לָ֣מָּה תַתְעֵ֤נוּ יְהוָה֙ מִדְּרָכֶ֔יךָ תַּקְשִׁ֥יחַ לִבֵּ֖נוּ מִיִּרְאָתֶ֑ךָ שׁ֚וּב לְמַ֣עַן עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ שִׁבְטֵ֖י נַחֲלָתֶֽךָ׃
Bakit mo kami hinahayaang maligaw, O Walang-Hanggan, mula sa iyong mga daan, at pinatitigas mo ang aming puso upang hindi matakot sa iyo? Manumbalik ka alang-alang sa iyong mga lingkod, ang mga lipi ng iyong mana.
Shemot Rabbah
What is, “to whom You took an oath by Yourself”? Ḥizkiya, Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi],10Some maintain that the proper version of the text should read: Ḥizkiya ben Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Ḥizkiya said: Moses said: ‘Had You taken an oath to their ancestors by the heavens and by the earth, what you are doing to them would be appropriate, that You are eliminating their children. Why? Just as the heavens and the earth will cease to exist, so, Your oath to them will pass. Master of the universe, did You not take an oath to their ancestors by Yourself that You will not eliminate their children? Did You not say to Abraham: “I have taken an oath by Myself” (Genesis 22:16)?’ What is, “I have taken an oath by Myself”? The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Just as I live and endure forever and ever, so too, My oath endures forever and ever.’ That is, Moses spoke well, when he said: “To whom You took an oath by Yourself.” Act for the sanctity of Your name, so Your name will not be profaned.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It was due to the merit of the patriarchs and the merit of the tribes that the Holy One blessed be He did so. From where do you know that Moses mentioned the tribes here? Isaiah came and articulated it, as it is stated: “Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your inheritance” (Isaiah 63:17). From here, that the tribes are called servants. Therefore, you expound, “remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel” – these are the patriarchs; “Your servants” – these are the tribes. He immediately reconciled with them, as it is stated: “The Lord reconsidered the evil” (Exodus 32:14). When the prophet saw this, he said: “But the Lord did not say that He would erase the name of Israel” (II Kings 14:27).
Rav Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan of Beit Guvrin: We find that the Lord said He would erase Israel in the [incident of the] calf and the spies, and he says: “But the Lord did not say that He would erase [the name of Israel]” (II Kings 14:27)? Rabbi Levi said: Since He said to Moses: “Let Me be” (Deuteronomy 9:14), He opened an opening for [Moses] so that he would ask for mercy on their behalf. That is, “but the Lord did not say that He would erase the name of Israel.” Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Since He said to him: “I will render you a great nation” (Exodus 32:10). That is, “but the Lord did not say that He would erase the name of Israel.” Why? Because Moses is from Israel.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It was due to the merit of the patriarchs and the merit of the tribes that the Holy One blessed be He did so. From where do you know that Moses mentioned the tribes here? Isaiah came and articulated it, as it is stated: “Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your inheritance” (Isaiah 63:17). From here, that the tribes are called servants. Therefore, you expound, “remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel” – these are the patriarchs; “Your servants” – these are the tribes. He immediately reconciled with them, as it is stated: “The Lord reconsidered the evil” (Exodus 32:14). When the prophet saw this, he said: “But the Lord did not say that He would erase the name of Israel” (II Kings 14:27).
Rav Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan of Beit Guvrin: We find that the Lord said He would erase Israel in the [incident of the] calf and the spies, and he says: “But the Lord did not say that He would erase [the name of Israel]” (II Kings 14:27)? Rabbi Levi said: Since He said to Moses: “Let Me be” (Deuteronomy 9:14), He opened an opening for [Moses] so that he would ask for mercy on their behalf. That is, “but the Lord did not say that He would erase the name of Israel.” Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Since He said to him: “I will render you a great nation” (Exodus 32:10). That is, “but the Lord did not say that He would erase the name of Israel.” Why? Because Moses is from Israel.
Aggadat Bereshit
[4] Another explanation: When it was time to present the meal offering (1 Kings 18:36) And why did Elijah not say the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, but said the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel? It is because Elijah knew that the Israelites had sunk after the Baal and did not know who God was anymore. If Elijah had prayed and said the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, they would have said that there were three gods. Therefore, he mentioned only one, "the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel." If you cannot do it for the sake of the patriarchs, do it for the sake of the tribes, as it says, "Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your inheritance" (Isaiah 63:17). Similarly, it says, "And Elijah took twelve stones (according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel), according to the number of the tribes of the children of Jacob" (1 Kings 18:31), and Elijah said, "Today, you shall know" (1 Kings 18:36). Leave to me what you did for Egypt, as it is written, "And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord" (Exodus 14:4), and leave to me what you did for our ancestors, as it says, "And the nations shall know that those who are left around you" (Ezekiel 36:36). And leave to me what you will do in the future, as it says, "And I shall sanctify myself, and I shall be known before the eyes of many nations" (Ezekiel 38:23). At that time, you are the God in Israel, and I am your servant" (1 Kings 18:36). If you cannot do it for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, do it to make known that I am your servant. I have already told them, "Behold, I am sending you Elijah the prophet" (Malachi 3:23). If you do it now, they will believe what you will do with me. And I have done according to your words (1 Kings 18:36), and I have done it for your name's sake. All these people did it for the sake of Baal, but I did it for you. So please do not let me be ashamed. Answer me, O Lord, answer me. (1 Kings 18:37). Answer me with fire, answer me with water, answer me in this world, answer me in the future world, answer me through the prophets of Ba'al, answer me through the prophets of Asherah. And if you do so, we will sing before you, as David said: "I will thank you for you have answered me and you have become my salvation" (Psalm 118:21).
Bereshit Rabbah
“Midianite men, merchants, passed, and they pulled and lifted Joseph from the pit; they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty silver pieces, and they brought Joseph to Egypt” (Genesis 37:28).
“Midianite [midyanim] men, merchants, passed” – their contentiousness [hadayyanim] passed.56Joseph’s brothers regretted what they had done. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Baitus in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon: It is written: “Why do you lead us astray, Lord, from Your ways?” (Isaiah 63:17) – when You wished, You placed in their heart to love, and when You wished, You placed in their heart to hate. The Holy One blessed be He said: You sold Rachel’s son for twenty maot, which are five sela’im. That is why each and every one of you will separate as the value of his son five sela’im of the Tyrian maneh.57This is a reference to the mitzva of redeeming firstborn sons (see Maharzu). Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: The Holy One blessed be He said to the tribes: You sold Rachel’s son for twenty silver pieces. Consequently, each and every one of you received a beka per person.58Each one of the brothers involved in the sale received a beka, which equals half a shekel. That is what is written: “One beka per head, one half-shekel” (Exodus 38:26).59The head tax mentioned in the verse was set at the same price that each of the brothers had received for the sale of Joseph (Maharzu).
“Midianite [midyanim] men, merchants, passed” – their contentiousness [hadayyanim] passed.56Joseph’s brothers regretted what they had done. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Baitus in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon: It is written: “Why do you lead us astray, Lord, from Your ways?” (Isaiah 63:17) – when You wished, You placed in their heart to love, and when You wished, You placed in their heart to hate. The Holy One blessed be He said: You sold Rachel’s son for twenty maot, which are five sela’im. That is why each and every one of you will separate as the value of his son five sela’im of the Tyrian maneh.57This is a reference to the mitzva of redeeming firstborn sons (see Maharzu). Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: The Holy One blessed be He said to the tribes: You sold Rachel’s son for twenty silver pieces. Consequently, each and every one of you received a beka per person.58Each one of the brothers involved in the sale received a beka, which equals half a shekel. That is what is written: “One beka per head, one half-shekel” (Exodus 38:26).59The head tax mentioned in the verse was set at the same price that each of the brothers had received for the sale of Joseph (Maharzu).