Midrash su Giosuè 14:78

Rabba b. b. Chana said: "What is the meaning of the passage (Jos. 14, 10) For the ways of the Lord are right and the just do walk in them.; but the transgressors do stumble therein? This may be likened unto two men who roasted their paschal lamb. One ate it with the intention of performing the religious commandment, while the other ate it with the intention of having an ordinary meal. Concerning the one [who ate it for the purpose of performing a religious duty], the passage reads, And the just shall walk in them. But concerning the one [who ate it for the purpose of eating ordinary meal], the passage reads, But transgressors will stumble through them." Resh Lakish thereupon said to him' "Do you intend to call such a man who ate for the purpose of a plain meal wicked? Granted that he did not perform a perfect commandment, nevertheless he did eat a paschal lamb!"

7) R. Shimon b. Gamliel says in the name of R. Shimon b. Lakish: And thus is it written (Joshua 11:15) ("And the name of Chevron of yore was the city of Arba [Abraham]), the great man among the Anakim, and the land had rest from war." Men who honored the tzaddik merited that their land rest (from war).

7) (See Section 8:6)

(Numb. 13:22:) “Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.” [This verse is] to make known the excellence of the Land [of Israel], that its worst soil is better than the land of Egypt.²⁷Numb. R. 16:13, cont.; see Sifre, Deut. 7:12 (37); Sot. 34b. Thus when the children of Noah took possession of the world after the flood, they first built cities, but not in the best place. Instead they chose the worst of the Land of Israel; for Hebron is the worst [place] in the Land of Israel. But Zoan is the best which is in the land of Egypt, and this [city of Hebron] preceded it by seven years. If you should say, “No, the one who built the former did not build the other”; [then I can answer,] “It was the [same] generation; it was the [same] family (according to Gen. 10:6), ‘And the sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.’” Now they arose and built the one before the other. (Numb. 13:22:) “Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.” One man built them, and from the leftovers of the first, he built the second. (Numb. 13:23:) “Then they came to the Wadi Eshcol.” They did not want to take any of the fruits from the Land of Israel. If Caleb had not drawn his sword, gone down in front of them, and said to them, “If you do not take [some], then either you kill me or I will kill you,” they would not have taken [anything].²⁸Numb. R. 16:14; Sot. 34a, according to which neither Joshua nor Caleb were carrying anything. It is therefore stated (to Caleb in Josh. 14:9), “Surely the land on which your foot has trod shall be a portion for you.” (Numb. 13:23:) “And they bore it by pole with two.”²⁹The usual rendering of these words depicts the grape cluster resting on a pole suspended between two of the spies. There were not less than two poles, since it does not say, "two on a pole," but “by pole with two.”³⁰I.e., by pole, using two of them. Some also say three, “By pole,” [i.e.,] one [plus] “with two” for a total of three. And how heavy a load did each and every one have in hand? Go out and learn from the stones that they took from the Jordan, as stated (in Josh. 4:20), “And Joshua set up in Gilgal those twelve stones which they took from the Jordan.” What was the size of each and every one of them? A load of forty se’ah.³¹A se’ah is a measure of capacity. As a weight a se’ah usually means a se’ah of wheat. From here you can calculate that cluster of grapes. A person carries and lifts up [one] se’ah by himself. With his companion lifting [the load] up upon him, he carries two se'ah.³²Cf. Rashi, on Sot. 34a, according to whom each one could carry 40 se’ah on his shoulder. Now since a person plus a helper can carry three se’ah, with two men per pole there would be 120 se’ah of grapes per pole. Together with his companion he carries three [se'ah]. Ergo one calculates from here (the weight of the cluster). (Numb. 13:25:) “At the end of forty days then they returned from exploring the land.” But do you not find that they [only] went from south to north?³³Numb. R. 16:15. Moreover, would they have walked the whole [land] in forty days? It is simply that it was revealed to the Holy One, blessed be He, that they would come and utter slander, and that there would be decreed against that generation years of suffering (according to Numb. 14:34), “[every] day a year, you shall bear your iniquities forty years.” So the Holy One, blessed be He, caused their road to shrink (i.e., to close up) before them.

(Fol. 69b) Whence do we know that the first generations produced children at eight years? This is to be inferred from the following: (Ex. 35, 30) Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Chur, of the tribe of Judah; and it is written (I Chron. 2, 10-20) And when Azubah, the wife of Caleb, died, Caleb took unto himself Ephrath, who bore unto him Chur. And Chur begot Uri, and Uri begot Bezaleel. And when Bezaleel was engaged in building the Tabernacle, he was at least thirteen years old, as it is written (Ex. 36, 4) Every man from his own work which they were doing; and one is not called a man before the age of thirteen. And there is a Baraitha: The first year Moses prepared all that was necessary for the Tabernacle, and in the second year he erected it and sent the spies. And it is written (Joshua 14, 7) Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me, etc. Behold, I am this day eighty and five years old. Now, deduct fourteen, the age of Bezaaleel, from the forty of Joshua, when he was sent as a spy, and there remained twenty-six; deduct two years for the three pregnancies with Uri, Chur and Bezaleel, and there remain twentyfour. Hence each of them produced at the age of eight.

(Numb. 13:16, cont.:) THEN MOSES CALLED HOSHEA (HWSh') BEN NUN JOSHUA (YHWSh'). What reason did Moses see for adding a yod (i.e., a Y) to Joshua's name?¹⁹Tanh., Numb. 4:6; Numb. R. 16:9; cf. Sanh. 107a; Gen. R. 47:1; Exod. R. 6:1. It is simply that Caleb had taken his reward from the land, as stated (in Josh. 14:9): SURELY THE LAND ON WHICH YOUR FOOT HAS TROD <SHALL BE A PORTION FOR YOU AND YOUR DESCENDANTS FOREVER, BECAUSE YOU HAVE FULFILLED THE WISHES THE LORD MY GOD>. But Joshua [received the reward <that would have gone to the> ten spies, in that a yod <which stands for> ten was added to his name. (Numb. 13:16, cont.:) THEN MOSES CALLED HOSHEA (HWSh') BEN NUN JOSHUA (YHWSh'). [Another interpretation:] When Moses saw that they were so very wicked, Moses said to him: May the Lord (abbreviated to YH) save (YWShY') you from this evil generation.²⁰Sot. 34:b.

(Numb. 10:2 translated literally:) “Make for yourself (lekha),” [i.e.,] at your own expense (literally: from what belongs to you [lekha]).²⁷Numb. R. 15:16. (Ibid.:) “Make for yourself.” For yourself you shall make [them] and not for others. You are to use them, and no one else is to use them. You yourself know that in the case of his disciple Joshua, he did not use those [trumpets] but horns (shofars). When they came to fight against Jericho, there gathered in Jericho seven peoples. It is so stated (in Josh. 14:11), “When you crossed the Jordan and came unto Jericho, the citizens of Jericho, the Amorites, the Perizzites, [the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites,] the Hivites, and the Jebusites fought against you." Did seven peoples make up the citizens of Jericho, in that it says [here], “the citizens of Jericho: the Amorites….” R. Samuel bar Nahmani said, “Jericho was the door bolt [for unlocking] the land of Israel. They said, ‘If Jericho is conquered, the whole land will be conquered immediately.’ For that reason seven peoples gathered within it.” What is written (in Josh. 6:20)? “So the people shouted when [the priests] blew on the horns.” [This] teaches that even though Joshua was [Moses'] disciple, he did not use them (i.e. the silver trumpets). Moreover you should not say [this only] about Joshua but even [about] our master Moses, [in that the trumpets] were hidden while he was [still] alive. R. Isaac said, “Note that when Moses was going to depart this world, he said (in Deut. 31:28), ‘Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes [and your officials].’ But where were the trumpets? After all, he did not say, ‘Blow on them for [those people] to gather.’ It is simply that [it was already] while he was [still] alive that they were hidden.” R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi, “It was to fulfill what was said (in Eccl. 8:8), ‘nor is there control on the day of death….’” Ergo (in Numb. 10:2), “Make for yourself....” Make it for yourself, but you shall not use them all the days of your life. Another interpretation (of Numb. 10:2), “Make for yourself.” You are to use them because you are a king, but another is not to use them except King David, as stated (in II Chron. 29:26, 28), “And the Levites stood… the song was sung and the trumpets were blown.”²⁸Numb. R. 15:16. Our masters have said, “The trumpets that were in the sanctuary were also hidden, but King David used the harp, as stated (in Ps. 57:9), ‘Awake, my glory; awake, O lyre and harp.’” R. Shimon Hassida said, “A harp was hanging above David's bed.²⁹yBer. 1:1 (2d); Ber. 3:b; PRK 7:4; PR 17:3; M. Pss. 22:8; Ruth R. 6:1; Lam. R. 2:19 (22). When midnight arrived, a north wind would blow strongly on it, and it would play of its own accord. Immediately David and the students would arise to occupy themselves with the Torah; and driving sleep from their eyes, they would meditate on the Torah until the dawn arose. Therefore, David said (ibid.), ‘Awake, my glory.’ It is customary for the dawn to awaken the people, but (ibid. cont.) ‘I will awaken the dawn.’” Another interpretation (of Ps. 57:9), “Awake my, glory.” What is the meaning of “my glory?” [My glory is] due to the glory of my Creator. For the [evil] drive would say to him, “David, are you not a king? It is customary for kings to arise at three hours into the day; so why are you arising at midnight?” Then [David] said to it, “Empty is my glory. My glory is nothing before the glory of my Creator.” It is therefore stated, “Awake my glory (words which can also be rendered: empty is ['urah] my glory.”³⁰The form ‘urah can be either a simple imperative (AWAKE) from the root ‘WR or a past intensive passive (WAS EMPTY) from the root ‘RH. (Ps. 119:62:) “At midnight I will arise to praise You.” David said, “It is my duty to arise at midnight and to praise You for the wonders that You have done with my ancestor (Ruth) at midnight.” It is so stated (in Ruth 3:8–9), “Now it came to pass at midnight that the man was startled, [so he turned aside, and here was a woman lying at his feet]. Then he said, ‘Who are you?’ And she said, ‘I am your handmaid Ruth.’” R. Judah bar Shallum the Levite said, “She said to him, ‘Are you sending me away with [mere] words?’ He said to her (Ruth 3:13) ‘”As the Lord lives,” I am not sending you away with [mere] words.’” (Ruth 3:13:) “As the Lord lives.” [This oath] teaches that he had imposed an oath on his [evil] drive, which was inciting him by saying to him, “You are an unmarried man and she is an unmarried woman. Now is the time to seduce her.” Immediately this righteous man swore, “As the Lord lives, I am not touching her tonight.” And not only Boaz, but all the righteous impose an oath on their [evil] drive. Thus you find it so with David, for when Saul fell into his hands, what did David say (in I Sam. 26:10)? “And David said, ‘As the Lord lives, the Lord shall smite him; either he will die when his day comes or he will go down and perish in battle; [the Lord forbid that I lay my hand on the Lord's anointed].’” Why did he swear two times? R. Samuel bar Nahman said, “His [evil] drive came and said to him, ‘If you had fallen into his hand, he would have shown you no mercy and killed you. [Moreover] according to the Torah it is permissible to kill him, since here he is pursuing [you].’ He therefore hastened to swear two times, ‘As the Lord lives, I will not kill him.’” Israel said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the universe, You know the power of the evil drive, how strong it is.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “Remove it little by little in this world, and I will take it away from you in the future.” Thus it is stated (in Is. 62:10), “build up, complete the highway³¹The biblical text renders, BUILD UP, BUILD UP THE HIGHWAY. [take away some stone] (i.e. the evil drive)!” It also says (in Is. 57:14), “Build up, build up; clear out a way; remove an obstacle (i.e. the evil drive) from the way of my people!” Then in the world to come I will root it out of you, as stated (in Ezek. 36:26), “I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh.” Thus has R. Tanhuma bar Abba interpreted.

(Numb. 13:30:) “Then Caleb hushed the people [before Moses].” As at first he said to them, “I am of the same opinion as you”; but his heart was for speaking the truth, as stated (in Josh. 14:7), “and I brought him back word according to what was in my heart. But my brothers that were with me melted [the people’s heart].”³⁸Numb. R. 16:19; Sot. 35a. The Holy One, blessed be He, also testifies over him, as stated (in Numb. 14:24), “But My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him.” So when the spies came, they said, “We can trust Caleb.” Immediately he stood up on a stool³⁹Safsal; cf. Lat.: subsellium. and had all Israel become silent from clamoring against Moses, [as stated] (in Numb. 13:30), “Then Caleb hushed the people before Moses.” Now they were thinking that he would utter slander. For that reason they were silent. He began by saying (ibid., cont.), “We should certainly go up and possess it.” Immediately when they heard this, they took issue with him and said (in Numb. 13:31–32), “’We are unable to go up against this people […].’ So they spread calumny about the land ….”

Another matter, “He made everything beautiful in its time” – Rabbi Bon stated two approaches regarding the following. Rabbi Bon said: Abraham was worthy to have been created before Adam, the first man, but the Holy One blessed be He said: If I create Abraham first, if he sins, there will be no one to come to make amends after him. Rather, I will create Adam, and if he sins, Abraham will come after him and make amends.⁴²This is based on the verse: “He made everything beautiful in its time.” Rabbi Bon said another [source for this idea]: It is written: “The greatest man among the giants” (Joshua 14:15).⁴³This is interpreted as a reference to Abraham. Abraham was worthy to have been created first, as it is stated: “The greatest man among the giants.” Why is he called “greatest”? It is because he was worthy to have been created first, but the Holy One blessed be He said: If I create Abraham first, if he sins, there will be no one to come after him to make amends. Rather, I will create Adam, the first man, and if he sins, Abraham will come and make amends after him.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Some cite a parable; to what is this matter analogous? [It is analogous] to one who had a substantial beam in his residence, in his house. Where would he place it? Would he not place it in the middle of the great hall, so that it would be able to support the beams in front of it and the beams that are behind it? So too, why did the Holy One blessed be He create Abraham our patriarch in the middle? So that he could provide support for the generations that preceded him and the generations that succeeded him. Rabbi Levi said: One brings a proper wife into the house of an improper wife, but one does not bring an improper wife into the house of a proper wife.⁴⁴Similarly, Abraham was created after Adam in order to have a positive impact on the world that Adam had previously tarnished. Had Abraham been created first, Adam would have negated the positive impact that Abraham made on the world.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Adam the first man was worthy to have had the Torah given through him, as it is stated: “This is the book of the generations of Adam. [On the day that God created man, in the likeness of God He made him]” (Genesis 5:1).⁴⁵The midrash interprets the “book” in the verse as a reference to the Torah. The Holy One blessed be He said: Adam is my handiwork, will I not give him the Torah so that he may toil in it? Then He said: If six mitzvot were given him and he was unable to keep them and observe them, were I to give him six hundred and thirteen mitzvot – two hundred and forty-eight positive commandments and three hundred and sixty-five prohibitions – all the more so will he not keep them. That is why it is written: “He said to Adam [la’adam]” (Job 28:28) – not Adam [lo adam], I will not give them to Adam. To whom will I give them? I will give them to his descendants.
Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Ḥanan said: Adam the first man was worthy of having twelve tribes emerge from him, as it is written: “This [zeh] is the book of the generations of Adam” (Genesis 5:1) – zayin – seven, heh –five, twelve tribes, this is the numerical value of “zeh is the book of the generations of Adam.” The Holy One blessed be He said: Adam is My handiwork, will I not give him twelve tribes? He then said: If I gave him two sons and one rose and killed his brother, had I given him twelve sons, all the more so. That is why it written: “He said to Adam [la’adam]” (Job 28:28), not Adam [lo adam], I will not give them to Adam. To whom will I give them? I will give them to Jacob the righteous.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: At the time when they departed from Egypt, The Israelites were worthy for the Torah to have been given to them immediately, but the Holy One blessed be He said: The radiance of My children has not yet come; they have emerged from the enslavement of mortar and bricks and cannot receive the Torah immediately. To what is this matter comparable? [It is comparable] to a king whose son arose from his illness and they said to him: ‘Let your son go to his academy.’ He said: ‘The radiance of my son has not yet come; rather, let him be indulged for two or three months with food and drink and recover, and then he will go to his academy.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘The radiance of my children has not yet come, they have emerged from the enslavement of mortar and bricks, and I will give them the Torah? Rather, let My children be indulged for two or three months with manna, a spring, and quails, and then I will give them the Torah.’ When? In the third month.
Rabbi Beivai, Rabbi Aivu, and Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Maryon: At the time when they departed from Egypt, the Israelites were worthy to enter the Land immediately, but the trees were ancient, from the days of Noah. The Holy One blessed be He said: Shall I bring the Israelites into a wasteland? Rather, I will take them on a circuitous path through the wilderness for forty years so that the Canaanites will rise and chop down the old ones and plant new ones, so [the Israelites] would enter the land and find it filled with blessings.
Rabbi says: Even for matters of transgression it is “beautiful in its time.”⁴⁶“He made everything beautiful in its time” alludes to the fact that even the effect of a transgression is influenced by its timing.

Another matter, “He made everything beautiful in its time” – Rabbi Berekhya said that Rabbi Abbahu said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: The schism that was between Reḥavam and Yerovam was fitting to have been between David and Sheva ben Bikhri, but the Holy One blessed be He said: The Temple has not yet been constructed and I am introducing a schism in the kingdom of the House of David? Rather, let the Temple be constructed and then, what will ultimately happen, will happen.
Rabbi Binyamin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “The world, too, He has placed in their heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) – He placed in their heart love of the world. Rabbi Yonatan said: He has placed in their heart fear of the angel of death. Neḥemya, son of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman, said: “And behold it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). “And behold it was...good,” this is man; “and behold it was…good,” this is the good inclination, “very,” this is the evil inclination. Is the evil inclination “very good”? It is to teach you that were it not for the evil inclination, man would not build a house, would not marry a wife, and would not beget children, as Solomon says: “[I saw all toil and all skilled action;] that it is man’s envy of his neighbor” (Ecclesiastes 4:4).
Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Abbahu said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: “The world, too, He has placed in their heart” – He placed in their heart love of the world, He placed in their heart love of young children. To what is this matter analogous? [It is analogous] to a king who had two sons, one big and one small. The big one cleans and the small one sullies; nevertheless, he loves the small one more than the big one.
Rabbi Aḥva son of Rabbi Zeira said: “The world [ha’olam],” the ineffable name was concealed [ho’olam] from them.⁴⁷The word ha’olam is written in the verse without the vav such that it can be read ho’olam. This is analogous to a king who made a feast [and] invited guests. Once they ate and drank, they said to him: ‘Give us swords and spears and we will play with them.’ He gave them myrtle branches and they struck each other and wounded each other. The king said to them: ‘If, when I gave you myrtle branches, this is what you did, had I given you swords and spears, all the more so.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If, at a time when I concealed the ineffable name from them, they killed with appellations,⁴⁸By invoking names of God in cursing other people. had I given and revealed to them the ineffable name, all the more so.’ There was a Persian woman who cursed her son with one element of the ineffable name. Shmuel heard her and said: ‘Go prepare a shroud for him.’
Rabbi Ḥanina had knowledge of the ineffable name. When his death approached, he said: ‘Is there a person here to whom I can entrust it?’ They said: ‘Eneini bar Naḥshon is here.’ He sent for him and he came, and his own son entered and hid under the bed. When he was about to transmit it, that child sneezed. His father [Rabbi Ḥanina] said: ‘Go out of here. You are not worthy to hear it, and this one is not worthy to receive it.’⁴⁹Rabbi Ḥanina said to his son that he must leave because he is not worthy to hear it, and he also took this as a sign that he should not reveal the name to Eneini (Etz Yosef).
One doctor in Tzippori had knowledge of the ineffable name. When his death approached, he said: ‘Is there a person here to whom I can entrust it?’ They said: ‘Pinḥas bar Ḥama is here.’ He sent for him and he came. [The doctor] asked him [a question] and said to him: ‘Have you ever taken anything from a Jew?’ He said to him: ‘I have taken first tithe.’ [The doctor] resolved not to entrust it to him, saying: ‘Perhaps he will demand something from a person and he will not give it to him, and he will become angry with him and kill him.’ It is taught, one does not entrust the name to just any person, and not to one who has lived half his life, but rather, to one who has lived most of his life. In addition, one entrusts it only standing, and one entrusts it only in a place of purity, and near water. Initially, they would entrust it to any person. When the sinners became more prevalent, they instituted that it should be entrusted only to the modest among the priests, and the modest among the priests would obscure it in the melody of the priests.
Rabbi Tarfon said: One time I ascended to the platform with Samson, my mother’s brother, and I cocked my ear in the direction of the High Priest, but he obscured it in the melody of the priests. And Rabbi Tarfon said: One time I heard it and I fell on my face. Those nearby, when they hear it, fall on their faces and say: “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.” These and those⁵⁰Those nearby and those farther away would not move from there until the time when it was forgotten [shenitalem] from them, as it is stated: “This is My name forever [le’olam]” (Exodus 3:15), le’elem is written.⁵¹It is written without a vav, such that it can be read le’elem, meaning for concealment. To what purpose? “But so that man will not discover the work that God has performed from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).⁵²This is to prevent people from discovering the secrets of Creation.

Our Rabbis were taught: The Tabernacle of the wilderness lasted forty years less one year. The Tabernacle of Gilgal lasted fourteen years, of which seven was the years of occupation and seven of distribution. The Tabernacle of Nob lasted fifty-seven years, hence the existence for Shiloh remains three hundred and seventy years, less one year. That the Tabernacle of the wilderness lasted forty years less one year, whence do we infer this? For the master said [elsewhere] that the first year after the exodus did Moses build the Sanctuary, on the second year he reared up the tabernacle and then Moses sent the spies. That the Tabernacle of Gilgal lasted fourteen years, the seven of occupation and the seven of proportioning, whence do we infer this? From Kaleb (Josh. 14, 7) Forty years old was I sent, etc. And, lo, I am this day fourscores and five years old. How old was he at the time of the passing of the Jordan? Seventy-eight years old, and now he says that he is eighty-five years old, hence the seven years of occupation. And whence do we know concerning the seven years of distribution? If you please I say that since the occupation lasted seven, it is understood that the dividing also lasted seven years; and if you please I say [from here] since we cannot find any other way [to justify the passage] (Ez. 40, 1) In the fourteenth year after the city had been smitten. That in Nob and Gibe'on it lasted fifty-seven years whence do we learn? It is written (I Sam. 4 ,18) And it came to pass, when he made mention of the Ark of God, that he fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck broke and he died. And we are taught in a Baraitha that when Eli died the destruction of Shiloh followed, and the sanctuary was brought to Nob; when Samuel died the destruction of Nob followed, when the Tabernacle was brought to Gibe'on, and it is written (Ib. 7, 2) And it came to pass, from the day that the ark abode in Kireath — Jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years. To which years do these twenty refer? Ten of Samuel himself [during which he judged Israel]; one year during which Saul and Samuel judged Israel together; two years, during which Saul alone ruled Israel; seven years during which David ruled in Hebron, as it is said (I Kings 2, 11) And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years; seven years reigned he is Hebron, etc. And again in connection with Solomon it is written (II Chr. 3, 2) And he began to build in the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign. Hence it remained for Shiloh three hundred and seventy years less one year.

(Numb. 13:23:) THEN THEY CAME TO THE WADI ESHCOL. They did not want to take any of the fruits from the land of Israel. If Caleb had not {sent} [extended <his> weapon, gone down in front of them, and said to them: If you do not take <some>, then either you kill me or I will kill you, they would not have taken <anything>.³⁴Tanh., Numb. 4:8 cont.; Numb. R. 16:14; Sot. 34a, according to which neither Joshua nor Caleb were carrying anything. It is therefore stated (to Caleb in Josh. 14:9): SURELY THE LAND ON WHICH YOUR FOOT HAS TROD SHALL BE A PORTION <FOR YOU AND YOUR DESCENDANTS FOREVER,> BECAUSE YOU HAVE FULFILLED THE WISHES OF THE LORD MY GOD. (Numb. 13:23:) AND THEY BORE IT BY POLE WITH TWO.³⁵The usual rendering of these words depicts the grape cluster resting on a pole suspended between two of the spies. There were not less than two poles, since it does not say: "Two on a pole," but <BY POLE> WITH TWO.³⁶I.e., by pole, using two of them. Some also say three: BY POLE, <i.e.,> one <plus> WITH TWO for a total of three. And how heavy a load did each and every one have in hand? Go out and learn from the stones that they took from the Jordan, as stated (in Josh. 4:20): AND [JOSHUA SET UP IN GILGAL THOSE] {TEN} [TWELVE] STONES [WHICH THEY TOOK FROM THE JORDAN]. What was the size of each and every one of them. A load of forty seah.³⁷A se’ah is a measure of capacity. As a weight a se’ah usually means a se’ah of wheat. From here you can calculate that cluster of grapes. A person carries and lifts up <one> se'ah by himself. With his companion lifting <the load> up upon him, he carries two se'ah.³⁸Cf. Rashi, on Sot. 34a, according to whom each one could carry 40 se’ah on his shoulder. Now since a person plus a helper can carry three se’ah, with two men per pole there would be 120 se’ah of grapes per pole. Together with his companion he carries three <se'ah>. Ergo one calculates from here (the weight of the cluster).

15 (Numb. 10:2) “Make two silver trumpets.”:²⁵The context of the passage concerns the sounding of an alarm in time of war. That they should blow the trumpets in front of you like a king. (Numb. 10:2 translated literally:) “Make for yourself (lekha),” [i.e.,] at your own expense (literally: from what belongs to you [lekha]). (Ibid.:) “Make for yourself.” For yourself you shall make [them] and not for others. You are to use them, and no one else is to use them. You yourself know that in the case of his disciple Joshua, he did not use those [trumpets] but horns (shofars). When they came to fight against Jericho, there gathered in Jericho seven peoples. It is so stated (in Josh. 14:11), “When you crossed the Jordan and came unto Jericho, the citizens of Jericho, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites fought against you, and I delivered them into your hands.” Did seven peoples make up the citizens of Jericho? R. Samuel bar Nahmani said, “Jericho was the door bolt [for unlocking] the land of Israel. They said, ‘If Jericho is conquered, the whole land will be conquered immediately.’ For that reason seven peoples gathered within it.” What is written (in Josh. 6:20)? “So the people shouted when [the priests] blew on the horns.” [This] teaches that even though Joshua was [Moses'] disciple, he did not use them (i.e. the silver trumpets). Moreover you should not say [this only] about Joshua but even [about] our master Moses, [in that the trumpets] were hidden while he was [still] alive. R. Isaac said, “Note that when Moses was going to depart this world, he said (in Deut. 31:28), ‘Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes [and your officials].’ But where were the trumpets, to blow on them for [those people] to gather.’ It is simply that [it was already] while he was [still] alive that they were hidden.” R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi, “It was to fulfill what was said (in Eccl. 8:8), ‘nor is there control on the day of death….’” Ergo (in Numb. 10:2), “Make for yourself....” Make it for yourself, but no one else shall use them all the days of your life.

9 (Numb. 13:16, cont.) “Then Moses called Hoshea (hwsh') ben Nun, Joshua (yhwsh')”: What reason did Moses see for adding a yod (i.e., a y) to Joshua's name?⁹ Cf. Sanh. 107a; Gen. R. 47:1; Exod. R. 6:1. It is simply that Caleb had taken his reward from the land, as stated (in Deut. 1:36)), “to him will I gave the land on which he has trod.” But Joshua [received] the reward [that would have gone to the other] ten [spies], in that a yod [which stands for] ten was added to his name. (Numb. 13:16, cont.) “Then Moses called Hoshea (hwsh') ben Nun, Joshua (yhwsh'). Another interpretation: When Moses saw that they were so very wicked, Moses said to him, “May the Lord (abbreviated to yh) save (ywshy') you from this evil generation.”

14 (Numb. 13:23) “Then they came to the Wadi Eshcol”: They did not want to take any of the fruits from the Land of Israel. If Caleb had not drawn his sword, gone down in front of them, and said to them, “If you do not take [some], then either you kill me or I will kill you,” they would not have taken [anything].²⁰ Sot. 34a, according to which neither Joshua nor Caleb were carrying anything. It is therefore stated (to Caleb in Josh. 14:9), “Surely the land on which your foot has trod shall be a portion for you.” (Numb. 13:23) “And they bore it by pole with two”:²¹The usual rendering of these words depicts the grape cluster resting on a pole suspended between two of the spies. There were not less than two poles, since it does not say, "two on a pole," but “by pole with two.”²²I.e., by pole, using two of them. Some also say three, “By pole,” [i.e.,] one [plus] “with two” for a total of three. And how heavy a load did each and every one have in hand? Go out and learn from the stones that they took from the Jordan, as stated (in Josh. 4:20), “And Joshua set up in Gilgal those twelve stones which they took from the Jordan.” What was the size of each and every one of them? A load of forty se’ah.²³A se’ah is a measure of capacity. As a weight a se’ah usually means a se’ah of wheat. From here you can calculate that cluster of grapes. A person carries and lifts up [one] se’ah by himself. With his companion lifting [the load] up upon him, he carries two se'ah.²⁴Cf. Rashi, on Sot. 34a, according to whom each one could carry 40 se’ah on his shoulder. Now since a person plus a helper can carry three se’ah, with two men per pole there would be 120 se’ah of grapes per pole. Together with his companion he carries three [se'ah]. Ergo one calculates from here (the weight of the cluster).

19 (Numb. 13:30) “Then Caleb hushed the people [before Moses]”: As at first he said to them, “I am of the same opinion as you”; but his heart was for speaking the truth, as stated (in Josh. 14:7), “and I brought him back word according to what was in my heart. But my brothers that were with me melted the people’s heart.”²⁶ Sot. 35a. The Holy One, blessed be He, also testifies over him, as stated (in Numb. 14:24), “But My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him.” So when the spies came, they said, “We can trust Caleb.” Immediately he stood up on a stool²⁷Safsal; cf. Lat.: subsellium. and had all Israel become silent from clamoring against Moses, [as stated] (in Numb. 13:30), “Then Caleb hushed the people before Moses.” Now they were thinking that he would utter slander. For that reason they were silent. He began by saying (ibid., cont.), “We should certainly go up and possess it.” Immediately when they heard this, they took issue with him and said (in Numb. 13:31–32), “We are unable to go up against this people […].”

Another interpretation (of Numb. 10:2 translated literally): MAKE FOR YOURSELF (lekha), <i.e.,> at your own expense (literally: from what belongs to you [lekha]).⁵⁷Tanh. Numb. 3:10 cont., Numb. R. 15:16. (Ibid.:) MAKE FOR YOURSELF. FOR YOURSELF you shall make <them> and not for others. You are to use them, and no one else is to use them. You yourself know that, in the case of his disciple Joshua, he did not use those <trumpets> but horns. When they came to fight against Jericho, there gathered in Jericho seven peoples. It is so stated (in Josh. 14:11): WHEN YOU CROSSED THE JORDAN AND CAME UNTO JERICHO, THE CITIZENS OF JERICHO: THE AMORITES, THE PERIZZITES, [THE CANAANITES, THE HITTITES, THE GIRGASHITES,] THE HIVITES, AND THE JEBUSITES FOUGHT AGAINST YOU. Did seven peoples make up the citizens of Jericho? After all it says <here>: THE CITIZENS OF JERICHO: THE AMORITES…. R. Samuel bar Nahmani said: Jericho was the door bolt <for unlocking> the land of Israel. They said: If Jericho is conquered, the whole land will be conquered. For that reason seven peoples gathered within it. What is written (in Josh. 6:20)? SO THE PEOPLE SHOUTED WHEN <THE PRIESTS> BLEW ON THE HORNS. <This> teaches that even though Joshua was <Moses'> disciple, he did not use them (i.e. the silver trumpets). Moreover you should not say <this only> about Joshua but even <about> our master Moses, <since the trumpets> were hidden while he was <still> alive. R. Isaac said: Note that when Moses was going to depart this world, he said (in Deut. 31:28): GATHER UNTO ME [ALL THE ELDERS OF YOUR TRIBES AND YOUR OFFICIALS]. But where were the trumpets? After all he did not say: Blow on them for <those people> to gather. It is simply that while he was alive they were hidden. R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: <It was to fulfill what was said (in Eccl. 8:8): <NO HUMAN HAS CONTROL OVER THE WIND, TO CONTAIN THE WIND > NOR IS THERE CONTROL ON THE DAY OF DEATH… Ergo (in Numb. 10:2): MAKE FOR YOURSELF, and no one else is to use them all your days.

(Numb. 13:30:) THEN CALEB HUSHED <THE PEOPLE BEFORE MOSES>…, when at first he said to them: I am of the same opinion as you; but his heart was for speaking the truth, as stated (in Josh. 14:7): AND I BROUGHT HIM BACK WORD ACCORDING TO WHAT WAS IN MY HEART.⁴⁴Tanh., Numb. 4:10; Numb. R. 16:19; Sot. 35a. The Holy One also testifies over him, as stated (in Numb. 14:24): BUT MY SERVANT CALEB, [BECAUSE HE HAD ANOTHER SPIRIT WITH HIM]. So when the spies came, they said: We can trust Caleb? Immediately he stood up on a stool⁴⁵Safsal; cf. Lat.: subsellium. and had all Israel become silent, because they had been clamoring against Moses, as stated (in Numb. 13:30): THEN CALEB HUSHED THE PEOPLE BEFORE MOSES. Now they were thinking that he would utter slander. For that reason they were silent. He began by saying (ibid., cont.): WE SHOULD CERTAINLY GO UP AND POSSESS IT. Immediately they took issue with him and said (in Numb. 13:31–32): WE ARE UNABLE TO GO UP <AGAINST THIS PEOPLE>…. SO THEY SPREAD CALUMNY ABOUT THE LAND….

And You are holy, seated on the praises of Israel. (Psalms 22:4) Said R. Shmuel: every laudation and laudation with which Israel lauds the Holy Blessed One, divine Glory sits among them, as it is written, And You are holy, seated on the praises of Israel. Esther said, If You do not answer us, and they destroy us, I will immediately say You are seated on the praises of Israel. And if you save us, then You are holy. In eather case, You are seated on the praise of Israel. Said Rabbi Yehoshua son of Laqish: All this and more upon me if I ever looked in a book of aggadah in all my days! One time I found a book of aggadah. I saw in it 175 portions that were written in the Torah, statements and orders, corresponding to the 175 years of our father Abraham. As it is written, You take the gifts of the man (Psalm 68:10) — this is Abraham, as it is written, the man was great among the Anakites (Joshua 14:15). And 147 psalms in the book of Psalms, corresponding to the years of Jacob our father, which is the meaning behind And You are holy, seated on the praise of Israel (Psalms 22:4). And 123 times after the Hallel reader reads we respond "Hallelujah!" corresponding to the years of Aaron, which is the meaning behind Revere the LORD, His holy ones! (Psalm 34:10), which is Aaron who was called holy, as it is written, and Aaron, the holy one of God (Psalm 106:16). Rabbi Shmuel said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: over each and every praise that Israel lauds, You are far above all laudation, as it is written, and high over all blessing and praise (Nehemiah 9:5). Rabbi Berechia in the name of Rabbi Levi said: It is written, And the LORD appeared to him in the oaks of Mamre, and he sat at the entrance to the tent (Genesis 18:1). It's written that he sat?! He went to stand, but the Holy Blessed One said. "Be seated. This is a sign that your children, at the time when Israel goes to their synagogues and study halls and recites the Shema and prays, they are seated, but My Glory stands among them," which is the meaning of God stands guard in the congregation of God (Psalm 82:1). Rabbi Ḥaggai in the name of Rabbi Yitsḥaq said, "God stands isn't written there, but as stands guard in the congregation, as it is said, And it will be, as soon as they call, I will answer (Isaiah 65:24).

8 Rabbi Chiya bar Abba opened [his discourse] in the name of Rabbi Levi: "But men are mere breath; mortals, illusion; placed on a scale all together, they weigh even less than a breath" (Psalms 62:10). It is customary in the world that the creatures say, "Man x will marry y," "But men are mere breath"; "Miss a will marry b," "mortals, illusion; [...] all together less than a breath." Rabbi Chiya said, "Before they are made into vapor in the innards of their mothers, they are together (already matched)." Rabbi Nachman said, "For all the vapors and the deceptions that the children of Avraham our father do in this world - for all of them, he is worthy to atone. This is [the understanding of] that which is written (Joshua 14:15), 'the great man of the giants.'" "Weighed in the scales" - it is atoned for you in the scales, in the month the constellation of which is Scales (Libra). And which? It is the month of Tishrei. Forgive (tishrei), release and atone for the debts of Your people. When? In the seventh month. Another interpretation: "In the seventh (shevii) month," which is the most sated (mesuba) of all. The wine vats are in withit, the blessings are within it, [Yom] Kippur is within it, the sukkah (hut) is within it, the palm branch (lulav) and willow are within it.