My Musing
Very early on, human sacrifice was outlawed by the Torah. Yet the idea of consecrating yourself, giving of your value to God or the Holy precinct, seems to be an inborn need. The idea of Erechin, giving the monetary value of a living being to the Holy service, addresses this need. In a classic approach of the later Tanhum midrashim, this week’s selection, the last midrash on Vayikra, uses the lesson of Erechin to once more establish the Jewish people as unique and deserved.
מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת בחוקותי סימן וVery early on, human sacrifice was outlawed by the Torah. Yet the idea of consecrating yourself, giving of your value to God or the Holy precinct, seems to be an inborn need. The idea of Erechin, giving the monetary value of a living being to the Holy service, addresses this need. In a classic approach of the later Tanhum midrashim, this week’s selection, the last midrash on Vayikra, uses the lesson of Erechin to once more establish the Jewish people as unique and deserved.
(ויקרא כז:ב) "דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם אִישׁ כִּי יַפְלִא נֶדֶר בְּעֶרְכְּךָ נְפָשֹׁת לַידֹוָד"
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When a man shall clearly utter a vow of persons unto the LORD, according to thy valuation,
דבר אחר " אִישׁ כִּי יַפְלִא נֶדֶר", אף העובד כוכבים ומזלות אומרים (מיכה ו:ו- ז) "בַּמָּה אֲקַדֵּם יְדֹוָד אִכַּף לֵאלֹקֵי מָרוֹם, הַאֲקַדְּמֶנּוּ בְעוֹלוֹת בַּעֲגָלִים בְּנֵי שָׁנָה? הֲיִרְצֶה יְדֹוָד בְּאַלְפֵי אֵילִים בְּרִבְבוֹת נַחֲלֵי שָׁמֶן הַאֶתֵּן בְּכוֹרִי פִּשְׁעִי פְּרִי בִטְנִי חַטַּאת נַפְשִׁי"
Another idea, “When a man shall clearly utter a vow”, even the idolaters say, “'Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before Him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?'
The Holy One, blessed be He, says to them, ‘Idolaters, your children you desire to offer before Me? I do not request, not your children, and not your offerings. Rather, to My children I gave the portion of sacrifices and the laws of valuations and dedications, because their offerings are dear to me. And so it says, “Better is a little that the righteous hath than the abundance of many wicked.
Know that the beginning of the book of Leviticus , “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When any man of you bringeth an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd or of the flock.”
'מִכֶּם' ולא מהעכו"ם. וסופו של ספר, "דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם אִישׁ כִּי יַפְלִא", וכן הוא אומר (תהלים קמז:יט) "מַגִּיד <דברו> דְּבָרָיו לְיַעֲקֹב חֻקָּיו וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו לְיִשְׂרָאֵל"
From you and not from the idolaters . And then end of the book of Leviticus, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When a man shall clearly utter a vow “ And similarly the text sates “He declares His word unto Jacob, His statutes and His ordinances unto Israel. “
Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to Israel, ‘If you bring before me your valuations, I will consider it as if you offered your lives before Me.’ Therefore it says, When a man shall clearly utter a vow”
Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to Israel, in the merit of the valuations, I will save you from Gehenom.’ [Said to them the Holy One, blessed be He, to Israel, behold you evaluate yiourselves before me, I save you from Gehenom] As it says, “For a hearth is ordered of old; yea, for the king it is prepared, deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.”
And I will set a table before you that David said, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”
And so it should be, the end of the Book of Leviticus.
אין תגובות:
הוסף רשומת תגובה