Midrasz do Rodzaju 10:4

(Numb. 11:16:) “Gather Me seventy man (sic)⁶³The midrash is ignoring the fact that Hebrew uses singular nouns with large numbers in order to build an interpretation on this singular usage. from the elders of Israel.”⁶⁴Numb. R. 5:23. This text is related (to Prov. 22:11), “The one who loves purity of heart has grace on his lips, has a king as his friend.” Why did He not say to him (in Numb. 11:16), “seventy men" (with "men" in the plural), instead of “seventy man.” It is simply that He said to him, “seventy man (ish) [with the singular ish indicating] singular individuals,⁶⁵I.e. singular individuals like the one described in Prov. 22:11. because they were to be like Me and you, as stated (Exod. 15:3:) “The Lord is a Man (ish) of war,” [and it is likewise] stated (Numb. 12:3), “Now the man (ish) Moses was very humble.” (Numb. 11:16:) “Gather Me [seventy men from the elders of Israel].” But did you not have elders before?⁶⁶Numb. R. 15:24. Here now it is written concerning Mount Sinai (in Exod. 24:9), “Then there went up Moses […] and the seventy elders of Israel”; and this parashah (with Numb. 11:16) comes after that. So where were the[se earlier] elders? It is simply that, when Israel did those things which are stated (in Numb. 11:1), “Now the people were as murmurers […] then the fire of the Lord burned against them,” they were all destroyed by fire at that time. It is simply that their burning was like the burning of Nadab and Abihu, for they also had acted with disrespect on ascending Sinai, when they saw the Divine Presence. It is so stated (in Exod. 24:11), “they beheld God, and they ate and drank.” Was there eating and drinking there? To what is the matter comparable? To a servant who attended his master while [holding] a slice of bread in his hand and taking bites from it. Similarly had they acted with disrespect as though eating and drinking. So the elders along with Nadab and Abihu deserved to be destroyed by fire on that day; but because the giving of Torah was dear to the Holy One, blessed be He, He therefore did not want to harm them and bring calamity to them on that day. This is what is written (ibid.), “But He (the Holy One, blessed be He,) did not raise His hand against the nobles of the Children of Israel.” From this you may infer that they deserved to have a hand raised [against them]. After a time, however, they were destroyed by fire. Nadab and Abihu were destroyed by fire as they entered the tent of meeting, while the elders were destroyed by fire when they were filled with lusting, as stated (in Numb. 11:4), “Then the rabble (ha'safsuf) which was in their midst became filled with lust.” Who were the rabble (ha'safsuf)? R. Simeon ben Menasya and R. Simeon bar Abba [differed on the matter]. One said, “These were the proselytes who came up with them from Egypt and who were gathered (ne'esafim) together with them as stated (in Exod. 12:38), ‘And a mixed multitude went up with them.’” But the other said, “Rabble can only be a Sanhedrin, since it is stated (in Numb. 11:16), ‘Gather (esfah) Me seventy men.’” What [else] is written there (in Numb. 11:1)? “Then the fire of the Lord burned against them and consumed them in the outskirts (qetseh) of the camp,” [i.e.,] among the selected (muqetsim) in the camp. And where is it shown that those elders who went up onto the mountain were destroyed by fire? Where it is stated (in Ps. 106:18), “And fire broke out in their company ('edah),” since company ('edah) can only be a Sanhedrin as stated (in Numb. 15:24), “And it shall come to pass that if it was done [by mistake] away from the eyes of the congregation ('edah).”⁶⁷I.e. the leaders of the congregation. So Rashi on Numb. 15:24. It is also written (in Lev. 4:13), “And if the whole congregation ('edah) of Israel⁶⁸This expression was often interpreted as denoting the Sanhedrin. So Sifra to Lev. 4:13 (42: Wayyiqra parashah 4); R. Meir in Hor. 5a; Rashi on Lev. 4:13. should err.” And so did David say (in Ps. 78:31), “When God’s anger flared up at them, He slew their sturdiest,” these were the Sanhedrin; “struck down the chosen of Israel,” these were the chosen ones that were called elders, about whom it is written (in II Sam. 6:1), “And David still added to the chosen among Israel.” Then they wept again and demanded meat. Now you might say, “What they wanted was flesh? Did it not come about that the manna became whatever they wanted inside of their mouths, as stated (in Ps. 106:15), ‘So He gave them what they asked for...’?” And in case you should say that they did not have oxen and cattle in the desert, has it not already stated (in Exod. 12:38), “And a mixed multitude went up with them and flocks and herds.” And in case you should say they ate them in the desert, is it not written (in Numb. 32:1), “Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had much livestock?” From here R. Simeon said, “It was not meat for which they lusted, since it says so (in Ps. 78:27), ‘And He rained down flesh (she'er) upon them like dust.’ Now she'er must denote illicit intercourse since it is stated (in Lev. 18:6), ‘None of you shall approach any close (she'er) relation to him.’ Ergo, it [really] says that they desired to permit illicit intercourse for themselves; and so it says (in Numb. 11:10), ‘Now Moses heard the people weeping for their families.’”⁶⁹See Yoma 75a according to which they were weeping here because of the family relations with whom they were forbidden to have intercourse. Thus when they desired such [relations] (ibid. cont.), “the Lord was very angry and it was bad in the eyes of Moses.” At that time Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He, (in vs. 11), “’Why have you mistreated Your servant […]?’ In the past there was one with me who would bear the burden of Israel, but now I am alone.” Thus it is written (in vs. 14-15), “I am not able to bear [all] this people alone…. So if You are dealing like this with me, please truly kill me.” At that time the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Appoint other elders instead of those elders.” It is so stated] (in vs. 16), “Gather Me seventy men.” (Numb. 11:17:) “Then I will come down and speak with you there.” [This verse is] to inform you that the day for appointing elders was as dear to the Holy One, blessed be He, as the day for the giving of Torah.⁷⁰Numb. R. 15:25. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 19:11), “for on the third day the Lord will come down”; and also (in Numb. 11:17) with reference to appointing the elders, “I will come down,” is written. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had an orchard and hired a guard for it. Then he gave him the payment of a guard for him to guard the orchard. After a time the guard said to him, “I cannot guard all of it myself. Rather give me others to guard it with me.” The king said to him, “I have given the entire orchard into your keeping, and I have given you all the payment for guarding it; but now you would say to me, ‘Go and bring others to guard it with me.’ See I am bringing others to guard with you, but observe that I am not giving them their payment from what belongs to me. Rather it is from your payment which I have given you that they are receiving their payment.” Similarly did the Holy One, blessed be He, speak to Moses. When [Moses] said to Him, “I cannot [do everything] alone,” the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I have given you understanding and knowledge to sustain⁷¹PRNS. Cf. Gk.: pronoos (“prudent”). My children. Moreover, I did not want others, simply so that you would have strength and knowledge and so that you would stand alone in that greatness. But now you are the one who wants others. Be aware that they will receive [payment], not from what is Mine, but from what is yours.” It is so stated (in Numb. 11:17.), “and I will set aside some of the spirit which is upon you and put it on them [...].” Nevertheless Moses did not lack anything. You should know that after forty years He said to Moses (in Numb. 27:18, 20), “Take Joshua ben Nun …. And put some of your glory upon him.” Then what is written about Joshua (in Deut. 34:9)? “Now Joshua ben Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom.” Why? (Ibid. cont.:) “Because Moses had laid his hands upon him.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “In this world [only] individuals have prophesied, but in the world to come all Israel shall become prophets.” It is so stated (in Joel 3:1), “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh so that your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.”⁷²See also above Gen. 10:4; cf. Deut. R. 6:14. So did R. Tanchuma bar Abba expound.

And the sons of Elishah are, the Alemania; and they also went and built for themselves cities, ‎and those cities are situated between the moun tains of Jub and of Shubtham. And these ‎families conquered Italah and they dwelt there even unto this day. And the children of Kittim ‎are the Romim that dwell in the valley of Kanphia, by the waters of Tiberu. And the sons of ‎Dodanim are the families that dwell in the cities by the sea Gihon in the land of Bordenah. ‎These are the families of the sons of Japheth and their languages, after they were scattered ‎abroad through the building of the tower; and they called their cities also after their own ‎names or after some of their occurrences. And these are the names of all their cities, named ‎after their families, which they built in those days, after the tower. And the sons of Ham are: ‎Cush and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan according to their families and their cities. All these ‎families went and built for themselves cities, as they found suitable localities, and they called ‎their cities after the names of their sires: Cush and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. And the ‎sons of Mizraim are: Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, and Pathrusim, and ‎Casluhim, and Caph torim; seven families, and all these dwelt by the river Shihor, which is the ‎river of Egypt; and when they built their cities they called them after their own names. And the ‎sons of Pathrus and the sons of Casluh inter married with each other, and from them came the ‎Pilishtim, and the Agathim, and the Gerarim, and the Gathim, and the Ekronim, altogether five ‎families. These also built cities for themselves, calling their names after the names of their ‎sires, even to this day. And the sons of Canaan also built cities for themselves, calling them ‎after their own names, eleven cities, and suburbs beyond number. - - And four men went ‎away from the family of Ham, and they came to the land of the plain, and these are the names ‎of the four men: Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim. And these men built unto ‎themselves four cities in the land of the plain, calling the names of the cities after their own ‎names. And they dwelt in those cities, with their children and with all that was theirs, and they ‎were very fruitful and they multiplied themselves greatly, and they dwelt securely. And Seir, ‎the son of Hori, the son of Hivi, the son of Canaan, went away and discovered a valley opposite ‎Mount Paran, and he built a city therein and he dwelt there with his seven sons and his ‎household. And he called the city which he built, Seir, after his own name; this is the land of ‎Seir even to this day. These are the families of the sons of Ham according to their tongues and ‎cities, whither they have been scattered after the destruction of the tower.‎

(Numb. 11:17:) THEN I WILL COME DOWN AND SPEAK WITH YOU THERE. <This verse is> to inform you that the day for appointing elders was as dear to the Holy One as the day for the giving of Torah.¹⁰⁵Tanh. Numb. 3:16, cont.; Numb. R. 15:25. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 19:11): FOR ON THE THIRD DAY THE LORD WILL COME DOWN … <UPON MOUNT SINAI>; and also (in Numb. 11:17) with reference to appointing the elders, I WILL COME DOWN is written. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had an orchard and hired a guard for it. Then he gave him the payment of a guard for him to guard to orchard. After a time the guard said to him: I cannot guard all of it myself. Rather give me others to guard it with me. The king said to him: I have given the entire orchard into your keeping, and I have given you all the payment for guarding it; but now you would say to me: Go and bring others to guard it with me. See I am bringing others to guard with you, but observe that I am not giving them their payment from what belongs to me. Rather it is from your payment which I have given you that they are receiving their payment. Similarly did the Holy One speak to Moses. When <Moses> said to him: I cannot <do everything> alone; the Holy One said to him: I have given you understanding and knowledge to sustain¹⁰⁶PRNS. Cf. Gk.: pronoos (“prudent”). my children. Moreover, I did not want others, merely so that you would have strength and knowledge and so that you would stand alone in that greatness. But now you are the one who wants others. Be aware that they will receive <payment>, not from what is mine, but from what is yours. It is so stated (in Numb. 11:17.): AND I WILL SET ASIDE SOME OF THE SPIRIT WHICH IS UPON YOU <AND PUT IT ON THEM>. Nevertheless Moses did not lack anything. You should know that after forty years he said to Moses (in Numb. 27:18, 20): TAKE JOSHUA BEN NUN … AND PUT SOME OF YOUR GLORY UPON HIM. Then what is written about Joshua (in Deut. 34:9)? NOW JOSHUA BEN NUN WAS FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM. Why? (Ibid. cont.:) BECAUSE MOSES HAD LAID HIS HANDS UPON HIM. The Holy One said: In this world individuals have prophesied, but in the world to come all Israel shall become prophets. It is so stated (in Joel 3:1 [2:28]): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS AFTERWARD THAT I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT UPON ALL FLESH SO THAT YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY.¹⁰⁷See also above Gen. 10:4; cf. Deut. R. 6:14; also Acts 2:16ff.

"The descendants of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan (Genesis 10:2)": Rabbi Samuel son of Ammi said: "This is Africa, Germania, Media, Macedonia Isania". "And Tiras": Rabbi Simon said: "This is Persia". The Rabbis said: "Thrace". "The descendants of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah (Genesis 10:3)": Asia, Adiabene, and Germania. Rabbi Berechya said: "Germanica". "The descendants of Javan: Elishah and Tarshish (Genesis 10:4)": Hellas, Italia, Dardania. One verse says: "the Dodanim" and a different verse says "the Rodanim (1 Chronicles 1:7)". Rabbi Simon and Rabbi Chanin: Rabbi Simon said: "Dodanim" because they are the children of the uncles [dodin] of Israel, Rodanim because they went and attack [rodin] them". Rabbi Chanina said: "When Israel was placed in a high position they came and said to them, we are the children of your uncle [dod-khen], and when they are placed in a low position they come and attack [rodin] them".