Midras Bilangan 7:11: Bamidbar Rabbah

“The princes brought the dedication of the altar on the day that it was anointed, and the princes brought their offering before the altar” (Numbers 7:10).
“The Lord said to Moses: One prince on each day, one prince on each day shall present their offering for the dedication of the altar” (Numbers 7:11).
“The princes brought the dedication of the altar…” – this tells that just as the princes donated for the labor of the Tabernacle, so they donated for the dedication of the altar. “The princes brought their offering…” – they came and stood before the altar, but Moses did not accept it from them until it was stated to him from the mouth of the Holy One blessed be He: “Shall present their offering for the dedication of the altar.” Moses still did not know how they would present their offering, whether according to the journeys⁶⁸This is a reference to the banners mentioned in Numbers, chapter 3. or according to their birth order, until it was stated to him from the mouth of the Holy One blessed be He that they should bring their offering according to the journeys. Still, Moses did not know how they would bring them; all of them together, or each and every one on his own day, until it was stated to him from the mouth of the Holy One blessed be He that it would be each and every one on his own day, as it is stated: “One prince on each day.” But was it not princes who were donating and not common people; why, then, does the verse state: “One prince on each day”? It is because Naḥshon was the king,⁶⁹He was the prince of the tribe of Judah, the tribe from which kings would descend. and he brought first. So he would not say: Since I brought first, I will bring with each and every one on his day, that is why it is stated: “One prince on each day.” Some say that when the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “One prince on each day,” Moses said to the princes: ‘The Holy One blessed be He said to me that all of you will bring, but it was not stated to me who will bring first.’ They all directed their eyes to Naḥshon. ‘This one sanctified the name of the Holy One blessed be He at the sea, it is he who is worthy to cause the Divine Presence to descend, and he will bring the first of them all.’ So, he did. That is what is written: “The one who presented [his offering on the first day was Naḥshon son of Aminadav, of the tribe of Judah]” (Numbers 7:12).

“And his offering: 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 7:13).
“And his offering: One silver dish…” – that is what is written: “All of you is fair, my love, and there is no blemish in you” (Song of Songs 4:7). It is speaking of Israel. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: When Israel was standing before Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, there were no blind people, deaf people, imbeciles, mutes, lame people, or disabled people among them. Regarding that moment, it says: “All of you is fair, my love, and there is no blemish in you.” This was until they sinned with the calf, and then some of them became zavim and lepers, just as it says: “Moses saw the people, that they were farua…” (Exodus 32:25), and it is written: “And the leper in whom the mark is, his garments shall be rent, and the hair of his head shall be grown [farua]” (Leviticus 13:45). Regarding that moment it says: “They shall send from the camp every leper and every zav” (Numbers 5:2). But before Mount Sinai, they were all complete. That is, “all of you is fair, my love…”
Another matter, “all of you is fair, my love,” is speaking of the tribes. If you say: How could they all be fair, as Jacob blessed the tribes but admonished Reuben, Simeon, and Levi; how can you say: “All of you is fair, my love”? Rabbi Elazar said: Even though he blessed the later tribes and admonished the earlier ones, he then blessed them, as it is stated: “All these are the tribes of Israel, twelve, [and this is that which their father spoke to them and he blessed them]” (Genesis 49:28). He arranged it that they would absorb from one another. What is, “He blessed them; each man in accordance with his blessing he blessed them”? (Genesis 49:28). After he blessed them, he blessed them again? [No,] rather, it teaches that when Jacob blessed his sons and likened them to animals, he likened Judah to a lion, “Judah is a lion cub” (Genesis 49:9), he likened Dan to a serpent, “Dan will be a serpent…” (Genesis 49:17), he likened Naphtali to a doe, “Naphtali is a doe set free” (Genesis 49:21), Benjamin, to a wolf, “Benjamin is a wolf that mauls” (Genesis 49:27), nevertheless, he then called all of them lions, all of them serpents, all of them does, all of them wolves. Know that it is so, as Dan, whom he had called a serpent, was later called a lion: “Dan is a lion cub…” (Deuteronomy 33:22). You learned that he then included Reuben, Simeon, and Levi in the blessing of their brothers, to realize what is stated: “All of you is fair, my love.”
This is why the verse again enumerated Reuben, Simeon, and Levi alone in the book of Exodus³¹Exodus 6:14–25. and did not enumerate the other tribes. Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda says: This is the reason that it enumerated; it is because all the tribes did not preserve their lineage in Egypt, but Reuben, Simeon, and Levi preserved their lineage. That is why it enumerates their lineage. Rabbi Neḥemya says: All the tribes were idol worshippers in Egypt, but the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi did not engage in idol worship; therefore, they were privileged to be enumerated alone. The Rabbis say: All the tribes did not exercise authority in Egypt; Reuben, Simeon, and Levi exercised authority in Egypt. Reuben died, they conferred authority upon Simeon. Simeon died, they conferred authority upon Levi. Levi died, they sought to confer authority upon Judah. A Divine Voice emerged and said to them: ‘Leave it until its time will arrive.’ When did its time arrive? It was after the death of Joshua: “It was after the death of Joshua; the children of Israel asked [the Lord, saying: Who will go up first against the Canaanites for us, to wage war against them?] The Lord said: Judah will go up… (Judges 1:1–2).
Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Ḥanin, one of them said: This is the reason that he again mentioned the lineage of these three tribes, because their father had admonished them. The other said: It is because it mentioned their lineage with Moses and Aaron.³²It is because the Torah sought to mention the lineage of Moses and Aaron, who were from the tribe of Levi. Rather than begin with Levi, the Torah began with Reuben and stopped at Levi. We do not know who said this and who said that. From the fact that Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon, in the name of Rabbi Ḥanin, in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzḥak: “An ear that heeds life’s rebuke will abide among the wise” (Proverbs 15:31), it was Rabbi Ḥanin who said that it was because he admonished them. Because they accepted their father’s admonishment, they were privileged to have their lineage mentioned alongside Moses and Aaron. That is why it is stated: “All of you is fair, my love.”
Another matter, “all of you is fair, my love…” – because Jeremiah says: “Rejected silver they called them” (Jeremiah 6:30), and Ezekiel called them dross: “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me” (Ezekiel 22:18), Zechariah came and said: “I saw, and behold, a candelabrum, gold in its entirety” (Zechariah 4:2), to realize what is stated: “All of you is fair, my love…”
Another matter, “all of you is fair, my love…” – it is speaking of the princes of the tribes when they were presenting their offerings for the dedication of the altar. They did not all present their offering on one day; rather, each and every one on his day, just as it says: “One prince on each day” (Numbers 7:11). Is it, perhaps, that the one who presented his offering earlier was more beloved, and Judah, who presented his offering first, will be even more beloved? That is why Rabbi Ḥelbo said: Regarding all the princes “his offering” is written, but regarding the prince of Judah, “and his offering.” I wonder, he presented his offering first and it said: “And his offering”? It should not have said so; rather, the first, “his offering,” and the subsequent ones, “and his offering.” Why is it so? Rabbi Berekhya HaKohen bar Rabbi said: It was for Judah, who presented his offering first. Were he to come to act haughtily vis-à-vis his brothers and say, ‘I am more esteemed than you, as I presented my offering first,’ they would respond to him: ‘It is you who presented your offering last, as it is written: “And his offering.” It renders you secondary to your brothers.’ That is, “all of you is fair…”

“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.”