Midrash · Aggadah
Midrash Tanchuma, Chukat 14/מדרש תנחומא·
אוַיִּסְעוּ מִקָּדֵשׁ וַיָּבֹאוּ כָּל הָעֵדָה וְגוֹ'. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: בְּהִתְחַבֶּרְךָ עִם אֲחַזְיָהוּ פָּרַץ ה' אֶת מַעֲשֶׂיךָ (דה״ב כ, לז), עַל שֶׁנִּתְחַבְּרוּ לָרָשָׁע הַזֶּה לַעֲבֹר בְּאַרְצוֹ, חָסְרוּ לְאוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק. לָכֵן נִסְמְכָה אֲסִיפַת אַהֲרֹן אַחַר פָּרָשַׁת מֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם. וַיֵּט יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעָלָיו, וַיִּסְעוּ מִקָּדֵשׁ וַיָּבֹאוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל הָעֵדָה. מַהוּ כָּל הָעֵדָה. עֵדָה שְׁלֵמָה, עֵדָה הַנִּכְנֶסֶת לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. לְפִי שֶׁמֵּתוּ יוֹצְאֵי מִצְרַיִם, וְאֵלּוּ מִן אוֹתָן שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהֶן חַיִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּה' וְגוֹ' (דברים ד, ד). הֹר הָהָר. מַהוּ הֹר הָהָר. הַר עַל גַּבֵּי הַר, כְּתַפּוּחַ קָטָן עַל גַּבֵּי תַּפּוּחַ גָּדוֹל. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֶעָנָן מְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם מַשְׁפִּיל אֶת הַגָּבֹהַּ וּמַגְבִּיהַּ אֶת הַשָּׁפָל, הֵנִיחַ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הָהָר הַזֶּה דֻּגְמָא, שֶׁיֵּדְעוּ בַּנִּסִּים שֶׁעָשָׂה לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁלֹּא הִנִּיחַ הַר בַּמִּדְבָּר, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ מִתְיַגְּעִין וְעוֹלִין וְיוֹרְדִין. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיָה עוֹשֶׂה הֶעָנָן כָּל הַמִּדְבָּר מִישׁוֹר, הָיָה מֵנִיחַ מָקוֹם גָּבוֹהַּ לַמִּשְׁכָּן, שֶׁיְּהֵא חוֹנֶה שָׁם. וְהֵנִיחַ שְׁלֹשָׁה הָרִים, הַר סִינַי לַשְּׁכִינָה, וְהַר נְבוֹ לִקְבוּרַת מֹשֶׁה, וְהֹר הָהָר לִקְבוּרַת אַהֲרֹן.
1(Numb. 20:22:) “Then setting out from Kadesh, the whole congregation [of the Children of Israel came to Mount Hor].” This text is related (to II Chron. 20:37), “Because you have joined with Ahaziah,108 the Lord will destroy your work.” [Similarly,] because they made an alliance with this wicked king to pass through his land, they lost this righteous man (i.e., Aaron).109 For that reason the death of Aaron110 is made [immediately] adjacent after the parashah about the king of Edom, [as stated] (Numb. 20:21-22), “so Israel turned away from them. Then setting out from Kadesh, the whole congregation [of the Children of Israel came to Mount Hor].”111 1:1 (38ab). What is the meaning of “the whole congregation?” A complete congregation, a congregation which would be entering the land, since those who had come out from Egypt had died. So these were the ones of whom it is written (in Deut. 4:4), “But you who clung to the Lord your God are all alive today.” (Numb. 20:22:) “Mount (hr) Hor (hr).” What is the meaning of “Mount Hor?” A mountain (hr) on top of a mountain (hr), like a small apple on a large apple. Even though a cloud proceeded before them which lowered the high [places] and raised up the low, the Holy One, blessed be He, left [this] mountain as a sample,112 so that they would know what miracles the Holy One, blessed be He, had done for them; as He had not left a mountain in the desert, lest they become weary climbing and descending. Moreover, although the cloud had made all the desert a plain, He left an elevated spot where the tabernacle would have its resting place. He also left three mountains: Mount Sinai for the Divine Presence, Mount Nebo for the burial of Moses, and Mount Hor for the burial of Aaron.