יֵשׁ דָּבָר שֶׁיֹּאמַר רְאֵה זֶה חָדָשׁ הוּא, כְּתִיב (דברים ט, י): וַיִּתֵּן ה' אֵלַי אֶת שְׁנֵי לוּחֹת הָאֲבָנִים כְּתֻבִים בְּאֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים וַעֲלֵיהֶם כְּכָל הַדְּבָרִים, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, עֲלֵיהֶם, וַעֲלֵיהֶם, כָּל, כְּכָל, דְּבָרִים, הַדְּבָרִים, הַמִּצְוָה, כָּל הַמִּצְוָה, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁמִּקְרָא וּמִשְׁנָה הֲלָכוֹת תּוֹסֶפְתּוֹת וְהַגָּדוֹת וּמַה שֶּׁתַּלְמִיד וָתִיק עָתִיד לְהוֹרוֹת, כְּבָר הָיָה וְנִתַּן הֲלָכָה לְמשֶׁה מִסִּינַי, מִנַיִן, מִמַּה שֶּׁכָּתוּב יֵשׁ דָּבָר שֶׁיֹּאמַר רְאֵה זֶה דָּבָר חָדָשׁ הוּא, וַהֲרֵי חֲבֵרוֹ מוֹכִיחַ עָלָיו כְּבָר הָיָה לְעוֹלָם. רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ, לְאֶחָד שֶׁהָיְתָה סֶלַע צְרוּרָה בִּכְנָפָיו וְנָפְלָה מִמֶּנּוּ, לִתֵּן גְּדוֹלָה מִמֶּנָּה אֵין הַמָּקוֹם מַחֲזִיק, לִתֵּן קְטַנָּה מִמֶּנָּה אֵינָהּ מִתְמַלְּאָה, לִתֵּן כַּיּוֹצֵא בָהּ הַמָּקוֹם מִתְמַלֵּא. כָּךְ, שָׁמַעְתָּ תּוֹרָה מִפִּי תַּלְמִיד חָכָם יְהִי בְּעֵינֶיךָ כְּאִלּוּ שְׁמָעוּהָ אָזְנֶיךָ מֵהַר סִינַי, הוּא שֶׁהַנָּבִיא מְקַנְתְּרָן וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם (ישעיה מח, טז): קִרְבוּ אֵלַי שִׁמְעוּ זֹאת לֹא מֵרֹאשׁ בַּסֵּתֶר דִּבַּרְתִּי מֵעֵת הֱיוֹתָהּ שָׁם אָנִי, אָמְרֵי לֵיהּ לָמָּה לֹא אָמַרְתָּ לָן, אָמַר לָהֶם שֶׁלֹא נִבְרְאוּ בִּי קִינִים, וְעַכְשָׁיו שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ בִּי קִינִים (ישעיה מח, טז): וְעַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהִים שְׁלָחַנִי וְרוּחוֹ.
“There is a matter of which it is said: See, this is new. It has already been, in the ages that were before us” (Ecclesiastes 1:10). “There is a matter of which it is said: See, this is new.” It is written: “The Lord delivered to me the two tablets of stone written with the finger of God, and on them [va’aleihem] was written in accordance with all [kekhol] the matters [hadevarim]…” (Deuteronomy 9:10). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: “Aleihem, va’aleihem; kol, kekhol; devarim, hadevarim; “all the commandment [kol hamitzva] [that I command to you today you shall observe to perform]” (Deuteronomy 8:1); hamitzva, kol hamitzva. It is to teach you that Bible, Mishna, halakhot, Tosefta, and aggada, and rulings that distinguished disciples were destined to issue, already existed, and were given as halakhot to Moses from Sinai. From where is it derived? From what is written: “There is a matter of which it is said: See, this is new.” His counterpart admonishes him: “It has already been, in the ages [that were before us].” Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabi Ḥelbo: This is analogous to one who had a sela coin tied into the corner of his garment, and it fell from him. To replace it with one larger, there is no room for it; to replace it with one smaller, it will not be filled; to replace it with an identical one, it will be filled. So too, if you hear Torah from a Torah scholar, you should consider it as though your ears heard it from Mount Sinai. That is what the prophet is admonishing them and saying to them: “Approach me, hear this: From the beginning I did not speak in secret. From the time that it was, I was there” (Isaiah 48:16). They said to him: ‘Why didn’t you tell us?’ He said to them: ‘Because I did not have the capacity. But now I have the capacity, “now the Lord God has sent me and His spirit” (Isaiah 48:16).’