My Musing
Besides being a midrashic source for the more famous teaching that the
Israelites were redeemed from Egypt because they merited to remain faithful to
their heritage in four ways, this midrash also calls it as it sees it. There
were times where the nation did not uphold all the parts fo the four values.
But rather than looking at these events as being defamatory- view them as
testimony to the uniqueness of the rabbis where they were able to look upon a
negative event honestly and not subject it to jingoistic editing.
מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת בלק סימן טז
(במדבר כה:א) " וַיֵּשֶׁב
יִשְׂרָאֵל, בַּשִּׁטִּים; וַיָּחֶל הָעָם, לִזְנוֹת אֶל-בְּנוֹת מוֹאָב"
And Israel abode in Shittim, and the
people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab.
ילמדנו רבינו: בזכות כמה דברים נגאלו ישראל ממצרים.
כך שנו רבותינו בזכות ד' דברים: שלא שנו את שמותם, ולא שנו את
לשונם, ולא גלו מסתרים שלהם, ולא נפרצו בעריות.
Our Master should instruct: In the merit of a number of things was Israel
redeemed from Egypt: That they did not change their names, that they did not
change their language, that they did not reveal the secrets, and did not breach
sexual mores.
לא שנו שמותן, שראובן ושמעון ירדו וראובן ושמעון עלו.
לא שנו את לשונם שנאמר (בראשית מה:יב) " וְהִנֵּה
עֵינֵיכֶם רֹאוֹת, וְעֵינֵי אָחִי בִנְיָמִין:
כִּי-פִי, הַמְדַבֵּר אֲלֵיכֶם" שהיו מספרין בלשון הקודש.
They did not change their names as Reuben and Shimon went down [to Egypt]
and Reuben and Shimon came up.
They did not change their language as it says, “And,
behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth
that speaketh unto you.” That they spoke in the Holy tongue.
לא גלו מסתרין שלהן שנאמר (שמות ג:כב) " וְשָׁאֲלָה אִשָּׁה
מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ וּמִגָּרַת בֵּיתָהּ, כְּלֵי-כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב וּשְׂמָלֹת; וְשַׂמְתֶּם,
עַל-בְּנֵיכֶם וְעַל-בְּנֹתֵיכֶם, וְנִצַּלְתֶּם, אֶת-מִצְרָיִם" והיה הדבר הזה
מופקד אצלם י"ב חדש ולא גלה אחד מהן למצרים.
They did not reveal their secrets, as it says, “but every woman shall ask of her neighbour, and of her
that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and
raiment; and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye
shall spoil the Egyptians.'” And this was deposited with them for 12 months and
not one revealed it to the Egyptians.
ולא פרצו בעריות שכך כתיב (שיר השירים ד:יב) "גַּן נָעוּל, אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה; גַּל נָעוּל, מַעְיָן
חָתוּם"
" גַּן נָעוּל, אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה;" אלו הזכרים, "גַּל
נָעוּל, מַעְיָן חָתוּם" אלו הבתולות. תדע לך שהרי אחת היתה ומפרסמה הכתוב שנאמר
(ויקרא כד:י) " וַיֵּצֵא, בֶּן-אִשָּׁה
יִשְׂרְאֵלִית, וְהוּא בֶּן-אִישׁ מִצְרִי, בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וַיִּנָּצוּ,
בַּמַּחֲנֶה, בֶּן הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית, וְאִישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי" וכל אותן מ' שנה
שהיו במדבר לא סרחו בעבירה עד שבאו לשטים לפיכך כתיב "וישב ישראל בשטים"
שטים שעשו שטות שנאמר (משלי ו:לב)
" נֹאֵף אִשָּׁה
חֲסַר-לֵב; מַשְׁחִית נַפְשׁוֹ, הוּא יַעֲשֶׂנָּה
"
And they did not breach sexual mores as such
it is written, “A garden shut up is my sister, my
bride; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed” A garden shut up is my sister, my
bride;” refers to the men, “a spring shut up, a fountain sealed” refers to the
young women. You should know that there was one who was and the scripture
publicizes her as it says, “And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father
was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel; and the son of the
Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp.” And all
those 40 years that they were in the wilderness, they did not spoil in sin
until they came to Shittim. Therefore it is written, “And Israel abode
in Shittim” Shittim, that there were foolish [shtut]as it
says. “He that committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding; he doeth
it that would destroy his own soul.”
