Мидраш к Бамидбар 11:12

The great Rabbi Hoshaya opened [with the verse (Mishlei 8:30),] "I [the Torah] was an amon to Him and I was a plaything to Him every day." Amon means "pedagogue" (i.e. nanny). Amon means "covered." Amon means "hidden." And there is one who says amon means "great." Amon means "nanny," as in (Bamidbar 11:12) “As a nanny (omein) carries the suckling child." Amon means "covered," as in (Eichah 4:5) "Those who were covered (emunim) in scarlet have embraced refuse heaps." Amon means "hidden," as in (Esther 2:7) "He hid away (omein) Hadassah." Amon means "great," as in (Nahum 3:8) "Are you better than No-amon [which dwells in the rivers]?" which the Targum renders as, "Are you better than Alexandria the Great (amon), which dwells between the rivers?" Alternatively, amon means "artisan." The Torah is saying, "I was the artisan's tool of Hashem." In the way of the world, a king of flesh and blood who builds a castle does not do so from his own knowledge, but rather from the knowledge of an architect, and the architect does not build it from his own knowledge, but rather he has scrolls and books in order to know how to make rooms and doorways. So too Hashem gazed into the Torah and created the world. Similarly the Torah says, "Through the reishis Hashem created [the heavens and the earth]," and reishis means Torah, as in "Hashem made me [the Torah] the beginning (reishis) of His way" (Mishlei 8:22).

The host of Rab had to try a case before him, and when he entered he said to Rab: "Do you remember that you were my guest?" "Yea," answered he, "but why did you come here?" He said: "I have a case to try." Thereupon Rab said (Fol. 8) "I am not fit to be a judge for your case." And he appointed R. Cahana to judge the case. R. Cahana, observing that he relied too much upon Rab, said to him: "If you listen to my decision, well and good; but if not, I will put Rab out of your mind" (i.e., I will put you under the ban). The small as well as the great shall ye hear. Resh Lakish said: "This means you shall treat a case of one peruta with the same exactness as you would treat a case involving a hundred manas." To what purpose was this said? Is this not self-evident? It means, if two cases come before you, one of a peruta and one of one hundred manas, you shall not say: "This is a small case, and I will see to it later." Ye shall not be afraid of any man. R. Chaniu said: "This means that the judge shall not withhold his words out of respect to a man;" for the judgment belongeth to God. R. Chama b. R. Chanina said: '"The Holy One, praised be He! said: 'It is not sufficient for the wicked to take away money from one and give it to another illegally; but they trouble Me even to return the money to its owner.' " Atid I commanded your judges at that time. Further it reads: I commanded you at that time. R. Elazar in the name of R. Simlai, said: "This is a warning for the congregation, that they should respect their judges; and, also, a warning to the judges that they should bear with the congregation." To what extent? R. Chanin (according to others R. Sabthai) said: "Even as a nursing father carrieth the sucking child." (Num. 11, 12).

(Exodus 17:4) "and Moses cried out to the L rd": We are hereby apprised of the eminence of Moses. He did not say: Since they are quarreling with me I will not implore mercy for them, but "And Moses cried out to the L rd." "saying: What can I do to this people?" Moses said before the Holy One Blessed be He: L rd of the universe, between You and them I will be killed! And You tell me not to be harsh with them, viz. (Numbers 11:12) "For You say to me: "Bear them in your bosom as a nurse bears a nursling, etc." — when they want to kill me! Here the L rd "lowers" (Himself) and Moses "raises" himself (in protest). And elsewhere the L rd "raises" (Himself) and Moses "lowers" himself, viz. (Exodus 32:10) "And now leave Me and I will annihilate them, etc.", followed by (Ibid. 11) "And Moses prayed before the L rd, etc."