여호수아 4:3 미드라쉬: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)

(Ib. b.)Our Rabbis were taught: How did Israel pass the Jordan? Other days the ark would follow two standards [divisions], but on that particular day it went in front, as it is said (Josh. 3, 11) Behold the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth ever before you into the Jordan. Other days the Levites would carry the Holy Ark, but on that particular day the priests carried it, as it is said (Ib., ib. 13) And it shall come to pass that as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, etc. We are taught in a Baraitha that R. Josi says: "In three places did the priests carry the ark; at the time when they crossed the Jordan; at the time when they encompassed Jericho and at the time when they took the Holy ark to its proper place [in the Temple]. (Fol. 34) And as soon as the feet of the priests touched the water, the water rolled backwards, as it is written (Ib., ib. 15) And as they that bore the ark were going up to the Jordan and the feet of the priests that bore the ark were dipped in the edge of the water ... ... ... that the waters which came down from above stood still and ran up as a wall, etc. How wide was the water. "Twelve square cubits equalling the camp of Israel," so is the opinion of R. Juda. Whereupon R. Elazar b. R. Simon said to him: "According to your opinion, what is lighter, man or water? Surely, we must say that water is lighter If so then why did not the water come and flood the man? We must therefore say that the water was heaped upward in an arch-like manner consisting of more than three hundred cubits in height, so that it was visible to all the Eastern and Western kings, as it is said (Ib. 5, 1) And it came to pass when all the kings of the Ammorites who were on this side of the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were over the sea, heard, etc. And so also did Rachab, the harlot, say to the messengers of Joshua (Ib 2, 10) For we have heard now that the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you, etc. And again it is written (Ib) And when we heard this, our hearts melted and there remained not any more courage in any man." When the priests were still in the Jordan, Joshua said to them: "You must realize that you are passing the Jordan upon the condition to drive out before you the inhabitants of the land, as it is said (Num 33 52) Then shall ye drive all the inhabitants from the land who came before you. If you will undertake to fulfill this duty well, but if not the water will come and overflow you, as it is said (Josh. 23, 15) Until He hath destroyed them off this good land." What is the meaning of Othchem (ye)? This means me and you. While they were still in the Jordan, Joshua said to them: (Ib. 4, 5) And take yourselves up, every one man a stone upon his shoulder. According to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; in order that this may be a sign among you, when your children ask any time to come, saying, 'What mean ye by these stones, etc. They should be a sign to the children that their forefathers crossed the Jordan. While still in the Jordan, Joshua said to them (Ib. 4, 3) Take yourselves hence out of the midst of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests feet stood firmly twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place, etc. One might think that in whatever lodging place they should stop they should leave it. It is, however, said in the passage. Where ye will lodge this night.

Come and see how many miracles were wrought on that day! — Israel crossed the Jordan, came to Mt. Gerizem and Mt. Ebal, which is a distance of more than sixty miles; no creature of the world could stand against them [Israel], and whoever did stand against them, became ill immediately, as it is said (Ex. 23, 27) My terror will I send before thee, and will discomfit all the people to whom thou shall come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee, and again it is said (Ib. 15, 16) Terror and dread falleth upon them; by the greatness of Thine arm they are as still as a stone: till Thy people pass over, O Lord, this refers to the first entrance into the land of Israel; Till these people pass over, which Thou hast purchased, this refers to the second entrance into the land of Israel. Hence it may be inferred that Israel deserved that a miracle should be wrought for them, in the second entrance [during the days of Ezra], just as it happened during the first entrance; however, Israel's sin prevented the fulfillment of this. Afterwards they brought [on that very same day] stones and erected an altar, covered it with plaster and inscribed upon it the entire Torah in seventy languages, as it is said (Deut. 27, 8) Very plainly. They then offered burnt and peaceofferings, afterwards they ate, drank and rejoiced. They then pronounced the blessings [facing Mt. Gerizim] and the curses [facing Mt. Ebal] and they packed up the stones and spent their night in Gilgal, as it is said (Jos. 4, 3) And ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place. One may assume that they should be carried to each and every lodging place; it is therefore said (Ib.) Where ye will lodge this night, and again it is written (Ib.) And those twelve stones, which they had taken out of the Jordan did Joshua set up in Gilgal. We are taught in a Baraitha: The hornet did not cross the Jordan with Israel. Is this so? Behold it is written (Ex. 23, 29) I will send the hornet before thee, and it shall drive out, [hence it did pass the Jordan]? Said Resh Lakish: "It remained on the banks of the Jordan and from there threw its poison which blinded their eyes and rendered them impotent, as it is said (Amos 2, 9) Yet have I destroyed the Ammorite from before them, whose height was like the height of cedars, and who was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above and his roots from beneath." R. Papa said: "There were two kinds of hornets, one mentioned by Moses and the other by Joshua. The one mentioned by Moses did not pass the Jordan, but the one mentioned by Joshua did pass the Jordan." [Hence the above contradiction is explained].