מדרש אויף יחזקאל 22:18

R. Isaac said in the name of R. Johanan: Observe what is written in the verse: The priests have done violence to My law, and have profaned My holy things (Ezek. 22:26). How did they do that? They have not distinguished between the holy and the common, neither have they taught differences between the unclean and the clean (ibid.). If the priest is not a student of the Torah, he is unable to distinguish between the holy and the profane, the unclean and the clean. Therefore Scripture says: Thou hast despised My holy things and hast profaned My Sabbaths (ibid., v. 18). Why does he despise the holy things? Because he does not know how to observe the Sabbath. See how beloved is the priestly offering in that it was given to the priests who were students of the law. But the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed the Temple offering for His own sake, as it is said: That they take for me an offering.

“All of you is fair, my love, and there is no blemish in you” (Song of Songs 4:7).
“All of you is fair, my love” – this is Jacob our patriarch, whose bed was unflawed and no waste was found among it.⁹²Unlike his father and grandfather, all his offspring were righteous.
What is, “all of you is fair, my love”? Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: When Israel stood before Mount Sinai and said: “Everything that God spoke we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), at that moment there were in their midst neither zav, nor leper, nor lame, nor blind, nor mute, nor deaf, nor imbecile, nor depressed, nor fool, nor doubter. Regarding that moment it is stated: “All of you is fair, my love.” When they sinned, there were not easy times, and there were in their midst zav, leper, lame, blind, mute, deaf, imbecile, and fool. At that moment it is stated: “They shall banish from the camp every leper and every zav” (Numbers 5:2).
Rabbi Ḥelbo said: It is written: “The one who presented his offering on the first day was [Naḥshon son of Aminadav of the tribe of Judah. And his offering was…]” (Numbers 7:12–13). “On the second day, presented Netanel [son of Tzuar].… his offering was…” (Numbers 7:18–19). Why did the Torah depict Judah as secondary?⁹³In relating Naḥshon’s offering the Torah uses a vav, meaning “and,” in the term vekorbano, “and his offering was,” indicating that there had been someone before him, although there had not been. Regarding Netanel the Torah does not use a vav even though there had been someone before him. It is so Judah would not become arrogant and say: I presented first, I am the greatest of them all. Rather, the Holy One blessed be He treated them as though they all presented on the first day and on the last day.
Rabbi Elazar said: It is written: “This was the dedication of the altar on the day it was anointed” (Numbers 7:84). But did each of them not offer one bowl, one ladle? Why does the verse state: “twelve silver bowls, twelve silver basins, twelve golden ladles” (Numbers 7:84)? It was so that Judah would not say: I presented first, I am the greatest of them all. Therefore, the Holy One blessed be He treated them as though they all presented on the first day and on the last day.
Rabbi Berekhya said: It is written: “All these are the tribes of Israel, twelve, [and this is that which their father spoke to them and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them]” (Genesis 49:28). After he blessed them did he bless them again? Rather, it teaches that Jacob our patriarch sat and likened them to beasts. He likened Judah to a lion, as it is stated: “Judah is a lion cub” (Genesis 49:9). Dan to a snake, as it is stated: “Dan will be a serpent on the road” (Genesis 49:17). Naphtali to a hind, as it is stated: “Naphtali is a hind let loose” (Genesis 49:21). Benjamin to a wolf, as it is stated: “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf” (Genesis 49:27). Then he called them all wolves, all of them snakes, all of them fiery serpents, all of them scorpions. Know that it is so, as Dan, whom he called a snake, he⁹⁴Moses then called a lion, as it is stated: “Dan is a lion cub” (Deuteronomy 33:22). Rabbi Idi said: We have found in the offerings of the princes that what this one offered that one offered. This one sacrificed a burnt offering, and that one sacrificed a burnt-offering; this one a meal offering and that one a meal offering; this one a sin offering and that one a sin offering; this one a peace offering and that one a peace offering. Why? It is because all of them are faultless and equal to one another.
What led the verse to delineate their genealogy in the book [of Exodus], Reuben, Simeon, and Levi?⁹⁵The verses delineate the genealogies of only these three tribes (see Exodus 6:14–25). Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Levi: one said: It is because their father reprimanded them,⁹⁶When Jacob gave blessings to his sons before his death, he reprimanded Reuben, Simeon, and Levi (see Genesis 49:3–7). In order to emphasize that these tribes were not inferior, the verses list their genealogies as they introduce Moses and Aaron. and one said: It was because it delineated the genealogy of Moses and Aaron.⁹⁷Because the Torah sought to address the genealogy of Aaron and Moses from the tribe of Levi, it began with Reuben, the first of the tribes, and continued through Levi. We do not know who said this and who said that. However, from the fact that Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Huna: “An ear that heeds life’s reprimand will rest among the wise” (Proverbs 15:31), it is Rabbi Huna⁹⁸This is possibly an alternate pronunciation of the name of Rabbi Ḥanina. Alternatively, the text should either state Rabbi Ḥanina here or Rabbi Huna above. who said because their father reprimanded them. Because they accepted their father’s reprimand they were privileged to have their genealogy delineated alongside Moses and Aaron. That is why it is stated: “All of you is fair.”
Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis: Rabbi Yehuda said: It is because all the tribes did not preserve their genealogies in Egypt, but Reuben, Simeon, and Levi preserved their genealogy.⁹⁹They married only with families that could prove they were of pure lineage. Rabbi Neḥemya said: It is because all the tribes engaged in idol worship in Egypt, but the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi did not engage in idol worship. The Rabbis say: It is because the other tribes did not exercise authority in Egypt, but these tribes exercised authority. How so? When Reuben died,¹⁰⁰Joseph had been the authority figure among the brothers and their descendants in Egypt, but he died before his brothers. At that point, Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob, became the authority figure. authority was transferred to Simeon. When Simeon died, authority was transferred to Levi. When Levi died, authority was going to be transferred to Judah. A Divine voice emerged and said: Leave it until its time arrives. When did its time arrive? After the death of Joshua. That is what is written: “It was after the death of Joshua.… the Lord said: Judah shall ascend” (Judges 1:1–2). He was called three names: Judah, Otniel, and Yabetz. Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Levi [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina: This¹⁰¹Yabetz is Boaz. Rabbi Simon [said] in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: This¹⁰²Yabetz is Otniel.
It is written: “Son of man, the House of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all…” (Ezekiel 22:18). Zechariah said: I saw them, and they were pure gold: “I saw, and behold, a candelabrum of gold in its entirety, with a bowl [gulah] atop it.… and there are two olive trees over it” (Zechariah 4:2–3). There were two amora’im; one said exile [gola], and one said their Redeemer [go’alah]. The one who said gola: As they were exiled to Babylon, and the Divine Presence was exiled with them. The one who said go’alah: It is their redemption, as it is written: “Our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is His name…” (Isaiah 47:4). The Holy One blessed be He said: Since that is the case:¹⁰³Since in the future they will all be comparable to pure gold, as envisioned by Zechariah. “All of you is fair, my love, and there is no blemish in you.”

And the one who offered his sacrifice on the first day was Nachshon ben Aminadab of the tribe of Judah (Numbers 7:12). Our Rabbi, the one who offered the sacrifice to the altar, taught us which way he turned his face. Thus our Rabbis taught that all those who offered the altar ascended through the right and circled around and descended through the left (Zebachim 16:44). He had a lamb named Rabbi Yulimna ben Abdi, named Rabbi Yitzchak, worth sixty canter of gold, which he would offer for 23 times every year. Why was the altar (the atonement) for Israel? You find out when the Blessed One, Blessed be He, said to them: “When the tabernacle was built, they immediately hastened to it, as it is written, and every wise-hearted person made it, etc.” (Exodus 36:8). And when the tabernacle was erected, the leaders came to the assembly and said to Moses: “Who will offer first?” The Rashbi said to him: “The Holy One, blessed be He, who sanctified the sea, will offer first.” This was Nachshon. And he immediately offered first, according to what we have read in the matter. And so on: [And the sacrificer, etc.] Thus began Rabbi Tanchuma in me, Rabbi Abba, the Holy Spirit, [in the Holy Spirit] [in the Holy Spirit] The pride of man will humble him, and the lowliness of spirit will support honor (Proverbs 29:23). The pride of man will humble him. This was Adhar who transgressed the commandment of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and ate from the tree. The Holy One, Blessed be He, asked him to repent and opened an opening for him, and he did not ask Adam, and he said, "The Lord God, if he were as one of you, knowing good and evil, and now lest he stretch out his hand, etc." (Genesis 3:22) Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said, "What is the meaning of The hosts [of God of Israel] sitteth upon the cherubim (Isaiah 37:16). What are cherubim? Here are taunts and insults [even cherubim, as it is said here taunts and insults] O the pride of man, you will bring us down (whoever is proud) [who is proud] against the Blessed One, by repenting, he humbled him (and was divorced) [and was divorced] from the Garden of Eden, and the lowly in spirit will support the glory. This is the same man who is greater than the giants (Joshua 14:15), who was greater than the first man who humbled himself and said, "I am dust and ashes" (Genesis 18:27). Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, called the same man who is greater than the giants: Isa. The pride of man, you will bring us down. This is Pharaoh who was proud against Moses and said, "Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice" (Exodus 5:2). And the lowly in spirit will support the glory. This is Moses, for when shall I plead with you (Isa. 8:5). When I go out of the city, I will spread out my hands, etc. (Isa. 9:29): [Another thing] The pride of man Humiliate us, this Amalek, who was proud of the Blessed One, with his insults and blasphemies and slander, who took the slanders (sa memory) of Israel and threw them upward and scorned and said, "This is what you have chosen, and humility of spirit will support honor." This is Joshua and Eleazar: i.e., the pride of man, humble us, this is Tabor and Carmel, who came from the ends of the earth, boasting that we are high and above us, the Holy One, blessed be He, gives the Torah, and humility of spirit will support honor. This is Sinai, who humbled himself, saying that I am low, and through this, the Blessed One supported honor upon him, and the Torah was given upon him, and he merited that the Holy One, blessed be He, descended upon him and stood upon him, as it is said, "And the Lord descended upon him (upon him) on Mount Sinai," etc. (Exodus 19:20): i.e., the pride of man, humble us, for it is a great path, but a prophet (for the humble) [in the matter] this is Judah, who humbled himself before Joseph for Benjamin's sake. Please speak to your servant in the ears of my lord (Genesis 44:18), and now, please, sit under the boy (ibid., ibid.) 33) Rabbi Barachiah in the name of Rabbi Levi said to him, "You humbled yourself before your younger brother for the sake of your younger brother, who in the short time of your life, may the Tabernacle be built and the tribes come to offer sacrifices. No one offers first before you. I will give you honor and you offer first. And the one who offers on the first day is Nahshon son of Aminadab from the tribe of Judah. ​​May the humble spirit sustain honor. On the first day, Rabbi Shmuel bar Mata said, "What is the first day? From the first day that the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He desired to dwell with His creatures in the lower parts. See what is written in Genesis: "The first day was the first day. And there was evening and there was morning. One day (Genesis 1:5) The first day is not written here but one day, and as if it were to say, "Monday, Tuesday." But why did he say "one day"? Until the Holy One, blessed be He, alone in His world, desired to dwell with His creatures in the lower parts. (Until) He did nothing except when the Tabernacle was built and the Holy One, blessed be He, poured out His Shekhinah in it, and the leaders came to offer sacrifices. The Blessed One will write that on the first day the world was created, and on the day the Tabernacle was erected, it is not written here, but on the first day, what is the first? First of the creation of the world: i.e. on the first day, the first in the act of creation, the first for the priesthood, the first for the presidency, and I will dwell among the people of Israel (Exodus 29:45), the first for work, the first for the beginning of the months, the first for the prohibition, the first for the slaughter of the north, the first for the descent of the fire: i.e. and it was that Ar Rabbi Shimon bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, every place he wrote, and there was joy in it, and there was sorrow in it, and when the presidents sacrificed, and there was joy in the place on the day in which the world was created, why does he say, and because it was expected before the place that they would go with Korah in his dispute, for this reason it is said. And Ar Rabbi Yehuda in the name of Rabbi Sima, in the name of Rabbi Levi ben Parta, a son of Pultumin, who stole in the bathhouse, and the Babylonian was afraid to tell his name. However, they published a handsome young man dressed in white in this way, although he did not explain the names of the presidents who shared with Korah and went with him, but rather published by implication, the presidents of the congregation, the calligraphers of the assembly, the people of the name (Numbers 16:2). Therefore it is written: And it was Nachshon, the one who sacrificed, and he offered, and they all offered, why (and he offered) Rabbi Barachiah the priest, in the name of Judah, who offered first, said, The Holy One, blessed be He, if he comes to boast about his brother and say, "I am more honorable than you because I offered first," they answer him and say to him, "You are the one who offered last." Why is it written, "The first one offered," Rabbi Yodan said, because they all offered together: And it was Nachshon, the one who offered, and he offered first, because he sanctified the name of the Lord, blessed be He, and he went down in the waves of the sea. First, all the tribes were standing on the sea when it was torn away. And from all of them, Benjamin gave his life to enter within it and sanctify the name of the Lord, blessed be He. There was Benjamin, a young man who was drowning (Psalms 68:28). Do not be a reader, but rather went down to the sea. When Judah saw him, what did he do? They began to stone him, saying, "He went down first." The Holy One, blessed be He, since Judah went down to the sea first and sanctified my name, he will offer first, and the offering will be on the first day: 1. And on the first day, it was this that was spoken of in the Scripture: “You are all beautiful, my wife, and there is no blemish in you” (Sh. 4:7). This is speaking of Israel, except that when Israel received the Torah, they were all of them, and there was not a cripple among them, nor a blind man, nor a mute, nor a deaf man. Since they sinned in that act, they immediately became all of them lepers and lepers, as it is written. And Moses saw the people, for they were wild (Exodus 32:25). And the leper who has the plague shall have his clothes torn and his head uncovered, etc. (Leviticus 13:45). You are all beautiful, my wife, speaking of the tribes. And if you say, "Jacob, their father, blessed the tribes and blessed the first" to Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, and you say, "Rabbi Eliezer, even though he blessed the last tribes and blessed the first, but he returned and blessed them as much as he wrote, "All these are the twelve tribes of Israel" (Genesis 49:28). What is this and what their father spoke to them and blessed them (ibid.)?" Rabbi Elazar said, "He made them sucklings one from another." Therefore, Rav Huna and Rabbi Levi said that he counted them for themselves in the book of Exodus and attributed them to Moses and Aaron. These are the heads of their ancestral houses, the sons of Reuben [and] the sons of Simeon [and] the sons of Levi (Exodus 6:14). Thus did Rabbi Huna and Rabbi Levi teach, but they did not explain, and why did he attribute them to Moses and Aaron? What do you say about the fact that their father blessed them and counted the three of them for himself? It is beautiful, and why did he assign them to Moses and Aaron? And the Lord spoke. To Moses and Aaron, etc. (ibid. 13), Rabbi B. Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel, son of Rabbi Yitzchak, since they received their father's reproof, they were entitled to refer to Moses and Aaron to fulfill what is said: "The ear hears the reproof of life among the sages." (Proverbs 15:31): "You are all beautiful, my wife, come and see how all the tribes are beloved before the Holy One, blessed be He, in sacrifices. You know how all of them are beloved and equal. Judah offers first, and he says, 'And our offering,' and afterwards, he says, 'Our offering.' And there was no need to say so, but the one who offers first should say, 'Our offering,' and whoever offers after him should say, 'Our offering.' And why is it not written so? Rabbi Barachiah the priest B. Rabbi, if he comes to boast that I came first, they say to him, 'You are the last.' And so you find at the end, this is the dedication of the altar [on the day of anointing it, etc.]" (Numbers 7:44). After anointing him, it is not written here except on the day of anointing him, as if they all offered it on one day. Why are you all beautiful? My wife, and there is no blemish in you: According to Jeremiah, he said, "They are full of silver." They called them (Jeremiah 6:30). And Ezekiel calls them dross, as it is said, "The house of Israel was to me as dross." (Ezekiel 22:18). Zechariah came and said, "Behold, a lampstand all of gold." (Zechariah 4:2) It is all of gold. Why are you all beautiful, my wife, and there is no blemish in you?