Midrash Tanchuma Reader

"Stretch out your hand," etc., [that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt] (Exodus 9:22). Why did He strike them with hail? Because the Egyptians thought that the Israelites would be their vinedressers. David said, "He killed their vines with hail, and their sycamores with hanamal" (Psalms 78:47). And how did it come down? Rabbi Pinhas and Rabbi Yehudah the Levite son of Rabbi Shalom — one of them said: it came down like this chalazon (snail), cutting down the trees, "He killed their vines with hail," etc. And one said: it came down like this hanamal, "and their sycamores with hanamal." It is written, "but the wheat and the spelt were not struck" (Exodus 9:32) — rather, it came down upon each and every thing according to its strength: upon the beast according to its strength, and upon the grass according to its strength, and upon man according to its strength. What is written above on the matter? "But for this purpose I have raised you up," etc. (ibid. 9:16) — to recount My wonders I have raised you up, in that I did not put you to death in the first plagues, "in order to show you My power, and in order that My name be recounted throughout all the earth" (ibid.).

(Exodus 34:28:) "And he was there with the LORD" etc.; "he ate no bread." He ate the war of Torah. "And he drank no water" — he drank from the waters of Torah, as it is said (Proverbs 9:5): "Come, eat of my bread"; and it says (Isaiah 55:1): "Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters."

A certain gentile saw Rabbi Judah ben Rabbi Il'ai, whose face was radiant. He said: This man has one of three things in him—either he lends at interest, or he raises swine, or he is a drinker of wine. Rabbi Judah ben Rabbi Il'ai heard his voice and said to him: May the spirit of that man expire! For not one of these is in me. I do not lend at interest, as it is written, "unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury" (Deuteronomy 23:20). And I do not raise swine, for it is forbidden for a son of Israel to raise swine, as we have learned there, "A person may not raise swine in any place." And I am no drinker of wine, for the four cups of Passover that I drink at Passover bind up my head from Passover until Shavuot. Rabbi Mani's head was bound up from Passover until the Festival [of Sukkot]. He said to him: Then on what account is your face radiant? He said to him: It is the Torah that makes my face radiant, as it is written, "a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine" (Ecclesiastes 8:1). Rabbi Abbahu went to Caesarea and came back from there with his face radiant. His disciples saw that his face was radiant. They went up and said to Rabbi Yochanan: This Rabbi Abbahu has found a treasure. He said to them: How so? They said to him: Because his face is radiant. He said to them: Perhaps he heard some new Torah teaching. He went up to him and said to him: What new Torah teaching did you hear? He said to him: I recited an ancient tosefta. And he applied to him: "a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine" (Ecclesiastes 8:1).

"Behold, a people that dwells alone" (Numbers 23:9). When He gladdens them, no nation rejoices together with them; rather, all of them are smitten, [as it is said,] "The LORD alone did lead him, [and there was no foreign god with him]" (Deuteronomy 32:12). And when the nations rejoice in this world, they (Israel) eat together with every kingdom and rulership, and it does not go up against them from the reckoning, as it is said, "and shall not be reckoned among the nations" (Numbers 23:9).

{As it is stated:} (Exodus 34:28:) "And he was there with the LORD." He was learning Torah by day and expounding it by night, by himself. Why? Only to teach Israel that they should labor in the Torah by day and by night. And from where was he nourished those forty days? From the splendor of the Divine Presence.

And Abraham fell upon his face (Gen. 14:3). Prior to his circumcision, Abraham prostrated himself whenever the Shekhinah addressed him, but after he was circumcised, He remained standing, as it is said: And Abraham stood yet before the Lord (ibid. 18:22). Indeed, the Holy One, blessed be He, also revealed Himself unto Abraham while he sat, as it is said: And the Lord appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door (ibid., v. 1).

Circumcision is so precious to the Holy One, blessed be He, that He assured Abraham that no one who had been circumcised would descend unto Gehenna, as it is said: In that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, saying: “Unto thy seed I have given this land” (ibid. 15:18). Who will descend to Gehenna? The verse that follows informs us that the Kenites, the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, etc., will descend into Gehenna, since they were all uncircumcised. Ezekiel observed the uncircumcised descending to Gehenna, as it is said: Son of man, wail for the multitudes of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, with the daughters of the mighty nations, unto the nether parts of the earth…. go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised. They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword…. Asshur is there and all her company … There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude; all round about her are her graves; all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword (Ezek. 32:18–30).

Similarly, Isaiah declared: Therefore, the netherworld has enlarged her desire, and opened her mouth for those without law (hoq) (Isa. 5:14); that is, for those who have not observed the law of circumcision. Whence do we know that circumcision is called a law (hoq)? We know it from the verse And He established it unto Jacob for a statute (hoq), and to Israel for an everlasting covenant (Ps. 105:10). The Holy One, blessed be He, pulls down the foreskins of infidels and sinners in Israel who deny God and imitate the practices (huqim) of the nations, and even though they may be circumcised they descend to Gehenna, as is said: He hath put forth his hands against them that were at peace with him; he hath profaned his covenant (Ps. 55:21).

King Agrippa asked R. Eliezer: Inasmuch as the Holy One, blessed be He, considered circumcision so very important, why did He not include this precept among the Ten Commandments? He replied: Long before the Ten Commandments were given to Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, had warned Israel concerning the fulfillment of the precept of circumcision, as it is said: Now, therefore, if you hearken unto My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, ye shall be Mine own treasure from among all peoples (Exod. 19:5), and He said also: If My covenant be not with day and night (Jer. 33:25). The covenant referred to in these verses is the covenant of circumcision (b’rit milah).

Prior to this verse it is written: Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying: “The two families which the Lord did choose, He hath cast them off?” and they condemn My people, that they should be no more a nation before them (ibid., v. 24). What does this verse indicate? He saw how the men of Jerusalem provoked the Holy One, blessed be He, to anger, for even the priests who offered sacrificed in the Temple were uncircumcised, as it is said: In that ye have brought in aliens, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary, to profane it, even My house, when ye offer My bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken My covenant, to add unto all your abominations (Ezek. 44:7), and it is written elsewhere: Thus saith the Lord God: No alien, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into My sanctuary, even any alien that is among the children of Israel (ibid., v. 9).

The kings of the House of David likewise abolished the precept of circumcision. Jehoiakim extended his own foreskin (to hide his circumcision), as it is said: Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found upon him (II Chron. 36:8). What is the meaning of was found upon him? It means that he stretched his foreskin. Others maintain that this verse indicates that he tattooed his skin. Hence, we learn that both the priests and the kings abrogated the covenant of circumcision. The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: “I informed Aaron and David that their offspring would survive forever, as it is said: Ought you not to know that the Lord, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? (ibid. 13:5). And unto Aaron I swore: It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord unto thee and to thy seed with thee (Num. 18:19). But they (their offspring) abrogated the covenant of circumcision!” The Holy One, blessed be He, declared unto the prophet: Go and say unto them: If ye can break My covenant with the day, and My covenant with the night, so that there should not be day and night in their season; then may also My covenant be broken with David, My servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, My ministers (Jer. 33:20–21). When the Israelites heard this, they cried out: Woe unto us, the two families which the Lord did choose, He cast them off (ibid., v. 24). The Holy One, blessed be He, responded to them: Consider thou not what this people have spoken, saying: The two families, etc. (ibid.). And He asked: “When were they cast off?” At the time they abrogated the commandment mentioned in the verse that follows: Thus saith the Lord, If My covenant be not with day and night, etc. (ibid., v. 25), and it says: Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion, put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the Holy City, for no more shall enter into thee henceforth the uncircumcised and the unclean (Isa. 52:1). Amen and so may it be Thy will.

And God did prove Abraham (Gen. 22:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The Lord trieth the righteous (Ps. 11:5). R. Jonah maintained: If you pound a good-quality flax, its quality will improve, but if you pound a poor-quality flax, it will crumble. So the Holy One, blessed be He, tests only the righteous.

R. Judah the son of Shalum said: A potter never tests a defective vessel for fear that it might break while being tested, but he always tests a perfect one. Likewise, the Holy One, blessed be He, tests the righteous but not the wicked, as it is said: The Lord trieth the righteous.

R. Eleazar declared: If a householder has two cows, one of which is strong while the other is weak, he places the yoke on the stronger cow and not on the weaker one. Hence, Scripture says: The Lord trieth the righteous and God did prove Abraham.

And the Lord said: I have surely seen the affliction of my people (Exod. 3:7). Scripture states elsewhere For He knoweth base men; and when He seeth iniquity, will He not then consider it (Job 11:11)? The Holy One, blessed be He said to Moses: I have surely seen (ra’oh ra’iti) indicates that I have beheld two visions. I have seen and I know their grief and will redeem them now, and I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people (Exod. 32:9), who will in the future anger Me by erecting the golden calf. Thus, it says I have surely seen. R. Samuel the son of Nahman stated: Othniel discussed this matter with the Holy One, blessed be He. He said: Master of the Universe how could you have assured Moses that you would redeem them, whether they do your will or not, since it is said: And the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war (Judg. 3:10). I could do so because I know their pains (Exod. 3:7) is stated. The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: What can I do? I must redeem them, I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians (ibid., v. 8).

Moses said unto God: Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel and I shall say to them the God of your fathers sent me. What shall I say to them (Exod. 3:13)? Moses pleaded with the Holy One, blessed be He, to divulge His great name to him. He said: If they should ask me, What is His name?, What shall I answer? He answered Moses: Do you desire to know My name? I am known according to My works. When I judge mankind, I am called God; when I take revenge upon the wicked, I am called Hosts; when I consider the sins of man, I am called Almighty God; and when I sit in merciful judgment, I am called Merciful One. My name conforms to My deeds. I urge you, however, to say to them: The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has sent me unto you; this is My name forever, and this is My memorial unto all generations (ibid., v. 15).

Master of the Universe, he exclaimed: I have sworn to Jethro that I would not leave without his permission. And He answered: Return to Midian and I will release you from your vow. Therefore, he spoke with him once again in Midian, as it is said: And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian. Moses went, and returned to Jethro his father-in-law (ibid. 4:18). Surely it would have been necessary to say only He returned to Midian, why then, does Scripture say and he returned to Jethro his father-in-law? It is to tell us that he went to him to be released from his vow and to obtain his permission to depart, as it is said: Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren (ibid.).

Then the Lord said unto Moses: “Behold, I will cause to rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may prove them whether they will walk in My law, or not” (Exod. 16:4). R. Simeon the son of Gamliel said: Observe how dearly the Holy One, blessed be He, loved Israel that he altered, for their sake, the natural order of things. The Holy One, blessed be He, made the heavenly spheres become like the lower spheres, and the lower spheres to become like the upper spheres, for their sake. Previously, bread came from the earth and water descended from heaven, but now He caused bread to descend from the heavens and water to come out of the earth, as it is said: Behold, I will cause to rain bread for you, and when the layer of dew was gone up (Exod. 16:14).

Let them go and gather straw for themselves (ibid. 5:57). They did not merely go out to the courtyard to gather (the straw) but into the wilderness. A day’s portion every day. He who created the day created sustenance for that day. R. Eleazar of Modi’im stated because of this: Anyone who has sufficient food for the day and yet asks “What shall I eat tomorrow?” lacks faith. That I may prove them whether or not they will follow My Law (ibid. 16:4). R. Joshua held: If a man studies two laws in the morning and two in the evening, even though he is occupied with his labors throughout the rest of the day, they consider him as fulfilling the entire Torah: That thou shalt meditate therein day and night (Josh. 1:8). R. Simeon the son of Joshua observed from this verse that the Torah was given for study to those who have sufficient manna to eat, since they are not compelled to work or engage in business. Indeed, how can a man sit and study when he does not know where he will obtain his food and drink, garments and covering? Hence, the Torah was given for study to those who possessed manna. This is equally true of those who eat the terumah.

And the Lord spoke unto Moses: “Go, get thee down…. I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people” (Exod. 32:7–9). R. Tanhuma the son of Abba began the discussion with the verses: As vapors and wind without rain, so is he that boasteth himself of a false gift. By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded (Prov. 25:14–15). One who promises a gift to his friend but fails to fulfill his promise can be likened to vapors and wind without rain. The generation of the desert behaved in that fashion. It is said: All the people answered with one voice, and said: “All the words which the Lord hath spoken we will do” (Exod. 24:7), yet they violated every command He issued. When the Holy One, blessed be He, observed that, He ordered Moses: Go get thee down, thy people have dealt corruptly (ibid. 32:7). The word dealt corruptly refers to immoral acts, as it is said: Is corruption His? No, His children’s is the blemish (Deut. 32:5). Not only did they make the golden calf, they were also guilty of sexual crimes and shedding blood, as it is said: And the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to make merry (ibid., v. 6). The words make merry imply sexual crimes, as is stated: The Hebrew servant, whom thou hast brought unto us, came unto me to make merry (Gen. 39:17). They were also guilty of bloodshed, as it is written: Let the young men, I pray thee, arise and play before us (II Sam. 2:14).

There was no one superior to Hur, who was killed at that time. Moses became angry because the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke harshly to him. The word daber (“spoke”) signifies harsh speech, as it is said: The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us (Gen. 42:30). At that moment five demons came toward him: Wrath, Anger, Fury, Destruction, and Annihilation. Moses prostrated himself on the steps before the Most High, and indeed, there was not a corner into which he did not hurl himself as he invoked the merit of the fathers. He said: Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Whereupon three of the demons fled leaving only Anger and Fury. Moses remained prostrate and bowed down, as it is said: And so I fell down before the Lord (Deut. 9:25). He cried out: Master of the Universe: For I was in dread of anger and fury (ibid., v. 19). The Holy One, blessed be He, responded: Perhaps you will escape unharmed if you attack one while I attack the other. Moses then answered: My Master, arise, O Lord, against Anger, while I arise against Fury, as it is said: Had not Moses his chosen stood before Him in the breach, to turn back His fury (Ps. 106:23).

(Lev. 23:40:) “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day.” After all the wisdom which is ascribed to Solomon (since according to I Kings 5:11), “He was the wisest of all people,” he left everything and sat wondering about these four species. This is related (to Prov. 30:18), “Three things are too difficult for me; and four I do not understand.”

These are the four species which are in the lulav, which he sought to understand. Now if you say that (in Lev. 23:40) the “beautiful tree fruit” is an ethrog, all trees bear fruit. (Ibid., cont.:) “Branches of palm trees.” One needs to take two branches and their hearts, but one only takes the heart of the palm, i.e., the lulav. (Ibid., cont.:) “Boughs of dense trees.” Who says to you that it is the myrtle, since it is written in another place (i.e., in Neh. 8:15), “Go out to the mountain and bring leafy branches of olive trees, leafy branches of oil-giving trees, leafy branches of myrtle, leafy branches of palms, and leafy branches of dense trees to make the sukkot (huts), as is written.” (Lev. 23:40, cont.:) “And willows of the brook”; [yet] all the trees grow in the water. (Prov. 30:18:) “And four I do not understand.”

But in another place it says (i.e., in Prov. 30:29), “Three things have a stately stride, and four have a stately walk.” These are the four species which are in the lulav, for each and every person from Israel goes running to buy one of them for himself in order to give praise to the Lord, so that he be acceptable to Him and make atonement for all his sins. “A stately walk.” The one who sees these same four species, disparages them, and [yet] they loom large before the Holy One, blessed be He. (Prov. 30:24:) “Four things are tiny on earth.”

They are these four species. (Ibid., cont.:) “But they are the wisest of the wise,” because they deal wisely, when they plead merit and wisdom before the One who spoke and the world came into being. Another interpretation (of Prov. 30:24), “But they are the wisest of the wise”: And who gave us the interpretation that these four species are ethrog, lulav, myrtle, and willow? The rabbinic sages (hakhamim), “but they are the wisest (hakhamim) of the wise.”

Another interpretation (of Numb. 3:40), “enroll every first-born male.” This text is related (to Cant. 6:8-9), “There are sixty queens, eighty concubines, and maidens without number; [but only] One is My dove, My perfect one….” [The matter] is comparable to a certain merchant, who had glass beads, which he would bring to market; but he paid no attention to their number (minyan), because he had brought them out without counting (minyan) [them]. So when he came in to put them away, he put them away without counting. Because they were [made] of glass, he did not pay attention to them. However, he had a certain string of fine pearls; and this he would take and bring out with a count, then put away with a count.

Similarly, as it were, the Holy One, blessed be He, said [in regard] to the nations of the world, “I have not given them a count, because none of them is important to me, as stated (in Is. 40:17), ‘All the nations are as nothing before Him; they are considered by Him as less than nothing and void.’ But as for you, you are My children, [as stated (in Is. 46:3)], ‘the ones who have been borne by Me from birth, carried from the womb.’

I therefore count you on every occasion.” It is therefore stated (in Numb. 3:40), “enroll every first-born male.” Ergo (in Cant. 6:8-9), “There are sixty queens […]; [but only] One is My dove, My perfect one….” This is Israel.

Another interpretation (of Numb. 3:40), “enroll every first-born male.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Because of the love for Israel I have altered the [natural] order of the world. How? I had written in My Torah that an ass should be redeemed with a lamb, as stated (in Exod. 34:20), “But the firstling of an ass you shall redeem with a lamb (seh) ….”

But I did not do so. Instead I redeemed a lamb (seh) with an ass. The Egyptians are likened to an ass, where it is stated (in Ezek. 23:20), “whose flesh is like the flesh of asses”; and Israel is called a lamb (seh), where it is stated (in Jer. 50:17), “Israel is a scattered flock (seh).” Then I slew the first-born of the Egyptians and sanctified the first-born of Israel, as stated (in Numb. 3:13), “For every first-born belongs to Me on the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt,” I sanctified them for Myself. He therefore said to him (in Numb. 3:40), “enroll every first-born male among the Children of Israel.”

"And it was on the day that Moses had finished to erect the tabernacle" (Numbers 7:1). This is [the meaning of] that which was stated by the verse (Song of Songs 4:16), "Awake, O north wind" - these are the burnt-offerings that are slaughtered in the north [end of the altar], as our rabbis taught (Mishnah Zevachim 5:4), "The burnt-offerings are sacrifices of higher sanctity, their slaughter is in the north."

"Come, O south wind" - these are the peace-offerings that are slaughtered in the south. "Blow upon my garden, that its perfume may spread" - this is the incense. "Let my beloved come to his garden" - Rabbi Abahu said, "The Torah teaches proper conduct (derekh erets), that a groom should not enter the room until the bride gives him permission." "And enjoy its luscious fruits" - these are the sacrifices.

Another interpretation: "I have come to my garden, my sister bride" - [there is a relevant] parable about a king who said to his people to build him a palace and they built it. The people of the province were standing at the entrance of the palace and yelling and saying, "When will the king enter the palace?" What did the king do? He entered secretly.

He [then] sent a proclamation in front of him, saying, "Do not yell, as I have already come to my palace. So [too,] did Israel say, "Let my beloved come to his garden." What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He sent and said to them,"Why are you afraid?

I have already "Come to my garden" (Song of Songs 5:1) Rabbi Shimon ben Asini said, "It is not written, 'I have come to a garden,' here, but rather, 'I have come to my garden' - to that garden that I left, as stated (Genesis 3:8), 'They heard the sound of the Lord God moving about in the garden, etc.'" "I have plucked my myrrh and spice" - this is the incense. "Eaten my honey and honeycomb" - these are sacrifices of higher sanctity and sacrifices of lower sanctity.

"Drunk my wine and my milk" - these are the libations. Another interpretation: "I have plucked my myrrh and spice, eaten my honey and honeycomb, drunk my wine and my milk" - these are the three things that the chieftains did improperly and the Holy One, blessed be He, accepted [nonetheless], and these are them: An individual is not to offer incense, and each one of them brought incense, as stated, "a ladle of ten gold [shekel-weights] full of incense.

And that an individual is not to bring a sin-offering unless [the sin] is known to him, and each chieftain brought [for] that which was known to him, as stated, "one goat for a sin-offering." And a sacrifice of an individual does not override [the prohibitions of] Shabbat. And the sacrifice of the chieftain of the tribe of Ephraim overrode the Shabbat, as it is stated (Numbers 7:48), "On the seventh day, the chieftain of the Children of Ephraim.

"Eat, friends; drink and get drunk, beloved ones" - this is Israel who are called friends, as stated (Psalms 122:8), "For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will speak peacefully of you." Another interpretation: "Let my beloved come to his garden (gano)" - do not read [it] as gano, but rather as geenuno (bridal chamber). When? "And it was on the day that Moses had finished (kallot)."

Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi, "[It is] on the day that the bride enters the wedding canopy with the groom. Hence it is written, "It was on the day [that Moshe] finished (kallat, which means bride)," lacking (the letter, vav).

(Numb. 21:17:) “Then Israel sang this song.” This song (of the well) was uttered at the end of forty [years], while the well was given to them at the beginning of the forty [years]? So what was the purpose of writing [it down] here? This matter has been explained from what is above (in vs. 14), “It is therefore said in the book of the wars of the Lord, ‘'t Waheb in Suphah (Sufah) [and 't the Wadis of the Arnon].’”

What is this? That the Holy One blessed be He did for them signs ('twt, singular: 't) and miracles in the Arnon Wadis like the miracles which He did for them in the Reed (suf) Sea. And what were the miracles in the Arnon Wadis? One would stand on one mountain and speak with his companion on the other mountain; yet he was seven mil away from him. Now the road descended into the middle of the wadi and then ascended, and Israel's course was to cross through the midst of the mountains. All the nations assembled endless troops there. Some of them took up positions in the middle of the wadi. Moreover, [the slope of] the mountain above them was riddled with caves, and facing them was a mountain which was correspondingly riddled with crags in the form of breasts (shdym), as stated (in Numb. 21:15), “And the slope ('shd) of the wadies.”

The troops entered into the caves; for they said, “As soon as Israel comes down into the wadi, those ahead of them who are in the wadi and those in the caves will arise and kill all of them. When Israel did arrive at that place, the Holy One, blessed be He, did not make it necessary for them to go down into the wadi. Instead, He gave a signal to the mountains, and the [craggy] breasts of the latter mountain entered the caves, so that they all died.

Moreover, the mountains brought their summits so close to each other that they became a highway, for there was no knowing [where] each [mountain] joined its neighbor. Furthermore, that wadi separates the borders between the Land of Israel and the Land of Moab, as stated (in Numb. 21:13 = Jud. 11:18), “For the Arnon is the border of Moab […].” The mountain in the Land of Moab, the one with the caves, was [not] shaken; but the mountain in the Land of Israel, the one with the crags in the form of breasts, was shaken and joined to the mountain opposite.

Why was the one in the Land of Israel shaken? The matter is comparable to a female slave who saw her master's son coming to her. She jumped up to greet him and welcome him. The crags entered into the caves and all those warriors were crushed.

Then the well descended to the wadi, where it became a mighty [torrent] and destroyed the troops, just as the [Reed] Sea had destroyed those [Egyptians]. Scripture therefore compared (in Numb. 21:14), “Waheb in Suphah (Sufah) and the Wadies of the Arnon.” When Israel crossed upon those mountains without knowing about all these miracles the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Behold, I will let My Children know how many troops I destroyed because of them.” [So] the well descended into the caves and brought out innumerable skulls, arms, and legs.

Thus when Israel returned to seek the well, they saw it shining like the moon in the midst of the wadi, as it discharged the limbs of the troops. And where is it shown that the well informed [Israel] about them? Where it is stated (in Numb. 21:15-16), “And the slope of the wadies…. And from there they continued to Beer (the well).”

But was [the well] with them from there; was it not with them from the beginning of the forty years? It is simply that it had gone down to inform about the miracles, while Israel remained at the wadies and said to it (in Numb. 21:17, cont:) “Rise up, O well, sing to it.”

(Numb. 25:6:) “Just then one of the Children of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman unto his brothers [before the eyes of Moses and the eyes of the whole congregation of the Children of Israel].” What reason was there for him doing so? [The incident serves] to teach you that he had respect neither for Heaven nor for mortals.

It is also stated concerning him (in Prov. 21:24), “An insolent and arrogant one, scorner is his name; [he acts with arrogant wantonness].” She said to him, “Because I am a king's daughter, I am surrendering to no one but Moses or Eleazar.”

He said to her. “I also am as great as they are, and [to show you,] I am bringing you before their eyes.” [Then] he seized her by her braid and brought her to Moses. He said to him, “Son of Amram, is this woman permitted or forbidden? Now if you say that she is forbidden [because] this woman is a Midianite, [remember that] the very woman who is under you (as your wife) is a Midianite; and who permitted you to have her?”

The ruling (halakhah) slipped from his mind. They all wept bitterly. That is what is written (in Numb. 25:6), “they were weeping at the entrance of the tent of meeting.” Why were they weeping?

Because they became weak at that time. A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a king's daughter who had adorned herself for entering the wedding canopy [and] for sitting in the [bridal] palanquin. When she was found indulging in immorality with another, her father and her kinsfolk became weak. So it was with Israel.

At the end of forty years they had camped by the Jordan to cross into the Land of Israel, and there they became lawless through unchastity. They weakened Moses and the righteous who were with him. And why were they weakened? See that [Moses] had [previously] stood up to six hundred thousand [men] with the [golden] calf, as stated (Exod. 32:20), “And he took the calf that they had made.”

It was simply so that Phinehas would come and receive his due. Moreover, because [Moses] had been indolent [in the execution of justice], (according to Deut. 34:6) “no one knows his burial place.” [This fact serves] to teach you that one must be as strong as a leopard and as swift as an eagle to do the will of his Creator. Moreover, from here you learn that the Holy One, blessed be He, is as meticulous with the righteous as a thread of hair.

(Genesis 17:1:) "And Abram was ninety <-nine> years old." Let our master teach us: What is the law as to whether a person is permitted to heal on the Sabbath? Thus our masters taught (in Yoma 8:6): a doubt concerning lives overrides the Sabbath; but if it is doubtful whether one will be healed or will not be healed, they do not override <the Sabbath>. For the sake of circumcision, however, they do override the Sabbath. Rabbi Yose said: Come and see how beloved circumcision is before the Holy One, blessed be He. When He told Abraham that he should circumcise himself, it was hard for him. He said: "If I circumcise myself now, I am lacking one limb." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "Until you circumcise yourself, [your name is Abram], and the sum of its letters is 243, and the limbs of a person are 248 limbs; behold, you are lacking five limbs. And when you circumcise yourself, you are whole." He said before Him: "Master of the World, how so?" He said to him (Genesis 17:5): "Your name shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham," and you shall become whole.

"From the LORD" (Genesis 19:24). What is written above this matter? "And the two angels came to Sodom in the evening" (Genesis 19:1). There, by Abraham, three came, for it says, "And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men" (Genesis 18:2); but here they are two, as it is said, "And the two angels came." Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, sent three angels, each one to perform his own errand: one went to bring tidings to Sarah, one to rescue Lot, and one to overturn Sodom. And one angel does not perform two errands, [and two angels do not perform one errand]. Michael went to bring tidings to Sarah. "We shall surely return to you" is not written here, but rather "I will return" (Genesis 18:10); he performed his errand and departed. And the two went to perform their errand, as it is said, "And the two angels came to Sodom in the evening." There Scripture called them "men," and here it called them "angels." Rather, Rabbi Alexandri said: By Abraham they were "men," for the angels were a common sight in the house of Abraham, as it is said, "She watches over the goings of her household" (Proverbs 31:27) — that those who went about the house of Abraham were angels. And because he was accustomed to angels, they appeared to him in the form of men. But to Lot, who was an ordinary person, they appeared as angels, as it is said, "And the two angels came to Sodom" (Genesis 19:1).

It is written (Psalms 121:1): "A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come?" And it is written (Zechariah 4:7): "Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become level ground." What is the meaning of "Who are you, O great mountain"? This is the King Messiah. And why does it call him "the great mountain"? Because he is greater than the patriarchs, as it is said (Isaiah 52:13): "Behold, My servant shall be brought low; he shall be exalted and lifted up and become exceedingly high." "He shall be exalted" — more than Abraham; "and lifted up" — more than Moses; "and become exceedingly high" — more than the ministering angels. More than Abraham, of whom it is written (Genesis 14:22): "I have lifted up my hand to the Lord." "And lifted up" more than Moses, as it is said (Numbers 11:12): "for you say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a suckling.'" "And become high" more than the ministering angels, as it is said (Ezekiel 1:18): "and their rims were high and awesome." From whom does he come forth? [From Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel] from David, as it is said (1 Chronicles 3:10-24): "And Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abijah his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, [Jotham his son], Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, Amon his son, Josiah his son. And the sons of Josiah: the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum. And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son. And the sons of Jeconiah, the captive: Shealtiel his son, and Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. And the sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei. And the sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah, and Shelomith their sister; and Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, [Hasadiah], Jushab-hesed — five. And the son of Hananiah: [Pelatiah] and Jeshaiah; the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shecaniah. And the sons of Shecaniah: Shemaiah. And the sons of Shemaiah: Hattush, Igal, [Bariah], Neariah, and Shaphat — six. And the sons of Neariah: Elioenai, Hezekiah, and Azrikam — three. And the sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani — seven." And up to here Scripture has specified [for you]. Who is this Anani? This is the King Messiah, as it is said (Daniel 7:13): "I was watching [in the night visions], and behold, with the clouds of heaven [one like a son of man came]." And what is the "seven," that which is written concerning the Messiah? As it is said (Zechariah 4:10): "For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice and see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel — seven; [these are] the eyes of the Lord that range throughout all the earth." Therefore it is said: "Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become level ground" — he of whom it is written (Isaiah 11:4): "and he shall judge the poor with righteousness and decide with equity [for the meek of the earth]."

Another interpretation of (Genesis 30:23) "God has gathered." Rather, in the hour that Rebekah bore Jacob and Esau, two daughters were born to Laban. And they sent letters to one another, saying: You have begotten two daughters, and I two sons. Let us give these to these. And Leah would hear of the deeds of Esau and weep, while Rachel would hear of the deeds of Jacob and rejoice. [How do we know that Leah would weep? As it is said] (Genesis 29:17): "And Leah's eyes were weak." The interpreter of Rabbi Yose interpreted: What is "weak" (rakkot)? "Bleary" (tziryaniot, meaning circular). Rabbi Yohanan said to him: You have not interpreted well. Then what is "weak" (rakkot)? "Long-lasting" (arukkot), for all that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave to her was long-lasting: high priesthood, and kingship, and the anointing oil. And when Leah bore for Jacob, Rachel was distressed, saying: Perhaps Esau will take her, since I have not borne a son. And when she bore Joseph she said: "God has gathered up my shame." And there is no "shame" but foreskin, as it is said (Genesis 34:14): "For it is a shame to us." (Genesis 30:24:) "And she called his name Joseph, saying: May the LORD add for me another son." She foresaw by the Holy Spirit that she would bear only one other son.

What is written above on this matter? "And Jacob came whole" (Genesis 33:18). He came from Paddan-Aram under the conditions that the Holy One, blessed be He, had stipulated with him; He had not diminished him in anything. What did Jacob do? He began to open up marketplaces. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "That which you vowed before Me you have forgotten. Did you not speak thus, 'If God will be with me' (Genesis 28:20) — that I will not serve idolatry; 'and will keep me' (ibid.) — from the shedding of blood; 'on this way' (ibid.) — from sexual immorality, as it is said, 'Such is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, I have done no wrong' (Proverbs 30:20)." The Holy One, blessed be He, kept him, for thus He says, "And I will keep you in all that you go" (Genesis 28:15). Jacob said: "If You keep me from all these things, of all that You give me I will surely tithe it to You" (Genesis 28:22). When he came to the land he forgot that vow. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: "By your life! By those very things concerning which you said that I should keep you, in them you shall stumble." Idolatry — from where? As it is said, "And they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their hand," etc. (Genesis 35:4). Shedding of blood — from where? As it is said, "And two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took each man his sword," etc. (Genesis 34:25). Sexual immorality — from where? From Dinah, as it is said, "And Shechem son of Hamor saw her, and his soul clung to Dinah daughter of Jacob" (Genesis 34:2-3). Rabbi Abbahu said: We have learned matters from a putrid drop. Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh" (Genesis 41:44) — "I have said that you shall be king." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: For each and every commandment that they perform, "I am the LORD" — I who am destined to pay to each and every one the reward of his recompense. And if flesh and blood who said "I am Pharaoh" raised him up to all greatness, I who have said over each and every commandment "I am the LORD" — how much more so! And similarly you say, "Only by the throne will I be greater than you" (Genesis 41:40). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, "And you shall be only above" (Deuteronomy 28:13). And if the "only" of flesh and blood thus magnified Joseph, the "only" of the Holy One, blessed be He — how much more so!

Another interpretation: "Now Joseph was brought down to Egypt" (Genesis 39:1). There were three qualities within him: he was a son of Torah, a prophet, and one who sustained his brothers. A son of Torah, for thus it is written, "because he was the son of his old age" (Genesis 37:3); and it is written, "Ask your father, and he will tell you, [your elders, and they will say to you]" (Deuteronomy 32:7). And from where do we know that he was a prophet? As it is said, "and he was a youth with the sons of Bilhah" (Genesis 37:2), and it is written, "and his attendant Joshua son of Nun, a youth" (Exodus 33:11), and it is written, "and the youth Samuel grew up" (1 Samuel 2:21). And from where do we know that he sustained his brothers? As it is said, "And now, do not fear; I myself will provide for you" (Genesis 50:21).

(Exodus 9:18:) "Behold, at this time tomorrow I will rain down very heavy hail." Zavdi ben Levi said: He scratched a single mark for him upon the wall. He said to him: Tomorrow, when the sun reaches here, I will bring hail down upon you. (Ibid.:) "Such as has not been the like of it." The like of it has not been, but it is destined to be. It is prepared for the nations, for Sennacherib — the words of Rabbi Simon. Rabbi Hanina said: It was prepared for the plague of Gog and Magog, as it is said (Ezekiel 38:22): "And torrential rain and hailstones."

"And the LORD said to Moses: Behold, I will rain down bread for you from the heavens" (Exodus 16:4). This is what Scripture says: "For by them He judges the peoples; He gives food in abundance" (Job 36:31). These heavens — by them He judges the nations of the world. Know this for yourself: when the generation of the Flood sinned, He judged them by them, as it is said, "He will rain down snares upon the wicked" (Psalms 11:6). Thus, "For by them He judges the peoples." The men of Sodom, when they sinned, He judged them by the heavens, as it is said, "And the LORD rained down upon Sodom" (Genesis 19:24). Sisera too, when he sinned, He judged him by the heavens, as it is said, "From the heavens they fought" (Judges 5:20). By the heavens He judges the peoples. "He gives food in abundance" — from them He gave sustenance to Israel. To what is the matter comparable? To a baker who was standing at the oven. His enemy entered, and he raked out coals and placed them upon his head. His beloved one entered; he drew out hot bread and gave it to him — the coals and the bread, both of them came forth from the oven. So too the Holy One, blessed be He, brought fire down upon the Sodomites and burned them, and from the heavens He brought down manna for Israel, as it is said, "Behold, I will rain down bread for you" (Exodus 16:4).

"And He wrote upon the tablets [the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments]" (Exodus 34:28) — for the first and the second were identical. And how were they written? Ten commandments, five upon this tablet and five upon that tablet, as it is said: "the Ten Commandments."

[Another interpretation] of (Leviticus 22:27): "And from the eighth day onward [it shall be accepted as an offering by fire to the LORD]." [This teaches] that your evil inclination should not lead you astray to say that there is eating and drinking before Him. Who used to offer sacrifices to Him before Israel arose? David said (Psalms 89:7): "For who in the skies can be compared (ya'arokh) to the LORD?" — that is, who used to offer Him sacrifices? Rabbi Avin the Levite said: Who is like the Holy One, blessed be He, who sustains orphans and feeds the hungry? And this expression (ya'arokh) means nothing other than an expression of sustenance, as it is said (Leviticus 24:8): "On the Sabbath day [he shall] arrange it (ya'arkhenu) [before the LORD]."

(Numbers 3:15:) ENROLL THE CHILDREN OF LEVI. This tribe was exceedingly beloved before the Holy One, blessed be He. And why, out of all the tribes, was none chosen but this tribe, as it is said (1 Samuel 2:28): AND I CHOSE HIM [OUT OF ALL THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL TO BE MY PRIEST, etc.]? How so? The Holy One, blessed be He, created days and chose one of them for Himself, as it is said (Psalms 139:16): DAYS WERE FASHIONED, AND TO HIM IS ONE AMONG THEM. And which is it? Rabbi Levi said: This is the Sabbath day. He created years and selected one of them for Himself, this is the seventh year, as it is said (Leviticus 25:2): AND THE LAND SHALL KEEP A SABBATH TO THE LORD. He created weeks [of years] and selected one of them for Himself, this is the Jubilee, as it is said (Leviticus 25:10): AND YOU SHALL SANCTIFY THE FIFTIETH YEAR. He created lands and chose one of them for Himself, the Land of Israel, as it is said (Deuteronomy 11:12): A LAND THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD SEEKS OUT, [THE EYES OF THE LORD YOUR GOD ARE ALWAYS UPON IT], [and so the Holy One, blessed be He, calls it His land, as it is said (Joel 4:2): AND MY LAND THEY HAVE DIVIDED]. He created firmaments and chose one of them for Himself, this is Aravot, as it is said (Psalms 68:5): EXTOL HIM WHO RIDES UPON THE ARAVOT, BY HIS NAME YAH. He created nations and chose one of them for Himself, this is Israel, as it is said (Deuteronomy 7:6): THE LORD YOUR GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU TO BE FOR HIM A TREASURED PEOPLE—a nation of flesh and you are flesh, and THE LORD YOUR GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU, etc. Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, choose you? Because He loved you, as it is said (Deuteronomy 7:8): BECAUSE THE LORD LOVED YOU. He created tribes and chose one of them for Himself, this is the tribe of Levi, as it is said (1 Samuel 2:28): AND I CHOSE HIM [OUT OF ALL THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, etc.]. Therefore He cherishes you exceedingly, and He says to Moses each time: ENROLL THE CHILDREN OF LEVI. [EVERY MALE.] Why did He say EVERY MALE, and not mention the female by name? Because the glory of God ascends from the males. EVERY MALE—David said (Psalms 127:3): BEHOLD, SONS ARE A HERITAGE OF THE LORD, THE FRUIT OF THE WOMB A REWARD. [SONS ARE A HERITAGE OF THE LORD]—these are the males; [THE FRUIT OF THE WOMB A REWARD]—and if the females come, they too are a reward. And why does He enroll them each and every time? Because they are His ranks, and the king rejoices greatly in his ranks. And you find that the entire tribe of Levi was few in number. And why were they few? Because they would behold the Divine Presence. And even when Israel came up from the exile, they did not find any of them, for they were few, as it is said (Ezra 8:15): AND I OBSERVED THE PEOPLE AND THE PRIESTS, BUT I FOUND THERE NONE OF THE SONS OF LEVI. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world they were consumed because they would behold My glory, as it is said (Exodus 33:20): FOR NO MAN SHALL SEE ME AND LIVE. But in the world to come, when I restore My Divine Presence to Zion, I will be revealed in My glory over all Israel, and they will see Me and live forever, as it is said (Isaiah 52:8): FOR EYE TO EYE THEY SHALL SEE. And not only that, but they will point out My glory to one another with the finger, and say (Psalms 48:15): FOR THIS IS GOD, OUR GOD. And it says (Isaiah 25:9): AND IT SHALL BE SAID ON THAT DAY: BEHOLD, THIS IS OUR GOD, WE WAITED FOR HIM [AND HE SAVED US]; THIS IS THE LORD, WE WAITED FOR HIM, LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN HIS SALVATION.

Another interpretation of (Numbers 7:1) "And it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished." This is what Scripture says (Proverbs 27:18): "Whoever tends a fig tree shall eat its fruit." The Holy One, blessed be He, does not withhold the reward of any creature; rather, for everything in which a person labors and gives his soul over the matter, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not withhold his reward. Therefore it is said: "Whoever tends a fig tree shall eat its fruit." Do you wish to know? Solomon built the Temple, as it is said (1 Kings 6:14): "So Solomon built the house, and finished it." Yet because David had given his soul over the Temple, that it should be built, as it is said (Psalms 132:1-5): "Lord, remember David, and all his affliction; how he swore to the Lord, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob: Surely I will not come into the tent of my house, nor go up into the bed that is spread for me... until I find a place for the Lord" — the Holy One, blessed be He, did not withhold his reward, but had it written in his name, as it is said (Psalms 30:1): "A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House, of David." It does not say "of Solomon," but rather "of David." Solomon spoke well: "Whoever tends a fig tree shall eat its fruit." So too you find with the Tabernacle, that all gave their souls and made the Tabernacle. All Israel volunteered; the women spun the goats' hair; and likewise (Exodus 36:8): "And all the wise-hearted among them that wrought the work made the Tabernacle"; and likewise (Exodus 36:1): "And Bezalel and Oholiab shall work." Yet because Moses gave his soul over it, that it should be made just as the Holy One, blessed be He, had shown him on the mountain, as it is said (Exodus 25:40): "And see and make them after their pattern" — and Moses went and gave his soul that they should not err. Therefore it is written concerning each and every matter (Exodus 39): "As the Lord commanded Moses." And so it says (Exodus 39:43): "And Moses saw all the work... and Moses blessed them." And with what blessing did he bless them? He said to them: May the Divine Presence rest upon the work of your hands. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Since Moses gave his soul over the Tabernacle, I will write it only in his name, as it is said (Numbers 7:1): "And it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished."

(Numbers 11:16:) "And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel." Let our master teach us: Within how many cubits is a person obligated to stand up before an elder when he sees him? Thus our masters taught: Within four cubits a person is obligated to stand up before an elder, as it is said (Leviticus 19:32), "Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head"; and he bows before him and inquires after his welfare within four cubits. And what is the honoring of which the Torah spoke, "and honour the face of the old man" (ibid.)? That he should not stand in his place, nor sit in his place, nor contradict his words; and when he asks about a law (halakhah), he should ask in reverence, and not jump to answer, and not break into his words. For everyone who does not conduct himself toward his master (rav) by all these measures is called a wicked person before the Omnipresent, and his learning is forgotten, and his years are shortened, and in the end he comes to [poverty], as it is said (Ecclesiastes 8:13), "But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God." As for this fear, I do not know what it is. When it says, "Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head [and honour the face of the old man], and fear thy God," you must say: this is the fear of the disciples of the sages. But might I say that this is the fear of usury and the fear of weights? Rather, said Rabbi Eleazar: It is said here, "the face of the old man, and fear thy God," and it is said there, "he feareth not before God" (Ecclesiastes, ibid.). And one is obligated to give him precedence over every person in entering and in leaving, and to conduct himself toward him with fear and honor, as it is said (Deuteronomy 6:13), "Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God" — to include the masters of Torah, for you have no measure comparable to it. And likewise it says, "And I made them heads [over you]" (1 Samuel 15:17). From here you learn that you should conduct yourself toward him in the manner of princely office: to stand before him, and to give him precedence in every matter of greatness, so that a person should not hold himself back from standing before an elder. Said Rabbi Abba the Priest bar Pappa: When I would see a band of people, I would walk by another way, so as not to trouble them, that they should not see me and stand up before me. And when I said these things before Rabbi Yose bar Zevida, he said to me: You are obligated to pass before them, and they should see you and stand up before you, and you bring them to the fear of Heaven, as it is said (Leviticus 19:32), "Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head [and honour the face of the old man], and fear thy God." Why? Because the ascent of the righteous is an ascent that has no descent. But the ascent of Esau the Wicked is an ascent that is wholly descent: today a prefect, tomorrow a commoner, tomorrow a count, tomorrow a soldier; and so it is with all their great ones. And so the prophet says (Obadiah 1:4), "Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD." But the ascent of Jacob is an ascent that has no descent, and their holiness is never profaned. And so you find that the elders are one of thirteen things that are written down to the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. These are they: the silver and the gold, and the priests, and the Levites, and Israel, and the firstborn, and the altar, and the heave-offering (terumah), and the anointing oil, and the tent of meeting, and the kingdom of the house of David, and the offerings, and the land of Israel, and the elders.

(Numbers 14:1:) THEN THE WHOLE CONGREGATION RAISED <THEIR VOICE AND WEPT>... This is what Scripture says (in Proverbs 18:8): THE WORDS OF A MURMURER ARE LIKE WOUNDING BLOWS. The words with which they murmured against the Holy One, blessed be He, were what caused them affliction for generations. For had they not made themselves equal to the spies, they would not have been smitten along with them; rather, they made common cause with them, as it is said (in Deuteronomy 1:27): AND YOU MURMURED IN YOUR TENTS...

[Another interpretation (of Ecclesiastes 8:1): "Who is like the wise person?" This is Moses, of whom it is written (Proverbs 21:22): "A wise man scaled the city of the mighty." "And who knows the interpretation of a matter?" — for he interpreted the Torah for Israel. "A person's wisdom lights up his face."] Rabbi Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Concerning each and every matter that the Holy One, blessed be He, would say to Moses, He would tell him its uncleanness and its purification. When He reached the section "Speak unto the priests" (Leviticus 21), Moses said before Him: Master of the Universe, and if he becomes unclean, by what means is his purification? And He did not answer him. At that hour the face of Moses turned pale. This is what is written: "And the strength of his face is changed." And when He reached the section of the Heifer, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Moses, that saying which I said to you, "Go, speak unto the priests," and you said to Me, "If he becomes unclean, by what means shall his purification be?", and I did not answer you — this is his purification: "And they shall take for the unclean person from the ashes of the burning of the sin-offering" (Numbers 19:17).

"Who has counted the dust of Jacob?" (Numbers 23:10). Who is able to count the commandments that they perform that are like the dust? "You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together" (Deuteronomy 22:10); "You shall not sow your vineyard" (Deuteronomy 22:9); "And a clean man shall gather up the ashes of the heifer" (Numbers 19:9); "Three years it shall be forbidden to you" (Leviticus 19:23); "And some of the dust that is on the floor of the Tabernacle" (Numbers 5:17).

(Zechariah 4:7:) "And he shall bring forth the headstone" — this is the stone of Jacob, as it is stated (Genesis 28:18): "And Jacob arose early in the morning, and took the stone, etc." And so Daniel said (Daniel 2:34): "You were watching until a stone was cut out without hands, etc." And it is written (Daniel 2:35): "Then they were broken in pieces together, etc., [and the stone that struck the image became a great mountain]." And what is "a great mountain"? (Zechariah 4:7:) "Who are you, O great mountain?" And from where does it come? By way of the mountains, as it is stated (Isaiah 52:7): "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the herald of good tidings." At that hour Israel will look and say (Psalms 121:1-2): "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains, etc.; my help comes from the LORD, etc."

Another interpretation of "May the LORD add for me another son" (Genesis 30:24): [Resh Laqish said:] The addition of the Holy One, blessed be He, is greater than the original. From whom do you learn this? From Hezekiah, whose reign was fourteen years; and once the Holy One, blessed be He, added to him, He added fifteen years to him, as it is said, "And I will add to your days fifteen years" (II Kings 20:6). Thus the addition is greater than the original. And so you find in the case of Benjamin, of whom his mother said, "May the LORD add for me another son" — the Holy One, blessed be He, also added for her from him ten tribes, and from Joseph two tribes. Rabbi Samuel bar Nahman said: The Holy One, blessed be He, raised up from Rachel twelve tribes, ten from Benjamin and two from Joseph. And whence do we know that they were sons of Benjamin? As it is written, "Then Saul answered and said: Am I not a Benjaminite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, [and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin]?" (I Samuel 9:21). And another verse says, "[And the tribes of Israel sent men] throughout all the tribes of Benjamin, saying" (Judges 20:12). When the prophets saw that the addition was greater than the original, they began to bless Israel with addition. Moses our teacher said, "May the LORD the God of your ancestors add to you, as you are" (Deuteronomy 1:11). And David too said, "May the LORD add to you, to you and to your children" (Psalms 115:14). In the world to come as well, in this same language the Holy One, blessed be He, gathers in the exiles of Israel, as it is said, "And it shall come to pass on that day, that the LORD will add His hand a second time to recover the remnant of His people" (Isaiah 11:11).

It is written concerning Israel (in Deut. 7:7): THE LORD DESIRED YOU AND CHOSE YOU. And it is written (in Gen. 34:3): AND HE LOVED THE MAIDEN. Now you do not know what that love was; rather, from the fact that he gave his soul over her, you know what the love was. The Holy One, who said to Israel (in Mal. 1:2): I HAVE LOVED YOU, how much the more so! THE LORD DESIRED YOU (Deut. 7:7), and you do not know what this is; rather, we learn it from Shechem, as it is said (in Gen. 34:8): THE SOUL OF MY SON SHECHEM LONGS FOR YOUR DAUGHTER. R. Abbahu said: We learn it from putrid secretion. It is written concerning Shechem (in Gen. 34:3): AND HIS SOUL CLUNG TO DINAH THE DAUGHTER OF JACOB; and it is written concerning Israel (in Deut. 4:4): BUT YOU WHO CLING TO THE LORD YOUR GOD ARE ALL ALIVE THIS DAY.

"Behold, at this time tomorrow I will rain down [very heavy hail]," and so forth. Rather, "And now send and bring your livestock under shelter," and so forth (Exodus, there, 9:19). Our masters said: In all the plagues Pharaoh did not say "The Lord is righteous," except in the plague of hail alone. Why? A person who seeks to fight with his fellow and to defeat him comes upon him suddenly, and kills him, and takes everything that he has. But the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Pharaoh, "And now send and bring your livestock under shelter," and so forth. At that moment he said, "The Lord is righteous" (there, there, 9:27).

Another interpretation: It should not have said "from the heavens," but rather "from the earth," for it is not the way of bread to come up except from the earth. And this is what Scripture says (Psalms 135:6): "Whatever the LORD desires He does." When He wished, He split the sea before Israel and made it dry land, and when He wished, He made it sea. The way of the heavens is to bring down dew and rain, and the way of the earth is to bring forth bread, as it is said (Job 28:5): "The earth, out of it comes forth bread." And when He wished, He brought down the bread from the heavens, as it is said: "Behold, I will rain down bread for you from the heavens" (Exodus 16:4). And the dew went up from the earth, as it is said (Exodus 16:14): "And the layer of dew went up." This is what Scripture says (II Chronicles 12:8): "For they shall be servants to Him," and they shall not be servants to Nebuchadnezzar, as it is said (Daniel 1:6): "And among them were, of the children of Judah, Daniel," etc. What did he do for them? "And the king appointed for them a daily portion" (Daniel 1:5), by measure. But when I brought down the manna for them, it came down just as the rain comes down, and it had no fixed limit. So did I rain down for you bread from the heavens.

(Exodus 34:29:) "And it came to pass, when Moses came down... from the mountain, [and Moses did not know that the skin of his face was radiant]." From where did Moses take the rays of glory? Our masters say: From the cave, as it is stated (Exodus 33:22): "And it shall come to pass, when My glory passes by, [I will put you in the cleft of the rock]." Rabbi Berekhyah said: From the tablets. He said: Their length was six handbreadths and their width was three handbreadths, and Moses was holding on to two handbreadths and the Holy One to two handbreadths, with a space of two handbreadths in the middle; from there Moses took the rays of glory. Rabbi Yehudah bar Nehemiah says: When Moses was writing the Torah, a little [ink] remained on the pen, and he passed it over his head, and from there the rays of glory were made for him. "And Moses did not know that [the skin of his face] was radiant (karan)." All the glory that he took was from the [extra] reward, but the principal (keren) remains, as it is stated (Habakkuk 3:4): "Rays from His hand belong to Him." And when the righteous take their reward in the world to come, he too will take his reward. From where [do we know this]? For thus the prophet explains and says (Isaiah 40:10): "Behold, the Lord God comes in might, and His arm rules for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him."

The silver and the gold — from where? As it is said, "Mine is the silver and Mine is the gold" (Haggai 2:8). And the priests — [from where? As it is said,] "to sanctify them to serve Me as priests" (Exodus 29:1). The Levites — [from where? As it is said,] "and the Levites shall be Mine" (Numbers 3:12). Israel — [from where? As it is said,] "for to Me the children of Israel are servants" (Leviticus 25:55). The firstborn — [from where? As it is said,] "for Mine is every firstborn" (Numbers 8:17). The altar — [from where? As it is said,] "an altar of earth you shall make for Me" (Exodus 20:24). The terumah — [from where? As it is said,] "and they shall take for Me a terumah" (Exodus 25:2). The anointing oil — [from where? As it is said,] "it shall be holy to Me" (Exodus 30:31). The Tent of Meeting — [from where? As it is said,] "and they shall make Me a sanctuary" (Exodus 25:8). The offerings — [from where? As it is said,] "My offering, My bread for My fire-offerings, a pleasing aroma to Me, you shall take care to offer to Me" (Numbers 28:2). The kingship of the house of David — [from where? As it is said,] "for I have seen among his sons a king for Me" (I Samuel 16:1). The land of [Israel — from where? As it is said,] "for the land is Mine" (Leviticus 25:23). The elders — [from where?] From that which they read on the matter, "gather for Me" (Numbers 11:16).

"And the number of the fourth part (rova) of Israel" (Numbers 23:10) — <this refers to> their copulations (revi'iyot). Who is able to number the multitudes that have come forth from those women who seize upon and cherish the commandments <of procreation>? As it is said: "And she said to her: Is it a small thing that you have taken my husband?" (Genesis 30:15); "Behold my maidservant Bilhah, go in to her" (Genesis 30:3); "And when Leah saw that she had ceased bearing" (Genesis 30:9); "And Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, <and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife>" (Genesis 16:3).

"And he planted a vineyard" (Genesis 9:20). This is one of four people who were the first to begin four things. Noah was the first with planting, with drunkenness, with cursing, and with servitude. With servitude, as it is said, "A servant of servants" (Genesis 9:25). With planting, as it is said, "And he planted a vineyard" (Genesis 9:20). With drunkenness, as it is said, "And he drank of the wine and became drunk" (Genesis 9:21). And with cursing, as it is said, "Cursed be Canaan" (Genesis 9:25). And with servitude, as it is said, "A servant of servants" (Genesis 9:25).