이사야 40:12 미드라쉬: Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Otzar Midrashim, Bamidbar Rabbah & Midrash Tanchuma

(Gen. 41:1:) NOW IT CAME TO PASS AT THE END OF TWO FULL YEARS THAT PHARAOH DREAMED. This text is related (to Job 28:3): HE PUTS AN END TO THE DARKNESS, AND HE SEARCHES OUT EVERY LIMIT. ¹Gen. R. 89:1; Gen. R. 97, New Version, on Gen. 49:13 (= p. 1221 in the Theodor-Albeck edition). There is an end to everything: to the mountains, the hills, the wind, and the waters, even to empty words, even to the darkness. Where is it shown for mountains? Where it is stated (in Is. 40:12): WHO WEIGHS MOUNTAINS WITH A BALANCE AND HILLS WITH SCALES. Where is it shown for the wind? Where it is stated (in Job 28:25): TO FIX A WEIGHT FOR THE WIND. And where is it shown for the waters? (Ibid., cont.:) AND HE HAS FIXED THE WATERS BY MEASURE. Where is it shown for darkness? (Job 28:3:) HE PUTS AN END TO THE DARKNESS. Every single thing, when it comes to a person, even afflictions, has an end. Thus it is stated (ibid., cont.): AND HE SEARCHES OUT EVERY LIMIT. So the Holy One sits and searches out whether afflictions are required for < a person > or not, as stated (ibid.): AND HE SEARCHES OUT EVERY LIMIT. Resh Laqish said: Who has been the cause of this person having afflictions {and deep darkness} come upon him? [(Ibid., cont.:) A STONE OF DARKNESS AND SHADOWY DEATH.] A STONE: This is the evil drive (yetser hara) because it is comparable to the stone of which it is stated (in Ezek. 36:26): I WILL REMOVE THE HEART OF STONE FROM YOUR FLESH.²Suk. 32a. Ergo (in Job 28:3): A STONE OF DARKNESS AND SHADOWY DEATH.

The black part of His right eye is two hundred one thousand and nine hundred parsas, and so too of the left. Of the right: Aleph Zayin Reish Yod Aleph Aleph Tetetitof Samekh, its name. And the minister's name is Rehavael, and upon it is Shavu Aleph Lamed Mem Tet Gimel Refumtzi Aleph, its name. And the rays emanating from it illuminate all creatures. The white of His right eye twenty-two thousand and two parsas, and so too of the left, and its name is Bazakue Aleph. From the right shoulder to the left shoulder sixteen thousand myriads parsas. The right shoulder's name is Metatgrei Aleph Anan Nun. The name of the left is Titmahint Aleph, and it has another name Shalem Aleph Yud Nun Aleph Lamed. From the right arm to the left arm twelve thousand myriads of parsas. His arms are double. The right arm: Gevrahazaz Heh Ayin Kuf Vav, its name. And the left: Metatgatzatz Heh Vav, its name. The fingers of His right hand fifteen thousand myriads parsas in each finger, and so too of the left. Of the right: Tatmetzametz Gagmut Gagshamsh. And of the left: Tav Tzadi Mem Peh, Tatmat, Aganmatz, Agmat, and roses - and so too you count starting from the thumb and going on. The palms of His hands four thousand myriads of parsas, and so too of the left. Of the right: Hehzai Aleph Atgarai Aleph, its name. And of the left: Ashahuazi Heh, its name. And the toes of His right foot ten thousand myriads parsas in each toe, and so too of the left. Of the right: Atermiz Atdiraz Biramin Biritheimi and Ahuvaz. And of the left: Zakai Aleph Kizakai Aleph, Heh Tav Mem Aleph, Ahuvaz - and in the hands you count going on. Therefore He is called the great, mighty and awesome God, as it says "For the Lord your God, He is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great mighty and awesome God." But he said to him: Say over the accounting of all the parsas - what is their measurement? Each parsah is three miles, each mile ten thousand cubits, each cubit two spans of his span, and his span fills the entire world, as it says "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and set the heavens with a span?" (Isaiah 40:12).

Another matter, “The number of the children of Israel will be…” (Hosea 2:1), Rabbi Avin HaLevi bar Rabbi began: “Everything by number and by weight…” (Ezra 8:34). Rabbi Avin said: All matters have a measure. Water has a measure, as it is stated: “Who measured the water in the hollow of his hand?” (Isaiah 40:12). The heavens have a measure, as it is stated: “And gauged the heavens with a span” (Isaiah 40:12). The dust has a measure, as it is stated: “And meted the dust of the earth with a measure” (Isaiah 40:12). The mountains have a measure, as it is stated: “And weighed mountains with scales” (Isaiah 40:12). Hills have a measure, as it is stated: “And hills with a balance” (Isaiah 40:12). All matters have a measure, as it is stated: “Everything by number and by weight.” The one who has neither weight nor measure is Israel, who have neither weight nor measure, as it is stated: “The number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea [which cannot be measured and cannot be counted].” Just as the sand of the sea has no measure, the same is true for Israel.
To what is this matter comparable? It is to one who knew three crafts; he was a goldsmith, a potter, and a glazier.⁴²Of these types of craft, a goldsmith is considered the most sophisticated, the potter the lowest, and the glazier the middle. Anyone who was fond of him called him son of a goldsmith. Anyone who hated him called him [son] of a potter. Anyone who neither loved him nor hated him would call him [son] of a glazier. So it was with Moses; because he loved Israel, he likened them to stars, as it is stated: “Behold you are today as the stars of the heavens in abundance” (Deuteronomy 1:10). But Bilam, who hated them, likened them to dust, as it is stated: “Who has counted the dust of Jacob?” (Numbers 23:10). Hosea, who was neutral, he neither loved nor hated, likened them to sand, as it is stated: “The number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea.”
Another matter, “like the sand of the sea,” Israel was likened to sand and the nations to lime, as it is stated: “Peoples will be burnings of lime” (Isaiah 33:12). If you do not place sand with the lime, it has no endurance. So, if there is no Israel, the nations of the world would be unable to endure. So you find that were it not for Joseph, Egypt would have been lost in the famine. Likewise, were it not for Daniel, the wise men of Babylon would have been lost.
Rabbi Menaḥma in the name of Rabbi Beivai, Rabba in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov: Israel was likened to sand; just as this sand, you make a hole in it in the evening and in the morning, you find that it is filled, so all the thousands that were lost in the days of David were restored in the days of Solomon, as it is stated: “Judah and Israel were numerous, like the sand that is by the sea in abundance” (I Kings 4:20). Rabbi Elazar in the name of Rabbi Yosei ban Zimra: Any time that Israel was counted for a purpose, they did not suffer a loss; for no purpose, they suffered a loss. Which is the time that they were counted for a purpose? It was in the days of Moses, with the banners and in the distribution of the land. For no purpose, it was in the days of David.