Why God Led Israel Through the Wilderness Like a King

(Numbers 1:1:) AND THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSES IN THE WILDERNESS OF SINAI. This is what Scripture says (Jeremiah 2:31): O GENERATION, SEE YOU THE WORD OF THE LORD; [HAVE I BEEN A WILDERNESS TO ISRAEL, etc.]. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Because you said to Moses, WHY DID YOU BRING US UP FROM EGYPT? (Numbers 20:5; 21:5) — HAVE I BEEN A WILDERNESS TO ISRAEL? (Jeremiah, ibid.) Did I make Myself like a wilderness to you? In the way of the world, a king of flesh and blood who goes out to the wilderness — does he find there tranquility, as he would find in his palace, or food or drink? But you were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and I brought you out from there, and I made you lie down beneath the clouds of glory, and I set up for you three redeemers to serve you, [as it is said:] AND I SENT BEFORE YOU MOSES, AARON, AND MIRIAM (Micah 6:4). [By the merit of Moses you ate the manna, which the holy ancestors had not seen, as it is said: AND HE AFFLICTED YOU AND LET YOU HUNGER AND FED YOU THE MANNA, etc. (Deuteronomy 8:3). And by the merit of Aaron I surrounded you with clouds of glory, as it is said: HE SPREAD A CLOUD FOR A COVERING, AND FIRE TO GIVE LIGHT BY NIGHT (Psalms 105:39).] There were seven clouds: from above and from below and from the four directions, and one before them — striking snakes and scorpions, leveling for them the mountains and the valleys, and burning the thorns; and they raised up smoke, and all the kings of east and west saw it, and the nations of the world said: WHO IS THIS COMING UP FROM THE WILDERNESS LIKE COLUMNS OF SMOKE? (Song of Songs 3:6). And it is written: AND I LED YOU FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS; [YOUR GARMENTS DID NOT WEAR OUT, etc.] (Deuteronomy 29:4). This child — all the time that he grows, his clothes and his garments grow with him. And the well was by the merit of Miriam, who sang a song over the waters. Rabbi Berekhyah the Priest said in the name of Rabbi Levi: A parable of a king of flesh and blood who has a province, and he sends great men into it to carry its burden and execute its justice. Who must be responsible for their provisions? Must not the people of the province be responsible for their provisions? But the Holy One, blessed be He, did not do so; rather, He sent Moses and Aaron [and Miriam], as it is said: AND I SENT BEFORE YOU MOSES, AARON, AND MIRIAM (Micah 6:4) — for by their merit Israel was sustained. The manna by the merit of Moses; [know that it is so: when Moses departed, what is written? AND THE MANNA CEASED ON THE NEXT DAY (Joshua 5:12)]. The clouds of glory by the merit of Aaron; know that it is so: when Aaron departed, what is written? AND THE SOUL OF THE PEOPLE GREW SHORT ON THE WAY (Numbers 21:4), for the sun was beating down upon them. And the well by the merit of Miriam, as it is said: AND MIRIAM DIED THERE, AND THERE WAS NO WATER FOR THE CONGREGATION (Numbers 20:1-2). And how was the well made? Like a kind of rock it would roll along and come with them on the journeys. When the standards encamped and the Tabernacle stood, the rock would come and settle itself in the court of the Tent of Meeting, and the princes would stand over it and say, RISE UP, O WELL (Numbers 21:17), and the well would rise. And afterward I brought there the quails. HAVE I BEEN A WILDERNESS TO ISRAEL? (Jeremiah 2:31) — did I treat you like a wilderness? OR A LAND OF THICK DARKNESS (Jeremiah 2:31) — did I not Myself give light to you, as it is said: AND THE LORD WENT BEFORE THEM BY DAY, etc. (Exodus 13:21)?