Midrash sobre Êxodo 7:3

Another interpretation (of Prov. 4:2): FOR <I GAVE YOU > GOOD INSTRUCTION. Whenever someone borrows from the children of Adam, acquires goods, and takes to the road, at times they are lost; but the Torah is not like this.⁹Tanh., Exod. 7:3. Rather, when one learns one chapter from here and another chapter from there, he is supported by them. Ergo: (in Prov. 4:2): FOR <I GAVE YOU> GOOD INSTRUCTION.

[(Exod. 25:2:) AND LET THEM TAKE (rt.: LQH) FOR ME A PRIESTLY SHARE.] The Holy One said to them: The Torah was mine, and you undertook them (the commandments).¹⁰Cf. Tanh., Exod. 7:3: “And you undertook it (the Torah).” Take me along with it. (Ibid.:) AND LET THEM TAKE (rt.: LQH) ME AS A PRIESTLY SHARE.¹¹So the midrash interprets this part of Exod. 25:2. Resh Laqish said: Thus have our masters taught (in Ter. 1:1): THERE ARE FIVE WHO DO NOT SEPARATE OUT THE PRIESTLY SHARE; AND IF THEY DO SEPARATE IT OUT, THEIR PRIESTLY SHARE IS NOT A < VALID > PRIESTLY SHARE. <THE FIVE ARE > THE DEAF, THE INSANE, THE MINOR, ONE WHO SEPARATES OUT A PRIESTLY SHARE WHICH IS NOT HIS OWN, AND A FOREIGNER WHO SEPARATES OUT A PRIESTLY SHARE FROM WHAT BELONGS TO ISRAEL. [EVEN IF IT IS WITH PERMISSION], HIS PRIESTLY SHARE IS NOT A < VALID > PRIESTLY SHARE. Now all of them are derived from this verse (i.e., Exod. 25:2): <SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND LET THEM TAKE FOR ME A PRIESTLY SHARE; YOU SHALL TAKE MY PRIESTLY OFFERING FROM EVERY PERSON WHOSE HEART MOVES HIM.>¹²yTer. 1:1 (40a). SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: A deaf person is exempt because he does not hear. WHOSE HEART MOVES HIM: An insane person is exempt because his heart is not being moved. FROM EVERY PERSON: The minor is exempt because he is not a <grown>person (ish). Also one who separates out what is not his, as stated (ibid.): FROM EVERY PERSON, i.e., from what belongs to them. Also the foreigner who separates out a priestly share of what belongs to Israel, even with permission, as stated (ibid.): SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, is exempt because he is not from Israel.

(Exod. 29:1:) AND THIS IS THE THING WHICH YOU SHALL DO TO THEM. To them you shall do it and not to others.⁴³Tanh., Exod. 8:13. He began to teach them how they would keep <themselves> in a state of purity and eat the sacrifices, how they would immerse and eat the priestly share. (Ibid., cont.:) TO SANCTIFY THEM FOR SERVING ME (li) AS PRIESTS. R. Mani said in the name of R. Eliezer: Wherever TO ME (li) is stated, <it means> "forever and forevermore."⁴⁴Cf. above, Exod. 7:3; below, Numb. 3:20; Tanh., Exod. 7:3. The first-born < remains > forever, since it is stated (in Numb. 3:13 = 8:17): FOR ALL THE FIRST-BORN ARE MINE (li). Silver and gold <remain> forever, since it is stated (in Hag. 2:8): THE SILVER IS MINE (li), AND THE GOLD IS MINE (li). The kingship <remains> forever, since it is stated (in I Sam. 16:1): FOR I HAVE CHOSEN A KING FOR MYSELF (li) AMONG HIS (Jesse's) SONS. The land <remains> forever, since it is stated (in Lev. 25:23): FOR THE LAND BELONGS TO ME (li). Israel <remains> forever, since it is stated (in Lev. 25:55): FOR TO ME (li) THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL <ARE SERVANTS>. The Levites <remain> forever, since it is stated (Numb. 3:12): AND THE LEVITES SHALL BE MINE (li). The priesthood <remains> forever, since it is stated (Exod. 29:1): FOR SERVING ME (li) AS PRIESTS.