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Shemini 2021 Source Sheet by Dahlia Bernstein

Leviticus 9:22-23 ויקרא ט׳:כ״ב-כ״ג Aaron lifted his hands toward the ּ ֨ ֧ ֛ ֖ people and blessed them; and he ַו ִי ּ ָׂשא ַא ֲהרֹן ֶאת־ידו ]יָ ָדיו[ ֶאל־ ָה ָעם stepped down after offering the sin ַוֽ ְי ָב ְר ֵכ֑ם ַו ּ֗יֵ ֶרד ֵמ ֲע ׂשֹ֧ת ַהֽ ַח ָּט֛את ְו ָהעֹ ָל֖ה offering, the burnt offering, and the ְו ַה ׁ ְּש ָל ִמֽים׃ ַו ּיָבֹ֨א מֹׁ ֶ֤שה ְו ַא ֲהרֹ ֙ן offering of well-being. Moses and ֶאל־ ֣אֹ ֶהל מ ֹו ֵע֔ד ַו ּ֣יֵ ְצ ֔אוּ ַוֽ ְי ָב ֲר ֖כוּ Aaron then went inside the Tent of ֶאת־ ָה ָע֑ם ַו ּיֵ ָר֥א ְכב ֹוד־יי Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the Presence ֶאל־ ָּכל־ ָה ָעֽם׃ of the LORD appeared to all the people.

Rashi on Leviticus 9:22:1 רש"י על ויקרא ט׳:כ״ב:א׳ AND HE BLESSED THEM ויברכם ָ with the priestly benediction ויברכם. ִּב ְר ַּכת ּכֹ ֲה ִנים — ְי ָב ֶר ְכך, Numbers 6:24—26): “May the Lord) יָ ֵאר, ִי ּ ָׂשא )סוטה ל"ח(: bless thee … May the Lord cause his face to shine … May the Lord lift up …” (cf. Sifra, Shemini, Mechilta d'Miluim 2 17; Sotah 38a)

Rashi on Leviticus 9:23:1 רש"י על ויקרא ט׳:כ״ג:א׳ AND MOSES AND ויבא משה ואהרן AARON CAME, etc. — Wherefore ויבא משה ואהרן וגו'. ָל ָּמה ִנ ְכ ְנסוּ? did they now enter the Tabernacle? I ָמ ָצא ִתי ְּב ָפ ָר ׁ ַשת ִמ ּלוּ ִאים, ְּב ָב ַר ְי ָתא have found the following in the ַה ּנ ֹו ֶס ֶפת ַעל ּת ֹו ַרת ּכֹ ֲה ִנים ׁ ֶש ָּלנוּ, Mechilta d’Miluim,” in the Boraitha“ ָל ָּמה ִנ ְכ ַנס מֹׁ ֶשה ִעם ַא ֲהרֹן? ְל ַל ְּמד ֹו that is appended to our Torath ַעל ַמ ֲע ֵׂשה ַה ְּקטֹ ֶרת, א ֹו לֹא ִנ ְכ ַנס Cohanim (Sifra): Wherefore did Moses enter with Aaron? To instruct ֶא ָּלא ְל ָד ָבר ַא ֵחר? ֲה ֵרי ִני ָדן, ְי ִרי ָדה .him regarding the incense ceremony 2

וּ ִבי ָאה ְטעוּ ָנה ְב ָר ָכה, ַמה ְּי ִרי ָדה Or it may be that he entered for ֵמ ֵעין ֲעב ֹו ָדה ַאף ִּבי ָאה ֵמ ֵעין ֲעב ֹו ָדה, some other reason?! See, I draw a conclusion: the descent from the ָהא ָל ַמ ְד ָּת ָל ָּמה ִנ ְכ ַנס מֹׁ ֶשה ִעם ַא ֲהרֹן altar and the entry into the tent of ְל ַל ְּמד ֹו ַעל ַמ ֲע ֵׂשה ַה ְּקטֹ ֶרת; ָּד" ַא ֵּכי ָון meeting both required to be ׁ ֶש ָר ָאה ַא ֲהרֹן ׁ ֶש ָּק ְרבוּ ָּכל ַה ָּק ְר ָּבנ ֹות accompanied by a benediction, as ְו ַנ ֲע ׂשוּ ָכל ַה ַּמ ֲע ִ ׂשים ְולֹא יָ ְר ָדה stated in vv. 22 and 23 (and ׁ ְש ִכי ָנה ְל ִי ְ ׂש ָר ֵאל, ָהיָה ִמ ְצ ַט ֵער consequently both were, in a measure, of similar character). Now ְוא ֹו ֵמר, י ֹו ֵד ַע ֲא ִני ׁ ֶש ָּכ ַעס ַה ָּק ָּב"ה ָע ַלי ?what was the descent from the altar וּ ִב ׁ ְש ִבי ִלי לֹא יָ ְר ָדה ׁ ְש ִכי ָנה ְל ִי ְ ׂש ָר ֵאל, It was of the nature (it look place in ָא ַמר ל ֹו ְלמֹׁ ֶשה, מֹׁ ֶשה ָא ִחי, ָּכ ְך ,connection with) a sacrificial act! So ָע ִשֹי ָת ִלי ׁ ֶש ִּנ ְכ ַנ ְס ִּתי ְו ִנ ְת ַּב ַּי ׁ ְש ִּתי? ִמ ַּיד also, the entry into the tent took ִנ ְכ ַנס מֹׁ ֶשה ִע ּמ ֹו וּ ִב ְּק ׁשוּ ַר ֲח ִמים place in connection with a sacrificial act! Thus you may learn: Why did ְויָ ְר ָדה ׁ ְש ִכי ָנה ְל ִי ְ ׂש ָר ֵאל )ספרא(: Moses enter with Aaron? To instruct him regarding the incense ceremony which was the only rite performed on that day within the tent! (Cf. Talmud Yerushalmi Taanit 4). Another explanation is: When Aaron perceived that all the sacrifices had been offered and all the rites performed, and yet the Shechinah had not descended for Israel, since the heavenly fire had not fallen to consume the sacrifice, he was uneasy in mind and said: I feel certain that the Holy One, blessed be He, is angry with me and that it is on my account that the Shechinah has not descended for Israel. He therefore said to Moses: “My brother Moses! Do you act thus with me: you know that I have entered into this matter at your bidding and yet I have been put to 3

shame! Moses at once entered the tent with him and they offered prayer and the Shechinah descended for Israel (Sifra, Shemini, Mechilta d'Miluim 2 18).

Rashi on Leviticus 9:23:2 רש"י על ויקרא ט׳:כ״ג:ב׳ AND THEY ויצאו ויברכו את העם CAME OUT AND BLESSED THE ויצאו ויברכו את העם. ָא ְמרוּ ִוי ִהי PEOPLE — They said the words that נֹ ַעם יי ֱאלֹ ֵקינוּ ָע ֵלינוּ, ְי ִהי ָרצ ֹון ”conclude “The Prayer of Moses ׁ ֶש ִּת ׁ ְש ֶרה ׁ ְש ִכי ָנה ְב ַמ ֲע ֵׂשה ְי ֵדי ֶכם; ְל ִפי Psalms 90:17): “May the beauty of) ׁ ֶש ָּכל ׁ ִש ְב ַעת ְי ֵמי ַה ִּמ ּלוּ ִאים ׁ ֶש ֶה ֱע ִמיד ֹו .the Lord our God be upon us” — i. e מֹׁ ֶשה ַל ִּמ ׁ ְש ָּכן ְו ׁ ִש ֵּמ ׁש ּב ֹו וּ ֵפ ְרק ֹו ְב ָכל May it be God’s will that the Shechinah may rest upon the work י ֹום לֹא ׁ ָש ְר ָתה ב ֹו ׁ ְש ִכי ָנה, ְו ָהיוּ of your hands (see Rashi on Exodus ִי ְ ׂש ָר ֵאל ִנ ְכ ָל ִמים ְוא ֹו ְמ ִרים ְלמֹׁ ֶשה, They invoked just this .(39:43 מֹׁ ֶשה ַר ֵּבנוּ, ָּכל ַה ּטֹ ַרח ׁ ֶש ָּט ַר ְחנוּ blessing and not another formula ׁ ֶש ִּת ׁ ְש ֶרה ׁ ְש ִכי ָנה ֵבי ֵנינוּ ְו ֵנ ַדע because during the whole seven days ׁ ֶש ִּנ ְת ַּכ ּ ֵפר ָלנוּ ֲע ֹון ָה ֵע ֶגל, ְל ָכ ְך ָא ַמר of the installation when Moses was setting up the Tabernacle and ָל ֶהם ֶזה ַה ָּד ָבר ֲא ׁ ֶשר ִצ ָוּה יי ַּת ֲע ׂשוּ officiating therein and dismantling it ְויֵ ָרא ֲא ֵלי ֶכם ְּכב ֹוד יי — ַא ֲהרֹן ָא ִחי daily the Shechinah had not rested ְּכ ַדאי ְו ָח ׁשוּב ִמ ֶּמ ִּני, ׁ ֶש ַעל ְי ֵדי upon it and the Israelites felt ָק ְר ְּבנ ֹו ָתיו ַו ֲעב ֹו ָדת ֹו ִת ׁ ְש ֶרה ׁ ְש ִכי ָנה ashamed, saying to Moses: “O, our Teacher Moses! All the trouble ָב ֶכם ְו ֵת ְדעוּ ׁ ֶש ַה ָּמק ֹום ָּב ַחר ּב ֹו: which we have taken was only that the Shechinah may dwell amongst us, so that we may know that the sin of the golden calf has been atoned for on our behalf!” He therefore had said to them (v. 6): “This is the thing which the Lord commanded that ye should do so that the glory of the Lord may appear unto you” (i. e. only 4

after these offerings will have been brought by Aaron (cf. v. 7) will God’s glory appear unto you). My brother Aaron is more worthy and excellent than I am, so that through his sacrifices and ministration the Shechinah will rest upon you, and ye will thereby know that the Omnipresent God has chosen him to bring His Shechinah upon you.

Chizkuni, Leviticus 9:23:1 חזקוני, ויקרא ט׳:כ״ג:א׳ Moses“ ,ויבא משה ואהרן אל אהל מועד and Aaron entered the Tent of ויבא משה ואהרן אל אהל מועד Meeting.” They did so in order to see להתפלל, שיראה הכבוד ותרד אש the glory when heavenly fire would מן השמים להראות שנתקבלה descend as proof that their sacrificial העבודה. .service had been accepted in heaven

Chizkuni, Leviticus 9:23:2 חזקוני, ויקרא ט׳:כ״ג:ב׳ the glory of the Lord“ ,וירא כבוד ה' appeared.” How so? וירא כבוד יי כיצד.

Or HaChaim on Leviticus 9:23:1 אור החיים על ויקרא ט׳:כ״ג:א׳ They emerged ,ויצאו ויברכו את העם from the Tabernacle and blessed ויצאו ויברכו וגו'. אולי כי כן the people. Perhaps they had been נצטוו בנבואה. או ברכה זו במקום commanded to do so by a prophetic תפלה היתה כדי שתשרה שכינה. vision. It is also possible that the והגם שכבר בירכם אהרן, טובים Torah substitutes the word השנים לצד הסכמת ב' מדרגות ".blessing" here for the word "prayer" The prayer may have been that G'd's הרמוזים בב' בחינות האחים כהונה Presence should continue to manifest ולויה שהם חסד וגבורה: itself in the camp. Even though the 5

people had already been blessed by Aaron, it was good to be blessed by both brothers each of whom represented a different nuance of spirituality, one that is unique to the Levite and the other the spirituality unique to the priesthood. In kabbalistic terms the two brothers Aaron and Moses represented the .respectively חסד וגבורה emanations

רבנו בחיי, ויקרא ט׳:כ״ב:א׳ Rabbeinu Bahya, Vayikra 9:22:1 ,וישא אהרן את ידיו אל העם ויברכם וישא אהרן את ידיו אל העם Aaron raised his hands in the“ ויברכם. שעור אל העם, לצורך direction of the people and he העם ולתועלתם. וי"א בכאן כי blessed them.” The meaning of the אהרן היה נושא את ידו ומרמז בהן normally translated as ,אל העם words את העם לכאן ולכאן כשם שהם ”,in the direction of the people“ should here be translated as: “for the נוהגים על אומתם בתנועת יד sake of the people, i.e. to meet their ימינם, והביאו ראיה ממאמר רז"ל, needs.” The commentators who ידיו, ידו כתיב, ותשובתנו להם disagree with us and dress לסכור פיהם הדובר עתק, כי ידיו themselves up in fancy garments to קרי, ושתי הידים היה מרים, והנה lend weight to their words, are wrong when they said that the טענתם בטלה בתנועת יד אחת הוא meaning of these words is that הימין. ומה שאמרו רז"ל ידו כתיב, Aaron lifted his hand in order to לפי שהיה הימין יותר נכבד מן indicate to the people that they השמאל לענין נסתר, נגלה אצל should raise their right hand as affirmation. These commentators היחידים, וע"כ אמרו מקבלי האמת .Christian theologians, compare St] ידו כתיב, ואז תתקיים המקרא [.James version of the Bible, Ed והמסורה ידיו ידו. וכן תמצא quote a Midrash (see gloss of בנשיאת כפים שעשה משה שהזכיר Maimoniot on Maimonides Hilchot שם הכתוב ידיו וידו, )שמות with ידו Tefillah 14,3) that the word 6

י״ז:י״א( והיה כאשר ירים משה ידו, the vowels of the plural, is spelled ויהי ידיו אמונה, ולא הזכיר indicating that it י without the letter is really a singular, i.e. “his hand.” השמים, כי אין צריך, שהרי בידוע Our answer to them is simply that כי ההרמה לשמים היתה, והוא traditionally we read the word as if it הדין בלשון וישא. ואם היה כדברי .i.e ,י had been spelled with the letter בעלי הדין כי אהרן היה פורש את .that Aaron raised both his hands ידיו כלפי העם והיה מברכם, היה Their argument that Aaron only raised his right hand is null and void. ראוי לומר וישלח אהרן את ידיו אל The reason that we encounter this העם, כי כן דרך האב כשרוצה unusual spelling is to indicate that לברך את בנו לשום ידו על ראשו, the right hand is more important כדרך שעשה יעקב אל יוסף שכתוב than the left hand concerning )בראשית מ״ח:י״ד( וישלח ישראל mystical matters which are revealed only to select individuals. This is why את ימינו, אבל אמר וישא להורות the Kabbalists have said that the כי היו ידיו זקופות למעלה, כלשון in the singular to ידו word is spelled הכתוב הנאמר בשלמה )מלכים א allude to the select individuals who ח׳:נ״ד( ויהי ככלות שלמה are recipients of deeper insights from the “right” side of G’d. In this way להתפלל אל יי את כל התפלה justice is done both to the spelling והתחנה הזאת וכפיו פרושות and the traditional reading. When השמים, ויעמוד ויברך את כל קהל you compare the prayer Moses ישראל, באר הכתוב כי היו ידיו uttered when he prayed for the זקופות למעלה וברך את ישראל. victory of the Israelites against the attack by Amalek in Exodus 17,11 you will also find this dual spelling of והיה כאשר ירים משה .i.e ,ידו the word Whenever Moses“ .ידו וגבר ישראל raised his hand (s) Israel would prevail.” In the following two verses in the ידיו the word is spelled as normal way. Had Moses used only one hand at a time, it is hard to understand why he needed two men to support his hands as is evident 7

from verses 12 and 13 in that chapter. If the people who understood our verse as Aaron raising his hands towards the people (instead of towards G’d) would be correct, the Torah should have written instead of the formula ,וישא אהרן את ידיו אל העם It is the .וישלח אהרן את ידיו אל העם custom for a father who prepares to bless his son to put his hand on his head, just as Yaakov did when he prepared to bless the two sons of Joseph. In that instance the Torah Israel“ ,וישלח ישראל את ימינו wrote extended his right hand.” In our verse the Torah employs the verb to show that Aaron’s hands וישא were stretched upwards (towards heaven). We have a parallel example ויהי ככלות שלמה in Kings I 8, 54-55 להתפלל אל ה' את כל התפלה והתחנה הזאת וכפיו פרושות השמים ויעמוד ויברך את כל it was when Solomon“ ,קהל ישראל had completed this entire prayer and entreaty with his palms outstretched heavenwards, he stood and blessed the entire congregation of Israel.” It is clear that the meaning of the verse is that Solomon’s hands were in an upright position aimed towards heaven.

קיצור בעל הטורים על ויקרא Kitzur Baal Haturim on Leviticus 8

ט׳:כ״ב:ב׳ 9:22:2 And he blessed them. The three ויברכם ג' ברכות כנגד ג' מיני blessings of the Kohanim (Bamidbar קרבנות ברכה א' כנגד חטאת correspond to three types (24-26 ,6 וישמרך מן החטא שנאמר רגלי of offerings: The first blessing חסידיו ישמור. יאר כנגד עולה corresponds to sin offerings, “and שנאמר בעלותך לראות. שלום may He guard you” — from sin, as it says (Shmuel I 2:9), “The feet of His כנגד שלמים: pious ones He will guard”; “May he cause His face to shine” corresponds to the burnt offering [olah], as it says (Shemos 34:24), “When you go up [ba’aloscha] to see”; “peace” corresponds to the peace offerings.

אור החיים על ויקרא ט׳:כ״ב:א׳ Or HaChaim on Leviticus 9:22:1 Aaron raised his ,וישא אהרון אח ידיו וישא אהרן וגו'. בתורת כהנים hands, etc. Torat Kohanim claims פרשה כ''ט אמרו מקרא מסורס that this verse is truncated and the ראוי לומר וירד מעשות וגו' וישא words: "he descended from offering אהרן וגו' שבירידתו נשא כפיו וכו'. the sin-offering, etc." should have וצריך לדעת למה ידבר הכתוב been written before the words "he raised his hands and blessed them." בדרך זה ולא בדרך הישר. ואולי כי We therefore have to explore why בראותו אהרן שלא ירדה שכינה the Torah chose this unusual חשב אולי כי עדיין חסר כפרתו על sequence. Perhaps when Aaron מעשה העגל שבאמצעותו הביא realised that the Presence of G'd had קללה על שונאי ישראל, ולזה וישא not manifested itself (by consuming the fat and meat on the altar by וגו' ויברך וגו', ובזה ירד מעשות means of heavenly fire) he may have תשלומי החטאת וכו' ואולי כי גם felt that both he and the people had ברכת ישראל לצד שהיא כפרת not yet been completely exonerated חטאו של אהרן תוכלל בכלל from their respective share in the sin of the golden calf. He therefore החטאת, כי גם לה יתיחס שם considered himself as having brought 9

חטאת, ואומרו וירד, אולי כי הוא a curse on the people. By raising his לשון ירידה כי הוכר לו פחיתותו, hands already at this time and blessing the people, Aaron hoped to לצד שראה שגמר מעשות הכל ולא counteract that curse. Only after he ירדה שכינה, ותמצא שאמרו ז''ל had blessed the people did he feel בתורת כהנים פרשה י''ט שצעק that he had really completed the אהרן לפני משה שאמר לו ליקרב ritual of the sin-offering. He was למזבח ובא לידי בושה וכו' ונכנס then able to descend from the altar secure in the knowledge that he had משה עמו ובקשו רחמים וירדה done all he could. Perhaps the Torah שכינה: wanted the blessing of the Israelites to be included in the procedure of offering the sin-offering because it also exonerated Aaron from his share may also וירד in the guilt. The word refer to a spiritual descent; when had not yet שכינה Aaron saw that the descended, he felt reduced in stature, Torat Kohanim on our verse .וירד .i.e reports Aaron as having cried out to Moses that the latter had commanded him to present these offerings on the altar only to now shame him when G'd had not indicated that He had accepted these offerings. Moses then entered the Tabernacle together with Aaron and after they asked G'd to show mercy the fire from heaven materialised.

הטור הארוך, ויקרא ט׳:כ״ב:א׳ Tur HaAroch, Leviticus 9:22:1 וישא אהרן את ידיו אל העם ,וישא אהרן את ידיו אל העם ויברכם “Aaron raised his hands toward the ויברכם. פירש"י ברכם ברכת people and blessed them.” Rashi says 10

כהנים. וכתב הרמב"ן ואם כן תהי' that he blessed them with the פרשת כה תברכו את בני ישראל standard blessing of the priests, the verses 24-26 in Numbers chapter 6. אמור להם מוקדמת לזה ואולי כן Nachmanides comments that if this הוא כי הוא סמוך לויהי ביום כלות were so then the paragraph in משה להקים את המשכן. ויתכן כי Numbers must have been inserted in אהרן פירש כפיו השמים וברך את the Torah out of turn. It is quite העם כאשר עשה שלמה שנאמר possible that this is indeed so, seeing that the paragraph following the ויברך את כל קהל ישראל קול blessing there dealt with events גדול לאמר לפיכך לא הזכיר which occurred on the day the הכתוב לומר שצוהו משה לעשות erecting of the Tabernacle was כן: completed, i.e. the 1st day of Nissan of the second year, the day when the inaugural offerings were completed also. It is quite possible that Aaron raised his hands heavenwards, as did King Solomon when he blessed the people when the Temple was inaugurated (Kings I 8,22) If Aaron used the standard blessing used by the priests, this would account for the fact that we did not hear Moses instruct him to bless the people.

הטור הארוך, ויקרא ט׳:כ״ב:ב׳ Tur HaAroch, Leviticus 9:22:2 he“ ,וירד מעשות החטאת והעולה והשלמים וירד מעשות החטאת והעולה descended from having performed והשלמים. ולא הזכיר מנחה י"מ ,the sin-offering, the burnt offering לפי שאינה אלא להכשיר שאר and the peace-offering.” The Torah הקרבן. אבל למאי דכתיבנא לעיל does not mention Aaron having also שהיתה מנחת נדבה אינה באה .performed the minchah, gift offering Some commentators claim that להכשיר וצ"ל דלא חשש להזכיר seeing that the gift offering is only an אלא הזבחים: offering preparatory to ensuring that 11

the major part of offering is acceptable to Hashem, there was no need to mention this. We must assume that the Torah only bothered to mention the animal sacrifices.

ברטנורא על משנה סוטה ז׳:ו׳:ה׳ Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah 7:6:5 because it requires – כנגד כתפותיהם כנגד כתפיהן. מפני שצריך נשיאת ,the lifting of the palms of the hands כפים, דכתיב וישא אהרן את ידיו :(as it is written (Leviticus 9:22 אל העם ויברכם, וכתיב )דברים Aaron lifted up his hands toward“ י״ח:ה׳( הוא ובניו כל הימים, מה the people and blessed them.” And it הוא בנשיאות בפים אף בניו is written (Deuteronomy 18:5): “him and his descendants [to be in בנשיאת כפים כל הימים: attendance for service in the name of the LORD] for all time.” Just as he is with the raising of his hands, so too his descendants–children also with the raising of their hands for all time.

סוטה ל״ח א:א׳ Sotah 38a:1 as it is written in the Torah, i.e., ככתבו ובמדינה בכינויו במדינה the Tetragrammaton, and in the כהנים נושאים את ידיהן כנגד country they use its substitute כתפיהן ובמקדש על גבי ראשיהן ,name of Lordship. In the country חוץ מכהן גדול שאינו מגביה את the priests lift their hands so they ידיו למעלה מן הציץ ר' יהודה are aligned with their shoulders during the benediction. And in the אומר אף כהן גדול מגביה ידיו Temple they lift them above their למעלה מן הציץ שנאמר )ויקרא ט, ,heads, except for the High Priest כב( וישא אהרן את ידיו אל העם who does not lift his hands above ויברכם the frontplate. Since the Tetragrammaton is inscribed on it, it is inappropriate for him to lift his hands above it. Rabbi Yehuda says: 12

Even the High Priest lifts his hands above the frontplate, as it is stated: “And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them” (Leviticus 9:22).

מדרש תנחומא, וזאת הברכה Midrash Tanchuma, V'Zot HaBerachah 1:1 א׳:א׳ (Deut. 33:1:) “And this is the ְוזֹאת ַה ְּב ָר ָכה. ֶזה ׁ ֶש ָא ַמר ַה ָּכתוּב: blessing.” This text is related (to ַר ּב ֹות ָּבנ ֹות ָע ׂשוּ ַח ִיל ְוג ֹו' )משלי לא, Prov. 31:29), “Many daughters have כט(. ז ֹו ִּב ְר ָכת ֹו ׁ ֶשל מֹׁ ֶשה, ׁ ֶש ֲה ֵרי done valiantly, but you surpass them all.” This is the blessing of ָה ָאב ֹות ִרא ׁש ֹו ִנים ֵּב ְרכוּ ָּכל ֶא ָחד Moses,1PRK 31:11. in respect to which ְו ֶא ָחד ֶאת ּד ֹור ֹו, ְולֹא ָה ְי ָתה ָּב ֶהן you should note that in the case of ְּכ ִב ְר ָכת ֹו ׁ ֶשל מֹׁ ֶשה. ׁ ֶש ֲה ֵרי נֹ ַח ֵּב ֵר ְך the earlier generations each and ֶאת ָּב ָניו ְו ָהיָה ָּב ּה ַמ ֲחלֹ ֶקת, ׁ ֶש ֵּב ֵר ְך every one blessed his generation, but ֶא ָחד ְו ִק ֵּלל ֶא ָחד, ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר: ַי ְפ ְּת there was none was like the blessing of Moses. Noah blessed his children, ֱאלֹ ִקים ְליֶ ֶפת ְו ִי ׁ ְש ּכֹן ְּב ָא ֳה ֵלי ׁ ֵשם ִוי ִהי but it contained a divergence, as he ְכ ַנ ַען ֶע ֶבד ָלמ ֹו )בראשית ט, כז(. blessed one and cursed another, as ִי ְצ ָחק ֵּב ֵר ְך ֶאת ַי ֲעקֹב ְו ָה ְי ָתה stated (Gen. 9:27,) “May God enlarge ְּב ִב ְר ָכת ֹו ְק ָט ָטה, ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר: ְו ִי ֶּתן ְל ָך ypt) Japheth (ypt) [...]; and let) Canaan be a slave to them.” Isaac ֶאת ִּב ְר ַּכת ַא ְב ָר ָהם )שם כח, ד(. ָ blessed Jacob, but there was strife in ְו ָא ַמר ְל ֵע ָׂשו, ָּבא ָא ִחיך ְּב ִמ ְר ָמה )שם it. It is so stated (in Gen. 28:4), “May כז, לו(, ִ ּד ְכ ִתיב: ַו ִּי ְ ׂשטֹם ֵע ָׂשו )שם ,He give you the blessing of Abraham פסוק מא(. ַי ֲעקֹב ֵּב ֵר ְך ֶאת ַה ׁ ְּש ָב ִטים ,(but he said to Esau (in Gen. 27:35 ְו ָה ְי ָתה ָּב ֶהם ְק ָט ָטה, ׁ ֶשה ֹו ִכי ַח ְראוּ ֵבן, Your brother came with deceit”; and“ it is stated (in vs. 41), “Then Esau ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר: ּ ַפ ַחז ַּכ ַּמ ִים )שם מט, ד(. ְו ֵכן hated Jacob […, and Esau said in his ׁ ִש ְמע ֹון ְו ֵל ִוי. וּ ִמ ַּנ ִין ָל ְמדוּ ָה ָאב ֹות heart, ‘Let the days of mourning for ְל ָב ֵר ְך ָּכל ֶא ָחד ְו ֶא ָחד ְלד ֹור ֹו. ִמן my father come, and I will kill my ַה ָּקד ֹו ׁש ָּברוּ ְך הוּא. ׁ ֶש ְּב ׁ ָש ָעה ׁ ֶש ָּב ָרא brother Jacob’].” Jacob blessed the ָא ָדם ָה ִרא ׁש ֹון, ֵּב ְרכ ֹו, ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר: ָז ָכר tribes, but there was strife among 13

וּ ְנ ֵק ָבה ְוג ֹו' ַו ְי ָב ֵר ְך א ֹו ָתם )בראשית them, in that he rebuked Reuben, as א, כז-כח(. ְו ָהיָה ִמ ְת ַנ ֵהג ַּב ְּב ָר ָכה ַעד stated (in Gen. 49:4), “Unstable as water”; and similarly (in vs. 5), ׁ ֶש ָּבא ּד ֹור ַה ַּמ ּבוּל וּ ִב ְּטלוּ ָה, ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר: ;Simeon and Levi [are brothers“ ַו ּיֹא ֶמר יי ֶא ְמ ֶחה ֶאת ָה ָא ָדם ֲא ׁ ֶשר weapons of violence are their ָּב ָרא ִתי ְוג ֹו' )שם ו, ז(. ֵּכי ָון ׁ ֶש ּיָ ָצא נֹ ַח swords].” And from where did each ִמן ַה ֵּת ָבה, ָר ָאה ַה ָּקד ֹו ׁש ָּברוּ ְך הוּא and every one of the patriarchs learn ׁ ֶש ָּב ְט ָלה ֵמ ֶהם ִמ ַּדת ְּב ָר ָכה, ָח ַזר to bless his generation? [They ְ ,learned it] from the Holy One וּ ֵב ֵרך ֶאת נֹ ַח ְו ֶאת ָּב ָניו, ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר: blessed be He. When he created ַו ְי ָב ֵר ְך ֱאלֹ ִקים ֶאת נֹ ַח ְוג ֹו' )שם ט, Adam, He blessed him, as stated (in א(. ְו ָהיָה ָהע ֹו ָלם ִמ ְת ַנ ֵהג ְּבא ֹו ָת ּה .Gen. 1:27-28), “male and female ְּב ָר ָכה ַעד ׁ ֶש ָּבא ַא ְב ָר ָהם ְוה ֹו ִסיף Then [God] blessed them.” And the ְּב ָר ָכה, ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר: ְו ֶא ֶע ְ ׂש ָך ְלג ֹוי ָּגד ֹול world was maintained by that blessing, until the generation of the )שם יב, ב(. ֵּכי ָון ׁ ֶש ָּבא ַא ְב ָר ָהם, ,flood came, and they cancelled it out ָא ַמר ַה ָּקד ֹו ׁש ָּברוּ ְך הוּא, ֵאינ ֹו ֶּד ֶר ְך as stated (in Gen. 6:7), “And the Lord ָּכב ֹוד ׁ ֶש ֶא ְהיֶה ֲא ִני ָזקוּק ְל ָב ֵר ְך ֶאת said, “I will blot out the humanity ְּב ִר ּי ֹו ַתי, ֶא ָּלא ֲה ֵרי ִני מ ֹו ֵסר ֶאת which I created.” When Noah left the ark, the Holy One, blessed be He, saw ַה ְּב ָרכ ֹות ְל ַא ְב ָר ָהם וּ ְל ַז ְרע ֹו. ְו ָכל ִמי that this blessing had passed from ׁ ֶש ּק ֹו ְב ִעין ּב ֹו ְּב ָר ָכה, ֲא ִני ח ֹו ֵתם ַעל them. He blessed Noah and his ְי ֵדי ֶהם, ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר: ֶו ְהיֵה ְּב ָר ָכה, .children anew, as stated (in Gen ַו ֲא ָב ְר ָכה ְמ ָב ְר ֶכי ָך ְוג ֹו' )שם פסוק Then God blessed Noah and“ ,(9:1 ב-ג(. וּ ַמהוּ ַו ֲא ָב ְר ָכה. ָא ַמר ַה ָּקד ֹו ׁש his children.” The world was maintained by this blessing, until ָּברוּ ְך הוּא, ֲה ֵרי ִני מ ֹו ֵסר ֶאת ַה ְּב ָרכ ֹות ְ Abraham came into the world, and ְל ָכל ִמי ׁ ֶש ַא ָּתה ְמ ָב ֵרך, ַו ֲא ִני ח ֹו ֵתם .He added blessing, as stated (in Gen ַעל יָ ֶדי ָך. ְו ִכי ֵמ ַא ַחר ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֶא ְמרוּ For I will make you into a“ ,(12:2 ַה ְּב ָרכ ֹות ְל ַא ְב ָר ָהם, ָל ָּמה לֹא ֵּב ֵר ְך ,great nation.” Once Abraham came ֶאת ִי ְצ ָחק. ְל ִפי ׁ ֶש ָר ָאה ַא ְב ָר ָהם, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “It is not honorable for Me, that I ׁ ֶש ֵע ָׂשו יֵ ֵצא ִמ ֶּמ ּנוּ. ָא ַמר, ִאם ֲא ִני should be obliged to bless My ְמ ָב ֵר ְך ֶאת ִי ְצ ָחק, ֲה ֵרי ֵע ָׂשו ִמ ְת ָּב ֵר ְך, creatures. Rather take note! I am ְו ִנ ְמ ָצא ַי ֲעקֹב ָח ֵסר. ָמ ׁ ָשל ְל ָמה ַה ָּד ָבר handing over the blessings to Abraham and to his seed, so that for 14

ּד ֹו ֶמה. ְל ַב ַעל ַה ַּב ִית ׁ ֶש ָהיָה ל ֹו ֶּכ ֶרם, all who they issue a blessing, I am ְנ ָתנ ֹו ְל ָא ִריס, ְו ָהיָה ְּבא ֹות ֹו ַה ֶּכ ֶרם placing my seal upon [those ּ ,(.blessings], as stated (in vs. 2, cont ִאי ָלן ׁ ֶשל ַח ִיים מוּ ְד ֶלה ַעל ַּגב ִאי ָלן I will bless you and magnify your]‘ ׁ ֶשל ַסם ַה ָּמ ֶות, ְו ֵאינ ֹו י ֹו ֵד ַע ַמה ”’.name] and so become a blessing ַּל ֲע ׂש ֹות. ָא ַמר, ִאם ֶא ֱעדֹר א ֹות ֹו ֶּכ ֶרם, Vs. 3:) “I will bless those who bless) ֲה ֵרי ִאי ָלן ׁ ֶשל ַסם ַה ָּמ ֶות ִמ ְת ַּג ֵּדל. you….” What is the meaning of “I ְו ִאם ֵאי ִני ע ֹו ֵדר א ֹות ֹו ֶּכ ֶרם, ֲה ֵרי ִאי ָלן will bless?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Take note. I am handing ׁ ֶשל ַח ִּיים ֵמת. ֶא ָּלא ָמה ֶא ֱע ֶׂשה. over the blessings to all whom you ֲא ַג ְל ֵּגל ַּב ֶּכ ֶרם ַה ֶזּה ַעד ׁ ֶש ּיָבֹא ַּב ַעל [bless, and I am sealing [them ַה ֶּכ ֶרם ְו ַי ֲע ֶׂשה ְּב ַכ ְרמ ֹו ַמה ׁ ּ ֶש ִּי ְר ֶצה. through you.” But if from then on ְו ַאף ָּכ ְך ָא ַמר ַא ְב ָר ָהם, ִאם ֲא ָב ֵר ְך the blessings were [handed over] to ֶאת ִי ְצ ָחק, ִנ ְמ ָצא ֵע ָׂשו ִמ ְת ָּב ֵר ְך, ?Abraham, why did he not bless Isaac It was because Abraham saw that ְו ַי ֲעקֹב ַמ ְפ ִסיד. ֶא ָּלא ֲה ֵרי ִני ַמ ִּניח ֹו ַעד ,Esau would issue from him. He said ׁ ֶש ּיָבֹא ַה ָּקד ֹו ׁש ָּברוּ ְך הוּא ְו ַי ֲע ֶׂשה ֶאת If I bless Isaac, then Esau will be“ ׁ ֶש ּל ֹו. ָּבא ַי ֲעקֹב ְו ִק ֵּבל ֲח ִמ ׁ ּ ָשה ְּב ָרכ ֹות, blessed, and Isaac will be found ׁ ְש ַנ ִים ֵמ ָא ִביו, ְו ֶא ָחד ׁ ֶשל ַא ְב ָר ָהם, lacking.” A parable: To what is the ְ matter comparable? To the head of a ְו ֶא ָחד ׁ ֶשל ַמ ְל ָאך, ְו ַא ַחת ׁ ֶשל ַה ָּקד ֹו ׁש 2 ְ household that had a vineyard, See ָּברוּך הוּא. ֵמ ָא ִביו, ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר: ַו ּיֶ ֱח ַרד .Gen. R. 61:6; Numb. R. 11:2; M. Pss. 1:5 ִי ְצ ָחק )שם כז, לג(. ָל ָּמה ַו ּיֶ ֱח ַרד. and] gave it to a tenant. And in that] ָא ַמר ַר ִּבי ֶא ְל ָע ָזר ֶּבן ְּפ ָדת, ׁ ֶש ָר ָאה vineyard was a tree of life, but it had ֵּגי ִה ָּנם ּ ָפתוּ ַח ְל ָפ ָניו. ִּב ֵּק ׁש ל ֹו ַמר, overgrown a tree having a deadly poison. Now he did not know what ָארוּר ִי ְהיֶה. ָח ַזר ְוה ֹו ִסיף ְּב ָר ָכה, ְ to do. He said, “If I cultivate that ְו ָא ַמר, ַּגם ָּברוּך ִי ְהיֶה )בראשית כז, vineyard, then the tree having a לב(, ֲה ֵרי ַא ַחת. ׁ ְש ִנ ּיָה, ַו ִּי ְק ָרא ִי ְצ ָחק deadly poison will flourish; but if I do ֶאל ַי ֲעקֹב ַו ְי ָב ֵר ְך א ֹות ֹו )שם כח, א(. not cultivate that vineyard, then the ִּב ְר ָכת ֹו ׁ ֶשל ַה ָּקד ֹו ׁש ָּברוּ ְך הוּא, tree of life will die. So what shall I ּ do? I will bear with that vineyard ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר: ַויֵ ָרא ֱאלֹ ִקים ֶאל ַי ֲעקֹב ְוג ֹו' until the owner of the vineyard )שם לה, ט(. ִּב ְר ַּכת ַא ְב ָר ָהם, ְו ִּי ֶּתן comes. Then he may do what he ְל ָך ֶאת ִּב ְר ַּכת ַא ְב ָר ָהם )שם כז, wants with his vineyard.” And so also did Abraham say, “If I bless Isaac, 15

כח(. ְו ׁ ֶשל ַמ ְל ָא ְך, ַו ְי ָב ֵר ְך א ֹות ֹו ׁ ָשם Esau will end up being blessed and )שם לב, ל(. ָּבא ַי ֲעקֹב ְל ָב ֵר ְך ֶאת .Jacob will lose out. Rather look here I will leave him alone until the Holy ַה ׁ ְּש ָב ִטים, ֵּב ְר ָכן ָח ֵמ ׁש ְּב ָרכ ֹות ׁ ֶש ָהיוּ One, blessed be He, comes, when He ְּביָד ֹו, ְוה ֹו ִסיף ָל ֶהם ְּב ָר ָכה ַא ַחת, ”.will deal with what belongs to Him ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר: ָּכל ֵא ֶּלה ׁ ִש ְב ֵטי ִי ְ ׂש ָר ֵאל ְוג ֹו' Jacob came and received five )שם מט, כח(. ָּבא מֹׁ ֶשה ְל ָב ֵר ְך ֶאת blessings: two from his father, one ִי ְ ׂש ָר ֵאל ְוה ֹו ִסיף ָל ֶהם ְּב ָר ָכה ׁ ְש ִבי ִעית, ,from Abraham, one from the angel and one from the Holy One, blessed ְוזֹאת ַה ְּב ָר ָכה, ּת ֹו ֶס ֶפת ַעל ַה ְּב ָרכ ֹות be He.3Cf. Gen. R. 94:5. From his ׁ ֶש ֵּב ֵר ְך ִּב ְל ָעם ֶאת ִי ְ ׂש ָר ֵאל, ׁ ֶש ָהיָה ,(father, as stated (in Gen. 27:33 ָראוּי ְל ָב ְר ָכן ׁ ֶש ַבע ְּב ָרכ ֹות ְּכ ֶנ ֶגד Then Isaac trembled (when he“ ׁ ִש ְב ָעה ִמ ְז ְּבח ֹות ְולֹא ֵּב ְר ָכן ֶא ָּלא realized he had blessed Jacob instead ׁ ָשלֹש, ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר: ְו ִה ֵּנה ֵּב ַר ְכ ָּת ָּב ֵר ְך ֶזה of Esau). Why “trembled?” R. Eliezer ben Pedat said, “[He did so] because ׁ ָשלֹׁש ְּפ ָע ִמים )במדבר כד, י(. ָא ַמר he saw Gehinnom open in front of ל ֹו ַה ָּקד ֹו ׁש ָּברוּ ְך הוּא, ָר ׁ ָשע, ַא ָּתה him. He wanted to say, ‘Cursed will ֵעי ֶני ָך ָצ ָרה ְל ָב ְר ָכן, ַאף ֲא ִני ַמ ְס ִּפיק be [Jacob.’ Instead,] he went back [on ַעל יָ ְד ָך ׁ ֶש ַּת ׁ ְש ִלים ִּב ְר ָכ ְת ָך ִעם it], and added blessing [to it], when he said (ibid., end), ‘he also shall be ִי ְ ׂש ָר ֵאל. יָבֹא מֹׁ ֶשה ׁ ֶש ֵעי ָניו יָפ ֹות ְ blessed.’” Here is one [blessing]. A ְל ָב ְר ָכן, הוּא ְי ָב ֵרך ֶאת ִי ְ ׂש ָר ֵאל. ְו ָע ָליו second (is in Gen. 28:1), “So Isaac ָא ַמר ׁ ְשלֹמֹה, ט ֹוב ַע ִין הוּא ְיבֹ ָר ְך called Jacob and blessed him.” The )משלי כב, ט(. ֶאל ְּת ִהי ק ֹו ֵרא ְיבֹ ָר ְך, blessing of the Holy One, blessed be ֶא ָּלא ְי ָב ֵר ְך. ט ֹוב ַע ִין, ֶזה מֹׁ ֶשה ַר ֵּבנוּ, He, (is in Gen. 35:9), “Now God ְ appeared unto Jacob [… and blessed ׁ ֶש ֵעי ָניו יָפ ֹות ְל ָב ֵרך ֶאת ִי ְ ׂש ָר ֵאל, him].” The blessing of Abraham (is ׁ ֶש ֵּב ְר ָכן ַא ְר ַּבע ְּב ָרכ ֹות. ָה ִרא ׁש ֹו ָנה, in Gen. 28:4), “And may He grant ַו ַּי ְרא מֹׁ ֶשה ֶאת ָּכל ַה ְּמ ָלא ָכה ְו ֵה ָּנה you the blessing of Abraham.” And ָע ׂשוּ א ֹו ָת ּה ַּכ ֲא ׁ ֶשר ִצ ָוּה יי ֵּכן ָע ׂשוּ .the blessing of an angel is (in Gen ַו ְי ָב ֵר ְך א ֹו ָתם מֹׁ ֶשה )שמות לט, מג(. and he (the angel) blessed“ ,(32:30 ּ ּ him there.” When Jacob came to ְו ַה ׁ ְּש ִניָה, ַויָבֹא מֹׁ ֶשה ְו ַא ֲהרֹן ֶאל אֹ ֶהל bless the tribes, he blessed them with מ ֹו ֵעד ַו ּיֵ ְצאוּ ַו ְי ָב ְרכוּ ֶאת ָה ָעם )ויקרא the five blessings that he had in hand ט, כ(. ַה ׁ ְּש ִלי ׁ ִשית, יי ֱאלֹ ֵקי ֲאב ֹו ֵתי ֶכם and added one blessing to them, as stated (in Gen. 49:28), “All these are 16

י ֹו ֵסף ְוג ֹו' )דברים א, יא(. ָה ְר ִבי ִעית, the tribes of Israel, [twelve in ְוזֹאת ַה ְּב ָר ָכה. ְל ָכ ְך ֶנ ֱא ַמר: ַר ּב ֹות number, and this is what their father spoke to them when he blessed them, ָּבנ ֹות ָע ׂשוּ ַח ִיל ְוג ֹו' )משלי לא, כט(. each one with his own blessing is ְוזֹאת ַה ְּב ָר ָכה, ְלמֹׁ ֶשה ָנ ֶאה ְל ָב ֵר ְך ֶאת how he blessed them].”4The midrash ִי ְ ׂש ָר ֵאל, ׁ ֶש ָּנ ַתן ַנ ְפ ׁש ֹו ֲע ֵלי ֶהם ְּב ָכל notes that the words, HE BLESSED ׁ ָש ָעה ְו ׁ ָש ָעה. ְל ָכ ְך ֶנ ֱא ַמר: ְוזֹאת THEM, occur twice and interprets the ַה ְּב ָר ָכה. ִאי ׁש ָה ֱאלֹ ִקים, ִאם ָא ַמר verse to mean that one blessing, the fivefold blessing he had received, was for ִאי ׁש, ָל ָּמה ֶנ ֱא ַמר ֱאלֹ ִקים. ְו ִאם ָא ַמר the tribes as a group while the other ֱאלֹ ִקים, ָל ָּמה ָא ַמר ִאי ׁש. ֶא ָּלא blessing was a specific blessing for each ְּכ ׁ ֶש ֻה ׁ ְש ַל ְך ַל ְּיא ֹור ׁ ֶשל ִמ ְצ ִרים, ִאי ׁש. tribe. When Moses came to bless וּ ְב ׁ ָש ָעה ׁ ֶש ֲה ָפכ ֹו ְל ָדם, ֱאלֹ ִקים. ָּד ָבר Israel, he added a seventh blessing to ַא ֵחר, ְּכ ׁ ֶש ָּב ַרח ִמ ִּל ְפ ֵני ּ ַפ ְרעֹה, ִאי ׁש. .them. Thus it is stated (in Deut 33:1), “And this is the blessing.” וּ ְב ׁ ָש ָעה ׁ ֶש ׁ ִּש ְּק ָען, ֱאלֹ ִקים. ָּד ָבר ַא ֵחר, According to another] ְּב ׁ ָש ָעה ׁ ֶש ָע ָלה ָל ָר ִקי ַע, ִאי ׁש, ִל ְפ ֵני interpretation, Moses made] an ַה ַּמ ְל ָא ִכים ׁ ֶש ָהיוּ ֻּכ ָּלם ֵא ׁש, ָהיָה addition to the blessings with which 5 ִאי ׁש. וּ ְב ׁ ָש ָעה ׁ ֶש ּיָ ַרד, ֱאלֹ ִקים. ָּד ָבר Balaam had blessed Israel, Cf. PRK 31(suppl. 1):4. since it was fitting for ַא ֵחר, קֹ ֶדם ׁ ֶש ָע ָלה ָל ָר ִקי ַע, ִאי ׁש, him to bless them with seven ׁ ֶש ָהיָה א ֹו ֵכל ְו ׁש ֹו ֶתה. ְו ָכל ְז ַמן ׁ ֶש ָהיָה blessings corresponding to the seven ׁ ָשם, ֱאלֹ ִקים, ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר: ַו ִּי ְראוּ ִמ ֶּג ׁ ֶשת ,altars [he had built];6On these altars ֵא ָליו. [see Numb. 23:1, 14, 29. but [Balaam only blessed them with three, as stated (in Numb. 24:10), “but here you have even blessed them these three times.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “O wicked one, your eye is too jaundiced for you to bless them. Moreover, I am not putting the power in your hand to finish your blessing over Israel. Moses will come, whose eye is fair; then he will bless Israel.” And it is about him that Solomon has said (in 17

Prov. 22:9), “He that has a benevolent eye shall be blessed (ybrk).” Do not read “ybrk [with vowels meaning] shall be blessed,” but [with vowels meaning] “shall bless.” This refers to Moses our master whose eyes were fair when he blessed Israel, such that he blessed them with [the other] four blessings: The first is (in Exod. 39:43), “When Moses saw all the work […] he blessed them.” The second is (in Lev. 9:23), “Then Moses and Aaron came unto the tent of meeting; and when they came out, they blessed the people….” The third is (in Deut. 1:11), “May the Lord God of your ancestors add [to your numbers a thousand times more than you are and bless you].” The fourth is (here in Deut. 33:1), “And this is the blessing.” It is therefore stated (in Prov. 31:29), “Many daughters have done valiantly, but you surpass them all.”(Deut. 33:1:) And this is the blessing.” It was fitting for Moses to bless Israel because he had constantly risked his life for them.7PRK 31(suppl. 1):12. For this reason, it is stated (in Deut. 33:1), “And this is the blessing [that Moses blessed... the Children of Israel].” (Deut. 33:1:) “The man of God (the Power).” If it says, “man,” why does it say, “God,” and if it says, “God,” why does it say, “man?” It is simply that at the time he fled from 18

in front of Pharaoh, he was a man, but at the time he trounced [the Egyptians], he was a power. Another interpretation: At the time that he went up to the firmament, he was a man; in front of the angels that were all fire, he was a man. But at the time he came down, he was a power. Before he went up to the firmament, he was a man, as he would eat and drink. But all the time that he was there, he was a power, as stated (in Exod. 34:20), “and they were afraid to approach him.”

ספרא, שמיני, מכילתא דמילואים Sifra, Shemini, Mechilta d'Miluim 2 19 ב י״ט Vayikra 9:23): "And Moses and) (19 Aaron went into the tent of ]יט[ "ויבא משה ואהרן אל אהל meeting": When Aaron saw that all מועד". כיון שראה אהרן שקרבו כל the offerings had been sacrificed and הקרבנות ונעשו כל המעשים ולא all the services had been performed and the shechinah had not descended ירדה שכינה לישראל היה עומד upon Israel, he stood and grieved: I ומצטער. אמר "יודע אני שכעס עלי know that the L–rd is wroth with המקום. בשבילי לא ירדה שכינה me. Because of me the shechinah has לישראל". אמר לו "משה אחי כך not descended upon Israel. This is עשית לי, שנכנסתי ונתביישתי ולא what my brother Moses has done to me: I entered and was put to shame ירדה שכינה לישראל". מיד נכנס and the shechinah did not descend משה עמו ובקשו רחמים וירדה upon Israel — whereupon Moses שכינה לישראל. לכך נאמר "ויבא entered with him, they implored משה ואהרן אל אהל מועד". mercy and the shechinah descended upon Israel. This is the intent of "And Moses and Aaron went into the 19

tent of meeting."

ויקרא ט׳:כ״ד Leviticus 9:24 ַו ֵּת֤ ֵצא ֵא ׁש֙ ִמ ִּל ְפ ֵ֣ני יי ַו ּתֹ֙א ַכ ֙ל Fire came forth from before the ֔ ֖ ֑ LORD and consumed the burnt ַעל־ ַה ִּמ ְז ֵּב ַח ֶאת־ ָהעֹ ָלה ְו ֶאת־ ַה ֲח ָל ִבים .offering and the fat parts on the altar ַו ַּי֤ ְרא ָּכל־ ָה ָע ֙ם ַו ּיָרֹ֔ ּנוּ ַוֽ ִּי ְּפ ֖לוּ ,And all the people saw, and shouted ַעל־ ְּפ ֵני ֶהֽם׃ .and fell on their faces

חזקוני, ויקרא ט׳:כ״ד:א׳ Chizkuni, Leviticus 9:24:1 ותצא אש וגו׳ אש שיצאה בימי Heavenly fire“ ,ותצא אש וגו' descended,” etc.; the heavenly fire משה לא נסתלקה ממזבח הנחושת that was visible in the time of Moses עד שבא לבית עולמים ואותה did not depart from the copper altar שירדה בימי שלמה לא נסתלקה until the days of the Temple of ממזבח העולה עד שנסתלקה בימי Solomon. It disappeared only in the משה. days of King Menashe, who had incurred G-d’s wrath more than any King of the kingdom of Yehudah before him.

אבן עזרא על ויקרא ט׳:כ״ד:ג׳ Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 9:24:3 וירנו. הרמת קול וכן ותעבו׳ הרנה THEY SHOUTED. Va-yaronnu (they shouted) means they raised their במחנה: voices. Compare, rinnah (cry) in And there went a cry throughout the host (I Kings 22:36).

בראשית רבה ג׳:ט׳ Bereishit Rabbah 3:9 20

ָא ַמר ַר ִּבי ׁ ְשמוּ ֵאל ַּבר ַא ֵּמי, ִמ ְּת ִח ַּלת Said Rabbi Shmuel bar Ami - from ְּב ִר ּיָת ֹו ׁ ֶשל ע ֹו ָלם ִנ ְת ַא ֶוּה ַה ָּקד ֹו ׁש the beginning of Creation the Holy ְ One of Blessing desired to have ָּברוּך הוּא ַל ֲע ׂש ֹות ׁ ֻש ָּתפוּת partnership with the beings in the ַּב ַּת ְח ּת ֹו ִנים, ַמה ַּנ ְפ ׁ ָש ְך, ִאם ְל ִע ְנ ַין lower realm. How can you say this? If ַה ֶח ׁ ְש ּב ֹון, לֹא ָהיָה ָצ ִרי ְך ְל ֵמי ַמר ֶא ָּלא it was just a question of the ֶא ָחד, ׁ ְש ַנ ִים, ׁ ְשלֹׁ ָשה, א ֹו ִרא ׁש ֹון, ׁ ֵש ִני, accounting [of days] it only needed וּ ׁ ְש ִלי ׁ ִשי. ׁ ֶש ָּמא ֶא ָחד, ׁ ֵש ִני, ׁ ְש ִלי ׁ ִשי, ,to say "one, two, three" OR "first second, third" - this is indeed ֶא ְת ְמ ָהא. ֵאי ָמ ַתי ּ ָפ ַרע ָל ֶהם ַה ָּקד ֹו ׁש surprising, since [the account of ָּברוּ ְך הוּא, ְל ַה ָּלן ַּב ֲה ָק ַמת ַה ִּמ ׁ ְש ָּכן, creation beginning with] one and ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר )במדבר ז, יב(: ַו ְי ִהי then second and third. When did the ַה ַּמ ְק ִריב ַּב ּי ֹום ָה ִרא ׁש ֹון ֶאת ָק ְר ָּבנ ֹו, Holy One of Blessing solve this? In ִרא ׁש ֹון ִל ְב ִר ּיָת ֹו ׁ ֶשל ע ֹו ָלם, ָא ַמר the setting up of the Mishkan, as it ְ ,says: "And the gifter, on the first day ַה ָּקד ֹו ׁש ָּברוּך הוּא ְּכ ִא ּלוּ ְּבא ֹות ֹו י ֹום his offering" - this is the first of the ָּב ָרא ִתי ֶאת ע ֹו ָל ִמי. ָּת ֵני ֶע ֶׂשר ֲע ָטר ֹות creation of the world. Said the Holy ָנ ַטל א ֹות ֹו ַה ּי ֹום, ִרא ׁש ֹון ְל ַמ ֲע ֵׂשה One of Blessing: it is as if on that day ְב ֵרא ׁ ִשית, ִרא ׁש ֹון ִל ְמ ָל ִכים, ִרא ׁש ֹון :I created My world. It is taught twelve tiaras [measures of beauty] ִל ְנ ִ ׂשי ִאים, ִרא ׁש ֹון ִל ְכ ֻה ָּנה, ִרא ׁש ֹון that day received - it was first for the ַל ׁ ְּש ִכי ָנה, ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר )שמות כה, ח(: ,creation of the world, first for kings ְו ָע ׂשוּ ִלי ִמ ְק ָּד ׁש, ִרא ׁש ֹון ִל ְב ָר ָכה, first for princes, first for the ִרא ׁש ֹון ָל ֲעב ֹו ָדה, ִרא ׁש ֹון ְל ִא ּסוּר kohanim, first for the Shechinah, as ַה ָּב ָמה, ִרא ׁש ֹון ִל ׁ ְש ִח ָּטה ַּב ָּצפ ֹון, it says (Ex. 25:8) 'And they shall make Me a sanctuary", first for ִרא ׁש ֹון ִלי ִרי ַדת ָה ֵא ׁש, ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר blessing, first for worship, first for )ויקרא י, ב(: ַו ֵּת ֵצא ֵא ׁש ִמ ִּל ְפ ֵני יי forbidden animals, first for laws of וגו'. slaughtering on the north, first for lowering of fire, as it is said (Lev. 9:24): 'And a fire came forth from God etc'

פרקי דרבי אליעזר ח׳:ו׳ Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 8:6 21

בשלשה מעברין רבי אליעזר אומר The intercalation takes place in the בעשרה, שנאמר )תהלים פב, א(: presence of three; Rabbi Eliezer says that ten (men are required), as it is " ֱאלֹ ִקים ִנ ָּצב ַּב ֲע ַדת ֵאל". ואם said, "God standeth in the נתמעטו מביאין ספר תורה ופורשין congregation of God" (Ps. 82:1), and אותו לפניהם ונעשין כמין גרן if they become less than ten, since עגולה ויושבין גדול לפי גדלו וקטן they are diminished they place a לפי קטנו ונותנין פניהן למטה scroll of the Torah before them, and they are seated in a circle in the לארץ ופורשין את כפיהן לאביהם court-room, and the greatest (among שבשמים וראש הישיבה מזכיר את ;them) sits first, and the least sits last השם ושומעים בת קול שצווחת and they direct their gaze ואומרת בלשון הזה ויאמר יי אל (downwards to the earth and (then משה ואל אהרן לאמר החדש הזה they stand and spread out their hands before their Father who is in heaven, לכם. and the chief of the assembly proclaims the name (of God), and they hear a Bath Ḳol (saying) the following words, "And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron… saying, This month shall be unto you" (Ex. 12:1, 2).

Source Sheet created on Sefaria by Dahlia Bernstein