Shimon Hatzaddik war der letzte der Männer der großen Versammlung [und die Tradition (Hakabala) blieb in seiner Hand. Er war nach Esra Hohepriester.] Er pflegte zu sagen [(Und so werden alle "R. Ploni sagt" und "Er pflegte zu sagen" in diesem Traktat als "das würde er immer sagen" verstanden.) ]: Die Welt steht auf drei Dingen [dh die Welt wurde allein für diese drei Dinge geschaffen]: auf der Tora [(Schabbat 88a) Wenn Israel die Tora nicht angenommen hätte, wären Himmel und Erde nicht geschaffen worden, wie es geschrieben steht (Jeremia 33:25): "Ohne meinen Bund (der Tora), Tag und Nacht, die Statuten von Himmel und Erde, die ich nicht gemacht hätte"], über Avodah [den Opferdienst. Denn so haben wir im Traktat Ta'anith (27b) gelernt: Ohne den Ma'amadoth (die "Wachen" bei den Opferdiensten) könnten Himmel und Erde nicht ertragen. Und wir finden, dass er aufgrund der von Noach dargebotenen Opfer schwor, dass er nie wieder eine Flut über die Welt bringen würde—woher wir sehen, dass die Welt aufgrund der Opfer und der Güte Bestand hat [wie geschrieben steht (Psalm 89: 3): "Die Welt ist auf Liebe aufgebaut." Liebenswürdigkeit besteht aus: sich über den Bräutigam zu freuen, Trauernde zu trösten, Kranke zu besuchen, sich um die Toten zu kümmern und dergleichen.]
Pesikta Rabbati
… it is written there “Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You…” (Melachim I 8:27) and here it is written “…the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.” (Shemot 40:35) R’ Yehoshua of Sachnin said in the name of R’ Levi ‘to what is this likened? To an open cave at the edge of the sea. When the sea storms the cave is filled, but the sea is not reduced. So too, even though it is written that ‘the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle’ the upper and lower worlds did not lose anything of the brilliance of the glory of the Holy One, just as it is written “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth? says the Lord.” (Yirmiyahu 23:24) Therefore it is written here ‘And it was’. Just as the Divine Presence was here below at the beginning of the creation of the world but withdrew to above, now it returned to be below as it had been “And it was that on the day that Moses finished…” (Bamidbar 7:1) ... [Another explanation. “And it was that on the day that Moses finished erecting the Mishkan…” (Numbers 7:1)] R’ Simon said: at the time when the Holy One told Israel to erect the Tabernacle, He hinted that when the Tabernacle below is erected, the Tabernacle above is erected, as it says “And it was that on the day that Moses finished…” (ibid.) It does not say ‘erecting the Tabernacle’ but rather ‘erecting this (et) the Tabernacle.’ This refers to the Tabernacle above. The Holy One said: in this world, when the Tabernacle was erected, I commanded Aharon and his sons that they bless you. In the time to come I, in my glory, will bless you. So it is written “May the Lord bless you from Zion, He Who made heaven and earth.” (Psalms 134:3)
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Midrash Tanchuma
"And it was on the day that Moses had finished to erect the tabernacle" (Numbers 7:1). Our rabbis taught (Avot 1:2),"On three things the world stands: On the Torah, on the service and on acts of lovingkindness." You find twenty-six generations from when the world was created until the Torah was given, and the Holy One, blessed be He, supported them out of kindness (since they were not worthy). And corresponding to them, David said, "As Your kindness is great," twenty-six times in the great Hallel (Psalms 136). Rabbi Acha said in the name of Rav Huna, "Moshe also hinted about them to Israel at the [Red] Sea, as he said am zu (this nation, in that zu has a numerical equivalent of thirteen) twice. As it is stated (Exodus 15:13), 'You have led this people that You have redeemed,' and it is written (Exodus 15:16), 'until this nation that You acquired has passed' - these are the twenty-six generations that [arose] from when the world was created until the Torah was given. 'You led them with Your strength (Exodus 15:13) - that is the Torah, which is called strength, as it is stated (Psalms 29:11), 'May the Lord give strength to His people.'" A parable: To what was the world similar at this time? To a basket with two legs, which [hence] could not stand. Once the tabernacle was erected, the world stood and was given a base, as stated, "And it was on the day that Moses had finished to erect the tabernacle (et hamishkan)." "Hamishkan" is not written here, but rather "et hamishkan, [the extra word coming] to include the creation of the world, about which it is written (Genesis 1:1), "et the heavens and the earth."
