Мидраш к Мелахим Б 8:1

Another thing R. Nachman asked of R. Isaac: "What is the meaning of the passage (II Kings 8, 1) For the Lord hath called for a famine, and it is also coming on the land for seven years. What did the people eat during these seven years?" Whereupon R. Isaac replied, thus said R. Jochanan: "In the first year they ate of what they had stored away in their houses; in the second year they ate of what they had stored away in the fields and vineyards; in the third year they ate the flesh of [ritually] clean animals; in the fourth, the flesh of [ritually] unclean animals; in the fifth year they ate the reptiles; in the sixth year the famine was so severe that people had to eat their own children; and in the seventh it reached a stage where some had to eat the flesh of their own arms, and then the passage was fulfilled (Is. 9, 19) They shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm."

(Lev. 9:1:) “And it came to pass on the eighth day.” This text is related (to Ps. 92:13), “The righteous one shall flourish (rt.: prh) like the palm….” This is Aaron, of whom it is stated (in Numb. 17:23), “[and there] the staff of Aaron of the House of Levi had sprouted (rt.: prh).” In the case of all the [other] trees, one plants them and they grow up by themselves (as single trees); but in the case of the palm, one plants it and it sends up sprouts on all sides. So it was in the case of Aaron. He planted and sprouts came up. These were Aaron's sons (i.e., according to I Chron. 6:35-36), “his son Eleazar, his son Phinehas, his son Abishua, [his son Bukki…].” (Ps. 92:13), “The righteous one shall flourish (rt.: prh) like the palm.” Where did he plant [them]? (Ps. 92:14), “[They are] planted in the house of the Lord.” (Lev. 8:33), “And you shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting [for seven days].” It is therefore stated (in Lev. 9:1), “And it came to pass on the eighth day.” (Lev. 9:1), “And it came to pass on the eighth day Moses called [Aaron and his sons]….” Our masters have said: All seven days when Moses was at the thornbush, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Go on My mission”; but he was saying (in Exod. 4:13), “Please make someone else Your agent.” So was it the first and second day. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I say to you, ‘Go,’ and you say to Me, ‘Please make someone else Your agent?’ By your life, I am paying you back. Someday soon when that tabernacle is being made, you will be thinking privately that you should serve in the high priesthood; but I am telling you, ‘Call Aaron to serve.’” It is therefore stated (in Lev. 9:1), “Moses called Aaron and his sons.” There is a calling which is for abundance [and there is] a calling for famine. Where is it shown [that there is a calling] for abundance? Where it is stated (in Ezek. 36:29), “I will call for the grain and increase it.” And where is it shown [that there is a calling] for famine? [Where it is stated (in II Kings 8:1),] “for the Lord has called for a famine… [for seven years].” There is a calling for greatness, as stated (in Lev. 9:1), “Moses called [Aaron].” Moses said to him, “The Holy One, blessed be He, has told me to ordain you as high priest.” Aaron said to him, “You have labored on the tabernacle; so shall I be made high priest?” He said to him, “By your life, even though you are being made high priest, it is as if I were being made [high priest];¹¹See above, Exod. 1:24. for just as you were glad for me in my greatness, so I am glad for you in your greatness.” Now when was he glad for him? When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Exod. 3:10), “So come now, I will send you unto Pharaoh.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Go, keep this commandment.” Moses said to Him (in Exod. 4:10, 13), “Pray (bi) – Lord, You are doing me wrong. My brother is older than I; yet I am going ahead of him.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “[By your life], you have spoken rightly; nevertheless (according to Exod. 4:14), when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.” R. Simeon ben Yohay said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘That heart which is glad for his brother's greatness shall have those precious stones (of Exod. 28:17-21) laid upon it.’” Therefore, all those seven days that Moses was busy in the tabernacle, he was sprinkling the blood and performing the sacrificial burning of the choice pieces. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “What do you think? That you are high priest? Call your brother so that he may serve as high priest.” Ergo (in Lev. 9:1), “And it came to pass on the eighth day Moses called [Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel].” Why the elders of Israel? In order to promote him in the presence of the elders. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Call the elders and ordain him in their presence, lest they say that he became high priest on his own.

(Lev. 9:1): AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE EIGHTH DAY MOSES CALLED < AARON AND HIS SONS >…. Our masters have said: All those days when Moses was in the thorn bush, the Holy One said to him: Go on my mission; but he was saying (in Exod. 4:13): PLEASE MAKE SOMEONE ELSE YOUR AGENT. By your life I am paying you back. Some day soon, when that Tabernacle is being made, you will be thinking privately that you should serve in the high priesthood; but I am telling you: Call Aaron to serve. It is therefore stated (in Lev. 9:1): MOSES CALLED AARON AND HIS SONS. There is a calling which is for abundance [and there is a calling for famine. Where is it shown < that there is a calling > for abundance?] Where it is stated (in Ezek. 36:29): I WILL CALL FOR THE GRAIN AND INCREASE IT. And where is it shown < that there is a calling > for famine? [Where it is stated] (in II Kings 8:1): FOR THE LORD HAS CALLED FOR A FAMINE… < FOR SEVEN YEARS >. There is a calling for greatness, as stated (in Lev. 9:1): MOSES CALLED < AARON >. Moses said to him: the Holy One has told me to ordain you as high priest. Aaron said to him: You have labored on the Tabernacle; so shall I be made high priest? He said to him: By your life, even though you are being made high priest, it is as if I were being made < high priest >;¹²See above, Exod. 1:24. for just as you were glad for me in my greatness, so I am glad for you in your greatness. Now when was he glad for him? When the Holy One said to him (in Exod. 3:10): SO COME NOW, I WILL SEND YOU UNTO PHARAOH. The Holy One said to him: Go, keep this commandment. Moses said to him (in Exod. 4:10 & 13): PRAY (bi) LORD, you are doing me wrong (biya)¹³Gk.: bia. On this interpretation of the verse, see above, Tanh. (Buber), Exod. 1:18. My brother is older than I; yet I am going ahead of him. The Holy One said to him: [By your life], you have spoken rightly; nevertheless (according to Exod. 4:14), WHEN HE SEES YOU HE WILL BE GLAD IN HIS HEART. R. Simeon ben Johay said: The Holy One said to him: That heart which is glad for his brother's greatness shall have those precious stones (of Exod. 28:17–21) laid upon it. Therefore, all those seven days that Moses was busy in the Tabernacle, he was sprinkling the blood and performing the sacrificial burning of the choice pieces. The Holy One said to them: What do you think? That you are high priest? Call your brother so that he may serve as high priest. Ergo (in Lev. 9:1): AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE EIGHTH DAY MOSES CALLED [AARON AND HIS SONS, AND THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL]. Why THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL? In order to promote him in the presence of the elders. The Holy One said to him: Call the elders and ordain him in their presence, lest Israel say that he became high priest on his own. Therefore (in Lev. 9:1): AND THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL.