Midrash sa Mga Bilang 7:88: Bamidbar Rabbah & Sifrei Bamidbar

“This was the dedication of the altar” – is it, perhaps, that it would continue to be anointed from now? The verse states: “This” – I say that it will not be anointed during the Messianic Era, but in the future it will be. It said: “This was the dedication of the altar after [it was anointed]” (Numbers 7:88), indicating that it will not be anointed in the future.⁹⁷The altar was anointed only in the Tabernacle. It was not anointed during the time of the Second Temple, and it will not be anointed in the Messianic Era. (This is based on the Etz Yosef, who suggests that the future referred to in the midrash is the time of the Second Temple.)
Likewise, it says: “this is the anointment of Aaron and the anointment of his sons” (Leviticus 7:35) – is it, perhaps, that they would continue to be anointed from now? The verse states: “This” – to say that they will not be anointed. I still say: They will not be anointed during the Messianic Era, but in the future they will be. The verse states: “This” – they will never again be anointed in the future. How do I realize: “These are the two anointed ones” (Zechariah 4:14)? This is Aaron and David; this one seeks his priesthood, and that one seeks his kingship; Aaron seeks his priesthood, and David seeks his kingship.
“On the day that it was anointed” – on the day that it was anointed, on that very day they presented their offering. Do you say that on the day that it was anointed, on that very day they presented their offering; or did it come to teach only that on the day it was anointed the priests merited receiving gifts, as it says: “That the Lord commanded to give them on the day He anointed them” (Leviticus 7:36), and Rabbi Shimon said: From where is it derived that Israel were separating priestly gifts from Mount Sinai, but Aaron and his sons did not acquire them until they were anointed with the anointing oil? The verse states: “That the Lord commanded to give them on the day He anointed them.” We learned that on the day that the Tabernacle was anointed, on that day, the priests acquired the gifts. Why does the verse state: “On the day that it was anointed”? It was on that day that Naḥshon son of Aminadav presented his offering. If it was on the day that it was anointed, is it, perhaps, that Naḥshon presented his offering before it was anointed? The verse states: “This was the dedication of the altar, on the day that it was anointed.”⁹⁸In the version used by the Etz Yosef, the midrash quotes the verse, “after it was anointed” (Numbers 7:88) here. See Matnot Kehuna, which explains that the verse in the version here can be interpreted to mean that the altar was anointed before Naḥshon bought his offering. If it was “after it was anointed” (Numbers 7:88), is it, perhaps, after the passage of time? The verse states: “On the day that it was anointed.” We learned that on the day that it was anointed, on that very day the princes presented their offering, and it was after it was anointed.
“From the princes of Israel” – the verse tells that just as they were all equal in one counsel, so they were equal in merit.
Rabbi Shimon says: Why does the verse state: “From the princes of Israel”? It teaches that they contributed at their own initiative and that the offerings of all of them were equal; just as it was regarding their length, so it was regarding their width, and so regarding their weight. No one of them presented an offering more than his counterpart, as had one of them presented an offering more than his counterpart, none of their offerings would have overridden Shabbat. The Holy One blessed be He said to them: Each of you accorded honor to his counterpart, and I will accord honor to you that you will present an offering on the day of My Shabbat, so that there will be no interruption between your offerings.
“Twelve silver dishes” – these are what they contributed, and no disqualification befell any of them. Rabbi Yudan said: Did they not present an offering of one dish, one basin, and one ladle on the day that it was anointed? Why does the verse state: “Twelve silver dishes, twelve silver basins, twelve golden ladles”? It is, rather, that the verse ascribes to them as though they all presented their offerings on the first day and as though they all presented their offerings on the last day.

“And all the cattle of the peace offerings: twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty goats, sixty lambs in their first year. This was the dedication of the altar, after it was anointed” (Numbers 7:88).
“And all the cattle of the peace offerings: twenty-four bulls” – why is it stated? It is because it says: “And for the peace offering, two bulls” (Numbers 7:17); it tells us that all of them were fit to be peace offerings. Or, cattle, in whose regard it is explicit, are fit to be peace offerings, but rams, goats, and lambs were not fit to be peace offerings. The verse states: “And all the cattle of the peace offerings.” If it is not a matter relevant to the cattle, apply the matter to rams, goats, and lambs, that they are all fit to be peace offerings. They ascribe to each and every one of them as though he sacrificed twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty goats, and sixty lambs. These were the ones that they donated, and no disqualification befell any of them.

(Bamidbar 7:16) "One he-goat for a sin-offering": to atone for (defilement by a "grave in the depths," (i.e., unknown tumah). "And for the sacrifice of the peace-offerings": From (Ibid. 88) "And all the cattle for the sacrifice of the peace-offerings," I might think that "cattle," where it is explicitly stated, are valid for peace-offerings, but not the others; it is, therefore, written "And for the sacrifice of the peace-offerings," to indicate that all are valid for the sacrifice of peace-offerings. "This is the offering of Nachshon ben Aminadav": He brings his own and not his tribe's. "this is the offering": This one (the chief, in the inauguration of the altar) brings donative incense, but an individual (as opposed to a congregation) does not (otherwise) bring donative incense. "this is the offering": This one brings a sin-offering, not for a sin, but an individual does not bring a sin-offering not for a sin. (The offering of) this one overrides the Sabbath and tumah, but an individual does not override Sabbath and tumah.