וְרָאִיתִי אֶת כָּל מַעֲשֵׂה הָאֱלֹהִים, רַבִּי פִּנְחָס וְרַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא, הַרְבֵּה שָׁאֲלוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת וְלַעֲמֹד עַל דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה וְלֹא יָכְלוּ, וּמַאי טַעְמָא בְּשֶׁל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲמֹל הָאָדָם לְבַקֵּשׁ וְלֹא יִמְצָא וְגַם אִם יֹאמַר הֶחָכָם, זֶה שְׁלֹמֹה, יוֹם שֶׁאָמַר יָכוֹל אֲנִי לְהַרְבּוֹת וְלֹא לְהַטּוֹת. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר, כְּתִיב (ישעיה מ, כג): הַנּוֹתֵן רוֹזְנִים לְאָיִן, זֶה משֶׁה, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר (דברים א, יז): וְהַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יִקְשֶׁה מִכֶּם, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא משֶׁה אַתְּ דָּן קָשׁוֹת, אֲנִי אָבִיא לְךָ דִּין שֶׁתַּלְמִיד תַּלְמִידְךָ יָכוֹל לָדוּן, וַאֲפִלּוּ הַנָּשִׁים, וְאֵין אַתְּ יָכוֹל לְהוֹצִיאוֹ, אֵיזֶה זֶה, זֶה דִּינָן שֶׁל בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי חַס וְשָׁלוֹם לֹא נִתְגָּאֶה משֶׁה, אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַר: וְהַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יִקְשֶׁה מִכֶּם, אִם הָיִיתִי סוֹבְרוֹ, וּשְׁמַעְתִּיו. וְאִם לָאו, וְהִשְׁמַעְתִּיו לֵאלֹהִים.
“I saw all the work of God, as man is unable to discover the work that is performed under the sun. Although man toils to seek, he will not find; even if a wise man will wish to know, he will not be able to find” (Ecclesiastes 8:17). “I saw all the work of God.” Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Yirmeya [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba: Many sought to perform and fathom the Torah, but were unable to do so. What is the reason? “Although man toils to seek, he will not find.” “Even if a wise man will wish” – this is Solomon on the day that he said: I am able to amass without straying. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: It is written: “Who renders princes into nothing” (Isaiah 40:23) – this is Moses. At the moment that he said: “The matter that is too difficult for you, [bring to me and I will hear it]” (Deuteronomy 1:17), the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Moses, you judge the difficult [cases]? I will bring you a case that the disciple of your disciple can judge, and even women, but you will be unable to resolve it.’ Which [case] is that? This is the case of the daughters of Tzelofḥad. The Rabbis say: God forbid; Moses was not arrogant. Rather, this is what he said: “The matter that is too difficult for you” – if I have clear knowledge of it, “I will hear it.” If not, I will refer it to God.