Greater Midrash on Numbers (Numbers Rabbah)

And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, [in the Tent of Meeting, in the second year, in the second month, on the first of the month]. (Numbers 1:1)

This is the meaning of the verse: He has not done so with any nation (Psalms 147:20), and similarly: He has lifted up a horn for His people (Psalms 148:14). This is like the parable of a king who took a first wife without writing a marriage contract for her. He then divorced her without writing a bill of divorce for her. Likewise, in the case of the second and third wives, he did not write for them either a marriage contract or a bill of divorce. But what did he do next? He saw a poor orphan, a daughter of distinguished lineage, and wished to take her as his wife. He said to his best man, “Do not treat her like the previous ones. This is a daughter of distinguished lineage; she is modest in her conduct, and she is worthy. Write for her a marriage contract, detailing the sabbatical cycle, the year, the month, the day of the month, and the province, just as it is written with regard to Esther: Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, in his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tevet, in the seventh year of his reign (Esther 2:16).”

In the same manner, the Holy One created the generation of the flood without writing when He created them. He removed them from the world without writing when He removed them, but merely: On that day all the fountains of the great deep broke open (Genesis 7:11). The same applies to the generation of the dispersion, and likewise to Egypt—He did not write when they were created or when they died. However, when Israel arose, the Holy One said to Moses, “I will not treat these like the previous ones. These are children of distinguished lineage, the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Go, write for them the month, the day of the month, the year, the province, and the city in which I raised their horn and granted them the power to hold their heads high.” It is therefore stated: And the Lordspoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai—this is the province; in the Tent of Meeting—this is the city; in the second year—this is the year; in the second month—this is the month; on the first of the month—the day of the month. Thus, their sovereignty is written down. Why count the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel (Numbers 1:2)? To fulfill the verse: He has not done so with any nation. And what did He do? He has lifted up a horn for His people.

Another interpretation: And the Lord spoke to Moses—Happy is Moses, for sixty myriads were standing, and the priests, the Levites, and the elders were all standing there, but out of all of them He spoke only with Moses.

And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. (Numbers 1:1)

Why in the wilderness of Sinai? From here the sages taught: The Torah was given through three things: through fire, through water, and through the wilderness. From where do we derive that it was given through fire? As it is stated: Now Mount Sinai was entirely smoking [because the Lordhad descended upon it in fire] (Exodus 19:18). And from where do we derive that it was given through water? As it is stated: the heavens also dropped, the clouds also dropped water [ . . . even Sinai] (Judges 5:4–5). And from where do we derive that it was given through the wilderness? And the Lordspoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. Why was it given through these three things? Just as these are freely available to all inhabitants of the world, so, too, the words of Torah are freely available, as it is stated: Ho, whoever is thirsty, come for water (Isaiah 55:1).

Another interpretation: And the Lordspoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai—anyone who does not render himself ownerless like a wilderness cannot acquire wisdom and the Torah. It is therefore stated: in the wilderness of Sinai.