Midrash su Salmi 78:27

"she'eirah": This is her food, as in (Michah 3:3) "and who eat the she'er of My people", and (Psalms 78:27) "He rained she'er (manna) upon them as dust." (Exodus, Ibid.) "kesuthah": as stated (i.e., "her clothing"), "and onathah": her (conjugal) time, as in (Genesis 34:2) "And he lay with her and ye'anehah." These are the words of R. Yoshiyah. R. Yonathan says: "she'erah" is her clothing, i.e., clothing that is adapted to her flesh ("she'er"). If she were young, he should not give her (the clothing) of an elderly woman. If she were elderly, he should not give her (the clothing) of a young woman. "and her onah" (time): He should not give her summer (clothing) in the winter or winter (clothing) in the summer, but each (garment) in its time. Whence is "her food" derived? It follows a fortiori, viz.: If he is not permitted to withhold from her things which are not life sustaining, how much more so things which are life sustaining! Whence is "her (conjugal) time derived? It follows a fortiori, viz. If he is not permitted to withhold from her things which she was not married for in the beginning, how much more so things which she was married for in the beginning! Rebbi says: "she'erah" is her conjugal time, as in (Leviticus 18:6) "A man, to all the she'er (flesh) of his kin shall not draw near" (for cohabitation), and (in the same connection) (Ibid. 12, 13) "She is the she'er of your father", "She is the she'er of your mother." "kesuthah": as per its plain meaning (i.e., "her clothing.) "onathah" — "her food", as in (Devarim 8:3) "vayeanchah" and He caused you to hunger."

24 (Numb. 11:16) “Gather Me [seventy men from the elders of Israel]”: But did you not have elders before? 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, He collected their debt: Nadab and Abihu were also 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).”⁵¹I.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 Israel⁵²This 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 likewise it says (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 animal 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.’”⁵³See 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. 11:16:) “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.

(Numb. 11:16:) GATHER ME <SEVENTY PEOPLE FROM THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL>. But did you not have elders before?¹⁰¹Tanh. Numb. 3:16 cont.; Numb. 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, 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) STILL 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 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>. 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 ME [SEVENTY PEOPLE] <FROM THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL>. What <else> is written there (in vs. 1)? THEN THE FIRE OF THE LORD BURNED AGAINST THEM AND CONSUMED THEM IN THE OUTSKIRTS (qetseh) OF THE CAMP, <i.e.,> among the officers (qetsinim) 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)….¹⁰²I.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 ISRAEL¹⁰³This 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? Then they wept again and demanded meat. Now if you should say: What they wanted was flesh (not manna), did it not come about that the manna became whatever they wanted inside of their mouths. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 106:15): SO HE GAVE THEM WHAT THEY ASKED FOR. Again in case you should say that they did not have oxen and cattle in the desert, he caused to be written (in Exod. 12:38): AND A MIXED MULTITUDE WENT UP WITH THEM WITH 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 flesh for which they lusted, since it says so (in Ps. 78:27): AND HE RAINED DOWN MEAT (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.¹⁰⁴See 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…. At that time Moses said to the Holy One (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…. At that time the Holy One said to him: Appoint other elders instead of those elders. [It is so stated] (in vs. 16): GATHER ME SEVENTY PEOPLE <FROM THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL>.

(Bamidbar 11:32) "And the people rose all that day … hamamit": Read it not "hamamit" ("he that gathered least"), but "hamemuat" (the "least" among them, i.e., the indolent and the lame), gathered ten kor." (Ibid.) "Vayishtechu lahem shatoach": R. Yehudah says: Do not read it thus ("vayishtechu"), but "vayishchatu"("and they slaughtered"): We are hereby taught that what descended for them required shechitah (ritual slaughter). Rebbi says: This (derivation) is not needed, for it is already written (Psalms 78:27) "And he rained down upon them meat like dust and winged birds like the sand of seas." What, then, is the intent of "Vayishchetu lahem shatoach"? That it came down in layers (mashtichim). I might think that just as they gathered much, so, they ate much of it; it is, therefore, written (Bamidbar, Ibid. 11:33) "The flesh was yet between their teeth." He (the eater) did not finish biting it before his soul left him, as it is written (Psalms, Ibid. 31) "They had not yet been estranged from their craving; their food was still in their mouth, when the wrath of G-d rose against them and He smote their fattest." (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "And the wrath of the L-rd burned against the people, and the L-rd smote the people with a very great plague." We are hereby apprised that the L-rd sent against them a sore plague, the like of which had not been seen since the day they left Egypt." (Ibid. 34) "And he called the name of that place 'Kivroth Hata'avah' ("the graves of the lust"). I might think that this is its name of yore; it is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "for there they buried the people that lusted." It was thus called because of the event. (Ibid. 35) "From Kivroth Hata'avah the people traveled to Chatzeiroth, and they abode in Chatzeiroth": Now were there two Chatzeiroth, one from which they traveled and one in which they camped? But (the intent is) once Israel began to travel, they did not continue before they heard that Miriam became leprous and they turned back and camped behind them — wherefore, (Ibid. 12:16) "And afterwards the people traveled from Chatzeiroth" — "and they abode in Chatzeiroth."