Pesikta Rabbati 11

Judah and Israel are as numerous as the sand on the seashore (1 Kings 4:20). May our Rabbis teach us from whence they pronounce concerning the shekels, so did our Rabbis pronounce concerning the [shekels and] the hybrids (shekels 1:141) and why on the first day of Adar [so that Israel would bring their shekels in their season and offer the offering of the tabernacle from the new moon at its time on the first day of Nisan and on the hybrids why on the first day of Adar]? On all the new moons the seeds are small and it is not clear whether they are wheat or barley. Therefore, they pronounced concerning the first day of Adar, just as it is forbidden to sow hybrids, so it is forbidden to keep them. You find that Israel does not stand in the world except by virtue of the commandments they do in the land. Balaam said, "Who counted the dust of Jacob?" (Numbers 23:10). Who can enumerate the commandments that Israel does [in the dust]? A sower and a reaper, you shall not sow your vineyard together (Deuteronomy 22:9) and a plowman and a reaper, you shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together (Ibid. 10). The pillow gave a contribution. Thus, who can enumerate the commandments that Israel does in the dust? Therefore, they multiply in the land. Thus, he says, "So that you may be strong and come in and multiply and inherit the land" (Ibid. 11:8). Even Israel comes to the point of (lack) [stink] and the Blessed One is angry with them and brings rebellions upon them, and they come to the point of lack, but they return and multiply. Thus you find that in the days of David, Joab numbered Israel, and seventy thousand men went from them, and they returned and multiplied in the days of Solomon, more than they were, from what the prophet counted, "Judah and Israel [are] as numerous as the sand on the seashore for multitude: [Judah and Israel are] numerous." Thus Rabbi Tanchuma opened the book of Rabbi Abba, who said, "The Holy Spirit through Solomon went down to the garden of walnuts to see the enemies of the stream" (Shahs 6:11). Why were Israel likened to a walnut? Rabbi Yehoshua of Sichnan said in the name of Rabbi Levi, "All the trees, when they are afflicted, cover their roots and live. But this walnut, when afflicted, reveals its roots and is alive. Thus Israel covers its transgressions, it will not succeed and confess and leave their enemies (Proverbs 28:13). I.e., why is it like a walnut? What is this walnut made of four agorats? Thus when they went out into the wilderness, Moses made four flags and the Shechinah in the middle of them, as it is said, "And the tent of meeting [the camp of the Levites] traveled in the midst of the camps" (Numbers 2:17). [Another thing] What is this walnut that is worn by a baby and a delight for kings? Thus Israel, when they were righteous and kings were your teachers (Isaiah 49:23), and when they sinned, I was worn by all the nations (Lamentations 3:14). Another thing about this walnut? A tree preserves its fruit. Thus Israel engages in Torah and their friends engage in acts of kindness. For example, this nut, as long as its fruit is attached to its fruit, is preserved. They interpret it as they throw it into the trash. For example, Israel, as long as their friends are attached to the sages and listen to their words, they are granted two worlds, this world and the world to come. They have separated from them and are lost from the world. Another thing about this nut is that two cards were drawn. This is the parable of Israel, in which Rabbi Avin understands that they are circumcised and disobedient. For example, why is it like a nut? But all the fruits that fall on the earth have no sound, and the nut, when it falls to the earth, its sound goes away. So the righteous one who dies, his sound goes away throughout the world. For example, all the fruits a person can take from them out of the bag and none of their friends feel between dates, strawberries, and figs. But the nut, because you put your hands on it and take a little from it, everyone is offended and feels this way. Israel, one man sins, everyone feels. One man will sin, and the whole community will be cursed (Numbers 16:22): For example, all the fruits They fall to the ground and become dirty, and a person's soul is afraid of them (to eat them). But if a nut falls and becomes dirty, they wash it and eat it. Thus, the Israelites even become dirty in seasons all year round. Yom Kippur comes and they wash away their sins, as it is said that on this day atonement will be made for you to cleanse you, etc. (Leviticus 16:30): This nut is given in the treasury if a fat person asks to give it or peppers [and legumes] among them they hold what you do not find in other fruits that you cannot do so with dates and figs, except with nuts. Yes, the Israelites accept everyone who comes to convert. Rabbi Levi, this nut has three types: nuts of a nut that splits on its own, and nuts of a nut that splits on its own, and you tap on the middle ones and they break. And the katronim (are) difficult to break and you tap on it with a stone and it breaks, and yet there is no hope for it. Thus is Israel. There are people among them who do a mitzvah of their own accord, those of a hard worker, and there are those among them who you demand a mitzvah from and they immediately give, those of the middle class, and there are those among them who even if you tap on it several times, nothing is of any use to them. However, Rabbi Levi said that the door that is not open to a mitzvah is open to a doctor. In the garden of this walnut tree, whoever is not trained to climb it immediately falls. One must guard himself lest he fall from it. In the same way, everyone who serves Israel must guard himself lest he take his place from under their hands, such as Moses, Isaiah, and Elijah. Moses said, "Listen, teachers" (Numbers 20:10). And it is said, "Do not bring this assembly" (Ibid. 12). Isaiah said, "In the midst of a people of unclean lips, I will dwell (Isaiah 6:5). With a staff in his hand and a rod in his hand (Ibid. 6:5). Elijah, because the house of Israel has forsaken your covenant (1 Kings 19:10-14). And it is said, "And you shall anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat [from the sick] to be prophet in your place" (Ibid. 16). In the same way, one must guard himself lest he perish, as Achithophel did. In the garden of this walnut tree, worn by infants and a delight to kings, in the same way, Israel, when they do the will of a place, repent for the kings in Adin, King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his nose and on Daniel. Sagid (Daniel 2:46) And so your gift to you is to be made (name of the Lord 17) And when they do not do the will of a place, they become a reproach to the nations, I was reproached to all the nations (Lamentations 3:14): A. To the garden of the fig tree, Rabbi Joshua ben [Levi] (Hanan) [the garden] that I prune every hour. The nations of the world sin, and I prolong my spirit with them, but Israel I do not encompass them, but they sin immediately. I prune them. Nevertheless, everything that is pruned immediately is replaced and praised, said the Holy One, blessed be He, even though I pruned them immediately, I multiplied them more than they were, and a cloud that has no number. Judah and Israel are many [and] the Holy One, blessed be He, said, Israel is my special possession, and you were my special possession (Exodus 19:5). And what is the business of this special possession? There is no guarantee that its owner will touch it. If a hand is pushed and he takes it from it, he is immediately anxious to return everything that he took from it, so said the Holy One, blessed be He, despite the sins of the factors. And Israel is diminished, I will make [them] many more than Judah and Israel were numerous: i.e. Judah and Israel are numerous, from where did Israel become diminished, when Samuel told Saul to go and attack the name of Agag, they transgressed the command, [and] Israel was two hundred and twenty thousand men, and they were numbered with stripes, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah (1 Samuel 15:4). At that time they were bound to kill, said the Blessed One, If they go at once, Israel will not stand, I will take them a little by little, and seventy thousand of them will die in the matter, and the rest on Mount Gilboa with Saul, and in the days of David, who died but what? And the Lord added to the salvation of Israel (2 Samuel 24:1) And how did the Lord anger the Lord in Israel? But what did he write? When David came to number (his) mighty men, he would count and go, since he came to Uriah the Hittite, [it is said] every thirty-seven (I Samuel 23:39) immediately, and the Lord added to the salvation of Israel, and you find that he did not number any more. Seventeen heroes were not mentioned in the Chronicles, and you find them seventeen more, except when he came to Uriah the Hittite immediately, and God added to the king who was sitting and calling in the dipteral, all his heroes he would call so-and-so, and so-and-so would call and go. When he came to so-and-so, they said to him, "He is dead," he threw the dipteral and burned the fire. Thus did God, blessed be He, call and number his heroes (here) [because] he mentioned Uriah the Hittite immediately, and God added. David ordered the census, and David said to Joab, the commander of the army, "Go, count Israel from Dan to Beersheba" (Ibid. 24:1-2 and 1 Samuel 21:1). Joseph said to him, "The Lord has numbered the people as they are, and as they are a hundred times" (Samuel 3:1). And why did he not say, "As Moses blessed his master, Moses said, "Joseph, be upon you as you are a thousand times" (Deuteronomy 1:11)?" And Joab said, "A hundred times"? But Joab's blessing was better than that of Moses, "And the eyes of my lord the king see" (Samuel 1:11). He said to him, "May it be so in your days." Joab said, "As for the number that is necessary, there is no deficiency in it; as for the number that is not necessary, there is deficiency in it; and you find a wise man, the chairman of the Sanhedrin."He would sit on the Sabbath, "Tachkemon" (I Samuel 23:8). He was Joab, who was great in the Torah and a hero in war: "Why should my lord seek, and why should he be a cause of blame for Israel?" (I Samuel 21:3). And the king's word prevailed over Joab (I Samuel 4:1). David said to him, "Either you are king and I am commander of the army, or you are commander of the army and I am king." Since he saw it that way, it turned out not to his advantage. Nevertheless, he went to the tribe of Gad, saying, "I know that they are hard-hearted, lest they throw stones at me and the matter turns out to be futile. And yet, that hour did not help him. Later, he went to the tribe of Dan, saying, "I know that they are worshipers of the Akkadians, lest the hour strike men who worship the Akkadians." Since not one of them stood before him, he went to all Israel (despite) [and] because he did not desire anything, we will delay, you will know from what came, you know, and they will come at the end of nine months, twenty days (Samuel 1 Samuel 8) from Dan to Beersheba at the end of nine months, but he did delay: and Joab gave the number of the people. The commander of the people (Ibid., Ibid., 9) If a count is a commander, why is it a commander? Our sages said, "He made two aponres, one large and one small, and placed the large one in his funda, saying, "I will give the small one." If anger arises, then he says, "I will give him the large one." That is, the number of a commander. But since he went to count, he would send someone who had five sons to you, and he would put them in and count what you ask for, and whatever he would say, he would write down the number of the commander of the people. And Israel was (Ibid.) Why did they say in the feminine form? The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Not one of you stood up against Joab to ask him, "Why are you counting him?" But you made yourselves like women. And [Israel] was eight hundred thousand men (and the men of Judah were four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword) [a force that drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men] (Ibid.), and in the Chronicles it is written, "A thousand thousand men [and a hundred thousand men drew the sword, and Judah four hundred and seventy thousand men drew the sword]" (Ibid., 21:5) Rabbi Joshua The Scriptures do not deny what is omitted here, that they died at that time: And Levi and Benjamin he did not count among them (Deut. 21:6). Why is that? Rather, Joab said, "If he asks me why you did not count them, Moses our Lord will say to him, 'He did not count them,' as it is written, 'But the tribe of Levi you did not count' (Numbers 1:49). Therefore, Levi did not count among them. And of Benjamin, Joab said, 'Yesterday, several thousand of them went to Peleg on the hill, and I counted them. Therefore, Levi and Benjamin did not count.' That is, Levi was the sun of the Blessed One, and Benjamin had his own lodgings, and I counted them. Therefore, Levi and Benjamin did not count. For the king's word is abominable (Deut. 12:11). What is abominable that the word does not guarantee against him? At that time, Gad the prophet came to him and said to him, 'What do you ask for: three years of famine, or three months fleeing from your enemies, or three days of the sword of the Lord?' and that is what is said, 'If three years of famine, etc.' (Deut. 12:11). And immediately David answered, 'I am very sorry.' (Ibid., Ibid., 13 and 2 Samuel 24:14) To those who said to him, "Where do you ask to be buried with your father or your mother? Woe to those who hear such things! Thus was David when it was said to him, "Three things I will take upon you," etc. (Ibid., Ibid., 13) and why three, he said to him, "Three things you have said about Saul, that the Lord will strike us down, or his day will come, and he will die, or in battle." (I Samuel 26:10) Therefore, three is against three. I.e. three years and one writer says, "You will have seven years of harvest" (ibid. 2:24-13). If seven, why three? And if three, why seven? Rather, he said to him, "What do you ask for? Three for war or seven for drought?" David said, "If I say, 'Israel is hungry,' they say, 'because he is a king and his treasures are full.' If I say, 'I perish because of Israel's oppressor,' they say, 'because he has heroes who will stand up for him.' I am asking for death, which is equal to both great and small. May it be in the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are many, and in the hand of man, to annihilation." (ibid. 14) Oh, three years, and then three months became three, and then three days and three days make thirty-six hours. Good advocates came for Israel. The seven days of the Sabbath and eight days of circumcision came. There are fifteen, five books of the Torah, and three of the Fathers. There are twenty and three of the Rabbis. May I have mercy on you, Rabbi Abba. There are ten more commandments and two seals of the covenant, there are thirty-five hours, and Rabbi Avinen Halevi said, Rabbi [said], "The twelve tribes will remain there for one hour." [Come] and see how many people there are. At that hour they died: And the Lord gave a word in Israel from the morning until the appointed time (ibid. 15). What is from the morning until the appointed time? Rabbi Chiya the Great says from the slaughter of the lamb until the shedding of its blood. And our rabbis said from the rising of the east until the rising of the sun. And Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman says from the beginning of the sun's movement until it is finished. All died in that small hour. Seventy thousand people. What is written at the end? Gad said to David, "Go up and build an altar to the Lord in the threshing floor of the Ark." (ibid. 18). And immediately David went up and went up according to the word of Gad (ibid. 19). And when he had built an altar and offered, what is written? And the Lord interceded for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel. (ibid. 25). What is "And interceded?" said Rabbi Yehuda, I heard it from Rabbi Simon. I did not hear it from the father of the companions. They told me about it. Rabbi Yehuda, I heard it from Rabbi Simon in the name of Resh Lakish. It was written in Isaac, and the Lord interceded for him, and his wife Rebekah conceived (Genesis 25:21). And it is written here, and the Lord interceded for the land. What is the intercession? As it is said below, twins, even the petition, which is said here, twins, what was lacking in the days of David was filled in the days of Solomon, the Lord God. Judah and Israel are as numerous as sand [and so on]: [Another word after Judah and Israel are as numerous as sand and so on] Ar-Rabbi Nechama B. Rabbi Chiya the Great in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov, Israel was likened to sand, as it is said, And the number of Israel was as the sand of the sea (Hosea 2:1) What is the business of this sand? You dig a handful of it in the evening and in the morning you find it filled up. Thus Israel, what was lacking in the days of David was filled in the days of Solomon, as it is said, Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance, and so it says, And the number of the children of Israel was as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered (ibid.) What it is and what it cannot be numbered, except that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Hosea as He showed Abraham, Look now to the heavens and number the stars, if you can number them (Genesis 15:5). When he said to him, "Count," he repeated, and said to him, "If you can number," to inform you that He showed him in number, he repeated and showed him that it was not in number, how it begins, showing him one sign and then showing him two. And then He showed him three, then twelve, then seventy, and then He showed him constellations that have no number, and why did He show him this, but rather a sign? He showed him how He multiplies them in the world? He showed him one who was initially unique in the world, one Abraham (Ezekiel 33:24) who came to seek shelter under the wings of the Divine Presence. First, He returned and showed him two in comparison to Abraham and Isaac. He returned and showed him three in comparison to Abraham. Isaac and Jacob returned and showed him twelve tribes, then seventy. And then He showed him constellations that have no end, that Israel will multiply and multiply until they have no end (that Israel will multiply and multiply until they have no end) and the children of Israel will be fruitful and multiply (Exodus 1:7). And even to Hosea (who showed him) [he showed him] in number and not in number, that at the beginning they were a number, and they returned and multiplied until they were without number. [Another thing] And the number of the children of Israel was like the sand of the sea, they were likened to sand (they were likened to dust), they were likened to stars. Why was Abraham likened to the stars in Hama? And Isaac was likened (to a moon) [in fire], and Jacob was likened to the stars, and in the future the sun and the moon are ashamed, and the stars are not ashamed. Thus Abraham and Isaac frowned because of their sons. Abraham was likened to Ishmael and the sons of Keturah, and Isaac was likened to Esau, and his masters, the stars, were not ashamed. Thus Jacob is not ashamed. Will Jacob not now be ashamed? (Isaiah 29:22) Why, when he sees his children, the work of his hands, etc. (Ibid. 23) that they are all righteous, all of you are beautiful, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you (Shahs 4:7): i.e., why do the stars not rule except at night? Thus do Israel not rule in the Torah except at night? i.e., why do the stars share honor with one another and make peace among themselves? He makes peace in His heights (Job 25:2). Thus do the righteous share [honor] with one another and love one another. Just as the stars have no quarrel, so do the righteous have a good disposition among themselves. I.e., what are the stars? Can one of them burn the whole world? So are the righteous, such as Elijah, who said, "If I am a man of God, fire will come down from heaven and consume you and your five sons, etc." (Mech. 2:12). And they were likened to sand, and the nations to lime, and there were nations burning lime (Isaiah 33:12). And if you do not give sand to lime, it will not stand. So if there is no Israel, there is no The nations could stand if it were not for Joseph, the Egyptians would die of hunger, and if it were not for Daniel, the wise men of [Babylon], the great ones. [Another thing] And there was a number [and] perfect in dust, perfect in sand, perfect in stars. In this world, likened to dust, what is dust, which is made for all the inhabitants of the world, so Israel is made for all the inhabitants of the world, because they destroyed the king of Aram and made them like dust for the earth (2 Kings 13:7): I.e. What is the dust of the earth if it is not, the world does not exist? If there is no dust, there are no trees and no grain. Thus, if there is no Israel, the nations of the world do not exist, and in your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed (Genesis 22:18). In this world, they are likened to the dust of the earth in the days of the Messiah. They are likened to the sand of the sea. The way of sand blunts a person's teeth. Thus Israel in the days of the Messiah will consume all his nations, descend from Jacob, and destroy a remnant from the city (Numbers 24:18). And so I took vengeance on Edom in the knowledge of who Israel is (Ezekiel 25:14). In the future to come, likened to the stars, what are the stars that shine in the sky? Thus they will shine in the future to come, and the wise will shine like the brightness of the sky. And so on (Daniel 12:3): I.e. Why are the sand of the sea likened? What is the sand of the sea? A man takes a handful of it and puts it into the dough or into the stew, and no creature can taste it, which makes his teeth dull. So Israel, whoever steals or steals them in this world, dulls his teeth for the future to come? Why, because they are sanctified, everyone who touches them is obligated: I.e. What is the sand of the sea like? They bring it into the light, bring it out as a lump, and make glass vessels from it. Thus Israel enter the light and come out alive, the God of the heavens and the earth, and they are in it and perish, and Israel come out of it in peace. You shall not be burned by fire, nor shall a flame kindle on you (Isaiah 43:2). Why, because the Lord your God holds your right hand (Isaiah 41:13) is perfect for this reason. And it was in the place where it was said to them, "You are not a people" (Hosea 13). And where was it said to them when they did The same thing Moses called them with, "Go down, for you have corrupted your people" (Exodus 32:7). Immediately he girded himself with prayer, and Moses prayed to the Lord, saying, "Why did the Lord [and] the king come into his house and see his wife kissing (the ministers) [the eunuch]?" He said to the bridegroom, "Drive her out, I am a devourer; I will go to her father's house?" He said to him, "Mary, why did he say to him, "I found her kissing (the ministers) [the eunuch]?" He said to him, "Now that you have sons, handsome and valiant, and they will go down with you to war?" He said to him, "There is no hope for her except from childbirth." He said, "You are angry about something that has no pleasure in it." Moses said to him, "This is what Israel has done now, sending down rain on you and tormenting animals." The Blessed One said to him, "There is no truth in it." He said to him, "Why and what are you angry about?" Why should the Lord be angry? Why should the Egyptians say, "Remember your servant" (Deuteronomy 9:27). What did he write after him and comfort him? The Lord said about the evil that He had said to do to His people (Exodus 14) [For the people] of Moses, there is no writing here but for His people. In the place where He says to them, "You are not my people, for you have corrupted your people," He says to them, "Sons of the living God," concerning the evil that He had said to [His people]: [He said after Judah and Israel are many, etc.] Rabbi Yehoshua said, "They were called by the name of Rabbi Levi, Israel, the special attribute of the Holy One, blessed be He, from what?" [How much] He wrote, "And you will be a special attribute to Me" (Exodus 19:5). What is this special attribute when it is lacking? Its owner sees how it is fulfilled. Thus Israel is difficult before the Holy One, blessed be He, to touch them. You will know what was lacking in the days of David. They were fulfilled in the days of Solomon, as it is said, "Judah and Israel are many like sand." What is this special attribute dearer to a person than anything he has? Thus Israel is dearer to the Holy One, blessed be He, than all the nations, as it is said, "And the Lord has made you superior to all the nations of the earth" (Deuteronomy 28:1). And so He says, "Blessed be you above all the nations" (Ibid. 7:14). Ari ben Korha (Or) Lest the ear of a capable listener be deafened [as] a servant is obedient to his master, a son to his father, and a wife to her husband, so you are obedient to me, for all the earth is mine (names there), I will understand in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua, and you were to me, Lmd, greater than all the letters, Yod, smaller than all the letters, it is fitting to be great, it is fitting to be small, our Lord is great and great, 28 (Psalms 147:5), for you are the fewest of all the nations (Deuteronomy 7:7). It is fitting to be great. Sticking to the small one in Isaiah 7: Israel were clinging to the Holy One, as it is said, "And you who cling to Him" ​​(Isa. 4:4), but in the future to come, they were like and resembled what the Holy One, blessed be He, is like fire consuming fire, as it is written, "For the Lord is a consuming fire" (Isa. 24). They too were like fire consuming fire, as it is written, "And the light of Israel was a fire, and His Holy One was a flame" (Isaiah 10:17).