וְדָוִד֙ וְכָל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מַעֲלִ֖ים אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן יְהוָ֑ה בִּתְרוּעָ֖ה וּבְק֥וֹל שׁוֹפָֽר׃
At iniahon ni David at ng buong sambahayan ng Israel ang kaban ng Walang-Hanggan nang may hiyawan at tunog ng shofar.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“The charge of Elazar, son of Aaron the priest, is the illuminating oil, and the incense of the spices, and the meal offering of the daily offering, and the anointing oil: the charge of the entire Tabernacle, and of everything that is in it, in the sacred, and in its vessels” (Numbers 4:16).
“The charge of Elazar, son of Aaron the priest…” – that is what is written: “Do not glorify yourself before a king, and do not stand in the place of the prominent” (Proverbs 25:6). If before a king of flesh and blood a person must conduct himself with humility, all the more so before the Omnipresent. We learned: Be bold like a leopard, nimble like an eagle, run like a deer, and be strong like a lion to perform the will of your Father in heaven,27Mishna Avot 5:20. to teach you that there is no haughtiness before the Omnipresent. Eliyahu said: Anyone who increases the glory of Heaven and minimizes his own glory, the glory of Heaven increases and his own glory increases. But anyone who minimizes the glory of Heaven and increases his own glory, the glory of Heaven remains as it was, and his glory is diminished.
There was an incident involving a certain man who was standing in a synagogue and his son was standing opposite him. All the people were responding to the one who passes before the ark:28The prayer leader. Halleluya, and his son responded with words of frivolity. They said to him: ‘Look at your son, that he is responding with words of frivolity.’ He said to them: ‘What shall I do? He is a child, let him play.’ Again, the next day he acted in the same manner: All the people were responding to the prayer leader: Halleluya, and his son responded with words of frivolity. They said to him: ‘Look at your son, that he is responding with words of frivolity.’ He said to them: ‘What shall I do? He is a child, let him play.’ All those eight days of the festival, his son would respond with matters of frivolity, and he did not say anything to him. Not one year passed, not two, and not three until that man died, his wife died, his son and grandson died. Fifteen people from his house died, and only one pair of people remained: one crippled and blind, and a wicked imbecile.
Again there was an incident, involving a certain person who regretted that he had not studied Bible or Mishna. One time, he was standing in a synagogue. When the one passing before the ark reached the sanctification of the Name, he raised his voice and said: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:3). They said to him: ‘What did you see that led you to raise your voice.’ He said to them: ‘I have been privileged to study neither Bible nor Mishna; now that I have been given permission, will I not raise my voice and my soul will be calmed?’ Not one year passed, not two, and not three until that man ascended from Babylonia to the Land of Israel. They appointed him commander of the emperor’s army and appointed him as the head of all the fortresses in the Land of Israel. They gave him a site, and he constructed a city and settled there. They called him Kilonai,29A term meaning that he did not have to pay taxes. him, his children, and his children’s children throughout all the generations. From here you learn that a person should not comport himself with haughtiness before the Omnipresent, as anyone who is haughty before Him will be debased. Likewise it says: “For those who honor Me I will honor, but those who scorn Me will be debased” (I Samuel 2:30).
Likewise, you find regarding David king of Israel who did not conduct himself haughtily before the Omnipresent, but rather, he debased himself before Him like a commoner, in order to increase the glory of the Omnipresent. When? It was when he took up the Ark from the house of Avinadav in Giva to bring it to Jerusalem. That is what is written: “David again gathered all the chosen of Israel, thirty thousand.” (II Samuel 6:1). David said: I am not taking up the Ark secretly. He immediately consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds to send throughout the Land of Israel that they should gather to them and go to take up the Ark, as it is stated: “David consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with every high official” (I Chronicles 13:1). “David said to the entire congregation of Israel: If it pleases you, and if it is from the Lord our God…so that they gather themselves to us; and let us transfer the Ark of our God to us” (I Chronicles 13:2–3). They all said to him: ‘Do as you wish,’ as it is stated: “The entire congregation said to do so, for the matter was upright in the eyes of the entire people” (I Chronicles 13:4). Immediately, he sent and gathered all of Israel that was in the entire Land of Israel, as it is stated: “David assembled all Israel, from Shiḥor of Egypt until Levo Ḥamat, to bring the Ark of God from Kiryat Ye’arim” (I Chronicles 13:5). How many elders did David appoint there? Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar and Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: David appointed ninety thousand elders on that day, but he did not appoint Aḥitofel with them. He sanctified them so they would serve as an honor guard before it. That is what is written: “David again [vayosef od] gathered all the chosen of Israel, thirty thousand.” “Vayosef” – thirty thousand; “od” – thirty thousand; and the plain meaning of the verse, thirty thousand; that is ninety thousand.
Immediately, they went to Giva to take up the Ark from there, as it is stated: “David and all the people who were with him from Baalei Yehuda rose and went [to take up from there the Ark of God]” (II Samuel 6:2). One verse says: “David and all Israel went up to Baala, to Kiryat Ye’arim which is of Judah, to take up from there the Ark of God, the Lord who is seated amidst the cherubs, upon which the Name is called” (I Chronicles 13:6). And one verse says: “David and all the people who were with him from Baalei Yehuda…” How can these two verses coexist? All Israel went to Baala, which is Kiryat Ye’arim, and waited there for the Ark, until they would bring it from Giva. But David and the elders set out from Baalei Yehuda, which is Baala, which is Kiryat Ye’arim, and went after the Ark to Giva to bring it from Giva to Kiryat Ye’arim, which is Baala. From Baala, all of Israel took it with them to Jerusalem.
Some say: Initially they decided they would go only to Baala and send from there to the house of Avinadav, which was in Giva, to take up the Ark of God from there to Kiryat Ye’arim. From there they would all ascend with it to Jerusalem. When he was there, he said to them: ‘It is not in keeping with the honor due the Ark that it should come with individuals. Rather, let us all go there.’ That is why it is written: “David and all the people…rose and went” (II Samuel 6:2).
Why did he initially go only to Baala, which is Kiryat Ye’arim? It is because Giva and Kiryat Ye’arim were located in one area, which is where the Givonites were settled, as it is stated: “The children of Israel traveled, and they came to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Givon, Kefira, Be’erot, and Kiryat Ye’arim” (Joshua 9:17). Kiryat Ye’arim fell into the portion of Judah, as it is enumerated in the portion of its inheritance: “Kiryat Baal, which is Kiryat Ye’arim” (Joshua 15:60), and it was the border between Judah and Benjamin, as it says regarding the border of Benjamin: “Its terminus was at Kiryat Baal, which is Kiryat Ye'arim, a city of the children of Judah…” (Joshua 18:14). But Giva, where the Ark was, was on the border of Benjamin, as it is written regarding the cities of Benjamin: “Givon, Rama, and Be’erot; and Mitzpe, Kefira, and Motza” (Joshua 18:25–26). That is why they initially came to Kiryat Ye’arim, which is on the border between Judah and Benjamin, and then they went to Givon.
“Which is called the Name, the name of the Lord of hosts” (II Samuel 6:2) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: It teaches that the Name and all His appellations are placed in the Ark. Rav Huna said: It teaches that the tablets and the shards of the tablets are placed in the Ark.
“They mounted the Ark of God [onto a new wagon]” (II Samuel 6:3) – they did not carry it as it is in the Torah, as it is written: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give [because the sacred service is upon them, they shall bear on the shoulder]” (Numbers 7:9). Why was he punished to have been rendered oblivious to the verse? It is because he called matters of Torah “songs,” as it is stated: “Your statutes were songs to me…” (Psalms 119:54). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: Matters of Torah in whose regard it is written: “If you cast [hata’if] your eyes on it, it is gone” (Proverbs 23:5),30This verse is expounded to mean: If you close your eyes from matters of Torah they will be forgotten. The root ayin-yod-peh in Aramaic means double, so the verse can be understood as: If you double your eyes, meaning cover them with your eyelids. you call them songs? I will cause you to fail regarding a matter that even schoolchildren know: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give…,” and he brings it in a wagon. The Ark lifted the priests31The reference is to the priests who were carrying the Ark to the wagon. high and slammed them to the ground, lifted the priests high and slammed them to the ground. David sent and summoned Aḥitofel; he said to him: ‘Will you not say to me what we shall do with this Ark, as it is lifting the priests high and slamming them to the ground, lifting the priests high and slamming them to the ground?’ He said to him: ‘Send and ask those wise men whom you appointed.’ David said: ‘One who knows how to stop it and does not stop it, will ultimately be strangled.’ He said to him: ‘Slaughter offerings before it, and it will stop.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Aḥitofel: ‘A matter that the children say in the synagogue each day: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give…” you did not say to him, but this great matter you said to him: Slaughter offerings before it, and it will stop?’ That is why he was slaughtering when he took it up the second time, so he would not experience this, as it is stated: “It was, when [the bearers of the Ark of the Lord] walked [six paces, that he would slaughter a bull and a fatling]” (II Samuel 6:13).
Uza and Aḥyo were driving the wagon, as it is stated: “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav…[Uza and Aḥyo, sons of Avinadav, were driving the new wagon]” (II Samuel 6:3), Uza after it and Aḥyo before it. “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav that was in Giva, [with the Ark of God, and Aḥyo was walking before the Ark]” (II Samuel 6:4). To what is the verse “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav” referring? What did they carry with it? It was a chest that the Philistines sent, a gift to the God of Israel,32I Samuel 6:7–12. upon which a Torah scroll was placed, like that which we learned: The Ark that Moses crafted: “Its length two and a half cubits, and its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits” (Exodus 25:10) – with a cubit containing six handbreadths. The length of the tablets was six handbreadths, their width six, and their thickness three. They were placed along the length of the Ark. How much did the tablets fill? It was twelve handbreadths. Three handbreadths remained. Deduct from them one handbreadth, half for this wall and half for that wall. Two handbreadths remained in which the Torah scroll was placed, as it is stated: “There was in the Ark nothing [ein] but [rak] the two tablets [of stone]” (I Kings 8:9). Ein rak, an exclusion after an exclusion33One of the rules used to interpret verses in the Torah is that when an exclusion is followed by another exclusion it comes to teach that there is something which has to be included. (Yoma 43a). is only to include the Torah scroll that was placed in the Ark. You have accounted for the Ark by its length; come account for the Ark by its width. How much did the tablets fill in the Ark? It was six handbreadths. Deduct from them one handbreadth, half for this wall and half for that wall. Two handbreadths remained so that the Torah scroll would enter and exit without difficulty. This is the statement of Rabbi Meir.
Rabbi Yehuda says: It is with a cubit containing five handbreadths. The length of the tablets was six handbreadths, their width six, and their thickness three. They were placed along the length of the Ark. How much did the tablets fill in the Ark? It was twelve handbreadths. One half handbreadth remained; one fingerbreadth and one half for this wall and one fingerbreadth and one half for that wall.34A handbreadth is four fingerbreadths if one measures with the thumb, five with the index finger, and six with the pinkie. The midrash here is using the measure of six fingerbreadths to a handbreadth. You have accounted for the Ark by its length, come account for the Ark by its width. How much did the tablets fill in the Ark? It was six handbreadths. One handbreadth and one half remained. Deduct from them half one handbreadth, one fingerbreadth and one half for this wall and one fingerbreadth and one half for that wall. One handbreadth remained, in which the pillars stood, as it is stated: “King [Solomon] made himself a palanquin.… He crafted its pillars of silver…” (Song of Songs 3:9–10).35“King Solomon [hamelekh Shelomo] made himself [lo] a palanquin” is expounded as a reference to the Ark of the King, to whom peace belongs [hamelekh shehashalom shelo]. The chest that the Philistines sent as a gift to the God of Israel was placed at its side, as it is stated: “Place the gold objects that you are returning to Him as a guilt offering in a chest at its side, and send it and it will go” (I Samuel 6:8). Upon it, the Torah scroll was placed, as it is stated: “Take this scroll of the Torah, [and place it at the side of the Ark]” (Deuteronomy 31:26). It was placed at its side and not inside it.36Bava Batra 14a.
How, then, do I realize: “There was in the Ark nothing [ein] but [rak] the two tablets” (I Kings 8:9)? It is to include the shards of the tablets, which were placed in the Ark, because the whole tablets and the shattered tablets were placed on their sides in the Ark, as they were only three handbreadths thick. Before the chest there was a shelf that protruded from the Ark, on which the Torah scroll was placed. That is what is written: “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav […with the Ark of God]” (II Samuel 6:4) – this is the chest upon which the Torah scroll was placed and was standing at the side of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.
“Aḥyo was walking before the Ark” (II Samuel 6:4) – from here they said: Aḥyo was walking before it.
When they were taking it up, ninety thousand elders were walking before it, the priests were bearing it,37The priests placed it in the wagon, and the wagon was led by priests. Uza and Aḥyo were apparently priests (Maharzu). the Levites were playing instruments, and all Israel were reveling; one who had a palm branch in his hand, one who had a drum or a musical instrument. That is what is written: “David and the entire house of Israel were reveling before the Lord [with all kinds of juniper wood, with harps, with lyres, with drums, with timbrels [uvimenaanim], and with cymbals]” (II Samuel 6:5). This is a reference to a palm branch with which a person waves [menaane’a].
“They came to the threshing floor of Nakhon” (II Samuel 6:6) – “Kidon” (I Chronicles 13:9) is written and “Nakhon” is written. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Initially Kidon38Kidon means spear, an instrument of death, as it caused Uza’s death. but ultimately Nakhon.39Nakhon means firmly established, after bringing blessing to the house of Oved Edom.
“Uza reached out to the Ark of God [and took hold of it]” (II Samuel 6:6) – the Holy One blessed be He said to him: The Ark bears its bearers; itself all the more so, as it is written: “It was when the entire people had finished crossing, the Ark of the Lord and the priests passed before the people” (Joshua 4:11) – the Ark bore its bearers and crossed. “Because the cattle had stumbled” (II Samuel 6:6( – why did they stumble? It was because they were taking it in contravention of the Torah. They should have taken it on the shoulder, but they loaded it onto a wagon and it proceeded on its own.
“The wrath of the Lord was enflamed against Uza, and God smote him there al hashal” (II Samuel 6:7) – what is “al hashal”? Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Elazar: One said: Over matters of unwitting actions, and one said: Because he tended to his needs before it.40Some say that on a previous occasion he relieved himself before the Ark. Others say that his focus was on personal matters rather than on the matter of the Ark.
“And he died there with the Ark of God” (II Samuel 6:7) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Uza will enter the World to Come, as it is stated: “With the Ark of God”; just as the Ark is in existence in the World to Come, so too, Uza will enter the World to Come.
“David was distressed [vayiḥar] because the Lord had lashed out [in a breach against Uza]” (II Samuel 6:8) – what is vayiḥar? Rabbi Elazar said: It is that David’s face changed and resembled a loaf baked on coals [ḥarara].41Wrinkled, dry, and black. What is the reason? It is because af is not written with it.42Typically the word vayiḥar is followed by the word af (see the previous verse), and together they mean: His wrath was enflamed. Here, vayiḥar is not followed by af. Therefore, the Sages attribute an additional meaning to it.
Immediately, David feared to bring it to his home, as it is stated: “David feared the Lord on that day, and he said: How can the Ark of the Lord come to me?” (II Samuel 6:9). What did David do? He diverted it to the home of Oved Edom to remain there, as it is stated: “David was unwilling to transfer the Ark of the Lord to him…and David diverted it to the home of Oved Edom the Gitite” (II Samuel 6:10). Oved Edom was a Levite, as it attributes his lineage with the Levites. Oved Edom and his brethren were sixty-two.43See I Chronicles 26:8. Why was his name called Oved? It is because he served [avad] before the Lord properly. Edom, because he reddened [shehedim] David’s face. He was fearful of the Ark lest it kill him, and he serves before it, and the Holy One blessed be He blessed him. “The Gitite” – it is because he was from Gat.
When David returned to Jerusalem, Aḥitofel came and said to him: David, should you not have learned from a small verse that the children read: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give, [because the service of the sacred objects was upon them; they bore them upon their shoulders]” (Numbers 7:9)? The Levites bear the Ark; the priests do not bear the Ark. On a shoulder they bear the Ark, not on a wagon. From where is it derived that this is so? For you find when he took it up the second time, there was neither priest nor wagon there, as it is stated: “Then David said not to bear the Ark of God, other than the Levites” (I Chronicles 15:2). And it is written: “The children of the Levites bore the Ark of God [as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the Lord, on their shoulders with the poles on them]” (I Chronicles 15:15).
“The Ark of the Lord stayed in the house of Oved Edom the Gitite” (II Samuel 6:11) – our Rabbis said: There were two items that were sacred and great, but people believed that they were harsh. So as not to disseminate slander in their regard, it wrote a conspicuous instance of praise and blessing in their regard. These are: Incense and the Ark. Incense, so that a person would not say that the incense is harsh. It was by its means that Nadav and Avihu died; by its means the assembly of Koraḥ were burned; by its means Uziyahu was afflicted with leprosy. That is why the Holy One blessed be He wrote a significant virtue regarding the incense, that Israel was saved by its means, as it is stated: “Aaron took as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, [and behold, the plague had begun among the people; he placed the incense, and atoned for the people. He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was checked]” (Numbers 17:12–13). The Ark, so that a person will not say that the Ark is harsh. It smote the Philistines, it killed the residents of Beit Shemesh, it killed Uza. That is why it wrote a blessing in its regard, as it is stated: “The Ark of the Lord stayed [in the house of Oved Edom the Gitite for three months, and the Lord blessed Oved Edom and his entire household]” (II Samuel 6:11). It is to teach you that incense and the Ark do not kill, but rather sins kill.
With what did the Holy One blessed be He bless the home of Oved Edom? Rabbi Yosei says: With children; that is what is written: “Oved Edom had sons: Shemaya the firstborn…Yoaḥ the third, and Sakhar the fourth, and Netanel.… Peuletai the eighth, [for God had blessed him]” (I Chronicles 26:4–5). They asked before Rabbi Yoḥanan: What is Peuletai? He said to them: It is because he performed a great action [peula] on behalf of the Torah. What great action did he perform? He would kindle a lamp before the Ark, one lamp in the morning and one lamp in the evening.
Rabbi Yosei rendered it words of parting: If for the Ark that did not eat and drink and requires attention only due to the two tablets that were in it, the home of Oved Edom the Gitite was privileged to be blessed on account of it, one who receives Sages and students with food, drink, and made beds, all the more so that the Holy One blessed be He will pay him his reward. They said regarding Oved Edom: He had eight sons and eight daughters-in-law, and each and every one of them would give birth to two in one month. How so? She would be impure for seven,44Seven days. pure for seven, and give birth; impure for seven, pure for seven, and give birth. Sixteen for each month; for three months that is forty-eight. The sons of Shemaya were six, as it is written: “To Shemaya his son were born sons.… The sons of Shemaya: Otni…” (I Chronicles 26:6–7);45According to the midrash, these six sons of Shemaya were born before the Ark arrived. that is fifty-four. His eight, as it is written: “Oved Edom had sons…” (I Chronicles 26:4–5), that is sixty-two. That is what is written: “All these were of the sons of Oved Edom, they and their sons and their brethren, capable men with strength for the service: sixty-two for Oved Edom.” (I Chronicles 26:8). That is, “for God had blessed him” (I Chronicles 26:5). That is why it is stated: “[The Ark of God remained with the household of Oved Edom, in his house three months,] and the Lord blessed the house of Oved Edom…” (I Chronicles 13:14).
David heard after three months that the Holy One blessed be He had blessed Oved Edom and his household. He gathered the elders of Israel, the leaders, and the leaders of the priests and Levites to take up the Ark with great rejoicing, as it is written: “It was told to King David, saying: The Lord has blessed the house of Oved Edom…[David went and took up the Ark of God from the house of Oved Edom to the City of David with rejoicing]” (II Samuel 6:12). And one verse says: “David, and the elders of Israel, [and the captains of thousands, who were walking to take up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from the house of Oved Edom, were joyful]” (I Chronicles 15:25). Who took it up? The Levites took it up. When David saw that the Levites took it up and were not harmed, as Aḥitofel had said to him, he added and slaughtered more offerings before it as Aḥitofel had said initially. That is what is written: “It was as God helped the Levites, [carriers of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, and they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams]” (I Chronicles 15:26).
One verse says: “They sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams” (I Chronicles 15:26). And one verse says: “It was when [the bearers of the Ark of the Lord] would walk six paces, he would slaughter a bull and a fatling” (II Samuel 6:13). Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Mana: One said: For each pace a bull and a fatling, and after seven, seven bulls and seven rams. And one said: For each pace seven bulls and seven rams, and at the end a bull and a fatling. The Rabbis say: One verse explains the other: For each seven46It should read six paces (Matnot Kehuna). paces, seven bulls and seven rams.47Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 10:2. Rav Pappa bar Shmuel said: For each and every pace, a bull and a fatling; for every six steps seven bulls and seven rams. Rav Ḥisda said to him: If so, you have filled the entire Land of Israel with altars. Rather, Rav Ḥisda said: For every six paces, a bull and a fatling, and for every six sets of six paces, seven bulls and seven rams.48Sota 35b.
“David was dancing before the Lord with all his might” (II Samuel 6:14) – come and see to what extent David debased himself for the glory of the Holy One blessed be He. David should have been walking before it like a king clad in his royal garments. [He was] not, but rather David donned fine garments in honor of the Ark and reveled before it in any describable manner saying whatever he could say, as it is stated: “David was wrapped in a fine linen robe along with all the Levites who were bearing the Ark…[upon David there was an ephod of linen]” (I Chronicles 15:27).
And it is written: “David was mekharker before the Lord bekhol oz” (II Samuel 6:14) – what is “bekhol oz”? It is with all his might. What is “mekharker”? It is that he was clapping his hands one upon the other and saying: Exalted Lord [kiri ram]. Israel were shouting and sounding the shofars, trumpets, and all musical instruments, as it is stated: “All the house of Israel were taking up the Ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sounding of the shofar” (II Samuel 6:15). And one verse says: “All Israel were taking up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord [with shouts, and with sound of a shofar, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding with lyres and harps]” (I Chronicles 15:28).
When they arrived in Jerusalem, all the women were peering at David from the rooftops and from the windows and saw him dancing and reveling, but he did not care. That is what is written: “It was, as the Ark of the Lord was entering the City of David [that Mikhal daughter of Saul peered through the window]” (II Samuel 6:16). You see that his wife was peering at him. From where is it derived that the same is true of all the women of Jerusalem? It is as she says: “How honorable today is the king of Israel, who was exposed today before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants” (II Samuel 6:20).
“She saw King David mefazez umkharker…” (II Samuel 6:16) – when she saw him conducting himself like a commoner, he was contemptible in her eyes. What is mefazez umkharker? What would he do? Our Rabbis said: He was wearing refined gold garments similar to pure gold [paz]. He would strike his hands one on another and clap, and he would cry kiri ram. He would mefazez. What is mefazez? The refined gold that was on him would produce a clinking sound. Could it be that David did not do any more than that? No. Rather, he would reverse his cloak and leap before it, as it is written elsewhere: “And saw King David dancing and reveling…” (I Chronicles 15:29). All the women were peering at him from the rooftops and the windows, and he did not care. From where do you learn that David would reverse his cloak and leap?49The midrash returns to this question later.
It is as you find that once they took it into the City of David, they displayed it in the place that David had prepared for it, and he and Israel offered up burnt offerings before it, as it is written: “They brought the Ark of the Lord, and they displayed it [in its place, within the tent that David had pitched for it]” (II Samuel 6:17). Elsewhere it is written: “They presented burnt offerings and peace offerings before God” (I Chronicles 16:1) – after he concluded the offering, he blessed the entire people because they honored the Ark. He gave gifts to them all as an expression of joy for the Ark, and to the women, as it is stated: “David concluded offering up the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, [and he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts]. He distributed to all the people, to the entire multitude of Israel, [both men and women, to each, one loaf of bread, one portion of beef [eshpar], and one raisin cake [ashisha]]” (II Samuel 6:18–19). What is eshpar? It is one-sixth [eḥad mishisha] of a bull [bapar]; ashisha, one-sixth of an ephah. Some say: Ashisha – a cask of wine, just as it says: “And lovers of goblets [ashishei] of grapes” (Hosea 3:1).
After all Israel took their leave from him, he turned to bless his household and to bring them joy, due to the overwhelming celebration of the Ark. Mikhal emerged to meet him and disgraced him for debasing himself before the eyes of the women in honor of the Ark. That is what is written: “David returned to bless his household. [Mikhal daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and she said: How honorable today was the king of Israel, who was exposed today before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants, in the manner that one of the idlers is exposed]” (II Samuel 6:20). She did not enable him to enter into the house, but she went out and verbally lambasted him. “She said: How honorable today was the king of Israel, who was exposed today before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants.” From here you learn that he reversed his cloak and leapt, as she said to him: “Who was exposed today.” She began instigating a quarrel with him, seeking to utterly shame him. She said to him: ‘Have you seen your glory?’ “How honorable today was the king of Israel”? ‘Now you have let it be known that you are king?’ “Who was exposed today” – if only it had been privately, but rather it was “before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants.” These are the women of Israel, whom she characterizes as maidservants. “In the manner that one of the idlers is exposed” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: The idlest of the idlers is the dancing jester, as there is no one idler than he is from any mitzva. That is how David was dancing before the Ark.
She said to him: ‘Today the glory of father’s household has been revealed. Come and see what the difference is between you and father’s household. All members of my father’s household were modest and holy.’ They said about the household of Saul that neither heel nor big toe of theirs was ever seen. That is what is written: “He came to the sheep enclosures upon the way, and there was a cave there. Saul came [to relieve himself]” (I Samuel 24:3). What is, “he came to the sheep enclosures [gidrot]”? Rabbi Avin in the name of Rabbi Elazar: He entered a sheep pen, a gate within a gate. “Saul came to relieve himself [lehasekh et raglav]” – he made himself like a booth [sukka], wrapped in flowing robes and sat in the lavatory. He would lower his garment a bit and raise it a bit, lower it a bit and raise it a bit. David said: It is not proper to harm so modest a body. That is what is written that he said to him: “Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and one said to kill you, and I vataḥas on you” (I Samuel 24:10). It is not written here, “I had compassion [vaaḥus] on you,” but rather, “it has compassion [vataḥas] on you” – your modesty caused there to be compassion on you. That is what Mikhal said to him: ‘The members of father’s household were so modest, and you stand and expose your garment like one of the idlers.’
When she finished her words, he said to her: ‘Was I reveling before a king of flesh and blood? Was it not before the King of kings that I was reveling, who chose me over your father and his entire household? Were your father more righteous than I, would God have chosen me and rejected your father’s household?’ That is what is written: “David said to Mikhal: Before the Lord, [who chose me over your father and over his entire household, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel, I will revel before the Lord]” (II Samuel 6:21). He said to her: ‘Your father was king over Israel alone; I am ruler over Israel and Judah.’ That is what is written: “Over the people of the Lord” – this is the tribe of Judah. “Over Israel” – these are the rest of the tribes.
Another matter: He said to her: ‘The members of your father’s household sought their own glory and forsook the glory of Heaven. I do not do so, but rather, I forsake my own glory and seek the glory of Heaven.’ That is what is written: “I would be demeaned even more than this, [and I would be lowly in my eyes; but with the maidservants of whom you spoke, with them, I would be honored]” (II Samuel 6:22). ‘Do not say that I was lowly in the eyes of others and not contemptible in my perception’; the verse states: “And I would be lowly in my eyes.” “But with the maidservants of whom you spoke, with them, I would be honored” – he said to her: ‘Those women whom you characterized as maidservants are not maidservants [amahot], but mothers [imahot]. If only I will have a portion with them in the future.’ That is what is written: “But with the maidservants of whom you spoke” – if only, “with them, I would be honored.”
Because Mikhal said this, she was punished, as it is written thereafter: “Mikhal daughter of Saul did not have a child until the day of her death” (II Samuel 6:23). But is it not written: “Yitre’am, to Egla his wife” (I Chronicles 3:3)? She lowed like a calf [egla] and died.50The reference is to Mikhal and that she died in childbirth. That is what is written: “[Mikhal…did not have a child] until the day of her death” – but on the day of her death she had.
There is no person in Israel who debased himself for the mitzvot more than David. That is what is written that he said: “Lord, my heart was not haughty” (Psalms 131:1) – when Samuel anointed me as king; “nor my eyes lofty” (Psalms 131:1) – when I killed Goliath; “and I did not aspire to greatness” (Psalms 131:1) – when they restored me to my kingdom; “or to what is beyond me” (Psalms 131:1) – when I took up the Ark. “Instead I have composed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child on his mother” (Psalms 131:2) – just as this child is not ashamed to be exposed before his mother, so, I have composed myself before You that I was not ashamed to debase myself before You in Your honor. “My soul is like a weaned child” (Psalms 131:2) – like this infant who emerges from his mother’s womb, and he has no haughtiness of spirit to refrain from nursing from his mother’s breasts, so my soul is upon me, as I am not ashamed to study Torah from the insignificant of Israel. Rabbi Ada bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You have rendered yourself like a weaned child; as you live, just as this child has no iniquities, so, you have no iniquities, as it is stated: “The Lord has expunged your sin; you will not die” (II Samuel 12:13).
From here you learn that a person may not comport himself with haughtiness before the Omnipresent, but rather, he should debase himself for His glory. Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi bar Rabbi Shalom said: The actions of the Holy One blessed be He are unlike the actions of flesh and blood. Why? The cook of flesh and blood has fine garments. When he goes out to the marketplace he wears them, but when he stands and cooks, he removes the nice ones and wears tatters and an apron. Moreover, when he sweeps the stove and the oven, he wears lower-quality garments than those. But before the Holy One blessed be He, when the priest sweeps the altar and removes the ashes, he dons excellent garments, as it is stated: “The priest shall don his linen vestments…” (Leviticus 6:3), so that “he shall remove the ashes” (Leviticus 6:3). Why is it so? It is only to inform you that there is no haughtiness before the Omnipresent.
Likewise, you find that Elazar the priest would comport himself with humility before the Omnipresent. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Elazar was the head of heads, the prince of princes, as it is stated: “The prince of the princes of the Levites was Elazar son of Aaron the priest…” (Numbers 3:32). See the authority that he possessed, and you assume that because he was a prominent man he would delegate others to bear the vessels that he was supposed to bear. No; rather, he himself would bear them, as it is stated: “The charge of Elazar son of Aaron the priest [is the illuminating oil, and the incense of the spices, and the meal offering of the daily offering, and the anointing oil]” (Numbers 4:16). How did he bear all these? Our Rabbis said: This is how he bore them: The anointing oil in his right, the incense of the spices in his left, and the meal offering of the daily offering of the morning was suspended from his forearm. Where was the one brought in the afternoon placed? Rabbi Aḥa said that Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: He would suspend a type of small bowl from his belt, because his loins were girded with a belt like a servant before his master. This is to inform you that there is no haughtiness before God. “The charge of the entire Tabernacle, and of all that is in it, in the sacred, and in its vessels” (Numbers 4:16) – as it was he who would give them the Ark, the table, the candelabrum, and the altars and all their utensils, just as it says: “Their commission: The Ark, [the table, the candelabrum, the altars, and the sacred vessels with which they would serve, and the screen, and all its work]. The prince of the princes of the Levites was Elazar…” (Numbers 3:31–32).
“The charge of Elazar, son of Aaron the priest…” – that is what is written: “Do not glorify yourself before a king, and do not stand in the place of the prominent” (Proverbs 25:6). If before a king of flesh and blood a person must conduct himself with humility, all the more so before the Omnipresent. We learned: Be bold like a leopard, nimble like an eagle, run like a deer, and be strong like a lion to perform the will of your Father in heaven,27Mishna Avot 5:20. to teach you that there is no haughtiness before the Omnipresent. Eliyahu said: Anyone who increases the glory of Heaven and minimizes his own glory, the glory of Heaven increases and his own glory increases. But anyone who minimizes the glory of Heaven and increases his own glory, the glory of Heaven remains as it was, and his glory is diminished.
There was an incident involving a certain man who was standing in a synagogue and his son was standing opposite him. All the people were responding to the one who passes before the ark:28The prayer leader. Halleluya, and his son responded with words of frivolity. They said to him: ‘Look at your son, that he is responding with words of frivolity.’ He said to them: ‘What shall I do? He is a child, let him play.’ Again, the next day he acted in the same manner: All the people were responding to the prayer leader: Halleluya, and his son responded with words of frivolity. They said to him: ‘Look at your son, that he is responding with words of frivolity.’ He said to them: ‘What shall I do? He is a child, let him play.’ All those eight days of the festival, his son would respond with matters of frivolity, and he did not say anything to him. Not one year passed, not two, and not three until that man died, his wife died, his son and grandson died. Fifteen people from his house died, and only one pair of people remained: one crippled and blind, and a wicked imbecile.
Again there was an incident, involving a certain person who regretted that he had not studied Bible or Mishna. One time, he was standing in a synagogue. When the one passing before the ark reached the sanctification of the Name, he raised his voice and said: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:3). They said to him: ‘What did you see that led you to raise your voice.’ He said to them: ‘I have been privileged to study neither Bible nor Mishna; now that I have been given permission, will I not raise my voice and my soul will be calmed?’ Not one year passed, not two, and not three until that man ascended from Babylonia to the Land of Israel. They appointed him commander of the emperor’s army and appointed him as the head of all the fortresses in the Land of Israel. They gave him a site, and he constructed a city and settled there. They called him Kilonai,29A term meaning that he did not have to pay taxes. him, his children, and his children’s children throughout all the generations. From here you learn that a person should not comport himself with haughtiness before the Omnipresent, as anyone who is haughty before Him will be debased. Likewise it says: “For those who honor Me I will honor, but those who scorn Me will be debased” (I Samuel 2:30).
Likewise, you find regarding David king of Israel who did not conduct himself haughtily before the Omnipresent, but rather, he debased himself before Him like a commoner, in order to increase the glory of the Omnipresent. When? It was when he took up the Ark from the house of Avinadav in Giva to bring it to Jerusalem. That is what is written: “David again gathered all the chosen of Israel, thirty thousand.” (II Samuel 6:1). David said: I am not taking up the Ark secretly. He immediately consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds to send throughout the Land of Israel that they should gather to them and go to take up the Ark, as it is stated: “David consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with every high official” (I Chronicles 13:1). “David said to the entire congregation of Israel: If it pleases you, and if it is from the Lord our God…so that they gather themselves to us; and let us transfer the Ark of our God to us” (I Chronicles 13:2–3). They all said to him: ‘Do as you wish,’ as it is stated: “The entire congregation said to do so, for the matter was upright in the eyes of the entire people” (I Chronicles 13:4). Immediately, he sent and gathered all of Israel that was in the entire Land of Israel, as it is stated: “David assembled all Israel, from Shiḥor of Egypt until Levo Ḥamat, to bring the Ark of God from Kiryat Ye’arim” (I Chronicles 13:5). How many elders did David appoint there? Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar and Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: David appointed ninety thousand elders on that day, but he did not appoint Aḥitofel with them. He sanctified them so they would serve as an honor guard before it. That is what is written: “David again [vayosef od] gathered all the chosen of Israel, thirty thousand.” “Vayosef” – thirty thousand; “od” – thirty thousand; and the plain meaning of the verse, thirty thousand; that is ninety thousand.
Immediately, they went to Giva to take up the Ark from there, as it is stated: “David and all the people who were with him from Baalei Yehuda rose and went [to take up from there the Ark of God]” (II Samuel 6:2). One verse says: “David and all Israel went up to Baala, to Kiryat Ye’arim which is of Judah, to take up from there the Ark of God, the Lord who is seated amidst the cherubs, upon which the Name is called” (I Chronicles 13:6). And one verse says: “David and all the people who were with him from Baalei Yehuda…” How can these two verses coexist? All Israel went to Baala, which is Kiryat Ye’arim, and waited there for the Ark, until they would bring it from Giva. But David and the elders set out from Baalei Yehuda, which is Baala, which is Kiryat Ye’arim, and went after the Ark to Giva to bring it from Giva to Kiryat Ye’arim, which is Baala. From Baala, all of Israel took it with them to Jerusalem.
Some say: Initially they decided they would go only to Baala and send from there to the house of Avinadav, which was in Giva, to take up the Ark of God from there to Kiryat Ye’arim. From there they would all ascend with it to Jerusalem. When he was there, he said to them: ‘It is not in keeping with the honor due the Ark that it should come with individuals. Rather, let us all go there.’ That is why it is written: “David and all the people…rose and went” (II Samuel 6:2).
Why did he initially go only to Baala, which is Kiryat Ye’arim? It is because Giva and Kiryat Ye’arim were located in one area, which is where the Givonites were settled, as it is stated: “The children of Israel traveled, and they came to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Givon, Kefira, Be’erot, and Kiryat Ye’arim” (Joshua 9:17). Kiryat Ye’arim fell into the portion of Judah, as it is enumerated in the portion of its inheritance: “Kiryat Baal, which is Kiryat Ye’arim” (Joshua 15:60), and it was the border between Judah and Benjamin, as it says regarding the border of Benjamin: “Its terminus was at Kiryat Baal, which is Kiryat Ye'arim, a city of the children of Judah…” (Joshua 18:14). But Giva, where the Ark was, was on the border of Benjamin, as it is written regarding the cities of Benjamin: “Givon, Rama, and Be’erot; and Mitzpe, Kefira, and Motza” (Joshua 18:25–26). That is why they initially came to Kiryat Ye’arim, which is on the border between Judah and Benjamin, and then they went to Givon.
“Which is called the Name, the name of the Lord of hosts” (II Samuel 6:2) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: It teaches that the Name and all His appellations are placed in the Ark. Rav Huna said: It teaches that the tablets and the shards of the tablets are placed in the Ark.
“They mounted the Ark of God [onto a new wagon]” (II Samuel 6:3) – they did not carry it as it is in the Torah, as it is written: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give [because the sacred service is upon them, they shall bear on the shoulder]” (Numbers 7:9). Why was he punished to have been rendered oblivious to the verse? It is because he called matters of Torah “songs,” as it is stated: “Your statutes were songs to me…” (Psalms 119:54). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: Matters of Torah in whose regard it is written: “If you cast [hata’if] your eyes on it, it is gone” (Proverbs 23:5),30This verse is expounded to mean: If you close your eyes from matters of Torah they will be forgotten. The root ayin-yod-peh in Aramaic means double, so the verse can be understood as: If you double your eyes, meaning cover them with your eyelids. you call them songs? I will cause you to fail regarding a matter that even schoolchildren know: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give…,” and he brings it in a wagon. The Ark lifted the priests31The reference is to the priests who were carrying the Ark to the wagon. high and slammed them to the ground, lifted the priests high and slammed them to the ground. David sent and summoned Aḥitofel; he said to him: ‘Will you not say to me what we shall do with this Ark, as it is lifting the priests high and slamming them to the ground, lifting the priests high and slamming them to the ground?’ He said to him: ‘Send and ask those wise men whom you appointed.’ David said: ‘One who knows how to stop it and does not stop it, will ultimately be strangled.’ He said to him: ‘Slaughter offerings before it, and it will stop.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Aḥitofel: ‘A matter that the children say in the synagogue each day: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give…” you did not say to him, but this great matter you said to him: Slaughter offerings before it, and it will stop?’ That is why he was slaughtering when he took it up the second time, so he would not experience this, as it is stated: “It was, when [the bearers of the Ark of the Lord] walked [six paces, that he would slaughter a bull and a fatling]” (II Samuel 6:13).
Uza and Aḥyo were driving the wagon, as it is stated: “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav…[Uza and Aḥyo, sons of Avinadav, were driving the new wagon]” (II Samuel 6:3), Uza after it and Aḥyo before it. “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav that was in Giva, [with the Ark of God, and Aḥyo was walking before the Ark]” (II Samuel 6:4). To what is the verse “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav” referring? What did they carry with it? It was a chest that the Philistines sent, a gift to the God of Israel,32I Samuel 6:7–12. upon which a Torah scroll was placed, like that which we learned: The Ark that Moses crafted: “Its length two and a half cubits, and its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits” (Exodus 25:10) – with a cubit containing six handbreadths. The length of the tablets was six handbreadths, their width six, and their thickness three. They were placed along the length of the Ark. How much did the tablets fill? It was twelve handbreadths. Three handbreadths remained. Deduct from them one handbreadth, half for this wall and half for that wall. Two handbreadths remained in which the Torah scroll was placed, as it is stated: “There was in the Ark nothing [ein] but [rak] the two tablets [of stone]” (I Kings 8:9). Ein rak, an exclusion after an exclusion33One of the rules used to interpret verses in the Torah is that when an exclusion is followed by another exclusion it comes to teach that there is something which has to be included. (Yoma 43a). is only to include the Torah scroll that was placed in the Ark. You have accounted for the Ark by its length; come account for the Ark by its width. How much did the tablets fill in the Ark? It was six handbreadths. Deduct from them one handbreadth, half for this wall and half for that wall. Two handbreadths remained so that the Torah scroll would enter and exit without difficulty. This is the statement of Rabbi Meir.
Rabbi Yehuda says: It is with a cubit containing five handbreadths. The length of the tablets was six handbreadths, their width six, and their thickness three. They were placed along the length of the Ark. How much did the tablets fill in the Ark? It was twelve handbreadths. One half handbreadth remained; one fingerbreadth and one half for this wall and one fingerbreadth and one half for that wall.34A handbreadth is four fingerbreadths if one measures with the thumb, five with the index finger, and six with the pinkie. The midrash here is using the measure of six fingerbreadths to a handbreadth. You have accounted for the Ark by its length, come account for the Ark by its width. How much did the tablets fill in the Ark? It was six handbreadths. One handbreadth and one half remained. Deduct from them half one handbreadth, one fingerbreadth and one half for this wall and one fingerbreadth and one half for that wall. One handbreadth remained, in which the pillars stood, as it is stated: “King [Solomon] made himself a palanquin.… He crafted its pillars of silver…” (Song of Songs 3:9–10).35“King Solomon [hamelekh Shelomo] made himself [lo] a palanquin” is expounded as a reference to the Ark of the King, to whom peace belongs [hamelekh shehashalom shelo]. The chest that the Philistines sent as a gift to the God of Israel was placed at its side, as it is stated: “Place the gold objects that you are returning to Him as a guilt offering in a chest at its side, and send it and it will go” (I Samuel 6:8). Upon it, the Torah scroll was placed, as it is stated: “Take this scroll of the Torah, [and place it at the side of the Ark]” (Deuteronomy 31:26). It was placed at its side and not inside it.36Bava Batra 14a.
How, then, do I realize: “There was in the Ark nothing [ein] but [rak] the two tablets” (I Kings 8:9)? It is to include the shards of the tablets, which were placed in the Ark, because the whole tablets and the shattered tablets were placed on their sides in the Ark, as they were only three handbreadths thick. Before the chest there was a shelf that protruded from the Ark, on which the Torah scroll was placed. That is what is written: “They conveyed it from the house of Avinadav […with the Ark of God]” (II Samuel 6:4) – this is the chest upon which the Torah scroll was placed and was standing at the side of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.
“Aḥyo was walking before the Ark” (II Samuel 6:4) – from here they said: Aḥyo was walking before it.
When they were taking it up, ninety thousand elders were walking before it, the priests were bearing it,37The priests placed it in the wagon, and the wagon was led by priests. Uza and Aḥyo were apparently priests (Maharzu). the Levites were playing instruments, and all Israel were reveling; one who had a palm branch in his hand, one who had a drum or a musical instrument. That is what is written: “David and the entire house of Israel were reveling before the Lord [with all kinds of juniper wood, with harps, with lyres, with drums, with timbrels [uvimenaanim], and with cymbals]” (II Samuel 6:5). This is a reference to a palm branch with which a person waves [menaane’a].
“They came to the threshing floor of Nakhon” (II Samuel 6:6) – “Kidon” (I Chronicles 13:9) is written and “Nakhon” is written. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Initially Kidon38Kidon means spear, an instrument of death, as it caused Uza’s death. but ultimately Nakhon.39Nakhon means firmly established, after bringing blessing to the house of Oved Edom.
“Uza reached out to the Ark of God [and took hold of it]” (II Samuel 6:6) – the Holy One blessed be He said to him: The Ark bears its bearers; itself all the more so, as it is written: “It was when the entire people had finished crossing, the Ark of the Lord and the priests passed before the people” (Joshua 4:11) – the Ark bore its bearers and crossed. “Because the cattle had stumbled” (II Samuel 6:6( – why did they stumble? It was because they were taking it in contravention of the Torah. They should have taken it on the shoulder, but they loaded it onto a wagon and it proceeded on its own.
“The wrath of the Lord was enflamed against Uza, and God smote him there al hashal” (II Samuel 6:7) – what is “al hashal”? Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Elazar: One said: Over matters of unwitting actions, and one said: Because he tended to his needs before it.40Some say that on a previous occasion he relieved himself before the Ark. Others say that his focus was on personal matters rather than on the matter of the Ark.
“And he died there with the Ark of God” (II Samuel 6:7) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Uza will enter the World to Come, as it is stated: “With the Ark of God”; just as the Ark is in existence in the World to Come, so too, Uza will enter the World to Come.
“David was distressed [vayiḥar] because the Lord had lashed out [in a breach against Uza]” (II Samuel 6:8) – what is vayiḥar? Rabbi Elazar said: It is that David’s face changed and resembled a loaf baked on coals [ḥarara].41Wrinkled, dry, and black. What is the reason? It is because af is not written with it.42Typically the word vayiḥar is followed by the word af (see the previous verse), and together they mean: His wrath was enflamed. Here, vayiḥar is not followed by af. Therefore, the Sages attribute an additional meaning to it.
Immediately, David feared to bring it to his home, as it is stated: “David feared the Lord on that day, and he said: How can the Ark of the Lord come to me?” (II Samuel 6:9). What did David do? He diverted it to the home of Oved Edom to remain there, as it is stated: “David was unwilling to transfer the Ark of the Lord to him…and David diverted it to the home of Oved Edom the Gitite” (II Samuel 6:10). Oved Edom was a Levite, as it attributes his lineage with the Levites. Oved Edom and his brethren were sixty-two.43See I Chronicles 26:8. Why was his name called Oved? It is because he served [avad] before the Lord properly. Edom, because he reddened [shehedim] David’s face. He was fearful of the Ark lest it kill him, and he serves before it, and the Holy One blessed be He blessed him. “The Gitite” – it is because he was from Gat.
When David returned to Jerusalem, Aḥitofel came and said to him: David, should you not have learned from a small verse that the children read: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give, [because the service of the sacred objects was upon them; they bore them upon their shoulders]” (Numbers 7:9)? The Levites bear the Ark; the priests do not bear the Ark. On a shoulder they bear the Ark, not on a wagon. From where is it derived that this is so? For you find when he took it up the second time, there was neither priest nor wagon there, as it is stated: “Then David said not to bear the Ark of God, other than the Levites” (I Chronicles 15:2). And it is written: “The children of the Levites bore the Ark of God [as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the Lord, on their shoulders with the poles on them]” (I Chronicles 15:15).
“The Ark of the Lord stayed in the house of Oved Edom the Gitite” (II Samuel 6:11) – our Rabbis said: There were two items that were sacred and great, but people believed that they were harsh. So as not to disseminate slander in their regard, it wrote a conspicuous instance of praise and blessing in their regard. These are: Incense and the Ark. Incense, so that a person would not say that the incense is harsh. It was by its means that Nadav and Avihu died; by its means the assembly of Koraḥ were burned; by its means Uziyahu was afflicted with leprosy. That is why the Holy One blessed be He wrote a significant virtue regarding the incense, that Israel was saved by its means, as it is stated: “Aaron took as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, [and behold, the plague had begun among the people; he placed the incense, and atoned for the people. He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was checked]” (Numbers 17:12–13). The Ark, so that a person will not say that the Ark is harsh. It smote the Philistines, it killed the residents of Beit Shemesh, it killed Uza. That is why it wrote a blessing in its regard, as it is stated: “The Ark of the Lord stayed [in the house of Oved Edom the Gitite for three months, and the Lord blessed Oved Edom and his entire household]” (II Samuel 6:11). It is to teach you that incense and the Ark do not kill, but rather sins kill.
With what did the Holy One blessed be He bless the home of Oved Edom? Rabbi Yosei says: With children; that is what is written: “Oved Edom had sons: Shemaya the firstborn…Yoaḥ the third, and Sakhar the fourth, and Netanel.… Peuletai the eighth, [for God had blessed him]” (I Chronicles 26:4–5). They asked before Rabbi Yoḥanan: What is Peuletai? He said to them: It is because he performed a great action [peula] on behalf of the Torah. What great action did he perform? He would kindle a lamp before the Ark, one lamp in the morning and one lamp in the evening.
Rabbi Yosei rendered it words of parting: If for the Ark that did not eat and drink and requires attention only due to the two tablets that were in it, the home of Oved Edom the Gitite was privileged to be blessed on account of it, one who receives Sages and students with food, drink, and made beds, all the more so that the Holy One blessed be He will pay him his reward. They said regarding Oved Edom: He had eight sons and eight daughters-in-law, and each and every one of them would give birth to two in one month. How so? She would be impure for seven,44Seven days. pure for seven, and give birth; impure for seven, pure for seven, and give birth. Sixteen for each month; for three months that is forty-eight. The sons of Shemaya were six, as it is written: “To Shemaya his son were born sons.… The sons of Shemaya: Otni…” (I Chronicles 26:6–7);45According to the midrash, these six sons of Shemaya were born before the Ark arrived. that is fifty-four. His eight, as it is written: “Oved Edom had sons…” (I Chronicles 26:4–5), that is sixty-two. That is what is written: “All these were of the sons of Oved Edom, they and their sons and their brethren, capable men with strength for the service: sixty-two for Oved Edom.” (I Chronicles 26:8). That is, “for God had blessed him” (I Chronicles 26:5). That is why it is stated: “[The Ark of God remained with the household of Oved Edom, in his house three months,] and the Lord blessed the house of Oved Edom…” (I Chronicles 13:14).
David heard after three months that the Holy One blessed be He had blessed Oved Edom and his household. He gathered the elders of Israel, the leaders, and the leaders of the priests and Levites to take up the Ark with great rejoicing, as it is written: “It was told to King David, saying: The Lord has blessed the house of Oved Edom…[David went and took up the Ark of God from the house of Oved Edom to the City of David with rejoicing]” (II Samuel 6:12). And one verse says: “David, and the elders of Israel, [and the captains of thousands, who were walking to take up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from the house of Oved Edom, were joyful]” (I Chronicles 15:25). Who took it up? The Levites took it up. When David saw that the Levites took it up and were not harmed, as Aḥitofel had said to him, he added and slaughtered more offerings before it as Aḥitofel had said initially. That is what is written: “It was as God helped the Levites, [carriers of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, and they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams]” (I Chronicles 15:26).
One verse says: “They sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams” (I Chronicles 15:26). And one verse says: “It was when [the bearers of the Ark of the Lord] would walk six paces, he would slaughter a bull and a fatling” (II Samuel 6:13). Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Mana: One said: For each pace a bull and a fatling, and after seven, seven bulls and seven rams. And one said: For each pace seven bulls and seven rams, and at the end a bull and a fatling. The Rabbis say: One verse explains the other: For each seven46It should read six paces (Matnot Kehuna). paces, seven bulls and seven rams.47Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 10:2. Rav Pappa bar Shmuel said: For each and every pace, a bull and a fatling; for every six steps seven bulls and seven rams. Rav Ḥisda said to him: If so, you have filled the entire Land of Israel with altars. Rather, Rav Ḥisda said: For every six paces, a bull and a fatling, and for every six sets of six paces, seven bulls and seven rams.48Sota 35b.
“David was dancing before the Lord with all his might” (II Samuel 6:14) – come and see to what extent David debased himself for the glory of the Holy One blessed be He. David should have been walking before it like a king clad in his royal garments. [He was] not, but rather David donned fine garments in honor of the Ark and reveled before it in any describable manner saying whatever he could say, as it is stated: “David was wrapped in a fine linen robe along with all the Levites who were bearing the Ark…[upon David there was an ephod of linen]” (I Chronicles 15:27).
And it is written: “David was mekharker before the Lord bekhol oz” (II Samuel 6:14) – what is “bekhol oz”? It is with all his might. What is “mekharker”? It is that he was clapping his hands one upon the other and saying: Exalted Lord [kiri ram]. Israel were shouting and sounding the shofars, trumpets, and all musical instruments, as it is stated: “All the house of Israel were taking up the Ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sounding of the shofar” (II Samuel 6:15). And one verse says: “All Israel were taking up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord [with shouts, and with sound of a shofar, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding with lyres and harps]” (I Chronicles 15:28).
When they arrived in Jerusalem, all the women were peering at David from the rooftops and from the windows and saw him dancing and reveling, but he did not care. That is what is written: “It was, as the Ark of the Lord was entering the City of David [that Mikhal daughter of Saul peered through the window]” (II Samuel 6:16). You see that his wife was peering at him. From where is it derived that the same is true of all the women of Jerusalem? It is as she says: “How honorable today is the king of Israel, who was exposed today before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants” (II Samuel 6:20).
“She saw King David mefazez umkharker…” (II Samuel 6:16) – when she saw him conducting himself like a commoner, he was contemptible in her eyes. What is mefazez umkharker? What would he do? Our Rabbis said: He was wearing refined gold garments similar to pure gold [paz]. He would strike his hands one on another and clap, and he would cry kiri ram. He would mefazez. What is mefazez? The refined gold that was on him would produce a clinking sound. Could it be that David did not do any more than that? No. Rather, he would reverse his cloak and leap before it, as it is written elsewhere: “And saw King David dancing and reveling…” (I Chronicles 15:29). All the women were peering at him from the rooftops and the windows, and he did not care. From where do you learn that David would reverse his cloak and leap?49The midrash returns to this question later.
It is as you find that once they took it into the City of David, they displayed it in the place that David had prepared for it, and he and Israel offered up burnt offerings before it, as it is written: “They brought the Ark of the Lord, and they displayed it [in its place, within the tent that David had pitched for it]” (II Samuel 6:17). Elsewhere it is written: “They presented burnt offerings and peace offerings before God” (I Chronicles 16:1) – after he concluded the offering, he blessed the entire people because they honored the Ark. He gave gifts to them all as an expression of joy for the Ark, and to the women, as it is stated: “David concluded offering up the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, [and he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts]. He distributed to all the people, to the entire multitude of Israel, [both men and women, to each, one loaf of bread, one portion of beef [eshpar], and one raisin cake [ashisha]]” (II Samuel 6:18–19). What is eshpar? It is one-sixth [eḥad mishisha] of a bull [bapar]; ashisha, one-sixth of an ephah. Some say: Ashisha – a cask of wine, just as it says: “And lovers of goblets [ashishei] of grapes” (Hosea 3:1).
After all Israel took their leave from him, he turned to bless his household and to bring them joy, due to the overwhelming celebration of the Ark. Mikhal emerged to meet him and disgraced him for debasing himself before the eyes of the women in honor of the Ark. That is what is written: “David returned to bless his household. [Mikhal daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and she said: How honorable today was the king of Israel, who was exposed today before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants, in the manner that one of the idlers is exposed]” (II Samuel 6:20). She did not enable him to enter into the house, but she went out and verbally lambasted him. “She said: How honorable today was the king of Israel, who was exposed today before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants.” From here you learn that he reversed his cloak and leapt, as she said to him: “Who was exposed today.” She began instigating a quarrel with him, seeking to utterly shame him. She said to him: ‘Have you seen your glory?’ “How honorable today was the king of Israel”? ‘Now you have let it be known that you are king?’ “Who was exposed today” – if only it had been privately, but rather it was “before the eyes of the maidservants of his servants.” These are the women of Israel, whom she characterizes as maidservants. “In the manner that one of the idlers is exposed” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: The idlest of the idlers is the dancing jester, as there is no one idler than he is from any mitzva. That is how David was dancing before the Ark.
She said to him: ‘Today the glory of father’s household has been revealed. Come and see what the difference is between you and father’s household. All members of my father’s household were modest and holy.’ They said about the household of Saul that neither heel nor big toe of theirs was ever seen. That is what is written: “He came to the sheep enclosures upon the way, and there was a cave there. Saul came [to relieve himself]” (I Samuel 24:3). What is, “he came to the sheep enclosures [gidrot]”? Rabbi Avin in the name of Rabbi Elazar: He entered a sheep pen, a gate within a gate. “Saul came to relieve himself [lehasekh et raglav]” – he made himself like a booth [sukka], wrapped in flowing robes and sat in the lavatory. He would lower his garment a bit and raise it a bit, lower it a bit and raise it a bit. David said: It is not proper to harm so modest a body. That is what is written that he said to him: “Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and one said to kill you, and I vataḥas on you” (I Samuel 24:10). It is not written here, “I had compassion [vaaḥus] on you,” but rather, “it has compassion [vataḥas] on you” – your modesty caused there to be compassion on you. That is what Mikhal said to him: ‘The members of father’s household were so modest, and you stand and expose your garment like one of the idlers.’
When she finished her words, he said to her: ‘Was I reveling before a king of flesh and blood? Was it not before the King of kings that I was reveling, who chose me over your father and his entire household? Were your father more righteous than I, would God have chosen me and rejected your father’s household?’ That is what is written: “David said to Mikhal: Before the Lord, [who chose me over your father and over his entire household, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel, I will revel before the Lord]” (II Samuel 6:21). He said to her: ‘Your father was king over Israel alone; I am ruler over Israel and Judah.’ That is what is written: “Over the people of the Lord” – this is the tribe of Judah. “Over Israel” – these are the rest of the tribes.
Another matter: He said to her: ‘The members of your father’s household sought their own glory and forsook the glory of Heaven. I do not do so, but rather, I forsake my own glory and seek the glory of Heaven.’ That is what is written: “I would be demeaned even more than this, [and I would be lowly in my eyes; but with the maidservants of whom you spoke, with them, I would be honored]” (II Samuel 6:22). ‘Do not say that I was lowly in the eyes of others and not contemptible in my perception’; the verse states: “And I would be lowly in my eyes.” “But with the maidservants of whom you spoke, with them, I would be honored” – he said to her: ‘Those women whom you characterized as maidservants are not maidservants [amahot], but mothers [imahot]. If only I will have a portion with them in the future.’ That is what is written: “But with the maidservants of whom you spoke” – if only, “with them, I would be honored.”
Because Mikhal said this, she was punished, as it is written thereafter: “Mikhal daughter of Saul did not have a child until the day of her death” (II Samuel 6:23). But is it not written: “Yitre’am, to Egla his wife” (I Chronicles 3:3)? She lowed like a calf [egla] and died.50The reference is to Mikhal and that she died in childbirth. That is what is written: “[Mikhal…did not have a child] until the day of her death” – but on the day of her death she had.
There is no person in Israel who debased himself for the mitzvot more than David. That is what is written that he said: “Lord, my heart was not haughty” (Psalms 131:1) – when Samuel anointed me as king; “nor my eyes lofty” (Psalms 131:1) – when I killed Goliath; “and I did not aspire to greatness” (Psalms 131:1) – when they restored me to my kingdom; “or to what is beyond me” (Psalms 131:1) – when I took up the Ark. “Instead I have composed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child on his mother” (Psalms 131:2) – just as this child is not ashamed to be exposed before his mother, so, I have composed myself before You that I was not ashamed to debase myself before You in Your honor. “My soul is like a weaned child” (Psalms 131:2) – like this infant who emerges from his mother’s womb, and he has no haughtiness of spirit to refrain from nursing from his mother’s breasts, so my soul is upon me, as I am not ashamed to study Torah from the insignificant of Israel. Rabbi Ada bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You have rendered yourself like a weaned child; as you live, just as this child has no iniquities, so, you have no iniquities, as it is stated: “The Lord has expunged your sin; you will not die” (II Samuel 12:13).
From here you learn that a person may not comport himself with haughtiness before the Omnipresent, but rather, he should debase himself for His glory. Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi bar Rabbi Shalom said: The actions of the Holy One blessed be He are unlike the actions of flesh and blood. Why? The cook of flesh and blood has fine garments. When he goes out to the marketplace he wears them, but when he stands and cooks, he removes the nice ones and wears tatters and an apron. Moreover, when he sweeps the stove and the oven, he wears lower-quality garments than those. But before the Holy One blessed be He, when the priest sweeps the altar and removes the ashes, he dons excellent garments, as it is stated: “The priest shall don his linen vestments…” (Leviticus 6:3), so that “he shall remove the ashes” (Leviticus 6:3). Why is it so? It is only to inform you that there is no haughtiness before the Omnipresent.
Likewise, you find that Elazar the priest would comport himself with humility before the Omnipresent. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Elazar was the head of heads, the prince of princes, as it is stated: “The prince of the princes of the Levites was Elazar son of Aaron the priest…” (Numbers 3:32). See the authority that he possessed, and you assume that because he was a prominent man he would delegate others to bear the vessels that he was supposed to bear. No; rather, he himself would bear them, as it is stated: “The charge of Elazar son of Aaron the priest [is the illuminating oil, and the incense of the spices, and the meal offering of the daily offering, and the anointing oil]” (Numbers 4:16). How did he bear all these? Our Rabbis said: This is how he bore them: The anointing oil in his right, the incense of the spices in his left, and the meal offering of the daily offering of the morning was suspended from his forearm. Where was the one brought in the afternoon placed? Rabbi Aḥa said that Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: He would suspend a type of small bowl from his belt, because his loins were girded with a belt like a servant before his master. This is to inform you that there is no haughtiness before God. “The charge of the entire Tabernacle, and of all that is in it, in the sacred, and in its vessels” (Numbers 4:16) – as it was he who would give them the Ark, the table, the candelabrum, and the altars and all their utensils, just as it says: “Their commission: The Ark, [the table, the candelabrum, the altars, and the sacred vessels with which they would serve, and the screen, and all its work]. The prince of the princes of the Levites was Elazar…” (Numbers 3:31–32).
Kohelet Rabbah
“I know that everything that God does, it will be forever, one cannot add to it, nor can one subtract from it; God did so, so they would fear before Him” (Ecclesiastes 3:14).
“I know that everything that God does, it will be forever…” Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: It would have been fitting for Adam, the first man, to have lived and endured forever.54As the verse states that “everything God does, it will be forever,” and God created Adam. Why was death imposed upon him? “God did so, so they would fear before Him.”
Rabbi Elazar said: From the beginning of the creation of the world it is stated: “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered” (Genesis 1:9). To what purpose? “And let the dry land appear” (Genesis 1:9). Why, then, is it written: “He calls upon the waters of the sea and pours them on the face of the earth; the Lord is His name” (Amos 9:6)? [He did so] twice, once in the generation of the flood and once in the generation of the dispersion, because “God did so, so they would fear before Him.”
Reish Lakish said: It is written: “This entire matter that I command you, you shall take care to perform, do not add to it and do not subtract from it” (Deuteronomy 13:1). But the righteous add to it and do not subtract from it. Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: From here [it may be derived] that an altar outside the Temple can be permitted only by a prophet, and Elijah stood and sacrificed at the peak of the Carmel.55Once the Temple was constructed it became prohibited to offer a sacrifice in any other place. However, Elijah the prophet did so on Mount Carmel in a confrontation with idolatrous priests, in order to demonstrate to the people the truth of God and the falsehood of idolatry. See I Kings chapter 18. Rabbi Samlai of Broyera said: [Elijah] said to Him: “It was by Your word that I performed all these matters” (I Kings 18:36).
Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is written: “Your house and your kingdom will remain steadfast” (II Samuel 7:16). When? “If your descendants observe My covenant…” (Psalms 132:12). If not, “I will exact retribution for their transgression with a rod” (Psalms 89:33). Rabbi Yudan said: Great is fear [of God], as the heavens and the earth were created only due to fear; that is what is written: “God did so, so they would fear before Him.” Rabbi Yirmeya said: Great is fear, as Solomon concluded two books that he wrote with nothing other than fear. That is what is written in the book of Proverbs: “Grace is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised” (Proverbs 31:30). In this book, it is written: “The end of the matter, all having been heard: fear God [and keep His commandments, for this is all of man]” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish was ascending from Ḥamat Gader, and Rabbi Yonatan encountered him. [R’ Yonatan] said to him: ‘How does my master interpret these verses?’ [Reish Lakish] transmitted the matter to him and this is how these verses are read.56The reference is to the verses the midrash will now quote. The common theme is that the natural world is meant to maintain its basic structure, as indicated by the verse: “I know that everything that God does, it will be forever.” The Holy One blessed be He decreed that the heavenly shall be the heavenly and the earthly shall be the earthly. Moses rose and transformed the heavenly into the earthly and the earthly into the heavenly. That is what is written: “Moses ascended to God” (Exodus 19:3); “The Lord descended on Mount Sinai” (Exodus 19:20).
Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that the earthly shall eat and drink and that the heavenly shall not eat and shall not drink. Abraham rose and made the heavenly eat and drink; that is what is written: “He stood over them under the tree and they ate” (Genesis 18:8).57The midrash assumes that Abraham’s guests, whom he had given to eat, were angels. Were they eating? Rabbi Natan said: They appeared to be eating; each bit would disappear in turn. Moses rose and made the earthly not eat and drink; that is what is written: “He was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights, he did not eat bread and he did not drink water” (Exodus 34:28).
Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that sea shall be sea and that dry land shall be dry land. Moses rose and transformed sea into dry land. That is what is written: “The children of Israel came into the midst of the sea on dry land” (Exodus 14:16). Elisha, the disciple of his disciple, transformed dry land into sea. That is what is written: “Make this valley full of trenches…[that valley will be filled with water]” (II Kings 3:16–17).
Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that the heavens shall laud him, as it is stated: “The heavens relate the glory of God” (Psalms 19:2). Moses rose and silenced them, as it is stated: “Listen heavens, and I will speak” (Deuteronomy 32:1). Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that the sun and the moon shall laud him, as it is stated: “From the rising of the sun until its setting, the name of God is praised [mehulal]” (Psalms 113:3); it is written mehalel [praises].58The word praised [mehulal] is written without a vav, such that it can be vocalized mehalel [praises]. Thus, instead of the verse stating “the name God is praised,” the verse can be read “the name of God it praises.” Joshua, [Moses’s] disciple, rose and silenced them, as it is stated: “Sun, stand still in Givon; and Moon, in the valley of Ayalon” (Joshua 10:12).
Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that summer shall be summer and that winter shall be winter. Samuel rose and transformed summer into winter, as it is stated: “Is it not wheat harvest today? [I will call to the Lord and He will send thunder and rain]” (I Samuel 12:17).59In the land of Israel, it generally rains only during the winter. The wheat harvest occurs in late spring. Elijah rose and transformed winter into summer, as it is stated: “There shall not be dew or rain these years, except by my word” (I Kings 17:1).
Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that day shall be day and night shall be night. Jacob, our patriarch, rose and transformed day into night, as it is stated: “He encountered the place, and stayed the night there, because the sun had set [ki va]” (Genesis 28:11); in fact, He extinguished [kava] the sun.60God made the sun set early so that Jacob would spend the night in that location. The Rabbis say: The Holy One blessed be He set the sun prematurely and spoke with him in private. This is analogous to a friend of the king who would visit him infrequently. The king would attend to all the residents of the province on his request, and he would say: ‘Extinguish the torches and lamps so I can speak with my friend in private.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He concealed the sun prematurely and spoke with Jacob in private. Deborah and Barak rose and transformed night into day. That is what is written: “Deborah and Barak ben Avinoam sang…on that day” (Judges 5:1). Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Ḥilkiyya [said] in the name of Rabbi Simon: Six miracles were performed on that day: On that day they came,61The people came to Deborah to ask for help in the war against the Canaanites. on that day they sent for him62She sent for Barak. and he sent.63Barak sent messengers to marshal the forces. On that day they waged war. On that day Sisera was killed. On that day they distributed the spoils. On that day they recited a song, as it is stated: “Deborah and Barak ben Avinoam sang…on that day.”64These events, some of which individually took longer than the average length of a day, all took place on the same miraculously lengthy day.
“I know that everything that God does, it will be forever…” Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: It would have been fitting for Adam, the first man, to have lived and endured forever.54As the verse states that “everything God does, it will be forever,” and God created Adam. Why was death imposed upon him? “God did so, so they would fear before Him.”
Rabbi Elazar said: From the beginning of the creation of the world it is stated: “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered” (Genesis 1:9). To what purpose? “And let the dry land appear” (Genesis 1:9). Why, then, is it written: “He calls upon the waters of the sea and pours them on the face of the earth; the Lord is His name” (Amos 9:6)? [He did so] twice, once in the generation of the flood and once in the generation of the dispersion, because “God did so, so they would fear before Him.”
Reish Lakish said: It is written: “This entire matter that I command you, you shall take care to perform, do not add to it and do not subtract from it” (Deuteronomy 13:1). But the righteous add to it and do not subtract from it. Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: From here [it may be derived] that an altar outside the Temple can be permitted only by a prophet, and Elijah stood and sacrificed at the peak of the Carmel.55Once the Temple was constructed it became prohibited to offer a sacrifice in any other place. However, Elijah the prophet did so on Mount Carmel in a confrontation with idolatrous priests, in order to demonstrate to the people the truth of God and the falsehood of idolatry. See I Kings chapter 18. Rabbi Samlai of Broyera said: [Elijah] said to Him: “It was by Your word that I performed all these matters” (I Kings 18:36).
Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is written: “Your house and your kingdom will remain steadfast” (II Samuel 7:16). When? “If your descendants observe My covenant…” (Psalms 132:12). If not, “I will exact retribution for their transgression with a rod” (Psalms 89:33). Rabbi Yudan said: Great is fear [of God], as the heavens and the earth were created only due to fear; that is what is written: “God did so, so they would fear before Him.” Rabbi Yirmeya said: Great is fear, as Solomon concluded two books that he wrote with nothing other than fear. That is what is written in the book of Proverbs: “Grace is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised” (Proverbs 31:30). In this book, it is written: “The end of the matter, all having been heard: fear God [and keep His commandments, for this is all of man]” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish was ascending from Ḥamat Gader, and Rabbi Yonatan encountered him. [R’ Yonatan] said to him: ‘How does my master interpret these verses?’ [Reish Lakish] transmitted the matter to him and this is how these verses are read.56The reference is to the verses the midrash will now quote. The common theme is that the natural world is meant to maintain its basic structure, as indicated by the verse: “I know that everything that God does, it will be forever.” The Holy One blessed be He decreed that the heavenly shall be the heavenly and the earthly shall be the earthly. Moses rose and transformed the heavenly into the earthly and the earthly into the heavenly. That is what is written: “Moses ascended to God” (Exodus 19:3); “The Lord descended on Mount Sinai” (Exodus 19:20).
Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that the earthly shall eat and drink and that the heavenly shall not eat and shall not drink. Abraham rose and made the heavenly eat and drink; that is what is written: “He stood over them under the tree and they ate” (Genesis 18:8).57The midrash assumes that Abraham’s guests, whom he had given to eat, were angels. Were they eating? Rabbi Natan said: They appeared to be eating; each bit would disappear in turn. Moses rose and made the earthly not eat and drink; that is what is written: “He was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights, he did not eat bread and he did not drink water” (Exodus 34:28).
Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that sea shall be sea and that dry land shall be dry land. Moses rose and transformed sea into dry land. That is what is written: “The children of Israel came into the midst of the sea on dry land” (Exodus 14:16). Elisha, the disciple of his disciple, transformed dry land into sea. That is what is written: “Make this valley full of trenches…[that valley will be filled with water]” (II Kings 3:16–17).
Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that the heavens shall laud him, as it is stated: “The heavens relate the glory of God” (Psalms 19:2). Moses rose and silenced them, as it is stated: “Listen heavens, and I will speak” (Deuteronomy 32:1). Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that the sun and the moon shall laud him, as it is stated: “From the rising of the sun until its setting, the name of God is praised [mehulal]” (Psalms 113:3); it is written mehalel [praises].58The word praised [mehulal] is written without a vav, such that it can be vocalized mehalel [praises]. Thus, instead of the verse stating “the name God is praised,” the verse can be read “the name of God it praises.” Joshua, [Moses’s] disciple, rose and silenced them, as it is stated: “Sun, stand still in Givon; and Moon, in the valley of Ayalon” (Joshua 10:12).
Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that summer shall be summer and that winter shall be winter. Samuel rose and transformed summer into winter, as it is stated: “Is it not wheat harvest today? [I will call to the Lord and He will send thunder and rain]” (I Samuel 12:17).59In the land of Israel, it generally rains only during the winter. The wheat harvest occurs in late spring. Elijah rose and transformed winter into summer, as it is stated: “There shall not be dew or rain these years, except by my word” (I Kings 17:1).
Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that day shall be day and night shall be night. Jacob, our patriarch, rose and transformed day into night, as it is stated: “He encountered the place, and stayed the night there, because the sun had set [ki va]” (Genesis 28:11); in fact, He extinguished [kava] the sun.60God made the sun set early so that Jacob would spend the night in that location. The Rabbis say: The Holy One blessed be He set the sun prematurely and spoke with him in private. This is analogous to a friend of the king who would visit him infrequently. The king would attend to all the residents of the province on his request, and he would say: ‘Extinguish the torches and lamps so I can speak with my friend in private.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He concealed the sun prematurely and spoke with Jacob in private. Deborah and Barak rose and transformed night into day. That is what is written: “Deborah and Barak ben Avinoam sang…on that day” (Judges 5:1). Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Ḥilkiyya [said] in the name of Rabbi Simon: Six miracles were performed on that day: On that day they came,61The people came to Deborah to ask for help in the war against the Canaanites. on that day they sent for him62She sent for Barak. and he sent.63Barak sent messengers to marshal the forces. On that day they waged war. On that day Sisera was killed. On that day they distributed the spoils. On that day they recited a song, as it is stated: “Deborah and Barak ben Avinoam sang…on that day.”64These events, some of which individually took longer than the average length of a day, all took place on the same miraculously lengthy day.