Heaven's Joy Over the Consecrated Priest of the Mishkan

Sifra, Mekhilta deMiluim I 30

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

30) (Vayikra 8:28): "They are a miluim (investiture) offering for a sweet savor": We are hereby taught that the miluim offering is called "a sweet savor." And does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If a king of flesh and blood who acquires a lover makes a festival for him, the King of kings, the Holy One Blessed be He, who invests a Cohein for Himself, how much more so!

Themes

PriesthoodSacrifice

Biblical References

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Ben SiraHigh Priest Before the AltarForget the sterile descriptions in history books. Ben Sira, in chapter 50 of his wisdom book, gives us a series of breathtaking images to help us do just that. Letter of AristeasThe King Sends Lavish Offerings to the High PriestAmong the oldest Jewish texts outside the Hebrew Bible is a peculiar document called the Letter of Aristeas, not a letter in scripture, but a letter about scripLetter of AristeasPtolemy — Andreas Before the AltarLetter of Aristeas turns to Ptolemy, Andreas Before the Altar. The letter opens with the high priest acknowledging receipt of Ptolemy's correspondence. But thisLetter of AristeasHoly Temple at the TempleLetter of Aristeas turns to Holy Temple at the Temple. This letter, a fascinating document from the Hellenistic period, purports to be written by a Greek officiAntiquities of the Jews (Josephus)The Sacrificial System Established at SinaiThere was a goat that carried the sins of an entire nation into the wilderness and was never seen again. Every year on Yom Kippur, the tenth day of the seventh Mekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelWho Has Committed Murder in NezikinThe Torah's command in (Exodus 21:14), "From My very altar shall you take him to die," addresses a chilling scenario: a priest, a Kohen (a priest), who has comm