</i>).<i> Tablets</i>. Why is it called <i>luhot</i> (“tablets”)? Because they tire one’s <i>lehi</i> (“jaw”). <i>Written with the finger of God</i> (Exod. 31:18). If Israel had received the first tablets (which were shattered), no people would have been able to rule over them.