Cloudy with A Chance of Mishkan

(לה) וְלֹא־יָכֹ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה לָבוֹא֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד כִּֽי־שָׁכַ֥ן עָלָ֖יו הֶעָנָ֑ן וּכְב֣וֹד ה' מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃ (לו) וּבְהֵעָל֤וֹת הֶֽעָנָן֙ מֵעַ֣ל הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן יִסְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּכֹ֖ל מַסְעֵיהֶֽם׃ (לז) וְאִם־לֹ֥א יֵעָלֶ֖ה הֶעָנָ֑ן וְלֹ֣א יִסְע֔וּ עַד־י֖וֹם הֵעָלֹתֽוֹ׃ (לח) כִּי֩ עֲנַ֨ן ה' עַֽל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְאֵ֕שׁ תִּהְיֶ֥ה לַ֖יְלָה בּ֑וֹ לְעֵינֵ֥י כׇל־בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּכׇל־מַסְעֵיהֶֽם׃

(35) Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud had settled upon it and the Presence of ה' 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 ה' rested by day, and fire would appear in it by night, in the view of all the house of Israel throughout their journeys.

G-d has CHOSEN to be a cloud. Why?

IS IT BECAUSE CLOUDS ARE TRANSIENT?

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

To find yourself in the infinite,
You must distinguish and then combine;
Therefore my winged song thanks
The man who distinguished cloud from cloud....

CUMULUS

Still soaring, as if some celestial call
Impell’d it to yon heaven’s sublimest hall;
High as the clouds, in pomp and power arrayed,
Enshrined in strength, in majesty displayed;
All the soul’s secret thoughts it seems to move,
Beneath it trembles, while it frowns above.

IS IT BECAUSE CLOUDS HAVE DIFFERENT DIVINE ATTRIBUTES?

(ז) בְּעַמּ֣וּד עָ֭נָן יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם שָׁמְר֥וּ עֵ֝דֹתָ֗יו וְחֹ֣ק נָֽתַן־לָֽמוֹ׃

(7) He spoke to them in a pillar of cloud;
they obeyed His decrees,
the law He gave them.

חַמִשָּׁה שֶׁמוּת נִקְרְאוּ לוֹ. אֵיד עָב עָנָן נָשִׂיא חֲזִיז. אֵיד מְנַיִין. וְאֵ֖ד יַֽעֲלֶ֣ה מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ. עָב [שֶׁהוּא מְעַבֶּה אֶת הָרָקִיעַ]. הִנֵּ֨ה אָֽנֹכִ֜י בָּ֣א אֵלֶ֘יךָ֘ בְּעַ֣ב הֶֽעָנָן֒. עָנָן. שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה אֶת הַבִּרְיוֹת עֲנָוִים אֵילּוּ לָאֵילּוּ. נָשִׂיא. שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה בַּעֲלֵי בָתִּים כִּנְשִׂיאִים. מַֽעֲלֶ֣ה נְשִׂאִים֘ מִקְצֵ֢ה הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ. חֲזִיז. שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה אֶת הָרָקִיעַ חֶזְיוֹנוֹת חֶזְיוֹנוֹת. י֨י עֹשֶׂה חֲזִיזִ֑ים.

It is called by five names: fog, canopy, cloud, prince, and storm-cloud. From where “fog”? And fog rose from the earth. “Thick cloud,” [which thickens the sky], behold, I shall come to you in a canopy of cloud. “Cloud”, because it makes people meek with one another. “Prince” because it turns owners of houses into princes: He raises rain-clouds from the ends of the earth. “Storm-clouds” because it turns the sky into multiple visions: The Eternal makes storm clouds.

(1) עָנָיו, עָנָו m. (b. h.; עָנָה II) submissive, meek, kind, patient. Ber. 6ᵇ אי ע׳ אי חסיד וכ׳ woe for the loss of the meek, … of the pious man, the disciple of Abraham!; Sot. 48ᵇ. Kidd. 71ᵃ אין מוסרין אותו אלא למי שצנוע וע׳ we do not communicate it (the Divine Name) except to one who is chaste and meek; a. fr.—Pl. עֲנָוִים. Y. Taan. III, 66ᶜ ענן שהוא עושה בריות ע׳ אלו לאלו the cloud is named ʿanan, because it (the rainfall) makes men kind to one another; Gen. R. s. 13; Yalk. Gen. 20; Yalk. Ps. 883 עניים (Var. ענוים). Succ. 29ᵇ; a. fr.—V. עִנְוְתָן.

(1) חָזִיז, חֲזִיז m. (b. h.; v. חֲזָזִית) 1) cloud with uneven surface (like scabs or swollen lumps), cumulus (which brings rain). Gen. R. s. 13 (allegorical explanation), v. חִזָּיוֹן I. Y. Taan. III, 66ᶜ bot., v. preced.—Bab. ib. 9ᵇ.—Pl. חֲזִיזִים. Ib. מאי ח׳ what are ḥazizim (Zech. X, 1)? Answ. פורחות eruptions (defined: ‘a thin under a thick cloud’). —2) [Readings vary between חזיז a. חִזִּין, pl. of חֵז] lichen, used as food (Lecantora esculenta). Erub. 28ᵃ, v. חִזָּיוֹן II.—B. Kam. 119ᵇ כשות וח׳ וכ׳ the law of robbery does not apply to cuscuta and lichen. Keth. 60ᵇ —3) [Readings vary as ab.] young blades of grain used for pasture.

(ט) וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֧ף ה' בָּ֖ם וַיֵּלַֽךְ׃ (י) וְהֶעָנָ֗ן סָ֚ר מֵעַ֣ל הָאֹ֔הֶל וְהִנֵּ֥ה מִרְיָ֖ם מְצֹרַ֣עַת כַּשָּׁ֑לֶג וַיִּ֧פֶן אַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶל־מִרְיָ֖ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה מְצֹרָֽעַת׃

(9) Still incensed with them, ה' 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.

(ט) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י בָּ֣א אֵלֶ֘יךָ֮ בְּעַ֣ב הֶֽעָנָן֒ ??? בַּעֲב֞וּר יִשְׁמַ֤ע הָעָם֙ בְּדַבְּרִ֣י עִמָּ֔ךְ וְגַם־בְּךָ֖ יַאֲמִ֣ינוּ לְעוֹלָ֑ם ??? וַיַּגֵּ֥ד מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י הָעָ֖ם אֶל־ה'׃

(9) And ה' said to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud, in order that the people may hear when I speak with you and so trust you ever after.” Then Moses reported the people’s words to ה',

(א) בעב הענן. בְּמַעֲבֵה הֶעָנָן וְזֶהוּ עֲרָפֶל:

(1) בעב הענן signifies in the thickness of the cloud, and this is the ערפל, the thick darkness mentioned in Exodus 20:18 “And Moses stepped near unto the thick darkness where God was” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:9:1).

IS IT BECAUSE CLOUDS ARE LOFTY?

אמר רבי אלכסנדרי רבי יהושע בן לוי רמי כתיב (דניאל ז, יג) וארו עם ענני שמיא כבר אינש אתה וכתיב (זכריה ט, ט) עני ורוכב על חמור זכו עם ענני שמיא לא זכו עני רוכב על חמור
Rabbi Alexandri says: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi raises a contradiction between two depictions of the coming of the Messiah. It is written: “There came with the clouds of heaven, one like unto a son of man…and there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom…his dominion is an everlasting dominion” (Daniel 7:13–14). And it is written: “Behold, your king will come to you; he is just and victorious; lowly and riding upon a donkey and upon a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). Rabbi Alexandri explains: If the Jewish people merit redemption, the Messiah will come in a miraculous manner with the clouds of heaven. If they do not merit redemption, the Messiah will come lowly and riding upon a donkey.
(יב) הֲֽלֹא־אֱ֭לוֹקַּ גֹּ֣בַהּ שָׁמָ֑יִם וּרְאֵ֤ה רֹ֖אשׁ כּוֹכָבִ֣ים כִּי־רָֽמּוּ׃ (יג) וְֽ֭אָמַרְתָּ מַה־יָּ֣דַֽע אֵ֑ל הַבְעַ֖ד עֲרָפֶ֣ל יִשְׁפּֽוֹט׃

(12) God is in the heavenly heights;

See the highest stars, how lofty!

(13) You say, “What can God know?

Can He govern through the dense cloud?

IS IT BECAUSE CLOUDS OBSCURE SOMETHING?

(מד) סַכּ֤וֹתָה בֶֽעָנָן֙ לָ֔ךְ מֵעֲב֖וֹר תְּפִלָּֽה׃ {ס}

(44) You have screened Yourself off with a cloud, so that no prayer may pass through.

רָבָא לָא גְּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא בְּיוֹמָא דְעֵיבָא, מִשּׁוּם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״סַכֹּתָה בֶעָנָן לָךְ מֵעֲבוֹר תְּפִלָּה״.
With regard to the locking of the gates of prayer, the Gemara relates that Rava did not decree a fast on a cloudy day because it is stated: “You have covered Yourself in a cloud, through which prayer cannot pass” (Lamentations 3:44). The verse indicates that clouds are a bad omen, indicating that God has averted His face (Rav Hai Gaon).

HOW CLOUDY WERE THESE CLOUDS? (Not very.)

רַבִּי זְרִיקָא רָמֵי קְרָאֵי קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ אָמַר רַבִּי זְרִיקָא: רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר רָמֵי, כְּתִיב: ״וְלֹא יָכוֹל מֹשֶׁה לָבֹא אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד כִּי שָׁכַן עָלָיו הֶעָנָן״, וּכְתִיב: ״וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן״! מְלַמֵּד שֶׁתְּפָסוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה וֶהֱבִיאוֹ בֶּעָנָן.
Rabbi Zerika raised a contradiction between verses before Rabbi Elazar, and some say that Rabbi Zerika said that Rabbi Elazar raised a contradiction: It is written in one place: “And Moses was not able to enter into the Tent of Meeting because the cloud dwelt on it” (Exodus 40:35), as Moses was unable to enter the cloud. And it is written elsewhere: “And Moses came into the cloud” (Exodus 24:18). This teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, grabbed Moses and brought him into the cloud since he could not enter on his own.
(לד) וַעֲנַ֧ן ה' עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם יוֹמָ֑ם בְּנׇסְעָ֖ם מִן־הַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ {ס}

(34) and Hashem's cloud kept above them by day, as they moved on from camp.

(א) וענן ה' עליהם יומם. שִׁבְעָה עֲנָנִים כְּתוּבִים בְּמַסְעֵיהֶם, אַרְבָּעָה מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת, וְאֶחָד לְמַעְלָה, וְאֶחָד לְמַטָּה, וְאֶחָד לִפְנֵיהֶם מַנְמִיךְ אֶת הַגָּבוֹהַּ וּמַגְבִּיהַּ אֶת הַנָּמוּךְ וְהוֹרֵג נְחָשִׁים וְעַקְרַבִּים (ספרי; מכילתא שמות י"ג:

(1) וענן ה׳ עליהם יומם AND THE CLOUD OF THE LORD WAS UPON THEM BY DAY — Seven times is the word ענן used in the account of their journeys alluding to four clouds which screened them on all four sides, one that was above them, one beneath their feet, and one in front of them which leveled the elevations and raised the depressions, and killed all serpents and scorpions (Sifrei Bamidbar 83:1; Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:21:2; Br. d’ Melechet ha-Mishkan 14).

(טז) וַיְבִאֶהָ יִצְחָק הָאֹהֱלָה שָׂרָה אִמּוֹ (בראשית כד, סז), כָּל יָמִים שֶׁהָיְתָה שָׂרָה קַיֶּמֶת הָיָה עָנָן קָשׁוּר עַל פֶּתַח אָהֳלָהּ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁמֵּתָה פָּסַק אוֹתוֹ עָנָן, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁבָּאת רִבְקָה חָזַר אוֹתוֹ עָנָן. כָּל יָמִים שֶׁהָיְתָה שָׂרָה קַיֶּמֶת הָיוּ דְּלָתוֹת פְּתוּחוֹת לִרְוָחָה, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמֵּתָה שָׂרָה פָּסְקָה אוֹתָהּ הָרְוָחָה, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁבָּאת רִבְקָה חָזְרָה אוֹתָהּ הָרְוָחָה. וְכָל יָמִים שֶׁהָיְתָה שָׂרָה קַיֶּמֶת הָיָה בְּרָכָה מְשֻׁלַּחַת בָּעִסָּה, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמֵּתָה שָׂרָה פָּסְקָה אוֹתָהּ הַבְּרָכָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאת רִבְקָה חָזְרָה. כָּל יָמִים שֶׁהָיְתָה שָׂרָה קַיֶּמֶת הָיָה נֵר דּוֹלֵק מִלֵּילֵי שַׁבָּת וְעַד לֵילֵי שַׁבָּת, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמֵּתָה פָּסַק אוֹתוֹ הַנֵּר, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁבָּאת רִבְקָה חָזַר. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁרָאָה אוֹתָהּ שֶׁהִיא עוֹשָׂה כְּמַעֲשֵׂה אִמּוֹ, קוֹצָה חַלָּתָהּ בְּטָהֳרָה וְקוֹצָה עִסָּתָהּ בְּטָהֳרָה, מִיָּד וַיְּבִאֶהָ יִצְחָק הָאֹהֱלָה

(16) "And Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah, his mother-" All the days that Sarah was alive, a cloud was connected (lit. tied) to the entrance of her tent. When she died, the cloud stopped [resting at her tent.] And when Rebecca came, the cloud returned. All the days that Sarah was alive, the doors were open wide. When she died, the wideness stopped. And when Rebecca came, the wideness returned. And all the days that Sarah was alive, there was a blessing in her dough, and when Sarah died, that blessing ended. When Rebecca came, [the blessing] returned. All the days that Sarah was alive, there was a candle that would burn from Sabbath Eve to [the next] Sabbath Eve, and when she died, the candle stopped [burning for so long]. And when Rebecca came, [the week-long flame of the candle] returned. And as soon as [Isaac] saw her, that she did the deeds of his mother, separating her challah in purity and separating her dough in purity, he brought her into the tent.

(ט) אֵ֚ין בָּֽאָר֔וֹן רַ֗ק שְׁנֵי֙ לֻח֣וֹת הָאֲבָנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִנִּ֥חַ שָׁ֛ם מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּחֹרֵ֑ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר כָּרַ֤ת ה' עִם־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּצֵאתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (י) וַיְהִ֕י בְּצֵ֥את הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים מִן־הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וְהֶעָנָ֥ן מָלֵ֖א אֶת־בֵּ֥ית ה'׃ (יא) וְלֹא־יָכְל֧וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים לַֽעֲמֹ֥ד לְשָׁרֵ֖ת מִפְּנֵ֣י הֶעָנָ֑ן כִּֽי־מָלֵ֥א כְבוֹד־ה' אֶת־בֵּ֥ית ה'׃ {פ} (יב) אָ֖ז אָמַ֣ר שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה ה' אָמַ֔ר לִשְׁכֹּ֖ן בָּעֲרָפֶֽל׃ (יג) בָּנֹ֥ה בָנִ֛יתִי בֵּ֥ית זְבֻ֖ל לָ֑ךְ מָכ֥וֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ֖ עוֹלָמִֽים׃

(9) There was nothing inside the Ark but the two tablets of stone which Moses placed there at Horeb, when the LORD made [a covenant] with the Israelites after their departure from the land of Egypt. (10) When the priests came out of the sanctuary—for the cloud had filled the House of the LORD (11) and the priests were not able to remain and perform the service because of the cloud, for the Presence of the LORD filled the House of the LORD (12) then Solomon declared: “The LORD has chosen to abide in a thick cloud: (13) I have now built for You a stately House, a place where You May dwell forever.”

Lucy: If you use your imagination, you can see lots of things in the cloud formation...What do you think you see, Linus?
Linus: Well, those clouds up there look to me like the map of the British Honduras in the Caribbean... That cloud up there looks a little like the profile of Thomas Eakins, the famous painter and sculptor...and that group of clouds over there gives me the impression of the stoning of Stephen...I can see the Apostle Paul standing there to one side....
Lucy: Uh huh...That's very good... What do you see in the clouds, Charlie Brown?
Charlie Brown: Well, I was going to say I saw a ducky and a horsie, but I changed my mind.

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