Midrash for Exodus 5:14

(Deut. 33:2, cont.:) HE ARRIVED ('T')¹⁷Cf. above, Exod. 5:14. The midrash seems to vowel these consonants to mean “beacon.” Thus the whole clause means that the Holy One was a beacon in the midst of HOLY MYRIADS. Similarly Braude and Kapstein, p. 457, note 52; see p. 244, note 64. FROM HOLY MYRIADS.¹⁸Tanh., Deut. 11:5; PRK 31(suppl. 1):16.: <This> teaches that the Holy One is great and his name is to be praised by all his host, because his attributes are not like the attribute of flesh and blood.¹⁹Tanh., Deut. 11:4; PRK 31 (suppl. 1):16. <Consider> the character of flesh and blood. If the king comes out with his household,²⁰Lat.: familia. he is handsome; but among his hosts there are some more handsome than he. He is valiant, but among his hosts there some more valiant than he. In the case of the Holy One, however, there is no one like him among all his myriads. It is so stated (in Ps. 86:8): THERE IS NO ONE LIKE YOU AMONG THE GODS, O LORD. It also says (in Exod. 15:11): WHO IS LIKE YOU AMONG THE GODS, O LORD…?]

(Deut. 33:2, cont.:) “He arrived ('t')¹⁵Cf. above, Exod. 5:14. The midrash seems to vowel these consonants to mean “beacon.” Thus the whole clause means that the Holy One was a beacon in the midst of HOLY MYRIADS. Similarly Braude and Kapstein, p. 457, note 52; see p. 244, note 64. from holy myriads.”¹⁶PRK 31(suppl. 1):16. [This] teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, is greater and His name is more praised than all His hosts; since His attributes are not like the attribute of flesh and blood.¹⁷PRK 31 (suppl. 1):16. [Consider] the character of flesh and blood. If the king comes out with his retinue,¹⁸Lat.: familia. he is handsome; but among his hosts there are some more handsome than he. He is valiant, but among his hosts there some more valiant than he. In the case of the Holy One, blessed be He, however, there is no one like Him among all His myriads. It is so stated (in Ps. 86:8), “There is no one like You among the powers, O Lord.” It also says (in Exod. 15:11), “Who is like You among the powers, O Lord ]...].” (Deut. 33:2, cont.:) “At His right hand is a fiery law.” [This] teaches that the Torah was given only by the right hand.¹⁹PRK 31 (suppl. 1):17. R. Johanan said, “Whoever wants to be engaged with the Torah should see himself as if he were standing in the fire. It is therefore stated (ibid.), ‘a fiery law.’” (Deut. 33:3:) “Indeed He shows love to the peoples (by letting them rule over Israel).”²⁰PRK 31 (suppl. 1):18; see BB 8a. Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, you have placed two yokes upon Your children, the yoke of Torah and the yoke of enslavement to empires.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Whoever is engaged with the Torah is delivered from enslavement to [foreign] kingdoms, [as stated] (in ibid., cont.), “all their holy ones are in Your hand.” (Deut. 33:3, cont.:) “And they are pounded (rt.: tkh)²¹The meaning of this verb is doubtful. This translation follows the interpretation of the midrash. at Your feet.” Rav Joseph taught, “These are the disciples of the sages, who beat (rt.: ktt) their feet from city to city in order to learn Torah and cast off the yoke of the kingdom (government taxes and obligations) from upon them”. Another interpretation (of Deut. 33:3), “and they are pounded at Your feet”: Although they are beaten, they do not move from Your dwellings, but (ibid., end) “they take up (from) Your words,” a great reward; as they take up and bring (discuss) in the war (debate) of the Torah. (Deut. 33:4:) “Moses charged us with Torah, as the inheritance for the Congregation of Jacob.” It is an inheritance for the Congregations of Jacob, for whoever engages in it for its own sake is worthy of the inheritance of Jacob, as stated (in Is. 58:14), “Then you shall take delight in the Lord…, and I will feed you the inheritance of your father Jacob.”

(Numb. 11:16:) Gather Me seventy men.” Did they not have elders in the past?⁵²Numb. R. 15:20. Was it not already stated in Egypt (in Exod. 3:16), “Go and gather the elders of Israel?” So for what reason had the Holy One, blessed be He, said (in Numb. 11:16), “Gather Me seventy men?” [It was] to teach you that when Pharaoh had said (in Exod. 1:10), “Come let us act shrewdly [...],” Pharaoh gathered all Israel, and said to them, “Please work with me as a favor today.” This is what is written (in vs. 13), “So the Egyptians made the Children of Israel labor with ruthlessness (befarekh).” What is the meaning of “with ruthlessness (befarekh)?” With gentle speech (befeh rakh).⁵³The midrash is interpreting Exod. 1:13 to mean, SO THE EGYPTIANS MADE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL LABOR WITH GENTLE SPEECH. So Sot. 11ab; Exod. R. 1:11. Pharaoh took a basket and trowel; who [could] see Pharaoh taking basket and trowel, and working with bricks and not [also] work? Israel immediately went quickly, and applied all their strength along with him all the day, because they were strong and mighty. When it grew dark, he posted taskmasters over them. He said to them, “Reckon the [number of] bricks.” They immediately arose and counted them. He said to them, “This many you shall produce for me each and every day.” He assigned Egyptian taskmasters over the officers of Israel, and the officers were assigned over the rest of the people. Moreover when he said to them (in Exod. 5:7), “You shall no longer give the people straw,” the taskmasters came and counted the bricks. [If] they [the bricks] were found deficient, the taskmasters beat the officers, as stated (in Exod. 5:14), “And the officers of the Children of Israel, whom [the taskmasters of Pharaoh] had set over them, were beaten….” When the officers were beaten for the rest of the people, they did not hand them over into the hands of the taskmasters, for they said, “It is better for us to be beaten than that the rest of the people falter.” Therefore when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses (in Numb. 11:16), “Gather Me seventy men,” Moses said, “My Master, I do not know who is worthy and who is not worthy.” He said to him (in Numb. 11:16 cont.), “Whom you know to be elders and officers of the people.” These are the officers who had handed themselves over to be beaten on their behalf in Egypt because of the required amount of bricks. Let them come and receive this dignity. It therefore says (ibid.), “whom you know to be elders and officers of the people.” Because they handed themselves over to be beaten for the community, therefore (in Numb. 11:16 cont.), “they shall lead with you in leading the people.” [From here] you learn that whoever hands himself over for the sake of Israel merits dignity and the holy spirit. It is therefore written (ibid.) “whom you know [to be elders and officers of the people.” From the ones of whom it is written (in Exod. 5:14), “And the officers of the Children of Israel [whom the taskmasters of Pharaoh had set over them] were beaten.”