שִׁ֤ירוּ ׀ לֵֽאלֹהִים֮ זַמְּר֪וּ שְׁ֫מ֥וֹ סֹ֡לּוּ לָרֹכֵ֣ב בָּ֭עֲרָבוֹת בְּיָ֥הּ שְׁמ֗וֹ וְעִלְז֥וּ לְפָנָֽיו׃
Bernyanyilah bagi Allah, bermazmurlah bagi nama-Nya, tinggikanlah Dia yang berkendara di langit tinggi; Yang Mahakekal adalah nama-Nya, bersukarialah di hadapan-Nya.
Midrash Tanchuma
Our sages stated in the name of R. Eleazar the son of Pedat: The Holy One, blessed be He, likens Himself to the humblest of men in seven places in the Torah. It is written: For the Lord your God, He is God of Gods, and the Lord of Lords, the great God, the mighty and the awful (Deut. 10:17), and this is followed by the verse: He doth execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger (ibid., v. 18). It says likewise: For though the Lord be high, yet regardeth He the lowly (Ps. 138:6), and also: Thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity and whose name is holy: I dwell in the high and holy places, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble (Isa. 57:15). Similarly, Scripture says: Thus saith the Lord: The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool (ibid. 66:1), and that is followed by: And on this man will I look, even on him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at My word (ibid., v. 2). Elsewhere it is written: The Lord is King forever and ever. The nations are perished out of His land (Ps. 10:16), and that is followed by the verse: Lord, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble (ibid., v. 17). Scripture says: Sing unto God, sing praises to His Name. Extol Him that rideth upon the skies, whose name is the Lord; and exult ye before Him (ibid. 68:5), and after that is written: A father of the fatherless, the judge of the widows (ibid., v. 6). Likewise the verse Who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, who keepeth truth forever, who executeth justice for the oppressed (Ps. 146:6–7) is followed by: He upholdeth the fatherless, and the widow; and the way of the wicked He maketh crooked (ibid., v. 9).
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
Where it is stated (in Deut. 10:17): FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GOD OF GODS…. See how great is < his > might and how great is < his > praise! Then what is written next (in vs. 18)? HE SECURES JUSTICE FOR THE ORPHAN AND WIDOW.
It is also written (in Ps. 138:6): FOR THOUGH THE LORD IS HIGH, HE HAS REGARD FOR THE HUMBLE….
It is also written (in Is. 57:15): [FOR] THUS SAYS THE HIGH AND EXALTED ONE, WHO INHABITS ETERNITY, WHOSE NAME IS HOLY: I INHABIT THE HIGH AND HOLY PLACE, WITH ONE ALSO THAT IS OF A CONTRITE AND HUMBLE SPIRIT.
It is also written (in Is. 66:1): THUS SAYS THE LORD: THE HEAVENS ARE MY THRONE AND THE EARTH IS MY FOOTSTOOL…. Then there is written (in vs. 2): ALL THESE MY HAND HAS MADE … YET UNTO THIS PERSON WILL I LOOK: UNTO ONE WHO IS POOR AND OF A CONTRITE SPIRIT.
And the rest are in the Book of Psalms (10:16): THE LORD IS KING FOR EVER AND EVER. Then there is written after that (in vs. 17): THE LONGING OF THE MEEK YOU HAVE HEARD, O LORD….
It is also written (in Ps. 68:5 [4]): SING TO GOD, PRAISE HIS NAME, BUILD A WAY FOR THE ONE WHO RIDES IN THE DESERT. What is written after it (in vs. 6 [5])? A FATHER OF ORPHANS AND AN ADVOCATE OF WIDOWS.
It is also written (in Ps. 146:1): HALLELUJAH. PRAISE THE LORD, O MY SOUL! And there is written in the same psalm (at vs. 6): WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH. Then there is written (in vs. 7): WHO SECURES JUSTICE FOR THE OPPRESSED….
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.