BALAAM'S ASS
Balaam could hardly await the morning, rejoicing no less than Balak's messengers at God's
consent to his journey to Balak, and still hoping that he might succeed in bringing
disaster upon Israel. In his haste to set out, he himself saddled his ass although he did
not lack servants, whereupon God said: "O thou villain, their ancestor Abraham
forestalled thee, for he too rose up early in the morning and in person saddled his ass to
lead Isaac to sacrifice in fulfillment of the command that had reached him." [738]
The ass that Balaam took with him had been created on the sixth day of the creation. He
had received it as a gift from Jacob, that he might not give evil counsel to Pharaoh
concerning Jacob's children. It was upon his advice, nevertheless, that Pharaoh forced the
Israelites to make bricks. [739] He took his two sons, Jannes and Jambres, [740] for it
behooves a noble man always to have at least two companions upon any journey that he
undertakes. [741]
Although God had now granted him permission to go on the journey, still His wrath was
kindled when he set out. God said, "Behold, this man! He knows that I read each man's
heart, and knows also that he departeth only to curse Israel." [742] This wickedness
on his part had the result that even the Angel of Mercy turned against him as an enemy,
standing in his way. At first the ass alone perceived the angel, and not Balaam, for God
has so arranged it that human beings may not perceive the angels that surround them or
else they would through terror lose their reason. [743] The ass, on the other hand,
instantly perceived the angel. He at first stood in her way as she was in the middle of
the road, so that she could turn aside on both sides; then she perceived him when the road
narrowed, and she could turn to one side only; and finally she reached a spot where there
was no road at all to which she could turn either on this side or on that. This was to
teach Balaam the following lesson: if he wished to curse Abraham's children, he should
have leeway on both sides, Ishmael's children and Keturah's children; if he wanted to
curse Isaac's children, one side would still be open to him, Esau's children; but if he
wanted to curse Jacob's children, he should never bring it to pass, for they are protected
on both sides, on the one hand by Abraham and Isaac, on the other by Jacob and Levi, while
God watches over them from above. "The wall on this side, and on that side,"
through which place he had to pass, were furthermore to indicate to him that he could not
become master over Israel, who have in their possession the tables of the law, "that
were written on both their sides." When the ass reached the wall that Jacob and Laban
had erected as a token that they "would never pass over it for harm," she thrust
her feet against it, to punish him for having broken his agreement with Jacob. [744]
Balaam, who had with blows attempted to make the ass walk straight ahead, flew into a rage
when she lay down altogether and would not budge from the spot, so that he smote her all
the more. Then the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and permitted her to use speech, a
gift that she had possessed ever since her creation, but had not until then used. [745]
She said, "What have I done unto thee, that thou has smitten me these three
times?" The first words of the ass were so chosen as to call Balaam's attention to
the wickedness and uselessness of his undertaking against Israel; "Three times"
was to remind him that he wished to curse a nation that "three times" in every
year arranged pilgrimages to the Lord. The ass's speech was altogether to serve as a
warning to Balaam to beware of his mouth, and not to curse Israel. The ass, through her
speaking, was to instruct him that the mouth and the tongue are in God's hand.
Balaam answered the ass in the language in which she had addressed him, in Hebrew, which
he did not, however, speak fluently. He said, "Because thou hast mocked me: I would
there were a sword in mine hand, for now I had killed thee." The ass thereupon
replied, "Thou canst not kill me save with a sword in thy hand; how then wilt thou
destroy an entire nation with thy mouth!" Balaam was silent, knowing no reply. [746]
The ass did not only make him ridiculous in the eyes of the elders of Moab that
accompanied him, but she also exposed him as a liar. For when the ambassadors asked him
why he had not chosen a horse rather than an ass for his journey, he answered that his
saddle horse was in the pasture. Then the ass interrupted him, saying, "Am not I
thine ass upon which thou hast ridden all thy life long?" Balaam: "I use thee as
a beast of burden, but not for the saddle." The ass: "Nay, upon me has thou
ridden since thine earliest day, and thou hast always treated me with as much affection as
a man treats his wife." Balaam had now to admit that the ass had spoken the truth.
[747]
Balak's princes were much amazed at this extraordinary miracle, but the ass died the
moment she had spoken what she had to say. God did this for two reasons, firstly because
He feared that the heathens might worship this ass were she to stay alive; and secondly
because God wanted to spare Balaam the disgrace of having people point to his ass and say,
"This is she that worsted Balaam." By this action it can be seen how highly God
prizes the honor or pious men, if He even sought to spare the honor of this villain. It is
out of consideration to mankind, also, that God has closed the mouth of animals, for were
they to speak, man could not well use them for his service, since the ass, the most stupid
of all animals, when she spoke, confounded Balaam, the wisest of the wise.
BALAAM RUNS INTO HIS OWN DESTRUCTION
While all this was going on, Balaam still did not perceive that God's angel stood before
him. God meant to show him that in His hand is not only the tongue of man, but his eye as
well, so that as long as He chooses, man will fail to see what is directly before his
nose. But God suddenly permitted Balaam to see the angel with a sword drawn in his hand,
and Balaam fell flat on his face. [748] For, being uncircumcised, Balaam might not listen
to the words of God or of an angel, standing erect; hence, upon perceiving the angel, who
instantly began to address him, Balaam cast himself upon the ground. [749] The sword in
the angel's hand did not signify that he meant to strike Balaam, for a breath from his
mouth would have sufficed to kill myriads, but it was to point out the following truth to
Balaam: "The mouth was given to Jacob, but to Esau and to the other nations, the
sword. Thou are about to change thy profession, and to go out against Israel with his own
weapon, and therefore shalt thou find death through the sword that is thy own
weapon." [750]
The angel now said to Balaam: "If I have been commissioned to demand restitution from
thee for the injustice thou hast offered to the ass, that can show neither meritorious
deeds of her own nor of her fathers, how much the more must I stand up as the avenger of
an entire nation, that have their own merits and can refer to the merits of their fathers.
But to return to the ass, why didst thou smite her, that turned from the road only because
she saw me and was frightened?" Balaam was a shrewd sinner, for he knew that Divine
punishment could be averted only by penitence, and that the angels have no power to touch
a man who, after sinning, says, "I have sinned." Hence he said to the angel,
"I have sinned," but added, "I did not set out until God said to me, 'Rise
up, go with them;' and now thou sayest to me, 'Return.' But this is the Lord's way. Did He
not also at first tell Abraham to sacrifice his son, and then He caused an angel to call
out to him, 'Lay not thine hand upon the lad?' It is His custom first to give a command,
and the through an angel to recall it. So also did He indeed say to me, 'Go with them;'
but if it displeaseth thee, I shall turn back." [751] The angel replied: "All
that I have done was to thy advantage, but if thou are bound to plunge into destruction,
do so, go with these people, but destruction is decreed for all of you. Think not,
however, that thou shalt do as thou wilt, for thou shalt have to say what I desire thee to
speak, and to restrain what I wish to remain unuttered."
In spite of the warnings he had received from God and the angel, he was not to be
restrained from taking this fatal step, but in his hatred toward Israel still cherished
the hope that he should succeed in obtaining God's consent to curse Israel, and he
continued his journey in this happy expectation. [752]
BALAAM WITH BALAK
Whensoever God wished to humble an evil-doer, He at first exalts him, to fill him with
pride. So too He humbled Balaam after exalting him, for at first Balak had sent princes of
little distinction to him, whereupon God said to him, "Thou shalt not go with
them." When, however, he sent many renowned princes to him, God said to Balaam,
"Go with them," but this journey brought him nothing but humiliation and ruin,
for he fared in accordance with the proverb, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an
haughty spirit before a fall." God does this so that men might not say, "Whom
hath God destroyed? Surely not that insignificant person," hence God exalts sinners
before their fall. [753]
When Balaam approached the Moabite boundaries, he sent messengers to Balak to announce his
arrival, and Balak went forth to his country's border to meet him. Pointing to the
boundary lines, Balak said to Balaam: "These have been fixed since Noah's days, that
no nation might push into the realm of another, but Israel set out to destroy the
boundaries, as their attitude toward Sihon and Og shows, into whose kingdoms they
entered." [754] He then greeted him with the words: "Did I not twice sent unto
thee to call thee? Wherefore camest not thou unto me? Am I not able indeed to promote thee
to honor?" Balak unconsciously uttered a prophecy, for in truth Balaam went hence in
disgrace and dishonor, and not covered with glory, as he could not fulfil the other's wish
to curse Israel. [755] It should now have been Balaam's duty, had he really desired to be
of service to the king of Moab, to say to him, "Why dost thou attempt to do what will
bring thee misfortune, and finally utter ruin?" But he spoke quite differently
instead, boastfully bragging with his gift of prophecy, pointing out that he was the last
prophet among the heathens. "And," continued he, "I, the last prophet among
the heathens, shall thus counsel thee. The ancestor of that nation erected to God an altar
upon which, thrice annually, he offered up seven oxen and seven rams; do thou, then, erect
seven altars, and offer up on each seven oxens and seven rams." God laughed when he
heard this counsel, saying: "Every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a
thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field
are Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is Mine, and the fullness
thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?" [756]
Balak led his guest from the border-line to the interior of the land, taking pains to show
him great multitudes of the people, having bazaars erected for that purpose. Pointing to
these multitudes, among which there were also may children, Balak said, "Look thou,
how Israel plan to destroy these multitudes of people that have done them no injury."
Balak slew for Balaam's welcome one ox and one sheep, proving the proverb, "The pious
promise little and do much, the wicked promise much and do little." Balak had sent
word to Balaam, saying, "I will promote thee unto very great honor;" yet when he
arrived, he offered him for food only one ox and one sheep. Suppressing his rage, Balaam
thought, "Is that all that he offers me! He will have to pay for this
to-morrow," for he instantly determined to have him offer up many sacrifices on the
following day to punish him for having treated him in so niggardly a fashion.
BALAAM'S SACRIFICES REFUSED
On the following morning Balak took Balaam and brought him upon into the high places of
Baal. For Balak was even a greater magician and soothsayer than Balaam, who allowed
himself like a blind man to be led by him. He led him to this spot because through his
magic lore he knew that Israel was to suffer a great misfortune upon the heights of
Baalpeor, and he thought it was to be Balaam's curse that would effect this disaster upon
them. The relation of these two men to each other was like that between two men, one of
whom has a knife in his hand, but does not know what part of the body to strike for
slaughter, and the other knows the part of the body, but has no knife. Balak knew the
place where disaster awaited Israel, but did not know how it was to be brought about,
whereas Balaam knew how evil is conjured up, but did not know the places set for disaster,
to which Balak had to lead him. [757] Balaam's superiority over Balak and the other
magicians lay in this, that he could accurately determine the moment in which God is
wrathful, and it was for this reason that his curse was always effective because he knew
how to curse at the very instant of God's anger. It is true that God is angry for one
instant every day, to wit, during the third hour of the day, when the kings with crowns
upon their head worship the sun, but this moment is of infinitesimally short duration.
Fully eighty-five thousand and eighty-eight such moments make an hour, so that no mortal
save Balaam had ever been able to fix that moment, although this point of time has its
outward manifestations in nature, for while it lasts, the cock's comb becomes absolutely
white, without even the smallest stripe of red. God's love for Israel, however, is so
great that during the time that Balaam prepared to curse Israel, He did not wax angry at
all, so that Balaam waited in vain for the moment of wrath. [758]
Balaam now tried to obtain God's consent for Israel's curse through sacrifices, and hence
bade Balak erect seven altars upon the high place of Baal, corresponding to the seven
altars that since Adam had been erected by seven pious men, to wit: Adam, Abel, Noah,
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. When the altars had been erected, he said to God:
"Why didst Thou favor these people, if not for the sacrificed that they offered Thee?
Were it not better for Thee to be adored by seventy nations than by one?" But the
Holy Spirit answered, "'Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith, than an house
full of sacrifices and strife.' Dearer to Me is a dry offering of meal than all these many
flesh offerings by which thou strivest to stir up strife between Me and Israel."
Now was Balaam's fate decided, for by his conduct he put himself into direct opposition to
God, and hence his destruction was decreed, [759] and from that moment the holy spirit of
prophecy left him and he was nothing more than a magician. For Israel's sake, however, God
granted him the honor of His revelation, but He did so grudgingly, as one loathes to touch
an unclean thing. Hence He would not permit Balaam to come to Him, but rather appeared to
Balaam. God's different treatment of Balaam and of Moses at the revelation is evident, for
whereas the latter betook himself to the sanctuary to hear God's words, the former
received God's revelation at any place whatsoever. It characterizes God's attitude toward
them. Two men once knocked at a magnate's door, the one being a friend, who had a request
to make, and the other a leprous beggar. The magnate said, "Let my friend enter, but
I shall send the beggar's alms to the door, that he may not enter and pollute my
palace." God called Moses to Him, whereas He did not desire Balaam to come to Him,
but betook Himself there. [760]
He found Balaam at the seven altars that he had erected, and said to him, "What doest
thou here?" whereupon Balaam answered, "I have erected for Thee as many altars
as the three fathers of Israel, and I have offered upon them bullocks and rams." God,
however, said to him: "'Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox
and hatred therewith.' Pleasanter to Me is the meal of unleavened bread and herbs that the
Israelites took in Egypt, than the bullocks that thou offerest out of enmity. O thou
knave, if I wished for offerings, I should order Michael and Gabriel to bring them to Me,
thou are mistaken if thou believest that I should accept offerings from the nations of the
world, for I have vowed a vow to accept such from Israel alone." [761] God thereupon
handed him over to an angel who entered and settled in his throat, and would not permit
Balaam to speak when he wanted to curse Israel. [762]
BALAAM EXTOLS ISRAEL
Balaam now turned back to Balak, who awaited him with his princes. He now wanted to begin
to curse Israel, but his mouth, far from being able to utter the words, was on the
contrary compelled to praise and bless Israel. [763] He said: "I found myself upon
the high places, in company with the Patriarchs, and thou, Balak, hast cast me down from
the heights; through thee did I lose the gift of prophecy. Both of us are ungrateful men
if we wish to undertake evil against Israel, for, had it not been for their father
Abraham, for whose sake God saved Lot out of the ruin of the cities, there should not be
no Balak, for thou are one of Lot's descendants. And had it not been for Jacob, I, Laban's
descendant, should not now be on earth, for no sons were born unto Laban until after Jacob
had come into his house. [764] Thou didst bring me out of Aram to curse Israel, but it was
this land that their father Abraham left, laden with blessings, and it was this land also
that their father Jacob entered, laden with blessings. Shall now a curse come upon them
from this land? [765] How can I curse them if he that curseth them bringeth a curse upon
himself? Thou, moreover, wishest me even to curse Jacob. Hadst thou urged me to curse a
nation that were only the descendants of Abraham or of Isaac, I might have been able to do
so; but to curse Jacob's descendants is as bad as if a man were to come to a king and say
to him, 'The crown that thou wearest upon thy head is worthless.' Would such a man be
permitted to live? 'The Lord's portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His
inheritance.' 'In Israel,' said the Lord, 'will I be glorified.' How now should I curse
them? How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? Even when they have been worthy of a
curse, they have not been cursed. When Jacob went in to receive the blessings, he went in
through craft and said to his father, 'I am Esau, thy firstborn.' Doth not he deserve a
curse out of whose mouth issueth a lie? Yet, far from being cursed, he was even blessed.
Ordinarily a legion that stirs up sedition against their king is declared guilty by death,
but Israel had denied God, saying, 'These be thy gods, O Israel.' Should they not then
have been destroyed? God, however, did not even at that moment withdraw from them His
love, but left to them the clouds of glory, manna, and the well, even after they had
adored the Calf. Howsoever often they sinned and God threatened them with a curse, still
He did not say that He would bring it upon them, whereas in His promises of blessings He
always tells them that He Himself would send them upon Israel. How shall I curse when God
doth not curse! [766]
"Israel is a nation of whom God thought even before the creation of the world. It is
the rock upon which the world is founded. For, when God was considering the scheme of the
creation, He thought, 'How can I create the world if the idolatrous generation of Enosh
and the generation of the flood will arouse My anger?' He was about to desist from the
creation of the world, when He saw before Him Abraham's form, and He said, 'Now I have a
rock upon which I can build, one upon which I can found the world.' [767] How, too, should
I curse this nation that are protected and surrounded by the merits of the Patriarchs and
the wives of the Patriarchs as if by lofty mountains and steep hills, so that if Israel
sin, God forgives them as soon as Moses prays to Him to be mindful of the Patriarchs!
[768]
"I was in error when I believed Israel could be easily attacked, but now I know that
they have taken deep root in the earth, and cannot be uprooted. God forgives them many
sins out of consideration for their having preserved the token of the Abrahamic covenant;
and as powerless as I am to curse them alone, just as powerless am I to curse them
together with another nation, for 'it is a people that shall dwell alone, and shall not be
reckoned among the nations.' Israel is distinguished from all other nations by their
custom, by their food, by the token of the covenant upon their bodies, and by the token
upon their doorposts, wherefore God doth not judge them at the same time with other
nations, for He judges the latter in the darkness of the night, but the former in bright
daylight. Israel is a separate people, alone they enjoy the blessings God gives them, no
other nation rejoices with Israel. So too in the Messianic time Israel will quite alone
rejoice in delights and pleasures, whereas in the present world it may also partake of the
universal welfare of the nations. [769]
"I am not able to accomplish anything against a nation that zealously fulfils God's
commandments, and that owes its existence to the devotion with which the wives of the
Patriarchs obeyed the commandments of God. [770] 'Let me die the death of the righteous,
and let my last end be like his!'" Balaam in these words spoke an unconscious
prophecy, to wit, that he should be entitled to participate in the fate of the righteous,
to his share in the future world, if he died the death of the righteous, a natural death,
but not otherwise. He died, however, a violent death, and thus lost his share in the
future world. [771]
BALAAM'S HOPES DISAPPOINTED
When Balak saw that Balaam, instead of cursing, praised and exalted Israel, he led him to
the top of Pisgah, hoping that he might there succeed in cursing Israel. By means of his
sorcery, Balak had discovered that Pisgah was to be a place of misfortune for Israel,
hence he thought the Balaam would there utter his curse against Israel. He was, however,
mistaken; the disaster that there awaited Israel was the death of their leader Moses, who
died there, and God refused to grant Balaam's wish on this spot also.
God indeed appeared to Balaam, but what He said to him was: "Go again unto Balak, and
bless Israel." Balaam now did not wish to return to Balak at all, to disappoint him a
second time, but God compelled him to return to Balak and communicate to him the blessings
of Israel. Balaam now turned back to Balak, whom he found standing by his burnt offering.
But whereas on the first occasion the king had awaited Balaam, surrounded by all his
princes, Balaam now saw only a few notables surrounding Balak. Most of the princes had
deserted their king without awaiting Balaam, for they expected nothing further from him
after the first disappointment he had caused them. Balak as well did not now receive him
as kindly, but mockingly asked, "What hath the Lord spoken?" hinting in this way
that Balaam was unable to say what he wished, but only what God willed.
Balaam replied to these scornful words of Balak: "Rise up, Balak. Thou mayest not be
seated when God's words are spoken. God is not like a man of flesh and blood, that makes
friends and disowns them, as soon as he finds such as are better than they. God is not so,
for He doth not cancel the vow He had made to the Patriarchs, for He promised to bestow
Canaan upon their descendants, and He fulfilleth His promise. He always fulfils what He
hath promised to Israel, but allows the evil with which He threatens them to be
unfulfilled as soon as they repent them of their sins. God sees not their sins, but He
seeth their good deeds. Thou, Balak, sayest to me, 'Come, curse Jacob for me,' but a thief
can enter a vineyard that hath a keeper only if the keeper sleeps, but 'He that keepeth
Israel neither sleepeth nor slumbereth,' and how then can I enter their vineyard? If,
however, thou dost think that I cannot harm Israel on account of Moses, who is their
keeper, know then that his successor will be as invincible as he, for through the sound of
trumpets he will overthrow the walls of Jericho.
"Thou, Balak, furthermore sayest, 'A people hath gone forth out of Egypt,' but they
have not only gone forth, 'God brought them forth out of Egypt,' [772] who combines in
Himself the powers of the angels and of the invisible demons. [773] Swift as the flight of
a bird doth fortune as well as misfortune come upon Israel; if they sin, God suddenly
plunges them down, but if they act well in the sight of the Lord, God exalts them as
quickly as a cloud. Thou, Balak, hast repeatedly tried to discover in what spot thou
shouldst be able to work them woe, but they will have nothing to do with sorceries, they
baffle and put to naught the sorceries and prophecies of other nations by their pious
deeds. When they set forth into battle, they practice no magic, but the high priest, clad
in the Urim and Tummin, consults God about the outcome of the battle. There will even be a
time when Israel will sit before the Lord like a pupil before his master, and will receive
the revelation of the secrets of the Torah from him, so that even the angels will consult
Israel concerning the secrets revealed to them by God, for the angels are not permitted to
approach God as closely as the Israelites in the Messianic time.
"There is not indeed upon the earth a nation like Israel. The last thing they do
before going to sleep is to devote themselves to the study of the Torah and the
fulfillment of its laws, and this also is their first occupation upon awakening. As soon
as they arise, they recite the Shema' and adore God, and not until after they have done
this, do they go about their business. If evil spirits come to attack them, or if disaster
threatens them, they worship their God, and as soon as they utter the words, 'The Lord our
God is one Lord,' the harmful spirits become powerless against them and whisper after them
the words, 'Praised be the Name of the Glory of His Kingdom, for ever and ever.' When at
night they retire, they against recite the Shema', whereupon the angels of the day pass on
the trust of guarding them to the angels of night, and when, upon awakening they again
worship their Lord, the angels of the night again pass them on to be guarded by the angels
of day." [774]
When Balak for the second time saw that Balaam, instead of cursing, blessed Israel, he
brought him to the top of Peor, thinking that peradventure it would please God to have him
curse them from thence. For by his sorcery Balak had discovered that a great disaster was
to fall upon Israel on the top of Peor, and thought that this disaster might be their
curse from Balaam. He was, however, mistaken in this supposition, for the disaster in that
spot was none other than Israel's sin with the daughters of Moab, and God's punishment for
this. [775]
CURSES TURNED TO BLESSINGS
Balaam, on the other hand, made no further attempts to induce God to curse Israel, but
thought he might be able to bring misfortune upon Israel by enumerating the sins they had
committed in the desert, and in this way to conjure up God's wrath against them. But the
desert had also been the place where Israel had accepted the Torah, hence the mention of
the desert called up God's love instead of His wrath. [776] Balaam himself, when he let
his eyes wander over the camp of Israel, and perceived how their tents were so pitched
that no one might see what was going on in the homes of the others, found himself
compelled to burst into praises of Israel; [777] and, under the inspiration of the
prophetic spirit, the curses he had intended to speak were changed in his mouth into
blessings, and he spoke of the extent and importance of the kingdom of Israel. [778] But
whereas Moses blessed his people in a low, quiet voice, Balaam spoke his words of blessing
in a very loud voice, so that all the other nations might hear and out of envy make war
upon Israel. Balaam's blessings were therefore accounted to him not as blessings, but as
curses. God said: "I have promised Abraham, 'And I will bless them that bless thee,
and him that curseth thee will I curse,' hence will I account Balaam's blessings as
curses." [779] And indeed all of Balaam's blessing later turned to curses, except his
blessing that houses of teaching and of prayer should never be missing among Israel. [780]
The words that Balaam announced were heard by all the inhabitants of the earth, such power
did God lend to his voice, for He knew that at some future time there would be a man born
of woman who would pass himself for a god and would mislead all the world. Hence God
permitted all the world to hear Balaam's words, that said: "God is not a man, and the
man that passeth himself for God lieth. But he that will mislead the world by declaring
that he will disappear for a time and then reappear will promise what he can never fulfil.
Woe then to that nation that will lend ear to the man who will pass himself for God."
[781] Balaam furthermore announced the events that would come to pass at the time of
David's sovereignty; and also what will happen at the end of days, in the time of Messiah,
when Rome and all other nations will be destroyed by Israel, excepting only the
descendants of Jethro, who will participate in Israel's joy and sorrows. [782] Yea, the
Kenites are to be the ones to announce to Israel the arrival of the Messiah, and the sons
of the Kenite Jonadab are to be the first at the time of the Messiah to bring offerings at
the Temple and to announce to Jerusalem its deliverance. [783] This was Balaam's last
prophecy. After this, the prophetic spirit left Balaam, and God in this way granted Moses'
wish to reserve the gift of prophecy as a special distinction to Israel. Balaam was the
last prophet of the nations. [784]
BALAAM'S WICKED COUNSEL
Although Balaam had not been able to fulfil Balak's wish and curse Israel, still he did
not leave him before giving him advice as to how he might bring ruin to Israel, saying:
"The God of this people loathes unchastity; but they are very eager to possess linen
garments. Pitch tents, then, and at their entrances have old women offer these articles
for sale. Induce them in this way to enter the interior of the tents where they will be
surprised by young harlots, who will seduce them to unchastity, so that God may punish
them for their sin." [785]
"Throw the stick up in the air it will always return to its original place." The
Moabite nation that owes its existence to the illegal relations of Lot with his daughter
could not deny its origin, and followed Balaam's counsel to tempt Israel to unchastity.
They pitched tents, filled them with pretty women, whom they provided with valuable
things, and had old women take up their posts at the doors of the tents, whose task it was
to lure the passing Israelites into the interior. If an Israelite passed to buy something
of the Moabites, the old women at the entrance to the tent would thus address him,
"Dost thou not wish to buy linen garments that were made in Bet-Shan?" Then they
would show him a sample of the goods, and name the price, and finally add, "Go
within, and thou wilt see wares still more beautiful." If he went within, he was
received by a young woman who was richly adorned and perfumed, who would at first set for
him a price much lower than the value of the goods, and then invite him to do as if he
were at home, and to choose the article he liked best. While he sat there, he was treated
with wine, and the young woman invited him to drink with the words: "Why do we love
ye while you hate us? Are we not all descendants of one man? Was not Terah our ancestor as
much as yours? If thou wilt not eat of our sacrifices or what we have cooked, here are
calves and fowl that thou mayest slaughter in accordance with thy law." But as soon
as the Israelite had allowed himself to be persuaded to drink, he was absolutely in the
hands of the shameless woman. Intoxicated with wine, his passion for the woman was soon
kindled, but she agreed to satisfy his desires only after he had first worshipped Peor,
the god of the Moabites. Now the worship of this idol consisted in nothing else than the
complete baring of the body, hence the Israelites, seeing no evil in it, declared
themselves willing to follow the summons of the Moabite women; and in this way they were
seduced both to unchastity and to idolatry by the Moabite women. At first the men were
ashamed and committed this whoredom with the Moabite women in secret, but they soon lost
this feeling of shame and betook themselves two by two to their lewd actions. [786]
Israel's moral degeneration is to be partly explained by this, that the place where they
found themselves was apt to tempt them to lewdness. For there are springs whose waters
have various effects upon those who partake of them. One kind of water strengthens,
another weakens; one makes beautiful, another makes ugly; one makes chaste, another brings
about lewdness. Now there was in Shittim, where the Israelites then dwelt, the "Well
of Lewdness," out of which the inhabitants of Sodom had erstwhile fetched water, but
from which, since the destruction of the sinful cities, no one had drunk, and for this
reason the people had until then been chaste. But Israel, as soon as they tasted of this
water, gave up their chaste manner of life. This disastrous spring will lose its force
only in the Messianic time when God will cause it to dry up. [787]
PHINEHAS, ZEALOUS FOR GOD
When the people's shamelessness became more and more widespread, God commanded Moses to
appoint judges to punish the sinners, and as it was difficult to discover these through
the agency of witnesses, God marked them by causing the cloud of glory that lay spread
over the camp of Israel to disappear from the sinners. Those that were not covered by the
cloud of glory were thus clearly marked as sinners. [788] God appointed as judges and
executioners the seven myriads eight thousand six hundred officers of the people, giving
them the order that each of them execute two sinners. [789] These carried out Moses'
command and stoned the sinners, whose corpses then hung upon the gallows for a few
minutes. This was the legal punishment, for these sinners had not only committed whoredom
with the women of Moab, but had worshipped the Moabit idol Peor; and idolatry is
punishable with death by stoning. [790]
While the judges administered their stern offices, the tribe of Simeon approached their
prince, Zimri, and said to him, "People are being executed, and thou sittest still as
if nothing were going on." He thereupon took with him twenty-four thousand men, and
betook himself to Cozbi, Balak's daughter, and without considering God or men, he
requested her in the presence of many people to yield herself to him, to satisfy his evil
desires. Now Balak had ordered his daughter Cozbi to employ her beauty only for the sake
of enticing Moses, thinking, "Whatever evil may be decreed by God against Israel,
Moses will be brought to naught, but if my daughter should succeed in seducing him to sin,
then all Israel will be in my hand." Hence Cozbi said to Zimri: "My father
ordered me to be obedient to the wishes of Moses alone, and to none other; for he is a
king, and so is my father, and a king's daughter is fit for none but a king." Zimri,
however, replied: "I am a greater man the Moses, for he is chief only of the third
tribe of Israel, whereas I am prince of the tribe of Simeon, the second of the Israelite
tribes, and if thou wilt, I will convince thee that I am a greater man than Moses, for I
will take thee to myself in his presence, without paying attention to his
prohibition."
Zimri then seized Cozbi by the locks of her hair, and brought her before Moses, whom he
then addressed as follows: "Tell me, son of Amram, is this woman permitted me, or is
she forbidden me?" Moses said, "She is forbidden to thee." Zimri answered:
"Art thou really the faithful expounder of the Torah, whose reliability God praised
with the words, 'He is faithful in all Mine house?' How then canst thou assert that she is
forbidden me, for then thy wife would be forbidden to thee, for she is a Midianite like
this woman, and this one is a noble woman of a noble family, whereas thy wife is the
daughter of an idolatrous priest." At those words, Moses, Eleazar, and the elders
began to weep, for they knew not how to make answer to Zimri's insolent words, nor what
they could do to restrain this sinner from the accomplishment of his sin. God said to
Moses: "Where is thy wisdom? Thou didst need to utter only one word, and Korah and
all his company were swallowed by the earth. Canst thou now do nothing better than to
weep?" The Holy Spirit exclaimed at Moses' perplexity and silence, "The
stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep." [791]
God, who calls the pious to strict account, punished Moses for the lack of decision that
he displayed on this occasion, by leaving his burial-place unknown to mankind. [792] While
Moses and other pious men were irresolute and deliberated whether or not Zimri deserved
death, Phinehas said to Moses: "O my great-uncle, didst thou not teach me, when thou
didst return from Mount Sinai, that is was the zealot's task for the sake of God's law to
slay those who commit unchastity with non-Jewish women?" Phinehas took the liberty of
pointing out the law to his teacher Moses who had forgotten it, because, "when God's
name is profaned, no man should consider the respect due to a teacher," wherefore
Phinehas thought now only of establishing God's law, and in doing this it was necessary to
recall it to Moses' mind. Moses indeed did not take it all amiss, but said to Phinehas,
"Let the reader of the letter be its bearer also," words by which he called upon
Phinehas himself to visit punishment upon the sinners. [793]
Phinehas was now for a time in doubt whether he should dare to punish the sinners, for it
was to be expected that he would eventually meet his death in this way, being one against
two, Zimri and his mistress Cozbi. When, however, the plague that God had sent upon Israel
on account of their sins spread more and more rapidly, Phinehas determined to risk his
life in trying to kill the sinners. "For," said he to himself, "the horse
goes willingly into battle, and is ready to be slain only to be of service to its master.
How much more does it behoove me to expose myself to death in order to sanctify God's
name!" [794] He found himself all the more impelled to act thus because he could not
well leave the punishment of the sinners to others. He said: "The tribe of Reuben can
effect nothing in this instance, because their grandsire Reuben was himself suspected of
an unchaste action; nothing is to be expected from the tribe of Simeon, for it follows the
sinful example of its prince Zimri; the tribe of Judah cannot well be of use in this
matter, because their grandsire Judah committed unchastity with his daughter-in-law Tamar;
Moses himself is doomed to impotence because his wife Zipporah is a Midianite woman. Hence
there remains nothing but for me to interpose." [795]
TWELVE MIRACLES
Phinehas now, prepared at the risk of his own life to punish Zimri for his sin, left the
house of teaching where he had until now debated the case of Zimri with Moses and all
other pious men, and had himself provided with a lance, having none with him because no
armed man may enter a house of teaching. That his weapon might not betray him, he detached
the upper iron part of the lance and hid it in his bosom, and leaned upon the wooden shaft
as if it were a staff. [796] When he reached the house where Zimri and Cozbi were giving
extravagant play to their passions, the people said to him, "Whence, Phinehas, and
whither?" He replied, "Do ye not know that the tribe of Levi is always to be
found where the tribe of Simeon is?" Then they permitted him to enter the house, but
said, "It seems that even the Pharisees now permit intercourse with the heathen
women." When Phinehas had entered, he drew his lance, "and thrust both of them
through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly." [797]
Phinehas's fear that these two might attack him was not realized, for God performed no
less than twelve miracles for Phinehas, which not only made it impossible for the sinners
to attack him, but also showed the people that his action found favor in the sight of the
Lord. The first miracle was that an angel would not allow the sinful couple to separate
when Phinehas surprised them; the second miracle was that the angel stopped their mouths
so that they could not cry out for help; the third miracle was that Phinehas's lance
struck the man's and the woman's pudenda; the fourth miracle was that the upper, iron part
of the lance extended, so that Phinehas could at one thrust pierce the man as well as the
woman; the fifth miracle was that Phinehas's arm was sufficiently strong to lift both upon
the point of his lance; the sixth miracle was that the wooden shaft of the lance sustained
the weight of two persons; the seventh miracle was that the two bodies remained poised
upon the lance and did not fall off; the eighth miracle was that the angel turned the
shameless pair around, so that all might see that Phinehas had surprised them in
flagranti; the ninth miracle was that no blood flowed from them although they had been
thrust through, or else Phinehas would have been polluted; the tenth miracle was that the
shameless couple did not give up the ghost so long as Phinehas bore them upon the point of
his lance, as he would otherwise have been polluted by their corpses; the eleventh miracle
was that the angel raised the doorposts of the room so that Phinehas might pass through
with the sinners upon the point of his lance, and the twelfth miracle was that when the
tribe of Simeon prepared to avenge Prince Zimri's death upon Phinehas, the angel sent a
plague upon them, so that they were impotent against him. [798]
Phinehas was not, however, content with having punished the sinners, but tried also to
reconcile God with Israel. He threw the two dead bodies upon the ground, saying to God,
"Why, alas! Hast Thou on account of the sins of these two slain twenty-four thousand
Israelites!" For this was the number that had been snatched away by the plague that
God had sent upon Israel for their sins. The angels now wanted to plunge Phinehas into
death for his bold words, but God bade them desist, saying, "Leave him in peace, he
is a zealot, the son of a zealot, and an appeaser of wrath, the son of an appeaser of
wrath." [799]
PHINEHAS REWARDED
While God expressed His entire satisfaction with Phinehas's act, if found many adversaries
among Israel, who would scornfully call after him, "Behold, this man, the grandson of
one who fattened calves to offer them up to an idol, daring to slay a prince among
Israel!" This spiteful remark referred to the fact that Phinehas was descended on his
mother's side not only from Joseph, but from Jethro also who, before his conversion to
Judaism, had been a priest of idols. God therefore said to Moses, "Phinehas the son
of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hast turned My wrath away from the children of
Israel, hence I offer him My greeting of peace, for it was he who, zealous for My sake,
preserved the seed of Abraham." The reason God designated Phinehas as the son of
Eleazar and the grandson of Aaron was that He wanted to stop the mouths of Phinehas's
detractors, who pretended that he was nothing but a grandson of the heathen priest Jethro,
ignoring the fact that he was at the same time the grandson of Aaron, the high priest
before the Lord. [800]
God was not content with the greeting of peace, but bade Moses tell Phinehas: "With
thy mouth hast thou defended Israel, therefore as thy priest's portion shalt thou receive
the jawbone of animals; with thy lance didst thou aim at the bellies of the shameless
couple, hence shalt thou receive the bellies of the animals; and as with thy arm thou
didst labor to slay the sinners, so for thy portion shalt thou receive the shoulder of the
animals. As, moreover, thou didst strive to make peace among mankind, so shalt thou bestow
the priestly blessing upon My children, and bless them with peace." [801] As a reward
for his pious deed Phinehas was appointed by God as a priest with all the rights of
priesthood, that enabled him to lay claim to the twenty-four tributes to priests. [802]
But the highest reward to Phinehas was that God granted him everlasting priesthood. For
Phinehas is none other than the prophet of Elijah. His task it is to make atonement for
Israel, and without tasting of death, he constantly discharges the duties of his
everlasting priesthood until the resurrection of the dead, offering up daily two
sacrifices for the children of Israel, and upon the skins of these animals recording the
events of each day. [803] God furthermore said to Phinehas: "Thou hast in this world
established peace between Me and Israel; in the future world also shalt thou establish
peace between Me and them." He was therefore destined to be the forerunner of the
Messiah to establish before his coming peace on earth. [804]
When Israel addicted themselves to an immoral life at shittim, the nations of the world
rejoiced greatly, for they knew that God had distinguished Israel before all other
nations, and had given them the Torah, only because their life had been moral.
"Now," said they, "the crown has been taken from Israel's head, their pride
is departed, for now they are no better then we." God, however, raised up Israel from
their fall by sending the plague upon the sinners at Shittim, and thus purified Israel
from them, so that they could again, as of yore, be proud of their family purity, through
which they had been distinguished from all other nations.
God therefore ordered them to take a census, to show in this way that Israel remained true
to the traditions of their ancestor Abraham by keeping their family life pure. [805] This
census showed that several tribes had lost entire divisions since the time that passed
between the entrance of Israel into Egypt, and their entrance into the promised land.
Among the tribes that had perished were such as had already lost their lives in Egypt,
those, namely, who had died during the days of darkness because they were such sinners
that they did not want to leave Egypt. But heaviest of all were the losses in the tribes
of Benjamin and of Simeon, for in the battle between the Levites and the other tribes
after Aaron's death, when the latter, for fear of the Canaanites, wanted to return to
Egypt, the Benjamites lost no less than seven divisions. All of the twenty-four thousand
men that died from the plague at Shittim belonged, however, to the tribe of Simeon which,
at the end of the march through the desert, had dwindles down to less than half its
number. The tribe of Dan, on the other hand, had turned out to be very fruitful, for
whereas at the entrance of Egypt it had consisted of only one division, it later exceeded
in number all the other tribes, except the tribe of Judah. [806]
THE DAUGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD
But there was another purpose beside that of establishing Israel's family purity in taking
the census at Arbot-Moab. For when God at the exodus from Egypt put his people into Moses'
hands, He entrusted them to him after having counted them, and not when Moses was about to
depart from this world, he wanted to return the flock that God had entrusted to him, truly
numbered, into God's hand. [807]
After the number of the nation had been determined, God ordered Moses to divide the
promised land among them according to their numbers. [808] Jacob had indeed upon his
death-bed determined what parts of the land were to fall to the lot of each tribe, but in
order that the tribes might not quarrel among themselves, God decreed that the assignments
be made by lot. [809] After the conquest of the land Joshua and Eleazar saw to the drawing
of lots. On this occasion the miracle came to pass that whenever Eleazar drew a lot from
the urn, the lot itself announced the words, "I am the lot of Thus-and-So." In
this way was avoided the possibility of having the malcontents declare that Eleazar had,
at the drawing of lots, been partial to his friends and had assigned to them the lots they
wished for. [810]
When Zelophehad's daughters, that had lived piously and wisely like their father and their
ancestors, heard that the land was being divided among the male members of the tribe, but
not among the female, they took counsel together, discussing what they could do, so that
they might not find themselves come out empty-handed. They said: "God's love is not
like the love of a mortal father; the latter prefers his sons to his daughters, but He
that created the world extends His love to women as well as to men, 'His tender mercies
are over all His works.'" They now hoped that God would take pity on them and give
them their share of the promised land, which they loved with as great devotion as their
grandsire Joseph, who had upon his death-bed exhorted his children to transfer his body to
the Holy Land. [811]
Being wise and learned, they waited for a propitious time to lay their case before Moses,
and opportunity which they found when Moses in house of teaching recited the law
concerning the levirate marriage. They now advanced and said: "If we are as good as
our brothers, then do we lay claim to our father's inheritance, and to his share of the
land; but if we are not to be considered as sons, then should our mother have to marry her
brother-in-law, as our father has left no issue, since we do not count." [812] They
furthermore pointed out that their father had been neither one of the spies nor one of
Korah's followers, who had, owing to their sins, lost claim to their share of the land,
[813] but that he had found his death when a number of men, in spite of Moses' warnings,
had presumed to storm the mountain occupied by the Amalekites and the Canaanites. [814]
"Had our father," continued they, "left behind him a son, and the latter
were now also dead, then should we lay no claim to inheritance if this son had left a
living child, were it even a daughter; but as we are our father's only descendants, give
us, we pray, 'a possession among the brethren of our father.'"
The fervent longing of these women to have a share in the Holy Land shows how much better
and more pious were the women of this generation than the men. The latter said, "Let
us make a captain, and let us return to Egypt," whereas the women said, "Give us
a possession among the brethren of our father." [815] But not only during the
rebellion that was kindled by the spies did the women remain true to Moses and to their
God, but on other occasions also it was they who tried to build up what the men had torn
down. at the worship of the Golden Calf, too, they tried to restrain the men from sin,
hence it was the men only that had to die in the desert because they had been tempted to
rebellion by the spies, whereas the women entered into the promised land. [816] Among them
also there was even to be found a woman as old as Jochebed - the daughter of Levi by his
union with Otah - who survived her sons Moses and Aaron, as well as her daughter Miriam,
and who was permitted to enter the promised land at the age of two hundred and fifty
years. [817]
The daughters of Zelophehad did not bring their request directly to Moses, but at first
urged their plea before the lowest officers, the captains of tens. These, however, said:
"This is an important matter since it touches upon laws of inheritance, hence it does
not become us to decide this matter; greater men than we must settle it." Hence they
sent them to the captains of fifties. When these saw that out of consideration for them
the captains of tens would not pass judgement, they sent the daughters of Zelophehad on to
the captains of hundreds, that were their superiors. But these too, out of consideration
for the higher judges, would not settle this matter, and so the daughters of Zelophehad
came to the captains of thousands, who sent them to the princes of the tribes, until they
came at last to the highest authority, to Moses. Now Moses might well have decided this
case without further ado, but in his meekness he thought, "There is still a higher
authority than I, to wit, God," and he bade them await God's judgement. [818] The
answer that he received from God was as follows: "The daughters of Zelophehad have
the law on their side, for what they desire is in accordance with the law that was written
in heaven by Me; give them therefore their father's inheritance, and also two parts of
their grandfather Hepher's possessions, for their father Zelophehad was his firstborn and
was therefore entitled to a double share." [819]
The daughters of Zelophehad, who in spite of their years - the youngest of them had
attained forty - had not yet been married, now entered into wedlock, and according to
God's bidding that Moses communicated to them, they married their uncle's sons, although
they were free to marry whomsoever they chose. [820]
"God works good through the good, and evil through the evil." The chapter of the
laws of God that was published by Moses as an addition to the incident of Zelophehad's
daughters would have been given without them also, but God rewarded these women for their
piety by making them the direct occasion of this chapter of the law. [821] At the same
time this case of these women was to teach several lessons to Moses. He who, since he had
been made God's messenger to the people, had lived apart from his wife was not to grow too
conceited on account of the sacrifice he had made to his sacred calling; hence in the last
year of his life there appeared before him the daughters of Zelophehad, who of their own
accord had not married because they had not found mates that they considered suitable.
Then, too, Moses could not answer the legal question that the daughters of Zelophehad had
presented to him, and had to ask God's counsel, which was a second lesson to Moses. At the
appointment of the elders, Moses earnestly told them, "The cause that is too hard for
ye, bring to me, and I will hear it," and in punishment of these boastful words God
so brought it to pass that he could give no answer to this request of the women, whereupon
God said to him, "Didst not thou say, 'the cause that is too hard for ye, bring it to
me?' and now thou canst not properly settle this legal question of the women."
A similar punishment for a similar offense was visited upon David who, well aware of his
erudition, said, "The laws of the Torah do I grasp as easily and as quickly as
songs." God then said, "As truly as thou livest, thou shalt hereafter forget a
Biblical law that even the school children know." So, too, it came to pass that when
he had the Holy Ark fetched from Gibeah to Zion, he forgot the Biblical instruction that
the Ark may be carried only upon the shoulder, and had it lifted upon a wagon. Then
occurred the miracle that the Ark leaped of itself into the air, whereas the oxen that
pulled the wagon fell down, whereupon Uzzah, to whom the transportation of the Ark had
been entrusted, stretched out his hand to prevent the Ark from falling and himself fell
dead upon the ground, for "a sin that is committed is ignorance of the law is
accounted as if it had been intentional." Uzzah should have been mindful of the law
that the Ark was not to be lifted upon a cart, hence his punishment. God thereupon said to
David, "Didst thou not say, 'Thy statutes have been my songs?' and thou hast not even
mastered the words of the Bible, 'Unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the
service of the sanctuary belonged unto them; they bare it upon their shoulders.'"
THE APPOINTMENT OF JOSHUA
When Moses heard God's decision in the case of the daughters of Zelophehad, which turned
out in their favor so that they inherited their father's property, he thought, "This
s a propitious time to urge a plea before the Lord, for if daughters are to inherit their
father, then must my sons inherit my office." [822] He then began to pray to God that
his successors, who, he hoped, were also to be his descendants, might be worthy leaders of
their people. He said: "O my Lord, before whom come the spirits of all human beings,
so that Thou knowest the spirit of each - whose spirit is proud, and whose spirit is meek;
whose spirit is patient and whose spirit is restive; mayest Thou set over Thy community a
man who is gifted with strength, with wisdom, with beauty, and with decorum, so that his
conduct may not give offense to the people. [823] O Lord of the world! Thou knowest each
man's views, and knowest that each man has a view of his own, hence, as I am about to
depart from this world, I pray Thee, appoint a leader over them that will know how to deal
with each man according to his views." [824]
Moses, being a truly pious man, thought when he saw his end approach, not of himself, but
of the welfare of the community, for whom he implored a good and worthy leader. [825]
Hence he furthermore said to God: "Let not my successor share my fate, for although I
accepted the guidance of the people only after long hesitation, owing to Thy urgings and
requests, still I shall not be permitted to lead them into the promised land. Mayest Thou
then deal differently with my successor than Thou hast dealt with me, and permit him not
only to lead the people in the desert, but to take them into the promised land. [826] He,
however, shall be a man 'which may go out before them,' who, unlike the kings of the
heathens, that sent their legions to war but themselves remain at home, shall himself lead
Israel to war. But he shall also be a man 'which may come in before them;' may it be
granted him to see the number of those returning from war no less than that of those going
into war. O Lord of the world!" continued Moses, "Thou hast led Israel out of
Egypt, not to punish them for their sins, but to forgive them, and Thou hast not led them
out of Egypt that they may be without leaders, but that they may indeed have leaders. I
insist, therefore, that Thou shouldst tell me whether or not Thou wilt grant them a
leader."
This is one of the five occasions upon which Moses implored God to give him an answer to
his question. When he saw that his appearance before Pharaoh only occasioned him to bring
greater and greater cruelties upon Israel, he said to God, "Tell me if Thou wilt now
deliver them, or not." He also demanded God's answer to the question, "Shall I
now fall into their hands or not?" when at Rephindim, on account of the dearth of
water, he was threatened by the people. The third occasion was when he prayed to God for
Miriam's recovery, and said, "Tell me, wilt Thou heal her or not?" And lastly
when, after long and fervent prayer, he asked God whether he should be permitted to enter
into the Holy Land, he said, "Let me know if I am to enter the Holy Land or
not." [827]
God fulfilled this wish of Moses, saying: "Thou hast now requested to be informed
concerning thy immediate successor. I shall do more than this, and show thee all the
judges and prophets that I will allow to arise for My children from not on to the
resurrection of the dead." Then He showed Moses his successor Joshua, his successor's
successor, Othniel, and all the other judges and prophets. Then God added these words:
"Of all these that I have shown thee, each will have his individual spirit and his
individual knowledge, but such a man as thou now wishest for thy successor, whose spirit
is to embrace in itself the spirits of sixty myriads of Israel, so that he may speak to
each one of them according to his understanding, such a man as this will not arise until
the end of time. The Messiah will be inspired with a spirit that in itself will embrace
the spirits of all mankind.
But now, concerning thy immediate successor, know then that he that watcheth the fig tree
shall eat of its fruits, and he that waiteth upon his master will be promoted to honor,
and thy sons shall not inherit the leadership because they concerned themselves little
with the Torah. Joshua shall be thy successor, who served thee with devotion and showed
thee great veneration, for at morn and eve he put up the benches in thy house of teaching
and spread the carpets over them; he served thee as far as he was able, and Israel shall
now know that he will therefore receive his reward. [828] Take then Joshua, a man such as
thou didst wish as a successor, whom thou hast proven, and who knows how to deal with
people of every tendency, 'and lay thy hand upon him.' Give him an opportunity, while thou
art still alive, to speak in public and to pronounce the law, so that Israel may not after
thy death contemptuously say of thy successor, 'As long as his teacher was alive, he dared
not pronounce judgement, and now he wishes to do so!' [829] Although Joshua, who is not of
thy kin, is to be thy successor, I shall nevertheless be mindful of the law that 'no
inheritance shall remove from one tribe to another tribe,' for the dignity of leadership
is to be reserved for thy family; Joshua 'shall stand even before Eleazar the priest, thy
brother's son, who shall ask counsel for him according to the judgement of the
Urim.'" [830]
After Moses in kindly words had induced Joshua to accept the leadership after his death,
pointing out to him the great rewards that in the future world await the leaders of
Israel, 'he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the
congregation,' that all might thereafter acknowledge him as his successor. [831] He then
bade Joshua, who had been sitting on the floor like all the rest, rise and set himself
upon a bench beside him. Joshua seated himself with the words, "Blessed be the Lord
that hath through Moses bestowed the Torah upon Israel." [832] Moses honored Joshua
furthermore by interrupting his discourse as soon as Joshua enter the house of teaching,
and resuming it only when he had taken his seat. [833] Moses also bade a herald proclaim
throughout the camp, "This man Joshua is worthy of being appointed by God as His
shepherd." [834]
Moses distinguished Joshua not because God had ordered him to do so, but because he was
sincerely glad to pass his dignity on to him, just as a father is glad to leave his
possessions to his son. So, too, whereas God had bidden Moses to lay only one hand upon
Joshua's head and in this way put his honor upon him, Moses fulfilled God's command by
laying both his hands upon Joshua, and by this action bestowed upon him not only insight
and understanding, but also a radiant countenance like that of Moses, from whose face
issued rays like those of the sun. In giving all these qualities to Joshua, Moses lost
nothing. Moses' wisdom was like a torch, whereas Joshua's may be compared to a candle
only, and just as a torch loses none of its intensity if a candle is lighted therefrom, so
little was Moses' wisdom diminished by the wisdom he gave to Joshua. [835] The rays, too,
that emanated from Joshua's countenance were weaker than those from Moses', and not until
the crossing of the Jordan did they attain their full intensity, so that upon beholding
them, "the people feared him as they feared Moses." [836]
Joshua's appointment by God as Moses' successor had been Moses' most cherished wish, but
he had not ventured to give expression to it, for he was mindful of the punishment God had
sent over him when he had entreated Him to sent Aaron instead of himself to deliver Israel
out of Egypt, and from that time he feared to make any proposals whatsoever to God. He was
like the child who had once been burned by a coal, and the seeing a brightly sparkling
jewel, took it to be a burning coal, and dared not touch it. [837]
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