נָאווּ לְחָיַיִךְ, מַה לְּחָיַיִם הַלָּלוּ לֹא נִבְרְאוּ אֶלָּא לְדִבּוּר, כָּךְ משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן לֹא נִבְרְאוּ אֶלָּא לְדִבּוּר. בַּתֹּרִים, בִּשְׁתֵּי תוֹרוֹת, שֶׁבִּכְתָב וְשֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, בַּתֹּרִים, בְּתוֹרוֹת הַרְבֵּה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ויקרא ו, ב): זֹאת תּוֹרַת הָעֹלָה, (ויקרא ו, ז): זֹאת תּוֹרַת הַמִּנְחָה, (ויקרא ו, יח): זֹאת תּוֹרַת הַחַטָּאת, (ויקרא ז, א): זֹאת תּוֹרַת הָאָשָׁם, (ויקרא ז, יא): זֹאת תּוֹרַת זֶבַח הַשְּׁלָמִים, (במדבר יט, יד): זֹאת הַתּוֹרָה אָדָם כִּי יָמוּת בְּאֹהֶל. דָּבָר אַחֵר, בַּתֹּרִים, בִּשְׁנֵי תְאָרִים, בִּשְׁנֵי אַחִים, זֶה משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן שֶׁתָּאֲרָן טוֹבָה זֶה עַל זֶה, זֶה שָׂמֵחַ בִּגְדֻלָּתוֹ שֶׁל זֶה, וְזֶה שָׂמֵחַ בִּגְדֻלָּתוֹ שֶׁל זֶה. אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס כְּתִיב (שמות ד, טו): וְדִבֶּר הוּא לְךָ אֶל הָעָם וְהָיָה הוּא יִהְיֶה לְךָ לְפֶה וְאַתָּה תִּהְיֶה לוֹ לֵאלֹהִים, לְתֻרְגְּמָן. וְאַתָּה תִּהְיֶה לוֹ לֵאלֹהִים, וְכִי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים נַעֲשָׂה משֶׁה לְאַהֲרֹן, דְּאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ וְאַתָּה תִּהְיֶה לוֹ לֵאלֹהִים, אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, משֶׁה כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמּוֹרָאִי עָלֶיךָ כָּךְ יִהְיֶה מוֹרָאֲךָ עַל אָחִיךָ, וְהוּא לֹא עָשָׂה כֵן, אֶלָּא (שמות ד, כט ל): וַיֵּלֶךְ משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וַיַּאַסְפוּ אֶת כָּל זִקְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיְדַבֵּר אַהֲרֹן אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים, הִקִּישׁ כְּתֵפוֹ לִכְתֵפוֹ, שֶׁעֲדַיִן הָיָה שָׂמֵחַ זֶה בִּגְדֻלָּתוֹ שֶׁל זֶה, וְזֶה בִּגְדֻלָּתוֹ שֶׁל זֶה, וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁהָיָה אַהֲרֹן שָׂמֵחַ בִּגְדֻלַּת משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ד, יד): וְגַם הִנֵּה הוּא יֹצֵא לִקְרָאתְךָ וְרָאֲךָ וְשָׂמַח בְּלִבּוֹ. תָּנֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי לֵב שֶׁשָֹּׂמַח בִּגְדֻלַּת משֶׁה אָחִיו יִלְבַּשׁ אוּרִים וְתֻמִּים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שמות כח, ל): וְנָתַתָּ אֶל חשֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּט אֶת הָאוּרִים וְאֶת הַתֻּמִּים וְהָיוּ עַל לֵב אַהֲרֹן. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁהָיָה משֶׁה שָׂמֵחַ בִּגְדֻלַּת אַהֲרֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קלג, ב): כַּשֶּׁמֶן הַטּוֹב עַל הָרֹאשׁ יֹרֵד עַל הַזָּקָן זְקַן אַהֲרֹן. אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא וְכִי שְׁנֵי זְקָנִים הָיוּ לְאַהֲרֹן, דִּכְתִיב: עַל הַזָּקָן זְקַן אַהֲרֹן, אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיָה רוֹאֶה משֶׁה שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה יוֹרֵד עַל זְקָנוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, הָיָה דוֹמֶה עָלָיו כְּאִלּוּ יוֹרֵד עַל זְקָנוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה, וְהָיָה שָׂמֵחַ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: עַל הַזָּקָן זְקַן אַהֲרֹן. “Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, your neck with beads” (Song of Songs 1:10).
“Your cheeks are lovely”—just as these cheeks were created only for speech, so too, Moses and Aaron were created only for speech; “with ornaments [batorim],” with two Torahs, written and oral.
Another matter, batorim, many Torahs; that is what is written: “This is the law [tora] of the burnt offering” (Leviticus 6:2); “this is the law [tora] of the meal offering” (Leviticus 6:7); “this is the law [tora] of the guilt offering” (Leviticus 7:1); “this is the law [tora] of the peace offering” (Leviticus 7:11). “This is the law [tora] of a person when he dies in a tent” (Numbers 19:14).
Another matter, batorim, with two countenances [te’arim], with two brothers, these are Moses and Aaron, whose countenances were favorable to each other. This one rejoiced over the prominence of the other and that one rejoiced over the prominence of the other. Rabbi Pinḥas said: It is written: “He will speak to the people on your behalf, and he will be a mouth for you, and you will be an elohim for him” (Exodus 4:16). [“He will be a mouth for you,”] a disseminator. “And you will be an elohim for him,” did Moses become a god for Aaron that you say: “And you will be an elohim for him”? Rather, this is what the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Moses, just as fear of Me is upon you, so too, your fear will be upon your brother.’ But he did not do so. Rather, “Moses and Aaron went and they assembled all the elders of the children of Israel; Aaron spoke all the matters” (Exodus 4:29–30). [Moses] equated his shoulder to [Aaon’s] shoulder,252They stood shoulder to shoulder and treated each other as equals. Thus, Moses did not send Aaron to do his bidding; they worked together. as this one still rejoiced over the prominence of the other, and that one over the prominence of the other.
From where [is it derived] that Aaron rejoiced over Moses’s prominence? As it is stated: “He will see you and he will rejoice in his heart” (Exodus 4:14). Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: The heart that rejoiced over the prominence of Moses his brother will don the Urim and the Tumim. That is what is written: “You shall place the Urim and the Tumim in the breastplate of judgment and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart” (Exodus 28:30).
From where [is it derived] that Moses rejoiced over Aaron’s prominence? As it is stated: “It is like fine oil on the head, descending onto the beard, the beard of Aaron” (Psalms 133:2). Rabbi Aḥa said: Did Aaron have two beards, as it is written: “Descending onto the beard, the beard of Aaron”?253Why does it say the word beard twice? Rather, when Moses saw the anointing oil descending onto the beard of Aaron, it was comparable for him as though it descended onto the beard of Moses, and he rejoiced; therefore, it is stated: “Onto the beard, the beard of Aaron.”
צַוָּארֵךְ בַּחֲרוּזִים, אֵלּוּ שִׁבְעִים סַנְהֶדְּרִין, שֶׁהָיוּ חוֹרְזִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם בְּלוּנְיָא שֶׁל מַרְגָּלִיּוֹת. דָּבָר אַחֵר, נָאווּ לְחָיַיִךְ בַּתֹּרִים, אֵלּוּ סוֹפְרִים, וּמַשְׁנִים, מְלַמְּדֵי תִּינוֹקוֹת בֶּאֱמוּנָה. צַוָּארֵךְ בַּחֲרוּזִים, אֵלּוּ הַתִּינוֹקוֹת. דָּבָר אַחֵר, נָאווּ לְחָיַיִךְ בַּתֹּרִים, אֵלּוּ הָרַבָּנִין. צַוָּארֵךְ בַּחֲרוּזִים, אֵלּוּ הַתַּלְמִידִים שֶׁחוֹזְרִין צַוְּארֵיהֶם לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה מִפִּיהֶם, כְּאָדָם שֶׁלֹא שָׁמַע דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה מִיָּמָיו. דָּבָר אַחֵר, נָאווּ לְחָיַיִךְ בַּתֹּרִים, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמְיַלְּלִין הַהֲלָכָה אֵלּוּ עִם אֵלּוּ, כְּגוֹן רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר מִימִי וַחֲבֵרָיו. צַוָּארֵךְ בַּחֲרוּזִים, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיוּ חוֹרְזִים בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה, וּמִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה לִנְבִיאִים, וּמִנְּבִיאִים לִכְתוּבִים, וְהָאֵשׁ מִתְלַהֶטֶת סְבִיבוֹתֵיהֶם וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים שְׂמֵחִים כִּנְתִינָתָן מִסִּינַי. וְכִי עִקַּר נְתִינָתָן מֵהַר סִינַי לֹא בָאֵשׁ הָיוּ נִתָּנִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ד, יא): וְהָהָר בֹּעֵר בָּאֵשׁ עַד לֵב הַשָּׁמַיִם. בֶּן עַזַּאי הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב וְדוֹרֵשׁ וְהָאֵשׁ סְבִיבוֹתָיו, אֲזַלוּן וַאֲמַרוּן לְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, רַבִּי בֶּן עַזַּאי יוֹשֵׁב וְדוֹרֵשׁ וְהָאֵשׁ מְלַהֶטֶת סְבִיבוֹתָיו, הָלַךְ אֶצְלוֹ וְאָמַר לוֹ שָׁמַעְתִּי שֶׁהָיִיתָ דּוֹרֵשׁ וְהָאֵשׁ מְלַהֶטֶת סְבִיבְךָ. אָמַר לוֹ הֵן. אָמַר לוֹ, שֶׁמָּא בְּחַדְרֵי מֶרְכָּבָה הָיִיתָ עָסוּק, אָמַר לוֹ לָאו, אֶלָּא הָיִיתִי יוֹשֵׁב וְחוֹרֵז בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה, וּמִתּוֹרָה לִנְבִיאִים, וּמִנְּבִיאִים לִכְתוּבִים, וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים שְׂמֵחִים כִּנְתִינָתָן מִסִּינַי, וְהָיוּ עֲרֵבִים כְּעִקַּר נְתִינָתָן, וְכֵן עִקַּר נְתִינָתָן מִסִּינַי לֹא בָאֵשׁ הָיוּ נִתָּנִין, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברים ד, יא): וְהָהָר בֹּעֵר בָּאֵשׁ. רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב וְדוֹרֵשׁ וְאֵשׁ מְלַהֶטֶת סְבִיבוֹתָיו, אָמַר שֶׁמָּא אֵינִי חוֹרֵז בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה כְּתִקְנָן, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי אִית דְּיָדַע לְמִחְרוֹז וְלָא יָדַע לְמִקְדַּח, וְאִית דְּיָדַע לְמִקְדַּח וְלָא יָדַע לְמִחְרוֹז, בְּרַם אֲנָא הֲוֵינָא חָרוֹזָא וַאֲנָא הֲוֵינָא קָדוֹחָא. “Your neck with beads,” these are the seventy members of Sanhedrin who were strung after them,254They were ardent followers of Moses and Aaron. as on a string of pearls.
Another matter, “your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,” these are the Bible teachers and the Mishna teachers who teach the children faithfully. “Your neck with beads,” these are the children. Alternatively, “your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,” these are the Sages. “Your neck with beads,” these are the students who crane their necks to hear matters of Torah from [the Sages’] mouths, like a person who has never before heard matters of Torah.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, נָאווּ לְחָיַיִךְ בַּתֹּרִים, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁקּוֹרִין בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה בְּתוֹרֵיהֶן, הִלְכוֹת פֶּסַח בַּפֶּסַח, הִלְכוֹת עֲצֶרֶת בַּעֲצֶרֶת, הִלְכוֹת הֶחָג בֶּחָג, הֲדָא דְאַתְּ אָמַר (אסתר ב, יב): וּבְהַגִּיעַ תֹּר נַעֲרָה וְנַעֲרָה. צַוָּארֵךְ בַּחֲרוּזִים, רַבִּי לֵוִי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חָמָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר אֵלּוּ פָּרָשׁוֹתֶיהָ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, שֶׁהֵן חֲרוּזוֹת זוֹ בָּזוֹ, וּמוֹשְׁכוֹת זוֹ בָּזוֹ, וּמְדַלְּגוֹת זוֹ מִזּוֹ, וְדוֹמוֹת זוֹ לָזוֹ, וּקְרוֹבוֹת זוֹ לָזוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי מְנַחֲמָא כְּגוֹן הָדֵין דִּכְתִיב (במדבר כו, נג): לָאֵלֶּה תֵּחָלֵק הָאָרֶץ בְּנַחֲלָה, מַה כְּתִיב תַּמָּן (במדבר כז, א): וַתִּקְרַבְנָה בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד, (במדבר כז, ז): כֵּן בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד דֹּבְרֹת, וּכְתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ (במדבר כז, יב): עֲלֵה אֶל הַר הָעֲבָרִים הַזֶּה הַר נְבוֹ, וְכִִי מָה עִנְיַן לָזֶה, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְפְּלַגַּת אַרְעָא, בָּאוּ בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד לִטֹּל חֶלְקָן אֵצֶל משֶׁה, וְנִסְתַּלֵּק משֶׁה מִדִּינָן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (במדבר כז, ה): וַיַּקְרֵב משֶׁה אֶת מִשְׁפָּטָן, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִדִּינָן אַתְּ מִסְתַּלֵּק וּמִלְּפָנַי אֵין אַתְּ מִסְתַּלֵּק, עֲלֵה אֶל הַר הָעֲבָרִים הַזֶּה. אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הוֹאִיל וְאַתָּה מְסַלְּקֵנִי מִן הָעוֹלָם, הוֹדִיעֵנִי מַה פַּרְנָסִים אַתָּה מַעֲמִיד לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, משֶׁה, עַל בָּנַי אַתָּה צָרִיךְ צִוּוּי (ישעיה מה, יא): וְעַל פֹּעַל יָדַי אַתָּה מְצַוֵּנִי, עַד שֶׁאַתָּה מְצַוֵּנִי עַל בָּנַי צַוֵּה אֶת בָּנַי עָלַי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (במדבר כח, ב): צַו אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם, מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְאִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיְתָה מִסְתַּלֶּקֶת מִן הָעוֹלָם, אָמְרָה לוֹ חֵי אֲדוֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲנִי מְפַקֶּדֶת אוֹתְךָ עַל בָּנַי, אָמַר לָהּ עַד שֶׁאַתְּ מְצַוָּה אוֹתִי עַל בָּנַי צַוֵּה בָּנַי עָלַי, כָּךְ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר משֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הוֹאִיל וְאַתָּה מְסַלְּקֵנִי מִן הָעוֹלָם הוֹדִיעֵנִי מַה פַּרְנָסִים אַתָּה מַעֲמִיד עֲלֵיהֶם. Another matter, “your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,” when they explore the halakha with each other, like Rabbi Abba bar Mimi and his colleagues. “Your neck with beads,” when they would string together matters of Torah, from Torah to Prophets, and from Prophets to Writings, and fire is ignited around them, and the matters were as joyful as when they were given from Sinai. At their primary giving from Mount Sinai, were they not given in fire, as it is stated: “The mountain was burning with fire to the heart of the heavens” (Deuteronomy 4:11)?
Ben Azai was sitting and expounding and fire was surrounding him. They went and told Rabbi Akiva: Rabbi, ben Azai is sitting and expounding and fire is burning around him. [Rabbi Akiva] went to him and said to him: ‘I heard that you were expounding and fire was buring around you.’ He said to [Rabbi Akiva]: ‘Yes.’ [Rabbi Akiva] said to him: ‘Perhaps you were engaged in the esoterica of the Divine Chariot?’ He said to [Rabbi Akiva]: ‘No, but rather I was sitting and stringing together matters of Torah, from Torah to Prophets, and from Prophets to Writings, and the matters were as joyful as when they were given from Sinai, and as sweet as when they were first given. At their primary giving from Mount Sinai, were they not given in fire? That is what is written: “The mountain was burning with fire” (Deuteronomy 4:11).’ Rabbi Abahu was sitting and expounding and fire was burning around him. He said: ‘Am I perhaps not stringing together matters of Torah properly? As Rabbi Levi said: There are those who know to string but do not know to drill and there are those who know to drill but do not know to string. However, I was stringing and I was drilling.’255The reference is to drilling and stringing pearls. The metaphor is that one must delve deeply in one’s Torah study and then properly tie together the matters analyzed. Rabbi Abahu said that the fire was burning around him as he studied because he had followed all of those steps.
Another matter, “your cheeks are lovely with ornaments [batorim],” when they read matters of Torah in their sequence [betoreihen]; the halakhot of Passover on Passover, the halakhot of Shavuot on Shavuot, and the halakhot of Sukkot on Sukkot. Just as you say: “When the turn [tor] of each and every young woman would come” (Esther 2:12). “Your neck with beads,” Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina: These are the portions of the Torah that are linked to each other, lead one to another, leap one to another,256That which is unclear or missing from one passage is clarified or filled in from a different passage (Matnot Kehuna). are comparable one to another, and are related one to another. Like this, that is written: “To these the land will be divided as an inheritance” (Numbers 26:53). What is written there? “The daughters of Tzelofḥad approached” (Numbers 27:1), “the daughters of Tzelofḥad speak correctly” (Numbers 27:7), and it is written thereafter: “Ascend to this highland of Avarim” (Numbers 27:12),257The midrash cites verses from three consecutive passages: Moses took a census of the Israelites, following which God commanded that the Land of Israel be eventually divided among those counted in that census (Numbers 26:1–56). The daughters of Tzelofḥad came to Moses to request that although only men were counted in the census, since their father had died without sons, his portion should go to his daughters. Moses consulted God, who said that in a case where a man dies without sons, he is inherited by his daughters (Numbers 27:1–11). Then God commanded Moses to ascend to Avarim, where he would die, and Moses asked God to appoint a successor to lead the Israelites, and God appointed Joshua (Numbers 27:12–23). which is Mount Nevo.258See Deuteronomy 32:49. What does this have to do with that? Since the land was divided, the daughters of Tzelofḥad came to Moses to receive their portion and Moses recused himself from their case. That is what is written: “Moses brought their case before [the Lord]” (Numbers 27:5). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Moses, from their case you recuse yourself, but you do not remove yourself from before Me?259You continue pleading before Me to allow you to enter the Land. “Ascend to this highland of Avarim.”’260Moses was told that he may see the Land from the mountain, and that after seeing the Land he would die without entering it. He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, since You are expelling me from the world, what leaders are You appointing for Israel?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Is it necessary for you to command Me regarding My children; “will you command Me regarding My handiwork” (Isaiah 45:11)? Before you command Me regarding My children,261Moses’s request is expressed in a somewhat assertive manner: “Let the Lord appoint a man” (Numbers 27:16). command My children in My regard.’ This is that is written: “Command the children and say to them” (Numbers 28:2).262This introduces the command to bring the daily continual offerings. To what is this matter analogous? It is to a king’s wife who was departing from the world. She said to him: ‘By the life of my lord, the king, I command you regarding my children.’ He said to her: ‘Before you command me regarding my children, command my children in my regard.’ So it was when Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, since You are expelling me from the world, what leaders are You appointing over them?’