Le Deutéronome 2:6 Midrash : Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Midrash Tanchuma & Bamidbar Rabbah

Rabban Simon b. Gamaliel said: "Never was there any more joyous festival than the fifteenth of Ab and on the Day of Atonement, etc." It is readily understood why the Day of Atonement should be a day of rejoicing, because that is a day of forgiveness, and on that day the second tables of the Law were given to Moses; but why should the fifteenth of Ab be a day of rejoicing? "Because," said R. Juda in the name of Samuel, "on that day the members of the different tribes were permitted to intermarry." What passage did they interpret to prove this? (Num. 36, 6) This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded concerning the daughters of Zelaphehad, etc.; i.e., this thing should only apply for this generation, but not for later generations. Rabba b b. Chana in the name of R. Jochanan said: "On that day (fifteenth of Ab) the members of the tribe of Benjamin were permitted to intermarry with the other tribes, as it is said (Jud. 21, 1) Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying: 'Not any one of us shall give his daughter unto Benjamin for a wife.' What passage did they interpret? The passage reads: Any one of us, but not our children." R. Ida b. Abin in the name of R. Joseph said: "On that day the last of those who were destined to die in the desert perished; for the master said that as long as those destined to die in the wilderness were still alive, the Lord did not speak to Moses, [in a favorable manner], as it is said (Deut. 2, 6) And it came to pass, when all the men of war were spent by dying from the midst of the people, that the Lord spoke unto me. saying; i.e., unto me in particular."

(Fol. 121) There is a Mishnah Rabban Simon b. Gamaliel said: "Never were there any more joyous festivals in Israel than the fifteenth of Ab and the Day of Atonement, for on them the maidens of Jerusalem would go forth dressed in white garments— borrowed ones, however, in order not to cause shanie to those who had none of their own. It is readily understood why the Day of Atonement should be a day of rejoicing, because that is a day of forgivenness, and on that day the second tables of the Law were given to Moses; but why should the fifteenth of Ab be a day of rejoicing? "Because," said R. Juda in the name of Samuel, "on that day the members of the different tribes were permitted to intermarry." What passage did they interpret to prove this? (Num. 36, 6) This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded concerning the daughters of Zelaphehad, etc., i.e., this thing should only apply for this generation, but not for later generations. Rabba b. b. Chana in the name of R. Jochanan said: "On that day (fifteenth of Ab) the members of the tribe of Benjamin were permitted to intermarry with the other tribes, as it is said (Jud. 21, 1) Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying: 'Not any one of us shall give his daughter unto Benjamin for a wife.' What passage did they interpret? The passage reads: Any one of us, but not our children." R. Dimi b. Joseph in the name of R. Nachman said: "On that day the last of those who were destined to die in the desert perished; for the master said that as long as those detined to die in the wilderness were still alive, the Lord did not speak to Moses, (in a favorable manner), as it is said (Deut. 2, 6) And it came to pass, when all the men of war were spent by dying from the midst of the people, that the Lord spoke unto me, saying; i.e., unto me in particular." Ula said: "On that day the guards, appointed by Jeroboam to prevent the Israelites from coming to Jerusalem, were abolished by Hoshea, the son of Elah, who said: (Fol. 31) 'Let them go wherever they choose.' " R. Mathna said: "On that day permission was granted to bury the dead who were killed in battle at the city of Bethar;," for R. Nathan said: "On that day, when those killed at Bethar were permitted to be buried, the assembly at Yamnia ordained the section of the after meal benediction: Blessed art thou, God the good, that doth good. By the good is meant that the bodies were not left to putrefy and by doth good, that burial was permitted." Rabba and R. Joseph both said: "On that day Israel would cease to cut wood for the altar, as we are taught in a Baraitha: R. Eliezer the Great said: "From the fifteenth day of Ab the heat of the sun is lessened and the timber is not longer dry, so they ceased to cut wood for the altar.' " R. Menashia adds: And it was called the day of breaking the axe. From that day on, he who adds the night to his day-study may have years and days added to his life, but to him who does not, it may not be added to his days. R. Joseph was taught that the last statement means his mother will bury him.

(Numb. 20:14:) “Then Moses sent messengers [from Kadesh unto the king of Edom], ‘Thus says your brother Israel….’” This text is related (to Ps. 15:3), “nor takes up a reproach against his relative.” By universal custom, when a person is engaged in business¹⁰⁴Gk.: pragmateia. with his friend who causes a loss, he separates himself from him and does not want to see him.¹⁰⁵Numb. R. 19:15. But although Moses was punished because of Israel, as stated (in Ps. 106:32), “And they provoked wrath at the Waters of Meribah and it went ill with Moses on their account,” he did not unload their burden from himself. Instead (according to Numb. 20:14), “Then Moses sent messengers.”
(Numb. 20:14, cont.:) “You know all the trouble that has befallen us.” They said to him, “You know when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham (in Gen. 15:13), ‘know full well that your seed shall be alien [in a land not theirs where they shall serve them and be oppressed by them],’ it was us who have been enslaved, while you are free.” (Numb. 20:15:) “How our forefathers went down to Egypt [...].” This whole subject is comparable to two brothers against whose grandfather a promissory note appeared. One of them arose and paid it. One day he started to ask a favor from his brother, and he said to him, “You know that debt was incumbent on both of us, but it was I who paid it. Do not refuse any of my favor that I am asking.” (Numb. 20:15:) “How our forefathers went down to Egypt.” What is the relevance of [mentioning] the forefathers here, as stated (in Numb 20:15, cont.), “the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our forefathers.” [It is] to teach you that all the time that Israel is in distress, [the forefathers] are also in distress. (Numb. 20:17:) “Please let us pass through your land; [we will not pass through field or vineyard,] nor shall we drink water from a well.” Should it not have said, "water from cisterns?" [By this use of the singular, “a well”], the Torah has taught you proper conduct, [i.e.,] that though one has at hand his necessities, when he who goes to a land which is not his own, he should not eat from what he has on hand. Rather he should put aside what he has, and buy from the shopkeeper in order to benefit him. So also Moses said to [Edom], “[We have] a well with us,¹⁰⁶On the tradition of Israel’s portable well for supplying them with water during their desert wanderings, see Numb. R. 1:2; TSuk. 3:11; Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Numb. 21:16-18; Frag. Jerusalem Targum, Numb. 21:17-18; Tanh., Lev. 7:7; Lev. R. 25:5; 27:6; see also Avot 5:6; Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Wayassa‘ 6, on Exod. 16:32; Shab. 35a; Pes. 54a; Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Numb. 22:28; in addition, see TSot. 11:8 (10); Ta‘an. 9a; BM 86b; Cant. R. 4:14:1; Seder ‘Olam Rabbah, 10; cf. I Corinthians 10:4. and we eat our own manna; [but] do not say that we are a bother to you. You will make a profit for yourselves.” So also did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to Moses (in Deut. 2:6), “Food shall you procure from them with money, and you shall eat.” And Moses said to Israel, “Open your money to them. So that they do not say, ‘They were slaves and indigents,’ show them your wealth.” They will [then] know, so that they would not say, “You lost by your subjugation.” As the Holy One, blessed be He, already said (in Gen. 15:14), “and in the end they shall go free with great wealth.” And they shall know that you are not lacking anything and that it is not from [that which is] yours that you are [spending], as stated (in Deut. 2:7), “For the Lord has blessed you in all the efforts of your hand....” (Numb. 20:17, cont.:) “We shall go along the king's highway,” since we restrain¹⁰⁷Hosemin. The word also means “muzzle.” our cattle. (Numb. 20:17, cont.:) “Without turning right or left.” This was the most difficult [stipulation] of them all, for they said, “In all [the lands] around us we have permission to plunder and kill, but within your border [we shall walk the king's highway] without turning right or left [until we have passed through your territory].”