Midrash sobre Êxodo 32:27

“The watchmen who patrol the city found me: Have you seen the one whom my soul loves?” (Song of Songs 3:3).
“The watchmen who patrol,” this is the tribe of Levi, just as it says: “Pass back and forth from gate to gate” (Exodus 32:27). “The one whom my soul loves,” this is Moses.

"When a person incurs guilt accidentally by [transgressing one among] all of the commandments of YHVH": This is that of which the Bible says: "And indeed I have witnessed under the sun the place of judgment..." (Ecclesiastes 3:16). Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Joshua [in conversation]...

“The sentries patrolling the city found me, they struck me, they wounded me; the guards of the walls took my mantle from upon me” (Song of Songs 5:7).
“The sentries patrolling the city found me” – these are “Tatenai, the governor of Avar Nahara” (Ezra 5:3) and his associates.³¹They demanded to know who had allowed the Jews to rebuild the Temple. “They struck me, they wounded me” – “they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem” (Ezra 4:6). “The guards of the walls took my mantle from upon me” – the walls of Jerusalem.³²The guards of the walls of Jerusalem, namely the Jews who were rebuilding the walls, “took my mantle” in that they rebuilt the walls in a less impressive manner than the manner in which the walls had originally been built. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: In the past, the wall was built with stones of eight cubits and stones of ten cubits.³³See I Kings 7:10. However, here: “It is built with great [gelal] stones” (Ezra 5:8), stones that are rolled [degilgul].³⁴They were too heavy to carry, but could be rolled. By contrast, the stones in the past were much larger and could not even be rolled.
Another matter: “The sentries…found me” – the tribe of Levi,³⁵This was when the Levites were mobilized by Moses to punish those who worshipped the Golden Calf (Exodus 32:26). in whose regard it is written: “For they observed Your word” (Deuteronomy 33:9). “Patrolling the city” – just as it says: “Pass back and forth from gate to gate” (Exodus 32:27). They struck me, they wounded me” – just as it says: “Each man slay his brother” (Exodus 32:27). They “took my mantle from upon me” – this is weaponry. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: The weapon that was given to Israel at Ḥorev, the ineffable name was etched upon it. When they sinned it was taken from them. How was it taken? Rabbi Aivu said: It was peeled on its own. The Rabbis say: An angel descended and peeled it. “Guards of the walls,” [these are] the guards of the walls of Torah.³⁶The Levites served as teachers of Torah and as sages who enacted decrees to safeguard observance of the Torah.

“There is one and not another, he also has no son or brother. There is no end to all his toil, and his eye is not satisfied with wealth. For whom do I toil, and prevent good from my soul? This too is vanity and a grave matter” (Ecclesiastes 4:8).
“There is one and not another.” “There is one” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, in whose regard it is written: “The Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4); “and not another” – He has no partner in His world. “He also has no son or brother” – if He has no “brother,”¹⁶Once it says that there is not another, it is clear that He does not have a brother. Brother in this context refers to one close to Him, and the midrash understands it in the sense of a spouse. from where would he have a son? Rather, [sons is written] because the Holy One blessed be He was fond of Israel and called them sons, as it is stated: “You are sons to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 14:1). And He called them brothers, as it is stated: “For the sake of my brothers and neighbors” (Psalms 122:8). “There is no end to all his toil” – to everything that He created during the six days of Creation. “For whom do I toil, and prevent good from my soul?” Is it not to cleave to His ways? If the righteous do not stand and amass mitzvot and good deeds before Him, is it not vanity that the Holy One blessed be He created him in His world?¹⁷If one does not engage in the performance of mitzvot, there is no purpose to his existence.
Another matter: “There is one and not another” – this is Abraham, as it is stated: “Abraham was one” (Ezekiel 33:24); “and not another” – as he has no equal. “He also has no son or brother” – he had no son or brother at the moment that he descended into the furnace.¹⁸See Bereshit Rabba 38:13. At the moment that the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Take now your son, your only one” (Genesis (22:2), he did not see that he had a son.¹⁹His compassion for his son did not prompt him to resist God’s command. At the moment that He said to him: “Go for yourself from your land” (Genesis (12:1), he did not see that he had a brother. “There is no end to all his toil” – from mitzvot and good deeds. “For whom do I toil, and prevent good from my soul?” Is it not to cleave to His ways? Anyone who does not act like him, “this too is vanity.”
Another matter: “There is one” – this is the tribe of Levi. “He also has no son or brother” – at the moment that Moses said to them: “Pass to and fro from gate to gate […and slay every man his brother]” (Exodus 32:27), and it is written: “Who says of his father and his mother: I have not seen him, and his brothers he did not acknowledge…” (Deuteronomy 33:9). “There is no end to all his toil” – the labor of the Tabernacle. “And his eye is not satisfied with wealth” – these are the offerings. “For whom do I toil?” Is it not to cleave to His ways? It is for anyone who does not act like him; “this too is vanity and a grave matter.”
Another matter: “There is one” – this is the evil inclination; “and not another” – there is no concern for a partner when performing a transgression.²⁰When performing a transgression, one does not consider the fact that others will suffer due to his act. “He also has no son or brother” – at the moment that a person goes to perform a transgression he does not see that he has a son who will die due to his sins, and does not see that he has a brother who will be ashamed of him and will be condemned because of him. “There is no end to all his toil” – to his wicked deeds. “And his eye is not satisfied with wealth” – these are his wicked deeds. “For whom do I toil?” It is in order to avoid cleaving to his ways. One who does not do so, “this too is vanity.”
Another matter: “There is one” – this is Gevini ben Ḥarson;²¹An extremely wealthy recluse “and not another” – he has no concern for any partner. “He also has no son or brother” – as he was his mother’s only son. “There is no end to all his toil [amalo]” – from what his father bequeathed him.²²The word amalo, his toil, can also mean his wealth. Additionally, it is possible that the meaning is that it took much toil to maintain his many assets. “And his eye is not satisfied with wealth” – as he is blind in one eye. “For whom do I toil, and prevent good from my soul?” – they said: At the moment that his father died, he said to his mother, show me all the silver and gold that father bequeathed me. She went and showed him a kor of dinars; she stood on this side and he on that side and they could not see each other.²³This is because the coins were piled so high in the kor vessel. On the day that Gevini ben Ḥarson died, Belshatzar the governor of Babylon was born.²⁴Some say that Belshatzar eventually took possession of all of Gevini’s wealth (Matnot Kehuna).

12 (Numb. 8:6) “Take the Levites”: This text is related (to Ps. 11:5), “The Lord tests the righteous […].” The Holy One, blessed be He, does not elevate a person to an office until He first tests and examines him. When he withstands his test, He elevates him to the office. And so you find in the case of our father Abraham; when the Holy One, blessed be He, tested him with ten temptations, he withstood his trials. Then after that He blessed him, as stated (in Gen. 24:1), “And the Lord blessed Abraham in all things.” So also in the case of Isaac, when He tested him with the days of Abimelech, he withstood the trial. Then after that He blessed him, as stated (in Gen. 26:12), “So Isaac sowed on that land […] for the Lord had blessed him.” So also in the case of Jacob, when He tested him by means of all those tribulations with Esau, with Rachel, with Dinah, with Joseph, and [with the tribulation of] how he departed from the house of his father (in Gen. 32:11), “for with [only] my staff did I cross [this] Jordan.” Then after that He blessed him. It is so stated (in Gen. 35:9), “Now God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-Aram, and blessed him.” So also in the case of Joseph, with the wife of Potiphar and he was imprisoned for twelve years. Then after that he came out and became king because he had withstood his trials. Ergo (in Ps. 11:5), “The Lord tests the righteous.” So also in the case of the tribe of Levi, they laid down their lives for the sanctification of the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, (i.e. for martyrdom). Now when Israel was in Egypt, they had rejected the Torah and, as Ezekiel had rebuked them where it is stated (in Ezek. 20:5), “And you shall say unto them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “In the day that I chose Israel […].”’” Then what is written at the end (in vs. 8)? “But they rebelled against Me and did not come to hearken unto Me … and I resolved to pour out My fury upon them.” What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He brought darkness upon Egypt for three days, and during those [days] he killed all the wicked ones of Israel. For this reason it says (in Ezek. 20:36-38), “[As I brought your ancestors to judgment in the desert of the land of Egypt….] So will I remove from you those who rebel and transgress against Me.” So also it says (in Cant. 2:13), “And the fig tree sheds¹⁸Heb.: hanetah. Although the biblical context suggests a translation such as “puts forth” or “ripens” the context understands this rare verb in a more negative sense. See Tanh. (Buber); Exod. 3:7). its green figs…,” these are the wicked who are in Israel; (ibid. cont.) “and the vines in blossom give off fragrance,” these are the rest who have repented and been accepted; (ibid. cont.) “arise, my beloved, my fair one, and come away,” for behold the time of redemption has arrived. However all those in the tribe of Levi were righteous and carried out the Torah. It is so stated (in Deut. 33:9), “For they observed Your word,” i.e., the Torah; (ibid. cont.) “and kept Your covenant,” i.e., circumcision. And not only that, but when Israel made the calf, the tribe of Levi did not participate there, as stated (in Exod. 32:26), “So Moses stood up on the gate of the camp and said, ‘Whoever is for the Lord come to me,’ and all the Children of Levi gathered unto him.” When Moses said (in vs. 27), “Each [of you] put his sword on his thigh…,” they immediately did so. Moreover they did not show partiality. And so Moses blesses them, [namely (according Deut. 33:9)], “The one who says of his father and mother, ‘I do not consider them’ and his brother….” When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that they all were righteous, that He had tested them and they had withstood their trial – as stated (of Levi in Deut. 33:8), “[Your faithful one,] whom You tested at Massah” – the Holy One, blessed be He, immediately said (in Numb. 8:14), “And the Levites shall belong to Me,” to fulfill what is stated (in Ps. 11:5), “The Lord tests the righteous.” In the case of the wicked, however, it is written of them (ibid. cont.), “but His soul (i.e. the soul of the Holy One, blessed be He,) hates the wicked and the lover of injustice.” David said (in Ps. 128:1), “Fortunate is everyone who fears the Lord and walks in His ways.”

“Moreover, I have seen, under the sun, in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of justice there is wickedness” (Ecclesiastes 3:16).
“Moreover, I have seen, under the sun, in the place of judgment…” – Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi say: “In the place of judgment there is wickedness” – in the place where the Great Sanhedrin convenes and determine rulings for Israel, “there is wickedness,” as it is stated: “All the princes of the king of Babylon came and sat at the Middle Gate” (Jeremiah 39:3) – the place where the halakhot are determined.⁷⁰The word for Middle Gate [hatavekh] is similar to the term for determine [ḥotekh]. “There is wickedness,” there sat “Nergal Saretzer, Samgar Nevo, Sarsekhim the chief official; Nergal Saretzer the chief magician, and all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon” (Jeremiah 39:3). The parable says: Where the master hung his weapon, the insolent shepherd hangs his jug.⁷¹The place formerly used for a glorious purpose has now been appropriated for an inglorious one. The Divine Spirit is screaming: “And in the place of justice, there is wickedness” – the place in whose regard it is stated: “Justice would lodge in it, but now murderers” (Isaiah 1:21), they commit murders. There they killed Zekharya and Uriya.⁷²Because Israel committed atrocities in the place that should have been set aside for justice, the members of the Great Sanhedrin were replaced in that location by conquering Babylonian officers.
Rabbi Yonatan raised a dilemma before Rabbi Aḥa: In which place did they kill Zekharya, in the Israelite courtyard or in the women’s courtyard? He said to him: Neither in the women’s courtyard nor in the Israelite courtyard, but rather in the priests’ courtyard. They did not treat his blood like the blood of a gazelle or like the blood of a deer. Regarding the blood of a deer and a gazelle it is written in the Torah: “He shall spill its blood and cover it with dirt” (Leviticus 17:13). But the righteous Zekharya, they did not treat his blood like the blood of a deer and a gazelle; rather they spilled it on the stones, as it is written: “For its blood was in its midst; it placed it upon a bare rock. [It did not pour it on the ground to cover it with dirt]” (Ezekiel 24:7). To what purpose? It was “to arouse fury to take vengeance, [I placed its blood upon the bare rock so it would not be covered]” (Ezekiel 24:8),⁷³God brought it about that Zekharya’s blood would not be covered in order to motivate the Babylonians to take vengeance upon the Israelites. and in that regard it is written: “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1).
You find that when Nevuzaradan ascended to destroy Jerusalem, the Holy One blessed be He had indicated to that blood that it should seethe and rise for two hundred and fifty-two years, from [the time of] Yoash to [the time of] Zedekiah. What did they do? They swept all possible dirt and formed every possible pile [upon it], but it would not rest; the blood was seething and boiling. The Holy One blessed be He said to the blood: ‘This is the time that you will collect your debt.’ When Nevuzaradan ascended and saw it, he said to them: ‘What is the nature of this blood that seethes in this way?’ They said to him: ‘It is the blood of bulls, rams, and sheep that they were slaughtering and sacrificing.’ He brought bulls, rams, and sheep and slaughtered them onto it, but it did not quiet, did not rest, and did not stop. He immediately took them and hanged them on a pole. He said to them: ‘Tell me what is the nature of this blood, and if not, I will comb you with a comb of iron.’ They said to him: ‘Since the Holy One blessed be He wishes to demand [vengeance for] His blood from us, we will reveal it to you.’ They said to him: ‘He was a priest, a prophet, and a judge, who would prophesy about us all these actions that you are performing against us. But we did not believe him and we rose against him and killed him for rebuking us.’
Immediately [Nevuzaradan] brought eighty thousand young priests and slaughtered them onto [the blood], but it did not rest. The blood emerged until it reached Zekharya’s grave. [Nevuzaradan] then brought the Great Sanhedrin and the lesser Sanhedrin and slaughtered them onto it, but it did not rest. At that moment, that wicked one [Nevuzaradan] came and shouted at the blood, and said to it: ‘What good are you, and in what way is your blood superior to the blood of these? Do you wish to eliminate your entire nation because of you?’ At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He became filled with mercy for them, and He said: ‘If this cruel wicked one, son of a wicked one, who ascended to destroy My house, became filled with mercy for them, I, of whom it is written: “The Lord, the Lord, God, merciful and gracious” (Exodus 34:6), and it is written in My regard: “The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is upon all His creations” (Psalms 145:9), all the more so.’ At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He intimated to that blood, and it was absorbed in its place.
Rabbi Yudan said: The Israelites performed seven transgressions at that moment:⁷⁴When they killed Zekharya. They killed a priest, a prophet, and a judge, they spilled innocent blood, they [brought] impurity to the [Temple] courtyard, and it was Shabbat and Yom Kippur.
Rabbi Yehoshua interpreted the verse regarding the sin of the Golden Calf. “In the place of judgment there is wickedness” – in the place where Moses implemented the attribute of justice, as it is stated: “Go to and fro from gate to gate in the camp [and each man kill his brother]” (Exodus 32:27). “There is wickedness,” as it is stated: “The Lord afflicted the people…” (Exodus 32:35). The Divine Spirit was shouting: “In the place of justice there is wickedness” – in the place where I treated them as righteous ones and called them divine, as it is stated: “I said: You are divine and all of you are sons of the celestial” (Psalms 82:6). “There is wickedness” – there they were corrupted and crafted the [Golden] Calf. As it is stated: “They prostrated themselves to it” (Exodus 32:8).
Rabbi Yuda interpreted the verse regarding Shitim. “In the place of judgment there is wickedness” – in the place where the attribute of justice acted in Shitim, as it is stated: “Take all the leaders of the people and hang them before the Lord against the sun” (Numbers 25:4). “There is wickedness,” as it stated: “The dead in the plague were twenty-four thousand” (Numbers 25:9). The Divine Spirit was shouting and saying: “And in the place of justice there is wickedness” – in the place where I treated them as righteous regarding the curses of Bilam, and I transformed them into blessings, as it is stated: “The Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you” (Deuteronomy 23:6), “there is wickedness,” there they corrupted and sinned, as it is stated: “Israel resided in Shitim [and the people began to engage in licentiousness]” (Numbers 25:1).
Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yitzḥak, Rabbi Levi said two matters [are stated in verses] regarding the hand [of God], and two matters regarding the right hand [of God]. Two matters regarding the hand [of God], as it is written: “In whose hand is the life of every living being…” (Job 12:10), and it is written: “And My hand grasps judgment” (Deuteronomy 32:41). And two matters regarding the right hand [of God], as it is stated: “From His right hand, a fiery law to them” (Deuteronomy 33:2), and it is written: “Your right hand is filled with righteousness” (Psalms 48:11). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The Holy One blessed be He said to the soul: Soul, I strengthened you very much and commanded you, and said: “Just be strong not to eat the blood [because the blood is the soul]” (Deuteronomy 12:23), and [nonetheless the soul] goes out, violently robs, sins, and subjects itself to the attribute of justice, and emerges from the attribute of justice and sins,⁷⁵It sins again after receiving punishment for its previous sins. as it is stated: “Speak to the children of Israel saying: ‘If a soul sins unwittingly…’” (Leviticus 4:2).⁷⁶The verse assigns responsibility for even unwitting sins to the soul (Midrash HaMevo’ar). Alternatively, the verse may also be understood as a rhetorical question, as though to say: After all this, can a soul yet sin, even unwittingly? (Etz Yosef).

(Numb. 4:18) “Do not cut off.” This text is related (to Nahum 1:7), “The Lord is good, a shelter in the day of trouble; He knows those who trust in Him.” The nature of the Holy One, blessed be He, is unlike the nature of flesh and blood.¹³¹Numb. R. 5:3. In the case of a king of flesh and blood, when a province rebels against him, he acts against it with an indiscriminate punishment¹³²Gk.: androlempsia or androlepsia (“seizure of foreigners” in reprisal for murder committed abroad). and kills the good along with the bad. Now the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like that. Rather, when a generation provokes Him, He saves the righteous and destroys the wicked. The generation of Enosh sinned. He destroyed them but rescued Enoch, as stated (in Gen. 5:24), “And Enoch walked with God.” Why? (Nahum 1:7:) “[The Lord is good, a shelter] in the day of trouble; He knows those who trust in Him.” The generation of the flood provoked Him. So He destroyed them, as stated (in Gen. 7:23), “And He blotted out all existence”; but He rescued Noah, as stated (in Gen. 6:8), “And Noah found favor [in the eyes of the Lord].” And similarly with the Sodomites, He destroyed them, as stated (in Gen. 19:24), “Then the Lord rained down upon Sodom”; but He rescued Lot, as stated (in vs. 29), “and sent Lot away.” He brought darkness upon the Egyptians, but (according to Exod. 10:23) “all the Children of Israel had light in their dwellings.” Why? (Nahum 1:7:) “[The Lord is good, a shelter] in the day of trouble; He knows those who trust in Him.” They went forth from Egypt and came to the desert. [There] they committed that deed (i.e., the incident of the golden calf), [all] except for the tribe of Levi. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 32:26), “[So Moses stood up in the gate of the camp and said,] ‘Whoever is for the Lord, to me!’ And all of the sons of Levi gathered to him.” [What is the meaning of “Whoever is for the Lord?”] Whoever (in Exod. 32:3) has not given a ring for the calf, let him come unto me. [To him] the Holy One, blessed be He, said (in Nahum 1:7), “[The Lord is good, a shelter] in the day of trouble; He knows those who trust in Him.” Moshe immediately arose and killed the sinners, as stated (Exodus 32:28), “And the Children of Levi did like the word of Moses.” With reference to the tribe of Levi, however, which gave their lives for the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, He thus said to Moses and Aaron (in Numb. 4:18), “Do not cut off….” And so He says in another place (i.e., in Numb. 3:15), “Enroll the Children of Levi.” But He has also said (in Numb. 1:49), “However, you shall not enroll the tribe of Levi.” Why? In order to exclude them from the decree. As the Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that Israel was going to provoke Him and said to them (in Numb. 14:29), “In this desert shall your carcasses drop.” Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “The Children of Levi shall not be [part of] this decree, as stated (in Numb. 1:49, cont.), ‘nor shall you take a census of them as part of the Children of Israel.’ Why? Because they are Mine, as stated (Numb. 3:12), ‘and the Levites shall be mine.’” Thus when anyone offers (rt.: qrb) a little of himself, they advance (rt.: qrb) him a lot. Now they had offered (rt.: qrb) themselves, when Moses said (in Exod. 32:26), “Whoever is for the Lord, to me!” And not only that, but the Holy One, blessed be He, said (according to Numb. 1:50) “You shall enroll the Levites to be over the tabernacle of the testimony.” Thus when someone is tested in [one] area and found trustworthy, the Holy One, blessed be He, trusts him forever; for so you find in the case of Joshua.¹³³Numb. R. 1:12. When he was tested with Amalek, he prevailed against him according to the law and according to the commandment. It is so stated (in Exod. 17:13), “And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people….” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “From your tribe (Ephraim) I am raising up one to exact punishment from Amalek, as stated (in Jud. 5:14), “Out of Ephraim came those whose root is in Amalek….” What is the meaning of out of (mny) Ephraim? He appointed (mnh) Ephraim alone to destroy the seed of Amalek. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (ibid., cont.), “’After you, Benjamin with your peoples,’ [i.e.,] leave him for Saul ben Kish, the Benjamite; he will uproot him.” Another interpretation (of Jud. 5:14), “Out of Ephraim.” Saul was tested and found untrustworthy in his commission. Rather (according to I Sam. 15:9), “But Saul and the people spared Agag.” He put him back after him (i.e., behind Ephraim, the tribe of Joshua and Samuel) and the kingdom was taken from him, as stated (in Jud. 5:14), “after you (i.e., Ephraim), Benjamin with your peoples.” And I have also tested this tribe (of Levi), and they have been found to be preserving My honor; for they have given their life for the sanctification of My name (in Exod. 32:27-28), “Let each one put his sword on his thigh [….] So the Children of Levi acted according to the word of Moses,” and they did not show favoritism. Therefore, Moses blesses them and says to them (in Deut. 33:9), “Who says of his father and mother, ‘I do not consider them […].’” And [so] I am also advancing him and making him My imperial agent.¹³⁴Lat.: frumentarius (“grain dealer”). and I am entrusting him with My house and My sanctity, as stated (in Numb. 1:50), “But you shall enroll the Levites to be over the tabernacle of the testimony….” And what was it that I told you (in vs. 49)? “However, you shall not enroll the tribe of Levi.” [This prohibition] was to exempt them from the decree which I was going to pronounce over Israel. It is simply that I am allotting them great honor. When you number them, [number them] by themselves through the Divine utterance (in Numb. 3:15), “Enroll the Children of Levi.” Now if I have honored the Levites, who bear the tabernacle, how much the more so in the case of the Children of Kohath, who bear the ark, [as stated] (in Numb. 3:31), “And their duties included the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, [….]” He therefore said to them (in Numb. 4:18), “Do not cut off [the tribe of the Kohathite families from the Levites].” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “And if because the Children of Kohath have feared Me, I have allotted glory to them and to their children; then [I will honor] whoever stands in awe of Me and not cut off his name from the world.”¹³⁵Numb. R. 5:9. From whom do you learn this? From the children of Jonadab ben Rechab. Since they did his will, what is stated about them? (Jer. 35:19), “Someone belonging to Jonadab ben Rechab shall not be cut off from standing before Me forever.” And if in the case of those who are proselytes, because they have done My will, I have done likewise for them (i.e., what they want); in the case of Israel, when they are doing My will, how much the more shall they neither be cut off nor have their name be erased from before Me? Rather, they shall live and abide forever and ever and ever, as stated (in Deut. 4:4), “But you who clung to the Lord your God are all alive today.”

Another interpretation (of Jud. 5:14): OUT OF EPHRAIM. Saul was tested and found untrustworthy in his commission. Rather (according to I Sam. 15:9): BUT SAUL AND THE PEOPLE SPARED AGAG. He put him back after him (i.e., behind Ephraim, the tribe of Joshua and Samuel) and the kingdom was taken from him, as stated (in Jud. 5:14): AFTER YOU (i.e., Ephraim), BENJAMIN WITH YOUR PEOPLES. And I have also tested this tribe (of Levi), and they have been found to be preserving my honor; for they have given their life for the sanctification of my name (in Exod. 32:27-28): LET EACH ONE PUT HIS SWORD ON HIS THIGH <….> SO THE CHILDREN OF LEVI ACTED ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF MOSES, and they did not show mercy to them. Therefore, Moses blesses them and says to them (in Deut. 33:9): WHO SAYS OF HIS FATHER AND MOTHER: I DO NOT CONSIDER THEM [….] And I am also advancing him and making him my imperial agent.¹⁶²Lat.: frumentarius (“grain dealer”). And I am entrusting him with my house and my sanctity, as stated (in Numb. 1:50): BUT YOU SHALL ENROLL THE LEVITES <TO BE OVER THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY>…. And what was it that I told you (in vs. 49)? HOWEVER, YOU SHALL NOT ENROLL THE TRIBE OF LEVI. <This prohibition> was to exempt them from the decree which I was going to pronounce over Israel. It is simply that I am allotting them great honor. When you number them, <number them> by themselves through the divine utterance (in Numb. 3:15): ENROLL THE CHILDREN OF LEVI. Now if I have honored the Levites, who bear the Tabernacle, how much the more so in the case of the children of Kohath, who bear the ark, [as stated (in Numb. 3:31): AND THEIR DUTIES INCLUDED THE ARK, THE TABLE, THE LAMPSTAND, THE ALTARS, AND THE SACRED UTENSILS….] He therefore said to them (in Numb. 4:18): DO NOT CUT OFF <THE TRIBE OF THE KOHATHITE FAMILIES FROM THE LEVITES>. The Holy One said: [If] because [the children of Kohath] have feared me, I have allotted glory to them [and to their children]; then [I will honor] whoever stands in awe of me and not cut off his name from the world.¹⁶³Numb. R. 5:9. From whom do you learn this? From the Jonadab ben Rechab, as stated (in Jer. 35:19): SOMEONE BELONGING TO JONADAB BEN RECHAB SHALL NOT BE CUT OFF <FROM STANDING BEFORE ME FOREVER>. And if in the case of those who are proselytes, because they have done my will, I have done likewise for them (i.e., what they want); in the case of Israel, when they are doing my will, how much the more shall they neither be cut off nor have their name be erased from before me? Rather, they shall live and abide forever and ever and ever, as stated (in Deut. 4:4): BUT YOU WHO CLUNG TO THE LORD YOUR GOD ARE ALL ALIVE TODAY.