Êxodo 17:4 Midrash: Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Midrash Tanchuma, Midrash Tehillim & Shemot Rabbah

(Exodus 17:4) "and Moses cried out to the L–rd": We are hereby apprised of the eminence of Moses. He did not say: Since they are quarreling with me I will not implore mercy for them, but "And Moses cried out to the L–rd." "saying: What can I do to this people?" Moses said before the Holy One Blessed be He: L–rd of the universe, between You and them I will be killed! And You tell me not to be harsh with them, viz. (Numbers 11:12) "For You say to me: "Bear them in your bosom as a nurse bears a nursling, etc." — when they want to kill me!

Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb (Exod. 17:6). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Wherever you find the imprint of a man’s foot, there I stand before you. And thou shalt smite within the rock. It does not say “upon the rock (al ha-tsur),” but within the rock (batsur). And there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink … and the name of the place was called Massah. R. Joshua stated: Moses named it Massah, as it is said: And he called the name of the place Massah. R. Eleazar of Modi’im said: And the Omnipresent called it Massah and Meribah. Because of this the Great Court is called the place.¹⁵Massah and Meribah means “trial and strife,” and the since Great Court was a place of massah and meribah, it is that which is referred to here. It is also called the place in Deut. 17:8. And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying: “What shall I do unto this people? They are almost ready to stone me” (Exod. 17:4). Moses cried to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the world, I shall be slain, for I am trapped between you and them. You commanded me not to be angry at them, when you said to me: Carry them in thy bosom (Num. 11:12), but now they wish to stone me. In this instance the Holy One, blessed be He, had suppressed His anger, while Moses increased his, but elsewhere the Holy One, blessed be He, increased (his anger), while Moses suppressed his, as is said: Now therefore, let Me alone that My anger may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them; and Moses besought the Lord (Exod. 32:10–11). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: You said They are almost ready to stone me, now Pass on before the people (ibid. 17:5), and let Me see who will stone you. He began to walk before them, and all the Israelites arose and treated him with honor and deference. The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Many times I commanded you not to lose patience with them, but to lead them as a shepherd does his flock. It was for their sake that I elevated you, and it was because of them that you found grace, life, and honor in My sight.

"Make known to me Your ways, O Lord." Rabbi Berachiah said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: "It is compared to a physician who had a disciple and taught him all types of healing except for a certain wound. The physician said to the disciple, 'You have taught me all types of healing except for this particular wound. Please teach it to me.' Similarly, Moses said to God, 'Make known to me Your ways.' And it says, 'He made known His ways to Moses' (Psalms 103:7) and 'Show me Your glory' (Exodus 33:18), meaning the way that You conduct the world."God replied to Moses, "You cannot comprehend My ways." Rabbi Zeira said in the name of Resh Lakish: "Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He, 'When I said to You, "They will soon stone me" (Exodus 17:4), You appeased me. And likewise when I argued with the Israelites, You appeased me. As it says, 'And Moses took the tent and pitched it outside the camp' (Exodus 33:7). And it teaches us to learn from the humble, to be like the disciple to his teacher. Rabbi Yehuda said, 'It says, "Anyone who seeks out Moses" (Exodus 33:7), but it should have said, "Anyone who seeks out God." This teaches us that whoever seeks out the face of an elder is considered as if he seeks out the face of the Divine Presence.'" God said to Moses, "You have two hot-headed individuals in your midst, the teacher and the disciple. If that is the case, go back to them." As it says, 'And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face' (Exodus 33:11). I don't know what this verse means. When it says, 'And return to the camp' (Exodus 33:14), it teaches us that God allowed Moses to rescind his vow and brought the tent back into the camp. At that moment, Rabbi Acha found his opening to pray to God to make known to Israel the ways of God." As it is said (Deuteronomy 32:4), "The Rock! — His work is perfect." And similarly, we find in Samuel the Ramathite that he was held in the same esteem as Moses, as it is said (Jeremiah 15:1), "Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me..." And it is said (Psalm 99:6), "Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel among those who called on His name." And you can find that everything written about one is also written about the other. This one is Levi, and this one is Levi. This one sang a song, and this one sang a song. This one was king over Israel, and this one was king over Israel. This one reigned for forty years, and this one reigned for forty years. This one waged wars, and this one waged wars. This one killed kings, and this one killed kings. This one built altars, and this one built altars. This one offered sacrifices, and this one offered sacrifices. This one read from the Torah, and this one read from the Torah. This one prayed for Israel, and this one prayed for Israel. This one served as a priest, and this one served as a priest. Another thing: "Inform me, please, of Your ways" (Exodus 33:13). He said before Him, "Inform me, in what manner do You deal with the nations of the world?" He directed me in His truth and taught me, for You are my God, and for You, I waited all day long. And is it possible for a person to pray all day long? Rather, since this world is a day for the nations of the world and a night for Israel, therefore, I waited for You all day long....