Midrasch zu Wajikra 10:4

R. Judan of Gallia opened (with Job 39:27), “Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes its nest on high?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Aaron. “At your command I had my Divine Presence rest upon the ark.²⁴Lev. R. 20:4; PRK 26(27):4; see PR 47:3. [Was it not] at your command that I removed my Divine Presence that was upon the ark?” In the case of the first Temple (according to Job 39:28), “It dwells and lodges on the rock,” [i.e., the Divine Presence was there for] a lodging of one night. In the case of the second Temple (referred to in ibid., cont.), “on a rocky crag²⁵Literally: ROCKY TOOTH. The midrash finds the expression well suited to the spur of rock on the Temple mount. and a stronghold,” [ i.e., the Divine Presence was there for a lodging of many nights.²⁶Here following the Buber text, even thought the number of nights that the Divine Presence lodged in the two Temples is the reverse of what one would expect. However, the Buber text is supported by the unemended, traditional text of Lev. R. 20:4 and in Yalqut Shim‘oni, Job 926. Moreover,] we learn there (in Yoma 5:2), “When the ark had been taken away, there was a certain stone there from the days of the former prophets,²⁷According to Rav Huna, as cited in Sot. 48b, the former prophets are David, Samuel, and Solomon. and it was named Foundation. And why was it named Foundation? Because out of it the world was founded.”²⁸Yoma 54b (bar.); yYoma 5:4 (42c); TYoma 3:6 (2:14); Numb. R. 12:4; see below, Tanh. 7:10. And how would a high priest pray on the Day of Atonement?²⁹Cf. yYoma 5:3 (42c). A version of this prayer is part of a long piyyut composed by Rabbi Meshullam ben Kalonymus in the tenth century. It is known either as the Avodah or by its initial words, Amits Koah, and appears as part of the Musaf Service on the Day of Atonement. See P. Birnbaum, The High Holyday Prayer Book (New York: Hebrew Publishing Co., 1951), p. 26. May it be Your will, O Lord our God, that this year be one of rain, warmth, and dew, a year of low prices, a year of abundance, a year of grace, a year of blessing, a year of trade, a year when Your people Israel are not dependent on each other, a year when they will not be arrogant with each other. Now the rabbis of Caesarea said, “[It was] with reference to our brothers in Caesarea [that the high priest prayed] for them not to be arrogant with each other.” But [the rabbis of the south] say, “[It was] with reference to our brothers in the Sharon, lest their houses become their tombs.”³⁰For example, if the houses collapsed from heavy rains or were buried in a sandstorm. (Job 39:29:) “From there it³¹I.e., the eagle. spies out food; and its eyes behold it from afar.” From there it prepares food for all the days of the year. He (i.e., the high priest) knew from the beginning of the year what would [happen] at the end [of the year]. How so? When he looked and saw smoke from the pile (of wood on the Temple altar)³²See TYoma 3:3 (2:11); Yoma 33a. rising southward, he knew that one would have enough in the south. And it was the same for the north, the same for the west, and the same for the east. But when the smoke rose straight up towards the sky, he knew that the whole world would have enough. Then after all this advantage, (according to Job 39:30) “Its nestlings suck (from 'l') up blood…. [Aaron] saw his nestlings wallowing (from g'g') in blood and (according to Lev. 10:3) kept silent. However (ibid., cont.), “where the slain (i.e. Nadab and Abihu) are, there (i.e. there is the Divine Presence) is.” R. Judan said in the name of R. Joshua ben Levi, [who spoke] in the name of R. Berekhyah, [who spoke] in the name of R. Hiyya bar Abba, “It is not written here (Lev. 10:4), ‘Draw near and carry your brothers away ‘from the sanctuary,’ but ‘from before the sanctuary.’ [The situation is] similar to someone who says to his colleague, ‘Remove the dead person from before his father. How long shall he look at his dead child?’” It is therefore written (in Lev. 16:1), “after the death of Aaron's two sons.”

(Job 39:29:) FROM THERE IT³³I.e., the eagle. SPIES OUT FOOD; {AND ITS EYES BEHOLD IT FROM AFAR}. From there it searches and spies out food for all of the whole year. (Ibid.:) AND ITS EYES BEHOLD IT FROM AFAR. He (i.e., the high priest) knew from beginning to end < what would happen during the year >. How so? When he looked and saw smoke from the pile (of wood on the Temple altar)³⁴See TYoma 3:3 (2:11); Yoma 33a. rising southward, it knew that one would have enough in the South. And it was the same for the North, the same for the West, and the same for the East. < When the smoke rose straight up > towards the sky, it knew that the whole world would have enough. [Then after all this advantage, (according to Job 39:30:) ITS NESTLINGS SUCK (from 'L') UP BLOOD….< Aaron > saw his nestlings wallowing (from G'G') in blood and (according to Lev. 10:3) kept silent. However (ibid., cont.), WHERE THE SLAIN ARE, < i.e. > Nadab and Abihu, THERE IT IS, < i.e. > there is the Divine Presence.] R. Judan said in the name of R. Joshua ben Levi, < who spoke > in the name of R. Berekhyah, < who spoke > in the name of R. Hiyya bar Abba:³⁵Since R. Joshua ben Levi flourished about three generations before R. Berekhyah, it is unlikely that the former received any tradition from the latter. The problem is solved by emending the text in agreement with the parallel versions to read as follows: “R. Judan said in the name of R. Joshua ben Levi and R. Berekhyah < said > in the name of R. Hiyya bar Abba.” (Lev. 10:4:) DRAW NEAR AND CARRY YOUR BROTHERS AWAY < FROM BEFORE THE SANCTUARY OUTSIDE OF THE CAMP >. "From the sanctuary" is not written here, but FROM BEFORE THE SANCTUARY. < The situation is > similar to someone who says to his colleague: Remove the dead person from before his father. How long shall he look at his dead child. It is therefore written (in Exod. 16:1): AFTER THE DEATH OF AARON'S TWO SONS.

(Lev. 27:1–2:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES, SAYING: SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL [AND SAY UNTO THEM]: WHEN ANYONE EXPLICITLY VOWS TO THE LORD THE VALUE (rt.: 'RK) OF HUMAN BEINGS (NPShWT). This text is related (to Ps. 89:7 [6]): FOR WHO IN THE SKIES IS COMPARABLE (rt.: 'RK) TO THE LORD, [IS LIKE THE LORD AMONG THE CHILDREN OF GODS]? The Holy One said: Whoever performs deeds like mine shall be like me.²¹Tanh., Lev. 10:4. R. Levi said: < The matter > is comparable to a king who built a city and lit two lanterns²²Gk.: phanoi, also panoi. within it. The king said: When anyone lights two lanterns like these, I will call him Augustus²³Agustah, from the Lat.: Augusta. and not be jealous of him. Similarly, the Holy One created the heavens and set in them [two lanterns, to give light to the world], the sun and the moon, as stated (in Gen. 1:17): AND GOD SET THEM IN THE FIRMAMENT OF THE HEAVENS TO GIVE LIGHT UPON THE EARTH. The Holy One said: Whoever makes < lights > like these shall be equal to me. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 89:7 [6]): FOR WHO IN THE SKIES IS COMPARABLE (rt.: 'RK) TO THE LORD? These words can only be words < referring to > light, since it is stated (in Lev. 24:4): HE SHALL SET (rt.: 'RK) UP < THE LAMPS > UPON THE UNALLOYED LAMPSTAND. [Ergo²⁴The bracketed section, which extends to the end of this section (6), is missing from Buber’s main Oxford ms. He has added it from Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34, and from the traditional published editions of Tanh., Lev. 1:3. (in Ps. 89:7 [6]): FOR WHO IN THE SKIES IS COMPARABLE (rt.: 'RK) TO THE LORD, IS LIKE THE LORD AMONG THE CHILDREN OF GODS? That is what it is written (in Is. 40:25): THEN UNTO WHOM WILL YOU LIKEN ME THAT I SHOULD BE EQUAL? SAYS THE HOLY ONE. < The term > HOLY is applied to him just as HOLY is applied to me.