Мидраш к Бамидбар 15:2

“Go, eat your bread joyfully, and drink your wine goodheartedly, as God has already accepted your actions” (Ecclesiastes 9:7).
“Go, eat your bread joyfully.” Rabbi Huna son of Rabbi Aḥa said: When the children take their leave from school,¹⁷To go home and eat their lunch. a Divine Voice emerges and says to them: “Go, eat your bread joyfully,” – your breath¹⁸The words of Torah you have expressed. has been accepted before Me as a pleasing aroma. When Jews take their leave of synagogues and study halls, a Divine Voice emerges and says to them: “Go, eat your bread joyfully” – your prayer has been accepted before Me as a pleasing aroma.
Another matter, “go, eat your bread joyfully” – this is the Torah portion of ḥalla; “and drink your wine goodheartedly” – this is the Torah portion of libations; “as God has already accepted your actions” – this is the entry of the Israelites into the Land, as it is stated: “When you come to the Land” (Numbers 15:2).
Rabbi Azarya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon interpreted the verse as regarding Abraham our patriarch. When the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Take now your son, your only one […and offer him up there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will tell you]” (Genesis 22:2), on the first day, he did not see anything, nor on the second. On the third day, this is what is written in its regard: “He saw the place from afar” (Genesis 22:4). What did he see? He saw a cloud affixed to the mountain. He said: It appears that this is the mountain upon which the Holy One blessed be He said to me to bring up my son Isaac. He said to him: ‘Isaac, my son, do you see what I see?’ [Isaac] said to him: ‘Yes.’ He said to [Isaac]: ‘What do you see?’ [Isaac] said to him: ‘A cloud affixed to the mountain.’ He said to Eliezer and Ishmael, his lads: ‘Do you see anything?’ They said: ‘No.’ He said: ‘Since you do not see anything and the donkey does not see anything, “stay here with the donkey [im haḥamor]” (Genesis 22:5) – a people comparable to a donkey [am domin laḥamor].¹⁹The slaves and children of maidservants are lowly, and in that sense comparable to the donkey. Then he took Isaac and took him up mountains, took him down hills, and took him up to the peak of a particularly high and steep mountain. He built an altar, arranged the arrangement of wood, bound him upon it, and took the knife to slaughter him. Had the angel not come and said to him: “Do not extend your hand to the lad” (Genesis 22:12), he would have already slaughtered him.
When [Isaac] came to his mother, she said to him: ‘Where were you, my son?’ He said to her: ‘Father took me, and took me up mountains, took me down hills, and took me up to a certain mountain. He built an altar, arranged the arrangement of wood, bound me upon it, and took the knife to slaughter me. Had the angel not come and said to him: “Abraham, Abraham, do not extend your hand to the lad,” I would have already been slaughtered.’ When Sarah heard this, she screamed, and did not manage to complete her cry until her soul departed, as it is written: “Abraham came to eulogize Sarah and to weep for her” (Genesis 23:2). From where did he come? He came from Mount Moriah. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Abraham was ruminating in his heart: Perhaps there was a defect in my son and he was not accepted.²⁰He was deemed unfit to be sacrificed as an offering. A Divine Voice emerged and said to him: ‘Abraham, Abraham, “go, eat your bread joyfully…as God has already accepted your actions,” God has accepted your offering.’
Rabbi Mona of Shaab and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi interpreted the verse as regarding Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. This is analogous to a province that owed taxes to the king. The king dispatched a tax collector from the treasury to collect it. [When he was] at a distance of ten mil, the prominent leaders of the province emerged and lauded him, and he forgave one-third for them. At a distance of five mil, the middling ones emerged and lauded him, and he forgave one-third for them. When he neared [and was right outside the province], men, women, and children emerged to greet him, and he forgave it in its entirety. He said, ‘What is past is past, from here onward is a new account.’ So too, on the day before Rosh HaShana, the prominent leaders of the generation fast and the Holy One blessed be He absolves them of one-third of their transgressions, as it is stated: “Yet forgiveness is with You, so You will be feared” (Psalms 130:4). Rabbi Aḥa said: Forgiveness is primed for you from Rosh HaShana, “so You will be feared” – so Your fear will be on Your creations. Those days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, individuals fast, and the Holy One blessed be He absolves them of another third of their transgressions. On Yom Kippur, all of them fast, and the Holy One blessed be He absolves them of another third of their transgressions. When men, women, and children fast, the Holy One blessed be He forgives them for everything and says: ‘What is past is past, and the new account is from here onward.’ A Divine Voice emerges and says to them: “Go, eat your bread joyfully” – your prayer has already been heard.
Abba Taḥana the Pious was entering his city on Shabbat eve at [just before] nightfall, and his bundle was on his shoulder. He found a particular [individual] afflicted with boils lying at a crossroads. [The man] said to him: ‘Rabbi, perform for me a charitable act and bring me into the city.’ [Abba Taḥana] said: If I put down my bundle, how will I and my family earn a living? But if I abandon the man afflicted with boils, I deserve to lose my life. What did he do? He had the good inclination overcome the evil inclination and he took the man afflicted with boils into the city, and [then] came and took his bundle and entered with the light of the [setting] sun. Everyone was astonished and saying: Is this Abba Taḥana the Pious? He, too, ruminated in his heart and said: Would you say that I desecrated Shabbat? At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He caused the sun to shine, as it is written: “The sun of righteousness will shine for you, who fear My name” (Malachi 3:20). At that moment, he ruminated in his heart and said: Would you say that I will not receive reward?²¹He was concerned that the miracle was reward for his good deed and he would not receive reward in the World to Come. A Divine Voice emerged and said: “Go, eat your bread joyfully, and drink your wine goodheartedly, as God has already accepted your actions.” You will receive your reward.
Another matter, [the verse] “go, eat your bread joyfully,” is speaking of Daniel, the beloved man, as it is stated: “I was still speaking in prayer, and the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the previous vision, was flying swiftly [mu’af bi’af]” (Daniel 9:21); he flew and flew again. “He explained and spoke with me” (Daniel 9:22). Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Daniel, the beloved man, said: The Holy One blessed be He knows that I finished my prayer and He sent an angel²²Gabriel. and spoke with me, as it is stated: “He explained and spoke with me.” What did he say to me? He said to me: At the beginning of your supplications a word went forth” (Daniel 9:23). He said to me: I issued a decree that the Temple will be rebuilt. I said your request will be fulfilled at the beginning of your supplications, [but did not tell you until now] “because you are beloved,” (Daniel 9:23), for He desired his prayer.²³God desired Daniel’s prayers. Rabbi Shmuel bar Onya [said] in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: Beloved is written here three times, “beloved” (Daniel 9:23), “beloved” (Daniel 10:11), “beloved” (Daniel 10:19). [Gabriel] said to him: You are very beloved. You are beloved to your Creator, you are beloved to His entourage, and you are beloved to His Torah, as it is written: “For from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to fast before your God, your words have been heard” (Daniel 10:12), your prayer has been heard. A Divine Voice emerged and said to him: “Go, eat your bread joyfully” – your prayer has already been heard.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi interpreted the verse regarding Israel upon their entry into the land. “I increased my actions [maasai]” (Ecclesiastes 2:4) – “When you will come to the land of your dwellings.… you will perform [vaasitem] a fire offering to the Lord” (Numbers 15:2–3). “I built myself houses” (Ecclesiastes 2:4) – “houses filled with everything good” (Deuteronomy 6:11). “I planted myself vineyards” (Ecclesiastes 2:4) – “vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant” (Deuteronomy 6:11). “I made myself gardens and orchards” (Ecclesiastes 2:5) – Hadrian, may his bones be crushed, asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya: ‘It is written in the Torah: “A land in which without poverty [you will eat bread; you will not lack anything there]” (Deuteronomy 8:9). Can you bring me three things that I request?’ He said to him: ‘What are they?’ He said to him: ‘Peppers, pheasants, and silk fabrics.’ [Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya] brought him peppers from Nitzḥana, pheasants from Tzaidan, and some say from Akhberin, and silk fabric from Gush Ḥalav. “I made myself pools of water” (Ecclesiastes 2:6) – as it is written: “A land of streams of water” (Deuteronomy 8:7). “To irrigate from them a forest which grows trees” (Ecclesiastes 2:6) – even wood for the shafts of arrows was not lacking in the Land of Israel.
“I purchased myself slaves and maidservants” (Ecclesiastes 2:7) – “a mixed multitude [left with them]” (Exodus 12:38). “And I had stewards” (Ecclesiastes 2:7) – these are the Givonites, whom Joshua tasked as hewers of wood and drawers of water, as it is stated: “Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water” (Joshua 9:27). “I also had great possession of herds and flocks” (Ecclesiastes 2:7) – “[the children of Gad and the children of Reuben had a very great] multitude of livestock…” (Numbers 32:1). “I also gathered for myself silver and gold” – these are matters of Torah, as it is stated: “He took them out with silver and gold” (Psalms 105:37). “And the treasure of kings and countries” – these are the spoils of Og and the spoils of Midyan.²⁵See Numbers 21:35 and 31:9. “I acquired for myself songsters and songstresses” – male singers and women singers. “And the pleasures of people” – these are the pleasures of the children of Israel; “chests [shidda] and wagons [shiddot]” – indulgences and luxuries.

(Numb. 15:1-2:) “Now the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, ‘Speak unto the Children of Israel ….’” Let our master instruct us: How many things is a father obligated to do for a son?⁵⁸Numb. R. 17:1. Thus have our masters taught: A father is obligated to do five things for a son: to circumcise him, to teach him Torah, to redeem him (according to the redemption of the first-born), to teach him a trade, and to take a wife for him.⁵⁹See TQid. 1:11; yQid. 1:7 (61a); Qid. 29a; Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Pisha, 18 (on Exod. 13:13); Eccl. R. 9:9:1. The father is the Holy One, blessed be He, and the son is Israel. Just as a [human] father is obligated to his son, so does the Holy One, blessed be He, do for Israel. The [human] father is obligated to circumcise his son. Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, circumcised Israel at the hands of Joshua (according to Josh. 5:2), “And he made for himself….” The father is obligated to redeem his son. Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, did so for Israel. He redeemed them, as stated (in I Chron. 17:21), “And who is like Your people Israel, a unique nation on earth, whom God went to redeem as a people for Himself.” [The father is obligated] to teach him Torah, as stated (in Deut. 11:19), “And you shall teach them to your children by talking about them.” And the Holy One, blessed be He, also taught Torah to Israel, as stated] (in Is. 48:17), “I am the Lord your God, teaching you for your own good.” [The father is obligated] to teach him commandments. The Holy One, blessed be He, taught the commandments to Israel (in Lev. 27:34), “These are the commandments which the Lord commanded.” [Regarding marriage,] the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the Children of Noah (in Gen. 1:28), “Be fruitful and multiply.” [Moreover,] just as a father has a responsibility to his son to feed him, to give him drink, to wash him, to anoint him and to dress him, so does the Holy One, blessed be He, do for Israel, as stated (in Ezek. 16:9-10), “I bathed you in water, and washed the blood off you […]. I clothed you with embroidered garments, and gave you sandals of dolphin leather (tahash) to wear.” To feed him, as stated (Ezek. 16:19), “And My bread that I had given to you.” To give him to drink, as stated (in Numb. 21:17), “Spring up O well, answer it.” Just as a father bequeaths his properties to his son, so did the Holy One, blessed be He, do for Israel, as stated (in Jer. 3:19), “and I gave you a desirable land, the fairest heritage of all the nations.” Just as the father wills his property to his son, and [as] his son also is obligated to offer him a gift⁶⁰Gk.: doron.; so also did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to Israel (in Numb. 15:2-3), “When you come unto the land of your habitations [….] You shall make a burnt offering to the Lord […].” R. Tanhuma bar Abba opened [his discourse] in the name of R. Hanina the father of R. Aha bar Hanina [as follows]:⁶¹Numb. R. 17:2. This parashah concerns libations. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 15:6–7), “Or for a ram you shall make a meal offering […]. And for the oblation [you shall offer] a third of a hin of wine.” See it is about libations. From here on, it is in regard to the hallah, as stated (in vss. 19-20), “And it shall be that, when you eat from the bread of the land, [you shall set aside an offering for the Lord]. Of the first of your dough you shall set aside a loaf (hallah) as an offering….” Thus hallah [is mentioned] last, and libations first. For this reason R. Hanina opened (with Eccl. 9:7), “Go, eat your bread with gladness, [and drink your wine with a joyful heart].”⁶²Cf. below, Numb. 4a:17. What is the meaning of (Eccl 9:7, cont.), “God has already approved your works?” It is with reference to Abraham. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Gen. 22:2), “Please take your son,” Abraham rose early, took him promptly, led him on, and brought him up to Mount Moriah. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Gen. 22:12), “Do not raise your hand against the lad.” Abraham said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, did you tell me (in vs. 2), ‘Please take your son,’ for no reason?” He said to him, “No! Rather [it was] to make your character known in the world.” Thus it is stated (in Gen. 18:19), “For I have made him known,⁶³This sense is required by the midrash. A more traditional translation would begin the verse: FOR I HAVE KNOWN HIM, or FOR I HAVE CHOSEN HIM. so that he may charge [his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord].” R. Simeon ben Johay said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘By your life, I ascribe [your obedience] to you [as proof] that, if I had told you to take your own life, you would not have refrained [from doing so] for the sake of My name, and would have obeyed [the command] to be killed for the sake of My name.’” Where is it shown? R. Simeon ben Johay said, “As so is it written (in Gen. 22:16), ‘and you have not withheld your son, your only one.’ See, [‘your son’] has already specified Isaac. [So] what is the meaning of ‘your only one?’ It is to imply Abraham's life. Thus the soul is called only one, where it is stated (in Ps. 22:21) ‘Deliver my life from the sword, [my only one from the power of the dog].’” Abraham said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Is it possible for me to go from here with no sacrifice?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham, “Here is your sacrifice. [It has been] prepared for you from the six days of creation.” (According to Gen. 22:13), “Then Abraham lifted his eyes to look, and there was a ram […].” As so did our masters teach, “The ram of Abraham was created from the six days of creation on the Sabbath eve at twilight.” So at that time, Abraham took it and (according to Gen 22:13, cont.) “he offered it up as a burnt offering in place of his son.” Once it said, “he offered it up as a burnt offering,” was the verse missing anything? [So] what is the meaning of “in place of his son?” At that time Abraham said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, see that I am slaughtering the ram; You should so see it as if my son is slaughtered in front of You.” When he took its blood, he said, “You should so see it as if the blood of Isaac is sprinkled before You.” When he took the ram and flayed it, he said to Him, “You should so see it as if Isaac is flayed in front of You on the altar.” When he burnt it, he said to Him, “You should so see it as if his ashes were gathered in front of You on the altar.” [Once it said,] “he offered it up as a burnt offering,” was the verse missing anything? [So] what is the meaning of “in place of his son?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “By your life, it is your son that is sacrificed first, but it is simply that this ram is after him.” At that time Abraham said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, I am not moving from here until You swear to me that You will never test me again; for if, heaven forbid, I had not obeyed you, I should have destroyed everything I had accomplished during my lifetime.” R. Hanin said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘By your life, so it is; for if you had not obeyed Me, you would have possessed nothing.’” At that time the Holy One, blessed be He, swore to him that He would never test him again. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 22:16), “And he said, ‘I by Myself have sworn,’ says the Lord.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “By your life, severe afflictions and other trials had been designated to come upon you, but now they shall not come.” These were the same afflictions which came upon Job.⁶⁴ySot. 5:8 (or 5) (20c); Gen. R. 57:4. They had been designated to come upon Abraham, for the following has been joined to the parashah (in Gen. 22:20–21), “And it came to pass after these things, that it was told to Abraham [saying, ‘Behold Milcah, she also has borne sons to your brother Nahor,] Uz his first-born….’” And this is Job, according to what is stated (in Job 1:1), “There was a man in the land (belonging to) Uz.”⁶⁵So the midrash interprets LAND OF UZ. See BB 15a. At that time, The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham (in Eccl. 9:7), “Go, eat your bread with gladness, [… for God has already approved your works].”

(1) "When you come to the land of your dwellings": What is the halacha of how many things a person is obligated to do for his son? Our rabbis taught: A person is obligated to do five things for his son. G-d can be compared to a father and the Jewish people to His son. Just like a father is obligated to circumcise his son, G-d did so for the Jews by circumcising them by the hand of Yehoshua as it says (Joshua 5:2) "Make for yourself stone knives." A father is obligated to redeem his son [if he is a firstborn] and G-d redeemed the Jews, as it says [II Samuel 7:23) "to redeem it as a nation." [A father is obligated] to teach [his son] Torah, [and] G-d taught the Jews Torah as it says (Deuteronomy 11:19) "Teach them to your children" and it is written "I am G-d your teacher." [A father is obligated] to teach [his son] mitsvot, [and] G-d taught the mitsvot to the Jews. [A father is obligated] to marry [his son] to a woman, [and] G-d told mankind: "Be fruitful and multiply." A father is obligated to his son [in the following ways]: to give him food and drink, to bathe him, to give him ointments, and to clothe him, and thus did G-d for the Jews, as it is written (Ezekiel 16: 9) "And I washed you in water, and I washed away your blood...and I clothed you with embroidered clothing...and My bread which I gave you..." [and in Numbers 21:17] "Arise, o well, sing to it." What does a father give to a son? Possessions. Thus G-d did for the Jews, as it says in Jeremiah 3:18, "And I gave you a beloved land." And what must a son give to his father? A gift. Thus G-d said to the Jews, "When you come to the land...and bring an olah-offering to G-d."

(2) Thus opened Rabbi Tanchuma bar Abba, in the name of Rabbi Chanina brother of Rabbi Acha ben Rabbi Chanina:

3 Another interpretation (of Numb. 15:2), “When you come unto the land of your habitations”: R. Zakkay of Sha'av (in Galilee) said, “Israel said, ‘Sovereign of the World, in every other place You call this the Land of Canaan, but here (in Numb. 15:2) it is “the land of your habitations.”’ The Holy One said to them, ‘By your life, I gave it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, and all of [the references] are from scripture. Since the son inherits from the father, therefore (in Numb. 15:2), “When you come unto the land of your habitations.”’” And why did Canaan merit to have the land called by its name? When they heard that Israel was coming, they evacuated the place. The Holy One, said, “You evacuated the place. [Hence] the land will be called by your name, and I will give you a land as fine as your land.” And which is this? Africa. What is written above in the section on the spies (in Numb. 14:44)? “But they presumed (rt.: 'pl) to go up.” They brought darkness (rt.: 'pl) to its dwellers and they all remained in darkness (rt.: 'pl). (Ibid., cont.) “But the ark of the covenant of the Lord and Moses did not depart from the camp”: Thus they did not go up with them. Moses said, “Thus did the Holy One say (in Deut. 1:42), ‘You shall neither go up nor fight, for I am not in your midst.’ Now you have said (in Deut. 1:28) ‘Where are we going up to? Our brothers have caused our hearts to melt (with fear)….’” What is the meaning of melt (hemassu)? Our masters have said, “From here one deduces how they tithed the pomegranates.⁶yMa‘as. 1:2 (48d). Thus have our masters taught (in Ma'as. 1:2): They tithe pomegranates, when they become soft (rt.: MSS).” Moses said to them, “From the beginning you have been of two minds on the matter.” (Deut 1:22) “Then you all drew near unto me”: On the positive side (in Deut. 5:20), “and all of the heads of your tribes approached me.” But on the negative side (in Deut. 1:22), “Then you all drew near unto me and said, [‘Let us send men ahead of us to explore the land for us’]”; and it is written (in vs. 27), “And you murmured in your tents and said, ‘It is because the Lord hated us.” The Holy One says to them (in Mal. 1:2), “I have loved you!” But they say, (in Deut. 1:27), “It is because the Lord hated us.” They interpreted the verse and said, “You yourself know that He hates us. Take the case of a king of flesh and blood who has two sons. Now he also has two fields, one with irrigation and one watered by rain. Is it not that the field with irrigation will be given to whichever one the king loves, while the one watered by rain will be given to that one whom he hates? The land of Egypt has irrigation, and we were in its midst, while the land of Canaan has rain. So He brought us out from Egypt to give us the land of Canaan. Nevertheless (according to Deut. 1:41–42), “and each of you girded on his weapons of war, and you ventured to go up into the hill country. But the Lord said unto me, ‘Say to them, “Do not go up and do not fight.”’” I had intended to go up with you; but now, “Do not go up.” For you it will be a downfall. Nevertheless (according to vs. 41), “[each of] you girded,” and you all had become a single unit. (Ibid., cont.) “And you ventured to go up into the hill country”: What is the meaning of “and you ventured (rt.: hyn)?” That they were saying, “Drop by drop, the hin⁷A liquid measure equal to about a gallon and a half. will be filled.”⁸I.e., they had accumulated almost enough sin to overflow their allotted measure. One text (Deut. 1:43) says, “and you acted presumptuously”; while another text (Deut. 1:41) says, “and you ventured (rt.: HYN).” What is the meaning of “and you acted presumptuously?” That they acted presumptuously against the encampments (hanayot, rt.: HNH) of the Holy One.”⁹ I.e., they ignored the fact that the ark of the covenant had not departed out of the camp (Numb. 14:44). (Deut. 1:43-44) “To go up into the hill country. Then the Amorites [that dwelt in that hill country came out to meet you, and they pursued you as do the bees]”: What is the meaning of “bees?” Just as the bee immediately dies when it strikes someone, so also it was with you. When one of them touched you, his soul immediately departed. Just as the bee flies, so did they fly about you. In the past, when they merely heard a report of you, they died. It is so stated (in Exod. 15:14), “When the peoples hear, they tremble.” Now (in Deut. 1:44) “and they pursued you […] and crushed you.” (Deut. 1:45) “So you returned to weep before the Lord, but the Lord would not heed”: You, as it were, made strict justice as though it were brutal. (Deut. 10:11) “And the Lord said [unto me], ‘Arise, continue the journey’”: Now if I had come to execute justice with them, they would not be entering the land. Instead, “Arise, continue the journey.” Ergo (in numb. 15:2), “When you come unto the land.”

(Numb. 15:3:) AND YOU SHALL MAKE AN OFFERING TO THE LORD, A BURNT OFFERING, OR A SACRIFICE…. The Holy One said to them: Whoever offers me a sacrifice in this world, does not offer it in vain.⁵³Numb. R. 17:4; see Sifra to Lev. 9:24 (99: Parashat Shemini Mekhilta deMiluim); Lam. R. 5:1 (1); Lev. R. 7:96; also Deut. R. 4:11. Rather [if] he offers it, it is pleasing to me. Also in the world to come, he shall have the right to make an offering. Then I will accept it, and it shall be pleasing to me. It is so stated (in Mal. 3:4): THEN SHALL THE OFFERING OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM BE PLEASING TO THE LORD, AS IN THE DAYS OF OLD AND AS IN THE FORMER YEARS.

(Numb. 15:1–2:) NOW THE LORD SPOKE <UNTO MOSES, SAYING>: SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND SAY UNTO THEM: WHEN YOU COME UNTO THE LAND OF YOUR HABITATIONS. Let our master instruct us: How many things is a father obligated to do for a son?⁶⁶Tanh., Numb. 4:14; Numb. R. 17:1. [Thus have our masters taught:] A father is obligated to do five things for a son: to circumcise him, to teach him Torah, to redeem him according to the redemption of the first-born, to teach him commandments, and to take a wife for him.⁶⁷See TQid. 1:11; yQid. 1:7 (61a); Qid. 29a; Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Pisha, 18 (on Exod. 13:13); Eccl. R. 9:9:1. The father is the Holy One. Just as a <human> father is obligated to his son, so does the Holy One do for Israel. The <human> father is obligated to circumcise his son. Similarly the Holy One circumcised Israel at the hands of Joshua (according to Josh. 5:2): AND AGAIN CIRCUMCISE [THE CHILDREN OF] ISRAEL A SECOND TIME. The father is obligated to redeem his son. Similarly the Holy One did so for Israel. He redeemed them, as stated (in I Chron. 17:21): {AND} WHO IS LIKE YOUR PEOPLE ISRAEL, A UNIQUE NATION ON EARTH, [WHOM GOD WENT TO REDEEM AS A PEOPLE FOR HIMSELF]. <The father is obligated> to teach him Torah, {The Holy One taught Torah to Israel.} as stated (in Deut. 11:19): AND YOU SHALL TEACH THEM TO YOUR CHILDREN BY TALKING ABOUT THEM. [And the Holy One taught Torah to Israel, as stated] (in Is. 48:17): I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, TEACHING YOU FOR YOUR OWN GOOD. <The father is obligated> to teach him commandments. The Holy One taught the commandments to Israel (in Lev. 27:34): THESE ARE THE COMMANDMENTS WHICH THE LORD COMMANDED <MOSES>. <Regarding marriage,> the Holy One said to Israel (in Gen. 1:28): BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY. Moreover, just as the father wills his property to his son, and <as> his son also is obligated to offer him a gift⁶⁸Gk.: doron.; so also did the Holy One say to Israel (in Numb. 15:2–3): WHEN YOU COME UNTO THE LAND OF YOUR HABITATIONS [….] YOU SHALL MAKE⁶⁹Instead of YOU SHALL MAKE most translations render these words: AND WOULD MAKE, or the equivalent. The passage is understood somewhat differently here to fit the context of the midrash. {A WHOLE BURNT OFFERING} [A BURNT OFFERING] TO THE LORD […,] <TO MAKE> A PLEASING ODOR <TO THE LORD>…. ⁷⁰The text at the end of this section is greatly expanded in the parallels of Tanh., Numb. 4:14; Numb. R. 17:1; and in Buber’s “Spanish” manuscript (described on p. 150 of his “Mavo”).

(Bamidbar 15:2) "Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: When you come to the land of your settlings which I give to you, etc.": Scripture comes to teach us that Israel were obligated to bring libations (with their offerings) only after inheritance and settlement (of the land [viz. Ibid. 15:5]). You say after inheritance and settlement, but perhaps immediately upon their entry to the land. It is, therefore, written (Devarim 17:14) "When you come to the land that the L-rd your G-d gives to you, and you inherit it and you settle in it, etc." Since "comings" are mentioned in the Torah unqualified, and in one instance (above) it is specified, after inheritance and settlement, so all ("comings" are understood as) after inheritance and settlement, which teaches us that wherever "settlings" is written, after inheritance and settling is understood. These are the words of R. Yishmael. R. Akiva queried him: But in respect to Shabbath it is written "settlings" (viz. Vayikra 23:3), and it obtains both in Eretz Yisrael and outside of it! R. Yishmael replied: If "lighter" mitzvoth obtain both in the land and outside it, how much more so, Shabbath, the "graver." And it ("settlings") comes to teach that in an individual altar ("bamah") there is no obligation to bring libations. R. Akiva says: Scripture comes to teach us that libations are to be offered on a bamah. Abba Channan says in the name of R. Eliezer: Why is this ("When you come to the land") written? For it would follow, since we find that the vessels of the Temple were more than those of the tent of meeting (viz. I Kings 7:27), so, the libations of the Temple were more than those of the tent of meeting; it is, therefore, written (Bamidbar 15:2) "When you come … (3) and you shall offer, etc." to teach that even though there were more vessels in the Temple than in the tent of meeting, there were not more libations. (Ibid. 3) "and you shall offer a fire-offering to the L-rd": This implies that all that is offered for the fire requires libations, even a meal-offering. It is, therefore, written "a burnt-offering." This tells me only of a burnt-offering (that it requires libations). Whence do I derive (the same for) peace-offerings? From "a sacrifice." Whence do I derive (the same for) a thank-offering? From "or a sacrifice." This would imply (that libations are required) for these as well as for first-born, tithe, Pesach and guilt-offering. It is, therefore, written "for an expressed vow or as a guilt-offering." Scripture speaks only of offerings that are brought as vow and gift. — But this would imply that I exclude them (from libations) as well as mandatory festival offerings! — It is, therefore, written "or in your festivals," to include these (as requiring libations). — But this would imply (that libations are required for) burnt-offerings and mandatory peace-offerings that are brought on festivals, and for a mandatory sin-offering that is brought on festivals! — It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 15;8) "And if you offer a bullock as a burnt-offering or as a sacrifice." "Bullock" was included in the general category (of offerings) and departed from it (for specific mention) to teach about the category, viz.: Just as "bullock," which is brought for vow or gift (requires libations, so, all (offerings) that are brought for vow or gift require libations) — to exclude sin-offerings and guilt-offerings, which are not brought for vow or gift.

[Ed.: "Menorah" down below should probably be Menuda. "Chazar l'Suro", is the only time in Chazal that that form appears. It appears frequently, also in regard to converts, as Chazar M'suro. Perhaps its a mistake here, or perhaps it is actually meant as some kind of opposite. This translation begins in the middle, at a really cool part.] At that moment (while the people were mourning their punishment) God said to Moshe, go and bring some satisfaction to those poor ones, whose hearts have left them. Moshe said: Master of the Universe! With what can I give them satisfaction? God said back to him: Go and bring them satisfaction, with words of Torah. Which is what it means: “Speak to the Children of Israel, When you come to the land of your settlement, which I am giving to you, and you make a fire-offering to the Lord ..." (Num 15:2,3). At that moment there was a great quarrel between the Children of Israel and the converts. Such that God had to ask Moshe: Why are they making this quarrel?! Did I not write for you all, in My Torah, “The congregation shall have one law and the stranger residing among you the same law … one Torah and one justice” (15:15,16). From here, they taught: There are three kinds of converts. There is a convert that is completely like a non-Jew, a convert that is similar to a donkey, and there is a convert just like Abraham our forefather. What kind of convert is completely like a non-Jew? He has improperly killed meat and unkosher meat in his home, but he says, I’ll go and convert so I can be amongst them. Because they have good food and they’ve got holidays and Sabbaths, and I’ll still eat these in my house. So he twists [misrepresents? pushes?] himself and goes and converts. When he then turns from the proper path, he receives punishment, for his own good, to save him from what he is doing. The Holy One said to Israel: My children, just as he loved you, so you must love him. As it says, “And you shall love the convert” (Deut 10:19). What kind of convert is similar to a donkey? He goes to marry a Jewish woman, and they say to him, we won’t allow you to be with her unless you convert. So he twists himself and goes and converts. When he then turns from the proper path, he receives punishment, for his own good, to save him from what he is doing. The Holy One said to Israel: My children, just as he sought comfort from you, so shall give him comfort. As it says, “And the convert you shall not oppress” (Ex 22:20). What kind of convert is just like Abraham our forefather? He goes and searches out all the nations in the world. When he sees that they too tell of the goodness of the Jewish people, he says, I will go and convert, and thus bring myself under the wings of the Shechina. As it says, “Let no convert who has joined himself to the LORD say, ‘The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.’ (Isa 56:3).