In fact, it goes even deeper.
Vayikra Rabbah, a fascinating collection of Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) teachings on the Book of Leviticus, opens up this very idea. It begins with the verse, "Command the children of Israel" (Leviticus 24:2), and then launches into an exploration of what it truly means to command, to be responsible, and to illuminate the world.
Bar Kappara begins with a powerful image: "For You light my lamp" (Psalms 18:29). The Divine saying to Adam: "Your lamp is in My hand, and My lamp is in your hand.” It’s a reciprocal relationship! As it says in (Proverbs 20:27), “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord.” And in turn, we are commanded "to kindle a lamp continually.” It’s as if God is saying, ‘If you illuminate My lamp, I will illuminate your lamp.’ That, Vayikra Rabbah suggests, is the essence of "Command the children of Israel."
But the Midrash doesn’t stop there. It continues, drawing on the imagery of the Song of Songs (7:6): "Your head [roshekh] is upon you like the Carmel, and the locks of your head are like purple wool." Now, this verse seems a bit out of place at first glance, doesn’t it? But the Rabbis, in their ingenious way, find profound meaning within it.
The text interprets "your head" to refer to the poor and indigent (harashim) among the Israelites. These seemingly ordinary people, the Midrash tells us, are as dear to God as Elijah himself, who ascended Mount Carmel! Remember the dramatic scene from I (Kings 18:42), where Elijah "ascended to the peak [rosh] of the Carmel, and he knelt to the ground, and he put his face between his knees"? Why did he do that? The Midrash suggests he was pleading with God, saying, ‘Master of the universe, if we have no merit, look to the covenant of circumcision.’
And what about the "locks of your head are like purple wool"? Here, the Midrash sees a connection to David, the shepherd king. God cherishes the destitute (hadalim) among us as much as David, as (Zechariah 12:8) says, "The weak among them on that day will be like David." Some even connect the purple wool to Daniel, who was clad in purple (Daniel 5:29).
The Song of Songs continues: "The king bound in tresses [barehatim]". This phrase sparks a fascinating discussion. According to the Midrash, it refers to how God bound Himself by oath to rest His Divine Presence within the panels [rahitin] of Jacob, our patriarch. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana attributes this merit to Abraham, citing (Genesis 18:7): "Abraham ran [rahat in Aramaic] to the cattle." Rabbi Levi, however, attributes it to Jacob, referencing (Genesis 30:38), where Jacob "displayed the rods that he peeled in the receptacles [barehatim]."
And then, Rabbi Berekhya offers yet another interpretation: "The king bound in tresses" is Moses, who "became king in Yeshurun" (Deuteronomy 33:5). But, the Midrash adds a poignant twist: Moses was "bound in tresses" because God decreed that he wouldn't enter the Land of Israel, all due to the "receptacles [rehatim] of the waters of dispute" (Numbers 20:13).
To illustrate this, Rabbi Yehuda tells a parable about a king who decreed that anyone who eats Sabbatical Year produce would be publicly shamed. A well-born woman violated the decree, and as she was being led through the arena, she pleaded with the king to hang unripe figs around her neck. This way, people would know she was being punished for eating the produce, not for some other, more scandalous offense.
Similarly, Moses asked God to write in the Torah the real reason he wouldn't enter the Land, so that Israel wouldn't think he had falsified the Torah. God agreed, revealing that it was due to the waters of dispute (Numbers 27:14).
Rabbi Shimon offers another powerful parable. A king is traveling with his son when their carriage overturns, injuring the son. From then on, whenever the king passed that spot, he would lament, "Woe is me. Here my son was injured!" In the same way, the Midrash says, God mentions the waters of dispute three times in the Torah, as if saying, "Here I killed Moses, here I killed Aaron, here I killed Miriam." The verse "Their judges slip down by the rock; they will hear My words, for they are pleasing" (Psalms 141:6) is brought as support.
Finally, Rav Naḥman reiterates that the "King" in (Song of Songs 7:6) is indeed Moses, whom God appointed as king over Israel. God instructed Moses to issue edicts, just as a king does, and the people would fulfill them. And that, ultimately, is what it means to "Command the children of Israel."
So, what does all of this mean for us today? It suggests that leadership, responsibility, and even divine favor are not just for kings and prophets. Every single one of us has the potential to illuminate the world, to tend to the spark within us, and to command good in our own lives and in the lives of others. We all carry that light. It's up to us to keep it burning bright.
Another matter: “Command the children of Israel” – bar Kappara began: “For You light my lamp” (Psalms 18:29). The Holy One blessed be He said to Adam: ‘Your lamp is in My hand, and My lamp is in your hand.’ Your lamp is in My hand, as it is stated: “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord” (Proverbs 20:27). My lamp is in your hand, “to kindle a lamp continually.” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If you illuminate My lamp, I will illuminate your lamp.’ That is, “command the children of Israel.” Another matter: “Command the children of Israel” – that is what is written: “Your head [roshekh] is upon you like the Carmel, and the locks of your head are like purple wool” (Song of Songs 7:6) – the indigent [harashim] among you are as dear to Me as Elijah, who ascended the Carmel. That is what is written: “Elijah ascended to the peak [rosh] of the Carmel, and he knelt to the ground, and he put his face between his knees” (I Kings 18:42). Why did he put his face between his knees? He said before the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, if we have no merit, look to the covenant of circumcision. “And the locks of [vedalat] your head are like purple wool” (Song of Songs 7:6). The Holy One blessed be He said: The destitute [hadalim] among you are as dear to Me as David, as it is stated: “The weak among them on that day will be like David” (Zechariah 12:8). Some say: Like Daniel, in whose regard it is written: “They clad Daniel in purple wool” (Daniel 5:29). “The king bound in tresses [barehatim]” (Song of Songs 7:6) – as the Holy One blessed be He bound Himself by oath that He would rest His Divine Presence within the panels [rahitin] of Jacob our patriarch.7Jacob planted the trees from which the boards of the Tabernacle were crafted (see Bereshit Rabba 54:6). By whose merit? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: By the merit of Abraham our patriarch, as it is written: “Abraham ran8The verb ran is rahat in Aramaic. to the cattle” (Genesis 18:7). Rabbi Levi said: By the merit of Jacob, in whose regard it is written: “He displayed the rods that he peeled in the receptacles [barehatim]” (Genesis 30:38). Rabbi Berekhya said: “The king bound in tresses” (Song of Songs 7:6) – this is Moses, in whose regard it is written: “He became king in Yeshurun” (Deuteronomy 33:5). “Bound in tresses” – as the Holy One blessed be He decreed against him that he would not enter the Land of Israel. For what reason? It is due to the receptacles [rehatim] of the waters of dispute. That is what is written: “These are the waters of dispute, where the children of Israel quarreled” (Numbers 20:13).9It was due to the incident described there that Moses could not enter the Land of Israel; see Numbers 20:1–13. Rabbi Yehuda presented a parable; to what is the matter analogous? To a king who decreed and said: Anyone who gathers and eats Sabbatical Year produce will be led around the arena.10To publicly shame him. There was a certain well-born woman who went, gathered, and ate Sabbatical Year produce. They began leading her around in the arena, and she was screaming and saying: ‘Please, I implore you, my lord, the king: Hang these unripe figs around my neck so the people will not say: It appears to us that they discovered in her a matter of sexual immorality or a matter of sorcery. Rather, by seeing the unripe figs on my neck, they will know that it is due to them that I am being led around.’ So, Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, write in Your Torah the reason that I am not entering the Land, so Israel will not say: It seems to us that Moses falsified the Torah or said a matter that he was not commanded.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘As you live, I will write that it was due only to the water.’ That is what is written: “Because you defied My directive in the wilderness of Tzin…[They are the waters of dispute in Kadesh]” (Numbers 27:14). Rabbi Shimon presented a parable; to what is the matter analogous? To a king who was going on the way and his son was with him on the carriage. When they reached a narrow place, the carriage overturned onto his son. His eye was blinded, his arm was severed, and his leg was broken. When the king would reach that place, he would mention it, saying: ‘Woe is me. Here my son was injured, here his eye was blinded, here, his arm was severed, here his leg was broken.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He mentions the waters of dispute three times in His Torah,11See Numbers 20:24, 27:14; Deuteronomy 32:51. Moses and Aaron died without entering the Land of Israel due to the events at the waters of dispute. That episode was set in motion by the passing of Miriam (see Numbers 20:1). as though to say, here I killed Moses, here I killed Aaron, here I killed Miriam. That is what is written: “Their judges slip down by the rock; they will hear My words, for they are pleasing” (Psalms 141:6).12This verse is cited here because Moses and Aaron, the judges of the nation, were unable to enter the land due to the incident in which Moses hit the rock (Numbers 20:11). Rav Naḥman said: “King” (Song of Songs 7:6) – this is Moses, as it is written: “He became king in Yeshurun” (Deuteronomy 33:5). The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘I appointed you king over Israel. It is the way of a king to issue edicts and [that] others fulfill them, so you shall issue edicts and Israel will fulfill them.’ That is what is written: “Command the children of Israel.”
