Abraham, the Tribe of Levi, and Who Blesses the Blessers

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Lech Lecha 5:3

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

Another interpretation of (Genesis 12:2) "and be a blessing": The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "I am destined to raise up from you a tribe that blesses Israel." And which is this? The tribe of Levi, which blesses Israel. Abraham said before Him, "Master of the Universe, who blesses that tribe?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "When they bless Israel, I bless them, as it is said (Numbers 6:27): 'And they shall put My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.'" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, "In this world the tribe of Levi blesses you in My name, but in the world to come I, in My glory, bless you, as it is said (Jeremiah 31:22 [23]): 'The LORD bless you, O habitation of righteousness, O holy mountain.'"

Themes

BlessingWorld To Come

Biblical References

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Yalkut Shimoni on TorahThe Cup of Blessing the Patriarchs Refuse and David AcceptsThe verse says simply that the child grew, but the Sages saw in it a glimpse of the final banquet God will set for the righteous in the world to come. When the Midrash AggadahIsaac's Blessing of Dew Read as Torah, Temple, and JacobWhen blind Isaac laid his hands upon his son and said, "And may God give you," the sages heard more than a harvest blessing of grain and dew. They reached for aMidrash Tanchuma Buber, TetzavehWhy the Altar Blessed the Land and the Exile Lost Its BountyThe Altar That Blessed the World "Take one young bull", bought, never stolen, "and two rams," the bull set between them. Three offerings against the three adornMidrash Tanchuma Buber, TzavWhoever Answers Amen in This World Merits Amen in the World to ComeThe Amen That Crosses Worlds Listen, my children. Rabbi Judah bar Gadya taught a small word that carries a great weight. There is a single utterance, three lettBook of JubileesBowing Before the LordBook of Jubilees turns to Bowing Before the Lord. Chapter 20 lays out a powerful promise, a vision of what life could be when lived in alignment with a higher pBook of JubileesBlessed Art Thou Lord of RighteousnessIt’s a fascinating text, considered apocryphal by some, meaning it's not included in the standard Hebrew Bible, but it's still treasured by many as a window int