Midrash su Deuteronomio 18:4

"In the beginning of God's creating..." - Six things preceded the creation of the world; some of them were created and some of them were decided to be created. The Torah and the Throne of Glory were created. How do we know the Torah was? As it says (Proverbs 8:22): "God made me at the beginning of his way." How do we know the Throne of Glory was? As it says (Psalms 93:2): "Your throne is established as of old etc." The Patriarchs, Israel, the Temple, and the name of the Messiah were decided to be created. How do we know the Patriarchs were? As it says (Hosea 9:10): "Like grapes in the wilderness etc." How do we know Israel was? As it says (Psalms 74:2): "Remember your congregation, whom you purchased from old." How do we know the Temple was? As it says (Jeremiah 17:12): "Your throne of glory, on high from the beginning etc." How do we know the name of the Messiah was? As it says (Psalms 72:17): "May his name exist forever etc. [his name shall be Yinnon as long as the sun]." Rabbi Ahavah said in the name of Rabbi Ze'ira: Even repentance was, as it says (Psalms 90:2): "Before the mountains were birthed," and at the same time (Psalms 90:3), "You turned man to contrition etc." However, I do not know which was first--if the Torah preceded the Throne of Glory or the Throne of Glory preceded the Torah. Rabbi Abba Bar Cahana said: The Torah preceded the Throne of Glory, as it says (Proverbs 8:22): "God made me at the beginning of his way, the first of his works of old." This is before that of which it is written (Psalms 93:2): "Your throne is established as of old." Rabbi Hunna and Rabbi Yirmiyah in the name of Rabbi Shmuel the son of Rabbi Yitzchak said: The thought of Israel was before everything. This is like a king who was married to a woman and did not have a son. One time the king was in the market and said: "Take this ink and pen for my son." They said: "He does not have a son." He replied: "Take them; the king must expect a son, because otherwise he would not command that the ink and pen be taken." Similarly, if there was no expectation of Israel receiving it after 26 generations, God would not have written in the Torah: "Command the children of Israel" or "Speak to the children of Israel." Rabbi Bannai said: The world and its contents were only created in the merit of the Torah, as it says (Proverbs 3:19): "God founded the world with wisdom etc." Rabbi Berachiyah said: In the merit of Moses, as it says (Deuteronomy 33:21): "He saw a first part for himself." Rabbi Hunna said in the name of Rabbi Matanah: The world was created in the merit of three things--challah, tithes, and first fruits. The verse "In the beginning God created" refers to challah, as it says (Numbers 15:20): "The beginning of your doughs." It also refers to tithes, as it says (Deuteronomy 18:4): "The beginning of your grains." It also refers to first fruits, as it says (Exodus 23:19): "The beginning of the fruits of the land."

"Let not the rich person glorify themselves with their wealth (Yirm 9:22)." This [refers to] Korach the Levite, who had three hundred mules just to carry the load of the keys to his hidden storehouses. His wealth was so much the more so, wondrous and vast. Where did he get all this money? From the money that Yosef the Righteous had collected in Egypt [in return for distributing the stored grain during the seven years of famine], which had filled three towers. Each tower was a hundred amot [about 180 feet] deep, a hundred amot wide, and one hundred amot inside. Yosef gave them all to the house of Pharaoh, and did not give his children even five silver [coins]. For what reason? Because he proceeded faithfully, as it says (Ber 47:14), "Yosef brought the silver into Pharaoh's house." When Korach found one of these towers, he became proud of his wealth. Another one was found by Antoninus, and the third is hidden for the World to Come. What was the origin of Korach's dispute with Moshe and with Aharon? It was for the sake of a particular widow who had a single ewe. When she came to shear it [for the first time], Aharon heard and took the wool. She went to Korach and cried out and wept, telling him, "This and this has Aharon done to me." Korach came by Aharon and said to him, "What is it with you and this widow, that poor woman? Return to her her wool!" Aharon said to him, "It is mine according to the Torah, for as it says, 'the premier-part of the shearing of your sheep you are to give him' (Dev 18:4)." What did Korach do? He took four silver [coins] and gave [them] to her. She went off, and Korach went full of anger. The days [passed] and the ewe gave birth to a [first-born] male. Aharon heard and took the lamb. She went before Korach, crying out and weeping. Korach said to Aharon, "What is it with you and the poor woman, this widow?" He said to him, "It is mine according to the Torah, for as it says, 'every firstling that is born in your flock and in your herd, the male-one, you are to hallow to ha-Shem your God' (Dev 15:19)." Korach went on his way, full of anger. When the widow saw this, she went and slaughtered the ewe. Aharon heard, and came and took the shankbone, the jawbone, and the rough-stomach. Korach said to him, "What is it with you and this widow?" He said to him, "They are mine according to the Torah, for as it says, 'the priest is to be given the shankbone, the jawbone, and the rough-stomach' (Dev 18:3)." And Korach went, full of anger. When the widow saw this, she stood and made an oath, saying the meat of this ewe is set-aside for me. Aharon heard and took all the meat, as it says, 'everything specially-devoted in Israel -- it is for you' (Bam 18:14, Parshat Korach)." He [Korach] said to him [Moshe], "Why should you, son of Amram, establish authority over us?" [not in ed. Jellinek: 'Should you pluck out the eyes of these men, we will not come up.' They said this verse specifically against Moshe and Aharon.] Moshe said to him, "To the morrow, judgement." In the morning, Korach had gathered to him 250 men (and alongside Moshe and Aharon, all the prophets), these with their fire pans, these offering sacrifices and these burning incense. Immediately Moshe Rabbeinu stood in prayer before ha-Shem and said, "Multiplier of Universes, is this prophecy you have sent us true?" Ha-Shem replied to him, "It is true. And you will see what I will do to Korach." This is why he was named Korach -- for in his days, 'a void was created in Israel' (Sanhedrin 109b). Moshe said further before the Holy One of Blessing, "If these die as all people do, if their lot be the common fate of all humanity, ha-Shem did not send me (Bam 16:29)." The Holy One of Blessing said to Moshe, "You have rejected a major principle of faith" (Passover Haggadah, Maggid, Four Children; and Yer. Sanhedrin 10:1, 50a). Moshe said before the Holy One of Blessing, "Multiplier of Universes, 'if ha-Shem creates a new creation...' (Bam 16:30). The Holy One of Blessing said to him, "I will do according to your will." Immediately the Holy One of Blessing hinted to the ground and it swallowed them [Korach and his followers] up to their navels. Korach and all his household cried out and said, "Moshe! Moshe! Have mercy on us!" Moshe said to them, "'Too much is yours, Sons of Levi!' (Bam 16:7)." Immediately they were swallowed up [by the earth], and the rest were burned up [by fire], as it says, 'so they went down, they and all theirs, alive, into Sheol; the earth covered them (Bam 16:33).' And it is written, 'fire went out from before the presence of ha-Shem and consumed the fifty and two hundred men, those who had brought-near the incense.' Those that descended below the earth remained there. And they reasoned that they would never rise up [again]. Until Hannah came and prophesied for them, as it [the song of Hannah] says, 'ha-Shem brings death and gives life, lowers to Sheol and raises up' (Shmuel I 2:6). But with all this, they didn't believe that they would rise again, until the Beit ha-Mikdash was destroyed and the gates of the Beit ha-Mikdash were swallowed up, as it says, 'her gates have sunk into the ground' (Eichah 2:9). They [the gates] came by Korach and he grabbed hold of them. Immediately they believed and said, "When these gates rise up, so too will we rise up with them." And they were appointed the guardians [or, those who carried out the observances] over those gates until they rise up. Thus was Korach and his wealth obliterated from among the community. Therefore it says, 'Do not praise the wealthy for their wealth,' for all wealth belongs to the Holy One of Blessing. As it says, 'Mine is the silver and mine is the gold -- the word of ha-Shem, Master of Legions' (Hag 2:8). [ed. Jellinek: And it says, 'One who pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor' (Mish 21:21).]  

(Bamidbar 5:9) "And all terumah of all the holy things of the children of Israel which they present to the Cohein, to him shall it be." R. Yishmael says: Scripture comes to teach you that if one dedicates (to the Temple) his grain pile before he levels it off and then he redeems it, he must take terumah (from it). I might think (he must do so) even if he redeemed it after he leveled the pile; it is, therefore, written (of terumah, Devarim 18:4) "the first of your corn (pile)." R. Akiva says: "and all terumah": Scripture comes to teach you that if he wishes to make his entire granary terumah, he may do so, so long as he leaves some over. "and all terumah of all the holy things": Scripture hereby teaches us that the laws of terumah apply to all varieties (of produce, and not just to those specifically indicated). Issi b. Yehudah says: If the ma'aser — the less stringent — obtains with all produce, how much more so, terumah — the more stringent. Variantly: If ma'aser, which does not obtain in the third and sixth year (of shemitah), obtains with all produce, how much more so, terumah, which obtains in all years! Issi b. Menachem says: if ma'aser, which is brought only as an adjunct to learning and fear (viz. Devarim 14:23), obtains with all produce, how much more so, the more stringent, terumah! (Ibid. 5:9) "which they offer to the Cohein, to him shall it be": R. Yishmael says: Now is terumah offered to the Cohein? (Does he not rather come to receive it?) What, then, is the intent of "which they offer to the Cohein"? Because it is written (Shemot 23:19) "The first of the first-fruits (bikkurim) of your land shall you bring to the house of the L-rd your G-d," but we are not told what is to be done with them; it is, therefore, written "which they offer to the Cohein, to him shall it be." Scripture hereby teaches us that bikkurim, (which are presented as offerings), are to be given to the Cohanim.