“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When a man among you sacrifices an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering from the animals, from the herd or from the flock you shall bring your offering” (Leviticus 1:2). “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When a man among you brings an offering to the Lord” – that is what the verse says: “Is Ephraim a precious [yakir] son to Me?” (Jeremiah 31:20).
Ten were called precious [yekarim], and they are: Torah, prophecy, understanding, knowledge, foolishness, wealth, the righteous, the death of the pious, kindness, and Israel. Torah, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “It is more precious [yekara] than pearls” (Proverbs 3:15). Prophecy, from where is it derived?
“The word of the Lord was rare [yakar] in those days” (I Samuel 3:1). Understanding, from where is it derived? “A man of understanding is noble of [yekar] spirit” (Proverbs 17:27). Knowledge, from where is it derived?
“Lips of knowledge are a precious [yakar] vessel” (Proverbs 20:15). Foolishness, from where is it derived? “A little foolishness outweighs [yakar] wisdom and honor” (Ecclesiastes 10:1). Wealth, from where is it derived?
“A diligent man has precious [yakar] wealth” (Proverbs 12:27). The righteous, from where is it derived? “How precious [yakeru] are Your friends to me, God” (Psalms 139:17). The death of the pious, from where is it derived?
“Precious [yakar] in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His pious ones” (Psalms 116:15). Kindness, from where is it derived? “How precious is Your kindness, God” (Psalms 36:8). Israel, from where is it derived?
“Is Ephraim a precious [yakir] son to Me?” (Jeremiah 31:20). Israel’s standing with Me is precious. The way of the world is that one thousand enter to study Bible, from whom one hundred emerge.1One hundred emerge proficient enough in the Bible to progress to the study of Mishna. One hundred enter to study Mishna, from whom ten emerge.
Ten enter to study Talmud, from whom one emerges.2In Kohelet Rabba (8:28) the midrash clarifies that one emerges who is sufficiently knowledgeable to issue halakhic rulings. That is what is written: “One of one thousand I have found” (Ecclesiastes 7:28).3Israel is precious in that at least some of them, one in a thousand, emerge as true Torah scholars. Alternatively, just as among individuals only one in a thousand become outstanding scholars, so too Israel as a whole, on a national level, is unique in its spiritual standing.
Another matter, “one of one thousand I have found,” this is Abraham. “But a woman among all these I did not find” (Ecclesiastes 7:28), this is Sarah.4Although Sarah was exceedingly righteous, her righteousness was not as perfect as that of Abraham. When informed that they would have a child, Abraham believed the prophecy but Sarah did not (see Genesis 18:10–15). Another matter, “one of one thousand I have found,” this is Amram.
“But a woman among all these I did not find,” this is Yokheved. Another matter, “one of one thousand I have found,” this is Moses. “But a woman among all these I did not find,” these are the women of the generation of the wilderness. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says: The women of the generation of the wilderness were upright.
When they heard that they were forbidden to their husbands, they immediately locked their doors.5When Moses introduced the laws of forbidden relations, and the laws of nidda, the men mourned, but the women accepted these laws and refrained from engaging in relations in these circumstances. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Israel’s standing with Me is precious.’ Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Yitzḥak, Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Had Pharaoh requested the weight of each and every one of Israel in gems and pearls,6Had Pharoah requested great wealth in return for releasing the Israelites. would I not have given it to him?
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Did He not take them for a price? Do hordes upon hordes of lice, hordes upon hordes of beasts not have a price?7God generally maintains the rules of nature and prefers not to bring open miracles, but for the sake of redeeming Israel He performed great miracles. This displays His love for Israel (Etz Yosef). That is, ‘Israel’s standing with Me is precious.’