וּלְשֵׁ֥ם יֻלַּ֖ד גַּם־ה֑וּא אֲבִי֙ כָּל־בְּנֵי־עֵ֔בֶר אֲחִ֖י יֶ֥פֶת הַגָּדֽוֹל׃
און בײַ שֵם, דעם פֿאָטער פֿון אַלע קינדער פֿון עֵבֶר, דעם עלטערן ברודער פֿון יֶפֿתן, אױך בײַ אים זײַנען געבאָרן געװאָרן קינדער.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the animals of the Levites in place of their animals; the Levites shall be Mine, I am the Lord” (Numbers 3:45).
“Take the Levites…” – our Rabbis said: Why did the Holy One blessed be He command to redeem the firstborn of Israel with the Levites? It is because initially the firstborn were performing the sacrificial service, until the tribe of Levi arose, as our Rabbis taught: Until the Tabernacle was established, private altars were permitted and the sacrificial service was performed by the firstborn. From the establishment of the Tabernacle, private altars were prohibited and the sacrificial service was performed by the priests.7 Zevaḥim 112b. Know that the firstborn were sacrificing until the tribe of Levi arose; take proof from the beginning of the creation of the world. Adam the first man was the firstborn of the world. When he sacrificed his offering, as it is stated: “May it please the Lord more than a bull with horns and hooves” (Psalms 69:32), he donned the vestments of the High Priest, as it is stated: “The Lord God made for Adam and for his wife hide tunics, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). They were praiseworthy garments, and the firstborn would perform the service in them. When Adam died, he bequeathed them to Seth. Seth gave them to Methuselah. When Methuselah died, he bequeathed them to Noah. Noah arose and sacrificed an offering, as it is stated: “He took from every pure animal…[and offered up burnt offerings]” (Genesis 8:20).
Noah died, and he bequeathed them to Shem. Was Shem the firstborn? Was it not Yefet who was the firstborn, as it is stated: “Brother of Yefet the eldest” (Genesis 10:21)? Why, then, did he bequeath them to Shem? It is because Noah foresaw that the line of the patriarchs would be established from him. Know that Shem would sacrifice, as it is stated: “And Malkitzedek8Commenting on this verse, Rashi quotes a midrash (perhaps from Bereshit Rabba 56) that identifies Malkitzedek with Shem the son of Noah. king of Shalem…[he was a priest of God the Most High]” (Genesis 14:18). Was priesthood granted to him? Priesthood was not given until Aaron stood. What is it that it says here: “He was a priest”? It is because he would sacrifice like priests.
Shem died, and he bequeathed it to Abraham. Was Abraham the firstborn? Rather, because he was righteous, the birthright9I.e., the status of firstborn. was passed to him and he sacrificed, as it is stated: “He offered it up as a burnt offering in place of his son” (Genesis 22:13). Abraham died, and bequeathed it to Isaac.
Isaac arose and gave it to Jacob. Was Jacob firstborn? It is, rather, that you find that Jacob took it from Esau cunningly. He said to him: “Sell me your birthright today” (Genesis 25:31). Do you think, perhaps, that it was for nothing that Jacob said to Esau that he should sell him the birthright? No. It is, rather, that Jacob sought to sacrifice, but he could not because he was not a firstborn. Esau said: What do I want with this birthright, as it is stated: “Esau said: Behold, I am going to die, [and why do I need a birthright]” (Genesis 25:32). At that moment, Ezekiel’s prophecy applied in his regard and said to him: “Surely, you hated blood, and blood will pursue you” (Ezekiel 35:6). Did Esau hate blood? Did he not kill several righteous men, did he not kill several pious men, and it says: “Surely, you hated blood, and blood will pursue you”? Rather, he said to him: ‘Surely, you hated the blood of an offering,’ as he was firstborn, and the firstborn sacrifice. Therefore, “blood will pursue you.” At that moment, when Jacob acquired the birthright, he began sacrificing, as it is stated: “God said to Jacob: Arise, ascend to Beit El…and make there an altar…” (Genesis 35:1).
Likewise, when Moses sacrificed at Sinai, it was the firstborns who sacrificed, as it is stated: “He sent the lads of the children of Israel, [and they offered up burnt offerings]” (Exodus 24:5). Who are the “lads”? They were the elite of the firstborn. “They offered up burnt offerings” – you learn that no person would sacrifice other than the firstborn.
When Israel performed that deed,10They sinned with the Golden Calf. they said: Let the firstborn come and sacrifice offerings before it, as it is stated: “They arose early the next day, and they offered up burnt offerings and they presented peace offerings” (Exodus 32:6). God said to them: ‘I promoted the firstborn, and I rendered them prominent in the world, but they rejected Me and arose and sacrificed before the calf. I will remove the firstborn and bring in the children of Levi.’ Therefore, God said to Moses that he should count them, as it is stated: “Count the children of Levi” (Numbers 3:15).
Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi said: Who whispered to you that God removed the firstborn from sacrificial rites and appointed the children of Levi, as it is stated: “Take the Levites”? In place of whom? “In place of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the animals of the Levites in place of their animals; the Levites shall be Mine, I am the Lord.” The Rabbis said: To what is this matter comparable? To a provincial money changer regarding whom a matter of corruption was attributed. The king knew, and said to his governor, ‘remove him and appoint another in his place.’ Nevertheless, that money changer is found to be obligated to repay a debt. The king said: Let the one who inherited his place repay his debt. So, the firstborn were prominent in the world, but arose and sacrificed before the calf. God said: Let the firstborn depart, and let the children of Levi enter. Nevertheless, the firstborn incurred liability to be eliminated. God said: Let the Levites come and redeem them. Therefore, you find the Levites redeeming the firstborn. That is what is written: “Take the Levites…”
“And the animals of the Levites in place of their animals” – because priests and Levites are exempt from redeeming their firstborn, the firstborn of man and the firstborn of a donkey, [the latter of] which is likened by the verse to the firstborn of man, as it is written: “However, you shall redeem [the firstborn of man], and the firstborn of an impure animal you shall redeem” (Numbers 18:15). But they are not exempt from [redeeming] the firstborn of a pure animal, as it is sacred. What is, “the Levites shall be Mine, I am the Lord”? I am trustworthy to pay them a good reward because they sanctified My Name at the time of the calf.
“Take the Levites…” – our Rabbis said: Why did the Holy One blessed be He command to redeem the firstborn of Israel with the Levites? It is because initially the firstborn were performing the sacrificial service, until the tribe of Levi arose, as our Rabbis taught: Until the Tabernacle was established, private altars were permitted and the sacrificial service was performed by the firstborn. From the establishment of the Tabernacle, private altars were prohibited and the sacrificial service was performed by the priests.7 Zevaḥim 112b. Know that the firstborn were sacrificing until the tribe of Levi arose; take proof from the beginning of the creation of the world. Adam the first man was the firstborn of the world. When he sacrificed his offering, as it is stated: “May it please the Lord more than a bull with horns and hooves” (Psalms 69:32), he donned the vestments of the High Priest, as it is stated: “The Lord God made for Adam and for his wife hide tunics, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). They were praiseworthy garments, and the firstborn would perform the service in them. When Adam died, he bequeathed them to Seth. Seth gave them to Methuselah. When Methuselah died, he bequeathed them to Noah. Noah arose and sacrificed an offering, as it is stated: “He took from every pure animal…[and offered up burnt offerings]” (Genesis 8:20).
Noah died, and he bequeathed them to Shem. Was Shem the firstborn? Was it not Yefet who was the firstborn, as it is stated: “Brother of Yefet the eldest” (Genesis 10:21)? Why, then, did he bequeath them to Shem? It is because Noah foresaw that the line of the patriarchs would be established from him. Know that Shem would sacrifice, as it is stated: “And Malkitzedek8Commenting on this verse, Rashi quotes a midrash (perhaps from Bereshit Rabba 56) that identifies Malkitzedek with Shem the son of Noah. king of Shalem…[he was a priest of God the Most High]” (Genesis 14:18). Was priesthood granted to him? Priesthood was not given until Aaron stood. What is it that it says here: “He was a priest”? It is because he would sacrifice like priests.
Shem died, and he bequeathed it to Abraham. Was Abraham the firstborn? Rather, because he was righteous, the birthright9I.e., the status of firstborn. was passed to him and he sacrificed, as it is stated: “He offered it up as a burnt offering in place of his son” (Genesis 22:13). Abraham died, and bequeathed it to Isaac.
Isaac arose and gave it to Jacob. Was Jacob firstborn? It is, rather, that you find that Jacob took it from Esau cunningly. He said to him: “Sell me your birthright today” (Genesis 25:31). Do you think, perhaps, that it was for nothing that Jacob said to Esau that he should sell him the birthright? No. It is, rather, that Jacob sought to sacrifice, but he could not because he was not a firstborn. Esau said: What do I want with this birthright, as it is stated: “Esau said: Behold, I am going to die, [and why do I need a birthright]” (Genesis 25:32). At that moment, Ezekiel’s prophecy applied in his regard and said to him: “Surely, you hated blood, and blood will pursue you” (Ezekiel 35:6). Did Esau hate blood? Did he not kill several righteous men, did he not kill several pious men, and it says: “Surely, you hated blood, and blood will pursue you”? Rather, he said to him: ‘Surely, you hated the blood of an offering,’ as he was firstborn, and the firstborn sacrifice. Therefore, “blood will pursue you.” At that moment, when Jacob acquired the birthright, he began sacrificing, as it is stated: “God said to Jacob: Arise, ascend to Beit El…and make there an altar…” (Genesis 35:1).
Likewise, when Moses sacrificed at Sinai, it was the firstborns who sacrificed, as it is stated: “He sent the lads of the children of Israel, [and they offered up burnt offerings]” (Exodus 24:5). Who are the “lads”? They were the elite of the firstborn. “They offered up burnt offerings” – you learn that no person would sacrifice other than the firstborn.
When Israel performed that deed,10They sinned with the Golden Calf. they said: Let the firstborn come and sacrifice offerings before it, as it is stated: “They arose early the next day, and they offered up burnt offerings and they presented peace offerings” (Exodus 32:6). God said to them: ‘I promoted the firstborn, and I rendered them prominent in the world, but they rejected Me and arose and sacrificed before the calf. I will remove the firstborn and bring in the children of Levi.’ Therefore, God said to Moses that he should count them, as it is stated: “Count the children of Levi” (Numbers 3:15).
Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi said: Who whispered to you that God removed the firstborn from sacrificial rites and appointed the children of Levi, as it is stated: “Take the Levites”? In place of whom? “In place of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the animals of the Levites in place of their animals; the Levites shall be Mine, I am the Lord.” The Rabbis said: To what is this matter comparable? To a provincial money changer regarding whom a matter of corruption was attributed. The king knew, and said to his governor, ‘remove him and appoint another in his place.’ Nevertheless, that money changer is found to be obligated to repay a debt. The king said: Let the one who inherited his place repay his debt. So, the firstborn were prominent in the world, but arose and sacrificed before the calf. God said: Let the firstborn depart, and let the children of Levi enter. Nevertheless, the firstborn incurred liability to be eliminated. God said: Let the Levites come and redeem them. Therefore, you find the Levites redeeming the firstborn. That is what is written: “Take the Levites…”
“And the animals of the Levites in place of their animals” – because priests and Levites are exempt from redeeming their firstborn, the firstborn of man and the firstborn of a donkey, [the latter of] which is likened by the verse to the firstborn of man, as it is written: “However, you shall redeem [the firstborn of man], and the firstborn of an impure animal you shall redeem” (Numbers 18:15). But they are not exempt from [redeeming] the firstborn of a pure animal, as it is sacred. What is, “the Levites shall be Mine, I am the Lord”? I am trustworthy to pay them a good reward because they sanctified My Name at the time of the calf.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
{Thus it is stated} (in Gen. 9:18): THE CHILDREN OF NOAH, WHO WENT FORTH FROM THE ARK, WERE [SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH]. Was Shem really the oldest in that he comes first? Is it not also written (in Gen. 10:21): < AND UNTO SHEM > … THE BROTHER OF JAPHETH, WHO WAS THE OLDEST? Why < then > did Shem precede Japheth? Because he was worthy (kasher) and virtuous for his creator.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
Another interpretation (of Gen. 27:33): Why did he tremble? Because he had blessed the younger before the elder; for he had intended to bless both of them. So he called Esau in order to bless him first, since he was the elder. Then afterwards, < he would call > Jacob. So he intended. Why? Because before the Holy One it is difficult to supplant a genealogical chain, to replace primogeniture. So note that he only called Esau. On what basis do you say that he wished to bless Jacob? On the basis of what Jacob said, {and he said} [to his mother] (in Gen. 27:12): THEN I WILL BRING UPON MYSELF A CURSE INSTEAD OF A BLESSING. He said to her: Even the blessing which he was going to give me, in the end he will not give me. Isaac only trembled when he said: What sin is on my hands that the genealogical chain should be ruined at my hands, for me to bless the younger < first > and the elder afterwards? And so you find: In every place Moses comes before Aaron;92Cf. Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Pisha, 1. but when it comes to genealogy, Aaron is before Moses. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 3:1): NOW THESE ARE THE DESCENDANTS OF AARON AND MOSES. R. Abba said in the name of R. Johanan of the Bet Guvrin: In the case of Reuben also, when that event (the selling of Joseph) happened at his hands, his father gave his birthright to Joseph. Thus it is stated (in I Chron. 5:1): AND THE SONS OF REUBEN, THE FIRST-BORN OF ISRAEL. NOW HE IS FIRST-BORN; BUT, WHEN HE HAD DEFILED HIS FATHER'S BED, HIS BIRTHRIGHT WAS GIVEN TO (JOSEPH) [THE SONS JOSEPH BEN ISRAEL]. Hence the birthright belonged to Joseph. In the genealogy, however, he was not able to keep his birthright away from him, as stated (in Exod. 6:14): THE SONS OF REUBEN THE FIRST-BORN OF ISRAEL. "Now he was the first-born" is not written here (in I Chron. 5:1), but: NOW HE IS THE FIRST-BORN. So also in the case of the sons of Noah, Japheth was the oldest: but because Shem was more righteous, < Scripture > counts him first in every place.93See above, 2:19. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 9:18): AND THE CHILDREN OF NOAH WHO WENT FORTH FROM THE ARK WERE SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH. In regard to genealogy, however, < Scripture > mentions Japheth as being the eldest. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 10:21): AND UNTO SHEM THERE WERE CHILDREN BORN. HE WAS ALSO FATHER TO ALL THE CHILDREN OF EBER < AND > THE BROTHER OF JAPHETH, WHO WAS THE OLDEST.94The last eight words can be, and commonly are, translated: THE ELDER BROTHER OF JAPHETH. See Gen. R. 37:7. R. Tanhuma said: But you also have to learn < through > greater insight, that Shem was second to Japheth. Therefore, you find that Noah sired a son at < an age of > five hundred years. It is written (in Gen. 5:32): AND NOAH WAS FIVE HUNDRED YEARS OLD; < AND NOAH BEGOT SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH >. Now the flood took place (according to Gen. 7:11): IN THE SIX HUNDREDTH YEAR OF NOAH'S LIFE…. {Since} it is also written of Shem that he sired a son at < the age of > a hundred years, {he was lacking two} [two years after the flood). It is so stated (in Gen. 11:10): THESE ARE THE DESCENDANTS OF SHEM: SHEM WAS A HUNDRED YEARS OLD WHEN HE BEGOT ARPACHSHAD, TWO YEARS AFTER THE FLOOD. If he had been the eldest, it would have been necessary to say only: HE BEGOT ARPACHSHAD, TWO YEARS AFTER THE FLOOD. You also learn from here that Japheth was two years older than Shem according to the reckoning of my calculation. Here also (in Gen. 27:33), Isaac only trembled when he said: What sin is there on my hands that I have blessed the younger before the elder and have changed the order? Jacob went out and Esau came in, as stated (in Gen. 27:30): AND JACOB HAD JUST GONE OUT…. He (Esau) said to his father (in vs. 32): I AM [YOUR SON], YOUR FIRST-BORN, ESAU. His father began saying: Who is this one who entered and received the blessings? The Holy Spirit said to him: It was Jacob. He said to him (in vs. 33): AND I HAVE EATEN OF EVERYTHING. R. Isaac said: In that dish Isaac had a taste OF EVERYTHING that the Holy One had created during the six days of creation.95Tanh., Gen. 6:11; Gen. R. 67:2. Also R. Judah b. R. Shallum said in the name of R. Ayyevu: In that dish Isaac had a taste of whatever is stored up for the righteous in the days to come. [Isaac said to him: In that dish I tasted everything that the Holy One has created]. Esau said to him: Daddy, [tell me:] What is that dish? Isaac said to him: < Whatever I ask for >. I asked for pheasant;96Gk.: phasianos. I tasted it. Esau said to him: Daddy, tell me the basic < ingredient >. He said to him: It was meat. R. Hananyah b. R. Isaac said: When Esau heard this, he began striking his face. He said: Woe to that man, as stated (in Gen. 27:34): AND HE LET OUT A GREAT AND BITTER CRY…. Esau said: He fed me pottage of lentils, and I gave him my birthright. Now he has fed Daddy meat. You must know with what blessings he blessed him! HE BEGAN TO CRY AND SAY: IS HE NOT RIGHTLY NAMED JACOB (rt.: 'QB)? [FOR HE HAS CHEATED (rt.: 'QB) ME THESE TWO TIMES. HE TOOK MY BIRTHRIGHT; AND, SEE, NOW HE HAS TAKEN MY BLESSING.] His father said to him: So what should I do for you? He said to him: He has already taken my birthright. Isaac said to him: Over this matter I was sorry. He also said: Perhaps I transgressed a commandment of the Law in blessing the younger before the elder. Now that I have already blessed him, (according to Gen. 27:33:) HE SHALL ALSO BE BLESSED.