כַּ֥ף אַחַ֛ת עֲשָׂרָ֥ה זָהָ֖ב מְלֵאָ֥ה קְטֹֽרֶת׃
une coupe de dix sicles, en or, pleine de parfum;
Pesikta Rabbati
And the one who offered his sacrifice on the first day was Nachshon ben Aminadab of the tribe of Judah (Numbers 7:12). Our Rabbi, the one who offered the sacrifice to the altar, taught us which way he turned his face. Thus our Rabbis taught that all those who offered the altar ascended through the right and circled around and descended through the left (Zebachim 16:44). He had a lamb named Rabbi Yulimna ben Abdi, named Rabbi Yitzchak, worth sixty canter of gold, which he would offer for 23 times every year. Why was the altar (the atonement) for Israel? You find out when the Blessed One, Blessed be He, said to them: “When the tabernacle was built, they immediately hastened to it, as it is written, and every wise-hearted person made it, etc.” (Exodus 36:8). And when the tabernacle was erected, the leaders came to the assembly and said to Moses: “Who will offer first?” The Rashbi said to him: “The Holy One, blessed be He, who sanctified the sea, will offer first.” This was Nachshon. And he immediately offered first, according to what we have read in the matter. And so on: [And the sacrificer, etc.] Thus began Rabbi Tanchuma in me, Rabbi Abba, the Holy Spirit, [in the Holy Spirit] [in the Holy Spirit] The pride of man will humble him, and the lowliness of spirit will support honor (Proverbs 29:23). The pride of man will humble him. This was Adhar who transgressed the commandment of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and ate from the tree. The Holy One, Blessed be He, asked him to repent and opened an opening for him, and he did not ask Adam, and he said, "The Lord God, if he were as one of you, knowing good and evil, and now lest he stretch out his hand, etc." (Genesis 3:22) Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said, "What is the meaning of The hosts [of God of Israel] sitteth upon the cherubim (Isaiah 37:16). What are cherubim? Here are taunts and insults [even cherubim, as it is said here taunts and insults] O the pride of man, you will bring us down (whoever is proud) [who is proud] against the Blessed One, by repenting, he humbled him (and was divorced) [and was divorced] from the Garden of Eden, and the lowly in spirit will support the glory. This is the same man who is greater than the giants (Joshua 14:15), who was greater than the first man who humbled himself and said, "I am dust and ashes" (Genesis 18:27). Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, called the same man who is greater than the giants: Isa. The pride of man, you will bring us down. This is Pharaoh who was proud against Moses and said, "Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice" (Exodus 5:2). And the lowly in spirit will support the glory. This is Moses, for when shall I plead with you (Isa. 8:5). When I go out of the city, I will spread out my hands, etc. (Isa. 9:29): [Another thing] The pride of man Humiliate us, this Amalek, who was proud of the Blessed One, with his insults and blasphemies and slander, who took the slanders (sa memory) of Israel and threw them upward and scorned and said, "This is what you have chosen, and humility of spirit will support honor." This is Joshua and Eleazar: i.e., the pride of man, humble us, this is Tabor and Carmel, who came from the ends of the earth, boasting that we are high and above us, the Holy One, blessed be He, gives the Torah, and humility of spirit will support honor. This is Sinai, who humbled himself, saying that I am low, and through this, the Blessed One supported honor upon him, and the Torah was given upon him, and he merited that the Holy One, blessed be He, descended upon him and stood upon him, as it is said, "And the Lord descended upon him (upon him) on Mount Sinai," etc. (Exodus 19:20): i.e., the pride of man, humble us, for it is a great path, but a prophet (for the humble) [in the matter] this is Judah, who humbled himself before Joseph for Benjamin's sake. Please speak to your servant in the ears of my lord (Genesis 44:18), and now, please, sit under the boy (ibid., ibid.) 33) Rabbi Barachiah in the name of Rabbi Levi said to him, "You humbled yourself before your younger brother for the sake of your younger brother, who in the short time of your life, may the Tabernacle be built and the tribes come to offer sacrifices. No one offers first before you. I will give you honor and you offer first. And the one who offers on the first day is Nahshon son of Aminadab from the tribe of Judah. May the humble spirit sustain honor. On the first day, Rabbi Shmuel bar Mata said, "What is the first day? From the first day that the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He desired to dwell with His creatures in the lower parts. See what is written in Genesis: "The first day was the first day. And there was evening and there was morning. One day (Genesis 1:5) The first day is not written here but one day, and as if it were to say, "Monday, Tuesday." But why did he say "one day"? Until the Holy One, blessed be He, alone in His world, desired to dwell with His creatures in the lower parts. (Until) He did nothing except when the Tabernacle was built and the Holy One, blessed be He, poured out His Shekhinah in it, and the leaders came to offer sacrifices. The Blessed One will write that on the first day the world was created, and on the day the Tabernacle was erected, it is not written here, but on the first day, what is the first? First of the creation of the world: i.e. on the first day, the first in the act of creation, the first for the priesthood, the first for the presidency, and I will dwell among the people of Israel (Exodus 29:45), the first for work, the first for the beginning of the months, the first for the prohibition, the first for the slaughter of the north, the first for the descent of the fire: i.e. and it was that Ar Rabbi Shimon bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, every place he wrote, and there was joy in it, and there was sorrow in it, and when the presidents sacrificed, and there was joy in the place on the day in which the world was created, why does he say, and because it was expected before the place that they would go with Korah in his dispute, for this reason it is said. And Ar Rabbi Yehuda in the name of Rabbi Sima, in the name of Rabbi Levi ben Parta, a son of Pultumin, who stole in the bathhouse, and the Babylonian was afraid to tell his name. However, they published a handsome young man dressed in white in this way, although he did not explain the names of the presidents who shared with Korah and went with him, but rather published by implication, the presidents of the congregation, the calligraphers of the assembly, the people of the name (Numbers 16:2). Therefore it is written: And it was Nachshon, the one who sacrificed, and he offered, and they all offered, why (and he offered) Rabbi Barachiah the priest, in the name of Judah, who offered first, said, The Holy One, blessed be He, if he comes to boast about his brother and say, "I am more honorable than you because I offered first," they answer him and say to him, "You are the one who offered last." Why is it written, "The first one offered," Rabbi Yodan said, because they all offered together: And it was Nachshon, the one who offered, and he offered first, because he sanctified the name of the Lord, blessed be He, and he went down in the waves of the sea. First, all the tribes were standing on the sea when it was torn away. And from all of them, Benjamin gave his life to enter within it and sanctify the name of the Lord, blessed be He. There was Benjamin, a young man who was drowning (Psalms 68:28). Do not be a reader, but rather went down to the sea. When Judah saw him, what did he do? They began to stone him, saying, "He went down first." The Holy One, blessed be He, since Judah went down to the sea first and sanctified my name, he will offer first, and the offering will be on the first day: 1. And on the first day, it was this that was spoken of in the Scripture: “You are all beautiful, my wife, and there is no blemish in you” (Sh. 4:7). This is speaking of Israel, except that when Israel received the Torah, they were all of them, and there was not a cripple among them, nor a blind man, nor a mute, nor a deaf man. Since they sinned in that act, they immediately became all of them lepers and lepers, as it is written. And Moses saw the people, for they were wild (Exodus 32:25). And the leper who has the plague shall have his clothes torn and his head uncovered, etc. (Leviticus 13:45). You are all beautiful, my wife, speaking of the tribes. And if you say, "Jacob, their father, blessed the tribes and blessed the first" to Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, and you say, "Rabbi Eliezer, even though he blessed the last tribes and blessed the first, but he returned and blessed them as much as he wrote, "All these are the twelve tribes of Israel" (Genesis 49:28). What is this and what their father spoke to them and blessed them (ibid.)?" Rabbi Elazar said, "He made them sucklings one from another." Therefore, Rav Huna and Rabbi Levi said that he counted them for themselves in the book of Exodus and attributed them to Moses and Aaron. These are the heads of their ancestral houses, the sons of Reuben [and] the sons of Simeon [and] the sons of Levi (Exodus 6:14). Thus did Rabbi Huna and Rabbi Levi teach, but they did not explain, and why did he attribute them to Moses and Aaron? What do you say about the fact that their father blessed them and counted the three of them for himself? It is beautiful, and why did he assign them to Moses and Aaron? And the Lord spoke. To Moses and Aaron, etc. (ibid. 13), Rabbi B. Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel, son of Rabbi Yitzchak, since they received their father's reproof, they were entitled to refer to Moses and Aaron to fulfill what is said: "The ear hears the reproof of life among the sages." (Proverbs 15:31): "You are all beautiful, my wife, come and see how all the tribes are beloved before the Holy One, blessed be He, in sacrifices. You know how all of them are beloved and equal. Judah offers first, and he says, 'And our offering,' and afterwards, he says, 'Our offering.' And there was no need to say so, but the one who offers first should say, 'Our offering,' and whoever offers after him should say, 'Our offering.' And why is it not written so? Rabbi Barachiah the priest B. Rabbi, if he comes to boast that I came first, they say to him, 'You are the last.' And so you find at the end, this is the dedication of the altar [on the day of anointing it, etc.]" (Numbers 7:44). After anointing him, it is not written here except on the day of anointing him, as if they all offered it on one day. Why are you all beautiful? My wife, and there is no blemish in you: According to Jeremiah, he said, "They are full of silver." They called them (Jeremiah 6:30). And Ezekiel calls them dross, as it is said, "The house of Israel was to me as dross." (Ezekiel 22:18). Zechariah came and said, "Behold, a lampstand all of gold." (Zechariah 4:2) It is all of gold. Why are you all beautiful, my wife, and there is no blemish in you?
Bamidbar Rabbah
“On the sixth day, prince of the children of Gad, Elyasaf son of Deuel” (Numbers 7:42).
“On the sixth day, prince of the children of Gad, Elyasaf son of Deuel” – because Simeon took his sword and went and waged war with the people of Shekhem on behalf of his sister, and the descendants of Gad crossed the Jordan to help their brethren take possession of the Land, just as it says: “He performed the righteousness of the Lord, and His ordinances with Israel” (Deuteronomy 33:21); therefore, he was privileged to present his offering after Simeon.
“His offering was one silver dish, its weight one hundred and thirty; one silver basin of seventy shekels, in the sacred shekel; both of them full of high quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering” (Numbers 7:43).
“His offering was one silver dish…” – Rabbi Berekhya said: The prince of Gad presented his offering corresponding to the exodus from Egypt. Why did he do so? It is because his father blessed him with regiments, as it is stated: “Gad will recruit a regiment and it will return intact” (Genesis 49:19). Jacob said that statement regarding the fact that he was destined to cross the Jordan as a vanguard into battle, just as it says: “And your servants will cross, all the vanguard [ḥalutz] of the host, before the Lord into battle…” (Numbers 32:27). Regarding the exodus from Egypt, host is written, just as it says: “All the hosts of the Lord departed [from the land of Egypt]” (Exodus 12:41), and it is stated: “The children of Israel ascended armed [ḥamushim] [from the land of Egypt]” (Exodus 13:18); ḥamushim is the same as ḥalutzim. The Land was distributed to those who departed from Egypt, just as it says: “I will give it to you as a heritage, I am the Lord” (Exodus 6:8), and the descendants of Gad aided them until the land was conquered and distributed to all of them, that is why their prince presented his offering regarding the exodus from Egypt.
Rabbi Berekhya said: He began presenting his offering corresponding to what befell them from the day that Jacob and his sons descended to Egypt, until they departed. That is what is written: “His offering was one silver dish,” corresponding to Yokheved, Moses’s mother, in whose regard it is stated: “A man of the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi” (Exodus 2:1); it teaches that Amram divorced her and then took her back. That is why he presented a dish. Do not read it as ke’arat, but rather, as keraat, because she was severed [nikraat] from him. The letters of this are the letters of that. “One silver [kesef],” as Amram longed to take her back as a wife on account of Miriam, Aaron’s sister. That is why it is called kesef, because of the longing, just as it says: “My soul longs [nikhsefa], and also yearns, [for the courtyards of the Lord]” (Psalms 84:3). And it says: “Because you longed [nikhsof nikhsafta] for your father’s house…” (Genesis 31:30).
“One [aḥat],” do not read it as aḥat, but rather, as aḥot, sister, as when she was Aaron’s sister, she prophesied and said to her father that he should take back his wife, who was destined to bear a son who would redeem Israel. In that regard it is stated: “Miriam the prophetess, sister of Aaron…” (Exodus 15:20). Was she Aaron’s sister and not Moses’s sister? It is because Moses had not yet been born, and that is why, when Moses was cast into the Nile, she went and saw what would befall Moses and what would be the fate of her prophecy, just as it says: “His sister stationed herself at a distance [to ascertain what would be done to him]” (Exodus 2:4). That is, “one silver.”
“Its weight one hundred and thirty” (Numbers 7:43), it is because she [Yokheved] was one hundred and thirty years old when Moses was born. How so? It is because Yokheved was born between the walls82Namely, on the border of Egypt. when Israel descended to Egypt. That is why she entered into the tally of those who descended to Egypt, as it is stated: “All the people, his sons and his daughters, thirty-three” (Genesis 46:15). In the generalization, you find thirty-three, but in the details, you find only thirty-two. Why? It is because Yokheved was born between the walls, and was among those who arrived in Egypt. Do we not know that she was born in Egypt; after all, her name was not mentioned with the names of those who arrived? It is, rather, to say to you that she was born in Egypt between the walls when they entered Egypt, but her conception was not in Egypt. Go out and reckon: From the day that our ancestors descended to Egypt until the day that Moses was born, there were one hundred and thirty years, as Israel was in Egypt for two hundred and ten years. From where is it derived? “Descend [redu]83The numerical value of redu is reish – 200 + dalet – 4 + vav – 6 = 210. there” (Genesis 42:2). Subtract from them eighty years, that was Moses’s age when Israel departed from Egypt; one hundred and thirty remain. We learn that Yokheved was one hundred and thirty years old when Moses was born.
“One silver [kesef] basin [mizrak]” (Numbers 7:43), this is Moses, who was cast into the Nile.84The word kesef is an allusion to the fact that his mother longed [nikhsefa] for him. Alternatively, that he was banished [nizrak] from Egypt, as it is stated: “Moses fled…” (Exodus 2:15). “Seventy shekel, in the sacred shekel,” these are the seventy elders whom Moses appointed, all of them prophets, from those that the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “You shall come, you and the elders of Israel to the king…” (Exodus 3:18). Likewise, it says: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel…” (Numbers 11:16). “Both of them full of high quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering,” as he and they, all of them were filled with the Divine Spirit, and they were filled with the Divine Spirit from the spirit of Moses, but Moses lacked nothing, like a person who lights one candle from another, the candle is kindled but the other lacks nothing; like a person who smells a citron, he enjoys it, but the citron lacks nothing. “As a meal offering [leminḥa],” just as it says: “It was, as the spirit rested [keno’aḥ] upon them, they prophesied…” (Numbers 11:25).
Another matter, “both of them full,” corresponding to Eldad and Meidad, just as it says: “Two men remained in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, [and the name of the second was Meidad]” (Numbers 11:26). “As a meal offering,” just as it says: “The spirit rested upon them…and they prophesied…” (Numbers 11:26).
“One gold ladle, ten shekels, full of incense” (Numbers 7:44).
“One…ladle [kaf],” as it was at the hand of Moses that the Egyptians were stricken with ten plagues; that is: “gold…ten shekels.” Why were some of the vessels of silver and some of gold? It is to say to you that the latter, that were of gold, correspond to the plunder at the sea, as just as gold is more beautiful and valuable than silver, so, the plunder at the sea was greater than the one in Egypt. Regarding these and those, it is stated: “We will craft you golden earrings” (Song of Songs 1:11); this is the plunder at the sea,“with studs of silver” (Song of Songs 1:11); this is the plunder in Egypt. Likewise, it says: “You came to great beauty [baadi adayim]” (Ezekiel 16:7),85Another meaning of adi is gem or jewel. baadi, this is the plunder in Egypt, adayim, this is the plunder at the sea. That is “full of incense,” as all Israel were filled with silver, gold, and all sorts of spices. Likewise, it says: “Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates…. Lavender and saffron, lemongrass and cinnamon” (Song of Songs 4:13–14); that is “full of incense.”
Another matter, one hundred and thirty of the dish, seventy of the basin, and ten of the ladle total two hundred and ten, corresponding to the two hundred and ten years that Israel spent in Egypt from the day that Jacob descended to Egypt until they departed from there.
“One young bull, one ram, one lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering” (Numbers 7:45).
“One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 7:46).
“And for the peace offering, two cattle, five rams, five goats, five sheep in their first year. This was the offering of Elyasaf son of Deuel” (Numbers 7:47).
“One young bull” (Numbers 7:45), it mentioned three species for a burnt offering, corresponding to the three good leaders that the Holy One blessed be He granted Israel, Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, as it is stated: “I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam” (Micah 6:4). He gave them manna due to the merit of Moses, clouds of glory due to the merit of Aaron, and a spring due to the merit of Miriam.
Another matter, why are three species of burnt offering stated? It is corresponding to the three good attributes that Israel possessed in Egypt, by whose merit they were redeemed: that they did not change their names, they did not change their language, and they separated themselves from licentiousness. “One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 7:46), corresponding to the paschal offering that the Holy One blessed be He commanded, to perform it with a goat to connote their withdrawal from idol worship. This is because Israel were idol worshippers in Egypt, and the attribute of justice would not have allowed them to be redeemed until they withdrew from it. For the withdrawal from idol worship that they performed, they were redeemed, just as it says: “I will see the blood and I will pass over you…” (Exodus 12:13). That is why they sacrificed a goat as a sin offering corresponding to it, as, for the iniquity of idol worship, they would sacrifice a goat as a sin offering.86See Numbers 15:27.
“And for the peace offering, two cattle” (Numbers 7:47), corresponding to Jacob and Joseph, by whose merit Israel was redeemed from Egypt, as it is stated: “With Your arm, You redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph, Selah” (Psalms 77:16). Alternatively, corresponding to Moses and Aaron, as they performed all the wonders, and it is at their hand that they departed, as it is stated: “Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders…” (Exodus 11:10).
“Five rams” (Numbers 7:47), why three species? It is corresponding to the patriarchs, as the Holy One blessed be He remembered the covenant that He made with them, and redeemed them, as it is stated: “God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob” (Exodus 2:24). Why five of each? It is because their tally equals fifteen, corresponding to the patriarchs and the tribes who are fifteen, as, just as the Holy One blessed be He took an oath to the patriarchs, so He took an oath to the tribes, as it is stated: “The oaths said to the tribes, Selah” (Habakkuk 3:9). Alternatively, why fifteen? It is because they were redeemed on the fifteenth of Nisan, as it is stated: “On the day after the paschal offering, [the children of Israel departed]” (Numbers 33:3). And it says: “I acquired her for Me for fifteen silver pieces” (Hosea 3:2).87This verse is expounded to mean that the Holy One blessed be He acquired the children of Israel on the fifteenth of Nisan.
“This was the offering of Elyasaf” (Numbers 7:47), when the Holy One blessed be He saw that he presented his offering corresponding to the order of the redemption from Egypt, He began lauding his offering: “This was the offering of Elyasaf son of Deuel.”
“On the sixth day, prince of the children of Gad, Elyasaf son of Deuel” – because Simeon took his sword and went and waged war with the people of Shekhem on behalf of his sister, and the descendants of Gad crossed the Jordan to help their brethren take possession of the Land, just as it says: “He performed the righteousness of the Lord, and His ordinances with Israel” (Deuteronomy 33:21); therefore, he was privileged to present his offering after Simeon.
“His offering was one silver dish, its weight one hundred and thirty; one silver basin of seventy shekels, in the sacred shekel; both of them full of high quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering” (Numbers 7:43).
“His offering was one silver dish…” – Rabbi Berekhya said: The prince of Gad presented his offering corresponding to the exodus from Egypt. Why did he do so? It is because his father blessed him with regiments, as it is stated: “Gad will recruit a regiment and it will return intact” (Genesis 49:19). Jacob said that statement regarding the fact that he was destined to cross the Jordan as a vanguard into battle, just as it says: “And your servants will cross, all the vanguard [ḥalutz] of the host, before the Lord into battle…” (Numbers 32:27). Regarding the exodus from Egypt, host is written, just as it says: “All the hosts of the Lord departed [from the land of Egypt]” (Exodus 12:41), and it is stated: “The children of Israel ascended armed [ḥamushim] [from the land of Egypt]” (Exodus 13:18); ḥamushim is the same as ḥalutzim. The Land was distributed to those who departed from Egypt, just as it says: “I will give it to you as a heritage, I am the Lord” (Exodus 6:8), and the descendants of Gad aided them until the land was conquered and distributed to all of them, that is why their prince presented his offering regarding the exodus from Egypt.
Rabbi Berekhya said: He began presenting his offering corresponding to what befell them from the day that Jacob and his sons descended to Egypt, until they departed. That is what is written: “His offering was one silver dish,” corresponding to Yokheved, Moses’s mother, in whose regard it is stated: “A man of the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi” (Exodus 2:1); it teaches that Amram divorced her and then took her back. That is why he presented a dish. Do not read it as ke’arat, but rather, as keraat, because she was severed [nikraat] from him. The letters of this are the letters of that. “One silver [kesef],” as Amram longed to take her back as a wife on account of Miriam, Aaron’s sister. That is why it is called kesef, because of the longing, just as it says: “My soul longs [nikhsefa], and also yearns, [for the courtyards of the Lord]” (Psalms 84:3). And it says: “Because you longed [nikhsof nikhsafta] for your father’s house…” (Genesis 31:30).
“One [aḥat],” do not read it as aḥat, but rather, as aḥot, sister, as when she was Aaron’s sister, she prophesied and said to her father that he should take back his wife, who was destined to bear a son who would redeem Israel. In that regard it is stated: “Miriam the prophetess, sister of Aaron…” (Exodus 15:20). Was she Aaron’s sister and not Moses’s sister? It is because Moses had not yet been born, and that is why, when Moses was cast into the Nile, she went and saw what would befall Moses and what would be the fate of her prophecy, just as it says: “His sister stationed herself at a distance [to ascertain what would be done to him]” (Exodus 2:4). That is, “one silver.”
“Its weight one hundred and thirty” (Numbers 7:43), it is because she [Yokheved] was one hundred and thirty years old when Moses was born. How so? It is because Yokheved was born between the walls82Namely, on the border of Egypt. when Israel descended to Egypt. That is why she entered into the tally of those who descended to Egypt, as it is stated: “All the people, his sons and his daughters, thirty-three” (Genesis 46:15). In the generalization, you find thirty-three, but in the details, you find only thirty-two. Why? It is because Yokheved was born between the walls, and was among those who arrived in Egypt. Do we not know that she was born in Egypt; after all, her name was not mentioned with the names of those who arrived? It is, rather, to say to you that she was born in Egypt between the walls when they entered Egypt, but her conception was not in Egypt. Go out and reckon: From the day that our ancestors descended to Egypt until the day that Moses was born, there were one hundred and thirty years, as Israel was in Egypt for two hundred and ten years. From where is it derived? “Descend [redu]83The numerical value of redu is reish – 200 + dalet – 4 + vav – 6 = 210. there” (Genesis 42:2). Subtract from them eighty years, that was Moses’s age when Israel departed from Egypt; one hundred and thirty remain. We learn that Yokheved was one hundred and thirty years old when Moses was born.
“One silver [kesef] basin [mizrak]” (Numbers 7:43), this is Moses, who was cast into the Nile.84The word kesef is an allusion to the fact that his mother longed [nikhsefa] for him. Alternatively, that he was banished [nizrak] from Egypt, as it is stated: “Moses fled…” (Exodus 2:15). “Seventy shekel, in the sacred shekel,” these are the seventy elders whom Moses appointed, all of them prophets, from those that the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “You shall come, you and the elders of Israel to the king…” (Exodus 3:18). Likewise, it says: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel…” (Numbers 11:16). “Both of them full of high quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering,” as he and they, all of them were filled with the Divine Spirit, and they were filled with the Divine Spirit from the spirit of Moses, but Moses lacked nothing, like a person who lights one candle from another, the candle is kindled but the other lacks nothing; like a person who smells a citron, he enjoys it, but the citron lacks nothing. “As a meal offering [leminḥa],” just as it says: “It was, as the spirit rested [keno’aḥ] upon them, they prophesied…” (Numbers 11:25).
Another matter, “both of them full,” corresponding to Eldad and Meidad, just as it says: “Two men remained in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, [and the name of the second was Meidad]” (Numbers 11:26). “As a meal offering,” just as it says: “The spirit rested upon them…and they prophesied…” (Numbers 11:26).
“One gold ladle, ten shekels, full of incense” (Numbers 7:44).
“One…ladle [kaf],” as it was at the hand of Moses that the Egyptians were stricken with ten plagues; that is: “gold…ten shekels.” Why were some of the vessels of silver and some of gold? It is to say to you that the latter, that were of gold, correspond to the plunder at the sea, as just as gold is more beautiful and valuable than silver, so, the plunder at the sea was greater than the one in Egypt. Regarding these and those, it is stated: “We will craft you golden earrings” (Song of Songs 1:11); this is the plunder at the sea,“with studs of silver” (Song of Songs 1:11); this is the plunder in Egypt. Likewise, it says: “You came to great beauty [baadi adayim]” (Ezekiel 16:7),85Another meaning of adi is gem or jewel. baadi, this is the plunder in Egypt, adayim, this is the plunder at the sea. That is “full of incense,” as all Israel were filled with silver, gold, and all sorts of spices. Likewise, it says: “Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates…. Lavender and saffron, lemongrass and cinnamon” (Song of Songs 4:13–14); that is “full of incense.”
Another matter, one hundred and thirty of the dish, seventy of the basin, and ten of the ladle total two hundred and ten, corresponding to the two hundred and ten years that Israel spent in Egypt from the day that Jacob descended to Egypt until they departed from there.
“One young bull, one ram, one lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering” (Numbers 7:45).
“One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 7:46).
“And for the peace offering, two cattle, five rams, five goats, five sheep in their first year. This was the offering of Elyasaf son of Deuel” (Numbers 7:47).
“One young bull” (Numbers 7:45), it mentioned three species for a burnt offering, corresponding to the three good leaders that the Holy One blessed be He granted Israel, Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, as it is stated: “I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam” (Micah 6:4). He gave them manna due to the merit of Moses, clouds of glory due to the merit of Aaron, and a spring due to the merit of Miriam.
Another matter, why are three species of burnt offering stated? It is corresponding to the three good attributes that Israel possessed in Egypt, by whose merit they were redeemed: that they did not change their names, they did not change their language, and they separated themselves from licentiousness. “One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 7:46), corresponding to the paschal offering that the Holy One blessed be He commanded, to perform it with a goat to connote their withdrawal from idol worship. This is because Israel were idol worshippers in Egypt, and the attribute of justice would not have allowed them to be redeemed until they withdrew from it. For the withdrawal from idol worship that they performed, they were redeemed, just as it says: “I will see the blood and I will pass over you…” (Exodus 12:13). That is why they sacrificed a goat as a sin offering corresponding to it, as, for the iniquity of idol worship, they would sacrifice a goat as a sin offering.86See Numbers 15:27.
“And for the peace offering, two cattle” (Numbers 7:47), corresponding to Jacob and Joseph, by whose merit Israel was redeemed from Egypt, as it is stated: “With Your arm, You redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph, Selah” (Psalms 77:16). Alternatively, corresponding to Moses and Aaron, as they performed all the wonders, and it is at their hand that they departed, as it is stated: “Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders…” (Exodus 11:10).
“Five rams” (Numbers 7:47), why three species? It is corresponding to the patriarchs, as the Holy One blessed be He remembered the covenant that He made with them, and redeemed them, as it is stated: “God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob” (Exodus 2:24). Why five of each? It is because their tally equals fifteen, corresponding to the patriarchs and the tribes who are fifteen, as, just as the Holy One blessed be He took an oath to the patriarchs, so He took an oath to the tribes, as it is stated: “The oaths said to the tribes, Selah” (Habakkuk 3:9). Alternatively, why fifteen? It is because they were redeemed on the fifteenth of Nisan, as it is stated: “On the day after the paschal offering, [the children of Israel departed]” (Numbers 33:3). And it says: “I acquired her for Me for fifteen silver pieces” (Hosea 3:2).87This verse is expounded to mean that the Holy One blessed be He acquired the children of Israel on the fifteenth of Nisan.
“This was the offering of Elyasaf” (Numbers 7:47), when the Holy One blessed be He saw that he presented his offering corresponding to the order of the redemption from Egypt, He began lauding his offering: “This was the offering of Elyasaf son of Deuel.”