Midras Bilangan 27:19: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Midrash Tanchuma & Bamidbar Rabbah

Raba said again unto Rabba bar Mari: "Wherefrom the following people's saying: 'Although the wine belongs to the owner, thanks is nevertheless due to the waiter?'" He answered: "From (Num. 27, 19) And thou shalt lay thy hand upon him; and also (Deut. 34, 9) And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him," etc. (The whole credit is given to Moses). Raba said again to Rabba bar Mari: "Wherefrom the following people's saying: 'The bad palm will travel to meet a barren can (like meets like)?'" He answered: "This is written in the Pentateuch, repeated in the Prophets, mentioned a third time in the Hagiographa, also learned in a Mishnah and taught in a Baraitha: Pentateuch, the following passage (Gen. 38, 9) And Esau went unto Ishmael; Prophets (Jud. 11, 3) And then gathered themsleves to Yiphthach idle men, and they went out with him; Hagiographa (Ben Sira, 13) Every fowl associates with its kind and man with his equal; Mishnah, "All that is attached to an unclean article is unclean and all that is attached to a clean article is clean." Baraitha: R. Eliezer said: "Not in vain did the gladiator go to the raven, because it is of its kind."

(Numb. 27:16:) “Let the Lord, [the God of the spirits of all flesh], appoint….” This text is related (to Is. 45:11), “Regarding the things to come, would you question Me concerning My children and command the work of My hands?”³⁰Although the two verbs in this citation are imperative, both the biblical context and the interpretation of the midrash regard these commands as unthinkable suggestions. A parable: To what is the matter comparable?³¹Numb. R. 21:12, cont. To a king who took a wife and had a best man (shoshevin). Every time that the king was angry with his wife, the best man would placate³²Rt. PYS. Cf. the Gk.: peisis or peisa (“persuasion”). him and the king would be reconciled. When the best man was about to die, he began to make a request of the king. He said to him, “Would you please pay attention to your wife [to be foregoing with her after I die].” The king said to him, “Instead of you charging me concerning my wife, charge my wife concerning me, that she be careful with my honor.” So did the Holy One, blessed be He, as it were, say to Moses, “Instead of you charging Me (in Numb. 27:16), ‘Appoint…,’ charge them concerning Me, that they be diligent with My honor.” What is written below (in Numb. 28:2)? “Command the Children of Israel, and say unto them, ‘My offering, My bread.’” What reason did [Moses] have to request this need after the ordering of inheritance? It is simply that since he saw the daughters of Zelophehad inherit the properties of their father, Moses said, “See it is the time for me to claim my needs. If daughters inherit, it is [also] proper for my sons to inherit my glory.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Prov. 27:18), “’He who tends a fig tree will enjoy its fruit.’ Your sons sat [with] their own [concerns] and were not involved with Torah [study]. It is [more] appropriate that Joshua, who served you, serve Israel and not lose his compensation,” as stated (in Numb. 27:18), “Take Joshua bin Nun.” And why is the Torah compared to a fig tree? Since [the fruit of] most trees – the olive tree, the grapevine, the date palm – is gathered [all] at once, but the fig tree is gathered a little [at a time]. And so too is the Torah. Today he studies a little and tomorrow he studies much; as it is not taught in a year, nor in two. (Numb. 27:18:) “A man with the spirit of God with him.” Since you said (in Numb. 27:16), “’The God of the spirits of all flesh,’ since You know each and every one, one should be appointed who knows how to proceed with each and every one of them according to his temperament”; [so then (in Numb 27:18, cont.),] “lay your hand upon him,” like one who lights a candle from a candle. (Numb 27:20), “Invest him with your majesty,” like one who pours from one vessel to another vessel. Concerning that which I said to you (in Numb. 36:9), “So the inheritance will not move around from one tribe to another,” this glory will not move from the house of your father, as even Joshua who will arise in your place (according to Numb. 27:19), “shall stand in front of Elazar the priest” (nephew of Moses).

“Who will go out before them, and who will come before them, and who will take them out, and who will bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord will not be like a flock that has no shepherd” (Numbers 27:17).
“The Lord shall appoint” – this is analogous to a king who saw a certain orphan woman. He sought to take her as a wife. He sent to propose to her. She said: ‘I am not worthy to marry the king.’ He sent to propose to her seven times but she did not want to do so. Ultimately, she married him. Sometime later he grew angry at her and sought to divorce her. She said to him: ‘I did not seek to marry you; you sought me. Since you decreed to divorce me and to take another, do not do to that one as you did to me.’ So it was with the Holy One blessed be He. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: For seven days,²¹See Vayikra Rabba 11:6. the Holy One blessed be He was enticing him to go on His mission, but he said to Him: “Please send by means of whom You will send” (Exodus 4:13). “I am not a man of words, neither yesterday nor the day before, [nor since You have spoken to Your servant]” (Exodus 4:10) – these are seven days. Sometime later, the Holy One blessed be He placated him, and he went on His mission, and He performed all those miracles by his means. Ultimately, He said to him: “You will not bring [this assembly into the land]” (Numbers 20:12). Moses said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, I did not request to go.’ Likewise he says: ‘“You began to show Your servant…” (Deuteronomy 3:24). Since this is what You decreed upon me, the one who will enter, do not do to him as You did to me. Rather, “who will take them out, and who will bring them in.”’
“The Lord said to Moses: Take you Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom there is spirit, and lay your hand upon him” (Numbers 27:18).
The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Take for you Joshua, the son of Nun.” Moses did so generously, as it is stated: “The generous man will be blessed” (Proverbs 22:9). This is analogous to a king who said to a member of his household: Give so-and-so a se’a of wheat. He went and gave him two se’a. He said to him: One se’a from the king’s and one se’a from mine. So, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “And lay your hand upon him” – one hand. What did Moses do? “He laid his hands [upon him] and commanded him” (Numbers 27:23) – to realize what is stated: “The generous man will be blessed.” This is why: “The guardian of a fig tree will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 27:18).
Why was the Torah likened to a fig tree? It is because the olive tree, the vine, and the date tree are each harvested at one time, but the fig tree is harvested a bit at a time. The Torah, too, one studies a bit today and a lot tomorrow, because it is not learned in one year and not in two years.
“A man in whom there is spirit” – because he had said: “God of the spirits” (Numbers 27:16); as You know the spirit of each and every one of Your creations, and You should appoint a person who knows how to conduct himself with each and every one of them in accordance with his own disposition.
“And lay your hand upon him” – like one kindling from lamp to lamp. “You shall confer from your grandeur [upon him]” (Numbers 27:20) – like one pouring from vessel to vessel.
What you said: “An inheritance shall not pass from one tribe to another tribe” (Numbers 36:9) – this honor will not move from your patrilineal house, as, even Joshua who is standing in your stead, “before Elazar the priest he shall stand” (Numbers 27:21).