וְֽיָדְע֞וּ כָּל־עֲצֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ הִשְׁפַּ֣לְתִּי ׀ עֵ֣ץ גָּבֹ֗הַ הִגְבַּ֙הְתִּי֙ עֵ֣ץ שָׁפָ֔ל הוֹבַ֙שְׁתִּי֙ עֵ֣ץ לָ֔ח וְהִפְרַ֖חְתִּי עֵ֣ץ יָבֵ֑שׁ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי וְעָשִֽׂיתִי׃ (פ)
Maka segala pohon di padang akan mengetahui bahwa Aku, Yang Mahakekal, telah merendahkan pohon yang tinggi dan meninggikan pohon yang rendah, telah mengeringkan pohon yang hijau dan membuat pohon yang kering bertunas. Aku, Yang Mahakekal, telah berfirman dan Aku akan melakukannya.
Rabbeinu Bahya
The Midrash (Tanchuma Vayera 15) uses this verse to remind us of Ezekiel 17,24: “Then shall all the trees of the field know that it is I the Lord who have abased the lofty tree and exalted the lowly tree, who have dried up the green tree and made the withered tree bud. I the Lord have spoken, and I will act.” According to this Midrash the prophet referred to Sancheriv when he spoke about G’d “abasing the lofty tree,” seeing that in Ezekiel 31,3 Ashur (Sancheriv’s country) is described as “a cedar in Lebanon with beautiful branches of lofty stature.” On the other hand, the words: “I have exalted the lowly tree,” are a reference to the Jewish people who debased themselves as we know from Maleachi 2,9: “I too have made you despicable and vile in the eyes of all the people...said the Lord of Hosts.” The words: “I have dried out the green tree,” are a reference to Avimelech of whom the Torah said that G’d had closed up all his orifices, whereas the words “and I have made the withered tree bud,” refer to Sarah. The words: “I the Lord have spoken and I have acted,” refer to our verse in which G’d is reported as having remembered Sarah.
As to the choice of the word והשם, “and the Lord,” Rabbi Yitzchak said: we find that the Torah writes in connection with the Sotah, the wife suspected of infidelity who had secreted herself with another man (Numbers 5,28), “but if the woman had not defiled herself and remained pure, etc.” Such a description fits Sarah who had been alone with Pharaoh in Egypt and Avimelech in the land of the Philistines and had retained her purity on both occasions. Such a woman had certainly established a claim that G’d should remember her. This is why the paragraph starts with the prefix ו, i.e. “and” in front of the word השם, “The Lord.”
As to the choice of the word והשם, “and the Lord,” Rabbi Yitzchak said: we find that the Torah writes in connection with the Sotah, the wife suspected of infidelity who had secreted herself with another man (Numbers 5,28), “but if the woman had not defiled herself and remained pure, etc.” Such a description fits Sarah who had been alone with Pharaoh in Egypt and Avimelech in the land of the Philistines and had retained her purity on both occasions. Such a woman had certainly established a claim that G’d should remember her. This is why the paragraph starts with the prefix ו, i.e. “and” in front of the word השם, “The Lord.”
Kli Yakar
“And behold, Aaron’s rod blossomed, etc.” This hints that God does not judge by what appears to human eyes. Even if one appears as a dry stick without the moisture of water, Torah, and wisdom, the Holy One, Blessed be He, can make it blossom. And conversely, as concluded in the Yalkut (in Ezekiel 17, see there) which interpreted regarding Korah and Aaron the verse I have dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish (Ezekiel 17:24).
It may be that from here extends the source that everything in the Temple was blooming and bearing fruit, even the gold that was called parvaim [choice gold]. And it brought forth blossoms — this was a sign for the young priests who were called pirchei kehunah [the flowers of priesthood]. And it budded [yatzetz tzitz] — this is a sign for the high priests who wore the tzitz, the holy crown. And it yielded almonds — this was in the merit of he ran into the midst of the congregation, etc. to stop the plague, and in the merit that priests are zealous in their service, God rewarded him by yielding almonds, which connotes diligence [shekidut] and swiftness. And he merited the gifts, as it is said, And I, behold, I have given you (Numbers 18:8).
The language of “behold” [hineh] indicates zealousness, as Rashi explained in Parashat Vayeshev (Genesis 37:13) on And he said, “Here I am” [hineni] — an expression of humility and zealousness. And Rashi explained here that “behold” [hineh] indicates joy, as it says, Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart (Exodus 4:14).
The reason for this is that every “hineh” [behold] is an expression of zealousness, and whenever a person acts zealously, surely they are happy in their actions. Just as Aaron was happy to greet his brother Moses, who was younger than him, and was not jealous of his authority, in this merit Aaron was given the authority of the priesthood to be anointed with joy. This is what is meant by And I, behold, I have given you — in the merit of behold, he is coming out to meet you.
And above in the verse in the morning, the Lord will make known, God gave him the gifts in the morning with a shining face, with joy, as is customary for everything given properly to one who asks. And our Sages said (Shabbat 139a) that in the merit of and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart, Aaron deserved to wear the breastplate of judgment on his heart, because it is said He guides the humble in justice (Psalms 25:9). As was explained above in Parashat Mishpatim (Exodus 21:1), this path of humility was his, that he rejoiced in his brother’s authority.
And our Sages said (Chullin 89a): Great is what was said about Moses and Aaron, as it is written What are we? (Exodus 16:8). And likewise concerning Aaron it is written And what is Aaron? (Numbers 16:12). For he considered himself as nothing, as if he were a dry stick with no moisture at all. Therefore, he merited that Aaron’s dry rod blossomed.
It may be that from here extends the source that everything in the Temple was blooming and bearing fruit, even the gold that was called parvaim [choice gold]. And it brought forth blossoms — this was a sign for the young priests who were called pirchei kehunah [the flowers of priesthood]. And it budded [yatzetz tzitz] — this is a sign for the high priests who wore the tzitz, the holy crown. And it yielded almonds — this was in the merit of he ran into the midst of the congregation, etc. to stop the plague, and in the merit that priests are zealous in their service, God rewarded him by yielding almonds, which connotes diligence [shekidut] and swiftness. And he merited the gifts, as it is said, And I, behold, I have given you (Numbers 18:8).
The language of “behold” [hineh] indicates zealousness, as Rashi explained in Parashat Vayeshev (Genesis 37:13) on And he said, “Here I am” [hineni] — an expression of humility and zealousness. And Rashi explained here that “behold” [hineh] indicates joy, as it says, Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart (Exodus 4:14).
The reason for this is that every “hineh” [behold] is an expression of zealousness, and whenever a person acts zealously, surely they are happy in their actions. Just as Aaron was happy to greet his brother Moses, who was younger than him, and was not jealous of his authority, in this merit Aaron was given the authority of the priesthood to be anointed with joy. This is what is meant by And I, behold, I have given you — in the merit of behold, he is coming out to meet you.
And above in the verse in the morning, the Lord will make known, God gave him the gifts in the morning with a shining face, with joy, as is customary for everything given properly to one who asks. And our Sages said (Shabbat 139a) that in the merit of and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart, Aaron deserved to wear the breastplate of judgment on his heart, because it is said He guides the humble in justice (Psalms 25:9). As was explained above in Parashat Mishpatim (Exodus 21:1), this path of humility was his, that he rejoiced in his brother’s authority.
And our Sages said (Chullin 89a): Great is what was said about Moses and Aaron, as it is written What are we? (Exodus 16:8). And likewise concerning Aaron it is written And what is Aaron? (Numbers 16:12). For he considered himself as nothing, as if he were a dry stick with no moisture at all. Therefore, he merited that Aaron’s dry rod blossomed.