Today, we're diving into Bamidbar Rabbah 11, a section of a Midrash, a collection of rabbinic commentaries on the Book of Numbers, and we'll find some surprising and hopeful insights.
The passage starts with a beautiful line from the Song of Songs (2:9): "My beloved is like a gazelle or a fawn [ofer ha’ayalim]…" Rabbi Yitzḥak sees this as Israel speaking to God. They're saying, "Master of the universe, You came to us first!" It’s a reciprocal love story.
The gazelle image is striking. Just as a gazelle leaps, so too, the text suggests, did God "leap and bound" towards Israel. The Midrash maps this onto key moments in the Exodus story: from Egypt to the sea, and from the sea to Sinai. In Egypt, God says, "I will pass in the land of Egypt…" (Exodus 12:12). At the sea, the Israelites proclaim, “this is my God and I will exalt Him” (Exodus 15:2). At Sinai, "He said: The Lord came from Sinai" (Deuteronomy 33:2). It's like God is actively pursuing a relationship, making these incredible movements to be close to us.
The text then shifts to the image of a "fawn." Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina clarifies that ofer ha'ayalim means a fawn, not just any type of deer. A young, vulnerable creature. The verse continues, "Behold, he is standing behind our wall" (Song of Songs 2:9). This "wall," we learn, is the wilderness of Sinai. "Watching from the windows" (Song of Songs 2:9) refers to when "the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai…" (Exodus 19:20). And "Peering through the cracks" (Song of Songs 2:9) symbolizes "God spoke all these matters…" (Exodus 20:1). Finally, "My beloved spoke up and said to me" (Song of Songs 2:10) – "I am the Lord your God" (Exodus 20:2). This is such an intimate portrayal of revelation!
But there's more. Rabbi Yitzḥak offers another interpretation of the gazelle image: just as a gazelle appears and then is concealed, so too, the initial redeemer, Moses, appeared and was then concealed. Rabbi Berekhya, quoting Rabbi Levi, says that the ultimate redeemer, the Messiah, will follow a similar pattern.
How long was Moses concealed? Rabbi Tanḥuma says three months, based on (Exodus 5:20). And the Messiah? Rabbi Tanḥuma, in the name of Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Hoshaya, says forty-five days. This is derived from the Book of Daniel (12:11-12), where the numbers 1290 and 1335 appear. The difference of 45 days represents a period of concealment before a reappearance.
Where will people be during those forty-five days? Some say the Judean desert, others the wilderness of Siḥon and Og. Those who follow the redeemer will endure hardship, eating "roots of the broom tree and saltwort leaves" (Job 30:4). But those who don't will be killed. Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Maryon adds a hopeful note: after the forty-five days, God will provide manna, just like in the desert after the Exodus. This is tied to (Hosea 12:10) and (Deuteronomy 16:6), linking the future redemption to the past. It’s a powerful promise of sustenance and renewal after a period of testing.
The Midrash then returns to the fawn image, connecting it to the Western Wall of the Temple in Jerusalem, which is said to never be destroyed because the Divine Presence resides in the west. "Watching from the windows" is linked to the merit of the patriarchs, while "peering through the cracks" is linked to the merit of the matriarchs. There’s a distinction, a nuance, between these merits. God promises, "As I live… that you will don all of them like jewelry, and you will tie them like a bride" (Isaiah 49:18).
Yet another interpretation surfaces: just as a gazelle leaps from place to place, so too does God leap from synagogue to synagogue, blessing Israel. This is supported by (Exodus 20:21), "In every place I mention My name, [I will come to you and I will bless you]." This blessing is attributed to the merit of Abraham.
The text then delves into the story of Abraham and the three angels (Genesis 18:1). God appears to Abraham, who is sitting after his circumcision. God tells him to remain seated, making him a "paradigm" for his descendants. When Jews enter synagogues and study halls and recite the Shema, they sit, while God "stands [nitzav] in the assembly of the Almighty" (Psalms 82:1) – always ready to answer prayers, as (Isaiah 65:24) promises.
The passage further explores the priestly blessing (Numbers 6:27). Israel desires God's direct blessing, not just the priests' intermediary blessing. God reassures them that He stands with the priests, blessing them directly. The priests’ outstretched hands become windows and cracks through which God's blessing shines.
Finally, the Midrash unpacks the seven blessings God gave to Abraham (Genesis 12:2-3), linking them to the seven times "that it was good" is written in the Creation story. These blessings are: "I will render you a great nation," "I will bless you," "I will make your name great," "you will be a blessing," "I will bless those who bless you," "one who curses you, I will curse," and "all the families of the earth will be blessed in you."
These blessings, Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish suggests, are reflected in the opening blessings of the Amidah prayer: God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob. We conclude with "The Shield of Abraham," highlighting Abraham's unique role.
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Ze’eira adds that Abraham's blessing precedes God's, as we recite "Shield of Abraham" before "Who revives the dead." And "You will be a blessing [berakha]" means you will be a "pool [berekha]" – purifying the impure and drawing people closer to God.
The Midrash emphasizes that God created Abraham as a new entity, enabling him to be fruitful and multiply. Abraham questioned how he could become a great nation when Noah had already produced seventy nations. God's response? The nation that Abraham would produce would be the one "For who is a great nation" (Deuteronomy 4:7) – a nation defined by its relationship with God.
Rabbi Pinḥas HaKohen (a priest) bar Ḥama says that Abraham became a great nation when the Israelites left Egypt, received the Torah, and entered the Land of Israel. Moses recognized that they had become the nation God promised.
Rabbi Berekhya points out that travel can diminish procreation, expenditure, and reputation. But God's blessings ensured that Abraham would not suffer these losses. And Rabbi Eliezer explains that God delegated the power of blessing to Abraham. However, Abraham, like a wise sharecropper, deferred the ultimate blessing to God, who blessed Isaac after Abraham's death. Isaac blessed Jacob, and Jacob blessed the twelve tribes. From then on, the priests would bless the people, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham.
So, what can we take away from this intricate tapestry of interpretations? Maybe it's this: the relationship between God and Israel is a dynamic, ever-evolving dance. It involves moments of closeness and distance, revelation and concealment. But through it all, the promise of redemption, of blessing, remains constant. And perhaps, like Abraham, we too are called to be pools of blessing, drawing others closer to the Divine Presence. What do you think?
“My beloved is like a gazelle or a fawn [ofer ha’ayalim]…” (Song of Songs 2:9) – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, in truth you came to us first. “My beloved is like a gazelle” – just as the gazelle leaps, so the Holy One blessed be He leapt and bounded from Egypt to the sea and from the sea to Sinai. In Egypt, “I will pass in the land of Egypt…” (Exodus 12:12). At the sea, “this is my God and I will exalt Him” (Exodus 15:2). At Sinai, “He said: The Lord came from Sinai” (Deuteronomy 33:2). “Or a fawn” – Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: To the fawn of deer.6Rabbi Yosei teaches that "ofer ha'ayalim" means a fawn, and not a certain type of deer. “Behold, he is standing behind our wall” (Song of Songs 2:9) – this is the wilderness of Sinai. “Watching from the windows” (Song of Songs 2:9) – “the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai…” (Exodus 19:20). “Peering through the cracks” (Song of Songs 2:9) – “God spoke all these matters…” (Exodus 20:1). “My beloved spoke up and said to me” (Song of Songs 2:10) – “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2). Another matter: “My beloved is like a gazelle” (Song of Songs 2:9) – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, You told us that You will come to us first. “My beloved is like a gazelle” – just as the gazelle appears and is then concealed, so, the initial redeemer appeared and was then concealed. Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Like the initial redeemer, so will be the ultimate redeemer. The initial redeemer, this is Moses; he appeared to them and was then concealed from them. How long was he concealed from them? Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Three months; that is what is written: “They encountered Moses and Aaron…” (Exodus 5:20).7“Encountered” indicates that there had been an interruption in the contact between them. The ultimate redeemer, too, will appear to them and will then be concealed from them. How long will he be concealed from them? Rabbi Tanḥuma said in the name of Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Hoshaya: Forty-five days. That is what is written: “From the time of the abolishing of the daily offering and the setting up of the abomination of desolation there will be one thousand two hundred and ninety days” (Daniel 12:11), and it is written: “Happy is one who waits, and reaches one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days” (Daniel 12:12). How many are these extra days? They are the forty-five days that he will be concealed from them and will then reappear to them. Where will he take them?8Where will they be during those forty-five days? Some say to the Judean desert, and some say to the wilderness of Siḥon and Og. Anyone who believes him and follows him will eat roots of the broom tree and saltwort leaves; that is what is written: “Who pick saltwort from bushes, and the root of the broom tree is their food” (Job 30:4). Anyone who does not follow him will go and make peace with the nations of the world, and they will ultimately kill him. Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Maryon said: At the conclusion of forty-five days, the Holy One blessed be He will cause manna to fall for them. That is what is written: “I will yet settle you in tents as in the appointed [moed] days” (Hosea 12:10), and it says: “The appointed time [moed] of your exodus from Egypt” (Deuteronomy 16:6). “Or a fawn” (Song of Songs 2:9) – Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: To the fawn of deer. “Behold, he is standing behind our wall” (Song of Songs 2:9) – this is the western wall of the Temple, which is never destroyed. Why? It is because the Divine Presence is in the west. “Watching from the windows” (Song of Songs 2:9) – due to the merit of the patriarchs; “peering through the cracks” (Song of Songs 2:9) – due to the merit of the matriarchs. Just as there is a distinction between a window and a crack, so there is a distinction between the merit of the patriarchs and the merit of the matriarchs. “My beloved spoke up and said to me” (Song of Songs 2:10) – what did He say? “As I live, the utterance of the Lord, that you will don all of them like jewelry, and you will tie them like a bride” (Isaiah 49:18). Another matter: “My beloved is like a gazelle” (Song of Songs 2:9) – just as this gazelle leaps from place to place, from fence to fence, from tree to tree, and from booth to booth, so, the Holy One blessed be He leaps and bounds from this synagogue to that synagogue. Why to that extent? It is order to bless Israel, as it is stated: “In every place I mention My name, [I will come to you and I will bless you]” (Exodus 20:21). By what merit? It is by the merit of Abraham our patriarch, as it is written: “So [ko] you shall bless,” just as it says: “So [ko] shall be your offspring” (Genesis 15:5). “Or a fawn” (Song of Songs 2:9) – Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: To the fawn of deer. “Behold, he is standing behind our wall” (Song of Songs 2:9) – when the Holy One blessed be He came to visit Abraham our patriarch on the third day since his circumcision, just as it says: “The Lord appeared to him in the plains of Mamre, and he was sitting [yoshev]…” (Genesis 18:1). Yashav is written.9Yoshev is written without a vav, so it looks like yashav. He sought to stand; the Holy One blessed be He said to him: Sit, Abraham, you are a paradigm for your descendants, as when your descendants enter synagogues and study halls and recite Shema, they sit and My glory stands. What is the source? “God stands [nitzav] in the assembly of the Almighty” (Psalms 82:1) – Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: It is not written here, “God omed,”10The word “stands” would usually be rendered as omed. but rather, “God nitzav,” at the ready. This is just as it says: “It will be before they call, I will answer” (Isaiah 65:24). That is why it is stated: “Behold, he is standing behind our wall”; these are the synagogues and study halls. “Watching from the windows” (Song of Songs 2:9) – when the Holy One blessed be He said to Aaron and his sons: “So you shall bless…,” Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, to the priests You said that they should bless us. We need only Your blessings and to be blessed from Your mouth.’ That is what is written: “Look from Your holy abode, from Heaven, and bless Your people Israel” (Deuteronomy 26:15). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Although I said to the priests that they should bless you, with them I stand and bless you.’ That is why the priests spread their hands, saying: The Holy One blessed be He is standing behind us. That is why it says: “Watching from the windows” – from between the priests’ shoulders; “peering through the cracks” (Song of Songs 2:9) – from between the priests’ fingers. “My beloved spoke up and said to me” – “and I will bless them” (Numbers 6:27). “So you shall bless” – that is what is written: “I will render you a great nation…” (Genesis 12:2). Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair said: The Holy One blessed be He blessed Abraham with seven blessings, and these are they: “I will render you a great nation” (Genesis 12:2); “I will bless you” (Genesis 12:2); “I will make your name great” (Genesis 12:2); “you will be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2). I will bless those who bless you” (Genesis 12:3); “one who curses you, I will curse” (Genesis 12:3), “[all the families of the earth] will be blessed in you” (Genesis 12:3). These correspond to the seven verses in the act of Creation in which “that it was good” is written.11Seven including Genesis 1:31: “And it was very good.” Rabbi Levi bar Ḥayata and Rabbi Abba son of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: There are three expressions of greatness and four blessings written here. He apprised him that there would be three patriarchs and four matriarchs. But is it not that there are only two expressions of greatness? “I will render you [ve’e’eskha]” is an expression of greatness12Thus, there are, in fact, three expressions of greatness., as it is written: “It is the Lord who appointed [asa] Moses [and Aaron]” (I Samuel 12:6). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: “I will render you a great nation” (Genesis 12:2) – this is that we recite: God of Abraham. “I will bless you” (Genesis 12:2) – this is that we recite: God of Isaac. “I will make your name great” (Genesis 12:2) – this is that we recite: God of Jacob. Do we, perhaps, conclude with all of them? The verse states: “You will be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2) – it is with you they conclude: The Shield of Abraham, and we do not conclude with all of them.13This midrash is referring to the first blessing of the Amida prayer. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Ze’eira said: “You will be a blessing” – your blessing precedes Mine, as after they recite Shield of Abraham, only then do they recite: Who revives the dead. Another matter: “You will be a blessing [berakha]” (Genesis 12:2) – you will be a pool [berekha]. Just as this pool purifies the impure, you, too, draw the distant under the wings of the Divine Presence. “I will render you [ve’e’eskha] a great nation” (Genesis 12:2) – Rabbi Berekhya said: It is not written here, Etenkha,14See Genesis 17:20: “I will make him [untativ] a great nation.” asimekha,15See Genesis 46:3: “I will make you [asimekha] a great nation there.” but rather ve’e’eskha.16This connotes creation of a new entity. After I create you as a new creation, just as it says: “God made [vayaas] the firmament” (Genesis 1:7), then you will be fruitful and multiply. “A great nation” (Genesis 12:2) – Abraham said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, from Noah, did You not produce seventy nations?’ He said to him: ‘That nation in whose regard it is written: “For who is a great nation” (Deuteronomy 4:7), I am producing from you.’ Rabbi Pinḥas HaKohen bar Ḥama said: When did the Holy One blessed be He render Abraham a great nation? It was when they departed from Egypt, came to Sinai, received the Torah, and arrived in the Land of Israel. Moses looked at them and said: They have been rendered just as the Holy One blessed be He promised to the elder, as it is stated: “And who is a great nation” (Deuteronomy 4:8). Alternatively, “a great nation” – as I will give your descendants the Torah, and from it they will be called a great nation, as it is stated: “It is a particularly wise and understanding people, this great nation” (Deuteronomy 4:6). “I will bless you” (Genesis 12:2) – Rabbi Berekhya said: Because travel causes a person three phenomena: It lessens procreation, it lessens his expenditure,17It reduces his disposable income. and it lessens his reputation; that is why it was stated to him: “I will render you a great nation” (Genesis 12:2) – travel will not lessen your procreation; “I will bless you” – travel will not lessen your expenditure; “I will make your name great” (Genesis 12:2) – it will not lessen your reputation. People say in a parable: From house to house, a cloak; from place to place, a soul. However, you will lose neither a soul nor property. “You will be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2) – it is already written: “I will bless you” (Genesis 12:2); why does the verse state: “You will be a blessing”? Rabbi Eliezer said: The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘From when I created My world until now, I needed to bless My creations,’ as it is stated: “God blessed them…” (Genesis 1:28), and it says: “God blessed Noah and his sons” (Genesis 9:1). ‘But from here on, the blessings are granted to you; to one whom you see fit to bless, bless.’ Nevertheless, Abraham did not bless his sons. Why is it so? It is analogous to a king who had an orchard and he entrusted it to a sharecropper. In that orchard there was one tree that was an elixir of life and one tree a deadly poison. The sharecropper said: I will cultivate and complete [my work], and the king will do with his orchard what he chooses. So, the king, this is the Holy One blessed be He. The orchard, this is the world. He granted it to Abraham, as He said to him: “You will be a blessing.” What did Abraham do? He had two sons, one righteous and one wicked: Isaac and Ishmael. Abraham said: If I bless Isaac, Ishmael will request to be blessed, and he is wicked. Rather, I am a servant; I am flesh and blood. Tomorrow, I will pass from the world, and what the Holy One blessed be He wishes to do in His world, He will do. When Abraham passed away, the Holy One blessed be He appeared to Isaac and blessed him, as it is stated: “It was after the death of Abraham, [God blessed Isaac his son]” (Genesis 25:11). Isaac blessed Jacob, and Jacob blessed the twelve tribes, as it is stated: “All these are the tribes of Israel, twelve, and this is that which their father spoke to them, and he blessed them” (Genesis 49:28). From here on, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘The blessings are granted to you. The priests will bless My children, just as I said to Abraham their patriarch: “You will be a blessing.”’ That is why it is stated: “So you shall bless…”
