Midrash sa Isaias 1:3: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Midrash Tanchuma, Aggadat Bereshit & Vayikra Rabbah

"Two small stripes," etc. In a Baraitha it is taught from ass leather, as a certain Galilean preached in the presence of R. Chisda: (Is. 1, 3) The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib; Israel doth not. The Holy One, praised be He! said: "Let the one that knoweth the master's crib come and take revenge on him who does not want to know it."

(Lev. 22:27:) “A bull or a sheep or a goat.” This text is related (to Is. 41:24), “Behold (hen), you are nothing (me'ayin), and your work is naught (me’afa’); an abomination shall He choose among you.”⁵⁵Lev. R. 27:7; PRK 9:6. “Behold, you are nothing,” full of nothing, from a putrid liquid. “Naught (me’afa’)”; from the hundred screams (meah puot), that a woman screams when she sits on the birthing chair, ninety-nine are for death and [only] one is for life. “An abomination shall He choose among you.” What is the meaning of, “an abomination shall He choose among you?” [It is] speaking about this baby; even though it comes out from its mothers womb dirty, defiled and full of mucous, everyone kisses it and everyone hugs it, and especially if it is a male. Another interpretation: That (hen) is Greek. Hen [in Greek] means "one." You (Israel) are the one for Me, from (min) the nations of the world, who are called "nothing ('ayin),"⁵⁶Since min is commonly abbreviated to me, me’ayin is understood to mean “as compared to nothing” (literally: “than nothing.”) as stated (in Is. 40:17), “All the nations are as nothing ('ayin) before Him.” (Is. 41:24, cont.:) “And your work is naught.” R. Levi said, “All the good works and consolations which the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to bring about with Israel are only as reward for a single shout which they shouted on Sinai, when they said (according to Exod. 24:7), ‘All that the Lord has spoken we will carry out and obey.’” (Is. 41:24, cont.:) “An abomination shall He choose among you.” That is the abomination which you made as a molten calf. Of that very abomination, bring Me sacrifice, and I will choose you. And what is it? (As in Lev. 22:27), “A bull or a sheep or a goat.” [This text is related (to Hos. 7:3),] “They make a king glad with their evil.”⁵⁷Lev. R. 27:8; PRK 9:7–8. What did He see in the bull for making it first among the sacrifices? R. Levi said, “[The situation] is similar to a matron⁵⁸Lat.: matrona. concerning whom there went forth an evil report in connection with one of the notables in the kingdom. The king looked into the rumors and found no substance in them. What did the king do? He made a great banquet and sat him at the head of those reclining in order to show that the king had looked into the rumors and found no substance in them. [Similarly,] because the nations of the world were saying to Israel, “You made the calf,” the Holy One, blessed be He, examined the rumors and found no substance in them. Therefore the bull was made first among the sacrifices. How is this shown? From that which they read about the matter (in Lev. 22:27), “A bull or a sheep or a goat.” R. Huna and R. Idi [said] in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman, “Israel was saved from that act. Because if they had made the calf, it would have been [natural] for them to say (in Exod. 32:8), ‘These are our Gods, O Israel.’ However, it was the proselytes who came up with them from Egypt that made it, and they directed Israel [by saying] (in Exod. 32:8), ‘These are your Gods, O Israel.’” R. Judah bar Simon said, “It is written (in Isaiah 1:3), ‘An ox knows its owner, and an ass..., Israel does not know [...].’ And did they not know? It is simply that they trampled [the notion] with their heel.” And similar to it is (Hos. 2:10) “And she did not know that it was I who bestowed on her the grain....” And did she not know? It is simply that she trampled it with her heel.

Chapter 14: Prophets [1] The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz (Isaiah 1:1). May his memory be a blessing. "And I will speak about the prophets, and I am the great vision" (Hosea 12:11). The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "I will surely speak about the prophets, but I am the great vision, for none of their prophecies is like mine." How did Amos see me standing, as it is written, "I saw the Lord standing beside the altar" (Amos 9:1)? Isaiah saw me sitting, as it is written, "I saw the Lord sitting on a throne" (Isaiah 6:1). Moses saw me as a warrior, as it is written, "The Lord is a man of war" (Exodus 15:3). Daniel saw me as an elder, as it is written, "And the hair of his head was like pure wool" (Daniel 7:9). Therefore it is said, "And by the hand of the prophets I am pictured" (Hosea 12:11). "What was your intent in the letter you wrote to Kefor Bebenek, where you told me to bring witnesses and write that I deny my son? He said to him, 'Did I tell you in anger that I deny him? God forbid, do I have anyone else in the world besides him? I do not deny my son.' Perhaps someone else resembling me said it to you, and you thought it was me. Similarly, Israel angered God, and he called to Isaiah and said to him to write that I deny my children, 'Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth' (Isaiah 1:2). Why do I deny them? They, my children, angered me - I raised them and exalted them, 'You have known Me, O ox, and My friend is you' (Isaiah 1:3). After some time, Israel asked God and He accepted them, that same mouth which said 'They rebelled against Me' (Isaiah 1:2) also said 'I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud' (Isaiah 44:22) and accepted them, as it is written 'Return to Me, for I have redeemed you' (Isaiah 44:22). Isaiah said to God, 'Master of the Universe, are You not signing what You wrote to deny Your children?' God said to him, 'I do not deny my children. Perhaps you mistook me, as it is written "I will speak through the prophets" (Hosea 12:11).' "