Midrash sobre Josué 3:9

The way of the world is that one pours a full vessel into an empty one. Perhaps you can pour a full vessel into a full vessel?! All the world was water in water and you say “…into one place…” (Genesis 1:9) Rather from here we learn that a little can hold a lot. Similarly - “Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation in front of the rock…” (Numbers 20:10) R’ Chanina said: there was a space the size of the mouth of a small sieve there, and all of Israel stood there? Rather from here we learn that a little can hold a lot. Similarly – “The Lord said to Moses and to Aaron, "Take yourselves handfuls (chofneichem) of furnace soot…” (Exodus 9:8) R’ Huna said: and could Moshe’s handful hold eight handfuls (kamatzim)? That’s strange! Rather from here we learn that a little can hold a lot. There is no comparison between what one takes in a cupped handful (chofan) and what one takes in a closed handful (kamatz). A cupped handful is twice that of a closed and it is written “…and Moses shall cast it heavenward…” (ibid.) therefore Moshe’s cupped hand held eight closed handfuls. Rather from here we learn that a little can hold a lot. Similarly – R’ Yosi bar Chalifta said: “The length of the courtyard shall be one hundred cubits and the width fifty by fifty cubits,” (Exodus 27:18) and all of Israel stood there? That’s strange! Rather from here we learn that a little can hold a lot. Similarly - “And Joshua said to the children of Israel, Come here…” (Joshua 3:9) R’ Huna said: he stood them all up between the two poles of the ark. R’ Acha bar R’ Chanina said: he placed them between the two poles of the ark. The Rabbis said: he shrank them between the two poles of the ark. Yehoshua said to them: from the fact that the two poles of the ark could hold you, you know that Presence of the Holy One is among you. This is what is written “By this you shall know that the living God is in your midst…” (Joshua 3:10) So too regarding Jerusalem it is taught ‘they stood crowded together, but prostrated themselves with plenty of space between them. R’ Shmuel bar R’ Chana said in the name of R’ Acha: each one had four cubits, and a cubit of space to each side so that no one heard the prayer of his fellow. So too it will be in the time to come, as it says “At that time, they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord…” (Jeremiah 3:17) R’ Yochanan went up to visit R’ Chanina, he found him sitting and interpreting this verse ‘At that time, they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord.’ He said to him: oh my teacher, can Jerusalem really hold the throne of the Lord? He replied: The Holy One said to her ‘spread out your length and breadth and receive your population.’ This is what is written “Widen the place of your tent…” (Isaiah 54:2) Why? “For right and left shall you prevail…” (Isaiah 54:3)

(Numb. 20:7-8:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses saying, ‘Take the rod... and you shall provide the congregation and their cattle with water.” From here it is shown that the Holy One, blessed be He, is concerned for Israel's wealth.⁹⁶Numb. R. 19:9. (Ibid., vs. 10:) “So Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation before the rock.” [This verse] teaches that each and every person sees himself as if he were standing at the rock. And similarly it says (in Lev. 8:3), “And assemble the whole congregation at the entrance of the tent of meeting.” And so too when they crossed the Jordan, all of Israel fit in between the two poles of the ark, as stated (in Josh. 3:9), “And Joshua said to the Children of Israel, ‘Come closer and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” And it is [also] written (in Josh. 8:33), “All Israel [...] stood on either side of the ark.” Here also all Israel was standing and seeing the miracles which happened at the rock [in front of them]. They began to say, “Moses knows the natural properties of rock. If he wants, he will bring forth water out of this [other] one.” Moses found himself confronted with a dilemma: If he would listen to them, he would disregard the words of the Omnipresent; and the Holy One, blessed be He, (according to Job 5:13) “Catches the wise in their own cunning.” As for the whole of these forty years Moses had been keeping himself from becoming angry with them, because he was afraid of the oath that the Holy One, blessed be He, had sworn (in Deut. 1:35), “Not one of these people from this evil generation shall see [the good land].” They said to him, “Here is a rock. Just as you wish to bring [water] from another rock, you should bring it from this one.” He gave a command to them (in Numb. 20:10), “Please listen, you rebels, shall we bring forth [water for you] from this rock.” What is the meaning of “hamorim (rebels)?” There are many understandings of it. Hamorim is rebels; hamorim is fools, as in the islands of the sea they call fools, morim. Some say hamorim are those that [inappropriately] instruct their teachers. Hamorim [can also be] arrows, as stated (in I Sam 31:3), “and some of the arrows (morim) struck him, men with bows.” (Numb. 20:11:) “Then Moses raised his hand and struck.” [When] he struck one time, the rock began dribbling a little water, as stated (in Ps. 78:20), “See, he struck a rock, and water trickled out (yazuvu),” like a person with a discharge (zav), in that it dribbles [in] drops. They said to him, “Son of Amram, is this water for nursing children or for babes weaned from milk?” Immediately, he became angry with them, struck it (according to Numb. 20:11) “twice [with his rod], and a lot of water came forth.” Yet for all that, Moses only made [water] from the rock that the Holy One, blessed be He, had told him. And how do we see that they also brought out water from the rock that Israel had said to him and every rock and stone that was in that place? It is so stated (in Ps. 78:15), “He split rocks in the desert.” Moshe already had his [sin] in his hand; because [the Children of Israel] were silent and did not sing praise, they were [also] caught.

"Take the rod ... give the congregation and their cattle drink" -- From here [we learn] that the Holy One takes pity on Israel's money. "And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock" -- similarly it says "And all of the congregation he gathers to the door of the tent of meeting." This teaches that each one saw himself standing on the face of the rock. Likewise, when they crossed the Jordan, all of the Children of Israel entered between the staves of the ark, as it says (Joshua 3): "Joshua said to the Children of Israel, come near and listen to the words of Hashem." [Similarly] here all of Israel were standing and seeing all of the miracles of the rock. They began to say "Moses knows the rule of the rock. If he asks, it will bring forth water." So Moses was uncertain -- "If I listen to them I nullify the words of the Allpresent, and the Holy One (Job 5:13) 'takes the wise in theןr craftiness.'" But Moses had been careful for 40 years not to get angry at them, because he was terrified of the oath the Holy One swore: "Not one of these men will see [the land]..." They said to him: "Here is a rock; just as you want to bring forth water from another rock, bring it forth from this one." He shouted at them "Hear now, you rebels!" "Rebels (morim)" has many meanings: 1) "stubborn ones" 2) "fools" -- in the sea villages they call fools "morim". 3) "those who teach their teachers" 4) "archers" (In I Sam 31:3 the word "morim" is used to mean "archers".) ... Even so, Moses only used the rock that the Holy One told him [to use].