בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔מָּה יֵלְכ֥וּ בֵית־יְהוּדָ֖ה עַל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְיָבֹ֤אוּ יַחְדָּו֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ צָפ֔וֹן עַל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִנְחַ֖לְתִּי אֶת־אֲבוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
אין יענע טעג װעט גײן דאָס הױז פֿון יהודה מיט דעם הױז פֿון ישׂראל, און זײ װעלן קומען אין אײנעם פֿון צפֿון-לאַנד אין דעם לאַנד װאָס איך האָב געמאַכט אַרבן אײַערע עלטערן.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
Another interpretation (of Deut. 29:9 [10]): YOU ARE STANDING TODAY <ALL OF YOU>. Just as TODAY (literally: THE DAY) sometimes darkens and sometimes lightens, so it is with you. Although you have darkness, the Holy One is going to shine on you with light eternal, as stated (in Is. 60:19): FOR THE LORD SHALL BE YOUR EVERLASTING LIGHT. When? When you all become one group, as stated (in Deut. 4:4): [BUT YOU WHO CLUNG TO THE LORD YOUR GOD] ARE ALL ALIVE TODAY. According to universal custom, if one takes a group of reeds, will he be able to break them at one stroke! But if he takes them one by one, even an infant can break them. So also you find that Israel was not redeemed until they became one group, as stated (in Jer. 50:4): IN THOSE DAYS AND AT THAT TIME, SAYS THE LORD, THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, THEY AND THE CHILDREN OF JUDAH, SHALL COME TOGETHER. It also says (In Jer. 3:18): [IN THOSE DAYS] THE HOUSE OF JUDAH SHALL GO WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, AND THEY SHALL COME TOGETHER FROM THE LAND OF THE NORTH. When they are united, they shall welcome the face of the Divine Presence.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When you will come into the land of your dwellings, that I am giving to you” (Numbers 15:2).
“When you will come into the land of your dwellings” – halakha: How many matters is a person obligated to perform for his son? Our Rabbis taught: There are five matters that a father is obligated to perform for his son.1 Tosefta Kiddushin 1:8. The father is the Holy One blessed be He, and the son is Israel. Just as the father is obligated to circumcise his son, so the Holy One blessed be He did for Israel, as He circumcised them by means of Joshua. “Make flint knives for yourself [and circumcise the children of Israel]” (Joshua 5:2). The father is obligated to redeem him, and the Holy One blessed be He redeemed Israel, as it is stated: “To redeem for Himself as a people” (II Samuel 7:23). To teach him Torah; the Holy One blessed be He taught Torah to Israel: “You shall teach them to your children” (Deuteronomy 11:19), and it is written: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you for your own benefit” (Isaiah 48:17). To teach him mitzvot; the Holy One blessed be He taught mitzvot to Israel. To marry a wife to him; the Holy One blessed be He said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28).
The father is obligated to his son, to feed him and to give him to drink, to bathe him, to smear him with oil,2Oil was used as an ointment. and to clothe him. So, the Holy One blessed be He did for Israel. “I washed you with water and rinsed your blood…[and I anointed you with oil]. I clothed you in embroidery” (Ezekiel 16:9–10); “and My bread that I gave you” (Ezekiel 16:19); “rise, well,3A well of water. call to it” (Numbers 21:17).
Just as the father gives property to his son, so the Holy One blessed be He did for Israel: “I gave you a desirable land” (Jeremiah 3:19). What is the son obligated to offer up to his father? It is a gift. So the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: “When you will come into the land…you will perform…a burnt offering…to the Lord” (Numbers 15:2–3).
“When you will come into the land of your dwellings” – halakha: How many matters is a person obligated to perform for his son? Our Rabbis taught: There are five matters that a father is obligated to perform for his son.1 Tosefta Kiddushin 1:8. The father is the Holy One blessed be He, and the son is Israel. Just as the father is obligated to circumcise his son, so the Holy One blessed be He did for Israel, as He circumcised them by means of Joshua. “Make flint knives for yourself [and circumcise the children of Israel]” (Joshua 5:2). The father is obligated to redeem him, and the Holy One blessed be He redeemed Israel, as it is stated: “To redeem for Himself as a people” (II Samuel 7:23). To teach him Torah; the Holy One blessed be He taught Torah to Israel: “You shall teach them to your children” (Deuteronomy 11:19), and it is written: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you for your own benefit” (Isaiah 48:17). To teach him mitzvot; the Holy One blessed be He taught mitzvot to Israel. To marry a wife to him; the Holy One blessed be He said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28).
The father is obligated to his son, to feed him and to give him to drink, to bathe him, to smear him with oil,2Oil was used as an ointment. and to clothe him. So, the Holy One blessed be He did for Israel. “I washed you with water and rinsed your blood…[and I anointed you with oil]. I clothed you in embroidery” (Ezekiel 16:9–10); “and My bread that I gave you” (Ezekiel 16:19); “rise, well,3A well of water. call to it” (Numbers 21:17).
Just as the father gives property to his son, so the Holy One blessed be He did for Israel: “I gave you a desirable land” (Jeremiah 3:19). What is the son obligated to offer up to his father? It is a gift. So the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: “When you will come into the land…you will perform…a burnt offering…to the Lord” (Numbers 15:2–3).