That is what is written: “Take from them one staff for each [mateh mateh] patrilineal house” (Numbers 17:17) – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: My children have stumbled [matu matu]; they stumbled with the calf, they stumbled with the spies. Rabbi Levi said: Two tribes ascended to greatness – the tribe of priesthood and the tribe of kingship. You find that everything that is written regarding this one is written regarding that one: Anointment for this one, anointment for that one; mateh for this one13Numbers 17:23. and mateh for that one;14Psalms 110:2. covenant of salt for this one,15Numbers 18:19. covenant of salt for that one;16II Chronicles 13:5. “this time”17Genesis 29:34. for this one and “this time”18Genesis 29:35. for that one; crown [nezer] for this one,19Leviticus 8:9. crown [nezer] for that one;20II Kings 11:12. approach for this one21Exodus 28:1. and approach for that one;22Jeremiah 30:21. pedigree for this one23Numbers 3:1–-4. and pedigree for that one;24Ruth 4:18–22. frontplate for this one25Leviticus 8:9. and frontplate for that one.26Psalms 132:18.
Rabbi Levi said: “He will not withdraw His eyes [einav] from the righteous” (Job 36:7) – “His eyes” – his likeness [eino]27He has descendants who are in his likeness. See Maharsha Megillah 13b., like the person who says: ‘The sample of [einohi] fruit.’28Somebody who wants to sell fruit shows a sample. The sample shows the quality of the entire stock. “And kings upon the throne” (Job 36:7)29This is the end of the verse quoted above, but it is not part of the flow of this passage. – Leah adopted the wisdom of thanks [hodaya], and masters of thanks [hodaya] were produced from her.
Judah – “Judah recognized them, and said: She is more righteous than I”30Hodaya can also mean to acknowledge. (Genesis 38:26); David said: “Give thanks [hodu] to the Lord, for He is good,” (Psalms 136:1); Daniel said: “I thank and praise [mehoda] You, God of my fathers” (Daniel 2:23). Rachel adopted the wisdom of silence, and masters of silence were produced from her. Benjamin: “chalcedony [yashefe]” (Exodus 28:20),31This stone on the breastpiece of the High Priest had the name of Benjamin inscribed on it. there is a mouth [yesh peh]; he knew of the sale of Joseph, but did not tell.
Saul: “But the matter of the kingship…he did not tell him” (I Samuel 10:16). Esther: “Esther did not disclose her birthplace or her people” (Esther 2:20). “Therefore [al ken], she called his name” – everywhere that al ken is stated, it is a large population. “And she ceased [vataamod] bearing” – who establishes [maamid] the woman’s standing in her house? It is her children.