(Gen. 22:2, cont.:) GO UNTO THE LAND OF MORIAH. R. Jannay and R. Hiyya differ.¹⁵⁶. 4:5 (8c); Ta‘an. 16a. R. Jannay says: What is Moriah? The place from which {light} [religious awe] went forth to the world, as stated (in Ps. 68:36 [35]): YOU ARE AWESOME (mora), O GOD, OUT OF YOUR HOLY PLACES.¹⁵⁷ R. Hiyya said: The place from which {the Torah} [instruction (hora'ah)] goes forth to the world, as stated (in Is. 2:3 // Micah 4:2): FOR THE TORAH SHALL COME FORTH OUT OF ZION.

footnotes: ¹⁵⁶ See also yBer ¹⁵⁷ I.e., the Sanctuary, the site of which is generally identified with Mount Moriah.

Another interpretation of Moriah: [R. Joshua ben Levi said:] The place from which the righteous give instructions (moreh)¹⁵⁸, which can also mean “cast,” as in the casting of lots. to the Holy One, and he acts upon them . It is so stated (in I Chron. 24:5): AND BY LOTS {HE} [THEY] ORGANIZED [THEM], ONE GROUP WITH ANOTHER . R. Samuel bar Nahman said: What is the meaning of Moriah? The place where the Holy One gives instructions (moreh) for the wicked and casts them down to Gehinnom, as stated (in Ps. 49:15 [14]): LIKE SHEEP THEY ARE APPOINTED FOR SHEOL; [DEATH IS THEIR SHEPHERD, THE UPRIGHT SHALL RULE OVER THEM IN THE MORNING, AND THEIR FORM SHALL WASTE AWAY WITH NO LOFTY DWELLING FOR IT]. R. Simeon ben Johay says: What is the meaning of Moriah? A place of teaching (moreh) situated (MKWN) directly under the Holy Temple above, as stated (in Exod. 15:17): [O LORD, YOU HAVE MADE] A SITE (MKWN) FOR YOURSELF TO DWELL IN, [A SANCTUARY, O LORD, WHICH YOUR HANDS HAVE ESTABLISHED]. R. Judah ben Palma says: What is the meaning of Moriah (Moriyyah)? Abraham said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the Universe, to what place shall we go? The Holy One said to him: To the place that I qoshet¹⁵⁹ for you. Now this word (qoshet) is nothing but an expression for qishshut. ¹⁶⁰ Thus it is stated (in Exod. 19:13): NO HAND SHALL TOUCH HIM, BUT HE SHALL SURELY BE STONED OR SHOT (YRH).¹⁶¹. The argument is that the root for Moriah is used here in a sense that parallels one meaning of qoshet, which commonly means “adorn.” Thus Moriah, the Temple Mount, is a place of adornment. R. Pinhas ben Hama the Priest says: What is the meaning of Moriah? The place of authority (maruteh) for the world. R. Judah b. R. Shallum the Levite said: Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in I Chron. 13:6): THEN DAVID [AND ALL ISRAEL] WENT UP TO BAALAH, THAT IS, UNTO KIRIATH-JEARIM.¹⁶² (Vienna, 1880), fol. 170a, n. 53.

footnotes: ¹⁵⁸ The relevance of the following text rests upon the double meaning of moreh ¹⁵⁹ The word can mean either “adorn” or “shoot forth.” ¹⁶⁰ Again there is a double meaning, either an “adornment” or a “shooting forth.” ¹⁶¹ These letters could be understood as the root for Moriyyah ¹⁶² Since Kiriath-jearim was called Baalah (“mistress”) while the ark remained there, Moriah, as the Temple Mount where the ark rested permanently, would certainly be the place of authority for the world. So M. Friedmann, Pesikta Rabbati