וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מָ֣ה הָֽעֵרָבוֹן֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶתֶּן־לָּךְ֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר חֹתָֽמְךָ֙ וּפְתִילֶ֔ךָ וּמַטְּךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וַיִּתֶּן־לָּ֛הּ וַיָּבֹ֥א אֵלֶ֖יהָ וַתַּ֥הַר לֽוֹ׃
Ia berkata, “Tanggungan apa yang harus kuberikan kepadamu?” Perempuan itu berkata, “Cincin meteraimu, selendangmu, dan tongkatmu yang ada di tanganmu.” Lalu ia memberikannya kepada perempuan itu dan menghampirinya, dan perempuan itu mengandung darinya.
Bamidbar Rabbah
"And Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and all their princes gave him a staff for each prince, a staff for each prince according to their father's houses, twelve staffs, and the staff of Aaron among their staffs (Number 17:21).
“It was on the next day, and Moses came into the Tent of the Testimony, and, behold, the staff of Aaron of the house of Levi had blossomed, it had produced a blossom, and had sprouted a bud, and bore almonds” (Numbers 17:23).
“And Aaron’s staff” (Numbers 17:21) – some say it is the staff that was in Judah’s hand, as it is stated: “And the staff that is in your hand” (Genesis 38:18). And some say it is the staff that was in Moses’s hand and it blossomed on its own, as it is stated: “And behold, the staff of Aaron… had blossomed.”
Some say: Moses took one beam and cut it into twelve planks, and he said to them: ‘All of you take your staffs from one beam.’ Why did Moses do so? “Refraining from a quarrel is honor for a man, and every fool will be exposed” (Proverbs 20:3). It is so they would not say that his staff was moist and blossomed. The Holy One blessed be He decreed regarding the staff, and the ineffable name that appeared on the frontplate [tzitz] was found upon it, as it is stated: “It had produced a blossom, and had sprouted a bud [tzitz]” (Numbers 17:23). It blossomed that night and produced a fruit, “and boree almonds [vayigmol shekedim]” (Numbers 17:23). It repaid [gamal] everyone who had striven [shoked] against the tribe of Levi. Why almonds and not pomegranates and not nuts? It is because Israel was likened to them.89Israel was likened to pomegranates and nuts, and what happened to Aaron’s staff was meant as an admonition for the people of Israel.
That staff was in the hand of each and every king until the Temple was destroyed, and it was sequestered. And that staff is destined to be in the hand of the messianic king soon, in our day, as it is stated: “The Lord will send your rod of strength from Zion; rule in the midst of your enemies” (Psalms 110:2).
“It was on the next day, and Moses came into the Tent of the Testimony, and, behold, the staff of Aaron of the house of Levi had blossomed, it had produced a blossom, and had sprouted a bud, and bore almonds” (Numbers 17:23).
“And Aaron’s staff” (Numbers 17:21) – some say it is the staff that was in Judah’s hand, as it is stated: “And the staff that is in your hand” (Genesis 38:18). And some say it is the staff that was in Moses’s hand and it blossomed on its own, as it is stated: “And behold, the staff of Aaron… had blossomed.”
Some say: Moses took one beam and cut it into twelve planks, and he said to them: ‘All of you take your staffs from one beam.’ Why did Moses do so? “Refraining from a quarrel is honor for a man, and every fool will be exposed” (Proverbs 20:3). It is so they would not say that his staff was moist and blossomed. The Holy One blessed be He decreed regarding the staff, and the ineffable name that appeared on the frontplate [tzitz] was found upon it, as it is stated: “It had produced a blossom, and had sprouted a bud [tzitz]” (Numbers 17:23). It blossomed that night and produced a fruit, “and boree almonds [vayigmol shekedim]” (Numbers 17:23). It repaid [gamal] everyone who had striven [shoked] against the tribe of Levi. Why almonds and not pomegranates and not nuts? It is because Israel was likened to them.89Israel was likened to pomegranates and nuts, and what happened to Aaron’s staff was meant as an admonition for the people of Israel.
That staff was in the hand of each and every king until the Temple was destroyed, and it was sequestered. And that staff is destined to be in the hand of the messianic king soon, in our day, as it is stated: “The Lord will send your rod of strength from Zion; rule in the midst of your enemies” (Psalms 110:2).
Aggadat Bereshit
[2] Another explanation: "Return to your right hand, the tribe of your strength; God will send forth His loving kindness from Zion. Which tribe is it that Tamar, from Judah, took? As it says, "Your seal, your cord, and your staff" (Genesis 38:18). Once she passed them over, "About three months later" (Genesis 38:24), she was found with them, and he gave her a pledge and did not burn her. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: "Since you have admitted, 'She is more righteous than I' (Genesis 38:26), I too acknowledge that three will come forth from your descendants and will be saved from the fire: Tamar and her two sons. Your descendants will also be saved, for I will save three of your descendants from the fire - Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah - as it says, 'Then these men were released from the fiery furnace' (Daniel 3:26)." At that time, Judah took three crowns - "Your seal" refers to Zerubbabel, as it says, "On that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will take you, Zerubbabel" (Haggai 2:23), "and I will make you like a signet" (Haggai 2:23), "Your cord" refers to the Temple, as it says, "And he had a line of flax in his hand and a measuring reed" (Ezekiel 40:3), "Your staff" refers to the Messiah who is destined to arise from your descendants, as it says, "The staff of your strength, God will send forth from Zion" (Psalms 110:2)."
Bereshit Rabbah
“He said: What is the collateral that I should give you? She said: Your signet, and your belt, and your staff that is in your hand. He gave them to her and consorted with her, and she conceived by him” (Genesis 38:18).
“What is the collateral that I should give…” – Rabbi Ḥuneya said: The divine spirit flashed in her. “Your signet [ḥotamekha]” – this is kingship, just as it says: “Set me as a seal [khaḥotam] upon your heart” (Song of Songs 8:6);43This verse is taken as an allusion to the kingship (see Shir HaShirim Rabba 8:6:2; Nezer HaKodesh, based on Zohar). “for if Konya, son of Yehoyakim king of Judah, would be a signet ring [ḥotam] upon My right hand” (Jeremiah 22:24). “And your belt [uftilekha]” – this is the Sanhedrin, which is identifiable by a thread, just as it says: “a thread of sky-blue wool” (Exodus 39:31).44The members of the Sanhedrin would always be wearing a tallit with sky-blue ritual fringes (Matnot Kehuna). Alternatively, they would wear special clothing as a sign of honor (see Rabbi David Luria; Rashash). “And your staff” – this is the messianic king, just as it says: “A staff will emerge from the stump of Yishai” (Isaiah 11:1); “the Lord will send your staff of strength from Zion” (Psalms 110:2).
“He gave them to her…and she conceived by him” – mighty like him and righteous like him.
“Judah sent the goat kid in the hand of his friend the Adulamite, to take the collateral from the woman, but he did not find her” (Genesis 38:20).
“Judah sent…” – Yehuda bar Naḥman in the name of Reish Lakish: “Playing [mesaḥeket] in the world of His earth” (Proverbs 8:31), “playing [mesaḥeket] before Him at all times” (Proverbs 8:30). This is the Torah, which makes a mockery [mesaḥeket] of people.45People who seek to avoid the Torah’s judgment. The Holy One blessed be He said to Judah: ‘You deceived your father with a goat kid; as you live, Tamar will deceive you with a goat kid.’
“What is the collateral that I should give…” – Rabbi Ḥuneya said: The divine spirit flashed in her. “Your signet [ḥotamekha]” – this is kingship, just as it says: “Set me as a seal [khaḥotam] upon your heart” (Song of Songs 8:6);43This verse is taken as an allusion to the kingship (see Shir HaShirim Rabba 8:6:2; Nezer HaKodesh, based on Zohar). “for if Konya, son of Yehoyakim king of Judah, would be a signet ring [ḥotam] upon My right hand” (Jeremiah 22:24). “And your belt [uftilekha]” – this is the Sanhedrin, which is identifiable by a thread, just as it says: “a thread of sky-blue wool” (Exodus 39:31).44The members of the Sanhedrin would always be wearing a tallit with sky-blue ritual fringes (Matnot Kehuna). Alternatively, they would wear special clothing as a sign of honor (see Rabbi David Luria; Rashash). “And your staff” – this is the messianic king, just as it says: “A staff will emerge from the stump of Yishai” (Isaiah 11:1); “the Lord will send your staff of strength from Zion” (Psalms 110:2).
“He gave them to her…and she conceived by him” – mighty like him and righteous like him.
“Judah sent the goat kid in the hand of his friend the Adulamite, to take the collateral from the woman, but he did not find her” (Genesis 38:20).
“Judah sent…” – Yehuda bar Naḥman in the name of Reish Lakish: “Playing [mesaḥeket] in the world of His earth” (Proverbs 8:31), “playing [mesaḥeket] before Him at all times” (Proverbs 8:30). This is the Torah, which makes a mockery [mesaḥeket] of people.45People who seek to avoid the Torah’s judgment. The Holy One blessed be He said to Judah: ‘You deceived your father with a goat kid; as you live, Tamar will deceive you with a goat kid.’