Midrash sur Les Juges 4:8

Raba said again unto Rabba bar Mari: "Wherefrom the following saying: 'If thou wilt lift the burden, I shall [also] lift (if you will share the responsibility, then I will lead); and if not, I will not touch it?" He answered: "From (Judges 4, 8) If thou wilt go with me, then I will go; but if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go." Raba said again to Rabba bar Mari: "Wherefrom the following saying: 'When thou hast called thy neighbor [cautioning him], and he would not answer, push down a big wall and throw it at him?'" He answered: "From (Ezek. 24, 13) Because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more." Raba said again to Rabba bar Mari: "Wherefrom the following saying: 'Do not spit in the well from which you drank water?'" He answered: "From (Deut. 23, 8) Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother; thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land." Rabba said again to Rabba bar Mari: "Wherefrom the following: When we were young, we were esteemed as men, now that we are old we are considered as children?" He replied: "In the beginning it is written (Ex. 13, 21) And the Lord went before them … and by night in a pillar of fire, to give light to them; and thereafter (Ib. 23, 20) Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee by the way."

And when you approach the battle, the priest shall come forward and address the people (Deuteronomy 20:2): And so [too] does it state (Deuteronomy 21:5) "The priests, the Sons of Levi, shall come forward." And [regarding] anyone who serves the king, when the king makes a decree, he carries out his decree. And the Levites serve the Holy One, blessed be He, and carry out His decrees. "Be strong and resolute, be not in fear or in dread in front of them" (Deuteronomy 31:6). And why? "For the Lord your God Himself marches with you; He will not fail you or forsake you." He does not leave you, and He goes forth in front of you and makes war. And so Deborah says to Barak, "Rise, this is the day on which the Lord will deliver Sisera into your hands; is not the Lord going forth before you" (Judges 4:14). But Barak said to her (Judges 4:8), "If you go with me, I shall go." [So] she said to him, "Do you need me, 'is not the Lord going forth before you?'" [In the case of] a king of flesh and blood, his servants and his troops go forth to war and he is behind them. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like this, but rather He is first. And so is it written with David (II Samuel 5:23-24), "Do not go up, etc. but confront them at the baca trees. And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the baca trees, then go into action." As they are full of thorns. And why did the Holy One, blessed be He, reveal himself from the tops of the baca trees? Because Israel was in distress. Rabbi Berakhia said, "This is that which is stated, 'I am with him in distress'" (Psalms 91:15). "For the Lord will be going in front of you to attack within the Philistine camp." Hence, "For the Lord your God Himself marches with you." And in the world to come, "Then the Lord will come forth and make war on those nations as He is wont to make war on a day of battle" (Zechariah 14:3). So did Rabbi Tanchuma bar Abba expound.

R. Phinehas said in the name of R. Reuben: Two people were principal actors and yet made themselves subordinate, viz. Abraham and Barak. Barak, as it is written, And she sent and called Barak . . . And Barak said unto her : If thou wilt go with me, then I will go ; but if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go (Judg. iv, 6 ff.). R. Judah explained : If thou wilt go with me to Kadesh, 3 I will go with thee against Hazor 4 ; whilst if thou wilt not go with me to Kadesh, I will not go with thee against Hazor. R. Nehemiah explained it: If thou wilt go with me in Song, 5 I will go with thee to battle; but if thou wilt not go with me in Song, I will not go with thee to battle. And she said; I will surely go with thee, notwithstanding (efes) the journey that thou takest shall not be for thy honour (ib. 9). R. Reuben said: [Efes] is a Greek word, as though to say hafes (let alone).* Said she to him: 'What thinkest thou? that the glory for the Song shall be given to thee alone!* He retired into the second place, as it is written, Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam, etc. (ib, v, i). 2 [Translation 1939 Freedman and Simon, Soncino Press]