אָהַ֣בְתָּ צֶּדֶק֮ וַתִּשְׂנָ֫א רֶ֥שַׁע עַל־כֵּ֤ן ׀ מְשָׁחֲךָ֡ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֱ֭לֹהֶיךָ שֶׁ֥מֶן שָׂשׂ֗וֹן מֵֽחֲבֵרֶֽיךָ׃
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Vayikra Rabbah
“Take Aaron, and his sons with him, and the vestments, and the anointing oil, and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread” (Leviticus 8:2).
“Take Aaron, and his sons with him….” That is what the verse said: “You love righteousness and detest wickedness…” (Psalms 45:8). Rabbi Yudan interpreted the verse regarding Abraham our patriarch. When he asked for mercy on the people of Sodom, he said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, You took an oath that you will not bring a flood to the world.’ That is what is written: “For, this is for Me like the waters of Noah, [as I took an oath that the waters of Noah would no longer pass over the earth]” (Isaiah 54:9). ‘A flood of water You will not bring, but a flood of fire You will bring? Are You going to employ artifice regarding the oath? If so, You have not fulfilled Your oath.’ That is what is written: “Far be it from You to perform a matter like this” (Genesis 18:25). He said before Him: ‘“Far be it from You; shall the Judge of all the earth not execute justice?” (Genesis 18:25). If it is justice You seek, there will be no world. If it is the world that You seek, there can be no justice. You seek to hold the rope at both ends; You seek the world and You seek true justice. If You do not concede somewhat, Your world will be unable to exist.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘“You love righteousness and detest wickedness” – you love to vindicate My creations and you detest condemning them. “Therefore, God your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy over your counterparts”’ (Psalms 45:8). What is “over your counterparts”? He said to him: ‘As you live, in the ten generations from Noah until you, I did not speak with any of them, but with you I speak,’ as it is stated: “The Lord said to Abram: You, go” (Genesis 12:1).
“Take Aaron, and his sons with him….” That is what the verse said: “You love righteousness and detest wickedness…” (Psalms 45:8). Rabbi Yudan interpreted the verse regarding Abraham our patriarch. When he asked for mercy on the people of Sodom, he said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, You took an oath that you will not bring a flood to the world.’ That is what is written: “For, this is for Me like the waters of Noah, [as I took an oath that the waters of Noah would no longer pass over the earth]” (Isaiah 54:9). ‘A flood of water You will not bring, but a flood of fire You will bring? Are You going to employ artifice regarding the oath? If so, You have not fulfilled Your oath.’ That is what is written: “Far be it from You to perform a matter like this” (Genesis 18:25). He said before Him: ‘“Far be it from You; shall the Judge of all the earth not execute justice?” (Genesis 18:25). If it is justice You seek, there will be no world. If it is the world that You seek, there can be no justice. You seek to hold the rope at both ends; You seek the world and You seek true justice. If You do not concede somewhat, Your world will be unable to exist.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘“You love righteousness and detest wickedness” – you love to vindicate My creations and you detest condemning them. “Therefore, God your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy over your counterparts”’ (Psalms 45:8). What is “over your counterparts”? He said to him: ‘As you live, in the ten generations from Noah until you, I did not speak with any of them, but with you I speak,’ as it is stated: “The Lord said to Abram: You, go” (Genesis 12:1).
Pesikta DeRav Kahana
"You love justice and hate wickedness; therefore Hashem your God has anointed you with the oil of has of rejoicing above your fellows" (Ps. 45:8). Rabbi Azariah in the name of Rabbi Acha interpreted the verses about Abraham our Patriarch. You find that before the Holy One Blessed be He brought a flood upon the people of Sodom, Abraham our Patriarch said before the Holy One Blessed be He, "Master of the Universe, you swore that you would never again bring a flood." And what is the meaning of, "For this is like the waters of Noah to Me, as I vowed I would never again bring the waters of Noah upon the earth" (Is. 54:9)? A flood of water you would not bring; however, a flood of fire you would bring? Would you employ artifice about that vow? "Heaven forbid You should do such a thing as this, to kill the righteous alongside the wicked" (Gen. 18:25). "Should the Judge of the entire world not perform justice?" (Ibid.). If it is justice You seek, there can be no world, and if it is the world you seek, there can be no justice. Would You [endeavor to] stretch a rope from both ends? You seek Your world and You seek strict justice, [but] if You do not relent a little, the world cannot [continue to] exist. The Holy One Blessed be He said to him, "Abraham, 'you love justice and you hate wickedness' (Ps. 45:8)." You love justice": On behalf of My creations. And "you hate wickedness": That you hate condemning [the wicked]. Thus, Hashem your God has anointed you with the oil of rejoicing above your fellows. Who are "your fellows"? The Holy One Blessed be He said to him, "From Noah until your [generation], I did not speak with any of them; rather, with you I have spoken first." That is what is written, "After these events transpired, the word of God [came] to Avram in a vision, saying, [I shall be a shield for you, [and] your reward will be exceedingly great]." (Gen. 15:1).
Rabbi Azariah in the name of Rabbi Yudah bar Simon interpreted the verse in Isaiah. Said Isaiah: "I was walking about in the house of study, and I heard the voice of God saying, 'Who will I send and who will go forth for us, etc.'" (Is. 6:8). He said, "I sent Amos and they called him the 'stammerer'." Said Rabbi Pinchas, why was he named "Amos"? Because he there was stammering (p'silos) in his speech. They said, "Did the Holy One Blessed be He pass upon the entire world (i.e., in search of a prophet), but let His Shekhinah rest upon this stammerer, on this tongueless man?" [God continues:] "I sent Micah, and they would strike (makin) him on the cheek, [as it is written,] 'With a rod they struck him on the cheek, the judge of Israel' (Mic. 4:14). And now, who should I send, and who will go forth for us, immediately," and "I said, Here I am, send me!" (Is. 6:8). The Holy One Blessed be He said to him, "Isaiah, my children -- they are troublesome and they are stubborn. Do you accept upon yourself to be stricken and demeaned by them?" He said to Him, "On this condition, yes, 'I gave up my body to suffer blows and my cheeks to be plucked, etc.'" (Is. 50:6). But I am not worthy for You to send me on Your mission to Your children." The Holy One Blessed be He said to him, "Isaiah, you love justice (Ps. 45:8): You love the justice of my children. And you hate wickedness (ibid.): You hate condemning [the wicked]. For that reason, Hashem your God anoints you with the oil of rejoicing above your fellows." What are "your fellows"? The Holy One Blessed be He said to him, As you live, that [until now] all the prophets who prophesize [received their] prophetic capacity from the mouth of [another] prophet. He rested the spirit of Eliyahu upon Elisha (2 Kings 2:15). He rested the spirit of Moses on the seventy Elders: "And God extended some of the spirit that was upon [Moses] and rested it upon the seventy men, the Elders" (Num. 11:25). But you will prophesize from the mouth of the Almighty: "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because God has anointed me, etc." (Is. 61:1). And not only that; rather, that as to all the [other] prophets who prophesize, their prophesize simply prophesies, but you will prophesize complex (lit., "doubled") prophesies: "Arise, arise" (Is. 51:9), "Rouse yourselves, rouse yourselves" (Is. 61:10), "I, I" (Is. 51:12), "Comfort, O comfort my people" (Is. 40:1).
Rabbi Azariah in the name of Rabbi Yudah bar Simon interpreted the verse in Isaiah. Said Isaiah: "I was walking about in the house of study, and I heard the voice of God saying, 'Who will I send and who will go forth for us, etc.'" (Is. 6:8). He said, "I sent Amos and they called him the 'stammerer'." Said Rabbi Pinchas, why was he named "Amos"? Because he there was stammering (p'silos) in his speech. They said, "Did the Holy One Blessed be He pass upon the entire world (i.e., in search of a prophet), but let His Shekhinah rest upon this stammerer, on this tongueless man?" [God continues:] "I sent Micah, and they would strike (makin) him on the cheek, [as it is written,] 'With a rod they struck him on the cheek, the judge of Israel' (Mic. 4:14). And now, who should I send, and who will go forth for us, immediately," and "I said, Here I am, send me!" (Is. 6:8). The Holy One Blessed be He said to him, "Isaiah, my children -- they are troublesome and they are stubborn. Do you accept upon yourself to be stricken and demeaned by them?" He said to Him, "On this condition, yes, 'I gave up my body to suffer blows and my cheeks to be plucked, etc.'" (Is. 50:6). But I am not worthy for You to send me on Your mission to Your children." The Holy One Blessed be He said to him, "Isaiah, you love justice (Ps. 45:8): You love the justice of my children. And you hate wickedness (ibid.): You hate condemning [the wicked]. For that reason, Hashem your God anoints you with the oil of rejoicing above your fellows." What are "your fellows"? The Holy One Blessed be He said to him, As you live, that [until now] all the prophets who prophesize [received their] prophetic capacity from the mouth of [another] prophet. He rested the spirit of Eliyahu upon Elisha (2 Kings 2:15). He rested the spirit of Moses on the seventy Elders: "And God extended some of the spirit that was upon [Moses] and rested it upon the seventy men, the Elders" (Num. 11:25). But you will prophesize from the mouth of the Almighty: "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because God has anointed me, etc." (Is. 61:1). And not only that; rather, that as to all the [other] prophets who prophesize, their prophesize simply prophesies, but you will prophesize complex (lit., "doubled") prophesies: "Arise, arise" (Is. 51:9), "Rouse yourselves, rouse yourselves" (Is. 61:10), "I, I" (Is. 51:12), "Comfort, O comfort my people" (Is. 40:1).
Pesikta Rabbati
... Teach us o teacher: toward where should one who prays orient his heart? This is what our Rabbis taught: one should orient his heart toward the place of the Holy of Holies (Berachot 4:5). R’ Eliezer ben Yaakov says: if one is praying outside of the land, he should orient his heart to the land of Israel. If one is praying within the land of Israel, he should orient his heart to Jerusalem. If one is praying in Jerusalem, he should orient his heart to the Holy Temple. If one is praying in the Holy Temple, he should orient his heart to the Holy of Holies. R’ Avin the Levi said: “our neck is like the Tower of David, built as a model (talpiyot)…” (Song of Songs 4:4) What does talpiyot mean? The hill (tel) toward which all turns (peniyot) are directed. And after all this praise, it is written “Open your doors, O Lebanon, and let the fire consume your cedars.” (Zechariah 11:1) And so too they said “He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) Israel said to Him: Master of the World! How long will it be like this? Did You not write in Your Torah “…the one who ignited the fire shall surely pay” (Exodus 22:5)? And You are the one who ignited the fire, as it says “From above He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) You need to rebuild it and to console us, not at the hands of an angel but You in Your glory. The Holy One said to them: by your life, so I will do! As it says “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel.” (Psalms 147:2) And I am the one who consoles you. From where do we learn this? From that which they read in the prophets “I, yea I am He Who consoles you…” (Isaiah 51:12)