וַיִּקַּ֨ח חֶמְאָ֜ה וְחָלָ֗ב וּבֶן־הַבָּקָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וַיִּתֵּ֖ן לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם וְהֽוּא־עֹמֵ֧ד עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם תַּ֥חַת הָעֵ֖ץ וַיֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃
Lalu ia mengambil kepala susu, susu, dan anak lembu yang telah disiapkannya, lalu menghidangkannya di hadapan mereka. Ia berdiri melayani mereka di bawah pohon itu, dan mereka pun makan.
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
(Ib. b) It happened once that R. Eliezer b. R. Joshua and R. Zadok were sitting at the wedding feast of the son of Rabban Gamaliel, and the latter waited upon them. When he extended a cup to R. Eliezer, the latter refused to accept it; but when he gave it to R. Joshua, he did accept it. R. Eliezer then said to R. Joshua: "What is this, Joshua, that we are sitting and Rabban Gamaliel should serve upon us!" Whereupon R. Joshua answered him: "We find that even a greater man than he did serve upon others. Abraham was considered the greatest in his generation — nevertheless it is written (Gen. 18,8) And he stood by them under the tree. Perhaps you will try to explain this that they appeared to him like angels. The fact is that they appeared to him like Arabians. Why then should we not let Rabban Gamaliel, the great, stand and serve upon us?" R. Zadok then remarked to them: "How long will you leave aside the honor of Heaven and occupy yourself concerning the honor of man? Behold, the Holy One, praised be He, blows the winds, brings clouds, causes rain to come down to us, and causes everything to sprout from the earth with which He prepares a table for each and every one, and we shall not allow Rabban Gamaliel the Great to stand and serve upon us!"
Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael
(Exodus, Ibid. 21) "And the L–rd went before them by day": We are hereby taught that as one metes it out to others, so is it meted out to him. Abraham accompanied the ministering angels, viz. (Genesis 18:16) "And Abraham went with them to escort them, and the L–rd accompanied his children in the desert for forty years, viz.: "And the L–rd went before them by day with a pillar of cloud." Of our father Abraham it is written (Genesis, Ibid. 5) "And I will take a piece of bread," and the Holy One Blessed be He brought down the manna for forty years, viz. (Exodus 16:4) "Behold, I shall rain down bread for you, etc." Of Abraham it is written (Genesis, Ibid.) "Let there be taken now a little water, etc.", and the Holy One Blessed be He raised for His children a well in the desert, viz. (Numbers 21:17) "Bring up, O well — sing to it." Of Abraham it is written (Genesis, Ibid. 7) "And to the herd Abraham ran," and the Holy One Blessed be He flew in quail for his children, as it is written (Numbers 11:31) "And a wind went forth from the land and flew in quail from the sea." Of Abraham it is written (Genesis, Ibid. 4) "And recline under the tree," and the Holy One Blessed be He spread out for his children seven clouds of glory," as it is written (Psalms 105:39) "He spread out a cloud for shelter and a fire to illumine the night." Of Abraham it is written (Genesis, Ibid. 8) "and he stood over them," and the Holy One Blessed be He defended his children in Egypt, that they not be smitten, viz. (Exodus 12:23) "and the L–rd will skip over the door, etc."
Mekhilta DeRabbi Shimon Ben Yochai
And God spoke to Moses and said to him, "I am the LORD (YHWH)":
Rabbi Eliezer says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "I am the One who said, 'Let there be a world'," as it is said (Psalms 50:1), "The mighty God, the LORD, has spoken and called the earth." I am the One who told Abraham, your forefather, in the Covenant Between the Parts (Genesis 15:13), "Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own." Now, there is a pressing oath, and you come before Me in an unconventional manner, asking that I bring My children out of Egypt, yet you say, "Please send by the hand of whom You will send."
Rabbi Joshua says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "I am trustworthy to reward Isaac, son of Abraham, who offered a quarter of his blood upon the altar. I said to him (Psalms 89:19), 'With My sacred oil I have anointed him.' Now I seek to bring them out of Egypt, and you say to Me, 'Please send by the hand of whom You will send.'"
Rabbi Shimon says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "I am trustworthy to fulfill what I promised to Jacob (Genesis 28:14), 'Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth.' Now, there is a pressing oath, and you come before Me in an unconventional manner, asking that I bring My children out of Egypt, and you say to Me, 'Please send by the hand of whom You will send.'"
Rabbi Judah says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "I am the Master of the world. I am full of mercy. I am trustworthy to reward. My children are enslaved to flesh and blood, and you say to Me, 'Please send by the hand of whom You will send.'"
Rabbi Nehemiah says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "It is revealed and known before Me the suffering of My children in Egypt," as it is said (Exodus 2:25), "God looked upon the Israelites, and God took notice." My children are in distress, you are at ease, and I seek to bring them out of Egypt, and you say to Me, 'Please send by the hand of whom You will send.'"
Rabbi Yosi the Galilean says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "My children were obligated to Me in Egypt," as it is said (Ezekiel 20:7), "I said to them: Cast away, every one of you, the detestable things that are before your eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt." They rebelled against Me and did not want to listen to Me. I act for the sake of My great name so that it is not profaned, as it is said (ibid. 20:9), "But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived." I seek to bring them out of Egypt, and you say to Me, 'Please send by the hand of whom You will send.'"
Rabbi Tarfon says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Israel is deserving to be given in the hands of Ammon, Moab, and Amalek. But there is a decree from before Me that I will not deliver them into their hands," as it is said (Exodus 17:16), "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD." And it is said (Ezekiel 20:9), "But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations." I seek to bring them out of Egypt, and you say to Me, 'Please send by the hand of whom You will send.'"
Rabbi Joshua ben Korcha says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Israel is not deserving to be given manna in the desert, but only hunger, thirst, nakedness, and exposure. But what can I do? I pay them the reward of Abraham, My beloved, who made a meal for My ministering angels," as it is said (Genesis 18:8), "He stood over them under the tree while they ate." I seek to bring them out of Egypt, and you say to Me, 'Please send by the hand of whom You will send.'"
Rabbi Akiva says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "By saying, decreeing, and swearing, you are prevented from entering the land." And so it says (Numbers 20:12), "Because you did not believe in Me, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." And the word "therefore" indicates an oath, as it is said (1 Samuel 3:14), "Therefore I swear to the house of Eli."
["And all this anger, why? Because [Moses] said, 'Since I came to Pharaoh...'".
Rabbi Eliezer the Modaite says: God forbid that this righteous man [Moses] should speak in such a manner! Rather, this is what he said before Him: "Master of the Universe, is it not [true that] the one who redeems is also the savior? Master of the Universe, I know that You are destined to bring Your children out of Egypt. Perhaps You intend to do so through another [messenger], and I have not merited to bring them out by my hand."
The Holy One, blessed be He, responded to him and said: "Moses, you have merited, and it is through your hand that I will bring them out. Know this, for from the response He gave him, you can learn [this interpretation], as it is said, 'And the LORD said to Moses, now you will see...'"]
Rabbi Eliezer says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "I am the One who said, 'Let there be a world'," as it is said (Psalms 50:1), "The mighty God, the LORD, has spoken and called the earth." I am the One who told Abraham, your forefather, in the Covenant Between the Parts (Genesis 15:13), "Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own." Now, there is a pressing oath, and you come before Me in an unconventional manner, asking that I bring My children out of Egypt, yet you say, "Please send by the hand of whom You will send."
Rabbi Joshua says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "I am trustworthy to reward Isaac, son of Abraham, who offered a quarter of his blood upon the altar. I said to him (Psalms 89:19), 'With My sacred oil I have anointed him.' Now I seek to bring them out of Egypt, and you say to Me, 'Please send by the hand of whom You will send.'"
Rabbi Shimon says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "I am trustworthy to fulfill what I promised to Jacob (Genesis 28:14), 'Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth.' Now, there is a pressing oath, and you come before Me in an unconventional manner, asking that I bring My children out of Egypt, and you say to Me, 'Please send by the hand of whom You will send.'"
Rabbi Judah says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "I am the Master of the world. I am full of mercy. I am trustworthy to reward. My children are enslaved to flesh and blood, and you say to Me, 'Please send by the hand of whom You will send.'"
Rabbi Nehemiah says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "It is revealed and known before Me the suffering of My children in Egypt," as it is said (Exodus 2:25), "God looked upon the Israelites, and God took notice." My children are in distress, you are at ease, and I seek to bring them out of Egypt, and you say to Me, 'Please send by the hand of whom You will send.'"
Rabbi Yosi the Galilean says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "My children were obligated to Me in Egypt," as it is said (Ezekiel 20:7), "I said to them: Cast away, every one of you, the detestable things that are before your eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt." They rebelled against Me and did not want to listen to Me. I act for the sake of My great name so that it is not profaned, as it is said (ibid. 20:9), "But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived." I seek to bring them out of Egypt, and you say to Me, 'Please send by the hand of whom You will send.'"
Rabbi Tarfon says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Israel is deserving to be given in the hands of Ammon, Moab, and Amalek. But there is a decree from before Me that I will not deliver them into their hands," as it is said (Exodus 17:16), "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD." And it is said (Ezekiel 20:9), "But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations." I seek to bring them out of Egypt, and you say to Me, 'Please send by the hand of whom You will send.'"
Rabbi Joshua ben Korcha says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Israel is not deserving to be given manna in the desert, but only hunger, thirst, nakedness, and exposure. But what can I do? I pay them the reward of Abraham, My beloved, who made a meal for My ministering angels," as it is said (Genesis 18:8), "He stood over them under the tree while they ate." I seek to bring them out of Egypt, and you say to Me, 'Please send by the hand of whom You will send.'"
Rabbi Akiva says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "By saying, decreeing, and swearing, you are prevented from entering the land." And so it says (Numbers 20:12), "Because you did not believe in Me, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." And the word "therefore" indicates an oath, as it is said (1 Samuel 3:14), "Therefore I swear to the house of Eli."
["And all this anger, why? Because [Moses] said, 'Since I came to Pharaoh...'".
Rabbi Eliezer the Modaite says: God forbid that this righteous man [Moses] should speak in such a manner! Rather, this is what he said before Him: "Master of the Universe, is it not [true that] the one who redeems is also the savior? Master of the Universe, I know that You are destined to bring Your children out of Egypt. Perhaps You intend to do so through another [messenger], and I have not merited to bring them out by my hand."
The Holy One, blessed be He, responded to him and said: "Moses, you have merited, and it is through your hand that I will bring them out. Know this, for from the response He gave him, you can learn [this interpretation], as it is said, 'And the LORD said to Moses, now you will see...'"]