Мидраш к Йеошуа 1:5

Another interpretation (of Numb. 31:2:) “Exact vengeance for the Children of Israel.” This text is related (to Job 36:7), “He does not withdraw His eyes from a righteous person […].” What is the meaning of “He does not withdraw His eyes from a righteous person (literally, withdraw from a righteous person his eyes)?” The Holy One, blessed be He, does not keep back from a righteous person what he wants to see with his eyes.¹³Numb. R. 22:5. [The text] teaches that Moses longed to see vengeance on the Midianites before he died, and [so] he requested from the Holy One, blessed be He, about it, that he should [see it] with his eyes. Thus it is stated concerning him (in Ps. 58:11), “A righteous person will rejoice when he sees vengeance, he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked person.” (Ibid.:) “A righteous person will rejoice,” this refers to Moses; “when he sees vengeance,” i.e., vengeance on Midian; “he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked person,” i.e., of Balaam. Moses said to Phinehas and the warring men, “I know that Balaam the Wicked is there, as he went to collect his wage. Before the wolf comes to the flock, spread the trap for him. And if you see that that wicked man is doing magic, show him the diadem, upon which it is written (according to Exod. 28:36), ‘holy to the Lord.’ And [when] he shall [then] fall, kill him.” (Numb. 31:8:) “And upon their [other] corpses they killed the kings of Midian,” as they were doing magic with Balaam and flying in the air; so they showed them the diadem and they fell upon their corpses. The sages said “It is written about Joshua (in Josh 1:5), ‘as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.’ So Joshua should have lived a hundred and twenty years like Moshe our teacher. And why were they shortened by ten years? Because at the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses (in Numb. 31:2), ‘Exact vengeance for the Children of Israel…,’ even though the announcement of [his] death was [also] announced, he did not say, ‘Tomorrow I will die; what benefit is it to me to exact vengeance from Midian?’ Rather, he showed alacrity in the whole matter, as stated (in Numb. 31:6), ‘And Moses sent them.’ But Joshua did not do like this. When he came to war against thirty-one kings, he said, ‘If I kill them, I will die immediately, as happened to Moshe our teacher.’ What did he do? He began with one and stalled in the war [with the rest], as stated (in Josh. 11:18), ‘Joshua waged war with all those kings over a long period.’ [So] the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘See that I will shorten your years by ten years.’ David said (about this in Prov. 19:21), ‘Many thoughts are in the heart of a man, [but it is the counsel of the Lord that will stand].’”

Another explanation of The wise shall inherit honor. This refers to Joshua, who inherited honor from Moses, our master, when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee (Josh. 1:5). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Put off thy shoes from off thy feet (Exod. 3:5), and to Joshua He said: Put off thy shoe from off thy foot (Josh. 5:15). Concerning Moses it is written: Then sang Moses and the children of Israel (Exod. 15:1), and about Joshua it is said: Then spoke Joshua to the Lord, in the day when the Lord delivered (Josh. 10:12). Moses led them out of Egypt, while Joshua led them into the Holy Land. Moses slew Sihon and Og, while Joshua slew thirty-one kings. Moses halted the revolution of the sun in the war with Amalek, as it is said: And Moses lifted up his hand (Exod. 17:11). The word lifted up refers to his halting of the revolution of the sun, as it is said: The deep uttereth its voice, and lifteth up its voice on high (Hab. 3:10). Joshua did likewise, as is said: Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, moon, in the valley of Aijalon (Josh. 10:12). Moses erected an altar, as it is said: And Moses built an altar (Exod. 17:15), and Joshua did likewise: Then Joshua built an altar (Josh. 8:3). Moses wrote the law, as is said: And Moses wrote this law (Deut. 31:9), and Joshua did also, as it is said: And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God (Josh. 24:26). And so this was in every instance.

Our masters said “It is written about Joshua (in Josh. 1:5), ‘as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.’ So Joshua should have lived a hundred and twenty years like Moshe our teacher. And why were they shortened by ten years? Because at the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses (in Numb. 31:2), ‘Exact vengeance for the Children of Israel […],’ even though the announcement of [his] death was [also] announced, he did not delay the thing. Rather, he showed alacrity, [as stated] (in Numb. 31:6), ‘And Moses sent them.’ But Joshua did not do like this. When he came to war against thirty-one kings, he said, ‘If I kill them, I will die immediately, as happened to Moshe our teacher.’ What did he do? He began to stall in the war with them, as stated (in Josh. 11:18), ‘Joshua waged war with all those kings over a long period.’ [So] the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘This is what you did? See that I will shorten your years by ten years.’ Solomon said (about this in Prov. 19:21), ‘Many thoughts are in the heart of a man, [but it is the counsel of the Lord that will stand].’”

Variantly: "When I call out the name of the L-rd": R. Yossi says: Whence is it derived that when those standing in the synagogue hear (from the prayer leader) "Bless the blessed Yod-keh-vav-keh" that they respond "Blessed is the blessed yod-keh-vav-keh forever"? From "When I call out the name of yod-keh-vav-keh, ascribe greatness to our G-d." Greater is he who answers "Amen" (to a blessing) than the blesser (himself). R. Nehorai said to him: This is the natural order of things: The common soldiers wage the war, and the heroes triumph! And whence is it derived that grace is recited with three? From "When I (1) call out the name of the L-rd, you (2) ascribe greatness to our G-d." And whence is it derived that when the grace leader says "Let us bless," that they respond after him "Blessed is He of whose we have eaten, etc." From "When I call out the name of the L-rd, ascribe greatness to our G-d." And whence is it derived that when one says (in the kaddish) "Let the great name be blessed," the response is "for ever and ever"? From "ascribe greatness to our G-d." And whence is it derived that our fathers went down to Egypt only so that the Holy One Blessed be He do wonders to sanctify His great name in the world? From (Shemoth 2:23-24) "And it was in the course of those many days … and G-d heard their outcry," and "When I call out the name of the L-rd." And whence is it derived that the L-rd brought the ten plagues upon Pharaoh and Egypt only because they had not sanctified His great name in the world? For in the beginning it is written (Ibid. 5:2) "Who is the L-rd that I should hearken to His voice?" and in the end, (Ibid. 9:27) "The L-rd is the righteous one, and I and my people are the wicked ones." And whence is it derived that the L-rd performed wonders for our fathers at the Red Sea and the Jordan and the streams of Arnon only to sanctify His name in the world? viz. (Joshua 1:5) "And it was, when all the kings of the Emori on the western side of the Jordan, etc." and Rachav said to the messengers of Joshua (Ibid. 2:10) "For we have heard that the L-rd dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you, etc." From "When I call out the name of the L-rd." And whence is it derived that Daniel descended into the lions' den only so that the L-rd do wonders with him to sanctify His name in the world? From "When I call out the name of the L-rd." And it is written (Daniel 6:27) "An order is hereby issued by me that in all the dominion of my kingdom men shall tremble and fear before the G-d of Daniel." And whence is it derived that Chananiah, Mishael and Azaryah descended into the fiery furnace only so that the L-rd do wonders with them to sanctify His great name in the world? From (Ibid. 3:32-33) "It behooves me (Nevuchadnezzar) to relate the signs and wonders that the great G-d has performed for me. How great are His signs and how mighty are His wonders!" And whence is it derived that the ministering angels do not mention His exalted name until Israel mention His name below — "Hear, O Israel, the L-rd our G-d, the L-rd is one"? From (Iyyov 38:7) "when there sang together the stars of morning," followed by "and all the sons of G-d shouted." "the stars of morning" — Israel, who are compared to stars, viz. (Bereshith 22:17) "and I shall multiply your seed like the stars of the heaven." "the sons of G-d" — the ministering angels, viz. (Iyyov 1:6) "and the sons of G-d came, etc."