Midrasch zu Wajikra 4:8

1) (Vayikra 4:8): "And all the fat of the bullock (of the sin-offering he shall remove from it"): "the bullock": to include the fat of the Yom Kippur bullock for (sacrifice along with) the two kidneys and the lobe above the liver. "the sin-offering": to include the Yom Kippur goats for all of the particulars mentioned here. "he shall remove from it": he shall remove it while it is (still) attached (and not cut the meat before removing the devoted portions.)

3) ("And he shall present …) the fat that covers the innards and all the fat that is on the innards": (This is written five times.) What is the intent of this? Because it is written (Ibid. 3:16): ("And the Cohein shall smoke …) all the fat for the L–rd. (17): … All fat and all blood you shall not eat… (Vayikra 7:25): For all who eat fat of the beast of which one presents a fire-offering to the L–rd, the soul that eats shall be cut off from its people" — I might think that even the wall-fat (the fat of the heart, the chest, and the throat) is included (in the interdict against eating fat); it is, therefore, written: "the fat that covers the innards (the entrails)." I might think that it (eating wall-fat) is not subject to the punishment (kareth), but that it is subject to the exhortation; it is, therefore, written (again): "the fat that covers the innards." would then exclude only the (wall-) fat of chullin, but not that of a consecrated animal; it is, therefore, written (again): "the fat that covers the innards" (i.e., only that fat is intended.) I might think that it (eating the wall-fat of a consecrated animal) is not subject to the punishment, but that it is subject to the exhortation; it is, therefore, written (again): "the fat that covers the innards." I might think that it is not subject to the exhortation and that it is subject to sacrifice (if he so wishes, even though he may eat it); it is, therefore, written (for the fifth time): "the fat that covers the innards" (Only that fat is to be sacrificed.)

(Lev. 13:2:) WHEN ANYONE HAS ON THE SKIN OF HIS FLESH…. This text is related (to Hab. 1:7): TERRIBLE AND DREADFUL IS THAT ONE.³⁷In the biblical context THAT ONE is the nation of the Chaldeans. This verse is speaking about the first Adam, about Pharaoh, about Edom, [about Sennacherib, about Nebuchadnezzar,] and about the children of Adam < in general >.³⁸Tanh., Lev. 4:8; cf. Lev. R. 18:2. How does it concern the first Adam? When the Holy One created {the world with} the first Adam, R. Abba bar Kahana said: He created him in his likeness, as stated (in Gen. 1:27): AND GOD CREATED THE HUMAN (adam) IN HIS OWN IMAGE…. He created him < to extend > from the one end of world to the other, as stated (in Deut. 4:32): SO PLEASE ASK ABOUT THE FORMER DAYS WHICH CAME BEFORE YOU, EVER SINCE THE DAY THAT GOD CREATED ADAM UPON THE EARTH, EVEN FROM ONE END OF HEAVEN TO THE OTHER.³⁹Cf. Gen. R. 8:1. Now he ruled over the whole earth, as stated (in Gen. 1:28): < FILL THE EARTH AND SUBDUE IT; > AND RULE OVER THE FISH OF THE SEA … It also says (in Gen. 9:2): MOREOVER, THE DREAD OF YOU AND THE FEAR OF YOU SHALL BE UPON EVERY BEAST OF THE EARTH. It is therefore stated (in Hab. 1:7): TERRIBLE AND DREADFUL. This refers to the first Adam.⁴⁰The present translation ignores Buber punctuation. Following his punctuation, the translation would read: “It is therefore stated (in Hab. 1:7): TERRIBLE (Ibid., cont.:) AND DREADFUL. This refers to the first Adam….“ (Ibid., cont.:) HIS JUSTICE AND HIS DIGNITY PROCEED FROM HIMSELF.⁴¹The midrash requires such a literal translation. In the biblical context a more normal translation would read with reference to the Chaldeans: THEIR JUSTICE AND THEIR DIGNITY PROCEED FROM THEMSELVES. This refers to Eve, since she came out of him and caused him to die, [as stated] (in Gen. 3:6): THEN SHE ALSO GAVE SOME TO HER HUSBAND, AND HE ATE. [And where is it shown that she came out of him? Where it is so written (in Gen. 2:23): BONE OUT OF MY BONE AND FLESH OUT OF MY FLESH, < THIS ONE SHALL BE CALLED WOMAN, BECAUSE SHE WAS TAKEN OUT OF MAN >.] Ergo (in Hab. 1:7): TERRIBLE AND DREADFUL IS THAT ONE. [Another interpretation of] TERRIBLE AND DREADFUL IS THAT ONE. This refers to Pharaoh, when he was world ruler,⁴²Gk.: Kosmokraton. as stated (concerning him in Ps. 105:20): THE RULER OF PEOPLES RELEASED HIM (i.e., Joseph). (Hab. 1:7, cont.): HIS JUSTICE AND HIS DIGNITY PROCEED FROM HIMSELF. This refers to Moses, since he was reared within that one's house, so that he believed that he < actually > was a child of his house, as stated (in Exod. 2:10): WHEN THE BOY HAD GROWN UP, SHE BROUGHT HIM TO PHARAOH'S DAUGHTER; AND HE BECAME HER SON. Then he arose and brought ten plagues upon him, as stated (in Exod. 3:10): [SO COME NOW, I WILL SEND YOU UNTO PHARAOH.] (Exod. 4:17): AND YOU SHALL TAKE IN YOUR HAND THIS ROD, < WITH WHICH YOU SHALL PERFORM THE SIGNS. R. Judah said: The rod had a weight of forty seahs and was < made > of sapphire⁴³Gk.: sappheirinon, an adj. meaning “of sapphire,” or “of lapsis lazuli.” It also had ten plagues (makkot) inscribed upon it with the acronym⁴⁴notarikon. DTsK 'DSh B'HB.⁴⁵D = dam (“blood”), Ts = Tsefardia‘ (“frogs”), K= kinnim (“gnats”), ‘ = ‘arov (“flies”), D = dever (“cattle pestilence”), Sh = shehin (“boils”), B = barad (“hail”), ‘ = ‘arbeh (“locusts”), H = hoshekh (“darkness”), B = bekhorot (“first-born”). Then Moses, when he had looked at the rod and seen the punishment (makkah) which had been appointed to come, brought it upon Pharaoh. Ergo (in Hab. 1:7): TERRIBLE AND DREADFUL < IS THAT ONE >.