כְּצֹ֣אן קָֽדָשִׁ֗ים כְּצֹ֤אן יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ בְּמ֣וֹעֲדֶ֔יהָ כֵּ֤ן תִּהְיֶ֙ינָה֙ הֶעָרִ֣ים הֶחֳרֵב֔וֹת מְלֵא֖וֹת צֹ֣אן אָדָ֑ם וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ (ס)
Seperti kawanan domba persembahan kudus, seperti kawanan domba di Yerusalem pada hari-hari rayanya, demikianlah kota-kota yang runtuh itu akan penuh dengan manusia sebanyak kawanan domba. Dan mereka akan mengetahui bahwa Akulah Yang Mahakekal.”
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
“You are fair, my love, like Tirtza, lovely like Jerusalem, formidable like banners” (Song of Songs 6:4).
“You are fair, my love, like Tirtza.” Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon interpreted the verse regarding offerings. “You are fair, my love, like Tirtza,” these are the offerings, as you achieve acceptance [mitratzim] with offerings, just as you say: “It will be accepted [venirtza] for him, to atone for him” (Leviticus 1:4). “Lovely like Jerusalem,” these are the consecrations in Jerusalem, just as it says: “Like the consecrated flock, like the flock of Jerusalem” (Ezekiel 36:38).
Another matter, “you are fair, my love, like Tirtza,” these are the women of the generation of the wilderness [tiran], as Rabbi said: The women of the generation of the wilderness were upright. They stood and asserted themselves and did not give their rings for the incident of the Golden Calf. They said: If the Holy One blessed be He smashed the hard idol, this soft idol, all the more so.6If God smashed the idols of Egypt, how much more so this golden calf. They referred to the idols of Egypt as hard because they were made from stone, which is harder than gold, or because the Egyptians worshipped Aries, the first sign of the Zodiac, which is harder to destroy than a golden calf (see Etz Yosef). “Lovely like Jerusalem,” as anyone who wants and seeks molds of Peor, he would go and find in Jerusalem; that is what is written: “And their idols from Jerusalem and from Samaria” (Isaiah 10:10).7The midrash means that Israel is lovely to God for distancing themselves from the idols that had become ubiquitous even in Jerusalem and Samaria (Matnot Kehuna).
“You are fair, my love, like Tirtza.” Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon interpreted the verse regarding offerings. “You are fair, my love, like Tirtza,” these are the offerings, as you achieve acceptance [mitratzim] with offerings, just as you say: “It will be accepted [venirtza] for him, to atone for him” (Leviticus 1:4). “Lovely like Jerusalem,” these are the consecrations in Jerusalem, just as it says: “Like the consecrated flock, like the flock of Jerusalem” (Ezekiel 36:38).
Another matter, “you are fair, my love, like Tirtza,” these are the women of the generation of the wilderness [tiran], as Rabbi said: The women of the generation of the wilderness were upright. They stood and asserted themselves and did not give their rings for the incident of the Golden Calf. They said: If the Holy One blessed be He smashed the hard idol, this soft idol, all the more so.6If God smashed the idols of Egypt, how much more so this golden calf. They referred to the idols of Egypt as hard because they were made from stone, which is harder than gold, or because the Egyptians worshipped Aries, the first sign of the Zodiac, which is harder to destroy than a golden calf (see Etz Yosef). “Lovely like Jerusalem,” as anyone who wants and seeks molds of Peor, he would go and find in Jerusalem; that is what is written: “And their idols from Jerusalem and from Samaria” (Isaiah 10:10).7The midrash means that Israel is lovely to God for distancing themselves from the idols that had become ubiquitous even in Jerusalem and Samaria (Matnot Kehuna).
Shemot Rabbah
Another matter, “Moses led Israel,” that is what is written: “He led His people like sheep” (Psalms 78:52). Like which sheep? Like the sheep of Yitro; just as the sheep of Yitro emerged from the settlement to the wilderness,8See Exodus 3:1. so, too, Israel emerged from Egypt to the wilderness, as it is stated: “He guided them like a flock in the wilderness” (Psalms 78:52).
Another matter, just as sheep do not enter the shelter of a roof, so too, the Holy One blessed be He led Israel for forty years in the wilderness. Another matter, just as one does not prepare stockpiles for sheep, but rather it grazes every day, so too, He did not prepare them a stockpile for Israel, but rather, [provided for them daily] in the wilderness, as it is stated: “The people will go out and gather [each day’s portion on its day]” (Exodus 16:4).
Another matter, just as a sheep, even if it damages the trees, its owners do not charge it, so too, Israel, even though they sin, the Holy One blessed be He treats them like sheep. If so, just as sheep do not receive reward, perhaps the same is true regarding Israel, as He called them sheep. The verse states: “Now you are My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are Man” (Ezekiel 34:31); sheep for punishment and man for the giving of reward. If so, just as a sheep is designated for slaughter, perhaps the same is true regarding Israel. The verse states: “Like consecrated sheep” (Ezekiel 36:38); just as anyone who touches consecrated items incurs liability, so too, Israel, as it is stated: “Israel is sacred to the Lord, the first of His crop, anyone who devours it will be guilty” (Jeremiah 2:3).
Just as a sheep, any place that the shepherd leads it, there it follows, so too, Israel, every place that Moses would lead them, they would follow him, as it is stated: “Draw me, after you we will run” (Song of Songs 1:4). That is why it is stated: “Moses led Israel from the Red Sea.” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: He led them away from the sin of the Red Sea, for once they recited song, the song atoned for their having sinned at the sea.
Another matter, just as sheep do not enter the shelter of a roof, so too, the Holy One blessed be He led Israel for forty years in the wilderness. Another matter, just as one does not prepare stockpiles for sheep, but rather it grazes every day, so too, He did not prepare them a stockpile for Israel, but rather, [provided for them daily] in the wilderness, as it is stated: “The people will go out and gather [each day’s portion on its day]” (Exodus 16:4).
Another matter, just as a sheep, even if it damages the trees, its owners do not charge it, so too, Israel, even though they sin, the Holy One blessed be He treats them like sheep. If so, just as sheep do not receive reward, perhaps the same is true regarding Israel, as He called them sheep. The verse states: “Now you are My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are Man” (Ezekiel 34:31); sheep for punishment and man for the giving of reward. If so, just as a sheep is designated for slaughter, perhaps the same is true regarding Israel. The verse states: “Like consecrated sheep” (Ezekiel 36:38); just as anyone who touches consecrated items incurs liability, so too, Israel, as it is stated: “Israel is sacred to the Lord, the first of His crop, anyone who devours it will be guilty” (Jeremiah 2:3).
Just as a sheep, any place that the shepherd leads it, there it follows, so too, Israel, every place that Moses would lead them, they would follow him, as it is stated: “Draw me, after you we will run” (Song of Songs 1:4). That is why it is stated: “Moses led Israel from the Red Sea.” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: He led them away from the sin of the Red Sea, for once they recited song, the song atoned for their having sinned at the sea.
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer
Moses was keeping the sheep of Jethro for forty years, and the beasts of the field did not consume them, but they increased and multiplied exceedingly, and concerning them the Scripture saith, "As the flock of holy things" (Ezek. 36:38).