Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina, Rabbi Elazar said: The descendants of Noah sacrificed peace offerings. Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: The descendants of Noah sacrificed [only] burnt offerings. Rabbi Elazar raised an objection to Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina: “Abel, he too brought from the firstborn of his flock and the choicest of them [meḥelvehen]” (Genesis 4:4), an item whose fat [ḥelev] is offered [on the altar].14This is a peace offering, as opposed to a burnt offering, which is burned in its entirety on the altar.
Although Abel preceded Noah, his case is brought as precedent because the expression “descendants of Noah” is a general expression for anyone other than Israel. What does Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina do with this? He will interpret it as the choicest of them.15Rabbi Ḥanina argues that the reference is not to a peace offering, but to a burnt offering from the fattest of the flock. Rabbi Elazar raised an objection to Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina: “He sent the young men of the children of Israel and they offered burnt offerings and they slaughtered peace offerings [shelamim]” (Exodus 24:5).16Since this occurred before the giving of the Torah, the children of Israel were no different than other descendants of Noah, and yet the verse states that they slaughtered peace offerings.
What does Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina do with this? He interprets it in accordance with the one who said: They were complete [shelemim] with their hides, without flaying and quartering. Rabbi Elazar raised an objection to Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina: “Yitro, father-in-law of Moses, took a burnt-offering and feast offerings to God” (Exodus 18:12). What does Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina do with this?
He interprets it in accordance with the one who said: Yitro converted after the giving of the Torah.17Thus, he interprets the entire incident recorded in Exodus chapter 18 as having occurred after the giving of the Torah. Since Yitro converted, he was no longer a descendant of Noah, but rather, a full-fledged Jew. Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yanai disagreed: One said Yitro converted after the giving of the Torah, and one said Yitro converted before the giving of the Torah.
Rabbi Huna said: They do not disagree.18Their dispute is not primarily regarding the timing of Yitro’s visit, but rather an outgrowth of the dispute regarding the type of offering sacrificed by the descendants of Noah. The one who said Yitro converted before the giving of the Torah holds in accordance with the one who said the descendants of Noah sacrificed peace offerings. The one who said Yitro converted after the giving of the Torah holds in accordance with the one who said the descendants of Noah sacrificed burnt offerings.
This supports Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina: “Awake, north, and come, south” (Song of Songs 4:16). “Awake, north,” this is the burnt offering that is slaughtered in the north.19It is slaughtered in the northern part of the Temple courtyard. Why is it called to “awake”? It is a matter that was asleep and awakened.20The patriarchs had sacrificed burnt offerings.
During their stay in Egypt they were not sacrificed. With the giving of the Torah they were awakened in the sense that the Israelites were commanded to renew their sacrifices. “Come, south,” this is the thanks offering that is slaughtered in the south. Why is it called to “come”?
It is because it is an innovation. The verse, too, supports Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina: “This is the law of the burnt offering, it is the burnt offering” (Leviticus 6:2) that the descendants of Noah sacrificed.21The midrash interprets the extraneous phrase “it is the burnt offering” to mean that it is a type of offering already known to the world. But when it comes to the peace offering: “This is the law of the peace offering” (Leviticus 7:11).
It is not written here “that they sacrificed to the Lord,” but rather: “That one will sacrifice to the Lord” (Leviticus 7:11), from now on. How does Rabbi Elazar interpret the verse of Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina: “Awake, north”? When the exiles situated in the north awaken, they will come and encamp in the south, as it is stated: “Behold, I will bring them from the land of the north” (Jeremiah 31:7). When Gog, who is situated in the north, will awaken, he will come and fall in the south, just as it says: “I will lead you astray and I will entice you and I will cause you to ascend from the ends of the north” (Ezekiel 39:2).
The messianic king, who is situated in the north, will come and build the Temple, which is situated in the south. That is what is written: “I roused one from the north and he came from the rising sun” (Isaiah 41:25). Rabbi Yosei said in the name of Rabbi Binyamin bar Levi: Because in this world, when the south wind blows the north wind does not blow, and when the north wind blows the south wind does not blow; but in the World to Come, the Holy One blessed be He says: ‘I will bring a rare wind that will blow in two directions.’
That is what is written: “I will say to the north: Give, and to the south: Do not withhold; bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 43:6). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Torah taught you proper etiquette, that a bridegroom does not enter the wedding canopy until the bride gives him permission. That is what is written: “Let my beloved come to his garden, and eat his delicious fruits” (Song of Songs 4:16),22This is the continuation of the verse in Song of Songs cited above, and that is why this part of the midrash appears. and then: “I came to my garden, my sister, my bride” (Song of Songs 5:1).