Midrasch zu Schemot 11:4

It is written (Ps. 119, 62.) At midnight do I constantly rise to give thanks unto Thee. Did David rise at midnight? Behold! He arose at the beginning of the night, for it is said, (Ib. ib. 147.) I came before thee in the twilight of night. And how do we know that the meaning of Neshef is the beginning of night? For it is written (Pr. 7, 9.) In the Neshef, in the evening of day. R. Oshiya said: "Thus [said David], 'I never passed half a night in sleep.'" R. Zerika said: "Until midnight he slumbered like a horse, thereafter he strengthened himself [fought sleep] like a lion." R. Ashi said: "Until midnight he was engaged in the study of the Torah; after that [he spent his time] in songs and praises." And do you say Neshef means the beginning of night? Why do we find it used as the dawn of morning? For it is written (I. Sam. 30. 37.) And David smote them from the Neshef even unto the evening of the next day. Is it not meant from morning until evening? "Nay, from evening to evening." If so, then let it be written Me-haneshef Ad Haneshef or instead of Me-ha'ereb Ad Ha'ereb! [Why are the two words Neshef and Ereb, used for the same idea?] "But," says Raba, "Neshef means originally, 'The transition of anything' hence, night ends and day comes, the day ends and night comes." But how did David know the exact time at midnight? Behold! If Moses our teacher did not know it, for it is written (Ex. 11, 4.) Thus hath the Lord said, about midnight, etc. Why [does he come to say] about midnight? Should we say that he was told so by the Holy One, praised be He! Is there any possibility of God being in doubt? We must therefore explain it that Moses was told At midnight [as it really happened]; but Moses [on his own recognizance] said About midnight; consequently we infer that Moses was in doubt. And how did David know it? David had a sign [which indicated the exact time at midnight to him], for R. Chana b. Bizna said in the name of R. Simon the Pious that: a harp was hanging over David's bed and, as soon as midnight arrived, a northerly wind blew in upon the strings of the harp and caused it to play. Thereupon, David arose and studied the Torah until dawn. At dawn the sages of Israel visited David and said to him: "Our Lord, O King! Israel, thy people need a living!" "Go and support yourselves by dealing with one another," replied David. "But," said they, "a handful does not satisfy the lion nor can a pit be filled with its own earth! [i. e., a community cannot live on its own resources]." Whereupon David said to them: "Go ye and stretch your hands out as a band [of warriors]. Immediately they held counsel with Achi'tophel and took advice from the Sanhedrin and inquired of the Urim and Tummim. R. Joseph said: "What is the passage [that refers to this]? It is written (I Chr.27, 34.) And after Achi'tophel (came) Joho'yada, the son. of Bena'yahu, and Ebya'thar, and the captain of the king's army was Joab, i.e., 'Achi'tophel' is the adviser; as it is said (II Sam. 16, 23.) And the council of Achi'tophel, which he counseled in those (Fol. 4a) days was as if a man had asked advice of the word of God: 'Jehoyada the son of Bena'yahu,' refers to the Sanhedrin; 'Ebyathar' refers to the Urim and Tummim; as the passage said (Ib. 20, 23.) And Bena'yahu, the son of Jeho'yada was over the Kareithi and Peleithi. But why are the Sanhedrin called 'Kareithi?' Because they cut their words clearly; and 'Peleithi?' Because their acts were wonderful [predestined]. And why was the name Urim given to the stones? Because they enlightened their words; 'Tummim?' Because they finished their words.' And after this, they applied to Joab, the king's captain." R. Isaac b. Ada said: "What biblical passage relates to this? [That the harp was hanging over David's bed.] Awake! my spirit, awake! my psaltry and harp; I will wake up the morning dawn! (Ps. 57, 9)." R. Zera said: "Moses, our teacher, knew very well [the exact time at midnight] and so did David; the harp was used not to tell him the time at midnight, but to awaken him from sleep. The reason for Moses' statement About midnight is that he feared lest the astrologers of Pharaoh might err in the time and would afterwards say that Moses lied; as the master has said, Use thy tongue to say, I do not know lest you be found mistaken and deceived!' " R. Ashi said: "The time when Moses spoke was midnight (between the thirteenth and the fourteenth day of Nisan) and thus he said to Pharaoh: 'The Holy One, praised be He! said, 'To-morrow, at this time, will I go out in the midst of Egypt.'"

...It is written (Ps. 119:62) At midnight do I constantly rise to give thanks unto Thee. Did David rise at midnight? Behold! He arose at the beginning of the night, for it is said, (Ib. ib. 147.) I came before thee in the twilight of night. And how do we know that the meaning of Neshef is the beginning of night? For it is written (Pr. 7, 9.) In the Neshef, in the evening of day. R. Oshiya said: "Thus [said David], 'I never passed half a night in sleep.'" R. Zerika said: "Until midnight he slumbered like a horse, thereafter he strengthened himself [fought sleep] like a lion." R. Ashi said: "Until midnight he was engaged in the study of the Torah ; after that [he spent his time] in songs and praises." And do you say Neshef means the beginning of night? Why do we find it used as the dawn of morning? For it is written (I. Sam. 30. 37.) And David smote them from the Neshef even unto the evening of the next day. Is it not meant from morning until evening? "Nay, from evening to evening." If so, then let it be written Me-haneshef Ad Haneshef or instead of Me-ha'ereb Ad Ha'ereb! [Why are the two words Neshef and Ereb, used for the same idea?] "But," says Raba, "Neshef means originally, 'The transition of anything' hence, night ends and day comes, the day ends and night comes." But how did David know the exact time at midnight? Behold! If Moses our teacher did not know it, for it is written (Ex. 11:4) Thus hath the Lord said, about midnight, etc. Why [does he come to say] about midnight? Should we say that he was told so by the Holy One, praised be He! Is there any possibility of God being in doubt? We must therefore explain it that Moses was told At midnight [as it really happened] ; but Moses [on his own recognizance] said About midnight; consequently we infer that Moses was in doubt. And how did David know it? David had a sign [which indicated the exact time at midnight to him], for R. Chana b. Bizna said in the name of R. Simon the Pious that: a harp was hanging over David's bed and, as soon as midnight arrived, a northerly wind blew in upon the strings of the harp and caused it to play. Thereupon, David arose and studied the Torah until dawn. At dawn the sages of Israel visited David and said to him : "Our Lord, O King! Israel, thy people need a living!" "Go and support yourselves by dealing with one another," replied David. "But," said they, "a handful does not satisfy the lion nor can a pit be filled with its own earth! [i. e., a community cannot live on its own resources]." Whereupon David said to them : "Go ye and stretch your hands out as a band [of warriors]. Immediately they held counsel with Achi'tophel and took advice from the Sanhedrin and inquired of the Urim and Tummim. R. Joseph said: "What is the passage [that refers to this]? It is written (I Chr.27, 34.) And after Achi'tophel (came) Joho'yada, the son. of Bena'yahu, and Ebya'thar, and the captain of the king's army was Joab, i.e., 'Achi'tophel' is the adviser; as it is said (II Sam. 16:23) And the council of Achi'tophel, which he counseled in those (Fol. 4a) days was as if a man had asked advice of the word of God : 'Jehoyada the son of Bena'yahu,' refers to the Sanhedrin; 'Ebyathar' refers to the Urim and Tummim ; as the passage said (Ib. 20, 23.) And Bena'yahu, the son of Jeho'yada was over the Kareithi and Peleithi. But why are the Sanhedrin called 'Kareithi ?' Because they cut their words clearly; and 'Peleithi?' Because their acts were wonderful [predestined]. And why was the name Urim given to the stones? Because they enlightened their words ; 'Tummim?' Because they finished their words.' And after this, they applied to Joab, the king's captain." R. Isaac b. Ada said : "What biblical passage relates to this? [That the harp was hanging over David's bed.] Awake! my spirit, awake! my psaltry and harp; I will wake up the morning dawn! (Ps. 57:9)." R. Zera said : "Moses, our teacher, knew very well [the exact time at midnight] and so did David; the harp was used not to tell him the time at midnight, but to awaken him from sleep. The reason for Moses' statement About midnight is that he feared lest the astrologers of Pharaoh might err in the time and would afterwards say that Moses lied ; as the master has said, Use thy tongue to say, I do not know lest you be found mistaken and deceived !' " R. Ashi said: "The time when Moses spoke was midnight (between the thirteenth and the fourteenth day of Nisan) and thus he said to Pharaoh: 'The Holy One, praised be He ! said, 'To-morrow, at this time, will I go out in the midst of Egypt.'"...

“It is the sound of my beloved knocking” – by means of Moses when he said: “Moses said: So said the Lord: At about midnight, I will emerge in the midst of Egypt” (Exodus 11:4). “Open for me” – Rabbi Yasa said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: My children, open for Me one opening of repentance like the eye of the needle, and I will open for you openings that wagons and carriages enter through it.
Rabbi Tanḥuma, Rabbi Ḥunya, and Rabbi Abbahu [said] in the name of Reish Lakish: It is written: “Desist, and know that I am God…” (Psalms 46:11) – the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: Desist from your evil actions and know that I am God. Rabbi Levi said: Were Israel to repent even one day, they would be redeemed immediately and the son of David would come immediately. What is the reason? “For He is our God, and we are the people of His flock and the sheep under His hand; today, if you heed His voice” (Psalms 95:7). Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Levi say: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: Desist from your wicked actions and repent in the blink of an eye, “and know that I am God.”¹⁵Earnest repentance, even for a very short time, will lead to redemption, which will itself cause widespread recognition of God.
“My sister [aḥoti]” – as they were stitched [nitaḥu] to Me in Egypt with the blood of the paschal offering and the blood of circumcision. That is what is written: “I passed you and saw you wallowing in your blood, and I said to you, in your blood you shall live” (Ezekiel 16:6) – this is the blood of the paschal offering. “I said to you, in your blood you shall live” – this is the blood of circumcision (Ezekiel 16:6).
“My love [rayati]” – as they fell in love [sheriu] with Me at the sea and said: “This is my God and I will exalt Him” (Exodus 15:2), “the Lord will reign for ever and ever” (Exodus 15:18). “My dove” – at Mara, as from there they were commanded and became distinctive through all the mitzvot, acts of charity, and good deeds, like the dove that is distinctive.¹⁶A dove recognizes its mate, distinguishing it from among the other doves. That is what is written: “There He instituted for it statutes and ordinances” (Exodus 15:25). “My faultless [tamati]” – My wholehearted ones [tamuti], as they were wholehearted with Me at Sinai, and said: “Everything that the Lord said, we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7).
Rabbi Yannai said: My twin [teomati], as it were; I am not greater than it and it is not greater that I am.¹⁷God is as assiduous regarding the honor of the righteous of Israel as He is of His own honor. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: My twin [teomati], just as with twins, if one has a headache his counterpart feels it. So too, as it were, the Holy One blessed be He says: “I am with him in times of trouble” (Psalms 91:15).
“For my head is filled with dew” – on the basis of: “The earth quaked, the heavens dripped” (Psalms 68:9). “My locks, drops of night” – on the basis of what is stated: “The clouds dripped water” (Judges 5:4).