וְצִפִּיתָ֨ אֹת֜וֹ זָהָ֣ב טָה֗וֹר אֶת־גַּגּ֧וֹ וְאֶת־קִירֹתָ֛יו סָבִ֖יב וְאֶת־קַרְנֹתָ֑יו וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ לּ֛וֹ זֵ֥ר זָהָ֖ב סָבִֽיב׃
И обложи его чистым золотом; верх его и края его вокруг, и рога его; и сделай вокруг него золотой венец.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“By their patrilineal house, by their families,” by patrilineal house, he determined families for him, but not by their matrilineal house. Were the sons of Gershon to marry from among the daughters of Kehat or the daughters of Merari, their sons would be attributed to the families of Gershon. However, were the rest of the families to marry from the daughters of Gershon, their sons would be attributed to the rest of the families.
“From thirty years old and above until fifty years old you shall count them: Everyone enlisted to perform a duty, to perform service in the Tent of Meeting” (Numbers 4:23).
“From thirty years old and above.” It is taught: A High Priest enters the courtyard for service only if he is anointed for seven [days] and donned multiple vestments for seven [days]. Even if he was not anointed for seven and did not don multiple garments for seven, his service is valid.
A common priest enters the courtyard for service only if he brought one-tenth of an ephah of his own and offers it with his own hand. Even though he did not bring one-tenth of an ephah of his own and offer it with his own hand, his service is valid.
The son of a Levite enters the courtyard only if he studied for five years, as it is stated: “This is regarding the Levites: From twenty-five years old and above [he shall enlist to perform duty in the work of the Tent of Meeting]” (Numbers 8:24), and elsewhere it is stated: “From thirty years old and above.” (Numbers 4:3) If it is stated “from twenty-five years old,” why is “from thirty years old” stated? If it is stated “from thirty years old,” why is “from twenty-five years old” stated? Rather, all those years between twenty-five years old until thirty years old, he would study. From then on, they draw him near to service. From here they said: Anyone who does not see a modicum of success in his studies within five years, will never see [success]. Rabbi Yosei says: Three years, as it is stated: “To raise them for three years” (Daniel 1:5).
One seats an elder in the Chamber of Hewn Stone only if he became a judge in his city. Once he became a judge in his city, they promote and seat him on the Temple Mount. From there, they promote and seat him on the chail.rampart.6The rampart is a section of the Temple Mount which is before the Women's Courtyard. See the Tosefta, Chagiga 2:4, which refers to a beit din on the Temple Mount, in the rampart, and in the Chamber of Hewn Stone. From there, they promote and seat him in the Chamber of Hewn Stone.
“Everyone enlisted to perform a duty,” they were gatekeepers. “To perform service in the Tent of Meeting,” they were singers.
“This is the service of the Gershonite families, to perform service and for bearing” (Numbers 4:24).
“This is the service of the Gershonite families,” and no other; it teaches that it was prohibited for the sons of Gershon to enter into the service of the sons of Merari, in the beams of the Tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets. “To perform service and for bearing” – when they would construct the Tabernacle, they would spread the woven strips of fabric in the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting. Everything that was in their charge, they would construct. When they dismantled the Tabernacle, they would load it onto the wagons.
“They shall bear the woven strips of fabric of the Tabernacle, and the Tent of Meeting, its covering, and the taḥash covering that is upon it from above, and the screen for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting” (Numbers 4:25).
“And the taḥash covering that is upon it from above,” in its plain sense. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: Rabbi Meir would say: The taḥash that existed in the days of Moses was a creature unto itself, and the Sages in that generation did not know whether it was a type of beast [chaya] or a type of animal [behema].7Among kosher animals, there are two distinct groups: cattle, referred to as behemot, and animals that are not normally domesticated, referred to as chayot. There are certain halakhik distinctions between them. The Sages did not know which category the tahash belonged to. It had a single horn on its forehead, and it was made available to Moses for that occasion. The Tabernacle was crafted of it, and it was hidden. From the fact that it says: It had one horn on its forehead, we learn from this that it was pure.8Shabbat 28b. “And the screen for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting,” just as it says: “You shall craft a screen for the entrance [of the Tent]” (Exodus 26:36).
“And the hangings of the courtyard, and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the courtyard that is by the Tabernacle, and by the altar, all around, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and everything that shall be crafted for them, and they shall serve” (Numbers 4:26).
“And the hangings of the courtyard,” these are the hangings that they positioned around the courtyard, just as it says: “You shall make the courtyard…likewise, on the north side…the width of the courtyard…fifteen cubits of hangings…and on the second side…” (Exodus 27:9, 11–12, 14–15).
“And the screen for the entrance of the gate,” just as it says: “For the gate of the courtyard [a screen]…” (Exodus 27:16).
“That is by the Tabernacle, and by the altar, all around.” It is taught: The altar of the burnt offering, its length is five cubits, its width is five cubits, and its height is three cubits, as it is stated: “You shall craft the altar […five cubits length and five cubits width, the altar shall be square, and three cubits its height]” (Exodus 27:1). “[And he crafted] the altar of the burnt offering…[its length was five cubits and its width five cubits square and its height was three cubits]” (Exodus 38:1), this is the statement of Rabbi Meir.9Rabbi Meir's position is that the verses giving the measurements of the altar should be understood literally. Rabbi Yosei said to him: From the fact that it is stated: “Five cubits length and five cubits width,” do I not know that it is square? Why does the verse state: “Shall be square”? Rather, it is stated in order to derive a verbal analogy from it. Here “square” is stated and elsewhere10Regarding the golden altar (Exodus 30:3). “square” is stated. Just as “square” stated elsewhere, its height is twice its width, here, too, its height is twice its width. Rabbi Meir said to him: ‘If as you say, the result is that the altar is five cubits higher than the courtyard hangings.’11The altar is ten cubits high while the courtyard hangings are five cubits high (see Exodus 27:18). Rabbi Yosei said to him: ‘But is it not already stated: “And the hangings of the courtyard, [and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the courtyard that is by the Tabernacle, and by the altar]”? (Numbers 4:26). Just as the Tabernacle is ten cubits, so the altar is ten cubits.’12The phrase: “That is by the Tabernacle, and by the altar” is extraneous. It juxtaposes the Tabernacle and the altar to teach us that just like the height of the Tabernacle was ten cubits, the height of the altar was also ten cubits.
“And their cords,” these cords, what would they do with them? They would fold the strips of fabric and the hangings, they would tie them with the cords, and they would place them in the wagons.
“And all the instruments of their service,” these are the golden hooks and the bronze hooks with which they would attach the strips of fabric.
“And everything that shall be crafted for them, and they shall serve.” Everything that was done for all the vessels, the sons of Gershon would tend to them.
“According to the directive of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, for all their burden, and for all their service; you shall assign them all their burden as a commission” (Numbers 4:27).
“According to the directive of Aaron and his sons shall be,” this is what they said, that the Holy One blessed be He accorded honor to the firstborn. Just as the service of the sons of Kehat was according to the directive of Aaron and his sons, just as it says: “Aaron and his sons shall come, and assign them, each man…” (Numbers 4:19), so, too, the service of the sons of Gershon was according to the directive of Aaron and his sons. But with regards to the sons of Merari, it is not written: “According to the directive of Aaron and his sons.”
“You shall assign them all their burden as a commission.” The verse includes Moses with them, so they13Moses, Aaron and his children. would command them [the Gershonites] to keep watch over everything that they [the Gershonites] bore.
“This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the Tent of Meeting, and their commission is under the direction of Itamar son of Aaron the priest” (Numbers 4:28).
“This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites…” Initially, Aaron and his sons and Moses with them assigned the sons of Gershon regarding their service, their burden, and their commission. From here on, their service and their commission is under the direction of Itamar son of Aaron the priest.
“From thirty years old and above until fifty years old you shall count them: Everyone enlisted to perform a duty, to perform service in the Tent of Meeting” (Numbers 4:23).
“From thirty years old and above.” It is taught: A High Priest enters the courtyard for service only if he is anointed for seven [days] and donned multiple vestments for seven [days]. Even if he was not anointed for seven and did not don multiple garments for seven, his service is valid.
A common priest enters the courtyard for service only if he brought one-tenth of an ephah of his own and offers it with his own hand. Even though he did not bring one-tenth of an ephah of his own and offer it with his own hand, his service is valid.
The son of a Levite enters the courtyard only if he studied for five years, as it is stated: “This is regarding the Levites: From twenty-five years old and above [he shall enlist to perform duty in the work of the Tent of Meeting]” (Numbers 8:24), and elsewhere it is stated: “From thirty years old and above.” (Numbers 4:3) If it is stated “from twenty-five years old,” why is “from thirty years old” stated? If it is stated “from thirty years old,” why is “from twenty-five years old” stated? Rather, all those years between twenty-five years old until thirty years old, he would study. From then on, they draw him near to service. From here they said: Anyone who does not see a modicum of success in his studies within five years, will never see [success]. Rabbi Yosei says: Three years, as it is stated: “To raise them for three years” (Daniel 1:5).
One seats an elder in the Chamber of Hewn Stone only if he became a judge in his city. Once he became a judge in his city, they promote and seat him on the Temple Mount. From there, they promote and seat him on the chail.rampart.6The rampart is a section of the Temple Mount which is before the Women's Courtyard. See the Tosefta, Chagiga 2:4, which refers to a beit din on the Temple Mount, in the rampart, and in the Chamber of Hewn Stone. From there, they promote and seat him in the Chamber of Hewn Stone.
“Everyone enlisted to perform a duty,” they were gatekeepers. “To perform service in the Tent of Meeting,” they were singers.
“This is the service of the Gershonite families, to perform service and for bearing” (Numbers 4:24).
“This is the service of the Gershonite families,” and no other; it teaches that it was prohibited for the sons of Gershon to enter into the service of the sons of Merari, in the beams of the Tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets. “To perform service and for bearing” – when they would construct the Tabernacle, they would spread the woven strips of fabric in the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting. Everything that was in their charge, they would construct. When they dismantled the Tabernacle, they would load it onto the wagons.
“They shall bear the woven strips of fabric of the Tabernacle, and the Tent of Meeting, its covering, and the taḥash covering that is upon it from above, and the screen for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting” (Numbers 4:25).
“And the taḥash covering that is upon it from above,” in its plain sense. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: Rabbi Meir would say: The taḥash that existed in the days of Moses was a creature unto itself, and the Sages in that generation did not know whether it was a type of beast [chaya] or a type of animal [behema].7Among kosher animals, there are two distinct groups: cattle, referred to as behemot, and animals that are not normally domesticated, referred to as chayot. There are certain halakhik distinctions between them. The Sages did not know which category the tahash belonged to. It had a single horn on its forehead, and it was made available to Moses for that occasion. The Tabernacle was crafted of it, and it was hidden. From the fact that it says: It had one horn on its forehead, we learn from this that it was pure.8Shabbat 28b. “And the screen for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting,” just as it says: “You shall craft a screen for the entrance [of the Tent]” (Exodus 26:36).
“And the hangings of the courtyard, and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the courtyard that is by the Tabernacle, and by the altar, all around, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and everything that shall be crafted for them, and they shall serve” (Numbers 4:26).
“And the hangings of the courtyard,” these are the hangings that they positioned around the courtyard, just as it says: “You shall make the courtyard…likewise, on the north side…the width of the courtyard…fifteen cubits of hangings…and on the second side…” (Exodus 27:9, 11–12, 14–15).
“And the screen for the entrance of the gate,” just as it says: “For the gate of the courtyard [a screen]…” (Exodus 27:16).
“That is by the Tabernacle, and by the altar, all around.” It is taught: The altar of the burnt offering, its length is five cubits, its width is five cubits, and its height is three cubits, as it is stated: “You shall craft the altar […five cubits length and five cubits width, the altar shall be square, and three cubits its height]” (Exodus 27:1). “[And he crafted] the altar of the burnt offering…[its length was five cubits and its width five cubits square and its height was three cubits]” (Exodus 38:1), this is the statement of Rabbi Meir.9Rabbi Meir's position is that the verses giving the measurements of the altar should be understood literally. Rabbi Yosei said to him: From the fact that it is stated: “Five cubits length and five cubits width,” do I not know that it is square? Why does the verse state: “Shall be square”? Rather, it is stated in order to derive a verbal analogy from it. Here “square” is stated and elsewhere10Regarding the golden altar (Exodus 30:3). “square” is stated. Just as “square” stated elsewhere, its height is twice its width, here, too, its height is twice its width. Rabbi Meir said to him: ‘If as you say, the result is that the altar is five cubits higher than the courtyard hangings.’11The altar is ten cubits high while the courtyard hangings are five cubits high (see Exodus 27:18). Rabbi Yosei said to him: ‘But is it not already stated: “And the hangings of the courtyard, [and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the courtyard that is by the Tabernacle, and by the altar]”? (Numbers 4:26). Just as the Tabernacle is ten cubits, so the altar is ten cubits.’12The phrase: “That is by the Tabernacle, and by the altar” is extraneous. It juxtaposes the Tabernacle and the altar to teach us that just like the height of the Tabernacle was ten cubits, the height of the altar was also ten cubits.
“And their cords,” these cords, what would they do with them? They would fold the strips of fabric and the hangings, they would tie them with the cords, and they would place them in the wagons.
“And all the instruments of their service,” these are the golden hooks and the bronze hooks with which they would attach the strips of fabric.
“And everything that shall be crafted for them, and they shall serve.” Everything that was done for all the vessels, the sons of Gershon would tend to them.
“According to the directive of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, for all their burden, and for all their service; you shall assign them all their burden as a commission” (Numbers 4:27).
“According to the directive of Aaron and his sons shall be,” this is what they said, that the Holy One blessed be He accorded honor to the firstborn. Just as the service of the sons of Kehat was according to the directive of Aaron and his sons, just as it says: “Aaron and his sons shall come, and assign them, each man…” (Numbers 4:19), so, too, the service of the sons of Gershon was according to the directive of Aaron and his sons. But with regards to the sons of Merari, it is not written: “According to the directive of Aaron and his sons.”
“You shall assign them all their burden as a commission.” The verse includes Moses with them, so they13Moses, Aaron and his children. would command them [the Gershonites] to keep watch over everything that they [the Gershonites] bore.
“This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the Tent of Meeting, and their commission is under the direction of Itamar son of Aaron the priest” (Numbers 4:28).
“This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites…” Initially, Aaron and his sons and Moses with them assigned the sons of Gershon regarding their service, their burden, and their commission. From here on, their service and their commission is under the direction of Itamar son of Aaron the priest.
Midrash Tanchuma
It is written: And they shall make an ark of acacia-wood (Exod. 25:10). R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: There are three crowns, the crown of Torah, of priesthood, and of kingship. How do we know about the crown of Torah? It is written concerning the ark: And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold (ibid., v. 11); we know about the crown of priesthood because it is written concerning the altar: A crown of gold (Exod. 37:26); and we know about the crown of kingship from the fact that it is written concerning the table: And made thereto a crown of gold (ibid., v. 11). Why is the word (in the preceding verse) written as zar (“stranger”) but read as zer (“crown”)? To teach us that if a man is worthy, it is his crown of gold, but if he is unworthy, he is to be considered a stranger among you.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“On the eleventh day, prince of the children of Asher, Pagiel the son of Okhran” (Numbers 7:72).
“On the eleventh day, prince of the children of Asher, Pagiel the son of Okhran” – what was the reason for the prince of Asher to present his offering after the prince of Dan? It is because Dan is named for judgment [din], and Asher is named for its confirmation [ishuro]; that is why the Holy One blessed be He commanded Asher to present his offering after Dan, because the judge must confirm his judgment, just as it says: “Seek justice, confirm it for the oppressed” (Isaiah 1:17).
“His offering was one silver dish, its weight one hundred and thirty; one silver basin of seventy shekels, in the sacred shekel; both of them full of high-quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering” (Numbers 7:73).
“His offering was [one] silver dish…” – Rabbi Tanḥuma said: The names of all the tribes were called for the redemption of Israel and for their praise. Asher’s name was called for the redemption of Israel, just as it says: “All the nations will praise [ve’ishru] you, as you will be a desired land, said the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 3:12), and for their praise, just as it says: “Happy [ashrei] is the nation for whom this is so; happy is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalms 144:15). Israel’s happiness [ishuran] is only because they chose the Holy One blessed be He to be God for them and the Holy One blessed be He chose them to be a treasured nation for Him. That is why when the prince of Asher came to present his offering, he presented his offering for the sake of the choice, that the Holy One blessed be He chose Israel from all the nations, just as it says: “The Lord has chosen you to be His treasured people of distinction [from all the peoples that are on the face of the earth]” (Deuteronomy 14:2), as it is stated: “Happy is the one whom You choose and draw near…” (Psalms 65:5). Therefore, he presented his offering of a silver dish, corresponding to the nations of the world, who were initially attributed to Abraham.66See Genesis 17:5.
“Its weight one hundred and thirty” – these are the seventy descendants of Noah and the sixty queens, as Solomon said: “They are sixty queens” (Song of Songs 6:8). Who were they? They were the sixteen sons of Ketura, Yishmael and his twelve sons, and Esau and his seventeen sons and grandsons. How so? The sons of Elifaz are eight and they are: “The sons of Elifaz: Teman, Omar, Tzefi, Gatam, Kenaz, Timna, and Amalek” (I Chronicles 1:36); they, with Elifaz, are eight. There it is written: “These are the chieftains of the sons of Esau: The sons of Elifaz firstborn of Esau: The chieftain of Teiman,… the chieftain of Koraḥ, the chieftain of Gatam, the chieftain of Amalek…” (Genesis 36:15–16). They are nine,67They are nine with the addition of Koraḥ, who is listed in the verse in Genesis but does not appear in the verse in Chronicles. Re’uel with his sons are five, as it is stated: “The sons of Re’uel: Naḥat, Zeraḥ, Shama, and Miza” (I Chronicles 1:37), that is fourteen. The sons of Esau are three:68Besides Elifaz and Re'uel. “[The sons of Esau…] Yeush, Yalam, and Koraḥ…” (I Chronicles 1:35), that is seventeen. And the eleven chieftains who are tallied at the end, as it is stated: “These are the names of the chieftains of Esau, according to their families, according to their places, by their names: The chieftain of Timna…” (Genesis 36:40), that is fifty-seven. If you say: Are they not fifty-eight, Timna was the daughter of Elifaz. It is completed with three kings of Edom who were descendants of Edom.69See Genesis 36:32–34. They are: Bela son of Beor (Genesis 36:32), who was named after Esau, who was a glutton [bela] and sold his birthright because of his gluttony. “Son of Beor”70“Beir” can mean animal; see Exodus 22:4. – the son of one who rendered himself like an animal, as it is stated: “Feed me [haliteni] now from that red stuff, as I am exhausted” (Genesis 25:30), just as it says: One may not forcibly feed an animal, but one may place food in its mouth [malitin].71Shabbat 155b. The second, “Yovav son of Zeraḥ from Botzra” (Genesis 36:33). Botzra was of Edom, as it is stated: “Who is this, coming from Edom, with crimsoned garments from Botzra, resplendent in His attire, striding in His abundant strength? I speak with justice, potent to save” (Isaiah 63:1). The third, “Ḥusham of the land of the Temanite” (Genesis 36:34), and Teman was the land of Edom, as it is stated: “Your mighty, Teman, will be broken, so that each man from the mountain of Esau will be eliminated by slaughter” (Obadiah 1:9). But the other kings were from other places and other nations, that is sixty. Why did he call all these dishes [ke’arot]? It is because the Holy One blessed be He disqualified all of them. Ke’ara is nothing other than an expression of leprosy, just as it says: “Recessed [shekaarurot], deep green” (Leviticus 14:37). “Silver [kesef]” – due to shame, as they will all go “to reviling and eternal disgrace” (Daniel 12:2). From where is it derived that kesef is an expression of shame. It is as in the Jerusalem Targum, they call disgrace kisufa.
“One silver basin” – this is Israel, whom the Holy One blessed be He separated out from them, just as it says: “For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself…” (Psalms 135:4). And it says: “I took your father, Abraham, from beyond the river, and I led him throughout the land of Canaan, and I multiplied his descendants, and I gave him Isaac” (Joshua 24:3).
“Seventy shekels, in the sacred shekel…” – just as it says: “With seventy people, your ancestors descended to Egypt” (Deuteronomy 10:22). “Both of them full of high-quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering [leminḥa]” – as the Holy One blessed be He dispatched to the nations of the world and to Israel prophets of them and among them. That is leminḥa, just as it says: “The spirit of the Lord will rest [venaḥa] upon him” (Isaiah 11:2), and it says: “The spirit rested [vatanaḥ] upon them” (Numbers 11:26). The Holy One blessed be He wished to give His Torah to all of them, as it is stated: “He said: The Lord came from Sinai, [and shone from Seir for them, He appeared from Mount Paran]” (Deuteronomy 33:2).
“One gold ladle of ten shekels, filled with incense” (Numbers 7:74).
“One [gold] ladle” – from all of them, the Holy One blessed be He chose only Israel, as it is stated: “Unique is my faultless dove, unique to her mother, pure to the one who bore her” (Song of Songs 6:9). That is why they are the happiest of the nations, just as it says: “Girls see her and laud her, and queens and concubines praise her” (Song of Songs 6:9) – these are the nations. Why did the Holy One blessed be He choose them? It is because all the nations rejected the Torah and did not want to receive it, but these wanted and chose the Holy One blessed be He and His Torah, which is five books corresponding to the five fingers on the hand, and received the Ten Commandments at Sinai. That is, “one gold ladle of ten shekels.” What is “filled with incense”? It is because they all said: “All that God spoke we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7); they accepted upon themselves Torah study and action.72These are sometimes compared to a pleasant smell. See Vayikra Rabba 30:12.
“One young bull, one ram, one lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering” (Numbers 7:75).
“One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 7:76).
“One young bull…” – these three species of burnt offering, why? They correspond to the three crowns that the Holy One blessed be He gave to Israel for this: the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of kingship. The crown of Torah, this is the Ark, as it is written: “You shall craft a gold crown upon it all around” (Exodus 25:11). The crown of priesthood, this is the golden altar, in whose regard it is written: “You shall craft a gold crown for it all around” (Exodus 30:3). The crown of kingship, this is the table, as it is written: “He crafted a crown of gold for it all around” (Exodus 37:11). “One goat as a sin offering” – corresponding to a good name, which is action, just as we learned: Study is not the principal matter but action, as action atones for the person, like what we learned: Repentance and good deeds are a shield before punishment. That crown corresponds to the candelabrum, to realize what is stated: “For mitzva is a candle, and Torah is light” (Proverbs 6:23). Why is Torah called light? It is because it illuminates for the person what he should do. And because the Torah teaches the person how he shall perform the will of the Omnipresent, therefore, the reward of study is great. And one who causes another to perform an action is greater than one who performs it, as it is stated: “The act of righteousness will be peace and the work of righteousness will be quiet and security forever” (Isaiah 32:17).
“And for the peace offering, two bulls, five rams, five goats, five lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Pagiel son of Okhran” (Numbers 7:77).
“And for the peace offering, two bulls…” – as the Holy One blessed be He gave two Torahs to Israel: the Written Torah and the Oral Torah. He gave them the Written Torah, in which there are six hundred and thirteen mitzvot, in order to fill them with mitzvot and accord them merit, as it is stated: “The Lord desires for the sake of His righteousness; He will make the Torah great and glorious” (Isaiah 42:21). He gave them the Oral Torah, so they would excel through it among the other nations. That is the reason that He did not give it in writing, so that the Ishmaelites would not falsify it the way that they did to the Written Torah and say that they are Israel. In that regard, the verse said: “I write for him much of My Torah, but it is regarded like a strange matter” (Hosea 8:12). The Holy One blessed be He said: If I write for Israel much of My Torah – this is the Mishna, which is greater than the Bible – “it will be regarded like a strange matter.”
“Five rams, five goats, five lambs in their first year” – these three species of peace offerings correspond to the priests, Levites, and Israelites. Alternatively, corresponding to the three types of greatness that the Holy One blessed be He conferred upon them in reward for the fact that they received the Torah. They are: being a treasure, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation, as it is stated: “You shall be treasured for Me from among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine. You shall be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5–6). They were three species of five each for a total of fifteen, corresponding to the Torah, that is five books, and the Ten Commandments, which they received, which were written on two tablets, five on this tablet and five on that tablet.
Another matter: It corresponds to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the twelve tribes, as they are the primary chosen ones, just as it says: “Because He loved your forefathers, He chose their descendants after them, and He took you out before Him, with His great power, from Egypt” (Deuteronomy 4:37).
“This was the offering of Pagiel…” – since the Holy One blessed be He saw that he presented the offering in this order, He began lauding his offering: “This was the offering of Pagiel son of Okhran.”
“On the eleventh day, prince of the children of Asher, Pagiel the son of Okhran” – what was the reason for the prince of Asher to present his offering after the prince of Dan? It is because Dan is named for judgment [din], and Asher is named for its confirmation [ishuro]; that is why the Holy One blessed be He commanded Asher to present his offering after Dan, because the judge must confirm his judgment, just as it says: “Seek justice, confirm it for the oppressed” (Isaiah 1:17).
“His offering was one silver dish, its weight one hundred and thirty; one silver basin of seventy shekels, in the sacred shekel; both of them full of high-quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering” (Numbers 7:73).
“His offering was [one] silver dish…” – Rabbi Tanḥuma said: The names of all the tribes were called for the redemption of Israel and for their praise. Asher’s name was called for the redemption of Israel, just as it says: “All the nations will praise [ve’ishru] you, as you will be a desired land, said the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 3:12), and for their praise, just as it says: “Happy [ashrei] is the nation for whom this is so; happy is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalms 144:15). Israel’s happiness [ishuran] is only because they chose the Holy One blessed be He to be God for them and the Holy One blessed be He chose them to be a treasured nation for Him. That is why when the prince of Asher came to present his offering, he presented his offering for the sake of the choice, that the Holy One blessed be He chose Israel from all the nations, just as it says: “The Lord has chosen you to be His treasured people of distinction [from all the peoples that are on the face of the earth]” (Deuteronomy 14:2), as it is stated: “Happy is the one whom You choose and draw near…” (Psalms 65:5). Therefore, he presented his offering of a silver dish, corresponding to the nations of the world, who were initially attributed to Abraham.66See Genesis 17:5.
“Its weight one hundred and thirty” – these are the seventy descendants of Noah and the sixty queens, as Solomon said: “They are sixty queens” (Song of Songs 6:8). Who were they? They were the sixteen sons of Ketura, Yishmael and his twelve sons, and Esau and his seventeen sons and grandsons. How so? The sons of Elifaz are eight and they are: “The sons of Elifaz: Teman, Omar, Tzefi, Gatam, Kenaz, Timna, and Amalek” (I Chronicles 1:36); they, with Elifaz, are eight. There it is written: “These are the chieftains of the sons of Esau: The sons of Elifaz firstborn of Esau: The chieftain of Teiman,… the chieftain of Koraḥ, the chieftain of Gatam, the chieftain of Amalek…” (Genesis 36:15–16). They are nine,67They are nine with the addition of Koraḥ, who is listed in the verse in Genesis but does not appear in the verse in Chronicles. Re’uel with his sons are five, as it is stated: “The sons of Re’uel: Naḥat, Zeraḥ, Shama, and Miza” (I Chronicles 1:37), that is fourteen. The sons of Esau are three:68Besides Elifaz and Re'uel. “[The sons of Esau…] Yeush, Yalam, and Koraḥ…” (I Chronicles 1:35), that is seventeen. And the eleven chieftains who are tallied at the end, as it is stated: “These are the names of the chieftains of Esau, according to their families, according to their places, by their names: The chieftain of Timna…” (Genesis 36:40), that is fifty-seven. If you say: Are they not fifty-eight, Timna was the daughter of Elifaz. It is completed with three kings of Edom who were descendants of Edom.69See Genesis 36:32–34. They are: Bela son of Beor (Genesis 36:32), who was named after Esau, who was a glutton [bela] and sold his birthright because of his gluttony. “Son of Beor”70“Beir” can mean animal; see Exodus 22:4. – the son of one who rendered himself like an animal, as it is stated: “Feed me [haliteni] now from that red stuff, as I am exhausted” (Genesis 25:30), just as it says: One may not forcibly feed an animal, but one may place food in its mouth [malitin].71Shabbat 155b. The second, “Yovav son of Zeraḥ from Botzra” (Genesis 36:33). Botzra was of Edom, as it is stated: “Who is this, coming from Edom, with crimsoned garments from Botzra, resplendent in His attire, striding in His abundant strength? I speak with justice, potent to save” (Isaiah 63:1). The third, “Ḥusham of the land of the Temanite” (Genesis 36:34), and Teman was the land of Edom, as it is stated: “Your mighty, Teman, will be broken, so that each man from the mountain of Esau will be eliminated by slaughter” (Obadiah 1:9). But the other kings were from other places and other nations, that is sixty. Why did he call all these dishes [ke’arot]? It is because the Holy One blessed be He disqualified all of them. Ke’ara is nothing other than an expression of leprosy, just as it says: “Recessed [shekaarurot], deep green” (Leviticus 14:37). “Silver [kesef]” – due to shame, as they will all go “to reviling and eternal disgrace” (Daniel 12:2). From where is it derived that kesef is an expression of shame. It is as in the Jerusalem Targum, they call disgrace kisufa.
“One silver basin” – this is Israel, whom the Holy One blessed be He separated out from them, just as it says: “For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself…” (Psalms 135:4). And it says: “I took your father, Abraham, from beyond the river, and I led him throughout the land of Canaan, and I multiplied his descendants, and I gave him Isaac” (Joshua 24:3).
“Seventy shekels, in the sacred shekel…” – just as it says: “With seventy people, your ancestors descended to Egypt” (Deuteronomy 10:22). “Both of them full of high-quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering [leminḥa]” – as the Holy One blessed be He dispatched to the nations of the world and to Israel prophets of them and among them. That is leminḥa, just as it says: “The spirit of the Lord will rest [venaḥa] upon him” (Isaiah 11:2), and it says: “The spirit rested [vatanaḥ] upon them” (Numbers 11:26). The Holy One blessed be He wished to give His Torah to all of them, as it is stated: “He said: The Lord came from Sinai, [and shone from Seir for them, He appeared from Mount Paran]” (Deuteronomy 33:2).
“One gold ladle of ten shekels, filled with incense” (Numbers 7:74).
“One [gold] ladle” – from all of them, the Holy One blessed be He chose only Israel, as it is stated: “Unique is my faultless dove, unique to her mother, pure to the one who bore her” (Song of Songs 6:9). That is why they are the happiest of the nations, just as it says: “Girls see her and laud her, and queens and concubines praise her” (Song of Songs 6:9) – these are the nations. Why did the Holy One blessed be He choose them? It is because all the nations rejected the Torah and did not want to receive it, but these wanted and chose the Holy One blessed be He and His Torah, which is five books corresponding to the five fingers on the hand, and received the Ten Commandments at Sinai. That is, “one gold ladle of ten shekels.” What is “filled with incense”? It is because they all said: “All that God spoke we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7); they accepted upon themselves Torah study and action.72These are sometimes compared to a pleasant smell. See Vayikra Rabba 30:12.
“One young bull, one ram, one lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering” (Numbers 7:75).
“One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 7:76).
“One young bull…” – these three species of burnt offering, why? They correspond to the three crowns that the Holy One blessed be He gave to Israel for this: the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of kingship. The crown of Torah, this is the Ark, as it is written: “You shall craft a gold crown upon it all around” (Exodus 25:11). The crown of priesthood, this is the golden altar, in whose regard it is written: “You shall craft a gold crown for it all around” (Exodus 30:3). The crown of kingship, this is the table, as it is written: “He crafted a crown of gold for it all around” (Exodus 37:11). “One goat as a sin offering” – corresponding to a good name, which is action, just as we learned: Study is not the principal matter but action, as action atones for the person, like what we learned: Repentance and good deeds are a shield before punishment. That crown corresponds to the candelabrum, to realize what is stated: “For mitzva is a candle, and Torah is light” (Proverbs 6:23). Why is Torah called light? It is because it illuminates for the person what he should do. And because the Torah teaches the person how he shall perform the will of the Omnipresent, therefore, the reward of study is great. And one who causes another to perform an action is greater than one who performs it, as it is stated: “The act of righteousness will be peace and the work of righteousness will be quiet and security forever” (Isaiah 32:17).
“And for the peace offering, two bulls, five rams, five goats, five lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Pagiel son of Okhran” (Numbers 7:77).
“And for the peace offering, two bulls…” – as the Holy One blessed be He gave two Torahs to Israel: the Written Torah and the Oral Torah. He gave them the Written Torah, in which there are six hundred and thirteen mitzvot, in order to fill them with mitzvot and accord them merit, as it is stated: “The Lord desires for the sake of His righteousness; He will make the Torah great and glorious” (Isaiah 42:21). He gave them the Oral Torah, so they would excel through it among the other nations. That is the reason that He did not give it in writing, so that the Ishmaelites would not falsify it the way that they did to the Written Torah and say that they are Israel. In that regard, the verse said: “I write for him much of My Torah, but it is regarded like a strange matter” (Hosea 8:12). The Holy One blessed be He said: If I write for Israel much of My Torah – this is the Mishna, which is greater than the Bible – “it will be regarded like a strange matter.”
“Five rams, five goats, five lambs in their first year” – these three species of peace offerings correspond to the priests, Levites, and Israelites. Alternatively, corresponding to the three types of greatness that the Holy One blessed be He conferred upon them in reward for the fact that they received the Torah. They are: being a treasure, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation, as it is stated: “You shall be treasured for Me from among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine. You shall be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5–6). They were three species of five each for a total of fifteen, corresponding to the Torah, that is five books, and the Ten Commandments, which they received, which were written on two tablets, five on this tablet and five on that tablet.
Another matter: It corresponds to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the twelve tribes, as they are the primary chosen ones, just as it says: “Because He loved your forefathers, He chose their descendants after them, and He took you out before Him, with His great power, from Egypt” (Deuteronomy 4:37).
“This was the offering of Pagiel…” – since the Holy One blessed be He saw that he presented the offering in this order, He began lauding his offering: “This was the offering of Pagiel son of Okhran.”