Moses Prays for the People Who Sought to Stone Him

"And the people thirsted there for water" (Exodus 17:3). But elsewhere what does it say? "And they came to Marah, and they could not drink the waters of Marah" (Exodus 15:23). Up to that point thirst had not yet touched them, but here thirst touched them, (and the people quarreled with Moses). From here Rabbi Joshua used to say: When the house has fallen, woe to the nail [when the strong are stricken, how much more the weak]. They put their cattle on a level with their own bodies. From here they said: A man's beast is his very life, for a man traveling on the road, if his beast is not with him, suffers greatly. "And Moses cried out" and so forth (Exodus 17:4). This is to make known the praise of Moses, that he did not say, Since they are quarreling with me I will not seek mercy on their behalf, but rather, "And Moses cried out to the LORD." He said before the Omnipresent: Master of the world, between You and them I am being killed. You told me not to be strict with them, as it is said, "For you say to me, Carry it in your bosom" (Numbers 11:12), yet they sought to kill me. "And the LORD said to Moses" (Exodus 17:5). Here the Omnipresent lowers and Moses raises; and elsewhere the Omnipresent raises and Moses lowers, as in the matter of which it is said, "And now leave Me alone" (Exodus 32:10), after which what does it say? "And Moses entreated" and so forth (Exodus 32:11).