How God Showed Moses Every Creature He Could and Could Not Eat

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Shmini 11:3

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

Concerning the creeping things, from where? As it is said, "And these shall be unclean to you [among the swarming things that swarm upon the earth]" (Leviticus 11:29). The Holy One, blessed be He, took hold of each and every species and showed it to Moses, and said to him: This one you may eat, and this one you may not eat, [as it is said,] "This is the living creature which you may eat [and so forth: but this you may not eat]" (Leviticus 11:2, 4). And do not wonder at the matter; for behold, the Holy One showed [the creatures to Adam]. And [He said,] "And I, what is My name?" He said to Him: It is the LORD, as Scripture says, "I am the LORD, that is My name" (Isaiah 42:8). [This is My name by which the first man called Me;] it is My name which I have established between Me and My creatures. Now if in the case of the first man the Holy One passed the creatures before him, then as for Moses, for whom the Holy One sought to warn Israel concerning the impurities and concerning the purities, do you wonder that He showed him and said to him, "[This is the living creature which you may eat]"?

Themes

Divine RevelationAdam EveMosesTribesLevi

Biblical References

Continue Reading

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, BamidbarWhy the Tribe of Levi Was Counted from One Month OldTwice the Torah speaks of Levi, and the two verses seem to quarrel. "Do not number the tribe of Levi," one says. "Number the sons of Levi," says the other. The Exempla of the Rabbis (Gaster, 1924)Why God Appeared to Moses in a Lowly ThornbushA non-Jew once asked Rabban Gamliel a question that seemed simple but concealed a philosophical trap. "Your God," he said, "is supposedly the master of the entiLegends of the JewsMoses Protests Counting Every Levite Baby by HandPicture it: trekking from tent to tent, peering into every dwelling, trying to keep an accurate tally. A logistical nightmare! As Ginzberg recounts in Legends oLegends of the JewsMoses Selects Twelve Distinguished Men to Scout CanaanThe Israelites are on the cusp of finally entering the land promised to their ancestors. Moses, following divine instruction, needs to get a lay of the land, soLegends of the JewsReuben and Gad Choose Land East of the JordanThere's a fascinating little moment in the Torah that really highlights this human tendency, and it involves the tribes of Reuben and Gad. They come to Moses wiMekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelRabbi Shimon Ben Yochai Pressed Further with a Piercing QuestionRabbi Shimon ben Yochai examined the verse in which God tells Moses he will not cross the Jordan, and he declared: this verse is not needed. The Torah already s