הֶאָנֹכִ֣י הָרִ֗יתִי אֵ֚ת כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה אִם־אָנֹכִ֖י יְלִדְתִּ֑יהוּ כִּֽי־תֹאמַ֨ר אֵלַ֜י שָׂאֵ֣הוּ בְחֵיקֶ֗ךָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשָּׂ֤א הָאֹמֵן֙ אֶת־הַיֹּנֵ֔ק עַ֚ל הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתָּ לַאֲבֹתָֽיו׃
이 모든 백성을 내가 잉태하였나이까 내가 어찌 그들을 생산하였기에 주께서 나더러 양육하는 아비가 젖 먹는 아이를 품듯 그들을 품에 품고 주께서 그들의 열조에게 맹세하신 땅으로 가라 하시나이까
Bereshit Rabbah
Rabbi Hoshaya the Great began: “I1The speaker is Wisdom (the Torah) personified. was with Him as an amon, a delight day after day…” (Proverbs 8:30) – amon means a child’s caretaker, amon means covered, amon means hidden, and some say amon means greatness. Amon means a child’s caretaker, as it says: “As a caretaker [omen] carries a nursing child” (Numbers 11:12). Amon means covered, as it says: “Those covered [ha’emunim] in scarlet…” (Lamentations 4:5). Amon means hidden, as it says: “He was omen2This is expounded to mean that Mordekhai hid Esther from the emissaries of Aḥashverosh. Hadassa” (Esther 2:7). Amon means great, as it says: “Are you better than No Amon [which sits in the rivers]?” (Nahum 3:8), which we translate in Targum as: Are you better than the great city of Alexandria,3No (or No Amon) is the name of a city in Egypt. Targum identifies this city as Alexandria, and explains Amon to mean great. which is located among the rivers?
Another matter, amon means artisan [uman]. The Torah is saying: ‘I was the tool of craft of the Holy One blessed be He.’ The way of the world is that when a flesh-and-blood king builds a palace he does not build it based on his own knowledge, but rather based on the knowledge of an artisan.4A professional builder. And the artisan does not build it based on his own knowledge, but rather, he has [plans on] sheets and tablets by which to ascertain how he should build its rooms, how he should build its doors. So too, the Holy One blessed be He looked in the Torah and created the world. The Torah says: “Bereshit God created” (Genesis 1:1), and reshit is nothing other than the Torah, as it says: “The Lord made me at the beginning of [reshit] His way” (Proverbs 8:22).5Be-reshit is interpreted as ‘by means of the Torah.’
Another matter, amon means artisan [uman]. The Torah is saying: ‘I was the tool of craft of the Holy One blessed be He.’ The way of the world is that when a flesh-and-blood king builds a palace he does not build it based on his own knowledge, but rather based on the knowledge of an artisan.4A professional builder. And the artisan does not build it based on his own knowledge, but rather, he has [plans on] sheets and tablets by which to ascertain how he should build its rooms, how he should build its doors. So too, the Holy One blessed be He looked in the Torah and created the world. The Torah says: “Bereshit God created” (Genesis 1:1), and reshit is nothing other than the Torah, as it says: “The Lord made me at the beginning of [reshit] His way” (Proverbs 8:22).5Be-reshit is interpreted as ‘by means of the Torah.’
Devarim Rabbah
“May the Lord, God of your fathers, add to you one thousand times as you are, and He will bless you, as He spoke to you” (Deuteronomy 1:11).
“The Lord, God of your fathers” – halakha: Is it permitted for a man of Israel who was appointed as Sage or judge over the congregation to sit in judgment by himself? So taught our Rabbis: Do not judge alone, as there is only One who judges alone, as it is stated: “He is One, who can respond to Him?” (Job 23:13). What is “He is One”? Reish Lakish said: It is that the Holy One blessed be He judges and issues the ruling by Himself.
Rabbi Reuven said: What is the seal of the Holy One blessed be He? It is truth. Why is it truth [emet]? Emet has three letters: Alef – the first of the letters; mem – the middle one; tav – the last of them, saying: “I am first and I am last and besides Me there is no God” (Isaiah 44:6).
“Provide for yourselves men who are wise, understanding, and known to your tribes, and I will place them at your head” (Deuteronomy 1:13).
The Rabbis said: Come and see, when Moses was appointed over them, he said to them: ‘I am unable to bear your burden by myself; instead, appoint judges for yourselves, so that they will judge you,’ as it is stated: “Provide for yourselves men…”
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: Judges must have seven attributes, and they are: “Wise, understanding, and known to your tribes,” and four [additional attributes], as it is written elsewhere: “You shall identify from all the people [accomplished men, fearers of God, men of truth, haters of ill-gotten gain]” (Exodus 18:21). Why were the seven not written at once? It is [to indicate] that if [individuals] with the seven [attributes] are not found, one brings [individuals] who have four. If [individuals] with four are not found, one brings [individuals] who have three. If [individuals] with three are not found, one brings [individuals] with one, as so it is written: “An accomplished woman who can find?” (Proverbs 31:10).17This indicates that it is difficult to find even one individual who is accomplished, and being acccomplished is but one of the seven attributes that one should look for in a judge; if one finds one with this characteristic, one should appoint him (see Etz Yosef; Anaf Yosef).
“And I will place them [vaasimem] at your head” – vaasimem is written without a yod.18Thus, it can be read vaashamam, their guilt. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Moses said to them: ‘If you do not heed them, the guilt will be on your heads.’ To what is the matter comparable? To a serpent whose tail said to the head: ‘Until when will you go first? Let me go first.’ [The head] said to it: ‘Go.’ It went and encountered a water hole and cast [the head] into it. It went and encountered fire, and cast [the head] into the fire. It encountered thorns, and cast [the head] into them. What caused this? It is because the head followed the tail. So, when the lowly heed the great, [the great individuals] decree before the Omnipresent and He performs [their will].19They can pray and abolish any negative decrees that may have been decreed upon the people (Maharzu). But when the great follow the lowly, they fall [due to] those they are following.
Another matter, Rabbi Hoshaya said: To what is the matter comparable? To a bride who was standing under her wedding canopy and her hands became sooty. If she wipes them on the wall, the wall will become sooty and her hands will not be cleaned; if [she wipes them] on the floor mosaic, the floor mosaic will become sooty and her hands will not be cleaned. But if she wipes them on her hair, her hair will be beautified and her hands will be cleaned. So, when Israel heed their great ones, and their great ones do not attend to their needs,20If they do not provide proper leadership. the guilt is on the head of the great ones, but if not, [the guilt] will be on their own heads. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: When Israel heed their great ones and their great ones do not attend to their needs, at that moment: “The Lord will enter into judgment with the elders of His people and its princes” (Isaiah 3:14).
Why to that extent?21This question refers back to what was stated at the beginning of this passage (Devarim Rabba 1:10), that one should not judge alone (Maharzu). Because the burden of the congregation is very difficult, and no one person is capable of bearing the burden of the congregation by himself. Know that this is so, as Moses, master of all the prophets, was unable to bear the burden of the congregation by himself. From where is it derived? “I spoke to you at that time [saying: I am unable to bear you alone]” (Deuteronomy 1:9). At what time? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: At the time of Yitro’s [visit]. From where is this derived? As it is written: “As the matter is too arduous for you; you cannot do it by yourself” (Exodus 18:18). Rabbi Ḥiyya said: At the time of the complainers, as it is stated: “I cannot bear this entire people alone, because it is too heavy for me” (Numbers 11:14).
“Did I conceive [this entire people; did I give birth to it?]” (Numbers 11:12) – Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, you said: “Who have been borne [by Me] from birth, [who are carried from the womb]” (Isaiah 46:3) – it is appropriate for You to bear them.’
Moses said to Israel: ‘As you live, I am capable of bearing ten like you. Why, then, am I not capable of bearing you? It is because the Lord your God has multiplied you beyond the capability of your judges.’22Moses was capable of judging a nation ten times as large as Israel, but God bestowed upon them such blessing that they became haughty and could not bear to see another benefit at their expense, and therefore they would be quick to run to the judges to press their claims (Etz Yosef). From where is it derived? It is from what we read regarding the matter: “The Lord your God has multiplied you” (Deuteronomy 1:10).
“The Lord, God of your fathers” – halakha: Is it permitted for a man of Israel who was appointed as Sage or judge over the congregation to sit in judgment by himself? So taught our Rabbis: Do not judge alone, as there is only One who judges alone, as it is stated: “He is One, who can respond to Him?” (Job 23:13). What is “He is One”? Reish Lakish said: It is that the Holy One blessed be He judges and issues the ruling by Himself.
Rabbi Reuven said: What is the seal of the Holy One blessed be He? It is truth. Why is it truth [emet]? Emet has three letters: Alef – the first of the letters; mem – the middle one; tav – the last of them, saying: “I am first and I am last and besides Me there is no God” (Isaiah 44:6).
“Provide for yourselves men who are wise, understanding, and known to your tribes, and I will place them at your head” (Deuteronomy 1:13).
The Rabbis said: Come and see, when Moses was appointed over them, he said to them: ‘I am unable to bear your burden by myself; instead, appoint judges for yourselves, so that they will judge you,’ as it is stated: “Provide for yourselves men…”
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: Judges must have seven attributes, and they are: “Wise, understanding, and known to your tribes,” and four [additional attributes], as it is written elsewhere: “You shall identify from all the people [accomplished men, fearers of God, men of truth, haters of ill-gotten gain]” (Exodus 18:21). Why were the seven not written at once? It is [to indicate] that if [individuals] with the seven [attributes] are not found, one brings [individuals] who have four. If [individuals] with four are not found, one brings [individuals] who have three. If [individuals] with three are not found, one brings [individuals] with one, as so it is written: “An accomplished woman who can find?” (Proverbs 31:10).17This indicates that it is difficult to find even one individual who is accomplished, and being acccomplished is but one of the seven attributes that one should look for in a judge; if one finds one with this characteristic, one should appoint him (see Etz Yosef; Anaf Yosef).
“And I will place them [vaasimem] at your head” – vaasimem is written without a yod.18Thus, it can be read vaashamam, their guilt. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Moses said to them: ‘If you do not heed them, the guilt will be on your heads.’ To what is the matter comparable? To a serpent whose tail said to the head: ‘Until when will you go first? Let me go first.’ [The head] said to it: ‘Go.’ It went and encountered a water hole and cast [the head] into it. It went and encountered fire, and cast [the head] into the fire. It encountered thorns, and cast [the head] into them. What caused this? It is because the head followed the tail. So, when the lowly heed the great, [the great individuals] decree before the Omnipresent and He performs [their will].19They can pray and abolish any negative decrees that may have been decreed upon the people (Maharzu). But when the great follow the lowly, they fall [due to] those they are following.
Another matter, Rabbi Hoshaya said: To what is the matter comparable? To a bride who was standing under her wedding canopy and her hands became sooty. If she wipes them on the wall, the wall will become sooty and her hands will not be cleaned; if [she wipes them] on the floor mosaic, the floor mosaic will become sooty and her hands will not be cleaned. But if she wipes them on her hair, her hair will be beautified and her hands will be cleaned. So, when Israel heed their great ones, and their great ones do not attend to their needs,20If they do not provide proper leadership. the guilt is on the head of the great ones, but if not, [the guilt] will be on their own heads. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: When Israel heed their great ones and their great ones do not attend to their needs, at that moment: “The Lord will enter into judgment with the elders of His people and its princes” (Isaiah 3:14).
Why to that extent?21This question refers back to what was stated at the beginning of this passage (Devarim Rabba 1:10), that one should not judge alone (Maharzu). Because the burden of the congregation is very difficult, and no one person is capable of bearing the burden of the congregation by himself. Know that this is so, as Moses, master of all the prophets, was unable to bear the burden of the congregation by himself. From where is it derived? “I spoke to you at that time [saying: I am unable to bear you alone]” (Deuteronomy 1:9). At what time? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: At the time of Yitro’s [visit]. From where is this derived? As it is written: “As the matter is too arduous for you; you cannot do it by yourself” (Exodus 18:18). Rabbi Ḥiyya said: At the time of the complainers, as it is stated: “I cannot bear this entire people alone, because it is too heavy for me” (Numbers 11:14).
“Did I conceive [this entire people; did I give birth to it?]” (Numbers 11:12) – Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, you said: “Who have been borne [by Me] from birth, [who are carried from the womb]” (Isaiah 46:3) – it is appropriate for You to bear them.’
Moses said to Israel: ‘As you live, I am capable of bearing ten like you. Why, then, am I not capable of bearing you? It is because the Lord your God has multiplied you beyond the capability of your judges.’22Moses was capable of judging a nation ten times as large as Israel, but God bestowed upon them such blessing that they became haughty and could not bear to see another benefit at their expense, and therefore they would be quick to run to the judges to press their claims (Etz Yosef). From where is it derived? It is from what we read regarding the matter: “The Lord your God has multiplied you” (Deuteronomy 1:10).
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
The host of Rab had to try a case before him, and when he entered he said to Rab: "Do you remember that you were my guest?" "Yea," answered he, "but why did you come here?" He said: "I have a case to try." Thereupon Rab said (Fol. 8) "I am not fit to be a judge for your case." And he appointed R. Cahana to judge the case. R. Cahana, observing that he relied too much upon Rab, said to him: "If you listen to my decision, well and good; but if not, I will put Rab out of your mind" (i.e., I will put you under the ban). The small as well as the great shall ye hear. Resh Lakish said: "This means you shall treat a case of one peruta with the same exactness as you would treat a case involving a hundred manas." To what purpose was this said? Is this not self-evident? It means, if two cases come before you, one of a peruta and one of one hundred manas, you shall not say: "This is a small case, and I will see to it later." Ye shall not be afraid of any man. R. Chaniu said: "This means that the judge shall not withhold his words out of respect to a man;" for the judgment belongeth to God. R. Chama b. R. Chanina said: '"The Holy One, praised be He! said: 'It is not sufficient for the wicked to take away money from one and give it to another illegally; but they trouble Me even to return the money to its owner.' " Atid I commanded your judges at that time. Further it reads: I commanded you at that time. R. Elazar in the name of R. Simlai, said: "This is a warning for the congregation, that they should respect their judges; and, also, a warning to the judges that they should bear with the congregation." To what extent? R. Chanin (according to others R. Sabthai) said: "Even as a nursing father carrieth the sucking child." (Num. 11, 12).