Midrash su Levitico 9:2

3) (Vayikra 9:2): "And he said to Aaron: Take for yourself a bull-calf for a sin-offering": We are hereby taught that Moses said to Aaron: Aaron, my brother, even though the Holy One Blessed be He has consented to forgive your sins (in the episode of the golden calf), you must "place something in Satan's mouth." Send your gift before you before entering the sanctuary lest he condemn you upon your entering the sanctuary. And lest you say: Is it only I who need atonement? Israel, too, needs atonement, viz. (Vayikra 9:3): "And to the children of Israel shall you speak, saying: Take a kid of goats for a sin-offering, and a calf, etc." And why was it Israel's lot to bring more than Aaron? He said to them: You are culpable in the beginning and culpable in the end. In the beginning (at the sale of Yosef) — (Bereshith 37:31): "And they slaughtered a kid of goats, etc."; in the end — (Shemoth 32:8): "They have made for themselves a molten calf." Let a kid of goats come and atone for the "act" of goats, let a calf come and atone for the "act" of the calf.

(Lev. 9:2:) “Then he said unto Aaron, ‘Take a calf [of the herd for a sin offering].’” Why was it not told him [to take] a bull instead of a calf? He said to him, “Because through the calf (of Exod. 32) the priesthood was shaken in your hand, through a calf it is being established in your hand.” And not only that, but lest Israel say there are sins [clinging] to them from the deed of the calf, for that reason He said they should offer a calf [for a sin offering]. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 9:3), “And you shall speak unto the Children of Israel, saying, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering and a calf….’” [These things were said] so that they would know that they had been forgiven for the deed of the calf. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “In this world, they have been forgiven through offerings, but in the world to come I will wipe away their sins without an offering.” It is so stated (in Is. 43:25), “I, even I, will pardon¹²Mohel; cf. the Masoretic Text which reads moheh (“wipe away”). your transgressions for My own sake and will not remember your sins.”

(Lev. 25:25:) WHEN YOUR RELATIVE BECOMES POOR AND SELLS SOME OF HIS PROPERTY < …. > This text is related (to Prov. 22:22–23): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED…; FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE…. The Holy One said to Israel: Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished, for I have made him impoverished, and whoever robs him or mocks at him reproaches his maker.¹²Tanh., Lev. 9:2. < It is > as if he is mocking at me. It is so stated (in Prov. 17:5): ONE WHO MOCKS A POOR PERSON REPROACHES HIS MAKER. What is the meaning of (Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED? Is there someone robbing the impoverished? Of what does he rob him, when he is impoverished?¹³Cf. Numb. R. 5:2. It is simply that, if you are accustomed to maintaining¹⁴PRNS. Cf. the Gk.: pronoein (“to plan ahead”). him, < if > you have reconsidered and said: How long do I supply him? and < if > you are holding back from giving to him; know that you are robbing him. Ergo (in Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED < BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED >; but maintain him, because there is no other place for him. (Ibid., cont.:) AND DO NOT OPPRESS THE POOR IN THE GATE, lest I stop up the heavens because of you; for they (i.e., the heavens) are also called a gate, where it is stated (in Gen. 28:17): < THIS IS NOTHING BUT THE ABODE OF GOD, > AND THIS ISA GATE, THE HEAVENS.¹⁵Such is the interpretation of the midrash. Cf. the more traditional 1985 JPS translation: AND THAT (i.e., Jacob’s ladder) IS THE GATEWAY TO HEAVEN. (Prov. 22:23): FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE. I am pleading < their cause > with you,¹⁶This expansion comes from the parallel in Tanh., Lev. 2. because I made him poor and you rich. I am inverting my charm¹⁷Gk.: magganon. and will make him rich and you poor. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 22:2): RICH AND POOR MEET; THE LORD MADE THEM ALL. Why? (Prov. 22:23:) FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE. Why? Because you are reducing his livelihood (nefesh), if you do not maintain him. Therefore (ibid., cont.): AND HE WILL ROB THE ONES WHO ROB THEM OF LIFE (nefesh).

(Lev. 9:2:) THEN HE SAID UNTO AARON; TAKE A BULLOCK < OF THE HERD FOR A SIN OFFERING >. Why was it not told him < to take > a bull instead of a bullock?¹⁴Tanh., Lev. 3:4. He said to him: Because through the bullock (of Exod. 32) the priesthood was shaken in your hand, through a bullock it is being established in your hand. And not only that, but lest Israel say there are sins < clinging > to them from the deed of the bullock, for that reason he said they should offer a bullock < for a sin offering >. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 9:3): AND YOU SHALL SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, SAYING: TAKE A MALE GOAT FOR A SIN OFFERING AND A BULLOCK…. < These things were said > so that they would know that they had been forgiven for the deed of the calf. The Holy One said to them: In this world they have been forgiven through offerings, but in the world to come I will wipe away their sins without an offering. It is so stated (in Is. 43:25): I, EVEN I, WILL PARDON¹⁵mohel; cf. the Masoretic Text which reads moheh (“wipe away.” YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS FOR MY OWN SAKE AND WILL NOT REMEMBER YOUR SINS.

6) R. Shimon says: Wherever "egel" (calf) is written in the Torah, (a calf) of the first year (is intended), as it is written (Vayikra 9:3): "and a calf and a lamb of the first year." (Wherever) "ben bakar" (is written), (a calf of) the second year (is intended), as it is written (Vayikra 9:2): "Take for yourself egel ben bakar (a bull-calf) and a ram for a burnt-offering, without blemish." Just as a ram is of the second year, so, a bull-calf. "bullock," unqualified, is of the third year. Four and five year olds are also kasher, but old ones are not brought, out of deference (to the L–rd).

And the Lord spoke unto Moses: “Depart, go up hence” (Exod. 33:1). This is what Scripture says in allusion to this verse: For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds (Jer. 30:17). What is meant by I will heal thee of thy wounds? R. Joshua the son of Levi said: When they transgressed by means of the golden calf, they sinned through Aaron, who said to them: Whosoever hath any gold (Exod. 32:24). And when the Holy One, blessed be He, became reconciled with them and desired to make known to them that He bore no resentment over the fashioning of the calf, He desired to do so through Aaron, as is said: And He said unto Aaron: “Take thee a bull calf for a burnt offering” (Lev. 9:2).