Midrash sa Mga Hukom 2:1: Vayikra Rabbah, Midrash Tanchuma, Bamidbar Rabbah & Midrash Tehillim

“He called to Moses, and the Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying” (Leviticus 1:1).
“He called to Moses” – Rabbi Tanḥum bar Ḥanilai began: “Bless the Lord, His emissaries [malakhav], mighty in strength, who perform His bidding…” (Psalms 103:20). Regarding whom is the verse speaking?¹The term malakhim most commonly refers to angels, God’s supernal emissaries, but can also refer to human beings. If the verse is speaking of the supernal, but is it not already stated: “Bless the Lord, all His hosts” (Psalms 103:21)? It is speaking, rather, of the earthly. Because the supernal are able to successfully perform the tasks of the Holy One blessed be He, it is stated [of them]: “Bless the Lord, all His hosts.” But because the earthly are unable to successfully perform the tasks of the Holy One blessed be He, it is stated [of them]: “Bless the Lord, His emissaries,” but not all his emissaries.²Because most human beings do not live up to God’s expectations, the verse does not state “Bless the Lord, all His emissaries.” It leaves out the word “all,” as God does not want the blessings of the wicked (Etz Yosef).
Another matter: The prophets were called malakhim – that is what is written: “He sent a malakh and took us out of Egypt…” (Numbers 20:16). Was it an angel? Was it not Moses? Why does it call him a malakh? It is because the prophets are called malakhim. Similarly, “The malakh of the Lord ascended from Gilgal to Bokhim” (Judges 2:1) – was it an angel? Was it not Pinḥas? Why does it call him a malakh? Rather, Rabbi Simon said: When the Divine Spirit would rest upon Pinḥas, his face would shine like a torch. The Rabbis say: What was Manoaḥ’s wife saying to him?“a man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of an angel of God” (Judges 13:6). She thought that he was a prophet, but he was none other than an angel. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: By their very nature the prophets are called malakhim.³The word malakh literally means emissary, and the role of a prophet is to present God’s word to the people (Rabbi David Luria). That is what is written: “Haggai, the malakh of the Lord, on mission from the Lord, said” (Haggai 1:13). Perforce, you learn that by their very nature, the prophets are called malakhim.
“Mighty in strength, who perform His bidding” (Psalms 103:20) – regarding whom is the verse speaking? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The verse is speaking of those who observe the Sabbatical Year. The way of the world is that a person performs a mitzva for one day, for one week, for one month. But does one do so for the rest of the days of the year? Yet this one sees his field fallow, his vineyard fallow, and pays his land tax and remains silent. Is there anyone mightier than that? If you say that it is not speaking of those who observe the Sabbatical Year, it is stated here: “Who perform His bidding [devaro],” and it is stated there: “This is the matter of [devar] the Sabbatical Year” (Deuteronomy 15:2). Just as when davar is stated there the verse is speaking of those who observe the Sabbatical Year, so too, when davar stated here, the verse is speaking of those who observe the Sabbatical Year. “Who perform His bidding” – Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: The verse is speaking of Israel when they stood before Mount Sinai, for having preceded performance to heeding and having said: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7).⁴They undertook to perform God’s commands before even hearing what they were. This took great spiritual strength.
“Hearing His word” (Psalms 103:20) – Rabbi Tanḥum bar Ḥanilai said: The way of the world is that a burden that is difficult for one is easy for two; [one that is difficult] for two is easy for four. But can a burden that is difficult for six hundred thousand be easy for one? All of Israel was standing before Mount Sinai and saying: “If we continue to hear [the voice of the Lord our God, we will die]” (Deuteronomy 5:22), and Moses was hearing the voice of the divine speech himself, and he lived. Know that it is so, as from all of them, He called only Moses. That is why it is stated: “He called to Moses.”

(Numb. 13:1-2:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, ‘Send men to explore the land of Canaan.’” Let our master instruct us: Is it permitted to set sail on the Great Sea (i.e., the Mediterranean) three days before the Sabbath?¹Numb. R. 16:1. Thus have our masters taught (in Shab. 19a): One does not set sail in a ship on the Great Sea three days before the Sabbath, when one wants to go to a distant place. If, however, one desires to set sail from Tyre to Sidon, for example, it is permitted for one to set sail even on the Sabbath eve, because it is a known fact that one can go [there] while it is still daylight. Now these words concern agents with freedom of action; but in the case of agents for [carrying out] a commandment, it is permitted for [such a] one to set sail on whatever day he wants. Why? Because he is an agent for [carrying out] a commandment, and an agent for [carrying out] a commandment overrides the Sabbath. And so you find with reference to the sukkah that they have taught (in Suk. 2:4), “Agents for [carrying out] a religious duty are exempted from [the requirements of] the sukkah.”²Suk. 25a (bar). You have none so dear to the Holy One, blessed be He, as an agent, when he is sent to carry out a religious duty and is risking his life to succeed in it. And you have none who were sent to carry out a religious duty and who risked their lives to succeed in their mission like those two whom Joshua ben Nun sent. Thus it is stated (in Josh. 2:1), “Then Joshua ben Nun sent two spies [from Shittim secretly, saying]….” Who were they? Our masters have taught, “These were Phinehas and Caleb.” They had gone and risked their lives in order to be successful in their mission. What is the implication of secretly (heresh), saying? That they made themselves out to be potters and cried, “Here are pots. Whoever wants [some], let him come and buy.” [Their ruse was] so that no one would notice them. Hence secretly (heresh) is written [in this verse, but] read it [as] clay (heres), (from which pots are made). [They had made themselves out to be potters] lest people say that they were spies. (Ibid., cont.:) “So they went and came to the house of a woman who was a harlot whose name was Rahab […].” She arose and received them. The king of Jericho became aware of them and heard that they had come to investigate the whole land, as stated (in vs. 2), “But it was told the king of Jericho [….].” When they came to look for them, what did Rahab do? She took them away to hide them. Phinehas said to her, “I am a priest, and the priests are comparable to the angels (mal'akhim), as stated (in Mal. 2:7), “For the lips of a priest preserve knowledge, and they seek Torah from his mouth, because he is a messenger (mal'akh) of the Lord of hosts.” Now an angel desiring [to be visible] is visible; and one desiring [to be invisible] is not visible. And the prophets are also comparable to angels. As so is it stated about Moshe (in Numb. 20:16), “and he sent a messenger (mal'akh) who brought us out of Egypt.” And was it an angel? And was he not Moses? Hence the prophets are likened to angels (mal'akhim). And so too is it stated (in Jud. 2:1), “An angel (mal'akh) of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, ‘I brought you up from Egypt…” And was he not Phinehas? It is simply that from here [it is shown] that the prophets are called angels. And so do you find with the wife of Manoah, as she said (in Jud. 13:6), “A man of God came to me; he looked like an angel (mal'akh) of God, very frightening.” And it likewise states (in Hag. 1:13), “And Hagai, the messenger (mal'akh) of God, spoke in the mission of the Lord to the people, saying.” Hence you have learned that the prophets were called angels. And it likewise states (in II Chron. 36:16), “And they mocked the messengers of God and disdained His words.” Hence Phinehas said to her, “I am a priest, when I desire [to be visible] I am visible; and when I desire [to be invisible], I am not visible. Now where is it shown that [Rahab] had only hidden Caleb? Where it is stated (in Josh. 2:4), “So the woman took the two men and concealed him.” It does not say, “hid them,” but rather “hid him³Him is a literal translation of the Masoretic text.” [This is] to teach you how much these two righteous men risked themselves to fulfill their mission. But the agents whom Moses sent were wicked. Where is it shown? From what they have read on the matter (in Numb. 14:36), “As for the men whom Moses sent to scout the land, those who came back and caused the whole community to mutter against Him by spreading calumnies about the land.” Ergo (in Numb. 13:2) “Send men.”

“Send you men that they may scout the land of Canaan that I am giving to the children of Israel; you shall send one man each for the tribe of his fathers, every one a prince among them” (Numbers 13:2)
Halakha – What is the ruling: May one set out on the Mediterranean Sea three days prior to Shabbat? Our Rabbis taught: One may not set out on a ship in the Mediterranean Sea three days prior to Shabbat when he is going to a distant place; however, if he seeks to set out from Tyre to Sidon, it is permitted for him to set out even on Friday, because it is known to all that he will be able to go there while it is still day. This is regarding one who sets out for an optional matter. However, one who sets out for a matter of mitzva, it is permitted for him to set out any day that he wishes. Why? It is because he set out for a matter of mitzva; one who sets out for a matter of mitzva overrides Shabbat.¹ Sifrei Shofetim 203.
Likewise you find regarding sukka that we learned that those who set out for a matter of mitzva are exempt from the sukka, as you have nothing as dear before the Holy One blessed be He as one who is dispatched to set out for a matter of mitzva, and devotes himself in order to succeed on his mission. You have no people who were dispatched to perform a mitzva and devoted themselves to succeed on their mission like those two whom Joshua dispatched, as it is stated: “Joshua son of Nun dispatched from Shitim two [men]…” (Joshua 2:1). Who were they? Our Rabbis taught: They were Pinḥas and Caleb, and they went and endangered their lives, and succeeded on their mission. What is “covertly [heresh]” (Joshua 2:1). It teaches that they presented themselves as potters, and were shouting: ‘Here are pots; anyone who wishes, come and purchase.’ Why to that extent? So no person will be aware of their presence. [We should] read heres [clay] [instead of heresh [covertly]] in the verse, so that the people [of Jericho] will not say that they are spies. “They went and they came to the house of a harlot whose name was Raḥav, and they lodged there” (Joshua 2:1). She stood and received them, but the king of Jericho became aware of their presence and heard that they had come to spy on the land, as it is stated: “It was said to the king of Jericho, saying: [Behold, men came here tonight from the children of Israel to spy the land]” (Joshua 2:2). When he went to seek them, what did Raḥav do? She took them to hide them. Pinḥas said to her: ‘I am a priest’ and priests were likened to angels [malakhim], as it is stated: “For the lips of the priest will safeguard knowledge, and they will seek Torah from his mouth, as he is a messenger [malakh] of the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 2:7). When an angel wishes, he is seen, and when he wishes, he is not seen. From where is it derived that prophets were likened to angels, as it says in Moses’s regard: “He sent a messenger [malakh] and took us out of Egypt” (Numbers 20:16). Was it not Moses? Rather, from here, prophets are likened to angels. Likewise it says: “The messenger [malakh] of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokhim. He said: I took you up from Egypt” (Judges 2:1). Was it not Pinḥas? Rather, from here, prophets are called angels. Therefore, Pinḥas said to her: ‘I am a priest, and there is no need to hide me. Hide my counterpart, Caleb, but I will stand before them and they will not see me.’ So she did, as it is stated: “The woman took the two men, and hid him” (Joshua 2:4). “And hid them” is not written here, but rather, “and hid him”; she did not hide Pinḥas, but only Caleb. It is to teach you to what extent these two righteous men devoted themselves to perform their mission. However, the emissaries that Moses sent were wicked men. From where is it deived? It is from what we read regarding: “Send you men.”