If I Were Hungry I Would Not Tell You and the God Who Needs Nothing

Pesikta DeRav Kahana 6:1

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"My offering, My bread" (Numbers 28:2). "If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine and its fullness" (Psalms 50:12). Rabbi Simon said: thirteen attributes of mercy are written of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, "And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, the LORD, the LORD, God, merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in kindness and truth, keeping kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and cleansing" (Exodus 34:6-7). And is there a merciful one who would hand his food over to a cruel one? Therefore, "If I were hungry I would not tell you." Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon said: the Holy One, blessed be He, said, ten clean animals I handed to you, three in your domain and seven not in your domain. Those in your domain: "the ox, the sheep of the flock, and the goat" (Deuteronomy 14:4). Those not in your domain: "the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep" (Deuteronomy 14:5). Did I trouble you to chase over hills and mountains to bring Me an offering from those not in your domain? I asked only from what is in your domain and raised at your stall. Therefore, "If I were hungry I would not tell you." Rabbi Yitzchak said: it is written, "My offering, My bread for My fires" (Numbers 28:2). Is there eating and drinking before Me? If you say there is eating and drinking before Me, learn from My angels, learn from My ministers: "He makes His angels winds, His ministers a flaming fire" (Psalms 104:4). From what are they nourished? They are nourished from the radiance of the Divine Presence, as it is written, "in the light of the King's face is life" (Proverbs 16:15). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: it is written, "a continual burnt offering, made at Mount Sinai for a pleasing aroma, an offering to the LORD" (Numbers 28:6). Is there eating and drinking before Me? Learn from Moses, of whom it is written, "and he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he ate no bread and drank no water" (Exodus 34:28). And these matters are an a fortiori argument: if Moses, who went on My errand forty days, ate no bread and drank no water, is there eating and drinking before Me? Therefore, "If I were hungry I would not tell you." Rabbi Chiyya the Elder said: My creatures do not need My creatures, and I do not need My creatures. Have you ever heard one say, give this vine wine to drink so it will make much wine, give this olive oil to drink so it will make much oil? My creatures do not need My creatures, and I do not need My creatures. One animal I handed you and you could not manage it. Which is this? This is the Behemoth on a thousand hills (Psalms 50:10). Rabbi Yochanan said: one animal lies upon a thousand hills, and the thousand hills grow food for it and it eats. What is the reason? "For the hills bring it produce" (Job 40:20). And Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: one animal lies upon a thousand hills, and the thousand hills grow all kinds of food for the meal of the righteous in the time to come. And from where does it drink? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi taught: whatever the Jordan gathers in six months, it makes into one gulp. Rabbi Tanchum said: great are the works of our God, how wondrous are the works of the Holy One, blessed be He. Taught Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai: "a river goes out from Eden" (Genesis 2:10), and its name is Yuval, and from there it drinks, as it is written, "and by the stream it sends out its roots" (Jeremiah 17:8). One king I handed you and you could not manage him. Which is this? This is Solomon son of David. "And Solomon's bread for one day was thirty kor of fine flour and sixty kor of meal" (1 Kings 5:2). Rabbi Yudah son of Rabbi Zevida said: Solomon had a thousand wives, and each one would prepare a meal like this, each thinking perhaps he would dine with her. Therefore, "If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine." It is taught: one does not bring the incense-pan except after the meal. Do the guests benefit from it except by the aroma? So said the Holy One, blessed be He, to Israel: My children, of all the offerings you bring before Me, do I benefit from you in anything except the aroma? "A pleasing aroma you shall keep to offer to Me in its appointed time" (Numbers 28:2).

Themes

SacrificeDivine JusticeBehemoth

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