Midras Mazmur 81:3: Bamidbar Rabbah, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Vayikra Rabbah & Midrash Tehillim

All the counted, whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel counted, of the Levites, by their families, and by their patrilineal house” (Numbers 3:46).
“All the counted, whom Moses [and Aaron and the princes of Israel] counted….” After calculating the family of the sons of Kehat alone, and the family of the sons of Gershon alone, and the family of the sons of Merari alone, it then included their totals together, to declare that they are all equal before the Holy One blessed be He in terms of affection.
“From thirty years old and above until fifty years old, everyone who came to perform the service of work, and the service of bearing in the Tent of Meeting” (Numbers 4:47).
“From thirty years old and above until fifty years old, everyone who came to perform the service of work, and the service [of bearing [avodat masa] in the Tent of Meeting].” It is taught: Lack of song invalidates the offering; this is the statement of Rabbi Meir. The Rabbis say: It does not invalidate. Rabbi Elazar said: Rabbi Meir’s source is from this verse: “I have given the Levites, given [to Aaron and to his sons…to perform the service of the children of Israel in the Tent of Meeting], and to atone for the children of Israel…” (Numbers 8:19); just as lack of atonement¹⁹One who fails to sprinkle the blood of the offering. disqualifies, so, too, lack of song disqualifies. The Rabbis establish from that verse: Just as atonement is during the day, so, too, song is during the day.
Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Shmuel: From where in the Torah is the requirement of song derived? The verse states: “He shall serve in the name of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 18:7). What is the service that includes the name of the Lord? That is song. Rabbi Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: From here: “Take up [se’u] song, sound the timbrel; a pleasing lyre with a harp” (Psalms 81:3).²⁰Rabbi Yitzḥak interprets avodat masa as referring to song. Se'u can mean lift up something, and it can mean lift up a voice. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: “They will raise [yisu] their voices, they will sing, for the majesty of the Lord…” (Isaiah 24:14). It is taught: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give, because the sacred service is upon them; they shall bear [yisa’u] on the shoulder” (Numbers 7:9). From the fact that it is stated: “On the shoulder,” do I not know that “they shall bear [yisa’u]”? Why does the verse state: “Yisa’u”? Yisa’u is nothing other than an expression of song. Likewise it says: “Take up [se’u] song, sound the timbrel…,” and it says: “They will raise [yisu] their voices, they will sing.” Ḥananya, the son of Rabbi Yehoshua’s brother said: From here:²¹This is another source for the requirement of song. “Moses would speak and God would answer him with a voice” (Exodus 19:19), regarding matters of voice. Rabbi Asa said: From here: “It was when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to sound one voice” (II Chronicles 5:13).²²The priestly trumpeters are mentioned in the Torah, and here they are juxtaposed with the singing Levites. Rabbi Yonatan said: From here: “Neither you nor they will die” (Numbers 18:3); just as you²³Priests. are involved in the altar service, so too, they are involved in the altar service. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From here: “To perform the service of work [avodat avoda]” (Numbers 4:47); what is the service [avoda] that requires another service [avoda]? That is song.²⁴Song is sung as an accompaniment to the pouring of the libation of a sacrifice. Thus, it is a service [avoda] which is only performed in conjunction with another service [avoda].

The dwelling of the moon is between cloud and thick darkness made like two dishes turned one over the other, and when it is the conjunction of the moon these two clouds turn in the east quarter and (the moon) goes forth from between them like a ram's horn. On the first night (is revealed) one measure (of light), on the second night the second measure, and so on until the half of the month when the moon is fully revealed, and from the middle of the month these two clouds turn their faces in the west quarter. The corner (i.e. crescent) of the moon with which it comes forth first, (the same) begins to enter and is covered therein by the two (clouds) on the first night (by) one measure, on the second night (by) a second measure, and so on to the end of the month until || it is entirely covered. And whence do we know that it is placed between two clouds? Because it is said, "When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it" (Job 38:9). And whence do we know that it becomes entirely covered? Because it is said, "Blow ye the trumpet in the new moon, at the covering, on our solemn feast day" (Ps. 81:8). "At the covering," on the day when it is entirely covered, blow ye the trumpet in the new moon.

Another matter, “when a woman conceives” – that is what is written: “I will project [esa] my opinion afar, and I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker” (Job 36:3). Rabbi Meir said: This term is employed in two senses; in the sense of song, and in the sense of speech. In the sense of song, regarding the praise of the righteous,⁹As in the verse: “Take up [se’u] the melody and sound the timbrel” (Psalms 81:3). and in the sense of speech, regarding the downfall of the wicked.¹⁰As in the verse: “In another three days Pharaoh shall lift [yisa] your head from upon you” (Genesis 40:19). “Afar’ is stated regarding the distant who drew near.
“I will project my opinion afar, and I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.” Rabbi Natan said: One contemplates the name of Abraham our patriarch, the one who came from afar. That is what is written: “Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place from afar” (Genesis 22:4). Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: We contemplate the name of the Holy One blessed be He, as we were distant and He drew us near to Him. Rabbi Ḥagai said: Matters that are distant from us a journey of five hundred years, as people are asleep on their beds, and the Holy One blessed be He causes winds to blow, clouds to rise, rains to fall, and plants to grow, and he dries them and sets a table before each and every one.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Idi said in the name of Rav Aḥa: This verse, if Elihu said it on his own, [he is entitled to] praise. If he said it inspired by the Divine Spirit, [he is entitled to] the praise of praises. Rabbi Levi said three things, [the first of which is]: The way of the world is that if a person deposits a purse of silver in private and [the other individual] returns a litra of gold in public, does he not feel a debt of gratitude toward him? So it is with the Holy One blessed be He, people deposit a putrid drop in private and the Holy One blessed be He returns completed, high quality human beings in public.¹¹The midrash is describing the process of conception and birth. Is this not worthy of praise? That is, “I will project my opinion afar, and I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.”
Rabbi Levi said another thing: The way of the world is that when a person is incarcerated in prison, no one pays attention to him. If one would come and kindle a lamp for him there, would [the prisoner] not feel a debt of gratitude toward him? So it is with the Holy One blessed be He; the fetus is situated in his mother’s womb and the Holy One blessed be He kindles a lamp for him. That is what Job said: “When His lamp would shine over my head” (Job 29:3). Is this not praise? That is: “And I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.”
Rabbi Levi said another thing: The way of the world is that when a person is incarcerated in prison, no one pays attention to him. If one would come and free him, and take him out of there, would [the prisoner] not feel a debt of gratitude toward him? So, the fetus is situated in his mother’s womb and the Holy One blessed be He comes and frees him and takes him out of there.