Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Mga Bilang 7:88

And also a vat He hewed therein A spring flowing, the fountain of wisdom.

The plant of His joy Comp. נָטָע (Job 14:9), but since it is in the construct state, it is vowelized with a patach, like (Num. 7:88) בְּקַר זֶבַח הַשְּׁלָמִים, “the cattle of the peace offerings.”

And enjoy its luscious fruits: This is the sifted flour refined of its waste matter. In accordance with this theme it is said: “An offering by fire, of pleasing odor to the Lord” [Lev. 1:17]. Our sages say in Torat Kohanim: “‘An offering’: it must be specifically for an offering.” This refers to the tenth Sefirah [the shekhinah] which ascends above to the place of its origin.¹³³Literally “an ascent for ascent.” Or “an ascent unto the Name.” “‘By fire’: for the sake of the fires.” Our master, the Hasid of blessed memory,¹³⁴The reference is to R. Isaac the Blind. explained that these are corporeal things. “‘For an aroma’: for the sake of providing an aroma”—the spiritual dimension of physical things. “‘A pleasing aroma’: in order to be pleasing (to God).” Pleasure entails the invocation of Penitence, the hidden place of His power. “‘For the Lord’: for the One who created the world.”
The intent of the sacrifice is to provide sustenance to each and every divine attribute. This was the intent of the princes of Israel when they offered twelve goats, twelve rams, twelve lambs for a burnt offering, and twelve billy goats for a sin offering when the altar was consecrated. Everything is transmuted into spirit via the sefirotic channels which number twelve. And twenty-four bullocks were offered as sacrifices of well being, corresponding to the power of the left side of divinity, the aspect of Might, which is twenty-four [ד״כ], as it is written: “I will lay carbuncles [kadkod] as your foundation stones” [Isa. 54:12]. This alludes to the twenty-four permutations of the divine name Adonai. The sacrifices of well-being constituted sixty rams, sixty billy goats, and sixty yearling lambs [Num. 7:88]. These correspond to the sixty steps, the sixty heroes [Cant. 3:7], and the three-score queens [Cant. 6:8]. The meaning of a pleasing [niḥoaḥ] aroma is that of descent, the Aramaic of descent [yarad] being naḥat. Through the sacrifice, divine spirit descends and the force of holiness unites and is drawn into close continguity within the channels. For this reason, sacrifice is designated korban. This is the meaning of “Let my beloved come to his garden and enjoy its luscious fruits.”

ביום המשח אתו [THIS WAS THE DEDICATION OFFERING OF THE ALTAR] IN THE DAY WHEN IT WAS ANOINTED — This implies that on the very same day that it was anointed an offering was brought; but how, then, can I explain, (v. 88) “[This was dedication of the altar] after that it was anointed”? As intimating that it was first anointed and afterwards — but still on the same day — the offering was brought. Or, perhaps, these words אחרי המשח mean “some time (i.e. many days) after it was anointed”, and the phrase here ביום המשח אתו is merely intended to intimate that it was anointed during the day-time (and not at night)! This cannot be so, because when it states, (Leviticus 7:36) “In the day that he anointed them (Aaron and his sons)” we learn that it (the altar) was anointed during the day-time. What, then, must be the meaning of ביום המשח here? What we first suggested — that on the very same day that it was anointed the offering was brought (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 53).