Why God Accepts Offerings Only From Israel, Not Balaam

"And the LORD spoke... Command Aaron..." (Leviticus 6:1-2). This is what Scripture says (Psalms 89:7): "For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD, who is like the LORD among the sons of the mighty?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said: If I had desired an offering, would I not have said to Michael to offer Me an offering? And from whom do I request an offering? From Israel. And so it says concerning the showbread (Leviticus 24:8): "Every Sabbath day [he shall set it in order before the LORD continually]." And it is written (Micah 6:7): "Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?" Balaam the wicked was the advocate of the nations of the world, and through him it is spoken (Micah 6:7): "Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?" He desires what you offer Him, a log of oil; we offer Him ten thousand of ten thousands of rivers of oil. What did Abraham offer before Him? Was it not one ram, as it is said (Genesis 22:13): "And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a ram caught [in a thicket]"? If He desires, we will offer Him thousands of rams. And what did his son offer Him? I will offer Him my son and my daughter, as it is said (Micah 6:7): "Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" "My firstborn for my transgression," this is my firstborn son; "the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul," this is my daughter. See how crafty Balaam the wicked was. He began to say (Numbers 23:4): "I have set up the seven altars." He did not say "altars," but "the altars." These are: from when the first Adam was created until now, seven altars were built, and I offer seven corresponding to those seven. And what do they offer? Twelve cakes, as it is said (Leviticus 24:5): "And you shall take fine flour and bake it into twelve cakes." When the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to him, He said to him: Wicked one, what are you doing? He said to Him: "I have set up the seven altars." To what was this wicked one like? To a butcher who was selling in the market, and his shop was full of meat, and he saw the market commissioner, who was gazing at the meat. The butcher saw that he was gazing at the meat; he said to him: My master, I have already sent provisions to your house. So too Balaam: the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Wicked one, what are you doing here? He said before Him: "I have set up the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on the altar" (Numbers 23:4). He said to him (Micah 6:7): "Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams?" He said before Him: "Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Wicked one, if I desired an offering, I would say to Michael and to Gabriel, and they would offer before Me, as it is said (Psalms 89:7): "For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD, who is like the LORD among the sons of the mighty?" Among the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are the rams of the world. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: What do you seek, to deceive yourself before Me, that I should accept offerings from the nations? You cannot. He said to him: It is an oath on the part of the children of Israel, an everlasting covenant; they are conditions, that I accept offerings only from Israel, as it is said (Leviticus 6:2): "Command Aaron and his sons, saying..." And the nations say: How is it that Israel offers and burns incense? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: "This is the Torah of the burnt offering (ha-olah)." "Who is this coming up (olah) from the wilderness?" (Song of Songs 3:6). And "Moses went up (alah) to God" (Exodus 19:3).