וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה קַ֚ח אֶת־כָּל־רָאשֵׁ֣י הָעָ֔ם וְהוֹקַ֥ע אוֹתָ֛ם לַיהוָ֖ה נֶ֣גֶד הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְיָשֹׁ֛ב חֲר֥וֹן אַף־יְהוָ֖ה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Lalu Yang Mahakekal berfirman kepada Musa, “Ambillah semua pemimpin bangsa itu untuk mengadili, lalu gantunglah orang-orang yang bersalah itu bagi Yang Mahakekal di depan matahari, supaya murka Yang Mahakekal yang menyala-nyala surut dari Israel.”
Vayikra Rabbah
“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: When a person will sin unwittingly regarding any of the matters that the Lord commanded not to perform, and he will perform one of them” (Leviticus 4:2).
“When a person will sin unwittingly regarding any of the matters that the Lord commanded [not to perform]” – this is what the verse says: “Moreover, I saw under the sun, in the place of judgment [there is wickedness, and in the place of justice there is wickedness]” (Ecclesiastes 3:16). Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Eliezer says: “In the place of judgment there is wickedness” – the place where the Great Sanhedrin convenes and decides the rulings of Israel. “There is wickedness,” – there “all the princes of the king of Babylon came and sat in the Middle Gate” (Jeremiah 39:3), which is where they decide the halakha.1The word for Middle Gate [hatavekh] is similar to the term for determine [ḥotekh]. Thus, the enemies of Israel sat where the Sanhedrin used to convene. In the parable it is said: In the place where the master hung his sword, the insolent shepherd hangs his jug. The Divine Spirit cries out and says: “In the place of justice, there is wickedness.” In the place in whose regard it is written: “Justice lodged in it” (Isaiah 1:21), now they commit murders. There they killed Zekharia and Uriya.2Because Israel, in murdering Zekharya and Uriya, committed atrocities in the place that should have been set aside for justice, the members of the Great Sanhedrin were replaced in that location by conquering Babylonian officers.
Rabbi Yehoshua says: “In the place of judgment there is wickedness” – in the place where the attribute of justice was implemented is the act of the calf, as it is written: “Pass to and fro from gate to gate, [let each man kill his brother…]” (Exodus 32:27). “There is wickedness,” there, “the Lord afflicted the people [because they had crafted the calf] (Exodus 32:35). The Divine Spirit cries out and says: “In the place of justice there is wickedness.” In the place where I declared them righteous and called them divine, as it is stated: “I had said: You are divine” (Psalms 82:6), there they were wicked, crafted the calf, and prostrated themselves to it.
Another matter, “In the place of judgment there is wickedness” – this is speaking of the generation of the Flood. “In the place of judgment there is wickedness,” in the place where the attribute of justice was implemented against the generation of the Flood, as we learned in a mishna: “The generation of the Flood has no share in the World to Come and will not stand in judgment,”3Sanhedrin 10:3. Although some wicked people will stand in judgment at the end of days, when God will return their souls to their bodies and judge them, the members of the generation of the Flood will be completely eliminated from the world. “there is wickedness,”; there, “He obliterated all existence” (Genesis 7:23). The Divine Spirit cries out and says: “In the place of justice there is wickedness.” In the place where I declared them righteous, as it is written: “Their houses are peaceful without fear” (Job 21:9), “there is wickedness,” “They say to God: Turn away from us” (Job 21:14).
Another matter, “In the place of judgment, there is wickedness” – this is speaking of the people of Sodom. In the place where the attribute of justice was implemented against the people of Sodom, as we learned in a mishna: “The people of Sodom have no share in the World to Come, but will stand in judgment,”4Sanhedrin 10:3. “there is wickedness,”; there, “He rained upon Sodom…[brimstone and fire]” (Genesis 19:24). The Divine Spirit cries out and says: “In the place of justice, there is wickedness.” In the place where I declared them righteous, and wrote regarding their land: “Earth, from which bread emerges…. Its stones are a source of sapphires, and its dust has gold” (Job 28:5–6), they say that when one of them5People in Sodom. would go to the gardener and say to him: Give me a vegetable worth an isar; when he would give it to him, he would shake it and find gold in its dust, to realize what is stated: “and its dust has gold”; “there is wickedness” there, they said: Let us arise and cause the very idea of travelers in our midst to be forgotten: “It did not support the hand of the poor and the indigent” (Ezekiel 16:49).
Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon interpreted the verse regarding Shitim. “In the place of judgment, there is wickedness” – in the place where the attribute of justice was implemented in Shitim, as it is written: “The Lord said to Moses: Take all the leaders of the people, [and hang them for the Lord]” (Numbers 25:4), “there is wickedness,” there, “Those who died in the plague [were twenty-four thousand]” (Numbers 25:9). The Divine Spirit cries out and says: “In the place of justice, there is wickedness.” In the place where I transformed Bilam’s curse into a blessing, as it is written: “The Lord your God transformed for you the curse into a blessing” (Deuteronomy 23:6), “there is wickedness,” “Israel was residing in Shitim, [and the people began to engage in licentiousness]” (Numbers 25:1).
Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Two matters are in [God’s] right hand and two matters are in [His left] hand. Two matters are in [God’s] right hand: Torah and righteousness. Torah, from where is it derived? “From His right hand, a fiery law to them” (Deuteronomy 33:2). Righteousness, from where is it derived? As it is written: “Your right hand is filled with righteousness” (Psalms 48:11). Two matters are in [His left] hand: the soul and judgment. The soul, as it is written: “In whose hand is the soul of every living being” (Job 12:10). Judgment, as it is written: “My hand grasps judgment” (Deuteronomy 32:41). The soul is situated in the place of judgment, and the soul emerges from the place of judgment and sins? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The Holy One blessed be He said to the soul [nefesh]: I wrote in your regard: “Only be strong not to eat the blood…” (Deuteronomy 12:23), and you emerge and sin? “When a person [nefesh] will sin unwittingly” (Leviticus 4:2).
“When a person will sin unwittingly regarding any of the matters that the Lord commanded [not to perform]” – this is what the verse says: “Moreover, I saw under the sun, in the place of judgment [there is wickedness, and in the place of justice there is wickedness]” (Ecclesiastes 3:16). Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Eliezer says: “In the place of judgment there is wickedness” – the place where the Great Sanhedrin convenes and decides the rulings of Israel. “There is wickedness,” – there “all the princes of the king of Babylon came and sat in the Middle Gate” (Jeremiah 39:3), which is where they decide the halakha.1The word for Middle Gate [hatavekh] is similar to the term for determine [ḥotekh]. Thus, the enemies of Israel sat where the Sanhedrin used to convene. In the parable it is said: In the place where the master hung his sword, the insolent shepherd hangs his jug. The Divine Spirit cries out and says: “In the place of justice, there is wickedness.” In the place in whose regard it is written: “Justice lodged in it” (Isaiah 1:21), now they commit murders. There they killed Zekharia and Uriya.2Because Israel, in murdering Zekharya and Uriya, committed atrocities in the place that should have been set aside for justice, the members of the Great Sanhedrin were replaced in that location by conquering Babylonian officers.
Rabbi Yehoshua says: “In the place of judgment there is wickedness” – in the place where the attribute of justice was implemented is the act of the calf, as it is written: “Pass to and fro from gate to gate, [let each man kill his brother…]” (Exodus 32:27). “There is wickedness,” there, “the Lord afflicted the people [because they had crafted the calf] (Exodus 32:35). The Divine Spirit cries out and says: “In the place of justice there is wickedness.” In the place where I declared them righteous and called them divine, as it is stated: “I had said: You are divine” (Psalms 82:6), there they were wicked, crafted the calf, and prostrated themselves to it.
Another matter, “In the place of judgment there is wickedness” – this is speaking of the generation of the Flood. “In the place of judgment there is wickedness,” in the place where the attribute of justice was implemented against the generation of the Flood, as we learned in a mishna: “The generation of the Flood has no share in the World to Come and will not stand in judgment,”3Sanhedrin 10:3. Although some wicked people will stand in judgment at the end of days, when God will return their souls to their bodies and judge them, the members of the generation of the Flood will be completely eliminated from the world. “there is wickedness,”; there, “He obliterated all existence” (Genesis 7:23). The Divine Spirit cries out and says: “In the place of justice there is wickedness.” In the place where I declared them righteous, as it is written: “Their houses are peaceful without fear” (Job 21:9), “there is wickedness,” “They say to God: Turn away from us” (Job 21:14).
Another matter, “In the place of judgment, there is wickedness” – this is speaking of the people of Sodom. In the place where the attribute of justice was implemented against the people of Sodom, as we learned in a mishna: “The people of Sodom have no share in the World to Come, but will stand in judgment,”4Sanhedrin 10:3. “there is wickedness,”; there, “He rained upon Sodom…[brimstone and fire]” (Genesis 19:24). The Divine Spirit cries out and says: “In the place of justice, there is wickedness.” In the place where I declared them righteous, and wrote regarding their land: “Earth, from which bread emerges…. Its stones are a source of sapphires, and its dust has gold” (Job 28:5–6), they say that when one of them5People in Sodom. would go to the gardener and say to him: Give me a vegetable worth an isar; when he would give it to him, he would shake it and find gold in its dust, to realize what is stated: “and its dust has gold”; “there is wickedness” there, they said: Let us arise and cause the very idea of travelers in our midst to be forgotten: “It did not support the hand of the poor and the indigent” (Ezekiel 16:49).
Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon interpreted the verse regarding Shitim. “In the place of judgment, there is wickedness” – in the place where the attribute of justice was implemented in Shitim, as it is written: “The Lord said to Moses: Take all the leaders of the people, [and hang them for the Lord]” (Numbers 25:4), “there is wickedness,” there, “Those who died in the plague [were twenty-four thousand]” (Numbers 25:9). The Divine Spirit cries out and says: “In the place of justice, there is wickedness.” In the place where I transformed Bilam’s curse into a blessing, as it is written: “The Lord your God transformed for you the curse into a blessing” (Deuteronomy 23:6), “there is wickedness,” “Israel was residing in Shitim, [and the people began to engage in licentiousness]” (Numbers 25:1).
Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Two matters are in [God’s] right hand and two matters are in [His left] hand. Two matters are in [God’s] right hand: Torah and righteousness. Torah, from where is it derived? “From His right hand, a fiery law to them” (Deuteronomy 33:2). Righteousness, from where is it derived? As it is written: “Your right hand is filled with righteousness” (Psalms 48:11). Two matters are in [His left] hand: the soul and judgment. The soul, as it is written: “In whose hand is the soul of every living being” (Job 12:10). Judgment, as it is written: “My hand grasps judgment” (Deuteronomy 32:41). The soul is situated in the place of judgment, and the soul emerges from the place of judgment and sins? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The Holy One blessed be He said to the soul [nefesh]: I wrote in your regard: “Only be strong not to eat the blood…” (Deuteronomy 12:23), and you emerge and sin? “When a person [nefesh] will sin unwittingly” (Leviticus 4:2).
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
Rabbi Yitzḥak interpreted the verse regarding the Midianite war. “Your hair is like a flock of goats” (Song of Songs 4:1) – the flocks that went to the Midianite war went only due to the merit of Moses and Pinḥas.29They were successful in the war against Midian only due to the merit of Moses and Pinḥas (Etz Yosef). That is what is written: “Moses and Elazar the priest took the gold from…” (Numbers 31:54).30Some suggest that the text should read: That is what is written: “Moses sent them, a thousand of every tribe, to the war, them and Pinḥas” (Numbers 31:6). This verse may be understood as equating Pinḥas with the rest of those who went out to war (Matnot Kehuna). “That streams down [shegaleshu] from Mount Gilad” (Song of Songs 4:1) – the mountain from whose midst you took away [shegelashten], I rendered a memorial for the nations of the world. Which is this? This is the Midianite war. What is it that you took away from its midst? “Your teeth are like a flock of ordered ewes” (Song of Songs 4:2) – defined matters, twelve thousand volunteers and twelve thousand conscripts, as it is stated: “One thousand per tribe from the thousands of Israel were provided, [twelve thousand mobilized soldiers]” (Numbers 31:5). Rabbi Ḥananya bar Yitzḥak said: They went to the Midianite war with twelve thousand.
“That have come up from bathing” (Song of Songs 4:2) – Rabbi Huna said: Not one of them gave precedence to the head phylacteries before the arm phylacteries,31The arm phylacteries are supposed to be donned before the head phylacteries. as, had one of them given precedence to the head phylacteries before the arm phylacteries, Moses would not have praised them and they would not have ascended from there unharmed. That is to say that they were extremely righteous.
“That are all paired” (Song of Songs 4:2) – as when they would enter in pairs to the woman, one of them would blacken her face and one of them would remove her jewelry.32The war against Midian was fought in the aftermath of the events in Shitim, where Moavite and Midianite women enticed Israelites to engage in sexual immorality and idolatry. As a result, twenty-four thousand Israelites died in a plague (see Numbers 25:1–9). When the Israelites defeated the Midianite army and entered the private dwellings where the women were located to take the spoils of war, they would enter two at a time and would cause the women to look less enticing, so as to ensure that they would not sin. [The women] would say to them: ‘Are we not creations of the Holy One blessed be He that you do this to us?’ The Israelites would say to them: ‘Is it not enough for you that our people received their punishment because of you?’ That is what is written: “The Lord said to Moses: Take all the leaders of the people, and hang them” (Numbers 25:4). “And there is none missing among them” (Song of Songs 4:2) – that not one of them was suspected of committing a transgression.
“Your lips are like a scarlet thread” (Song of Songs 4:3) – when they said to Moses: “Your servants took a census of the men of war under our command, and not a man is missing from among us” (Numbers 31:49), in lewdness and in sin.33None of our men were killed, and none acted inappropriately with the captive women.
“Your speech is lovely” (Song of Songs 4:3) – as they said to him: “We brought the offering of the Lord” (Numbers 31:50). Moses said to them: ‘Your statements contradict each other. You said: “Not a man is missing from among us” (Numbers 31:49) – in lewdness and in sin. And you said: “We brought the offering of the Lord.” If you did not sin, what is the purpose of this offering?’ They said to him: Moses our master, we would enter to the woman in pairs, and one of us would blacken her face and one would remove her jewelry. Is it possible that the evil inclination was not moved at all? For that moving of the evil inclination we say to bring an offering.
At that moment, Moses began praising them: “Your temple [rakatekh] is like a pomegranate slice” (Song of Songs 4:3) – even the empty among you is packed with mitzvot like this pomegranate, for anyone who is confronted by the opportunity to commit a transgression and is spared from it and does not perform it has performed a great mitzva. It goes without saying: “Behind your braid [letzamatekh]” (Song of Songs 4:3) – regarding the modest and the fervent [metzumatin] among you.
“Like the tower of [kemigdal] David” – regarding which [David] elevated [gidel] you in his book. Regarding what did David elevate you in his book? “Siḥon king of the Emorites.… and Og king of the Bashan.… and gave their land as an inheritance” (Psalms 136:19–21).34These verses state that God gave the land of Siḥon to Israel as an inheritance. Included in this territory was the land of Midian. The fact that Israel merited to inherit the land of Midian speaks positively of them. “Built magnificently [letalpiyot]” – a book that was stated by many mouths [piyot].
“One thousand bucklers are hung upon it” – all those tens of thousands and those thousands who went to the Midianite war and I defended them. I defended them only because of the merit of what came after one thousand generations. Not only you alone relied upon it, but rather, “all the shields of the mighty” – everyone who arises and controls and overcomes his inclination, is called mighty, like Moses in his time, David in his time, Ezra in his time. Their entire generation depends upon them. By means of whom was the Midianite war waged? It was by means of “your two breasts” (Song of Songs 4:5) – these are Moses, the head of the Sanhedrin, and Pinḥas.
“That have come up from bathing” (Song of Songs 4:2) – Rabbi Huna said: Not one of them gave precedence to the head phylacteries before the arm phylacteries,31The arm phylacteries are supposed to be donned before the head phylacteries. as, had one of them given precedence to the head phylacteries before the arm phylacteries, Moses would not have praised them and they would not have ascended from there unharmed. That is to say that they were extremely righteous.
“That are all paired” (Song of Songs 4:2) – as when they would enter in pairs to the woman, one of them would blacken her face and one of them would remove her jewelry.32The war against Midian was fought in the aftermath of the events in Shitim, where Moavite and Midianite women enticed Israelites to engage in sexual immorality and idolatry. As a result, twenty-four thousand Israelites died in a plague (see Numbers 25:1–9). When the Israelites defeated the Midianite army and entered the private dwellings where the women were located to take the spoils of war, they would enter two at a time and would cause the women to look less enticing, so as to ensure that they would not sin. [The women] would say to them: ‘Are we not creations of the Holy One blessed be He that you do this to us?’ The Israelites would say to them: ‘Is it not enough for you that our people received their punishment because of you?’ That is what is written: “The Lord said to Moses: Take all the leaders of the people, and hang them” (Numbers 25:4). “And there is none missing among them” (Song of Songs 4:2) – that not one of them was suspected of committing a transgression.
“Your lips are like a scarlet thread” (Song of Songs 4:3) – when they said to Moses: “Your servants took a census of the men of war under our command, and not a man is missing from among us” (Numbers 31:49), in lewdness and in sin.33None of our men were killed, and none acted inappropriately with the captive women.
“Your speech is lovely” (Song of Songs 4:3) – as they said to him: “We brought the offering of the Lord” (Numbers 31:50). Moses said to them: ‘Your statements contradict each other. You said: “Not a man is missing from among us” (Numbers 31:49) – in lewdness and in sin. And you said: “We brought the offering of the Lord.” If you did not sin, what is the purpose of this offering?’ They said to him: Moses our master, we would enter to the woman in pairs, and one of us would blacken her face and one would remove her jewelry. Is it possible that the evil inclination was not moved at all? For that moving of the evil inclination we say to bring an offering.
At that moment, Moses began praising them: “Your temple [rakatekh] is like a pomegranate slice” (Song of Songs 4:3) – even the empty among you is packed with mitzvot like this pomegranate, for anyone who is confronted by the opportunity to commit a transgression and is spared from it and does not perform it has performed a great mitzva. It goes without saying: “Behind your braid [letzamatekh]” (Song of Songs 4:3) – regarding the modest and the fervent [metzumatin] among you.
“Like the tower of [kemigdal] David” – regarding which [David] elevated [gidel] you in his book. Regarding what did David elevate you in his book? “Siḥon king of the Emorites.… and Og king of the Bashan.… and gave their land as an inheritance” (Psalms 136:19–21).34These verses state that God gave the land of Siḥon to Israel as an inheritance. Included in this territory was the land of Midian. The fact that Israel merited to inherit the land of Midian speaks positively of them. “Built magnificently [letalpiyot]” – a book that was stated by many mouths [piyot].
“One thousand bucklers are hung upon it” – all those tens of thousands and those thousands who went to the Midianite war and I defended them. I defended them only because of the merit of what came after one thousand generations. Not only you alone relied upon it, but rather, “all the shields of the mighty” – everyone who arises and controls and overcomes his inclination, is called mighty, like Moses in his time, David in his time, Ezra in his time. Their entire generation depends upon them. By means of whom was the Midianite war waged? It was by means of “your two breasts” (Song of Songs 4:5) – these are Moses, the head of the Sanhedrin, and Pinḥas.
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
“Your teeth are like a flock of ewes that are ascending from being washed, that are all paired, and there is none missing among them” (Song of Songs 6:6).
“Your teeth are like a flock of ewes.” Just as the ewe is modest,20This is because its tail covers its sexual organs. so too, Israel was modest and upright in the Midyanite war. Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: That not one of them donned the phylacteries of the head before the phylacteries of the arm, as had one of them donned the phylacteries of the head before the phylacteries of the arm, Moses would not have praised them and they would not have ascended from there21The Midyanite war. in peace. You must say that they were extremely righteous.
“That are all paired,” as they would enter in pairs to the woman.22The war against Midyan was undertaken in response to a plague that killed thousands of Israelites. The plague was a result of their sins with Moavite and Midyanite women (see Numbers chapter 25), who were sent to seduce them. Consequently, when the Israelite soldiers conquered the Midyanites, they would enter a tent in which there was a woman only in pairs, so that there would be no doubt that they would repeat the same sins which had brought about the plague in the first place. One of them would blacken her face and one of them would remove her jewelry. [The women] would say to them: ‘Are we not among the creations of the Holy One blessed be He, that you do this to us?’ The Israelites would say to them: ‘Is it not enough for you that our people received their punishment because of you?’ That is what is written: “The Lord said to Moses: Take all the leaders of the people, and hang them” (Numbers 25:4).23This was one of the disastrous consequences of the Israelites’ sins with the Midyanite women. “And there is none missing among them,” that not one of them was suspected of committing a transgression.
“Your teeth are like a flock of ewes.” Just as the ewe is modest,20This is because its tail covers its sexual organs. so too, Israel was modest and upright in the Midyanite war. Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: That not one of them donned the phylacteries of the head before the phylacteries of the arm, as had one of them donned the phylacteries of the head before the phylacteries of the arm, Moses would not have praised them and they would not have ascended from there21The Midyanite war. in peace. You must say that they were extremely righteous.
“That are all paired,” as they would enter in pairs to the woman.22The war against Midyan was undertaken in response to a plague that killed thousands of Israelites. The plague was a result of their sins with Moavite and Midyanite women (see Numbers chapter 25), who were sent to seduce them. Consequently, when the Israelite soldiers conquered the Midyanites, they would enter a tent in which there was a woman only in pairs, so that there would be no doubt that they would repeat the same sins which had brought about the plague in the first place. One of them would blacken her face and one of them would remove her jewelry. [The women] would say to them: ‘Are we not among the creations of the Holy One blessed be He, that you do this to us?’ The Israelites would say to them: ‘Is it not enough for you that our people received their punishment because of you?’ That is what is written: “The Lord said to Moses: Take all the leaders of the people, and hang them” (Numbers 25:4).23This was one of the disastrous consequences of the Israelites’ sins with the Midyanite women. “And there is none missing among them,” that not one of them was suspected of committing a transgression.