Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the book of Deuteronomy, opens our eyes to some fascinating insights. It all starts with the verse, "the Lord your God has multiplied you" (Deuteronomy 1:10). But what does that multiplication REALLY mean? It's more than just numbers.
Rabbi Ilai ben Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra offers a stunning interpretation. He suggests that God promised Abraham to redeem his children with just two letters. Two! Where do we find this? In (Genesis 15:14): "And also that nation that they will serve, I will judge [dan]." That word "judge," dan, is spelled with the Hebrew letters dalet and nun.
But here's the kicker: When the time actually came to redeem the Israelites from Egypt, God redeemed them with seventy-two letters! Rabbi Yudan points us to (Deuteronomy 4:34). He says that from the words "To come and take for Himself a nation" until the end of that verse are seventy-two letters. (Though some commentaries suggest adjusting the text to align with a similar passage in Bereshit Rabbah.) Rabbi Avin takes it a step further: God redeemed them with His very name, and His name, in this instance, has seventy-two letters.
Think about the implications! The Zohar, that foundational text of Jewish mysticism, explains that this seventy-two-letter name actually consists of seventy-two groups of three letters. It's a powerful concept: redemption through the very essence of God's being.
Now, why didn't God reveal certain things to our ancestors beforehand? Rabbi Ilai ben Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra asks a poignant question: Why didn't God tell Abraham that his descendants would be provided with manna in the desert? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana offers a beautiful answer: It's the way of the righteous – they say little and do a lot.
But there's another layer to it. If the Israelites had known about the manna in advance, they might not have appreciated the miracle. They might have even falsely claimed to have eaten it before in Egypt! As the text points out, they complained about lacking straw, yet remembered the fish they ate in Egypt (Numbers 11:5). Sometimes, a little mystery enhances the wonder.
And speaking of promises, God also told Abraham that He would increase his children like the stars (Genesis 15:5). But when the time came to bless them, He blessed them even more than He had said. (Genesis 22:17) uses a double expression – "multiply, I will multiply [harba arbe]" – suggesting He would multiply them both as the stars of the heavens and as the sand upon the seashore. Abundance beyond measure!
Then there's David. He pleads, "Deliver me from the strife of the people; place me [at the head of nations]!" (Psalms 18:44). He doesn't want to judge his own people, because he fears making mistakes and being held accountable before God. He wants to judge other nations instead. Rabbi Berekhya offers a fascinating perspective: judging Israel is a weighty responsibility, because ultimately, they can bring their complaints directly to God.
Finally, Moses, facing the immense task of leading the Israelites, exclaims that even though he feels capable of handling many times their number, the sheer multitude God has created is beyond the capacity of their current judges.
What does all this tell us? Perhaps it's that God's promises are always greater than we can imagine. That even in the smallest details, like two letters, there's a hint of the immense redemption to come. And that leadership, judging, and bearing responsibility for a people is a sacred task, not to be taken lightly. It's a reminder that we are part of something much bigger, a story that stretches back to Abraham and continues to unfold today.
Another matter, “the Lord your God has multiplied you” – this is what the verse said: “I will bow to Your holy Sanctuary in reverence to You” (Psalms 5:8). Rabbi Ilai ben Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham that he would redeem his children with two letters. From where is this derived? As it is written: “And also that nation that they will serve, I will judge” (Genesis 15:14).23The word judge [dan] is written with two letters – dalet nun. But when He came to redeem them, He redeemed them with seventy-two letters. Rabbi Yudan said: From [the words]: “To come and take for Himself a nation” (Deuteronomy 4:34) until the end of the verse there are seventy-two letters.24In Hebrew, this segment of the verse (from “to come and take for Himself a nation from the midst of a nation” until “with great awesome deeds”) totals seventy-two letters (see Bereshit Rabba 44:19). Several commentaries write that the text of the midrash here should be emended to match the version there, as this is not in fact the end of the verse (see Matnot Kehuna; Rashash). Rabbi Avin said: He redeemed them with His name and His name has seventy-two letters.25“God’s name of seventy-two letters actually consists of seventy-two group of letters, each group being three letters. The letters dalet nun appear in the fiftieth group. Israel would be redeemed through an incomplete name of God if they would not repent, but through repentance they would experience redemption through the full name of seventy-two.” Another matter, Rabbi Ilai said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: Why did the Holy One blessed be He not reveal to Abraham our patriarch that He would provide his descendants with manna? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: So is the way of the righteous; they say little and do a lot. Another matter, why did He not reveal it to them? It is because had he revealed it to them, Israel would have said: ‘We have already eaten it at Pharaoh’s table.’26Had the Israelites known what the manna was, by tradition from their forefathers, they would not have been awestruck when it fell, and the wicked among them would have falsely claimed to have eaten it before. Know that they [the Egyptians] would not provide them with straw, but Israel would say: “We remember the fish [that we used to eat in Egypt…]” (Numbers 11:5); that is why He did not reveal it to them. Another matter, Rabbi Ilai said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham that He would increase his children like the stars. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “[He took him outside, and said: Look now toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you can count them, and He said to him:] So your offspring will be” (Genesis 15:5). But when He came to bless them, He blessed them more than He had said to them. “What is “in abundance”? “And multiply [harba arbe] [your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand that is upon the seashore” (Genesis 22:17).27The double verb is expounded to mean that He will multiply them as both the stars of the heavens and as the sand upon the shore. What is [the meaning of the verse] that states: “Deliver me from the strife of the people; place me [at the head of nations]”? (Psalms 18:44). David said: “Deliver me from the strife of my people” (II Samuel 22:44) – that I will not have to be judged by them; “Deliver me from the strife of the people” – that they will not have to be judged by me. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘David, why are you sitting with them? By your life, I have already appointed you king over them.’ He said to Him: ‘Since You appointed me over Your children, put into their hearts that they shall heed me,’ as so it is written: “As soon as they hear, they heed me” (Psalms 18:45). Moreover, David said: “Place me at the head of nations”28He pleaded to be the judge of other nations, not of Israel. –Rabbi Berekhya said: If you judge this nation [Israel], it will come and deliver you to God. Who is that? It is the God of gods, who sees but is not seen.29David did not want to judge Israel, because in the event of an error, they would present their complaints to God and David could be punished (Etz Yosef). Moses said to Israel: ‘As you live, I am capable of bearing ten like you and one hundred like you. Why, then, am I not capable of bearing you on my own? It is because the Lord your God has multiplied you beyond the capability of your judges.’
