זוהר, שמות ל״דZohar, Shemot 34

Segment 1א׳

(ויקם מלך חדש וכו') רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח, (שיר השירים א׳:י״ב) עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ נִרְדִּי נָתַן רֵיחוֹ. עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ: דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (ישעיהו מ״ד:ו׳) כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ' מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וּכְתִיב (דברים ל״ג:ה׳) וַיְהִי בִישׁוּרוּן מֶלֶךְ. בִּמְסִבּוֹ: בֵּין כַּנְפֵי הַכְּרוּבִים. נִרְדִּי נָתַן רֵיחוֹ, דְּגָרְמוּ לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מִבֵּינֵיהוֹן.

Rabbi Yitzchak opened: "While the king was reclining at his board, my nard sent forth its fragrance" (Shir Hashirim 1:12). "While the king," refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, as is written, "Thus says Hashem, the King of Israel" (Yeshayah 44:6), and, "And he was King in Yeshurun" (Devarim 33:5). "While the King was reclining at his board," MEANS between the wings of Cherubs THAT WERE ON THE ARK OF THE TESTIMONY. "My nard gave forth its fragrance," MEANS THEY CAUSED THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, to depart from among them, AND "GIVES FORTH ITS FRAGRANCE" MEANS THEIR BAD ODOR!

Segment 2ב׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ, בְּעוֹד דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה יָהִיב אוֹרַיְיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִּיב, (שמות ל״ד:כ״ח) וַיְהִי שָׁם עִם ה' אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה לֶחֶם לא אָכַל וְגוֹ'. בְּעוֹד דְּהֲוָה כְּתִיב אוֹרַיְיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שָׁבְקוּ רֵיחֵיהוֹן טָב, וְאָמְרוּ אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל.

An alternative explanation: “While the king sat at his table”. While the Holy One, blessed be He, was giving the Torah to Israel — as it is written, “And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread, etc.” (Ex. 34, 28) — while the Torah was being written for Israel, they forsook their good fragrance and said, “These are your gods, O Israel”.

Segment 3ג׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ, בְּעוֹד דְּהֲוָה קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָחִית עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי, לְמִיהַב אוֹרַיְיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, נִרְדִּי נָתַן רֵיחוֹ, דִּכְתִּיב, (שמות כ״ד:ז׳) נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע.

An alternative explanation: “While the king sat at his table”. While the Holy One, blessed be He, was coming down upon Mount Sinai to give the Torah to Israel, “my spikenard sent forth its fragrance” — as it is written, “We will do and we will hear” (Ex. 24, 7).