I Crônicas 21:1 Midrash: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition) & Pesikta Rabbati

(Fol. 6'2b) If the Lord hath instigated thee against me (I Sam. 26, 19). R. Elazar said: "Thus spoke the Holy One, praised, be He! unto David, 'Art thou calling me instigator? I will cause thee to stumble even with that which school children know'; for it is written (Ex. 30, 12.) When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel of those who are to he numbered, then shall each man pay a ransom for his soul [which means that Israel should not be counted unless a ransom is given for that act]. Immediately after this it happened (I Chr. 21, 1.) And Satan moved against Israel and enticed David. It is also written (II Sam. 24, 1.) He instigated David against them to say ' Go number Israel and Judah,' and since he counted them without taking a ransom from them, it is written immediately thereafter And the Lord sent a pestilence into Israel from morning even to the time appointed. What is meant by From morning even to the time appointed? Samuel, the senior, and son-in-law of R. Chanina. said in R. Chanina's name: "From the time of the slaughter of the perpetual-daily-morning-offering until the sprinkling of its blood." And R. Jochanan said: "Until noon," And He said to the angel, that destroyed among, the people great (Ib. ib. 16). What is meant by great? R. Elazar said: "Thus said the Holy One, praised be He! 'Take me the greatest of them in whom there is [merit enough] with which to pay their debts (sins). At that moment Abishai b. Zeruyah. who was the equal of the majority of the Sanhedrin, died. But as he was destroying, the Lord looked on and bethought Himself (I Chr. 21, 15). What did He see? Rab said: "He saw our father Jacob," for it is written (Gen. 32, 3.) And when Jacob saw them (Ra'ah) he said, etc. Samuel said: "He saw the ashes of Isaac, for it is said (Ib. 22. 8.) God will show us the lamb for them." R. Isaac Napbcha said: "He saw the atonement money [which was donated for the construction of the Tabernacle], for it is said (Ex. 31, 16.) And thou shall take the atonement money"; and R. Jochanan said: "He saw the Temple, for it is written (Gen. 22, 14.) On the mount of the Lord it shall he seen." Upon the same point R. Jacob b. Ide and R. Samuel b. Nachmeini differ. One said, "He saw the atonement money,"' and the other said "He saw the Temple." The following statements will prove the correctness of the opinion of the one who said that "He saw the Temple"; for it is said (Ib. ib.) As it is said to this very day. On the mount of the Lord it shall he seen.

For it will carry the head of the children of Israel to their commandments (Exodus 30:12). Our Rabbis will teach us how many times a year we should raise the tabernacle. Our Rabbis taught in three chapters a year [we should raise the tabernacle during the Passover, the Atzeret, and the Festival] (Shelikim 33:41). And where was the tabernacle offering? They always took from it the shekels of all Israel, which they weighed so that all Israel would share in it. They would start from Adar, from the beginning of Adar to the beginning, and they raised them at the beginning of Nissan, so as not to push Israel away. They would (remind) Israel from the beginning of the new month of Adar. Solomon said, "The path of the lazy is like a tent of a thornbush" (Proverbs 15:19). Rabbi Yaakov ben Yossi in Elohim and Esau, the scripture speaks of the path of the lazy. This Esau is like a tent of a thornbush, except that just as this tent of thorns narrows (his clothes) [with the clothes of a man] and he loosens them on one side and it narrows on the other side, so is the kingdom of Esau, which raises the Arnon until it does not The Arnon will be raised, the mountains of the Galgalites will come upon them, and until it is wiped out, the Tirvas will come upon them, but the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like that, but a righteous way paved (there) before Israel, they will be heard on one of the days of Adar and wiped out on one of the days of Nissan. Woe to the righteous way paved. If you say they wipe out more than they can, they would not wipe out anything greater than half a shekel, Ar Hanina, half the rock. And if you say this half for the shops of the Temple, it would be wiped out, it would not be wiped out except for the atonement of Israel, which they would always take from them. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, It is expected before every number of Israel that will be counted that there is a deficiency in them. But what am I doing? I am fixing a cure for them. Every number that will be counted will have an atonement for them. And what was their atonement? This is the atonement of shekels from the number [of] that they read about, because you will bear: For you will bear the head of the children of Israel. Thus began Rabbi Tanhuma, my father, this is what was said in the Holy Spirit by Solomon, who stretched out the basin of the crescent moon, so that the temper would not be lacking, etc. (Shahs.) 7. 3) What is the great Sanhedrin that was in Jerusalem that discussed the laws of souls and why is it ruled like the umbilical cord? What is the umbilical cord? This is how the Sanhedrin sat in Jerusalem, which is the center of the world. I.e., the crescent basin, the umbilical cord, what is the umbilical cord? This is how all this people were by the merit of the Sanhedrin that sat and dealt with the laws of the Torah: The crescent basin (his father) [Avin] Ben Hasda said, "They read the moon, Sihara. This is the Sanhedrin that did not sit (in a long row) [in trigonin], but rather an astroniglon, half a round threshing floor, so that they could see each other. If they sat (in trigonin), those who sat at angles would be sorry to see which one was which and could not ask each other. What is the crescent basin? This basin is the cup, as it is written, and Moses took half the blood and put it in basins (Exodus 24:6) What is this cup, round and strong? They would sit like this. What is the crescent moon that at the time they would sit, the goods and wages were in the world. The measure they would sit and pour out the laws should not be lacking. This is forbidden and this is permitted. This is impure and this is pure. In other words, the measure that is poured out should not be lacking. When a craftsman gives a third of a cup of wine and two parts of water, thus There was never a Sanhedrin lacking twenty-three, as seventy Sanhedrin members would sit in it, and since they would ask to go and eat, they would not all be taken in as one, but from them they would go and eat, and from them they would be preserved until they came, and then they would go and there was no shortage (of them) of twenty-three: [Another thing] Let there be no lack of temperance, do not be one who reads like that, but the temperance is the Holy One, blessed be He, by whose merit His world was not lacking, but His glory was present among them, because when the Sanhedrin was idle, the Shekhinah departed: Your belly is a heap of wheat (Shah"sh there) these are Israel, and why were Israel likened to wheat that is cracked in the middle, which is not found in lentils or in all the other fruits, and why is the wheat cracked, every parasite to them: i.e. Your belly is a heap of wheat, Ar Huna, in the name of Rabbi Idi, and is not a heap of astrobladia or a heap of peppers more beautiful than wheat, since the Blessed One loves them He will call them a pile of peppers, but (it is) impossible for the world to live without istrobalit and without peppers, and it is impossible for the world to live without wheat, and if the world lacks istrobalit and peppers, they don't care, but if it lacks wheat, they don't live even for a single hour: In your belly is a pile of wheat, Rabbi Yochanan is a pile of sins. How did a spread of figolim, leftovers, and milk come before Israel? And he came to eat, thinking that it was fat, and he said to him, "It is milk." He immediately finished eating. Who is stopping him from eating? What is the restriction between him and the Tamchu? But let's look at the words of the Torah, such as roses (Shah"sh there)? The Bible does not say, but I preached to you, "There is a man who fences in roses." People fence their vineyards or fields with thorns and thorns, in pots and in hedges. Have you seen a man from among you who fences a field with roses? But if these are words of the Torah, which are soft like lilies, how would he desire to see his canopy? He has no great day from that day, that he rejoiced with his wife. He brought out his departure and offered his canopy. He came to beg with his wife, she said. If I saw a red rose, I immediately interpreted it. This one turned his face this way and this one turns her face this way. Who separated it? What snake stung it? What scorpion (stung) it? What fence stood before them? But these are the words of the Torah. Ferns are like a rose in your belly. A pile of wheat. A kind of roses: Another thing in your belly. A pile of [wheat]. Rabbi Levi. Why were the Knesset of Israel likened to wheat? But the owner of the house has a householder. When he comes to think with him, what does he calculate? What does he say to him? Give your mind to how many heaps of straw do you put in the treasury? Or how many heaps of straw do you put in the treasury? Where does he put the thorns in the fire? Where does he throw the garbage? Put it in the trash? Where does he scatter the chaff to the wind? But what does he say to his householder? Give your mind to how many heaps of wheat do you put in the treasury? For they are the animals of the world. Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, is the owner of the house. The entire world is His, as it is said to the Lord: The earth and the fullness of the world and those who dwell in it. In it (Psalms 24:1) and his household is Moses, he is faithful in all my house (Numbers 12:7) the Blessed One said to him, "Give your mind to number the nations (lamites) [not] that they were likened to straw, who would they be if the Egyptians were sent forth with your wrath? They would be devoured like straw (Exodus 15:7) and the house of Esau to straw (Obadiah 1:18) What do they do to straw? They flood them with water, and Pharaoh shook them and they were drowned in the Red Sea (Psalms 16:15) they were likened to thorns, as it is said, "And there were nations that burned lime, thorns, etc. (Isaiah 33:12) What do they do to thorns, they throw them into the fire? Thorns are like straw that is burned in the fire (ibid.) they were likened to stubble, what do they do to straw, they scatter it to the wind, as it is said, "They will be stubble before the wind like chaff, the end of which is stolen by a storm" (Job 21:18) but Israel was likened to wheat, which is the grain of the world in your belly, a heap of wheat. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Give your mind to number Israel to know how many there are in them, for you will bear the head of the children of Israel: [Another thing in your belly is a heap of wheat] (the ears) [the ears] of wheat that turn and rise (and the ears) [the ears] are long and have broad and long leaves, and the ears are at the head of the stalk and its stalk is proud and says, "For me the field was sown." The ears said to them, "Behold, the threshing floor is coming, and all are reconciled."For whom was the field sown? When the threshing floor comes, they bring the straw into the light and scatter the chaff to the wind, leaving the wheat for the threshing floor, and all the fruit is taken and kissed. Thus, God tells Israel in this world that the world was created for the future to come, and the nations were like burning lime [thorns cut in the fire, they will burn it] (Isaiah 33:12). But Israel, the Lord alone, will rest, etc. (Deuteronomy 32:12). He sent out the sickle at the time of harvest (Joel 4:13), therefore they were likened to wheat. [In your belly is a heap of wheat] Rabbi Yitzchak says, "Why is it like wheat? What is the business of these wheats? When they enter the treasury, they enter by measure and calculation. They come to take them from the treasury, they take them out by calculation. And when they come to sow them, they sow them by calculation. And in this way, when they entered Egypt, the Blessed One said, "Your fathers went down from Egypt with seventy souls" (Deuteronomy 10:22). All the souls who came from Egypt were seventy (Genesis 46:27). They came to leave Egypt, as it is said, and they traveled from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand footmen (Exodus 12:37). And so they went out into the wilderness again. And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai [and] "Take the head of the children of Israel" (Numbers 1:1 and 2). And even here, when you take the head: [When you take the head of the children of Israel] Rabbi Levi said, "Why did he count them at every hour for the king, who had tsabilats and did not supervise them in counting? He had one small gold plumb bob, and it was Every hour they took it and counted how many there were in it and left it for a few days. They said to him, "O my people, do you not care about counting them? You are not watching over them except for the one who is small." He said to him, "All those who are not mine will go down into the pit of defilement. They are but for this one." The little one said to him, "All those who are not mine will go down into the pit of defilement. But this one stood before me with so much sorrow that I did not adapt (them) [him]. Therefore, I do not need any of those who are except for the one who I adapted. Thus, the Holy One, blessed be He, has many nations in the world, and how many populations of nations? And God, the Lord of the universe, does not watch over them. How many nations do you have in the world? And you do not watch over them. But at every hour, they raised the head of the children of Israel. The Holy One, blessed be He, has many populations that you see. They are not mine, they are but for their hell. And they were peoples who burned lime (Isaiah 33:12). But these Israel, whom I count at every hour, are my special possession, as it is said, "And you were my special possession above all the peoples." (Exodus 33:12) 19:5) And how many (virtues) of a man are dear to him, so are they dear to me in sorrow, that they stood before me in how many exits they stood before God, or did God try to come and take a nation for Him from among the nations (Deuteronomy 4:34) said the Blessed One, Ephraim is dear to me (Jeremiah 31:20) the son (who stood) [who stood] dear to me, therefore I do not need to list all the nations except Israel because it will carry the head of the children of Israel: another thing, when it will carry the head like this, Rabbi Yonatan opened the chapter (of his men) [mighty men] [mighty men], and he will humble a man and do not bear them (Isaiah 2:9) What is it and he will humble a man, if those Israelites were called men, as it is said, And you will give them the sheep of my pasture, a man (Ezekiel 34:31) When did they bow down and humble themselves when they did that deed, the Blessed One humbled them when they stood at Sinai and said, It is done, and it is heard, a crown was given to them on their heads, Rabbi Abba bar Kahana in the name of Rabbi Levi, because they received Israel The Ten Commandments were descended by one hundred and twenty thousand ministering angels, with crowns in their hands, and two of them were in need, each one giving crowns and one girding himself with fornication. And because they did the same thing, the angels descended and passed the crowns (and beat) [and untied] the fornicators, and the children of Israel apologized [to the witnesses on Mount Horeb] (Exodus 33:6) and were saved. It is not written here except that they apologized for their good and for their bad. What is a witness? It is a language of ornament, and I am your witness (Ezekiel 16:11). At that time, Israel became humble and a man bowed down, if Israel were a man (Ibid. 34:31). And this man Moses bowed down, and the man Moses was very humble (Numbers 12:3). Why did the angels immediately stand up to kill him when he went up to take down the tablets from above? Israel corrupted them down below. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do to him? He said, "Stand here, you have no power over them. Arise, get down quickly from here, for you have corrupted your people, etc." (Deuteronomy 9:11) 12) When they were victorious and ascended, you ascended with them, as it is said, "Moses ascended" (Exodus 19:3). Now that they have sinned in descending, you too will go. Why?You are dependent on them. Immediately Moses descended. He took the calf and made it dance and threw it on the surface of the water and watered the pigs. Then he taught his defense. Why will the Lord be angry, etc. (Ibid. 32:11) and why will the Egyptians say, etc. (Ibid. 32:12) and if you kill them, how will you fulfill what you covenanted with the fathers? Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants (Ibid. 33:13) since Moses was accepted and pleased with him, the Blessed One began. Moses said to him, "O Rabshal, please make me know your ways" (Ibid. 33:13) He said to him, "In what way have we transgressed and justified ourselves?" The Holy One, blessed be He, answered. And the Lord said to Moses, "I will do even the thing you have spoken" (Ibid. 37). Why, since you have found favor in my sight (Ibid. 34:17) since he was accepted at first, he began to demand otherwise. Please show me your glory (Ibid. 38:18) He said to him, "You cannot." And he said, "You will not be able to see my face" (Ibid. 30) Moses urged him in prayer. And the Blessed One received him, saying to him, "Because you have pressed this, (and) I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and as I pass by, I will cover my hand over you from the angels of wrath, lest they harm you. And it shall be for my glory, and I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and my tabernacles shall be upon you, as I have done until I pass by." (Ibid., 22) What did Moses do? He sat in the cleft of the rock until the Holy One, blessed be He, passed by? Angels came to harm Moses. What did the Blessed One do? He stretched out his hands over him, and from there Moses took the horns of glory, as it is said, "And horns" (Habakkuk 3:4) from where did he get them? (Ibid.) And when Moses went down toward Israel, they saw that excellent and excellent thing, so much so that no one could look at it on the day when he ascended. Similarly, no one could look at Moses, except that he would give a rebellious face, as it is said, "And he put a veil over his face" (Exodus 34:33). At that time, it was bad for Israel. They said, "We are going down because we did the same thing, and even the Holy One, blessed be He, was pleased with us and forgave our sins, and even you." Moses was with us, and Moses' horns were erect, and our horns were low. Immediately Moses came to the Blessed One. The Rabbi Sha'ar said to him, "When you humbled them, I also humbled myself with them, as it is said, 'And a man bowed down, and a man bowed down.' Now that you have raised my head, even so have their heads been raised." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Go, raise their heads." Rabbi Yonatan Dabyt (Gabriel) said, "No, my Rabbi, except that as you raised it, so do you hang the heads of your sons. Where does it say, 'And do not lift them up, do not be a reader, and do not lift their heads up,' and God said to him, "No, but I have raised your head up.'" [Thus] I will also raise the heads of my sons, because you lift the heads of the children of Israel. That is, because you lift the head, because it is a duty. There is no writing here except that you lift it up. What is the language of taking a head? Why is this similar to the son of a king who was angry with his father? The king said, "Go, take his head." Go, hang his head. Listen to the Kostners. And they took him to cut him off. His head, when he heard the pedagogue, he said to him, "You are a man who is destroying your son from the world. No, you have a man who is a man. You do not need to do this. God, the king, and I am doing this. I have already taken out a kiluwi on him. They will carry his head and hang him. He said to him, "Your kiluwilosio is there, and your son is in his place and is not harmed." He said to him, "In this language that you took out on him, you are raising him in the world. Why (he said to us) [You said, go] take his head, they will go and raise his head from what it is, and we will find that your kiluwilosio is there. And your eldest son, the king said to him, "Live, since you taught me to be a defender and gave him his life in your hand, I will raise him up and hang his head like this." The son, "Israel, are you sons of the Lord your God?" (Deuteronomy 14:1) They rebelled against the Holy One, blessed be He, and angered Him. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "I will destroy them from the world. Depart from me and destroy them." (Ibid. 9:14) When Moses heard this, he girded his loins. In defense and he came to the Blessed One, the Lord of the universe said to him, "Are you destroying your children from the world? Remember how much I toiled over them until I brought them out of Egypt, and no longer reminded their fathers. Because he taught them, the Holy One, blessed be He, was comforted. And she had already issued a decree to lift up their heads. Turn your tongue and lift up their heads. The Blessed One said to him, "Live, since you taught them defense with your hands, I will lift up and lift up their heads, because you will lift up the heads of the children of Israel." [Another thing] Because you will lift up the heads of the children of Israel, thus began Rabbi Tanhuma, Rabbi Yonah of Metzura, for God is a judge, this one will humble.And this is the one who will be raised (Psalms 55:8) What does it mean that God judges except when Israel did that act? Immediately Moses came down and shook it and threw it on the surface of the water and it was drunk, etc. (Exodus 32:20) Our rabbis said that everyone who had witnesses and was warned would be killed. Witnesses and not warned would drink (them) from that water and they would be tested as deviants, and everyone who did not have witnesses and not warned would die of the plague, as it is said that God judges. This one will humiliate and this one will elevate, humiliating everyone who participated in the act of the calf and exalting everyone who did not participate in the act of the calf (because you will bear it): This one [because you will bear it, etc.] Rabbi Tanchuma began with Rabbi Menachem ben Yaakov, who said in the name of his father, 25. If there is an angel to advise him, one out of a thousand, etc. (Job 33:23) Job speaks against people when their sins are causing them and they are vile, their flesh is frail from youth, he will return to the days of his youth (ibid. 25) and it will approach To destroy a soul and make it dead (ibid. 22) What is that except that immediately angels of destruction come and punish him, and the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "There is no angel who will teach him merit, as it is said, 'If there is an angel [who advises] one of a thousand of our rabbis,' they said, 'Even if there are nine hundred and ninety-nine binding parts there, and one from the Holy One, blessed be He, supposedly a line of merit,' and Rabbi Eliezer in Rabbi Yossi of Galilee says, 'Even if there are in that angel who grants merit nine hundred and ninety-nine binding parts there, and one from the Holy One, blessed be He, supposedly a line of merit,' and why did Rabbi Yochanan, when you heard the word from Rabbi Eliezer, son of Rabbi Yossi of Galilee, make your ear ring like this eardrum, to receive it immediately, and be merciful to him, and say, 'His redemption is a rebellion against corruption, I have found a disbeliever.'" (ibid. 24) What is his redemption except that angel who teaches him merit, said to the Holy One, 'His redemption is in torment, and you bring him to repentance.'" Against Israel, when they made the calf, the angels came and rebuked them (at that) [time], and Moses said, "I will be ashamed because of the smell and the heat" (Deuteronomy 9:10). Immediately Moses stood up (at that) [time], girding his loins in prayer, and he taught merit for Israel and sought mercy before the Holy One, blessed be He. And Job explained whether there was an angel who interceded for him, and there was no angel but Moses, as it is said, "And he sent an angel and brought them out of Egypt" (Numbers 20:16). And what mercy did he seek for them, but he said before the Holy One, Lord of the universe, why is your anger burning against your people? (Exodus 32:11) And he was moved with pity and said, "Revenge, you rebelled against me, what is this?" But Moses said to him, Lord of the universe, "I know that they are worthy of death, for you have said to me, 'A sacrifice to God will be rejected' (Ibid. 22:19). But at your request, redeem them from the angels of destruction. Remember the merit of their fathers. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by you (Ibid. 32). 13): For you lift up your head like this, Rabbi Tanchuma began, in the name of Rabbi Shmuel. Many say, "My soul has no salvation in God, and you, the Lord, are my shield, my glory, and you lift up my head." Many say, "When David failed in that act, his enemies rejoiced over him and said, "There is no salvation for him. From now on, he says about himself. Many say, "My soul has no salvation for him." And you, the Lord, and Many say to themselves, "I will speak in Israel, when they made the calf. All the gods of the world began to rejoice over them and anoint them with oil, saying, "From now on, these will have no standing or salvation." Many say, "My soul has no salvation for them." And you, O Lord, are with them, and you are also with them, as you wrote in the Torah: "A sacrifice to God shall be condemned" (Exodus 22:19). And since Moses said, "Remember your servants" (Deuteronomy 9:27), "Turn away from your fierce anger and comfort" (Exodus 32:12), and we were comforted and comforted by the Lord for the evil that you had said to do to his people (Exodus 32:14). (We know) that you have defended us, and you, O Lord, are a defender for me, and nothing more than my glory. And the head of my glory is lifted up, this is the tabernacle. They made a sanctuary for me (Exodus 25:8). And the head of my head is lifted up, because you will lift up the head.) [We find in many places] that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Lift up the head of the people of Israel" (Numbers 1:2), because you will lift up your head. And why is that? But the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Moses, whatever you can lift up this nation, lift it up, as if it were Me, you lift it up, as it is written, "Lift up the head of the children of Israel." For you will lift up the children of Israel. There is nothing written here except the head, and there is no head of Israel but the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, "And their king shall pass before them, and the Lord shall be at their head" (Micah 2:13). Why is this similar to someone who would sit and make a crown and set it with precious stones and pearls? One passed by and saw it. He said to him, "All that you can determine in it, determine that it is destined to be placed on the head of a king." An example is given to an old man who had one tallit and would shake it every hour and pray. He said to him, "I am careful about this one, because (he clothed me) when I was given an old man (I wore it at that time). Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Be careful about this nation of all the nations that I created in my world. It is I am king first, as it is said to me, and I am him (Exodus 15:2) to a king who had many purple robes and who had another purple robe and who would place his vestment on that purple robe at all times. He said to him, "My lord the king, how many purple robes do you have, and for this one you are more favored than all others?" He said to him, "I am careful with this one, for it is for this that I married a king's daughter, she is the one I wore at that time." Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Be careful with this nation that first made me king over the sea over all the nations, and she said to me, "This one is for me, and I am him" (ibid.). Therefore, lift up their heads because you will lift up your head: I.e., because you will lift up your head. Rabbi Shmuel ben Nachman has three offerings. Here is the first offering of the Lord of the Tabernacle. The Blessed One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Tell them to bring shekels, bring them immediately and make the pillars, because when the pillars were made, the planks were made, and then they covered the curtains." And why did the Holy One, blessed be He, say so? With the shekels that they brought (Israel), they made [the] Lord of the Tabernacle, and so why? But the Divine Presence came into the Tabernacle and they carried it because it carried the head, and you did not learn from this. You have a minyan to teach that the sacred service was carried on their shoulders (Numbers 7:9): This is what they will give: six shekels of silver, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: They sinned for six hours and more, because in six Moses (Exodus 32:1), therefore they will bring six shekels, and our rabbis said: They sinned for half a day and more, they will bring half a shekel, and it will be atonement for them. This is what they will give: [and so] half a shekel, and how much is half a shekel, ten shekels, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: They will give ten shekels, which are half a shekel, so that they may atone for the ten commandments that they have transgressed. This is what they will give: [and so] all who pass by: This is what they will give: The burden of the Holy One, blessed be He, as a kind of coin of a hair of fire, and He said to him: Such shall be given: All who pass by: This is what they will give: Come and see the love of Israel. Their transgressions lead them to great virtues, just as their merits are when Joseph was sent by his father to go to his brothers, when they saw him they thought to kill him, as it is said, And they said each to his brother [and] now go and let us kill him (Genesis 37:19, etc.) And they stood and threw him into the pit and said, Let us eat and drink, and then we will drag him and lift him up and kill him. They ate and drank and came to bless. Judah said to them, "We come to kill and bless the Blessed One. We are only avengers. What is it that we kill our brother? (Ibid., 26) Judah said to them, "The Lord has been forsaken in His mercy (Psalms 10:3) But go and let us be sold to the Ishmaelites (Genesis 37:27) and they sat down to eat bread (Ibid., 24) Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi, in my opinion, Rabbi Shalom, is one reason why the tribes sat down and took counsel against Joseph, because he sold him to the entire world, who was sold to Egypt and sustained the entire world during the two famines. And they sat down to eat bread, to feed bread to the whole world. And if their own transgression caused the whole world to live, their right is even greater. Even here, who caused the shekels' affair, the transgression of the calf? And if their transgression was for a mitzvah, their right is even greater. You are all beautiful, my wife, and there is no blemish in you (Shah"sh 4:7): For you will bear in ten places, Israel was counted as one when they went down to Egypt, as it is said, "All the souls who come to the house of Jacob" Seventy from Egypt (Genesis 46:27) and one of their coming out of Egypt as it is said about six hundred thousand foot soldiers (Exodus 12:37) and one here when you carry it and twice in the book and he spoke and twice in the days of Saul and they were led by Bezek (1 Samuel 11:8) and they were led by lambs (Isa. 15:4) and once in the days of David and Joab gave the number of the census of the people (2 Samuel 24:9) [and once in the days of Ezra as it is said the whole assembly as one four hundred and thirty] (Ezra 2:34) and one for the future to come the flock will still pass by the numbering, says the Lord (Jeremiah 33:13) and whenever we were numbered by word of mouth, no plague touched them and whenever we were numbered not by word of mouth, a plague touched them and whenever we were numbered not by word of mouth, a plague touched them and whenever we were numbered not by word of mouth and a plague touched them in the days of David as it is said And Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David (Deut. 12:1) immediately the plague touched them as it is said and gave The Lord spoke to Israel (Ibid., Ibid., 14) and what was lacking in the days of David was filled in the days of Solomon. Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore (1 Kings 4:20). From what they read in the matter, and Rabbi Tanhuma in Rabbi Pothar said to the grove of walnuts, I went down to see the enemies of the stream (Shahs 6:11): 1. If you bear [and give] and a man gives a ransom for his life, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, Moses died. They are obligated because they made the calf, but they will not give a ransom for their lives. And a man gives a ransom for his life. When the Israelites heard this, they were tempted, saying, "We would have come and plundered the houses of Egypt and taken their wealth and thrown away their wealth." It is written in the Torah that a fine be given and they were punished with a hundred pieces of silver. And we violated the word, we accepted it and transgressed against it. Now each one of them must give fifty pieces of silver as if he had raped a woman, but as if he had seduced a virgin, because a man seduced a virgin who was not married (Exodus 22:15). What is his catechism? Silver shall be weighed as the weight of virgins (Isa. 16). Indeed, each and every one of Israel must give him fifty shekels, for we have made him a tempter and have tempted the word and have not kept it, and they shall deceive him with their mouth and with their tongue, and their heart shall not be right with him (Psalms 88:36-37). Neither this nor that, but whoever has an ox that gores a man's servant, what is his punishment? His master gives thirty shekels, he shall give to his master (Exodus 21:32). And we made an ox and they changed [their] glory into the form of an ox that eats grass (Psalms 106:20). Now each and every one of Israel must give thirty shekels of silver, except as one who brings forth a bad name, and they punish him with a hundred shekels of silver (Deuteronomy 22:19). And we have brought forth a bad name against the Blessed One, whom we brought up out of the land of Egypt, and said to the calf, This is your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt (Nehemiah 15:18). The Holy One, blessed be He, knows what they said to Moses in their hearts. Tell them why you are afraid. I do not ask you to give me as a rapist, as a tempter, as a bearer of evil, or as a gored ox. Rather, they will give me this. Rabbi Meir took a small coin of fire and called Moses to him and said to him, "This is what they will give." Since David saw that in this they had atonement, he began to say, "Come and see the wonders of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His deeds, in the matter in which they angered Him, He gave them atonement. For God judges, one will humble, and the other will exalt." (Psalms 55:8) He who humbled Israel to the pit of destruction is your God (Israel), and he who exalts [Israel], who exalts their horn, in this they will give.

Judah and Israel are as numerous as the sand on the seashore (1 Kings 4:20). May our Rabbis teach us from whence they pronounce concerning the shekels, so did our Rabbis pronounce concerning the [shekels and] the hybrids (shekels 1:141) and why on the first day of Adar [so that Israel would bring their shekels in their season and offer the offering of the tabernacle from the new moon at its time on the first day of Nisan and on the hybrids why on the first day of Adar]? On all the new moons the seeds are small and it is not clear whether they are wheat or barley. Therefore, they pronounced concerning the first day of Adar, just as it is forbidden to sow hybrids, so it is forbidden to keep them. You find that Israel does not stand in the world except by virtue of the commandments they do in the land. Balaam said, "Who counted the dust of Jacob?" (Numbers 23:10). Who can enumerate the commandments that Israel does [in the dust]? A sower and a reaper, you shall not sow your vineyard together (Deuteronomy 22:9) and a plowman and a reaper, you shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together (Ibid. 10). The pillow gave a contribution. Thus, who can enumerate the commandments that Israel does in the dust? Therefore, they multiply in the land. Thus, he says, "So that you may be strong and come in and multiply and inherit the land" (Ibid. 11:8). Even Israel comes to the point of (lack) [stink] and the Blessed One is angry with them and brings rebellions upon them, and they come to the point of lack, but they return and multiply. Thus you find that in the days of David, Joab numbered Israel, and seventy thousand men went from them, and they returned and multiplied in the days of Solomon, more than they were, from what the prophet counted, "Judah and Israel [are] as numerous as the sand on the seashore for multitude: [Judah and Israel are] numerous." Thus Rabbi Tanchuma opened the book of Rabbi Abba, who said, "The Holy Spirit through Solomon went down to the garden of walnuts to see the enemies of the stream" (Shahs 6:11). Why were Israel likened to a walnut? Rabbi Yehoshua of Sichnan said in the name of Rabbi Levi, "All the trees, when they are afflicted, cover their roots and live. But this walnut, when afflicted, reveals its roots and is alive. Thus Israel covers its transgressions, it will not succeed and confess and leave their enemies (Proverbs 28:13). I.e., why is it like a walnut? What is this walnut made of four agorats? Thus when they went out into the wilderness, Moses made four flags and the Shechinah in the middle of them, as it is said, "And the tent of meeting [the camp of the Levites] traveled in the midst of the camps" (Numbers 2:17). [Another thing] What is this walnut that is worn by a baby and a delight for kings? Thus Israel, when they were righteous and kings were your teachers (Isaiah 49:23), and when they sinned, I was worn by all the nations (Lamentations 3:14). Another thing about this walnut? A tree preserves its fruit. Thus Israel engages in Torah and their friends engage in acts of kindness. For example, this nut, as long as its fruit is attached to its fruit, is preserved. They interpret it as they throw it into the trash. For example, Israel, as long as their friends are attached to the sages and listen to their words, they are granted two worlds, this world and the world to come. They have separated from them and are lost from the world. Another thing about this nut is that two cards were drawn. This is the parable of Israel, in which Rabbi Avin understands that they are circumcised and disobedient. For example, why is it like a nut? But all the fruits that fall on the earth have no sound, and the nut, when it falls to the earth, its sound goes away. So the righteous one who dies, his sound goes away throughout the world. For example, all the fruits a person can take from them out of the bag and none of their friends feel between dates, strawberries, and figs. But the nut, because you put your hands on it and take a little from it, everyone is offended and feels this way. Israel, one man sins, everyone feels. One man will sin, and the whole community will be cursed (Numbers 16:22): For example, all the fruits They fall to the ground and become dirty, and a person's soul is afraid of them (to eat them). But if a nut falls and becomes dirty, they wash it and eat it. Thus, the Israelites even become dirty in seasons all year round. Yom Kippur comes and they wash away their sins, as it is said that on this day atonement will be made for you to cleanse you, etc. (Leviticus 16:30): This nut is given in the treasury if a fat person asks to give it or peppers [and legumes] among them they hold what you do not find in other fruits that you cannot do so with dates and figs, except with nuts. Yes, the Israelites accept everyone who comes to convert. Rabbi Levi, this nut has three types: nuts of a nut that splits on its own, and nuts of a nut that splits on its own, and you tap on the middle ones and they break. And the katronim (are) difficult to break and you tap on it with a stone and it breaks, and yet there is no hope for it. Thus is Israel. There are people among them who do a mitzvah of their own accord, those of a hard worker, and there are those among them who you demand a mitzvah from and they immediately give, those of the middle class, and there are those among them who even if you tap on it several times, nothing is of any use to them. However, Rabbi Levi said that the door that is not open to a mitzvah is open to a doctor. In the garden of this walnut tree, whoever is not trained to climb it immediately falls. One must guard himself lest he fall from it. In the same way, everyone who serves Israel must guard himself lest he take his place from under their hands, such as Moses, Isaiah, and Elijah. Moses said, "Listen, teachers" (Numbers 20:10). And it is said, "Do not bring this assembly" (Ibid. 12). Isaiah said, "In the midst of a people of unclean lips, I will dwell (Isaiah 6:5). With a staff in his hand and a rod in his hand (Ibid. 6:5). Elijah, because the house of Israel has forsaken your covenant (1 Kings 19:10-14). And it is said, "And you shall anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat [from the sick] to be prophet in your place" (Ibid. 16). In the same way, one must guard himself lest he perish, as Achithophel did. In the garden of this walnut tree, worn by infants and a delight to kings, in the same way, Israel, when they do the will of a place, repent for the kings in Adin, King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his nose and on Daniel. Sagid (Daniel 2:46) And so your gift to you is to be made (name of the Lord 17) And when they do not do the will of a place, they become a reproach to the nations, I was reproached to all the nations (Lamentations 3:14): A. To the garden of the fig tree, Rabbi Joshua ben [Levi] (Hanan) [the garden] that I prune every hour. The nations of the world sin, and I prolong my spirit with them, but Israel I do not encompass them, but they sin immediately. I prune them. Nevertheless, everything that is pruned immediately is replaced and praised, said the Holy One, blessed be He, even though I pruned them immediately, I multiplied them more than they were, and a cloud that has no number. Judah and Israel are many [and] the Holy One, blessed be He, said, Israel is my special possession, and you were my special possession (Exodus 19:5). And what is the business of this special possession? There is no guarantee that its owner will touch it. If a hand is pushed and he takes it from it, he is immediately anxious to return everything that he took from it, so said the Holy One, blessed be He, despite the sins of the factors. And Israel is diminished, I will make [them] many more than Judah and Israel were numerous: i.e. Judah and Israel are numerous, from where did Israel become diminished, when Samuel told Saul to go and attack the name of Agag, they transgressed the command, [and] Israel was two hundred and twenty thousand men, and they were numbered with stripes, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah (1 Samuel 15:4). At that time they were bound to kill, said the Blessed One, If they go at once, Israel will not stand, I will take them a little by little, and seventy thousand of them will die in the matter, and the rest on Mount Gilboa with Saul, and in the days of David, who died but what? And the Lord added to the salvation of Israel (2 Samuel 24:1) And how did the Lord anger the Lord in Israel? But what did he write? When David came to number (his) mighty men, he would count and go, since he came to Uriah the Hittite, [it is said] every thirty-seven (I Samuel 23:39) immediately, and the Lord added to the salvation of Israel, and you find that he did not number any more. Seventeen heroes were not mentioned in the Chronicles, and you find them seventeen more, except when he came to Uriah the Hittite immediately, and God added to the king who was sitting and calling in the dipteral, all his heroes he would call so-and-so, and so-and-so would call and go. When he came to so-and-so, they said to him, "He is dead," he threw the dipteral and burned the fire. Thus did God, blessed be He, call and number his heroes (here) [because] he mentioned Uriah the Hittite immediately, and God added. David ordered the census, and David said to Joab, the commander of the army, "Go, count Israel from Dan to Beersheba" (Ibid. 24:1-2 and 1 Samuel 21:1). Joseph said to him, "The Lord has numbered the people as they are, and as they are a hundred times" (Samuel 3:1). And why did he not say, "As Moses blessed his master, Moses said, "Joseph, be upon you as you are a thousand times" (Deuteronomy 1:11)?" And Joab said, "A hundred times"? But Joab's blessing was better than that of Moses, "And the eyes of my lord the king see" (Samuel 1:11). He said to him, "May it be so in your days." Joab said, "As for the number that is necessary, there is no deficiency in it; as for the number that is not necessary, there is deficiency in it; and you find a wise man, the chairman of the Sanhedrin."He would sit on the Sabbath, "Tachkemon" (I Samuel 23:8). He was Joab, who was great in the Torah and a hero in war: "Why should my lord seek, and why should he be a cause of blame for Israel?" (I Samuel 21:3). And the king's word prevailed over Joab (I Samuel 4:1). David said to him, "Either you are king and I am commander of the army, or you are commander of the army and I am king." Since he saw it that way, it turned out not to his advantage. Nevertheless, he went to the tribe of Gad, saying, "I know that they are hard-hearted, lest they throw stones at me and the matter turns out to be futile. And yet, that hour did not help him. Later, he went to the tribe of Dan, saying, "I know that they are worshipers of the Akkadians, lest the hour strike men who worship the Akkadians." Since not one of them stood before him, he went to all Israel (despite) [and] because he did not desire anything, we will delay, you will know from what came, you know, and they will come at the end of nine months, twenty days (Samuel 1 Samuel 8) from Dan to Beersheba at the end of nine months, but he did delay: and Joab gave the number of the people. The commander of the people (Ibid., Ibid., 9) If a count is a commander, why is it a commander? Our sages said, "He made two aponres, one large and one small, and placed the large one in his funda, saying, "I will give the small one." If anger arises, then he says, "I will give him the large one." That is, the number of a commander. But since he went to count, he would send someone who had five sons to you, and he would put them in and count what you ask for, and whatever he would say, he would write down the number of the commander of the people. And Israel was (Ibid.) Why did they say in the feminine form? The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Not one of you stood up against Joab to ask him, "Why are you counting him?" But you made yourselves like women. And [Israel] was eight hundred thousand men (and the men of Judah were four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword) [a force that drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men] (Ibid.), and in the Chronicles it is written, "A thousand thousand men [and a hundred thousand men drew the sword, and Judah four hundred and seventy thousand men drew the sword]" (Ibid., 21:5) Rabbi Joshua The Scriptures do not deny what is omitted here, that they died at that time: And Levi and Benjamin he did not count among them (Deut. 21:6). Why is that? Rather, Joab said, "If he asks me why you did not count them, Moses our Lord will say to him, 'He did not count them,' as it is written, 'But the tribe of Levi you did not count' (Numbers 1:49). Therefore, Levi did not count among them. And of Benjamin, Joab said, 'Yesterday, several thousand of them went to Peleg on the hill, and I counted them. Therefore, Levi and Benjamin did not count.' That is, Levi was the sun of the Blessed One, and Benjamin had his own lodgings, and I counted them. Therefore, Levi and Benjamin did not count. For the king's word is abominable (Deut. 12:11). What is abominable that the word does not guarantee against him? At that time, Gad the prophet came to him and said to him, 'What do you ask for: three years of famine, or three months fleeing from your enemies, or three days of the sword of the Lord?' and that is what is said, 'If three years of famine, etc.' (Deut. 12:11). And immediately David answered, 'I am very sorry.' (Ibid., Ibid., 13 and 2 Samuel 24:14) To those who said to him, "Where do you ask to be buried with your father or your mother? Woe to those who hear such things! Thus was David when it was said to him, "Three things I will take upon you," etc. (Ibid., Ibid., 13) and why three, he said to him, "Three things you have said about Saul, that the Lord will strike us down, or his day will come, and he will die, or in battle." (I Samuel 26:10) Therefore, three is against three. I.e. three years and one writer says, "You will have seven years of harvest" (ibid. 2:24-13). If seven, why three? And if three, why seven? Rather, he said to him, "What do you ask for? Three for war or seven for drought?" David said, "If I say, 'Israel is hungry,' they say, 'because he is a king and his treasures are full.' If I say, 'I perish because of Israel's oppressor,' they say, 'because he has heroes who will stand up for him.' I am asking for death, which is equal to both great and small. May it be in the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are many, and in the hand of man, to annihilation." (ibid. 14) Oh, three years, and then three months became three, and then three days and three days make thirty-six hours. Good advocates came for Israel. The seven days of the Sabbath and eight days of circumcision came. There are fifteen, five books of the Torah, and three of the Fathers. There are twenty and three of the Rabbis. May I have mercy on you, Rabbi Abba. There are ten more commandments and two seals of the covenant, there are thirty-five hours, and Rabbi Avinen Halevi said, Rabbi [said], "The twelve tribes will remain there for one hour." [Come] and see how many people there are. At that hour they died: And the Lord gave a word in Israel from the morning until the appointed time (ibid. 15). What is from the morning until the appointed time? Rabbi Chiya the Great says from the slaughter of the lamb until the shedding of its blood. And our rabbis said from the rising of the east until the rising of the sun. And Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman says from the beginning of the sun's movement until it is finished. All died in that small hour. Seventy thousand people. What is written at the end? Gad said to David, "Go up and build an altar to the Lord in the threshing floor of the Ark." (ibid. 18). And immediately David went up and went up according to the word of Gad (ibid. 19). And when he had built an altar and offered, what is written? And the Lord interceded for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel. (ibid. 25). What is "And interceded?" said Rabbi Yehuda, I heard it from Rabbi Simon. I did not hear it from the father of the companions. They told me about it. Rabbi Yehuda, I heard it from Rabbi Simon in the name of Resh Lakish. It was written in Isaac, and the Lord interceded for him, and his wife Rebekah conceived (Genesis 25:21). And it is written here, and the Lord interceded for the land. What is the intercession? As it is said below, twins, even the petition, which is said here, twins, what was lacking in the days of David was filled in the days of Solomon, the Lord God. Judah and Israel are as numerous as sand [and so on]: [Another word after Judah and Israel are as numerous as sand and so on] Ar-Rabbi Nechama B. Rabbi Chiya the Great in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov, Israel was likened to sand, as it is said, And the number of Israel was as the sand of the sea (Hosea 2:1) What is the business of this sand? You dig a handful of it in the evening and in the morning you find it filled up. Thus Israel, what was lacking in the days of David was filled in the days of Solomon, as it is said, Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance, and so it says, And the number of the children of Israel was as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered (ibid.) What it is and what it cannot be numbered, except that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Hosea as He showed Abraham, Look now to the heavens and number the stars, if you can number them (Genesis 15:5). When he said to him, "Count," he repeated, and said to him, "If you can number," to inform you that He showed him in number, he repeated and showed him that it was not in number, how it begins, showing him one sign and then showing him two. And then He showed him three, then twelve, then seventy, and then He showed him constellations that have no number, and why did He show him this, but rather a sign? He showed him how He multiplies them in the world? He showed him one who was initially unique in the world, one Abraham (Ezekiel 33:24) who came to seek shelter under the wings of the Divine Presence. First, He returned and showed him two in comparison to Abraham and Isaac. He returned and showed him three in comparison to Abraham. Isaac and Jacob returned and showed him twelve tribes, then seventy. And then He showed him constellations that have no end, that Israel will multiply and multiply until they have no end (that Israel will multiply and multiply until they have no end) and the children of Israel will be fruitful and multiply (Exodus 1:7). And even to Hosea (who showed him) [he showed him] in number and not in number, that at the beginning they were a number, and they returned and multiplied until they were without number. [Another thing] And the number of the children of Israel was like the sand of the sea, they were likened to sand (they were likened to dust), they were likened to stars. Why was Abraham likened to the stars in Hama? And Isaac was likened (to a moon) [in fire], and Jacob was likened to the stars, and in the future the sun and the moon are ashamed, and the stars are not ashamed. Thus Abraham and Isaac frowned because of their sons. Abraham was likened to Ishmael and the sons of Keturah, and Isaac was likened to Esau, and his masters, the stars, were not ashamed. Thus Jacob is not ashamed. Will Jacob not now be ashamed? (Isaiah 29:22) Why, when he sees his children, the work of his hands, etc. (Ibid. 23) that they are all righteous, all of you are beautiful, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you (Shahs 4:7): i.e., why do the stars not rule except at night? Thus do Israel not rule in the Torah except at night? i.e., why do the stars share honor with one another and make peace among themselves? He makes peace in His heights (Job 25:2). Thus do the righteous share [honor] with one another and love one another. Just as the stars have no quarrel, so do the righteous have a good disposition among themselves. I.e., what are the stars? Can one of them burn the whole world? So are the righteous, such as Elijah, who said, "If I am a man of God, fire will come down from heaven and consume you and your five sons, etc." (Mech. 2:12). And they were likened to sand, and the nations to lime, and there were nations burning lime (Isaiah 33:12). And if you do not give sand to lime, it will not stand. So if there is no Israel, there is no The nations could stand if it were not for Joseph, the Egyptians would die of hunger, and if it were not for Daniel, the wise men of [Babylon], the great ones. [Another thing] And there was a number [and] perfect in dust, perfect in sand, perfect in stars. In this world, likened to dust, what is dust, which is made for all the inhabitants of the world, so Israel is made for all the inhabitants of the world, because they destroyed the king of Aram and made them like dust for the earth (2 Kings 13:7): I.e. What is the dust of the earth if it is not, the world does not exist? If there is no dust, there are no trees and no grain. Thus, if there is no Israel, the nations of the world do not exist, and in your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed (Genesis 22:18). In this world, they are likened to the dust of the earth in the days of the Messiah. They are likened to the sand of the sea. The way of sand blunts a person's teeth. Thus Israel in the days of the Messiah will consume all his nations, descend from Jacob, and destroy a remnant from the city (Numbers 24:18). And so I took vengeance on Edom in the knowledge of who Israel is (Ezekiel 25:14). In the future to come, likened to the stars, what are the stars that shine in the sky? Thus they will shine in the future to come, and the wise will shine like the brightness of the sky. And so on (Daniel 12:3): I.e. Why are the sand of the sea likened? What is the sand of the sea? A man takes a handful of it and puts it into the dough or into the stew, and no creature can taste it, which makes his teeth dull. So Israel, whoever steals or steals them in this world, dulls his teeth for the future to come? Why, because they are sanctified, everyone who touches them is obligated: I.e. What is the sand of the sea like? They bring it into the light, bring it out as a lump, and make glass vessels from it. Thus Israel enter the light and come out alive, the God of the heavens and the earth, and they are in it and perish, and Israel come out of it in peace. You shall not be burned by fire, nor shall a flame kindle on you (Isaiah 43:2). Why, because the Lord your God holds your right hand (Isaiah 41:13) is perfect for this reason. And it was in the place where it was said to them, "You are not a people" (Hosea 13). And where was it said to them when they did The same thing Moses called them with, "Go down, for you have corrupted your people" (Exodus 32:7). Immediately he girded himself with prayer, and Moses prayed to the Lord, saying, "Why did the Lord [and] the king come into his house and see his wife kissing (the ministers) [the eunuch]?" He said to the bridegroom, "Drive her out, I am a devourer; I will go to her father's house?" He said to him, "Mary, why did he say to him, "I found her kissing (the ministers) [the eunuch]?" He said to him, "Now that you have sons, handsome and valiant, and they will go down with you to war?" He said to him, "There is no hope for her except from childbirth." He said, "You are angry about something that has no pleasure in it." Moses said to him, "This is what Israel has done now, sending down rain on you and tormenting animals." The Blessed One said to him, "There is no truth in it." He said to him, "Why and what are you angry about?" Why should the Lord be angry? Why should the Egyptians say, "Remember your servant" (Deuteronomy 9:27). What did he write after him and comfort him? The Lord said about the evil that He had said to do to His people (Exodus 14) [For the people] of Moses, there is no writing here but for His people. In the place where He says to them, "You are not my people, for you have corrupted your people," He says to them, "Sons of the living God," concerning the evil that He had said to [His people]: [He said after Judah and Israel are many, etc.] Rabbi Yehoshua said, "They were called by the name of Rabbi Levi, Israel, the special attribute of the Holy One, blessed be He, from what?" [How much] He wrote, "And you will be a special attribute to Me" (Exodus 19:5). What is this special attribute when it is lacking? Its owner sees how it is fulfilled. Thus Israel is difficult before the Holy One, blessed be He, to touch them. You will know what was lacking in the days of David. They were fulfilled in the days of Solomon, as it is said, "Judah and Israel are many like sand." What is this special attribute dearer to a person than anything he has? Thus Israel is dearer to the Holy One, blessed be He, than all the nations, as it is said, "And the Lord has made you superior to all the nations of the earth" (Deuteronomy 28:1). And so He says, "Blessed be you above all the nations" (Ibid. 7:14). Ari ben Korha (Or) Lest the ear of a capable listener be deafened [as] a servant is obedient to his master, a son to his father, and a wife to her husband, so you are obedient to me, for all the earth is mine (names there), I will understand in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua, and you were to me, Lmd, greater than all the letters, Yod, smaller than all the letters, it is fitting to be great, it is fitting to be small, our Lord is great and great, 28 (Psalms 147:5), for you are the fewest of all the nations (Deuteronomy 7:7). It is fitting to be great. Sticking to the small one in Isaiah 7: Israel were clinging to the Holy One, as it is said, "And you who cling to Him" ​​(Isa. 4:4), but in the future to come, they were like and resembled what the Holy One, blessed be He, is like fire consuming fire, as it is written, "For the Lord is a consuming fire" (Isa. 24). They too were like fire consuming fire, as it is written, "And the light of Israel was a fire, and His Holy One was a flame" (Isaiah 10:17).