א֭וֹדְךָ כִּ֣י עֲנִיתָ֑נִי וַתְּהִי־לִ֝֗י לִֽישׁוּעָֽה׃
Aku akan bersyukur kepada-Mu, sebab Engkau telah menjawab aku dan Engkau telah menjadi pertolonganku.
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
R. Samuel b. Nachmeini, in the name of R. Jonathan, said: (Ps. 118, 21) I will thank Thee, for Thou hast answered me, was said by David. The next passage. The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner-stone, was said by Jesse [when David became king]. The passage, From the Lord this is come to pass, was said by David's brothers, and the next passage. This is the day which the Lord hath made, was said by Samuel. (Ib.) We beseech Thee, O Lord! Save us now, was said by the brothers of David. (Ib.) We beseech Thee, O Lord! Send us now prosperity, was said by David himself. (Ib.) Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord, was said by Jesse, and (Ib.) We bless you out of the house of the Lord, was said by Samuel. (Ib.) God is the Lord and He giveth us light, was said by all. (Ib.) Bind the festive sacrifices with cords, was said by Samuel. (Ib.) Thou art my God and I will thank Thee, was said by David, to which they all said, (Ib.) O Give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for unto eternity endureth His kindness."
Shemot Rabbah
“And you, draw Aaron your brother near to you, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, to serve Me: Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, Elazar and Itamar, Aaron’s sons” (Exodus 28:1).
“And you, draw Aaron your brother near to you,” that is what is written: “From it will come a cornerstone, from it a peg, from it a bow of war” (Zechariah 10:4). Come and see: When the early nations would seek to appoint a king for themselves, they would bring [a man] from anywhere and appoint him over them, as it says: “He reigned in Edom” (Genesis 36:32), from Dinhava, from Basra, and likewise, all of them.1The Torah (Genesis 36:32–39) lists various kings of Edom and where they were from; the first two were from Dinhava and Basra, respectively. These places were not in Edom. But Israel is not so. Their great ones are from them, their kings are from them, their priests are from them, their prophets are from them, their princes are from them, as it is stated: “From it will come a cornerstone,” this is King David, as it is stated: “The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone” (Psalms 118:22).2The Sages apply this verse to King David (see Midrash Tehillim 118), who was a humble shepherd and the youngest and least prominent of his brothers before he was appointed king. “From it a peg” this is the High Priest, as it is stated: “I will affix him as a peg in a secure place” (Isaiah 22:23). “From it a bow of war,” as it is stated: “They were armed with bows, both right and left-handed” (I Chronicles 12:2). “From it every oppressor will be gone together” (Zechariah 10:4), these are the judges’ scribes. And likewise it says: “And you, draw Aaron your brother near to you, and his sons with him.” From where? It is from among the children of Israel.
This is analogous to a king who had a friend and sought to appoint a treasurer, and he appointed [his friend] over his entire treasury. Sometime later, he sought to appoint a military chief of staff, and that friend thought that perhaps he would choose him, but he did not choose him. [The king] said to him: ‘Go and appoint a military chief of staff.’ He said to him: ‘My lord, from which noble family?’ He said to him: ‘From your noble family.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He sought to appoint someone over the labor of the Tabernacle, and He selected Moses as the administrator over the judges and over everything. When the Holy One blessed be He sought to appoint a High Priest, Moses thought that perhaps he would become the High Priest. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Go and appoint a High Priest for Me.’ He said before Him: ‘From what tribe shall I appoint for You?’ He said to him: ‘From the tribe of Levi.’ At that moment, Moses rejoiced. He said: ‘My tribe is so beloved.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘It is Aaron, your brother.’ That is why it is stated: “And you, draw Aaron your brother near to you.”
The Rabbis say: All forty years that Israel was in the wilderness, Moses served in the high priesthood. Some say: He served only during the seven days of inauguration. Rabbi Berekhya says in the name of Rabbi Simon: All forty years Moses served in the high priesthood, as it is stated: “The sons of Amram, Aaron and Moses; [Aaron was separated that he should be most holy, he and his sons forever, to offer before the Lord, to serve Him, and to bless in His name forever]” (I Chronicles 23:13), and it is written: “And Moses, the man of God, [his sons are named among the tribe of Levi]” (I Chronicles 23:14).3The implication of the verse is that Moses’ sons were regular Levites, but he himself functioned as a priest.
“And you, draw Aaron your brother near to you,” that is what is written: “From it will come a cornerstone, from it a peg, from it a bow of war” (Zechariah 10:4). Come and see: When the early nations would seek to appoint a king for themselves, they would bring [a man] from anywhere and appoint him over them, as it says: “He reigned in Edom” (Genesis 36:32), from Dinhava, from Basra, and likewise, all of them.1The Torah (Genesis 36:32–39) lists various kings of Edom and where they were from; the first two were from Dinhava and Basra, respectively. These places were not in Edom. But Israel is not so. Their great ones are from them, their kings are from them, their priests are from them, their prophets are from them, their princes are from them, as it is stated: “From it will come a cornerstone,” this is King David, as it is stated: “The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone” (Psalms 118:22).2The Sages apply this verse to King David (see Midrash Tehillim 118), who was a humble shepherd and the youngest and least prominent of his brothers before he was appointed king. “From it a peg” this is the High Priest, as it is stated: “I will affix him as a peg in a secure place” (Isaiah 22:23). “From it a bow of war,” as it is stated: “They were armed with bows, both right and left-handed” (I Chronicles 12:2). “From it every oppressor will be gone together” (Zechariah 10:4), these are the judges’ scribes. And likewise it says: “And you, draw Aaron your brother near to you, and his sons with him.” From where? It is from among the children of Israel.
This is analogous to a king who had a friend and sought to appoint a treasurer, and he appointed [his friend] over his entire treasury. Sometime later, he sought to appoint a military chief of staff, and that friend thought that perhaps he would choose him, but he did not choose him. [The king] said to him: ‘Go and appoint a military chief of staff.’ He said to him: ‘My lord, from which noble family?’ He said to him: ‘From your noble family.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He sought to appoint someone over the labor of the Tabernacle, and He selected Moses as the administrator over the judges and over everything. When the Holy One blessed be He sought to appoint a High Priest, Moses thought that perhaps he would become the High Priest. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Go and appoint a High Priest for Me.’ He said before Him: ‘From what tribe shall I appoint for You?’ He said to him: ‘From the tribe of Levi.’ At that moment, Moses rejoiced. He said: ‘My tribe is so beloved.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘It is Aaron, your brother.’ That is why it is stated: “And you, draw Aaron your brother near to you.”
The Rabbis say: All forty years that Israel was in the wilderness, Moses served in the high priesthood. Some say: He served only during the seven days of inauguration. Rabbi Berekhya says in the name of Rabbi Simon: All forty years Moses served in the high priesthood, as it is stated: “The sons of Amram, Aaron and Moses; [Aaron was separated that he should be most holy, he and his sons forever, to offer before the Lord, to serve Him, and to bless in His name forever]” (I Chronicles 23:13), and it is written: “And Moses, the man of God, [his sons are named among the tribe of Levi]” (I Chronicles 23:14).3The implication of the verse is that Moses’ sons were regular Levites, but he himself functioned as a priest.
Aggadat Bereshit
[4] Another explanation: When it was time to present the meal offering (1 Kings 18:36) And why did Elijah not say the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, but said the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel? It is because Elijah knew that the Israelites had sunk after the Baal and did not know who God was anymore. If Elijah had prayed and said the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, they would have said that there were three gods. Therefore, he mentioned only one, "the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel." If you cannot do it for the sake of the patriarchs, do it for the sake of the tribes, as it says, "Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your inheritance" (Isaiah 63:17). Similarly, it says, "And Elijah took twelve stones (according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel), according to the number of the tribes of the children of Jacob" (1 Kings 18:31), and Elijah said, "Today, you shall know" (1 Kings 18:36). Leave to me what you did for Egypt, as it is written, "And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord" (Exodus 14:4), and leave to me what you did for our ancestors, as it says, "And the nations shall know that those who are left around you" (Ezekiel 36:36). And leave to me what you will do in the future, as it says, "And I shall sanctify myself, and I shall be known before the eyes of many nations" (Ezekiel 38:23). At that time, you are the God in Israel, and I am your servant" (1 Kings 18:36). If you cannot do it for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, do it to make known that I am your servant. I have already told them, "Behold, I am sending you Elijah the prophet" (Malachi 3:23). If you do it now, they will believe what you will do with me. And I have done according to your words (1 Kings 18:36), and I have done it for your name's sake. All these people did it for the sake of Baal, but I did it for you. So please do not let me be ashamed. Answer me, O Lord, answer me. (1 Kings 18:37). Answer me with fire, answer me with water, answer me in this world, answer me in the future world, answer me through the prophets of Ba'al, answer me through the prophets of Asherah. And if you do so, we will sing before you, as David said: "I will thank you for you have answered me and you have become my salvation" (Psalm 118:21).