“Malkitzedek king of Salem took out bread and wine, and he was a priest of God, the Most High” (Genesis 14:18). “Malkitzedek king of Salem…” – that is what is written: “Daughter of Tzor, the wealthiest of the people will seek your favor with gifts” (Psalms 45:13).25The “daughter of Tzor” refers to Abraham, who distressed (hetzer) the four kings, and who was distressed by them. “The wealthiest of the people,” referring to Malkitzedek king of Salem, “will seek your favor with gifts,” as he did in this verse (Yalkut Shimoni).
“Malkitzedek king of Salem” – this place26Salem is short for Jerusalem (see Psalms 76:3). renders its inhabitants righteous, [and this is why he was called] Malkitzedek,27Malkitzedek means king of righteousness [tzedek]. [and we find as well] “Adoni Tzedek [king of Jerusalem]” (Joshua 10:1).28Adoni Tzedek means “lord of righteousness.” Jerusalem itself is called righteousness [tzedek], as it is stated: “Justice [tzedek] abided in it” (Isaiah 1:21).29See also Isaiah 1:26.
“King of Salem [Shalem]” – Rabbi Yitzḥak the Babylonian says: He was born circumcised.30Melekh shalem, translated earlier “king of Salem,” can also mean “the perfect king,” meaning that he was born in a perfected state, having had no need for circumcision. “[He] took out bread and wine, and he was a priest of God, the Most High” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman and the Rabbis, Rabbi Shmuel said: He revealed to him the laws of the High Priesthood.31Malkitzedek brought bread and wine in order to show Abraham the priestly rites involving these items.
“Bread” – this alludes to the showbread;32Described in Leviticus 24:5–9. “and wine” – this alludes to the libations. The Rabbis say: He revealed Torah [precepts] to him, as it is stated: “Come, partake of my bread, and drink of the wine that I have mixed” (Proverbs 9:5).33The speaker in this verse is divine wisdom, the Torah. It refers to its teachings metaphorically as bread and wine. “And he was a priest of God, the Most High” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Levi, Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Any time wine is written in the Torah it connotes a [negative] impact,34As when Noah (Genesis 9:21) and Lot (Genesis 19:32–35) became drunk, both instances leading to humiliating consequences. except for this one.
Rabbi Levi said: We cannot except this one either, as it was immediately after this that He decreed upon him: “They35Abraham’s descendants. will be enslaved to them and they will oppress them” (Genesis 15:13).