Yalkut Shimoni on Nach Reader

Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Huna, both in the name of Rabbi Yose ben Zimra. Rabbi Yudan said: wherever "after" (acharei) is stated it means close at hand; "after" (achar) means far off. And Rabbi Huna said: wherever "after" (achar) is stated it means close at hand; "after" (acharei) means far off. Rabbi Simon said: wherever it says "And it came to pass after the death" the world turned backward. "And it came to pass after the death of Abraham"—immediately "and all the wells which they had dug" (were stopped). "And it came to pass after the death of Moses"—immediately the well ceased, and the manna, and the clouds of glory. "And it came to pass after the death of Joshua" (Judges 1:1)—immediately the stakes of the earth were stirred up against them. "And it came to pass after the death of Saul" (II Samuel 1:1)—immediately "and the Philistines fought against Israel." The colleagues raised an objection to Rabbi Simon: but is it not written, "And after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and bowed down to the king"? Rabbi Tanchum said: Rabbi Simon only came to speak of "And it came to pass after" [the exact phrase, not merely "after"]. Rabbi Yudan said: were it not that the Holy One, blessed be He, set up others in their place, the world would already have turned backward. It is written "And it came to pass after the death of Abraham," and it is written "And Isaac returned and dug the wells of water." It is written "And it came to pass after the death of Moses," and it is written "And the LORD said to Joshua." "And it came to pass after the death of Joshua"—"And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first." "And it came to pass after the death of Saul," and it is written "And David returned from the slaughter of Amalek."

"And it came to pass after the death of Moses" (Joshua 1:1). On the seventh of Adar Moses died, as it is written, "And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first of the month... in the land of Moab" (Deuteronomy 1:3-5). From the first of Shevat until the sixth of Adar—thirty-six days—Moses expounded the entire Torah, as it is said, "Moses began to explain this Torah." On the sixth of it, "And the LORD said to Moses, Behold, your days draw near to die"; on that very day he was told "Charge Joshua." What was his charge? "Be strong and of good courage, for you shall bring [this people into the land]." On the seventh of Adar, "And he said to them, I am a hundred and twenty years old this day." Since there is no need to say "this day," what does "this day" teach? "This day my days and my years are filled"—this teaches that on the seventh of Adar Moses was born and on the seventh of Adar Moses died, as it is said, "And Moses the servant of the LORD died there," and "And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old [when he died]." "And the children of Israel wept for Moses thirty days." "And it came to pass after the death of Moses... Moses My servant is dead." "And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days [you shall pass over this Jordan]." "And the people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth of the month"—subtract from it the thirty days [of mourning] and the three [days], counting backward, and you learn that on the seventh of Adar Moses died. This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, fills up the years of the righteous from day to day, as it is said, "The number of your days I will fulfill" (Exodus 23:26).

"And the LORD said to Joshua" (Joshua 1:1). This is what Scripture says: "He who tends a fig tree shall eat its fruit" (Proverbs 27:18). Our rabbis taught: one who sees a fig tree in a dream, his learning is preserved for him, as it is said, "He who tends a fig tree shall eat its fruit."

Another interpretation: why was the Torah compared to a fig? Because all other fruits have some waste in them. Dates have pits, grapes have seeds, pomegranates have rinds—but the fig is entirely good to eat. So too the words of Torah have no waste in them, as it is said, "For it is not an empty thing for you" (Deuteronomy 32:47).

Another interpretation: "He who tends a fig tree"—this is David, who gave his soul to build the House, as it is written, "Remember, O LORD, for David all his affliction" (Psalms 132:1). "Shall eat its fruit"—for it was called by his name, as it is written, "A Psalm, a song at the dedication of the House, of David" (Psalms 30:1). But did David build it? Did not Solomon build it, as it is written, "And Solomon built the House and finished it"? Rather, because he gave his soul to build the House it was called by his name. And it says, "See to your own house, David" (I Kings 12:16). And so you find with everything that a person gives his soul over to, it is called by his name. Moses gave his soul over to the Torah, and it was called by his name, as it is said, "Remember the Torah of Moses My servant" (Malachi 3:22). But is it not the Torah of God, as it is said, "The Torah of the LORD is perfect" (Psalms 19:8)? Rather, because he gave his soul over to it, it was called by his name. And where do we find that he gave his soul over to the Torah? As it is said, "And he was there with the LORD forty days," and it says, "And I sat on the mountain forty days." You learn from this that because he gave his soul over to the Torah it was called by his name.

Another interpretation: "He who tends a fig tree"—this is Joshua, as it is said, "And Joshua son of Nun, a youth, departed not from within the tent" (Exodus 33:11). "Shall eat its fruit"—as it is said, "Take Joshua" (Numbers 27:18), and it says, "And the LORD said to Joshua." This is what Scripture says: "A woman of valor is a crown to her husband" (Proverbs 12:4). "A woman of valor"—this is Sarah. "A crown to her husband"—Rabbi Chiyya said: her husband was crowned through her, but she was not crowned through her husband. The rabbis said: she was mistress over her husband. In every place the man decrees, but here "all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice" (Genesis 21:12). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha said: the yud that the Holy One, blessed be He, took from Sarai was divided—half to Sarah and half to Abraham. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: the yud that the Holy One, blessed be He, took from Sarai went flying up before the throne of the Holy One, blessed be He. It said before Him, "Master of the universe, because I was the smallest of the letters You took me out of the name of a righteous woman!" He said to it, "Until now you were in the name of a female and at the end of the letters; now I will place you in the name of a male and at the head of the letters," as it is said, "And Moses called Hosea son of Nun, Joshua [Yehoshua]."

Another interpretation: what did Moses see fit to add the letter yud to Hosea? Rather, Caleb took his reward from the land, as it is said, "Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be yours" (Joshua 14:9); and Joshua took the reward of the ten spies.

Another interpretation: at first they called him Hosea, as it is said below, "of the tribe of Ephraim, Hosea son of Nun" (Numbers 13:8); and when he did good deeds they added one letter to him, as it is said, "And Moses called Hosea son of Nun, Joshua." And so you find with Jethro: at first they called him Jeter, as it is said, "And Moses went and returned to Jether his father-in-law" (Exodus 4:18); and when he did good deeds they added one letter to him and he was called Jethro. And so you find with Abraham our father, "And your name shall be Abraham"; and likewise with Sarah. And there are others from whom a letter was withheld. You may learn from Ephron, that at first they called him Ephron [with a vav], and when he weighed out the price of the land from Abraham, one letter was withheld from him and he was called Ephran [Efron, written defectively]. And so you find with Jonadab, who at first was called Jehonadab; and when he came to that deed, one letter was withheld from him and he was called Jonadab, as it is said, "When you joined yourself [with Ahaziah]" (II Chronicles 20:37). From here the sages of blessed memory said: a person should not join himself to a wicked person, even to bring him near to the Torah.

"Moses My servant is dead" (Joshua 1:2). There are some who called themselves a servant and the Holy One, blessed be He, also called a servant; some who called themselves a servant yet the Holy One, blessed be He, did not call a servant; and some who did not call themselves a servant yet the Holy One, blessed be He, called a servant. Abraham called himself a servant, as it is said, "Do not pass on from beside your servant" (Genesis 18:3), and the Holy One, blessed be He, called him a servant: "for the sake of Abraham My servant" (Genesis 26:24). Jacob called himself a servant, "I am too small for all the kindnesses that You have done for Your servant" (Genesis 32:11), and the Holy One, blessed be He, called him a servant, "Fear not, Jacob My servant" (Isaiah 44:2). Moses called himself a servant, "You have begun to show Your servant" (Deuteronomy 3:24), and the Holy One, blessed be He, called him a servant, "Not so My servant Moses" (Numbers 12:7), "Moses My servant is dead" (Joshua 1:2). David called himself a servant, "I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant" (Psalms 116:16), and the Holy One, blessed be He, called him a servant, "for the sake of David My servant" (1 Kings 11:13), and "David My servant shall be a prince to them forever" (Ezekiel 37:25). Isaiah called himself a servant, "the One who formed me from the womb to be a servant to Him" (Isaiah 49:5), and the Holy One, blessed be He, called him a servant, "as My servant Isaiah walked" (Isaiah 20:3). Samuel called himself a servant, "Speak, for Your servant is listening" (1 Samuel 3:10), yet the Holy One, blessed be He, did not call him a servant. Samson called himself a servant, "You have given this great deliverance into the hand of Your servant" (Judges 15:18), yet the Holy One, blessed be He, did not call him a servant. Solomon called himself a servant, "Grant Your servant a listening heart" (1 Kings 3:9), yet the Holy One, blessed be He, did not call him a servant. Job did not call himself a servant, yet the Holy One, blessed be He, called him a servant, "Have you set your heart on My servant Job?" (Job 1:8). Joshua did not call himself a servant, yet the Holy One, blessed be He, called him a servant, "Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died" (Joshua 24:29). Caleb did not call himself a servant, yet the Holy One, blessed be He, called him a servant, "and My servant Caleb" (Numbers 14:24). Eliakim did not call himself a servant, yet the Holy One, blessed be He, called him a servant, "to My servant, to Eliakim" (Isaiah 22:20). Zerubbabel did not call himself a servant, yet the Holy One, blessed be He, called him a servant, "Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, My servant" (Haggai 2:23). Daniel did not call himself a servant, yet the Holy One, blessed be He, called him a servant, "Daniel, servant of the living God" (Daniel 6:21). Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah did not call themselves servants, yet the Holy One, blessed be He, called them servants, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, servants of the God" (Daniel 3:26). The earlier prophets did not call themselves servants, yet the Holy One, blessed be He, called them servants, as it is said, "unless He has revealed His secret to His servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7).

"And now arise, cross this Jordan" (Joshua 1:2). Rabbi Yehudah said in the name of Shmuel: Three thousand laws were forgotten during the days of mourning for Moses. They said to Joshua, "Ask!" He said to them, "'It is not in heaven' (Deuteronomy 30:12)." They said to Samuel, "Ask!" He said to them, "'These are the commandments' (Leviticus 27:34), meaning that a prophet is not permitted to innovate anything from now on." Rabbi Yehudah said in the name of Rav: When Moses our teacher entered the Garden of Eden, he said to Joshua, "Ask of me any doubts you have to ask." Joshua said to him, "Did I ever leave you and go elsewhere? Did you not write of me, 'And his attendant Joshua son of Nun, a youth, did not depart from within the tent' (Exodus 33:11)?" Immediately Joshua's strength weakened, three hundred laws were forgotten by him, and seven hundred doubts arose for him, and all Israel rose to kill him. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "To tell you them is impossible; go occupy them with war," as it is said, "Arise, cross the Jordan" (Joshua 1:2). It was taught in a baraita: One thousand seven hundred doubts concerning gezeirah shavah [verbal analogies between verses], inferences from minor to major, and the fine points of the scribes were forgotten during the days of mourning for Moses. Rabbi Abbahu said: Even so, Othniel son of Kenaz restored them through his dialectical reasoning, as it is said, "And Caleb said, 'Whoever strikes Kiriath-sefer and captures it...'" (Joshua 15:16), and it is written, "and Othniel son of Kenaz captured it" (Joshua 15:17).

"Arise, cross the Jordan" (Joshua 1:2). Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: Why is its name called Jordan [Yarden]? Because it descends [yored] from Dan. Rabbi Abba said to Rav Ashi: You teach it from there, but we teach it from here, for Rabbi Yitzchak said: Leshem is Pamias, and it is written, "and they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father" (Judges 18:29). It was taught: The Jordan issues from the cave of Pamias and flows through the Sea of Sivkhi and the Sea of Tiberias and the Sea of Sodom, and continues and falls into the Great Sea; and the Jordan proper is only from Beth-jericho and below. "You and all this people, to the land" (Joshua 1:2). And thus it says, "for he shall cross over before this people, and he shall give them the land as an inheritance" (Deuteronomy 3:28) -- if he crosses before them they inherit, and if not they do not inherit. And so you find that when they went to make war at Ai, about thirty-six men fell of them. "And the LORD said to Joshua, 'Arise!'" (Joshua 7:10) -- did not Moses your teacher say this: if you cross before them they cross, and if not they do not cross; if you give them the inheritance they inherit, and if not they do not inherit.

"Every place that the sole of your foot treads" (Joshua 1:3). If this comes to teach about the borders of the Land, it has already been said, "from the wilderness and this Lebanon, etc." (Joshua 1:4); so what does "every place that the sole of your foot treads" teach? The Omnipresent said to them: Every place you conquer outside these places is yours. Or is it rather that they had permission to conquer lands outside the Land before they had conquered the Land of Israel? The verse teaches, "and you shall dispossess nations great and mighty" (Deuteronomy 11:23), and afterward "every place that the sole of your foot treads" -- so that the Land of Israel shall not be defiled with idols while you go back and conquer lands abroad; rather, once you have conquered the Land of Israel you may conquer lands abroad. Now if they conquered land abroad, from where do we know that the commandments apply there? You may reason thus: "shall be" is said here, and "shall be" is said there; just as the "shall be" said there means the commandments apply, so too the "shall be" said here means the commandments apply. And if you say, why then did David conquer Aram Naharaim and Aram Zobah, yet the commandments do not apply there? They said: David acted contrary to the Torah. The Torah said, once you have gathered into the Land you may conquer lands abroad, and he did not do so, for it is written, "and the Jebusite dwelling in Jerusalem, he did not dispossess" (Joshua 15:63). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: David, you did not dispossess the Jebusite who is right next to your palace, and yet you go back and conquer Aram Naharaim and Aram Zobah? From where do we know that what corresponds to it in the sea is yours? The verse teaches, "from the river" (Joshua 1:4) -- your border, and not the river your border; "from the wilderness" -- your border, and not the wilderness your border; "to the sea" -- your border, and not the sea your border. But if you conquered it, it is your border. "From the wilderness and this Lebanon" -- this Lebanon is the Temple, as it is said, "You are Gilead to Me, the head of Lebanon" (Jeremiah 22:6); and it says, "and the Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one" (Isaiah 10:34); and it says, "and Lebanon is not enough to burn" (Isaiah 40:16). And why is its name called Lebanon? Because it whitens [malbin] the sins of Israel, as it is said, "though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18). "To the great river, the river Euphrates" -- and it is written, "and the fourth river is the Euphrates" (Genesis 2:14). Rabbi Shimon bar Rabbi Tarfon says: Draw near to one anointed and you will be anointed. The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: A king's servant is like a king.

Another interpretation: because it surrounds the whole Land of Israel, as it is written, "For what great nation is there" (Deuteronomy 4:7) -- He calls it great. A common proverb says: Cling to one well-anointed and bow down, and they will bow down to you.

Rabbi Yudan and Rav Huna. Rabbi Yudan said: The Kevar is the same as the Euphrates [Perat]. It is called Perat because it is fruitful [parah] and clear [barah] until one crosses it by boat; Perat because its waters are fruitful and multiply [parin ve-rabin]; Perat because it divides and goes until it ends at the Magrefa. It is called Kevar [sieve] because its waters are light, so that its produce is coarse and does not pass through a sieve [kevarah]. Rav Huna said: The Kevar is a river by itself and the Euphrates is a river by itself. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: They say to the Euphrates, "Why is your sound not heard?" It says to them, "I have no need; my works prove me. A man plants a sapling in me and it produces in thirty days; if he sows a vegetable in me it produces in three days." They say to the Tigris, "Why is your sound heard?" It says to them, "Would that my sound be heard and be noticed." They say to the fruit trees, "Why is your sound not heard?" They say to them, "We have no need; our fruits testify for us." They say to the barren trees, "Why is your sound heard?" They say to them, "Would that our sound be heard and be noticed." Rav Huna said: It is not for this reason, but rather the fruit trees, because they are heavy with their fruit, therefore their sound does not go; the barren trees, because they are light, their sound goes, as it is written, "as the trees of the forest are shaken before the wind" (Isaiah 7:2). "And the fourth river is the Euphrates" (Genesis 2:14) -- this is the fourth kingdom, which embittered [hefirah] and distressed His children, which embittered and distressed the world, which was fruitful and multiplied [parat ve-ravat] through the blessing of the elder, which He will in the end dig down for, Euphrates [Perat] named for its end, "I trod My winepress alone" (Isaiah 63:3).

"No man shall stand before you" (Joshua 1:5). I have only "a man"; from where do we know a nation, a family, or a woman with her sorceries? The verse teaches, "shall not stand" -- in any case. If so, why is "a man" said? Rather, even one like Og king of Bashan. "This book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth" (Joshua 1:8). Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: The book of Deuteronomy was his ensign. At the time the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to him, He found him sitting with the book of Deuteronomy in his hand. He said to him, "Be strong, Joshua! Be courageous, Joshua! 'This book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth.'"

"Only be strong and very courageous" (Joshua 1:7). Our rabbis taught: Four things require strengthening, and these are they: Torah and good deeds, prayer, and proper conduct [derech eretz]. Torah and good deeds, from where? "Only be strong and courageous" -- be strong in Torah and courageous in good deeds. Prayer, from where? As it is said, "Hope to the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage" (Psalms 27:14). Proper conduct, from where? "Be strong, and let us strengthen ourselves on behalf of our people" (2 Samuel 10:12).

"This book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth" (Joshua 1:8). It is taught: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha says, anyone who studies Torah and does not review it is like a man who sows and does not reap. Rabbi Yehoshua says, anyone who studies Torah and forgets it is like a woman who gives birth and buries her child. Rabbi Eliezer says, recite it every day, recite it every day. Said Rabbi Yitzchak bar Avdimi, what verse teaches this? "The soul of the laborer labors for him, for his mouth presses upon him" (Proverbs 16:26) - he labors in one place, and his Torah labors for him in another place. Said Rabbi Elazar, man was created for toil, as it is said, "Man is born for toil" (Job 5:7). I do not know whether for toil of the mouth or for toil of work; when it says "for his mouth presses upon him," you must say he was created for toil of the mouth. And still I do not know whether for the toil of Torah or for the toil of idle talk; when it says "this book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth, and you shall meditate on it day and night," you must say he was created for the toil of Torah. Another teaching: Rabbi Yose says, regarding the showbread, even if one removed the old loaves in the morning and arranged the new ones in the evening, that is fine; for how do I uphold "before Me always" (Exodus 25:30)? Only that the table should not pass a night without bread. Said Rabbi Ami, from the words of Rabbi Yose we may learn: even if a man studied only one chapter in the morning and one chapter in the evening, he has fulfilled the commandment "it shall not depart." Said Rabbi Yochanan in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, even if a man recited only the Shema in the morning and evening, he has fulfilled "it shall not depart"; and this matter is forbidden to say in the presence of an unlearned person. Rava said, it is a duty to say it in the presence of an unlearned person. Dama, the son of Rabbi Yishmael's sister, asked Rabbi Yishmael: someone like me, who has learned the entire Torah, what about my learning Greek wisdom? He read to him "it shall not depart, and you shall meditate on it day and night" - go and find an hour that is neither of the day nor of the night, and study Greek wisdom in it. And this differs from Rabbi Shimon bar Nachmani, for Rabbi Shimon bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: this verse is neither a commandment nor an obligation but a blessing. The Holy One, blessed be He, saw that words of Torah were exceedingly beloved to Joshua, as it is said, "And his attendant Joshua... would not depart" (Exodus 33:11); the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Joshua, words of Torah are so beloved to you? "This book shall not depart." The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: words of Torah should not be upon you as an obligation, yet you are not permitted to exempt yourself from them. Another teaching: are these matters not a fortiori? If of Joshua, of whom it is written "And Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom" (Deuteronomy 34:9), it was said "it shall not depart," how much more so for all other people.

"For then you shall make your ways prosperous, and then you shall be wise" (Joshua 1:8). Said Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, anyone who occupies himself with Torah, his possessions prosper. This matter is written in the Torah, repeated in the Prophets, and stated a third time in the Writings. Written in the Torah: "And you shall keep the words of this covenant and do them, in order that you may prosper in all that you do" (Deuteronomy 29:8). Repeated in the Prophets: "It shall not depart..." (Joshua 1:8). Stated a third time in the Writings: "But his delight is in the Torah of the LORD... and whatever he does shall prosper" (Psalms 1:2-3).

"Prepare provisions for yourselves" (Joshua 1:11). But did they need provisions there? They were eaters of the manna, who gathered it morning after morning. Rather, thus he said to them: do repentance, so that you may enter the Land and eat of the produce of the Land, as it is said, "And the manna ceased on the next day" (Joshua 5:12). An angel went out to destroy the whole world. He said, the manna has ceased and the Torah has ceased, as it is said, "And it came to pass when Joshua was by Jericho..." (Joshua 5:13). He said to him: as for Joshua, are you indeed shod in shoes and not conducting yourself properly? But concerning Israel, for whom the manna has ceased and the Torah has ceased, remove your shoe (Joshua 5:15). Therefore I was saying: happy is the man who increases sitting and toil over Torah and reduces commerce, and sits and meditates on words of Torah every single day.

"Any man who rebels against your command" (Joshua 1:18). One might think even regarding words of Torah; therefore Scripture says, "only be strong and resolute" (Joshua 1:18). It is written, "And Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the set time" (II Samuel 20:5). He went and found the rabbis who had opened a tractate. He said: it is written, "any man who rebels against your command" - one might think even regarding words of Torah; therefore Scripture says, "only be strong."

"And Joshua son of Nun sent" (Joshua 2:1). This is what Scripture says: "The stouthearted were despoiled" (Psalms 76:6) - these are Moses and Aaron, who sent spies and they spoke slander about the Land, and they did not know what to do; even Moses and Aaron, their hands grew slack. Caleb stood up and silenced all those multitudes. But these whom Joshua sent - our rabbis taught they were Phinehas and Caleb - went and gave up their lives and succeeded in their mission. What is the meaning of "secretly [cheresh], saying" (Joshua 2:1)? Rabbi Yehuda says, they had carpenters' tools in their hands like carpenters. Rabbi Nechemiah says, they made themselves potters and were calling out and saying: here are pots, whoever wishes, let him come and buy - so that no one would notice them. Rabbi Shimon says, cheresh is to be understood as it sounds: he said to them, make yourselves like deaf men, that you may stand upon their secret plans.

"View the land, and Jericho" (Joshua 2:1). Jericho was included in "the land," so why was it singled out? This teaches that it was weighed against all of them. Similarly you say, "And Moses sent them... and Phinehas" (Numbers 31:6) - Phinehas was included, so why was he singled out? This teaches that he was weighed against all of them. Similarly you say, "nineteen men and Asahel" (II Samuel 2:30) - was Asahel not included? Why was he singled out? Because he was weighed against all of them. Similarly, "And King Solomon loved many foreign women, and the daughter of Pharaoh" (I Kings 11:1) - the daughter of Pharaoh was included, so why was she singled out? This teaches that he cherished her more than all of them, and therefore she caused him to sin more than all of them. Similarly, "from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul" (II Samuel 22:1) - Saul was included, so why was he singled out? Because he was weighed against all of them.

"And the woman took the two men and hid him" (Joshua 2:4). She took them to conceal them. Phinehas said to her: I am a priest, and priests resemble an angel, as it is said, "For the lips of a priest guard knowledge... for he is a messenger of the LORD of hosts" (Malachi 2:7); and an angel, if he wishes, is seen, and if he wishes, is not seen. So she did not hide any but Caleb.

"For we have heard how the LORD dried up... and no spirit remained in any man before you" (Joshua 2:10-11). And it is written, "And it came to pass when all the kings of the Amorites heard... that no spirit remained in them" (Joshua 5:1). Why the difference - there it is written "no spirit remained in them," and here "no spirit rose up"? To teach us that they could not even rise to arousal. How did she know? As the master said: there was no prince or ruler who had not come to Rahab the harlot. They said: she was ten years old when Israel went out of Egypt, and she practiced harlotry the entire forty years that Israel was in the wilderness. At the end of fifty years she converted. She said before Him: Master of the universe, with three things I sinned before You - in menstrual impurity, in the dough offering, and in kindling - with three things forgive me: with the rope, the window, and the wall, as it is said, "And she let them down by a rope" (Joshua 2:15). And what reward did she receive for this? Rabbi Eliezer says, she merited that eight prophets and priests came forth from her, and these are they: Jeremiah, Hilkiah, Seraiah, Mahseiah, Baruch son of Neriah, Hanamel, and Shallum. And it is written, "and the families of the house of those who worked fine linen [butz], of the house of Ashbea" (I Chronicles 4:21) - these are the sons of Rahab the harlot, who hid the spies in flax [butz]; "of the house of Ashbea" because the spies swore [nishbe'u] to her. Rabbi Yehuda says, even Huldah the prophetess was among the descendants of Rahab, as it is said, "And Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah" (II Kings 22:14), and it is written, "behold, we are coming into the land, this hope [tikvah]..." (Joshua 2:18). And are these matters not a fortiori? If one who was from a people of whom it was said "you shall let none survive" (Deuteronomy 20:16), because she drew herself near, the Omnipresent drew her so near, then Israel who perform the Torah how much more so. There are pious women, converts: Hagar, Asenath, Zipporah, Shiphrah, Puah, the daughter of Pharaoh, Rahab, Ruth, and Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite.

"For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you" (Joshua 2:10). Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: When Israel does the will of the Omnipresent, His name is magnified in the world, as it is said, "For we have heard how He dried up..." "for the LORD your God, He is God," and it says, "And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites heard..." But when Israel does not do the will of the Omnipresent, His name is profaned in the world, as it is said, "And when they came to the nations where they came, they profaned My holy name, in that men said of them, These are the people of the LORD, and they have gone out of His land" (Ezekiel 36:20). "For the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath" (Joshua 2:11). Jethro said, "Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods" (Exodus 18:11) -- they said he left no idolatry in the world that he had not worshiped; therefore he said "than all gods," granting substance to idolatry. Naaman acknowledged the matter more fully: "Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel" (2 Kings 5:15). But Rahab acknowledged the matter more than all of them: "for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Rahab: You said "for the LORD your God is God" -- on earth, well and good; but in heaven above, you spoke of what you did not see with your own eyes. By your life, your descendant shall stand and see what even the prophets did not see, as is said, "the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God" (Ezekiel 1:1). Rahab left a portion in the empty space of the world; Moses came and said, "Unto you it was shown, that you might know... and there is none else" (Deuteronomy 4:35) -- even in the empty space of the world. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You said "and there is none else"; give him of the fruit of his hands -- "And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like Moses" (Deuteronomy 34:10).

"And now, swear to me by the LORD" (Joshua 2:12). It is written, "and you were not as a harlot, in that you scorn payment" (Ezekiel 16:31). Rabbi Shimon said: You find that everything written of Israel for blame is written of Rahab for praise. Of Rahab it is written, "Swear to me by the LORD," but of Israel it is written, "yet they swear falsely" (Jeremiah 5:2). Of Rahab it is written, "and you shall save alive my father and my mother" (Joshua 2:13), but of Israel it is written, "in you they have made light of father and mother" (Ezekiel 22:7). Of Rahab it is written, "and she brought them up to the roof" (Joshua 2:6), but of Israel it is written, "and those who bow down upon the housetops" (Zephaniah 1:5). Of Rahab it is written, "and she hid them with the stalks of flax" (Joshua 2:6), but of Israel it is written, "who say to a tree, You are my father" (Jeremiah 2:27). Of Rahab it is written, "Get to the mountain" (Joshua 2:16), but of Israel it is written, "they sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains" (Hosea 4:13). Of Rahab it is written, "and you shall give me a true token" (Joshua 2:12), but of Israel it is written, "and they speak no truth" (Jeremiah 9:4). Thus, everything written of Israel for blame is written of Rahab for praise.

"And hide yourselves there three days" (Joshua 2:16). The Holy One, blessed be He, does not leave the righteous in distress more than three days. This is the meaning of what is written, "He will revive us after two days; on the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live before Him" (Hosea 6:2). On the third day of the tribes, as it is said, "And Joseph said to them on the third day" (Genesis 42:18). On the third day of Jonah, "And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days" (Jonah 2:1). On the third day of those who came up from the exile, as it is said, "and we stayed there three days" (Ezra 8:32). On the third day of the resurrection of the dead, as it is said, "He will revive us after two days" (Hosea 6:2). On the third day of Esther, "And it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel" (Esther 5:1). By what merit? The Rabbis say: by the merit of the third day of the giving of the Torah, "And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning" (Exodus 19:16). Rabbi Levi said: by the merit of the third day of Abraham, as it is said, "On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes" (Genesis 22:4).

"And Joshua rose early in the morning" (Joshua 3:1). In the morning, and not at night. This teaches that once permission has been given to the destroying angel, it does not distinguish between the righteous and the wicked. And so it says, "Come, my people, enter your chambers" (Isaiah 26:20), and it is written, "and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning" (Exodus 12:22), and it says, "Behold, I am against you, and will draw forth My sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked" (Ezekiel 21:8). And it says, "And it shall be, when My glory passes by" (Exodus 33:22) -- to teach you that one should enter while it is still good light and go out while it is still good light. And so you find that the patriarchs and the prophets conducted themselves with proper conduct, as it is said, "And Abraham rose early in the morning" (Genesis 22:3), "And Jacob rose early in the morning" (Genesis 28:18), "And Moses rose early in the morning" (Exodus 34:4), "And Samuel rose early in the morning" (1 Samuel 15:12). And are these things not an argument from the lesser to the greater? If the patriarchs and prophets, who went to do the will of Him who spoke and the world came to be, conducted themselves with proper conduct, how much more so other people. And thus it says, "You make darkness, and it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest creep forth; the young lions roar after their prey; the sun rises, they gather themselves away; man goes forth to his work" (Psalms 104:20-23), and it says, "How manifold are Your works" (Psalms 104:24).

"Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure" (Joshua 3:4). Joshua said to them: You are destined to stand there and to keep the Sabbath there; do not go farther from the Ark than two thousand cubits in every direction, so that you will be permitted to come and pray before the Ark on the Sabbath. And so you find that when the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses that they should make standards for themselves, He said to them: Set your standards toward the Ark in every direction, as it is said, "every man by his own standard, with the ensigns" (Numbers 2:2). Here it is written, "and she sat over against him, a good way off, as it were a bowshot" (Genesis 21:16), and elsewhere it is written, "over against the tent of meeting round about" (Numbers 2:2). We learn the meaning of "over against" -- a good way off -- from "over against" [in the other verse], teaching the measure of distance.

"And Joshua said to the children of Israel, Come near here" (Joshua 3:9). Rabbi said: He stood them upright between the two poles of the Ark. Rabbi Acha bar Rabbi Chanina said: He propped them between the two poles of the Ark. The Rabbis said: He compressed them between the two poles of the Ark. Joshua said to them: From the fact that the two poles of the Ark held you, you know that the living God is in your midst -- from here that the small held the many. And like it: "Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place" (Genesis 1:9). It is the way of the world that a person empties a full vessel into an empty vessel; does one empty a full vessel into a full vessel? So too the world was water within water, yet you say "unto one place" -- from here that the small held the many. And like it: "And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock" (Numbers 20:10). Rabbi Chanina said: It was the size of the mouth of a small sieve, yet all Israel stood there -- from here that the small held the many. And like it: "Take to you your hands full" (Exodus 9:8); now does Moses' double handful hold eight ordinary handfuls? A double handful is not like a single handful; the double handful is twice the single, and it is written, "and Moses sprinkled it" -- so Moses' double handful held eight handfuls -- from here that the small held the many. And like it: "the length of the court a hundred cubits" (Exodus 27:18), yet all Israel stood there -- from here that the small held the many. And Jerusalem too is so, as we have learned: they stood pressed together, yet bowed down with room to spare, four cubits for each one on every side, so that one should not hear his fellow's prayer. So too in the time to come: "At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered unto it" (Jeremiah 3:17). Rabbi Yochanan was going up [to Jerusalem]; one said to him: Is it set by fixed measure for them? He said to him: The Holy One, blessed be He, says, Lengthen, widen, receive your multitudes -- "Enlarge the place of your tent... for you shall break forth on the right hand and on the left" (Isaiah 54:2-3).

"Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth" (Joshua 3:11). Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said: Wherever "Lord" (Adon) is said, He uproots inhabitants and brings in inhabitants. And this is the governing principle for them all: He uproots the Canaanites and brings in Israel. And so it says, "Therefore says the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel... and I will restore your judges as at the first" (Isaiah 1:24, 26).

Our Rabbis taught: How did Israel cross the Jordan? On every other day the Ark traveled behind two banners, but on that day it traveled first, as it is said, "Behold, the Ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passes before you into the Jordan" (Joshua 3:11). On every other day the Levites carried the Ark, but on that day the priests carried it, as it is said, "And it shall be, when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the Ark of the LORD rest" (Joshua 3:13). It is taught: Rabbi Yose says, In three places the priests carried the Ark: when they crossed the Jordan, when they encircled the wall of Jericho, and when the Philistines returned it to its place. As soon as the feet of the priests dipped into the water, the waters turned backward, as it is said, "and the feet of the priests... were dipped in the brink of the water" (Joshua 3:15), and it is written, "the waters that came down from above stood and rose up in one heap" (Joshua 3:16). And how high were the waters? Twelve mil by twelve mil, corresponding to the camp of Israel; these are the words of Rabbi Yehudah. Rabbi Eleazar son of Rabbi Shimon said to him: According to your words, which is swifter, a man or water? You must say water is swifter; then the water would come and sweep them away. Rather, this teaches that the waters were heaped up, arch upon arch, more than three hundred mil, until all the kings of east and west saw them, as it is said, "And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites heard" (Joshua 5:1). While they were still in the Jordan, Joshua said to them: Know on what condition you are crossing the Jordan: on condition that you dispossess the inhabitants of the land, as it is said, "then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land" (Numbers 33:52). If you do so, well and good; and if not, the water will come and sweep away otichem. What is otichem? Both me and you. While they were still in the Jordan, Joshua said: "Take for yourselves twelve men... one man from each tribe" (Joshua 4:2). While they were still in the Jordan, Joshua said: "Take up for yourselves twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet stood firm, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging place where you lodge tonight" (Joshua 4:3). Rabbi Yehudah said: Abba Chalafta and Chanina ben Chakhinai stood upon those stones and estimated each one at about forty se'ah; and it is a tradition that whatever a person lifts onto his shoulder is a third of what he can carry. From here you may reckon the cluster of grapes, as it is said, "and they bore it on a pole between two" (Numbers 13:23). From its saying "on a pole," do I not know it was carried by two? What then does "between two" teach? Upon two poles. Rabbi Yitzchak said: poles, and poles upon poles. How so? Eight men bore the cluster, one bore a pomegranate, and one bore a fig; Joshua and Caleb bore nothing, because they were not part of that counsel of the spies. Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Yitzchak differ. One says: according to Rabbi Yehudah they crossed as they were encamped, and according to Rabbi Eleazar son of Rabbi Shimon they crossed one after another. And the other says: according to both they crossed as they were encamped; one Master holds a man is swifter, and the other Master holds water is swifter. Our Rabbis taught: As soon as the last man of Israel came up from the Jordan, the waters returned to their place, as it is said, "And it came to pass, when the priests bearing the Ark of the covenant of the LORD came up out of the midst of the Jordan..." (Joshua 4:18). It thus turned out that the Ark and its bearers were on one side and Israel on the other; and the Ark carried its bearers and crossed, as it is said, "And it came to pass, when all the people had finished crossing, that the Ark of the LORD and the priests crossed over before the people" (Joshua 4:11). And for this matter Uzzah was punished, as it is said, "And Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled, and the anger of God was kindled against Uzzah" (2 Samuel 6:6-7). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Uzzah, it carried its bearers; itself, how much more so! It thus comes out that there were three kinds of stones: one that Moses set up in the land of Moab, as it is said, "beyond the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses began to explain (be'er)" (Deuteronomy 1:5), and elsewhere it says, "and you shall write upon the stones... clearly (be'er heitev)" (Deuteronomy 27:8); we derive "be'er" from "be'er". And one that Joshua set up in the Jordan, and one that Joshua set up at Gilgal. How did Israel write the Torah? Rabbi Yehudah says: They wrote it upon stones, as it is said, "and you shall write upon the stones all the words of this Torah very clearly" (Deuteronomy 27:8), and afterward they plastered it with lime. Rabbi Shimon said to him: According to your words, how did the nations of the world learn the Torah? He said to him: The Holy One, blessed be He, gave them extra understanding, and they sent their scribes and peeled off the lime and copied it; and for this matter their verdict was sealed for the pit of destruction, for they could have learned and did not. Rabbi Shimon says: They wrote it upon the lime and wrote beneath it, "that they teach you not to do" (Deuteronomy 20:18); thus you learn that if they repent, they are accepted. Rava bar Shila said: What is Rabbi Shimon's reason? As it is written, "and the peoples shall be as the burnings of lime" (Isaiah 33:12), on account of the lime. And Rabbi Yehudah says: like lime; just as lime has no remedy except burning, so too the wicked have no remedy except burning. Come and see how many miracles were done for Israel on that day: on that very day they crossed the Jordan and came to Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, more than sixty mil, and no creature could stand before them, and whoever stood before them was at once seized with terror, as it is said, "I will send My terror before you" (Exodus 23:27), and it says, "terror and dread shall fall upon them... till Your people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over whom You have acquired" (Exodus 15:16): "till Your people pass over" is the first entry, "till the people pass over whom You have acquired" is the second entry. Say from now: Israel were worthy that a miracle should be done for them in the days of Ezra as was done in the days of Joshua, except that sin caused it. And afterward they brought stones and built the altar and plastered it with lime and wrote upon it all the Torah, very clearly, in seventy languages, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings and ate and drank and rejoiced and blessed and cursed and took up the stones and came and lodged at Gilgal, as it is said, "and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place" (Joshua 4:3). One might think in any lodging place; therefore Scripture says, "in the lodging place where you lodge tonight." And it is written, "and those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal" (Joshua 4:20).

Six tribes went up to the top of Mount Gerizim and six to Mount Ebal, and the priests and the Levites and the Ark were below in the middle: the priests surrounded the Ark, the Levites surrounded the priests, and all Israel were standing on this side and on that side, as it is said, "And all Israel and its elders... stood on this side and on that side" (Joshua 8:33). They turned their faces toward Mount Gerizim and opened with the blessing, "Blessed is the man who does not make a carved image" (compare Deuteronomy 27:15), and these and those answered Amen. They turned their faces toward Mount Ebal and opened with the curse and said, "Cursed is the man who makes a carved image" (Deuteronomy 27:15), and these and those answered Amen. So they continued until they finished the blessings and the curses. And afterward they brought the stones and built the altar and plastered them with lime and wrote upon it the Torah in seventy languages, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and ate and drank, and went to their place and lodged.

Our Rabbis taught: "Are they not beyond the Jordan?" (Deuteronomy 11:30) - that is, from beyond the Jordan and onward; these are the words of Rabbi Yehudah. "Behind the way of the going down of the sun" - the place where the sun shines. "In the land of the Canaanite who dwells in the Arabah" - these are Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, where the Samaritans (Kutim) dwell. "Over against Gilgal" - near Gilgal. "Beside the terebinths of Moreh" - just as there "Shechem" is meant, so too here "Shechem," and there it says, "unto the place of Shechem, unto the terebinth of Moreh" (Genesis 12:6). Rabbi Eleazar says: "Are they not beyond the Jordan" - near the Jordan; for if it meant from the Jordan onward, it is already written, "and it shall be when you cross the Jordan" (Deuteronomy 27:4). "Behind the way of the going down of the sun" - the place where the sun shines. "In the land of the Canaanite" - in the land of the Hivite. "Who dwells in the Arabah" - but do they not dwell in mountains and hills? "Over against Gilgal" - but did they not see Gilgal? Rabbi Eleazar ben Yaakov says: Scripture comes only to show them the road the second time as it showed them the first time: travel by the roads and not through fields and vineyards; go where it is settled and not over mountains and hills; through the plain and not through deserts. Our Rabbis taught: "Blessed" in general and "blessed" in particular; "cursed" in general and "cursed" in particular; to learn and to teach, to keep and to do - that makes four; four and four make eight; eight and eight make sixteen. And so at Sinai, and so in the plains of Moab. Rabbi Shimon excludes Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal and includes the Tent of Meeting in the wilderness. Our Rabbis taught: "And you shall put the blessing upon Mount Gerizim" (Deuteronomy 11:29) - what does this teach? If to teach that the blessing is on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal, is it not already said, "These shall stand to bless the people" and it is written, "These shall stand for the curse" (Deuteronomy 27:12-13)? Rather, it teaches to put the blessing before the curse. One might think all the blessings precede all the curses; therefore Scripture says "blessing and curse" - one blessing precedes a curse, but not all the blessings before the curses. And it teaches to compare the blessing to the curse: just as the curse was by the Levites, so too the blessing by the Levites; just as the curse was in a loud voice, so too the blessing in a loud voice; just as the curse was in the holy tongue, so too the blessing in the holy tongue; just as the curse was in general and in particular, so too the blessing in general and in particular; just as with the curse these and those answered Amen, so too with the blessing these and those answered Amen.

"And the waters that came down from above stood and rose up in one heap, far off from Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan" (Joshua 3:16). You find that all the miracles done for Israel were done in the merit of Abraham. The exodus from Egypt was in his merit, as it is said, "For He remembered His holy word to Abraham His servant, and He brought forth His people with joy" (Psalms 105:42-43). The splitting of the Red Sea was in his merit, as it is said, "to Him who divided the Red Sea into parts" (Psalms 136:13), and it is written, "which passed between these pieces" (Genesis 15:17). The splitting of the Jordan was in his merit, as it is said, "You ascended on high, You led captivity captive, You took gifts among men (ba-adam)" (Psalms 68:19). Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Yochanan says: We find in the Torah, in the Prophets, and in the Writings that Israel crossed the Jordan only in the merit of Jacob. In the Torah: "for with my staff I crossed this Jordan" (Genesis 32:11). In the Prophets: "Israel crossed this Jordan on dry land" - that is, Israel the elder. In the Writings: "What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn backward?... before the God of Jacob" (Psalms 114:5-7).

"And the people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth of the month" (Joshua 4:19). Rabbi Levi said: The taking of the Passover lamb stood by them at the Jordan, for it is written, "on the tenth of this month they shall take for themselves..." (Exodus 12:3), and it is written there, "And the people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth of the month." The eating of the Passover stood by them in the days of Haman, as it is written, "On that night the king's sleep fled" (Esther 6:1). [Translator's note: text uncertain in the linkage.] Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Bena'ah: An uncircumcised person may receive sprinkling, for so we find with our fathers, that they received sprinkling while they were uncircumcised, as it is said, "And the people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth of the month" - on the tenth they were not circumcised, because of the weakness of the journey. When did they perform the sprinkling? Was it not while they were uncircumcised? But perhaps they did not perform the Passover at all? That cannot enter your mind, for it is written, "and they kept the Passover" (Joshua 5:10). But perhaps they performed a Passover brought in a state of impurity? Rav Ashi said: It is explicitly taught - they circumcised and immersed and performed their Passover offerings in purity.

"At that time the LORD said to Joshua" (Joshua 5:2). Rabbah bar Yitzchak said: The uncovering (peri'ah) of circumcision was not given to Abraham our father, as it is said, "At that time the LORD said to Joshua..." And perhaps it refers to those who were not circumcised at all? But it is written, "for they were circumcised" (Joshua 5:5). If so, what is the meaning of "again" and what is "a second time"? Rather, it must refer to the uncovering, and to compare the completion of the circumcision to its beginning: just as the beginning of the circumcision is indispensable, so too the completion of the circumcision is indispensable, as we have learned: These are the shreds that invalidate the circumcision - the flesh that covers the greater part of the height of the corona. And in the wilderness, why were they not circumcised? If you say because of the weakness of the journey, and if you say because the north wind did not blow for them - for it is taught: All those forty years that Israel were in the wilderness the north wind did not blow for them. What is the reason? If you say because they were under rebuke, and if you say so that the clouds of glory should not be scattered. Rav Pappa said: Therefore on a cloudy day we do not circumcise and we do not let blood; but nowadays, since many have trodden this path, "the LORD preserves the simple" (Psalms 116:6). It is taught: Rabbi Yishmael says: Did uncircumcised men hear the voice of the Holy One, blessed be He, at Sinai, and He gave them the Torah? Heaven forbid; rather they were circumcised, but not properly - they would cut but not uncover, and whoever circumcises and does not uncover, it is as though he did not circumcise. Therefore Scripture says, "they were not circumcised." And when Israel came to the land of Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Joshua: Joshua, do you not know that Israel are not circumcised in their proper and fitting way? Go back and circumcise Israel a second time, as it is said, "and circumcise the children of Israel again a second time" (Joshua 5:2). And he gathered all the foreskins until he made of them a hill, as it is said, "and he circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins" (Joshua 5:3). And Israel would take the foreskins and the blood and cover them with the dust of the wilderness. And when Balaam came and saw the whole wilderness full of foreskins, he said: Who can stand against the merit of this, which is covered in the wilderness in dust? as it is said, "Who can count the dust of Jacob?" (Numbers 23:10). From here the Sages ordained that one should cover the foreskin with the dust of the earth, to which they were compared, as it is said, "and your seed shall be as the dust of the earth" (Genesis 28:14). And so Israel kept circumcising until they split into two kingdoms. The kingdom of Ephraim withheld circumcision from them, and Elijah, of blessed memory, arose and was very zealous and swore to the heavens not to bring down dew or rain; and Jezebel heard and sought to kill him. Elijah, of blessed memory, arose and was praying before the Holy One, blessed be He. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Elijah, are you better than your fathers? Jacob fled from Esau, as it is said, "arise, flee" (Genesis 27:43); Moses fled from Pharaoh, as it is said, "and Moses fled from Pharaoh" (Exodus 2:15); David fled from Saul, as it is said, "and David fled and escaped" (1 Samuel 19:18) - this teaches that everyone who flees escapes. And Elijah, of blessed memory, arose and went to Mount Horeb, and there the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to him and said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" and he said, "I have been very zealous" (1 Kings 19:9-10). He said to him: You are always zealous; you were zealous at Shittim over the uncovering of nakedness, and here you are zealous. By your life, Israel shall not perform a circumcision until you see it with your own eyes. From here they ordained to make a seat of honor for the angel of the covenant, who is called Elijah, of blessed memory, the angel of the covenant, as it is said, "and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire, behold he comes" (Malachi 3:1).

"Make for yourself flint knives" (Joshua 5:2). Rabbi Ami said: In four places the expression "make for yourself" is stated. In three it was explained, and in one it was not explained. "Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood" (Genesis 6:14) was explained - beams of kadrodos (cedar). "And make for yourself flint knives" was explained - blades of rock. "Make for yourself two trumpets of silver" (Numbers 10:2) was explained. "Make for yourself a fiery serpent" (Numbers 21:8) was not explained. Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yose: "A wise man will hear and increase learning" (Proverbs 1:5) - this is Moses, who said: If I make it of gold, this word does not fall upon that word; if I make it of silver, this word does not fall upon that word. Behold, I will make it of copper (nechoshet). Why? Because this word falls upon that word, as it is said, "and Moses made a serpent of copper (nachash nechoshet)" (Numbers 21:9). From here we learn that the Torah was given in the holy tongue.

"And he circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins" (Joshua 5:3) - a place where he made a hill from the foreskins. Rav Nachman said: "Give a portion to seven" (Ecclesiastes 11:2) - this is the generation that Moses circumcised on the eighth day; "and also to eight" - this is the generation that Joshua circumcised. [Translator's note: the homily reads "seven" and "eight" as alluding to the two circumcising generations; text terse.] "And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised" (Joshua 5:4) - and he circumcised them. He said to them: What do you suppose, that you will enter the land uncircumcised? Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham, "And I will give to you and to your seed after you" (Genesis 17:8) - on the condition, "and you shall keep My covenant" (Genesis 17:9).

This is what the verse says: "For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). There was a set time for Abraham, when circumcision was given to him, as it is said, "On that very day Abraham was circumcised" (Genesis 17:26). And there was a set time for his children to be circumcised, as it is said, "for they were circumcised" (Joshua 5:5).