Eleazar and Ithamar and the Seven Sons of Kimhit

"And they had no children" (Numbers 3:4). Rabbi Jacob bar Abuyei in the name of Rabbi Aha: had they had children, they would have taken precedence over Eleazar and Ithamar, for whoever takes precedence in inheritance takes precedence in honor, provided he follows the way of his fathers. "And Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the presence of Aaron their father" (Numbers 3:4). Rabbi Isaac says, in his lifetime; and Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba says, after his death. According to Rabbi Isaac who says in his lifetime: "in the presence of" is said here, and "in the presence of" is said there, "And Haran died in the presence of Terah his father" (Genesis 11:28); just as "in the presence of" said there means in his lifetime, so "in the presence of" said here means in his lifetime. According to Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba who says after his death: "in the presence of" is said here (Numbers 3:4), and "in the presence of" is said there, "And Abraham rose up from before the presence of his dead" (Genesis 23:3); just as "in the presence of" said there means after death, so "in the presence of" said here means after death. According to Rabbi Isaac who says in his lifetime: if impurity befell Aaron, Eleazar ministered; if impurity befell Eleazar, Ithamar ministered. It once happened that Simeon ben Kimhit went out to speak with the king of the Arabs, and a drop of spittle splashed from his mouth onto his garments and rendered him impure, so his brother Judah entered and ministered in his place in the high priesthood. On that day their mother saw two of her sons as high priests. The sages said, Kimhit had seven sons and all of them ministered in the high priesthood. The sages came to her and said to her, what good deeds are in your hand? She said to them, let the beams of my house bear witness for me that they never saw the hair of my head in all my days. They said, all flours are flour, but the flour of Kimhit is the finest flour, and they applied to her this verse, "All glorious is the king's daughter within" (Psalms 45:14). And according to Rabbi Hiyya who says after his death: when Aaron died, Eleazar his son ministered; when Eleazar died, Ithamar ministered.