וּבְנֵ֥י יוֹסֵ֛ף אֲשֶׁר־יֻלַּד־ל֥וֹ בְמִצְרַ֖יִם נֶ֣פֶשׁ שְׁנָ֑יִם כָּל־הַנֶּ֧פֶשׁ לְבֵֽית־יַעֲקֹ֛ב הַבָּ֥אָה מִצְרַ֖יְמָה שִׁבְעִֽים׃ (פ)
Anak-anak Yusuf yang dilahirkan baginya di Mesir ada dua jiwa. Seluruh jiwa dari keluarga Yakub yang datang ke Mesir berjumlah tujuh puluh.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“These are those who were counted of the children of Israel by their patrilineal house; all those counted of the camps according to their hosts were six hundred and three thousand, and five hundred and fifty” (Numbers 2:32).
“These are those who were counted of the children of Israel by their patrilineal house…” In ten places Israel was counted: One, upon their descent to Egypt: “With seventy people, your ancestors descended to Egypt…” (Deuteronomy 10:22). One upon their ascent: “The children of Israel traveled from Rameses to Sukot, some six hundred thousand men on foot” (Exodus 12:37). One after the deed of the calf:24The sin of the Golden Calf. “When you take a census of the children of Israel…” (Exodus 30:12). Two in the book of Numbers; once with the banners, and once with the division of the land. Two in the days of Saul: “He counted them in Tela’im” (I Samuel 15:4), “he counted them in Bazek” (I Samuel 11:8); when they were wealthy, with these lambs,25The word tela’im is also the Hebrew word for lambs. According to the midrash they were not counted in a place called Tela'im, rather they were counted by means of lambs. and when they were poor, with these pebbles.26That is the translation of bazek. One in the days of David: “Yoav gave the sum of the number [mispar] of the census [mifkad] of the people [to the king]” (II Samuel 24:9). If mispar, why mifkad; if mifkad, why mispar?27Mispar and mifkad have similar meanings. Rather, he prepared two notes, a large sum and a small sum. The small one he showed to David; the large one he did not show him.28David and the people were punished for conducting the census. Yoav though that by keeping the larger sum from David, fewer people would be harmed. That is why it wrote et mispar mifkad. One in the days of Ezra: “The entire congregation together was forty[-two] thousand [three hundred and sixty]” (Ezra 2:64). And one in the future: “The flock will pass again under the hands of one who counts” (Jeremiah 33:13).
“These are those who were counted of the children of Israel by their patrilineal house…” In ten places Israel was counted: One, upon their descent to Egypt: “With seventy people, your ancestors descended to Egypt…” (Deuteronomy 10:22). One upon their ascent: “The children of Israel traveled from Rameses to Sukot, some six hundred thousand men on foot” (Exodus 12:37). One after the deed of the calf:24The sin of the Golden Calf. “When you take a census of the children of Israel…” (Exodus 30:12). Two in the book of Numbers; once with the banners, and once with the division of the land. Two in the days of Saul: “He counted them in Tela’im” (I Samuel 15:4), “he counted them in Bazek” (I Samuel 11:8); when they were wealthy, with these lambs,25The word tela’im is also the Hebrew word for lambs. According to the midrash they were not counted in a place called Tela'im, rather they were counted by means of lambs. and when they were poor, with these pebbles.26That is the translation of bazek. One in the days of David: “Yoav gave the sum of the number [mispar] of the census [mifkad] of the people [to the king]” (II Samuel 24:9). If mispar, why mifkad; if mifkad, why mispar?27Mispar and mifkad have similar meanings. Rather, he prepared two notes, a large sum and a small sum. The small one he showed to David; the large one he did not show him.28David and the people were punished for conducting the census. Yoav though that by keeping the larger sum from David, fewer people would be harmed. That is why it wrote et mispar mifkad. One in the days of Ezra: “The entire congregation together was forty[-two] thousand [three hundred and sixty]” (Ezra 2:64). And one in the future: “The flock will pass again under the hands of one who counts” (Jeremiah 33:13).
Bamidbar Rabbah
“Every male” – why “every male,” and it does not mention every female? It is because the glory of the Holy One blessed be He is exalted by the males. David said: “Behold, sons are a portion of the Lord; a reward, the fruit of one’s womb.” (Psalms 127:3). “Behold, sons are a portion of the Lord” – these are the males, but if the females came, they too are a reward.
“From one month old and above you shall count them” – why “from one month old and above”? Are they able to guard the Tent of Meeting from one month old? He Himself requests those who should guard it; why does He count “from one month old”? Rabbi Huna HaKohen said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Ze’eira: It is in order to double their reward. Why? You find that they approach to serve only from thirty years old. Why then does He count them from one month old? It is so they will receive reward while they are still one month old.
Rabbi Huna HaKohen said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Ze’eira: You find written in Samuel’s regard: “Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life” (I Samuel 7:15). Did Samuel judge Israel “all the days of his life”? But all the days of his life were only fifty-two years, and you find two during which he was nursing, forty years during which Eli was alive and judging, in which Samuel was unable to judge before his teacher, and two years that Saul ruled; that is forty-two. Ten years remained there; that is, he bore the burden of Israel for only ten years, but it is written: “Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.” Rather, the Holy One blessed be He said: I am writing in his regard “all the days of his life” so that he will receive reward for all the days that he existed in the world. Regarding the tribe of Levi, too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses that he should count them from one month old and above, so that their reward would be calculated for them from one month old. That is, “from one month old and above you shall count them.”
Another matter: “From one month old” – Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi bar Rabbi Shalom said: The Holy One blessed be He is accustomed to be counting this tribe everywhere from when they are still young. From where is it derived? When the Holy One blessed be He said to Jacob to descend to Egypt, at that moment he counted his offspring; they all totaled sixty-six, as it is stated: “All the people were sixty-six” (Genesis 46:26). The two sons of Joseph and Joseph, that is sixty-nine. But it says: “All the people of the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy” (Genesis 46:27). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: The Holy One blessed be He is accustomed to count this tribe while they are still in their mother’s womb. Rabbi Berekhya HaKohen bar Rabbi said: This resin does not begin to emerge before one absorbs it;24As soon as it appears it is taken. Similarly as soon as the Levite appears, he is counted. so, Yokheved, her mother was pregnant with her at that moment, and she was in her mother’s womb and she was counted. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: Before her mother entered into the threshold of Egypt, she gave birth to her. That is why it is stated in her regard: “With seventy people your ancestors descended to Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 10:22). Regarding the children of her children as well: “Every male from one month old and above, you shall count them.” Why is it so? It is because this tribe is always beloved before the Holy One blessed be He. Of all the tribes, it is only this tribe alone that was chosen, as it is stated: “And chose it from all the tribes of Israel to be priests for Me” (I Samuel 2:28).
Rabbi Levi said: You find that there are many items that the Holy One blessed be He created in the world and he selected one of them for Himself. He created seven days, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Shabbat, as it is stated: “God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it” (Genesis 2:3). He created years, and selected one for Himself, as it is stated: “The land shall observe a Shabbat for the Lord; [.…the seventh year shall be a Shabbat of solemn rest for the land]” (Leviticus 25:2–4). He created seven-year cycles and selected one for Himself, as it is stated: “You shall sanctify the fiftieth year” (Leviticus 25:10). He created lands, and selected one of them for Himself, the Land of Israel, as it is stated: “The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it” (Deuteronomy 11:12). Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He characterizes it as His land: “They divided My land” (Joel 4:2). He created heavens, and selected one of them for Himself; this is the highest heaven, as it is stated: “Praise Him who rides in the highest heavens” (Psalms 68:5). He created nations, and selected one of them for Himself; this is Israel, as it is stated: “And the Lord has chosen you to be a treasured people for Him” (Deuteronomy 14:2). He created tribes, and selected one of them for Himself; this is the tribe of Levi, as it is stated: “And chose it from all the tribes of Israel” (I Samuel 2:28). That is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses to count them from one month old, because He is exceedingly fond of them.
They raised an objection: According to these reasons, He should have counted them from one day old. Our Rabbis of blessed memory said: Why was it necessary to count them from one month old? It is because a one-day-old is not viable, but it is known that a one-month-old is viable; therefore, “from one month old and above you shall count them.” Alternatively, why were they counted from one month old? It is because the Levites were counted in this census only in order to redeem the firstborn of Israel. Just as the firstborn are redeemed from one month old, so the Levites were counted from one month old.
“From one month old and above you shall count them” – why “from one month old and above”? Are they able to guard the Tent of Meeting from one month old? He Himself requests those who should guard it; why does He count “from one month old”? Rabbi Huna HaKohen said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Ze’eira: It is in order to double their reward. Why? You find that they approach to serve only from thirty years old. Why then does He count them from one month old? It is so they will receive reward while they are still one month old.
Rabbi Huna HaKohen said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Ze’eira: You find written in Samuel’s regard: “Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life” (I Samuel 7:15). Did Samuel judge Israel “all the days of his life”? But all the days of his life were only fifty-two years, and you find two during which he was nursing, forty years during which Eli was alive and judging, in which Samuel was unable to judge before his teacher, and two years that Saul ruled; that is forty-two. Ten years remained there; that is, he bore the burden of Israel for only ten years, but it is written: “Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.” Rather, the Holy One blessed be He said: I am writing in his regard “all the days of his life” so that he will receive reward for all the days that he existed in the world. Regarding the tribe of Levi, too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses that he should count them from one month old and above, so that their reward would be calculated for them from one month old. That is, “from one month old and above you shall count them.”
Another matter: “From one month old” – Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi bar Rabbi Shalom said: The Holy One blessed be He is accustomed to be counting this tribe everywhere from when they are still young. From where is it derived? When the Holy One blessed be He said to Jacob to descend to Egypt, at that moment he counted his offspring; they all totaled sixty-six, as it is stated: “All the people were sixty-six” (Genesis 46:26). The two sons of Joseph and Joseph, that is sixty-nine. But it says: “All the people of the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy” (Genesis 46:27). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: The Holy One blessed be He is accustomed to count this tribe while they are still in their mother’s womb. Rabbi Berekhya HaKohen bar Rabbi said: This resin does not begin to emerge before one absorbs it;24As soon as it appears it is taken. Similarly as soon as the Levite appears, he is counted. so, Yokheved, her mother was pregnant with her at that moment, and she was in her mother’s womb and she was counted. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: Before her mother entered into the threshold of Egypt, she gave birth to her. That is why it is stated in her regard: “With seventy people your ancestors descended to Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 10:22). Regarding the children of her children as well: “Every male from one month old and above, you shall count them.” Why is it so? It is because this tribe is always beloved before the Holy One blessed be He. Of all the tribes, it is only this tribe alone that was chosen, as it is stated: “And chose it from all the tribes of Israel to be priests for Me” (I Samuel 2:28).
Rabbi Levi said: You find that there are many items that the Holy One blessed be He created in the world and he selected one of them for Himself. He created seven days, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Shabbat, as it is stated: “God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it” (Genesis 2:3). He created years, and selected one for Himself, as it is stated: “The land shall observe a Shabbat for the Lord; [.…the seventh year shall be a Shabbat of solemn rest for the land]” (Leviticus 25:2–4). He created seven-year cycles and selected one for Himself, as it is stated: “You shall sanctify the fiftieth year” (Leviticus 25:10). He created lands, and selected one of them for Himself, the Land of Israel, as it is stated: “The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it” (Deuteronomy 11:12). Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He characterizes it as His land: “They divided My land” (Joel 4:2). He created heavens, and selected one of them for Himself; this is the highest heaven, as it is stated: “Praise Him who rides in the highest heavens” (Psalms 68:5). He created nations, and selected one of them for Himself; this is Israel, as it is stated: “And the Lord has chosen you to be a treasured people for Him” (Deuteronomy 14:2). He created tribes, and selected one of them for Himself; this is the tribe of Levi, as it is stated: “And chose it from all the tribes of Israel” (I Samuel 2:28). That is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses to count them from one month old, because He is exceedingly fond of them.
They raised an objection: According to these reasons, He should have counted them from one day old. Our Rabbis of blessed memory said: Why was it necessary to count them from one month old? It is because a one-day-old is not viable, but it is known that a one-month-old is viable; therefore, “from one month old and above you shall count them.” Alternatively, why were they counted from one month old? It is because the Levites were counted in this census only in order to redeem the firstborn of Israel. Just as the firstborn are redeemed from one month old, so the Levites were counted from one month old.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“The priest shall take sacred water in an earthenware vessel, and from the dirt that is on the floor of the Tabernacle the priest shall take, and he shall place it into the water” (Numbers 5:17).
“The priest shall take sacred water” – sacred water is nothing other than water that was sanctified in a vessel, and it is the water of the basin. Why was the water from the basin? It is because the basin was crafted only from the women’s mirrors, as it is stated: “He crafted the basin of bronze…[with the mirrors of the assembled women who assembled at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting]” (Exodus 38:8). It is those women who said: God testifies on our behalf that we departed from Egypt pure. When Moses came to craft the basin, God said to him: Craft it from these mirrors, as they were not utilized for the purpose of harlotry, and with them, their daughters will be examined whether they are as pure as their mothers.
Another matter: God said: Were they not redeemed from Egypt only due to the merit of this mitzva, because they guarded themselves from harlotry? Likewise, you find that all the miracles that God performed on behalf of Israel in Egypt, He did so only because they guarded themselves from licentiousness. The Egyptian would lower his bucket; and the Jew would lower his bucket; that would be filled with blood, and this would be filled with water. Both of them drink from the barrel; that one would drink blood, and this one would drink water. A frog sees a Jew and flees, and sees an Egyptian and leaps upon him. Their animals graze together; the hail spares these and kills those. See the wonders that were there. It was likewise for all ten plagues. They came to the sea and He did on their behalf more than in Egypt. In Egypt, it is written: “Behold, the hand of the Lord is” (Exodus 9:3), and at the sea, the great hand is written, as it is stated: “Israel saw the great hand” (Exodus 14:31). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Is there a great hand and is there a small hand? Rather, greater than what He performed in Egypt, He performed at the sea. He congealed one-third of the sea, as it is stated: “The depths congealed in the heart of the sea” (Exodus 15:8), and the heart is one-third of man.58From the heart to the top of the head is approximately one-third of a person's height. They walked within it on dry land. What is written there? “Peoples heard, they were agitated” (Exodus 15:14). The nations of the world were critical and were saying: There is favoritism here. We are uncircumcised and they are uncircumcised. For them, “the Lord saved Israel on that day…” (Exodus 14:30), but for us, “He hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea” (Psalms 136:15). By what merit does He perform all these miracles on their behalf?
The Holy One blessed be He said to them: “They are sixty queens, and eighty concubines” (Song of Songs 6:8); that is one hundred and forty. But we find only seventy: thirty, the descendants of Ḥam; fourteen, the descendants of Yefet; twenty-six, the descendants of Shem, as it is stated: “He set the borders of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel” (Deuteronomy 32:8). How many were they? “All the people of the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy” (Genesis 46:27). The nations are seventy, but you say one hundred and forty? Rather, there are sixty families in the world who know their father but do not know their mothers, and they are called “queens.” And there are eighty families in the world who know their mothers but do not know their father, and they are called concubines, as the concubines are suspect. The rest know neither their father nor their mother, but are shrouded in mystery [me’ulamim]. In their regard it is stated: “And young women [vaalamot] without number,” but Israel, “unique is my faultless dove” (Song of Songs 6:9). They grew in Egypt, “[whose flesh is] the flesh of donkeys [and whose issue is the issue of horses]” (Ezekiel 23:20), but [also] they, “a locked garden is my sister…” (Song of Songs 4:12). There is one who was corrupted there, and the verse publicized her, as it is stated: “The son of an Israelite woman, and he was the son of an Egyptian man” (Leviticus 24:10). He was the son of the Egyptian who Moses killed so that the matter would not be publicized among the Egyptians, as it is stated: “[And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man] he smote the Egyptian [and hid him in the sand]” (Exodus 2:12). But Israel: “Render to the Lord, families of peoples” (Psalms 96:7).
Once they saw that it was so,59When the nations of the world saw that Israel know their lineage, they praised Israel. “Girls see her and laud her, [queens and concubines, and praise her]” (Song of Songs 6:9). They set out on their journey, “The Lord was going before them [by day in a pillar of cloud, to guide them on the way and by night in a pillar of fire, to illuminate for them; to go day and night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night] would not move [from before the people]” (Exodus 13:21–22). The manna fell, and the spring rose to the mountains for them. The manna fell from the heavens, the water from the ground, and meat from the sea, “and swept quails [from the sea]” (Numbers 11:31), what had not been done for any creature in the world. The nations sensed it and said: “Who is she who appears…” (Song of Songs 6:10)? They said to them:60The nations said one to another. ‘These are the children of God.’ They said to them: ‘Are they not the children of Egyptians? Did the Egyptians not enslave the women just as they enslaved the men?’ Immediately, the Divine Speech sprang upon Moses. He said to him: Count My children and they will know that the children are the children of their fathers, as it is stated: “Take a census…” (Numbers 1:2) – “the children of Reuben…” (Numbers 1:20), “for the children of Simeon…” (Numbers 1:22), and likewise regarding them all. The Holy One blessed be He said to the sotot: Your mothers grew up among the impure, but were beyond suspicion, and you grew among the pure, and you are suspect. Therefore, let the handiwork of those who grew among the impure, but were pure, examine and prove regarding those who grew among the pure and were defiled. That is why the water is from the basin.
“The priest shall take sacred water” – sacred water is nothing other than water that was sanctified in a vessel, and it is the water of the basin. Why was the water from the basin? It is because the basin was crafted only from the women’s mirrors, as it is stated: “He crafted the basin of bronze…[with the mirrors of the assembled women who assembled at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting]” (Exodus 38:8). It is those women who said: God testifies on our behalf that we departed from Egypt pure. When Moses came to craft the basin, God said to him: Craft it from these mirrors, as they were not utilized for the purpose of harlotry, and with them, their daughters will be examined whether they are as pure as their mothers.
Another matter: God said: Were they not redeemed from Egypt only due to the merit of this mitzva, because they guarded themselves from harlotry? Likewise, you find that all the miracles that God performed on behalf of Israel in Egypt, He did so only because they guarded themselves from licentiousness. The Egyptian would lower his bucket; and the Jew would lower his bucket; that would be filled with blood, and this would be filled with water. Both of them drink from the barrel; that one would drink blood, and this one would drink water. A frog sees a Jew and flees, and sees an Egyptian and leaps upon him. Their animals graze together; the hail spares these and kills those. See the wonders that were there. It was likewise for all ten plagues. They came to the sea and He did on their behalf more than in Egypt. In Egypt, it is written: “Behold, the hand of the Lord is” (Exodus 9:3), and at the sea, the great hand is written, as it is stated: “Israel saw the great hand” (Exodus 14:31). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Is there a great hand and is there a small hand? Rather, greater than what He performed in Egypt, He performed at the sea. He congealed one-third of the sea, as it is stated: “The depths congealed in the heart of the sea” (Exodus 15:8), and the heart is one-third of man.58From the heart to the top of the head is approximately one-third of a person's height. They walked within it on dry land. What is written there? “Peoples heard, they were agitated” (Exodus 15:14). The nations of the world were critical and were saying: There is favoritism here. We are uncircumcised and they are uncircumcised. For them, “the Lord saved Israel on that day…” (Exodus 14:30), but for us, “He hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea” (Psalms 136:15). By what merit does He perform all these miracles on their behalf?
The Holy One blessed be He said to them: “They are sixty queens, and eighty concubines” (Song of Songs 6:8); that is one hundred and forty. But we find only seventy: thirty, the descendants of Ḥam; fourteen, the descendants of Yefet; twenty-six, the descendants of Shem, as it is stated: “He set the borders of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel” (Deuteronomy 32:8). How many were they? “All the people of the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy” (Genesis 46:27). The nations are seventy, but you say one hundred and forty? Rather, there are sixty families in the world who know their father but do not know their mothers, and they are called “queens.” And there are eighty families in the world who know their mothers but do not know their father, and they are called concubines, as the concubines are suspect. The rest know neither their father nor their mother, but are shrouded in mystery [me’ulamim]. In their regard it is stated: “And young women [vaalamot] without number,” but Israel, “unique is my faultless dove” (Song of Songs 6:9). They grew in Egypt, “[whose flesh is] the flesh of donkeys [and whose issue is the issue of horses]” (Ezekiel 23:20), but [also] they, “a locked garden is my sister…” (Song of Songs 4:12). There is one who was corrupted there, and the verse publicized her, as it is stated: “The son of an Israelite woman, and he was the son of an Egyptian man” (Leviticus 24:10). He was the son of the Egyptian who Moses killed so that the matter would not be publicized among the Egyptians, as it is stated: “[And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man] he smote the Egyptian [and hid him in the sand]” (Exodus 2:12). But Israel: “Render to the Lord, families of peoples” (Psalms 96:7).
Once they saw that it was so,59When the nations of the world saw that Israel know their lineage, they praised Israel. “Girls see her and laud her, [queens and concubines, and praise her]” (Song of Songs 6:9). They set out on their journey, “The Lord was going before them [by day in a pillar of cloud, to guide them on the way and by night in a pillar of fire, to illuminate for them; to go day and night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night] would not move [from before the people]” (Exodus 13:21–22). The manna fell, and the spring rose to the mountains for them. The manna fell from the heavens, the water from the ground, and meat from the sea, “and swept quails [from the sea]” (Numbers 11:31), what had not been done for any creature in the world. The nations sensed it and said: “Who is she who appears…” (Song of Songs 6:10)? They said to them:60The nations said one to another. ‘These are the children of God.’ They said to them: ‘Are they not the children of Egyptians? Did the Egyptians not enslave the women just as they enslaved the men?’ Immediately, the Divine Speech sprang upon Moses. He said to him: Count My children and they will know that the children are the children of their fathers, as it is stated: “Take a census…” (Numbers 1:2) – “the children of Reuben…” (Numbers 1:20), “for the children of Simeon…” (Numbers 1:22), and likewise regarding them all. The Holy One blessed be He said to the sotot: Your mothers grew up among the impure, but were beyond suspicion, and you grew among the pure, and you are suspect. Therefore, let the handiwork of those who grew among the impure, but were pure, examine and prove regarding those who grew among the pure and were defiled. That is why the water is from the basin.