Midrasch zu Schemuel I 10:24

(Lev. 1:1:) “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses.” This text is related (to Prov. 29:23), “One's pride will bring him low, but the low in spirit will obtain honor.” Whenever anyone pursues [a position of] authority, authority flees from him, but whenever anyone flees from [a position of] authority, authority will pursue him. Saul fled from authority when he came to reign, as stated (in I Sam. 10:22), “So they inquired of the Lord again, ‘Has anyone else come [here]?’ And the Lord said, ‘Here he is hiding among the baggage.’” What does it (the word “baggage”) mean? When they came and brought him word of his kingship, he told them, “I am not worthy of kingship. Rather inquire by means of urim and thummim whether I am worthy; and if not, leave me alone.” Immediately (ibid.), “So they inquired of the Lord again (i.e., this second time),” [and] immediately he hid himself until they had inquired of urim and thummim. (Ibid. cont.:) “And the Lord said, ‘here he is hiding among the baggage (literally: instruments).’” Thus have our masters taught: These instruments were urim and thummim. This man fled from authority, and it pursued him, as stated (in I Sam. 10:24), “Do you see the one whom the Lord has chosen, that there is no one like him among all of this people?” But Abimelech ben Jerubbaal pursued authority, and it fled from him, as stated (in Jud. 9:1), “But Abimelech ben Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brothers…,” and killed them all upon one stone and ruled over the masters of Shechem. But in the end (according to Jud. 9:23), “Then [God] sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the masters of Shechem,” and a woman killed him. Moses also fled from authority when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Exod. 3:10), “Come, I will send you unto Pharaoh, (Exod. 14:13) “But he said, ‘Pray Lord, please make someone else Your agent.” R. Levi said, “For seven days did the Holy One, blessed be He, prevail upon Moses in the thornbush in order to send him,¹³Lev. R. 11:6; Numb. R. 21:15; M. Pss. 18:22; cf. Exod. R. 3:14; also PR 7:2. and he was answering him, ‘Please make someone else Your agent.’” Thus it is stated (in Exod. 4:10), “Then Moses said unto the Lord, ‘Pray, Lord, I have never been a man of words, either in the past or now that You have spoken unto Your servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “By your life, in the end you shall go.” When he did go [and] said, (in Exod. 5:1), “Thus says the Lord, the God of (the Hebrews) [Israel], ‘Let My people go and they shall serve Me,’” [and] that wicked man said (in vs. 2), “Who is the Lord,”¹⁴Cf. Numb. R. 13:3. Moses began to say, “I have already fulfilled my mission.” [So] he went and sat down. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Are you sitting down? (Exod. 6:11:) ‘Go and speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt.’” And so too for each and every oracle (as in Exod. 7:15), “Go unto pharaoh”; (and Exod. 8:16) “Rise up early in the morning.” [These verses are] to teach you that he fled from authority. In the end he led them forth, divided the sea for them, brought them into the desert, brought down the manna for them, brought up the well for them, brought over the quails for them, and made the tabernacle. Then he said, “From now on what is there for me to do?” He got ready and sat down. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “By your life, now you have a greater work than any that you have done, [i.e.,] to teach My children clean and unclean, to enlighten them on how to offer sacrifices to Me,” as stated (in Lev. 1:1–2), “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses […], ‘Speak unto the Children of Israel […], “When one of you presents an offering.”’” Moshe fled from authority and it pursued him, in fulfillment of what is stated (in Prov. 29:23), “One's pride will bring him low, but the low in spirit will obtain honor.” This is Moses, of whom it is stated (in Ps. 8:6), “For You have made him a little less than divine, and crowned him with glory and majesty.” (Lev. 1:1:) “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses.” This text is related (to Ps. 89:20), “Then you spoke to Your saints in a vision and said, ‘I have conferred help upon one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people.’” Although the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke with the first Adam and commanded him concerning the tree of knowledge, he was alone in the world. So also in the case of Noah; although He spoke with him, he [alone] “was upright in his generations.” And so it was in the case of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They were unique in the world. But in the case of Moses, how many righteous ones [were in the world]? Seventy elders, Bezalel, Uri, Aaron and his sons, and the [tribal] princes. Yet of them all, He called only Moses. Ergo, it says (in Ps. 89:20), “I have exalted one chosen from the people.” This is Moses, as stated (in Ps. 106:23), “had not Moses His chosen one […].”

Another [explanation]: "Bring close the tribe of Levi, etc." - this is [the meaning of] what is written (Psalms 65:5), "Happy is the one whom You have chosen and You have brought close": Happy is the one whom the Holy One, blessed be He, has chosen, even though he has not brought him close. And happy is the man that He has brought close, even though He has not chosen him. And who is the one whom He has chosen? That is Avraham, as it is stated (Nehemiah 9:7), "You are He, Lord God, Who chose Avram." But He did not bring him close, but rather he brought himself close. The Holy One, blessed be He, chose Yaakov, as it is stated (Psalms 135:4), "For Yaakov did the Lord choose." And so [too] it says (Isaiah 41:8), "Yaakov whom You have chosen." But He did not bring him close, but rather he brought himself close, as it is stated (Genesis 25:27), "Yaakov was a simple man that sat in tents." He chose Moshe, as it is stated (Psalms 106:23), "were it not for Moshe, His chosen"; but He did not bring him close. Happy are those that the Holy One, blessed be He, chose, even though He did not bring them close. Come and see - the Holy One, blessed be He, brought Yitro close, but He did not choose him. He brought Rachav the prostitute close but He did not choose her. Happy are these that whom He brought close, even though He did not choose them. A [Roman] matron asked Rabbi Yose, "[Does] your God bring close whomever He wants (arbitrarily)?" [So] he brought a basket of figs in front of her and she would choose a nice one, she would choose it and eat it. He said to her, "You know how to choose, [does] the Holy One, blessed be He not know how to choose? The one whom He sees has good deeds, He chooses him and brings him close." Rabbi Nechemiah [said] in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitschak, "Not all who are close are close, and not all who are distant are distant. There is one who is chosen and pushed off and brought close, [and] there is one who is chosen and pushed off and not brought close. Aharon was chosen - (I Samuel 2:28) 'And I chose him from all the tribes of Israel for Me as a priest.' And he was pushed off - (Deuteronomy 9:20) 'And with Aharon did the Lord get angry.' And it is written [after the event that the last verse cited was referring to] (Exodus 28:1), 'And you should bring close to you Aharon your brother.' Shaul was chosen - (I Samuel 10:24) 'Have you seen the one that the Lord chose?' And he was pushed off - (ibid., 15:11) 'I have regretted that I have crowned Shaul, etc.' And he was not brought close [again] - (ibid., 16:1) 'And I have been disgusted with him from ruling over Israel.' David was chosen - (Psalms 78:70) 'And He chose David, His servant.' And he was pushed off - (II Samuel 15:16-17) 'And the king went out, and all of household on his heels,... and they stood in Beit Merchak.'" Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "They excommunicated him. Nonetheless, he accepted his excommunication. This is [the meaning] of that which is written, (II Samuel 15:30) 'and David went up to the Ascent of Olives, he went up and cried, and his head was covered.'" "And he was brought close [again]." Rabbi Yudan said, "Eira Hayairi, the teacher of David, brought him close. This is what David says (Psalms 119:79), 'Let those that fear You (yeirecha) return to me, and they that know Your testimonies' - ['they that know'] is written as 'he that knows,' [meaning that] Eira Hayairi was his teacher and brought [David] close." Rabbi Yehoshua of Sakhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi, "There are six that were chosen: the priesthood; the order of Levi; Israel; the monarchy of the house of David; Jerusalem; [and] the Temple. From where [do we know this about] the priesthood? Since it is written (I Samuel 2:28), 'And I chose him from all the tribes of Israel for Me as a priest.' From where [do we know this about] the order of Levi? As it is stated (Deuteronomy 18:5), 'As he was chosen by the Lord, your God.' From where [do we know this about]Israel? As it is stated (Ibid., 7:6), 'the Lord, your God, chose you.' From where [do we know this about] the monarchy of the house of David? As it is stated (Psalms 78:70), 'And He chose David, His servant.' From where [do we know this about] Jerusalem? As it is stated (I Kings 11:32), 'the city that you chose.' From where [do we know this about] the Temple? As it stated (II Chronicles 7:16), 'I have chosen and sanctified this house.'" David [meant to say in Psalms 65:5], "Happy is the one whom the Holy One, blessed be He, has chosen, and happy is the one that He has brought close. And who is the one who is doubly happy? The one that the Holy One, blessed be He, chose and brought close." And who is that? That is Aharon and [the tribe of] Levi. From where [do we know this about] Aharon? Since it is written (I Samuel 2:28), "And I chose him from all the tribes of Israel for Me as a priest." And from where [do we know] that He brought him close? As it is stated (Exodus 28:1), "And you should bring close to you Aharon your brother." The Holy One, blessed be He chose Levi, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 18:5), "As he was chosen by the Lord, your God." And from where [do we know] that He brought him close? As it is stated [here], "Bring close the tribe of Levi, and stand [it up]." And about them the verse (Psalms 65:5) says, "Happy is the one whom You have chosen and You have brought close, who dwells in your courtyards"; as you say (Numbers 3:7), "And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation, etc." [The continuation of Psalms 65:5 is:] "let us be satiated from the good of Your house" - that thy would eat from the tithes that were brought to the [Temple], as you would say (Numbers 18:21), "To the house of Levi, behold, I have given all tithe in Israel for an inheritance, etc."

(Lev. 1:1:) THEN <THE LORD> CALLED UNTO MOSES. This text is related (to Prov. 29:23): ONE'S PRIDE WILL BRING HIM LOW, BUT THE LOW IN SPIRIT WILL OBTAIN HONOR. Whenever anyone flees from authority, the authority will pursue him.¹⁵Tanh., Lev. 1:3. Saul fled from authority when he came to reign, as stated (in I Sam. 10:22): SO THEY INQUIRED OF THE LORD AGAIN: HAS ANYONE ELSE COME [HERE]? AND THE LORD SAID: HERE HE IS HIDING AMONG THE BAGGAGE. What does it (the word BAGGAGE) mean? When they came and brought him word of his kingship, he told them: I am not worthy of kingship. Rather inquire by means of Urim and Thummim whether I am worthy; and if not, leave me alone. Immediately (ibid.), THEY INQUIRED OF THE LORD AGAIN (i.e., this second time), <and> immediately he hid himself until they had inquired of Urim and Thummim. (Ibid., cont.:) AND THE LORD SAID: HERE HE IS HIDING AMONG THE BAGGAGE (literally: INSTRUMENTS). Thus have our masters taught: These instruments were Urim and Thummim. This man fled from authority, and it pursued him, as stated (in I Sam. 10:24): DO YOU SEE THE ONE WHOM THE LORD HAS CHOSEN, THAT THERE IS NO ONE LIKE HIM AMONG ALL THE PEOPLES? But Abimelech ben Jerubbaal pursued authority, and it fled from him, as stated (in Jud. 9:1–2, 23): BUT ABIMELECH BEN JERUBBAAL WENT TO SHECHEM <UNTO HIS MOTHER'S BROTHERS >…, <SAYING>: PLEASE SPEAK IN THE EARS OF ALL THE CITIZENS OF SHECHEM…. THEN {THE LORD} [GOD] SENT AN EVIL SPIRIT BETWEEN ABIMELECH <AND THE CITIZENS OF SHECHEM >….

“What has been, already is, and what will be has already been; and God seeks the pursued” (Ecclesiastes 3:15).
“What has been, already is” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda says: If a person says to you: Is it possible that the entire world was water [and the world’s water was gathered] into water?⁶⁵God gathered the water that covered the land into the oceans (see Genesis 1:9); but how is that possible given that there was already water in the oceans? Say to him: ‘It “already is.”’ The ocean is entirely water in water.⁶⁶Even though it is full of water, rivers stream into it and it does not overflow.
“And what will be has already been…” – if a person will say to you: ‘Is it possible that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to transform sea into dry land?’ Say to him: ‘It “has already been.”’ Did He did not do so by means of Moses, as it is stated: “The children of Israel went on dry land” (Exodus 14:29), and it is written: “Now raise your staff…” (Exodus 14:16), and it is written: “And the children of Israel will come into the sea on dry land” (Exodus 14:16).
If a person will say to you: ‘Is it possible that had Adam, the first man, not sinned, he would have lived and endured forever?’ Say to him: ‘It “already is,”’ – Elijah, may he be remembered for good, who never sinned, lives and endures. “And what will be has already been” – if a person will say to you: ‘Is it possible that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to revive the dead?’ Say to him: ‘It “has already been,”’ He already revived the dead by means of Elijah, by means of Elisha, and by means of Ezekiel.
Rabbi Aḥa [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥalafta: Everything that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to perform and to innovate in His world in the future, He has already performed partially by means of a prophet in this world. It is I⁶⁷This phrase, and the coming phrases, are stated from the perspective of God. who am destined to turn the sea into dry land; I have already done so in this world, [as it is stated]: “Now raise your staff…” (Exodus 14:16), It is I who am destined to remember the barren; I have already remembered by means of Abraham, as it is stated: “God remembered Sarah…” (Genesis 21:1).⁶⁸God informed Sarah of this fact through a prophecy granted to Abraham (Maharzu). It is I who am destined to revive the dead; I have already revived by means of Elijah, Elisha, and Ezekiel. It is I who am destined to cause kings to prostrate themselves to you; I have already done it for you by means of Daniel, as Nebuchadnezzar prostrated himself to Daniel, as it is stated: “Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, and he prostrated himself to Daniel” (Daniel 2:46). It is I who am destined to open the eyes of the blind in the future; I have already done so by means of Elisha, as it is stated: “The Lord opened the eyes of the lad” (II Kings 6:17).
“And God seeks the pursued” – Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yosei: God will always seek [to save] the pursued. You find a righteous man pursuing a righteous man; “and God seeks the pursued.” A wicked man pursuing a righteous man; “and God seeks the pursued.” A wicked man pursuing a wicked man; “and God seeks the pursued.” God seeks the pursued in any circumstance.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon, in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Nehorai: The Holy One blessed be He always seeks the blood of the pursued from the pursuers.⁶⁹He holds the pursuers accountable for their actions, and He grants favor to the pursued. Know that it is so; Abel was pursued by Cain, and the Holy One blessed be He chose only Abel, as it is stated: “The Lord turned to Abel and to his offering” (Genesis 4:4). Noah was pursued by the members of his generation, and the Holy One blessed be He chose only Noah, as it is stated: “For you I have seen righteous before Me” (Genesis 7:1). Abraham was pursued by Nimrod, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Abraham, as it is stated: “You are the Lord God who chose Abram” (Nehemiah 9:7). Isaac was pursued by the Philistines, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Isaac, as it is stated: “They said: We have seen that the Lord has been with you” (Genesis 26:28). Jacob was pursued by Esau, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Jacob, as it is stated: “For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel as His treasure” (Psalms 135:4). Joseph was pursued by his brothers, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Joseph, as it is stated: “He established it as testimony for Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt” (Psalms 81:6).
Moses was pursued by Pharaoh, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Moses, as it is stated: “Were it not for Moses, His chosen, who stood in the breach before Him” (Psalms 106:23). David was pursued by Saul, and the Holy One blessed be He chose David, as it is stated: “He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds” (Psalms 78:70). Saul was pursued by the Philistines, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Saul, as it is stated: “Have you seen the one whom the Lord has chosen?” (I Samuel 10:24). Israel was pursued by the nations, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Israel, as it is stated: “[For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God] has chosen you as a treasured people” (Deuteronomy 7:6). Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra said: The same is true regarding offerings. The Holy One blessed be He said: A bull is pursued by a lion, a goat by a leopard, a sheep by a wolf; do not sacrifice the pursuers before Me, but rather the pursued, as it is stated: “A bull, a sheep, or a goat…[it shall be accepted as a fire offering before the Lord]” (Leviticus 22:27).

Moses was pursued by Pharoah, and the Holy One chose Moses. David was pursued by Saul, and the Holy One chose David. Saul was pursued by the Philistines, and the Holy One chose Saul. Israel are pursued by the nations, and the Holy One chose Israel.