הֱבִיאַ֙נִי֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַיָּ֔יִן וְדִגְל֥וֹ עָלַ֖י אַהֲבָֽה׃
ער האָט מיך געבראַכט אין דער װײַנקאַמער, און זײַן פֿאָן איבער מיר איז ליבשאַפֿט געװען.
Bamidbar Rabbah
The Holy One blessed be He loved them with a great love, as he arranged them according to banners like the ministering angels, so that they would be distinguishable. From where is it derived that it was love for Israel? It is as Solomon says: “He brought me to the banquet house, and his banner of love is upon me” (Song of Songs 2:4). Rabbi Abahu said: Why does the verse state: “He brought me to the banquet house…”? To what is the matter comparable? It is to a wealthy man who had a storehouse full of wine. He entered to check it and discovered that it was all vinegar. He came to leave the storehouse and discovered one barrel of fine wine. He said: ‘For me, this wine is as dear as a full storehouse.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He created seventy nations, and of all of them, He derived pleasure only from Israel, as it is stated. “He brought me to the banquet house.” From where is it derived that wine [yayin] equals seventy? Yod – ten, Yod – ten, and nun – fifty; that is seventy. Of all of them: “His banner of love is upon me.”
Rabbi Yehuda says: “He brought me to the banquet house,” to the great wine cellar, this is Sinai, and Moses taught me Torah that is expounded in forty-nine aspects; “and his banner [vediglo]2Vav – 6, dalet – 4, gimel – 3, lamed – 30, vav – 6 = 49. of love is upon me.”
Rabbi Ḥanina said: Initially, anyone who would point to the image of a king with his finger would be killed, but the children go to the study hall and point to the mentions of God’s name with their finger. God said: “His banner [vediglo] of love is upon me” – his finger [vegudalo]3These are the same Hebrew letters which appear in the word vediglo. is beloved by Me. Rabbi Yisakhar says: “His banner [vediglo] of love is upon me” – even a person who sits and engages in Torah study and skips [umdaleg] from halakha to halakha and from verse to verse, the Holy One blessed be He says: ‘It is dear to Me,’ – “His banner [vediglo] of love is upon me,” – his skipping [dilugo] is beloved by Me.4Even though he does not study in a methodical manner, his studying is beloved.
Another matter, “and his banner of love is upon me.” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘The nations of the world have banners, but only the banner of Jacob is dear to Me.’ That is what is written: “And his banner of love is upon me.”
Another matter, “he brought me to the banquet house,” when the Holy One blessed be He appeared upon Mount Sinai, twenty-two myriads of angels descended with him, as it is stated: “The chariots of God are myriad, thousands upon thousands of companies” (Psalms 68:18), and they were all arranged according to banners, as it is stated: “Preeminent [dagul] among a myriad” (Song of Songs 5:10). When Israel saw that they were all arranged according to banners, they began desiring banners. If only we could be arranged according to banners like them. Therefore, it is stated: “He brought me to the banquet house, [and his banner of love is upon me],” this is Sinai, at which the Torah, which is likened to wine, was given. “And drink of the wine which I have mixed” (Proverbs 9:5); that is “to the banquet house,” this is Sinai. “And his banner [vediglo] of love is upon me,” they said ‘if only He would show great love to me.’ Likewise it says: “We will sing with joy at your salvation [and raise banners in the name of our God]” (Psalms 20:6). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘How you have desired to be arranged according to banners, by your life, I will fulfill your wish’ – “May the Lord fulfill all your wishes” (Psalms 20:6). Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He informed Israel and said to Moses: ‘Go and arrange them according to banners, as they desired.’
Rabbi Yehuda says: “He brought me to the banquet house,” to the great wine cellar, this is Sinai, and Moses taught me Torah that is expounded in forty-nine aspects; “and his banner [vediglo]2Vav – 6, dalet – 4, gimel – 3, lamed – 30, vav – 6 = 49. of love is upon me.”
Rabbi Ḥanina said: Initially, anyone who would point to the image of a king with his finger would be killed, but the children go to the study hall and point to the mentions of God’s name with their finger. God said: “His banner [vediglo] of love is upon me” – his finger [vegudalo]3These are the same Hebrew letters which appear in the word vediglo. is beloved by Me. Rabbi Yisakhar says: “His banner [vediglo] of love is upon me” – even a person who sits and engages in Torah study and skips [umdaleg] from halakha to halakha and from verse to verse, the Holy One blessed be He says: ‘It is dear to Me,’ – “His banner [vediglo] of love is upon me,” – his skipping [dilugo] is beloved by Me.4Even though he does not study in a methodical manner, his studying is beloved.
Another matter, “and his banner of love is upon me.” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘The nations of the world have banners, but only the banner of Jacob is dear to Me.’ That is what is written: “And his banner of love is upon me.”
Another matter, “he brought me to the banquet house,” when the Holy One blessed be He appeared upon Mount Sinai, twenty-two myriads of angels descended with him, as it is stated: “The chariots of God are myriad, thousands upon thousands of companies” (Psalms 68:18), and they were all arranged according to banners, as it is stated: “Preeminent [dagul] among a myriad” (Song of Songs 5:10). When Israel saw that they were all arranged according to banners, they began desiring banners. If only we could be arranged according to banners like them. Therefore, it is stated: “He brought me to the banquet house, [and his banner of love is upon me],” this is Sinai, at which the Torah, which is likened to wine, was given. “And drink of the wine which I have mixed” (Proverbs 9:5); that is “to the banquet house,” this is Sinai. “And his banner [vediglo] of love is upon me,” they said ‘if only He would show great love to me.’ Likewise it says: “We will sing with joy at your salvation [and raise banners in the name of our God]” (Psalms 20:6). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘How you have desired to be arranged according to banners, by your life, I will fulfill your wish’ – “May the Lord fulfill all your wishes” (Psalms 20:6). Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He informed Israel and said to Moses: ‘Go and arrange them according to banners, as they desired.’
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said another: This is analogous to a king who had a gem and pearls. His son came and said to him: ‘Give it to me.’ He said to him: ‘It is for you, it is yours, and I am giving it to you.’ So too, Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: “The Lord is my strength [ozi]40This is expounded to mean that the Israelites were asking that the strength of the Lord be given to them. and song” (Exodus 15:2). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘It is for you, it is yours, and I am giving it to you.’ Oz is nothing other than Torah, “The Lord will give strength [oz] to his people” (Psalms 29:11).
Rabbi Levi said: There were three great expectations that Israel anticipated at the sea. They anticipated the Torah, they anticipated the banners, they anticipated the Tabernacle. They anticipated the Torah, as it is written: “In its shade I delighted and I sat.”41The connection between shade and Torah is based on the verse: “I placed My words in your mouth and with the shade of My hand I covered you” (Isaiah 51:16). They anticipated the banners, as it is written: “I delighted.”42This is derived in conjunction with the next verse, which states “his banner over me is love” (Song of Songs 2:4) (Matnot Kehuna). They anticipated the Tabernacle, as it is written: “And I sat [veyashavti],” just as it says: “For I have not dwelt [yashavti] in a house from the day I took the children of Israel up from Egypt [to this day; I have moved about in a tent and a Tabernacle]” (II Samuel 7:6). This is similar to what Rabbi Menaḥaman said: “They went out to the wilderness of Shur” (Exodus 15:22); it teaches that they prophesied about themselves that they were destined to align according to their various camps, banners, and rows [shurot], like the alignment of a vineyard.
“And its fruit was sweet to my palate,” Rabbi Yitzḥak said: These are the twelve months that Israel stayed before Mount Sinai, reveling in the sweetness of the Torah. What is the reason for “and its fruit was sweet to my palate”?43Clearly if someone is sensing the sweetness, they are sensing it with their palate. It was sweet to my palate, but to the palate of the nations of the world it was bitter as wormwood.
Rabbi Levi said: There were three great expectations that Israel anticipated at the sea. They anticipated the Torah, they anticipated the banners, they anticipated the Tabernacle. They anticipated the Torah, as it is written: “In its shade I delighted and I sat.”41The connection between shade and Torah is based on the verse: “I placed My words in your mouth and with the shade of My hand I covered you” (Isaiah 51:16). They anticipated the banners, as it is written: “I delighted.”42This is derived in conjunction with the next verse, which states “his banner over me is love” (Song of Songs 2:4) (Matnot Kehuna). They anticipated the Tabernacle, as it is written: “And I sat [veyashavti],” just as it says: “For I have not dwelt [yashavti] in a house from the day I took the children of Israel up from Egypt [to this day; I have moved about in a tent and a Tabernacle]” (II Samuel 7:6). This is similar to what Rabbi Menaḥaman said: “They went out to the wilderness of Shur” (Exodus 15:22); it teaches that they prophesied about themselves that they were destined to align according to their various camps, banners, and rows [shurot], like the alignment of a vineyard.
“And its fruit was sweet to my palate,” Rabbi Yitzḥak said: These are the twelve months that Israel stayed before Mount Sinai, reveling in the sweetness of the Torah. What is the reason for “and its fruit was sweet to my palate”?43Clearly if someone is sensing the sweetness, they are sensing it with their palate. It was sweet to my palate, but to the palate of the nations of the world it was bitter as wormwood.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“The Lord said to Moses: Count every firstborn male of the children of Israel from one month old and above, and take the number of their names” (Numbers 3:40).
“The Lord said to Moses: Count every firstborn male of the children of Israel…” – that is what is written: “Since you were precious in My eyes, you were honored…” (Isaiah 43:4). The Holy One blessed be He said to Jacob: Jacob, you are exceedingly precious in My eyes, as, as it were, I have affixed your visage to my Throne, and the angels laud Me in your Name and say: “Blessed is the Lord, God of Israel, from eternity to eternity” (Psalms 41:14). That is, “since you were precious in My eyes, you were honored…”
Another matter: “Since you were precious in My eyes, you were honored” – the Holy One blessed be He said to Jacob: You are exceedingly precious in My eyes, as, as it were, I and My ministering angels emerged to greet you upon your departure to go to Padan Aram and upon your return. When you departed, what is written: “Jacob departed.… he encountered the place.… he dreamed, and behold, a ladder…[and behold, the angels of God].… And behold, the Lord stood over him… (Genesis 28:10–13). Rabbi Hoshaya said: Happy is one born of a woman who saw this, the King and His entourage standing over him and protecting him. From where is it derived upon his return? It is as it is stated: “Jacob went on his way, [and the angels of God encountered him]” (Genesis 32:2). Those are the angels; the Divine Presence, from where is it derived? “God appeared to Jacob again, upon his return [from Padan Aram]” (Genesis 35:9). That is, “since you were precious in My eyes, you were honored.”
Another matter: “Since you were precious in My eyes…” – the Holy One blessed be He said to Jacob: You are precious in My eyes, as for all the nations of the world, I did not provide a census, but for you, I provided a census. This is analogous to a king who had many granaries and they were all foul and filled with black kernels. He was not particular about their number. He had one granary that he saw that it was fine. He said to a member of his household: ‘Those granaries are foul and filled with black kernels; therefore, do not be particular about their number. But ascertain how many kor are in this one, how many sacks, how many measures are in it.’ So, the king, this is the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He. The granary, this is Israel: “It is like My threshing floor, the product of my granary” (Isaiah 21:10). Likewise, it says: “Israel is sacred to the Lord, the first of His crop” (Jeremiah 2:3). The member of his household, this is Moses, as it is stated: “Not so My servant Moses; in all My house he is faithful” (Numbers 12:7). The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘The idol worshippers are foul,’ as it is stated: “Peoples will be as burnings of lime, cut thorns…” (Isaiah 33:12); ‘therefore, do not be particular about their number. But Israel, they are righteous; their groups are all wheat,’ as it is stated: “Your people, they are all righteous” (Isaiah 60:21). Likewise it says: “All of you is fair, my love, and there is no blemish in you” (Song of Songs 4:7). ‘That is why you shall be particular about their number.’ So, Moses did; he counted them, how many kor are in it, as it is stated: “Take a census of the entire congregation of the children of Israel” (Numbers 1:2); how many sacks: “its host and those counted” (Numbers 2:4); how many measures, as it is stated: “Count every…male.”
“The Lord said to Moses: Count every firstborn male of the children of Israel…” – that is what is written: “Since you were precious in My eyes, you were honored…” (Isaiah 43:4). The Holy One blessed be He said to Jacob: Jacob, you are exceedingly precious in My eyes, as, as it were, I have affixed your visage to my Throne, and the angels laud Me in your Name and say: “Blessed is the Lord, God of Israel, from eternity to eternity” (Psalms 41:14). That is, “since you were precious in My eyes, you were honored…”
Another matter: “Since you were precious in My eyes, you were honored” – the Holy One blessed be He said to Jacob: You are exceedingly precious in My eyes, as, as it were, I and My ministering angels emerged to greet you upon your departure to go to Padan Aram and upon your return. When you departed, what is written: “Jacob departed.… he encountered the place.… he dreamed, and behold, a ladder…[and behold, the angels of God].… And behold, the Lord stood over him… (Genesis 28:10–13). Rabbi Hoshaya said: Happy is one born of a woman who saw this, the King and His entourage standing over him and protecting him. From where is it derived upon his return? It is as it is stated: “Jacob went on his way, [and the angels of God encountered him]” (Genesis 32:2). Those are the angels; the Divine Presence, from where is it derived? “God appeared to Jacob again, upon his return [from Padan Aram]” (Genesis 35:9). That is, “since you were precious in My eyes, you were honored.”
Another matter: “Since you were precious in My eyes…” – the Holy One blessed be He said to Jacob: You are precious in My eyes, as for all the nations of the world, I did not provide a census, but for you, I provided a census. This is analogous to a king who had many granaries and they were all foul and filled with black kernels. He was not particular about their number. He had one granary that he saw that it was fine. He said to a member of his household: ‘Those granaries are foul and filled with black kernels; therefore, do not be particular about their number. But ascertain how many kor are in this one, how many sacks, how many measures are in it.’ So, the king, this is the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He. The granary, this is Israel: “It is like My threshing floor, the product of my granary” (Isaiah 21:10). Likewise, it says: “Israel is sacred to the Lord, the first of His crop” (Jeremiah 2:3). The member of his household, this is Moses, as it is stated: “Not so My servant Moses; in all My house he is faithful” (Numbers 12:7). The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘The idol worshippers are foul,’ as it is stated: “Peoples will be as burnings of lime, cut thorns…” (Isaiah 33:12); ‘therefore, do not be particular about their number. But Israel, they are righteous; their groups are all wheat,’ as it is stated: “Your people, they are all righteous” (Isaiah 60:21). Likewise it says: “All of you is fair, my love, and there is no blemish in you” (Song of Songs 4:7). ‘That is why you shall be particular about their number.’ So, Moses did; he counted them, how many kor are in it, as it is stated: “Take a census of the entire congregation of the children of Israel” (Numbers 1:2); how many sacks: “its host and those counted” (Numbers 2:4); how many measures, as it is stated: “Count every…male.”