According to Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, there are four specific things that God longs for from His creation. The passage begins with the verse, "And you shall command," connecting it to the verse from Job 14:15, "You would call and I would answer You, You would yearn [tikhsof] for Your handiwork." The word tikhsof, meaning "yearn," is key here. It's a word that resonates with longing, like in Genesis 31:30, "Because you longed [nikhsof nikhsafta]" and Psalms 84:3, "My soul longs [nikhsefa], indeed it pines." So, what are these four things that God yearns for?
First, God bears the world. We learn this from Isaiah 46:4: "I have done and I will carry, I will bear [esbol] and I will rescue." God carries the weight of the world, so to speak. Yet, He commanded the sons of Kehat, a family within the tribe of Levi, to bear Him, specifically the Ark of the Covenant. Numbers 7:9 says, "But he did not give to the sons of Kehat, because the sacred service is upon them; they shall bear on the shoulder." It’s as if God is saying, “I carry you, now carry Me.”
Now, think about the story of crossing the Jordan River. Joshua 3:15 tells us, "The Jordan was overflowing all its banks." The sons of Kehat, carrying the Ark, were unable to cross. So, what did God do? According to Shemot Rabbah, He bore them. Joshua 3:13 says, "It shall be as the soles of the feet of the priests will rest." Rabbi Berekhya adds a fascinating twist: the Ark actually bears its bearers! It wasn't the priests carrying the Ark, but the Ark carrying them, as evidenced in Joshua 4:18: "The soles of the feet of the priests were drawn up [onto dry ground]." Powerful stuff. Second, God guards the world. Psalms 121:4-5 declares, "Behold, the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. The Lord is your Guardian." He's always watching over us. Yet, He also asks us to guard Him, or rather, to guard His sanctuary, the Tabernacle. Numbers 3:38 states, "And those encamped in front of the Tabernacle, to the east, in front of the Tent of Meeting: [Moses, and Aaron, and his sons, keeping [shomrim] the commission of the Sanctuary]." We are asked to be guardians, just as He is our Guardian.
Third, God illuminates the world. Ezekiel 43:2 says, "The earth shone with His glory." His presence brings light. Yet, He asks the Israelites to bring "pure olive oil," to the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. An offering of light, mirroring His own.
So, what does it all mean? God bears, guards, and illuminates the world. And He longs for us to, in our own limited way, do the same for Him. It's not about fulfilling a need God has, but about fostering a relationship, a reciprocal connection. He gives, and He desires that we, in turn, give back. It's a beautiful and humbling thought, isn't it? A divine longing for connection with His creation. A longing we can answer, every single day.