וַיֹּ֨סֶף ע֥וֹד דָּוִ֛ד אֶת־כָּל־בָּח֥וּר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים אָֽלֶף׃
E David riunì di nuovo tutti gli uomini scelti d'Israele, trentamila.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“The charge of Elazar, son of Aaron the priest, is the illuminating oil, and the incense of the spices, and the meal offering of the daily offering, and the anointing oil: the charge of the entire Tabernacle, and of everything that is in it, in the sacred, and in its vessels” (Numbers 4:16).
“The charge of Elazar, son of Aaron the priest…” – that is what is written: “Do not glorify yourself before a king, and do not stand in the place of the prominent” (Proverbs 25:6). If before a king of flesh and blood a person must conduct himself with humility, all the more so before the Omnipresent. We learned: Be bold like a leopard, nimble like an eagle, run like a deer, and be strong like a lion to perform the will of your Father in heaven,27Mishna Avot 5:20. to teach you that there is no haughtiness before the Omnipresent. Eliyahu said: Anyone who increases the glory of Heaven and minimizes his own glory, the glory of Heaven increases and his own glory increases. But anyone who minimizes the glory of Heaven and increases his own glory, the glory of Heaven remains as it was, and his glory is diminished.
There was an incident involving a certain man who was standing in a synagogue and his son was standing opposite him. All the people were responding to the one who passes before the ark:28The prayer leader. Halleluya, and his son responded with words of frivolity. They said to him: ‘Look at your son, that he is responding with words of frivolity.’ He said to them: ‘What shall I do? He is a child, let him play.’ Again, the next day he acted in the same manner: All the people were responding to the prayer leader: Halleluya, and his son responded with words of frivolity. They said to him: ‘Look at your son, that he is responding with words of frivolity.’ He said to them: ‘What shall I do? He is a child, let him play.’ All those eight days of the festival, his son would respond with matters of frivolity, and he did not say anything to him. Not one year passed, not two, and not three until that man died, his wife died, his son and grandson died. Fifteen people from his house died, and only one pair of people remained: one crippled and blind, and a wicked imbecile.
Again there was an incident, involving a certain person who regretted that he had not studied Bible or Mishna. One time, he was standing in a synagogue. When the one passing before the ark reached the sanctification of the Name, he raised his voice and said: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:3). They said to him: ‘What did you see that led you to raise your voice.’ He said to them: ‘I have been privileged to study neither Bible nor Mishna; now that I have been given permission, will I not raise my voice and my soul will be calmed?’ Not one year passed, not two, and not three until that man ascended from Babylonia to the Land of Israel. They appointed him commander of the emperor’s army and appointed him as the head of all the fortresses in the Land of Israel. They gave him a site, and he constructed a city and settled there. They called him Kilonai,29A term meaning that he did not have to pay taxes. him, his children, and his children’s children throughout all the generations. From here you learn that a person should not comport himself with haughtiness before the Omnipresent, as anyone who is haughty before Him will be debased. Likewise it says: “For those who honor Me I will honor, but those who scorn Me will be debased” (I Samuel 2:30).
Likewise, you find regarding David king of Israel who did not conduct himself haughtily before the Omnipresent, but rather, he debased himself before Him like a commoner, in order to increase the glory of the Omnipresent. When? It was when he took up the Ark from the house of Avinadav in Giva to bring it to Jerusalem. That is what is written: “David again gathered all the chosen of Israel, thirty thousand.” (II Samuel 6:1). David said: I am not taking up the Ark secretly. He immediately consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds to send throughout the Land of Israel that they should gather to them and go to take up the Ark, as it is stated: “David consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with every high official” (I Chronicles 13:1). “David said to the entire congregation of Israel: If it pleases you, and if it is from the Lord our God…so that they gather themselves to us; and let us transfer the Ark of our God to us” (I Chronicles 13:2–3). They all said to him: ‘Do as you wish,’ as it is stated: “The entire congregation said to do so, for the matter was upright in the eyes of the entire people” (I Chronicles 13:4). Immediately, he sent and gathered all of Israel that was in the entire Land of Israel, as it is stated: “David assembled all Israel, from Shiḥor of Egypt until Levo Ḥamat, to bring the Ark of God from Kiryat Ye’arim” (I Chronicles 13:5). How many elders did David appoint there? Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar and Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: David appointed ninety thousand elders on that day, but he did not appoint Aḥitofel with them. He sanctified them so they would serve as an honor guard before it. That is what is written: “David again [vayosef od] gathered all the chosen of Israel, thirty thousand.” “Vayosef” – thirty thousand; “od” – thirty thousand; and the plain meaning of the verse, thirty thousand; that is ninety thousand.
Immediately, they went to Giva to take up the Ark from there, as it is stated: “David and all the people who were with him from Baalei Yehuda rose and went [to take up from there the Ark of God]” (II Samuel 6:2). One verse says: “David and all Israel went up to Baala, to Kiryat Ye’arim which is of Judah, to take up from there the Ark of God, the Lord who is seated amidst the cherubs, upon which the Name is called” (I Chronicles 13:6). And one verse says: “David and all the people who were with him from Baalei Yehuda…” How can these two verses coexist? All Israel went to Baala, which is Kiryat Ye’arim, and waited there for the Ark, until they would bring it from Giva. But David and the elders set out from Baalei Yehuda, which is Baala, which is Kiryat Ye’arim, and went after the Ark to Giva to bring it from Giva to Kiryat Ye’arim, which is Baala. From Baala, all of Israel took it with them to Jerusalem.
Some say: Initially they decided they would go only to Baala and send from there to the house of Avinadav, which was in Giva, to take up the Ark of God from there to Kiryat Ye’arim. From there they would all ascend with it to Jerusalem. When he was there, he said to them: ‘It is not in keeping with the honor due the Ark that it should come with individuals. Rather, let us all go there.’ That is why it is written: “David and all the people…rose and went” (II Samuel 6:2).
Why did he initially go only to Baala, which is Kiryat Ye’arim? It is because Giva and Kiryat Ye’arim were located in one area, which is where the Givonites were settled, as it is stated: “The children of Israel traveled, and they came to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Givon, Kefira, Be’erot, and Kiryat Ye’arim” (Joshua 9:17). Kiryat Ye’arim fell into the portion of Judah, as it is enumerated in the portion of its inheritance: “Kiryat Baal, which is Kiryat Ye’arim” (Joshua 15:60), and it was the border between Judah and Benjamin, as it says regarding the border of Benjamin: “Its terminus was at Kiryat Baal, which is Kiryat Ye'arim, a city of the children of Judah…” (Joshua 18:14). But Giva, where the Ark was, was on the border of Benjamin, as it is written regarding the cities of Benjamin: “Givon, Rama, and Be’erot; and Mitzpe, Kefira, and Motza” (Joshua 18:25–26). That is why they initially came to Kiryat Ye’arim, which is on the border between Judah and Benjamin, and then they went to Givon.
“Which is called the Name, the name of the Lord of hosts” (II Samuel 6:2) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: It teaches that the Name and all His appellations are placed in the Ark. Rav Huna said: It teaches that the tablets and the shards of the tablets are placed in the Ark.
“They mounted the Ark of God [onto a new wagon]” (II Samuel 6:3) – they did not carry it as it is in the Torah, as it is written: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give [because the sacred service is upon them, they shall bear on the shoulder]” (Numbers 7:9). Why was he punished to have been rendered oblivious to the verse? It is because he called matters of Torah “songs,” as it is stated: “Your statutes were songs to me…” (Psalms 119:54). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: Matters of Torah in whose regard it is written: “If you cast [hata’if] your eyes on it, it is gone” (Proverbs 23:5),30This verse is expounded to mean: If you close your eyes from matters of Torah they will be forgotten. The root ayin-yod-peh in Aramaic means double, so the verse can be understood as: If you double your eyes, meaning cover them with your eyelids. you call them songs? I will cause you to fail regarding a matter that even schoolchildren know: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give…,” and he brings it in a wagon. The Ark lifted the priests31The reference is to the priests who were carrying the Ark to the wagon. high and slammed them to the ground, lifted the priests high and slammed them to the ground. David sent and summoned Aḥitofel; he said to him: ‘Will you not say to me what we shall do with this Ark, as it is lifting the priests high and slamming them to the ground, lifting the priests high and slamming them to the ground?’ He said to him: ‘Send and ask those wise men whom you appointed.’ David said: ‘One who knows how to stop it and does not stop it, will ultimately be strangled.’ He said to him: ‘Slaughter offerings before it, and it will stop.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Aḥitofel: ‘A matter that the children say in the synagogue each day: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give…” you did not say to him, but this great matter you said to him: Slaughter offerings before it, and it will stop?’ That is why he was slaughtering when he took it up the second time, so he would not experience this, as it is stated: “It was, when [the bearers of the Ark of the Lord] walked [six paces, that he would slaughter a bull and a fatling]” (II Samuel 6:13).
Uza and Aḥyo were driving the wagon, as it is stated: “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav…[Uza and Aḥyo, sons of Avinadav, were driving the new wagon]” (II Samuel 6:3), Uza after it and Aḥyo before it. “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav that was in Giva, [with the Ark of God, and Aḥyo was walking before the Ark]” (II Samuel 6:4). To what is the verse “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav” referring? What did they carry with it? It was a chest that the Philistines sent, a gift to the God of Israel,32I Samuel 6:7–12. upon which a Torah scroll was placed, like that which we learned: The Ark that Moses crafted: “Its length two and a half cubits, and its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits” (Exodus 25:10) – with a cubit containing six handbreadths. The length of the tablets was six handbreadths, their width six, and their thickness three. They were placed along the length of the Ark. How much did the tablets fill? It was twelve handbreadths. Three handbreadths remained. Deduct from them one handbreadth, half for this wall and half for that wall. Two handbreadths remained in which the Torah scroll was placed, as it is stated: “There was in the Ark nothing [ein] but [rak] the two tablets [of stone]” (I Kings 8:9). Ein rak, an exclusion after an exclusion33One of the rules used to interpret verses in the Torah is that when an exclusion is followed by another exclusion it comes to teach that there is something which has to be included. (Yoma 43a). is only to include the Torah scroll that was placed in the Ark. You have accounted for the Ark by its length; come account for the Ark by its width. How much did the tablets fill in the Ark? It was six handbreadths. Deduct from them one handbreadth, half for this wall and half for that wall. Two handbreadths remained so that the Torah scroll would enter and exit without difficulty. This is the statement of Rabbi Meir.
Rabbi Yehuda says: It is with a cubit containing five handbreadths. The length of the tablets was six handbreadths, their width six, and their thickness three. They were placed along the length of the Ark. How much did the tablets fill in the Ark? It was twelve handbreadths. One half handbreadth remained; one fingerbreadth and one half for this wall and one fingerbreadth and one half for that wall.34A handbreadth is four fingerbreadths if one measures with the thumb, five with the index finger, and six with the pinkie. The midrash here is using the measure of six fingerbreadths to a handbreadth. You have accounted for the Ark by its length, come account for the Ark by its width. How much did the tablets fill in the Ark? It was six handbreadths. One handbreadth and one half remained. Deduct from them half one handbreadth, one fingerbreadth and one half for this wall and one fingerbreadth and one half for that wall. One handbreadth remained, in which the pillars stood, as it is stated: “King [Solomon] made himself a palanquin.… He crafted its pillars of silver…” (Song of Songs 3:9–10).35“King Solomon [hamelekh Shelomo] made himself [lo] a palanquin” is expounded as a reference to the Ark of the King, to whom peace belongs [hamelekh shehashalom shelo]. The chest that the Philistines sent as a gift to the God of Israel was placed at its side, as it is stated: “Place the gold objects that you are returning to Him as a guilt offering in a chest at its side, and send it and it will go” (I Samuel 6:8). Upon it, the Torah scroll was placed, as it is stated: “Take this scroll of the Torah, [and place it at the side of the Ark]” (Deuteronomy 31:26). It was placed at its side and not inside it.36Bava Batra 14a.
How, then, do I realize: “There was in the Ark nothing [ein] but [rak] the two tablets” (I Kings 8:9)? It is to include the shards of the tablets, which were placed in the Ark, because the whole tablets and the shattered tablets were placed on their sides in the Ark, as they were only three handbreadths thick. Before the chest there was a shelf that protruded from the Ark, on which the Torah scroll was placed. That is what is written: “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav […with the Ark of God]” (II Samuel 6:4) – this is the chest upon which the Torah scroll was placed and was standing at the side of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.
“Aḥyo was walking before the Ark” (II Samuel 6:4) – from here they said: Aḥyo was walking before it.
When they were taking it up, ninety thousand elders were walking before it, the priests were bearing it,37The priests placed it in the wagon, and the wagon was led by priests. Uza and Aḥyo were apparently priests (Maharzu). the Levites were playing instruments, and all Israel were reveling; one who had a palm branch in his hand, one who had a drum or a musical instrument. That is what is written: “David and the entire house of Israel were reveling before the Lord [with all kinds of juniper wood, with harps, with lyres, with drums, with timbrels [uvimenaanim], and with cymbals]” (II Samuel 6:5). This is a reference to a palm branch with which a person waves [menaane’a].
“They came to the threshing floor of Nakhon” (II Samuel 6:6) – “Kidon” (I Chronicles 13:9) is written and “Nakhon” is written. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Initially Kidon38Kidon means spear, an instrument of death, as it caused Uza’s death. but ultimately Nakhon.39Nakhon means firmly established, after bringing blessing to the house of Oved Edom.
“Uza reached out to the Ark of God [and took hold of it]” (II Samuel 6:6) – the Holy One blessed be He said to him: The Ark bears its bearers; itself all the more so, as it is written: “It was when the entire people had finished crossing, the Ark of the Lord and the priests passed before the people” (Joshua 4:11) – the Ark bore its bearers and crossed. “Because the cattle had stumbled” (II Samuel 6:6( – why did they stumble? It was because they were taking it in contravention of the Torah. They should have taken it on the shoulder, but they loaded it onto a wagon and it proceeded on its own.
“The wrath of the Lord was enflamed against Uza, and God smote him there al hashal” (II Samuel 6:7) – what is “al hashal”? Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Elazar: One said: Over matters of unwitting actions, and one said: Because he tended to his needs before it.40Some say that on a previous occasion he relieved himself before the Ark. Others say that his focus was on personal matters rather than on the matter of the Ark.
“And he died there with the Ark of God” (II Samuel 6:7) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Uza will enter the World to Come, as it is stated: “With the Ark of God”; just as the Ark is in existence in the World to Come, so too, Uza will enter the World to Come.
“David was distressed [vayiḥar] because the Lord had lashed out [in a breach against Uza]” (II Samuel 6:8) – what is vayiḥar? Rabbi Elazar said: It is that David’s face changed and resembled a loaf baked on coals [ḥarara].41Wrinkled, dry, and black. What is the reason? It is because af is not written with it.42Typically the word vayiḥar is followed by the word af (see the previous verse), and together they mean: His wrath was enflamed. Here, vayiḥar is not followed by af. Therefore, the Sages attribute an additional meaning to it.
Immediately, David feared to bring it to his home, as it is stated: “David feared the Lord on that day, and he said: How can the Ark of the Lord come to me?” (II Samuel 6:9). What did David do? He diverted it to the home of Oved Edom to remain there, as it is stated: “David was unwilling to transfer the Ark of the Lord to him…and David diverted it to the home of Oved Edom the Gitite” (II Samuel 6:10). Oved Edom was a Levite, as it attributes his lineage with the Levites. Oved Edom and his brethren were sixty-two.43See I Chronicles 26:8. Why was his name called Oved? It is because he served [avad] before the Lord properly. Edom, because he reddened [shehedim] David’s face. He was fearful of the Ark lest it kill him, and he serves before it, and the Holy One blessed be He blessed him. “The Gitite” – it is because he was from Gat.
When David returned to Jerusalem, Aḥitofel came and said to him: David, should you not have learned from a small verse that the children read: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give, [because the service of the sacred objects was upon them; they bore them upon their shoulders]” (Numbers 7:9)? The Levites bear the Ark; the priests do not bear the Ark. On a shoulder they bear the Ark, not on a wagon. From where is it derived that this is so? For you find when he took it up the second time, there was neither priest nor wagon there, as it is stated: “Then David said not to bear the Ark of God, other than the Levites” (I Chronicles 15:2). And it is written: “The children of the Levites bore the Ark of God [as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the Lord, on their shoulders with the poles on them]” (I Chronicles 15:15).
“The Ark of the Lord stayed in the house of Oved Edom the Gitite” (II Samuel 6:11) – our Rabbis said: There were two items that were sacred and great, but people believed that they were harsh. So as not to disseminate slander in their regard, it wrote a conspicuous instance of praise and blessing in their regard. These are: Incense and the Ark. Incense, so that a person would not say that the incense is harsh. It was by its means that Nadav and Avihu died; by its means the assembly of Koraḥ were burned; by its means Uziyahu was afflicted with leprosy. That is why the Holy One blessed be He wrote a significant virtue regarding the incense, that Israel was saved by its means, as it is stated: “Aaron took as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, [and behold, the plague had begun among the people; he placed the incense, and atoned for the people. He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was checked]” (Numbers 17:12–13). The Ark, so that a person will not say that the Ark is harsh. It smote the Philistines, it killed the residents of Beit Shemesh, it killed Uza. That is why it wrote a blessing in its regard, as it is stated: “The Ark of the Lord stayed [in the house of Oved Edom the Gitite for three months, and the Lord blessed Oved Edom and his entire household]” (II Samuel 6:11). It is to teach you that incense and the Ark do not kill, but rather sins kill.
With what did the Holy One blessed be He bless the home of Oved Edom? Rabbi Yosei says: With children; that is what is written: “Oved Edom had sons: Shemaya the firstborn…Yoaḥ the third, and Sakhar the fourth, and Netanel.… Peuletai the eighth, [for God had blessed him]” (I Chronicles 26:4–5). They asked before Rabbi Yoḥanan: What is Peuletai? He said to them: It is because he performed a great action [peula] on behalf of the Torah. What great action did he perform? He would kindle a lamp before the Ark, one lamp in the morning and one lamp in the evening.
Rabbi Yosei rendered it words of parting: If for the Ark that did not eat and drink and requires attention only due to the two tablets that were in it, the home of Oved Edom the Gitite was privileged to be blessed on account of it, one who receives Sages and students with food, drink, and made beds, all the more so that the Holy One blessed be He will pay him his reward. They said regarding Oved Edom: He had eight sons and eight daughters-in-law, and each and every one of them would give birth to two in one month. How so? She would be impure for seven,44Seven days. pure for seven, and give birth; impure for seven, pure for seven, and give birth. Sixteen for each month; for three months that is forty-eight. The sons of Shemaya were six, as it is written: “To Shemaya his son were born sons.… The sons of Shemaya: Otni…” (I Chronicles 26:6–7);45According to the midrash, these six sons of Shemaya were born before the Ark arrived. that is fifty-four. His eight, as it is written: “Oved Edom had sons…” (I Chronicles 26:4–5), that is sixty-two. That is what is written: “All these were of the sons of Oved Edom, they and their sons and their brethren, capable men with strength for the service: sixty-two for Oved Edom.” (I Chronicles 26:8). That is, “for God had blessed him” (I Chronicles 26:5). That is why it is stated: “[The Ark of God remained with the household of Oved Edom, in his house three months,] and the Lord blessed the house of Oved Edom…” (I Chronicles 13:14).
David heard after three months that the Holy One blessed be He had blessed Oved Edom and his household. He gathered the elders of Israel, the leaders, and the leaders of the priests and Levites to take up the Ark with great rejoicing, as it is written: “It was told to King David, saying: The Lord has blessed the house of Oved Edom…[David went and took up the Ark of God from the house of Oved Edom to the City of David with rejoicing]” (II Samuel 6:12). And one verse says: “David, and the elders of Israel, [and the captains of thousands, who were walking to take up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from the house of Oved Edom, were joyful]” (I Chronicles 15:25). Who took it up? The Levites took it up. When David saw that the Levites took it up and were not harmed, as Aḥitofel had said to him, he added and slaughtered more offerings before it as Aḥitofel had said initially. That is what is written: “It was as God helped the Levites, [carriers of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, and they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams]” (I Chronicles 15:26).
One verse says: “They sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams” (I Chronicles 15:26). And one verse says: “It was when [the bearers of the Ark of the Lord] would walk six paces, he would slaughter a bull and a fatling” (II Samuel 6:13). Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Mana: One said: For each pace a bull and a fatling, and after seven, seven bulls and seven rams. And one said: For each pace seven bulls and seven rams, and at the end a bull and a fatling. The Rabbis say: One verse explains the other: For each seven46It should read six paces (Matnot Kehuna). paces, seven bulls and seven rams.47Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 10:2. Rav Pappa bar Shmuel said: For each and every pace, a bull and a fatling; for every six steps seven bulls and seven rams. Rav Ḥisda said to him: If so, you have filled the entire Land of Israel with altars. Rather, Rav Ḥisda said: For every six paces, a bull and a fatling, and for every six sets of six paces, seven bulls and seven rams.48Sota 35b.
“David was dancing before the Lord with all his might” (II Samuel 6:14) – come and see to what extent David debased himself for the glory of the Holy One blessed be He. David should have been walking before it like a king clad in his royal garments. [He was] not, but rather David donned fine garments in honor of the Ark and reveled before it in any describable manner saying whatever he could say, as it is stated: “David was wrapped in a fine linen robe along with all the Levites who were bearing the Ark…[upon David there was an ephod of linen]” (I Chronicles 15:27).
And it is written: “David was mekharker before the Lord bekhol oz” (II Samuel 6:14) – what is “bekhol oz”? It is with all his might. What is “mekharker”? It is that he was clapping his hands one upon the other and saying: Exalted Lord [kiri ram]. Israel were shouting and sounding the shofars, trumpets, and all musical instruments, as it is stated: “All the house of Israel were taking up the Ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sounding of the shofar” (II Samuel 6:15). And one verse says: “All Israel were taking up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord [with shouts, and with sound of a shofar, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding with lyres and harps]” (I Chronicles 15:28).
When they arrived in Jerusalem, all the women were peering at David from the rooftops and from the windows and saw him dancing and reveling, but he did not care. That is what is written: “It was, as the Ark of the Lord was entering the City of David [that Mikhal daughter of Saul peered through the window]” (II Samuel 6:16). You see that his wife was peering at him. From where is it derived that the same is true of all the women of Jerusalem? It is as she says: “How honorable today is the king of Israel, who was exposed today before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants” (II Samuel 6:20).
“She saw King David mefazez umkharker…” (II Samuel 6:16) – when she saw him conducting himself like a commoner, he was contemptible in her eyes. What is mefazez umkharker? What would he do? Our Rabbis said: He was wearing refined gold garments similar to pure gold [paz]. He would strike his hands one on another and clap, and he would cry kiri ram. He would mefazez. What is mefazez? The refined gold that was on him would produce a clinking sound. Could it be that David did not do any more than that? No. Rather, he would reverse his cloak and leap before it, as it is written elsewhere: “And saw King David dancing and reveling…” (I Chronicles 15:29). All the women were peering at him from the rooftops and the windows, and he did not care. From where do you learn that David would reverse his cloak and leap?49The midrash returns to this question later.
It is as you find that once they took it into the City of David, they displayed it in the place that David had prepared for it, and he and Israel offered up burnt offerings before it, as it is written: “They brought the Ark of the Lord, and they displayed it [in its place, within the tent that David had pitched for it]” (II Samuel 6:17). Elsewhere it is written: “They presented burnt offerings and peace offerings before God” (I Chronicles 16:1) – after he concluded the offering, he blessed the entire people because they honored the Ark. He gave gifts to them all as an expression of joy for the Ark, and to the women, as it is stated: “David concluded offering up the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, [and he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts]. He distributed to all the people, to the entire multitude of Israel, [both men and women, to each, one loaf of bread, one portion of beef [eshpar], and one raisin cake [ashisha]]” (II Samuel 6:18–19). What is eshpar? It is one-sixth [eḥad mishisha] of a bull [bapar]; ashisha, one-sixth of an ephah. Some say: Ashisha – a cask of wine, just as it says: “And lovers of goblets [ashishei] of grapes” (Hosea 3:1).
After all Israel took their leave from him, he turned to bless his household and to bring them joy, due to the overwhelming celebration of the Ark. Mikhal emerged to meet him and disgraced him for debasing himself before the eyes of the women in honor of the Ark. That is what is written: “David returned to bless his household. [Mikhal daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and she said: How honorable today was the king of Israel, who was exposed today before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants, in the manner that one of the idlers is exposed]” (II Samuel 6:20). She did not enable him to enter into the house, but she went out and verbally lambasted him. “She said: How honorable today was the king of Israel, who was exposed today before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants.” From here you learn that he reversed his cloak and leapt, as she said to him: “Who was exposed today.” She began instigating a quarrel with him, seeking to utterly shame him. She said to him: ‘Have you seen your glory?’ “How honorable today was the king of Israel”? ‘Now you have let it be known that you are king?’ “Who was exposed today” – if only it had been privately, but rather it was “before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants.” These are the women of Israel, whom she characterizes as maidservants. “In the manner that one of the idlers is exposed” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: The idlest of the idlers is the dancing jester, as there is no one idler than he is from any mitzva. That is how David was dancing before the Ark.
She said to him: ‘Today the glory of father’s household has been revealed. Come and see what the difference is between you and father’s household. All members of my father’s household were modest and holy.’ They said about the household of Saul that neither heel nor big toe of theirs was ever seen. That is what is written: “He came to the sheep enclosures upon the way, and there was a cave there. Saul came [to relieve himself]” (I Samuel 24:3). What is, “he came to the sheep enclosures [gidrot]”? Rabbi Avin in the name of Rabbi Elazar: He entered a sheep pen, a gate within a gate. “Saul came to relieve himself [lehasekh et raglav]” – he made himself like a booth [sukka], wrapped in flowing robes and sat in the lavatory. He would lower his garment a bit and raise it a bit, lower it a bit and raise it a bit. David said: It is not proper to harm so modest a body. That is what is written that he said to him: “Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and one said to kill you, and I vataḥas on you” (I Samuel 24:10). It is not written here, “I had compassion [vaaḥus] on you,” but rather, “it has compassion [vataḥas] on you” – your modesty caused there to be compassion on you. That is what Mikhal said to him: ‘The members of father’s household were so modest, and you stand and expose your garment like one of the idlers.’
When she finished her words, he said to her: ‘Was I reveling before a king of flesh and blood? Was it not before the King of kings that I was reveling, who chose me over your father and his entire household? Were your father more righteous than I, would God have chosen me and rejected your father’s household?’ That is what is written: “David said to Mikhal: Before the Lord, [who chose me over your father and over his entire household, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel, I will revel before the Lord]” (II Samuel 6:21). He said to her: ‘Your father was king over Israel alone; I am ruler over Israel and Judah.’ That is what is written: “Over the people of the Lord” – this is the tribe of Judah. “Over Israel” – these are the rest of the tribes.
Another matter: He said to her: ‘The members of your father’s household sought their own glory and forsook the glory of Heaven. I do not do so, but rather, I forsake my own glory and seek the glory of Heaven.’ That is what is written: “I would be demeaned even more than this, [and I would be lowly in my eyes; but with the maidservants of whom you spoke, with them, I would be honored]” (II Samuel 6:22). ‘Do not say that I was lowly in the eyes of others and not contemptible in my perception’; the verse states: “And I would be lowly in my eyes.” “But with the maidservants of whom you spoke, with them, I would be honored” – he said to her: ‘Those women whom you characterized as maidservants are not maidservants [amahot], but mothers [imahot]. If only I will have a portion with them in the future.’ That is what is written: “But with the maidservants of whom you spoke” – if only, “with them, I would be honored.”
Because Mikhal said this, she was punished, as it is written thereafter: “Mikhal daughter of Saul did not have a child until the day of her death” (II Samuel 6:23). But is it not written: “Yitre’am, to Egla his wife” (I Chronicles 3:3)? She lowed like a calf [egla] and died.50The reference is to Mikhal and that she died in childbirth. That is what is written: “[Mikhal…did not have a child] until the day of her death” – but on the day of her death she had.
There is no person in Israel who debased himself for the mitzvot more than David. That is what is written that he said: “Lord, my heart was not haughty” (Psalms 131:1) – when Samuel anointed me as king; “nor my eyes lofty” (Psalms 131:1) – when I killed Goliath; “and I did not aspire to greatness” (Psalms 131:1) – when they restored me to my kingdom; “or to what is beyond me” (Psalms 131:1) – when I took up the Ark. “Instead I have composed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child on his mother” (Psalms 131:2) – just as this child is not ashamed to be exposed before his mother, so, I have composed myself before You that I was not ashamed to debase myself before You in Your honor. “My soul is like a weaned child” (Psalms 131:2) – like this infant who emerges from his mother’s womb, and he has no haughtiness of spirit to refrain from nursing from his mother’s breasts, so my soul is upon me, as I am not ashamed to study Torah from the insignificant of Israel. Rabbi Ada bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You have rendered yourself like a weaned child; as you live, just as this child has no iniquities, so, you have no iniquities, as it is stated: “The Lord has expunged your sin; you will not die” (II Samuel 12:13).
From here you learn that a person may not comport himself with haughtiness before the Omnipresent, but rather, he should debase himself for His glory. Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi bar Rabbi Shalom said: The actions of the Holy One blessed be He are unlike the actions of flesh and blood. Why? The cook of flesh and blood has fine garments. When he goes out to the marketplace he wears them, but when he stands and cooks, he removes the nice ones and wears tatters and an apron. Moreover, when he sweeps the stove and the oven, he wears lower-quality garments than those. But before the Holy One blessed be He, when the priest sweeps the altar and removes the ashes, he dons excellent garments, as it is stated: “The priest shall don his linen vestments…” (Leviticus 6:3), so that “he shall remove the ashes” (Leviticus 6:3). Why is it so? It is only to inform you that there is no haughtiness before the Omnipresent.
Likewise, you find that Elazar the priest would comport himself with humility before the Omnipresent. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Elazar was the head of heads, the prince of princes, as it is stated: “The prince of the princes of the Levites was Elazar son of Aaron the priest…” (Numbers 3:32). See the authority that he possessed, and you assume that because he was a prominent man he would delegate others to bear the vessels that he was supposed to bear. No; rather, he himself would bear them, as it is stated: “The charge of Elazar son of Aaron the priest [is the illuminating oil, and the incense of the spices, and the meal offering of the daily offering, and the anointing oil]” (Numbers 4:16). How did he bear all these? Our Rabbis said: This is how he bore them: The anointing oil in his right, the incense of the spices in his left, and the meal offering of the daily offering of the morning was suspended from his forearm. Where was the one brought in the afternoon placed? Rabbi Aḥa said that Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: He would suspend a type of small bowl from his belt, because his loins were girded with a belt like a servant before his master. This is to inform you that there is no haughtiness before God. “The charge of the entire Tabernacle, and of all that is in it, in the sacred, and in its vessels” (Numbers 4:16) – as it was he who would give them the Ark, the table, the candelabrum, and the altars and all their utensils, just as it says: “Their commission: The Ark, [the table, the candelabrum, the altars, and the sacred vessels with which they would serve, and the screen, and all its work]. The prince of the princes of the Levites was Elazar…” (Numbers 3:31–32).
“The charge of Elazar, son of Aaron the priest…” – that is what is written: “Do not glorify yourself before a king, and do not stand in the place of the prominent” (Proverbs 25:6). If before a king of flesh and blood a person must conduct himself with humility, all the more so before the Omnipresent. We learned: Be bold like a leopard, nimble like an eagle, run like a deer, and be strong like a lion to perform the will of your Father in heaven,27Mishna Avot 5:20. to teach you that there is no haughtiness before the Omnipresent. Eliyahu said: Anyone who increases the glory of Heaven and minimizes his own glory, the glory of Heaven increases and his own glory increases. But anyone who minimizes the glory of Heaven and increases his own glory, the glory of Heaven remains as it was, and his glory is diminished.
There was an incident involving a certain man who was standing in a synagogue and his son was standing opposite him. All the people were responding to the one who passes before the ark:28The prayer leader. Halleluya, and his son responded with words of frivolity. They said to him: ‘Look at your son, that he is responding with words of frivolity.’ He said to them: ‘What shall I do? He is a child, let him play.’ Again, the next day he acted in the same manner: All the people were responding to the prayer leader: Halleluya, and his son responded with words of frivolity. They said to him: ‘Look at your son, that he is responding with words of frivolity.’ He said to them: ‘What shall I do? He is a child, let him play.’ All those eight days of the festival, his son would respond with matters of frivolity, and he did not say anything to him. Not one year passed, not two, and not three until that man died, his wife died, his son and grandson died. Fifteen people from his house died, and only one pair of people remained: one crippled and blind, and a wicked imbecile.
Again there was an incident, involving a certain person who regretted that he had not studied Bible or Mishna. One time, he was standing in a synagogue. When the one passing before the ark reached the sanctification of the Name, he raised his voice and said: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:3). They said to him: ‘What did you see that led you to raise your voice.’ He said to them: ‘I have been privileged to study neither Bible nor Mishna; now that I have been given permission, will I not raise my voice and my soul will be calmed?’ Not one year passed, not two, and not three until that man ascended from Babylonia to the Land of Israel. They appointed him commander of the emperor’s army and appointed him as the head of all the fortresses in the Land of Israel. They gave him a site, and he constructed a city and settled there. They called him Kilonai,29A term meaning that he did not have to pay taxes. him, his children, and his children’s children throughout all the generations. From here you learn that a person should not comport himself with haughtiness before the Omnipresent, as anyone who is haughty before Him will be debased. Likewise it says: “For those who honor Me I will honor, but those who scorn Me will be debased” (I Samuel 2:30).
Likewise, you find regarding David king of Israel who did not conduct himself haughtily before the Omnipresent, but rather, he debased himself before Him like a commoner, in order to increase the glory of the Omnipresent. When? It was when he took up the Ark from the house of Avinadav in Giva to bring it to Jerusalem. That is what is written: “David again gathered all the chosen of Israel, thirty thousand.” (II Samuel 6:1). David said: I am not taking up the Ark secretly. He immediately consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds to send throughout the Land of Israel that they should gather to them and go to take up the Ark, as it is stated: “David consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with every high official” (I Chronicles 13:1). “David said to the entire congregation of Israel: If it pleases you, and if it is from the Lord our God…so that they gather themselves to us; and let us transfer the Ark of our God to us” (I Chronicles 13:2–3). They all said to him: ‘Do as you wish,’ as it is stated: “The entire congregation said to do so, for the matter was upright in the eyes of the entire people” (I Chronicles 13:4). Immediately, he sent and gathered all of Israel that was in the entire Land of Israel, as it is stated: “David assembled all Israel, from Shiḥor of Egypt until Levo Ḥamat, to bring the Ark of God from Kiryat Ye’arim” (I Chronicles 13:5). How many elders did David appoint there? Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar and Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: David appointed ninety thousand elders on that day, but he did not appoint Aḥitofel with them. He sanctified them so they would serve as an honor guard before it. That is what is written: “David again [vayosef od] gathered all the chosen of Israel, thirty thousand.” “Vayosef” – thirty thousand; “od” – thirty thousand; and the plain meaning of the verse, thirty thousand; that is ninety thousand.
Immediately, they went to Giva to take up the Ark from there, as it is stated: “David and all the people who were with him from Baalei Yehuda rose and went [to take up from there the Ark of God]” (II Samuel 6:2). One verse says: “David and all Israel went up to Baala, to Kiryat Ye’arim which is of Judah, to take up from there the Ark of God, the Lord who is seated amidst the cherubs, upon which the Name is called” (I Chronicles 13:6). And one verse says: “David and all the people who were with him from Baalei Yehuda…” How can these two verses coexist? All Israel went to Baala, which is Kiryat Ye’arim, and waited there for the Ark, until they would bring it from Giva. But David and the elders set out from Baalei Yehuda, which is Baala, which is Kiryat Ye’arim, and went after the Ark to Giva to bring it from Giva to Kiryat Ye’arim, which is Baala. From Baala, all of Israel took it with them to Jerusalem.
Some say: Initially they decided they would go only to Baala and send from there to the house of Avinadav, which was in Giva, to take up the Ark of God from there to Kiryat Ye’arim. From there they would all ascend with it to Jerusalem. When he was there, he said to them: ‘It is not in keeping with the honor due the Ark that it should come with individuals. Rather, let us all go there.’ That is why it is written: “David and all the people…rose and went” (II Samuel 6:2).
Why did he initially go only to Baala, which is Kiryat Ye’arim? It is because Giva and Kiryat Ye’arim were located in one area, which is where the Givonites were settled, as it is stated: “The children of Israel traveled, and they came to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Givon, Kefira, Be’erot, and Kiryat Ye’arim” (Joshua 9:17). Kiryat Ye’arim fell into the portion of Judah, as it is enumerated in the portion of its inheritance: “Kiryat Baal, which is Kiryat Ye’arim” (Joshua 15:60), and it was the border between Judah and Benjamin, as it says regarding the border of Benjamin: “Its terminus was at Kiryat Baal, which is Kiryat Ye'arim, a city of the children of Judah…” (Joshua 18:14). But Giva, where the Ark was, was on the border of Benjamin, as it is written regarding the cities of Benjamin: “Givon, Rama, and Be’erot; and Mitzpe, Kefira, and Motza” (Joshua 18:25–26). That is why they initially came to Kiryat Ye’arim, which is on the border between Judah and Benjamin, and then they went to Givon.
“Which is called the Name, the name of the Lord of hosts” (II Samuel 6:2) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: It teaches that the Name and all His appellations are placed in the Ark. Rav Huna said: It teaches that the tablets and the shards of the tablets are placed in the Ark.
“They mounted the Ark of God [onto a new wagon]” (II Samuel 6:3) – they did not carry it as it is in the Torah, as it is written: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give [because the sacred service is upon them, they shall bear on the shoulder]” (Numbers 7:9). Why was he punished to have been rendered oblivious to the verse? It is because he called matters of Torah “songs,” as it is stated: “Your statutes were songs to me…” (Psalms 119:54). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: Matters of Torah in whose regard it is written: “If you cast [hata’if] your eyes on it, it is gone” (Proverbs 23:5),30This verse is expounded to mean: If you close your eyes from matters of Torah they will be forgotten. The root ayin-yod-peh in Aramaic means double, so the verse can be understood as: If you double your eyes, meaning cover them with your eyelids. you call them songs? I will cause you to fail regarding a matter that even schoolchildren know: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give…,” and he brings it in a wagon. The Ark lifted the priests31The reference is to the priests who were carrying the Ark to the wagon. high and slammed them to the ground, lifted the priests high and slammed them to the ground. David sent and summoned Aḥitofel; he said to him: ‘Will you not say to me what we shall do with this Ark, as it is lifting the priests high and slamming them to the ground, lifting the priests high and slamming them to the ground?’ He said to him: ‘Send and ask those wise men whom you appointed.’ David said: ‘One who knows how to stop it and does not stop it, will ultimately be strangled.’ He said to him: ‘Slaughter offerings before it, and it will stop.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Aḥitofel: ‘A matter that the children say in the synagogue each day: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give…” you did not say to him, but this great matter you said to him: Slaughter offerings before it, and it will stop?’ That is why he was slaughtering when he took it up the second time, so he would not experience this, as it is stated: “It was, when [the bearers of the Ark of the Lord] walked [six paces, that he would slaughter a bull and a fatling]” (II Samuel 6:13).
Uza and Aḥyo were driving the wagon, as it is stated: “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav…[Uza and Aḥyo, sons of Avinadav, were driving the new wagon]” (II Samuel 6:3), Uza after it and Aḥyo before it. “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav that was in Giva, [with the Ark of God, and Aḥyo was walking before the Ark]” (II Samuel 6:4). To what is the verse “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav” referring? What did they carry with it? It was a chest that the Philistines sent, a gift to the God of Israel,32I Samuel 6:7–12. upon which a Torah scroll was placed, like that which we learned: The Ark that Moses crafted: “Its length two and a half cubits, and its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits” (Exodus 25:10) – with a cubit containing six handbreadths. The length of the tablets was six handbreadths, their width six, and their thickness three. They were placed along the length of the Ark. How much did the tablets fill? It was twelve handbreadths. Three handbreadths remained. Deduct from them one handbreadth, half for this wall and half for that wall. Two handbreadths remained in which the Torah scroll was placed, as it is stated: “There was in the Ark nothing [ein] but [rak] the two tablets [of stone]” (I Kings 8:9). Ein rak, an exclusion after an exclusion33One of the rules used to interpret verses in the Torah is that when an exclusion is followed by another exclusion it comes to teach that there is something which has to be included. (Yoma 43a). is only to include the Torah scroll that was placed in the Ark. You have accounted for the Ark by its length; come account for the Ark by its width. How much did the tablets fill in the Ark? It was six handbreadths. Deduct from them one handbreadth, half for this wall and half for that wall. Two handbreadths remained so that the Torah scroll would enter and exit without difficulty. This is the statement of Rabbi Meir.
Rabbi Yehuda says: It is with a cubit containing five handbreadths. The length of the tablets was six handbreadths, their width six, and their thickness three. They were placed along the length of the Ark. How much did the tablets fill in the Ark? It was twelve handbreadths. One half handbreadth remained; one fingerbreadth and one half for this wall and one fingerbreadth and one half for that wall.34A handbreadth is four fingerbreadths if one measures with the thumb, five with the index finger, and six with the pinkie. The midrash here is using the measure of six fingerbreadths to a handbreadth. You have accounted for the Ark by its length, come account for the Ark by its width. How much did the tablets fill in the Ark? It was six handbreadths. One handbreadth and one half remained. Deduct from them half one handbreadth, one fingerbreadth and one half for this wall and one fingerbreadth and one half for that wall. One handbreadth remained, in which the pillars stood, as it is stated: “King [Solomon] made himself a palanquin.… He crafted its pillars of silver…” (Song of Songs 3:9–10).35“King Solomon [hamelekh Shelomo] made himself [lo] a palanquin” is expounded as a reference to the Ark of the King, to whom peace belongs [hamelekh shehashalom shelo]. The chest that the Philistines sent as a gift to the God of Israel was placed at its side, as it is stated: “Place the gold objects that you are returning to Him as a guilt offering in a chest at its side, and send it and it will go” (I Samuel 6:8). Upon it, the Torah scroll was placed, as it is stated: “Take this scroll of the Torah, [and place it at the side of the Ark]” (Deuteronomy 31:26). It was placed at its side and not inside it.36Bava Batra 14a.
How, then, do I realize: “There was in the Ark nothing [ein] but [rak] the two tablets” (I Kings 8:9)? It is to include the shards of the tablets, which were placed in the Ark, because the whole tablets and the shattered tablets were placed on their sides in the Ark, as they were only three handbreadths thick. Before the chest there was a shelf that protruded from the Ark, on which the Torah scroll was placed. That is what is written: “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav […with the Ark of God]” (II Samuel 6:4) – this is the chest upon which the Torah scroll was placed and was standing at the side of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.
“Aḥyo was walking before the Ark” (II Samuel 6:4) – from here they said: Aḥyo was walking before it.
When they were taking it up, ninety thousand elders were walking before it, the priests were bearing it,37The priests placed it in the wagon, and the wagon was led by priests. Uza and Aḥyo were apparently priests (Maharzu). the Levites were playing instruments, and all Israel were reveling; one who had a palm branch in his hand, one who had a drum or a musical instrument. That is what is written: “David and the entire house of Israel were reveling before the Lord [with all kinds of juniper wood, with harps, with lyres, with drums, with timbrels [uvimenaanim], and with cymbals]” (II Samuel 6:5). This is a reference to a palm branch with which a person waves [menaane’a].
“They came to the threshing floor of Nakhon” (II Samuel 6:6) – “Kidon” (I Chronicles 13:9) is written and “Nakhon” is written. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Initially Kidon38Kidon means spear, an instrument of death, as it caused Uza’s death. but ultimately Nakhon.39Nakhon means firmly established, after bringing blessing to the house of Oved Edom.
“Uza reached out to the Ark of God [and took hold of it]” (II Samuel 6:6) – the Holy One blessed be He said to him: The Ark bears its bearers; itself all the more so, as it is written: “It was when the entire people had finished crossing, the Ark of the Lord and the priests passed before the people” (Joshua 4:11) – the Ark bore its bearers and crossed. “Because the cattle had stumbled” (II Samuel 6:6( – why did they stumble? It was because they were taking it in contravention of the Torah. They should have taken it on the shoulder, but they loaded it onto a wagon and it proceeded on its own.
“The wrath of the Lord was enflamed against Uza, and God smote him there al hashal” (II Samuel 6:7) – what is “al hashal”? Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Elazar: One said: Over matters of unwitting actions, and one said: Because he tended to his needs before it.40Some say that on a previous occasion he relieved himself before the Ark. Others say that his focus was on personal matters rather than on the matter of the Ark.
“And he died there with the Ark of God” (II Samuel 6:7) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Uza will enter the World to Come, as it is stated: “With the Ark of God”; just as the Ark is in existence in the World to Come, so too, Uza will enter the World to Come.
“David was distressed [vayiḥar] because the Lord had lashed out [in a breach against Uza]” (II Samuel 6:8) – what is vayiḥar? Rabbi Elazar said: It is that David’s face changed and resembled a loaf baked on coals [ḥarara].41Wrinkled, dry, and black. What is the reason? It is because af is not written with it.42Typically the word vayiḥar is followed by the word af (see the previous verse), and together they mean: His wrath was enflamed. Here, vayiḥar is not followed by af. Therefore, the Sages attribute an additional meaning to it.
Immediately, David feared to bring it to his home, as it is stated: “David feared the Lord on that day, and he said: How can the Ark of the Lord come to me?” (II Samuel 6:9). What did David do? He diverted it to the home of Oved Edom to remain there, as it is stated: “David was unwilling to transfer the Ark of the Lord to him…and David diverted it to the home of Oved Edom the Gitite” (II Samuel 6:10). Oved Edom was a Levite, as it attributes his lineage with the Levites. Oved Edom and his brethren were sixty-two.43See I Chronicles 26:8. Why was his name called Oved? It is because he served [avad] before the Lord properly. Edom, because he reddened [shehedim] David’s face. He was fearful of the Ark lest it kill him, and he serves before it, and the Holy One blessed be He blessed him. “The Gitite” – it is because he was from Gat.
When David returned to Jerusalem, Aḥitofel came and said to him: David, should you not have learned from a small verse that the children read: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give, [because the service of the sacred objects was upon them; they bore them upon their shoulders]” (Numbers 7:9)? The Levites bear the Ark; the priests do not bear the Ark. On a shoulder they bear the Ark, not on a wagon. From where is it derived that this is so? For you find when he took it up the second time, there was neither priest nor wagon there, as it is stated: “Then David said not to bear the Ark of God, other than the Levites” (I Chronicles 15:2). And it is written: “The children of the Levites bore the Ark of God [as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the Lord, on their shoulders with the poles on them]” (I Chronicles 15:15).
“The Ark of the Lord stayed in the house of Oved Edom the Gitite” (II Samuel 6:11) – our Rabbis said: There were two items that were sacred and great, but people believed that they were harsh. So as not to disseminate slander in their regard, it wrote a conspicuous instance of praise and blessing in their regard. These are: Incense and the Ark. Incense, so that a person would not say that the incense is harsh. It was by its means that Nadav and Avihu died; by its means the assembly of Koraḥ were burned; by its means Uziyahu was afflicted with leprosy. That is why the Holy One blessed be He wrote a significant virtue regarding the incense, that Israel was saved by its means, as it is stated: “Aaron took as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, [and behold, the plague had begun among the people; he placed the incense, and atoned for the people. He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was checked]” (Numbers 17:12–13). The Ark, so that a person will not say that the Ark is harsh. It smote the Philistines, it killed the residents of Beit Shemesh, it killed Uza. That is why it wrote a blessing in its regard, as it is stated: “The Ark of the Lord stayed [in the house of Oved Edom the Gitite for three months, and the Lord blessed Oved Edom and his entire household]” (II Samuel 6:11). It is to teach you that incense and the Ark do not kill, but rather sins kill.
With what did the Holy One blessed be He bless the home of Oved Edom? Rabbi Yosei says: With children; that is what is written: “Oved Edom had sons: Shemaya the firstborn…Yoaḥ the third, and Sakhar the fourth, and Netanel.… Peuletai the eighth, [for God had blessed him]” (I Chronicles 26:4–5). They asked before Rabbi Yoḥanan: What is Peuletai? He said to them: It is because he performed a great action [peula] on behalf of the Torah. What great action did he perform? He would kindle a lamp before the Ark, one lamp in the morning and one lamp in the evening.
Rabbi Yosei rendered it words of parting: If for the Ark that did not eat and drink and requires attention only due to the two tablets that were in it, the home of Oved Edom the Gitite was privileged to be blessed on account of it, one who receives Sages and students with food, drink, and made beds, all the more so that the Holy One blessed be He will pay him his reward. They said regarding Oved Edom: He had eight sons and eight daughters-in-law, and each and every one of them would give birth to two in one month. How so? She would be impure for seven,44Seven days. pure for seven, and give birth; impure for seven, pure for seven, and give birth. Sixteen for each month; for three months that is forty-eight. The sons of Shemaya were six, as it is written: “To Shemaya his son were born sons.… The sons of Shemaya: Otni…” (I Chronicles 26:6–7);45According to the midrash, these six sons of Shemaya were born before the Ark arrived. that is fifty-four. His eight, as it is written: “Oved Edom had sons…” (I Chronicles 26:4–5), that is sixty-two. That is what is written: “All these were of the sons of Oved Edom, they and their sons and their brethren, capable men with strength for the service: sixty-two for Oved Edom.” (I Chronicles 26:8). That is, “for God had blessed him” (I Chronicles 26:5). That is why it is stated: “[The Ark of God remained with the household of Oved Edom, in his house three months,] and the Lord blessed the house of Oved Edom…” (I Chronicles 13:14).
David heard after three months that the Holy One blessed be He had blessed Oved Edom and his household. He gathered the elders of Israel, the leaders, and the leaders of the priests and Levites to take up the Ark with great rejoicing, as it is written: “It was told to King David, saying: The Lord has blessed the house of Oved Edom…[David went and took up the Ark of God from the house of Oved Edom to the City of David with rejoicing]” (II Samuel 6:12). And one verse says: “David, and the elders of Israel, [and the captains of thousands, who were walking to take up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from the house of Oved Edom, were joyful]” (I Chronicles 15:25). Who took it up? The Levites took it up. When David saw that the Levites took it up and were not harmed, as Aḥitofel had said to him, he added and slaughtered more offerings before it as Aḥitofel had said initially. That is what is written: “It was as God helped the Levites, [carriers of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, and they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams]” (I Chronicles 15:26).
One verse says: “They sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams” (I Chronicles 15:26). And one verse says: “It was when [the bearers of the Ark of the Lord] would walk six paces, he would slaughter a bull and a fatling” (II Samuel 6:13). Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Mana: One said: For each pace a bull and a fatling, and after seven, seven bulls and seven rams. And one said: For each pace seven bulls and seven rams, and at the end a bull and a fatling. The Rabbis say: One verse explains the other: For each seven46It should read six paces (Matnot Kehuna). paces, seven bulls and seven rams.47Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 10:2. Rav Pappa bar Shmuel said: For each and every pace, a bull and a fatling; for every six steps seven bulls and seven rams. Rav Ḥisda said to him: If so, you have filled the entire Land of Israel with altars. Rather, Rav Ḥisda said: For every six paces, a bull and a fatling, and for every six sets of six paces, seven bulls and seven rams.48Sota 35b.
“David was dancing before the Lord with all his might” (II Samuel 6:14) – come and see to what extent David debased himself for the glory of the Holy One blessed be He. David should have been walking before it like a king clad in his royal garments. [He was] not, but rather David donned fine garments in honor of the Ark and reveled before it in any describable manner saying whatever he could say, as it is stated: “David was wrapped in a fine linen robe along with all the Levites who were bearing the Ark…[upon David there was an ephod of linen]” (I Chronicles 15:27).
And it is written: “David was mekharker before the Lord bekhol oz” (II Samuel 6:14) – what is “bekhol oz”? It is with all his might. What is “mekharker”? It is that he was clapping his hands one upon the other and saying: Exalted Lord [kiri ram]. Israel were shouting and sounding the shofars, trumpets, and all musical instruments, as it is stated: “All the house of Israel were taking up the Ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sounding of the shofar” (II Samuel 6:15). And one verse says: “All Israel were taking up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord [with shouts, and with sound of a shofar, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding with lyres and harps]” (I Chronicles 15:28).
When they arrived in Jerusalem, all the women were peering at David from the rooftops and from the windows and saw him dancing and reveling, but he did not care. That is what is written: “It was, as the Ark of the Lord was entering the City of David [that Mikhal daughter of Saul peered through the window]” (II Samuel 6:16). You see that his wife was peering at him. From where is it derived that the same is true of all the women of Jerusalem? It is as she says: “How honorable today is the king of Israel, who was exposed today before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants” (II Samuel 6:20).
“She saw King David mefazez umkharker…” (II Samuel 6:16) – when she saw him conducting himself like a commoner, he was contemptible in her eyes. What is mefazez umkharker? What would he do? Our Rabbis said: He was wearing refined gold garments similar to pure gold [paz]. He would strike his hands one on another and clap, and he would cry kiri ram. He would mefazez. What is mefazez? The refined gold that was on him would produce a clinking sound. Could it be that David did not do any more than that? No. Rather, he would reverse his cloak and leap before it, as it is written elsewhere: “And saw King David dancing and reveling…” (I Chronicles 15:29). All the women were peering at him from the rooftops and the windows, and he did not care. From where do you learn that David would reverse his cloak and leap?49The midrash returns to this question later.
It is as you find that once they took it into the City of David, they displayed it in the place that David had prepared for it, and he and Israel offered up burnt offerings before it, as it is written: “They brought the Ark of the Lord, and they displayed it [in its place, within the tent that David had pitched for it]” (II Samuel 6:17). Elsewhere it is written: “They presented burnt offerings and peace offerings before God” (I Chronicles 16:1) – after he concluded the offering, he blessed the entire people because they honored the Ark. He gave gifts to them all as an expression of joy for the Ark, and to the women, as it is stated: “David concluded offering up the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, [and he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts]. He distributed to all the people, to the entire multitude of Israel, [both men and women, to each, one loaf of bread, one portion of beef [eshpar], and one raisin cake [ashisha]]” (II Samuel 6:18–19). What is eshpar? It is one-sixth [eḥad mishisha] of a bull [bapar]; ashisha, one-sixth of an ephah. Some say: Ashisha – a cask of wine, just as it says: “And lovers of goblets [ashishei] of grapes” (Hosea 3:1).
After all Israel took their leave from him, he turned to bless his household and to bring them joy, due to the overwhelming celebration of the Ark. Mikhal emerged to meet him and disgraced him for debasing himself before the eyes of the women in honor of the Ark. That is what is written: “David returned to bless his household. [Mikhal daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and she said: How honorable today was the king of Israel, who was exposed today before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants, in the manner that one of the idlers is exposed]” (II Samuel 6:20). She did not enable him to enter into the house, but she went out and verbally lambasted him. “She said: How honorable today was the king of Israel, who was exposed today before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants.” From here you learn that he reversed his cloak and leapt, as she said to him: “Who was exposed today.” She began instigating a quarrel with him, seeking to utterly shame him. She said to him: ‘Have you seen your glory?’ “How honorable today was the king of Israel”? ‘Now you have let it be known that you are king?’ “Who was exposed today” – if only it had been privately, but rather it was “before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants.” These are the women of Israel, whom she characterizes as maidservants. “In the manner that one of the idlers is exposed” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: The idlest of the idlers is the dancing jester, as there is no one idler than he is from any mitzva. That is how David was dancing before the Ark.
She said to him: ‘Today the glory of father’s household has been revealed. Come and see what the difference is between you and father’s household. All members of my father’s household were modest and holy.’ They said about the household of Saul that neither heel nor big toe of theirs was ever seen. That is what is written: “He came to the sheep enclosures upon the way, and there was a cave there. Saul came [to relieve himself]” (I Samuel 24:3). What is, “he came to the sheep enclosures [gidrot]”? Rabbi Avin in the name of Rabbi Elazar: He entered a sheep pen, a gate within a gate. “Saul came to relieve himself [lehasekh et raglav]” – he made himself like a booth [sukka], wrapped in flowing robes and sat in the lavatory. He would lower his garment a bit and raise it a bit, lower it a bit and raise it a bit. David said: It is not proper to harm so modest a body. That is what is written that he said to him: “Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and one said to kill you, and I vataḥas on you” (I Samuel 24:10). It is not written here, “I had compassion [vaaḥus] on you,” but rather, “it has compassion [vataḥas] on you” – your modesty caused there to be compassion on you. That is what Mikhal said to him: ‘The members of father’s household were so modest, and you stand and expose your garment like one of the idlers.’
When she finished her words, he said to her: ‘Was I reveling before a king of flesh and blood? Was it not before the King of kings that I was reveling, who chose me over your father and his entire household? Were your father more righteous than I, would God have chosen me and rejected your father’s household?’ That is what is written: “David said to Mikhal: Before the Lord, [who chose me over your father and over his entire household, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel, I will revel before the Lord]” (II Samuel 6:21). He said to her: ‘Your father was king over Israel alone; I am ruler over Israel and Judah.’ That is what is written: “Over the people of the Lord” – this is the tribe of Judah. “Over Israel” – these are the rest of the tribes.
Another matter: He said to her: ‘The members of your father’s household sought their own glory and forsook the glory of Heaven. I do not do so, but rather, I forsake my own glory and seek the glory of Heaven.’ That is what is written: “I would be demeaned even more than this, [and I would be lowly in my eyes; but with the maidservants of whom you spoke, with them, I would be honored]” (II Samuel 6:22). ‘Do not say that I was lowly in the eyes of others and not contemptible in my perception’; the verse states: “And I would be lowly in my eyes.” “But with the maidservants of whom you spoke, with them, I would be honored” – he said to her: ‘Those women whom you characterized as maidservants are not maidservants [amahot], but mothers [imahot]. If only I will have a portion with them in the future.’ That is what is written: “But with the maidservants of whom you spoke” – if only, “with them, I would be honored.”
Because Mikhal said this, she was punished, as it is written thereafter: “Mikhal daughter of Saul did not have a child until the day of her death” (II Samuel 6:23). But is it not written: “Yitre’am, to Egla his wife” (I Chronicles 3:3)? She lowed like a calf [egla] and died.50The reference is to Mikhal and that she died in childbirth. That is what is written: “[Mikhal…did not have a child] until the day of her death” – but on the day of her death she had.
There is no person in Israel who debased himself for the mitzvot more than David. That is what is written that he said: “Lord, my heart was not haughty” (Psalms 131:1) – when Samuel anointed me as king; “nor my eyes lofty” (Psalms 131:1) – when I killed Goliath; “and I did not aspire to greatness” (Psalms 131:1) – when they restored me to my kingdom; “or to what is beyond me” (Psalms 131:1) – when I took up the Ark. “Instead I have composed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child on his mother” (Psalms 131:2) – just as this child is not ashamed to be exposed before his mother, so, I have composed myself before You that I was not ashamed to debase myself before You in Your honor. “My soul is like a weaned child” (Psalms 131:2) – like this infant who emerges from his mother’s womb, and he has no haughtiness of spirit to refrain from nursing from his mother’s breasts, so my soul is upon me, as I am not ashamed to study Torah from the insignificant of Israel. Rabbi Ada bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You have rendered yourself like a weaned child; as you live, just as this child has no iniquities, so, you have no iniquities, as it is stated: “The Lord has expunged your sin; you will not die” (II Samuel 12:13).
From here you learn that a person may not comport himself with haughtiness before the Omnipresent, but rather, he should debase himself for His glory. Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi bar Rabbi Shalom said: The actions of the Holy One blessed be He are unlike the actions of flesh and blood. Why? The cook of flesh and blood has fine garments. When he goes out to the marketplace he wears them, but when he stands and cooks, he removes the nice ones and wears tatters and an apron. Moreover, when he sweeps the stove and the oven, he wears lower-quality garments than those. But before the Holy One blessed be He, when the priest sweeps the altar and removes the ashes, he dons excellent garments, as it is stated: “The priest shall don his linen vestments…” (Leviticus 6:3), so that “he shall remove the ashes” (Leviticus 6:3). Why is it so? It is only to inform you that there is no haughtiness before the Omnipresent.
Likewise, you find that Elazar the priest would comport himself with humility before the Omnipresent. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Elazar was the head of heads, the prince of princes, as it is stated: “The prince of the princes of the Levites was Elazar son of Aaron the priest…” (Numbers 3:32). See the authority that he possessed, and you assume that because he was a prominent man he would delegate others to bear the vessels that he was supposed to bear. No; rather, he himself would bear them, as it is stated: “The charge of Elazar son of Aaron the priest [is the illuminating oil, and the incense of the spices, and the meal offering of the daily offering, and the anointing oil]” (Numbers 4:16). How did he bear all these? Our Rabbis said: This is how he bore them: The anointing oil in his right, the incense of the spices in his left, and the meal offering of the daily offering of the morning was suspended from his forearm. Where was the one brought in the afternoon placed? Rabbi Aḥa said that Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: He would suspend a type of small bowl from his belt, because his loins were girded with a belt like a servant before his master. This is to inform you that there is no haughtiness before God. “The charge of the entire Tabernacle, and of all that is in it, in the sacred, and in its vessels” (Numbers 4:16) – as it was he who would give them the Ark, the table, the candelabrum, and the altars and all their utensils, just as it says: “Their commission: The Ark, [the table, the candelabrum, the altars, and the sacred vessels with which they would serve, and the screen, and all its work]. The prince of the princes of the Levites was Elazar…” (Numbers 3:31–32).
Bamidbar Rabbah
“Gather to Me” – did they not have elders before then? But is it not written at Mount Sinai: “Moses and Aaron, Nadav and Avihu [and seventy of the elders of Israel] ascended” (Exodus 24:9). This portion was after that, and there were elders then. It is, rather, that when Israel encountered these matters: “The people were seeking complaints...[a fire of the Lord burned in their midst, and it consumed at the edge of the camp]” (Numbers 11:1), they were all burned at that time. Their burning was like the burning of Nadav and Avihu, as they, too, conducted themselves with inappropriate levity when they ascended Mount Sinai, when they saw the Divine Presence: “They beheld God and they ate and they drank” (Exodus 24:11). Was there eating and drinking there? To what is the matter comparable? It is to a servant who was serving his master with his food in his hand and he would take bites from it. So, they conducted themselves with inappropriate levity, as though they were eating and drinking. The elders and Nadav and Avihu were deserving of being burned at that moment, but because the day of the giving of the Torah was very dear before the Holy One blessed be He, therefore He did not want to strike them on that day and cause a breach through them. That is what is written: “He did not extend his hand against the noblemen of the children of Israel” (Exodus 24:11); by inference, they were deserving of His hand being extended against them. However, after the passage of time, he collected from them. Nadav and Avihu, too, were burned when they entered the Tent of Meeting, and they23The complainers mentioned in Numbers 11:1–3, who the midrash goes on to describe. were burned when they expressed that craving, as it is stated: “The rabble [vehasafsuf] that was among them expressed a craving” (Numbers 11:4).
What is “vehasafsuf”? Rabbi Shimon bar Abba and Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya, one of them says: These are the proselytes who ascended with them from Egypt and were appended to them, as it is stated: “A mixed multitude ascended with them” (Exodus 12:38). And one of them says: Vehasafsuf, these are the Sanhedrin, as it is stated: “Gather [esfa] to Me seventy men.” What is written there? “The fire of the Lord burned in their midst and consumed the edge [biktze] of the camp” (Numbers 11:1); the thorns [bakotzim] of the camp.24This is in accordance with the interpretation that vehasafsuf is referring to the proselytes who came with them. From where is it derived that those elders who climbed Mount Sinai were burned? It is as it is stated: “A fire blazed in their assembly [baadatam]” (Psalms 106:18), and eda is nothing other than the Sanhedrin, as it is stated: “It will be, if from the eyes of the assembly [adat] it was performed” (Numbers 15:24), and it is written: “If the entire assembly [adat] of Israel will err unwittingly” (Leviticus 4:13). Likewise it says: “The anger of God rose against them. He slew the best among them” (Psalms 78:31), these are the Sanhedrin. “He struck down the young men of [baḥurei] Israel” (Psalms 78:31), those baḥurim who were called elders, in whose regard it is written: “David again gathered all the chosen of [baḥurei] Israel” (II Samuel 6:1).25See Bemidbar Rabba 4:20, where this verse is interpreted as referring to elders.
When they again wept and requested flesh [basar], if we say it was the flesh of an undomesticated animal, everything that they requested, the manna was transformed for them in their mouth, as it is stated: “He granted them their request” (Psalms 106:15), “and their craving would be provided them” (Psalms 78:29). If we say that they did not have flocks and cattle, is it not already stated: “A mixed multitude ascended with them, and flocks and cattle” (Exodus 12:38). If we say that they consumed them in the wilderness, is it not written: “The children of Reuben…had abundant livestock” (Numbers 32:1). From here Rabbi Shimon said: They did not desire flesh, but they desired a close relative [she’er basar], as it is stated: “He rained she’er upon them like dust” (Psalms 78:27), and she’er is nothing other than prohibited relations, as it is stated: “Any man shall not approach his close relative [she'er besaro] [to uncover nakedness]” (Leviticus 18:6). That is that which they requested: To permit for them prohibited relations. Likewise it says: “Moses heard the people weeping, according to their families” (Numbers 11:10). When they requested that, “the wrath of the Lord was greatly enflamed, and it was bad in the eyes of Moses” (Numbers 11:10). At that moment, Moses said to the Holy One blessed be He: “Why have you mistreated your servant?” (Numbers 11:11). In the past, there was someone with me to bear their burden, but now I am alone, as it is stated: “I am unable to bear [this entire people] alone…And if this is what You do to me, please kill me,” (Numbers 11:14–15). At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘In place of those elders, appoint other elders to replace them,’ as it is stated: “Gather to Me seventy men.”
What is “vehasafsuf”? Rabbi Shimon bar Abba and Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya, one of them says: These are the proselytes who ascended with them from Egypt and were appended to them, as it is stated: “A mixed multitude ascended with them” (Exodus 12:38). And one of them says: Vehasafsuf, these are the Sanhedrin, as it is stated: “Gather [esfa] to Me seventy men.” What is written there? “The fire of the Lord burned in their midst and consumed the edge [biktze] of the camp” (Numbers 11:1); the thorns [bakotzim] of the camp.24This is in accordance with the interpretation that vehasafsuf is referring to the proselytes who came with them. From where is it derived that those elders who climbed Mount Sinai were burned? It is as it is stated: “A fire blazed in their assembly [baadatam]” (Psalms 106:18), and eda is nothing other than the Sanhedrin, as it is stated: “It will be, if from the eyes of the assembly [adat] it was performed” (Numbers 15:24), and it is written: “If the entire assembly [adat] of Israel will err unwittingly” (Leviticus 4:13). Likewise it says: “The anger of God rose against them. He slew the best among them” (Psalms 78:31), these are the Sanhedrin. “He struck down the young men of [baḥurei] Israel” (Psalms 78:31), those baḥurim who were called elders, in whose regard it is written: “David again gathered all the chosen of [baḥurei] Israel” (II Samuel 6:1).25See Bemidbar Rabba 4:20, where this verse is interpreted as referring to elders.
When they again wept and requested flesh [basar], if we say it was the flesh of an undomesticated animal, everything that they requested, the manna was transformed for them in their mouth, as it is stated: “He granted them their request” (Psalms 106:15), “and their craving would be provided them” (Psalms 78:29). If we say that they did not have flocks and cattle, is it not already stated: “A mixed multitude ascended with them, and flocks and cattle” (Exodus 12:38). If we say that they consumed them in the wilderness, is it not written: “The children of Reuben…had abundant livestock” (Numbers 32:1). From here Rabbi Shimon said: They did not desire flesh, but they desired a close relative [she’er basar], as it is stated: “He rained she’er upon them like dust” (Psalms 78:27), and she’er is nothing other than prohibited relations, as it is stated: “Any man shall not approach his close relative [she'er besaro] [to uncover nakedness]” (Leviticus 18:6). That is that which they requested: To permit for them prohibited relations. Likewise it says: “Moses heard the people weeping, according to their families” (Numbers 11:10). When they requested that, “the wrath of the Lord was greatly enflamed, and it was bad in the eyes of Moses” (Numbers 11:10). At that moment, Moses said to the Holy One blessed be He: “Why have you mistreated your servant?” (Numbers 11:11). In the past, there was someone with me to bear their burden, but now I am alone, as it is stated: “I am unable to bear [this entire people] alone…And if this is what You do to me, please kill me,” (Numbers 11:14–15). At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘In place of those elders, appoint other elders to replace them,’ as it is stated: “Gather to Me seventy men.”
Midrash Tanchuma
(Numb. 11:16:) “Gather Me seventy man (sic)63The midrash is ignoring the fact that Hebrew uses singular nouns with large numbers in order to build an interpretation on this singular usage. from the elders of Israel.”64Numb. R. 5:23. This text is related (to Prov. 22:11), “The one who loves purity of heart has grace on his lips, has a king as his friend.” Why did He not say to him (in Numb. 11:16), “seventy men" (with "men" in the plural), instead of “seventy man.” It is simply that He said to him, “seventy man (ish) [with the singular ish indicating] singular individuals,65I.e. singular individuals like the one described in Prov. 22:11. because they were to be like Me and you, as stated (Exod. 15:3:) “The Lord is a Man (ish) of war,” [and it is likewise] stated (Numb. 12:3), “Now the man (ish) Moses was very humble.” (Numb. 11:16:) “Gather Me [seventy men from the elders of Israel].” But did you not have elders before?66Numb. R. 15:24. Here now it is written concerning Mount Sinai (in Exod. 24:9), “Then there went up Moses […] and the seventy elders of Israel”; and this parashah (with Numb. 11:16) comes after that. So where were the[se earlier] elders? It is simply that, when Israel did those things which are stated (in Numb. 11:1), “Now the people were as murmurers […] then the fire of the Lord burned against them,” they were all destroyed by fire at that time. It is simply that their burning was like the burning of Nadab and Abihu, for they also had acted with disrespect on ascending Sinai, when they saw the Divine Presence. It is so stated (in Exod. 24:11), “they beheld God, and they ate and drank.” Was there eating and drinking there? To what is the matter comparable? To a servant who attended his master while [holding] a slice of bread in his hand and taking bites from it. Similarly had they acted with disrespect as though eating and drinking. So the elders along with Nadab and Abihu deserved to be destroyed by fire on that day; but because the giving of Torah was dear to the Holy One, blessed be He, He therefore did not want to harm them and bring calamity to them on that day. This is what is written (ibid.), “But He (the Holy One, blessed be He,) did not raise His hand against the nobles of the Children of Israel.” From this you may infer that they deserved to have a hand raised [against them]. After a time, however, they were destroyed by fire. Nadab and Abihu were destroyed by fire as they entered the tent of meeting, while the elders were destroyed by fire when they were filled with lusting, as stated (in Numb. 11:4), “Then the rabble (ha'safsuf) which was in their midst became filled with lust.” Who were the rabble (ha'safsuf)? R. Simeon ben Menasya and R. Simeon bar Abba [differed on the matter]. One said, “These were the proselytes who came up with them from Egypt and who were gathered (ne'esafim) together with them as stated (in Exod. 12:38), ‘And a mixed multitude went up with them.’” But the other said, “Rabble can only be a Sanhedrin, since it is stated (in Numb. 11:16), ‘Gather (esfah) Me seventy men.’” What [else] is written there (in Numb. 11:1)? “Then the fire of the Lord burned against them and consumed them in the outskirts (qetseh) of the camp,” [i.e.,] among the selected (muqetsim) in the camp. And where is it shown that those elders who went up onto the mountain were destroyed by fire? Where it is stated (in Ps. 106:18), “And fire broke out in their company ('edah),” since company ('edah) can only be a Sanhedrin as stated (in Numb. 15:24), “And it shall come to pass that if it was done [by mistake] away from the eyes of the congregation ('edah).”67I.e. the leaders of the congregation. So Rashi on Numb. 15:24. It is also written (in Lev. 4:13), “And if the whole congregation ('edah) of Israel68This expression was often interpreted as denoting the Sanhedrin. So Sifra to Lev. 4:13 (42: Wayyiqra parashah 4); R. Meir in Hor. 5a; Rashi on Lev. 4:13. should err.” And so did David say (in Ps. 78:31), “When God’s anger flared up at them, He slew their sturdiest,” these were the Sanhedrin; “struck down the chosen of Israel,” these were the chosen ones that were called elders, about whom it is written (in II Sam. 6:1), “And David still added to the chosen among Israel.” Then they wept again and demanded meat. Now you might say, “What they wanted was flesh? Did it not come about that the manna became whatever they wanted inside of their mouths, as stated (in Ps. 106:15), ‘So He gave them what they asked for...’?” And in case you should say that they did not have oxen and cattle in the desert, has it not already stated (in Exod. 12:38), “And a mixed multitude went up with them and flocks and herds.” And in case you should say they ate them in the desert, is it not written (in Numb. 32:1), “Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had much livestock?” From here R. Simeon said, “It was not meat for which they lusted, since it says so (in Ps. 78:27), ‘And He rained down flesh (she'er) upon them like dust.’ Now she'er must denote illicit intercourse since it is stated (in Lev. 18:6), ‘None of you shall approach any close (she'er) relation to him.’ Ergo, it [really] says that they desired to permit illicit intercourse for themselves; and so it says (in Numb. 11:10), ‘Now Moses heard the people weeping for their families.’”69See Yoma 75a according to which they were weeping here because of the family relations with whom they were forbidden to have intercourse. Thus when they desired such [relations] (ibid. cont.), “the Lord was very angry and it was bad in the eyes of Moses.” At that time Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He, (in vs. 11), “’Why have you mistreated Your servant […]?’ In the past there was one with me who would bear the burden of Israel, but now I am alone.” Thus it is written (in vs. 14-15), “I am not able to bear [all] this people alone…. So if You are dealing like this with me, please truly kill me.” At that time the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Appoint other elders instead of those elders.” It is so stated] (in vs. 16), “Gather Me seventy men.” (Numb. 11:17:) “Then I will come down and speak with you there.” [This verse is] to inform you that the day for appointing elders was as dear to the Holy One, blessed be He, as the day for the giving of Torah.70Numb. R. 15:25. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 19:11), “for on the third day the Lord will come down”; and also (in Numb. 11:17) with reference to appointing the elders, “I will come down,” is written. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had an orchard and hired a guard for it. Then he gave him the payment of a guard for him to guard the orchard. After a time the guard said to him, “I cannot guard all of it myself. Rather give me others to guard it with me.” The king said to him, “I have given the entire orchard into your keeping, and I have given you all the payment for guarding it; but now you would say to me, ‘Go and bring others to guard it with me.’ See I am bringing others to guard with you, but observe that I am not giving them their payment from what belongs to me. Rather it is from your payment which I have given you that they are receiving their payment.” Similarly did the Holy One, blessed be He, speak to Moses. When [Moses] said to Him, “I cannot [do everything] alone,” the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I have given you understanding and knowledge to sustain71PRNS. Cf. Gk.: pronoos (“prudent”). My children. Moreover, I did not want others, simply so that you would have strength and knowledge and so that you would stand alone in that greatness. But now you are the one who wants others. Be aware that they will receive [payment], not from what is Mine, but from what is yours.” It is so stated (in Numb. 11:17.), “and I will set aside some of the spirit which is upon you and put it on them [...].” Nevertheless Moses did not lack anything. You should know that after forty years He said to Moses (in Numb. 27:18, 20), “Take Joshua ben Nun …. And put some of your glory upon him.” Then what is written about Joshua (in Deut. 34:9)? “Now Joshua ben Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom.” Why? (Ibid. cont.:) “Because Moses had laid his hands upon him.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “In this world [only] individuals have prophesied, but in the world to come all Israel shall become prophets.” It is so stated (in Joel 3:1), “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh so that your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.”72See also above Gen. 10:4; cf. Deut. R. 6:14. So did R. Tanchuma bar Abba expound.