Moses Tells Joshua Choose for Us Men and Honors His Student

"And Moses said to Joshua, Choose for us men" (Exodus 17:9). From here we learn that Moses treated him as his equal. Let all the world learn from Moses proper conduct: he did not say to Joshua, "Choose for me men," but "Choose for us men" - from here, that he made him as his equal. And from where do we learn that the honor of one's fellow should be as dear to him as the reverence of his teacher? As it is said, "And Aaron said to Moses, Please, my lord" (Numbers 12:11). Now was he not his brother, and greater than he? And what does Scripture teach by saying "Please, my lord"? He made him as his teacher. And from where that the honor of a man's teacher should be as dear to him as the reverence of Heaven? As it is said, "And Joshua son of Nun, the servant of Moses from his youth, answered and said, My lord Moses, restrain them" (Numbers 11:28) - he said to him: our teacher Moses, just as the Omnipresent restrains them, so do you restrain them. And likewise you find with Gehazi: at the hour Elisha said to him, "Gird up your loins and take my staff in your hand," and so on, he began to lean on his staff and went. They said to him: Where are you going, Gehazi? He said to them: To revive the dead. They said to him: Can you revive the dead? Is it not the Holy One, blessed be He, who kills and gives life, as it is said, "The LORD kills and gives life" (1 Samuel 2:6)? He said to them: My master too kills and gives life. "Choose for us." Rabbi Joshua says: men - meaning mighty ones. Rabbi Elazar of Modi'in says: "Choose for us" those who fear sin. "And go out, fight against Amalek." Rabbi Joshua said: Moses said to him, Joshua, go out from under the cloud and fight Amalek. Rabbi Elazar of Modi'in says: he said to him, Joshua, your head - for what are you guarding it, if not for the crown? Go out from under the cloud and fight Amalek. "Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill" - tomorrow we shall be ready and standing. "On the top of the hill" - according to its plain meaning, the words of Rabbi Joshua. Rabbi Elazar of Modi'in says: tomorrow we shall decree a fast and be ready upon the deeds of the fathers. "Top" - these are the deeds of the fathers; "the hill" - these are the deeds of the mothers. "And the rod of God in my hand" - Moses said before the Omnipresent: Master of the universe, with this rod You brought Israel out of Egypt, with this rod You split the sea, with this rod You did miracles and mighty deeds, with this rod You will do for them miracles and mighty deeds at this hour.