Midrash
Midrash Tanchuma (Buber), Chukat 43 מדרש תנחומא (בובר), חקת מ״ג
Part of: Siman 43
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ויסעו מהר ההר דרך ים סוף לסבוב את ארץ אדום ותקצר נפש העם בדרך (שם כא ד). והלא כתיב ורוחך הטובה נתת להשכילם (נחמיה ט כ), אלא אותן שיריים שיצאו ישראל ממצרים, שנגזרה עליהם מיתה, לא היו רואין במדבר נחת רוח, ולא רוח טובה, וכן הוא אומר ובניכם יהיו רועים במדבר (של) [וידעתם את תנואתי] (שם יד לג לד), זהו שקצרה נפש העם בדרך.
(Numb. 21:4:) THEN THEY JOURNEYED FROM MOUNT HOR BY WAY OF THE REED SEA IN ORDER TO GO AROUND THE LAND OF EDOM, BUT THE PEOPLE'S TEMPER GREW SHORT ON THE WAY. But is it not written (of that era in Neh. 9:20): AND YOU GAVE YOUR GOOD SPIRIT TO ENLIGHTEN THEM? It is simply that those remnants of Israel which had came out of Egypt, over whom death had been decreed, saw neither a peaceful nor agreeable spirit in the desert.174Tanh., Numb. 6:19; Numb. R. 19:21. Thus it says (in Numb. 14:33–34): AND YOUR CHILDREN SHALL BE SHEPHERDS IN THE WILDERNESS, <….> [<…,> AND YOU SHALL KNOW MY DISPLEASURE.] This was because (according to Numb. 21:4) THE PEOPLE'S TEMPER GREW SHORT ON THE WAY.
(Numb. 21:4:) THEN THEY JOURNEYED FROM MOUNT HOR BY WAY OF THE REED SEA IN ORDER TO GO AROUND THE LAND OF EDOM, BUT THE PEOPLE'S TEMPER GREW SHORT ON THE WAY. But is it not written (of that era in Neh. 9:20): AND YOU GAVE YOUR GOOD SPIRIT TO ENLIGHTEN THEM? It is simply that those remnants of Israel which had came out of Egypt, over whom death had been decreed, saw neither a peaceful nor agreeable spirit in the desert.174Tanh., Numb. 6:19; Numb. R. 19:21. Thus it says (in Numb. 14:33–34): AND YOUR CHILDREN SHALL BE SHEPHERDS IN THE WILDERNESS, <….> [<…,> AND YOU SHALL KNOW MY DISPLEASURE.] This was because (according to Numb. 21:4) THE PEOPLE'S TEMPER GREW SHORT ON THE WAY.