Pisqa’ 26¹

1

“And I besought (‘etkhanan) HASHEM at that time, saying:” (Dt.3:23)—

this is what Scripture has said:

“The oppressed beseech (takhanunim), the wealthy answer with arrogance” (Prov.18:23).

2²

Two able providers arose on behalf of Israel—

Moses and David, king of Israel.

Moses said before the Blessed Holy One:

Master of the World!

Let my transgression be recorded

in Scripture after me,

so that people will not say:

Moses apparently forged texts of the Torah,

or, he said something that was not commanded!³

There is an analogy—

a king decreed that

whoever ate unripe figs of the Sabbatical Year

would be led in shame around the stadium.

Now, a certain well-born lady

picked and ate some unripe Sabbatical figs.

So they led her around the stadium.

She said to the king:

I beg you, M’Lord King!

Expose the nature of my fault,

so that the town’s people will not say:

apparently, they found in her

some hint of adultery,

or, she dabbled in witchcraft!

But when they see the unripe figs

hanging on my neck,

they will know that

I am being led around for the sake of these.⁴

Thus said Moses before the All-Present:

let my transgression be recorded

in Scripture after me!

Said the Holy One to him:

Look! I’m writing that it only

concerned the waters [of Meribath-kadesh],

for it is said:

“When you rebelled against my order

. . .at the waters” (Nu.27:14).⁵

3

R. Shimon says:

there is an analogy—

a king was traveling

with his son in the royal carriage.

When they reached a narrow spot

the carriage overturned on his son.

His eye was blinded.

His hand was severed.

His leg was broken.

Now, whenever the king

would revisit that place,

he would say:

Here my son was hurt!

Here his eye was blinded!

Here his hand was severed!

Here his leg was broken!

So, too, the All-Present

makes three mentions of

“The waters of Meribah” (Ex.17:8),

“The waters of Meribah” (Nu.20:13),

“The waters of Meribah” (Nu.27:14).

As if to say,

here I resolved to kill Miriam (Ex.17:8);

here I resolved to kill Aaron (Nu.20:13);

here I resolved to kill Moses (Nu.27:14)!

So He says:

“May their judges slip upon the rock,

but let my words be heard” (Ps.141:6)—

David said before the All-Present:

let my transgressions not be recorded

in Scripture after me!

Said the All-Present to him:

does it mean nothing to you

that people will say:

Because He loved him, He pardoned him?

4

There is an analogy—

A certain man borrowed a thousand kor

of wheat per year from the king.

Everyone said: can he possibly handle a debt

of a thousand kor of wheat per year?

Won’t the king seize his collateral?

Instead, he wrote the borrower a note of settlement.

One time, the man had no surplus,

and he could pay nothing.

The king entered his house,

took his sons and daughters,

and put them up for sale.

At that moment,

everyone knew that he had no surplus.

5

Also:

Every punishment that came upon David was multiplied,

for it is said:

“And for the lamb he must pay four times” (2Sam.12:6).

R. Hanina says:

Four times?

Actually, he paid sixteen times!

Also, Nathan the prophet came and rebuked him

for that same deed he had committed.⁶

David said:

“I have sinned against HASHEM!” (2Sam.12:13).

What did Nathan say in reply?

“HASHEM has indeed removed your sin,

you shall not die” (2Sam.12:13).

And He says:

“Against You alone have I sinned,

and I have done wrong in Your sight” (Ps.51:6)

6

Two able providers arose on behalf of Israel—

Moses and David, king of Israel.

Now, it might have been possible

to sustain the whole world by their good deeds.

But they didn’t request anything

for themselves from the All-Present

unless it was given freely.⁷

Now doesn’t it follow logically?

Just as these two,

who were able to sustain the world by their good deeds,

never requested anything for themselves

from the Blessed Holy One, unless it was given freely—

all the more so

for one who, [like us,] is but one thousandth and

one ten thousandth of their disciples’ disciples,

that he should only request what is given freely.

7

Another word:

“And I besought HASHEM” (Dt.3:23).

Ten scriptural expressions denote prayer:⁸

calling out;

crying out;

groaning—

for it is said:

“And the Israelites sighed from the labor,

and they called out,

and their crying out rose up,

and God heard their groaning” (Ex.2:23-24).

Prayer is also indicated by [being] in trouble and calling upon—

for it is said:

“In trouble, I call upon HASHEM” (2 Sam.22:7).

Prayer is also indicated by song and accosting—

for it is said:

“Do not pray for this people, and don’t lift up song and prayer in their name,

and don’t accost Me” (Jer.7:15).

Prayer is also indicated by prostration,

for it is said:

“And I prostrated myself before HASHEM” (Dt.9:25).

Prayer is also indicated by self-scrutiny,

for it is said:

“And I scrutinized myself (‘etpalel) before HASHEM” (Dt. 9:26).

Prayer is also indicated by entreaty,

for it is said:

“And Isaac entreated HASHEM ” (Gn.25:21).

Prayer is also indicated by standing,

for it is said:

”And Pinhas stood and prayed” (Ps.106:30).

Prayer is also indicated by imploring (khilui),

for it is said:

“And Moses implored ” (Ex.32:11).

Prayer is also indicated by beseeching,

for it is said:

“And I besought HASHEM” (Dt.3:23).

8

“At that time” (Dt.3:23).

An analogy—

the people of a certain place

petitioned the king to declare

their city a colony [of Rome].

Once he had two enemies

who fell before him in battle.

Then the people said:

now is the time

to petition the king to declare our city a colony.

Thus did Moses petition

the Blessed Holy One to enter the Land.

When he saw Sihon and Og fall before Him,

Moses said:

Now is the time to petition the Holy One to enter the Land.

Therefore it is said:

“at that time (Dt.3:23)”—

[when the Holy One is flush with victory].

9

“Saying” (Dt.3:23)—

this is one of the things that Moses said

before the All-Present:

Tell me, will you act on my behalf or not?

Said the Holy One:

I will act.

“Now Moses called out to HASHEM, saying:

What shall I do with this people!” (Ex.17:4).

The Teaching needn’t mention, saying.

So what does the Teaching mean by saying?

Moses said to Him:

Tell me, will I fall at their hands or not?

Similarly, you say:⁹

“And Moses spoke before HASHEM, saying:” (Ex.6:12).

The Teaching needn’t mention, saying.

So what does the Teaching mean by saying?

Moses said to Him:

Tell me, will You redeem them or not?

Similarly, you say:

“And Moses called out to HASHEM, saying:

God, please heal her!” (Nu.12:13).

The Teaching needn’t have mentioned, saying.

So what does the Teaching mean by saying?

Tell me, will You heal her or not?

Similarly, you say:

“And Moses spoke to HASHEM, saying,

let HASHEM . . . appoint” (Nu.27:15-16).

The Teaching needn’t mention, “saying.”

So what does the Teaching mean by “saying?”

He said to Him:

tell me, will You appoint for them providers or not?¹⁰

Here, too, you can say:

“At that time, saying:” (Dt.3:23)

The Teaching needn’t mention, saying.

So what does the Teaching mean by saying?

Moses said to Him:

tell me, will I enter the Land or no?

10

“M’Lord, HASHEM!” (Dt.3:24)—

 wherever HASHEM is mentioned,

 this refers to the attribute of mercy,

 for it is said:

 “HASHEM, HASHEM—God (‘el) merciful and compassionate” (Ex.34:6).

 Wherever God (‘elohim) is mentioned—

 this refers to the attribute of judgment,

 for it is said:

 “The case of both parties will come before the judges (‘elohim)” (Ex.22:8),

 and He says:

“Do not curse the judges (‘elohim)” (Ex.22:27).

1. H:46-49; JN1:69-71
2. F:36, l.2 argues that 26:2-6 is a late addition to Sifre. Cf. H: ad loc., n. 1.
3. Cf. Sifre Nu 137; SZ, pinkhas 19.
4. Cf. Sifre Nu 137.
5. Cf. Sifre Nu 137.
6. I.e., the killing of Uriah the Hittite so as to take his wife (2 Sam.12:9-10).
7. Cf. Sifre Nu 41.
8. At least 13 synonyms are listed here. F:39, l.3 reconciles the count.
9. Finkelstein (F:40, l,9) regards the minimized material as a marginal addition to the Sifre.
10. F:41.l.6 considers this material in reduced type (at Pisqa’ 26.9) to be marginal addition.