Midrash sur Les Nombres 34:2

"Command": The command is immediately, for present performance and for future generations. You say thus, but perhaps it is only for future performance! It is, therefore, (to negate this) written "Command the children of Israel that they send … (Bamidbar 19:4) "And the children of Israel did so, sending them outside the camp" — whence we derive that the command is for immediate performance. And whence do we derive that it is (also) for future generations? From (Vayikra 24:2) "Command the children of Israel that they take to you clear olive oil … (3) … an eternal statute for your generations." — But how do we derive (the same) for all the commands in the Torah? R. Yishmael says: Since we find unqualified commands in the Torah, and one of them was qualified as being for present performance and for future generations, we derive the same for all the mitzvoth in the Torah. R. Yehudah b. Bethira says: "command" in all places connotes impulsion (to the act), as it is written (Devarim 3:28) "And command Joshua and strengthen him and fortify him" — whence we learn "We strengthen only the (internally) strengthened," and "We impel only the (internally) impelled." R. Shimon b. Yochai says: "Command" in all places entails expense, as it is written (Vayikra 24:2) "Command the children of Israel that they take to you pure olive oil," (Bamidbar 35:2) "Command the children of Israel that they give to the Levites from the inheritance, etc." (Bamidbar 28:2) "Command the children of Israel and say to them: My offering, My bread, for My fires" — whence we see that "command" in all places entails expense. Except in one; and which is that? (Bamidbar 34:2) "Command the children of Israel and say to them: When you come to the land of Canaan, etc." — where the intent is: Impel them to the division of the land. Rebbi says: "Command" in all places is exhortation, as it is written (Bereshit 2:16-17) "And the L-rd G-d commanded (i.e., exhorted) the man, saying … but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat."

(Numb. 34:1–2:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, ‘Command the Children of Israel [and say unto them], “When you come into the Land of Canaan, [this is the land]....”’” [“This is the land”]⁶These words occur also in Deut. 34:4 (cited below). The midrash, therefore, interprets the two passages together. What follows in Numb. 34:3ff. describes what Israel is about to receive, while Deut. 34:4 (cited below) speaks of the promise to Israel’s future seed and adds that Moses shall see it. teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Moses all that had been and all that was going to be.⁷Numb. R. 23:5. He showed him Samson arising from Dan, and Barak [arising] from Naphtali. So also it was for every generation with its expounders, every generation with its leaders,⁸Gk.: pronoos. every generation with its sages, every generation with its wicked, every generation with its righteous, as stated (in Deut. 34:4,) “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob....” [This] teaches that He showed him gehinnom. Moshe said in front of Him, “Master of the world, who is sentenced to it?” He said to him, “The wicked and those that rebel against Me, as stated (in Is. 66:24), “And they went out and saw the corpses of the people....” Moshe began to fear. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (as in Deut. 34:4), “I have shown it to your eyes, but you will not pass there.” And what is the meaning of “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying?” [The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses,] “The oath that I swore to them I have fulfilled for their children.” It is therefore stated (in Deut. 34:4), “saying.”⁹The Hebrew here can imply the giving of one’s solemn word. (Numbers 34:2:) “This is the land that shall fall to you as your portion.” And does the land fall? But is it not written (in Eccl. 1:4), “but the land stands forever?” It is simply that when the spies came and put out slander on the land and said (in Numb. 13:33), “And we saw the Nephilim there,” and they said (in Numb. 12:31), “it is stronger than us,” Moshe got angry. [Then] all of Israel said, “Moses, our teacher, if these spies were two [or] three, it would be correct for us to trust [them], as stated (Deut. 17:6), ‘By the testimony of two witnesses....’ And behold, they are ten, (as in Deut. 1:28), ‘To where shall we go up?’” As it were, [they were complaining that] the Master of the house is not able to remove his vessels (the inhabitants) from there. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He took the ministering angel of the land and bound him and put him down in front of them, as stated (Deut. 1:21), “See the Lord, your God, has placed in front of you....” And was [the land] in front of them? It is simply that He put down its ministering angel. And He said to them (in Deut. 1:21, cont.), “Go up and possess..., do not fear and do not tremble,” not from the Nephilim and not from the people that [you say] are bigger and more numerous than us. (Ezek. 45:1:) “When you allot the land as an inheritance....” This text is related (to Psalms 16:6), “Portions of land fell to me in pleasantness, even a beautiful inheritance for me.” “Portions of land fell to me.” These are the twelve tribes, since the land was divided to the twelve tribes, as stated (in Ezek. 47:13), “Thus said the Lord God, ‘These shall be the boundaries of the land that you shall allot to the twelve tribes of Israel.’” “In pleasantness,” in the merit of the Torah, about which it is stated (in Prov. 22:18), “As it is pleasant that you should store them in your belly....” “Even a beautiful inheritance for me.” There is a man who is handsome but his clothing is ugly, and one is ugly but his clothing handsome. But Israel is not like this. They are handsome and their clothing is handsome. They adorn the land and the Land of Israel adorns them. Hence it is stated (in Ps. 16:6), “Even a beautiful inheritance for me.” And so too is it stated (in Job 29:14), “I clothed myself in righteousness and it clothed me.”

"Command the Children of Israel" (Numbers 34:2:). This is what is stated in the verse (in Numbers 23:19), "God is not a man to be deceitful," [meaning] a man will not make God deceitful; "nor the son of" Amram (this is a play on words, as the verse reads, the son of man, "Adam") to make Him "change His mind." As [only after God] said, "Let Me go," did the son of Amram stand and make Him change His mind, as stated (Exodus 32:14), "And the Lord rescinded the evil that He was saying to do to His people." Another interpretation (of Numbers 23:19): "God is not a man to be deceitful," with the good. When He speaks to bring good - even if the generation is liable - He does not go back on it, [as] "God is not a man to be deceitful." But when He speaks to bring evil, He does go back on it, as it is stated (Numbers 23:19), "He said it but does not do [it]." You should know that He said to Avraham (Genesis 15:5), "Look toward heaven and count the stars...." And He did it, as stated (Deuteronomy 1:10), "The Lord, your God, multiplied you, and behold you are today...." [But when] He said to Avraham (Genesis 15:13), "Know well that your offspring shall be strangers [... four hundred years]," they were oppressed for only two hundred and ten years. That is [the meaning of], "God is not a man to be deceitful" - with the good. But with the evil, "He said it but does not do [it]." [In this vein,] He said to Israel, "as you are not My people" (Hosea 1:9). But He went back and said, "and I will say to Not My People, 'You are My people'" (Hosea 2: 25). That is [the meaning of], "He said it but does not do [it]." He said to Avraham, "As I will give [the land] to you and your offspring" (Genesis 26:3), and He did not go back [on it]. As it is stated (Numbers 34:2), "when you come to the Land of Canaan," and He brought them into the Land.

(Numb. 34:2): THIS IS THE LAND THAT SHALL FALL TO YOU AS AN INHERITANCE. What is the meaning of TO YOU? TO YOU it is fitting.²⁹Tanh., Numb. 10:10; Numb. R. 23:11. <The matter> is comparable to a king who had male and female slaves and would have his male slaves marry <female slaves> from another estate.³⁰Gk.: ousia. Although this word commonly means “substance” or “essence,” it also came to mean “estate,” at least from Ptolemaic times. See James Hope Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament Illustrated from the Papyri and Other Non-Literary Sources (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1960), s.v. The king stopped and reflected. He said: The male slaves are mine and the female slaves are mine. It would be better for me to marry my male slaves ('avadim) to my female slaves, {my own to my own} [who belong to me]. Similarly the Holy One said: The land is mine, as stated (in Lev. 25:23): FOR THE LAND BELONGS TO ME…. It also says (in Ps. 24:1): THE LAND IS THE LORD'S AND ALL THAT IS IN IT…. Moreover Israel is mine, as stated (in Lev. 25:55): FOR TO ME THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ARE SERVANTS ('avadim). It is [better for me to bequeath my lands to my servants who belong to me, to a people who belong to me. It is therefore stated (in Numb. 34:2): THIS IS THE LAND THAT SHALL FALL TO YOU AS AN INHERITANCE.

(Numb. 34:2), “This is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance.” What is the meaning of “to you?” To you it is fitting.²⁹Numb. R. 23:11. [The matter] is comparable to a king who had male and female slaves and would have his male slaves marry female slaves from another estate and his female slaves [marry] male salves from a different estate.³⁰Gk.: ousia. Although this word commonly means “substance” or “essence,” it also came to mean “estate,” at least from Ptolemaic times. See James Hope Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament Illustrated from the Papyri and Other Non-Literary Sources (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1960) The king stopped and reflected. He said, “The male slaves are mine and the female slaves are mine. It would be better for me to marry my male slaves ('avadim) to my female slaves, my own to my own.” Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “The land is Mine, as stated (in Ps. 24:1), ‘The land is the Lord's and all that is in it.’ Moreover Israel is Mine, as stated (in Lev. 25:55), ‘For to Me the Children of Israel are servants ('avadim).’ [It is] better for Me to bequeath My land to my servants who belong to Me, My own to My own.” It is therefore stated (in Numb. 34:2), “this is the land that shall fall to you.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 34:2), “this is the land”: This text is related (to Ps. 111:6), “He revealed to His people His powerful works.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “I could have created a different desirable land for you. But in order to show you My strength, I am expelling your enemies in front of you and giving you their land, to fulfill that which is stated, ‘He revealed His powerful works....’”

Our Rabbis were taught: "On the twenty-fourth of Nissan the contractors of revenues were taken off from Juda and Jerusalem. This was when the Africans summoned Israel before Alexander of Macedonia, claiming that the land of Canaan belonged to them, as it is written (Num. 34, 2) The land of Canaan according to its boundaries — and that they were the descendants of Canaan. G'bihah b. P'sisa said then to the sages: "Permit me, and I will appear before Alexander as advocate for the defendant Israel, and if they defeat me, say to them, 'You have defeated an ignoramus among us'; and if I defeat them, say to them, 'The law of Moses has defeated you'." They gave him permission, and he went to argue with them. He asked them: "Whence is your evidence?" They said: "From your Torah." Then said he: "I, in defence, will also bring my evidence from the same source. It is said (Gen. 9, 25) And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. Now, to whom does the estate of a slave belong, if not to his master? And not this only, but I summon you before the king for the many years you have not done any service for us." King Alexander said to them: "State your argument against him." Whereupon they said: "Give us three days' time [in which to find an answer]. And he granted it to them. And they could find nothing to reply, so they fled, leaving their fields, which were sown, and their vineyards, which were planted. And that year was a Sabbatical year.

5 (Numb. 34:1–2) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, ‘Command the Children of Israel [and say unto them], “When you come into the Land of Canaan, this is the land [...].”’”: [“This is the land”]⁴These words occur also in Deut. 34:4 (cited below). The midrash, therefore, interprets the two passages together. What follows in Numb. 34:3ff. describes what Israel is about to receive, while Deut. 34:4 (cited below) speaks of the promise to Israel’s future seed and adds that Moses shall see it. teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Moses all that had been and all that was going to be. He showed him Samson arising from Dan, and Barak ben Avinoam [arising] from Naphtali. So also it was for every generation with its expounders, every generation with its judges, every generation with its leaders, every generation with its sages, every generation with its sinners, every generation with its righteous, as stated (in Deut. 34:4,) “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob [...].” [This] teaches that He showed him gehinnom. Moses said in front of Him, “Master of the world, who is sentenced to it?” He said to him, “The wicked and those that rebel against Me, as stated (in Is. 66:24), “And they went out and saw the corpses of the people....” Moses began to fear. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (as in Deut. 34:4), “I have shown it to your eyes, but you will not pass there.” And what is the meaning of, “This is the land […] saying?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Go and tell them – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – that the oath that I swore to them I have fulfilled for their children.” It is therefore stated (in Deut. 34:4), “saying.”⁵The Hebrew here can imply the giving of one’s solemn word.

6 (Numb. 34:2) “This is the land that shall fall to you as your portion”: And does the land fall? But is it not written (in Eccl. 1:4), “but the land stands forever?” It is simply that when the spies came and put out slander on the land, Moses got angry. [Then] all of Israel said, “Moses, our teacher, if these spies were two [or] three, it would be correct for us to trust [them], as stated (Deut. 17:6), ‘By the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ And behold, they are ten, (as in Deut. 1:28), ‘To where shall we go up; our kinsmen have taken the heart out of us, saying, “We saw there a people stronger and taller than we.”’” As it were, [they were complaining that] the Master of the house is not able to remove his vessels (the inhabitants) from there. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He took the ministering angel of the land and bound him and put him down in front of them, as stated (Deut. 1:21), “See the Lord, your God, has placed in front of you....” And was [the land] in front of them? It is simply that He put down its ministering angel. And He said to them (in Deut. 1:21, cont.), “Go up and possess..., do not fear and do not tremble,” not from the Nephilim and not from the numerous people. (Ezek. 45:1) “When you allot the land as an inheritance....”: This text is related (to Ps. 16:6), “Portions of land fell to me in pleasantness, even a beautiful inheritance for me.” “Portions of land fell to me”: These are the twelve tribes, since the land was divided to the twelve tribes, as stated (in Ezek. 47:13), “Thus said the Lord God, ‘These shall be the boundaries of the land that you shall allot to the twelve tribes of Israel.’” “In pleasantness,” in the merit of the Torah, about which it is stated (in Prov. 22:18), “As it is pleasant that you should store them in your belly [...].” There is a man who is handsome but his clothing is ugly, and one who is ugly but his clothing handsome. But [regarding] Israel, they adorn the land and the Land adorns them. Hence it is stated (in Ps. 16:6), “Even a beautiful inheritance for me.” And so too is it stated (in Job 29:14), “I clothed myself in righteousness and it clothed me.” It is written (in Josh. 7:19), “Then Joshua said unto Achan, ‘My son, please give glory to the Lord God of Israel [and make a confession to Him; please tell me what you have done, do not hide it from me.]’” Achan said to him, “Am I to die because of this thing that you are saying?” When Achan saw [the situation], he said in his heart, “Now I shall be entrapped by the lot. Then I shall be found untrue (rt.: 'mn) and deemed a liar before Joshua.” At that moment Achan said to Joshua, “Why are you casting lots between me and my house? Let me cast lots between you and Phinehas! If the lot does not come up for both of you, I also shall believe (rt.: 'mn) [in it].” At that moment (according to Josh. 7:19) Joshua said to Achan, “My son, please give glory to the Lord God of Israel and make a confession to Him. Please tell me what you have done.” Achan said to him, “You also tell me what you have done.” Immediately discord broke out in Israel, so that [Achan's] tribe of Judah arose in strife and killed one group in Israel after another. When Achan saw this, he said in his heart, “If anyone saves a single life in Israel, it is as though he had saved the entire world; yet in my case, it has been through me that several people in Israel have been killed. I am a sinner and one who causes [others] to sin. It is better [for me] to confess my transgression before the Holy One, blessed be He, and before Joshua, so that no calamity come about through me.” What did Achan do? He arose and made his voice heard, so that the whole congregation turned to him. He said to Joshua (in vs. 20), “’(Truly) I am the one who sinned before the Lord God of Israel; thus and so (literally, like this and like this) is what I have done.’ So it was not this alone, but I have already misappropriated other [things].”⁶See Gen. R. 85:14, according to which Achan had acted dishonestly in the person of his great grandfather, Zerah, the son of Judah by Tamar. Joshua said to him, “Indeed I also knew that you were responsible for the situation; (Josh. 7:19,) ‘please tell me what you have done. Do not hide it from me.’” (Vs. 21) “I saw among the spoils”: [He said,] “I have seen what is written in the Torah (in Deut. 20:14), ‘you may eat the spoils of your enemies.’” (Josh. 7:21, cont.) “A fine shinar mantle”: [He continued,] “Now do not say that I am poor and in need, for there is no one in the tribe [of Judah] wealthier than I. Immediately (there follows vs. 22), “Then Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent and behold buried in his tent was the silver […].” For what reason did Joshua send them? So that the tribe of Judah would not steal them (i.e., the stolen articles) and continue in the discord. Joshua therefore sent quickly, and (according to vs. 23) “they brought them unto Joshua and unto all the Children of Israel; and they spread them out before the Lord.” What is the significance of “and they spread them out?” Joshua said in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, is it because of these that You have been angry with Your children? Here they are set before you.” Immediately [we read] (in vs. 24), “Then Joshua took Achan ben Zerah, the silver, the mantle, and the wedge of gold, together with his sons and his daughters,” [the latter] in order to teach them a lesson; “his ox, his ass, […] and his tent,” for burning. (Vs. 24, cont.) “And all Israel [Joshua took] with him,” to see his punishment so that they would not become accustomed to acting in this way. (Vs. 24, cont.) “And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor (akhor; rt.: 'kr).” (Vs. 25) “Then Joshua said, ‘Just as you have afflicted (rt.: 'kr) us, [may the Lord afflict (rt.: 'kr) you] this day:’”⁷Without the bracketed words, the verse would read: HOW YOU HAVE AFFLICTED US THIS DAY! This day [only] is he to be afflicted ('akhur; rt.: 'kr), but he will have a share in the world to come. (Vs. 25, cont.) “Then all Israel pelted him with stones,” him alone; “and they burned them with fire”: The text is speaking of his wealth, for so it had been told [Joshua] by the Almighty (in vs. 15), “And it shall come to pass that the one who has been seized with what has been proscribed shall be burned with fire....” If so, what do we learn from the verse (vs. 15, cont.), “him, and all that he has?” [This passage] is only to teach you that Achan had confessed that he had stolen them on the Sabbath, when he took them out of Jericho and buried them in the midst of his tent. Thus he was stoned for profaning the Sabbath and burned because he had transgressed the ban. And where is it shown? You find that the Holy One, blessed be He, said so to Joshua (in Josh. 6:2–4), “See, I have given Jericho into your hands, along with its king and the mighty warriors. So you shall go around the city with all the men of war to encompass the city one time, thus shall you do for six days. [… but on the seventh day you shall go around the city seven times].” [This passage serves] to teach you that Jericho was conquered on the Sabbath. Now Joshua did this thing on his own, and the Holy One, blessed be He, gave his consent. Joshua said (to himself), “The Sabbath is holy, as stated (in Exod. 31:14), ‘You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you.’ And whatever we conquer shall be holy.” It is so stated (in Josh. 6:19), “But all the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord.” And where is it shown that he received consent? Where it is stated (in Josh. 6:17), “The city and everything in it are to be proscribed for the Lord.” At that time (according to Josh. 7:26) “the Lord turned from His burning anger.” Concerning [this matter], it is stated (in Prov. 16:14), “The king's anger is like messengers of death, and whoever is wise will appease it.” This refers to Joshua, who caused the burning anger of the Lord to turn away from Israel.

7 (Numb. 34:2) “When you come into the land of Canaan”: A legal teaching: Before Israel entered the land, how did they say the blessing over the food? Thus have our masters taught: Before they entered the land, they used to only say a single blessing, “who sustains all.”⁸Cf. Philip Birnbaum, Daily Prayer Book (Hebrew Publishing Co., 1949), p. 759/760. After they had entered the land, they ordained the blessing, “for the land and for the food.”⁹Birnbaum, p. 763/764. After Jerusalem was destroyed, they added “builder of Jerusalem.”¹⁰See Birnbaum, p. 765/766. The prayer also occurs as the fourteenth blessing in the Shemoneh ‘Esreh (Birnbaum, p. 89/90), as well as in other contexts. For the various versions of the prayer, see Joseph Heinemann, Prayer in the Talmud, trans. Richard S. Sarason (“Studia Judaica, IX; Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1977), pp. 48-50, 70-76. After those slain at Bethther¹¹During the Bar Cochba war, 132-135. were buried, they added “who is good and does what is good.”¹²Cf. Birnbaum, p. 765/766. “Who is good,” because they did not decay; and “who does what is good,” because they were given burials. None of them, however, is more dear to you than the blessing of the land. The sages [therefore] said, “Whoever does not mention ‘for the land and for the food; a desirable, good, and spacious land; the covenant [of circumcision]; Torah; life; and food’¹³A Desirable, Good, and Spacious Land plus the elements that follow all form part of a single prayer to be found in Birnbaum, p. 761/762. has not satisfied his obligation.”¹⁴See Ber. 48b-49a. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “The land of Israel is more dear to Me than everything. I am the one who sought it out, as stated (in Ezek. 20:6), ‘On that day I swore (literally, raised My hand) to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt unto a land which I had sought out for them […].’” And similarly it states (in Jer. 3:19), “And I gave you a desirable land – the fairest heritage of all the nations.” You find [the same love for the land], when Joshua slew those kings. R. Jannay the Priest said, “There were sixty-two kings, thirty-one at Jericho and thirty one in the days of Sisera. When he went to fight with Israel they also were slain along with him. Why? Because they yearned to drink water from the waters of Israel. They made a request of Sisera and said to him, ‘If you please, let us come with you to war.’ And every king that requested to go to war sent and hired other workers with silver, so that they would help him. They said to Sisera, ‘We do not request anything from you, but rather we will come for free, because we yearn to fill our stomachs with water from that land.’ Thus it is stated (in Jud. 5:19), ‘The kings came, they fought; [...] on account of¹⁵Heb.: ‘al. The more usual translation here is BY. the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of silver.’ [This verse serves] to inform you that nothing was more beloved than the land of Israel.” The Holy One, blessed be He, had said to Moses, “This land is dear to Me, as stated (in Deut. 11:12), ‘A land for which the Lord your God always cares.’ Israel also is dear to Me, as stated (in Deut. 7:8), ‘Because the Lord loves you….’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “I will bring Israel, who are beloved to Me, into a land that is beloved to Me, as stated (in Numb. 34:2), “when you come into the land of Canaan.”

8 (Numbers 34:2) When you come to the Land of Israel: This is what is stated in the verse (in Numbers 23:19), "God is not a man to be deceitful," [meaning] a man will not make God deceitful; "nor the son of" Amram (this is a play on words, as the verse reads, the son of man, "Adam") to make Him "change His mind." As [only after God] said, "Let Me go and I will destroy them," did the son of Amram stand and make Him change His mind, as stated (Exodus 32:14), "And the Lord rescinded the evil that He was saying to do to His people." Another interpretation (of Numbers 23:19): "God is not a man to be deceitful," with the good. When He speaks to bring good – even if the generation is liable – He does not delay [it]. But when He speaks to bring evil, He does go back on it, as it is stated (Numbers 23:19), "He said it but does not do [it]." You should know that He said to Avraham (Genesis 15:5), "Look toward heaven and count the stars [...]." And He did it, as stated (Deuteronomy 1:10), "The Lord, your God, multiplied you, and behold you are today...." [But when] He said to Avraham (Genesis 15:13), "Know well that your offspring shall be strangers [... four hundred years]," they only did two hundred and ten years. That is [the meaning of], "God is not a man to be deceitful" – with the good. But with the evil, "He said it but does not do [it]." [In this vein,] He said to Israel, "As you are not My people" (Hosea 1:9). But He went back and said, "And I will say to Not My People, 'You are My people'" (Hosea 2: 25). That is [the meaning of], "He said it but does not do [it]." He said to Avraham, "As I will give [the land] to you and your offspring" (Genesis 26:3), and He did not go back [on it]. As it is stated (Numbers 34:2), "when you come to the Land of Canaan," and He brought them into the Land.

9 (Numb. 34:2) “When you come into the land”: (Numb. 33:52) “You shall dispossess all the inhabitants of the land from before you.” This text is related (to Job 35:11), “Who teaches us through the beasts of earth [...].”¹⁶The midrash understands the verse in this sense, although a more usual translation WOULD BE WHO TEACHES US MORE THAN THE BEASTS OF THE EARTH. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Learn from the bull of Elijah; for in the hour that (in I Kings 18:25) ‘Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first,”’ at that very hour the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred (and fifty) prophets of Asherah gathered together and were unable to budge its foot from the ground.” Look at what is written there (in vs. 23), “Let them give us two bulls […].” What did Elijah do? He said to them, “Choose two bulls for yourselves, twins from the same mother, who grew up in the same pasture, and cast lots over them, one for the name (i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He,) and one for the name of Baal.” And [so] they choose one bull for themselves. Now Elijah's immediately followed him; but as for that bull which had been assigned to the name of Baal, all those prophets of Baal plus the prophets of Asherah assembled to move [even] its foot from the ground, and were unable to do so, until Elijah began to say [to it] for them, “Go with them.” The bull answered and spoke to Elijah before the eyes of all the people and said to him, “My colleague and I came out of the same womb, out of the same mother, and we grew up in the same pasture. That one was assigned to the portion of the Holy One, blessed be He, and the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is sanctified through him. So have I been assigned to the portion of Baal to provoke my Creator?” Elijah said to him, “Bull, bull, go with them and do not let them find an excuse. Just as the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is being sanctified through this one with me, so will it be sanctified through you.” He said to him, “Now that you have given me this advice, I swear that I will not move from here until you deliver me into their hand.” Thus it is stated (in vs. 26), “and they took the bull that he gave to them.” And who gave it to them? Elijah. You also learn that Elijah said to them (in vs. 23), “Let them give us two bulls,” and he also said to them (in vs. 25), “Choose one bull for yourselves.” Then at the end [of the verse] is written (ibid. cont.), “and they took the bull which he had given them.” It is therefore stated (in Job 35:11), “Who teaches us through the beasts of [the] earth.” (Ibid., cont.) “And He makes us wise through the birds of the heavens:”¹⁷The midrash understands the verse in this sense, although a more usual translation would be AND HE MAKES US WISER THAN THE BIRDS OF THE HEAVENS. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Learn [a lesson] from the ravens who fed Elijah, of whom it is stated (in I Kings 17:4), ‘and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.’ From where did they bring him [it]? From Jehoshaphat's table, because those ravens did not want to enter Ahab's house to take anything from his table for this righteous man. [They would not go there] because his house was full of idolatry.” Ergo (in Job 35:11), “He makes us wise through the birds of the heavens.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Learn from the bull pf Elijah and from the ravens, and do not turn unto idols to look at them.” Where is it shown? From what they read on the matter (in Numb. 33:52), “You shall dispossess all the inhabitants of the land.”

10 (Numb. 34:2) “When you come into the land of Canaan”: This text is related (to Jer. 2:31), “You, O generation, understand the word of the Lord! Have I been a desert (hmdbr, voweled as (hamidbar) to Israel…?” Do not read “a desert,” but “I was the Speaker (hmdbr, voweled as hamedabber)” to Israel. (Ibid., cont.) “[Or a land] of utter darkness (ma'pelyah)”: What is the meaning of “ma'pelyah (rt.: 'pl)?” Did I, perhaps, promise you to bring you into the land and [then] delay you? After all, ma'pelyah can only mean "delay," as stated (in Exod. 9:32), “But the wheat and the spelt were not hurt [because they ripen late] (i.e., are delayed, rt.: 'pl).”¹⁸Tanh. (Buber), Numb. 1:2. See, you will be entering into its midst, “When (according to Numb. 34:2) you come into the land of Canaan (kena'an).” What is the meaning of (kena'an? A land of business,¹⁹Gk.: pragmateia. a land of trade. [The usage is] just as you say (in Is. 23:8 with reference to Tyre), “[…] whose traders (kena'anim)²⁰Here the word usually translated CANAAN (Kena‘an) occurs in the sense of trader, as in Hos. 12:8. the world honored.”

11 (Numb. 34:2) “This is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance”: What is the meaning of “to you?” To you it is fitting. [The matter] is comparable to a king who had male and female slaves and would have his male slaves marry female slaves from another estate and his female slaves [marry] male salves from a different estate.²¹Gk.: ousia. Although this word commonly means “substance” or “essence,” it also came to mean “estate,” at least from Ptolemaic times. See James Hope Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament Illustrated from the Papyri and Other Non-Literary Sources (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1960) The king stopped and reflected. He said, “The male slaves are mine and the female slaves are mine. It would be better for me to marry my male slaves ('avadim) to my female slaves, my own to my own.” Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “The land is Mine, as stated (in Ps. 24:1), ‘The land is the Lord's and all that is in it.’ And it states (in Lev. 25:23), “for the land is Mine.” Moreover Israel is Mine, as stated (in Lev. 25:55), ‘For to Me the Children of Israel are servants ('avadim).’ [It is] better for Me to bequeath My land to my servants who belong to Me, My own to My own.” It is therefore stated (in Numb. 34:2), “this is the land that shall fall to you.”