Midrasch zu Bamidbar 32:12

Variantly: "to Moses and to Aaron": I might think that the one who takes precedence in the verse takes precedence in the act. It is, therefore, written (Exodus 6:26) "It is Aaron and Moses" — Both are equal. Similarly, (Genesis 1:1) "In the beginning G d created the heavens and the earth": I might think that what takes precedence in the verse took precedence in creation. It is, therefore, written (Genesis 2:4) "on the day that the L rd G d made earth and heaven" — They were both created together. Similarly, (Exodus 3:6) "I am the G d of your father, the G d of Abraham, the G d of Isaac, and the G d of Jacob." I might think that whoever comes first in the verse comes first in importance. It is, therefore, written (Leviticus 26:42) "Then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham will I remember" — to teach that all three are of equal importance. Similarly, (Exodus 20:12) "Honor your father and your mother." (Leviticus 19:3) "A man, his mother and his father shall you fear." — Both are of equal importance.

“I am black but lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon” (Song of Songs 1:5).
“I am black but lovely,” black in terms of my actions but lovely in terms of the actions of my ancestors. “I am black but lovely,” the congregation of Israel said: I am black in terms of myself,¹⁸⁸I acknowledge my sins and demand of myself that I improve in my service of God (Maharzu). and am, therefore, lovely before my Creator, as it is written: “Are you not like Kushites to Me, children of Israel [– the utterance of the Lord]” (Amos 9:7), you are like Kushites in terms of yourselves, but to Me you are the children of Israel – the utterance of the Lord.
Another matter, I was black in Egypt and I was lovely in Egypt. I was black in Egypt; “they defied Me and were unwilling to heed Me” (Ezekiel 20:8). I was lovely in Egypt, with the blood of the Paschal offering and the blood of circumcision, as it is written: “I passed you, and I 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” (Ezekiel 16:6); this is the blood of circumcision.
Another matter, I was black at the sea, as it is stated: “They rebelled at the sea, at the Red Sea” (Psalms 106:7). And I was lovely at the sea, as it is stated: “This is my God and I will glorify Him” (Exodus 15:2). I was black at Mara, as it is stated: “The people complained against Moses, saying: What will we drink?” (Exodus 15:24). And I was lovely at Mara, as it is stated: “He cried to the Lord and the Lord showed him a tree and he cast it into the water and the waters were sweetened” (Exodus 15:25). I was black in Refidim, as it is stated: “He called the name of the place Masa and Meriva” (Exodus 17:7).¹⁸⁹Masa and Meriva literally translate to “trial” and “dispute.” And I was lovely in Refidim, as it is stated: “Moses built an altar, and he called its name: The Lord is my banner” (Exodus 17:15). I was black at Ḥorev, as it is stated: “They crafted a calf at Ḥorev” (Psalms 106:19). And I was lovely at Ḥorev, as it is stated: “Everything that the Lord stated we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7). I was black in the wilderness, as it is stated: “How much they defied Him in the wilderness” (Psalms 78:40). And I was lovely in the wilderness with the establishment of the Tabernacle, as it is stated: “On the day the Tabernacle was established” (Numbers 9:15). I was black with the scouts, as it is stated: “They issued a slanderous report” (Numbers 13:32). And I was lovely with Joshua and Caleb, as it is stated: “Except Caleb ben Yefuneh the Kenizite [and Joshua son of Nun]” (Numbers 32:12). I was black in Shitim, as it is stated: “Israel settled in Shitim [and the people began engaging in harlotry]” (Numbers 25:1). And I was lovely in Shitim, as it is stated: “Pinḥas stood and prayed” (Psalms 106:30). I was black regarding Akhan, as it is stated: “The children of Israel trespassed regarding the proscribed spoils” (Joshua 7:1). And I was lovely regarding Joshua, as it is stated: “Joshua said to Akhan: My son, please give honor [to the Lord, God of Israel]” (Joshua 7:19). I was black regarding the kings of Israel and I was lovely regarding the kings of Judah. If with the black that I had, I was lovely, among My prophets, all the more so.¹⁹⁰Many commentaries suggest that the text should read “lovely ones [na’im]” rather than “prophets [neviim]” (see, e.g., Maharzu; Etz Yosef). One interpretation of this statement is: If even at the places where I was black I was also lovely, how much more so in the places where I was not black.

“You have charmed me, my sister, my bride; you have charmed me with one of your eyes, with one bead of your necklace” (Song of Songs 4:9).
“You have charmed me [libavtini],¹¹⁸This word is spelled in Hebrew with the letter bet doubled, which is expounded as an allusion to two hearts [levavot]: the good inclination and the evil inclination. my sister, my bride; you have charmed me” – the Holy One blessed be He said: You had one heart [lev]¹¹⁹The Sages refer to a person as having two hearts due to the capacity one has to do good or evil. When acting properly, one is referring to as serving God with both of one’s hearts. When sinning, one is referred to as serving God with only one heart while rebelling against God with one’s other heart. in Egypt, but you [eventually] gave Me two hearts. “You have charmed me with one of your eyes” – with the blood of the paschal offering and the blood of circumcision; “with one bead of your necklace” – this is Moses, who was the most outstanding and mighty among your tribes.
Another matter: “You have charmed me [libavtini], my sister, my bride” – the Holy One blessed be He said: You had one heart [lev] at the sea, but you [eventually] gave Me two hearts. “You have charmed me with one of your eyes” – as you stood before Me on Mount Sinai and said: “Everything that God spoke we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7); “with one bead of your necklace” – this is Moses, who was the most outstanding and mighty among your tribes.
Another matter: “You have charmed me [libavtini]” – the Holy One blessed be He said: You had one heart [lev] in the wilderness, but you [eventually] gave Me two hearts. “You have charmed me with one of your eyes” – with the establishment of the Tabernacle, as it is stated: “On the day the Tabernacle was established, [the cloud covered the tabernacle]” (Numbers 9:15);¹²⁰The cloud symbolized God’s Presence resting on the Tabernacle. He was “charmed” by the people’s generosity in donating toward the building of the Tabernacle. In rabbinic Hebrew donating generously can be referred to as donating “with a good eye.” “with one bead of your necklace” – this is Moses, who was the most outstanding and mighty among your tribes. Some say [the verse is referring to] the women of the generation of the wilderness, who were upright. When they encountered that incident they paused, considered the matter, and did not give any of their nose rings for the incident of the Golden Calf. When they heard that they were forbidden to their husbands they immediately locked their doors.¹²¹When they heard about the laws of family purity, according to which there are times when a woman is forbidden to her husband, they accepted these laws immediately and refused to have relations with their husbands during those times.
Another matter: “You have charmed me [libavtini], my sister, my bride” – the Holy One blessed be He said: You had one heart [lev] with the scouts, but you gave Me two hearts. These are Joshua and Caleb, as it is stated: “Except Caleb son of Yefuneh the Kenizite, and Joshua son of Nun…” (Numbers 32:12). “With one bead of your necklace” – this is Moses, who was the most outstanding and mighty among your tribes.
Another matter: “You have charmed me [libavtini], my sister, my bride” – the Holy One blessed be He said: You had one heart [lev] in the Shitim, but you gave Me two hearts. “You have charmed me with one of your eyes” – this is Pinḥas, as it is stated: “Pinḥas stood up to carry out judgment.… and it was considered righteousness for him” (Psalms 106:30–31). “With one bead of your necklace” – this is Moses.

[(Gen. 2:4:) THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH.]³⁵See Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Pisha 1; Tanh., Exod. 3:5; Gen. R. 1:15; Lev. R. 36:1; Ker. 6:9. In every place you find Moses preceding Aaron, but where is it shown that both of them were equal? Where it is stated (in Exod. 6:26): IT IS THE SAME AARON AND MOSES. In every place you find Joshua preceding Caleb, but where is it shown that both of them are equal? Where it is stated (in Numb. 32:12): EXCEPT CALEB BEN JEPHUNNEH THE KENIZZITE AND JOSHUA BEN NUN. In every place you find the father's honor preceding the mother's honor, but where is it shown that both of them are on a par? Where it is stated (in Lev. 19:3): EACH ONE SHALL FEAR HIS MOTHER AND HIS FATHER. In every place you find the heavens preceding the earth, but where is it shown that they are on a par? Where it is stated (in Gen. 2:4, end): IN THE DAY THAT THE LORD GOD MADE EARTH AND HEAVEN. {So it is written.}