When the people of the House of Israel saw that the clouds of glory been withdrawn from over them and that the crown of holiness which had been given them at Sinai was removed from them, they were left in darkness like the night. And they sought the crown of holiness which had been lifted from them but they did not find it.

The Children of Israel said to one another, “Let us rise and go and surround the Tent of the Appointed Time which Moses spread outside the camp, and let us request instruction from YY and the Holy Presence which has been removed from us.” Then they went around in the towns, streets, and squares, but they did not find it.

The Assembly of Israel said, 10 “Moses and Aaron and the Levites, who keep watch over the Word of YY 11 of the Tent of the Appointed Time and who go around it, found me, and I asked them about the Glorious Presence of YY which had been removed from me. Moses, the great Scribe of Israel, answered and this is what he said, ‘I will ascend to heaven on high and pray before YY. Perhaps He will forgive your guilt and make His Presence dwell among you as before.’

Then after a little time, YY turned from His fierce anger and He commanded Moses the prophet to make the Tent of the Appointed Time and the Ark and He caused His Presence to dwell within it. And the people of the House of Israel would offer their sacrifices and were occupied with the words of the Law in the chamber of the House of Study of Moses, their rabbi, and in the classroom of Joshua, son of Nun, his assistant.

When the seven nations heard that the Children of Israel were about to take possession of their land, they rose at once and cut the trees, stopped up the water springs, laid waste their towns and fled. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses the prophet: “I promised the patriarchs of these people to bring up their children to take possession of a land producing milk and honey. But I am bringing their children into a wasted and barren land. I will now detain them forty years in the wilderness, and My Law will be blended into their bodies. And meanwhile these wicked nations will build up what they have destroyed.” Therefore Moses said to the Children of Israel, “I adjure you, O Assembly of Israel, by YY of Hosts and by the Mighty of the Land of Israel, that you do not presume to go up to the land of the Canaanites until the completion of the forty years and it is the will of YY to deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hands. And you will cross the Jordan and the land will be subdued before you.”

When Israel came up from the wilderness and crossed the Jordan with Joshua, son of Nun, the nations of the land said, “What chosen people is this coming up from the wilderness, perfumed with the incense of spices,”–supported by the merit of Abraham, who worshiped and prayed before YY on Mount Moriah–“and anointed with the oil of high office,”–with the righteousness of Isaac, who was bound for sacrifice in the location of the Temple, called the Mountain of Frankincense, “and for whom miracles are performed?”–through the piety of Jacob, with whom an angel wrestled until the break of dawn and who prevailed over him and was spared, both he and twelve tribes.

When Solomon, the king of Israel, built the Temple of YY in Jerusalem, YY said through His Word, “How beautiful is this Temple, built for Me by the hands of King Solomon, son of David. And how beautiful are the priests at the time they spread their hands, standing on their dais, and bless the people of the House of Israel with the sixty letters which were transmitted to Moses their rabbi. And that blessing surrounds them like a high and strong wall, and by it all the heroes of Israel are strengthened and prospered.”

And the priests and the Levites, and all the tribes of Israel, all of them are distinguished in the words of the Law (which is compared to a sword) and they swing it and turn it among themselves, as heroes experienced in warfare; and each and every one of them has the seal of circumcision on his flesh, just as the flesh of Abraham their father was sealed, and they are strengthened by it like a hero whose sword is girded on his thigh. And on this account they are not afraid of demons or shades that prowl by night.

Solomon the King built himself a holy Temple from zingiber, box, and cedar which he brought from Lebanon, and he overlaid it with pure gold.

After he had completed it, he placed in it the Ark of the Testimony, which is the pillar of the world. Inside the ark, he placed the two tablets of stone which Moses had hidden there in Horeb, which were more precious than refined silver, more beautiful than pure gold. And he spread out the curtain of blue and purple to cover it from above. And between the cherubim that were on the mercy-seat dwelled the Presence of YY who caused His name to dwell in Jerusalem out of all the cities of the land of Israel.

When Solomon the King came to make the dedication of the Temple, the herald went forth with strength and this is what he said, “Inhabitants of the districts of the land of Israel and people of Zion, come and see the crown and diadem with which the people of the House of Israel have crowned King Solomon on the day of dedication of the Temple. And rejoice with the joy of the Feast of Booths!” For at that time King Solomon celebrated the Feast of Booths for fourteen days.