Another matter: “The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai” – that is what the verse said: “Your navel is a moon-shaped goblet” (Song of Songs 7:3); it is speaking of the Sanhedrin that was situated in the Chamber of Hewn Stone and is analogized to the navel. Why is it analogized to the navel? It is, that just as this navel is situated in the middle of the body, so, the Sanhedrin is situated in the middle of the Temple.
“May it not lack blended wine [al yeḥsar hamazeg]” (Song of Songs 7:3) – what is “al yeḥsar hamazeg”? That there were never less than one-third of them. “Al yeḥsar hamazeg” – one who dilutes [mozeg] properly, dilutes with one-third of the cup wine and two parts water. So, the Sanhedrin would convene there from the daily morning offering until the daily afternoon offering, and no one of them would leave to tend to his own affairs.
What would they do if one of them sought to leave? He would count; if there were twenty-three there, he would leave, if not, he would not leave.6The Sanhedrin had seventy members. Twenty-three is just under one third. Why?
It is because it is written: “May it not lack blended wine [al yeḥsar hamazeg]” that one-third of them were never missing. Therefore, al yeḥsar hamazeg. “Your belly is a pile of wheat” (Song of Songs 7:3) – Israel was likened to a pile of wheat; just as this wheat enters the storehouse by number, so, the Holy One blessed be He said that Israel should be counted at all times.7This is a sign of importance.
That is why it is stated: “Your belly is a pile of wheat.” But straw and stubble are not counted and not measured; so, the nations of the world were likened to straw and stubble, as it is stated: “Like stubble before the wind” (Psalms 83:14), and likewise: “The house of Esau to stubble” (Obadiah 1:18). Why? It is because the Holy One blessed be He derives no pleasure from them, as it is stated: “All the nations are as nothing before Him” (Isaiah 40:17).
But Israel, the Holy One blessed be He derives pleasure from them; they recite Shema, pray, and bless the name of the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, every day. That is why they are counted at all times and that is why they were likened to wheat. “Your belly is a pile of wheat.”