Midrash sobre Êxodo 5:7

(Exod. 18:1:) NOW JETHRO PRIEST OF MIDIAN, <…>, HEARD. He was a priest for idolatry.¹⁷Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Amaleq, 3. (Exod. 18:9:) AND JETHRO REJOICED (rt.: YHD), in that he professed (YHD) the name of the Holy One. Another interpretation (of Exod. 18:9:) AND JETHRO REJOICED (rt.: YHD). <It was> that he became a Jew (rt.: YHD). (Vs. 10:) SO JETHRO SAID: BLESSED BE THE LORD. Jethro said: I did not leave a deity alone without serving him, but I have found no deity like the God of Israel. (Vs. 11:) NOW I KNOW THE LORD IS GREATER THAN ALL GODS. Four children of Adam said four things. If someone else had said them, they would have laughed at them.¹⁸Eccl. R. 3:11:1. And who were they? Moses, Jethro, Solomon, and Nebuchadnezzar. Moses said (in Deut 32:4): THE ROCK!—HIS WORK IS PERFECT, [BECAUSE ALL HIS WAYS ARE JUSTICE]. [If someone else had said it, they would have laughed at him, saying: From where does this one know the ways of the Holy One? However,] because it is written (in Ps. 103:7): HE MADE HIS WAYS KNOWN TO MOSES, it is therefore stated (in Deut. 32:4): THE ROCK!—HIS WORK IS PERFECT, BECAUSE ALL HIS WAYS ARE JUSTICE. Then Solomon said (in Eccl. 3:11): HE HAS MADE EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IN ITS TIME. If someone else had said it, they would have laughed at him, saying: Who has made known to this one what is beautiful and what is not beautiful? But, <in the case of> Solomon, whose table lacked nothing, he knew what was beautiful. R. Jose bar Hanina said: Solomon's table did not even lack bitter herbs¹⁹Tanh., Exod. 5:7, and Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34 read “ice” here. of Tammuz nor melopepones {i.e., radish and lettuce}²⁰The Greek word means “melons.” of Tishri. Nebuchadnezzar said (in Dan. 4:32 [35]): ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH ARE OF NO ACCOUNT. If another had said it, they would have laughed at him: Over what does this man rule? He does not even rule over a gnat. But in the case of Nebuchadnezzar it was fitting for him to say so, since it is stated concerning him (in Dan. 2:38): AND [INTO YOUR HAND HE HAS GIVEN] THE CHILDREN OF ADAM, [THE WILD BEASTS OF THE FIELD, AND THE FOWL OF HEAVEN,] WHEREVER THEY MAY DWELL; [AND HE HAS HAD YOU RULE OVER ALL OF THEM]. Jethro said (in Exod. 18:11): NOW I KNOW THE LORD IS GREATER THAN ALL GODS, because among all his gods he did not see one as great as the Lord. (Ibid., cont.:) YES, BY THE THING WHICH <THE EGYPTIANS> PLOTTED AGAINST THEM.²¹PRK 11:5. R. Eleazar said: By that with which the Egyptians intended to destroy Israel, <i.e.,> by water, by that they were destroyed. So they were drowned in the midst of the sea.

(Numb. 11:16:) Gather Me seventy men.” Did they not have elders in the past?⁵²Numb. R. 15:20. Was it not already stated in Egypt (in Exod. 3:16), “Go and gather the elders of Israel?” So for what reason had the Holy One, blessed be He, said (in Numb. 11:16), “Gather Me seventy men?” [It was] to teach you that when Pharaoh had said (in Exod. 1:10), “Come let us act shrewdly [...],” Pharaoh gathered all Israel, and said to them, “Please work with me as a favor today.” This is what is written (in vs. 13), “So the Egyptians made the Children of Israel labor with ruthlessness (befarekh).” What is the meaning of “with ruthlessness (befarekh)?” With gentle speech (befeh rakh).⁵³The midrash is interpreting Exod. 1:13 to mean, SO THE EGYPTIANS MADE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL LABOR WITH GENTLE SPEECH. So Sot. 11ab; Exod. R. 1:11. Pharaoh took a basket and trowel; who [could] see Pharaoh taking basket and trowel, and working with bricks and not [also] work? Israel immediately went quickly, and applied all their strength along with him all the day, because they were strong and mighty. When it grew dark, he posted taskmasters over them. He said to them, “Reckon the [number of] bricks.” They immediately arose and counted them. He said to them, “This many you shall produce for me each and every day.” He assigned Egyptian taskmasters over the officers of Israel, and the officers were assigned over the rest of the people. Moreover when he said to them (in Exod. 5:7), “You shall no longer give the people straw,” the taskmasters came and counted the bricks. [If] they [the bricks] were found deficient, the taskmasters beat the officers, as stated (in Exod. 5:14), “And the officers of the Children of Israel, whom [the taskmasters of Pharaoh] had set over them, were beaten….” When the officers were beaten for the rest of the people, they did not hand them over into the hands of the taskmasters, for they said, “It is better for us to be beaten than that the rest of the people falter.” Therefore when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses (in Numb. 11:16), “Gather Me seventy men,” Moses said, “My Master, I do not know who is worthy and who is not worthy.” He said to him (in Numb. 11:16 cont.), “Whom you know to be elders and officers of the people.” These are the officers who had handed themselves over to be beaten on their behalf in Egypt because of the required amount of bricks. Let them come and receive this dignity. It therefore says (ibid.), “whom you know to be elders and officers of the people.” Because they handed themselves over to be beaten for the community, therefore (in Numb. 11:16 cont.), “they shall lead with you in leading the people.” [From here] you learn that whoever hands himself over for the sake of Israel merits dignity and the holy spirit. It is therefore written (ibid.) “whom you know [to be elders and officers of the people.” From the ones of whom it is written (in Exod. 5:14), “And the officers of the Children of Israel [whom the taskmasters of Pharaoh had set over them] were beaten.”

20 (Numb. 11:16) “Gather Me seventy men”: Did they not have elders in the past? Was it not already stated in Egypt (in Exod. 3:16), “Go and gather the elders of Israel?” So for what reason had the Holy One, blessed be He, said (in Numb. 11:16), “Gather Me seventy men?” [It was] to teach you that when Pharaoh had said (in Exod. 1:10), “Come let us act shrewdly [...],” Pharaoh gathered all Israel, and said to them, “Please work with me as a favor today.” This is what is written (in vs. 13), “So the Egyptians made the Children of Israel labor with ruthlessness (befarekh).” What is the meaning of “with ruthlessness (befarekh)?” With gentle speech (befeh rakh).⁴⁴The midrash is interpreting Exod. 1:13 to mean, SO THE EGYPTIANS MADE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL LABOR WITH GENTLE SPEECH. So Sot. 11ab; Exod. R. 1:11. Pharaoh took a basket and trowel; who [could] see Pharaoh taking basket and trowel, and working with bricks and not [also] work? Israel immediately went quickly, and applied all their strength along with him all the day, because they were strong and mighty. When it grew dark, he posted taskmasters over them. He said to them, “Reckon the [number of] bricks.” They immediately arose and counted them. He said to them, “This many you shall produce for me each and every day.” He assigned Egyptian taskmasters over the officers of Israel, and the officers were assigned over the rest of the people. Moreover when he said to them (in Exod. 5:7), “You shall no longer give the people straw,” the taskmasters came and counted the bricks. [If] they [the bricks] were found deficient, the taskmasters beat the officers, as stated (in Exod. 5:14), “And the officers of the Children of Israel, [whom the taskmasters of Pharaoh had set over them,] were beaten….” When the officers were beaten for the rest of the people, they did not hand them over into the hands of the taskmasters, for they said, “It is better for us to be beaten than that the rest of the people falter.” Therefore when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses (in Numb. 11:16), “Gather Me seventy men,” Moses said, “My Master, I do not know who is worthy and who is not worthy.” He said to him (in Numb. 11:16 cont.), “Whom you know to be elders and officers of the people.” These are the officers who had handed themselves over to be beaten on their behalf in Egypt because of the required amount of bricks. Let them come and receive this dignity. It therefore says (ibid.), “whom you know to be elders and officers of the people.” Because they handed themselves over to be beaten for the community, therefore (in Numb. 11:16 cont.), “they shall lead with you in leading the people.” This is to teach you that the Holy One, blessed be He equated them with Moses. [From here] you learn that whoever hands himself over for the sake of Israel merits dignity, greatness and the holy spirit. It is therefore written (ibid.) “whom you know [to be elders and officers of the people.” From the ones of whom it is written (in Exod. 5:14), “And the officers of the Children of Israel [whom the taskmasters of Pharaoh had set over them] were beaten.”

(Numb. 11:16:) GATHER ME SEVENTY PEOPLE FROM THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL. Did they not have elders in the past?⁸⁶Tanh. Numb. 3:13; Numb. R. 15:20. Was it not already stated in Egypt (in Exod. 3:16): GO AND GATHER THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL? So for what reason had the Holy One said (in Numb. 11:16): GATHER ME …? <It was> to teach you that when Pharaoh had said (in Exod. 1:10): COME LET US ACT SHREWDLY, Pharaoh gathered all Israel. He said to them: Please work with me as a favor today. This is what is written (in vs. 13): SO THE EGYPTIANS MADE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL LABOR WITH RUTHLESSNESS (befarekh). At first it was with with gentle speech (befeh rakh).⁸⁷The midrash is interpreting Exod. 1:13 to mean: SO THE EGYPTIANS MADE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL LABOR WITH GENTLE SPEECH. So Sot. 11ab; Exod. R. 1:11. Pharaoh took a basket and trowel, and whoever [saw Pharaoh] taking basket and trowel and working with bricks worked too. Israel immediately went quickly, and vigorously applied their skill along with him all the day, because they were strong and mighty. When it grew dark, he posted taskmasters over them. He said to them: Reckon the < number of> bricks. They immediately arose and counted them. He said to them: This many you shall produce for me each and every day. He assigned Egyptian taskmasters over the officers of Israel, and the officers were assigned over the rest of the people. Moreover when he said to them (in Exod. 5:7): YOU SHALL NO LONGER GIVE THE PEOPLE STRAW, the taskmasters came and counted the bricks. <If> they were found <the bricks> deficient, the taskmasters beat the officers, as stated (in Exod. 5:14): AND THE OFFICERS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, WHOM <THE TASKMASTERS OF PHARAOH> HAD SET OVER THEM, WERE BEATEN…. When the officers were beaten for the rest of the people, they did not hand them over into the hands of the taskmasters, for they said: It is better for us to be beaten that the rest of the people may not be weakened. Therefore when the Holy One said to Moses (in Numb. 11:16): GATHER ME <SEVENTY PEOPLE FROM THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL>, Moses said: Sovereign of the Universe I do not know who is worthy and who is not worthy. He said to him (in Numb. 11:16 cont.:) WHOM YOU KNOW TO BE ELDERS AND OFFICERS OF THE PEOPLE. These are the officers who had handed themselves over to be beaten on their behalf in Egypt because of the required amount of bricks. Let them come and receive this dignity. It therefore says (ibid.): WHOM YOU KNOW TO BE [ELDERS AND OFFICERS OF THE PEOPLE]. From here you learn that whoever hands himself over for the sake of Israel merits glory and dignity. It is therefore written (ibid.): WHOM YOU KNOW [TO BE ELDERS AND OFFICERS OF THE PEOPLE. Who are they? The ones of whom it is written] (in Exod. 5:14): AND THE OFFICERS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL <WHOM THE TASKMASTERS OF PHARAOH HAD SET OVER THEM> WERE BEATEN.