Midrash Tanchuma Reader

"My perfect one" (tammati) — "my twin" (tomati), namely she who bore me {two} twins. "My perfect one" (tammati), because it was not from Rebekah, but rather the Holy One, blessed be He, placed it in her heart. She said to him: When the first Adam sinned, was he cursed? Was it not his mother who was cursed? And now it is my turn; do what is yours, and if you should be cursed, your curse shall come upon me, as it is said (Genesis 27:13): "Upon me your curse, my son," etc. [Why?] The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Behold, I have crowned the blessings for you, as "my head is filled with dew" (Song of Songs 5:2). Immediately he went, as it is said (Genesis 27:14): "And he went and took and brought them to his mother," etc. He entered before his father and took the blessings, as it is said (Genesis 27:28): "And may God give you," etc.

(Exodus 4:18:) "And he said to him: Please let me go and return to my kinsfolk, etc. [Go for peace (le-shalom)]" (ibid.). Everyone of whom it is written "for peace (le-shalom)" goes and returns; and everyone of whom it is written "in peace (be-shalom)" goes and does not return. Concerning Abner it is written (in 2 Samuel 3:21): "And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace (be-shalom)" — he went and did not return. But Jethro said to Moses, "Go for peace (le-shalom)" — he went and returned, as it is said: "And Jethro said to Moses: Go for peace (le-shalom)."

"Behold, I send an angel" (Exodus 23:20). This is what the verse says: "For He will command His angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways" (Psalms 91:11). If a person performs one commandment, one angel is given over to him. If he performs two commandments, two angels are given over to him. If he performs all the commandments, many angels are given over to him, as it is said, "For He will command His angels concerning you." And who are these angels? They are those who guard him from the harmful spirits, as it is said, "A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand" (Psalms 91:7). "And ten thousand at your right hand." Why a thousand on the left and ten thousand on the right? Because the left side does not need many angels, since the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is written in the tefillin, and the tefillin are placed on the left, as it is said, "And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand" (Deuteronomy 6:8). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: What is the meaning of "A thousand shall fall at your side"? The Holy One, blessed be He, gives over to each and every one of Israel eleven thousand angels who guard him and make a way for him, and one of them proclaims before him and says: Give honor to the image of the Holy One, blessed be He, for the whole world is full of spirits and harmful demons.

Come, let us go down there and confound their language (Gen. 11:7). He confounded their speech to such a degree that no one was able to understand his companion’s speech. Originally, they had spoken to each other in Hebrew, the language with which the world was created.

The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world My creatures opposed Me, and therefore they were divided into seventy languages because of the evil inclination, but in the world-to-come they will all be of one accord, calling upon My name and serving Me, as it is said: For then will I turn to the peoples one pure language that they may call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one consent (Zeph. 3:9). And He will remove the oppression of idolatrous nations from Israel, and they shall serve Him with gladness, as it is said: Serve the Lord with gladness (Ps. 100:2). However, the nations of the world will serve Him, as is appropriate for them, with trepidation. For example, when a son serves his father, he does so in gladness, saying to himself: If I should commit an error in my father’s presence, he will not be angry with me, for he loves me. Hence he serves him with gladness. However, when a stranger serves a master, he does so with trepidation, saying to himself: If I should commit an error in his presence, he will become angry with me. Therefore, he serves him with trepidation.

Thus, it is written concerning the nations: Why are all the nations in an uproar? And why do the people mutter in vain? (Ps. 2:1). This entire psalm alludes to the nations. For at the conclusion of this psalm, it is written: Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Do homage in purity, etc. (ibid., vv. 11–12). David said to them: Take heed, lest you deviate from the right path, and He be angry, and ye perish in the way (Ps. 2:12), for He might become angry with you, even over a trivial matter. In reference to Israel, however, it is written: Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with thanksgiving (Ps. 100:2). This psalm was undoubtedly said with reference to Israel, for David composed it in thanksgiving, as it is written: A psalm of thanksgiving (ibid., v. 1).

"And I will set my covenant between me and you" (Genesis 17:2). This is what Scripture says: "The secret of the LORD is for those who fear him, and his covenant is to make them know it" (Psalms 25:14). Which is the secret that he revealed to those who fear him? This is circumcision, for the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed the mysteries of circumcision only to Abraham. "The secret of the LORD is for those who fear him," this is Abraham, for it was said to him, "For now I know that you fear God" (Genesis 22:12). What is "sod" (secret)? Samekh is sixty, vav is six, dalet is four; this makes seventy. [The letters of the word for "secret" are read as numerals summing to seventy.] The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I will raise up from you seventy, as it is said, "With seventy persons your fathers went down to Egypt" (Deuteronomy 10:22); and I will raise up from them seventy elders, as it is said, "Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel" (Numbers 11:16). And I will raise up from you Moses, who will expound the Torah in seventy tongues. Therefore it is written: "The secret of the LORD is for those who fear him, and his covenant is to make them know it." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham: When I created my world, I kept it turning for twenty generations for your sake, until you would come and take upon yourself circumcision. Now, if you do not take upon yourself circumcision, I am El Shaddai: I will say to the world "Enough" (dai) up to here, and I will return it to chaos and void.

And it came to pass after these words that God did prove Abraham (Gen. 22:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Forasmuch as the king’s word hath power; and who may say unto him: “What dost thou?” whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing (Eccles. 8:4–5). What is meant by this verse? Whatsoever the Holy One, blessed be He, desires to do, He may do, and none may stay His hand.

What then can be the meaning of And who may say unto Him: “What doest Thou?” whoso keepeth the commandment, etc.? These words whoso keepeth the commandment allude to the righteous men who perform the commandments of the Holy One, blessed be He. And it is their decree that He fulfills, as it is written: Thou shalt also decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee, and the light shall shine upon thy ways (Job 22:28).

An example of this is what occurred after they made the golden calf. Though the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to destroy them, our master, Moses, restrained the Holy One, blessed be He, as though that were possible, just as a man restrains his companion. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: And now let Me be (Exod. 32:10). We learn this as well from the verse: Let Me alone that I may destroy them (Deut. 9:14). Therefore Scripture says: Who may say unto him: “What doest thou?” whoso keepeth the commandment.

"And He said, Moses, Moses, and he said, Here I am" (Exodus 3:4). What is the meaning of "Here I am"? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korchah said: "Here I am" ready for priesthood, "Here I am" ready for kingship. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You are standing in the place of the pillar of the world. Abraham said "Here I am," and you say "Here I am." "Do not draw near here" (Exodus 3:5) -- "here" (halom) means nothing other than kingship, as it is said: "Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me thus far (halom)?" (Second Samuel 7:18). And so it says: "Has the man come here (halom) yet?" (First Samuel 10:22). Of Joshua it is written: "And the captain of the LORD's host said to Joshua, Put off your shoe (singular) from your foot" (Joshua 5:15). But of Moses it is written: "Put off your shoes" (plural). "And He said, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham," and so forth. He was revealed to him in the voice of his father Amram, so that he would not be afraid. At that moment Moses rejoiced and said: My father Amram is still alive! The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham," and so forth -- I came to you with coaxing, so that you would not be afraid. Immediately, "And Moses hid his face" (Exodus 3:6). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: By your life, because you showed Me honor, I will show you honor before the eyes of all Israel. "And they were afraid to come near him" (Exodus 34:30), corresponding to what is written of him: "for he was afraid" (Exodus 3:6). And because you did not wish to look, therefore "he beholds the form of the LORD" (Numbers 12:8). And because you hid your face, therefore "the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone" (Exodus 34:35). "Behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come" (Exodus 3:9) -- this teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, was seeing their servitude and their oppression.

And they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water (Exod. 15:22). Some say that the water they had taken with them, from between the rocks, was exhausted by that time. Why does the Scripture say and found no water? Because there was no water even in their water containers, as is said in the verse: And the nobles send their lads for water; they come to the pits, and find no water; they are ashamed and confounded, and cover their heads (Jer. 14:3). Those who interpret the words of the Torah metaphorically hold that they had abstained from studying the Torah, which is compared to water, as it is written: Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye for water (Isa. 55:1).

Because they were without water for three days, the prophets and the elders ordained that the Torah was to be read on three days each week. It is read on the Sabbath, but not on the day following; it is read on the second day of the week, but not on the third and fourth days; and it is read on the fifth day, but not on the sixth day. Hence, three successive days do not pass without the reading of the Torah.

And He said: “If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God” (Exod. 15:26). Because of this verse they said: The man who hearkens to God’s word in time will hearken at other times as well, but if he ignores it at one time, he will do likewise at other times. Scripture teaches this in the verses And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken (Jer. 17:24), and It shall be, too, if thou shalt forget (Deut. 8:19). How is that? If a man desires to hear only that which is to his advantage, he will hear that which is not to his advantage as well; and if he wishes to forget when it is to his advantage to do so, he will forget even when it is not to his advantage to do so. The power to choose is given to man. If it concerneth the scorners, He scorneth them, but unto the humble He giveth grace (Prov. 3:34). If a man hearkens to one command, he will be caused to hearken to many; but if he desires to forget even one commandment, he will be caused to forget many. Therefore it is written: If thou shalt begin to forget, thou wilt in time forget. Others reach this conclusion from the verse If thou at all take thy neighbor’s garment to pledge (Exod. 22:25); that is, if you should seize one garment as a pledge, you will ultimately take many pledges because of it.

"Behold, I send an angel" (Exodus 23:20). This is what Scripture says: "For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways" (Psalms 91:11). If a person performs one commandment, one angel is given over to him. If he performs two commandments, two angels are given over to him. If he performs all the commandments, many angels are given over to him, as it is said, "For he will command his angels concerning you." And who are the angels? These are they who guard him from the harmful spirits, as it is said, "A thousand will fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand" (Psalms 91:7). And what is "will fall"? That they make up the full number for him. As in the matter that is said in Chronicles: "And from Manasseh some fell away to David" (1 Chronicles 12:20); and it is written: "As he went to Ziklag, some fell away to him from Manasseh" (1 Chronicles 12:21). "And ten thousand at your right hand." Why a thousand from the left and ten thousand from the right? Because the left does not need many angels, for the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is written in the phylacteries, and the phylacteries are placed on the left, as it is said, "And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand" (Deuteronomy 6:8). Rabbi Hanina said to him: It is not written here "will be at your side," but rather "will fall." The left, which is not extended in commandments, brings down only a thousand harmful spirits; but the right, which is extended in commandments, brings down ten thousand harmful spirits. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: What is "a thousand will fall at your side"? The Holy One, blessed be He, gives over to each and every one of Israel ten thousand and a thousand angels to guard him and make a way for him, and one of them proclaims before him and says: Give honor to the image of the Holy One, blessed be He, for the whole world is full of spirits and harmful beings. Rabbi Yehudah bar Shalum said in the name of Rabbi Levi: There is not a quarter-kav of space in the hollow of the world that does not contain nine kavs of harmful spirits. And how are they fashioned? Rabbi Levi said: A muzzle is upon their faces, like the donkeys of millers. And when the iniquities cause it, the muzzle is uncovered and the person is made foolish. And when the angel proclaims, the person is at peace. If it is silent, immediately he is harmed, and the angel says: So-and-so is finished, as it is said, "And his soul draws near to the pit, and his life to those who bring death" (Job 33:22). It does not say here "to the dead," but rather "to those who bring death," to those angels of destruction to whom he is handed over. And from where do we know that the angel proclaims before him? As it is said: "If there is for him an angel, an intercessor, one among a thousand" (Job 33:23). If he is among those thousand, it proclaims before him, "to declare to a person his uprightness" (Job 33:23). At that hour, "and he is gracious to him and says, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom" (Job 33:24). Thus, if he has increased in commandments, ten thousand and a thousand angels guard him. And if he is whole in Torah and good deeds, the Holy One, blessed be He, guards him, as it is said, "The LORD is your keeper, the LORD is your shade at your right hand" (Psalms 121:5). And so you find concerning Jacob, of whom it is written: "A wholesome man, dwelling in tents" (Genesis 25:27). "A wholesome man" in good deeds; "dwelling in tents," occupying himself with Torah and increasing in commandments, camps of angels were given over to him to guard him, as it is said, "And Jacob went on his way, and angels of God met him; and Jacob said when he saw them, This is God's camp; and he called the name of that place Mahanaim" (Genesis 32:2-3). And it says: "And behold, angels of God ascending and descending upon it; and behold, the LORD stood above it and said, And behold, I am with you and will keep you in all that you go" (Genesis 28:12-15). Rabbi Hoshaya said: Happy is the one born of woman who saw the King of the kings of kings and his retinue guarding him and sending angels on his mission, as it is said, "And Jacob sent angels before him to Esau" (Genesis 32:4). And likewise it says: "The angel who redeems me from all evil" (Genesis 48:16). Scripture says: "The righteous walks in his integrity; happy are his children after him" (Proverbs 20:7).

And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down (Exod. 32:1). The word boshesh (“delayed”) indicates that it was the sixth hour of the day. Forty thousand people had assembled to leave Egypt with the Israelites, and among them were two Egyptians named Jannes and Jambres, who had performed magical feats for Pharaoh, as it is written: And the magicians of Egypt in like manner with their arts (Exod. 7:22). All of them gathered about Aaron, as is said: And the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron and said (ibid. 32:11).

When Moses failed to return by the fortieth day and the sixth hour of that day, Aaron and Hur told them: “He is now descending the mountain,” (but) they did not pay attention. Some say that Satan arose and showed them the likeness of his bier on the mountain, and that is why they said: For this man Moses (ibid., v. 1). Then Hur stepped forward and rebuked them. Forthwith they turned against him and slew him. When Aaron witnessed this he became terrified and sought to occupy them with other matters. But they cried out: Up, make us a god (ibid.). All that they demanded was known to the Holy One Who Spoke and the World Came into Being.

Aaron said unto them: Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives (ibid., v. 2). Aaron told them to do this difficult thing because (he was aware that) the women would not agree to it. They had seen the miracles and the deeds that the Holy One, blessed be He, had wrought for them in Egypt, and what had transpired at the Red Sea and at Sinai, and so they went to the men and said: God forbid that we should renounce the Holy One, blessed be He, who has performed all these miracles and mighty deeds in our behalf, in order to fashion an idol. The men, however, refused to listen to them: And all the people broke off the golden rings which were in their ears (ibid., v. 3). It does not say “in their wives’ ears” but rather in their ears.

R. Jeremiah maintained that when they brought their earrings to him, Aaron raised his eyes heavenward and declared: Unto Thee I lift mine eyes, O thou that art enthroned in the heavens (Ps. 123:1). You who know all thoughts are aware that I do this unwillingly. He tossed their earrings into the fire, and the magicians approached and performed magical feats. Some say that Micah ground the bricks that Moses had saved into the mixture, and that he took the tablet which Moses had written upon when he raised Joseph’s coffin out of the Nile and cast them into the smelting furnace amidst the earrings. Then the calf came forth leaping. As it leaped about, the people began to cry out: This is thy god, O Israel. The guardian angels then began to proclaim: They forgot God, their savior, who had done great things in Egypt (Ps. 106:21).

What did Aaron do then? He said: Let the celebration be delayed until tomorrow, as it is said: And Aaron made proclamation and said: “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord” (Exod. 32:5). Whereupon the Holy Spirit called out: Hasten, descend, they have forgotten what I did for them. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world they have sinned because of the evil inclination within them, but in the time-to-come I will remove it from them, as is said: And I will take away the strong heart of your flesh (Exod. 36:26).

(Lev. 23:40:) “And you shall take for yourselves.” This text is related (to Ps. 35:10), “All my bones shall say, ‘Lord, who is like you?’” David has stated this verse beautifully. You yourself know that the lulav is like a human spine, the myrtle is like the eyes, the willow is like the lips, and the ethrog is like the heart. David said, “I have no greater organs than these, [since] they correspond to the [whole body (in importance)].” Ergo (in Ps. 35:10), “All my bones [shall say, ‘Lord, who is like you?’]”

(Numb. 3:40:) “Enroll every first-born male.” This text is related (to Is. 43:4), “Because you are precious in my eyes, you are honored, and I love you….” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jacob, “Jacob, you are exceedingly precious in My eyes. Why?

Because I, as it were, have installed your image on My glorious throne, and in your name the angels praise Me and say (in Ps. 41:14), “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlastings.”

Ergo (in Is. 43:4), “Because you are precious in my eyes, you are honored.” Another interpretation (of Is. 43:4), “Because you are precious….” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Jacob, you are precious in my eyes because I and my angels were, as it were, standing over you when you set out for Paddan-Aram and when you came back.” It is so stated (in Gen. 28:10-13), “And Jacob set out….

When he came across a certain place…. Then he dreamed that there was a ladder [placed on earth with its top reaching to the heavens; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.] And behold, the Lord stood over him….” R. Hosha'ya said, “Blessed is the one born of woman who has seen the King and his household standing over him and ministering to him.”

But where is it shown in reference to his coming back? Where it is stated (in Gen. 32:2), “So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.” So much for the angels, but where is it shown for the Divine Presence? (Gen. 35:9), “Now God appeared unto Jacob again….” It is therefore stated (in Is. 43:4), “Because you are precious in My eyes.”

Another interpretation (of Is. 43:4), “Because you are precious in My eyes, you are honored.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “You are precious in my eyes, because to all the nations I gave no numbering (minyan), but to you I did give a numbering.” To what is this comparable? It is comparable to a king of flesh and blood who had a lot of granaries, but all of them were dirty and full of darnel; so he was not meticulous about their numbering. [There was,] however, this granary [which had] beautiful wheat.

He said to his household, “Those granaries that are dirty and full of darnel; I will not be meticulous about their numbering. But this granary has beautiful wheat. I therefore want to be meticulous in numbering how many kor there are, how many sacks there are in it, [and] how many measures there are in it.”

Similarly this king is the Supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He; and this granary (goren) is Israel, since it is stated (in Is. 21:10), “My threshing, and the product (literally: the child) of My threshing floor (goren).” It also says (in Jer. 2:3), “Israel is the Lord's sanctuary, the beginning of His harvest.” The child of His house is Moses, as stated (in Numb. 12:7), “he is trusted in all My house.”

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, The nations are [comparable to thorns], as stated (in Is. 33:12), “And the peoples shall become burnings of lime, thorns cut down that are burned in the fire.” Therefore, you shall not be meticulous about numbering them, but Israel is righteous, chosen wheat, as stated (in Is. 60:21), “And all of your people are righteous.” It also says (in Cant. 4:7), “You are beautiful all over, My beloved, and there is no blemish in you.”

Therefore, be meticulous in counting Israel. Moses did so. He numbered them [to determine] how many kor there were, as stated (in Numb. 1:2), “Take a census…”; how many sacks there were, as stated (in Numb. 2:4), “Its host and those of them enrolled”; and how many measures there were, as stated (in Numb. 3:40), “enroll every first-born male.”

"And it was on the day that Moses had finished to erect the tabernacle" (Numbers 7:1). Our rabbis taught (Avot 1:2),"On three things the world stands: On the Torah, on the service and on acts of lovingkindness." You find twenty-six generations from when the world was created until the Torah was given, and the Holy One, blessed be He, supported them out of kindness (since they were not worthy). And corresponding to them, David said, "As Your kindness is great," twenty-six times in the great Hallel (Psalms 136).

Rabbi Acha said in the name of Rav Huna, "Moshe also hinted about them to Israel at the [Red] Sea, as he said am zu (this nation, in that zu has a numerical equivalent of thirteen) twice. As it is stated (Exodus 15:13), 'You have led this people that You have redeemed,' and it is written (Exodus 15:16), 'until this nation that You acquired has passed' - these are the twenty-six generations that [arose] from when the world was created until the Torah was given.

'You led them with Your strength (Exodus 15:13) - that is the Torah, which is called strength, as it is stated (Psalms 29:11), 'May the Lord give strength to His people.'" A parable: To what was the world similar at this time? To a basket with two legs, which [hence] could not stand. Once the tabernacle was erected, the world stood and was given a base, as stated, "And it was on the day that Moses had finished to erect the tabernacle (et hamishkan)." "Hamishkan" is not written here, but rather "et hamishkan, [the extra word coming] to include the creation of the world, about which it is written (Genesis 1:1), "et the heavens and the earth."

(Numb. 21:4:) “Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by way of the Reed Sea in order to go around the Land of Edom, but the people grew restive on the journey.” But is it not written (of that era in Neh. 9:20), “And You gave Your good spirit to enlighten them?” It is simply that those remnants of Israel which had come out of Egypt over whom death had been decreed, saw neither a peaceful nor agreeable spirit in the desert. Thus it says (in Numb. 14:33), “And your children shall roam in the wilderness....” This was (according to Numb. 21:4) the people who grew restive on the journey. (Numb. 21:5:) “And the people spoke against God and against Moses.” They equated the slave and his Master. (Numb. 21:5:) “Our soul loathes this miserable food,” for that generation was unable to taste any of the fruits of the land at all.

R. Aqiva said, “When merchants [even] uncovered a basket with some fruits of the land for them, they died.” It is so stated (in Deut. 1:35), “Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land,” [i.e.,] any good that comes because of the land. That is why the people grew restive on the journey. These are the ones that grumbled (in Numb. 21:5), “Our soul loathes.” (Numb. 21:6:) “Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people.”

Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, see fit to exact retribution from them through serpents? It is simply that the snake started [the use of] slanderous language at the beginning and was cursed; yet they did not learn from it and spoke slanderous language against the Holy One, blessed be He. [The Holy One, blessed be He, said,] “Let the serpent, which was the first [to use] slanderous language, come and exact retribution from those who [still] speak slanderous language.”

This is what is written (in Eccl. 10:8), “the one who breaks through a barrier will have a snake bite him.” Another interpretation of why retribution was exacted from them through serpents: Even if the serpent eats all the luxury foods of the world, for him they are turned to dust in his mouth.

Thus it is stated (in Is. 65:25), “but the serpent's food shall be dust.” Now these people ate the manna, as stated (in Ps. 106:15), “So He gave them what they asked for,” and (in Ps. 78:29), “He gave them their desire.” It also says (in Deut. 2:7), “these forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.” Let a serpent that eats many species and has [but] one taste in his mouth come and exact the retribution from those who eat one species and taste many species. (Numb. 21:6:) “Fiery serpents (serafim).” [They are called serafim] because they burn (sorefim) the soul.

R. Judan says, “[God] sent out the [same] serpents that the cloud of glory would burn and make into a fence for the camp to let them know the miracles that the Omnipresent had done for them.” (Numb. 21:7:) “Then the people came unto Moses and said, ‘We have sinned, since we spoke against the Lord and you.’” [They] knew that they had spoken against Moses, so they fell prostrate before him and said (ibid., cont.), “pray unto the Lord to remove the serpent from us.” Rabbi says, “There was one serpent.” [(Ibid., cont.:) “And he prayed.” The passage serves] to make Moses' humility known to you, in that he did not hesitate to seek mercy for them.

And [it is also] to make the power of repentance known to you. As soon as they said, “We have sinned,” he was immediately reconciled to them. [The passage serves] to teach you that the one who forgives should not be cruel. And so too does it say (in Gen. 20:17), “Abraham then prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife.” And so does it say (in Job 42:10), “The Lord restored Job’s fortunes when he prayed on behalf of his friends.”

And where is it shown that if one has sinned against his companion and says to him, “I have sinned,” without [the companion] forgiving him, that [the unforgiving one] is called a sinner? Where it is stated (in I Sam. 12:23), “As for me also, far be it for me to sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray on your behalf.” When? When they came and said to him, “We have sinned,” [as stated] (in I Sam. 12:10), “and [they] said, ‘We have sinned […].’”

And he answered, “Far be it from me to sin.” (Numb. 21:8), “And the Lord said unto Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, [and put it on a pole]; then it shall come to pass that, when anyone bitten [looks at it, he shall live],” not only one bitten by a serpent, but anyone bitten, even one bitten by an adder, by a scorpion, a wild beast, or a dog. (Numb. 21:9:) “So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it up by a miracle.” He tossed it into the air and it remained there. (Numb. 21:10:) “Then the Children of Israel journeyed on and camped in Oboth (Ovot, rt: 'wb),” because they had become enemies (oyevim, rt: 'yb) to the Omnipresent. (Numb. 21:11:) “And they camped at Iye-Abarim ('avarim, rt.: 'br),” because they were full of transgressions ('averot, rt.: 'br). (Numb. 21:12:) “And they camped in the Wadi Zered,” because the wadi was [only] about a full span (zeret) [in width]; but they were unable to cross it for thirty-eight years. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 2:13-14), “Now then arise and cross the Wadi Zered….

And the time that we traveled from Kadesh-Barnea until we crossed the Wadi Zered was thirty-eight years.”(Numb. 21:13:) “From there they journeyed and camped on the other side of (m'br) the Arnon (rt.: rnn),” because the Omnipresent was reconciled to them.

(Numb. 25:4:) “Take all the heads of the people, and impale them [before the Lord in the sun].” R. Judan said, “He hanged the heads of the people, because they had not protested about the people who stood out among them like the sun.” R. Nehemiah said, “He did not hang them. Rather the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, ‘Appoint Sanhedrin heads for them, and let them judge whoever went to Peor.’

He said to him, ‘But who will make such a one known?’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘I will expose them. In the case of whoever has gone astray, the cloud shall be peeled back from upon him, and the sun shall shine upon him in the midst of the congregation. Then they will know anyone who has gone astray and hang him.’”

You know for yourself that it is so, as stated (in Numb. 25:5), “So Moses said unto the judges of Israel, ‘Each of you kill [those of] his own people [who have been joined to Baal Peor].’”

You shall offer it terms of peace (Deuteronomy 20:10): Rabbi Levi said, "Moshe did three things and the Holy One, blessed be He, agreed with him. And these are them: It is written (Exodus 34:7), 'visits the iniquity of the fathers upon children.' But Moshe said (Deuteronomy 24:10), 'Fathers will not be put to death for children [and children will not be put to death for fathers].' And from where [do we know] that the Holy One, blessed be He, agreed with him?

As it is stated (II Kings 14:6), 'But he did not put to death the children of the assassins, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Torah of Moshe, [...] "Parents shall not be put to death for children, etc."' And the second was when he broke the tablets. And [the third] was in the days of Sichon and Og. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Go and fight with him, block his acqueduct.'

But Moshe did not do so, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 2:26), 'And I sent messengers.' The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'By your life, you have done as is fitting, as I agree with you.'" Therefore Moshe warns Israel and says to them (Deuteronomy 20:10), "When you approach a town to attack it, you shall offer it terms of peace." "You shall offer it terms of (for) peace (leshalom)."

In peace (beshalom) is not written here, so that they would go forth with peace and return in peace. As Avner and Avshalom about whom it is written, "in peace," did not return. But Moshe to whom Yitro said, "for peace," went and returned. Another interpretation [of] "You shall offer it terms of peace": It is speaking about the days of the king messiah, who opens to them with peace, as it is stated (Zechariah 9:10), "He shall speak peace to the nations, and his rule shall extend from sea to sea."

"If it responds peaceably" (Deuteronomy 20:11); if they bind themselves, as it is stated (Isaiah 2:4), "And they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not take up sword against nation; they shall never again learn war." "All the people present there shall be as tribute and serve you"(Deuteronomy 20:11); that they should bring you tribute. As it is stated (Psalms 68:32), "Tribute-bearers (chasmanim) shall come from Egypt," as they shall hurry (chasim) and bring their gifts; "Cush shall hasten (tarits) its gifts to God," as they shall run (ratsim) and bring their gifts.

"But if it shall not make peace with you" (Deuteronomy 20:12). [If] a strange spirit enters into them and they rebel against the king messiah, he kills them immediately; as it is stated (Isaiah 11:4), "he shall strike down a land with the rod of his mouth, and slay the wicked with the breath of his lips." And he shall only leave Israel, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 32:12), "The Lord guided him alone, and there is no alien god with him."

[Another interpretation of "And the sons of Noah were" (Genesis 9:18).] This is what Scripture says: "I will make you a terror, and you shall be no more; though you be sought, you will never be found again, says the Lord God" (Ezekiel 26:21). It speaks of the nations of the world. What is the meaning of "I will make you a terror, and you shall be no more"? The nations of the world neither were nor are destined to be, as it is said, "I will make you a terror, and you shall be no more." "A terror" (balahot) — not to be (bal heyot); "and you shall be no more" — now. "Though you be sought, you will never be found again" — in the world to come. But Israel both was and is also destined to be. It was before the world was created, as it is said, "Remember Your congregation, which You acquired of old" (Psalms 74:2). And it exists now, as it is said, "You are standing this day, all of you" (Deuteronomy 29:9). And it is destined to be, as it is said, "And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of Hosts, on the day when I make a treasured possession" (Malachi 3:17). But for the nations of the world there is terror, for they had no being in the world; but the sons of Noah had being in the world, as it is said, "And the sons of Noah were" (Genesis 9:18).

[(Genesis 15:1:) "Fear not, Abram."] This is what Scripture says (Proverbs 28:14): "Happy is the man who fears always, but he who hardens his heart shall fall into evil." And it is written (Proverbs 14:16): "A wise man fears and turns away from evil." Who is this? Abraham. And of whom was he afraid? Of Shem, whose sons he had killed — Chedorlaomer king of Elam and his three sons, as it is said (Genesis 10:22): "The sons of Shem: Elam, and Asshur, and Arpachshad, and Lud, and Aram." So he was afraid, saying: I have killed the sons of a righteous man, and now he will curse me and I will die. What did he do? Shem went out to meet him to appease him, as it is said (Genesis 14:18): "And Melchizedek king of Salem." The Holy One, blessed be He, said: By your life, I will not curse you, but rather I will bless you, as it is said (Genesis 14:19): "And he blessed him and said: Blessed be Abram, etc." He said to him: Because you killed my sons, I bless you, as it is said (Genesis 14:20): "And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand, etc." What is the meaning of "who has delivered (magen) your enemies"? The Holy One, blessed be He, made a shield (maginnah) and cast them down before you. And our father Abraham would take dust and throw it upon them, and it became arrows and bows; and he would take straw and throw it upon them, and it became swords and spears, as it is said (Isaiah 41:2): "Who has roused up righteousness from the east, etc. [his sword makes them like dust, his bow like driven straw]." This is Abraham, of whom it is said afterward: "He pursues them and passes on in peace." This is the meaning of "who has delivered your enemies into your hand, etc." The Holy One, blessed be He, said: After these things are you afraid? "Fear not, Abram." Therefore it is said (Proverbs 28:14): "Happy is the man who fears always."

Another interpretation: "And the Lord rained down upon Sodom etc. from the Lord" (Genesis 19:24). What is the meaning of "from the Lord"? Rather, He says, "Behold, I will rain down for you bread from the heavens" (Exodus 16:4), and here it says, "And the Lord rained down upon Sodom." Rabbi Berekhyah said: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who was standing beside a baker's oven. His friend came in to him; he took out hot bread and gave it to him. His enemy came in; he raked the coals and gave them to him. So too the Holy One, blessed be He: when Israel came into the wilderness, He brought down for them bread from the heavens, as it is said, "Behold, I will rain down for you bread from the heavens" (Exodus 16:4); and when the Sodomites came to commit transgressions, He brought down upon them fire from the heavens, as it is said, "And the Lord rained down upon Sodom" (Genesis 19:24). What is the meaning of "And the Lord"? That He sat over them in judgment with a Sanhedrin of seventy-one, and found them guilty, and brought down upon them fire, and they went forth to burning, as it is said, "from the Lord, out of the heavens" (Genesis 19:24). In a similar manner you say: "And the Lord rained down... from the Lord." If a person comes to ask you what is written in this verse, "And the Lord rained down etc. from the Lord," say to him: there are in the verses similar cases. "And the king said to them: Take with you the servants of your lord" (1 Kings 1:33) — it needed only to say "my servants." And from where in the Torah? "And Lamech said to his wives: Adah and Zillah, hear my voice, you wives of Lamech" (Genesis 4:23) — it needed only to say "my wives." Behold, in the Torah. And from where in the Writings? As it is said, "For a writ that is written in the king's name and sealed with the king's ring" (Esther 8:8) — it needed only to say "with my ring." So too here: "And the Lord rained down etc. from the Lord."

It is written, "And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples, like dew from the LORD" (Micah 5:6). "And the remnant of Jacob" — these are the remnant of whom the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke to Elijah, "Yet I will leave in Israel seven thousand" (1 Kings 19:18). And these are the very ones who were singled out in the days of Gideon, at the moment when he said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "If You will deliver Israel by my hand, as You have spoken — behold, I am setting out a fleece of wool" (Judges 6:36–37). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I have written, "I will be like dew to Israel" (Hosea 14:6), yet you say, "and upon all the ground let there be dryness" (Judges 6:37) — is it possible that I do not do so? How do we know? For it is not written here, "And God did so," but rather "And it was so" (Judges 6:38) — it came about of itself. But when he said, "Let there be dryness upon the fleece alone" (Judges 6:39), immediately "And God did so on that day" (Judges 6:40). Why? Because thus it is written, "I will be like dew to Israel." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will refine them for you there" (Judges 7:4). "And the number of those who lapped was…" (Judges 7:6). Those who knelt upon their knees to drink water — willing or unwilling — were bowing down to idolatry. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "By the three hundred men who lapped I will deliver you" (Judges 7:7). For those who did not bow down arose. Of these He says, "Yet I will leave in Israel seven thousand" (1 Kings 19:18), and of them He says, "And the remnant of Jacob shall be… like dew from the LORD" — for the dew is a sign of the resurrection of the dead. And so Isaiah says, "Your dead shall live, my corpses shall arise… for your dew is a dew of lights" (Isaiah 26:19). Rav Aristi said in the name of Rabbi Berekhiah: Isaiah cried out before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Your dead shall live" — that one who was put to death by hanging, why? Because he circumcised his son; and this one who was burned, why? Because he kept the Sabbath; and this one who was slain, why? Because he read in the Torah. Concerning that one He says, "my corpses shall arise." Another interpretation: "And the remnant of Jacob…" Rabbi Pinchas ben Chama said: Israel said to Him, "You make us like dew." He said to them: When you are meritorious. This is what Scripture says, "And Israel dwelt in safety, alone, the fountain of Jacob" (Deuteronomy 33:28). You find that even the righteous do not rule over the dew — only the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself. Would you know this? At the time when Elijah arose and said, "There shall be neither dew nor rain these years" (1 Kings 17:1), the Holy One, blessed be He, did not heed him, but the dew kept descending. How do we know? From what He says to Elijah, "Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will give rain" (1 Kings 18:1). "Dew" is not written here, but rather, "and I will give rain upon the face of the earth." From here we learn that the dew kept descending throughout all that time, from the Holy One, blessed be He — to teach you that no man rules over the dew, only the Holy One, blessed be He. Thus said the Holy One, blessed be He, to Israel: When you do My will, just as no creature rules over the dew, so no creature rules over you, as it is said, "And the remnant of Jacob shall be… like dew from the LORD."

[Another interpretation of (Genesis 30:22): "And God remembered Rachel."] What is written above on this matter? "And Rachel saw that she had borne Jacob no children [and she said to Jacob: Give me children, and if not, I am a dead woman]" (Genesis 30:1). Our Rabbis said: From here you learn that everyone who has no children is considered as dead, as it is written concerning Hannah: "The Lord brings death and gives life" (1 Samuel 2:6). Rather, thus said Hannah: Until He gave me a son I was among the dead; now that He has given me a son I am counted among the living. Rachel said to Jacob: "Give me children, and if not, I am a dead woman. And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel" (Genesis 30:1-2). And the Holy Spirit says: "Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge?" (Job 15:2). Jacob said to Rachel: Am I the deputy of the Holy One, blessed be He? "Am I in the place of God?" (Genesis 30:2). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: By your life, with the very language in which you said, "Am I in the place of God?"—with that same language her son will stand and say to your sons: "Am I in the place of God?" (Genesis 50:19). She said to him: Did not your father Isaac do so for your mother Rebekah—were not the two of them standing and praying, one opposite the other, as it is said, "And Isaac entreated the Lord opposite his wife" (Genesis 25:21)? You too, pray for me to the Lord. And did not your grandfather Abraham do thus for Sarah? He said to her: Sarah brought a rival-wife into her house. She said to him: If so, "Here is my maidservant Bilhah, go in to her" (Genesis 30:3). He did not do so, but once she had given him her maidservant, immediately she conceived and gave birth. "And Rachel said: God has judged me" (Genesis 30:6)—He has judged me and condemned me, He has judged me and acquitted me. He has judged me and condemned me, in that He did not give me a son; He has judged me and acquitted me, in that He gave my maidservant a son. "And she called his name Dan" (Genesis 30:6). She conceived and gave birth to Naphtali (Genesis 30:8). (The explanation is the term "nymphe," for in the cities of the sea-coast they call a bride "nymphe.") "The wrestlings (naphtulei) were mine"—the wedding canopy was mine, for every fourth day she was adorned to enter, and Leah entered. Therefore, "the wrestlings were mine," yet my sister entered; "with my sister, and I have also prevailed. And she called his name Naphtali" (Genesis 30:8). Why Naphtali? Because from their territory they crown the Torah, of which it is written, "and sweeter than honey and the drippings (nofet) of the comb" (Psalms 19:11). When Leah saw that she had borne six sons, she said: Thus did the Holy One, blessed be He, stipulate with Jacob, that he would raise up twelve tribes; and behold, I have borne six sons, and the two maidservants four—behold, ten. And Leah was pregnant. Our Rabbis said: She was pregnant with a male. Leah said: Behold, I am pregnant, and my sister Rachel has not given birth. What did Leah do? She began to plead for mercy on behalf of her sister Rachel. She said: Let Him make what is within her womb female, and let not my sister Rachel be prevented from bearing a son. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to her: By your life, you had compassion on your sister; behold, I will make what is within your womb female, and remember her thereby. "And afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah" (Genesis 30:21). What is Dinah? That she judged (dayyenah) herself away from bearing a son, so that Rachel would bear a son, for thus it is written afterward: "And God remembered Rachel… and she conceived and bore a son" (Genesis 30:22-23). What is "and she conceived and bore"? It likens her giving birth to her conceiving: just as her conceiving was without pain, so too her giving birth was without pain. "And she said: God has gathered up my disgrace" (Genesis 30:23). What is "gathered up"? Rather, since a woman does not give birth, disgrace is present within her house. How so? When she breaks a vessel in her house, on whom can she lay it? Once she gives birth, she lays it on her child. Therefore she said: "God has gathered up my disgrace."

"To see the daughters of the land" (Genesis 34:1) — "to see" implies "to be seen." To what is the matter comparable? To one who was walking through the marketplace with a piece of meat in his hand. A certain dog saw it, went after it, and snatched it from him. So too was Dinah going out to see, and Shechem saw her and snatched her. Another interpretation of "to see the daughters of the land": When the sons of Jacob came to the Land of Israel, they began to display their strength, their wealth, and their beauty. They displayed their strength, as it is written, "and two of the sons of Jacob took, [each man his sword … and they killed every male]" (Genesis 34:25). They displayed their wealth, as it is written, "And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house, and for his cattle he made booths" (Genesis 33:17) — he began to open stalls. And their beauty, from where? "And Dinah the daughter of Leah went out" — to see and to be seen. "And Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her" (Genesis 34:2). The wicked "see": "And Haman saw" (Esther 3:5); "And Esau saw" (Genesis 28:6); "And Shechem the son of Hamor saw them" (Genesis 34:2). David said, "Let their eyes be darkened that they see not" (Psalms 69:24).

[Another interpretation (of Genesis 39:1): "And Joseph was brought down to Egypt."] This is what Scripture says (Song of Songs 8:6): "For love is fierce as death." This is the love with which Jacob loved Rachel, as it is said (Genesis 29:18): "And Jacob loved Rachel." "Jealousy is hard as Sheol" (Song of Songs, there) — for Rachel was jealous of her sister. And what shall love do beside jealousy?

"And the Lord said to Moses: Stretch out your hand toward the heavens (etc.)" (Exodus 9:22). This is what Scripture says: "Whatever the Lord desired He did (etc.)" (Psalms 115:3). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: "The heavens are the heavens of the Lord (etc.)" (Psalms 115:16). To what is the matter comparable? To a king who decreed and ordered concerning the people of Rome that they not go down to Syria, and that the people of Syria not go up to Rome. So too the Holy One, blessed be He: at the time when He created [the upper beings He said], "The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, [and the earth He gave to the children of man]" (Psalms 115:16). And when the Holy One, blessed be He, sought to give the Torah to Israel, He annulled the first decree, and said: Let the lower ones go up to the upper ones, and let the upper ones come down to the lower ones; and I am the one who begins, as it is said: "And the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai" (Exodus 19:20), and it is written: "And to Moses He said: Come up to the Lord (etc.)" (Exodus 24:1). Thus "whatever the Lord desired He did [in the heavens and on the earth]." When He wished, He said, "Let the waters be gathered" (Genesis 1:9), and when He wished, He made the sea into dry land, as it is said: "And the children of Israel walked [on dry land] through the midst of the sea (etc.)" (Exodus 14:29).

"And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; [he ate no bread and drank no water]" (Exodus 34:28). Is it possible for a person to be forty days without eating and without drinking? Angels came down from heaven to Abraham and they ate. Moses ascended to the upper realms; he saw that there was neither eating nor drinking there, so he neither ate nor drank.

"And when you sacrifice an offering of thanksgiving to the Lord" (Leviticus 22:29). Rabbi Pinchas and Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Menachem of Galilee: In the age to come all the offerings will be annulled, but the thanksgiving offering will not be annulled [forever]. All the thanksgivings will be annulled, but the thanksgiving of the thanksgiving offering will not be annulled [forever]. It is stated, "The sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say, 'Give thanks [to the Lord of Hosts, for the Lord is good], for His mercy endures forever,' as they bring a thanksgiving offering to the House of the Lord" (Jeremiah 33:11). "Give thanks to the Lord" — these are the thanksgivings [the prayers of thanks]; "bringing a thanksgiving offering" — this is the thanksgiving sacrifice. And so it says, "Upon me, O God, are Your vows; I will pay thanksgivings to You" (Psalms 56:13). "Thanksgiving" [in the singular] is not written here, but "thanksgivings" [in the plural] — the thanksgiving prayer and the thanksgiving offering.

Another interpretation (of Numbers 3:15): "Number the sons of Levi." But in another place it is written, "Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, and you shall not take a census of them" (Numbers 1:49). Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Since they gave their souls for My sake, go and count them by themselves. And when did they give their souls for the Holy One, blessed be He? At the hour when Israel did that deed, as it is said, "And Moses stood in the gate of the camp [and said: Whoever is for the Lord, to me! And all the sons of Levi gathered to him]" (Exodus 32:26). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Since they stand in their blemishes, go and count them: "Number the sons of Levi." Rabbi Yehudah bar Shalom says: This tribe is accustomed to being counted by the Holy One, blessed be He, in every place, even while they are small. How do we know this? At the hour when the Holy One, blessed be He, told Jacob to go down to Egypt, at that hour He counted Israel and his sons, and they were found to be all sixty-six, [as it is said, "All the souls... were sixty-six" (Genesis 46:26)], and Joseph's two sons and Joseph—behold, seventy less one—yet He says, "All the souls of the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy" (Genesis 46:27). Rav Levi said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman: This tribe is accustomed to the Holy One, blessed be He, counting them even while they are in their mother's womb. Rabbi Berekhyah [the Priest, son of a great one] said: This resin does not finish coming out before they collect it; so too Jochebed—her mother was pregnant with her, and she was in her mother's womb, and she was counted with her. Resh Lakish said: As her mother was entering the gate of Egypt she gave birth to her; therefore it is said "with seventy souls." And even concerning her children's children, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Every male from a month old and upward [you shall number them]" (Numbers 3:15). Moses said to Him: Am I able to stand and go around in their courtyards and within their houses and count each and every one of them, that You say "every male from a month old and upward"? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: You do your part, and I will do My part. Rabbi Yehudah the Levite bar Shalom said: Moses would go and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Divine Presence would go before him and say to him: There are five infants in this tent, there are ten infants in this tent. How do we know? As it is said, "And Moses numbered them by the mouth of the Lord, as he was commanded" (Numbers 3:16)—just as the Divine Presence told him.

(Numbers 7:1:) "So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished." Let our master teach us: How many things preceded the act of creation? Thus our Rabbis taught: Seven things preceded the world, and these are they: the Throne of Glory, the Torah, the Temple, the ancestors of the world, [Israel], the name of the Messiah, and repentance; and some say also the Garden of Eden and Gehinnom. Whence the Throne of Glory? As it is said (Psalms 93:2), "Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting." And whence the Torah? As it is said (Proverbs 8:22), "The Lord acquired me as the beginning of His way, the first of His works of old." Whence the Temple? As it is said (Jeremiah 17:12), "A throne of glory, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our Sanctuary." Whence the ancestors? As it is said (Hosea 9:10), "Like grapes in the wilderness I found [Israel; like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season I saw] your ancestors." Whence Israel? [As it is said] (Psalms 74:2), "Remember Your congregation, which You acquired of old." Whence the name of the Messiah? As it is said (Psalms 72:17), "Before the sun his name is Yinnon." Whence repentance? As it is said (Psalms 90:2), "Before the mountains were brought forth," and it is written (ibid. v. 3), "You return man to contrition, [and say: Return, O children of Adam]." Whence the Garden of Eden? As it is said (Genesis 2:8), "And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden from of old." Whence Gehinnom? As it is said (Isaiah 30:33), "For Topheth is prepared from yesterday." Come and see. At the hour when the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses to say to Israel that they should make Him a Tabernacle, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Say to Israel — as it were — it is not because I have no place to dwell that I tell you to make Me a Tabernacle; before the world was created, behold, My Sanctuary was built above, as it is said (Jeremiah 17:12), "A throne of glory, exalted from the beginning," etc. And there the palace of My throne was built, as it is said (Habakkuk 2:20), "But the Lord is in His holy palace," etc. And so Isaiah said (Isaiah 6:1), "And I saw the Lord seated upon a throne high and exalted." But out of My love for you I leave the upper Temple, which was prepared before the world was created, and descend and dwell among you, as it is said (Exodus 25:8), "[And let them make Me a Sanctuary] that I may dwell among them." Said Rabbi Judah bar Simon in the name of Rabbi Yohanan: This is one of three things that Moses heard from the mouth of the Almighty and recoiled backward. At the hour when He said to him (Exodus 30:12), "Then they shall give every man a ransom for his life," Moses said: Who can give a ransom for his life? It is written (Job 2:4), "Skin for skin, and all that a man has he will give for his life," and still it does not suffice, as it is said (Psalms 49:8), "No man can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I do not ask according to My power, but according to their power — "this they shall give" (Exodus 30:13). [Said Rabbi Meir: The Holy One, blessed be He, took something like a coin of fire from beneath the Throne of Glory and showed it to Moses, "this they shall give" — like this they shall give.] And at the hour when He said (Numbers 28:2), "My offering, My bread for My fire offerings," Moses said: Who can supply You with offerings enough? If we offered up every beast of the forest and all the trees of Lebanon, they would not suffice, as it is said (Isaiah 40:16), "Lebanon is not sufficient for fuel, nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering." He said to him: I do not ask according to My power but according to their power, as it is said (Numbers 28:3), "And you shall say to them: This is the fire offering which you shall offer to the Lord" — and not both at once, but (ibid. v. 4) "the one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the second lamb you shall offer at twilight." And at the hour when He said to him (Exodus 25:8), "And let them make Me a Sanctuary," Moses said [before the Holy One, blessed be He] (1 Kings 8:27), "Behold, the heavens and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You," and it says (Jeremiah 23:24), "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth? says the Lord," and it says (Isaiah 66:1), "The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool" — and can we make Him a Sanctuary? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I do not ask [according to My power] but according to their power, as it is said (Exodus 26:1), "And the Tabernacle you shall make with ten curtains." When Israel heard this, they arose and donated willingly and made the Tabernacle. And when they had made the Tabernacle, it was filled with His glory, as it is said (Exodus 40:35), "And Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting," etc. The princes said: Behold, the hour has come for us to offer sacrifices in joy, for the Divine Presence has dwelt among us. Whence? [From what they read concerning the matter,] "So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished."

Another interpretation of "Make for yourself" (Numbers 10:2): You are to use them, for you are a king, and no other may use them except King David, as it is said, "And the Levites stood (in their place) [etc.], and the singers sang and the trumpets sounded" (II Chronicles 29:26, 28). Our Rabbis said: Even the trumpets that were in the Temple were also hidden away. But King David would use the harp, as it is said, "Awake, my glory; awake, O lute and harp" (Psalms 57:9). Rabbi Pinhas the Priest bar Hama said: A harp was hanging above David's headrest. When midnight arrived, a north wind would blow upon it, and it would play of its own accord. Immediately David would arise, and all the students who were occupied with the Torah, and they would drive sleep from their eyes and meditate on the Torah until the rising of the dawn. Therefore David would say, "Awake, my glory" (ibid.) — it is the way of the dawn to awaken human beings, but I will awaken the dawn.

(Numbers 13:30:) “AND CALEB HUSHED” &c., for at first he said to them: I am with you in one counsel; but his heart was to speak the truth, as it is stated (in Joshua 14:7): “And I brought him back word as was in my heart.” And the Holy One, blessed be He, testifies concerning him, as it is stated (in Numbers 14:24): “But My servant Caleb, [because another spirit was with him].” And when the spies came, they said: Caleb is trustworthy to us. Immediately he stood up upon the bench and silenced all Israel, who were crying out against Moses, as it is stated (in Numbers 13:30): “And Caleb hushed the people toward Moses.” And they supposed that he was speaking slander; therefore they were silent. He opened and said (ibid.): “We shall surely go up and possess it.” Immediately they disputed and said: “We are not able to go up” &c.; “and they brought out an evil report of the land” &c. (ibid. 13:31–32).

Another interpretation of "Who is like the wise person?" (Ecclesiastes 8:1): This refers to a disciple of a sage. "And who knows the interpretation of a matter?" - at the time when he knows how to expound his Mishnah. "A person's wisdom lights up his face" - at the time when he is asked a question and answers. "But the boldness of his face is changed" - at the time when he is asked a question and does not answer.

"For from the top of the rocks I see him" (Numbers 23:9). This is to make known to you the hatred of that wicked man, for from within his blessings you come to know his thoughts. To what is he comparable? To a man who came to chop down a tree. One who is not skilled chops off the branches, each and every branch, and grows weary; but the clever one uncovers the roots and chops. So too did that wicked man say: Why should I curse each and every tribe? Rather, I will go to their roots. He came to touch them and found them hard. Therefore it is said, "For from the top of the rocks."

Another interpretation of (Genesis 9:18) "And the sons of Noah were." Rabbi Levi said: By the merit of what they did in the ark, they went out from the ark. And why? Throughout all twelve months that they spent in the ark, they were girding their loins and feeding the cattle and the beasts. And by the merit of this, they went out from the ark.

And furthermore, our father Abraham was afraid when he slew the kings. He was astonished and said: "Perhaps I have nullified the commandment of the Holy One, blessed be He, who commanded the children of Noah, 'Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed' (Genesis 9:6) — and I have slain all those multitudes!" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "Fear not, Abram. Rather, I must give you a great reward, for you have uprooted the thorns," as it is said, "And the peoples shall be as the burnings of lime, as thorns cut down that are kindled in the fire" (Isaiah 33:12). Therefore it is said, "Fear not, Abram." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: "In this world you are afraid on account of sins, but in the world to come, in which there is no evil inclination, you will be afraid on account of the good that I have prepared for you," as it is said, "Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God and David their king, and they shall fear toward the LORD and toward His goodness" (Hosea 3:5). And what is "His goodness"? This is the Temple, as it is said, "this good mountain, and Lebanon" (Deuteronomy 3:25). Salvation is from Zion, as it is said, "Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion!" (Psalms 14:7). The blessing is from Zion, as it is said, "As the dew of Hermon, that cometh down upon the mountains of Zion" (Psalms 133:3). Help is from Zion, as it is said, "May He send forth thy help from the sanctuary, and support thee out of Zion" (Psalms 20:3). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: "In the world to come also I will bless Israel from Zion," for so David said, "The LORD bless thee out of Zion" (Psalms 134:3).

(Genesis 34:2:) "AND HE TOOK HER, AND LAY WITH HER, AND AFFLICTED HER." And on account of what sin did the uncircumcised one come upon her? It is written (Job 6:14): "TO HIM WHO IS DESPONDENT, KINDNESS IS DUE FROM HIS NEIGHBOR, EVEN IF HE FORSAKES THE FEAR OF the Almighty." Rather, at the time when our father Jacob was coming and the tribes were with him, Dinah was with him. When the messengers came and said to him (Genesis 32:7): "WE CAME TO YOUR BROTHER, TO ESAU," Jacob took Dinah and placed her in a chest, so that Esau should not see her and take her for a wife. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You withheld her from him. By your life, she is destined for an uncircumcised man! This is what is written (Job 6:14): "TO HIM WHO IS DESPONDENT, KINDNESS IS DUE FROM HIS NEIGHBOR." Had she been married to Esau, perhaps she would have brought him under the wings of the Divine Presence. When Job took her, did she not bring him under the wings of the Divine Presence? Therefore, because you withheld her, behold, the son of a cursed one has come against her, as it is written (Genesis 34:2): "AND SHECHEM THE SON OF HAMOR SAW HER."

Another interpretation: "For love is as strong as death" (Song of Songs 8:6) — this is the love of Jonathan and David, as it is said, "And the soul of Jonathan was bound up with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul" (I Samuel 18:1). "Jealousy is as harsh as Sheol" (Song of Songs 8:6) — for Saul was jealous of David. And what is love doing beside jealousy?

{As it is stated:} (Exodus 34:28) "And he was there with the LORD…." There was an incident with Rabbi Yochanan, who went from Tiberias to Sepphoris, and Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba, his disciple, was with him. The two of them were walking along the road, and Rabbi Yochanan saw a vineyard, and he said to Rabbi Chiyya: "This was mine, and I sold it for such-and-such." And likewise an olive field was mine, and I sold it for such-and-such. Rabbi Chiyya said to him: "And of all the estate (that is, the fields), did you not have anything to leave for your old age?" He said to him: "I sold something worth six gold coins, and I acquired something worth forty gold coins." He said to him: "And what did you acquire?" He said to him: "I sold a thing—fields and vineyards—that were created in six days, and I acquired Torah, which was created in forty days."

Another interpretation of "Awake, my glory" (Psalms 57:9). What is the meaning of "Awake, my glory"? It is on account of the honor of my Creator. For his inclination would say to him: "David, are you not a king? It is the way of kings to rise at the third hour of the day. Why, then, do you rise at midnight?" And he would answer it: "Awake, my glory" — my own honor is as nothing before the honor of my Creator. Therefore it is said, "Awake, my glory." And he would rise at midnight and praise the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, "At midnight I rise to give thanks to You for Your righteous judgments" (Psalms 119:62). David said: I am obligated to rise at midnight and to praise You for the wonders You performed with my ancestress at midnight, as it is said, "And it came to pass at midnight that the man was startled and turned about, and behold, a woman lay at his feet. And he said, 'Who are you?' And she said, 'I am Ruth your handmaid.'" He said to her: "Stay the night, and it shall be in the morning, if he will redeem you, well" (Ruth 3:8-9,13). Rabbi Judah the Levite bar Shallum said: She said to him, "Are you dismissing me with mere words?" He said to her, "As the Lord lives" (Ruth 3:13) — I am not dismissing you with mere words. Another interpretation: "As the Lord lives." This teaches that he imposed an oath upon his inclination, which was accusing him and saying to him, "You are unmarried and she is unmarried; this is the hour for you to couple with her." Immediately that righteous man swore, "As the Lord lives, I will not touch her this night." And not Boaz alone, but all the righteous impose an oath upon their inclination. So you find with David, that when Saul fell into his hand, what did David say? "And David said: As the Lord lives, either the Lord shall strike him down, or his day shall come and he shall die" (I Samuel 26:10). Why did he swear two times? Rabbi Samuel bar Nahman said: His inclination came and said to him, "Had you fallen into his hand, he would have shown you no mercy and would have killed you. And by the Torah it is permitted to kill him, for he is a pursuer." Therefore he hastened and swore two times: "As the Lord lives, I will not kill him." Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He: "Master of the Universe, You know the strength of the evil inclination, how harsh it is." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: "Remove it little by little, and I will pass it away," as it is said, "Cast up, cast up the highway" (Isaiah 62:10), and it says, "Clear, clear the way" (Isaiah 57:14). "And in the world to come I will uproot it from you," as it says, "And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26). Thus did Rabbi Tanhuma bar Abba expound.

(As it is said:) "And the sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were [Shem, Ham, and Japheth]" (Genesis 9:18). Now was Shem the eldest, that he is placed first? Is it not written, "the brother of Japheth the elder" (Genesis 10:21)? Why, then, did Scripture place Shem before Japheth? Because he was worthy and perfect toward his Creator.

Another interpretation of (Song of Songs 8:6) "For love is as strong as death": the love with which Jacob loved Joseph, as it is said (Genesis 37:3), "And Israel loved Joseph." "Jealousy is as harsh as Sheol" - the jealousy that his brothers were jealous of him. And what shall love do beside jealousy? Another interpretation of "For love is as strong as death": the love with which Jacob loved Joseph, as it is said (Genesis 37:3), "And Israel loved Joseph." "Jealousy is as harsh as Sheol" - the jealousy that his brothers were jealous of him. And what shall love do beside jealousy? And what caused Joseph to come into hatred? It was the love with which his father loved him too much.