וִיהִ֤י ׀ נֹ֤עַם אֲדֹנָ֥י אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ עָ֫לֵ֥ינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָ֭דֵינוּ כּוֹנְנָ֥ה עָלֵ֑ינוּ וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָ֝דֵ֗ינוּ כּוֹנְנֵֽהוּ׃
I niech będzie upodobanie Boga Pana naszego nad nami, a sprawę rąk naszych utwierdź pośród nas; tak, sprawę rąk naszych, utwierdź ją.
Seder Olam Rabbah
On the seventh day after the Ten Commandments Moshe went up on the mountain, as it says "The Presence of the LORD abode on Mount Sinai, and the cloud hid it for six days..." (Shemot 24:16) This was in order for Moshe to purify himself. "On the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud." (ibid.) "Moses went inside the cloud and ascended the mountain; and Moses remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights." (Shemot 24:18) On the 17th of Tammuz he came down and shattered the tablets, "The next day Moses said to the people, “You have been guilty of a great sin. Yet I will now go up to the LORD; perhaps I may win forgiveness for your sin.” Moshe went back up on the 18th of Tammuz and pleaded for mercy on behalf of Israel, as it is written "When I lay prostrate before the LORD those forty days and forty nights, because the LORD was determined to destroy you," (Devarim 9:25) At that moment, the Holy One once again viewed Israel with favor and said to Moshe to carve new tablets and to come up the mountain once again, as it says "Thereupon the LORD said to me, “Carve out two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to Me on the mountain; and make an ark of wood." (Devarim 10:1) He came down on the 28th of Av and carved the second tablets, as it says "So Moses carved two tablets of stone, like the first, and early in the morning he went up on Mount Sinai..." (Shemot 34:4) He went back up on the 29th of Av and the Torah was repeated to him a second time, as it says "I had stayed on the mountain, as I did the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD heeded me once again: the LORD agreed not to destroy you." (Devarim 10:10) 'As I did the first time,' just as the first was a time of favor, so too the second were a time of favor- we can derive from this that those in the middle were a time of anger. He came down on the 10th of Tishre, which was Yom Kippur, and announced to them that they had found favor before God (Hamakom), as it says "Pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Your own!” (Shemot 34:9) Therefore it was established as a fixed day and a remembrance for the generations, as it says "This shall be to you a law for all time: to make atonement for the Israelites for all their sins once a year..." (Vayikra 16:34)
Midrash Tanchuma
He blessed them forthwith, as is said: And Moses blessed them (ibid.). What blessing did he confer upon them? Our sages said: O Lord, God of our fathers, etc. (Deut. 1:11). R. Meir held that he said: “May it be His will that the Shekhinah will rest within the labors of your hands,” and (that) they replied: And let the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us (Ps. 90:17). Why is it stated so many times: According to all the Lord commanded Moses (Exod. 39:1)? Because the Israelites criticized Moses at the time they strove to erect the Tabernacle but could not do so. They said: “Perhaps the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses some simple thing to do to erect the Tabernacle, and (thus) Moses alone is responsible for all this difficulty.” Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Since you have criticized him, I will attach My name to whatever I command him. Thus it is written: According to all the Lord commanded Moses.
Bamidbar Rabbah
Another matter: “On the day that [Moses] concluded” – it is not written here, “on the day that he erected,” but rather, “on the day that [Moses] concluded [kalot].” It was the day that demons were eliminated [shekalu] from the world.
“It was on the day that Moses concluded…” – that is what is written: “The guardian of a fig tree will eat its fruit…” (Proverbs 27:18). It is speaking of Joshua, who attended to Moses, just as it says: “And his attendant, Joshua son of Nun, a lad, would not depart from within the tent” (Exodus 33:11). Why was the Torah likened to a fig tree? It is because most trees, the olive tree, the vine, the date tree, are each harvested all at once, while the fig tree is harvested little by little. So, the Torah, today one studies a little, and the next day a lot, because the Torah is not learned in one year nor in two. In its regard it is written: “The guardian of a fig tree.” What is “will eat its fruit”? The fruit of Torah is kingdom and dominion, as it is stated: “Through me kings reign…Through me rulers rule” (Proverbs 8:15–16).40Stated from the perspective of wisdom, or the Torah. That is what transpired for Joshua. Moses’ sons did not inherit his position; rather, Joshua inherited his position, just as it says: “Take you Joshua the son of Nun…[and lay your hand upon him]” (Numbers 27:18). “And the protector of his master will be honored” (Proverbs 27:18) – this is Joshua, who would attend to Moses day and night, just as it says: “Would not depart from within the tent.” And it says: “Moses, my master, restrain them” (Numbers 11:28);41Eldad and Medad were prophesying in the camp, and the content of their prophecy was not in keeping with the honor due Moses. Joshua turned to Moses to stop them. therefore, the Holy One blessed be He honored him. What honor did the Holy One blessed be He perform for him? Because this is what he said in Joshua’s regard: “Before Elazar the priest he shall stand, and he will inquire for him regarding the judgment of the Urim…” (Numbers 27:21). Because he attended to his master, he merited the Divine Spirit, as it is stated: “It was after the death of Moses, [servant of the Lord, that the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ attendant, saying]” (Joshua 1:1). The verse need not have said “Moses’ attendant.” Why is it stated? It is to say to you that because he was Moses’ attendant, he merited prophecy. That is, “will be honored.”
Another matter: “The guardian of a fig tree [will eat its fruit]” (Proverbs 27:18) – the Holy One blessed be He does not withhold the reward of any creature. Any place that a person toils and devotes his life to a matter, the Holy One blessed be He does not withhold his reward. If you would like to know a proof, Solomon built the Temple, as it is stated: “Solomon built the Temple, and he completed it“ (I Kings 6:14). Because David devoted his life to the Temple that was built, as it is stated: “Remember, Lord, for David, all of his afflictions.… I will not enter the roof of my house.… I will not give sleep to my eyes.… until I find a place for the Lord” (Psalms 132:1, 3–5), the Holy One blessed be He did not withhold his reward, but rather He attributed it to his name. “A psalm, a song for the dedication of the Temple to David” (Psalms 30:1) – it is not written here, “to Solomon,” but “to David.” That is, “the guardian of a fig tree will eat its fruit.”
Likewise, you find regarding Moses, who devoted his life to three matters and they were called by his name. These are laws, Torah, and the Tabernacle, as it is written: “Moses sat to judge the people…[from the morning until the evening]” (Exodus 18:13). They were called by his name, as it is written: “He performed the righteousness of the Lord, and His ordinances with Israel” (Deuteronomy 33:21). Torah, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Moses was at the mountaintop forty days [and forty nights]” (Exodus 24:18). It is called by his name, as it is stated: “Remember the Torah of Moses My servant” (Malachi 3:22). The Tabernacle, from where is it derived? It is because you find that Moses would circulate among the craftsmen at all hours of every day to teach them how to perform the labor so they would not err in its regard, because the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “See and craft in accordance with their form [that you are shown on the mountain]” (Exodus 25:40). Therefore, it is written regarding each and every item: “As the Lord commanded Moses,” as he would not move from overseeing them. Likewise it says: “Moses saw all the labor, [and behold, they had performed it; as the Lord had commanded, so they had performed], and Moses blessed them” (Exodus 39:43). What blessing did he recite? “May the grace of the Lord our God [be upon us, and our handiwork…]” (Psalms 90:17). He said to them: May the Divine Presence rest upon your handiwork.
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Yosef said: All seven days of the inauguration, Moses would erect the Tabernacle and dismantle it twice each day. If you say that an individual from the tribe of Levi would assist him, that is not so. Rather, the Sages said that he would put it in place and dismantle it, and no individual from Israel assisted him, as it is stated: “It was on the day that Moses concluded.” That is why it is called by his name, as it does not say: “On the day that he erected,” but rather, “on the day that [Moses] concluded [erecting]” – the day that his erecting concluded. It mentioned his name there. That is why it is stated: “That Moses concluded.”
“It was on the day that Moses concluded…” – that is what is written: “The guardian of a fig tree will eat its fruit…” (Proverbs 27:18). It is speaking of Joshua, who attended to Moses, just as it says: “And his attendant, Joshua son of Nun, a lad, would not depart from within the tent” (Exodus 33:11). Why was the Torah likened to a fig tree? It is because most trees, the olive tree, the vine, the date tree, are each harvested all at once, while the fig tree is harvested little by little. So, the Torah, today one studies a little, and the next day a lot, because the Torah is not learned in one year nor in two. In its regard it is written: “The guardian of a fig tree.” What is “will eat its fruit”? The fruit of Torah is kingdom and dominion, as it is stated: “Through me kings reign…Through me rulers rule” (Proverbs 8:15–16).40Stated from the perspective of wisdom, or the Torah. That is what transpired for Joshua. Moses’ sons did not inherit his position; rather, Joshua inherited his position, just as it says: “Take you Joshua the son of Nun…[and lay your hand upon him]” (Numbers 27:18). “And the protector of his master will be honored” (Proverbs 27:18) – this is Joshua, who would attend to Moses day and night, just as it says: “Would not depart from within the tent.” And it says: “Moses, my master, restrain them” (Numbers 11:28);41Eldad and Medad were prophesying in the camp, and the content of their prophecy was not in keeping with the honor due Moses. Joshua turned to Moses to stop them. therefore, the Holy One blessed be He honored him. What honor did the Holy One blessed be He perform for him? Because this is what he said in Joshua’s regard: “Before Elazar the priest he shall stand, and he will inquire for him regarding the judgment of the Urim…” (Numbers 27:21). Because he attended to his master, he merited the Divine Spirit, as it is stated: “It was after the death of Moses, [servant of the Lord, that the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ attendant, saying]” (Joshua 1:1). The verse need not have said “Moses’ attendant.” Why is it stated? It is to say to you that because he was Moses’ attendant, he merited prophecy. That is, “will be honored.”
Another matter: “The guardian of a fig tree [will eat its fruit]” (Proverbs 27:18) – the Holy One blessed be He does not withhold the reward of any creature. Any place that a person toils and devotes his life to a matter, the Holy One blessed be He does not withhold his reward. If you would like to know a proof, Solomon built the Temple, as it is stated: “Solomon built the Temple, and he completed it“ (I Kings 6:14). Because David devoted his life to the Temple that was built, as it is stated: “Remember, Lord, for David, all of his afflictions.… I will not enter the roof of my house.… I will not give sleep to my eyes.… until I find a place for the Lord” (Psalms 132:1, 3–5), the Holy One blessed be He did not withhold his reward, but rather He attributed it to his name. “A psalm, a song for the dedication of the Temple to David” (Psalms 30:1) – it is not written here, “to Solomon,” but “to David.” That is, “the guardian of a fig tree will eat its fruit.”
Likewise, you find regarding Moses, who devoted his life to three matters and they were called by his name. These are laws, Torah, and the Tabernacle, as it is written: “Moses sat to judge the people…[from the morning until the evening]” (Exodus 18:13). They were called by his name, as it is written: “He performed the righteousness of the Lord, and His ordinances with Israel” (Deuteronomy 33:21). Torah, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Moses was at the mountaintop forty days [and forty nights]” (Exodus 24:18). It is called by his name, as it is stated: “Remember the Torah of Moses My servant” (Malachi 3:22). The Tabernacle, from where is it derived? It is because you find that Moses would circulate among the craftsmen at all hours of every day to teach them how to perform the labor so they would not err in its regard, because the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “See and craft in accordance with their form [that you are shown on the mountain]” (Exodus 25:40). Therefore, it is written regarding each and every item: “As the Lord commanded Moses,” as he would not move from overseeing them. Likewise it says: “Moses saw all the labor, [and behold, they had performed it; as the Lord had commanded, so they had performed], and Moses blessed them” (Exodus 39:43). What blessing did he recite? “May the grace of the Lord our God [be upon us, and our handiwork…]” (Psalms 90:17). He said to them: May the Divine Presence rest upon your handiwork.
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Yosef said: All seven days of the inauguration, Moses would erect the Tabernacle and dismantle it twice each day. If you say that an individual from the tribe of Levi would assist him, that is not so. Rather, the Sages said that he would put it in place and dismantle it, and no individual from Israel assisted him, as it is stated: “It was on the day that Moses concluded.” That is why it is called by his name, as it does not say: “On the day that he erected,” but rather, “on the day that [Moses] concluded [erecting]” – the day that his erecting concluded. It mentioned his name there. That is why it is stated: “That Moses concluded.”