Sifrei Bamidbar 139

¹(Bamidbar 27:16) "Let the L-rd, the G-d of the spirits of all flesh, etc.": Scripture hereby apprises us that all the spirits issue only from Him. R. Eliezer the son of R. Yossi Haglili says: Let this "sign" always be in your hand: that so long as a man is alive his soul is reposited in the hand of its Owner, as it is written (Iyyov 12:10) "… that in His hand is the spirit of all living things. When he dies, it is reposited in the otzar ("the treasury,") as it is written (I Samuel 25:29) "and may the soul of my master be bound up in the bond of life." I might think, (the soul of) both the righteous and the wicked; it is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "and may He sling out the soul of your foes (as) in the hollow of a sling." "a man over the congregation": This is Joshua, as it is written (Psalms 78:25) "the bread of the mighty (i.e., manna) did a man eat." And why did Scripture not specify (that it was Joshua)? So as not to stir up controversy (over the appointment of Joshua) among his sons and the sons of his brother (Aaron, i.e., Elazar and Ithamar.)" ²(Bamidbar 27:17) "who will go out before them and who will come in before them": Not as others, who send others in the vanguard and who bring up the rear. But as Moses did, viz. (Bamidbar 21:34) "And the L-rd said to Moses: Do not fear him (Og, [to confront him in the vanguard]) for I have delivered him into your hand." And as Joshua did, viz. (Joshua 5:13) "And Joshua went up to him, and said: 'Are you for us or for our foes?'" And as Pinchas did, viz. (Bamidbar 31:6) "And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, to the war, them and Pinchas (in the vanguard) etc." (Ibid. 27:17) "who will go out before them" — at the head, viz. (I Chronicles 11:6) "And Yoav ben Tzeruyah went up first, and he was at the head." "who will go out before them" — in a troop. "and who will come in before them" — in a troop. "who will go out before them" — on the way. "and who will come in before them" — on the way. "and who will take them out" — in his merits. "and who will bring them back" — in his merits. "and who will take them out" — with a count. "and who will bring them back" — with a count (i.e., none missing), as it is written (Bamidbar 31:44) "And they said to Moses: Your servants have counted the men of war who were under our charge, and not one of us is missing." And why did they need atonement (viz. Ibid. 50)? For they had "feasted their eyes" on nakedness (i.e., on the Midianite women [viz. Ibid. 16]). (Ibid. 27:17) "And let the congregation of the L-rd not be as sheep without a shepherd": On this the tradition comments (Song of Songs 1:7) "Tell me (Moses), O You, whom my soul loves, etc. for why should I be covered up," as in (Jeremiah 43:12) "And he (Nevuchadnezzar) will cover up the land of Egypt, as the shepherd covers up his cloak." (Song of Songs, Ibid.) "by the flocks of Your companions" — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Go out and see how the Holy One answers him (Song of Songs, Ibid. 8): "If you do not know, you fairest among the women (i.e., most exalted of the prophets), go out in the footsteps of the flock." (See) what I am destined to do for them in the end (of their "footsteps"), "and graze your kids by the tents of the shepherd" — whence it is derived that the L-rd showed Moses all the leaders who were destined to serve Israel from the day they left the desert until the resurrection. Thus, "Go out in the footsteps of the flock."