민수기 15:37 미드라쉬: Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Midrash Tanchuma, Bamidbar Rabbah & Sifrei Devarim

(Numb. 16:1:) NOW KORAH < … > TOOK. What is written above on the matter (in Numb. 15:37–38)?⁵Tanh., Numb. 5:2; Numb. R. 18:3. <THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES, SAYING:> SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL [AND TELL THEM] TO MAKE TASSELS FOR THEMSELVES. Korah said to Moses our Master: Moses, in the case of a prayer shawl (tallit) which is all blue, what is the rule about it being exempt from <having> the tassel? Moses said to him: <Such a prayer shawl> is required to have the tassel. Korah said to him: Would not a prayer shawl which is all blue exempt itself, when four <blue> threads exempt it? In the case of a house which is full of <scriptural> books, what is the rule about it being exempt it from <having> the mezuzah (which contains only two passages of Scripture)? <Moses> said to him: <Such a house> is required to have the mezuzah. <Korah> said to him: Since the whole Torah has two hundred and seventy-five parashot in it,⁶Cf. yShab. 16:1 (15c); Soferim 16:10; M. Pss. 22:19, according to which there are 175 parashot in the Torah where an expression of speaking, saying, or commanding occurs. See also Alfa Beta deRabbi ‘Aqiva, longer recension, Tsade (Eisenstein, p. 421). and they do not exempt the house <from having the mezuzah>, would the two parashot which are in the mezuzah exempt the house? <He also> said to him: These are things about which you have not been commanded. Rather you are inventing them <by taking them> out of your own heart. Here is what is written (in Numb. 16:1): <NOW KORAH … > TOOK.

R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi, “There are four things that the evil drive would refute [as irrational], and for each of them is written [the word,] huqqah (i.e., an unquestioned statute).⁸⁴Although Huqqah is normally translated simply as “statute,” the word more fully denotes a command that demands implicit and unquestioned obedience. Huqqah is therefore translated “unquestioned statute” throughout this section. Now these concern the following: (1) the nakedness of a brother's wife, (2) diverse kinds, (3) the scapegoat, and (4) the red heifer.”⁸⁵PR 14:12; Numb. R. 19:5; see Yoma 67b. In regard to the nakedness of a brother's wife, it is written (in Lev. 18:16), “You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife”; [yet if the brother] dies without children [it is written] (in Deut. 25:5), “her brother-in-law shall have sexual intercourse with her [and take her for a wife].” And it is written about the sexual prohibitions (in Lev. 18:5), “And you shall keep [all] My unquestioned statutes [...].” In regard to diverse kinds, it is written (in Deut. 22:11), “You shall not wear interwoven stuff, [wool and flax together]”; yet a linen cloak⁸⁶Gk.: sindon. with [wool] tassels is permitted.⁸⁷See Numb. 15:37-38. And for [this commandment also] it is written, [that it is] an unquestioned statute. [Thus it is written (in Lev. 19:19),] “You shall keep My unquestioned statute. You shall not mate your cattle with a different kind…, [nor shall you wear a garment with diverse kinds of interwoven stuff].” In regard to the scapegoat, it is written (in Lev. 16:26), “And the one who sets the azazel-goat free shall wash his clothes”; yet it is [the goat] itself that atones for others. And for [this commandment also] it is written (in Lev. 16:34), “And this shall be to you an unquestioned statute forever.” In regard to the red heifer, where is it shown? Since we are taught (in Parah 4:4), “All engaged with the [rite of the red] heifer from beginning to end render [their] garments unclean”; yet it is [the heifer] itself that purifies [what is] unclean. And for [this commandment also] it is written, [that it is] an unquestioned statute. Thus it is written (in Numb. 19:2), “This is an unquestioned statute of the Torah.”

(Numb. 15:37-38:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses saying, ‘Speak unto the Children of Israel and tell them to make tassels for themselves.’” This text is related (to Ps. 97:11), “Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for those with an upright heart.”⁶⁶Numb. R. 17:5. It also says (in Is. 42:21), “The Lord [desired] because of His righteousness [to magnify and glorify the Torah].” The Holy One, blessed be He, sowed the Torah and the commandments for Israel, in order to bequeath them life in the world to come. He did not put a thing in the world concerning which He did not give Israel a commandment. Did [an Israelite] go out to plow? [There is] (Deut. 22:10), “You shall not plow with an ox and an ass together.” To sow? [There is] (Deut. 22:9), “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed.” To reap? [There is] (Deut. 24:19), “When you reap your harvest in your field [and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not return to take it.]” Did [an Israelite] thresh? [There is] (Numb. 25:4), “You shall not muzzle an ox in its threshing.” Did [an Israelite] knead? [There is] (Numb. 15:20), “Of the first of your dough you shall set aside a loaf (hallah) as an offering.” Did [an Israelite] butcher? [There is] (Deut. 18:3), “that one shall give the priest the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the stomach.” With respect to a bird's nest, [there is] (Deut. 22:7), “You shall surely send away.” Concerning animals and fowl, [there is] (Lev. 17:13), “he shall pour out its blood and cover it with dust.” Did he plant? [There is] (Lev. 19:23), “you shall regard [its fruit] as forbidden.” Did he bury the dead? [There is] (Deut. 14:1), “you shall not cut yourselves.” Did one shave hair? [There is] (Lev. 19:27), “You shall not round off the sideburns on your head.” Did he build a house? [There is] (Deut. 22:8), “you shall make a parapet [for your roof].” Concerning the doorposts, [there is] (Deut. 6:9), “And you shall write them upon the doorposts (mezuzot) of your house and on your gates.” Did he cover himself in a cloak (tallit)? [There is] (Numb. 15:38), “make tassels for themselves.” (Numb. 15:38:) “They make [tassels] for themselves.” Make them, and not that they shall be from [something already] made. Thus one must not extract threads⁶⁷Nimin, sing.: nima. Cf. Gk.: nema. from the cloak [itself] and make [tassels] from them. Rather [it is] a command to get [fresh] white and blue threads to make them.⁶⁸Cf. Men. 41b. When [did this rule apply]? When there was [a real] blue, but now we only have white, because the blue has been hidden. (Ibid., cont.:) “On the corners of [their garments].” Not in the middle, but on the corner. (Ibid., cont.:) “A twisted thread (petil).” And he must twist (petol) them. R. Meir said, “Why does blue differ from all [other] kinds of colors? Because blue resembles the sea; the sea resembles the firmament; and the firmament resembles the throne of glory. And from seeing it, he will remember his Creator” Thus it is stated (in Exod. 24:10), “And they saw the God of Israel, and under His feet there was something like brickwork of sapphire, like the heavens themselves for brightness.” (Numb. 15:39:) “So it shall be a tassel for you.” Thus it should be visible. And what is its size? Bet Shammai says, “Four fingers,” while Bet Hillel says “Three.”⁶⁹Men. 41b. And how many strings [should they have]? Bet Shammai says “Four,” while Bet Hillel says “Three.” (Ibid.:) “That you may see it.” [This is to] exclude a garment [typically worn] at night.⁷⁰Sifre to Numb. 15:39 (115); Men. 43a. Are you saying, it is to exclude a garment [worn] at night? Or is actually to exclude a blind person? Hence, it says again (in vs. 40), “So that you may remember.” Hence it ordains seeing and it ordains remembering: remembering for the one who does not see and seeing for the one who does see. (Vs. 39:) “That you may see it.” It (here) is masculine and not feminine.⁷¹Even though the antecedent, tassel, is feminine in Hebrew. As if you have done this, it is as if you see the throne of glory, since it is similar to the blue.⁷²Cf. also Sifre to Numb. 15:39 (115), where the argument is that the pronoun is IT (in the singular) and not THEM (in the plural) with reference to tassels. (Vss. 39-40:) “That you may see […]. So that you may remember.” The seeing leads to remembering [the commandments], and remembering leads to performing [them]. Thus it is stated (in vs. 40), “So that you may remember and perform all My commandments.” Why? (Deut. 32:47), “Because it is not a trifling thing for you.” To what is this comparable? To a homeowner who was evaluating his taxes, and writing settlements. His father said to him, “My son, be careful with the settlements, as your life is dependent upon them.” So did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to Israel (in Deuteronomy 32:47), “Because it is not a trifling thing for you.” (Numb. 15:39:) "So that you do not follow your heart.” The heart and the eyes are procurers for the body, in that they prostitute the body.⁷³Numb. R. 17:6. (Vs. 40:) “So that you may remember and perform all my commandments.” [The situation] is comparable to a certain person who was thrown into the midst of the water. The helmsman⁷⁴Gk.: kybernetes. extended a rope to him. He said to him, “Grab this rope with your hand, and do not let go of it; for if you do let go of it, you will lose your life.” So also did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to Israel, “As long as you adhere to the commandments, [the following holds true] (in Deut. 4:4), ‘But you who cling to the Lord your God are all alive today.’” And so it says (in Prov. 4:13), “Hold onto discipline, do not slack off; keep it, for it is your life.” (Numb. 15:40, cont.:) “And that you may be holy.” When you perform the commandments, you are made holy, and fear of you [comes] over the nations. [But if] you withdraw from the commandments and do sins, you immediately become profaned. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “In this world because of the evil drive, you withdraw from the commandments; [but] in the future to come I am rooting it out of you.” Thus it is stated (in Ezek. 36:26–27), “then I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My spirit within you; then I will make you walk in My statutes; and you will observe My ordinances [by performing them].”