Midrash su Levitico 7:6

(Lev. 19:2:) YOU SHALL BE HOLY. R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest said: R. Reuben said: What is the meaning of that which is written (in Ezek. 3:12): AND AFTER ME¹⁹This translation follows the interpretation of the midrash. A more traditional translation would be BEHIND ME. I HEARD A GREAT ROARING SOUND. What is the meaning of AFTER ME ('HRY)?²⁰Tanh., Lev. 7:6; also above, Exod. 4:13. After ('HRY) I and my friends praised him, I heard the ministering angels, as they praised him and said (ibid., cont.): BLESSED BE THE GLORY OF THE LORD FROM HIS PLACE. It also says (in Job 38:7): WHEN THE MORNING STARS (i.e., the seed of Jacob)²¹This interpretation of THE MORNING STARS is explicit in the parallel passage of Gen. R. 65:21, which explains that Jacob’s offspring are likened to stars in Dan. 12:3. See also the much fuller parallel in Tanh., Lev. 7:6. SANG TOGETHER, then (ibid., cont.:) ALL THE CHILDREN OF GOD (i.e., all the angels) SHOUTED FOR JOY. R. Mani said: Let not the recitation of the Shema be trivial in your eyes because there are two hundred forty-eight words in it,²²The number includes the response after the first line of the Shema (cited below) plus the three preliminary words with which one precedes the Shema when praying in private, i.e., El melekh ne’eman (“God is a faithful king”). corresponding to < the number of > parts that are in a human being; and out of them < comes > BLESSED BE THE NAME OF HIS GLORIOUS MAJESTY FOREVER AND EVER.²³This blessing is the liturgical response to the first line of the Shema. The Holy One said: If you have kept what is mine in reciting it properly, I will also keep what is yours. Therefore, David offered praise²⁴Rt.: QLS; cf. Gk.: kalos (“beautifully”). (in Ps. 17:8): KEEP ME AS THE PUPIL OF AN EYE. The Holy One said to him (in Prov. 4:4): KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS AND LIVE. R. Simeon ben Halafta said: To what is the matter comparable?²⁵Deut. R. 4:4. To someone who < lives > in Galilee and has a vineyard in Judea, while someone in Judea has a vineyard in Galilee. The one who < lives > in Galilee goes to Judea to cultivate his vineyard. The one in Judea goes to Galilee to cultivate his vineyard. < One day > they meet with each another, and one said to the other: Instead of you coming to my place, keep watch over what is mine in your neighborhood; and I will keep watch over what is yours in my neighborhood. So did David say (in Ps. 17:4): KEEP ME AS THE PUPIL OF AN EYE? The Holy One said to him (in Prov. 4:4): KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS AND LIVE. Similarly the Holy One said to Israel: Keep my commandment, the commandment to recite the Shema morning and evening, and I will keep you, as stated (in Ps. 121:7): THE LORD SHALL KEEP YOU FROM ALL EVIL; HE SHALL KEEP YOUR SOUL.

9) (Vayikra 7:6) ("Every male among the Cohanim may eat it. In a holy place shall it be eaten; it is holy of holies.") "Every male": to include those with blemishes. Why (is this mentioned)? If for eating, this has already been mentioned (as permitted). If for apportionment, this has already been mentioned. If for those with permanent blemishes, this has already been mentioned. If for those with passing blemishes, this has already been mentioned. Why, then, is it mentioned! For I might think (were it not mentioned) that it were permitted only if he was born unblemished and became blemished; but how would I know that it were so (even) if he was born blemished? It is, therefore, written "Every male among the Cohanim."

"may eat it": if it were kasher and not unfit (as an offering). "holy of holies": to include communal peace-offerings as being eaten only by the males of the Cohanim. "It (is holy of holies") — excluding the thank-offering and the ram of the Nazirite.

Another interpretation (of Exod. 15:1): THEN SANG. When Israel was camping by the sea, the ministering angels came to praise the Holy One, but the Holy One did not give them permission, as stated (in Exod. 14:20): AND THE ONE DID NOT COME NEAR THE OTHER….³⁵Cf. Exod. R. 23:7. It also says (in Is. 6:3): AND ONE CRIED UNTO THE OTHER. To whom are they comparable? To a king whose son was taken prisoner.³⁶Cf. above, 4:4. He clothed himself in vindictiveness against his enemies. When he went to bring him <back>, the people came to utter a hymn³⁷Gk.: hymnos. for him. He said to them: When I have redeemed my son, <then> you will praise me. Similarly Israel was put in distress by the sea. The ministering angels came to praise him. He rebuked them. The Holy One said to them: When my children are put in distress, would you offer me praise? When they came up from the sea, Israel and the ministering angels wanted to utter a song. R. Abbin the Levite said: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who went down to battle and won. His son and his servant came to him, and in their hands was a crown to put on the king's head. They came to the king and said to him: Your son and your servant are standing by with a crown in their hands. Who will enter first? He said to them: <You are> the world's greatest fools! Shall my servant precede my son? Let my son enter first. Similarly, when Israel came up from the sea, Israel and the ministering angels came to utter a song. The Holy One said to the ministering angels: Let Israel be first. (Exod. 15:1:) THEN SANG MOSES [AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL]. The women and the ministering angels were found to be standing by. Who would offer praise first? R. Hiyya bar Abba bar Shallum said: He made peace between them, as stated (in Ps. 68:26 [25]): SINGERS COME FIRST; THEN FOLLOW MUSICIANS IN THE MIDST OF TIMBREL-PLAYING MAIDENS. (Ibid.:) THE SINGERS COME FIRST {THEN FOLLOW MUSICIANS}. These are Israel. {AND AFTERWARDS} [THEN FOLLOW] MUSICIANS. These are the angels. {And afterwards} IN THE MIDST OF TIMBREL-PLAYING MAIDENS. [These are the women.] R. Levi said: By the heavens, I do not accept this interpretation. Rather the women first offered praise, simply because <it says:> THEN FOLLOW THE MUSICIANS. These are Israel. IN THE MIDST OF TIMBREL-PLAYING MAIDENS. These are the women. The ministering angels began to complain to the Holy One. They said: Is it not enough for the men to precede us? But are the women to do so as well? The Holy One said to them: As you live, yes. R. Helbo said in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman: See what is written (in Ezek. 3:12): THEN THE SPIRIT RAISED ME UP, AND AFTER ME³⁸On this translation, see below, Lev. 7:6, and the note there. I HEARD A <GREAT ROARING> SOUND. What is the meaning of AFTER ME ('HRY)? After ('HRY) I and my friends have offered praise.³⁹Gen. R. 65:21. Then afterwards the ministering angels went and said (ibid., cont.): BLESSED IS THE GLORY OF THE LORD FROM HIS PLACE. R. Pinhas ben Hama the Priest said: What is written (in Ezek. 1:24)? WHEN THEY STOOD, THEY WOULD LET THEIR WINGS DROOP. What is the meaning of [WHEN THEY STOOD]? Whoever hears WHEN THEY STOOD is thinking: Perhaps there is sitting above. [Heaven forbid. There is no sitting above.]⁴⁰Gen. R. 65:21; Exod. 43:4. Rather they all stand, as stated (in Is. 6:2): THE SERAPHIM STOOD…. And so it says (in Dan. 7:16): I DREW NEAR TO ONE OF THOSE STANDING THERE. What is the meaning of WHEN THEY STOOD? Simply that when Israel stands and praises the Holy One, at that time THEY LET THEIR WINGS DROOP.