It’s like a beautiful song with a simple melody, but underneath, there's a complex harmony of hidden meanings and connections. Today, we're going to explore just such a passage from Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Numbers, or Bamidbar in Hebrew.
The verse we're looking at is from (Numbers 7:49): "His offering was one silver dish, its weight one hundred and thirty; one silver basin of seventy shekels, in the sacred shekel; both of them full of high-quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering." Sounds straightforward. But the Rabbis of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) see something much deeper. They interpret this offering as being presented "in the name of Jacob, who had him precede Manasseh, and in the name of Joseph." It's all about family, legacy, and the unexpected ways blessings unfold.
The Midrash connects the "dish" – the Hebrew word is kaarat – to Jacob. But here's where it gets interesting. The Rabbis play with the word, suggesting we read it not as kaarat, but as akeret, which means "to uproot." This alludes to Jacob's act of uprooting the expected order by placing his right hand on Ephraim, the younger son of Joseph, thereby giving him the greater blessing. The Torah tells us this story in Genesis 48, and it's a powerful moment of divine intervention, or perhaps, divinely guided intuition.
The “silver,” we’re told, reflects the verse, "the tongue of the righteous is choice silver" (Proverbs 10:20). It’s connected to what Jacob said to Joseph when he insisted on blessing Ephraim over Manasseh: "I know, my son, I know; he too shall become a people..." (Genesis 48:19). Jacob knew what he was doing, even if it seemed unconventional. The Midrash even meticulously counts "one hundred and thirty" words from when Jacob "laid it on Ephraim's head" (Genesis 48:14) until "he placed Ephraim before Manasseh" (Genesis 48:20) to correspond to the weight of the silver dish. Talk about attention to detail!
Next, the "silver basin" – mizrak in Hebrew – represents Joseph. The Midrash connects mizrak to the idea of being "cast away" – shenizrak – referring to Joseph being cast into the pit by his brothers and sold into slavery in Egypt. The "one" basin symbolizes Joseph's unique position as a ruler in Egypt. Remember, (Genesis 42:6) tells us, "Joseph was the ruler over the land…" Again, the silver represents his wisdom, which allowed him to rise to power. As Pharaoh said, "After God has disclosed all this to you… You will be in charge of my house…" (Genesis 41:39-40).
Then there's the "seventy shekels." Here, the Midrash brings in a fascinating idea: that the angel Gabriel added a letter from God's name to Joseph's name, changing Yosef to Yehosef, and taught him seventy languages. This is based on (Psalms 81:6): "He established it as a precept for Joseph [bihosef] when he went out over Egypt; I learned a language I had not known." The idea is that without this divine assistance, the Egyptians wouldn't have accepted Joseph as their ruler.
The Midrash emphasizes the striking similarities between Jacob and Joseph. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nahmani points out that (Genesis 37:2) says, "These are the chronicles of Jacob, Joseph," instead of "These are the chronicles of Jacob, Reuben." This is to teach us that Joseph resembled his father in every way. The Midrash then lists a whole series of parallels: both were born circumcised, both their mothers were barren, both had difficult pregnancies, both had two sons, both were targeted by their brothers, both were shepherds, both were hated, both were stolen from, both were blessed, both left the Land of Israel, both married and had children outside the Land, both were accompanied by angels, both rose to greatness through dreams, both blessed their father-in-law's household, both went down to Egypt, both ended famine, both administered oaths, both died in Egypt, and both were embalmed and had their bones taken back to be buried in the Land of Israel. It's a stunning list that underscores the profound connection between father and son. Because of this resemblance, the Midrash concludes, it's appropriate that the offering is described as "Both of them full…" referring to both Jacob and Joseph.
The interpretation continues, linking further offerings to Abraham, Isaac, and even Joseph's descendants. It's a whirlwind of connections, showing how the Rabbis saw the entire history of Israel encoded within these seemingly simple verses.
What does this all mean? Is it just clever wordplay? Perhaps. But it's also a powerful reminder that the Torah is not just a history book or a legal code. It's a living document, constantly being reinterpreted and reapplied to new situations. It invites us to look beneath the surface, to find the hidden connections, and to see the deeper meaning in the stories we think we know so well. And maybe, just maybe, to consider how our own actions and choices ripple through generations, shaping the destiny of our families and communities.
“His offering was one silver dish, its weight one hundred and thirty; one silver basin of seventy shekels, in the sacred shekel; both of them full of high-quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering” (Numbers 7:49). “His offering was one silver dish [kaarat]….” – this is the offering that he presented in the name of Jacob, who had him precede Manasseh, and in the name of Joseph, who, because of his love, Jacob blessed him all those blessings, just as it says: “He blessed Joseph and said: The God [before whom my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, walked…]” (Genesis 48:15), and it says: “By you Israel shall bless, saying: May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh…” (Genesis 48:20). “Dish [kaarat]” – this is Jacob; do not read it as kaarat, but rather, as akeret, who uprooted [akar] the right hand from Manasseh in favor of Ephraim. “Silver” – after, “the tongue of the righteous is choice silver” (Proverbs 10:20); what he said to Joseph: “His father refused, and said: I know, my son, I know; he too shall become a people…” (Genesis 48:19). “Its weight one hundred and thirty” – corresponding to the one hundred and thirty words that there are from “he laid it on Ephraim’s head” (Genesis 48:14) until “he placed Ephraim before Manasseh” (Genesis 48:20). “One silver basin [mizrak]” – this is Joseph, who was cast away [shenizrak] from his father and sold to Egypt. “One” – as he was king in Egypt, just as it says: “One of the people33Avimelekh said this referring to himself. almost lay [with your wife]” (Genesis 26:10). Likewise it says: “Joseph was the ruler over the land…” (Genesis 42:6). “Silver” – after “the tongue of the righteous is choice silver,” as due to his wisdom he was privileged to achieve kingship, just as it says: “After God has disclosed all this to you.… You will be in charge of my house…” (Genesis 41:39–40). “Seventy shekels in the sacred shekel” – as Gabriel came and added one letter from the name of the Holy One blessed be He to his name and taught him seventy languages, as it is stated: “He established it as a precept for Joseph [bihosef]34He added a heh, changing Joseph [Yosef] to Yehosef. when he went out over Egypt; I learned a language I had not known” (Psalms 81:6), as were it not so, the Egyptians would not have accepted Joseph to rule over them. “Both of them full of high-quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering” – Jacob and Joseph were both full-fledged righteous men, and the two of them resembled one another. This accords with what Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: “These are the chronicles of Jacob, Joseph” (Genesis 37:2). It should have said nothing other than: “These are the chronicles of Jacob, Reuben.” Why is it stated: “These are the chronicles of Jacob, Joseph”? It is to teach you that Joseph resembled his father in every respect. Just as Jacob was born circumcised, so too, Joseph was born circumcised. Just as this one, his mother was barren, so too, that one, his mother was barren. Just as this one, his mother suffered from the pain of her pregnancy, so too that one, his mother suffered during birth. Just as this one, his mother bore two, so too that one, his mother bore two. Just as this one, his brother seeks to kill him, this one, too, his brothers seek to kill him. This one, his brother hates [soneh] him, and that one, likewise. This one is a shepherd and that one is a shepherd. This one is hated [nistam] and that one is hated.35See Genesis 27:41, 49:23. This one was stolen from twice: “Stolen in the day and stolen at night” (Genesis 31:39); that one, there is a double expression of stealing: “For I was abducted [gunov gunavti] [from the land of the Hebrews]” (Genesis 40:15). This one was blessed with ten blessings,36See Genesis 27:28–29. and that one was blessed with ten blessings.37See Deuteronomy 33:13–17. This one departed and went outside of the Land of Israel, and that one departed and went outside of the Land of Israel. This one took a wife outside of the Land of Israel, and that one took a wife outside of the Land of Israel. This one begot children outside of the Land of Israel, and that one begot children outside of the Land of Israel. This one, angels accompanied him, and that one, angels accompanied him.38A midrash says that when Joseph went to his brothers at the behest of his father, three angels accompanied him. This one ascended to greatness by means of a dream39See Genesis 28:10–16. and that one ascended to greatness by means of a dream. This one, his father-in-law’s household was blessed on his account, and that one, his father-in-law’s40According to Bereshit Rabba 86:3, Joseph’s father-in-law Potifera was Potifar. household was blessed on his account. This one descended to Egypt, and that one descended to Egypt. This one ended the famine and that one ended the famine.41See Bereshit Rabba 89:9. This one administered an oath to his son, and that one administered an oath to his brothers. This one died in Egypt, and that one died in Egypt. This one was embalmed, and that one was embalmed. This one, his bones ascended, and that one, his bones ascended. Because Joseph resembled his father, that is why it is stated: “These are the chronicles of Jacob, Joseph”; and that is why it is stated: “Both of them full…” – regarding Jacob and Joseph. “One gold ladle of ten shekels, filled with incense” (Numbers 7:50). “One…ladle [kaf]” – it corresponds to the palm of his right hand, which he placed on Ephraim’s head. Why does it call it “one”? It is because it is more significant than the left. “Gold…ten shekels” – it corresponds to the ten words that there are from: “Israel extended his right hand” (Genesis 48:14) until “and he was the younger” (Genesis 48:14). “Filled with incense” – Jacob saw this matter through the divine spirit, that Ephraim was worthy for him to place his right hand on his head. Likewise it says: “Guiding [sikel] his hands, as Manasseh was the first born” (Genesis 48:14). His hands were guided [hiskilu] by the divine spirit, just as it says: “Maskil of Eitan the Ezraḥite” (Psalms 89:1).42This is a psalm stated by Eitan the Ezraḥite with divine guidance. “One young bull, one ram, one sheep in its first year, as a burnt offering” (Numbers 7:51). “One young [ben bakar] bull” – corresponding to Abraham, as it is stated: “Abraham ran to the cattle [habakar]” (Genesis 18:7). “One ram” – corresponding to Isaac, in whose regard it is written: “[Abraham…] took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering in place of his son” (Genesis 22:13). “One sheep” – corresponding to Jacob, in whose regard it is written: “Jacob separated the sheep” (Genesis 30:40). Why did he sacrifice these three kinds of burnt offerings? It corresponds to the three patriarchs, corresponding to the blessing that Jacob blessed them: “Let my name and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, be called upon them” (Genesis 48:16). “One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 7:52). “And for the peace offering, two bulls, five rams, five goats, five lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Elishama son of Amihud” (Numbers 7:53). “One goat as a sin offering” – corresponding to Joseph, as it is written: “They slaughtered a goat” (Genesis 37:31). Why did he sacrifice this corresponding to Joseph? It is because when Jacob blessed them with the name of the three patriarchs, likewise, he blessed them with the name of Joseph and made them dependent upon him, as it is stated: “By you Israel shall bless, saying: May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh” (Genesis 48:20). “And for the peace offering, two bulls” – corresponding to the two blessings that he blessed them: the former, “[may the angel…] bless the lads” (Genesis 48:16), and the latter, “by you Israel shall bless….” “Five rams, [five goats, five lambs]” – three species, corresponding to three generations that Joseph saw for Ephraim, who were attributed to Joseph, and they were patrilineal houses, as it is stated: “Joseph saw great-grandchildren from Ephraim” (Genesis 50:23). Likewise it says: “These are the sons of Ephraim by their families: Of Shutelaḥ.… And these are the sons of Shutelaḥ: Of Eran…” (Numbers 26:35–36). Ephraim, Shutelaḥ, Eran, these are three sons from three generations. Why were they five each? It corresponds to the five words43In the Hebrew phrase. of “he placed Ephraim before Manasseh” (Genesis 48:20), as it is from there that Ephraim merited to present his offering first. “This was the offering…” – because he presented the offering in this order, the Holy One blessed be He began lauding his offering: “This was the offering of Elishama….”
