Devarim Rabbah 1:21

אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים (דברים א, א), הֲלָכָה אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל מַהוּ שֶׁיְהֵא מֻתָּר לוֹ לִכְתֹּב סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן וכו', כָּךְ שָׁנוּ חֲכָמִים אֵין בֵּין סְפָרִים לִתְפִלִּין וּמְזוּזוֹת אֶלָּא שֶׁהַסְּפָרִים נִכְתָּבִים בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן. רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר אַף הַסְּפָרִים לֹא הִתִּירוּ שֶׁיִּכָּתְבוּ אֶלָּא יְוָנִית. וּמַה טַּעְמוֹ שֶׁל רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל שֶׁאוֹמֵר מֻתָּר לִכְתֹּב סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה יְוָנִית, כָּךְ לָמְדוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, אָמַר בַּר קַפָּרָא דִּכְתִיב (בראשית ט, כז): יַפְתְּ אֱלֹהִים לְיֶפֶת וְיִשְׁכֹּן בְּאָהֳלֵי שֵׁם, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל שֵׁם נֶאֱמָרִין בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹתָיו שֶׁל יֶפֶת, לְכָךְ הִתִּירוּ שֶׁיִּכָּתְבוּ בְּלָשׁוֹן יְוָנִית. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רְאֵה לְשׁוֹנָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה מַה חֲבִיבָה שֶׁמְרַפֵּא אֶת הַלָּשׁוֹן, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכֵּן כְּתִיב (משלי טו, ד): מַרְפֵּא לָשׁוֹן עֵץ חַיִּים, וְאֵין עֵץ חַיִּים אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ג, יח): עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ. וּלְשׁוֹנָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה מַתִּיר אֶת הַלָּשׁוֹן, תֵּדַע לְךָ לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַעֲלֶה מִגַּן עֵדֶן אִילָנוֹת מְשֻׁבָּחִים, וּמָה הוּא שִׁבְחָן, שֶׁהֵן מְרַפְּאִין אֶת הַלָּשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל מז, יב): וְעַל הַנַּחַל יַעֲלֶה עַל שְׂפָתוֹ מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה וגו'. מִנַּיִן שֶׁהִיא רְפוּאָה שֶׁל לָשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל מז, יב): וְהָיָה פִרְיוֹ לְמַאֲכָל וְעָלֵהוּ לִתְרוּפָה. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי חַד אָמַר לִתְרַפְיוֹן, וְחַד אָמַר כָּל שֶׁהוּא אִלֵּם וְלוֹעֵט הֵימֶנּוּ לְשׁוֹנוֹ מִתְרַפֵּא וּמְצַחְצְחָה מִיָּד בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב: מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה, וְאֵין מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה אֶלָּא תוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, טו): מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה הֵם כְּתֻבִים. רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר מַה לָּנוּ לִלְמֹד מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר נִלְמַד מִמְּקוֹמוֹ, הֲרֵי משֶׁה עַד שֶׁלֹא זָכָה לַתּוֹרָה כְּתִיב בּוֹ (שמות ד, י): לֹא אִישׁ דְּבָרִים אָנֹכִי, כֵּיוָן שֶׁזָּכָה לַתּוֹרָה נִתְרַפֵּא לְשׁוֹנוֹ וְהִתְחִיל לְדַבֵּר דְּבָרִים, מִנַיִן, מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרִינוּ בָּעִנְיָן, אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר משֶׁה. “These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan; in the wilderness, in the Arava, opposite the Red Sea, between Paran and Tofel, and Laban, and Hatzerot, and Di Zahav” (Deuteronomy 1:1).
“These are the words” – halakha:¹It is common in Devarim Rabba for the midrash to introduce halakhic discussions with the word “halakha.” Is it permissible for a person of Israel to write a Torah scroll in any language? This is what the sages taught: The difference between Torah scrolls and phylacteries and mezuzot is only that Torah scrolls may be written in any language. Rabban Gamliel says: Even Torah scrolls, the Sages permitted to be written only in Greek.²See Megilla 8b. What is the source for Rabban Gamliel who says that it is permitted to write a Torah scroll in Greek? This is what our Rabbis learned: Bar Kappara said: It is written: “May God expand Yefet, and may he dwell in the tents of Shem” (Genesis 9:27) – let the words of Shem be stated in the language of Yefet.³Israel descends from Shem, and the Greeks descended from Yefet (see Genesis 10:2, 11:10–27). That is why they permitted them to write it in Greek.
The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘See the language of the Torah, how dear it is, that it cures the tongue.’ From where is it derived? As it is written: “A healing tongue is a tree of life” (Proverbs 15:4), and a tree of life is nothing but Torah, as it is stated: “It is a tree of life for those who grasp it” (Proverbs 3:18). The language of the Torah unencumbers the tongue. Know that in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will take up excellent trees from the Garden of Eden. What is their excellence? It is that they cure the tongue, as it is stated: “Along the stream, upon its bank, on this side and on that side, [will grow every food tree]” (Ezekiel 47:12). From where is it derived that it is a cure for the tongue? As it is stated: “Its fruit will be for food and its leaf for healing” (Ezekiel 47:12). Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, one said: ‘It is a medicine,’ and one said: ‘Anyone who is mute and tastes of it, his tongue will be cured and it will immediately articulate matters of Torah,’ as so it is written: “on this side and on that side,” and [the phrase] “on this side and on that side” is [a reference to] nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “[Tablets that were inscribed on both sides,] from this side and from that side they were inscribed” (Exodus 32:15).
Rabbi Levi said: Why should we learn from elsewhere? Let us learn from its own place, as Moses, before he was privileged to receive the Torah, it is written in his regard: “I am not a man of words” (Exodus 4:10). When he was privileged to receive the Torah, his tongue was cured and he began speaking words. From where is it derived? From what we read in this context: “These are the words that Moses spoke.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (משלי כח, כג): מוֹכִיחַ אָדָם אַחֲרַי חֵן יִמְצָא מִמַּחֲלִיק לָשׁוֹן, רַבִּי פִּינְחָס בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא אָמַר: מוֹכִיחַ זֶה משֶׁה, אָדָם אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל לד, לא): וְאַתֵּן צֹאנִי צֹאן מַרְעִיתִי אָדָם אַתֶּם, מַהוּ אַחֲרַי, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּשְׁבִיל לַהֲבִיאָן אַחֲרַי. חֵן יִמְצָא זֶה משֶׁה, דִּכְתִיב (שמות לג, יב): וְגַם מָצָאתָ חֵן בְּעֵינָי. מִמַּחֲלִיק לָשׁוֹן, זֶה בִּלְעָם, שֶׁהֶחֱלִיק בִּנְבוּאוֹתָיו וְגָבַהּ לִבָּם וְנָפְלוּ בַּשִּׁטִּים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מוֹכִיחַ אָדָם אַחֲרַי, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן, מַהוּ אַחֲרַי, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כִּבְיָכוֹל משֶׁה הוֹכִיחַנִי אַחַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהוֹכִיחַ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרַי, לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אָמַר (שמות לב, ל): אַתֶּם חֲטָאתֶם, לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר (שמות לב, יא): לָמָּה ה' יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ. מַהוּ לָמָּה, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָשׂוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הָעֵגֶל בִּקֵּשׁ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְכַלּוֹת שׂוֹנְאֵיהֶן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמַר לוֹ משֶׁה רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הָעֵגֶל הַזֶּה טוֹב הוּא לְסַיֵּיעַ לְךָ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַה מְּסַיֵּיעַ לִי, אָמַר לוֹ משֶׁה אִם אַתָּה מוֹרִיד גְּשָׁמִים הוּא מַפְרִיחַ טְלָלִים, אַתָּה מוֹצִיא אֶת הָרוּחוֹת וְהוּא אֶת הַבְּרָקִים. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַף אַתָּה טוֹעֶה בָּעֵגֶל, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אֶלָּא לָמָּה ה' יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ. וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא אוֹמֵר: אַתֶּם חֲטָאתֶם חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁכָּעַס עַל אִשְׁתּוֹ טְרָפָהּ וְהוֹצִיאָהּ מִבֵּיתוֹ, שָׁמְעוּ בּוֹ הַשּׁוֹשְׁבִינִין הָלְכוּ אֵצֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ הָא מָרִי כָּךְ אָדָם עוֹשֶׂה לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, מֶה עָשְׂתָה לְךָ. וְהָלְכוּ אֶצְלָהּ וְאָמְרוּ לָהּ עַד אֵימַת אַתְּ מַכְעֶסֶת אוֹתוֹ, קַדְמוּתֵךָ הוּא תִּנְיָנוּתֵךְ הוּא. אַף משֶׁה כְּשֶׁהָלַךְ אֵצֶל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר לוֹ: לָמָּה ה' יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ, לֹא בָנֶיךָ הֵם. וּכְשֶׁהָלַךְ אֵצֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמַר לָהֶן עַד אֵימַת אַתֶּם מַכְעִיסִים אוֹתוֹ, קַדְמוּתְכוֹן הוּא תִּנְיָנוּתְכוֹן הוּא. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים א, א): בַּמִּדְבָּר בָּעֲרָבָה מוֹל סוּף. Another matter: “These are the words” – this is what the verse said: “One who rebukes a man will later find more favor than one with a slippery tongue” (Proverbs 28:23). Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: “One who rebukes” – this is Moses. “A man” – this is Israel, as it is stated: “You are My flock, flock of My pasture, you are man” (Ezekiel 34:31). What is “later [aḥarai]”? The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘In order to bring them after Me [aḥarai].’¹The word aḥarai can be a form of the word aḥarei, later, or aḥar, after, in which case aḥarai would mean “after me.” “Will…find…favor” – this is Moses, as it is written: “And you also found favor in My eyes” (Exodus 33:12). “Than one with a slippery tongue” – this is Bilam, who was slippery-tongued in his prophecies,²Bilam was slippery tongued in the manner in which he expressed his prophetic blessings of Israel, meaning that he flattered them excessively. and they [the Israelites] became haughty and stumbled in Shitim.³They grew haughty as a result of his blessings, and this led to their sinning with the daughters of Moav (see Numbers 25:1–3).
Another matter, “one who rebukes a man will later [aḥarai]” – Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: What is aḥarai? The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Moses, as it were, rebuked Me to follow Israel, and rebuked Israel to follow Me [aḥarai].’ To Israel, he said: “You have sinned” (Exodus 32:30). To the Holy One blessed be He, he said: “Why should Your wrath be enflamed against Your people?” (Exodus 32:11). What is “why”?⁴After all, this was stated in the immediate aftermath of the egregious sin of the Golden Calf. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: When Israel crafted the calf, the Holy One blessed be He sought to eradicate Israel’s enemies.⁵This is a euphemistic reference to Israel. Moses said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, this calf is useful to assist You.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘In what way can it assist Me?’ Moses said to Him: ‘If You cause the rain to fall, it can cause the dew to rise; You can produce the winds, and it, the lightning.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Are you, too, straying after the calf?’⁶How can you ascribe any power to this inanimate object? Moses said before Him: ‘Then, “why should Your wrath be enflamed against Your people?”’⁷Moses argued that God should not appear to be jealous of an object that actually has no power (Maharzu; see also Etz Yosef).
To Israel he said: “You have sinned a great sin” (Exodus 32:30). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: To what is this matter comparable? To a king who became angry at his wife. He struck her and expelled her from his house. The groomsmen heard about this. They went to the king and said to him: ‘Oh, my lord, is this what a man does to his wife? What did she do to you?’ They went to her and said to her: ‘Until when will you anger him? Is it your first time? Is it your second time?’ Moses, too, when he went to the Holy One blessed be He, he said to Him: ‘“Why should your wrath be enflamed against your people,” are they not Your children?’ When he went to Israel, he said to them: ‘Until when will you anger Him? Is it your first time? Is it your second time?’ Likewise it says: “In the wilderness, in the Arava, opposite the Red Sea.”⁸Moses, in mentioning these places to the Israelites, was alluding to various occasions on which they angered God.

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר משֶׁה, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים נ, כא): אֵלֶּה עָשִׂיתָ וְהֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי דִּמִּיתָ הֱיוֹת אֶהְיֶה כָמוֹךָ וגו', מַהוּ אֵלֶּה עָשִׂיתָ וְהֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן (שמות לב, ד): אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, עֲשִׂיתֶם בַּמִּדְבָּר וְהֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי לָכֶם, לָמָּה, שֶׁהָיָה משֶׁה מְפַיֵּס עָלַי וְאוֹמֵר לִי (במדבר יד, יט): סְלַח נָא, וְשָׁמַעְתִּי לוֹ. דִּמִּיתָ הֱיוֹת אֶהְיֶה כָמוֹךָ, דִּמִּיתֶם אֶת הַצּוּרָה לְיוֹצְרָהּ, וְאֶת הַנְּטִיעָה לְמִי שֶׁנְּטָעָהּ, (תהלים נ, כא): אוֹכִיחֲךָ וְאֶעֶרְכָה לְעֵינֶיךָ, תְּרֵין אָמוֹרָאִין, חַד אָמַר אֲעוֹרֵר כֹּל לְעֵינֶיךָ. וְחַד אָמַר אַסְדִּיר כֹּל לְעֵינֶיךָ. אָמַר לָהֶם משֶׁה אֵינִי מוֹכִיחַ אֶתְכֶם עַל מַה שֶּׁאַתֶּם עֲתִידִים לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶלָּא עַל מַה שֶּׁעֲשִׂיתֶם לְשֶׁעָבַר (דברים א, א): בַּמִּדְבָּר בָּעֲרָבָה מוֹל סוּף. Another matter: “These are the words that Moses spoke” – this is what the verse said: “You have done these, and I was silent. Did you think I was like you…?” (Psalms 50:21). What is “You have done these [eleh] and I was silent”? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: [God said:] ‘You performed [the sin of stating:] “This is [eleh] your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4) in the wilderness and I was silent to you. Why? It is because Moses was appeasing Me and saying to Me: “Please forgive […this people]” (Numbers 14:19), and I listened to him.’ “Did you think I was like you” – you likened a form to its Creator, and the plant to the One who planted it. “[Did you think I was like you,] that I would reprove you and set it [ve’e’erkha] before your eyes?” (Psalms 50:21). Two amora’im, one said: I will arouse [a’orer] it all before you, and one said: I will arrange it all before you.⁹God may still punish the Israelites for the sin of the Golden Calf, as the verse states, “on the day of My reckoning, I will reckon their sin upon them” (Exodus 32:34) (Etz Yosef). Moses said to them: ‘I am not rebuking you regarding what you are destined to perform, but rather, regarding what you performed in the past – “in the wilderness, in the Arava, opposite the Red Sea.”’

דָּבָר אַחֵר אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים. אָמַר רַבִּי אֲחָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא רְאוּיוֹת הָיוּ הַתּוֹכָחוֹת לוֹמַר מִפִּי בִּלְעָם, וְהַבְּרָכוֹת מִפִּי משֶׁה, אֶלָּא אִלּוּ הוֹכִיחָם בִּלְעָם, הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים שׂוֹנֵא מוֹכִיחֵנוּ, וְאִלּוּ בֵּרְכָם משֶׁה, הָיוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם אוֹמְרִים אוֹהֲבָן בֵּרְכָן. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹכִיחָן משֶׁה שֶׁאוֹהֲבָן, וִיבָרְכָן בִּלְעָם שֶׁשֹּׂוֹנְאָם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְבָּרְרוּ הַבְּרָכוֹת וְהַתּוֹכָחוֹת בְּיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל. Another matter: “These are the words” – Rabbi Aḥa ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: The rebukes should have been said from the mouth of Bilam, and the blessings from the mouth of Moses; however, had Bilam rebuked them, Israel would have said: ‘An enemy is rebuking us.’ Had Moses blessed them, the nations of the world would have said: ‘Their beloved is blessing them.’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Let Moses, who loves them, rebuke them, and Bilam, who hates them, bless them, so that it will be unquestionable that the blessings and the rebukes are deserved by Israel.’

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִלּוּ אַחֵר הוֹכִיחָן הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים זֶה מוֹכִיחֵנוּ משֶׁה שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (במדבר טז, טו): לֹא חֲמוֹר אֶחָד מֵהֶם נָשָׂאתִי, לָזֶה נָאֶה לְהוֹכִיחַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִלּוּ אַחֵר אוֹמֵר (שמות יח, יא): עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי גָדוֹל ה' וגו', הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים זֶה אוֹמֵר עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי, אֶלָּא יִתְרוֹ שֶׁהָיָה יוֹדֵעַ, שֶׁחִזֵּר עַל כָּל בָּתֵּי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם וְלֹא מָצָא בָהֶם מַמָּשׁ וְאַחַר כָּךְ בָּא וְנִתְגַּיֵּר, לָזֶה נָאֶה לוֹמַר עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִלּוּ אַחֵר אוֹמֵר (קהלת א, ב): הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים, הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים זֶה אֵין לוֹ פְּרוּטָה לֶאֱכֹל וְהוּא אוֹמֵר הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים, אֶלָּא שְׁלֹמֹה שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (מלכים א י, כז): וַיִּתֵּן הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת הַכֶּסֶף בִּיְרוּשָׁלָיִם כַּאֲבָנִים, לָזֶה נָאֶה לוֹמַר הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִלּוּ אַחֵר אוֹמֵר (קהלת ג, יא): אֶת הַכֹּל עָשָׂה יָפֶה בְעִתּוֹ, הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים זֶה לֹא אָכַל מְאוּמָה מִיָּמָיו וְהוּא אוֹמֵר אֶת הַכֹּל עָשָׂה יָפֶה בְעִתּוֹ, אֶלָּא שְׁלֹמֹה שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (מלכים א ה, ז): וְכִלְכְּלוּ הַנִּצָבִים הָאֵלֶּה וגו' וְלֹא יְעַדְּרוּ דָּבָר, מַאי וְלֹא יְעַדְּרוּ דָּבָר, אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בְּר' חֲנִינָא שֶׁהָיוּ מְבִיאִין לוֹ תְּרָדִין בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה וְקִשּׁוּאִין בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים, לָזֶה נָאֶה לוֹמַר אֶת הַכֹּל עָשָׂה יָפֶה בְעִתּוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִלּוּ אַחֵר אוֹמֵר (דניאל ד, לב): וְכָל דָּיְרֵי אַרְעָא כְּלָה חֲשִׁיבִין, הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים זֶה לֹא שָׁלַט עַל שְׁנֵי זְבוּבִין מִיָּמָיו וְהוּא אוֹמֵר וְכָל דָּיְרֵי אַרְעָא כְּלָה חֲשִׁיבִין, אֶלָּא נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (דניאל ב, לח): וּבְכָל דִּי דָאְרִין בְּנֵי אֲנָשָׁא חֵיוַת בְּרָא וְעוֹף שְׁמַיָא יְהַב בִּידָךְ וְהַשְׁלְטָךְ בְּכָלְּהוֹן, לָזֶה נָאֶה לוֹמַר וְכָל דָּיְרֵי אַרְעָא כְּלָה חֲשִׁיבִין. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִלּוּ אַחֵר אוֹמֵר (דברים לב, ד): הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ, הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים זֶה אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ טִיבָהּ שֶׁל מִדַּת הַדִּין, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ, אֶלָּא משֶׁה שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (תהלים קג, ז): יוֹדִיעַ דְּרָכָיו לְמשֶׁה, לָזֶה נָאֶה לוֹמַר הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ. Another matter, had another rebuked them, they would have said: ‘This is the one rebuking us?’ Moses, in whose regard it is written: “I did not take even a single donkey from them” (Numbers 16:15), that is the one appropriate to rebuke Israel.
Another matter, if another would have said: “[Yitro said…] Now I know that the Lord is greater [than all the gods]” (Exodus 18:10–11), they would have said: ‘This is the one saying “now I know”?’ But Yitro, who knew, who circulated among all the houses of idol worship in the world and did not find any substance in them, and then came to convert, that is the one for whom it was appropriate to say: “Now I know.”
Another matter, if another would have said: “Vanity of vanities, [all is vanity]” (Ecclesiastes 1:2), they would say: ‘This one does not have a peruta [to buy food] to eat, and he says “vanity of vanities”?’ But Solomon, in whose regard it is written: “The king caused silver to be in Jerusalem like stones” (I Kings 10:27), that is the one for whom it was appropriate to say: “Vanity of vanities.”
Another matter, if another would have said: “He made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11), they would say: ‘This one did not eat anything in all his days, and he says: “He made everything beautiful in its time”?’¹⁰He has never had a good meal or enjoyed the pleasures of life, so how can he said “He made everything beautiful in its time”? But in regard of Solomon, it is written: “These officials provisioned King Solomon…they did not leave anything lacking” (I Kings 5:7); what is “they did not leave anything lacking”? Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: They would bring him beets in the summer and cucumbers in the rainy season;¹¹These vegetables do not grow in the Land of Israel during those respective seasons, and therefore they had to be imported from other locations. that is the one for whom it was appropriate to say: “He made everything beautiful in its time.”
Another matter, if another would have said: “All the inhabitants of the earth are considered as nothing” (Daniel 4:32), they would say: ‘This one never ruled over two flies in all his days, and he says: “All the inhabitants of the earth are considered as nothing”?’ But Nebuchadnezzar, in whose regard it is written: “And everywhere the sons of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens dwell, He has given into your hand and set your rule over all of them” (Daniel 2:38), that is the one for whom it was appropriate to say: “All the inhabitants of the earth are considered as nothing.”
Another matter, if another would have said: “The Rock, His actions are perfect” (Deuteronomy 32:4), they would say: ‘This one does not know the about the essence of the attribute of justice, and he says: “The Rock, His actions are perfect”?’ But Moses, in whose regard it is written: “He informed Moses of His ways” (Psalms 103:7), that is the one for whom it was appropriate to say: “The Rock, His actions are perfect.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כִּדְּבוֹרִים הָיוּ בָּנַי מִתְנַהֲגִים בָּעוֹלָם עַל יְדֵי צַדִּיקִים וְעַל יְדֵי נְבִיאִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים, מָה הַדְּבוֹרָה הַזּוֹ דִּבְשָׁהּ מָתוֹק וְעֻקְּצָהּ מָר, כָּךְ הֵן דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, כָּל מִי שֶׁעוֹבֵר עֲלֵיהֶן נוֹטֵל אִפּוֹפָּסִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כ, י): מוֹת יוּמַת הַנֹּאֵף וְהַנֹּאָפֶת, (שמות לא, יד): מְחַלְלֶיהָ מוֹת יוּמָת. וְכָל מִי שֶׁמְקַיֵּם אוֹתָהּ זוֹכֶה לְחַיִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ, יב): לְמַעַן יַאֲרִכוּן יָמֶיךָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים, מָה הַדְּבוֹרָה הַזּוֹ דֻּבְשָׁהּ לְבַעְלָהּ וְעֻקְּצָהּ לַאֲחֵרִים, כָּךְ הֵן דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, סַם חַיִּים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְסַם הַמָּוֶת לְעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי, מָה הַדְּבוֹרָה הַזֹּאת כָּל מַה שֶּׁהִיא מְסַגֶּלֶת, מְסַגֶּלֶת לִבְעָלֶיהָ, כָּךְ כָּל מַה שֶּׁיִשְׂרָאֵל מְסַגְּלִין מִצְווֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, הֵם מְסַגְּלִים לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם. Another matter: “These are the words [hadevarim]” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘My children were led in the world like bees [kadevorim] by the righteous and by prophets.’¹²Bees follow in a swarm after the queen, and so too Israel follows their righteous individuals and prophets.
Another matter: “these are the words [hadevarim]” – just as the bee [hadevora], its honey is sweet and its sting is bitter, so are matters of Torah. Anyone who violates them receives a punishment, as it is stated: “The adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death” (Leviticus 20:10); “its desecrators shall be put to death” (Exodus 31:14). But anyone who fulfills them merits life, as it is stated: “So that your days will be extended” (Exodus 20:12).
Another matter, “these are the words [hadevarim]” – just as the bee [hadevora], its honey goes to its owner and its sting to others, so are matters of Torah. They are an elixir of life for Israel and a lethal drug for the idolaters.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Just as the bee, everything that it amasses, it amasses for its owner, so, too, all the mitzvot and good deeds that Israel amass, they amass for their Father in Heaven.

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְאָדָם שֶׁהָיָה מוֹכֵר אַרְגָּמָן וְהָיָה מַכְרִיז הֲרֵי אַרְגָּמָן, הֵצִיץ הַמֶּלֶךְ וְשָׁמַע אֶת קוֹלוֹ, קָרָא אוֹתוֹ וְאָמַר לוֹ, מָה אַתָּה מוֹכֵר, אָמַר לוֹ לֹא כְלוּם, אָמַר לוֹ אֲנִי שָׁמַעְתִּי אֶת קוֹלְךָ שֶׁהָיִיתָ אוֹמֵר הֲרֵי אַרְגָּמָן, וְאַתָּה אוֹמֵר לֹא כְלוּם, אָמַר לוֹ מָרִי אֱמֶת אַרְגָּמָן הוּא, אֶלָּא אֶצְלְךָ אֵינוֹ כְּלוּם. כָּךְ משֶׁה, לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁבָּרָא אֶת הַפֶּה וְאֶת הַדִּבּוּר, אָמַר (שמות ד, י): לֹא אִישׁ דְּבָרִים אָנֹכִי, אֲבָל אֵצֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּתִיב בּוֹ, אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים. Another matter: “These are the words” – Rabbi Tanḥuma said: To what is the matter comparable? It is to a person who was selling purple wool and was proclaiming: ‘Here is purple wool.’ The king peered and heard his voice. He called him and said to him: ‘What are you selling?’ He said to him: ‘Nothing.’ He said to him: ‘I heard your voice, you were saying: Here is purple wool, and you say: Nothing?’ He said to him: ‘My master, truth is that it is purple wool, but for you it is nothing.’¹³Purple wool was considered a luxury item. The seller was saying that he was announcing to the masses that he had purple wool, but it was not of a quality worthy of a king, and therefore to the king he said that he had nothing (Etz Yosef). So, Moses, before the Holy One blessed be He, who created the mouth and speech, he said: “I am not a man of words” (Exodus 4:10). But with Israel, it is written in his regard: “These are the words.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי סִימוֹן כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה שֶׁיִּשְׁנֶה הַתּוֹרָה, לֹא הָיָה מְבַקֵּשׁ לְהוֹכִיחָן עַל מַה שֶּׁעָשׂוּ, אָמַר רַבִּי סִימוֹן לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְתַלְמִיד שֶׁהָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ עִם רַבּוֹ וְרָאָה גַּחֶלֶת מֻשְׁלֶכֶת, סָבוּר שֶׁהִיא אֶבֶן טוֹבָה, נָטַל אוֹתָהּ וְנִכְוָה, לְאַחַר יָמִים הָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ עִם רַבּוֹ וְרָאָה אֶבֶן טוֹבָה, הָיָה סָבוּר בָּהּ שֶׁהִיא גַחֶלֶת, וְהָיָה מִתְיָרֵא לִגַּע בָּהּ, אָמַר לוֹ רַבּוֹ טֹל אוֹתָהּ אֶבֶן טוֹבָה הִיא. כָּךְ אָמַר משֶׁה בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לָהֶן (במדבר כ, י): שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמֹּרִים, נָטַלְתִּי שֶׁלִּי מִתַּחַת יְדֵיהֶן, וְעַכְשָׁו אֲנִי בָּא לְהוֹכִיחָן, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא משֶׁה אַל תִּתְיָרֵא. Another matter: Rabbi Simon said: When the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses that he should review the Torah, he did not seek to rebuke them for what they had done.¹⁴Moses was going to review the Torah with the Israelites, but he did not intend to rebuke them. Rabbi Simon said: To what is the matter comparable? To a disciple who was walking with his teacher and saw a glowing ember. He thought it was a gem. He took it and was burned. Days later, he was walking with his teacher and he saw a gem. He believed it was a glowing ember and he was afraid to touch it. His teacher said to him: ‘Take it, it is a gem.’ So, Moses said: ‘Because I said to them: “Hear, now, defiant ones” (Numbers 20:10), I received my punishment because of them;¹⁵Moses was punished by not be able to enter the Land of Israel; see Numbers 20:10–12. will I now come to rebuke them?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Fear not.’

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים, רַבָּנִין אָמְרִין, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, הוֹאִיל וְקִבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶן תּוֹכְחוֹתֶיךָ צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לְבָרְכָן, מִיָּד חָזַר וּבֵרְכָן, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים א, י): ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הִרְבָּה וגו', וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁכָּל הַמְקַבֵּל תּוֹכָחָה זוֹכֶה לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁכֵּן שְׁלֹמֹה מְפָרֵשׁ (משלי כד, כה): וְלַמּוֹכִיחִים יִנְעָם וַעֲלֵיהֶם תָּבוֹא בִרְכַּת טוֹב. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הֱיִיתֶם מִתְבָּרְכִין עַל יְדֵי אֲחֵרִים, לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא אֲנִי אֲבָרֵךְ אֶתְכֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים סז, ב): אֱלֹהִים יְחָנֵנוּ וִיבָרְכֵנוּ וגו'. “The Lord your God has multiplied you, and, behold, you are today as the stars of the heavens in abundance” (Deuteronomy 1:10).
Another matter: “These are the words” – the Rabbis say: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Since they accepted your rebukes, you must bless them.’ He then immediately blessed them. From where is it derived? As it is stated: “The Lord your God has multiplied [you]….”¹⁶The following verse states: “May the Lord, God of your fathers, add to you one thousand times as you are, and He will bless you, as He spoke to you” (Deuteronomy 1:11). From where is it derived that anyone who accepts rebuke merits a blessing? It is from what Solomon articulates: “For those who rebuke it will be pleasant, and a blessing of goodness will come upon them” (Proverbs 24:25). The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘In this world, you were blessed by others. In the future, I will bless you,’ as it is stated: “May God be gracious to us and bless us…” (Psalms 67:2).

ה' אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם (דברים א, יא): הֲלָכָה אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּתְמַנָּה חָכָם אוֹ דַיָן עַל הַצִּבּוּר, מַהוּ שֶׁיְהֵא מוּתָּר לוֹ לָדוֹן לְעַצְמוֹ. כָּךְ שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אַל תְּהִי דָן יְחִידִי, שֶׁאֵין דָן יְחִידִי אֶלָּא אֶחָד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב כג, יג): וְהוּא בְאֶחָד וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנוּ. וּמַהוּ וְהוּא בְאֶחָד, אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דָּן וְחוֹתֵם לְעַצְמוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי רְאוּבֵן וּמַהוּ חֹתָמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֱמֶת, וְלָמָּה אֱמֶת, אֱמֶת יֵשׁ בּוֹ שָׁלשׁ אוֹתִיּוֹת, אָלֶ''ף רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל אוֹתִיּוֹת, מֶ''ם אֶמְצָעִית, תי''ו סוֹפָן, לוֹמַר (ישעיה מד, ו): אֲנִי רִאשׁוֹן וַאֲנִי אַחֲרוֹן וּמִבַּלְעָדַי אֵין אֱלֹהִים. רַבָּנִין אָמְרֵי בּוֹא וּרְאֵה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנִּתְמַנָּה משֶׁה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמַר לָהֶן אֵינִי יָכוֹל לִשָֹּׂא אֶת מַשָֹּׂאֲכֶם לְעַצְמִי אֶלָּא מַנּוּ לָכֶם דַּיָּנִים שֶׁיִּהְיוּ דָנִין אֶתְכֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים א, יג): הָבוּ לָכֶם אֲנָשִׁים. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, צְרִיכִין הַדַּיָּנִין שֶׁיְהֵא בָּהֶן שֶׁבַע מִדּוֹת, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן (דברים א, יג): חֲכָמִים וּנְבֹנִים, וִידֻעִים, וְאַרְבַּע כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב לְהַלָּן (שמות יח, כא): וְאַתָּה תֶחֱזֶה מִכָּל הָעָם וגו', הֲרֵי שֶׁבַע. וְלָמָּה לֹא נִכְתְּבוּ שֶׁבַע כְּאֶחָת, שֶׁאִם לֹא נִמְצְאוּ מִשֶּׁבַע מֵבִיא מֵאַרְבַּע, וְאִם לֹא נִמְצְאוּ מֵאַרְבַּע מֵבִיא מִשָּׁלשׁ, וְאִם לֹא נִמְצְאוּ מִשָּׁלשׁ מֵבִיא מֵאֶחָד, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב (משלי לא, י): אֵשֶׁת חַיִל מִי יִמְצָא. (דברים א, יג): וַאֲשִׂימֵם בְּרָאשֵׁיכֶם, וַאֲשִׂמֵם כְּתִיב. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר לָהֶן משֶׁה אִם אִי אַתֶּם נִשְׁמָעִים לָהֶם, אַשְׁמָה תָּלוּי בְּרָאשֵׁיכֶם. לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לַנָּחָשׁ הַזֶּה שֶׁאָמַר הַזָּנָב לָרֹאשׁ עַד מָתַי אַתָּה מִתְהַלֵּךְ תְּחִלָּה, אֲנִי אֵלֵךְ תְּחִלָּה, אָמַר לוֹ לֵךְ, הָלַךְ וּמָצָא גוּמָא שֶׁל מַיִם וְהִשְׁלִיכוֹ לְתוֹכָהּ, מָצָא אֵשׁ וְהִשְׁלִיכוֹ לְתוֹכוֹ, מָצָא קוֹצִים וְהִשְׁלִיכוֹ לְתוֹכָן, מִי גָרַם לוֹ עַל שֶׁהָלַךְ הָרֹאשׁ אַחַר הַזָּנָב. כָּךְ כְּשֶׁהַקְּטַנִּים נִשְׁמָעִים לַגְּדוֹלִים הֵם גּוֹזְרִים לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם וְהוּא עוֹשֶׂה, וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁהַגְּדוֹלִים מְהַלְּכִין אַחַר הַקְּטַנִּים נוֹפְלִים לְאַחַר פְּנֵיהֶם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָא לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְכַלָּה שֶׁהָיְתָה עוֹמֶדֶת בְּתוֹךְ חֻפָּתָהּ וְנִתְפַּחֲמוּ יָדֶיהָ, אִם מְקַנַּחַת הִיא אוֹתָם בַּכֹּתֶל הַכֹּתֶל מִתְפַּחֵם וְיָדֶיהָ אֵין מִתְנַקּוֹת, וְאִם בִּפְסֵיפָס הַפְּסֵיפָס מִתְפַּחֵם וְיָדֶיהָ אֵין מִתְנַקּוֹת, וְאִם מְקַנַּחַת הִיא בִּשְׂעָרָהּ, שְׂעָרָהּ הִיא מִתְנָאָה וְיָדֶיהָ מִתְנַקּוֹת. כָּךְ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל שׁוֹמְעִין לִגְדוֹלֵיהֶם וְאֵין גְּדוֹלִים עוֹשִׂים צָרְכֵיהֶם, אַשְׁמָה תְּלוּיָה בְּרֹאשָׁם שֶׁל גְּדוֹלִים, וְאִם לָאו תְּלוּיָה בְּרָאשֵׁיהֶן שֶׁל עַצְמָם. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל נִשְׁמָעִים לִגְדוֹלֵיהֶם וְאֵין גְּדוֹלֵיהֶן עוֹשִׂים צָרְכֵיהֶם, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה (ישעיה ג, יד): ה' בְּמִשְׁפָּט יָבוֹא עִם זִקְנֵי עַמּוֹ וְשָׂרָיו, וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה שֶׁמַּשְֹּׂאוֹי שֶׁל צִבּוּר קָשֶׁה וְאֵין אָדָם יָחִיד יָכוֹל לִשָֹּׂא מַשָֹּׂאָן שֶׁל צִבּוּר בְּעַצְמוֹ, תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁהֲרֵי משֶׁה רַבָּן שֶׁל כָּל הַנְּבִיאִים לֹא הָיָה יָכֹל לָשֵׂאת מַשְֹּׂאוֹי שֶׁל צִבּוּר לְעַצְמוֹ, מִנַּיִן (דברים א, ט): וָאֹמַר אֲלֵכֶם בָּעֵת הַהִוא וגו', בְּאֵיזוֹ עֵת, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר בְּעֵת יִתְרוֹ, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב (שמות יח, יח): כִּי כָבֵד מִמְּךָ הַדָּבָר לֹא תוּכַל עֲשׂהוּ לְבַדֶּךָ. רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר בְּעֵת מִתְאוֹנְנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יא, יד): לֹא אוּכַל אָנֹכִי לְבַדִּי לָשֵׂאת אֶת כָּל הָעָם הַזֶּה וגו'. (במדבר יא, יב): הֶאָנֹכִי הָרִיתִי וגו'. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ (ישעיה מו, ג): הָעֲמֻסִים מִנִּי בֶטֶן וגו', אַתָּה נָאֶה לְךָ לִטְעֹן אוֹתָן, אָמַר משֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל חַיֵּיכֶם שֶׁאֲנִי יָכוֹל לִטְעֹן עֲשָׂרָה כַּיּוֹצֵא בָכֶם, וְלָמָּה אֵינִי יָכוֹל לָשֵׂאת אֶתְכֶם, שֶׁה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הִרְבָּה אֶתְכֶם עַל גַּבֵּי דַיָּנֵיכֶם, מִנַּיִן, מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרִינוּ בָּעִנְיָן (דברים א, י): ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הִרְבָּה אֶתְכֶם. “May the Lord, God of your fathers, add to you one thousand times as you are, and He will bless you, as He spoke to you” (Deuteronomy 1:11).
“The Lord, God of your fathers” – halakha: Is it permitted for a man of Israel who was appointed as Sage or judge over the congregation to sit in judgment by himself? So taught our Rabbis: Do not judge alone, as there is only One who judges alone, as it is stated: “He is One, who can respond to Him?” (Job 23:13). What is “He is One”? Reish Lakish said: It is that the Holy One blessed be He judges and issues the ruling by Himself.
Rabbi Reuven said: What is the seal of the Holy One blessed be He? It is truth. Why is it truth [emet]? Emet has three letters: Alef – the first of the letters; mem – the middle one; tav – the last of them, saying: “I am first and I am last and besides Me there is no God” (Isaiah 44:6).
“Provide for yourselves men who are wise, understanding, and known to your tribes, and I will place them at your head” (Deuteronomy 1:13).
The Rabbis said: Come and see, when Moses was appointed over them, he said to them: ‘I am unable to bear your burden by myself; instead, appoint judges for yourselves, so that they will judge you,’ as it is stated: “Provide for yourselves men…”
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: Judges must have seven attributes, and they are: “Wise, understanding, and known to your tribes,” and four [additional attributes], as it is written elsewhere: “You shall identify from all the people [accomplished men, fearers of God, men of truth, haters of ill-gotten gain]” (Exodus 18:21). Why were the seven not written at once? It is [to indicate] that if [individuals] with the seven [attributes] are not found, one brings [individuals] who have four. If [individuals] with four are not found, one brings [individuals] who have three. If [individuals] with three are not found, one brings [individuals] with one, as so it is written: “An accomplished woman who can find?” (Proverbs 31:10).¹⁷This indicates that it is difficult to find even one individual who is accomplished, and being acccomplished is but one of the seven attributes that one should look for in a judge; if one finds one with this characteristic, one should appoint him (see Etz Yosef; Anaf Yosef).
“And I will place them [vaasimem] at your head” – vaasimem is written without a yod.¹⁸Thus, it can be read vaashamam, their guilt. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Moses said to them: ‘If you do not heed them, the guilt will be on your heads.’ To what is the matter comparable? To a serpent whose tail said to the head: ‘Until when will you go first? Let me go first.’ [The head] said to it: ‘Go.’ It went and encountered a water hole and cast [the head] into it. It went and encountered fire, and cast [the head] into the fire. It encountered thorns, and cast [the head] into them. What caused this? It is because the head followed the tail. So, when the lowly heed the great, [the great individuals] decree before the Omnipresent and He performs [their will].¹⁹They can pray and abolish any negative decrees that may have been decreed upon the people (Maharzu). But when the great follow the lowly, they fall [due to] those they are following.
Another matter, Rabbi Hoshaya said: To what is the matter comparable? To a bride who was standing under her wedding canopy and her hands became sooty. If she wipes them on the wall, the wall will become sooty and her hands will not be cleaned; if [she wipes them] on the floor mosaic, the floor mosaic will become sooty and her hands will not be cleaned. But if she wipes them on her hair, her hair will be beautified and her hands will be cleaned. So, when Israel heed their great ones, and their great ones do not attend to their needs,²⁰If they do not provide proper leadership. the guilt is on the head of the great ones, but if not, [the guilt] will be on their own heads. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: When Israel heed their great ones and their great ones do not attend to their needs, at that moment: “The Lord will enter into judgment with the elders of His people and its princes” (Isaiah 3:14).
Why to that extent?²¹This question refers back to what was stated at the beginning of this passage (Devarim Rabba 1:10), that one should not judge alone (Maharzu). Because the burden of the congregation is very difficult, and no one person is capable of bearing the burden of the congregation by himself. Know that this is so, as Moses, master of all the prophets, was unable to bear the burden of the congregation by himself. From where is it derived? “I spoke to you at that time [saying: I am unable to bear you alone]” (Deuteronomy 1:9). At what time? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: At the time of Yitro’s [visit]. From where is this derived? As it is written: “As the matter is too arduous for you; you cannot do it by yourself” (Exodus 18:18). Rabbi Ḥiyya said: At the time of the complainers, as it is stated: “I cannot bear this entire people alone, because it is too heavy for me” (Numbers 11:14).
“Did I conceive [this entire people; did I give birth to it?]” (Numbers 11:12) – Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, you said: “Who have been borne [by Me] from birth, [who are carried from the womb]” (Isaiah 46:3) – it is appropriate for You to bear them.’
Moses said to Israel: ‘As you live, I am capable of bearing ten like you. Why, then, am I not capable of bearing you? It is because the Lord your God has multiplied you beyond the capability of your judges.’²²Moses was capable of judging a nation ten times as large as Israel, but God bestowed upon them such blessing that they became haughty and could not bear to see another benefit at their expense, and therefore they would be quick to run to the judges to press their claims (Etz Yosef). From where is it derived? It is from what we read regarding the matter: “The Lord your God has multiplied you” (Deuteronomy 1:10).

דָּבָר אַחֵר, ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הִרְבָּה אֶתְכֶם (דברים א, י), זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים ה, ח): אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה אֶל הֵיכַל קָדְשְׁךָ בְּיִרְאָתֶךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי אִלְעָאי בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן זִמְרָה, כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְאַבְרָהָם שֶׁיִּגְאַל אֶת בָּנָיו בְּב' אוֹתִיּוֹת, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב (בראשית טו, יד): וְגַם אֶת הַגּוֹי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲבֹדוּ דָּן אָנֹכִי. כְּשֶׁבָּא לְגָאֳלָם, גְּאָלָם בְּשִׁבְעִים וּשְׁתַּיִם אוֹתִיּוֹת. אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן מִלָּבוֹא לָקַחַת לוֹ גוֹי (דברים ד, לד): עַד סוֹף הַפָּסוּק ע''ב אוֹתִיּוֹת. רַבִּי אָבִין אָמַר בִּשְׁמוֹ גְּאָלָם, וּשְׁמוֹ ע''ב אוֹתִיּוֹת. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי אִלְעָאי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן זִמְרָה מִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא גִּלָּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ שֶׁיִּתֵּן לְבָנָיו אֶת הַמָּן, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא כָּךְ הִיא דַּרְכָּן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים אוֹמְרִים מְעַט וְעוֹשִׂין הַרְבֵּה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא גִּלָּה אוֹתוֹ לָהֶן, שֶׁאִלּוּ גִּלָּה אוֹתוֹ לָהֶן הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים כְּבָר אָכַלְנוּ אוֹתוֹ עַל שֻׁלְחָנוֹ שֶׁל פַּרְעֹה, תֵּדַע לְךָ, תֶּבֶן לֹא הָיוּ נוֹתְנִין לָהֶן וְהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים (במדבר יא, ה): זָכַרְנוּ אֶת הַדָּגָה וגו', לְפִיכָךְ לֹא גִּלָּה לָהֶן. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי אִלְעָאי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן זִמְרָה, כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְאַבְרָהָם שֶׁמְּגַדֵּל בָּנָיו כַּכּוֹכָבִים, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית טו, ה): כֹּה יִהְיֶה זַרְעֶךָ, וּכְשֶׁבָּא לְבָרְכָן בֵּרְכָן יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁאָמַר לָהֶם, מַהוּ (דברים א, י): לָרוֹב, (בראשית כב, יז): הַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה, מַהוּ אוֹמֵר (תהלים יח, מד): תְּפַלְטֵנִי מֵרִיבֵי עָם תְּשִׂימֵנִי וגו', אֶלָּא אָמַר דָּוִד (שמואל ב כב, מד): וַתְּפַלְּטֵנִי מֵרִיבֵי עַמִּי, שֶׁלֹא יְהֵא לִי דִּין אֶצְלָן, תְּפַלְטֵנִי מֵרִיבֵי עָם, שֶׁלֹא יְהֵא לָהֶם דִּין אֶצְלִי, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, דָּוִד, מָה אַתָּה יוֹשֵׁב לְךָ אֶצְלָן, חַיֶּיךָ כְּבָר מִנִּיתִי אוֹתְךָ מֶלֶךְ עֲלֵיהֶם. אָמַר לְפָנָיו הוֹאִיל וּמִנִּיתָ אוֹתִי עַל בָּנֶיךָ, תֵּן לָהֶם לֵב שֶׁיִּשָּׁמְעוּ לִי בָנֶיךָ, שֶׁכֵּן כְּתִיב (תהלים יח, מה): לְשֵׁמַע אֹזֶן יִשָּׁמְעוּ לִי. וְעוֹד אָמַר דָּוִד (תהלים יח, מד): תְּשִׂימֵנִי לְרֹאשׁ גּוֹיִם, אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה אִם דַּנְתָּ אֶת הַגּוֹי בָּא הוּא וּמוֹסֶרְךָ לָאֱלוֹהַּ, וּמִי הוּא, אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱלֹהִים הָרוֹאֶה וְאֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה. אָמַר לָהֶן משֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל חַיֵּיכֶם שֶׁאֲנִי יָכוֹל לִטְעֹן עֲשָׂרָה כַּיּוֹצֵא בָכֶם וּמֵאָה כַּיּוֹצֵא בָכֶם, וְלָמָּה לֹא אוּכַל לְבַדִּי שְׂאֵת אֶתְכֶם, שֶׁה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הִרְבָּה אֶתְכֶם עַל גַּבֵּי דַיָּנֵיכֶם. 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.’

ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הִרְבָּה אֶתְכֶם וְהִנְכֶם הַיּוֹם כְּכוֹכְבֵי וגו' (דברים א, י), אָמַר לָהֶן הַיּוֹם אַתֶּם כַּכּוֹכָבִים, אֲבָל לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, לָרֹב, אַתֶּם עֲתִידִים לִהְיוֹת דּוֹמִין לְרַבְּכֶם, כֵּיצַד, כְּתִיב כָּאן (דברים ד, כד): כִּי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵשׁ אֹכְלָה, וּכְתִיב בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא (ישעיה י, יז): וְהָיָה אוֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאֵשׁ וּקְדוֹשׁוֹ לְלֶהָבָה. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בַּר חָמָא, וּמַה מִּי שֶׁעוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים הֲרֵי הוּא כְּמוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קטו, ח): כְּמוֹהֶם יִהְיוּ עֹשֵׂיהֶם כֹּל אֲשֶׁר בֹּטֵחַ בָּהֶם, מִי שֶׁעוֹבֵד לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כְּמוֹתוֹ, וּמִנַּיִן, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב (ירמיה יז, ז): בָּרוּךְ הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בַּה' וגו'. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא עָתִיד מְחִצָּתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לִהְיוֹת לִפְנִים מִמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, וְהֵם שׁוֹאֲלִים לָהֶם מַה הֲלָכוֹת חִדֵּשׁ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הַיּוֹם. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בַּר חֲנִינָא וְאַל תִּתְמַהּ אַף בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הָיְתָה מְחִצָּתָן לִפְנִים מִמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל ג, כה): וְרֵוֵהּ דִּי רְבִיעָאָה דָּמֵה לְבַר אֱלָהִין, שֶׁהָיוּ לִפְנִים מֵהַמַּלְאָךְ, וְהוּא מְכַבֶּה לִפְנֵיהֶם הָאֵשׁ. “The Lord your God has multiplied you, and, behold, you are today as the stars [of the heavens in abundance [larov]]” (Deuteronomy 1:10) – he said to them: ‘Today you are like the stars, but in the future, “larov” – you are destined to be similar to your Master [lerabkhem].’ How so? Here it is written: “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire” (Deuteronomy 4:24), and regarding Israel in the future it is written: “And the light of Israel will be a fire and its Holy One a flame” (Isaiah 10:17). Rabbi Levi bar Ḥama said: If one who worships an idol becomes like it, as it is stated: “Those who craft them, all who place their trust in them, will become like them” (Psalms 115:8), one who worships the Holy One blessed be He, all the more so that he will be like Him. From where is this derived? As it is written: “Blessed is the man who places his trust in the Lord…” (Jeremiah 17:7).
Another matter, Rabbi Abba said: In the future, the partition of the righteous will be farther inside than that of the ministering angels,³⁰The righteous will be closer to the Divine Presence. and [the angels] will ask them: ‘What halakhot did the Holy One blessed be He introduce today?’ Rabbi Levi bar Ḥanina said: Do not wonder, as even in this world their partition is farther inside than that of the ministering angels, as it is stated: “[I see four men…and the fourth resembles a son of the gods” (Daniel 3:25); they were farther inside than the angel, and he would extinguish the fire before them.³¹When Ḥananya, Mishael and Azarya were thrown into the fiery furnace and were unharmed, the people outside saw a fourth figure, which was an angel. The fact that he is described as the fourth implies that he was following them, yet he was still able to extinguish the fire before them so they would not be harmed (Matnot Kehuna). Alternatively, they walked before the angel in the fire and were not harmed, or perhaps even protected the angel from harm (see Etz Yosef).

ה' אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם וגו' (דברים א, יא), אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב, לְהַבִּיט בְּבִרְכוֹתָיו שֶׁל משֶׁה יֵשׁ בָּהֶן מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם עַד סוֹפוֹ, מַה כְּתִיב (דברים א, יא): אֶלֶף פְּעָמִים, אֶלֶף פַּעַם אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא פְּעָמִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, (דברים א, יא): יוֹסֵף עֲלֵיכֶם כָּכֶם, אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא יְכוֹלִין הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לוֹמַר לוֹ, רַבֵּנוּ משֶׁה, אָנוּ יֵשׁ בָּנוּ אֶחָד מִכָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹכִיחֵנוּ וְקִבַּלְנוּ תּוֹכְחוֹתֶיךָ, אֶלָּא שָׁתְקוּ, לְפִיכָךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר כָּכֶם, צַדִּיקִים כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּכֶם, מְקַבְּלִים תּוֹכָחוֹת וְשׁוֹתְקִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לָמָּה בֵּרְכָן בִּלְשׁוֹן תּוֹסֶפֶת, שֶׁתּוֹסַפְתּוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יְתֵרָה מִן הָעִקָּר, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, אָדָם לוֹקֵחַ מֵחֲבֵרוֹ לִיטְרָא שֶׁל בָּשָׂר וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ הוֹסֵף לִי, כַּמָּה הוֹסִיף לוֹ אוּנְקְיָא, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא תּוֹסַפְתּוֹ יְתֵרָה מִן הָעִקָּר, כֵּיצַד, יִצְחָק הָיָה עִקָּר לְאַבְרָהָם, וּמַה שֶּׁהוֹסִיף לוֹ יוֹתֵר מִן הָעִקָּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כה, א): וַיֹּסֶף אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקַּח אִשָּׁה וגו'. יוֹסֵף הָיָה עִקָּר לְאִמּוֹ, בִּנְיָמִין שֶׁהָיָה תּוֹסֶפֶת, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ל, כד): יֹסֵף ה' לִי בֵּן אַחֵר, מַה כְּתִיב (בראשית מו, כא): וּבְנֵי בִנְיָמִין בֶּלַע וָבֶכֶר וְאַשְׁבֵּל וגו', הֲרֵי יוֹתֵר מִיּוֹסֵף. חִזְקִיָּה עִקַּר מַלְכוּתוֹ אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, וּמַה שֶּׁהוֹסִיף לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹתֵר מִן הָעִקָּר, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה לח, ה): הִנְנִי יוֹסִף עַל יָמֶיךָ חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, שֶׁתּוֹסַפְתּוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יְתֵרָה עַל הָעִקָּר. לְפִיכָךְ בֵּרְכָן בִּלְשׁוֹן תּוֹסָפֶת. (דברים א, יא): וִיבָרֵךְ אֶתְכֶם, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁאָמַר לְשַׂר הַצָּבָא שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ לְחַלֵּק לְלִגְיוֹנוֹתָיו מִלִּיטְרָא לִיטְרָא שֶׁל זָהָב, הָלַךְ וְנָתַן לָהֶם מֵחֲמִשָּׁה חֲמִשָּׁה זְהוּבִים וּמֵעֲשָׂרָה זְהוּבִים. אָמְרוּ לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ אָמַר לְךָ שֶׁתִּתֵּן לָנוּ מִלִּיטְרָא לִיטְרָא שֶׁל זָהָב, וְנָתַתָּ לָנוּ מֵחֲמִשָּׁה חֲמִשָּׁה זְהוּבִים, אָמַר לָהֶן מִשֶּׁלִּי הֵן כְּשֶׁיָּבוֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ הוּא יִתֵּן לָכֶם מִשֶּׁלּוֹ. כָּךְ אָמְרוּ לוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל רַבֵּנוּ משֶׁה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא נָתַן קִצְּבָה לְבִרְכוֹתֵינוּ וְאַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ אֶלֶף פְּעָמִים, אָמַר לָהֶם מַה שֶּׁבֵּרַכְתִי אֶתְכֶם מִשֶּׁלִּי בֵּרַכְתִּי, כְּשֶׁיָּבוֹא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶתְכֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָכֶם. “The Lord, God of your fathers [shall add to you one thousand times as you are…]” (Deuteronomy 1:11) – Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov said: In considering Moses’s blessings, they contain [unlimited blessing] from one end of the world to the other. What is written? “One thousand times [pe’amim]” – “one thousand times [paam]” is not written here, but rather, “one thousand times [pe’amim].”³²The plural term pe’amim is employed, rather than the singular paam. This is expounded to mean one thousand times one thousand.
Another matter, “shall add to you…as you are” – Rabbi Aḥa said: Israel could have said to him: ‘Our master Moses, are we responsible for any of the matters regarding which you are rebuking us?’³³They could have responded to him that he was rebuking them for the sins of their parents, for which they were not responsible (Etz Yosef). Nevertheless, they accepted his rebukes and were silent.³⁴Translation based on the textual emendation suggested in Etz Yosef. That is why it says: “As you are” – righteous like you, who receive rebukes and are silent.
Another matter, why did he bless them with an expression of addition? It is because the addition of the Holy One, blessed be He, is larger than the principal. The way of the world is that a person takes from another a litra of meat, and says to him: ‘Add more for me.’ How much does he add for him? One ounce. But the Holy One blessed be He, His addition is larger than the principal. How so? Isaac was the principal son for Abraham. But what He added for [Abraham] was more numerous than the principal, as it is stated: “Abraham took an additional wife” (Genesis 25:1).³⁵Abraham’s additional wife, Keturah, bore him six sons (see Genesis 25:2); many more than the one son, Isaac, who was his principal son.
Joseph was the principal son for Rachel, Benjamin was an addition. From where is this derived? As it is written: “May the Lord add another son for me” (Genesis 30:24). What is written? “And the sons of Benjamin: Bela, Bekher, and Ashbel…” (Genesis 46:21) – they are more than Joseph.³⁶Benjamin had ten sons, many more than Joseph, who had only two sons.
Hezekiah’s principal reign was fourteen years. What the Holy One blessed be He added for him was more numerous than the principal. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “I will add fifteen years to your days” (Isaiah 38:5) – the addition of the Holy One blessed be He was more numerous than the principal. That is why [Moses] blessed them with an expression of addition.
“And He will bless you” (Deuteronomy 1:11) – Rabbi Levi said: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who told the commander of his army to distribute to each of his soldiers a litra of gold.³⁷There are one hundred gold pieces in a litra. He went and gave some of them five gold pieces and some of them ten gold pieces. They said to him: ‘The king told you to give each of us a litra of gold, and you gave each of us five gold pieces?’ He said to them: ‘These are from what is mine; when the king comes, he will give you from what is his.’ So Israel said to Moses: ‘The Holy One blessed be He did not set a limit for our blessings, and you said one thousand times?’ He said to them: ‘What I blessed you, I blessed you from my own; the Holy One blessed be He will bless you “as He spoke to you”’ (Deuteronomy 1:11).

דָּבָר אַחֵר, ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הִרְבָּה אֶתְכֶם וגו', לָמָּה בֵּרַךְ אוֹתָם כַּכּוֹכָבִים, מָה הַכּוֹכָבִים הַלָּלוּ מַעֲלוֹת עַל גַּבֵּי מַעֲלוֹת, כָּךְ הֵן יִשְׂרָאֵל מַעֲלוֹת עַל גַּבֵּי מַעֲלוֹת. מָה הַכּוֹכָבִים הַלָּלוּ אֵין לָהֶם לֹא חֵקֶר וְלֹא מִנְיָן, כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין לָהֶם לֹא חֵקֶר וְלֹא מִנְיָן. מָה הַכּוֹכָבִים שַׁלִּיטִים מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ, כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל. אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם לָמָּה לֹא מָשַׁלְתָּ אֶת בָּנֶיךָ בַּחַמָּה וּבַלְּבָנָה שֶׁהֵם גְּדוֹלִים מִכּוֹכָבִים, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, חַיֶּיךָ חַמָּה וּלְבָנָה יֵשׁ לָהֶם בּוּשָׁה לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, מִנַּיִן, דִּכְתִיב (ישעיה כד, כג): וְחָפְרָה הַלְּבָנָה וּבוֹשָׁה הַחַמָּה וגו', אֲבָל הַכּוֹכָבִים אֵין לָהֶם בּוּשָׁה לְעוֹלָם, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכֵּן כְּתִיב (יואל ב, כז): וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי בְקֶרֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל אָנִי וַאֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְאֵין עוֹד וְלֹא יֵבשׁוּ עַמִּי לְעוֹלָם. Another matter, “the Lord your God has multiplied you, [and, behold, you are today as the stars of the heavens in abundance]” (Deuteronomy 1:10) – why did he bless them like the stars? Just as among the stars, there are levels upon levels, so, too, among Israel there are levels upon levels.³⁸Priests, Levites, and Israelites (see Etz Yosef). Just as the stars are neither fathomable nor quantifiable, so Israel is neither fathomable nor quantifiable. Just as the stars rule from one end of the world to the other, so does Israel. [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, why did You not liken them to the sun and the moon, which are larger than stars?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘The sun and the moon will have shame in the future.’ From where is this derived? As it is written: “The moon will be disgraced and the sun will be ashamed, [for the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem]” (Isaiah 24:23). ‘But the stars will never have shame.’ From where is this derived? So it is written: “You will know that I am in the midst of Israel, and I am the Lord your God, and there is no other, and My people will nevermore be ashamed” (Joel 2:27).

רַב לָכֶם סֹב אֶת הָהָר הַזֶּה (דברים ב, ג), הֲלָכָה אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהוּא זָהִיר בְּכִבּוּד אָב וָאֵם, מַהוּ שְׂכָרוֹ. כָּךְ שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אֵלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁאָדָם אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹתֵיהֶם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהַקֶּרֶן קַיֶּמֶת לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא כִּבּוּד אָב וָאֵם וכו'. אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ שָׁאֲלוּ תַּלְמִידָיו אֶת רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הַגָּדוֹל אֵי זֶהוּ כִּבּוּד אָב וָאֵם, אָמַר לָהֶם צְאוּ וּרְאוּ מֶה עָשָׂה דָּמָה בֶּן נְתִינָה בְּאַשְׁקְלוֹן וְהָיְתָה אִמּוֹ חַסְרַת דַּעַת, וְהָיְתָה מַסְטַרְתּוֹ בֵּין חֲבֵרָיו, וְלֹא הָיָה אוֹמֵר לָהּ אֶלָּא דַּיֵּךְ אִמִּי. אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ פַּעַם אַחַת בָּאוּ חֲכָמִים אֶצְלוֹ לִקַּח הֵימֶנּוּ אֶבֶן אַחַת טוֹבָה שֶׁנֶּאֶבְדָה מִכְּלִי כֹּהֵן, שֶׁהָיָה דָּר בְּאַשְׁקְלוֹן, וּפָסְקוּ עִמּוֹ בְּאֶלֶף זְהוּבִים, נִכְנָס וּמָצָא רַגְלוֹ שֶׁל אָבִיו פְּשׁוּטָה עַל הַתֵּבָה שֶׁהָיְתָה אֶבֶן טוֹבָה בְּתוֹכָה וְהָיָה יָשֵׁן, וְלֹא בִּקֵּשׁ לְצַעֲרוֹ וְיָצָא לַחוּץ רֵיקָם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹא הוֹצִיאָהּ כַּסְּבוּרִין שֶׁמְּבַקֵּשׁ מֵהֶן יוֹתֵר, וְהֶעֱלוּ דָּמֶיהָ עֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים זְהוּבִים. כְּשֶׁנֵּעוֹר אָבִיו מִשְׁנָתוֹ נִכְנָס וְהוֹצִיאָהּ לָהֶן, בִּקְּשׁוּ לִתֵּן לוֹ עֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים זְהוּבִים, אָמַר לָהֶם חַס לִי, אֵינִי נֶהֱנָה מִשְׂכַר אֲבוֹתַי, אֶלָּא, בַּדָּמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים שֶׁפָּסַקְתִּי עִמָּכֶם, אֶלֶף זְהוּבִים, כָּךְ אֲנִי נוֹטֵל מִכֶּם. וּמַה שָֹּׂכָר נָתַן לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁנָה יָלְדָה פָּרָתוֹ פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה, וּמְכָרָהּ יוֹתֵר מֵעֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים זְהוּבִים. רְאֵה כַּמָּה גָּדוֹל כִּבּוּד אָב וָאֵם. אָמַר רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, לֹא כִּבֵּד בְּרִיָּה אֶת אֲבוֹתָיו כְּמוֹ אֲנִי אֶת אֲבוֹתַי, וּמָצָאתִי שֶׁכִּבֵּד עֵשָׂו לְאָבִיו יוֹתֵר מִמֶּנִּי. כֵּיצַד, אָמַר רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל הָיִיתִי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ אֶת אָבִי בְּכֵלִים צוֹאִים, וּכְשֶׁהָיִיתִי הוֹלֵךְ לַשּׁוּק הָיִיתִי מַשְׁלִיךְ אוֹתָן הַכֵּלִים וְלוֹבֵשׁ כֵּלִים נָאִים וְיוֹצֵא בָהֶן, אֲבָל עֵשָׂו לֹא הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה כֵן, אֶלָּא אוֹתָן כֵּלִים שֶׁהָיָה לוֹבֵשׁ וּמְשַׁמֵּשׁ בָּהֶן אֶת אָבִיו, הֵן מְעֻלִּים. תֵּדַע לְךָ, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיָּצָא לָצוּד וּלְהָבִיא לְאָבִיו שֶׁיְבָרֵךְ אוֹתוֹ, מֶה עָשְׂתָה רִבְקָה שֶׁהָיְתָה אוֹהֶבֶת אֶת יַעֲקֹב בְּנָהּ, נָתְנָה לוֹ מַטְעַמִּים וְאָמְרָה לוֹ לֵךְ אֵצֶל אָבִיךָ וְטֹל הַבְּרָכוֹת עַד שֶׁלֹא יִטֹּל אוֹתָן אָחִיךָ. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר לָהּ יַעֲקֹב אִמִּי אֵין אַתְּ יוֹדַעַת שֶׁעֵשָׂו אָחִי (בראשית כז, יא): אִישׁ שָׂעִר וְאָנֹכִי אִישׁ חָלָק, שֶׁלֹא יַרְגִּישׁ אָבִי שֶׁאֵינִי עֵשָׂו וַאֲנִי מִתְבַּיֵּשׁ בְּפָנָיו, מִנַּיִן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כז, יב): אוּלַי יְמֻשֵּׁנִי אָבִי וגו'. אָמְרָה לוֹ בְּנִי אָבִיךָ עֵינָיו כֵּהוֹת וַאֲנִי מַלְבֶּשֶׁת אוֹתְךָ אוֹתָן כֵּלִים נָאִים שֶׁאָחִיךָ לוֹבֵשׁ וּמְשַׁמֵּשׁ בָּהֶן אֶת אָבִיךָ, וְאַתָּה נִכְנָס אֶצְלוֹ וְהוּא אוֹחֵז בְּיָדְךָ וְסָבוּר בְּךָ שֶׁאַתָּה עֵשָׂו וּמְבָרֵךְ אוֹתְךָ, וּמִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כז, טו): וַתִּקַּח רִבְקָה אֶת בִּגְדֵי עֵשָׂו וגו', שֶׁבָּהֶן הָיָה לָמוּד לְשַׁמֵּשׁ אֶת אָבִיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כז, טו): וַתַּלְבֵּשׁ אֶת יַעֲקֹב. לְפִיכָךְ כְּשֶׁנִּכְנַס יַעֲקֹב אֶצְלוֹ מַה יִּצְחָק אוֹמֵר לוֹ (בראשית כז, כב): הַקֹּל קוֹל יַעֲקֹב וְהַיָּדַיִם יְדֵי עֵשָׂו, בֵּרַךְ אוֹתוֹ וְיָצָא לוֹ, וּבָא עֵשָׂו וְנִכְנַס אֵצֶל אָבִיו, אָמַר לוֹ מִי אַתָּה מֵסִיחַ עִמִּי בְּלֵב [נסח אחר: בקול] גָּדוֹל, אָמַר לוֹ (בראשית כז, לב): אֲנִי בִּנְךָ בְכֹרְךָ עֵשָׂו, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמַע אֶת קוֹלוֹ יָדַע שֶׁעֵשָׂו הוּא, אָמַר לוֹ בְּנִי (בראשית כז, לה): בָּא אָחִיךָ בְּמִרְמָה וַיִּקַּח בִּרְכָתֶךָ, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הִתְחִיל עֵשָׂו צֹוֵחַ וְאוֹמֵר בּוֹא וּרְאֵה מֶה עָשָׂה לִי הַתָּם הַזֶּה, שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (בראשית כה, כז): וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ תָּם ישֵׁב אֹהָלִים, לֹא דַי שֶׁצָּחַק לִי עַל שֶׁמָּכַרְתִּי לוֹ אֶת בְּכוֹרָתִי, (בראשית כז, לו): וְהִנֵּה עַתָּה לָקַח בִּרְכָתִי, הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁעֵשָׂו הָיָה זָהִיר בִּכְבוֹד אֲבוֹתָיו. אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲשׂוֹת עִמּוֹ מִלְחָמָה, הֶרְאָהוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה אוֹתוֹ הַר שֶׁהָאָבוֹת קְבוּרִים בּוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ, משֶׁה, אֱמֹר לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אֵין אַתֶּם יְכוֹלִין לְהִזְדַוֵּג לוֹ, עַד עַכְשָׁו מִתְבַּקֵּשׁ לוֹ שְׂכַר הַכִּבּוּד שֶׁכִּבֵּד אֶת אֵלּוּ שֶׁקְּבוּרִין בָּהָר הַזֶּה, מִנַּיִן, מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרִינוּ בָּעִנְיָן, רַב לָכֶם סֹב אֶת הָהָר הַזֶּה. “You have circled this mountain enough; turn yourselves to the north” (Deuteronomy 2:3).
“You have circled this mountain enough” – halakha: If a person of Israel is scrupulous in honoring his father and mother, what is his reward? This is what our Rabbis taught: These are the matters whose profits a person enjoys in this world, while the principal remains for him for the World to Come. They are: Honoring one’s father and mother…. Rabbi Abbahu said: The students of Rabbi Eliezer HaGadol asked him: ‘What is [true] honoring of one’s father and mother?’ He said to them: ‘Go out and see what Dama ben Netina did in Ashkelon.’ His mother was mentally disturbed and she would slap him [when he was] with his counterparts, but all he would say to her was: ‘That is enough, mother.’ Our Rabbis said: One time, the Sages came to him to purchase from him a gem that had been lost from the priestly vestments. He resided in Ashkelon and they settled with him for one thousand gold pieces. He entered and found his father’s leg extended on the chest in which the gem was found, and he was asleep. He did not seek to disturb him, and he went out empty-handed. When he did not take it out, they were under the impression that he was asking them for more, and they raised the price [they were offering] to ten thousand gold pieces. When his father awakened from his sleep, he entered and took it out to them. They sought to give him ten thousand gold pieces. He said: ‘God forbid. I will not benefit from the reward for honoring my parents. Rather, the money that I settled with you, one thousand gold pieces, that is what I will take from you.’ What reward did the Holy One blessed be He give him? Our Rabbis said: During that year, his cow gave birth to a red heifer, and he sold it for more than ten thousand gold pieces. See how great honoring of one’s father and mother is.
Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: No person respected his parents like I did my parents, and I found that Esau honored his father more than I did. How so? Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: I would serve my father with soiled garments, but when I would go to the marketplace, I could cast off those garments and don fine garments, and go out in them. But Esau did not do so; rather, the garments that he would wear to serve his father were finer.³⁹Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel served his father in soiled garments in order to indicate his willingness to act even as a servant in serving his father. But Esau would put on his finest clothes, as though he were going to meet a government officer. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel reconsidered and decided that Esau’s method afforded greater honor to his parents (Maharzu). Know that it is so, for when [Esau] went out to hunt and bring [food] to his father, so he would bless him, what did Rebecca, who loved her son Jacob, do? She gave him delicacies, and said to him: ‘Go to your father and take the blessings before your brother takes them.’ At that moment, Jacob said to her: ‘Mother, do you not know that my brother Esau “is a hairy man, and I am a smooth-skinned man”? (Genesis 27:11). Let my father not sense that I am not Esau, or I will be shamed before him.’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Perhaps my father will feel me, [and I will be in his eyes as a deceiver, and I will bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing]” (Genesis 27:12). She said to him: ‘My son, your father’s eyes are dim and I will dress you in the fine garments that your brother wears when he serves your father. When you come to him, he will hold your hand, and will think that you are Esau, and bless you.’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Rebecca took the fine garments of Esau…” (Genesis 27:15) with which he was accustomed to serve his father, as it is stated: “She dressed Jacob” (Genesis 27:15). That is why, when Jacob entered to him, what did Isaac say to him? “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau” (Genesis 27:22).
[Isaac] blessed him and [Jacob] went out, and Esau came and went in to his father. [Isaac] said to him: ‘Who are you, who is speaking to me with a big heart ?’ He said to him: “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau” (Genesis 27:32). When he heard his voice, he knew that he was Esau. He said to him: “Your brother came with deceit, and he took your blessing” (Genesis 27:35). At that moment, Esau began screaming and saying: ‘Come and see what this simple man did to me, in whose regard it is written: “Jacob was a simple man, a dweller in tents” (Genesis 25:27). Is it not enough that he mocked me for selling him my birthright, “and, behold, now he has taken my blessing”?’ (Genesis 27:36). You learn that Esau was scrupulous in honoring his parents.
Rabbi Yudan said: When Israel came to wage war against him,⁴⁰The Israelites intended to wage war against Edom, the descendants of Esau, as they travelled from the wilderness into the Land of Israel. the Holy One blessed be He showed Moses the mountain in which the patriarchs were buried. He said to him: ‘Say to Israel: You cannot confront him. Even now, the reward for honoring those buried on this mountain is owed him.’ From where is it derived? It is from what we read regarding the matter: “You have circled this mountain enough.”⁴¹The following verses record God’s instruction to Israel not to militarily confront Edom (see Deuteronomy 2:4–5).

דָּבָר אַחֵר, רַב לָכֶם סֹב אֶת הָהָר הַזֶּה, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים ס, יא): מִי יוֹבִלֵנִי עִיר מָצוֹר, זוֹ רוֹמִי, וְלָמָּה דָוִד קוֹרֵא אוֹתָהּ מָצוֹר, עִיר שֶׁמֵּצֵרָה וּמְבַצְּרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. דָּבָר אַחֵר, עִיר מָצוֹר, שֶׁמְבֻצֶּרֶת מִכָּל מָקוֹם, שֶׁאֵין אָדָם יָכוֹל לִכְבּשׁ אוֹתָהּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, עִיר מָצוֹר, עִיר שֶׁהַכֹּל מְבַצְּרִין אוֹתָהּ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן הָיָה דָוִד מִתְאַוֶּה וְאוֹמֵר מִי יוֹבִלֵנִי עִיר מָצוֹר, מִי יִתֵּן שֶׁאֶפָּרַע מִמֶּנָּה, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, דָּוִד, וְיָכוֹל אַתָּה לָהּ, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם (תהלים ס, יא): מִי נָחַנִי עַד אֱדוֹם, אָמַר לְפָנָיו מִי שֶׁכְּבָר הִשְׁלִיטַנִי עַל אֱדוֹם הוּא מַשְׁלִיט אוֹתִי אַף עַל זוֹ סַגִּיאִין, וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁשָּׁלַט דָּוִד עַל אֱדוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל ב ח, יד): וַיָּשֶׂם בֶּאֱדוֹם נְצִבִים. מַהוּ נְצִיבִים, רַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר קַסְטְרֵס. רַבָּנָן אָמְרִי אַדְרִיאַנְטִין. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, דָּוִד, יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁיָּדֶיךָ חַדּוֹת וַחֲרוּצוֹת, וַאֲנִי מְבַקֵּשׁ לִרְדּוֹת אֶת עוֹלָמִי בָּהֶם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, דָּוִד, אֲנִי צָרִיךְ לָהּ לְדוֹרוֹת, וּכְבָר משֶׁה רַבְּךָ בִּקֵּשׁ לְהִזְדַוֵּג בָּהֶן, וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ רַב לָכֶם, רַב יְצַוֶּה לְתַלְמִידָיו סֹב אֶת הָהָר הַזֶּה. Another matter, “you have circled this mountain enough” – this is what the verse said: “Who will lead me to the fortified city?” (Psalms 60:11) – this is Rome. Why does David call it fortified [matzor]? It is a city that torments [shemetzera] and fortifies [umvatzra] Israel.⁴²By tormenting Israel they cause them to repent, which thereby fortifies them. Another matter “the fortified city” – it is a city that is fortified on all sides, so that no person can conquer it. Another matter “the fortified city” – it is a city that everyone fortifies.⁴³It is an empire that rules over many nations, all of which contribute to its defense.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: David was yearning and saying: “Who will lead me to the fortified city?” – if only I could exact punishment against it. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘David, can you overcome it?’ He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe: “Who guided me to Edom”’ (Psalms 60:11). He said before Him: ‘The One who already gave me dominion over Edom, He will give me dominion over this great one.’ From where is it derived that David had dominion over Edom? As it is stated: “David placed netzivim in Edom” (II Samuel 8:14). What are netzivim? Rabbi Simon said: Officials. The Rabbis said: Statues.⁴⁴Statues of David. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘David, I know that your hands are quick and industrious, and I seek to subdue My world with them.’ Another matter, [God said:] ‘David, I need them [Edom] for the generations. Moses already sought to confront them, but I said to him: “You [have circled this mountain] enough [rav laḥem] – the master will command his disciples:⁴⁵God told Moses to command the Israelites. ‘Circle this mountain.’

דָּבָר אַחֵר, רַב לָכֶם סֹב. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים לז, ז): דּוֹם לַה' וְהִתְחוֹלֵל לוֹ וגו', מַהוּ וְהִתְחוֹלֵל לוֹ, צַפֵּה לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים מב, ו): מַה תִּשְׁתּוֹחֲחִי נַפְשִׁי וגו'. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְהִתְחוֹלֵל לוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּחְלִיפָא דְקֵסָרִין, מַהוּ וְהִתְחוֹלֵל לוֹ, אִם בָּאוּ עָלֶיךָ יִסּוּרִין קַבֵּל אוֹתָן בְּחִילָה. (תהלים לז, ז): אַל תִּתְחַר בְּמַצְלִיחַ דַּרְכּוֹ, זֶה עֵשָׂו, שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (ירמיה יב, א): מַדּוּעַ דֶּרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים צָלֵחָה. (תהלים לז, ז): בְּאִישׁ עֹשֶׂה מְזִמּוֹת, זֶה עֵשָׂו שֶׁדָּן אֶת בְּנֵי הָאָדָם בְּעָרְמָה, כֵּיצַד, הַדַּיָּן הַזֶּה שֶׁל מַלְכוּת, דָּן אֶת הָרוֹצֵחַ, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר לָמָּה הָרַגְתָּ, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר לֹא הֲרַגְתִּיו, וְהוּא שׁוֹאֵל אוֹתוֹ וְאוֹמֵר וּבַמֶּה הֲרַגְתּוֹ בְּסַיָּף אוֹ בְּרוֹמַח אוֹ בְּסַכִּין. דָּבָר אַחֵר, דּוֹם לַה' וְהִתְחוֹלֵל לוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּאוּ הַשֹּׂוֹנְאִים לְהַחֲרִיב אֶת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, הָיוּ שָׁם שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא שֶׁל מַזִּיקִין, וְהָיוּ עוֹמְדִים עַל פִּתְחוֹ שֶׁל הֵיכָל לִפְגֹּעַ בָּהֶם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ אֶת הַשְּׁכִינָה רוֹאָה וְשׁוֹתֶקֶת, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכְּתִיב (איכה ב, ג): הֵשִׁיב אָחוֹר יְמִינוֹ מִפְנֵי אוֹיֵב, אַף הֵם נָתְנוּ מָקוֹם. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן, רָאָה אוֹתוֹ מַחֲרִיב אֶת בֵּיתוֹ, וְשׁוֹתֵק לוֹ, וְאַתֶּם מְבַקְּשִׁין לְהִזְדַּוֵּג לוֹ, עַד עַכְשָׁו מִתְבַּקֵּשׁ לוֹ שְׂכַר כִּבּוּד אֲבוֹתָיו. רַב לָכֶם סֹב. מַהוּ סֹב אֶת הָהָר, אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא הַרְבֵּה סִבֵּב עֵשָׂו אֶת הוֹרוֹ זֶה, זֶה אָבִיו שֶׁהָיָה זָקוּק לוֹ לְהַאֲכִילוֹ, מִנַּיִן (בראשית כה, כח): וַיֶּאֱהַב יִצְחָק אֶת עֵשָׂו כִּי צַיִּד בְּפִיו. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בְּרַבִּי גְּדַלְיָה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גְּמוּלוֹת אֲנִי פּוֹרֵעַ, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנָּתַן יַעֲקֹב דּוֹרוֹן לְעֵשָׂו, מֶה עֵשָׂו אוֹמֵר לוֹ (בראשית לג, ט): יֶשׁ לִי רָב, לֹא תִצְטָעֵר. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה כִּבְּדוֹ בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לוֹ פְּנוּ מִלְּפָנָיו רַב לָכֶם סֹב. Another matter, “you have circled…enough” – that is what the verse said: “Be silent before the Lord, vehitḥolel for Him…” (Psalms 37:7). What is “vehitḥolel for Him”? Place your hope in the Holy One blessed be He, like the matter that is stated: “Why, my soul, are you stooped over? …[Have hope [hoḥili] in God]” (Psalms 42:6). Another matter, “vehitḥolel for Him” – Rabbi Taḥlifa of Caesarea said: What is “vehitḥolel for Him”? If suffering has befallen you, accept it with fear [beḥila]. “Do not contend with one who prospers” (Psalms 37:7) – this is Esau, in whose regard it is written: “Why is the way of the wicked successful?” (Jeremiah 12:1). “The man who is busy with intrigue” (Psalms 37:7) – this is Esau,⁴⁶The reference is to Rome, who were identified by the Romans as descendants of Edom, and therefore of Esau. who judges people deceitfully. How so? The judge of the empire would judge the murderer and say: ‘Why did you kill?’ [The accused] would say: ‘I did not kill him.’ [The judge] would ask him: ‘With what did you kill him, with a sword, a spear, or a dagger?’⁴⁷The judge would not accept the claims of the defendant, and would continue to cross examine him as though he were guilty, and the defendant would be confused and say something incriminating even if he was innocent.
Another matter, “be silent before the Lord, vehitḥolel for Him” – Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: When the enemies came to destroy Jerusalem, there were sixty myriads of angels of destruction, and they were standing at the entrance of the Sanctuary in order to strike them. They saw the Divine Presence looking and being silent – from where is this derived? As it is written: “He withdrew His right hand from being before the enemy” (Lamentations 2:3) – so they [the angels] also gave them [the enemies] space [allowing them to destroy Jerusalem]. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: He saw [Esau] destroying His home and was silent, and you wish to confront him? Even now, the reward for honoring his parents is owed him.
“You have circled…enough” – what is “circled the mountain [hahar]”? Rabbi Ḥanina said: Esau circulated around this parent of his [horo], namely his father, who needed him to feed him. From where is this derived? “Isaac loved Esau because of the game in his mouth” (Genesis 25:28). Rabbi Shmuel ben Rabbi Gedalya said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I will pay his reward.’ When Jacob gave a gift to Esau, what did Esau say to him? “I have plenty [rav]” (Genesis 33:9); do not exert yourself. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘With this expression, he honored [Jacob], with this expression, I will say to [the Israelites]: Turn away from him, “you have circled enough [rav].”’

דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַהוּ רַב לָכֶם, אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא נוֹגְעִין אַתֶּם בּוֹ, בְּשֶׁלָּכֶם אַתֶּם נוֹגְעִים, כֵּיצַד, בְּרָכָה אַחַת בֵּרְכוֹ אָבִיו (בראשית כז, מ): וְעַל חַרְבְּךָ תִחְיֶה, וּלְיַעֲקֹב בֵּרַךְ עֶשֶׂר בְּרָכוֹת, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכֵּן כְּתִיב (בראשית לג, כח): וְיִתֶּן לְךָ הָאֱלֹהִים מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם, אִם בְּטֵלָה הִיא בִּרְכָתוֹ, אַף עֶשֶׂר שֶׁלָּכֶם בְּטֵלוֹת, רַב לָכֶם סֹב. Another matter, what is “You [have circled] enough…”? Rabbi Aḥa said: If you harm him, you are really harming yourselves. How so? His father blessed him with one blessing: “By your sword you will live” (Genesis 27:40), and he blessed Jacob with ten blessings. From where is this derived? As it is written: “God will give you from the dew of the heavens” (Genesis 27:28).⁴⁸Ten blessings are listed in this verse and the following one. If his blessing is void, your ten blessings will be void – “you have circled enough…”⁴⁹The midrash is commenting on the verses that follow, in which the Israelites are warned not to confront Edom. Alternatively, it is picking up on the Hebrew words for “you…enough [rav lakhem],” which can be translated to mean that what is yours [lakhem] is greater [rav] than that which is Esau’s (Midrash HaMevoar).

אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה, כְּשֶׁנִּכְנַס עֵשָׂו אֵצֶל אָבִיו וְרָאָה שֶׁנָּטַל יַעֲקֹב אֶת הַבְּרָכוֹת, אָמַר לוֹ לֹא הִנַּחְתָּ לִי אֲפִלּוּ בְּרָכָה אֶחָת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כז, לו): הֲלֹא אָצַלְתָּ לִי בְּרָכָה. אָמַר לוֹ יִצְחָק אֲפִלּוּ אֲנִי מְבָרֶכְךָ, לוֹ אֲנִי מְבָרֵךְ, לֹא כָךְ אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ (בראשית כז, כט): הֱוֵה גְּבִיר לְאַחֶיךָ, הָעֶבֶד וְכָל מַה שֶּׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לֹא שֶׁל אֲדוֹנָיו הֵם. מַהוּ פְּנוּ לָכֶם צָפֹנָה, אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא אָמַר לָהֶם אִם רְאִיתֶם אוֹתוֹ שֶׁמְבַקֵּשׁ לְהִתְגָּרוֹת בָּכֶם אַל תַּעַמְדוּ כְּנֶגְדוֹ אֶלָּא הַצְפִּינוּ עַצְמְכֶם מִמֶּנּוּ עַד שֶׁיַּעֲבֹר עוֹלָמוֹ, הֱוֵי פְּנוּ לָכֶם צָפֹנָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר שָׁלוֹם, אָמְרוּ לוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אָבִיו מְבָרְכוֹ (בראשית כז, מ): וְעַל חַרְבְּךָ תִחְיֶה, וְאַתָּה מַסְכִּים עִמּוֹ וְאוֹמֵר לָנוּ הַצְפִּינוּ עַצְמְכֶם מִפָּנָיו, וּלְהֵיכָן נִבְרָח. אָמַר לָהֶן, אִם רְאִיתֶם שֶׁמִּזְדַּוֵּג לָכֶם בִּרְחוּ לַתּוֹרָה, וְאֵין צָפֹנָה אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ב, ז): יִצְפֹּן לַיְשָׁרִים תּוּשִׁיָּה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַהוּ צָפֹנָה, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הַמְתִּינוּ עַד עַכְשָׁו מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ לָבוֹא, וִיקַיֵּם (תהלים לא, כ): מָה רַב טוּבְךָ וגו'. Rabbi Berekhya said: When Esau came in to his father and saw that Jacob had taken the blessings, he said to [Isaac]: ‘Did you not leave even one blessing for me?’ As it is stated: “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” (Genesis 27:36). Isaac said to him: ‘Even if I bless you, I will be blessing him. Did I not say so to him: “Be a lord to your brethren”? (Genesis 27:29). The slave and everything that he has, do they not belong to his master?’
What is “turn yourselves to the north [tzafona]”? Rabbi Ḥiyya said: [God] said to them: ‘If you see that he⁵⁰The reference is to Esau, meaning, his descendants. is seeking to provoke you, do not confront him. Instead, conceal [hatzpinu] yourselves from him until his world will pass.’⁵¹Until his success and power pass. That is, “turn yourselves to the north.” Rabbi Yehuda bar Shalom said: Israel said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, his father gave him the blessing: “By your sword you will live” (Genesis 27:40), and You confirmed it for him, and You say to us: Conceal yourselves from him? To where will we flee?’ He said to them: ‘If you see that they are confronting you, flee to the Torah.’ Tzafona is nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “He reserves [yitzpon] the Torah for the upright” (Proverbs 2:7). Another matter, what is “tzafona”? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Wait until the time when the messianic king will come and fulfill: “How great is the goodness [You have in store [tzafanta] for those who fear You]”’ (Psalms 31:20).

וְאֶת הָעָם צַו לֵאמֹר (דברים כ, ד), אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְלֹא לָכֶם בִּלְבַד אֲנִי מְצַוֶּה אֶלָּא אַף אַתֶּם צַוּוּ לִבְנֵיכֶם. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, אַף אַתָּה צַוֵּה לְרָאשֵׁי הַדּוֹרוֹת שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נוֹהֲגִין בּוֹ בְּכָבוֹד, הֱוֵי וְאֶת הָעָם צַו לֵאמֹר. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן כְּשֶׁעָמַד עֵשָׂו עִם יַעֲקֹב אָמַר לוֹ עֵשָׂו, יַעֲקֹב אָחִי, נְהַלֵּךְ שְׁנֵינוּ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה כְּאֶחָת, אָמַר לוֹ יַעֲקֹב (בראשית לג, יד): יַעֲבָר נָא אֲדֹנִי לִפְנֵי עַבְדּוֹ, מַהוּ יַעֲבָר נָא, טֹל עוֹלָמְךָ תְּחִלָּה. מַהוּ (בראשית לג, יד): אֶתְנַהֲלָה לְאִטִּי לְרֶגֶל הַמְלָאכָה וגו', אָמַר לוֹ עַד עַכְשָׁו יֵשׁ לִי לְהַעֲמִיד חֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה, שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהֶן (דניאל א, ד): יְלָדִים אֲשֶׁר אֵין בָּהֶם כָּל מְאוּם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר לוֹ עַד עַכְשָׁו יֵשׁ לִי לְהַעֲמִיד מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (ישעיה ט, ה): כִּי יֶלֶד יֻלַד לָנוּ. (בראשית לג, יד): עַד אֲשֶׁר אָבֹא אֶל אֲדֹנִי שֵׂעִירָה. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן חָזַרְנוּ עַל כָּל הַמִּקְרָא וְלֹא מָצִינוּ שֶׁעָמַד יַעֲקֹב עִם עֵשָׂו בְּשֵׂעִיר, וּמַהוּ שֵׂעִירָה, אָמַר לוֹ עַד עַכְשָׁו יֵשׁ לִי לְהַעֲמִיד שׁוֹפְטִים וּמוֹשִׁיעִים לְהִפָּרַע מֵאוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (עובדיה א, כא): וְעָלוּ מוֹשִׁעִים וגו', אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם עַד מָתַי מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים אָנוּ בְּיָדוֹ, אָמַר לָהֶם עַד שֶׁיָּבוֹא אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (במדבר כד, יז): דָּרַךְ כּוֹכָב מִיַּעֲקֹב וְקָם שֵׁבֶט מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, כְּשֶׁיֵּצֵא כּוֹכָב מִיַּעֲקֹב וְיִשְׂרֹף קַשּׁוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (עובדיה א, יח): וְהָיָה בֵית יַעֲקֹב אֵשׁ וּבֵית יוֹסֵף לֶהָבָה וגו'. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אֲנִי מוֹפִיעַ מַלְכוּתִי וְאֶמְלֹךְ עֲלֵיכֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְעָלוּ מוֹשִׁעִים בְּהַר צִיּוֹן וגו'. “Command the people, saying: You are passing through the border of your brethren, the children of Esau, who live in Se’ir; they will be afraid of you, and you shall be very careful” (Deuteronomy 2:4).
“Command the people, saying” – The Holy One blessed be He said to [Moses]: ‘Not only am I commanding you, but you, too, shall command your children.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘You, too, shall command the leaders of the generation, that they should treat [Esau] with deference.’ That is, “command the people, saying.”
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: When Esau stood with Jacob, Esau said to him: ‘Jacob my brother, let the two of us walk in this world as one.’ Jacob said to him: “Let my lord now pass before his servant” (Genesis 33:14). What is “now pass”? Take your world first.⁵²Esau offered Jacob to be partners in both this world and the World to Come. Jacob responded that Esau should take his world first, meaning that he would be successful in this world without Jacob, and Jacob would enjoy the World to Come without Esau (Etz Yosef). What is: “And I will advance slowly, according to the pace of the property [that is before me, and according to the pace of the children]”? (Genesis 33:14). He said to [Esau]: ‘I still need to produce Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, in whose regard it is written: “Youths in whom there is no blemish”’ (Daniel 1:4).⁵³Jacob did not want his descendants to be tainted by a potential partnership with Esau. Another matter, he said: ‘I still need to produce the messianic king, in whose regard it is written: “For a child has been born to us”’ (Isaiah 9:5).
“Until I will come to my lord, to Se’ir” (Genesis 33:14) – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: We reviewed the entire Bible and did not find that Jacob stood with Esau in Se’ir. What is “to Se’ir”? He said to him: ‘I still need to produce judges and redeemers in order to exact retribution from that man.’ From where is this derived? As it is stated “Saviors will ascend [Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau]” (Obadiah 1:21). Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, until when will we be subjugated to him?’ He said to them: ‘Until that day will come, about which it is written: “A star will rise from Jacob, and a scepter will rise from Israel” (Numbers 24:17) – when a star will emerge from Jacob and burn the straw of Esau.’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “The house of Jacob will be fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, [and the house of Esau for straw…]” (Obadiah 1:18). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘At that time, I will cause My kingdom to appear, and I will reign over you, as it is stated: “Saviors will ascend Mount Zion….”’

דָּבָר אַחֵר, רְאֵה הַחִלֹּתִי, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים קמט, ח): לֶאְסֹר מַלְכֵיהֶם בְּזִקִּים. וּמַהוּ מַלְכֵיהֶם, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא אֵלּוּ הֵם מַלְכֵי עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, (תהלים קמט, ח): וְנִכְבְּדֵיהֶם בְּכַבְלֵי בַרְזֶל, אֵלּוּ שָׂרֵיהֶם שֶׁל מַעְלָה, שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא פּוֹרֵעַ מְאֻמָּה עַד שֶׁפּוֹרֵעַ מִשָֹּׂרָהּ תְּחִלָּה, כֵּיצַד, פַּרְעֹה וְכָל הַמִּצְרִיִּים לֹא שִׁקְּעָם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּיָּם עַד שֶׁשִּׁקַּע לְשָׂרָן תְּחִלָּה, מְנָא לָן, אָמְרֵי רַבָּנָן סוּסִים וְרוֹכְבֵיהֶם אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא (שמות טו, א): סוּס וְרֹכְבוֹ, זֶה הַשַֹּׂר שֶׁלָּהֶן, וּכְשֶׁיָּצְאוּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל תָּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת עֵינֵיהֶם וְהָיוּ רוֹאִין שָׂרָן שֶׁל מִצְרַיִּם פּוֹרֵחַ בָּאֲוִיר, מִנַּיִן, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק דִּכְתִיב (שמות יד, י): וְהִנֵּה מִצְרַיִם נֹסֵעַ אַחֲרֵיהֶם, זֶה הַשַֹּׂר שֶׁלָּהֶן, הֱוֵי לֶאְסֹר מַלְכֵיהֶם בְּזִקִּים וגו'. וְאַף סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג כְּשֶׁבִּקְּשׁוּ לְהִזְדַּוֵּג עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, רְאֵה שֶׁהִפַּלְתִּי שַׂר שֶׁלָּהֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: רְאֵה הַחִלֹּתִי תֵּת לְפָנֶיךָ. Another matter, “see, I have begun” – this is what the verse said: “To bind their kings with fetters” (Psalms 149:8). Who are “their kings”? These are the kings of the idolaters. “And their nobles with iron chains” (Psalms 149:8) – these are their guardian angels on High, as the Holy One blessed be He does not exact retribution from a nation until He first exacts retribution from its guardian angel. How so? The Holy One blessed be He did not submerge Pharaoh and all the Egyptians in the sea until He first submerged its guardian angel. From where do we derive this? The Rabbis said: “Horses and their riders” is not written here, but rather, “the horse and its rider” (Exodus 15:1) – this is their guardian angel. When the Egyptians departed to pursue Israel, Israel lifted their eyes and they saw Egypt’s guardian angel floating in the air. From where is this derived? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: As it is written: “Behold, Egypt was traveling after them” (Exodus 14:10) – this is their guardian angel. That is, “to bind their kings with fetters…” (Psalms 149:8). Siḥon and Og, too, when they sought to confront Israel, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘See that I have toppled their guardian angel, as it is stated: “See, I have begun delivering before you.”’

דָּבָר אַחֵר, רְאֵה הַחִלֹּתִי, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (משלי יג, יב): תּוֹחֶלֶת מְמֻשָּׁכָה מַחֲלָה לֵב, אָמַר רַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה מְדַבֵּר בַּיְּשׁוּעָה הָעוֹמֶדֶת לָבוֹא, כֵּיצַד כְּשֶׁהַנָּבִיא אוֹמֵר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל (חגי ב, ו): עוֹד אַחַת מְעַט הִיא וַאֲנִי מַרְעִישׁ אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ, הֵן אוֹמְרִים: תּוֹחֶלֶת מְמֻשָּׁכָה מַחֲלָה לֵב, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם (ישעיה סב, יא): הִנֵּה יִשְׁעֵךְ בָּא, אָמְרוּ (משלי יג, יב): וְעֵץ חַיִּים תַּאֲוָה בָאָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, תּוֹחֶלֶת מְמוּשָׁכָה, זֶה פַּרְעֹה, שֶׁהָיָה משֶׁה הוֹלֵךְ וּבָא וּמֵבִיא עָלָיו מַכּוֹת, וְעַל כָּל מַכָּה וּמַכָּה הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל סְבוּרִין שֶׁמְּשַׁלְּחָן. וְעֵץ חַיִּים תַּאֲוָה בָאָה, זֶה מִלְחֲמוֹת סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג, שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִיָּד: רְאֵה הַחִלֹּתִי תֵּת לְפָנֶיךָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַהוּ רְאֵה הַחִלֹּתִי, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, משֶׁה, רְאֵה שֶׁהִפַּלְתִּי שַׂר שֶׁלָּהֶן, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא, כְּמֶלֶךְ שֶׁאוֹסֵר שׂוֹנְאוֹ שֶׁל בְּנוֹ לְפָנָיו, וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ עֲשֵׂה בּוֹ כָּל מַה שֶּׁאַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ. Another matter, “see, I have begun” – this is what the verse said: “Expectation deferred sickens the heart” (Proverbs 13:12). Rabbi Azarya said: It is speaking of the salvation that is expected to come. How so? When the prophet says to Israel: “Another one will be soon, and I will quake the heavens, and the earth” (Haggai 2:6), they say: “Expectation deferred sickens the heart.” When he said to them: “Behold, your Savior has come” (Isaiah 62:11), they said: “And desire realized is a tree of life” (Proverbs 13:12).
Another matter, “expectation deferred” – this is Pharaoh, as Moses was coming and going and bringing plagues upon him, and with each and every plague, Israel believed that he would release them. “And desire realized is a tree of life” – this is the wars of Siḥon and Og, as the Holy One blessed be He said to him immediately: “See, I have begun delivering before you.”
Another matter, what is “see, I have begun”? The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Moses, see that I have toppled their guardian angel.’ Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Like a king who ties up his son’s enemy, and says to him: ‘Do to him anything that you wish.’

דָּבָר אַחֵר, רְאֵה הַחִלֹּתִי, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם וְעָשָׂה לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּל הַנִּסִּים הַלָּלוּ, נָפְלָה אֵימָתָן עַל כָּל אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות טו, טז): תִּפֹּל עֲלֵיהֶם אֵימָתָה וָפַחַד, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת מִלְחָמָה עִם סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג, הָיוּ הָאֱמוֹרִיִּים שׁוֹאֲלִים אֵלּוּ לָאֵלּוּ בְּחַיֶּיךָ אֻמָּה זוֹ שֶׁהִיא מְבַקֶּשֶׁת לַעֲשׂוֹת עִמָּנוּ מִלְחָמָה גִּבּוֹרִים הֵם אוֹ לֹא, כַּמָּה אֻמּוֹת הֵן, וְהֵן אוֹמְרִים בְּנֵי שָׁלשׁ אֻמּוֹת הֵן, אָמַר סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג וְכָל הָאֻמָּה הַזּוֹ שֶׁל בְּנֵי אָדָם בְּנֵי שָׁלשׁ אֻמּוֹת הֵן, אָמְרוּ נְזַיֵּן עַצְמֵנוּ וְנֵצֵא עֲלֵיהֶם וְאָנוּ הוֹרְגִין אוֹתָם, מִנַּיִן (דברים ב, לב): וַיֵּצֵא סִיחֹן לִקְרָאתֵנוּ. בָּאוּ משֶׁה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לִתְחוּמָהּ שֶׁל אֶדְרֶעִי, אָמַר לָהֶן משֶׁה נַחְנֶה כָּאן וְאָנוּ נִכְנָסִין בְּשַׁחֲרִית, בָּאוּ לִכָּנֵס לְאֶדְרֶעִי וַעֲדַיִן לֹא הָיְתָה הָעַיִן רוֹאָה, תָּלָה משֶׁה אֶת עֵינָיו וְרָאָה אֶת עוֹג יוֹשֵׁב עַל הַחוֹמָה וְרַגְלָיו מַגִּיעוֹת לָאָרֶץ, אָמַר משֶׁה אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מָה אֲנִי רוֹאֶה, חוֹמָה אַחֶרֶת בָּנוּ אֵלּוּ בַּלַּיְלָה, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, משֶׁה, זֶה שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה הוּא עוֹג. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֹרֶךְ רַגְלָיו שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה אַמּוֹת. אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה נִתְיָרֵא משֶׁה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַל תִּתְיָרֵא שֶׁאֲנִי מַפִּילוֹ לְפָנֶיךָ, מִנַּיִן (במדבר כא, לד): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה אַל תִּירָא אֹתוֹ, עוֹג הָיָה תּוֹלֵשׁ הַר וְזוֹרֵק עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּמשֶׁה הָיָה נוֹטֵל צְרוֹר וּמַזְכִּיר עָלָיו שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ וּסְמָכוֹ, יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים אֲרוּרוֹת הַיָּדַיִם שֶׁכָּךְ זוֹרְקוֹת, וֶאֱמוֹרִיִּים אוֹמְרִים, בְּרוּכוֹת הַיָּדַיִם שֶׁכָּךְ סוֹמְכוֹת. Another matter, “see, I have begun” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: When Israel departed from Egypt, and the Holy One blessed be He performed all those miracles on their behalf, dread of them fell upon all the nations of the world, as it is stated: “May dread and fear fall over them” (Exodus 15:16). When they came to wage war with Siḥon and Og, the Emorites were asking one another: ‘As you live, this nation that seeks to wage war with us, are they mighty or not? How many nations are they?’ They said: ‘They are members of three nations.’⁵⁴Priests, Levites, and Israelites. Siḥon and Og said: ‘This entire nation of people are members of three nations?’ They said: ‘Let us arm ourselves and go out against them and we will kill them.’ From where is this derived? “Siḥon went out to war toward us” (Deuteronomy 2:32). Moses and Israel came to the environs of Edre’i. Moses said to them: ‘Let us camp here and we will enter [the city] in the morning.’ They came to enter Edre’i, and the eye could not yet see.⁵⁵It was still dark. Moses lifted his eyes and saw Og sitting on the wall and his feet reached the ground. Moses said: ‘I do not know what I am seeing. Did they build another wall at night?’⁵⁶He thought Og was part of the wall. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Moses, what you see is Og.’ Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The length of his legs was eighteen cubits. At that moment, Moses was afraid. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Fear not, as I will topple him before you.’ From where is this derived? “The Lord said to Moses: Do not fear him” (Numbers 21:34). Og would uproot a mountain and cast it on Israel, and Moses would take a pebble, intone the ineffable Name, and it [the pebble] would intercept it [the mountain]. Israel said: ‘Cursed are the hands that cast in that way.’ The Emorites said: ‘Blessed are the hands that intercept in that way.’

דָּבָר אַחֵר (דברים ג, ב): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֵלַי אַל תִּירָא אֹתוֹ, כִּי בְיָדְךָ אֶתְּנֶנּוּ, אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא (דברים ג, ב): כִּי בְיָדְךָ נָתַתִּי אֹתוֹ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּבָר פָּסַקְתִּי דִינוֹ מִימוֹת אַבְרָהָם, כֵּיצַד, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנִּשְׁבָּה לוֹט בֶּן אָחִיו, וּבָא עוֹג וּבִשֵֹּׂר אֶת אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יד, יג): וַיָּבֹא הַפָּלִיט, אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ מִשּׁוּם בַּר קַפָּרָא פָּלִיט הָיָה שְׁמוֹ, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ עוֹג, שֶׁבָּא וּמָצָא אֶת אַבְרָהָם עָסוּק בְּמִצְווֹת בְּעֻגּוֹת הַפֶּסַח, וְלֹא בָּא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם אֶלָּא לְשֵׁם נוֹיָהּ שֶׁל שָׂרָה, אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ הֲרֵינִי מְבַשֵֹּׂר אוֹתוֹ, וְהַגְּדוּד הוֹרְגוֹ, וְנוֹטֵל אֲנִי אֶת שָׂרָה אִשְׁתּוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אִי רָשָׁע, כָּךְ אָמַרְתָּ, חַיֶּיךָ שֶׁאֲנִי נוֹתֵן לְךָ שְׂכַר רַגְלֶיךָ, וּמַאֲרִיךְ לְךָ שָׁנִים, וּמַה שֶּׁחָשַׁבְתָּ בְּלִבְּךָ הֲרֵינִי הוֹרֵג אַבְרָהָם וְנוֹטֵל אֶת שָׂרָה, בְּיַד בְּנֵי בָנֶיהָ עָתִיד אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ לִפֹּל. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי בְיָדְךָ נָתַתִּי אֹתוֹ, כִּי בְיָדְךָ אֶתְּנֶנּוּ אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא כִּי בְיָדְךָ נָתַתִּי אֹתוֹ, כְּבָר פָּסַקְתִּי אֶת דִּינוֹ מִימוֹת יִצְחָק, כֵּיצַד, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמָּל אַבְרָהָם אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ עָשָׂה מִשְׁתֶּה וְקָרָא לְכָל מַלְכֵי כְּנַעַן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כא, ח): וַיַּעַשׂ אַבְרָהָם מִשְׁתֶּה גָדוֹל וגו', מַהוּ גָּדוֹל, שֶׁכָּל גְּדוֹלִים הָיוּ שָׁם, אַף עוֹג הָיָה שָׁם, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמְרוּ לוֹ לְעוֹג לֹא כָּךְ הָיִיתָ אוֹמֵר, אַבְרָהָם פִּרְדָּה עֲקָרָה הוּא וְאֵינוֹ מוֹלִיד, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה אֶת יִצְחָק אָמַר, מַהוּ זֶה, אֵין זֶה כְּלוּם, בְּאֶצְבָּעִי אֲנִי הוֹרְגוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּךְ אָמַרְתָּ, עַל מְנָת שֶׁתִּרְאֶה אֲלָפִים וּרְבָבוֹת יוֹצְאִים מִמֶּנּוּ, וּבְיָדָם אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ עָתִיד לִפֹּל. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי בְיָדְךָ אֶתְּנֶנּוּ אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא נָתַתִּי, כְּבָר פָּסַקְתִּי אֶת דִּינוֹ מִימוֹת יַעֲקֹב, כֵּיצַד, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנִּכְנַס יַעֲקֹב אֵצֶל פַּרְעֹה לְבָרֵךְ אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית מז, ז): וַיְבָרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב אֶת פַּרְעֹה, הָיָה עוֹג יוֹשֵׁב שָׁם, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר לוֹ פַּרְעֹה לְעוֹג לֹא כָךְ הָיִיתָ אוֹמֵר, אַבְרָהָם פִּרְדָּה עֲקָרָה הוּא וְאֵינוֹ מוֹלִיד, הֲרֵי בֶּן בְּנוֹ וְשִׁבְעִים נֶפֶשׁ מִירֵכוֹ, אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הִתְחִיל עוֹג מַכְנִיס עַיִן רָעָה עֲלֵיהֶן, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִי רָשָׁע, מָה אַתָּה מַכְנִיס עַיִן רָעָה בְּבָנַי, תִּמַּס עֵינוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ, עָתִיד אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ לִפֹּל בְּיָדָן, הֲרֵי כִּי בְיָדְךָ נָתַתִּי אֹתוֹ. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הָיוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם שׁוֹמְעִים שִׁמְעֲכֶם וּמִתְיָרְאִין וּמִתְפַּחְדִין מִכֶּם, כָּךְ לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כח, י): וְרָאוּ כָּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ כִּי שֵׁם ה' נִקְרָא עָלֶיךָ וְיָרְאוּ מִמֶּךָּ. “The Lord said to me: Do not fear him, as I have delivered him and his entire people and his land into your hand; you shall do to him as you did to Siḥon, king of the Emorites, who lives in Ḥeshbon” (Deuteronomy 3:2).
Another matter, “the Lord said to me: Do not fear him” – “because I will deliver him into your hand” is not written here, but, “as I have delivered him…into your hand.” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I have already issued his sentence, from the days of Abraham.’ How so? When Lot, his son’s brother, was taken captive, Og came and informed Abraham, as it is stated: “The fugitive [hapalit] came [and told Abram the Hebrew]” (Genesis 14:13). Reish Lakish said in the name of bar Kappara: Palit was his name. Why was he called by the name Og? It is because he came and found Abraham engaged in the mitzvot of cakes [ugot]⁵⁷Matza (see, e.g., Exodus 12:39). on Passover. But he did not come for the sake of Heaven, but because of Sarah’s beauty. He said in his heart: ‘I will bring him the news, the regiment will kill him, and I will take his wife Sarah.’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Oh wicked one, is that what you say? As you live, I will give you the reward for your legs, and extend your years.⁵⁸Og lived an exceptionally long life as reward for having gone with his legs to inform Abraham. But for what you thought in your heart: I will have Abraham killed, and I will take Sarah; in the hand of her descendants, this man⁵⁹A reference to Og himself. is destined to fall.
Another matter, “as I have delivered him…into your hand” – “because I will deliver him into your hand” is not written here, but, “as I have delivered him…into your hand.” I have already issued his sentence, from the days of Isaac. How so? When Abraham circumcised his son Isaac, he made a feast and invited all the kings of Canaan, as it is stated: “Abraham made a great feast…” (Genesis 21:8). What is “great”? It is that all the prominent men were there. Og, too, was there. At that time they said to Og: ‘Did you not used to say: Abraham is a barren mule and cannot beget children?’ When he saw Isaac, he said: ‘This is nothing, I can kill him with my finger.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Is this what you say? [I will extend your years] so that you will see thousands and myriads emerging from him, and in their hand, this man is destined to fall.’
Another matter, “because I will deliver him into your hand” is not written here, but, “I have delivered.” I already issued his sentence from the days of Jacob. How so? When Jacob came in to Pharaoh to bless him, as it is stated: “Jacob blessed Pharaoh” (Genesis 47:7), Og was sitting there. At that moment, Pharaoh said to Og: ‘Did you not used to say: Abraham is a barren mule and cannot beget children? Here is his grandson and seventy of his offspring.’ At that moment, Og began introducing the evil eye upon them. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Oh, wicked one, why are you introducing the evil eye upon my children? May the eye of this man dissolve. This man is destined to fall into their hand.’ That is, “as I have delivered him…into your hand.” The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘Just as, in this world, the nations of the world would hear your renown and were afraid and terrified of you, so it will be in the future, as it is stated: “All the peoples of the earth will see that the name of the Lord is invoked upon you and they will fear you” (Deuteronomy 28:10).