מדרש אויף במדבר 11:15

One verse says "The Torah of Hashem is perfect" (Psalms 19:8) and it is written "Remember the Torah of Moses My servant" (Malachi 3:22). You find in every... advantage. Moses gave his soul for three matters which were called by his name: For the Torah, for the laws, and for Israel. He gave his soul for the laws and they were called by his name, as it says "Judges and officers shall you place for yourself" (Deuteronomy 16:18). It does not say "shall you place" but "for yourself", and behold they belong only to the Omnipresent, as it says "For judgment is God's" (Deuteronomy 1:17). But Moses gave his soul for them and they were called by his name. He gave his soul for Israel and they were called by his name, as it says "If this is how You treat me, then kill me now" (Numbers 11:15). The Omnipresent said to him, "By your life, you gave your soul for them - I will call them by your name", as it says "Go down, for your people whom you brought up from Egypt have corrupted themselves" (Exodus 32:7). Behold they belong only to the Omnipresent, as it says "But they are Your people" (Deuteronomy 9:12). But Moses gave his soul for them and they were called by his name. He gave his soul for the Torah, as it says "And he was there with Hashem forty days" (Exodus 34:28). The Omnipresent said, "By your life, I will not call it except by your name", as it says "Remember the Torah of Moses My servant" (Malachi 3:22). Behold the Torah belongs to the Omnipresent, as it says "The Torah of Hashem is perfect." But Moses gave his soul for it and it was called by his name...

R. Yochanan said: Jonah went (on that voyage) only to cast himself into the sea, as it is written (Jonah 1:12) "And he said to them: Lift me up and cast me into the sea." All this do you find with Moses and the (other) prophets, that they gave their lives for Israel. What is written of Moses? (Exodus 32:32) "And now, if You forgive their sin — and if not, blot me out of Your book which You have written." (Numbers 11:15) "If thus You do with me, kill me if I have found favor in Your eyes and let me not look upon my evil" (i.e., the destruction of Israel). What is written of David? (II Samuel 24:17) "Behold, I have sinned and I have been corrupt. But these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand be in me and in the house of my father." In all places you find that Moses and the (other) prophets gave their lives for Israel.

R. Yehudah says: It is not written "the pupil of the eye, but "the pupil of His eye" — the "eye" of the Holy One, as it were. Similarly, (Malachi 1:13) "And you say (of an offering) 'What a burden it is!' and you (thereby) sully it." It is actually written "Him," but Scripture here is euphemistic. Similarly, (I Samuel 3:13) "because of his knowing that his sons were blaspheming them and his not censuring them" — a euphemism (for "Me"). Similarly, (Iyyov 7:20) "Why did You make me a target for Yourself and a burden to myself" — a euphemism (for "You"). Similarly (Habakkuk 1:12) "Are You not of yore, O L–rd my G–d, my Holy one — we shall not die" — a euphemism (for "You"). Similarly, (Jeremiah 2:11) "Has a nation ever exchanged (its) god though they be no god? Yet My people has exchanged its glory" — a euphemism (for "My"). Similarly, (Psalms 106:20) "And they exchanged their glory for the image of an ox, etc." — a euphemism (for "Your"). (Numbers 11:15) "and let me not see my misfortune" — a euphemism (for "their"). Similarly, (II Samuel 20:1) "We have no portion in David … Each man to his tent ("ohalav"), O Israel" — a euphemism (for "god" ["elohav"]). (Ezekiel 8:17) "And, behold, they thrust the branch to their nostrils" — a euphemism (for "My"). (Numbers 12:13) "who leaves his mother's womb" — a euphemism (for "our"). Here, (Zechariah 2:12) likewise, "One who touches him (a Jew) touches the pupil of his eye"