193. “And it came to pass on the day when Moses had finished establishing the tabernacle,” in the day when the bride, the Shechina, entered the Hupa [wedding canopy]. Thus, how will we explain the verse, “In the day when Moses had finished”? It would have been enough to write “In the day when it was finished.” However, this teaches that she entered thanks to Moses. Was the Shechina delayed until now and did not enter her place? But it is written, “And Moses could not come to the tabernacle since the cloud had been on it, and the glory of the Lord had filled the tabernacle.” Thus, the Shechina was in the tabernacle prior to that day. However, there is no before or after in the Torah, and the words “Moses could not come” are later than what is written here.
194. “And it came to pass on the day when Moses had finished [Hebrew: Kalot].” The Shechina is called Kalat Moshe [Moses’ bride]. It is written, “You have ascended on high; You have taken captive; You have taken gifts among men.” But when the Creator told him, “Take your shoes off your feet,” the mountain shook. Angel Michael said to the Creator, “Lord of the world, do You wish to destroy man’s construction? But it is written, ‘Male and female He created them and blessed them,’ and there is blessing only in one who is male and female. And why did You tell Moses to part from his wife? Thus, ‘Take your shoes off your feet’ means that he should part from his wife.’” Here the text uses euphemism.
195. The Creator said to him, “But Moses carried out being fruitful and multiplying; now I want him to marry the Shechina, and for him, the Shechina will come down to dwell with him, as it is written, ‘You have ascended on high; You have taken captive.’ The captive is the Shechina, who Moses carried with him. ‘You have taken gifts among men.’ It is not written “in a man,” with a Shva [punctuation sign], but ‘in the man,’ with a Kamatz [another punctuation sign], indicating the known man above, who is ZA.” The gift is the Shechina, which ZA had given him. On the day when the Shechina came down, on the day when she married Moses, it is written, “On the day when Moses had finished.”
196. It is written about Joshua, whose face was as the face of the moon, “Take off your shoe.” He did not part from his wife unless at specific times, for the purpose of prophesy, since the Shechina was not so married to him and he was not worthy of her, as it is written, “And Joshua fell to the ground on his face.” But here, she is indeed Moses’ bride. “You have taken gifts among men.” It is written “gifts” without a Vav [in Hebrew], which is the sign for plural form, since it concerned the Shechina, who is singular. Happy is Moses that his Master wanted his glory over that of all the other people in the world.