Cloud Cover: God Among Us?

(15) On the day that the Tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the Tabernacle, the Tent of the Pact; and in the evening it rested over the Tabernacle in the likeness of fire until morning. (16) It was always so: the cloud covered it, appearing as fire by night. (17) And whenever the cloud lifted from the Tent, the Israelites would set out accordingly; and at the spot where the cloud settled, there the Israelites would make camp. (18) At a command of Adonai the Israelites broke camp, and at a command of Adonai they made camp: they remained encamped as long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle. (19) When the cloud lingered over the Tabernacle many days, the Israelites observed Adonai's mandate and did not journey on. (20) At such times as the cloud rested over the Tabernacle for but a few days, they remained encamped at a command of Adonai, and broke camp at a command of Adonai. (21) And at such times as the cloud stayed from evening until morning, they broke camp as soon as the cloud lifted in the morning. Day or night, whenever the cloud lifted, they would break camp. (22) Whether it was two days or a month or a year—however long the cloud lingered over the Tabernacle—the Israelites remained encamped and did not set out; only when it lifted did they break camp. (23) On a sign from Adonai they made camp and on a sign from Adonai they broke camp; they observed Adonai's mandate at Adonai's bidding through Moses.

(4) Suddenly Adonai called to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the Tent of Meeting.” So the three of them went out. (5) Adonai came down in a pillar of cloud, stopped at the entrance of the Tent, and called out, “Aaron and Miriam!” The two of them came forward; (6) and He said, “Hear these My words: When a prophet of Adonai arises among you, I make Myself known to him in a vision, I speak with him in a dream. (7) Not so with My servant Moses; he is trusted throughout My household. (8) With him I speak mouth to mouth, plainly and not in riddles, and he beholds the likeness of Adonai. How then did you not shrink from speaking against My servant Moses!” (9) Still incensed with them, Adonai departed. (10) As the cloud withdrew from the Tent, there was Miriam stricken with snow-white scales! When Aaron turned toward Miriam, he saw that she was stricken with scales.

AND WHEN THE CLOUD TARRIED. This means that if the cloud tarried upon the Tabernacle many days, and the place [where they happened to be camped] was not good in their eyes, so that they very much desired and wanted to journey away from there, they were nonetheless not to transgress the will of G-d; this being the meaning of the verse, and the children of Israel kept the charge of the Eternal, and journeyed not, namely that [it was only] because of their fear of G-d and because they kept the charge of His command that they did not journey. Similarly, if the cloud was there only a few days, for instance two or three days, and the people were very tired because their strength had weakened in the way, they would nonetheless fulfill the will of G-d and walk after the cloud. And Scripture further relates that sometimes they tarried for only one night and journeyed in the [next] morning, although it was a great strain for them. And at times the cloud tarried a day and a night, when they had journeyed throughout the night and arrived at that place in the morning, and the cloud stayed there all that day and all the night, and was taken up on the second morning and they journeyed. This was an even greater trouble for them than the previously-mentioned one, because the people would think that they were to stay there [for a long time], and would unload the wagons and lay down their burdens, as is the custom of those who come from a journey, and when the cloud was taken up they began reloading, and could not make any preparations for the journey. Whether it were two days, and they journeyed at night.

It is possible that it happened during their journeys that they had to do as is narrated here, and not in another way, namely that the cloud first tarried from evening until morning, then a day and night, then two days, then a month and finally a year. This is why Scripture mentioned these periods in detail. It [the cloud] would also tarry for many years, as Scripture mentioned at the beginning [of this section], such as in Kadesh of which Scripture states, And ye abode in Kadesh many days, according to the days that ye abode there.

[(Ps. 99:6, cont.): THEY (i.e., Moses, Aaron, and Samuel) CRIED UNTO Adonai AND HE ANSWERED THEM. The first cried out and was answered; the second also cried out and was answered. (Ibid., vs. 7): <HE SPOKE UNTO THEM> IN A PILLAR OF CLOUD. See, we heard about Moses, that he conversed with him in a pillar of cloud, as stated (in Exod. 34:5): Adonai DESCENDED IN THE CLOUD AND HE STOOD WITH HIM THERE. So also with Aaron, he conversed with him in the cloud, where it is stated (in Numb. 12:5): SO Adonai CAME DOWN IN a <PILLAR OF> CLOUD, STOOD AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE TENT, <AND CALLED AARON AND MIRIAM>.

(21) God went before them in a pillar of cloud by day, to guide them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, that they might travel day and night. (22) The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.

(4) So Moses carved two tablets of stone, like the first, and early in the morning he went up on Mount Sinai, as Adonai had commanded him, taking the two stone tablets with him. (5) Adonai came down in a cloud; He stood with him there, and proclaimed the name Adonai.

(33) ...When Moses had finished the work, (34) the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of Adonai filled the Tabernacle. (35) Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud had settled upon it and the Presence of Adonai filled the Tabernacle. (36) When the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the Israelites would set out, on their various journeys; (37) but if the cloud did not lift, they would not set out until such time as it did lift. (38) For over the Tabernacle a cloud of the LORD rested by day, and fire would appear in it by night, in the view of all the house of Israel throughout their journeys.

ולא יכול משה לכא אל אהל מועד, and Moses was unable to enter the Tent of Testimony, etc. It seems strange that the "cloud" prevented Moses from entering the Tent seeing that the Torah had told us in Exodus 24,18 that "Moses went inside the cloud, etc." The difference is clear. In Parshat Mishpatim Moses entered the cloud after God had summoned him. In this instance no summons from God had been forthcoming.