מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָ֫וִ֥ד הָב֣וּ לַֽ֭יהוָה בְּנֵ֣י אֵלִ֑ים הָב֥וּ לַ֝יהוָ֗ה כָּב֥וֹד וָעֹֽז׃
[다윗의 시] 너희 권능 있는 자들아 영광과 능력을 여호와께 돌리고 돌릴지어다
Midrash Tanchuma
R. Simeon was of the opinion that this number corresponds to the eighteen psalms from the beginning of the Book of Psalms until the verse The Lord will answer thee in a day of trouble (ibid. 20:2); that is to say, you will be answered through your prayers. And thus it is said: The Lord will answer you in a day of trouble, as it is said at the end of Psalm eighteen: The Lord will answer thee, etc. R. Joshua the son of Levi maintained that the eighteen benedictions correspond to the eighteen times the Divine Name is mentioned in the psalm Ascribe unto the Lord, O ye sons of might (Ps. 29:1).
Vayikra Rabbah
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said in the name of Rabbi Natan: Eighteen commands are written in the portion of the Tabernacle,15The phrase “as the Lord commanded Moses” appears eighteen times in Exodus chapter 39. corresponding to the eighteen vertebrae in the spine. Corresponding to them, the Sages instituted the eighteen blessings in the Amida prayer, corresponding [also] to the eighteen mentions of God’s name in the recitation of Shema, and corresponding to the eighteen mentions of God’s name in: “Give to the Lord, sons of the mighty” (Psalms 29:1). Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Only from “With him was Oholiav son of Aḥisamakh, of the tribe of Dan” (Exodus 38:23) until the end of the book.16The eighteen mentions of God’s commands begin from Exodus 38:23. They do not include Exodus 38:22, which states: “Betzalel, son of Uri, son of Ḥur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord commanded Moses.”
This is analogous to a king who entered a city and with him were commanders, governors, and generals, and the people did not know which was most beloved of them all. The one to whom the king turns and speaks is the most beloved of them all. So too, “To Moses, He said: Ascend [to the Lord,] you and Aaron, Nadav and Avihu and seventy of the elders of Israel” (Exodus 24:1), but we do not know which of them was the most beloved of them all. It is, rather, the one whom the Holy One blessed be He calls and speaks with him. That is why it is stated: “He called to Moses.”
This is analogous to a king who enters a city. With whom does he speak first? Is it not with the overseer of the city’s food markets? Why? Because he is occupied with the sustenance of the city. So too, Moses was occupied with the burdens of Israel. He said to them: ‘This animal you may eat, and that one you may not eat’: “This you shall eat from all that is in the water…” (Leviticus 11:9); “these you shall abominate from the birds” (Leviticus 11:13) – abominate these, do not abominate those; “this is impure to you” (Leviticus 11:29) – this is impure, that is not impure. That is why it is stated: “He called to Moses.”
This is analogous to a king who entered a city and with him were commanders, governors, and generals, and the people did not know which was most beloved of them all. The one to whom the king turns and speaks is the most beloved of them all. So too, “To Moses, He said: Ascend [to the Lord,] you and Aaron, Nadav and Avihu and seventy of the elders of Israel” (Exodus 24:1), but we do not know which of them was the most beloved of them all. It is, rather, the one whom the Holy One blessed be He calls and speaks with him. That is why it is stated: “He called to Moses.”
This is analogous to a king who enters a city. With whom does he speak first? Is it not with the overseer of the city’s food markets? Why? Because he is occupied with the sustenance of the city. So too, Moses was occupied with the burdens of Israel. He said to them: ‘This animal you may eat, and that one you may not eat’: “This you shall eat from all that is in the water…” (Leviticus 11:9); “these you shall abominate from the birds” (Leviticus 11:13) – abominate these, do not abominate those; “this is impure to you” (Leviticus 11:29) – this is impure, that is not impure. That is why it is stated: “He called to Moses.”
Bamidbar Rabbah
“The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying” (Numbers 2:1).
“The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying.” In eighteen places you find Moses and Aaron as equals, corresponding to the eighteen blessings. The three patriarchs, from there you find a fixed obligation that one prays three times daily. Abraham instituted the morning prayer, as it is stated: “Abraham arose early in the morning [to the place where he had stood before the Lord]” (Genesis 19:27). Standing is nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “Pinḥas stood and prayed” (Psalms 106:30). Isaac instituted the afternoon prayer, as it is stated: “Isaac went out to stroll [lasuaḥ]” (Genesis 24:63). Siḥa is nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “The prayer of a poor man when he is faint [and pours out his plea [siḥo] before the Lord]” (Psalms 102:1). Jacob instituted the evening prayer, as it is stated: “He encountered [vayifga] the place…” (Genesis 28:11). Pegia is nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “And you, do not pray on behalf of this people…[and do not plead [tifga] with Me]” (Jeremiah 7:16). In eighteen places Moses and Aaron are paired.
An allusion to the eighteen blessings; they correspond to the eighteen mentions of God’s name that are written in Shema Yisrael and in: “A psalm by David. Give to the Lord, sons of the mighty” (Psalms 29:1). The three patriarchs instituted that one prays three times daily, and Moses and Aaron [are paired in eighteen places], and from these eighteen mentions of God’s name we derived eighteen blessings.
“The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying.” In eighteen places you find Moses and Aaron as equals, corresponding to the eighteen blessings. The three patriarchs, from there you find a fixed obligation that one prays three times daily. Abraham instituted the morning prayer, as it is stated: “Abraham arose early in the morning [to the place where he had stood before the Lord]” (Genesis 19:27). Standing is nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “Pinḥas stood and prayed” (Psalms 106:30). Isaac instituted the afternoon prayer, as it is stated: “Isaac went out to stroll [lasuaḥ]” (Genesis 24:63). Siḥa is nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “The prayer of a poor man when he is faint [and pours out his plea [siḥo] before the Lord]” (Psalms 102:1). Jacob instituted the evening prayer, as it is stated: “He encountered [vayifga] the place…” (Genesis 28:11). Pegia is nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “And you, do not pray on behalf of this people…[and do not plead [tifga] with Me]” (Jeremiah 7:16). In eighteen places Moses and Aaron are paired.
An allusion to the eighteen blessings; they correspond to the eighteen mentions of God’s name that are written in Shema Yisrael and in: “A psalm by David. Give to the Lord, sons of the mighty” (Psalms 29:1). The three patriarchs instituted that one prays three times daily, and Moses and Aaron [are paired in eighteen places], and from these eighteen mentions of God’s name we derived eighteen blessings.