It is written: “From people by Your hand, O Lord, from people from the world [meḥeled ], their portion is in life; Your hidden treasures will fill their bellies; their sons will be satisfied and they will leave their surplus to their young ones” (Psalms 17:14). Rabbi Ḥanina son of Rabbi Aḥa went to a place and found that this verse was at the head of the discussion: “The remnant of the meal offering shall be for Aaron and his sons…” (Leviticus 2:3, 10), and began: “From people by Your hand, O Lord” – how courageous are those who took their portion from under the hand of God; and who was that? It was the tribe of Levi. “From people from the world” – these are those who did take a portion in the land.4The midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) is reading “from the world” as removed from the land, i.e. the tribe of Levi, since it did not receive a portion in the Land of Israel. “Their portion is life” – these are the consecrations of the Temple offerings. “Your hidden treasures will fill their bellies” – these are the consecrations of the borders.5Consecrations of the borders refers to teruma, the portion of produce allocated to the priests which they may eat anywhere. “…their sons will be satisfied” – “every male among the priests shall eat it” (Leviticus 6:22). “And they will leave their surplus to their young ones” – “and the remnant of the meal offering shall be for Aaron and his sons…” (Leviticus 2:3, 10).
It is written — “From people by Your hand, O Lord, from
Curated by The Jewish Mythology Team
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