Midrash sobre Números 13:16

"And Yithro heard": Yithro had seven names: Yether, Yithro, Chovav, Reuel, Chever, Putiel, Keni. Yether — he added (yiter) a section in the Torah; Yithro — he was "abundant" (yiter) in good deeds. Chovav — he was beloved (chovev) by the L rd. Reuel — he was a "friend" (rea) to the L rd. Chever — he was a "companion" (chaver) to the L rd. Putiel — he "weaned himself" (niftar) from idolatry. Keni — he was zealous (kinei) for Heaven and he acquired (kanah) Torah. Variantly: "And Yithro heard": In the beginning, he was called "Yether," viz. (Exodus 4:18) "And Moses went and he returned to Yether, his father-in-law," and when he "added" good deeds (to himself), a letter (vav) was added to his name. And thus do you find with Avraham. In the beginning he was called "Avram," and when he "added" good deeds, a letter (heh) was added to his name and he was called "Avraham." And thus do you find with Sarah. In the beginning she was called "Sarai," and when she "added" good deeds, a "great" letter (heh) was added to her name and she was called "Sarah." And thus do you find with Yehoshua, viz. (Numbers 13:16) "And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Yehoshua." And there are others whose name was diminished, e.g., Efron. In the beginning he was called "Efron," but when he took the money from Abraham, a letter was dropped from his name, viz. (Genesis 23:16) "and Abraham hearkened to Efron," "and Abraham gave the money to Efron." And thus do you find with Yonadav. In the beginning he was called "Yehonadav," but after "that deed" a letter was dropped from his name and he was called "Yonadav," as it is written (II Chronicles 20:37) "When you befriended Achazyahu, etc." — whence the sages ruled: Let one not befriend an evildoer, even to draw him close to Torah.

(Ib., ib. 22) And they ascended on the south side and he came unto Hebron. It should have been they came. Said Raba: "From this it may be inferred that Caleb separated himself from the plot of the spies and went, prostrated himself upon the graves of the Patriarchs, saying to them: 'Patriarchs of the world, pray mercy for my sake so that I should be saved from falling in with the plot of the spies.' As to Joshua, Moses had already offered a prayer, as it IS said (Ib., ib. 16) And Moses called Hoshea, the son of Nun, Joshua [Yehoshua] which means the Lord should help you from [falling in with] the plot of the spies, and this is meant by the passage (Ib. 14, 24) But my servant Caleb as a reward that he had another spirit with him, etc." (Ib. 13, 22) And there were Achiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the children of Annak; i.e., Achiman was the strongest of his brothers; Sheshai, who would make the earth full of holes by his walking, Thalmai, who made the earth like furrows. In another way this may be explained; Achiman, who built the town Annath; Sheshai, who built the town of Alush; Thalmai, who built the town of Tilbosh; the children of Annak, who would becloud the sun through their height.

What is meant by The kine took the straight way (vayisharnah)? It means that the kine opened their mouths and sang (vayashir). When the kine reached Beth-shemesh and the people saw the cart and heard the kine singing, they looked at the ark that was on the cart: They lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it (ibid., v. 13). Whereupon a strong wind arose and revealed what was in the ark, and seventy thousand of them perished, as it is said: And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had gazed upon the ark of the Lord, even He smote of the people seventy men, and fifty thousand men (ibid, v. 19). Observe, therefore, how many miracles were performed because of the ark. Why did they occur? Because the Shekhinah and the Torah were within it. Wherever the Torah is present the Shekhinah accompanies it, as it is said: They that feared the Lord spoke to one another; and the Lord harkened and heard (Num. 13:16). Therefore the ark was more beloved than any other vessel in the Sanctuary.

[(Numb. 13:2:) YOU YOURSELF SEND MEN.] When they said to Moses (in Deut. 1:22): LET US SEND MEN <AHEAD OF US>, Moses began to wonder. He said: It is impossible for me to do something before I consult with the Holy One. He went and consulted. He said to him: Your children want thus and so. The Holy One said to him: This is not the first time for them. While they were in Egypt, they jeered at me, as stated (in Hos. 7:16): THIS WAS THEIR DERISION IN THE LAND OF EGYPT. They are accustomed to such <behavior>, needless to say.¹⁸Cf. Numb. R. 16:8: “I have no need to test them.” Thus it is stated (in Dan. 2:22): HE KNOWS WHAT IS IN THE DARKNESS, <AND THE LIGHT DWELLS WITH HIM>. The Holy One said to Moses: I know what they are [saying]; but if you want, [YOU YOURSELF] SEND [MEN on your] own. Where is it shown? Where it is written (in Numb. 13:16): THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE MEN WHOM MOSES SENT TO SPY OUT THE LAND.

(Numb. 13:16:) THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE MEN <WHOM MOSES SENT TO SPY OUT THE LAND>. And what were their names?²¹Above, Exod. 1:1, and the notes there; Tanh., Numb. 4:6, cont.; Gen. R. 71:3; Numb. R. 16:10; cf. Sot. 34b. (Vss. 13–15) < … > SETHUR BEN MICHAEL, < … > NAHBI BEN VOPHSI, < … > GEUEL BEN MACHI. There are people {whose names are ugly but whose deeds are handsome,} < those whose> names are handsome but whose deeds are ugly, [<those whose> names are ugly but whose deeds are handsome,] <those whose> names and deeds are handsome, <and those whose> names and deeds are ugly. <Those whose> names are handsome but whose deeds are ugly are Ishmael and Esau. Ishmael <means> "God hears"; Esau <means> "He does the will of his maker." Moreover, their deeds were ugly. <Those whose> names are ugly but whose deeds are handsome are those coming up out of exile. (According to Ezra 2:53 = Neh. 7:55): THE CHILDREN OF {BARKOM} [BARKOS], THE CHILDREN OF SISERA (cf. Jud. 4–5), THE CHILDREN OF TEMAH. <Those whose> names are handsome and whose deeds are handsome are the tribes. <Those whose> names are ugly and whose deeds are ugly are the spies. What is written about them (in Numb. 13:13)? SETHUR (rt.: STR), in that God has eradicated (rt.: STR) him (sic) from the world.²²Cf. Sot. 34b.

Another interpretation (of Hab. 3:6): HE AROSE AND MEASURED THE EARTH, because he wanted to return the world to the measurements of his waters, when the nations did not want to accept the Torah. If it had not been for Israel accepting it, the world would have returned to the measurements of his waters. < It is > just as you say (in Is. 40:12): WHO HAS MEASURED THE WATERS IN THE HOLLOW OF HIS HAND? But when Israel accepted it, the earth was still, as stated (in Ps. 76:9 [8]): THE EARTH WAS AFRAID AND WAS STILL. So it is from there (i.e., from Sinai) that the gentiles received their judgement.³⁹Gk.: apophasis. (Hab. 3:6, cont.:) HE LOOKED AND MADE NATIONS TREMBLE (rt.: NTR). How did he make < them > tremble (hittir, rt.: NTR)? R. Abba bar Kahana said in the name of R. Johanan: He proscribed (dam hittir)⁴⁰Literally: he permitted their blood < to be shed >. them {seven peoples}, as stated (in Is. 60:12): AND THE NATIONS SHALL BE DESTROYED. R. Simeon ben Johay says: {He proscribed (hittir dam) them {seven peoples} and their possessions.} [Otherwise, compare what is said (in Numb. 13:16): TO SPY OUT (latur) THE LAND.] R. Aha said: He had them jump into Gehinnom, for it is stated (in Lev. 11:21): < KNEE JOINTS ABOVE THEIR FEET > TO LEAP (rt.: NTR) WITH UPON THE GROUND.⁴¹Below, Deut. 11:3. R. Huna of Sepphoris said: He untied (hittir) their girdles.⁴²Gk.: zonai. Compare what is said (in Job 12:18): HE UNDOES THE BOND OF KINGS, [AND BINDS A GIRDLE ON THEIR LOINS]. R. Tanhum ben Hanila'i said: He permitted (hittir) what was forbidden, abhorrent creatures and creeping things. Why? The matter is comparable to a physician who went to visit two patients.⁴³Lev. R. 13:2. He saw that one of them was in danger. He said to the children of his house: Tell him to eat whatever he wants. He saw the other, who was recovering. He said to the children of his house: Such and such food he may eat; such and such food he may not eat. They said to the physician: What < difference > did you see between the two of them [that you said to the one who was in danger: Let him eat whatever he wants, but said to the one who was recovering: Such and such food he may eat; such and such food he may not eat]. The physician said to them: When I saw that the one was dying, I said: Give him < any food > because he is going to die; [but let the other one watch himself, because there is life in him]. So also the Holy One has permitted (hittir) abhorrent creatures, creeping things, and all the transgressions for gentiles, who serve stars, because they are < destined > for Gehinnom. But in the case of Israel, because they are < destined > for life in paradise, he has said to them {(in Lev. 11:44): AND BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.} (in Lev. 11:43): YOU SHALL NOT MAKE YOURSELVES LOATHSOME. [(Lev. 11:44): AND BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.] This you may eat and this you may not eat. Why? Because they are alive, as stated (in Deut. 4:4): BUT YOU WHO CLUNG TO THE LORD YOUR GOD ARE ALL ALIVE TODAY. Ergo (in Hab. 3:6): HE AROSE AND MEASURED THE EARTH; [HE LOOKED AND PERMITTED (rt.: NTR) GENTILES < WHAT IS FORBIDDEN >]…..⁴⁴So R. Tanhum ben Hanila’i has reinterpreted the more traditional, AND MADE NATIONS TREMBLE.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa says: The yod in Sarai ascended and prostrated itself before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, You eradicated me from the name of this righteous woman, the wife of this righteous individual, Abraham our patriarch, and You called her name Sarah.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to it: ‘Go. At first, you were at the end of the letters and in the name of a female. Now, I am placing you in the name of a male and at the beginning of the letters, and in [the name] of one of the most righteous people in the world.’ That is what is written: “Moses called Hoshe’a bin Nun, Joshua [Yehoshua]” (Numbers 13:16).
Rabbi Elazar bar Avuna [said] in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: For twenty-six generations alef was objecting before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, You placed me at the head of the letters, but You created the world not with me but with bet, as it is stated: “In the beginning [bereshit], God created the heavens and the earth”’ (Genesis 1:1). The Holy One blessed be He said to it: ‘My world and all its contents were created only due to the merit of the Torah, as it is stated: “The Lord founded the earth with wisdom” (Proverbs 3:19). Tomorrow, I will reveal Myself and give the Torah to Israel, and I will place you in the first of the commandments, and I will begin with you first, as it is stated: “I [anokhi] am the Lord your God”’ (Exodus 20:2). Bar Ḥota said: Why is it called alef? Because it endures for one thousand [elef] generations, as it is stated: “He commanded the matter for one thousand generations” (Psalms 105:8).⁵⁹God planned to give the Torah, and to start it with the letter alef, for the one thousand generations before it was given (see Bereshit Rabba 28:4; Kohelet Rabba 7:28).

R. Dusthai, of the city of Biri, lectured: "Unto what may be likened the system of David's praver? "Unto a peddler who wanted to sell out his stock little by little. He said before the Holy One, praised be He! (Ps. 19,13-15) 'Sovereign of the Universe, who can guard against errors?' And he was answered, 'They will be forgiven.' (Ib.) 'From secrets (faults) do Thou cleanse me.' 'They will be forgiven.' (Ib.) 'Also from presumptuous sins withhold Thy servants.' 'This will [also] be forgiven.' (Ib.) 'Let them not have dominion over me,' i.e., the Rabbis shall not talk about me. 'This will [also] be allowed to you.' (Ib.) 'Then shall I be blameless,' i.e., my sins shall not be written. And he was answered, 'This is impossible, for, if the Yud which I took away from the name of Sarai complained before me several years, until Joshua came and I added it to his name, as it is said (Num. 13, 16) And Moses called Hoshea; the son of Nun, Joshua, how much more [will there be complaints] if I omit a whole portion of the Torah?' (Ps. 19) Clear from any great transgression, i.e., He said before him: 'Sovereign of the Universe, forgive me the whole sin.' And he was answered, 'It is revealed before Me what Solomon, thy son, will say in his wisdom in the future (Pr. 6, 27-30) Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burnt? Or can one walk upon hot coals, and shall his feet not be scorched? So he that goeth in to his neighbor's wife; whosoever touches her shall not go unpunished.' He then exclaimed, 'If so, then I am lost.' And he was answered: 'Accept affliction upon thyself.' Immediately David accepted affliction upon himself." R. Juda said in the name of Rab: "Six months was David afflicted with leprosy; the Shechina left him, and the Sanhedrin separated themselves from him. He was inflicted with leprosy, as it is written (Ps. 51, 9) Purge me [from sin] with hyssop, etc. The Shechina left him, as it is written (Ib., ib., 14) Restore unto me the gladness of Thy salvation. The Sanhedrin separated themselves from him, as it is written (Ib. 119, 79) Let those that fear Thee return unto me and they that know Thy testimonies. That all this lasted fully six months — when do we learn it? From the following passage (I Kings, 2, 11) And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years; (Ib. b) In Hebron he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. Hence we see that the six months more [which are counted in II Samuel] are not counted [in I Kings], and this was because the six months in which he was inflicted with leprosy were not counted." (Ps. 86, 17) Display on me a sign for good, etc. Thus said David before the Holy One, praised be He! "Sovereign of the universe, forgive me this sin [of Bath Sheba]." "Thou art forgiven," answered the Lord. David then said to the Lord: "Show me a sign while I live." Whereupon He answered, "During thy life I shall not make it known but during the life of Solomon, thy son, I shall make it known." When Solomon had built the Temple he desired to place the ark in the holy of holies, but the gates had become fastened to each other [and they could not be opened]. Solomon then offered twenty-four prayer-songs but was not answered. He then said the prayer (Ps. 24, 9) Raise your heads, O ye gates, and raise up, ye everlasting doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory, the Lord of Hosts, He is the King of glory, Selah (II Chr. 6, l2). Still he was not answered; but as soon as he said O Lord God, turn not away the face of Thy anointed, remember the pious deeds of David Thy servant, he was immediately answered. At that moment the faces of David's enemies turned black like the bottom of a pot and then it was known to all that the Holy One, praised be He! had forgiven David that sin.

The Seers (i.e., the prophets) were the ones who said the doubled letters, mantzepakh (mem, nun, tzadi, peh, and kaf, which are the letters that have a different form when they appear at the end of a word). [The doubling of kaf that is found in Genesis 12:1,] "Lekh lekha (Go for yourself)," hints to Avraham that he will father Yitschak at one hundred years [of age] (as the numerical value of these two words is one hundred). [The doubling of mem that is found in Genesis 26:16,] "ki atsamta memenu (as you have become more powerful than us)" is a hint [to Yitschak] that hints that he and his seed will be powerful in both worlds. The doubling of nun [that is found in Genesis 32:12,] "Hatsileini na (Save me)" [is a hint to] Yaakov, [that] he will be saved in both worlds. The doubling of peh [that is found in Genesis 50:24,] "pakod yifkod (He will surely remember you)" [is a hint to] Yosef, [that] He will remember you in this world, and He will remember you in the world to come. The doubling of tzadi [that is found in Zachariah 6:12,] "hinei eesh, Tsemach shemo, ou'metachtav yitsmach (behold, a man called Branch shall branch out from the place where he is,)" is [referring to] the messiah. And so is it stated (Jermiah 23:5), "vahikimoti leDaveed tsemach tsadeek (and I will raise up a true branch of David)." ["The leader of fifty" (Isaiah 3:3)] ("Sixty were the queens" [Song of Songs 6:8]). Twenty-four books (of the Bible), and add to them eleven of the thirteen [books of the minor prophets] - besides Yonah which is by itself - and six orders of the Mishnah and nine chapters of Torat Kohanim, behold ["The leader of fifty"] ("Sixty were the queens"). "[Sixty were the queens] and eighty were the concubines" (Song of Songs 6:8). Sixty tractates and eighty study halls that were in Jerusalem corresponding to its gates. "And maidens without number" (Song of Songs 6:8). The study outside. "Behold the bed of Shlomo, sixty warriors" (Song of Songs 3:7). [This] corresponds to the [number of] letters of [the priestly blessing,) "May the Lord bless you and keep you, etc." (Numbers 6:24-26). The Satan (HaSatan) has the numerical equivalent of the count of the days of the solar year, as he rules over all the year to slander, except for Yom Kippur. Rabbi Ami bar Abba said, "Avraham was missing five organs before he was circumcised and [before he] fathered. The [letter] hay (with a numerical value of five) was added [to his name] and he became complete and fathered, and he was called Avraham [corresponding to the complete set of organs, two hundred and forty-eight], the numerical count of his letters." [Regarding] Sarai, two Amoraim (later rabbinic teachers) differed. One said, "The [letter] yod [with a numerical count of ten that was taken from her] was divided into two, [to give] a hay to Avaraham and a hay to Sarah." And [the other] said, "The yod that was taken from Sarah raised a protest until Yehshoua came and had a yod added, as it is stated (Numbers 13:16), "and Moshe called Hoshea [...], Yehoshua." And it saved him from the counsel of the [other] spies. [The significance of the letters in the name,] Yitschak [is as follows]: Yod [with a numerical count of ten] corresponds to the ten trials [of Avraham]. [The letter] tsadi [with a numerical count of ninety, as] Sarah was ninety when he was born. [The letter] chet [with a numerical count of eight, as] he was circumcised on the eighth day. And the letter kof [with a numerical count of one hundred, as] Avraham was a hundred years old when he was born. Yaakov was called according to [the significance of the letters of] his [own] name: Yod [corresponds to] the tenth of his offspring going backwards, Levi. Count from (the last son), Binaymin to Levi - there are ten sons, and Levi was the tenth. And he gave him as a tithe to the Omnipresent to fulfill [what he said] (Genesis 28:22), "all that You give to me, I will surely tithe it to You." [The letter] ayin [with a numerical count of seventy corresponds to the number of offspring he took to Egypt], "with seventy souls" (Deuteronomy 10:22). Kof corresponds to the [number of the] letters of the blessing [that he received], "And may He give you [etc.]" (Genesis 27:28). Take away the name [of God] from there, and one hundred [letters] remain. [The letter] bet [with a numerical count of two] corresponds to two angels [that he saw on the ladder in his dream] rising. Yehudah was called according to [the significance of the numerical count of the letters of] his [own] name: Thirty, corresponding to the thirty virtues of the monarchy. There were six hundred and thirteen letters on the tablets - from "I am" (Exodus 20:2) to "to your neighbor" (Exodus 20:14) - corresponding to the six hundred and thirteen commandments. And they were all given to Moshe at [Mount] Sinai; and in them are statutes and judgments, Torah and Mishnah, Talmud and aggadah. "The fear of the Lord is his treasure" (Isaiah 33:6). There is no greater characteristic than fear and humility, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:12), "And now Israel, what does the Lord, your God, ask of you [besides to fear Him]." "The fear of" (Yirat) has a numerical value of six hundred and eleven; along with Torah and circumcision, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. [The numerical value of] fringes (tsitsit) is six hundred. [Add] eight strings and five knots, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. "[The man (David)] raised on high" (II Samuel 23:1) - [high (al)] has a numerical value of one hundred, corresponding to one hundred blessings. As on every day, one hundred men of Israel were dying. [So] David and ordained [the daily saying of] one hundred blessings. "And now Israel, what (mah) does the Lord, your God, ask of you" - read it as one hundred (meah), these are the hundred blessings. Once he ordained it, the pestilence ceased. "This is the law of the burnt-offering (olah), it is the burnt-offering" (Leviticus 6:2), [meaning] the yoke (ulah) of Torah and the yoke of repentance. "Two anointed ones" (Zechariah 4:14). These are David and Aharon who were anointed with the anointing oil, such that their anointing was for [all] the generations. With Aharon, it is written (Numbers 25:13), "It shall be for him and his descendants after him, a pact of priesthood for all time." With David it is written (Ezekiel 37:25), "and My servant David as their prince for all time." "Forgive all guilt and take the good (tov)" (Hosea 14:3). Israel said, "Master of the world, at the time that the Temple existed, we would offer a sacrifice and be cleansed. But now all we have in our hand is prayer." The numerical value of tov is seventeen. Prayer [consists of] nineteen [blessings]. Take away from them the blessing for the malfeasers that was composed at Yavneh, and "Let the sprout of David blossom," which they ordained for the sake of "Probe me, Lord, and try me" (Psalms 26:2). Rabbi Simon says, "'Forgive all guilt and take the good (tov).' The numerical value of tov in at-bash (matching letters based on how close they are to the center of the alphabet) is [the same as] soul (nefesh). Israel said, 'Behold the fat from us, from our souls. May it be Your will that it be atonement for us and "that we pay with the words of our lips" (Hosea 14:3).'" "And the Lord gave her conception (herayon)" (Ruth 4:13). [Herayon] has a numerical value of the [number of the] days of the nine months of birthing (two hundred and seventy one). The name of the angel that is appointed for conception is night, as stated (Job 3:3), "and the night [that it was] said, 'A man was conceived." The measure of the water of a mikveh (ritual bath) is forty seah corresponding to the [forty mentions] of well, written in the Torah. And [the volume of] how many eggs is the measure of the mikveh? Five thousand seven hundred and sixty. And a seah is a hundred and forty-four eggs. Forty-three and a fifth eggs is the measure of [what is required for] hallah [tithe]. And from where [do we know] that a mikveh requires forty seah? As it is written (Isaiah 8:6), "Since this nation has rejected the waters of Shiloach that flow gently (le'at)." The numerical value of le'at is forty. Behold the measure of a seah is a tefach by a tefach with the height of [sixteen] tefach [and a fifth]. And one who separates the measure of the hallah [tithe] must separate [one part in forty three] and a fifth [from Torah writ like the numerical value of hallah]. Forty lashes (which are actually thirty-nine) is from Torah writ, as it is written (Exodus 35:1), "These (eleh) are the things which the Lord commanded." [The numerical count of] "eleh" is thirty-six; "things" (being plural) is two; "the things" [indicates an additional] one - behold, forty minus one (thirty-nine). "He shall strike him forty, he shall not add" (Deuteronomy 25:3), corresponds to the forty curses received by the snake, Chava, Adam and the ground, and the sages lessened one, because of "he shall not add." A Sanhedrin is twenty-three, so [that it is possible for] those advocating innocence to have one more (than twenty), and those advocating guilt to have two more. It is best for the two to come and push off one. The numerical value of anathmea (cherem) is two hundred and forty-eight. And Shmuel said, when it takes force it takes force on [all] two hundred and forty-eight organs, and when it leaves, it leaves from two hundred and forty-eight limbs, as it is written (Habakuk 3:2), "in anger, remember to have mercy (rachem, which is made up of the same letters as cherem)." It is written,"tirash," but we read it [as] tirosh. [If] he merits, he becomes a rosh (leader); [if] he does not merit, he becomes a rash (poor person). Our rabbis, may their memory be blessed said, "A man is recognized by three things: by his purse, by his glass and by his anger. Tavel is Ramaliah. Seshach is Bavel (Babylon) [according to] its numerical value of in at-bash. The numerical value of Gog and Magog is seventy, as they are the seventy nations [of the world].

5 This text is related (to Prov. 26:6), “The one who sends a message through a fool is cutting off [his own] feet and drinking violence.” And were the spies fools? And has it not already been stated (in Numb. 13:2) “Send men (anashim).” And in every place that anashim is used, the men are righteous. Where is this shown? For so it says (in Exod. 17:9), “Then Moses said to Joshua, ‘Choose men (anashim) for us.’” And so it says (in I Sam. 17:12), “and in the days of Saul the man (Jesse) had come to an elderly age among men (anashim).” And so it [also] says (in I Sam. 1:11), “and if you grant your handmaid the seed of men (anashim).” Now you are calling these [spies] fools? But these were only called fools because they had uttered malicious slander against the land, as stated (in Prov. 10:18), “and the one who utters slander is a fool.” But nevertheless they had [once] been great human beings, although they had made themselves foolish. So it is on account of them that Moses says (in Deut. 32:20), “for they are a perverse generation, children with no loyalty to them.” Thus they were chosen from all of Israel at the command of the Holy One, blessed be He, and at the command of Moses, as stated (in Deut. 1:23), “Now the plan seemed good in My eyes; so I took [twelve men (anashim)] from you.” From here [we see] that they were righteous in front of Israel and in front of Moses. And even Moses did not want to send them until he had consulted with the Holy One, blessed be He, over each and every one. When he had said [for each one], “So-and-so from such-and-such tribe,” the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “They are acceptable.” Thus it is stated (in Numb. 13:3), “So Moses sent them from the Desert of Paran at the command of the Lord.” Then after that, at the end of forty days, they changed and made all that trouble. So they caused that generation to be afflicted with that punishment, as stated (in Deut. 32:20), “for they are a perverse generation.” Because when they were chosen, [they were] righteous, and then they changed. It is therefore stated (in Numb. 13:2, 16), “Send men for yourself […]. And these are the names of the men (anashim).”

8 When they said to Moses (in Deut. 1:22), “Let us send men ahead of us,” Moses began to wonder. He said, “It is impossible for me to do something before I consult with the Holy One, blessed be He.” He went and consulted. He said to him, “Your children want thus and so.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “This is not the first time for them. While they were in Egypt, they jeered at Me, as stated (in Hos. 7:16), ‘this was their derision in the land of Egypt.’ They are accustomed to such [behavior]. I do not need to test them; as see, it is written (in Dan. 2:22), ‘He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him’; I know what they are [saying]. But if you want, you yourself, ‘Send men for yourself.’” Where is it shown? Where it is written (in Numb. 13:16), “These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land.”

9 (Numb. 13:16, cont.) “Then Moses called Hoshea (hwsh') ben Nun, Joshua (yhwsh')”: What reason did Moses see for adding a yod (i.e., a y) to Joshua's name?⁹ Cf. Sanh. 107a; Gen. R. 47:1; Exod. R. 6:1. It is simply that Caleb had taken his reward from the land, as stated (in Deut. 1:36)), “to him will I gave the land on which he has trod.” But Joshua [received] the reward [that would have gone to the other] ten [spies], in that a yod [which stands for] ten was added to his name. (Numb. 13:16, cont.) “Then Moses called Hoshea (hwsh') ben Nun, Joshua (yhwsh'). Another interpretation: When Moses saw that they were so very wicked, Moses said to him, “May the Lord (abbreviated to yh) save (ywshy') you from this evil generation.”

These are the names of the men (Numbers 13:16): What were their names? Sethur the son of Michael; Nahbi the son of Vophsi; Geuel the son of Machi. There are people whose names are nice and whose actions are ugly, people whose names are ugly and actions are nice, people whose names and actions are nice, and people whose names and actions are ugly. Whose names are nice and whose actions are ugly - this is Ishmael and Esau: Ishmael means "listens to God" ("Shomea El"). Esau means "does the will of his Maker" ("Oseh Retzon Osav"). But their actions are bad. Whose names are ugly and whose actions are nice - these are those who ascended from exile: the children of Barak, the children of Sisera, and the children of Tamach. Whose names and actions are ugly - these are the spies. What is written about them? Sethur - that he closed him off ("setharo") from the world.

"God said..., 'Sarai your wife...'" In Proverbs (12:4), it is written, "A woman of valor is a crown to her husband." Rabbi Aha said, "Her husband was crowned through her, but she was not crowned through her husband." Our rabbis taught that she ruled over her husband. In all places, the man gives orders, but here (Genesis 21:12), "In all that Sarah orders you, listen to her voice." Said Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Korcha: 'The Yud that the Holy One of Blessing took from Sarai was given half to Sarah, and half to Avraham. Said Rabbi Shime'on Bar Yochai: The Yud that the Holy One of Blessing took from Sarai flew and posted itself in front of the Throne of the Holy One, and said: 'Master of the Universe! Because I am the smallest letter You took me out of the name of Sarai the Righteous!! The Holy One said: In the past you were in the name of a woman, and in the end of the name! Now I will put you in the name of a man, and on the beginning of the name, as it is written 'And Moshe called Hosea Bin Nun Yehoshua' (Numbers 13:16). Said Rabbi Mana: Sarai was just [a princess] for herself, now she will be a princess for all the world.

"He and Hoshea the son of Nun": Is it not written (Numbers 13:16) "And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun 'Yehoshua'"? Why, then, is it written here "he and Hoshea the son of Nun"? To teach us the righteousness of Yehoshua. I might think that his head "swelled" with his new-found authority; it is, therefore, written "he and Hoshea the son of Nun" — in his righteousness (i.e., his humility). Even though he was appointed to be the leader of the congregation, he remained "Hoshea" in his righteousness. Similarly, (Shemoth 1:5) "And Yosef was in Egypt." Do we not know that Yosef was in Egypt? — The intent is to apprise us of Yosef's righteousness. (Bereshith 37:2) "Yosef … grazed the sheep with his brothers," and even though he became a king in Egypt, he remained in his (original) righteousness. Similarly, (I Samuel 17:14) "and David was the smallest (i.e., the youngest)." Do we not know that David was the youngest? — The intent is to apprise us of David's righteousness. (I Samuel 16:11) (David was) "tending the sheep" of his father, and even though he became the king of Israel, he remained "David" in his smallness.