Midras 1 Samuel 7:17: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition) & Vayikra Rabbah

R. Jochanan said: "All the prophets were rich — This we infer from the account of Moses, Samuel, Ammos, and Jonah. Of Moses, as it is written (Ib. 17, 15) I have not taken away an ass of anyone of them. Shall we assume that it means without payment, is this a praise for Moses that he was not of those who took things without paying for them? We must therefore say that even with payment he never took [because he had his own.]" But perhaps this was because he was poor and he did not have sufficient funds with which to pay? Again we must infer this from the above Hew thee out, which means the chips shall be yours. Of Samuel, as it is written (I Sam. 12, 3) Behold, here am I, testify against me in the presence of the Lord and in the presence of His anointed. Whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? etc. Shall we assume that he means without payment. Is it possible that he only means to exclude himself from those who take things without paying for them? We must therefore say that he did not use them, even to pay for these articles, because he was rich. But perhaps it was on the contrary, because he was a poor man and could not afford to pay for them? We must therefore say that the inference is from the following (Ib. 7, 17) And his return was to Ramah: for there was his home. Whereupon Raba explained this that wherever he went he had his home with him [he took along his household with him, hence he was a rich man.] Raba said: "The things said concerning Samuel were even greater than those said concerning Moses; for while concerning Moses it is written, I have not taken away an ass of any one of them, which means not without their consent, but concerning Samuel it is said that he did not hire one even when Israel offered him with their good will, as it is said (I Sam. 12, 4) And they said. Thou hast not defrauded us, nor hast thou depressed, and thou hast not taken from any man's hand the least." Of Amos, as it is written (Amos 7, 14) Then answered Amos, and said to Amazyah, I am no prophet, nor am I a prophet's son, but I am a herdsman and a gatherer of wild figs, upon which R. Joseph explained it through the Targum that it means, I am an owner of flocks and I have fig trees down in the valley. Of Jonah, as it is written (Johan 1, 3) )And he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tharshish, from the presence of the Lord; and R. Jochanan explained this that he paid for the entire cargo [in order that they should sail with him immediately,] and R. Humnus said that the price of a ship was four thousand golden dinarim.

Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: The private altar is permitted only by means of a prophet. What is the source? “Beware, lest you offer up your burnt offerings [in any place that you see]” (Deuteronomy 12:13), but Elijah sacrificed during the period of the prohibition of private altars.³³See I Kings chapter 18. Rabbi Simlai said: The Holy One blessed be He told him to, as it is stated: “And by Your word I have performed” (I Kings 18:36); by Your statement.
Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Marei cites it from this: “Then Joshua built [an altar]” (Joshua 8:30).³⁴Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Marei is proving from here that when the Israelites entered the Land of Israel and arrived at Gilgal, private altars became permitted once again (see Yerushalmi, Megilla 1:12). I have derived only regarding Gilgal, from where is it derived regarding Givon? It is as it is stated: “It was on that night that the Lord said to him: Take your father's large bull” (Judges 6:25).³⁵The text of the midrash here is difficult, as this verse is stated regarding Gideon, who did not live during the time when the Tabernacle was at Givon. Some suggest that the text should state Gideon instead of Givon. If so, the meaning would be that Gideon was permitted to sacrifice on an private altar by God even though at the time this was generally forbidden. For another interpretation, see Etz Yosef. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Seven transgressions were violated with Gideon’s bull: Ashera trees, invalid stones, designated a bull of worship, a non-priest, at night, and it was not at the proper time.³⁶The altar Gideon used was made from trees and stones that had been used for idolatrous worship and were disqualified for use for an altar. The bull had been worshipped, designated for idolatrous sacrifice, and it was seven years old; each of these factors is sufficient to disqualify an animal from use as an offering. I have derived only regarding Givon, from where is it derived regarding Shilo?³⁷From where is it derived that although private altars were prohibited while the Tabernacle was at Shilo, they were permitted again once the Tabernacle was no longer there? (Etz Yosef). “Samuel took one suckling lamb [and offered it up in its entirety as a burnt offering to the Lord]” (I Samuel 7:9).³⁸This occurred after the destruction of the Tabernacle at Shilo, and proves that private altars became permitted once again. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Three transgressions were violated with Samuel’s bull: It [was burned] with its hide, it was not at its proper time,³⁹It was less than eight days old. and he was a Levite. Rabbi Yosei said: If it is from that verse, you cannot derive anything. Rather, derive it from this [proof brought] by Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani: “His return was to Rama, as his home was there. [There he would judge Israel, and he built an altar there to the Lord]” (I Samuel 7:17).