Midrash su Numeri 6:21

Our Rabbis were taught: Whence do we infer that we should mention the Patriarchs [in the prayer of Amida]? It is written (Ps. 29, 1) Ascribe unto the Lord, ye sons of the mighty. And whence do we infer that we should mention [in the Amida the power [of God]? It is written (Ib.) Ascribe unto the Lord glory and strength. And whence do we infer that the K'dusha [His Holiness] must be mentioned? It is written (Ib. 2) Ascribe unto the Lord the glory of His name; bow down to the Lord in the beauty of holiness. And what reason had they for placing the Benediction of Wisdom [fourth] after the Benediction K'dusha? Because it is said (Is. 29, 23) Then will they sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and the God of Israel will they reverence; and immediately follows: They also that were erring in spirit shall acquire understanding. And what reason had they in placing the Benediction concerning Repentance after Wisdom? Because it is written (Is. 6, 10) Lest his heart understand, and he will repent, and be healed. If so, we ought then to mention the section treating with Healing after Repentance [the sixth, instead of the eighth benediction]? This you cannot assume, for it is written (Ib. 55, 7) And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and unto our God, for He will abundantly pardon. The section of Pardon is therefore arranged after Repentance. But why did they desire to rely on this [verse], and not rely on the former? Because there is another passage to the same effect (Ps. 103, 3) Who forgiveth all thy iniquities, who healeth all thy diseased, who redeemeth from the pit thy life. This means to say that both redemption and healing come after forgiveness. But there is a passage (Is. 6, 10) He will repent and be healed? [Hence healing follows repentance]? This healing, however, does not refer to disease, but to forgiveness. And what reason had they in arranging the prayer for Redemption in the seventh Benediction? Said Raba: "Because Israel is destined to be redeemed in the seventh (Sabbatical) year, it was therefore designated in the seventh benediction. But has not the master said that in the sixth [of the Sabbatical years], there will be different rumors, in the seventh year of the Sabbatical years [great] wars will break out, and at the close of the seventh year Mesiah b. David will appear? Hence in the seventh will there be war and not redemption. War will mark the beginning of the redemption. And what reason had they for arranging the prayer for Healing in the eighth Benedictions? "Because," said R. Akiba, "circumcision takes place on the eighth day, and requires healing; it was therefore designated in the seventh Benediction." And what reason had they for arranging the prayer for the Blessing of the Year in the ninth Benediction? "This prayer," said R. Alexandri, "is against those who raise prices, as it is written (Ps. 10, 15), Break Thou the arm of the wicked, etc. And David also said it in the ninth chapter." And what reason had they for arranging the prayer for the Reunion of the Exile after the Benediction of the Blessing [of the harvest] of the Year? Because it is written (Ezek. 36, 8) But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall send forth your boughs, and your fruit shall ye bear for my people Israel; for they are near at hand to come. And as soon as the reunion of the exile will take place, there will be the punishment of the wicked, as it is said (Is. 1, 25) I will turn my hand against thee, and purge away as with lye thy dross. And further (26) it is written: I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning. After the judgment of the wicked there shall no more exist any sinners. This includes the arrogant, as it is said (Ib.) But destruction shall come over transgressors and sinners together. And those that forsake the Lord shall perish, and when sinners will cease to exist, the strength of the righteous is exalted; as it is written (Ps. 75, 11) And all the strength of the wicked will I hew off, but the strength of the righteous shall be exalted. Righteous proselytes are included among the righteous; as it is said (Lev. 19, 32) Before the hoary head shalt thou rise up, and honor the old man. And immediately it follows: If a stranger sojourn with thee, ye shall not vex him. And where will their horn be exalted? In Jerusalem; as it is said (Ps. 122, 6) Pray ye for the peace of Jerusalem; may those that love ye prosper. And as soon as Jerusalem will be rebuilt David will come (Fol. 18) as it is said (Hos. 3, 5) After that will the children of Israel return and seek for the Lord their God and David their king. And together with David will come prayer, as it is said (Is. 57, 7) Even these will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. And as soon as prayer comes, service in the Temple will come with it, as it is said further: Their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon My altar. And as soon as service comes, there will come a thanksgiving, as it is said (Ps. 50, 23) Who so offereth thanksgiving glorifieth Me. And what reason had they for placing the Blessing of the Priests after the Benediction of Thanks giving? Because it is written (Lev. 9, 22) And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them, and came down after he had offered the sin-offering and burnt-offering and peace-offering. Why not say that he blessed them before the service? You cannot possibly think so; for it is written: He came down after he had offered — it is not written to offer, but after offering. Then why not say it immediately after the Benediction concerning the [restoration of the Temple] Service? You cannot possibly think so, because it is written: Whoso offereth the thanksgiving (glorifieth Me. And why did they desire to rely on this [verse], and not rely on the former? Because common sense teaches that service and thanksgiving are the same thing. And what reason had they for placing [the Benediction concerning] Peace after the Blessing of Priests? Because it is written (Num. 6, 21) And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel and I will bless them; i.e., the blessing of the Holy One, praised be He! is peace, as it is said (Ps. 29, 11) The Lord will bless His people with peace. [Hence the arrangement of the Amida or Eighteen Benedictions.] Now [let us see], if one hundred and twenty elders, among whom there were many prophets, have arranged the Eighteen Benedictions in accordance with their orders, why was it necessary that Simon of Peculi should rearrange them? They had been forgotten, therefore he reintroduced the order.

(Bamidbar 6:21) "This is the law of the Nazirite": This (i.e., what we have learned of the offerings) tells me only of the time (of the Temple, when there are offerings). Whence do we derive (that Naziritism obtains) in all generations? From "This is the (perpetual) law." These are the words of R. Yoshiyah. R. Yonathan says: This (i.e., "This is the law") is stated by way of summation. "his offering to the L-rd for his Naziritism": i.e., his offering to the L-rd is contingent upon his Naziritism, and his Naziritism is not contingent upon his offering (i.e., if he vows to bring the offering, he does not thereby become a Nazirite.) "his offering to the L-rd for his Naziritism": and not the offering of others for his Naziritism (i.e., if he said "I will be a Nazirite on condition that others bring the Nazirite offering," he has said nothing.) "aside from what his hand attains": We are hereby apprised that if he said: I am a Nazirite on condition that I shave over a hundred burnt-offerings and a hundred peace-offerings, I recite over him "According to his vow that he vows thus shall he do." I might think (that the same applies) even if he said: I am a Nazirite on condition that I shave over a hundred sin-offerings and a hundred guilt-offerings. It is, therefore, written "that he vows." It applies only to offerings that are brought as vows and gifts (to exclude the above). I might think that even if he said "I undertake five Naziritisms (on condition) that I shave one shaving for all," I recite over him "according to his vow that he vows"; it is, therefore, written "thus shall he do according to the law of his Naziritism" (i.e., he must shave for each Naziritism individually). R. Eliezer b. Shamua and R. Yochanan Hasandlar asked R. Shimon b. Yochai: If one were a clean Nazirite (as opposed to one defiled by the dead) and a leper, may he perform one shaving, which satisfies both his Naziritism and his leprosy? He answered: Is this possible? If each shaved in order to grow hair, or if each shaved in order to remove hair, your question would be in place; but the leper shaves in order to grow hair (for he must shave a second time after his count (viz. Vayikra 14:9), and the Nazirite shaves in order to remove hair, so how can one shaving serve for both? — If not, let it (one shaving) suffice for the days of his (the leper's state of) confirmation and his (the Nazirite's) counting, (where both shave in order to remove hair). He answered: If both were before the sprinkling of the blood, your question would be in place. But the (confirmation) shaving of the leper is before the sprinkling of the blood, and that of the Nazirite, after the sprinkling of the blood. They responded: If it (one shaving) does not suffice for the days of his leprosy and a clean Nazirite, let it suffice for the days of his leprosy and an unclean (i.e., defiled) Nazirite. He answered: An unclean Nazirite in the days of his (the leper's) counting — the intent of one (the leper) is to grow hair, and of the other (the Nazirite), to remove it. An unclean Nazirite in the days of his (the leper's) confirmation, (even though the intent of both is to remove it) — one, (the leper, shaves) before the administration of the waters of the red heifer; the other, (the Nazirite, shaves) after the administration of the waters. The conditions (for a single shaving) cannot be satisfied, neither in the days of his (the leper's) consummation nor in the days of his counting; neither with an unclean (Nazirite) nor with a clean one.