Midrash sur Le Lévitique 2:12

Another interpretation (of I Sam. 2:2): AND THERE IS NO ROCK (TsWR) LIKE OUR GOD. When flesh and blood fashions (rt.: TsWR) an image (rt.: TsWR), he (the fashioner) speaks, but his image does not speak. [Still, he] praises his image. In the case of the Holy One, however, his image stands up and praises him. [Another interpretation (of I Sam. 2:2:) THERE IS NO ROCK (TsWR) LIKE OUR GOD.] When flesh and blood wants to fashion an image, how many ingredients must he bring before he fashions it? But the Holy One fashions an image out of a single drop (of seminal fluid). Come and see the peacock⁹Gk.: taos. in which there are three hundred sixty[-five] kinds of colors; yet it is created from a single drop of white stuff. Now you should not < only > speak about a bird, but also about a human being, who is fashioned from a single drop of white stuff. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 12:2): WHEN A WOMAN EMITS HER SEED AND BEARS A MALE. [Ergo (in I Sam. 2:2): AND THERE IS NO ROCK (TsWR) LIKE OUR GOD. Another interpretation: When a king of flesh and blood fashions a image, his image does not make < another > image; but when the Holy One fashions an image, his image does make < another > image, for it fashions the woman, and the woman bears an image like it. (Lev. 2:12:) WHEN A WOMAN EMITS HER SEED.]

7) (Vayikra 2:12): ("As a first-offering you may offer them [leaven and honey] up to the L–rd"): "As a first-offering" (the two loaves were leavened, and the first-fruits contained the honey of fruits and dates.): — that they (the two loaves) be first of all the meal-offerings (of the year, no meal-offering of the new grain being brought before the two loaves are offered), as it is written (Vayikra 23:16): "And you shall offer a new meal-offering to the L–rd" — that it be the newest of all the meal-offerings. This tells me (that it precedes) only a meal-offering of wheat (the two loaves being of wheat.) Whence do I derive that it precedes even) a meal-offering of barley (such as the meal-offering of rancor [of the sotah])? From (Numbers 28:26): "And on the day of first-fruits, when you offer a new meal-offering to the L–rd, in your (festival of) weeks (Shavuoth)." If it ("new") is not needed for a wheat meal-offering, (this already having been written), understand it as applying to a barley meal-offering (i.e., that a barley meal-offering, too, does not precede it).

8) And whence is it derived that they (the two loaves) precede the (bringing of) the first-fruits (bikkurim)? From (Shemoth 34:22): ("And the festival of Shavuoth shall you make for yourself,) the first of the wheat harvest" (i.e., What you make on Shavuoth [the two loaves] should precede [all that comes of] the wheat harvest.) This tells me (that it precedes only bikkurim) of wheat. Whence do I derive (that it precedes also bikkurim) of barley? From (Shemoth 23:16): "which you sow" (implying all that you sow.) This tells me only of what is sown. Whence do I derive (that the two loaves precede) what grows of itself (from seeds scattered by the wind)? From (Shemoth 23:16): "in the field" (implying all that grows in the field.) This tells me only of what grows in the field. Whence do I derive the same for (fruits planted on) a roof, in a yard, or in a ruin? From (Bamidbar 18:13): (The two loaves shall be) "the first-fruits of all that is in their land." And whence is it derived that they precede the (bikkurim of) libations and the fruits of the tree? From (Bamidbar 23:16): (The two loaves shall be) "the first fruits of your labor," and (Bamidbar 23:16): "when you gather your labor from the field." (Grapes for libations and fruits are subsumed in "gathered.")

8) I might think they do not make apportionment with higher order offerings, but they do make apportionment with lower order offerings; it is, therefore, written (after (Vayikra 2:11) "And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings [lower order offerings]"), (Vayikra 2:12) "If for thanksgiving (a lower order offering) he shall offer it" — Just as apportionment is not made with higher order offerings, they are not made with lower order offerings.

9) I might think that if a different offering (of the new grain) preceded them (the two loaves) they should not be offered; it is, therefore, written (Vayikra 2:12): "You may offer them." I might think that if they were not offered on Shavuoth they could be offered afterwards; it is, therefore, written (to negate this): "them" (i.e., the ones specifically designated in respect to Shavuoth). I might think that an individual could bring their like (the two loaves) as a gift-offering (whenever he wished); it is, therefore, written: "them." I might think that an individual cannot bring their like as a gift-offering because he does not bring their like as a mandatory offering, but that the congregation, which does bring their like as a mandatory offering, could bring their like as a gift-offering. It is, therefore, written: "them." (Vayikra 2:12): ("but they [leaven and honey] shall not come up to the altar for a sweet savor"): "the altar": This tells me only of the altar. Whence do I derive the ramp (to be included in the prohibition)? From "and to the altar they shall not come up." I might think (that they are prohibited) both for an offering and not for an offering (i.e., as fuel); it is, therefore, written: "for a sweet savor" — it is only for an offering that they are prohibited.

11) From (Shemoth 29:37): "All that touches the altar shall become consecrated" we learn that the altar consecrates what is appropriate for it. Whence do we derive that even the ramp (leading to the altar) consecrates what is appropriate for the altar? From "eth the altar" ("eth" connoting inclusion). Whence do I derive that even the ministering vessels consecrate what is appropriate for them? From (Shemoth 30:29): "And they (the ministering vessels) shall be holy of holies. All that touches them shall be consecrated."

(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.