Midrasch zu Wajikra 8:78

(Lev. 21:1:) THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: SPEAK UNTO THE PRIESTS, THE SONS OF AARON, < AND SAY UNTO THEM: LET NO ONE DEFILE HIMSELF FOR A DEAD SOUL AMONG HIS PEOPLE >. This text is related (to Ps. 12:7 [6]): THE SAYINGS OF THE LORD ARE PURE SAYINGS…. Everything < against > which the Holy One warned Israel is for the sake of their holiness and their purity.¹Tanh., Lev. 8:1. (Ibid.:) THE SAYINGS OF THE LORD ARE PURE SAYINGS. (Lev. 21:1:) SPEAK (literally: SAY) UNTO THE PRIESTS, THE SONS OF AARON, AND SAY UNTO THEM. Note that "say" < occurs > two times. To what is the matter comparable? To a cook who would go in and out before the king. The king said: I am commanding you not to look at a dead person all your days, since you come in and out before me, lest you defile my palace.²Lat.: praetorium, Gk.: praitorion. Similarly, the Holy One had commanded the priests who enter the Temple not to be defiled for a dead person. It therefore says (in Lev. 21:1): LET NO ONE DEFILE HIMSELF FOR A DEAD SOUL AMONG HIS PEOPLE.

(Lev. 12:2:) “When a woman emits her seed and bears a male.” This text is related (to Job 29:2), “O that I were as in the months of old, [as in the days when God watched over me]!” In regard to this verse, Job spoke it when the afflictions had come upon him. He said, “’O that I were as in the months of old,’ and would that I had the days which I had when I was in my mother's belly!” “As in the days when God watched over me!” [These words] teach that the infant is watched over while it is in its mother's belly. (Job 29:3:) “When His light shone over my head […].” From here you learn that the infant has light in its mother's belly. (Job 29:4:) “When I was in the days of my youth (horef),¹Horef also means “winter.” Buber notes here that in the following simile, the infant in the womb is being protected in the womb as the winter rain protects the soil. when God's company was over my tent.” [These words teach about the infant.] Just as the rain is at work in the soil for it to become muddy, so the infant is muddy in its mother's womb. Another interpretation [of] “when God's company was over my tent”: These words teach about the infant. Just as the infant gets muddy, so is a person muddied by sins, so that misfortunes come upon him. At that time [Job] said (in Job 29:2), “’O that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me,’ and would that I had the days which I had when I was in my mother's belly!” What does he finally say (in vs. 4)? “When I was in the days of my youth.” R. Abbahu said, “The infant comes out of the mother's belly covered with slime and covered with blood; yet everyone praises and cherishes it, especially when it is a male.”²Tanh., Lev. 8:11; PRK 9:6. Ergo (in Lev. 12:2), “When a woman emits her seed and bears a male.” (Lev. 12:2:) “When a woman emits her seed.” [This text is related to (Ps. 139:5),] “You have formed me behind and before.” The text speaks of the first Adam.³Cf. Gen. R. 8:1; 14:5; Lev. R. 14:1; M. Pss. 139:6. R. Johanan said, “It is written about him that there were two creations. There is a double y (i.e., a double yod in Gen. 2:7), ‘The Lord God formed (yytsr) the human.’ One formation is in this world, and one is for the world to come. But in the case of cattle, wild beasts, and birds, for them [only] one formation is written (without a double y in Gen. 2:19), ‘So out of the earth the Lord God formed (ytsr) all the wild beasts of the field [and all the birds of the heavens].’ It therefore says (in Ps. 139:5), ‘You have formed me behind and before.’” R. Simeon ben Laqish says, “Behind (in the sense of what comes] before the act of [his] creation. What is the reason? It is written (in Gen. 1:2), ‘and the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters’; this spirit was the soul of the first Adam. It therefore says (in Ps. 139:5), ‘You have formed me behind and before.’” R. Eleazar ben Pedat says, “Behind [refers] to an [later] event of the sixth day, and before [refers] to an [earlier] event of the sixth day. How so? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, created six things on the sixth day. They were these: (1) the soul; (2) wild beasts; (3) cattle; (4) beasts of the earth; (5) Adam; and (6) Eve. Now Adam's soul was created first, as stated (in Gen. 1:24), ‘a living soul.’ Living soul can only be the soul of Adam, since it is stated (in Gen. 2:7), ‘and the human (Adam) became a living soul.’ Hence, before [refers] to the [first] event of the sixth day, and behind [refers] to the sixth day, since [the Holy One, blessed be He,] was occupied with him all of the sixth day. Ergo (in Ps. 139:5), ‘You have formed me behind and before.’ Behind [refers] to an event of the sixth day, and before [refers] to an event of the sixth day.” R. Samuel bar Nahman said, “What is the meaning of ‘You have formed me behind and before?’ Having two faces, male and female. Hence it says (in Ps. 139:5), ‘You have formed me behind and before.’”⁴Ber. 61a; ‘Eruv. 18a. Adam said, “After the Holy One, blessed be He, had created all the cattle and wild beasts, He created me.” So it is with the infant. Before it comes forth from its mother's belly, the Holy One, blessed be He, commands it, “Eat of this, do not eat of that, (in Lev. 11:29) ‘this shall be unclean for you.’” Then after it takes upon itself in its mother's belly all the commandments which are in the Torah, [only] after that it is born. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 12:2), “When a woman emits her seed and bears a male.”

(Numb. 16:1:) “Now Korah betook himself.” This text is related (to Prov. 18:19), “A brother offended (rt.: psh') is more formidable than a fortified city; [such] contentions are like a castle bar.” The brother offended is Korah, in that he sided against Moses.¹Numb. R. 18:1, 14. So he rebelled and sank from whatever glory that he possessed. Now offended (rt: psh') can only imply rebellion, since it is stated (in II Kings 3:7), “The king of Moab has rebelled (psh') against me.” It also says (in II Kings 8:22), “then did Libnah rebel (rt.: psh').” (Prov. 18:19:) “[Such] contentions are like a castle bar.” [The earth raised its bars against him like a castle.] (Prov. 18:19:) “Like a castle bar.” [These words also refer to Korah,] who sided against Moses and against the Omnipresent.²See the commentary of Enoch Zundel on Tanh., Numb.5:1. This explanation is also given by Issachar Berman Ashkenazi in his commentary, Mattenot Kehunnah, on Numb. R. 18:1. (Numb. 16:1:) “[Now Korah …] took.”³In this and some of the following sections, the midrash is explaining the fact that the transitive verb, TOOK, has no object. Biblical translations offer solutions such as translating the verb intransitively, e.g., BETOOK HIMSELF, or by supplying an object, e.g., TOOK MEN. “Took” can only be a word for "attracting with persuasive words," in that he attracted all the leaders of Israel and the sanhedraot [to follow] after him.⁴Numb. R. 18:2. Concerning Moses it is written (in Numb. 1:17), “So Moses and Aaron took these men.” And similarly it is written (in Numb. 8:2), “Take Aaron and his sons with him.” And so does it say (in Hos. 14:3), “Take words with you and repent….” And so does it [also] say (in Genesis 12:15), “and the woman was taken to the house of Pharaoh.” Ergo (in Numb. 16:1) “Now Korah […] took,” in that he drew (i.e., took) their hearts with persuasive words. (Numb. 16:1:) “Now Korah […] betook himself.” Because of what did he dissent? Because of Elizaphan, the son of his father's brother, who had been appointed prince (nasi) over his clan. So it says (in Numb. 3:30), “And the prince of the ancestral house for the Kohathite clan was Elizaphan ben Uzziel.” Korah said, “Father had four brothers.” It is so stated (according to Exod. 6:18), “And the sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.” “As for Amram, the first-born; his son Aaron and his sons attained the high priesthood, and his brother Moses [attained] the kingship. So who deserves to get second [place]? Should it not be the second [son]? Now I am Izhar's son. I deserved to be prince of my clan, but he has appointed the son of Uzziel. Should the youngest of father's brothers become superior to me? See, I am dissenting and declaring everything invalid, whatever he had done.” Therefore, there was dissent.

(Lev. 9:1:) AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE EIGHTH DAY…. This text is related (to Eccl. 8:5): WHOEVER OBSERVES A COMMANDMENT SHALL NOT KNOW ANYTHING EVIL. Who is this?¹Tanh., Lev. 3:1; cf. above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:4. Aaron, of whom it is said (in Lev. 8:33, 35): AND YOU (i.e., you and your sons) SHALL NOT GO OUT FROM THE DOOR OF THE TENT OF MEETING FOR SEVEN DAYS < …. > AND YOU SHALL REMAIN AT THE DOOR OF THE TENT OF MEETING DAY AND NIGHT FOR SEVEN DAYS. Moses said to them: Observe mourning for seven days. (Ibid., cont.:) AND YOU SHALL OBSERVE THE CHARGE OF THE LORD. Moses said to them: Observe THE CHARGE OF THE LORD, for so did the Holy One observe seven days of mourning before he brought the flood. Where is it shown that he mourned? Where it is stated (in Gen. 6:6): THEN THE LORD REGRETTED THAT HE HAD MADE HUMANITY ON THE EARTH, [AND HE WAS GRIEVING IN HIS HEART]. HE WAS GRIEVING can only mean "he mourned," for so it says concerning David (in II Sam. 19:3): AND THE VICTORY [ON THAT DAY] WAS TURNED INTO MOURNING FOR ALL THE PEOPLE BECAUSE [ON THAT DAY THEY HEARD IT BEING SAID:] THE KING WAS GRIEVING OVER HIS SON.²Above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:4; Gen. R. 27:4. So also Ezra said to Israel, when they were weeping, each one for his brother and each one for his child (in Neh. 8:10): GO, EAT CHOICE FOODS AND DRINK SWEET DRINKS…. DO NOT BE GRIEVING, FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH. It is therefore stated (in Gen. 6:6): AND HE WAS GRIEVING IN HIS HEART. At that time the Holy One observed the seven days of mourning, before he brought the flood. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 7:10): AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER SEVEN DAYS [THAT THE WATERS OF THE FLOOD CAME UPON THE EARTH]. And so Moses was saying to Aaron the Priest and to his sons: Just as the Holy One mourned over his world before he brought the flood, so < you are to > observe the < required > mourning before he touches (i.e., harms) you. So they observed < the mourning >, but they did not know for what reason they were observing it. Why? (Eccl. 8:5:) WHOEVER OBSERVES A COMMANDMENT SHALL NOT KNOW ANYTHING EVIL; AND A WISE HEART SHALL KNOW < THERE IS > A TIME OF JUDGMENT.

(Lev. 9:1) “And it came to pass on the eighth day….” This text is related to [the verse] (in Eccl. 8:5), “Whoever observes a commandment shall not know anything evil.” Who is this?¹Cf. Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:4. Aaron, of whom it is said (in Lev. 8:33, 35), “And you (i.e., you and your sons) shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting for seven days […]. And you shall remain at the door of the tent of meeting day and night for seven days.” Moses said to them, “Observe mourning for seven days, before it comes to you.” (Lev. 8:35, cont.) “And you shall observe the charge of the Lord.” Moses said to them, “Observe the charge of the Lord, for so did the Holy One, blessed be He, observe seven days of mourning before He brought the flood.” Where is it shown that He mourned [before the flood]? Where it is stated (in Gen. 6:6), “Then the Lord regretted that He had made humanity on the earth, and He was grieving in his heart.” [The expression] “He was grieving” can only mean, He mourned. For so it says concerning David (in II Sam. 19:3), “And the victory [on that day] was turned into mourning for all the people because [on that day they heard it being said,] ‘The king was grieving over his son.’”²Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:4; Gen. R. 27:4. So also Ezra said to Israel when they were weeping, each one for his brother and each one for his child (in Neh. 8:10), “Go, eat choice foods and drink sweet drinks…. Do not be grieving, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” It is therefore stated (in Gen. 6:6), “and He was grieving in his heart.” At that time the Holy One, blessed be He, observed the seven days of mourning, before He brought the flood. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 7:10), “And it came to pass after seven days [that the waters of the flood came upon the earth].” And so Moses was saying to Aaron the priest and to his sons, “Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, mourned over His world before He brought the flood, so [you are to] observe the [required] mourning before it touches (i.e., harms) you.” So they observed [the mourning], but they did not know for what reason they were observing it. Why? (Eccl. 8:5:) “Whoever observes a commandment shall not know anything evil.” (Eccl. 8:5, cont.:) “And a wise heart shall know [there is] a time of judgment.” This is Moses, to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, had already said (in Exod. 29:43), “And there I will meet with the Children of Israel, and there shall be sanctification³This translation leaves in doubt who or what is sanctified. A more traditional translation would read, “It (i.e., the door of the Tabernacle) shall be sanctified.” through My glory.” [In other words,] I (the Holy One, blessed be He,) will be sanctified there through My glory. Now Moses ministered during the seven days of priestly ordination, but he was afraid, saying, “Perhaps divine judgment will strike him (i.e., Aaron).” Thus it is stated (ibid.), “and there shall be sanctification through My glory.” Still he did not act, but said to Aaron, “Observe seven days of mourning.” [Aaron] said to him, “Why?” [Moses] said to him, “For so the Holy One, blessed be He, has told me – (in Lev. 8:35) “for so I have been commanded.” When they had observed the seven days of mourning and [when] the eighth day had come, Nadab and Abihu went in to make an offering (rt.: qrb). Divine judgment struck them, and they were destroyed by fire. It is so stated (in Lev. 10:2), “So fire came forth from before the Lord and consumed them, so that they died before the Lord.” Moses came and said to Aaron (in Lev. 10:3), “This is what the Lord spoke, ‘Through those who are near (rt.: qrb) to Me, I will be sanctified.” Where did he speak? In the Sinai Desert. (Exod. 29:43), “And there I will meet with the Children of Israel, and there shall be sanctification through My glory.” And so did Moses say to Aaron, “The time that He said to me, ‘Through those who are near to Me, I will be sanctified,’ I thought that He would strike me or you. But now I know that they are greater than I and than you.” (Lev 9:3:) “And Aaron was silent” – the thing was consolation for him. Ergo (Eccl. 8:5), “Whoever observes a commandment shall not know anything evil.”

(Lev. 9:1) “And it came to pass on the eighth day….” This text is related to [the verse] (in Eccl. 8:5), “Whoever observes a commandment shall not know anything evil.” Who is this?¹Cf. Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:4. Aaron, of whom it is said (in Lev. 8:33, 35), “And you (i.e., you and your sons) shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting for seven days […]. And you shall remain at the door of the tent of meeting day and night for seven days.” Moses said to them, “Observe mourning for seven days, before it comes to you.” (Lev. 8:35, cont.) “And you shall observe the charge of the Lord.” Moses said to them, “Observe the charge of the Lord, for so did the Holy One, blessed be He, observe seven days of mourning before He brought the flood.” Where is it shown that He mourned [before the flood]? Where it is stated (in Gen. 6:6), “Then the Lord regretted that He had made humanity on the earth, and He was grieving in his heart.” [The expression] “He was grieving” can only mean, He mourned. For so it says concerning David (in II Sam. 19:3), “And the victory [on that day] was turned into mourning for all the people because [on that day they heard it being said,] ‘The king was grieving over his son.’”²Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:4; Gen. R. 27:4. So also Ezra said to Israel when they were weeping, each one for his brother and each one for his child (in Neh. 8:10), “Go, eat choice foods and drink sweet drinks…. Do not be grieving, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” It is therefore stated (in Gen. 6:6), “and He was grieving in his heart.” At that time the Holy One, blessed be He, observed the seven days of mourning, before He brought the flood. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 7:10), “And it came to pass after seven days [that the waters of the flood came upon the earth].” And so Moses was saying to Aaron the priest and to his sons, “Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, mourned over His world before He brought the flood, so [you are to] observe the [required] mourning before it touches (i.e., harms) you.” So they observed [the mourning], but they did not know for what reason they were observing it. Why? (Eccl. 8:5:) “Whoever observes a commandment shall not know anything evil.” (Eccl. 8:5, cont.:) “And a wise heart shall know [there is] a time of judgment.” This is Moses, to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, had already said (in Exod. 29:43), “And there I will meet with the Children of Israel, and there shall be sanctification³This translation leaves in doubt who or what is sanctified. A more traditional translation would read, “It (i.e., the door of the Tabernacle) shall be sanctified.” through My glory.” [In other words,] I (the Holy One, blessed be He,) will be sanctified there through My glory. Now Moses ministered during the seven days of priestly ordination, but he was afraid, saying, “Perhaps divine judgment will strike him (i.e., Aaron).” Thus it is stated (ibid.), “and there shall be sanctification through My glory.” Still he did not act, but said to Aaron, “Observe seven days of mourning.” [Aaron] said to him, “Why?” [Moses] said to him, “For so the Holy One, blessed be He, has told me – (in Lev. 8:35) “for so I have been commanded.” When they had observed the seven days of mourning and [when] the eighth day had come, Nadab and Abihu went in to make an offering (rt.: qrb). Divine judgment struck them, and they were destroyed by fire. It is so stated (in Lev. 10:2), “So fire came forth from before the Lord and consumed them, so that they died before the Lord.” Moses came and said to Aaron (in Lev. 10:3), “This is what the Lord spoke, ‘Through those who are near (rt.: qrb) to Me, I will be sanctified.” Where did he speak? In the Sinai Desert. (Exod. 29:43), “And there I will meet with the Children of Israel, and there shall be sanctification through My glory.” And so did Moses say to Aaron, “The time that He said to me, ‘Through those who are near to Me, I will be sanctified,’ I thought that He would strike me or you. But now I know that they are greater than I and than you.” (Lev 9:3:) “And Aaron was silent” – the thing was consolation for him. Ergo (Eccl. 8:5), “Whoever observes a commandment shall not know anything evil.”

(Numb. 1:1:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES IN THE SINAI DESERT, IN THE TENT OF MEETING. This text is related (to Ps. 36:7 [6]): YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS LIKE THE MIGHTY MOUNTAINS; YOUR JUDGMENTS ARE LIKE THE GREAT DEEP. R. Meir said: <The passage> is speaking allegorically about the righteous in their dwelling, and it is speaking allegorically about the wicked in their dwelling.¹Above, in Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:8; Lev. 8:7; Gen. R. 33:1; Lev. R. 27:1; Numb. R. 1:1; PRK 9:1; Tanh., Lev. 8:5 (some texts); cf. Tanh., Numb. 1:1. It is speaking allegorically about the righteous <in their dwelling> (in Ezek. 34:14): I WILL FEED THEM IN A GOOD PASTURE, {AND IN A PASTURE OF OIL} [AND UPON THE MOUNTAINS OF THE LOFTY ONE OF ISRAEL] SHALL BE THEIR FOLD. It speaks allegorically about the wicked <in their dwelling> (in Ezek. 31:15): THUS SAYS THE LORD {GOD}: IN THE DAY THAT HE WENT DOWN TO SHEOL, I CAUSED HIM TO MOURN; I COVERED HIM WITH THE DEEP. With what are the wicked covered, when they go down to Gehinnom?²Above, Exod. 3:2; Tanh., Exod. 3:2. WITH THE DEEP. Hezekiah bar Hiyya said: In the case of a vat, with what does one cover it? With a lid of clay, since <the vessel itself > is <made> of clay. For that reason one covers it with a lid of clay. Similarly in the case of the wicked, it is written of them (in Is. 29:15): AND THEIR WORKS ARE IN DARKNESS. For that reason they are darkened before the Holy One.³See above, Gen. 1:19. So he brings them down to Sheol, which is darkness, and covers them with the deep, which is darkness, as stated (in Gen. 1:2): WITH DARKNESS UPON THE FACE OF THE DEEP.

(Numb. 1:1:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES IN THE SINAI DESERT, IN THE TENT OF MEETING. This text is related (to Ps. 36:7 [6]): YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS LIKE THE MIGHTY MOUNTAINS; YOUR JUDGMENTS ARE LIKE THE GREAT DEEP. R. Meir said: <The passage> is speaking allegorically about the righteous in their dwelling, and it is speaking allegorically about the wicked in their dwelling.¹Above, in Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:8; Lev. 8:7; Gen. R. 33:1; Lev. R. 27:1; Numb. R. 1:1; PRK 9:1; Tanh., Lev. 8:5 (some texts); cf. Tanh., Numb. 1:1. It is speaking allegorically about the righteous <in their dwelling> (in Ezek. 34:14): I WILL FEED THEM IN A GOOD PASTURE, {AND IN A PASTURE OF OIL} [AND UPON THE MOUNTAINS OF THE LOFTY ONE OF ISRAEL] SHALL BE THEIR FOLD. It speaks allegorically about the wicked <in their dwelling> (in Ezek. 31:15): THUS SAYS THE LORD {GOD}: IN THE DAY THAT HE WENT DOWN TO SHEOL, I CAUSED HIM TO MOURN; I COVERED HIM WITH THE DEEP. With what are the wicked covered, when they go down to Gehinnom?²Above, Exod. 3:2; Tanh., Exod. 3:2. WITH THE DEEP. Hezekiah bar Hiyya said: In the case of a vat, with what does one cover it? With a lid of clay, since <the vessel itself > is <made> of clay. For that reason one covers it with a lid of clay. Similarly in the case of the wicked, it is written of them (in Is. 29:15): AND THEIR WORKS ARE IN DARKNESS. For that reason they are darkened before the Holy One.³See above, Gen. 1:19. So he brings them down to Sheol, which is darkness, and covers them with the deep, which is darkness, as stated (in Gen. 1:2): WITH DARKNESS UPON THE FACE OF THE DEEP.

(Job 29:4:) WHEN I WAS IN THE DAYS OF MY YOUTH (horef),²Horef also means “winter.” Buber notes here that in the following simile, the infant in the womb is being protected in the womb as the winter rain protects the soil. [WHEN THE GOD'S COMPANY WAS OVER MY TENT. These words teach about the infant.] Just as the rain is at work in the soil for it to become muddy, so the infant is muddy in its mother's womb. {WHEN THE GOD'S COMPANY WAS OVER MY TENT. These words teach about the infant.} Moreover, just as the infant stays muddy, [so is a person muddied] by sins, so that misfortunes come upon him. At that time < Job > said (in Job 29:2): O THAT I WERE AS IN THE MONTHS OF OLD, AS IN THE DAYS WHEN GOD WATCHED OVER ME, and would that I had the days which I had when I was in my mother's belly! What does he finally say (in vs. 4)? WHEN I WAS IN THE DAYS OF MY YOUTH. R. Abbahu said: The infant comes out of the mother's belly covered with slime and covered with blood; yet everyone praises and cherishes it, especially when it is a male.³Tanh., Lev. 8:11; PRK 9:6. Ergo (in Lev. 12:2): WHEN A WOMAN EMITS HER SEED AND BEARS A MALE.

1) (Vayikra 8:1) ("And the L–rd spoke to Moses, saying (Vayikra 8:2): "Take Aaron, and his sons with him, and the garments, and the oil of anointment, and the bullock of the sin-offering and the two rams and the basket of unleavened bread.") "Take Aaron and his sons with him": What is the intent of this? Because (Shemoth 32:35): "And the L–rd smote the people with plague because they had made the calf that Aaron had made" implies that Aaron was rejected, from "Take Aaron and his sons with him" all knew that he was (re-) accepted. Whence is it derived that Moses knew that Aaron was rejected? From (Devarim 9:20): "And against Aaron the L–rd was wroth to destroy him, and I prayed also on Aaron's behalf at that time," and it is not written there (as it is in the preceding verse in respect to Moses' prayer on behalf of Israel) "And the L–rd hearkened to me at that time too." From "Take Aaron and his sons with him," Moses knew that Aaron was (re-) accepted. Whence do we derive that it was in Aaron's heart that he had been rejected? It is written at the end of the episode (Vayikra 9:7) ("And Moses said to Aaron) draw near to the altar." (Why was this command necessary?) Had not Moses just presented to him the entire order of sacrifices? (We must say, then, that Moses saw Aaron hesitating, apparently feeling that his service would be rejected, and) to dispel this from his heart, he told him that the L–rd had said to him "Take Aaron and his sons with him," thus apprising Aaron that he had been (re-) accepted.

1) (Vayikra 8:1) ("And the L–rd spoke to Moses, saying (Vayikra 8:2): "Take Aaron, and his sons with him, and the garments, and the oil of anointment, and the bullock of the sin-offering and the two rams and the basket of unleavened bread.") "Take Aaron and his sons with him": What is the intent of this? Because (Shemoth 32:35): "And the L–rd smote the people with plague because they had made the calf that Aaron had made" implies that Aaron was rejected, from "Take Aaron and his sons with him" all knew that he was (re-) accepted. Whence is it derived that Moses knew that Aaron was rejected? From (Devarim 9:20): "And against Aaron the L–rd was wroth to destroy him, and I prayed also on Aaron's behalf at that time," and it is not written there (as it is in the preceding verse in respect to Moses' prayer on behalf of Israel) "And the L–rd hearkened to me at that time too." From "Take Aaron and his sons with him," Moses knew that Aaron was (re-) accepted. Whence do we derive that it was in Aaron's heart that he had been rejected? It is written at the end of the episode (Vayikra 9:7) ("And Moses said to Aaron) draw near to the altar." (Why was this command necessary?) Had not Moses just presented to him the entire order of sacrifices? (We must say, then, that Moses saw Aaron hesitating, apparently feeling that his service would be rejected, and) to dispel this from his heart, he told him that the L–rd had said to him "Take Aaron and his sons with him," thus apprising Aaron that he had been (re-) accepted.

1) (Vayikra 9:1) ("And it was on the eighth day that Moses called to Aaron and to his sons and to the elders of Israel"): This is one of the verses that needs expounding: It is written here: "And it was on the eighth day," and elsewhere (Shemoth 19:16): "and it was on the third day." We do not know whether (this refers to) the third day of the month (Sivan) or the third day of the number (of days of separation, viz. Shemoth 19:15). Its being written (Shemoth 19:11): "… for on the third day the L–rd will go down before the eyes of all the people on Mount Sinai" and then "And it was on the third day, when it was morning etc." tells us that it is the third day of the number, and not of the month, that is being referred to. Here, too, it is written: And it was on the eighth day," and we do not know whether it is the eighth day of the number (of days of miluim [i.e., the first of Nissan]) or the eighth day of the month (of Nissan). Its being written (Vayikra 8:33): "For seven days shall He invest your hands" tells us that it is the eighth day of the number and not the eighth day of the month. That day (the first of Nissan) took ten crowns: It was first for creation of the universe; first for the (sacrificial service of the) nesi'im (the chiefs of the tribes); first for the (sacrificial service of the) Cohanim, (that service having previously been performed by the first-born, and, on the seven days of miluim, by Moses); first for the (sacrificial) service (of the daily offerings [temidim] and all of the communal offerings); first for the descent of fire (upon the altar from Heaven); first for shechitah in the north (of the altar); first for the prohibition of bamoth (temporary altars); first for roshei chodoshim (the beginnings of months); first for the reposing of the shechinah in Israel; first for the (priestly) blessing of Israel.

[(Eccl. 8:5:) WHOEVER OBSERVES A COMMANDMENT SHALL NOT KNOW ANYTHING EVIL.] This is Moses, to whom the Holy One had already said (in Exod. 29:43): AND THERE I WILL MEET WITH THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND THERE SHALL BE SANCTIFICATION³This translation leaves in doubt who or what is sanctified. A more traditional translation would read: IT (i.e., the door of the Tabernacle) SHALL BE SANCTIFIED. THROUGH MY GLORY. < In other words, > I (the Holy One) will be sanctified there THROUGH MY GLORY. Now Moses ministered during the seven days of priestly ordination but was afraid, saying: Perhaps divine judgment will strike him (i.e., Aaron). Thus it is stated (ibid.): AND THERE SHALL BE SANCTIFICATION THROUGH MY GLORY. Still he did not act but said to Aaron: Observe seven days of mourning, for so the Holy One has told me (in Lev. 8:35): FOR SO I HAVE BEEN COMMANDED. When they had observed the seven days of mourning and < when > the eighth day had come, Nadab and Abihu went in to make an offering (rt.: QRB). Divine judgment struck them, and they were destroyed by fire. It is so stated (in Lev. 10:2): SO FIRE CAME FORTH FROM BEFORE THE LORD AND CONSUMED THEM, SO THAT THEY DIED BEFORE THE LORD. Moses came and said to Aaron (in Lev. 10:3): THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SPOKE: THROUGH THOSE WHO ARE NEAR (rt.: QRB) TO ME I WILL BE SANCTIFIED. Where did he speak? In the Sinai desert. (Exod. 29:43): AND THERE I WILL MEET WITH THE CHILDREN OFISRAEL, AND THERE SHALL BE SANCTIFICATION THROUGH MY GLORY. Ergo (in Eccl. 8:5:) WHOEVER OBSERVES A COMMANDMENT SHALL NOT KNOW ANYTHING EVIL….

(Exod. 10:21:) STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND TOWARD THE HEAVENS <THAT THERE MAY BE DARKNESS OVER THE LAND OF EGYPT>…. Where did the darkness come from? R. Judah and R. Nehemiah disagree.³Tanh., Exod. 3:2; Exod. R. 14:2. R. Judah says: From the darkness above, as stated (in Ps. 18:12 [11]): HE MADE DARKNESS HIS HIDING PLACE. R. Nehemiah says: From the darkness of Gehinnom, as stated (in Job 10:22): A LAND OF UTTER DARKNESS, LIKE THE DARKNESS OF <THE SHADOW OF DEATH, WITHOUT ORDER>.⁴Cf. M. Pss. 18:16. R. Joshua ben Levi said: In three places we hear that a person makes known his teaching near to his death. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 22:20–21): <DID I NOT WRITE DOWN FOR YOU A THREE-FOLD⁵Heb.: shalishom. These cosonants(with different vowels) normally indicate an adverb meaning “three days ago” or simply “formerly.” The translation in the biblical context is uncertain but certainly contains the concept of three. The translation of the word here is that of the new JPS version. LORE…> TO MAKE KNOWN TO YOU FAITHFUL AND TRUE WORDS, IN ORDER FOR YOU TO ANSWER TRUE WORDS TO THOSE WHO SENT YOU? So also Solomon said (in Eccl. 12:13): <HERE IS> THE END OF THE MATTER WHEN EVERYTHING HAS BEEN HEARD: <FEAR GOD, KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, FOR THIS COMPRISES THE WHOLE PERSON. > What (in Job 10:22) is the meaning of THE SHADOW OF DEATH < WITHOUT ORDER>? When someone is in the shadow of death, he puts his teaching in order. R. Tanhuma bar Abba [said]: When one comes to pass away, his ministering angels say (Ps. 68:35 [34]) to him: ASCRIBE POWER TO GOD…. So also it says (in Ezek. 31:15): THUS SAYS THE LORD [GOD]: IN THE DAY THAT HE WENT DOWN TO SHEOL, <I CAUSED HIM TO MOURN; I COVERED HIM WITH THE DEEP>. Ergo (in Job 10:22): A LAND OF UTTER DARKNESS, LIKE THE DARKNESS OF <THE SHADOW OF DEATH, WITHOUT ORDER>. R. Judah says: With what are the wicked covered when they go down to Sheol?⁶Below, Numb. 1:1. With darkness. Hezekiah said: In the case of a vat, with what does one cover it? With a lid of earthenware, <i.e.,> of the same material.⁷Tanh., Exod. 3:2, and Exod. R. 14:2 identify Hezekiah as Hezekiah b. Rabbi. Cf. Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:8; Tanh., Lev. 8:5; Gen. R. 33:1; Lev. R. 27:1; and PRK 9:1 which attribute the parable to various authorities, all of whom bear the name Judah. Just as <the vat> is of earthenware, so one covers it with nothing but earthenware. So <also> it is with the wicked. What is written about them (in Is. 29:15): AND THEIR WORKS ARE IN DARKNESS…. And therefore the Holy One brings them down to Sheol, which is darkness, and covers them with the deep, for it <also> is darkness, as stated (in Gen. 1:2): WITH DARKNESS UPON THE FACE OF THE DEEP. Here is the same darkness which came upon Egypt. It came from the midst of Gehinnom. And how thick was this darkness?⁸Exod. R. 14:1. Our masters have said: As thick as a denarius⁹A standard coin of gold or silver. Originally a Roman silver coin of 3.8 grams first minted in 268 BCE, its value varied from place to place and from age to age. In general a gold dinarius was worth twenty-four times that of a silver dinarius. of Gordianus {i.e., the name of a place}, EVEN (according to Exod. 10:21) A DARKNESS THAT CAN BE FELT.

“Distribute a portion to seven, and also to eight, as you do not know what evil will be upon the earth” (Ecclesiastes 11:2).
“Distribute a portion to seven, and also to eight” – Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua: Rabbi Eliezer says: “Distribute a portion to seven” – these are the seven days of the week, as it is stated: “It was on the seventh” (I Kings 18:44), on the day of Shabbat. “And also to eight” – these are the eight days of circumcision, as it is stated: “He put his face between his knees…” (I Kings 18:42).¹⁰These verses describe the prophet Elijah praying for an end to a protracted drought in the Land of Israel. Why between his knees? He said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, even if your descendants have only these two mitzvot to their credit, Shabbat and circumcision, it is fitting that You should have mercy on them.’
Rabbi Yehoshua says: “Distribute a portion to seven” – these are the seven days of Passover; “and also to eight” – these are the eight days of the festival.¹¹Sukkot From where do I derive to include Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur? The verse states: “Also” – “and also” [and these are two] inclusions.¹²The term “also” is considered an inclusionary term, and the “and” preceding “also” is superfluous and therefore implies an additional inclusion. Therefore, the verse is understood to be adding Shavuot and the Days of Awe, i.e., Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. These days too are considered festivals, and the blessing of Sheheḥeyanu is recited, as on other festivals (Rabbi David Luria).
Rabbi Azarya says: “Distribute a portion to seven” – this is the generation that Moses circumcised after seven;¹³Seven generations after Abraham circumcised the members of his household. “and also to eight” – this is the generation that Joshua circumcised after eight, as it is written: “At that time, the Lord said to Joshua…circumcise the children of Israel a second time.” (Joshua 5:2). By inference, [this indicates] that [Moses] had circumcised them in the first instance. “Joshua made [flint knives] for himself [and circumcised the children of Israel at the Hill of the Foreskins]” (Joshua 5:3) – [the name of this place indicates] that they made it a hill with [all their] foreskins.
Rabbi Neḥemya interpreted the verse regarding the princes: “Distribute a portion to seven” – as it is written: “On the seventh day the prince of the children of Ephraim” (Numbers 7:48). “And also to eight” – as it is written: “On the eighth day the prince of the children of Manasseh (Numbers 7:54).¹⁴The reference is to the offerings of the princes of the tribes during the days of the inauguration of the Tabernacle. Rabbi Neḥemya is interpreting the verse as an allusion to the fact that Ephraim and Manasseh were counted as separate tribes and that their princes donated their offerings on separate days, despite the fact that they were both from Joseph (Etz Yosef).
Rabbi Yehuda interpreted the verse regarding the inauguration. “Distribute a portion to seven” – these are the seven days of inauguration, as it is stated: “For seven days He will inaugurate you” (Leviticus 8:33). “And also to eight” – as it is written: “It was on the eighth day (Leviticus 9:1).¹⁵The reference is thus to the special offerings that were given on the seven days of inauguration, as well as to the special offerings of the eighth day, when the Tabernacle began to function with its full level of sanctity. Both sets of offerings brought Israel atonement (Midrash HaMevo’ar).
Rabbi Huna said: “Distribute a portion to seven” – these are the seven days of menstruation;¹⁶See Leviticus 15:19. “and also to eight” – these are the eight days of circumcision, as it is stated: “And on the eighth day [the flesh of his foreskin] shall be circumcised” (Leviticus 12:3).¹⁷The connection between these two sets of laws is that if a couple observes the laws concerning the impurity imparted by menstruation they will merit to have children and fulfill the mitzva of circumcision (Etz Yosef).
Rabbi Levi said: “Distribute a portion to seven” – these are the seven days of the booth;¹⁸The mitzva to dwell in a booth [sukka] for the seven days of Sukkot. “and also to eight” – as it is stated: “On the eighth day [you shall have] an assembly” (Numbers 29:35).
Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon grew weak and his arm was uncovered. His wife saw him, and she smiled, cried, and said: ‘Happy am I with what was my lot in this world. Happy am I that I cleaved to the body of this righteous one.’ She cried and said: ‘Woe is me that the body of this righteous one is going into the ground.’ As he was dying, he said to her: ‘I am dying; however, maggots will have no power over me, other than one worm that is destined to bore a hole behind my ear, for one time I was entering [a place] and I heard the voice of a certain person who was cursing,¹⁹He was demeaning Torah scholars. and although I had the ability to punish him, I did not do so.’ When he died he was buried in Gush Ḥalav. Rabbi Shimon would appear to the residents of Meron,²⁰In a dream and he would say to them: ‘One right eye that I had,²¹My son, who was as dear to me as my right eye. and you do not bury him alongside me?’ The residents of Meron would go and seek to bring him, and the residents of Gush Ḥalav would emerge against them with clubs and spears. One time, with the approach of the great fast,²²Yom Kippur [the residents of Meron] said: This time we will bring him, while they are preoccupied.²³While they are preoccupied with preparations for Yom Kippur. They went and sought to bring him, and two snakes of fire emerged and went before them. They said: ‘This is the time that we will bring him.’²⁴They interpreted the appearance of the fiery snakes as a sign that they would receive divine assistance. Once they reached the cave, the two snakes stood to the side. They said: ‘Who will enter and bring him?’ She²⁵Rabbi Elazar’s wife said: ‘I will enter and bring him, as I know an distinguishing mark in him.’ She entered and found that worm that was sitting and boring a hole behind his ear. She sought to remove it. She heard a Divine Voice saying: ‘Leave the creditor to collect its debt.’ They brought him and placed him alongside his father. From that moment on, Rabbi Shimon did not appear to the residents of Meron.
When Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon would enter the study hall, the face of Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] would become gloomy.²⁶This was because Rabbi Elazar would prevail over Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi in their halakhic disputes. His father²⁷Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel would say to him: ‘My son, it is proper [that he prevails], as he is a lion, son of a lion, and you are a lion, son of a fox.’ When he died, he sent and proposed to his wife.²⁸After Rabbi Elazar died, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi proposed marriage to Rabbi Elazar’s wife, who was a righteous woman in her own right. She sent and said to him: ‘Shall a vessel that was used by the sacred be used by the profane?’ He said to her: ‘What did he do that I do not do like him?’ She said to him: ‘When he would sit and devote himself to Torah study, he would completely devote himself. He would say: May all the suffering of Israel come upon me, and it would come [upon him]. But when it came time to engage [in Torah study], he would say: Each and every one should go to its place.’²⁹He demanded that the suffering leave him so that he could study Torah with a clear mind. He said to her: ‘I, too, will do so.’ He called upon them to come, and they came. He sought for them to leave, but they did not leave. Some say, for thirteen years to the day he suffered from toothaches. He sent and told her.³⁰Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi sent a message to Rabbi Elazar’s widow that since he had now experienced so much suffering, she should marry him. She said to him: ‘I have heard that one elevates in matters of sanctity and one does not downgrade.’³¹Therefore, she would not marry him. “And also to eight” – as it is stated: “On the eighth day [you shall have] an assembly.”³²This implies that one is meant to always elevate in matters of sanctity, just as the seven days of Sukkot are followed by the Day of Assembly, Shemini Atzeret.

2) Variantly: "Take Aaron and his sons with him": What is the intent of this? In many places the "taking" of men is mentioned in respect to Moses, viz. (Numbers 3:41): "And you shall take the Levites for Me — I am the L–rd." (Numbers 11:16): "And you shall take them (the seventy elders) to the tent of meeting." (Numbers 1:17): "and Moses… took these men who were designated by name." (Numbers 27:18): "Take for yourself Joshua the son of Nun." Now did Moses "string men over his shoulders"? (The intent is that) the Holy One Blessed be He said to him: "Take" them with words so that their hearts not be tied to other things.

Another interpretation (of Lev. 21:1): SPEAK UNTO THE PRIESTS. What is written above of the matter (in Lev. 20:27)? WHEN A MAN OR A WOMAN HAS A GHOST OR A FAMILIAR SPIRIT…. This text is related (to Is. 8:19): AND WHEN THEY SAY UNTO YOU: INQUIRE OF GHOSTS AND FAMILIAR SPIRITS.⁴Tanh., Lev. 8:2; Lev. R. 6:6. The Holy One said to Israel: If they say unto you: INQUIRE OF GHOSTS, and forsake the God who is in the heavens, say to them (ibid. cont.): SHOULD NOT A PEOPLE INQUIRE OF ITS GOD? Just as Elijah said to Ahaziah (in II Kings 1:3): IS IT FOR LACK OF A GOD IN ISRAEL < THAT YOU ARE SENDING TO INQUIRE OF BAAL-ZEBUB >…? Why should we forsake the everlasting God? (Jer. 10:10:) BUT THE LORD IS A TRUE GOD; [HE IS A LIVING GOD AND AN EVERLASTING KING]. It is also written (in Deut. 4:4): BUT YOU WHO CLUNG TO THE LORD YOUR GOD ARE < ALL > ALIVE < TODAY >. We therefore seek a living God; however, [the god< s > of] the nations of the world are dead, < and > (according to Ps. 115:8:) THOSE WHO MAKE THEM SHALL BE LIKE THEM. What is written after < Is. 8:19 >, (in vs. 20)? FOR INSTRUCTION (Torah) AND FOR TESTIMONY: [IF THEY DO NOT SPEAK ACCORDING TO THIS WORD, SUCH A ONE SHALL HAVE NO DAWN].⁵Similarly in the 1985 JPS translation: FOR ONE WHO SPEAKS THUS THERE SHALL BE NO DAWN. So understood, the clause means that a necromancer will not live to see the dawn. Such a translation fits the immediate context of the midrash. The clause can also mean: SUCH A ONE HAS NO LIGHT, i.e., a necromancer cannot enlighten. This translation better fits the interpretations that follow. R. Johanan and R. Laqish differed. R. Johanan said: The Holy One said: IF THEY DO NOT SPEAK ACCORDING TO THIS WORD to the nations of the world THEY (sic) HAVE NO LIGHT;⁶See the previous note. [but R. Laqish says: IT (i.e., the word of a necromancer) HAS NO LIGHT.] The ghosts and the familiar spirits do not enlighten (literally: raise up the dawn) on their own, since they are < themselves > set in darkness; and all the more does this < principle > hold true for the nations of the world. So if you should say: Of whom shall we inquire? see, it says (in Deut. 17:9–11): AND YOU SHALL COME UNTO THE LEVITICAL PRIESTS AND UNTO THE JUDGE…. < YOU SHALL ACT > ACCORDING TO THE TORAH WHICH THEY SHALL TEACH YOU.

(Lev. 9:1:) “And it came to pass on the eighth day.” This text is related (to Ps. 92:13), “The righteous one shall flourish (rt.: prh) like the palm….” This is Aaron, of whom it is stated (in Numb. 17:23), “[and there] the staff of Aaron of the House of Levi had sprouted (rt.: prh).” In the case of all the [other] trees, one plants them and they grow up by themselves (as single trees); but in the case of the palm, one plants it and it sends up sprouts on all sides. So it was in the case of Aaron. He planted and sprouts came up. These were Aaron's sons (i.e., according to I Chron. 6:35-36), “his son Eleazar, his son Phinehas, his son Abishua, [his son Bukki…].” (Ps. 92:13), “The righteous one shall flourish (rt.: prh) like the palm.” Where did he plant [them]? (Ps. 92:14), “[They are] planted in the house of the Lord.” (Lev. 8:33), “And you shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting [for seven days].” It is therefore stated (in Lev. 9:1), “And it came to pass on the eighth day.” (Lev. 9:1), “And it came to pass on the eighth day Moses called [Aaron and his sons]….” Our masters have said: All seven days when Moses was at the thornbush, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Go on My mission”; but he was saying (in Exod. 4:13), “Please make someone else Your agent.” So was it the first and second day. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I say to you, ‘Go,’ and you say to Me, ‘Please make someone else Your agent?’ By your life, I am paying you back. Someday soon when that tabernacle is being made, you will be thinking privately that you should serve in the high priesthood; but I am telling you, ‘Call Aaron to serve.’” It is therefore stated (in Lev. 9:1), “Moses called Aaron and his sons.” There is a calling which is for abundance [and there is] a calling for famine. Where is it shown [that there is a calling] for abundance? Where it is stated (in Ezek. 36:29), “I will call for the grain and increase it.” And where is it shown [that there is a calling] for famine? [Where it is stated (in II Kings 8:1),] “for the Lord has called for a famine… [for seven years].” There is a calling for greatness, as stated (in Lev. 9:1), “Moses called [Aaron].” Moses said to him, “The Holy One, blessed be He, has told me to ordain you as high priest.” Aaron said to him, “You have labored on the tabernacle; so shall I be made high priest?” He said to him, “By your life, even though you are being made high priest, it is as if I were being made [high priest];¹¹See above, Exod. 1:24. for just as you were glad for me in my greatness, so I am glad for you in your greatness.” Now when was he glad for him? When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Exod. 3:10), “So come now, I will send you unto Pharaoh.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Go, keep this commandment.” Moses said to Him (in Exod. 4:10, 13), “Pray (bi) – Lord, You are doing me wrong. My brother is older than I; yet I am going ahead of him.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “[By your life], you have spoken rightly; nevertheless (according to Exod. 4:14), when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.” R. Simeon ben Yohay said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘That heart which is glad for his brother's greatness shall have those precious stones (of Exod. 28:17-21) laid upon it.’” Therefore, all those seven days that Moses was busy in the tabernacle, he was sprinkling the blood and performing the sacrificial burning of the choice pieces. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “What do you think? That you are high priest? Call your brother so that he may serve as high priest.” Ergo (in Lev. 9:1), “And it came to pass on the eighth day Moses called [Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel].” Why the elders of Israel? In order to promote him in the presence of the elders. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Call the elders and ordain him in their presence, lest they say that he became high priest on his own.

3) "and the garments": These are the garments concerning which I commanded you, viz. (Shemoth 28:4): "And these are the garments that they shall make: a choshen, an ephod, etc." "and the oil of anointment": This is the oil of anointment concerning which I commanded you, viz. (Shemoth 30:25): "And you shall make of it oil of sacred anointment, etc." "and the bullock of the sin-offering": viz. (Shemoth 29:10): "And you shall bring the bullock before the tent of meeting." "and the two rams": viz. (Shemoth 29:15): "And you shall take the one ram … (Shemoth 29:19) and you shall take the second ram." "and the basket of unleavened bread": (Not according to the order that they are mentioned there (Shemoth, Tetzaveh) are they mentioned here.)

3) What is more, this follows a fortiori, viz.: If in the instance of a pledge, where women are equated with men, kin with non-kin, those unfit (for testimony) with those fit (i.e., it makes no difference whether the claimee were a woman, or kin of the claimant or unfit for testimony), and there is liability for each (oath, i.e., if he were besworn and he denied five times, he is liable for violation of each oath), and (liability for denial) obtains both (with denial) before beth-din and not before beth-din — ("If in the instance of a pledge") liability obtains only with money claims, here (in the instance of withholding testimony), where women are not equated with men, kin with non-kin, fit with unfit (viz. Vayikra 8:5), and there is liability for only one denial and only before beth-din (viz. Vayikra 8:6), how much more so does liability obtain only with money claims! — No, (this a fortiori argument can be refuted, viz.:) This (limitation to monetary claims) applies only in the instance of a pledge, where the besworn (by others, — where there is no liability —) is not equated with his swearing (on his own, where there is liability) and where deliberate (violation of the oath) is not equated with inadvertent (violation), whereas here (in the instance of withholding testimony), where the besworn is equated with his (own) swearing and deliberate (violation) with inadvertent, (I would say that) it (this instance) obtains both with monetary and with non-monetary claims. It is, therefore, (to negate this) written here (Vayikra 5:1): "if a soul sinned," and there (in respect to a pledge, Vayikra 5:21): "if a soul sinned" — Just as the latter obtains only with a monetary claim, so the former.

3) What is more, this follows a fortiori, viz.: If in the instance of a pledge, where women are equated with men, kin with non-kin, those unfit (for testimony) with those fit (i.e., it makes no difference whether the claimee were a woman, or kin of the claimant or unfit for testimony), and there is liability for each (oath, i.e., if he were besworn and he denied five times, he is liable for violation of each oath), and (liability for denial) obtains both (with denial) before beth-din and not before beth-din — ("If in the instance of a pledge") liability obtains only with money claims, here (in the instance of withholding testimony), where women are not equated with men, kin with non-kin, fit with unfit (viz. Vayikra 8:5), and there is liability for only one denial and only before beth-din (viz. Vayikra 8:6), how much more so does liability obtain only with money claims! — No, (this a fortiori argument can be refuted, viz.:) This (limitation to monetary claims) applies only in the instance of a pledge, where the besworn (by others, — where there is no liability —) is not equated with his swearing (on his own, where there is liability) and where deliberate (violation of the oath) is not equated with inadvertent (violation), whereas here (in the instance of withholding testimony), where the besworn is equated with his (own) swearing and deliberate (violation) with inadvertent, (I would say that) it (this instance) obtains both with monetary and with non-monetary claims. It is, therefore, (to negate this) written here (Vayikra 5:1): "if a soul sinned," and there (in respect to a pledge, Vayikra 5:21): "if a soul sinned" — Just as the latter obtains only with a monetary claim, so the former.

(Lev. 12:6:) “And when the days of her purification are fulfilled [for either a son or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering….]” Why does she bring an offering? Our masters have said, “She screams a hundred times when she sits on the birthing chair, as stated (Is. 41:24), ‘Behold you are like nothing, and your actions are less than zero.’ What is [the meaning of] ‘less than zero (me’effa)?’ There are one hundred screams (meah puot), ninety-nine for death and one for life.¹⁴Exod. R. 46:2; Lev. R. 27:7; Tanh., Lev. 8:11; PRK 9:6.h And when the pangs arrive for her, she vows that she will never favor her husband [with sexual intercourse] again. She therefore brings an offering,¹⁵Because of the impetuous oath. So Nid. 31:b. as stated (ibid.), ‘she shall bring a lamb in its first year.’”

(Lev. 20:27:) WHEN A MAN OR A WOMAN HAS A GHOST OR A FAMILIAR SPIRIT. What is written after that (in Lev. 21:1)? SPEAK UNTO THE PRIESTS. What relation does the one have to the other? It is simply that the Holy One foresaw that Saul was going to be king over Israel and kill the priests; then inquire of a ghost and a familiar spirit. It is so stated (in I Sam. 28:7): THEN SAUL SAID {UNTO} [TO] HIS SERVANTS: SEEK ME OUT A WOMAN WHO CONTROLS A GHOST. Resh Laqish said: To what is Saul comparable?⁷Tanh., Lev. 8:2; Lev. R. 26:7; M. Sam. 24. To a king who entered a province and said: All the cocks in this province are to be slaughtered tonight. < When > he wished to depart on his way, he said: Is there no cock to crow here? They said to him: Did you not order them to be killed? Here also (in I Sam. 28:3) Saul had put away the ghosts and the familiar spirits; so Saul said (in vs. 7) SEEK ME OUT A WOMAN WHO CONTROLS A GHOST < …. > (Vs. 8:) THEN SAUL DISGUISED HIMSELF. What is the meaning of DISGUISED HIMSELF (rt.: HPSh)? That he had become divested (rt.: HPSh) of the kingship. (Ibid., cont.:) AND HE WENT WITH TWO MEN. WHO WERE THEY? Abner and Amasai.⁸The parallels in the traditional Tanh., Lev. 8:2, in Lev. R. 26:7, and in M. Sam. 24 all read, “Abner and Amasa.” Torah has taught proper protocol, that one does not leave on a journey (at night) by oneself; and our father Abraham acted accordingly (in Gen. 22:3): AND HE (i.e., Abraham) TOOK WITH HIM TWO OF HIS SERVANTS {AND HIS SON ISAAC}. And so (in I Sam. 28:8): AND HE (Saul) WENT WITH TWO OF HIS SERVANTS (sic). (Ibid., cont.:) AND THEY CAME UNTO THE WOMAN AT NIGHT. Was it at Night? It is simply that this time was for them as black as night. (Ibid., cont.:) THEN HE SAID: PLEASE DIVINE FOR ME THROUGH A GHOST…. (Vs. 9:) BUT SHE SAID UNTO {SAUL} [HIM]: SEE HERE, YOU KNOW WHAT SAUL HAS DONE, HOW HE HAS ROOTED OUT THE GHOSTS AND THE FAMILIAR {SPIRIT} [SPIRITS] < FROM THE LAND >. Immediately (in vs. 10): SAUL SWORE TO HER BY THE LORD, SAYING: [AS THE LORD LIVES,] NO PUNISHMENT SHALL BEFALL YOU OVER THIS MATTER. Resh Laqish said: To what is Saul comparable? To a woman who was situated with her lover and swore by the life of her husband. (Vs. 11:) THEN THE WOMAN SAID: WHOM (mi) SHALL I BRING UP FOR YOU? One of those who say (as in Exod. 15:11): WHO (mi) IS LIKE YOU < AMONG THE GODS, O LORD >?⁹Words spoken by Moses, typifying the righteous. The verse is suggested by the mi in Saul’s question. or one of those who say (as in Exod. 5:2:)¹⁰Words spoken by Pharaoh, typifying the wicked. WHO IS THE LORD? He said to her (in I Sam. 28:11, cont.:) BRING UP SAMUEL FOR ME. She did what she did and brought him up. (Vs. 12:) WHEN THE WOMAN SAW SAMUEL, SHE CRIED OUT [WITH] A LOUD VOICE, AND < THE WOMAN > SPOKE < UNTO SAUL, SAYING >: WHY HAVE YOU DECEIVED ME? FOR YOU ARE SAUL. How did she know? Our masters have said: < A ghost > does not come up for a king as it comes up for a commoner.¹¹Gk.: idiotes. For the king its face is up and its feet down, just like everyone < on earth >; but for the commoner its feet are up and its face down. (Vs. 13:) THEN THE KING SAID TO HER: [DO NOT BE AFRAID; FOR] WHAT DO YOU SEE? AND THE WOMAN SAID UNTO SAUL: I SEE A GOD COMING UP FROM THE EARTH. COMING UP (here in the plural form) implies two. So who were they? Moses and Samuel. When Saul heard this, he was afraid, because he had called one, but two had arisen. (Vs. 14:) THEN HE SAID TO HER: WHAT DOES HE LOOK LIKE? AND SHE SAID: AN OLD MAN IS COMING UP, AND HE IS WRAPPED IN A ROBE. They have said three things about bringing up a ghost. 1. The one bringing it up sees it but does not hear its voice. 2. The one asking for it hears its voice but does not see it. 3. Those standing there neither see it nor hear its voice. (Ibid.:) AN OLD MAN IS COMING UP, AND HE IS WRAPPED IN A ROBE. And elsewhere it says (in I Sam. 2:19): HIS MOTHER WOULD MAKE A LITTLE ROBE FOR HIM.¹²Cf. above, Gen. 11:9. < This verse > teaches that the robe grew on him. In it he was buried; in it he rose up. It has been taught in the name of R. Nathan: A garment which goes down to the grave with a person is going to rise on him in the resurrection of the dead.¹³yKil. 9:4 (32b). Thus it is stated (in Job 38:14): IT IS CHANGED LIKE CLAY UNDER A SEAL, AND THEY STAND FORTH AS IN A GARMENT. (I Sam. 28:14–15:) THEN SAUL KNEW THAT IT WAS SAMUEL; SO HE BOWED WITH HIS FACE TO THE GROUND AND DID HOMAGE. SAMUEL SAID UNTO SAUL: WHY HAVE YOU DISTURBED ME AND BROUGHT ME UP? Have you no way to disturb your creator except through me, in that you have made me an idol.¹⁴See Gen. R. 96:5 (6). Did we not teach the following? Just as one exacts punishment from the worshiper, so does one exact punishment from those worshiped. Some say: WHY HAVE YOU DISTURBED ME? What he said to him was: I was disturbed lest it be the day of judgment, and I was afraid. Now here is an argument a fortiori (qal wahomer); for if Samuel, [the greatest] of all the prophets, was afraid of the day of judgment, how much the more does the rest of humanity < have to fear >? (Vs. 15, cont.:) AND SAUL SAID {UNTO SAMUEL}: I AM VERY DISTRESSED….¹⁵Other midrashim add other vss., such as Amos 5:15, in this context. Apart from the parallels mentioned above, see Lam. R. 3:29f. (9); Eccl. R. 12:14:1. [HE (i.e., the Holy One) NO LONGER ANSWERS ME EITHER THROUGH PROPHETS OR IN DREAMS.] Why did he not < also > say to him: "< Or > by Urim and Thummim"?¹⁶According to vs. 6, the Holy One had also failed to answer Saul through this medium. R. Isaac said: (Prov. 14:10:) THE HEART KNOWS ITS OWN BITTERNESS, in that he had destroyed Nob, the city of priests.¹⁷Lev. R. explains further, that if Saul had brought up the matter of the high priest’s Urim and Thummim, Samuel would have replied that it was he, Saul, who had done away with them by killing the priests at Nob. Similarly, the parallel in Tanh., Lev. 8:2. (I Sam. 28:17:) MOREOVER, THE LORD HAS DONE TO YOU¹⁸The text here follows a reading that agrees with the Septuagint here rather than the Masoretic Text, which reads: FOR HIMSELF. ACCORDING TO WHAT HE SPOKE THROUGH ME; FOR THE LORD HAS TORN THE KINGSHIP OUT OF YOUR HAND AND GIVEN IT TO DAVID. He said to him: [When you were with us < in the flesh >, you said to me (in I Sam. 15:28): < THE LORD HAS TORN THE KINGSHIP OVER ISRAEL FROM YOU TODAY, > AND GIVEN IT TO A COMPANION OF YOURS WHO IS BETTER THAN YOU. He said to him:] When I was with you in the world of falsehood, I was telling you words of falsehood, because I was afraid of you, lest you kill me. Now, however, I am in the world of truth, you will only hear words of truth from me. He did not do this thing to you for no reason. Rather (according to I Sam. 28:18–19): BECAUSE YOU DID NOT HEARKEN TO THE VOICE OF THE LORD, AND DID NOT CARRY OUT HIS WRATH AGAINST AMALEK [….] MOREOVER, THE LORD WILL DELIVER ISRAEL ALONG WITH YOU INTO THE HAND OF THE PHILISTINES; AND TOMORROW YOU AND YOUR SONS WILL BE WITH ME. WITH ME < means >: In my section < of heaven >. When he heard this, (according to vs. 20): IMMEDIATELY SAUL FELL FULL LENGTH TO THE GROUND, FOR HE WAS TERRIFIED BECAUSE OF SAMUEL'S WORDS. Abner and Amasa said to him: What did Samuel say to you? He said to them: He said to me: Tomorrow you will go down to battle and be victorious. In addition, your sons will be appointed their superiors. Resh Laqish said: At that time the Holy One called the ministering angels. He said to them: Come and see the creature that I have created in my world. By universal custom when one goes to a banquet house, he does not take his children with him for fear of the evil eye; but this one, when he is going down to battle and knows that he will be killed, takes his sons with him, and is happy over the divine justice that is striking him.¹⁹M. Pss. 7:2. R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: < Lev. 21:1: SPEAK UNTO THE PRIESTS. These words > teach that the Holy One showed Moses every generation and its expositors, every generation and its judges, every generation and its kings; and he showed him Saul and his sons falling by the sword.²⁰Tanna deve Eliyahu Zuta, 6; cf. Sanh. 38b; AZ 5a, according to both of which the expositors and other generational leaders were shown to Adam. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, will the first king to stand over your children be pierced by the sword? He said to him: Moses, < why > are you telling me? Tell the priests whom he killed. < They are the ones > who are denouncing²¹Gk.: kategorein. him. Our masters have taught: That righteous man (i.e., Saul) was killed for five sins. Thus it is stated (in I Chron. 10:13): SO SAUL DIED FOR HIS TRANSGRESSION WHICH HE COMMITTED AGAINST THE LORD:

(Lev. 9:1:) AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE EIGHTH DAY. This text is related (to Ps. 92:13 [12]): THE RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL FLOURISH (rt.: PRH) LIKE THE PALM…. This is Aaron, of whom it is stated (in Numb. 17:23 [8]): [AND THERE] THE STAFF OF AARON OF THE HOUSE OF LEVI HAD SPROUTED (rt.: PRH). In the case of all the < other > trees, one plants them and they grow up by themselves (as single trees); but in the case of the palm, one plants it and it sends up sprouts on all sides. So it was in the case of Aaron. He planted and sprouts came up. These were Aaron's sons (i.e., according to I Chron. 6:35–36 [50–51]): HIS SON ELEAZAR, HIS SON PHINEHAS, HIS SON ABISHUA, < HIS SON BUKKI,…. > (Ps. 92:13 [12]): THE RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL FLOURISH (rt.: PRH) LIKE THE PALM. Where did he plant < them >? (Ps. 92:14 [13]): < THEY ARE > PLANTED IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. (Lev. 8:33): AND YOU SHALL NOT GO OUT FROM THE DOOR OF THE TENT OF MEETING < FOR SEVEN DAYS >. It is therefore stated (in Lev. 9:1): AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE EIGHTH DAY.

4) (Vayikra 8:3): ("And assemble all of the congregation at the door of the tent of meeting": Do it in the presence of the entire congregation so that they accord honor to the priesthood. (Vayikra 8:4): "And Moses did as the L–rd commanded him.": Just as Moses had set forth the (sacrificial) service of the sanctuary, he set forth the service of the Cohanim and the Levites, the vestments of each (Cohein) according to his (sacrificial) function.

4) (Vayikra 8:3): ("And assemble all of the congregation at the door of the tent of meeting": Do it in the presence of the entire congregation so that they accord honor to the priesthood. (Vayikra 8:4): "And Moses did as the L–rd commanded him.": Just as Moses had set forth the (sacrificial) service of the sanctuary, he set forth the service of the Cohanim and the Levites, the vestments of each (Cohein) according to his (sacrificial) function.

(Lev. 21:1:) THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: SAY UNTO THE PRIESTS < …, AND SAY UNTO THEM >.²²A somewhat awkward translation of this verse and others that follow is necessary, because the midrash is concerned with the double use of the verb “say/said” (rt.: ‘MR). R. Johanan said: Wherever it says: SAY < …, > AND SAY, it must be interpreted.²³Tanh., Lev. 8:5; Lev. R. 26:8; see Lam. R. 1:13 (41); Meg. 16a. (Esth. 7:5:) THEN SAID KING AHASUERUS, AND HE SAID TO QUEEN ESTHER. Why SAID < … > AND HE SAID? He said to her; If this (Haman) is the man, well and good; but if not, they have said that he is.²⁴Buber’s fifth Oxford ms (Hunt 74 Uri Nc No. 2337) reads, “They have said to me that he is.” The first two parallels mentioned in the previous note have, “But if not, say that he is.” R. Abbin said: Before < the king > came to know about her being Jewish, he talked with her through an interpreter; when he came to know about her, he began to talk with her by himself. Similarly (in I Kings 20:28): THEN THE MAN OF GOD SAID UNTO {AHAB} THE KING OF ISRAEL, AND SAID: THUS SAYS THE LORD. Why SAID < …, > AND SAID?²⁵ySanh. 11:7/5 (30c). He was saying to him (with the first SAID): When Ben-hadad falls into your hand, you shall not take pity on him. A second saying: He said to him: Be aware of how many nets and enticements I set out for him before he comes into your hand. So now, if he is missing, (according to vs. 42) IT WILL BE YOUR LIFE FOR HIS LIFE AND YOUR PEOPLE FOR HIS PEOPLE. [Similarly] (in Ezek. 10:2): THEN HE SAID UNTO THE PERSON CLOTHED IN LINEN, AND SAID: GO IN AMONG THE WHEEL WORK, < UNDER THE CHERUB >. < The Holy One > said unto the angel, and the angel said to the cherub. He said to him: The Holy One has commanded me, but I do not have the authority to enter your section < of heaven >; so do me a favor and give me two burning coals. Immediately (in vs. 7), HE TOOK SOME AND PUT THEM INTO THE HANDS OF THE ONE WHO WAS CLOTHED IN LINEN. R. Pinhas said: He cooled them and gave them to him.²⁶Cf. Yoma. 77a. R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: Two burning coals were being quenched in Gabriel's hand for two years and a half. He was thinking that Israel would repent. When they did not do so, he sought to hurl them and destroy them. The Holy One said to him: Gabriel, do not act. There are among the children of Adam those who are repenting and doing acts of righteousness with each other. Thus it is stated (in vs. 8): AND THERE THE CHERUBIM APPEARED TO HAVE THE FORM OF A HUMAN HAND²⁷A symbol of the almsgiving. < UNDER THEIR WINGS >. Ergo (in vs. 2): SAID < …, > AND SAID. So also here (in Lev. 21:1:) SAY UNTO THE PRIESTS…, AND SAY. The first saying is for the unclaimed corpse, for which < a priest > may become unclean; and the second is for other < corpses >, for which he may not become unclean.

5) "shall you sit": similar to "shall you dwell" — whence it was ruled: He eats in the succah and drinks in the succah and walks in the succah and brings his vessels to the succah. ("seven) days": This tells me only of days. Whence do I derive nights (for inclusion)? It follows thus: "seven" is written here, and also in respect to the tent of meeting (Vayikra 8:35 "And at the door of the tent of meeting you shall sit day and night"). Just as there nights were equated with days, so, here.

5) (Vayikra 8:6): "And Moses drew near Aaron and his sons and he washed them with water.": At that time they merited the laving of hands and feet and the immersions of Yom Kippur.

(Lev. 12:6): AND WHEN THE DAYS OF HER PURIFICATION ARE FULFILLED, FOR EITHER A SON OR FOR A DAUGHTER, SHE SHALL BRING A LAMB IN ITS FIRST YEAR FOR A BURNT OFFERING…. Why does she bring an offering?²¹Tanh., Lev. 4:4. Our masters have said: She screams a hundred times when she sits on the birthing chair, < since there are > ninety-nine < chances > for death and one for life.²²Exod. R. 46:2; Lev. R. 27:7; Tanh., Lev. 8:11; PRK 9:6. And when the pangs arrive for her, she vows that she will never favor her husband < with sexual intercourse > again. She therefore brings an offering,²³Because of the impetuous oath. So Nid. 31:b. as stated (ibid.): SHE SHALL BRING A LAMB IN ITS FIRST YEAR….

[(Lev. 21:1:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES: SAY UNTO THE PRIESTS.] What is written after this passage (in vs. 10)? AND THE PRIEST THAT IS HIGHEST AMONG HIS BROTHERS.²⁸Tanh., Lev. 8:4; Lev. R. 26:9. Why is he called by the name HIGH?²⁹THE PRIEST THAT IS HIGHEST, without the addition, AMONG HIS BROTHERS, would normally be translated, HIGH PRIEST. Because he was highest (literally: greatest) in five areas: In beauty, in strength, in wealth, in wisdom, and in age.³⁰TYoma 1:6; Yoma 18a; see yYoma 1:3 (39a); cf. ‘Eduy. 2:9; Avot. 6:8. In regard to beauty, because he was more handsome than his brothers. In regard to strength, because he was heroic in strength. Come and consider Aaron. When he waved the Levites (as in a wave offering), he waved twenty-two thousand in one day. How did he wave them? Back and forth, up and down. Ergo: He was highest in strength. Also in regard to wealth, because if he had not been wealthy, his brother priests would have made him wealthy. There is a story about Pinhas the Stone Cutter. When they appointed him high priest, his brother priests went out and saw him cutting stone. So they would not permit him to continue, but filled the quarry before him with gold dinars.³¹Lat.: denarii. [And where is it shown] that, if he had nothing, his brother high priests would magnify (rt.: GDL) him? Where it is stated (in an alternate translation of Lev. 21:10): AND THE PRIEST THAT IS HIGHEST (rt.: GDL) BECAUSE OF HIS BROTHERS. And < this rule applies > not to the high priest alone, but to the king as well. And so you find in the case of David, when he went to fight with Goliath the Philistine, Saul said to him (in I Sam. 17:33): YOU CANNOT GO UNTO < THIS > PHILISTINE … David said to him (in vs. 34–36): YOUR SERVANT TENDED HIS [FATHER'S] SHEEP; < AND WHEN A LION OR A BEAR CAME AND CARRIED OFF A LAMB FROM THE FLOCK, > I WOULD GO OUT AFTER IT, SMITE IT, < AND DELIVER IT OUT OF ITS MOUTH >…. < YOUR SERVANT > SMOTE BOTH THE LION AND THE BEAR, < AND THIS UNCIRCUMCISED PHILISTINE SHALL BE AS ONE OF THEM >…. Saul said to him: And who told you that you could slay him? David replied: Hunting³²Gk.: kynegia. has trained me, Papa. (Vs. 37:) THE LORD WHO DELIVERED FROM THE PAW OF THE LION… < WILL DELIVER ME FROM THE HAND OF THIS PHILISTINE >. Immediately (we read in vs. 38): SAUL CLOTHED DAVID WITH HIS MILITARY GARMENTS…. Now it is written (in I Sam. 9:2): HE WAS A HEAD TALLER³³More literally: TALLER FROM HIS SHOULDERS ON UP. THAN ANY OF THE PEOPLE. When he had clothed him in his garments and seen that they were made for him, he immediately cast a jaundiced eye at him. When David saw that he had offended Saul, he said to him (in I Sam. 17:39): I CANNOT {GO FORTH} [GO] IN THESE, FOR I AM NOT USED TO THEM. Here you learn that even though a person may be short, when he is appointed king, he becomes tall. Why? Because as soon as he is anointed with the anointing oil, he becomes superior to his brothers. David said: I rejoiced over the anointing oil with which I was anointed, in that I shall never move away from my glory. It is so stated (in Ps. 16:9): SO MY HEART REJOICES, AND MY GLORY EXALTS; MY FLESH ALSO DWELLS IN SAFETY.

6) (Vayikra 8:7) "And he put upon him the kutoneth and he girded him with the avneit, etc." (See Shemoth 29): We are hereby taught that Moses was made an aid to Aaron. And just as he was made his aid in his lifetime, so, he was made his aid in his death. And he would dress him and he would undress him, as it is written (Bamidbar 20:25): "Take Aaron and Elazar his son… (Bamidbar 20:26) and strip Aaron of his vestments, etc." And whence is it derived that Moses did this? From (Bamidbar 20:27): "And Moses did as the L–rd commanded, and they went up to Hor Hahar … (Bamidbar 20:28) and Moses stripped Aaron of his vestments." Now how could Moses strip his vestments in order and dress Elazar in order. Do not the outer garments remain outer garments, and the inner garments remain inner garments? (i.e., We see from Scripture that Aaron did not die until he saw Elazar dressed in the priestly vestments. Is it possible that Aaron stood naked until Elazar donned all the eight vestments?) This transpired miraculously. Variantly: The Holy One Blessed be He accorded him greater honor in his death than in his life. Moses stood him on a rock and stripped him of his priestly vestments, and vestments of the Shechinah clothed him in their stead. Moses stripped his vestments (in order) and clothed Elazar with them in order.

Another interpretation (of Exod. 22:24 [25]:) IF YOU LEND MONEY <TO MY PEOPLE, TO THE POOR PERSON WITH YOU, YOU SHALL NOT ACT TOWARD HIM AS A CREDITOR. > What is the difference between a human act and an act of the Holy One? When someone human is in debt to a comrade, he says: Give me what you have on hand. He says to him: I have nothing now. They immediately have a quarrel and humiliate each other. But the Holy One is not like that. Thus you find that in the summer the day borrows from the night until the summer solstice.³¹Below, Lev. 8:2; Exod. R. 31:15. Then from the summer solstice until the winter solstice the night borrows from the day. Where is it shown? <Where> David said (in Ps. 19:3 [2]): ONE DAY POURS OUT SPEECH TO ANOTHER. The former is lending to the latter and the latter is lending to the former; but no one hears what the difference is between them, as stated (in vs. 4 [3]): THERE IS NO UTTERANCE; THERE ARE NO WORDS…. But when humans lend to each other, one hears quarreling. The Holy One said to Moses: Go and say to those Israelites: Although you lend to each other, you shall not treat <the borrower > with contempt.

(Lev. 22:27:) WHEN A BULL OR A SHEEP OR A GOAT IS BORN…. This text is related (to Ps. 36:7 [6]): YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS LIKE THE MIGHTY MOUNTAINS; YOUR JUDGMENTS ARE LIKE THE GREAT DEEP.³⁴Tanh., Lev. 8:5; also above, Gen. 2:8; below, Numb. 1:1. < YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS LIKE THE MIGHTY MOUNTAINS. > These are the righteous ones, in that they have been compared with mountains, where it is stated (in Micah 6:2): HEAR, O MOUNTAINS, THE LAWSUIT OF THE LORD…. (Ps. 36:7 [6], cont.:) AND YOUR JUDGMENTS ARE LIKE THE GREAT DEEP. These are the wicked, since it is stated (in Ps. 136:15): BUT OVERTHREW PHARAOH AND HIS HOST IN THE REED SEA.

Another interpretation (of Ps. 36:7 [6]): YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS LIKE THE MIGHTY MOUNTAINS (literally: MOUNTAINS OF GOD); < YOUR JUDGMENTS ARE LIKE THE GREAT DEEP >. R. Ishmael and R. Aqiva < differ > {say}: [R. Ishmael says:] Since the righteous (rt.: TsDQ) carry out the Torah, which was given from THE MOUNTAINS OF GOD, [the Holy One treats them with a charity (rt.: TsDQ) LIKE THE MOUNTAINS OF GOD. But since the wicked do not carry out the Torah, which was given from THE MOUNTAINS OF GOD,] the Holy One deals strictly with them, even unto the great deep. There are a lot of interpretations for this verse, but in order not to be tiresome, < I am stopping here >.³⁸As Buber explains in his note, these words from the copyist explain his omitting the rest of the section. Buber has filled in the following bracketed section from parallel texts, mainly from Tanh., Lev. 8:5. [R. Aqiva says: The Holy One is as strict with the former as with the latter. From the righteous he collects for a few evil works which they have committed in this world, in order to render them full payment in the world to come; while he gives prosperity in abundance to the wicked and pays them for the few good works that they have done in this world, in order to punish them in the world to come. Rabbi Meir says: < Scripture > has spoken metaphorically of the righteous in their abode, and it has spoken metaphorically of the wicked in their abode.³⁹Above, Gen. 2:8, and the note there. It has spoken metaphorically of the righteous in their abode, even as stated (in Ezek. 34:14): I WILL FEED THEM IN A GOOD PASTURE, AND UPON THE MOUNTAINS OF THE LOFTY ONE OF ISRAEL SHALL BE THEIR FOLD. And it has spoken metaphorically of the wicked in their abode, as stated (in Ezek. 31:15): THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD: IN THE DAY THAT HE WENT DOWN TO SHEOL, I CAUSED HIM TO MOURN (he'evalti); I COVERED HIM WITH THE DEEP. The Written Text is "I led" (hovalti) (not I CAUSED… TO MOURN [he'evalti]).⁴⁰Gen. R. 33:1; Exod. R. 14:2. So interpreted the verse means: “I led him < into Gehinnom >. R. Judah bar Ammi told a parable: One does not make a cover for a vat of silver, gold, bronze, iron, [or of lead], but of clay, because that is a material of the same sort. Similarly, the Holy One said: Gehinnom is darkness, as stated (in Ps. 35:6): LET THEIR PATH BE DARKNESS AND SLIPPERINESS, WITH THE ANGEL OF THE LORD PURSUING THEM. Moreover, the deep is darkness, as stated (in Gen. 1:2): WITH DARKNESS UPON THE FACE OF THE DEEP. And the wicked are darkness, as stated (in Is. 29:15): FOR THEIR WORKS ARE IN DARKNESS; SO THEY SAY: WHO SEES US? AND WHO KNOWS ABOUT US? So let darkness come and cover darkness, just as you have said (in Eccl. 6:4): FOR IT COMES IN VANITY AND GOES IN DARKNESS; EVEN ITS NAME IS COVERED IN DARKNESS.]

7) (Vayikra 8:8) "And he placed the choshen upon him.": This section was learned for its time and for future generations (for the donning of the priestly vestments) for the daily service and for the Yom Kippur service. (It is just that) every day he serves in the golden vestments, and on Yom Kippur, in the white (linen) vestments.

(Lev. 8:1-2:) “Then the Lord spoke [unto Moses]…, ‘Take Aaron and his sons along with him, the vestments […].’” This text is related (to Ps. 65:5), “Fortunate is the one You choose and bring near, to dwell in Your courts.” Fortunate is the one whom the Holy One, blessed be He, has chosen, even though He has not brought him near. And fortunate is the one whom He has brought near, even though He did not choose him. Now which was this one whom He chose? This was Abraham. It is so stated (in Neh. 9:7), “You are the Lord, the God who chose Abram….” However He did not bring him near. Instead he brought himself near. In the case of Jacob, the Holy One, blessed be He, chose him, as stated (in Is. 41:8), “Jacob, whom I have chosen.” It also says (in Ps. 135:4), “For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself.” But He did not bring him near. Instead he brought himself near. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 25:27), “but Jacob was a perfect man dwelling in tents.” Moses He chose but did not bring near, as stated (in Ps. 106:23), “[…] had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach.” David He chose but did not bring near, as stated (in Ps. 78:70), “He chose David, His servant.” [But] he brought himself near, as stated (in Ps. 119:63), “I am a companion to all who fear You.” Fortunate are those whom the Holy One, blessed be He, chose, even though He did not bring them near. Come and see [concerning] Jethro. The Holy One, blessed be He, brought him near, but He did not choose him. In the case of Rahab the Harlot, He brought her near but did not choose her. Aaron was doubly fortunate because the Holy One, blessed be He, chose him and brought him near. Where is it shown that He chose him? Where it is stated (in I Sam. 2:28), “And I chose him from all the tribes of Israel to be My priest.” And where is it shown that He brought him near? Where it is stated (in Exod. 28:1), “And you shall bring near unto yourself your brother Aaron.” Therefore, David praised him (in Ps. 65:5), “Fortunate is the one You choose and bring near, to dwell in Your courts.”

[(Gen. 8:1:) THEN GOD REMEMBERED NOAH.] This text is related (to Ps. 36:7 [6]): YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS LIKE THE MIGHTY MOUNTAINS (literally: MOUNTAINS OF GOD); < YOUR JUDGMENTS ARE LIKE THE GREAT DEEP; HUMAN AND BEAST YOU DELIVER, O LORD >.²⁸Tanh., Lev. 8:5; Gen. R. 33:1; Exod. R. 14:2; Lev. R. 27:1; Numb. R. 1:1; PRK 9:1. < The passage> is speaking allegorically about the righteous in their dwelling and speaking allegorically about the wicked in their dwelling. It speaks allegorically about the righteous [in their dwelling]. (So in Ezek. 34:14:) I WILL FEED THEM IN A GOOD PASTURE, [AND UPON THE MOUNTAINS OF] < THE LOFTY ONE OF ISRAEL SHALL BE THEIR FOLD >. It speaks allegorically about the wicked [in their dwelling]. (So in Ezek. 31:15:) THUS SAYS THE LORD [GOD]: IN THE DAY THAT HE WENT DOWN TO SHEOL, I CAUSED HIM TO MOURN; [I COVERED HIM WITH THE DEEP]. R. Judah bar Hama said: With what does one cover a vat? With < a lid of > its own kind < of material >. Certainly not with another article of silver or gold! Thus Sheol is darkness, and the deep which covers it is darkness. The wicked also, who are in its midst, are darkness, as stated (in Is. 29:15): AND THEIR WORKS ARE IN DARKNESS. Darkness will come, and darkness will cover < them up >.

[Another interpretation] (of Ps. 36:7 [6]): YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS LIKE THE MIGHTY MOUNTAINS; < YOUR JUDGMENTS ARE LIKE THE GREAT DEEP >. R. Judah bar Simon said: The righteous act which you did with Noah in the ark was LIKE THE MIGHTY MOUNTAINS.⁴¹Tanh., Lev. 8:6; Lev. R. 27:1. [Thus it is stated] (in Gen. 8:4): AND THE ARK CAME TO REST IN THE SEVENTH MONTH, ON THE SEVENTEENTH DAY OF THE MONTH, UPON THE MOUNTAINS OF ARARAT. And the JUDGMENTS are those which you rendered with his generation and carried out strictly with them as far as THE GREAT DEEP. [Thus it is stated] (in Gen. 7:11): ON THAT DAY ALL THE SPRINGS OF THE GREAT DEEP BURST FORTH. Moreover, when you remembered him, you did not remember him alone, as stated (in Gen. 8:1): THEN GOD REMEMBERED NOAH, ALL THE BEASTS, AND ALL THE CATTLE.

8) (Vayikra 23:20) ("And the Cohein shall lift them on the bread of the first fruits, a lifting before the L–rd, on the two lambs. Holy shall they be to the L–rd, to the Cohein.") "And the Cohein shall lift them on the bread of the first fruits": I might think that the bread is to be beneath them; it is, therefore, written "on the two lambs." If "on the two lambs," I might think that the bread is to be on top of the lambs; it is, therefore, written "on the bread of the first fruits." The matter, then, must be weighed. What do we find elsewhere? (Vayikra 8:26) That the bread is on top. Here, too, the bread is on top. R. Yossi b. Mushulam says: The lambs are (placed) on top of the bread. And how am I to understand "on the two lambs"? To exclude the seven (mentioned above from "lifting." Chanina b. Achinas says: He places the two breads between the thighs of the lambs and lifts, thereby satisfying both of these verses — the bread on the lambs and the lambs on the bread. Rebbi said: We would not do so before a king of flesh and blood. Should we do so before the Holy One Blessed be He? Rather, he places one beside the other and lifts, (the word "on" in Hebrew being susceptible to the signification "with.")

(Lev. 8:2) “Take Aaron and his sons.” It is written (in Prov. 3:35), “The wise shall inherit glory, but fools take up shame.” This verse functioned from the beginning of the world until now. “The wise shall inherit glory.” This refers to Noah and his children. “But fools take up shame.” This refers to the generation of the flood. “The wise shall inherit glory. This refers to Shem of whom it is stated (in Gen. 9:26), “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem.” “But fools take up shame.” This refers to Ham of whom it is stated (in Gen. 9:25), “And he said, ‘Cursed be Canaan (the son of Ham).’” “The wise shall inherit glory.” This refers to Abraham. “But fools take up shame.” This refers to the kings whom he smote (in Gen. 14:15). “The wise shall inherit glory.” This refers to Isaac. “But fools take up shame.” These are the people of Gerar. “The wise shall inherit glory.” This refers to Jacob. “But fools take up shame.” This refers to Esau. “The wise shall inherit glory.” This refers to Joshua. “But fools take up shame.” These are the thirty-one kings whom he smote (according to Josh. 12:24). “The wise shall inherit glory.” This refers to David. “But fools take up shame.” This refers to Goliath. “The wise shall inherit glory.” This refers to Eli. “But fools take up shame.” These are his sons, of whom it is stated (in I Sam. 2:12), “Now Eli's sons were scoundrels.” “The wise shall inherit glory.” These are the sons of Aaron of whom it is stated (in Lev. 8:2), “Take Aaron and his sons….” Why is “take” mentioned here? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “I am indebted in taking. Hence you are to arise and magnify him through taking.” And when did Aaron take (such that God was indebted to him for it)? When (in Numb. 17:11) wrath had gone forth upon ‘those who hate Israel’ (a euphemism for Israel), Moses said to him, “Why are you standing [here]? (At the beginning of the verse), ‘Take the fire pan, and put fire [from the altar] on it.’” Aaron said to him, “My Lord Moses, do you wish to kill me? Because my sons offered profane²⁶Hedyotut, from the Gk.: idioteia, i.e., “uncouthness.” fire to the Holy One, blessed be He, they were [destroyed by fire], as stated (in Lev. 10:1-2), ‘[Now Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu each took his fire pan…;] and they offered alien fire before the Lord…. So fire came forth from before the Lord and consumed them.’ Now you are saying, ‘Take the fire pan!’ My sons brought in strange fire and were destroyed by fire. So should I bring forth holy fire outside? Would I not die or be destroyed by fire?” Moses said to him, “Go and act quickly; for as you are talking, they are dying. Rather (according to Numb. 17:11, cont.), ‘Take it quickly unto the congregation and make atonement for them.’” When Aaron heard that, he said, “If I die for Israel, I would not be adequate (for such a great honor).” Immediately (in Numb. 17:12) “Aaron took it as Moses had said.” Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses (in Lev. 8:2) “’Take Aaron.’ Magnify him through taking. Just as Aaron [is going to] save My children by taking, so you are to magnify him through taking.” Ergo (in Lev. 8:2:) “Take Aaron.”

(Numb. 20:7-8:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses saying, ‘Take the rod... and you shall provide the congregation and their cattle with water.” From here it is shown that the Holy One, blessed be He, is concerned for Israel's wealth.⁹⁶Numb. R. 19:9. (Ibid., vs. 10:) “So Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation before the rock.” [This verse] teaches that each and every person sees himself as if he were standing at the rock. And similarly it says (in Lev. 8:3), “And assemble the whole congregation at the entrance of the tent of meeting.” And so too when they crossed the Jordan, all of Israel fit in between the two poles of the ark, as stated (in Josh. 3:9), “And Joshua said to the Children of Israel, ‘Come closer and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” And it is [also] written (in Josh. 8:33), “All Israel [...] stood on either side of the ark.” Here also all Israel was standing and seeing the miracles which happened at the rock [in front of them]. They began to say, “Moses knows the natural properties of rock. If he wants, he will bring forth water out of this [other] one.” Moses found himself confronted with a dilemma: If he would listen to them, he would disregard the words of the Omnipresent; and the Holy One, blessed be He, (according to Job 5:13) “Catches the wise in their own cunning.” As for the whole of these forty years Moses had been keeping himself from becoming angry with them, because he was afraid of the oath that the Holy One, blessed be He, had sworn (in Deut. 1:35), “Not one of these people from this evil generation shall see [the good land].” They said to him, “Here is a rock. Just as you wish to bring [water] from another rock, you should bring it from this one.” He gave a command to them (in Numb. 20:10), “Please listen, you rebels, shall we bring forth [water for you] from this rock.” What is the meaning of “hamorim (rebels)?” There are many understandings of it. Hamorim is rebels; hamorim is fools, as in the islands of the sea they call fools, morim. Some say hamorim are those that [inappropriately] instruct their teachers. Hamorim [can also be] arrows, as stated (in I Sam 31:3), “and some of the arrows (morim) struck him, men with bows.” (Numb. 20:11:) “Then Moses raised his hand and struck.” [When] he struck one time, the rock began dribbling a little water, as stated (in Ps. 78:20), “See, he struck a rock, and water trickled out (yazuvu),” like a person with a discharge (zav), in that it dribbles [in] drops. They said to him, “Son of Amram, is this water for nursing children or for babes weaned from milk?” Immediately, he became angry with them, struck it (according to Numb. 20:11) “twice [with his rod], and a lot of water came forth.” Yet for all that, Moses only made [water] from the rock that the Holy One, blessed be He, had told him. And how do we see that they also brought out water from the rock that Israel had said to him and every rock and stone that was in that place? It is so stated (in Ps. 78:15), “He split rocks in the desert.” Moshe already had his [sin] in his hand; because [the Children of Israel] were silent and did not sing praise, they were [also] caught.

(Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh.” This text is related (to Ps. 5:5), “For You are not a God who delights in wickedness. [This verse is] to teach you that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not delight in convicting a person, as stated (in Ezek. 33:11), “As I live, says the Lord, it is not My delight for the wicked to die.” In what does He delight? In vindicating (rt.: tsdq) His people. Thus it is stated (in Is. 42:21), “The Lord was delighted because of His [servant's] vindication (tsdq)…,”⁴⁰This is the interpretation of the midrash and of the new JPS translation. [i.e.] because of His people's vindication (tsdq)] and not [their] conviction. So also you find that in the case of the first Adam, when he created him, He set him in the Garden of Eden. Then He gave him a command and said to him, “Eat this, but do not eat from this, for (according to Gen. 2:17) ‘on the day that you eat from it, you shall surely die.’” [When] he transgressed, he brought a sentence⁴¹Gk.: apophasis. upon himself. [And then] the Sabbath came, and He acquitted him.⁴²Heb.: pinnahu. This word means “removed him” as well as “acquitted him.” In other words, Adam’s acquittal meant that his sentence was reduced from death to removal from the Garden. So M. Pss. 92:3. He began to talk with him [about] whether he would repent. It is so stated (in Gen. 3:9), “The Lord God called unto Adam and said, ‘Where are you?’” [This means, “What is your state?”] The Lord can only mean the quality of mercy, as stated (in Exod. 34:6), “The Lord, the Lord is a merciful and gracious God.” For him He had the quality of mercy precede the quality of strict justice. Ergo (in Ps. 5:5), “For You are not a God who delights in wickedness,” in that He does not delight in convicting a person. He began to talk with him, as stated (in Gen. 3:11-12), “Who told you that you were naked? Then the man said, ‘The woman….’” He left Adam alone and began to talk with the woman, as stated (in vs. 13), “Then the Lord God said to the woman….” But when He came to the serpent He did not talk with him. Instead He immediately gave him a sentence, as stated (in vss. 14–15), “So the Lord God said unto the serpent, ‘Because you have done this …. I will put enmity between you [and the woman]….’” [Then] He returned to the woman and said to her (in vs. 16), “I will greatly multiply your pain in pregnancy.” And when He returned to the man, He did not convict him. Rather He intimated to him that he should repent. Where is it shown? R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Levi, “When He said to him (in vs. 19), ‘By the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread, [until you return …].’ ‘You return’ can only be mean repentance, since it is stated (in Hos. 14:2), ‘Return O Israel, to the Lord your God, as you have stumbled in your iniquity.’” When [Adam] did not repent, He expelled him from the Garden of Eden, as stated [(in Gen. 3:24), “And He drove out the man.” Ergo I would say (in Ps. 5:5), “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness.” What is the meaning of (ibid., cont.), “evil may not abide with You.” R. Tanhuma bar Hanila'i in the name of R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Johanan, “Before the Holy One, blessed be He, stand only angels of peace and angels of mercy, but the angels of wrath are far from Him. It is so stated (in Numb. 14:15), ‘the Lord, of long patience.’ Do we not already know that He is of long patience? But rather what is the meaning of He is ‘of long patience?’ That the angels of wrath are far from Him, as stated (in Is. 13:5), ‘They come from a far land from the end of the heavens, even the Lord and the weapons of his wrath.’” Another interpretation (of Ps. 5:5, cont.), “evil may not abide with You”: R. Johanan said, “If you do not pursue evil, evil will not pursue you, nor will it dwell with you. Ergo, (Ps. 5:5, cont.), ‘evil may not abide with You,’ as ‘abide with You,’ can only mean dwelling, as stated (Exodus 2:48), ‘And if a stranger dwells with you.’” Another interpretation (of Ps. 5:5, cont.), “evil may not abide with You”: R. Eleazar ben Pedat said in the name of R. Johanan, “The name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not mentioned in connection with evil but only in connection with good.” You know that it is so. When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the light and the darkness and gave them names, [Scripture] mentioned His name in connection with the light but did not mention His name in connection with the darkness.⁴³Gen. R. 1:6. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 1:5), “And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night.” Behold, it mentioned His name with the light; but when it comes to the dark it doesn’t say, “and God called the darkness night,” but “He called [the darkness] night.” So also you find that, when He created Adam and Eve, [Scripture] mentioned His name in connection with them, as stated (in Gen. 1:28), “Then God blessed them…”; but when He cursed them, it did not mention His name in connection with them. [Thus it is stated] (in Gen. 3:16-17), “And unto the woman He said […]. And unto Adam He said.” Now if you say [that] behold, [Scripture] mentioned [His name] in connection with the serpent when He cursed him, since it is written (in Gen. 3:14), “So the Lord God said unto the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, more cursed shall you be’”; the sages have taught thus: The Holy One, blessed be He, has mentioned His name in connection with three things, even though they stood for evil: In connection with the inciter, i.e., the serpent, since he incited the woman and said (in Gen. 3:5), “’For God knows that on the day that you eat from it, your eyes shall be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil,’ like Him. Just like He created His world, you [two] will be able to create worlds like Him. [But He doesn’t want this,] as every artisan hates his fellow [artisan].” So because he incited her and spoke slander, [Scripture] mentions His name in connection with [the serpent]. In connection with one who transgresses the words of the sages, as is stated (in Jer. 11:3), “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Cursed is the one who does not heed the words of this covenant.’” In connection with one who puts his trust in flesh and blood, as stated (in Jer. 17:5), “Thus says the Lord, ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in a human being, who makes flesh his strength and whose heart turns from the Lord.’”
So also you find in the case of Noah, [that Scripture used (God’s) name] when he blessed his sons, as stated (in Gen. 9:26), “And he said, ‘blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem…;’” but when he cursed Canaan, [Scripture did not mention the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, in connection with him], as stated (in vs. 25), “And he said, ‘Cursed be Canaan….’” So also you find in the case of Elisha the prophet, that when the king of Aram came to fight against Israel, he consulted with his servants and made pits [to trap] them. He said, “When Israel comes to fight against us, they will fall into the pits,” as stated (in II Kings 6:8-9), “When the king of Aram was fighting against Israel, [he consulted with his servants, saying, ‘My camp shall be in such and such a place.’ But the man of God sent unto the king of Israel [saying], ‘Take care [not to pass this place, because the Aramaeans are camping there.]’” So the Holy One, blessed be He, does nothing (according to Amos 3:7) without having revealed His purpose unto His servants the prophets. When Israel passed by once and twice without falling in, the king of Aram took notice and said to his servants (in II Kings 6:11), “Will you not tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?” His servants said to him (in vs. 12-14), “’[It is because] Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words which you speak in your bedroom.’ So he said, ‘Go and see [where he is, so that I can send and seize him,’ and it was told to him, saying, ‘Behold he is in Dothan.’ Then he sent horses and chariots and a heavy force there.” Immediately Elisha’s youth rose and saw that horses, riders and a force encircled the city. Immediately he cried out (in vss. 15-16), “and said [unto him], ‘Alas, my Lord, what shall we do?’ Then he said, ‘Fear not, for there are more with us than with them.’” Immediately Elisha prayed and mentioned the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in vs. 17), “Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘Lord, please open his eyes and let him see’; so the Lord opened the eyes of the servant and he saw, and there was the hill full of fiery horses and chariots round about Elisha!” Immediately Elisha arose and cursed the Aramaeans (in vs. 18), and he said, “’Please smite this nation with a blinding light’; so He smote them with a blinding light according to the word of Elisha.” Now [Scripture] did not mention the name, but when [Elisha] prayed over them again for their eyes to be opened, he said (in vs. 20), “O Lord, open the eyes of these men that they may see.” Ergo, the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is mentioned in connection with good, but not with evil. So also you find that when the prophet saw the four chariots that were compared to the four kingdoms (that would rule over Israel), [it states (in Zech. 6:1),] “and I lifted my eyes, and behold, four chariots were coming out between the two mountains….” But when it spoke about the redemption, [it states (in Zech. 2:3),] “Then the Lord showed me four smiths.” So also you find that when the five angels of destruction came to destroy Jerusalem, as stated (in Ezek. 9:2), “And here were six persons coming by way of the upper gate [which faces north, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand]”; Gabriel was sent with them, as it is written (in Ezek. 10:2), “Then He spoke unto the person clothed in linen and said, ‘Go in among the wheelwork.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Gabriel, “Fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city,” as it is written (in Ezek. 10:2), “Then He spoke unto the person clothed in linen and said, ‘Go in among the wheelwork [under the cherub, and fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim, and scatter them over the city].’”⁴⁴Cf. below, Lev. 8:5. Gabriel came and stood at the wheel. The cherub said to him, “What do you desire?” He said to him, “Thus and so has the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded me.” He said to him, “Take [them].” He said to him, “You put them in my hand.” Immediately (according to Ezek. 10:7), “Then the cherub stretched out his hand from among the cherubim [unto the fire that was among the cherubim…].” R. Johanan said in the name of R. Simeon ben Johay, “If the coals had not been cooled off [while passing] from the hand of a cherub to the hand of Gabriel, there would not have remained of the enemies of Israel (a euphemism, meaning Israel) a [single] survivor or refugee.”⁴⁵Yoma 77a. For more details, see Lam. R. 1:13 (41). So the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to do what was evil, not by Himself, but through an angel. In the age to come, however, He will do what is good by Himself, as stated (in Ezek. 36:25), “I will sprinkle pure water upon you….” Ergo (in Ps. 5:5), “For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not abide with You.” What is the meaning of (Ps. 5:5) “and evil may not abide with You?” [It is] that [Scripture] does not cause the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, to rest upon evil, except for two [evil] sayings upon which the Holy One, blessed be He, did cause His name to rest. These are the following: (The first one is Dan. 9:14:) “So the Lord watched over evil and brought it upon us, because the Lord our God is righteous.” Was it because the Lord our God is righteous (tsaddik), that He brought the evil? It is simply that the Holy One, blessed be He, was charitable (tzekekah) to us when He first brought about the exile to Babylon of Jeconiah before the exile of Tsidikiyah. And what was charitable? That He first brought about the exile of Jeconiah to Babylon along with the artisans, the smiths, and all the valiant men. Now [those] descended to Babylon and they established a [framework] for Torah [study]. For if it had not happened like that, the Torah would have been forgotten in the exile. It is simply that those who believed in the words of Jeremiah went forth with the Torah. [They included (according to II Kings 24:16)] “a thousand artisans and smiths.” What is the meaning of “artisans (hrsh)?”⁴⁶Git. 88a; Sanh. 38a; Yalqut Shim‘oni, Dan., 1066. When they opened with words of Torah, all [present] became as those who are (deaf-)mute (hrsh). [And what is the meaning of] “smiths (rt.: sgr)?” After they closed (rt.: sgr) it, there was no one in all Israel who was able to open it. Ergo (in Dan. 9:14), “because the Lord our God is righteous.” So He acted justly during that exile in that He watched over it, and He still performed a great kindness for Israel [with reference to that exile]. How? In [the month of] Tebet they were scheduled to go into exile from Jerusalem, for so does [Scripture] say (in Ezek. 24:1-2), “[Then the word of the Lord came unto me in the ninth year of the tenth month on the tenth day of the month, saying,] ‘Son of man, write down the name of the day, [this very day;] on this very day [the king of Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem].’” What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He said, “If they go forth now in the cold, they will die.” What did He do for them? He waited for them and sent them into exile during the summer. This is what the prophet says (in Jer. 8:13), “I will utterly gather them, says the Lord.” "Gather" ('sp) can only mean "exile," since it is stated (in Micah 2:12), “I will gather Jacob, all of you.” Hence, this too was a great kindness. Now, the second [evil saying associated with the name of the Holy One, blessed be He] is (Ezek. 9:4:) “And the Lord said unto him, ‘Pass through the midst of the city, [through the midst of Jerusalem and mark (the letter) taw⁴⁷The last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For various interpretations of its meaning, see the parallel version in Shab. 55a. on the foreheads of those people who moan and groan over all the abominations] ….’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Gabriel, “Go and write an ink taw upon the foreheads of the righteous, so that the angels of destruction will have no dominion over them. Then upon the foreheads of the wicked write a blood taw so that the angels of destruction will have dominion over them.” [The] prosecution⁴⁸Gk.: kategoria, i.e., “accusation,” “charge.” Here the concept is hypostatized as a separate being. came in before the Holy One, blessed be He, [and said to him], “Master of the world, how do the former differ from the latter?” He said to it, “The former are completely righteous, and the latter are completely wicked.” It said to Him, “It was in their power to protest, but they did not protest.” He said to it, “It was revealed and known to Me that, if they had protested, [the sinners] would not have accepted their [protest].” It said to Him, “Master of the world, if it was revealed and known in front of You, was if revealed in front of them? Hence they should have protested against them and demeaned themselves for the sanctification of Your name and take beatings from Israel upon themselves, just as the prophets endured [them].” So look at how many woes Jeremiah suffered from Israel; also Isaiah, of whom it is written (in Is. 50:6), “I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to the tearers of hair.” And [so with] the rest of the prophets. Immediately (in Ezek. 9:6) He spoke again to the angels of destruction, “[Kill off] old folk, youth ….” This also was a kindness, in that the Holy One, blessed be He, mitigated His wrath [by striking out] against Jerusalem, as stated (in Lam. 4:11), “The Lord has completed (klh) His wrath.” For if He had not done so, all Israel would have received a verdict of destruction (klyh). Ergo (in Ps. 5:5), “and evil may not abide with You,” because the Holy One, blessed be He, does not cause His name to rest upon evil. So also even in the case of the wicked of Israel, He allotted them glory and did not mention them for evil. When He came to the offerings, He said to Moses (in Lev. 1:2), “Speak unto the Children of Israel and say unto them, ‘When one of you presents an offering to the Lord,’” [i.e.] “from Israel” and not from the idolaters. However, when He came to mention leprosy spots, He said (in Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has,” only saying “anyone.” Ergo (in Ps. 5:5), “and evil may not abide with you.”

Alexander of Macedon went off [to the king of Qatsia] beyond the Mountains of Darkness.⁴⁴Tanh., Lev. 8:6; Lev. R. 27:1; PRK 9:1; Tamid 32ab. He arrived at the province named Carthage, which was entirely < inhabited by > {strange things} [women]. They came out to meet him. They said to him: If you wage war with us and are victorious against us, your name will go forth in the world as one who destroyed [a province of] women; but if we wage war with you and conquer you, your name will go forth in the world for having women wage war with you and conquer you. Then you will never again stand up to < another > kingdom. When he went away, he wrote over the entrance⁴⁵Gk.: pylai. gate: I, King Alexander of Macedon, was a fool until I came to the province of Carthage and learned < to take > counsel from women. He went to another province named Africa. They came out to meet him [with golden apples], with golden pomegranates, and with golden bread. He said to them: Is gold eaten in your land? They said to him: {Did you not have anything to eat} [Was it not like this for you] in your own country, why did you come to us?⁴⁶Cf. Tamid 32b: “If you wanted < regular > bread, did you have no bread in your own place to eat that you should have taken < to the road > and come here? He said to them: I have not come to see your wealth. Rather I have come to see your laws. While they were sitting < there >, two men came before the king for judgment. One said: Your majesty, I bought a deserted building from this man; and when I cleaned it out, I found a treasure in it. So I said to him: Take your treasure, because I < only > bought a deserted building. I did not buy a treasure. But the other said: Just as you are afraid of a punishment for robbery, so likewise am I afraid of punishment for robbery; for when I sold you the deserted building, I sold you whatever was in it from under the ground up to the heavens. The king summoned one of them. He said to him: Do you have a son? He said: < Yes, > I do. He called the other one. He said to him: Do you have a daughter? He told him: Yes. < The king > said to them: {So let them marry} [Let them go and marry] one another. Then both of them will use up the treasure. Now Alexander began to be amazed. The king said to him: What reason do you have to be amazed? For did I not judge well? He told him: Yes. He said to him: If this case had arisen in your land, what would you have done about it? He said to him: We would have killed this one and the other one. Then the treasure would go to the house of the king. He said to him: But does the sun shine upon you? He told him: Yes. And does the rain come down upon you? He told him: Yes. Are there perhaps < some > small cattle in your land? He told him: Yes. He said to him: Woe to that man! It is for the sake of small cattle that the sun shines for you and that the rain comes down upon you. [So it for the sake of the small cattle that you are saved.] Thus it is written (in Ps. 36:7 [6], cont.): HUMAN AND CATTLE YOU SAVE, O LORD. For the sake of the small cattle you are saved.

9) (Vayikra 8:10): "And Moses took the oil of anointment and he anointed the mishkan and all that was in it, and he sanctified them.": R. Yehudah says: Many miracles were wrought with the anointing oil that Moses compounded in the desert — from beginning to end. For in the beginning there were only twelve logs of oil. A hin of olive-oil (viz. Shemoth 30:24) does not suffice for the anointment of the roots (of the incense). How much is burnt by the fire? How much is absorbed by the roots? How much is absorbed by the kettle (in its compounding)? And yet with it were anointed Aaron and his sons all the seven days of investiture, and with it were anointed the mishkan and all of its vessels, and with it were anointed high-priests and kings. And even a high-priest the son of a high-priest requires anointment. And a king the son of a king is not anointed. And why was Solomon anointed? Because of the contention of Adoniyahu. And Yehoash? Because of the contention of Ataliah. And Yehoachaz? Because of Yehoyakim, who was two years older than he. And that oil remains intact for time to come, viz. (Shemoth 20:31): "Holy anointing oil shall this (zeh) be to me throughout your generations. (The gematria [numerical equivalent] of "zeh" is twelve [logs]).

(Lev. 8:2:) “Take Aaron and his sons.” This text is related (to Prov. 20:7), “The one who walks in his integrity is righteous; blessed are his children after him.” This refers to Aaron and his children. If this interpretation is so,²⁷Reading KN for MN, as suggested in Midrash Tanhuma (Jerusalem: Eshkol, n.d.), p. 500, n. 3. The Buber text is more awkward, but means essentially the same: “If [this interpretation results] from this saying.” Moses also was righteous, but his children were not like him. And Eli also was righteous, but his children were not like him. And Samuel [was] righteous, but his children were not like him, as stated (I Sam. 8:3), “But his sons did not walk in his ways.” So why do you say [of Aaron] (in Prov. 20:7), “The one who walks in his integrity is righteous; blessed are his children after him?” Because during his lifetime he saw his sons after him serving in the high priesthood. Therefore (in Lev. 8:2) “Take Aaron and his sons.” Another interpretation (of Lev. 8:2) “Take Aaron and his sons.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (i.e., to Moses), “Entice him with words, because he is fleeing from [the priestly] office.” Take can only be a word [implying] persuasion, for so did Nebuchadnezzar²⁸The Masoretic Text throughout Jer. 39 reads “Nebuchadrezzar.” say to Nebuzaradan (concerning Jeremiah in Jer. 39:12), “Take him and look after him.”²⁹Since Jeremiah was being taken for his own good, he would not have been taken by force but by persuasion. So also it (i.e., Scripture) speaks of our mother Sarah (in Gen. 12:15), “and the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house,” as she did not seek to go. So also with Dinah, [it states] (Genesis 34:2), “and he took her and lay with her,” as she did not seek to go. And also (here in Lev. 8:2), “Take Aaron” is language [implying] persuasion because he was fleeing from office.

R. Tanhuma opened < his discourse > (with Job 41:3 [11]): WHO HAS ADVANCED ME ANYTHING? I SHALL REPAY HIM. EVERYTHING UNDER THE HEAVENS IS MINE.⁴⁹Tanh., Lev. 8:7; Lev. R. 27:2; PRK 9:2. This refers to a bachelor who dwells in a province and gives an allowance to Bible and Mishnah teachers.⁵⁰In elementary school one studied Bible under a sopher, or scribe. Secondary school involved the study of Oral Torah. Since a bachelor has no children, the money he gives is an act of charity. The Holy One said: It is for me to pay him the compensation of a male child. R. Jeremiah bar Eleazar said: There is going to be a heavenly voice (bat qol) that shall explode on the tops of the mountains and say: Whoever has done < something > along with God, let him come and receive his reward. [This is what is written (in Numb. 23:23): NOW (in the age to come) IT IS SAID FOR JACOB AND FOR ISRAEL: WHAT HAS GOD DONE?] The Holy Spirit also proclaims (in Job 41:3 [11]): WHO HAS ADVANCED ME ANYTHING? I WILL REPAY HIM. Who offered me praise⁵¹Qilles. Cf. the Greek, kalos (“beautiful”). before I gave him breath? Who has performed circumcision for me before I gave him a male child? Who made a tassel for me before I gave him a prayer shawl? Who made a parapet (in accord with Deut. 22:8) for me [before I gave him a roof? Who made a mezuzah] before I gave him a house? Who made a sukkah for me before I gave him room? Who set aside pe'ah before I gave him a field? Who set aside grain offering and tithe before I gave him a threshing floor? Who set aside first fruits, tithes, and sacrifice before I gave him cattle? [This is what is written] (in Lev. 22:27): WHEN A BULL OR A SHEEP OR A GOAT < IS BORN…. >

Rabbi Berachiyah said in the name of Rabbi Abbah Bar Kahana expounding on the verse about Aaron. At the time when the Israelites were about to commit the act [make the golden calf] they first came to Chur, and they said to him: "Make us a god!" Since he did not listen to them, they rose up and slew him. This is why it's later written in the prophets: "Also in your wings we find the blood of the souls of the innocent and the poor etc." This refers to the blood of Chur. . . . " Afterwards, they went to Aaron and said to him: "Make us a god." Aaaron had heard about what they did to Chur, and became afraid. It is therefore written: "Aaron was frightened and built an alter before them." Aaron was frightened that he might be the one who was going to be slaughtered. Aaron said, what should I do? They've already killed Chur, and he was was a prophet. Now if they kill me, the priest, they will fulfill the word later written in scripture: "Should priest and prophet be slain in the sanctuary of YHWH (Eicha 2:20)." If they kill me, they will all be exiled. Here is another interpretation (Davar Acher): Aaron saw this, and built an altar before it (Exodus 32:5). What did he see? He saw the situation playing out like this: If they build it, one will bring a pebble, another a larger stone, and they will finish the building of the idol in one day. If I build it, then I can delay and dally, and give time for our teacher Moses to come down the mountain and then destroy this idol worship. And if I build it, I can dedicate it to the name of the Holy one Blessed be God, therefore it is written: "Aaron called and said this shall be a festival for YHWH." It is not written a feast for the calf, but a feast to YHWH. Another interpretation: "And Aaron saw this, etc." What did he see? He saw the situation playing out as follows: "If they build it the sin will be upon them, but if it will be better if I build it, so that the sin should be upon me and not the people. Rabbi Abba Bar Yodan said in the name of Abbah, we can give a parable that demonstrates this. It's like the son of a king who became filled with pride in his heart and took a sword and rose up to try and cut his father. The son's tutor said to him: Don't trouble yourself, leave it to me and i'll do cut him for you." The king saw the tutor and said to him: "I know what your intention was, it was that you believed it better that the sin should be upon you than upon my son. As you live, you shall not leave my palace, and that which remains over from my table, you shall eat it, and you will receive twenty four perks. So too with Aaron: "You shall not leave my palace" is compared to "He shall not go out of the sanctuary Leviticus 21:12"And that which remains of the table, you shall eat it" is compared to: "That which is let of the meal-offering shall be Aaron's and his sons (Leviticus 2:3)." The twenty four perks is paralleled to the twenty four gifts of the priesthood assigned to Aaron and his sons. . . .

10) "And he anointed the mishkan and all that was in it": Not as the anointment of Aaron and his sons, where after he clothed them he anointed them, viz. (Tehillim 133:2): "As the goodly oil upon the head." I might think that he anointed them (the vestments) before he clothed them; it is, therefore, written (Tehillim 133:2): "descending (from his beard) upon his vestments." But, in the anointing of the other vessels, each vessel required anointment in itself, viz. (Vayikra 8:11): "And he anointed the altar and all of its vessels, and the laver and its base, to sanctify them" — whereby we are taught that each vessel required anointment in itself.

10) "And he anointed the mishkan and all that was in it": Not as the anointment of Aaron and his sons, where after he clothed them he anointed them, viz. (Tehillim 133:2): "As the goodly oil upon the head." I might think that he anointed them (the vestments) before he clothed them; it is, therefore, written (Tehillim 133:2): "descending (from his beard) upon his vestments." But, in the anointing of the other vessels, each vessel required anointment in itself, viz. (Vayikra 8:11): "And he anointed the altar and all of its vessels, and the laver and its base, to sanctify them" — whereby we are taught that each vessel required anointment in itself.

(Lev. 8:1–2:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE < UNTO MOSES >…: TAKE AARON AND HIS SONS ALONG WITH HIM, THE VESTMENTS < …. > This text is related (to Ps. 65:5 [4]): BLESSED IS THE ONE YOU CHOOSE AND BRING NEAR TO DWELL IN YOUR COURTS. Blessed is the one whom the Holy One has chosen, even though he has not brought him near.³⁹Tanh., Lev. 2:8. And Blessed is the one whom he has brought near, even though he did not choose him. Now which was this one whom he chose? This was Abraham. {However he did not bring him near; instead he brought himself near to him.} It is so stated (in Neh. 9:7): YOU ARE THE LORD, THE GOD WHO CHOSE ABRAM…. [However he did not bring him near. Instead he brought himself near.] In the case of Jacob, the Holy One chose him, as stated (in Is. 41:8): JACOB, WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN. It also says (in Ps. 135:4): FOR THE LORD HAS CHOSEN JACOB FOR HIMSELF. But he did not bring him near. Instead he brought himself near. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 25:27): BUT JACOB WAS A PERFECT MAN DWELLING IN TENTS. Moses he chose but did not bring near, as stated (in Ps. 106:23): < …, > HAD NOT MOSES HIS CHOSEN ONE < STOOD IN THE BREACH >,…. David he chose but did not bring near, as stated (in Ps. 78:70): HE CHOSE DAVID, HIS SERVANT. He also brought himself near, as stated (in Ps. 119:63): I AM A COMPANION TO ALL WHO FEAR YOU. Blessed are those whom the Holy One chose, even though he did not bring them near. Come and see Jethro. The Holy One brought him near, but he did not choose him. In the case of Rahab the harlot, he brought her near but did not choose her. Aaron was doubly blessed because < the Holy One > chose him and brought him near. Where is it shown that he chose him? Where it is stated (in I Sam. 2:28): AND I CHOSE HIM [FROM ALL THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL TO BE MY PRIEST]. And where is it shown that he brought him near? Where it is stated (in Exod. 28:1): AND YOU SHALL BRING NEAR UNTO YOURSELF YOUR BROTHER AARON < AND HIS SONS ALONG WITH HIM,… TO SERVE ME AS PRIESTS >. Therefore, David praised him (in Ps. 65:5 [4]): BLESSED IS THE ONE YOU CHOOSE AND BRING NEAR < TO DWELL IN YOUR COURTS >.

(Lev. 8:3:) “And assemble the whole congregation.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Pay him honor in front of all Israel, in order that they may see him today when he enters the high priesthood. [In addition,] you are to warn them not to rebel against the priesthood like Korah and his crowd (in Numb. 16:1-35). For I know that Uzziah is going to arise and rebel against the priesthood (in II Chron. 26:16-21).” Thus it is stated (in Numb. 17:5), “It was to be a reminder to the Children of Israel that no outsider [who was not of Aaron's seed] should draw near [to offer incense before the Lord].” He (i.e., Uzziah) was not of Levi's seed, as Korah was [of Levi's seed], and not of Aaron’s seed. Immediately (in II Chron. 26:19), “Uzziah, holding the censer and ready to burn incense, got angry; but as he got angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead.” [So Moshe] said to [God], “According to the judgement that You did to Korah You would do to him?” He said to him, “No, (Numb. 17:5, cont.), ‘let him not be like Korah and his crowd.’” He said to Him, “And how do You act toward him?” He said to him (ibid., cont.), “as the Lord spoke to him through Moses.” [So] he said to Him, “And what is that?” He (the Holy One, blessed be He,) said to him (Moses), “Just as I did to your hand (in Exod. 4:6), ‘and when he withdrew it, behold it was leprous, (as white) as snow’; so will I do to him.” Therefore (in Lev. 8:3), “And assemble the whole congregation”.

R. Jacob bar Zavday in the name of R. Abbahu opened < his discourse > (with Ezek. 29:16): AND IT SHALL NO MORE BE A SOURCE OF SATISFACTION AGAINST THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL TO RECALL INIQUITY (i.e., the iniquity of the golden calf).⁵²Tanh., Lev. 8:8; Lev. R. 27:3; PRK 9:3. It is also written (in Is. 6:2): ABOVE HIM STOOD THE SERAPHIM….WITH TWO HE COVERED HIS FACE, so as not to look at the Divine Presence, WITH TWO HE COVERED HIS FEET, so that the face of the Divine Presence would not see them, since it is written (in Ezek. 1:7): AND THE SOLE OF THEIR FEET WAS LIKE THE SOLE OF A CALF'S FOOT.⁵³Cf. Hag. 13b. Thus (according to Ezek. 29:16): AND IT SHALL NO MORE BE A SOURCE OF SATISFACTION AGAINST THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL TO RECALL INIQUITY.⁵⁴In other words, the seraphim covered their calf feet, lest they recall the sin of the golden calf.

11) (Vayikra 8:13): "And Moses drew near the sons of Aaron, and he clothed them with kutanoth.": Just as Moses was made an aid to Aaron, so he was made an aid to his sons. Just as he was appointed over the vestments of Aaron, so he was appointed over the vestments of his sons, as it is written (Shemoth 29:2): "and you shall make consecrated garments for Aaron your brother, for honor and for glory," and (Shemoth 29:8): "And his sons shall you draw near and dress them in kutanoth."

[(Lev. 8:2:) TAKE AARON AND HIS SONS.] It is written (in Prov. 3:35): THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY, [BUT FOOLS TAKE UP SHAME.] This verse functioned in the beginning of the world.⁴⁰Cf. Tanh., Lev. 2:9: “from the beginning of the world until now.” THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY. This refers to Noah and his children. BUT FOOLS TAKE UP SHAME. This refers to the generation of the flood. There is also this interpretation (of Prov. 3:35): THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY. This refers to Shem of whom it is stated (in Gen. 9:26): BLESSED BE THE LORD, THE GOD OF SHEM. (Prov. 3:35, cont.): BUT FOOLS TAKE UP SHAME. This refers to Ham of whom it is stated (in Gen. 9:25): AND HE SAID: CURSED BE CANAAN (the son of Ham).

(Lev. 8:3:) “And assemble the whole congregation.” He said to him, “Where?”³⁰See Lev. R. 10:9; cf. Gen. R. 5:7. He said unto him, “Unto the door of the tent of meeting.” Moses our master said to him, “Master of the world, [there are] sixty myriads of adults and sixty myriads of young people. How will I have them stand at the opening of the tent of meeting? [The area is] only the size of a field requiring of two seah of seed; yet you are saying (in Lev. 8:3:), ‘And assemble the whole congregation?’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Are you surprised about this thing? Are the heavens not like a cataract on the eye? And [yet] I made them [to stretch] from one end of the world to the other, as stated (in Is. 40:22), “Who has stretched out the heavens like a curtain [and spread them out like a tent to dwell in].’ And also in the world to come I will do likewise for Zion. How will all those populations³¹Gk.: ochloi. from the first Adam until the dead rise [have room to] stand? Then they are going to say (in Is. 49:20), ‘The place is too crowded for me; make room for me to dwell.’ What shall I do for them? I shall enlarge it, as stated (in Is. 54:2), ‘Enlarge the site of your tabernacle.’” From where do you learn [so]? From Mount Sinai. When the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared upon it, it immediately expanded, as stated (in Ps. 68:18), “The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; [the Lord is among them on Sinai].” R. Avdimi of Haifa said, “I have learned in my mishnah: When the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared on Mount Sinai to give the Torah, twenty-two thousand chariots came down with him.³²PRK 12:22; PR 21:7; Exod. R. 29:2. R. Berekhyah the Priest said, “[It was] since the Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that none would remain in their faith except the tribe of Levi. He therefore came down [with a number] corresponding to the camp of the Levites (according to Numb. 22:39).” R. Jannay said to him, “If so, it must be written about the tribe of Levi, ‘The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousand.’ What is [then] the meaning of, ‘The chariots (rt.: rkb) of God are myriads?’ It is simply that twenty-two thousand chariots came down with the Holy One, blessed be He, with each and every chariot like the chariot which Ezekiel saw (Ezek. 1:19–21). And [yet] it (i.e., Mt. Sinai) contained them? Indeed the event was a miracle. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Become wider (rt.: rhb) and longer to receive My children, [who are] faithful children.” And so you find in the world to come, that the Holy One, blessed be He, will widen (rt.: rhb) Jerusalem, as stated (in Ezek. 41:7), “And it became wider (rt.: rhb) as it wound about higher (lm'lh),” until it was rising to the heavens.³³See PRK 20:7. On the enlargement of Jerusalem in the age to come, cf. BB 75b. Now, “higher (m'lh)” can only mean heaven (shmym). Thus it is stated [(in Ps. 108:5), “For Your kindness is great, above (m'l) [heaven (shmym)”].³⁴Note that the Mss. reading (in the braces) adds an extra H to the Masoretic Text. Thus the H appears at the end of M‘L to make M‘LH. When it (i.e., Jerusalem) reaches the heavens, it says (in Is. 49:20), “The place is too crowded for me.” Nevertheless, the Holy One, blessed be He, brings clouds and raises it up from the heavens to the firmament, [from the second (heaven) to the third, from the third to the fourth, from the fourth to the fifth, from the fifth to the sixth, and from the sixth to the seventh.] R. Eliezer ben Jacob said, “[The elevation of Jerusalem continues] until it reaches the throne of glory. But how are they (the Israelites) to ascend? By the time the higher one goes up, the lower one [needs to] eat and drink and sleep. So what does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He will bring clouds and will have them fly, as stated (in Is. 60:8), ‘Who are these that fly like a cloud?’” Then each and every one of the righteous will have a canopy (huppah) for himself. Thus it is stated (in Is. 4:5), “for over [all] the glory there shall be a canopy (huppah).” When it reaches the throne of glory, the Holy One, blessed be He, shall say to them, “I and you shall walk through the world [together], as stated (in Lev. 26:12), “And I will walk among you.” The Holy One, blessed be He, will dwell in the middle and the righteous shall point to Him with their finger. It is so stated (in Is. 25:9), “In that day they shall say, ‘See, this is our God; we waited for Him, and He delivered us […].’” It also says (in Ps. 48:15), “For this is God, our God, for ever and ever; He will lead evermore.” Because the nations say (in Deut. 32:37), “And He will say, ‘Where are their gods’”; Israel shall therefore say in the future (in Ps. 48:15), “For this is God, our God, for ever and ever; He will lead evermore.”

(Numb. 2:2:) “Each with his standard, under the banners for their fathers' house.” [This text is related] (to Job 36:3), “I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and justify my maker.” It was only necessary to say, "under the banners shall the Children of Israel camp.⁵⁵Numb. R. 2:8. Then what is the significance of saying (in Numb. 2:2), “under the banners [for their fathers' house].” Simply that when our father Jacob departed from this world, he said to them (in Gen. 47:30), “When I sleep with my ancestors, you are to take me up from Egypt and bury me in their grave.” He went around to all his sons, blessed them, and gave them a charge. He said to them, “When you take me, you are to take me with reverence and honor. Let no other person, neither one of the Egyptians nor one of your children, touch my bier, because there are some among them who have taken [wives] from the daughters of Canaan.⁵⁶Cf. Gen. R. 84:21; PRK 39, according to which there was no such intermarriage. And so it says (in Gen. 50:12-13), “So his children did for him just as he had commanded them. And his children brought him up to the land of Canaan.” His children, but not his grandchildren (who were forbidden to touch the bier)! How did he charge them? He said to them, “Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun shall carry my bier on the East; Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, on the South; Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, on the West; Dan, Asher, and Naphtali, on the North. Joseph is not to carry [at all], because he is a king; and you must impart honor to him. Nor is Levi to carry. Why? Because he will carry the ark (aron), and whoever carries the ark of the One who lives forever is not to carry a coffin (aron) of the dead. If you do this and carry my bier, just as I have charged you, the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to have you encamp by the various standards.” When he passed away, they carried him just as he had charged them. It is so stated (in Gen. 50:12), “So his children did for him just as he had commanded them.” What is written next (in vs. 13)? “And his children brought him up to the land of Canaan.” When Israel went forth from Egypt, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Now is the time for them to make standards, just as their father had proclaimed to them that they were going to make standards.” Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Make those standards for my name.” Immediately Moses began to be concerned. He said, “There is going to be dissension among the tribes. If I tell the tribe of Judah to encamp in the East, they will say, ‘It is impossible for us to encamp anywhere but in the South.’ And so each and every tribe [would act] like that one.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “What concern is that to you? They do not need you in this matter. They will recognize their dwellings by themselves. Why? Because their father's will was in their hand on how to encamp by the standards. I am not establishing something new. They already have their father's arrangements⁵⁷Gk.: taxeis. in their hands. Just as they have taken positions around his bier, so let them take positions around the tabernacle.” Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Numb. 2:2), “Each with his standard, under the banners [for their fathers' house].” How were they encamped? The Levites camped around the tabernacle of witness, with Moses, Aaron, and his children on the East.⁵⁸See Numb. R. 2:10. It is so stated (in Numb. 3:38), “Those who camped before the tabernacle, in front before the tent of meeting to the East, were Moses, Aaron, and his children.” And adjacent to them were Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. Hence they said, “Fortunate is the righteous person and fortunate are his neighbors.”⁵⁹Suk. 56b. See below, Numb. 5:8. This refers to the three tribes (rt.: shbt) which were adjacent to Moses and Aaron.⁶⁰Gen. R. 3:13; Numb. R. 3:12. They became great in the Torah, as stated (in Gen. 49:10), “The scepter (shbt) shall not depart from Judah, nor the inscriber from between his feet.” In the case of Issachar it is written, (in I Chron. 12:33), “And from the Children of Issachar, those who had an understanding of the times,⁶¹The midrash regards UNDERSTANDING as synonymous with Torah. to know what Israel should do; their heads numbered two hundred and all their kindred under their command ('al pihem),” because they harmonize law (halakhah) at their command ('al pihem). [Of Zebulun it is written] (in Jud. 5:14), “and from Zebulun those who wield the scribal pen.” Because they were neighbors [of Torah, embodied by Moses] they all became children of Torah (i.e., Torah scholars). Now on the South were the Children of Kohath (ben Levi), and adjacent to them were Reuben, Simeon, and Gad. Hence they say, “Woe to the wicked person; and woe to his neighbor.”⁶²Suk. 56b; Numb. R. 18:5; ARN, A, 9:1; see Avot 1:7. These are the three tribes which were neighbors of Korah (the grandson of Kohath) and his community in the South. These were destroyed with him in his dissension (as stated in Numb. 16:32), “And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, every person that belonged to Korah, and their property.” On the West were the Children of Gershom (i.e., Gershon ben Levi), with Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin being adjacent to them. And on the North were the Children of Merari (ben Levi), with Dan, Naphtali, and Asher being adjacent to them. Seven clouds of glory were surrounding them, and this was their [method] of travel: There was a sign⁶³Gk.: semeion. for Moses in the cloud when it departed. When it departed, he would say (in Numb. 10:35), “Rise up, O Lord, and may Your enemies be scattered.” Then the cloud would depart. When the cloud departed, they all prepared to travel and put away their implements. Whoever had a domestic beast put them on it; and if [a person] had none, the cloud took the remainder. When they were settled, they blew the trumpets. Then Judah and its standard moved out, first its prince and his tribe after him.⁶⁴CF. Numb. R. 2:7. And as signs for each and every prince there was a flag.⁶⁵Lat. (from the Punic): mappa And from them the empire learned to make a flag. There was also a color for each and every flag, like the color of the precious stones which were on the heart of Aaron. Each and every tribe had its flag dyed like the color of its stone. Then over them were the clouds. Until they were settled, they blew the trumpets. They traveled, and likewise the clouds [traveled over them]. Moreover, something like a kind of beam came out of the cloud, so that they would know in which direction they would be traveling. So was the journey of each and every standard. [When] they finished going to where it wanted them to camp, [since] that cloud which appeared like a kind of beam had, as it were, been traveling independently, they knew that they would camp in that place. [When] clouds of glory stood still for them, they began putting [things] away in their tents where they were to rest. Then the cloud which was over the tabernacle, moved over the camp of the Levites in the middle of the camps. First it stood still. When it stood still, the Children of Kohath and the Children of Levi set up the tabernacle in the presence of all the camps before they came, as stated (in Numb. 10:21), “And they would set up the tabernacle before they came.” When they had set up the tabernacle, each and every one set up [camp] in his [proper] place. Then the clouds of glory stood over them. This was grandeur in the hands of Moses, for the cloud of the glorious Divine Presence did not come down to the tabernacle, until Moses had said (in Numb. 10:36), “Return, O Lord, to the myriad thousands of Israel.” Then the clouds of glory encompassed them. Moreover, the holy spirit says through Solomon (in Cant. 6:4), “You are as beautiful my darling, as (ke) tirzah.” What is the meaning of “ketirzah (ktrtsh, rt.: rtsh)?” That I am pleasing (mtrtsh, rt.: rtsh) to you.⁶⁶Numb. R. 2:5. Another interpretation (of Cant. 6:4), “Ketirzah" (rt.: rtsh) [means] just as you are pleasing (rt.: rtsh) to Me in the sacrifices. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 1:4), “And it shall be pleasing (rt.: rtsh) for Him to atone for him.” (Cant. 6:4, cont.,) “As comely as Jerusalem (yrushlym),” [means] like these ministering angels, in that they feared (rt.: yr') [Me] and were reconciled (rt.: shlm) to Me. (Ibid., cont.,) “Awesome as [hosts] with standards,” like the standards which I gave you. So when David sees [them], he says (in Ps. 147:20), “He has not done so for any nation,” only for it.

[Another interpretation of (Lev. 22:27): WHEN A BULL OR A SHEEP OR A GOAT < IS BORN… >. This text is related] (to Eccl. 3:15): THAT WHICH IS HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. R. Judah and R. Nehemiah differ.⁵⁷Tanh., Lev. 8:9; PRK 9:4; Lev. R. 27:4; Eccl. R. 3:15 (1). R. Judah says: If someone says to you that, if the first Adam had not sinned, he would have remained alive forever, you say to him: Look at Elijah. {Did he sin?} [Since he did not sin,] he has remained alive forever. (Ibid., cont.:) AND THAT WHICH IS TO BE HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. If someone says to you that the Holy One will be raising the dead, say to him: Look, he has already done so through Elijah, through Elisha, and through Ezekiel. [But Rabbi Nehemiah says: If someone says to you that the Holy One is going to make the sea into dry ground, say to him: He has already done so in the days of Moses, as stated (in Exod. 14:29): BUT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WENT THROUGH THE SEA ON DRY GROUND, AND THE WATERS WERE A WALL FOR THEM TO THE RIGHT AND TO THE LEFT.] Moreover, R. Aha said in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman: Everything that the Holy One is going to do in the world to come he has already anticipated and partly done at the hands of the righteous in this world. The Holy One said: I am going to raise the dead. I have already done so at the hands of Elijah, at the hands of Elisha, and at the hands of Ezekiel. The Holy One said: I am going to make the sea into dry ground. I have already done so (ibid.): BUT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WENT THROUGH THE SEA ON DRY GROUND. The Holy One said: I am going to open the eyes of the blind. It has already happened, as stated (in II Kings 6:17): < THEN ELISHA PRAYED AND SAID: LORD, PLEASE OPEN HIS EYES AND LET HIM SEE. > SO THE LORD OPENED THE EYES OF THE SERVANT < AND HE SAW >. The Holy One said: I am going visit barren women. It has already happened, as stated (in Gen. 21:1): THEN THE LORD VISITED SARAH…. The Holy One said: [I am going to make kings bow down to you, as stated] (in Is. 49:23): KINGS SHALL BE YOUR GUARDIANS…. < THEY SHALL BOW DOWN BEFORE YOU, NOSE TO THE GROUND, AND LICK THE DUST OF YOUR FEET. > It has already happened at the hands of Daniel, when Nebuchadnezzar bowed down to Daniel, as stated (in Dan. 2:46): < THEN KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR FELL ON HIS FACE, > PAID HOMAGE TO DANIEL, < AND SAID… >.

Another interpretation (of Prov. 3:35): THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY. This refers to Abraham. BUT FOOLS TAKE UP SHAME. This refers to the kings whom he smote (in Gen. 14:15). THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY. This refers to Isaac. BUT FOOLS TAKE UP SHAME. These are the people of Gerar. THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY. This refers to Jacob. BUT FOOLS TAKE UP SHAME. This refers to Esau and his chiefs. THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY. This refers to Joshua. BUT FOOLS TAKE UP SHAME. These are the thirty-one kings whom he smote (according to Josh. 12:24). THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY. This refers to David. BUT FOOLS TAKE UP SHAME. This refers to Goliath. THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY. This refers to Eli. BUT FOOLS TAKE UP SHAME. These are his sons, of whom it is stated (in I Sam. 2:12): NOW ELI'S SONS WERE SCOUNDRELS. THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY. These are the sons of Aaron, of whom it is stated (in Lev. 8:2): TAKE AARON AND HIS SONS…. Why is TAKE mentioned here? The Holy One said to Moses: I am duty-bound to taking. You are to arise and magnify him through taking. And when did he take Aaron? When (in Numb. 17:11 [16:46]) WRATH HAS GONE FORTH upon those who hate Israel. Moses said to him (at the beginning of the verse): TAKE THE FIRE PAN, AND PUT FIRE < FROM THE ALTAR > ON IT. Aaron said to him: My Lord Moses, do you wish to kill me? Because my sons offered profane⁴¹Hedyotut, from the Gk.: idioteia, i.e., “uncouthness.” fire to the Holy One, they were destroyed by fire, [as stated (in Lev. 10:1–2): < NOW AARON'S SONS, NADAB AND ABIHU EACH TOOK HIS FIRE PAN…; > AND THEY OFFERED ALIEN FIRE BEFORE THE LORD…. SO FIRE CAME FORTH FROM BEFORE THE LORD AND CONSUMED THEM.] Now you are saying: TAKE THE FIRE PAN! My sons brought in strange fire and were destroyed by fire. So should I bring forth holy fire outside? Then I would die or be destroyed by fire. Moses said to him: Go and act quickly; for as you are talking, they are dying. Rather (according to Numb. 17:11 [16:46], cont.) TAKE IT QUICKLY UNTO THE CONGREGATION AND MAKE ATONEMENT FOR THEM. When Aaron heard that, he said: If I die for Israel, am I not adequate? Immediately (in Numb. 17:12 [16:47]) AARON TOOK IT AS MOSES HAD SAID. Therefore, the Holy One said to Moses (in Lev. 8:2:) TAKE AARON. He magnified him through taking. Just as Aaron is going to save his children by taking, so you are to magnify him through taking. Ergo (in Lev. 8:2:) TAKE AARON.

So also you find in the case of Noah, < that Scripture used the name > when he blessed his sons, as stated (in Gen. 9:26): BLESSED BE THE LORD, THE GOD OF SHEM…; but when he cursed Canaan, [< Scripture > did not mention the name of the Holy One in connection with him], as stated (in vs. 25): AND HE SAID: CURSED BE CANAAN…. So also you find in the case of Elisha the Prophet, that when the king of Aram came to fight against Israel, he consulted with his servants and made phossata⁵⁸Heb.: pittasim. Buber believes that the word comes from the Greek, pithos (“wine jar”), which he misspells, pidos. Cf. the parallel version in Yalqut Shim‘oni, II Kings 230, which reads patshin. The present translation follows the suggestion of Jastrow, s.v. pittas, who emends the word to possatin (“ditches”), which comes from the Gk.: phossata or the Lat.: fossata. for them. He said: When Israel comes to fight against us, they will fall into the midst of the phossata {i.e., trenches}, as stated (in II Kings 6:8–9): WHEN THE KING OF ARAM WAS FIGHTING AGAINST ISRAEL, HE CONSULTED WITH HIS SERVANTS, SAYING: MY CAMP SHALL BE IN SUCH AND SUCH A PLACE; BUT THE MAN OF GOD SENT UNTO THE KING OF ISRAEL, [SAYING]: TAKE CARE NOT TO PASS {UNTO} THIS PLACE, BECAUSE THE ARAMAEANS ARE CAMPING THERE. So the Holy One does nothing (according to Amos 3:7) WITHOUT HAVING REVEALED HIS PURPOSE UNTO HIS SERVANTS THE PROPHETS. When Israel passed by once and twice without falling, the king of Aram took notice and said to his servants (in II Kings 6:11): WILL YOU NOT TELL ME WHICH OF US IS FOR THE KING OF ISRAEL? His servants said to him (in vs. 12–14): < IT IS > BECAUSE ELISHA, THE PROPHET THAT IS IN ISRAEL, TELLS THE KING OF ISRAEL THE WORDS WHICH YOU SPEAK IN YOUR BEDROOM. SO HE SAID: GO AND SEE < WHERE HE IS >…. THEN HE SENT HORSES AND CHARIOTS THERE. Immediately (in vss. 15–16): < HIS SERVANT > CRIED OUT⁵⁹CRIED OUT is missing from the Masoretic Text. AND SAID < UNTO HIM >: ALAS, MY LORD, WHAT SHALL WE DO? THEN HE SAID: FEAR NOT, FOR THERE ARE MORE WITH US THAN WITH THEM. Immediately Elisha prayed to the name of the Holy One, as stated (in vs. 17): THEN ELISHA PRAYED AND SAID: LORD, PLEASE OPEN HIS EYES AND LET HIM SEE. SO THE LORD OPENED THE EYES OF THE SERVANT AND HE SAW, AND THERE WAS THE HILL FULL OF FIERY HORSES AND CHARIOTS ROUND ABOUT ELISHA! Immediately Elisha arose and cursed the Aramaeans (in vs. 18), AND HE SAID [PLEASE] SMITE THIS NATION WITH A BLINDING LIGHT; SO HE SMOTE THEM WITH A BLINDING LIGHT ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF ELISHA. Now < Scripture > did not mention the name, but when < Elisha > prayed over them again for their eyes to be opened, he said (in vs. 20): O LORD, OPEN [THE EYES OF THESE MEN THAT THEY MAY SEE.] Ergo: The name of the Holy One is not mentioned in connection with evil. So also you find that, when the angels of destruction came to destroy Jerusalem, as stated (in Ezek. 9:2): AND HERE WERE SIX PERSONS COMING < BY WAY OF THE UPPER GATE WHICH FACES NORTH, EACH WITH HIS WEAPON OF DESTRUCTION IN HIS HAND; AND A CERTAIN ONE IN THEIR MIDST CLOTHED IN LINEN >…; < AND THEY CAME FORWARD AND STOOD BY THE BRONZE ALTAR >; the Holy One said to Gabriel: Fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city, as it is written (in Ezek. 10:2): THEN HE SPOKE UNTO THE PERSON CLOTHED IN LINEN < AND SAID: GO IN AMONG THE WHEELWORK, UNDER THE CHERUB, AND FILL YOUR HANDS WITH COALS OF FIRE FROM AMONG THE CHERUBIM, AND SCATTER THEM OVER THE CITY >….⁶⁰Cf. below, Lev. 8:5. Gabriel came and stood at the wheel. The cherub said to him: What do you desire? He said to him: Thus and so has the Holy One commanded me. He said to him: Take them. He said to him: You put them in my hand. (Ezek. 10:7:) THEN THE CHERUB STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND FROM AMONG THE CHERUBIM < UNTO THE FIRE THAT WAS AMONG THE CHERUBIM…. > R. Johanan said in the name of R. Simeon ben Johay: If the coals had not been cooled off < while passing > from the hand of a cherub to the hand of Gabriel, there would not have remained of the enemies of Israel a < single > survivor or refugee.⁶¹Yoma 77a. For more details, see Lam. R. 1:13 (41). So the Holy One wanted to do what was evil, not by himself, but through an angel. In the age to come, however, he will do what is good by himself, as stated (in Ezek. 36:25): I WILL SPRINKLE PURE WATER UPON YOU…. Ergo (in Ps. 5:5 [4]): FOR YOU ARE NOT A GOD WHO DELIGHTS IN WICKEDNESS; EVIL MAY NOT ABIDE WITH YOU.

12) (Vayikra 8:14): ("And he presented the bullock of the sin-offering, and Aaron and his sons placed their hands on the head of the bullock of the sin-offering.") "And he presented the bullock of the sin-offering": In the beginning, it was not called "the bullock of the sin-offering," viz. (Shemoth 29:1): "And this is the thing that you shall do to them to sanctify them to minister unto Me: Take one young bullock and rams, etc." In its specific accounting it is called "the bullock of the sin-offering," viz. (Shemoth 29:14): "And the flesh of the bullock and its hide and its waste you shall burn in a fire outside the camp — it is a sin-offering." We do not know whether this refers to the sin-offering of Aaron and his sons or to the communal sin-offering. "Take Aaron and his sons with him … and the bullock of the sin-offering" (Vayikra 8:2) tells us that it is the sin-offering of Aaron and his sons and not the communal sin-offering.

12) (Vayikra 8:14): ("And he presented the bullock of the sin-offering, and Aaron and his sons placed their hands on the head of the bullock of the sin-offering.") "And he presented the bullock of the sin-offering": In the beginning, it was not called "the bullock of the sin-offering," viz. (Shemoth 29:1): "And this is the thing that you shall do to them to sanctify them to minister unto Me: Take one young bullock and rams, etc." In its specific accounting it is called "the bullock of the sin-offering," viz. (Shemoth 29:14): "And the flesh of the bullock and its hide and its waste you shall burn in a fire outside the camp — it is a sin-offering." We do not know whether this refers to the sin-offering of Aaron and his sons or to the communal sin-offering. "Take Aaron and his sons with him … and the bullock of the sin-offering" (Vayikra 8:2) tells us that it is the sin-offering of Aaron and his sons and not the communal sin-offering.

[Another interpretation of (Lev. 22:27): A BULL OR A SHEEP < OR A GOAT >. This text is related] (to Micah 6:3): MY PEOPLE, WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU? AND HOW HAVE I WEARIED YOU? TESTIFY AGAINST ME.⁶⁰Tanh., Lev. 8:10; PRK 9:5; Lev. R. 27:6; Numb. R. 10:1. R. Aha said: TESTIFY AGAINST ME (i.e., prove me wrong by keeping the commandments), and receive a reward. (Exod. 20:13 [16]): DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR, and you will receive settlement of accounts. R. Samuel bar Nahman said: On three occasions the Holy One came to dispute with Israel, when the nations of the world rejoiced and said: How can these people dispute with their creator? Now he will finish them off. At that time, when he said to them (in Is. 1:18): PLEASE COME AND LET US DISPUTE TOGETHER, they rejoiced and said: Now he will finish them off. When the Holy One saw that they were rejoicing, he reversed < the punishment > for the better. He said (ibid.): THOUGH YOUR SINS BE AS SCARLET, < THEY SHALL BECOME AS WHITE > AS SNOW < …. > When the nations of the world heard this, they were astonished and said: Is this an answer? Or is this a rebuke? They said: He has only come to amuse himself with his children (and not to dispute with them seriously). The second < occasion > was when he said to them (in Micah 6:2): HEAR, O MOUNTAINS, THE LAWSUIT OF THE LORD < …; > [FOR THE LORD HAS A LAWSUIT WITH HIS PEOPLE, AND HE WILL DISPUTE WITH ISRAEL]. The nations of the world rejoiced and said: Now he will finish them off. When the Holy One saw that, he reversed < the punishment > for the better and said (in Micah 6:5–6): MY PEOPLE, PLEASE REMEMBER WHAT KING BALAK OF MOAB PLOTTED…. WITH WHAT SHALL I COME BEFORE THE LORD?⁶¹Cf. PR 48:1. The nations of the world were astonished and said: Is this an answer? Or is this a rebuke? He has only come to amuse himself with his children. The third < occasion > was when he said (in Hos. 12:3 [2]): THE LORD HAS A LAWSUIT WITH JUDAH [AND WILL PUNISH JACOB ACCORDING TO HIS WAYS]. The nations of the world said: Now the Holy One will finish them off. When the Holy One saw that, he reversed < the punishment > for the better. (Hos. 12:4 [3]:) IN THE WOMB HE GRABBED HIS BROTHER BY THE HEEL…. < The situation > is similar to a woman who complained to the judge about her son. When she {decided} [saw] that the judge was sentencing {her} [the] people to death, [she said]: If I make known the offense of my son, he will say to kill him. What did she do? She hung around [until] he had finished his cases. He said to her? What was your son's offense? She said to him: When he was in my womb, he kicked me. He said to her: But has he done anything to you now? She said: No. He said to her. Be gone! There is no legal offense at all. The nations of the world were astonished [and said]: He has {not} [only] come to amuse himself with his children.

[(Lev. 8:2:) TAKE AARON AND HIS SONS.] This text is related (to Prov. 20:7): THE ONE WHO WALKS IN HIS INTEGRITY IS RIGHTEOUS; BLESSED ARE HIS CHILDREN AFTER HIM. This refers to Aaron and his children.⁴²Tanh., Lev. 2:10. If this interpretation is so,⁴³Reading KN for MN, as suggested in Midrash Tanhuma (Jerusalem: Eshkol, n.d.), p. 500, n. 3. The Buber text is more awkward, but means essentially the same: “If < this interpretation results > from this saying.” Moses also was righteous, but his children were not like him. And Eli also was righteous, but his children were not like him. And Samuel [was] righteous, but his children were not like him. (I Sam. 8:3:) BUT HIS SONS DID NOT WALK IN HIS WAYS. Why do you say < of Aaron > (in Prov. 20:7): THE ONE WHO WALKS IN HIS INTEGRITY IS RIGHTEOUS; < BLESSED ARE HIS CHILDREN AFTER HIM >? Because during his lifetime he saw his sons after him serving in the High Priesthood. Therefore (in Lev. 8:2:) TAKE AARON AND HIS SONS ALONG WITH HIM.

13) "and Aaron and his sons placed their hands on the head of the bullock of the sin-offering.": We find that Aaron and his sons perform semichah (the placing of the hands) on all of their offerings. But because they do so because they are their offerings, the offerings of partners are compared to their offerings, viz.: Just as their offerings require semichah for each of the participants, so the offerings of partners require semichah for each partner.

[Another interpretation of (Lev. 22:27): A BULL OR A SHEEP < OR A GOAT >. This text is related (to Is. 41:24): BEHOLD (hen), YOU ARE NOTHING (me'ayin), AND YOUR WORK IS NOUGHT. AN ABOMINATION SHALL HE CHOOSE AMONG YOU.⁶⁴Tanh., Lev. 8:11; Lev. R. 27:7; PRK 9:6. That (hen) is a Greek word. Hen < in Greek > means "one." You are the one for me [as compared to nothing (me'ayin),] < i.e., > as compared to (min) the nations of the world, who are called "nothing ('ayin),"⁶⁵Since min is commonly abbreviated to me, me’ayin is understood to mean “as compared to nothing” (literally: “than nothing.”) [as it is written} (in Is. 40:17): ALL THE NATIONS ARE AS NOTHING ('ayin) BEFORE HIM. (Is. 41:24, cont.:) AND YOUR WORK IS NOUGHT. R. Levi said: All the good works and consolations which the Holy One is going to bring about with Israel are only {in the name of} [as reward for] a single shout which they shouted on Sinai, when they said (according to Exod. 24:7): ALL THAT THE LORD HAS SPOKEN WE WILL CARRY OUT AND OBEY. (Is. 41:24, cont.:) AN ABOMINATION SHALL HE CHOOSE AMONG YOU. That is the abomination which you made as a molten calf. Of that very abomination, bring me sacrifice, and I will choose you. (Lev. 22:27): A BULL OR A SHEEP OR A GOAT.

Another interpretation (of Lev. 8:2:) TAKE AARON. The Holy One said to him (i.e., to Moses): Entice him with words, because he is fleeing from the < priestly > office. TAKE can only be a word < implying > persuasion, for so did Nebuchadnezzar (sic)⁴⁴The Masoretic Text throughout Jer. 39 reads “Nebuchadrezzar.” say to Nebuzaradan (concerning Jeremiah in Jer. 39:12): TAKE HIM AND LOOK AFTER HIM.⁴⁵Since Jeremiah was being taken for his own good, he would not have been taken by force but by persuasion. So also it (i.e., Scripture) speaks of our mother Sarah (in Gen. 12:15): < SO PHARAOH'S COURTIERS SAW HER AND PRAISED HER TO PHARAOH, > AND THE WOMAN WAS TAKEN TO PHARAOH'S HOUSE. And also (here in Lev. 8:2), TAKE AARON is language < implying > persuasion because he was fleeing from the office.

Rabbi Huna and Rabbi Aḥa bat Ḥanina interpreted the verse according to the opinion of Rabbi Meir regarding the Tent of Meeting. “My dove, in the clefts of the rock,” as they were hidden in the shelter of the Tent of Meeting. “Show me your appearance,” as it is stated: The congregation assembled at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting” (Leviticus 8:4). “Let me hear your voice,” “the people saw and they sang songs of praise” (Leviticus 9:24), they recited a fine song. Because they saw something new, they sang a new song. “For your voice is pleasant,” this is the song. “And your appearance is lovely,” just as it says: “The entire congregation approached and stood before the Lord” (Leviticus 9:5).
Rabbi Tanḥuma said: They interpreted it according to the opinion of Rabbi Meir regarding the Tent of Meeting; I, too, will interpret it according to the opinion of the Rabbis regarding the Temple. “My dove, in the clefts of the rock,” as they were hidden in the shelter of the Temple. “Show me your appearance,” just as it says: “Then Solomon assembled [the elders of Israel… and all the men of Israel assembled themselves to Solomon]” (I Kings 8:1–2). “Let me hear your voice,” just as it says: “It was when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to sound one voice” (II Chronicles 5:13). Rabbi Avin said in the name of Rabbi Abba Kohen ben Delaya: It is written: “The entire people responded together” (Exodus 19:8), and it is written: “The entire people responded in one voice and said” (Exodus 24:3). Until when did that voice stand to their credit? Until, “it was when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to sound one voice.”¹³⁰Because Israel had united in accepting the Torah, they merited to unite to sing praise to God at the building of the Temple (Maharzu). “For your voice is pleasant,” this is the song. “And your appearance is lovely,” these are the offerings, just as it says: “Solomon brought the peace offering that he offered to the Lord, cattle” (I Kings 8:63). What cattle? It was “four of the wagons and eight of the cattle” (Numbers 7:8).¹³¹These cattle had been used to transport the Tabernacle through the wilderness. Once the Temple was built and the Tabernacle was no longer in use, Solomon offered the cattle as offerings (Maharzu).

Rabbi Huna and Rabbi Aḥa bat Ḥanina interpreted the verse according to the opinion of Rabbi Meir regarding the Tent of Meeting. “My dove, in the clefts of the rock,” as they were hidden in the shelter of the Tent of Meeting. “Show me your appearance,” as it is stated: The congregation assembled at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting” (Leviticus 8:4). “Let me hear your voice,” “the people saw and they sang songs of praise” (Leviticus 9:24), they recited a fine song. Because they saw something new, they sang a new song. “For your voice is pleasant,” this is the song. “And your appearance is lovely,” just as it says: “The entire congregation approached and stood before the Lord” (Leviticus 9:5).
Rabbi Tanḥuma said: They interpreted it according to the opinion of Rabbi Meir regarding the Tent of Meeting; I, too, will interpret it according to the opinion of the Rabbis regarding the Temple. “My dove, in the clefts of the rock,” as they were hidden in the shelter of the Temple. “Show me your appearance,” just as it says: “Then Solomon assembled [the elders of Israel… and all the men of Israel assembled themselves to Solomon]” (I Kings 8:1–2). “Let me hear your voice,” just as it says: “It was when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to sound one voice” (II Chronicles 5:13). Rabbi Avin said in the name of Rabbi Abba Kohen ben Delaya: It is written: “The entire people responded together” (Exodus 19:8), and it is written: “The entire people responded in one voice and said” (Exodus 24:3). Until when did that voice stand to their credit? Until, “it was when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to sound one voice.”¹³⁰Because Israel had united in accepting the Torah, they merited to unite to sing praise to God at the building of the Temple (Maharzu). “For your voice is pleasant,” this is the song. “And your appearance is lovely,” these are the offerings, just as it says: “Solomon brought the peace offering that he offered to the Lord, cattle” (I Kings 8:63). What cattle? It was “four of the wagons and eight of the cattle” (Numbers 7:8).¹³¹These cattle had been used to transport the Tabernacle through the wilderness. Once the Temple was built and the Tabernacle was no longer in use, Solomon offered the cattle as offerings (Maharzu).

Moses introduced priestcraft, priesthood, sacrifice, and the law. He introduced priestcraft when he officiated as priest for seven days during the inauguration (of the priesthood); priesthood when He appointed Elazar the son of Aaron to the office of priest in the Temple, as it is said: And the chief over the princes of the Levites was Elazar the son of Aaron the priest (Num. 3:32); sacrifice, for it is said: And Moses made the whole head ram smoke upon the altar; it was a burnt offering (Lev. 8:20); and law, for it is written: And I will give to thee the tablets of stone and the law and the commandments (Exod. 24:12). Balaam instituted gambling, plaiting the hair, sorcery, and unchastity. Hence, Noah was one of four men who introduced four things.

“…seventy shekels according to the holy shekel…” (Numbers 7:13) Seventy in parallel to the seventy nations which descended from him (from Adam). Another explanation. Why seventy? In parallel to the seventy verses from the beginning of the book of Genesis to the curse of the snake. R’ Pichas said: there are two enemies who were not cursed until seventy verses had been completed about them – the snake and Haman the wicked. Regarding the snake, from “In the beginning…” (Genesis 1:1) until “…cursed be you more than all the cattle…” (Genesis 3:14) is seventy verses. Regarding Haman, from “After these events, King Ahasuerus promoted Haman…” (Esther 3:1) until “And they hanged Haman…” (Esther 7:10) is seventy verses. For the purpose of seventy he was hanged on fifty (cubits of wood). Another explanation. In parallel to the seventy holy names from ‘In the beginning’ until the story of the snake. And if you say there is one more (than seventy) “…and you will be like gods…” (Genesis 3:5) is not a holy name. Another explanation. In parallel to the seventy years before Terach gave birth to Avraham, as it says “And Terach lived seventy years…” (Genesis 11:26) Two people lived in two generations for seventy years. Kenan in the first generation, “And Kenan lived seventy years…” (Genesis 5:12) and Terach in the second generation. Another explanation. Parallel to the seventy days which they wept over Yaakov the pious, as it says “…and the Egyptians wept over him for seventy days.” (Genesis 50:3) Another explanation. Parallel to the seventy days of goodness which the Holy One gave to Israel – seven days of Passover, eight days of Sukkot, Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Shavuot and the fifty two days of Shabbat in the solar year make seventy. Another explanation. Parallel to the seventy names of the Holy One, the seventy names of Israel, the seventy names of the Torah, the seventy names of Jerusalem. Another explanation. Parallel to the seventy years that Adam took away from his life and gave to David ben Yishai. It was fit that he live for a thousand years, as it says “…for on the day that you eat thereof, you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) And a day to the Holy One is a thousand years, as it says “For a thousand years are in Your eyes like yesterday, which passed, and a watch in the night.” (Psalms 90:4)

14) (Vayikra 8:15) ("And he slaughtered, and Moses took the blood and he put it on the horns of the altar roundabout with his finger. And he purified the altar, and the (remaining) blood he poured out at the base of the altar, and he sanctified it to make atonement upon it.") "And he slaughtered, and Moses took the blood": All the seven days of miluim Moses served in the high-priesthood. He slaughtered, he sprinkled, he purified, he poured, he atoned. This is the intent of "And he slaughtered, and Moses, took, etc." To what may this be compared? To (the instance of) a princess who was wed as a minor, it being stipulated with her mother that she (the mother) officiate until her daughter had learned (the protocols of majesty). Here, too, Aaron, at first was a Levite, viz.: (Shemoth 4:14): "Is not Aaron your brother the Levite?" When he was chosen to be high-priest, the Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses: You serve Me until Aaron learns (the service). Moses slaughtered and Aaron observed him; he sprinkled (the blood) and Aaron observed him; he sprinkled (the anointing oil on the altar) and Aaron observed him; he purified (the altar) and Aaron observed him; he poured out (the blood at the base of the altar) and Aaron observed him; he atoned and Aaron observed him.

[Another interpretation of (Lev. 22:27): A BULL OR A SHEEP OR A GOAT. This text is related] (to Hos. 7:3): THEY MAKE A KING GLAD WITH THEIR EVIL.⁶⁶Tanh., Lev. 8:11; Lev. R. 27:8; PRK 9:7–8. What did he see in the bull for making it first among the sacrifices? R. Levi said: < The situation > is similar to a matron⁶⁷Lat.: matrona. concerning whom there went forth an evil report in connection with one of the notables in the kingdom. The king looked into the rumors and found no substance in them. What did the king do? He made a great banquet and sat him at the head of those reclining in order to show that the king had looked into the rumors and found no substance in them. [Similarly, because the nations of the world were saying to Israel: You made the calf, the Holy One examined the rumors and found no substance in them.] Therefore [the bull] was made first among the sacrifices. [Thus it is written] (in Lev. 22:27): A BULL OR A SHEEP OR A GOAT.

(Lev. 8:3:) AND ASSEMBLE THE WHOLE CONGREGATION. The Holy One said to Moses: Pay him honor in front of all Israel, in order that they may see him when he enters the High Priesthood.⁴⁶Tanh., Lev. 2:11. In addition, you are to warn them not to rebel against the priesthood like Korah and his crowd (in Numb. 16:1–35). For I know that Uzziah is going to arise and rebel against the Priesthood (in II Chron. 26:16–21). Thus it is stated (in Numb. 17:5 [16:40]): IT WAS TO BE A REMINDER TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THAT NO OUTSIDER < WHO WAS NOT OF AARON'S SEED > SHOULD DRAW NEAR < TO OFFER INCENSE BEFORE THE LORD >…. He (i.e., Uzziah) was not of Levi's seed just as Korah was < not of Levi's seed >. It (i.e., the altar covering of Numb. 17:4 [16:39]) gave him a reminder: What you did to Korah you would do to him. It said to him (ibid., cont.): LET HIM NOT BE LIKE KORAH AND HIS CROWD. He said to it: And how did you act toward him? It said to him (ibid., cont.): AS THE LORD SPOKE TO HIM THROUGH MOSES. He (the Holy One) said to him (Moses): Just as I did to your hand (in Exod. 4:6): AND WHEN HE WITHDREW IT {FROM HIS BOSOM}, BEHOLD IT WAS LEPROUS, < AS WHITE > AS SNOW; so will I do to him (in II Chron. 26:20–21). Therefore (in Lev. 8:3): AND ASSEMBLE THE WHOLE CONGREGATION.

15) "And he slaughtered and Moses took the blood … and he sanctified it (the altar) to make atonement upon it.": I do not know what this atonement is. Moses said (When the L–rd of the world ordained donations for the sanctuary, the Israelites prodded each other and they brought offerings unwillingly.) Moses said: Let this (blood) serve as atonement, that there not be theft in the sanctuary. And thus is it written (Isaiah 61:8): "For I am the L–rd. I love justice and hate theft (even) for (the bringing of) a burnt-offering."

[Another interpretation of (Lev. 22:27): A BULL OR A SHEEP < OR A GOAT >. The BULL was due to the merit of Abraham, of whom it is stated (in Gen. 18:7): THEN ABRAHAM RAN UNTO THE HERD (for a calf to feed his heavenly visitors).⁶⁸Tanh., Lev. 8:12; Lev. R. 17:9; PRK 9:9. The SHEEP was due to the merit of Isaac, of whom it is stated (in Gen. 22:13): AND THERE WAS A RAM (to replace an obedient Isaac as a sacrifice). The GOAT was due to the merit of Jacob, of whom it is stated (in Gen. 27:9): PLEASE GO UNTO THE FLOCK, AND BRING ME TWO GOOD KIDS OF THE GOATS FROM THERE. What is the meaning of GOOD (in reference to the two kids)? R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Helbo: < They are > good for you and good for your children.⁶⁹Gen. R. 65:14; PR 47:4. < They are > good for you, because through them you are blessed;⁷⁰When Jacob brought the meat from the goats to his father, he received a blessing. and they are good for your children because through them atonement is granted you (on the Day of Atonement).

(Lev. 8:3:) AND ASSEMBLE THE WHOLE CONGREGATION…. He said to him: Where?⁴⁷Tanh., Lev. 2:12; see Lev. R. 10:9; cf. Gen. R. 5:7. He said unto him: Unto the door of the Tent of Meeting. Moses our Master said to him: Sovereign of the World, < there are > sixty myriads of adults and sixty myriads of young people. How will I have them stand at the opening of the Tent of Meeting? < The area is > only the size of a field requiring of two seahs of seed; yet you are saying (in Lev. 8:3:) AND ASSEMBLE THE WHOLE CONGREGATION. The Holy One said to him: Are you surprised about this command? Are the heavens not like a cataract on the eye? For I made them < to stretch > from one end of the world to the other, [as stated] (in Is. 40:22): WHO HAS STRETCHED OUT THE HEAVENS LIKE A CURTAIN [AND SPREAD THEM OUT LIKE A TENT TO DWELL IN]. And also in the world to come I will do likewise for Zion. How will all those populations⁴⁸Gk.: ochloi. from the first Adam until the dead rise < have room to > stand? Then they are going to say (in Is. 49:20): THE PLACE IS TOO CROWDED FOR ME; MAKE ROOM FOR ME TO DWELL. What shall I do for them? I shall enlarge it, as stated (in Is. 54:2): ENLARGE THE SITE OF YOUR TABERNACLE? From where do you learn so? From Mount Sinai. When the Holy One appeared upon it, what is written (in Ps. 68:18 [17])? THE CHARIOTS OF GOD ARE MYRIADS, THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS; < THE LORD IS AMONG THEM ON SINAI >…. R. Avdimi of Haifa said: I have learned in my Mishnah: When the Holy One appeared on Mount Sinai to give the Torah, twenty-two thousand chariots came down with him.⁴⁹PRK 12:22; PR 21:7; Exod. R. 29:2. R. Berekhyah [the Priest] said that the Holy One foresaw that none would remain in their teaching (literally: their water) except the tribe of Levi. He therefore came down < with a number > corresponding to the camp of the Levites (according to Numb. 22:39). R. Jannay said: If so, how is it that THE CHARIOTS (rt.: RKB) OF GOD ARE MYRIADS. It is simply that twenty-two thousand chariots came down with the Holy One, with each and every chariot like the chariot which Ezekiel ben Buzi saw (Ezek. 1:19–21); yet it (i.e., Mt. Sinai) contained them. Indeed the event was a miracle. The Holy One said: Become wider (rt.: RHB) and longer to receive my children, < who are > faithful children. And so you find in the world to come, that the Holy One will widen (rt.: RHB) Jerusalem, as stated (in Ezek. 41:7): AND IT BECAME {LONGER} [WIDER] (rt.: RHB) AS IT WOUND ABOUT HIGHER (LM'LH)…, until it was rising to the heavens.⁵⁰See PRK 20:7. On the enlargement of Jerusalem in the age to come, cf. BB 75b. Now, HIGHER (M'LH) can only mean "heaven" (ShMYM). Thus it is stated (in Ps. 108:5 [4]) FOR [YOUR FAITHFULNESS IS] GREAT, ABOVE (M'L) {THE HEAVENS (HShMYM)} [HEAVEN (ShMYM)].⁵¹Note that the Mss reading (in the braces) adds an extra H to the Masoretic Text. Thus the H appears at the end of M‘L to make M‘LH. When it (i.e., Jerusalem) reaches the heavens, it says (in Is. 49:20): THE PLACE IS TOO CROWDED FOR ME…. Nevertheless, the Holy One raises it up from the heavens to the firmament, from the second < heaven > to the third, from the third to the fourth, from the fourth to the fifth, from the fifth to the sixth, and from the sixth to the seventh. R. Eleazar ben Jacob said: < The elevation of Jerusalem continues > until it reaches the throne of glory. But how are they (the Israelites) to ascend? The Holy One will bring clouds and will have them fly. Thus it is stated (in Is. 60:8): WHO ARE THESE THAT FLY LIKE A CLOUD? Then each and every one of the righteous will have a canopy (huppah) for himself. Thus it is stated (in Is. 4:5): FOR THE LORD WILL CREATE OVER THE [WHOLE] SITE OF MOUNT ZION AND OVER ITS ASSEMBLY [< A CLOUD AND SMOKE BY DAY AND THE BRIGHTNESS OF A FLAMING FIRE BY NIGHT >; FOR OVER < ALL > THE GLORY THERE SHALL BE A CANOPY (huppah)]. When it reaches the throne of glory, the Holy One shall say to them: I and you shall walk through the world < together >, as stated (in Lev. 26:12): AND I WILL WALK AMONG YOU. The Holy One will dwell in the middle and the righteous shall < proudly > point him out. It is so stated (in Is. 25:9): IN THAT DAY THEY SHALL SAY: SEE, THIS IS OUR GOD; WE WAITED FOR HIM, AND HE DELIVERED US…. It also says (in Ps. 48:15 [14]): FOR THIS IS GOD, OUR GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER; HE WILL LEAD EVERMORE. Because the nations say (in Deut. 32:37): AND HE WILL SAY: WHERE ARE THEIR GODS? Israel shall therefore say (in Ps. 48:15 [14]): FOR THIS IS GOD, OUR GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER; HE WILL LEAD EVERMORE.

16) (Vayikra 8:16) "And he took all the fat that was upon the innards … (and Moses smoked it on the altar."): From here we learn, from these two sections, (i.e., from the command in Tetzaveh and from its implementation in this section) proper conduct for future generations. For I would say: The bullocks for burning and the he-goats for burning, since they are not eaten, they should be entirely burnt and nothing left over of them for the altar; it is, therefore, written "And he took all the fat, etc." This was their offering for the altar, and the rest of the bullock he burned, viz. (Vayikra 8:17): "And the bullock, with its skin, and its flesh, and its dung, he burned with fire outside the camp."

16) (Vayikra 8:16) "And he took all the fat that was upon the innards … (and Moses smoked it on the altar."): From here we learn, from these two sections, (i.e., from the command in Tetzaveh and from its implementation in this section) proper conduct for future generations. For I would say: The bullocks for burning and the he-goats for burning, since they are not eaten, they should be entirely burnt and nothing left over of them for the altar; it is, therefore, written "And he took all the fat, etc." This was their offering for the altar, and the rest of the bullock he burned, viz. (Vayikra 8:17): "And the bullock, with its skin, and its flesh, and its dung, he burned with fire outside the camp."

(Lev. 22:27, cont.:) IT SHALL REMAIN SEVEN DAYS WITH ITS MOTHER. R. Joshua of Sikhnin < said > in the name of R. Levi. < The situation > is similar to a king who entered a province,⁷¹Tanh., Lev. 8:12; Lev. R. 27:10; PRK 9:10. [where he issued a proclamation] and said: Let no strangers⁷²Gk.: xenoi. who are here see my face before they first see the face of < my > matron.⁷³Lat.: matrona. Similarly, the Holy One said to Israel: My children shall not approach me with an offering until the Sabbath < Queen > has passed over it; for there are no seven < days > without a Sabbath, and there is no circumcision without < the passing of > a Sabbath. R. Isaac said: An ordinance for humanity and an ordinance for cattle < are on a par >.⁷⁴Above, 8:9. [An ordinance for] humanity is (Lev. 12:3): AND ON THE EIGHTH DAY < THE FLESH OF HIS FORESKIN > SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED. [And an ordinance for] cattle is (Lev. 22:27): < IT SHALL REMAIN SEVEN DAYS WITH ITS MOTHER, > AND FROM THE EIGHTH DAY ON IT SHALL BE ACCEPTABLE < FOR AN OFFERING BY FIRE TO THE LORD >.

(Numb. 20:25-26:) “Take Aaron [and his son Elazar] […,] And strip Aaron.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “See, you may console him that he is bequeathing his crown to his sons. [This is] something that you are not bequeathing to your [own] children.” (Numb. 20:28:) “So Moses stripped Aaron of his vestments and put them [on his son Elazar].” But if the high priest leaves the Temple mount in priestly vestments, does he not receive forty lashes, since [these vestments] are [made of] wool and flax?¹¹⁷Cf. Deut. 22:11, which forbids the mixture, and Kil. 9:1, which allows robes of this mixture for priests when they minister in the Temple. Cf. also Yoma 72a, according to which the forty lashes are for one who tears a priestly garment. However, [Scripture serves] to inform you that, with the wording by which he inducted him into the priesthood, when [the Holy One, blessed be He,] said to [Moses] (in Lev. 8:2), “Take Aaron,” with this very wording He also said to him (in Numb. 20:25), “Take Aaron.” (Numb. 20:27:) “So Moses did as the Lord commanded....” [This verse serves] to teach you that, even though He had spoken a decree against his brother, he did not hesitate.¹¹⁸See below, Numb. 6a:2. (Numb. 20:29:) “Then all the congregation saw that Aaron had died.” When Moses and Elazar came down [from the mountain], the whole congregation assembled themselves against them and said, “Where is Aaron?”¹¹⁹Numb. R. 19:20. They said to them, “He is dead.” They said to them, “How could the angel of death hurt him, a man who has halted the angel of death and held him back?” It is so stated (in Numb. 17:13), “So he (i.e., Aaron) stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was halted.” They said to them, “If you bring him [back], well and good; but if not, we will stone you [to death].” At that time Moses rose in prayer. He said, “Master of the world, bring us out from [this] suspicion.” Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, opened the [burial] cave and showed him to [the congregation] for them. It is so stated (in Numb. 20:29), “Then all the congregation saw that Aaron had died.”

And he made a mourning for his father seven days (ibid., v. 10). How do we know that mourning lasts seven days? Our sages stated: We know it from the verse And ye shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting for seven days (Lev. 8:33). Why are there seven days of mourning? To correspond to the seven days of feasting.

17) (Vayikra 8:18) "And he presented the ram of the burnt-offering, and Aaron and his sons placed their hands on the head of the ram.": From here we derive the requirement of semichah for a burnt-offering. (Vayikra 8:19): "And he slaughtered, and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar roundabout.": From here we derive the requirement of sprinkling for a burnt-offering. (Vayikra 8:20): "And he cut the ram into its pieces": Everything stated explicitly about an individual burnt-offering is stated here, except flaying. And some say there is no cutting into pieces without flaying.

17) (Vayikra 8:18) "And he presented the ram of the burnt-offering, and Aaron and his sons placed their hands on the head of the ram.": From here we derive the requirement of semichah for a burnt-offering. (Vayikra 8:19): "And he slaughtered, and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar roundabout.": From here we derive the requirement of sprinkling for a burnt-offering. (Vayikra 8:20): "And he cut the ram into its pieces": Everything stated explicitly about an individual burnt-offering is stated here, except flaying. And some say there is no cutting into pieces without flaying.

17) (Vayikra 8:18) "And he presented the ram of the burnt-offering, and Aaron and his sons placed their hands on the head of the ram.": From here we derive the requirement of semichah for a burnt-offering. (Vayikra 8:19): "And he slaughtered, and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar roundabout.": From here we derive the requirement of sprinkling for a burnt-offering. (Vayikra 8:20): "And he cut the ram into its pieces": Everything stated explicitly about an individual burnt-offering is stated here, except flaying. And some say there is no cutting into pieces without flaying.

(Lev. 22:28:) IN THE CASE OF AN ANIMAL FROM THE HERD OR THE FLOCK, YOU SHALL NOT SLAUGHTER IT AND ITS OFFSPRING ON THE SAME DAY.⁷⁵Although the nouns here are masculine singular and would normally read: IN THE CASE OF A BULL OR A SHEEP, Rashi understands the verse as only prohibiting the slaughter of a female beast and its offspring on the same day. Others like Ibn Ezra understand the prohibition in the verse as referring to both sexes. For a discussion of the two interpretations, see Hul. 78b-80a. This text is related (to Prov. 12:10): A RIGHTEOUS ONE REGARDS THE LIFE OF HIS CATTLE….⁷⁶Tanh., Lev. 8:13; Lev. R. 27:11: PRK 9:11. This refers to the Holy One, who said (in Deut. 22:6 with reference to birds): YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE MOTHER WITH THE YOUNG.⁷⁷Cf. Tos. Meg. 25a. (Prov. 12:10, cont.:) BUT THE COMPASSION OF THE WICKED IS CRUEL. This refers to Sennacherib, of whom it is written (in Hos. 10:14): THE MOTHER WAS DASHED TO PIECES WITH THE CHILDREN.

{Another interpretation (of Gen. 49:28): AND THIS IS WHAT THEIR FATHER SPOKE TO THEM.} [(Gen. 50:12:) SO HIS CHILDREN DID FOR HIM JUST AS HE HAD COMMANDED THEM.] What did they do? They embalmed him and brought him up < to the land of Israel >.⁸²Tanh., Gen. 12:17; Gen. R. 97, New Version, on 49:29 (= pp. 1228-1229 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); Sot. 13a. What is written (in Gen. 50:10)? WHEN THEY CAME TO THE THORNBUSH THRESHING FLOOR.⁸³THE THORNBUSH THRESHING FLOOR is usually regarded as a proper name, i.e., as GOREN HA’ATAD. Is there a threshing floor for thorns, as it says: TO THE THORNBUSH THRESHING FLOOR? It is simply that these were Canaanites who had taken their crowns and surrounded Jacob's coffin, as a threshing floor when one surrounds it with thorns. R. Eliezer says: When they saw the coffin of our father Jacob, they undid the girdles on their waists and < so > showed honor to our father Jacob.⁸⁴Gen. R. 100(101):6; ySot. 1:10(17b). R. Samuel bar Nahman said: They undid their finger joints; and our masters say: They pointed the finger at Jacob's coffin and said (in Gen. 50:11): THIS IS A SOLEMN MOURNING FOR THE EGYPTIANS. For this reason the Holy One gave them a threshing floor.⁸⁵A sign of fruitfulness in what had been unfruitful, a mere thornbush threshing floor. (Gen. 50:10:) AND HE CARRIED OUT SEVEN DAYS OF MOURNING FOR HIS FATHER. From here we learn that the time for mourning is seven days. They also give evidence for it from here (in Lev. 8:33): AND YOU SHALL NOT GO OUT FROM THE DOOR OF THE TENT OF MEETING FOR SEVEN DAYS. And why do they carry out seven days of mourning rites? < It > corresponds to the seven days of feasting (on a joyous occasion). The Holy One said to them: In this world you have exhibited sorrow in the company of this righteous man and observed a seven-day mourning for him. In the world to come I am turning this mourning into feasting, as stated (in Jer. 31:13): FOR I WILL TURN THEIR MOURNING INTO JOY, COMFORT THEM, AND CHEER THEM IN THEIR GRIEF. Then, just as I comfort them, so I will give comfort to Zion, as stated (in Is. 51:3): TRULY THE LORD HAS COMFORTED ZION; HE HAS COMFORTED ALL ITS RUINS. HE HAS ALSO MADE ITS DESERT LIKE EDEN AND ITS DRY PLAIN LIKE THE GARDEN OF THE LORD. JOY AND REJOICING SHALL BE FOUND IN IT, THANKSGIVING AND THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

2 (Numb. 16:1) “[Now Korah …] took”:²In this and some of the following sections, the midrash is explaining the fact that the transitive verb, TOOK, has no object. Biblical translations offer solutions such as translating the verb intransitively, e.g., BETOOK HIMSELF, or by supplying an object, e.g., TOOK MEN. “Took” can only be a word for "attracting with persuasive words," in that he attracted all the leaders of Israel and the sanhedraot [to follow] after him. Concerning Moses it is written (in Numb. 1:17), “So Moses and Aaron took these men.” And similarly it is written (in Numb. 8:2), “Take Aaron and his sons with him.” And so does it say (in Hos. 14:3), “Take words with you.” And so does it [also] say (in Genesis 12:15), “and the woman was taken to the house of Pharaoh.” Ergo (in Numb. 16:1) “Now Korah […] took,” in that he drew (i.e., took) their hearts with persuasive words. (Numb. 16:1) “Now Korah […] betook himself”: Because of what did he dissent? Because of Elizaphan, the son of his father's brother, who had been appointed prince (nasi) over his clan. So it says (in Numb. 3:30), “And the prince of the ancestral house for the Kohathite clan was Elizaphan ben Uzziel.” Korah said, “Father had four brothers.” It is so stated (according to Exod. 6:18), “And the sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.” “As for Amram, the first-born; his son Aaron attained greatness, and his brother Moses [attained] the kingship. So who deserves to get second [place]? Should it not be the second [son]? Now I am Izhar's son. I deserved to be prince of my clan, but he has appointed the son of Uzziel. Should the youngest of father's brothers become superior to me? See, I am dissenting and declaring everything invalid, whatever he had done.” Therefore, (in Numb. 16:1) “Now Korah […] took.”

18) "and Moses smoked the head, and the pieces, and the suet": as it is written (Vayikra 1:12): "And he shall cut it into its pieces, and its head and its suet." (Vayikra 8:21): "And the innards and the legs he washed with water": as it is written (Vayikra 1:13): "And the innards and the legs he shall wash with water." (Vayikra 8:21) "and Moses smoked the whole ram upon the altar": as it is written (Vayikra 1:13): "and he shall smoke it upon the altar." (Vayikra 8:21): "It is a burnt-offering for a sweet savor": as it is written (Vayikra 1:13): "a fire-offering, a sweet savor to the L–rd." From here it is derived that all (the limbs of the burnt-offering) are consigned to the fire.

18) "and Moses smoked the head, and the pieces, and the suet": as it is written (Vayikra 1:12): "And he shall cut it into its pieces, and its head and its suet." (Vayikra 8:21): "And the innards and the legs he washed with water": as it is written (Vayikra 1:13): "And the innards and the legs he shall wash with water." (Vayikra 8:21) "and Moses smoked the whole ram upon the altar": as it is written (Vayikra 1:13): "and he shall smoke it upon the altar." (Vayikra 8:21): "It is a burnt-offering for a sweet savor": as it is written (Vayikra 1:13): "a fire-offering, a sweet savor to the L–rd." From here it is derived that all (the limbs of the burnt-offering) are consigned to the fire.

(Lev. 22:29:) AND WHEN YOU SACRIFICE AN OFFERING OF THANKSGIVING TO THE LORD. R. Pinhas, R. Levi, and R. Johanan said in the name of R. Menahem of Galilee: In the age to come all < other > offerings shall cease, but the sacrifice of thanksgiving shall not [ever] cease.⁸³Tanh., Lev. 8:14; Lev. R. 27:12; PRK 9:12; M. Pss. 56:4. All prayers shall cease, but the prayer of thanksgiving shall not [ever] cease. Thus it is stated (in Jer. 33:11): THE SOUND OF JOY AND THE SOUND OF GLADNESS, THE VOICE OF THE BRIDEGROOM AND THE VOICE OF THE BRIDE, THE VOICE OF THOSE WHO SAY: GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD [OF HOSTS, FOR THE LORD IS GOOD,] FOR HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER! [AS THEY BRING THANKSGIVING TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. (Ibid.:) GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD. This refers to the prayers. AS THEY BRING THANKSGIVING. This refers to the sacrifice of thanksgiving. And so David said (in Ps. 56:13 [12]): YOUR VOWS, O GOD, ARE UPON ME; I WILL REPAY YOU WITH THANKSGIVINGS. "Thanksgiving" (in the singular) is not written here, but THANKSGIVINGS (in the plural), < i.e., both > the thanksgiving prayer and the sacrifice of thanksgiving.

"Take the rod ... give the congregation and their cattle drink" -- From here [we learn] that the Holy One takes pity on Israel's money. "And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock" -- similarly it says "And all of the congregation he gathers to the door of the tent of meeting." This teaches that each one saw himself standing on the face of the rock. Likewise, when they crossed the Jordan, all of the Children of Israel entered between the staves of the ark, as it says (Joshua 3): "Joshua said to the Children of Israel, come near and listen to the words of Hashem." [Similarly] here all of Israel were standing and seeing all of the miracles of the rock. They began to say "Moses knows the rule of the rock. If he asks, it will bring forth water." So Moses was uncertain -- "If I listen to them I nullify the words of the Allpresent, and the Holy One (Job 5:13) 'takes the wise in theןr craftiness.'" But Moses had been careful for 40 years not to get angry at them, because he was terrified of the oath the Holy One swore: "Not one of these men will see [the land]..." They said to him: "Here is a rock; just as you want to bring forth water from another rock, bring it forth from this one." He shouted at them "Hear now, you rebels!" "Rebels (morim)" has many meanings: 1) "stubborn ones" 2) "fools" -- in the sea villages they call fools "morim". 3) "those who teach their teachers" 4) "archers" (In I Sam 31:3 the word "morim" is used to mean "archers".) ... Even so, Moses only used the rock that the Holy One told him [to use].

19 (Numb. 20:25-26) “Take Aaron [and his son Elazar] […,] And strip [Aaron]”: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to [Moses], “See, you may console him that he is bequeathing his crown to his sons. [This is] something that you are not bequeathing to your [own] children.” (Numb. 20:28): “So Moses stripped Aaron of his vestments and put them [on his son Elazar].” But if the high priest leaves the Temple mount in priestly vestments, does he not receive forty lashes, since [these vestments] are [made of] wool and flax?⁶⁹Cf. Deut. 22:11, which forbids the mixture, and Kil. 9:1, which allows robes of this mixture for priests when they minister in the Temple. Cf. also Yoma 72a, according to which the forty lashes are for one who tears a priestly garment. However, [Scripture serves] to inform you that, with the wording by which he inducted him into the priesthood, when [the Holy One, blessed be He,] said to [Moses] (in Lev. 8:2), “Take Aaron,” with this very wording He also said to him (in Numb. 20:25), “Take Aaron.” (Numb. 20:27) “So Moses did as the Lord commanded”: [This verse serves] to teach you that, even though He had spoken a decree against Aaron, he did not hesitate.

19) (Vayikra 8:22): "And he presented the second ram": Now has Scripture not already mentioned the two rams, (viz. Vayikra 8:2: "and the two [connoting "identical"] rams")? Why, then, is it necessary to state "And he presented the second ram"? (To imply) that if he brought a bullock and (only) one of the rams, he has not effected the sanctification; two rams and no bullock, he has not effected the sanctification; two rams and a bullock and not the basket of unleavened bread, (viz. Vayikra 8:26) he has not effected the sanctification.

19) (Vayikra 8:22): "And he presented the second ram": Now has Scripture not already mentioned the two rams, (viz. Vayikra 8:2: "and the two [connoting "identical"] rams")? Why, then, is it necessary to state "And he presented the second ram"? (To imply) that if he brought a bullock and (only) one of the rams, he has not effected the sanctification; two rams and no bullock, he has not effected the sanctification; two rams and a bullock and not the basket of unleavened bread, (viz. Vayikra 8:26) he has not effected the sanctification.

19) (Vayikra 8:22): "And he presented the second ram": Now has Scripture not already mentioned the two rams, (viz. Vayikra 8:2: "and the two [connoting "identical"] rams")? Why, then, is it necessary to state "And he presented the second ram"? (To imply) that if he brought a bullock and (only) one of the rams, he has not effected the sanctification; two rams and no bullock, he has not effected the sanctification; two rams and a bullock and not the basket of unleavened bread, (viz. Vayikra 8:26) he has not effected the sanctification.

[Another interpretation] (of Lev. 22:27): AND FROM THE EIGHTH DAY ON [IT SHALL BE ACCEPTABLE FOR AN OFFERING BY FIRE TO THE LORD]. But will not your < evil > drive lead you astray by saying that he has food and drink?⁸⁴Tanh., Lev.8:15. Who sacrificed to him {until} [before] Israel arose? David said (in Ps. 89:7 [6]): FOR WHO IN THE SKIES IS COMPARABLE (ya'arokh) TO THE LORD? Who offered sacrifices to him? R. Abbin the Levite said: < This verse means: > Who is like unto the Holy One in sustaining orphans and feeding the hungry? After all, this word (ya'arokh) can only be a word concerning sustenance, since it is stated (in Lev. 24:8): ON < EVERY > SABBATH DAY HE SHALL < REGULARLY > ARRANGE (ya'arokh with a suffix) IT (i.e., the bread) < BEFORE THE LORD >.

Moses was first with the priesthood, with the pulpit, with the sacrifices, and with the Torah.
• [With the priesthood, when he served in the high priesthood for the seven days during the consecration (of Aaron and his sons.)]⁷³yYoma 1:1 (38b); Lev. R. 11:7; PRK 4:5; PR 14:11.
• With the pulpit, when he had Eleazar stand on the pulpit. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 3:32): AND THE PRINCE OF THE LEVITE PRINCES WAS ELEAZAR….⁷⁴As a Levite he would officiate from a pulpit.
• With the sacrifices: Where is it shown? (Lev. 8:21): MOSES SACRIFICED THE [WHOLE] RAM UPON THE ALTAR (during the consecration of Aaron and his sons).
• With the Torah: Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Exod. 24:12): COME UP TO ME ON THE MOUNTAIN [AND BE THERE, AND I WILL GIVE YOU STONE TABLETS WITH TORAH AND THE COMMANDMENTS WHICH I HAVE WRITTEN FOR THEIR INSTRUCTION].

20) "the ram of the miluim": ("miluim") connoting that it completes the entire (service), ending (the service) for Aaron and his sons. "and Aaron and his sons placed their hands on the head of the ram": They placed their hands upon it in joy, as in a festival, as one who paid off his debt and made a festival (of it). Here, too, Aaron and his sons, ending the service of the day and its sanctifications and the service of the vessels and its sanctifications, brought a ram and placed their hands upon it in joy, making a "festival" (of it).

21) (Vayikra 8:23): "And he slaughtered, and Moses took of its blood": The three bloods mentioned in this section are not similar one to the other (see Vayikra 8:33 below). The first requires six applications; the second, two; and the third, thirteen. This is the intent of "And he slaughtered and he took its (particular) blood." "and he placed it on the tnuch of Aaron's right ear": This (tnuch) is the middle wall. "and upon the thumb of his right hand": This is the middle joint.

21) (Vayikra 8:23): "And he slaughtered, and Moses took of its blood": The three bloods mentioned in this section are not similar one to the other (see Vayikra 8:33 below). The first requires six applications; the second, two; and the third, thirteen. This is the intent of "And he slaughtered and he took its (particular) blood." "and he placed it on the tnuch of Aaron's right ear": This (tnuch) is the middle wall. "and upon the thumb of his right hand": This is the middle joint.

[Another interpretation (of Lev. 22:27): WHEN A BULL OR A SHEEP OR A GOAT < IS BORN >….] This text is related (to Ps. 27:6): AND NOW SHALL MY HEAD BE LIFTED UP OVER MY ENEMIES ROUND ABOUT ME; [I WILL OFFER SACRIFICE IN HIS TENT WITH A LOUD CRY;] < I WILL SING AND CHANT PRAISE TO THE LORD >. When Israel carried out that deed (of the golden calf), the nations of the world said: [There will be no recovery for them, and he will never return to them].⁹⁰Tanh., Lev. 8:16. When Israel heard that they had sacrificed a bull, their head was lifted up, as stated (ibid.): AND NOW SHALL MY HEAD BE LIFTED UP…. Then they said: Now we know that the Holy One has been reconciled to us. They began a song. (Ibid., cont.:) I WILL OFFER SACRIFICE IN HIS TENT WITH A LOUD CRY; I WILL SING AND CHANT PRAISE TO THE LORD.

22) (Vayikra 8:24): "And he brought forward Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tnuch of their right ear": This is the middle wall. "and upon the thumb of their right hand": This is the middle joint.

23) (Vayikra 8:25): "And he took the fat": There is no thing (i.e., there is no gift given to a man) where there is no mitzvah for the L–rd (Thus, "And he took the fat, etc."): Fruits have many mitzvoth: terumoth, ma'asroth, challah, bikkurim, leket, shikchah, and peah. The gates of houses and of provinces have their mitzvoth to the L–rd, (Devarim 6:9): "And you shall write them on the doorposts (mezuzoth) of your house and on your gates."

(Lev. 23:40:) AND YOU SHALL TAKE FOR YOURSELVES ON THE FIRST DAY < BEAUTIFUL TREE FRUIT, BRANCHES OF PALM TREES, BOUGHS OF DENSE TREES, AND WILLOWS OF THE BROOK; AND YOU SHALL REJOICE BEFORE THE LORD YOUR GOD FOR SEVEN DAYS. > This text is related (to Prov. 4:10): HEED, MY CHILD, AND TAKE IN (rt.: LQH) MY WORDS. The Holy One said: I have charged you with a lot concerning acquisitions (rt.: LQH) in order to benefit you.⁹²Tanh., Lev. 8:17; Lev. R. 30:13. I told you (in Numb. 19:2): < SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, > AND LET THEM BRING (rt.: LQH) YOU A RED COW. Was it possibly for my sake? No. < It was > only in order to cleanse you. Is it not so written (in vs. 19): AND THE CLEAN PERSON SHALL SPRINKLE IT [UPON THE UNCLEAN PERSON]? I told you (in Exod. 25:2): < SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,] AND LET THEM TAKE (rt.: LQH) FOR ME A PRIESTLY SHARE, so that I might dwell among you. It is so stated (in vs. 8): AND LET THEM MAKE ME A SANCTUARY THAT I MAY DWELL AMONG THEM. He, as it were, spoke a difficult thing to them: Take me that I may dwell among you. "And take a priestly share" is not written here, but AND LET THEM TAKE (FOR)⁹³Since “for me” can sometimes be understood as a direct object, the midrash is understanding the verse to mean: LET THEM TAKE ME AS A PRIESTLY SHARE. ME A PRIESTLY SHARE. < It is > I, < whom > you are taking. I said to you (in Exod. 27:20): AND LET THEM BRING UNTO YOU < PURE > OIL OF < BEATEN > OLIVES. Do I need your light? It is simply to preserve your souls, since the soul is likened to a lamp, where it is stated (in Prov. 20:27): A PERSON'S BREATH IS A LAMP OF GOD.⁹⁴The Masoretic Text uses the divine name here. And now when it says (in Lev. 23:40): AND YOU SHALL TAKE FOR YOURSELVES ON THE FIRST DAY, it is not because it is necessary for me, but in order to benefit you.

24) Garments have their mitzvah to the L–rd, viz. (Devarim 22:11): "You shall not wear sha'atnez." A ta'alith, (Devarim 22:12): "Fringes shall you make for yourself."

(Lev. 23:40:) BEAUTIFUL TREE FRUIT, BRANCHES OF PALM TREES, BOUGHS OF DENSE TREES, [AND WILLOWS OF THE BROOK]. What is the nature of these four species?⁹⁵Tanh., Lev. 8:17; Lev. R. 30:12. Some of them produce fruit and some of them do not produce fruit. BEAUTIFUL TREE FRUIT, THE BRANCHES OF THE PALM TREES. These are the righteous, [because they have good works]. BOUGHS OF DENSE TREES AND WILLOWS OF THE BROOK. These are the average Israelites. The Holy One said: [Let them bind them together,] so that all of them become a single group, lest there be a defect among my children. If you have done so, {I will credit them with a reward.} [at that time I will be exalted. And so the prophet says (in Amos 9:6): WHO BUILDS HIS UPPER CHAMBERS IN THE HEAVENS. Now when is he exalted? When they become a single group (agudah), as stated (ibid., cont.): AND FOUNDS HIS CELESTIAL VAULT (agudah) UPON EARTH.]

25) A clean beast has its mitzvah to the L–rd, viz. (Devarim 15:19): "Every firstling (bechor) which is born in your herd and in your flock, the male, shall you consecrate to the L–rd your G d."

(Lev. 23:40:) AND YOU SHALL TAKE FOR YOURSELVES. < TAKE (rt.: LQH) implies > by purchase (rt.: LQH), for you are not to persist in stealing it.⁹⁶Tanh., Lev. 8:18; ySuk. 3:1 (53c); Suk. 43a; Lev. R. 30:6; PRK 27:6; cf. Lev. R. 30:5. Then it would turn out that his advocate⁹⁷Gk.: synegoros. has become his accuser.⁹⁸Gk.: kategor.

26) An unclean beast has its mitzvah to the L–rd, viz. (Shemoth 34:20): "And the firstling of an ass you shall redeem with a lamb." An animal of the wild and a bird flying in the air — Scripture has exhorted us concerning them that when they come to your hand they should not be lacking a mitzvah, viz. (Vayikra 17:13): "A man of the children of Israel … that shall hunt a hunting of animal or bird that may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth." And other beasts and animals, unspecified by name, are subsumed in a general ruling so that they not be lacking in mitzvoth, viz. (Vayikra 27:28): Every devotion (cherem) which a man shall devote to the L–rd, etc." — Thus, for consecrations outside of the Temple. With Temple consecrations, there are levels upon levels. How so? Of bullocks that are to be burned and he-goats that are to be burned, Scripture states that their blood and devoted portions are to go to the altar.

27) Of a burnt-offering, which is to be entirely burned, Scripture states that their hide is to go to the Cohanim. Of peace-offerings, that are eaten by the owners, Scripture states that their blood and devoted portions are to go to the altar, wherefore Scripture states (Vayikra 8:25): "And he took the fat and the fat-tail … and the right shok" as their terumah to the altar.

[(Lev. 23:40:) AND YOU SHALL TAKE FOR YOURSELVES. This text is related (to Ps. 35:10): ALL MY BONES SHALL SAY: LORD, WHO IS LIKE YOU? David has stated this verse beautifully.¹⁰⁴Tanh., Lev. 8:19; Lev. R. 30:14. You yourself know that the lulav is like a human spine, the myrtle is like the eyes, the willow is like the lips, and the ethrog is like the heart. David said: I have no greater members than these, since they outweigh the whole body (in importance). Ergo (in Ps. 35:10): ALL MY BONES SHALL SAY: LORD, WHO IS LIKE YOU?]

(Lev. 23:40:) AND YOU SHALL TAKE FOR YOURSELVES. After all the wisdom which is ascribed to Solomon (in I Kings 5:10–11 [4:31–32]): [AND SOLOMON'S WISDOM WAS GREATER < THAN THE WISDOM OF ALL THE CHILDREN OF THE EAST >…. ] FOR HE WAS THE WISEST OF ALL PEOPLE; he forsook all these things (i.e., astrology, ornithomancy, and the other elements of eastern wisdom)¹⁰⁵See PRK 4:3; PR 14:9. and sat wondering about these four species.¹⁰⁶Tanh., Lev. 8:20; Lev. R. 30:15. This text is related (to Prov. 30:18): THREE THINGS ARE TOO DIFFICULT FOR ME, [< i.e., > Paschal lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs; AND FOUR I DO NOT UNDERSTAND.] These are the four species which are in the lulav, which {he was unable} [he sought] to understand. Now (in Lev. 23:40) if you say that the BEAUTIFUL TREE FRUIT is an ethrog, all trees bear fruit. (Ibid., cont.:) BRANCHES OF PALM TREES. One needs to take two branches [and offer praise with them], but one only takes the heart of the palm, i.e., the lulav. (Ibid., cont.:) BOUGHS OF DENSE TREES. Who says to you that it is the myrtle, since it is written in another place (i.e., in Neh. 8:15): GO OUT TO THE MOUNTAIN AND BRING LEAFY BRANCHES OF OLIVE TREES, [LEAFY BRANCHES OF OIL-GIVING TREES, LEAFY BRANCHES OF MYRTLE, LEAFY BRANCHES OF PALMS, AND LEAFY BRANCHES OF DENSE TREES]? (Lev. 23:40, cont.:) AND WILLOWS OF THE BROOK; < yet > all the trees grow in the water. (Prov. 30:18:) AND FOUR I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. It also says in another place (i.e., in Prov. 30:29): THREE THINGS HAVE A STATELY STRIDE, AND FOUR HAVE A STATELY WALK. These are the four species which are in the lulav, for each and every person from Israel goes running to buy one of them for himself in order to give praise to the Lord. < Doing so > is acceptable to him and makes atonement to him for all one's sins. A STATELY WALK: The one who sees these same four species, rejoices over them, and they loom large before the Holy One.¹⁰⁷Cf. the parallel in Lev. R. 30:15, which expands the final clause with the following: “And although they seem small in human eyes, they loom large before the Holy One.” (Prov. 30:24:) FOUR THINGS ARE TINY ON EARTH. They are these four species. (Ibid., cont.:) BUT THEY ARE THE WISEST OF THE WISE, [because¹⁰⁸The section marked by Buber’s outer brackets extends to the end of the next paragraph. they deal wisely, when they plead merit {and wisdom} [and love] before the one who spoke, and the world came into being.

(Numb. 20:7–8:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES SAYING: TAKE THE ROD, AND ASSEMBLE THE CONGREGATION, <YOU AND YOUR BROTHER AARON; AND SPEAK UNTO THE ROCK BEFORE THEIR EYES. THEN IT WILL GIVE ITS WATER, SO THAT YOU BRING WATER OUT OF THE ROCK FOR THEM.> [THUS YOU SHALL PROVIDE THE CONGREGATION AND THEIR CATTLE WITH WATER.] From here it is shown that the Holy One is concerned for Israel's wealth.¹⁴¹Tanh., Numb. 6:9; Numb. R. 19:9. (Ibid., vs. 10:) SO MOSES AND AARON GATHERED THE CONGREGATION BEFORE THE ROCK. <This verse> teaches that each and every person sees himself as if he were standing at the rock. And similarly it says (in Lev. 8:3): AND ASSEMBLE THE WHOLE CONGREGATION AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE TENT OF MEETING. Here also all Israel was standing when they saw the miracles which happened at the rock. They began to say: Moses knows the natural properties of rock. If he wants, he will bring forth water out of this <other> one. Moses found himself confronted with a dilemma. If I listen to them, I am disregarding the words of the Omnipresent; and the Holy One (according to Job 5:13) CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR OWN CUNNING. After all, for the whole of these forty years Moses had been keeping himself from becoming angry with them, because he was afraid of the oath that the Holy One had sworn (in Deut. 1:35): NOT ONE OF THESE PEOPLE FROM THIS EVIL GENERATION SHALL SEE <THE GOOD LAND>…. They said to him: Here is a rock. Just as you wish to bring <water> from another rock, you should bring it from this one. He gave a command to them (in Numb. 20:10): PLEASE LISTEN, YOU REBELS, <SHALL WE BRING FORTH WATER FOR YOU FROM THIS ROCK.>

29) (Vayikra 8:27) ("and he waved them as a wave offering before the L–rd."): We are hereby taught (the procedure for) the waving of the offerings. (Vayikra 8:28): "And Moses took them from their hands": We are hereby taught how he takes the meal-offering from the hands of the sotah and waves it.

29) (Vayikra 8:27) ("and he waved them as a wave offering before the L–rd."): We are hereby taught (the procedure for) the waving of the offerings. (Vayikra 8:28): "And Moses took them from their hands": We are hereby taught how he takes the meal-offering from the hands of the sotah and waves it.

(Lev. 23:40:) ON THE FIRST DAY. Is it the first < day >?¹¹²Tanh., Lev. 8:22; Lev. R. 30:7; PRK 27:7. Is it not the fifteenth day? So how is it the first? < It is > first for the reckoning (heshbon) of sins. R. Mani and R. Joshua of Sikhnin in the name of R. Levi: A parable: To what is the matter comparable?¹¹³Eccl. R. 9:7:1. Cf. Mark 12:1–9//Matthew 21:33–41 // Luke 20:9–16; also Luke 14:31–32. To a province which owed back taxes¹¹⁴Gk.: loipas. to the king. When the king sent to collect < the sum >, they did not hand it over, because the bill was large. So it happened the first time, and a second time; for when he sent < for it >, they did not hand it over. What did the king do? He said to his courtiers:¹¹⁵Literally, “children of the palace (palation).” Cf. Lat.: palatium; Gk: palation. [Arise and let us go to them.] While they were traveling about ten miles¹¹⁶Milin; cf. Lat.: mille passus. < away >, the people of the province heard < what was happening >. What did they do? The nobles of the province began to go to a meeting¹¹⁷Gk.: apante. with the king. He said to them: Who are you? They said to him: We are people of such and such a province where you sent to collect our taxes. He said to them: So what do you want? They said to him: If you please, show us mercy, because we have nothing to hand over. He said to them: I will remit half for you. While he was < still > coming, the {hoodlums} [middle class] of the province went out and greeted him about {ten} [five] miles < away >. He said to them: Who are you? They said to him: We are people of such and such a province. He said to them: What would you want? They said to him: If you please, Have mercy upon us. He said to them: I have already remitted half < your debt >, but for your sake I am remitting half of < the remaining > half. While he [was < still > on the road], all the people of the province came out. He said to them: Now what do you want? They said to him: O our Lord King, we have nothing to remit. Have mercy on us. He said to them: I have already remitted half plus half of < the remaining > half, but for your sake I am remitting everything. However, from now on there is a new account (heshbon). This king is [the Supreme King of Kings], the Holy One. The people of his province? These are Israel, who acquire sins during all of the whole year. What does the Holy One do? He says: Do penance at the beginning of the year. So they come in submission on the Day of Atonement, when they humble themselves and do penance. Then the Holy One forgives them everything. So during Tabernacles they all take their lulavim on the first day of the festival and render praise to the Holy One. Thus he is reconciled to them and forgives them. He says to them: See, I have waived all your former sins for you. [However, from now on there is a new account (heshbon). Thus it is stated (in Lev. 23:40): AND YOU SHALL TAKE FOR YOURSELVES ON THE FIRST DAY. < It is > first for the reckoning (heshbon) of sins.] The Holy One said to them: In this world I have told you to make a sukkah in order to pay me my remuneration for what I have done for you. It is so stated (in Lev. 23:42–43): [YOU SHALL DWELL IN SUKKOT FOR SEVEN DAYS…,] < IN ORDER THAT YOUR GENERATIONS MAY KNOW > THAT I HAD THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DWELL IN SUKKOT. So I reckon it to your credit, as if you are rendering payment to me. But in the world to come I will appear over you like a sukkah, as stated (in Is. 4:6): THERE SHALL BE A SUKKAH AS A SHADE FROM THE HEAT BY DAY….

30) (Vayikra 8:28): "They are a miluim (investiture) offering for a sweet savor": We are hereby taught that the miluim offering is called "a sweet savor." And does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If a king of flesh and blood who acquires a lover makes a festival for him, the King of kings, the Holy One Blessed be He, who invests a Cohein for Himself, how much more so!

[(Lev. 24:10:) NOW THERE WENT OUT THE SON OF AN ISRAELITE WOMAN. From where did he go out?¹¹⁸Tanh., Lev. 8:23; Lev. R. 32:3. R. Levi says: He went out from his world, just as it is stated (in I Sam. 17:4): AND THERE WENT OUT A CHAMPION.¹¹⁹I.e., Goliath, who was about to leave this world. R. Berekhyah said: He went out (i.e., became excluded from Israel) because of (literally: from) the preceding parashah, where it is written (in Lev. 24:5): THEN YOU SHALL TAKE FINE FLOUR AND BAKE IT INTO TWELVE LOAVES. He said: It is customary for the king to eat warm bread. Would < he eat it > cold? It is like that which we learn there (in the latter part of Men. 11:9): THE SHEWBREAD WAS EATEN NO EARLIER THAN THE NINTH DAY < AFTER BAKING > AND NO LATER THAN THE ELEVENTH DAY. HOW SO? IT WAS BAKED ON THE EVE OF THE SABBATH AND EATEN ON THE SABBATH < OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK, I.E., > ON THE NINTH DAY. < IF > A HOLIDAY HAPPENED TO FALL ON THE EVE OF THE SABBATH, IT WAS EATEN ON THE TENTH. < IN THE CASE OF > THE TWO-DAY HOLIDAY OF THE NEW YEAR, IT WAS EATEN ON THE ELEVENTH, FOR < THE BAKING > OVERRIDES NEITHER THE SABBATH NOR A HOLIDAY. R. SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAYS IN THE NAME OF {RABBI} SIMEON THE SON OF THE SAGAN: < THE BAKING > OVERRIDES A HOLIDAY BUT DOES NOT OVERRIDE THE FAST DAY.¹²⁰The Day of Atonement. (According the first part of Men. 11:9) THE TWO LOAVES OF BREAD < OFFERED AT PENTECOST > WERE EATEN NO EARLIER THAN THE SECOND DAY AND NO LATER THAN THE THIRD. HOW SO? THEY WERE BAKED ON THE EVE OF THE FESTIVAL < OF WEEKS AND > EATEN ON THE FESTIVAL, < I.E., > ON THE SECOND DAY. IF THE FESTIVAL HAPPENED TO FALL ON THE DAY AFTER THE SABBATH, THEY WERE EATEN ON THE THIRD DAY.]

31) (Vayikra 8:29): "And Moses took the breast and waved it, a wave-offering before the L–rd. From the ram of the miluim to Moses was it for a portion, as the L–rd had commanded Moses": We are hereby taught that the Holy One Blessed be He does not hold back the reward of any creature. And thus is it written (Malachi 1:10): "Who among you, too, would (not) close doors and not kindle My altar for nothing"? (see Chapter 16:10).

(Lev. 24:10:) NOW THERE WENT OUT THE SON OF AN ISRAELITE WOMAN, < WHOSE FATHER WAS EGYPTIAN >. From where did he go out? R. Hiyya bar Abba said: he went out (i.e., became excluded from Israel) because of (literally: from) the parashah on genealogies.¹²¹Tanh., Lev. 8:24; Lev. R. 32:3; Sifra to Lev. 14:10 (242: Emor, parashah 14). When he came to pitch his tent in the camp of Dan, they rejected him. Now they said to him: You have an Egyptian father, but it is written (in Numb. 2:2): < THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SHALL CAMP, > EACH WITH HIS STANDARD, UNDER THE BANNERS OF THEIR FATHERS' HOUSES, and not of their mothers' houses. [Immediately,] (according to Lev. 24:11) he began to utter the Name and curse it. R. Levi said: He was a bastard. How so? Taskmasters were from Egypt, and the officers were from Israel.¹²²Exod. R. 1:28; Lev. R. 32:4. The taskmaster was in charge of ten officers, and the officer < was in charge > of ten Israelites. < Thus, > it turned out that the taskmaster was in charge of a hundred {and ten} Israelites. On one occasion a taskmaster met an officer. He said to him: Go gather your groups of ten. When he had gone, he entered his house and seduced Shelomith, the officer's wife. < When > her husband returned, he found him leaving his house. When < the taskmaster > knew that < her husband > noticed him, he beat him every day. The Holy Spirit was kindled in Moses. He raised his eyes to the sky. He said: Was it not enough for this wicked man to rape his wife, but that he should return and beat him? Immediately (according to Exod. 2:12) HE SMOTE THE EGYPTIAN AND HID HIM IN THE SAND. The Holy One said: In this world you are delivered through sins into the hands of the nations of the world. However, in the world to come (according to Is. 49:23): KINGS SHALL BE YOUR GUARDIANS; THEIR LADIES, YOUR WET NURSES; [THEY SHALL BOW DOWN BEFORE YOU, NOSE TO THE GROUND, AND LICK THE DUST OF YOUR FEET. THEN YOU SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD. THOSE WHO TRUST ME SHALL NOT BE ASHAMED.]

32) "From the ram of the miluim to Moses was it for a portion. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If one who serves in the high-priesthood for only a brief time (as Moses did) takes a portion in the high-priesthood, then one who serves in it forever (as Aaron did), how much more so!

... Teach us o teacher: toward where should one who prays orient his heart? This is what our Rabbis taught: one should orient his heart toward the place of the Holy of Holies (Berachot 4:5). R’ Eliezer ben Yaakov says: if one is praying outside of the land, he should orient his heart to the land of Israel. If one is praying within the land of Israel, he should orient his heart to Jerusalem. If one is praying in Jerusalem, he should orient his heart to the Holy Temple. If one is praying in the Holy Temple, he should orient his heart to the Holy of Holies. R’ Avin the Levi said: “our neck is like the Tower of David, built as a model (talpiyot)…” (Song of Songs 4:4) What does talpiyot mean? The hill (tel) toward which all turns (peniyot) are directed. And after all this praise, it is written “Open your doors, O Lebanon, and let the fire consume your cedars.” (Zechariah 11:1) And so too they said “He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) Israel said to Him: Master of the World! How long will it be like this? Did You not write in Your Torah “…the one who ignited the fire shall surely pay” (Exodus 22:5)? And You are the one who ignited the fire, as it says “From above He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) You need to rebuild it and to console us, not at the hands of an angel but You in Your glory. The Holy One said to them: by your life, so I will do! As it says “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel.” (Psalms 147:2) And I am the one who consoles you. From where do we learn this? From that which they read in the prophets “I, yea I am He Who consoles you…” (Isaiah 51:12)

33) (Vayikra 8:30): "And Moses took of the oil of anointment and of the blood which was upon the altar, and he sprinkled it upon Aaron, upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him. And he sanctified Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and the garments of his sons with him.": The three "bloods" mentioned in this section (the bullock of the sin-offering, the ram of the burnt-offering, and the ram of the miluim) are not alike. The first requires six applications; the second, two; and the third, thirteen. The first (the bullock of the sin-offering) requires sprinkling, application roundabout (on the four corners of the altar), purification (chitui, by application of the blood on the roof of the altar, viz. Shemoth 29:36) and spilling (yetzikah, of the blood at the base of the altar). The second (the ram of the burnt-offering) requires sprinkling and application roundabout. The third (the ram of the miluim) requires six "thumb" applications: three on Aaron (on the thumb of his hand, the big toe of his foot, and the tnuch of his ear), and three (respectively) on (each of) his sons. Others say: nine ("thumb" applications): three on Aaron and six on his sons. Others say: fifteen: three on Aaron and twelve on his four sons, viz. (Bamidbar 3:3): "These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed Cohanim, whom he invested to minister." And it required (one) sprinkling on the altar (in sum, thirteen applications: six "thumb" applications, one altar sprinkling, and six sprinklings on Aaron and on his sons).

34) And it requires six sprinklings: three on Aaron and three on his sons. Others say: nine: three on Aaron and six on his sons. Others say: fifteen: three on Aaron and twelve on his sons, viz. (Vayikra 8:30): "and he sprinkled it upon Aaron, upon his garments, and upon his sons with him (and he sanctified Aaron, etc.") We are hereby taught that the sanctification of Aaron and his sons was consummated only with the sprinkling of the blood.

35) (Vayikra 8:31): "And Moses said to Aaron and to his sons: Cook the flesh at the door of the tent of meeting," as it is written (Shemoth 29:32): "And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket, etc." And it is written (Shemoth 29:32): "And what is left over of the flesh and of the bread you shall burn with fire," whereby we are taught that what remains of the miluim is to be burnt.

35) (Vayikra 8:31): "And Moses said to Aaron and to his sons: Cook the flesh at the door of the tent of meeting," as it is written (Shemoth 29:32): "And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket, etc." And it is written (Shemoth 29:32): "And what is left over of the flesh and of the bread you shall burn with fire," whereby we are taught that what remains of the miluim is to be burnt.

36) (Vayikra 8:33): "And from the door of the tent of meeting you shall not go out seven days, (until the day of the fulfillment of the days of your investiture.") From here they derived: On the twenty-third of Adar, they sacrificed miluim (twenty-three and seven brings us to the thirtieth of Adar; thus) on the first of Nissan they completed the miluim. (Vayikra 8:33): "For seven days shall He invest your hands": All the seven days of the miluim Moses would set up the mishkan every morning and sacrifice his offerings therein and take it apart. On the eighth day he set it up and did not take it apart. R. Yossi b. R. Yehudah says: On the eighth day, too, he set it up in the morning and took it apart. In the evening he set it up and did not take it apart.

Variantly: "If a man steal": Consecrated animals were also included in the general class, that if he stole them and slaughtered them outside (the azarah) he would pay "four and five." It is, therefore, written (Leviticus 17:2) "This is the thing that the L rd has commanded, etc." — They (consecrated animals slaughtered outside the azarah) have been singled out for kareth (cutting off, for the desecrator) and not for payment (of "four and five").

37) (Vayikra 8:34) "As He has done this day, so has the L–rd commanded to do to make atonement for you": From here they said: Seven days before Yom Kippur (corresponding to the seven days of the miluim) the high-priest is separated from his house to the "counselors' cell" (in the Temple). And just as they separated the high-priest from his house, so they separated the Cohein who was to burn the red heifer from his house. And why would they separate him for seven days? Lest his wife be found to have possibly been a niddah (during intercourse) and he be disqualified from (the atonement service) all seven days. (Vayikra 8:34) "the L–rd has commanded to do to make atonement for you": He said to them: This service shall atone for you until the resurrection.

38) (Vayikra 8:35): "And at the door of the tent of meeting shall you sit day and night seven days. And you shall keep the charge of the L–rd seven days.": Now does this not follow a fortiori: If the L–rd receives (with favor) one who fulfills the words of flesh and blood (i.e., Moses, who is only His emissary), how much more so does He (thus) receive one who fulfills the words of the L–rd Himself (i.e., the words uttered at Mount Sinai)! (Vayikra 8:36): "And Aaron and his sons did" with joy and gladness in fulfilling what they had heard from the mouth of Moses just as if they had heard it from the mouth of the Holy One Blessed be He Himself! — wherefore it is written: "And Aaron and his sons did all the things that the L–rd had commanded." "by the hand of Moses": Worthy is the messenger, of his Sender! Worthy is the commanded (Aaron and his sons) of the command!

38) (Vayikra 8:35): "And at the door of the tent of meeting shall you sit day and night seven days. And you shall keep the charge of the L–rd seven days.": Now does this not follow a fortiori: If the L–rd receives (with favor) one who fulfills the words of flesh and blood (i.e., Moses, who is only His emissary), how much more so does He (thus) receive one who fulfills the words of the L–rd Himself (i.e., the words uttered at Mount Sinai)! (Vayikra 8:36): "And Aaron and his sons did" with joy and gladness in fulfilling what they had heard from the mouth of Moses just as if they had heard it from the mouth of the Holy One Blessed be He Himself! — wherefore it is written: "And Aaron and his sons did all the things that the L–rd had commanded." "by the hand of Moses": Worthy is the messenger, of his Sender! Worthy is the commanded (Aaron and his sons) of the command!

(Numb. 20:28:) SO MOSES STRIPPED AARON OF HIS VESTMENTS AN PUT THEM ON HIS SON ELEAZAR. But if the High Priest leaves the Temple mount in priestly vestments, does he not receive forty lashes,¹⁶⁵Sofeg, which in this context means “receive lashes,” but which often has the meaning, “wipe with a sponge.” Cf. the Gk.: spoggizein, which also means “wipe with a sponge.” since <these vestments> are <made of> wool and flax?¹⁶⁶Cf. Deut. 22:11, which forbids the mixture, and Kil. 9:1, which allows robes of this mixture for priests when they minister in the Temple. Cf. also Yoma 72a, according to which the forty lashes are for one who tears a priestly garment. However, <Scripture serves> to inform you that, with the wording by which he inducted him into the priesthood, when <the Holy One> said to <Moses> (in Lev. 8:2): TAKE AARON, with this very wording he also said to him (in Numb. 20:25): TAKE AARON.