Мидраш к Бамидбар 24:5

(Deut. 1:1:) THESE ARE THE WORDS THAT MOSES SPOKE. This text is related (to Prov. 28:23): THE ONE WHO REBUKES A PERSON WILL IN THE END FIND MORE FAVOR THAN THE ONE WITH A FLATTERING TONGUE. THE ONE WHO REBUKES A PERSON is Moses, since he rebuked Israel.⁷Deut. R. 1:2. (Ibid., cont.:) WILL IN THE END FIND MORE FAVOR <also refers to Moses>, since he found favor and good insight in the eyes of God and humanity. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 34:9): PLEASE, IF I HAVE FOUND FAVOR IN YOUR EYES, O LORD. (Prov. 28:23:) THE ONE WITH A FLATTERING TONGUE refers to Balaam, since he said to Israel (in Numb. 24:5): HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE YOUR TENTS, O JACOB; YOUR TABERNACLES, O ISRAEL. To what were they comparable? To a king's son, who had two guardians.⁸Gk.: paidagogoi. One loved him and the other hated him. The one who loved him warned him and said: My son, watch yourself, lest you make a transgression, since your father is judge; and if he hears that you have committed a transgression, even though he is your father, he will not show partiality to you. But the one who hated him said to him: Why are you depressed? Your father is king! Do as you desire. Be afraid of no mortal, for your father will not be upset with you. Similarly the son is Israel. The two guardians are Moses and Balaam. Moses loved them and said to them (in Deut. 11:16–17): TAKE HEED LEST YOUR HEART BE DECEIVED …; FOR THE ANGER OF THE LORD WILL BE KINDLED AGAINST YOU. Why? Because he is judge, as stated (in Deut. 4:39): SO KNOW THIS DAY AND TAKE TO HEART THAT THE LORD IS GOD. Balaam, however, said: Do not be afraid. You are his children. Do whatever you want, for he will not be upset with you. To all the nations he does whatever he decrees over them. Why? (Numb. 23:19:) GOD IS NOT A HUMAN, THAT HE SHOULD SPEAK FALSEHOOD. But in your case he said (ibid., cont.): HAS HE GIVEN HIS WORD WITHOUT ACTING <ON IT>? AND HAS HE SPOKEN <SOMETHING> WITHOUT FULFILLING IT? On this point Solomon cries out and says (in Prov. 27:6): THE WOUNDS OF A LOVED ONE ARE FOUND TO BE TRUSTWORTHY. This refers to Moses. (Ibid., cont.): AND THE KISSES OF AN ENEMY ARE PROFUSE. This refers to Balaam. (Deut. 1:1:) THESE ARE THE WORDS.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: If the nations had known how beneficial the Tent of Meeting was for them, they would have surrounded it [to protect it] with military encampments and fortifications, as until the Tent of Meeting stood, they would hear the sound of divine speech, and would lose control of their bowels in the halls of their palaces.⁴⁴Many of them lost control of their faculties and even died due to the fear and trepidation involved in hearing the divine speech. That is what is written: “For who of all flesh who heard the voice of the living God… [has lived?]” (Deuteronomy 5:23). Rabbi Simon said: The divine speech would emerge in two forms; an elixir of life for Israel and an elixir of death for the nations of the world. An elixir of life for Israel, “[Has a people heard the voice of God speaking…] as you heard, and lived?” (Deuteronomy 4:33); you heard and lived. And an elixir of death for the nations of the world, they heard and died. Therefore it says: “Under the apple tree I roused you” (Song of Songs 8:5).⁴⁵The apple tree is understood here as an allusion to Mount Sinai (Maharzu). The verse indicates that God roused Israel from the dead after speaking to them, whereas He did not rouse the nations of the world who heard Him speak (Etz Yosef).
“[The Lord called to Moses, and spoke to him] from the Tent of Meeting” (Leviticus 1:1). Rabbi Ḥiyya taught that from there the voice would stop and would not emerge outside the tent. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Before the Tent of Meeting stood, prophecy was found among the nations of the world. Once the Tent of Meeting stood, prophecy ceased from them. From there, “I grasped him and I would not release him” (Song of Songs 3:4).⁴⁶This is expounded in reference to prophecy. If you say: But did Bilam ben Beor not prophesy? Say, it was for the benefit of Israel that he prophesied, as it is stated: “How goodly are your tents, Jacob” (Numbers 24:5); “one has seen no iniquity in Jacob” (Numbers 23:21); “for there is no divination in Jacob” (Numbers 23:23); “who has counted the dust of Jacob” (Numbers 23:10); “a star has risen from Jacob” (Numbers 24:17); “one from Jacob will rule” (Numbers 24:19).

This may be likened to a king who beats his wife. His best friend says to him: “If you desire to drive her away, beat her until she dies, but if you intend to take her back, why do you punish her so severely?” “Even if my kingdom was to be destroyed I would not drive her away,” he replied. So Jeremiah said: If you desire to drive us out, smite us until we die, since it is said: Thou canst not have utterly rejected us, and be exceeding wroth against us! (Lam. 5:22), but if that is not (Thy desire), Why hast Thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? (Jer. 14:19). The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Even if I were to destroy My entire world, I would not cast off Israel, as it is said: Thus saith the Lord: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then will I also cast off the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord (ibid. 31:37). Nevertheless, I have made an agreement with them that if they should sin, the Temple will be seized as a pledge on their account, as it is said: And I set My Tabernacle among you (Lev. 26:11). The word mishkani (“My Tabernacle”) should be read as mashkoni (“My pledge”). Similarly, Balaam said: How goodly are thy tents (ohalekha), O Jacob, thy dwellings (mishkenotekha), O Israel (Num. 24:5). The tabernacles are called ohalekha (“thy tents”), but when they are demolished they are called mishkonotekha (“Thy pledges”).

[(Numb. 7:1), “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished.” This text is related (to (Numb. 24:5), “How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your Tabernacles O Israel.” If your tents [is meant], why your Tabernacles? But if your Tabernacles [is meant], why your tents? It is simply this: “How beautiful are your tents,” these are the tents; and “your Tabernacles (mishkenotekha),” do not read this (i.e., mishkenotekha), but "your sureties" (mashkonotekha).⁸²Numb. R. 12:14. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Tell Israel to make a Tabernacle, so that if they sin, it will be seized [instead of] them.” You yourself know that this is so. When they sinned, what is written (in Ps. 78:59-60)? “God heard and was enraged […]. So He abandoned the Tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent where He dwelt among mortals (which can be read as, surety for mortals).” This is the Tabernacle, which was only made so that if they sinned, it might be seized [instead] of them. (Numb. 7:1:) “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished setting up the Tabernacle, and he anointed it.” When he had anointed it, he returned and anointed each and every one of [its] vessels. Then the princes of Israel offered sacrifices. They said, “Now is the hour when we shall joyfully offer sacrifices, since the Divine Presence is dwelling among us.”⁸³Numb. R. 12:16. Then when they saw that the Tabernacle had been made and that there was nothing at all [lacking] for them in it, they said, “What is there for us to bring? They went and brought wagons on which they would carry the Tabernacle. But who gave them this suggestion? The tribe of Issachar, since they were wise and mighty in the Torah, as stated (in I Chron 12:33), “And from the Children of Issachar, those who had an understanding of the times, [to know what Israel should do].”⁸⁴Cant. R. 6:4:2. For that reason they had the right to offer sacrifice (hqyb) on the second day (only after Judah), as stated (in Numb. 7:18), “On the second day Nethanel ben Zuar, prince of Issachar, presented (hqryb, rt.: qrb) [his] offering.” In [the order of] all the princes, why is it stated, “his offering,” whereas here [with Issachar], it is stated (in vs. 19), “He presented (hqrb; rt.: qrb) his offering.” [It is so mentioned] because he offered (hqryb; rt.: qrb) it in accordance with the [divine] command. When the rest of the tribes, who were older than [Issachar], wanted to sacrifice (rt.: qrb) [first], they decided [the matter] from heaven. So the tribe of Issachar was commanded to approach (rt.: qrb) with a sacrifice (rt.: qrb) for the altar and offer (rt.: qrb) its sacrifice (rt.: qrb). You yourself know that it is so written (in vs. 19) where presented (hqrb) lacks [a y (i.e., a yod) and as such is really an imperative, meaning "come near."] When [that tribe] was far away, it was brought near, to come (i.e., to offer sacrifice).⁸⁵The verb, NTHQRB (rt.: QRB), used here means “brought near,” but the root also denotes the offering of a sacrifice. Thus the tribe of Issachar was moved up in order for offering sacrifice. And why all this? Because they were knowledgeable in the Torah, as stated (in I Chron. 12:33), “And from the Children of Issachar, those who had an understanding of the times, [to know what Israel should do]; their heads were two hundred.” These were heads of courts (sanhedraot). (I Chron. 12:33, cont.:) “And all their kinfolk were at their command ('al-pihem).” [This verse] is teaching you that they all affirmed the oral law (halakhah) [that was] on their lips ('al-pihem).

[(Numb. 7:1): SO IT CAME TO PASS ON THE DAY THAT MOSES HAD FINISHED.] This text is related (to (Numb. 24:5): HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE YOUR TENTS, O JACOB, YOUR TABERNACLES O ISRAEL. If YOUR TENTS <is meant>, why YOUR TABERNACLES? But if YOUR TABERNACLES <is meant>, why YOUR TENTS?⁹⁶Tanh., Numb. 2:14. It is simply this: HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE YOUR TENTS: These are the tents of your tabernacles (mishkenotekha). Do not read this (i.e., mishkenotekha) but "forfeits" (mashkonotekha).⁹⁷Numb. R. 12:14. The Holy One said to Moses: Tell Israel to make a tabernacle, so that if they sin, it will be forfeited at their hands. You yourself know that this is so. When they sinned, what is written (in Ps. 78:59)? GOD HEARD AND WAS ENRAGED. What is written after that (in vs. 60)? SO HE ABANDONED THE TABERNACLE OF SHILOH, THE TENT WHERE HE DWELT AMONG MORTALS. This is the Tabernacle, which was only made so that it might be forfeited on account of Israel.

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