Leviticus Rabbah 31

¹“Command the children of Israel, and they shall take to you pure virgin olive oil for the lighting, to kindle a lamp continually” (Leviticus 24:2). “Command the children of Israel, and they shall take to you…olive oil…” – that is what is written: “Your righteousness, God, reaches on High” (Psalms 71:19). Rabbi Ami asked Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman; he said to him: ‘Because I heard about you that you are a master of aggada , what is [the meaning of the verse]: “Your righteousness [ vetzidkatekha ], God, reaches on High”?’ He said to him: ‘Just as the earthly beings need charity [ tzedaka ] from one another, so the supernal beings need charity from one another.’ That is what is written: “He said to the man clothed in linen” (Ezekiel 10:2) and the entire introduction at the beginning of the portion: “Speak to the priests” (Leviticus 21:1). “For You have performed great deeds” (Psalms 71:19) – these are the two great lights, as it is stated: “The two great lights” (Genesis 1:16). “God, who is comparable to You?” (Psalms 71:19) – who is comparable to You among the supernal beings, who is comparable to You among the earthly beings? Who is comparable to You, in that You subdue the attribute of justice? You illuminate for the supernal and for the earthly. You illuminate for all who enter the world, yet You desire Israel’s light. That is what is written: “Command the children of Israel.” ²Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “Your saying is exceedingly pure, and Your servant loves it” (Psalms 119:140) – like the goldsmith who inserts the gold into the crucible two or three times until he purifies it, so this portion was stated, repeated, and repeated a third time. The matters can be inferred a fortiori : If this small portion in the Torah is stated, repeated, and repeated a third time, the rest of the portions in the Torah, all the more so. ³“Command the children of Israel” – that is what is written: “Call and I will answer You” (Job 14:15), just as it says: “Then you will call, and the Lord will answer” (Isaiah 58:9). “So that You will long [ tikhsof ]” – so that Your soul will long for Your handiwork, just as it says: “Because you longed [ nikhsof nikhsafta ]” (Genesis 31:30). Job said before the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, the supernal and the earthly are under Your authority, and You long for Your handiwork? Rather, You tend to Your handiwork. That is, “command the children of Israel.” ⁴Another matter: “Command the children of Israel” – bar Kappara began: “For You light my lamp” (Psalms 18:29). The Holy One blessed be He said to Adam: ‘Your lamp is in My hand, and My lamp is in your hand.’ Your lamp is in My hand, as it is stated: “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord” (Proverbs 20:27). My lamp is in your hand, “to kindle a lamp continually.” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If you illuminate My lamp, I will illuminate your lamp.’ That is, “command the children of Israel.” Another matter: “Command the children of Israel” – that is what is written: “Your head [ roshekh ] is upon you like the Carmel, and the locks of your head are like purple wool” (Song of Songs 7:6) – the indigent [ harashim ] among you are as dear to Me as Elijah, who ascended the Carmel. That is what is written: “Elijah ascended to the peak [ rosh ] of the Carmel, and he knelt to the ground, and he put his face between his knees” (I Kings 18:42). Why did he put his face between his knees? He said before the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, if we have no merit, look to the covenant of circumcision. “And the locks of [ vedalat ] your head are like purple wool” (Song of Songs 7:6). The Holy One blessed be He said: The destitute [ hadalim ] among you are as dear to Me as David, as it is stated: “The weak among them on that day will be like David” (Zechariah 12:8). Some say: Like Daniel, in whose regard it is written: “They clad Daniel in purple wool” (Daniel 5:29). “The king bound in tresses [ barehatim ]” (Song of Songs 7:6) – as the Holy One blessed be He bound Himself by oath that He would rest His Divine Presence within the panels [ rahitin ] of Jacob our patriarch. By whose merit? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: By the merit of Abraham our patriarch, as it is written: “Abraham ran to the cattle” (Genesis 18:7). Rabbi Levi said: By the merit of Jacob, in whose regard it is written: “He displayed the rods that he peeled in the receptacles [ barehatim ]” (Genesis 30:38). Rabbi Berekhya said: “The king bound in tresses” (Song of Songs 7:6) – this is Moses, in whose regard it is written: “He became king in Yeshurun” (Deuteronomy 33:5). “Bound in tresses” – as the Holy One blessed be He decreed against him that he would not enter the Land of Israel. For what reason? It is due to the receptacles [ rehatim ] of the waters of dispute. That is what is written: “These are the waters of dispute, where the children of Israel quarreled” (Numbers 20:13). Rabbi Yehuda presented a parable; to what is the matter analogous? To a king who decreed and said: Anyone who gathers and eats Sabbatical Year produce will be led around the arena. There was a certain well-born woman who went, gathered, and ate Sabbatical Year produce. They began leading her around in the arena, and she was screaming and saying: ‘Please, I implore you, my lord, the king: Hang these unripe figs around my neck so the people will not say: It appears to us that they discovered in her a matter of sexual immorality or a matter of sorcery. Rather, by seeing the unripe figs on my neck, they will know that it is due to them that I am being led around.’ So, Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, write in Your Torah the reason that I am not entering the Land, so Israel will not say: It seems to us that Moses falsified the Torah or said a matter that he was not commanded.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘As you live, I will write that it was due only to the water.’ That is what is written: “Because you defied My directive in the wilderness of Tzin…[They are the waters of dispute in Kadesh]” (Numbers 27:14). Rabbi Shimon presented a parable; to what is the matter analogous? To a king who was going on the way and his son was with him on the carriage. When they reached a narrow place, the carriage overturned onto his son. His eye was blinded, his arm was severed, and his leg was broken. When the king would reach that place, he would mention it, saying: ‘Woe is me. Here my son was injured, here his eye was blinded, here, his arm was severed, here his leg was broken.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He mentions the waters of dispute three times in His Torah, as though to say, here I killed Moses, here I killed Aaron, here I killed Miriam. That is what is written: “Their judges slip down by the rock; they will hear My words, for they are pleasing” (Psalms 141:6). Rav Naḥman said: “King” (Song of Songs 7:6) – this is Moses, as it is written: “He became king in Yeshurun” (Deuteronomy 33:5). The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘I appointed you king over Israel. It is the way of a king to issue edicts and [that] others fulfill them, so you shall issue edicts and Israel will fulfill them.’ That is what is written: “Command the children of Israel.” ⁵Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: “A wise man ascends against the city of the mighty [ giborim ]” (Proverbs 21:22) – gevarim is written, as they are all males [ gevarim ] and there is no female among them. “A wise man ascends” – this is Moses, as it is stated: “Moses ascended to God” (Exodus 19:3). “And removes the might of its stronghold” (Proverbs 21:22) – Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis: Rabbi Yehuda says: “Might” – this is Torah. “Its stronghold [ mivtaḥa ]” – as the certitude [ bitḥonan ] of the angels was that the Torah was to be given to them, until the Holy One blessed be He said to them: “It is not found in the land of the living” (Job 28:13). Rabbi Neḥemya says: “Might” – this is Torah; “its stronghold [ mivtaḥa ]” – its assurance [ bitḥona ] is in it, and that there is reward given for it is [stated] at its side. The Rabbis say: “Might” – this is Torah; “its stronghold [ mivtaḥa ]” – as anyone who toils in it may be certain [ batuaḥ ] that he will issue edicts and others will fulfill them. So, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘You toiled extensively in the Torah, so you will issue edicts and Israel will fulfill them.’ That is what is written: “Command the children of Israel.” ⁶Another matter: “Command the children of Israel” – Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] and the Rabbis: Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says: One verse says: “Is there a number to His troops?” (Job 25:3), and another verse says: “Thousands upon thousands will serve Him” (Daniel 7:10), and another verse says: “The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands of companies. My Lord is among them, at Sinai, in holiness” (Psalms 68:18). Rather, this is the number in one troop, but there is no number to His troops. The Rabbis say: One verse says: “Is there a number to His troops?” and another verse says: “Thousands upon thousands will serve Him.” Rather, until the Temple was destroyed, the lauding of the Holy One blessed be He would ascend in completeness. When the Temple was destroyed, the Holy One blessed be He, as it were, reduced His entourage. The Holy One blessed be He said: It is not right for My lauding to ascend as it used to ascend. “On whom will His light not rise?” (Job 25:3) – who from all who entered the world can come and say: The sun did not illuminate for me during the day and the moon did not illuminate for me in the night? You illuminate for the supernal, the earthly, and for all who enter the world, yet You desire Israel’s light. That is what is written: “Command the children of Israel.” ⁷Rabbi Ḥanina said: There were windows in the Temple through which its light would emerge to the world, as it is stated: “He made for the House recessed narrowing windows” (I Kings 6:4). “Recessed narrowing” – they were narrow from within and wide from without in order to bring out its light to the world. Rabbi Levi said an analogy: [If] a king were to build a great hall, he would make its windows narrow from without and wide from within so that light would enter it. But the windows of the Temple were not so, but rather, they were narrow from within and wide from without in order to bring out great light. Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak asked Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: ‘Because I have heard about you that you are a master of aggada , from where did light emerge to the world?’ He said to him: ‘The Holy One blessed be He wrapped Himself [in light] as in a cloak, and the entire world shone from the aura of His glory’; he said to him in a whisper. He said to him: ‘It is an explicit verse, as it is stated: “Enveloping with light as if with a cloak, He spreads the heavens like a sheet” (Psalms 104:2), and you say it to me in a whisper?’ He said to him: ‘Just as [my teachers] said it [to me] in a whisper, so I said it to you in a whisper.’ Rabbi Berekhya said: Had Rabbi Yitzḥak not expounded it publicly, it would not have been possible to say it. Beforehand, what would they say? Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: From the place of the Temple, from there light would emerge to the world. That is what is written: “Behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the direction of the east, and its sound was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with His glory” (Ezekiel 43:2). “His glory” is nothing other than the Temple, just as it says: “Throne of glory, exalted from the beginning, the place of our Temple” (Jeremiah 17:12). ⁸Rabbi Avina said two [statements], Rabbi Berekhya said two, and the Rabbis said two. Rabbi Avina said: This orb of the sun is one of My attendants, and when it emerges to the world, there is no creature that can feast its eyes upon it. That is what is written: “A river of fire emerged and flowed from before Him” (Daniel 7:10). Do I require your light? Rabbi Aḥa said: “The Lord is desirous for the sake of His righteousness; He will make the Torah great and glorious” (Isaiah 42:21) – I commanded it only to accord you merit. Rabbi Avina said another [statement]: Lightning is one of the byproducts of the supernal fire, and its light shines from the end of the world to the other end. Do I require your light? Rabbi Aḥa said: “The Lord is desirous for the sake of His righteousness,” – as stated previously. Rabbi Berekhya said: This orb of the eye, a person does not see via the white that is in it, but rather, via the black. The Holy One blessed be He said: If from the darkness I created light for you, do I require your light? Rabbi Aḥa said: “The Lord is desirous for the sake of His righteousness.” Rabbi Berekhya said another [statement]: “The earth was emptiness and disorder, [and darkness was upon the face of the deep]” (Genesis 1:2). What is written thereafter? “God said: Let there be light; and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). The Holy One blessed be He said: If from the darkness I created light for you, do I require your light? Rabbi Aḥa said… The Rabbis said two [statements]: The Holy One blessed be He says to a child: ‘All those nine months that you were in your mother’s womb, I would illuminate for you; do I require your light?’ The Rabbis said another [statement]: “He reveals the profound and the obscure; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light rests with Him” (Daniel 2:22). The Holy One blessed be He said: The light rests with Me; do I require your light? ⁹Rav said: When the orb of the sun and the moon enter to ask permission from before the Holy One blessed be He, their eyes dim from the aura of the Divine Presence. They seek to emerge and illuminate the world, but they do not see anything. What does the Holy One blessed be He do for them? He shoots arrows before them and they proceed by their light. That is what is written: “The sun, the moon stand in their abode; by the light of Your arrows they will go, by the glow of the flash of Your spear” (Habakkuk 3:11). And it is written: “The sun and the moon were darkened, and the stars withdrew their shine” (Joel 2:10). Rabbi Hoshaya son of Rabbi Simlai of Caesarea in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Ze’eira: The orb of the sun never sets until it becomes like a round spot of blood. What is the source? “[In a tent within He placed the sun,] which, like a bridegroom leaving his bridal chamber, rejoices like a warrior running his course [ oraḥ ]” (Psalms 19:5–6), and oraḥ is only that of women, just as it says: “The manner [ oraḥ ] of women had ceased for Sarah” (Genesis 18:11). Rabbi Levi said: Each and every day, the Holy One blessed be He sits in judgment of the orb of the sun and the moon, which do not wish to emerge and illuminate the world. What do they say? The people indict us, the people prostrate themselves to us. Rabbi Yusta bar Shunem said: What does the Holy One blessed be He do to them? He sits in judgment of them, and they emerge and illuminate the world against their will. That is what is written: “Each morning He brings His judgment to light; it does not fail [ lo nedar ]” (Zephaniah 3:5). What is [the meaning of the phrase] “ lo nedar ”? It does not cease. “But the unjust knows no shame” (Zephaniah 3:5) – they have no shame, but rather, they prostrate themselves to them, they see them stricken, but have no shame. That is what is written: “They shall take to you…olive oil.” ¹⁰Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: Olive oil, but not sesame oil, nor walnut oil, nor turnip oil, nor almond oil, but rather, olive oil from your olive trees. Rabbi Avin said: This is analogous to a king whose legions revolted against him. One legion of his did not revolt. The king said: That legion that did not revolt against me will be appointed commanders, lieutenants, and military governors. So, the Holy One blessed be He said: This olive tree brought light to the world in the days of Noah; that is what is written: “The dove came to him at evening time and, behold, a plucked [ taraf ] olive leaf was in its mouth” (Genesis 8:11). What is “ taraf ”? Killed, just as it says: “Joseph was mauled [ tarof taraf ]” (Genesis 37:33). Rabbi Berekhya said: Had it not killed it, it would have become a great tree. From where did it bring it? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: It brought it from the Mount of Olives. Rabbi Levi said: It brought it from the branches of the Land of Israel. That is what they say: The Land of Israel was not stricken with the Flood waters. That is what the Holy One blessed be He said by means of Ezekiel: “Son of man, say to it: You are a land that has not been purified, [that has not been rained upon on the day of fury]” (Ezekiel 22:24). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Even the lower millstone was obliterated in the waters. Rabbi Berekhya said; The gates of the Garden of Eden opened before it, and it brought it from there. Rabbi Aivu said: Had it brought it from the Garden of Eden, was there not a more exceptional item to bring, e.g., cinnamon or balsam? Rather, it [brought the olive leaf] as an indication to him, saying: My master, Noah, [I prefer something] bitter like this from the hand of the Holy One blessed be He, and not something sweet from your hand. “Outside the curtain of the testimony, in the Tent of Meeting, Aaron shall arrange it from evening until morning before the Lord continually; an eternal statute for your generations” (Leviticus 24:3). ¹¹“Outside the curtain of the testimony, in the Tent of Meeting, ]Aaron[ shall arrange [ yaarokh ] it” – Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua said: Due to the merit of [what Aaron] “shall arrange [ yaarokh ],” you will be delivered from: “For [an inferno] is arranged [ arukh ] from yesterday” (Isaiah 30:33). Rabbi Ḥanin said: Due to the merit of “to kindle a lamp continually” (Leviticus 24:2), you will merit to greet the lamp of the messianic king. What is the source? “There I will cause the horn of David to grow; I have prepared [ arakhti ] a lamp for My anointed one” (Psalms 132:17). And it says: “I rejoiced when they said to me: Let us go to the House of the Lord” (Psalms 122:1).