(30) Caleb hushed the people before Moses and said, “Let us by all means go up, and we shall gain possession of it, for we shall surely overcome it.” (31) But the other men who had gone up with him said, “We cannot attack that people, for it is stronger than we.”

(40) Early next morning [their fighting force] set out toward the crest of the hill country, saying, “We are prepared to go up to the place that יהוה has spoken of, for we were wrong.” (41) But Moses said, “Why do you transgress יהוה’s command? This will not succeed. (42) Do not go up, lest you be routed by your enemies, for יהוה is not in your midst. (43) For the Amalekites and the Canaanites will be there to face you, and you will fall by the sword, inasmuch as you have turned from following יהוה and יהוה will not be with you.” (44) Yet defiantly they marched toward the crest of the hill country, though neither יהוה’s Ark of the Covenant nor Moses stirred from the camp. (45) And the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that hill country came down and dealt them a shattering blow at Hormah.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levisaid toElijah: When will the Messiah come?Elijahsaid to him: Go ask him.Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi asked: And where is he sitting?Elijah said to him: At the entrance of the city of Rome.Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi asked him: And what is his identifying sign by means of which I can recognize him? Elijah answered: He sits among the poor who suffer from illnesses. And all of them untie their bandages and tie them all at once, but the Messiah unties one bandage and ties one at a time. He says: Perhaps I will be needed to serve to bring about the redemption. Therefore, I will never tie more than one bandage, so that I will not be delayed.Rabbi Yehoshua ben Leviwent to the Messiah. He said to the Messiah: Greetings to you, my rabbi and my teacher. The Messiah said to him: Greetings to you, bar Leva’i.Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levisaid to him: When will the Master come? The Messiah said to him: Today. Sometime later, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levicame to Elijah.Elijahsaid to him: What did the Messiah say to you? He said toElijah that the Messiah said: Greetings [shalom] to you, bar Leva’i.Elijahsaid to him: He thereby guaranteed that you and your father will enter the World-to-Come, as he greeted you with shalom. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levisaid toElijah: The Messiah lied to me, as he said to me: I am coming today, and he did not come.Elijahsaid to him that this is what he said to you: He said that he will come “today, if you will listen to his voice” (Psalms 95:7).

(37) יהוה said to Moses as follows: (38) Speak to the Israelite people and instruct them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe at each corner. (39) That shall be your fringe; look at it and recall all the commandments of יהוה and observe them, so that you do not follow your heart and eyes in your lustful urge. (40) Thus you shall be reminded to observe all My commandments and to be holy to your God. (41) I יהוה am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I, your God יהוה.