וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֨ים הַלְוִיִּ֜ם בְּנֵ֣י צָד֗וֹק אֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁמְר֜וּ אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֤רֶת מִקְדָּשִׁי֙ בִּתְע֤וֹת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מֵֽעָלַ֔י הֵ֛מָּה יִקְרְב֥וּ אֵלַ֖י לְשָֽׁרְתֵ֑נִי וְעָמְד֣וּ לְפָנַ֗י לְהַקְרִ֥יב לִי֙ חֵ֣לֶב וָדָ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃
Tetapi para imam orang Lewi, keturunan Zadok, yang tetap memelihara tugas penjagaan tempat kudus-Ku ketika bani Israel sesat meninggalkan Aku, merekalah yang boleh mendekat kepada-Ku untuk melayani Aku. Mereka akan berdiri di hadapan-Ku untuk mempersembahkan kepada-Ku lemak dan darah, demikianlah firman Tuhan Yang Mahakekal.
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
(Fol. 86) Our Rabbis were taught: "Heave-offering must be given to the priest, first tithe to the Levite," so says R. Akiba. R. Elazar b. Azaria, however, says: (Ib. b) "Even the first tithes must be given to the priest." Does he mean to the priest only and not to the Levite? Say, "Also to the priest." What is the reason for R. Akiba's statement? It is written (Num. 18, 26) And to the Levites shalt thou speaks, and say unto them. Hence the passage speaks concerning Levites. But the other authority explains the passage as R. Joshua b. Levi did. For R. Joshua b. Levi said: "In twenty-four places, priests are called Levites, and the following is one of them. (Ez. 44, 15) But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadak," etc. There was a garden of which R. Elazar b. Azaria was getting the first tithes, whereupon R. Akiba went there and removed its entrance toward a cemetery. R. Elazar then remarked: "It is all right with Akiba, who has his [shepherd] bag wherein he keeps his maintenance (i.e., has a rich father-in-law); but how can I live through it?" It was taught: Why were the Levites punished with the tithes? R. Jochanan and one of the seniors of the academy differ. One said because they did not go up to the land of Israel in the time of Ezra, and the other said because the Priests should have to rely upon [cheap food,] during their uncleanliness. And when do we infer that they did not go to the land of Israel in the time of Ezra? It is written (Ez. 8, 15) And I gathered them together to the river that turneth unto the Ahava, and we encamped there three days; and I looked about among the people, and the priests, but of the sons of Levi I found none there. R. Chisda said: "In the beginning the executive officers were appointed only from the Levites, as it is said (II. Chr. 19, 11) And the Levites are officers before you; but nowadays such executive officers are appointed only from Israel, as it is said, And the numerous officers that are at your heads.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“Vayhi” – there was woe [vai haya]. Who said woe? Rabbi Avin said: As it were, the Holy One blessed be He said woe. To what is the matter comparable? It is to a king who had a cantankerous noblewoman wife. The king said to her: Fashion for me a royal purple garment. All her days that she was engaged in that garment, she did not complain. Days later, she completed the garment and gave it to the launderer. He prepared it and she brought it to the king. When the king saw her, he began shouting woe. Let her not return to her cantankerous nature. So, you find that Israel were complaining all the time, just as it is written: “The people complained against Moses” (Exodus 15:24), and likewise: “the entire congregation of the children of Israel complained [against Moses and against Aaron]” (Exodus 16:2), and likewise: “You have killed the people of the Lord” (Numbers 17:6). The Holy One blessed be He demanded that they craft a Sanctuary for Him, as it is written: “They shall craft a sanctuary for Me…” (Exodus 25:8). You find that all the days that they were engaged in the labor of the Tabernacle, they were not complaining. When they completed the labor of the Tabernacle, the Holy One blessed be He was shouting woe, let them not return to complaining like they used to complain.
“Vayhi” – the firstborn said woe because the priesthood had been taken from them, as until the Tabernacle was erected, the independent altars were permitted and the service was performed by the firstborn, as it is stated: “He sent the young men of the children of Israel, and they offered up burnt offerings…” (Exodus 24:5), and likewise it is written: “You shall ascend, and Aaron with you, but the priests and the people [shall not advance to ascend]” (Exodus 19:24). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa and Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi]: One of them says: “The priests” – these are the firstborn; and the other said: These are Nadav and Avihu.
Likewise, it is written: “The Lord broke the staff of the wicked, the rod [of rulers]” (Isaiah 14:5). Rabbi Abba bar Mamal said: These are the firstborn; because they sacrificed to the calf, they lost the priesthood. Likewise, you find that all the priests who performed service for idol worship in the first Temple, the Holy One blessed be He disqualified them in the second Temple, as it is stated: “But the priests, the Levites, sons of Tzadok, [who kept the commission of My Sanctuary when the children of Israel strayed from Me, they shall approach Me to serve Me]” (Ezekiel 44:15). That is why the firstborn shouted woe when the Tabernacle was erected.
“Vayhi” – who said woe? The ministering angels said woe. They said: Now the Holy One blessed be He will forsake us and descend and reside on earth. Nevertheless, the Holy One blessed be He appeased them and said to them: As you live, the essence is on high, as it is written: “His glory covered the heavens” (Habakkuk 3:3), and then “His praise filled the earth” (Habakkuk 3:3). Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: The Holy One blessed be He misled them when He said to them that the essence is on high. From where is that derived? It is as it is written: “His glory is on earth and the heavens” (Psalms 148:13) – first earth and then the heavens. That is why they said woe.
“Vayhi” – who said woe? The nations of the world said woe. Why woe? It is, rather, that this is what they said: Before the Holy One blessed be He was resting in their midst, He would stand over them and fight their wars; now that they crafted a Tabernacle for Him and He resides in their midst, all the more so. That is why they said woe.
“Vayhi” – the firstborn said woe because the priesthood had been taken from them, as until the Tabernacle was erected, the independent altars were permitted and the service was performed by the firstborn, as it is stated: “He sent the young men of the children of Israel, and they offered up burnt offerings…” (Exodus 24:5), and likewise it is written: “You shall ascend, and Aaron with you, but the priests and the people [shall not advance to ascend]” (Exodus 19:24). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa and Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi]: One of them says: “The priests” – these are the firstborn; and the other said: These are Nadav and Avihu.
Likewise, it is written: “The Lord broke the staff of the wicked, the rod [of rulers]” (Isaiah 14:5). Rabbi Abba bar Mamal said: These are the firstborn; because they sacrificed to the calf, they lost the priesthood. Likewise, you find that all the priests who performed service for idol worship in the first Temple, the Holy One blessed be He disqualified them in the second Temple, as it is stated: “But the priests, the Levites, sons of Tzadok, [who kept the commission of My Sanctuary when the children of Israel strayed from Me, they shall approach Me to serve Me]” (Ezekiel 44:15). That is why the firstborn shouted woe when the Tabernacle was erected.
“Vayhi” – who said woe? The ministering angels said woe. They said: Now the Holy One blessed be He will forsake us and descend and reside on earth. Nevertheless, the Holy One blessed be He appeased them and said to them: As you live, the essence is on high, as it is written: “His glory covered the heavens” (Habakkuk 3:3), and then “His praise filled the earth” (Habakkuk 3:3). Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: The Holy One blessed be He misled them when He said to them that the essence is on high. From where is that derived? It is as it is written: “His glory is on earth and the heavens” (Psalms 148:13) – first earth and then the heavens. That is why they said woe.
“Vayhi” – who said woe? The nations of the world said woe. Why woe? It is, rather, that this is what they said: Before the Holy One blessed be He was resting in their midst, He would stand over them and fight their wars; now that they crafted a Tabernacle for Him and He resides in their midst, all the more so. That is why they said woe.