We're looking at Bamidbar Rabbah 13, a midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) exploration of (Numbers 7:30), which kicks off a lengthy description of the offerings brought by the leaders of each tribe.
Today, we'll explore the offering of Elitzur son of Shedeur, prince of the tribe of Reuben. It's easy to skim over these lists. But the Rabbis of the Midrash? They saw a universe of meaning packed into every word.
The Torah tells us about Elitzur's offering: "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; one gold ladle, ten shekels, full of incense" (Numbers 7:31-32). Okay, so what?
Here’s where it gets interesting. The Midrash doesn't just take things at face value. It digs deeper, searching for hidden connections and symbolic meanings. For example, the word for "dish" in Hebrew is ke'arat. But Bamidbar Rabbah suggests we read it as akeret, connecting it to the Hebrew word ikar, meaning "main" or "principal." This links the offering to Reuben’s pivotal role in saving Joseph's life!
Remember the story? Joseph's brothers were ready to kill him, but Reuben intervened. "Reuben heard and rescued him from their hand," (Genesis 37:21) tells us. He was the one who first initiated the rescue. He uprooted – akar – the murderous thought of his brothers. That's powerful stuff.
And the "silver"? The Midrash connects it to (Proverbs 10:20), "The tongue of the righteous is choice silver." Reuben's words, his arguments, were precious and valuable, saving Joseph from certain death. The weight of the silver dish, "one hundred and thirty"? This corresponds to the numerical value of the first letters of the words "lo nakenu nafesh" – "Let us not smite him mortally" (Genesis 37:21).
The "silver basin," or mizrak, corresponds to the counsel Reuben gave, suggesting they cast – sheyizreku – Joseph into a pit instead of killing him directly (Genesis 37:22). Again, the Midrash draws a direct line between the offering and Reuben's actions. The basin contained "seventy shekels," mirroring the numerical value of the Hebrew word sod – "secret" – representing Reuben's hidden intention to ultimately rescue Joseph.
But what about the "gold ladle full of incense"? The Midrash says the ladle, kaf (which also means "palm" or "hand"), corresponds to Reuben's plea: "Do not lay a hand on him" (Genesis 37:22). He saved himself by admonishing his brothers, and he saved nine brothers from bloodshed. The "gold" is linked to parvayim gold, a type of gold that resembles blood.
The incense is particularly poignant. According to the Midrash, even though the tribes sold Joseph, this act ultimately benefited everyone, leading Joseph to power and providing food during the famine. "Merit is engendered by means of the meritorious." Another interpretation states that Reuben was in deep repentance for his transgression with Bilha (Genesis 35:22), and prayer is likened to incense, as (Psalm 141:2) says, "Let my prayer stand as incense before You."
So, the offerings aren't just random gifts. They're a reflection of Reuben’s character, his actions, his repentance, and ultimately, his redemption. The "young bull, one ram, one lamb" are connected to his repentance, likened to the offerings of a sinner. And the "goat as a sin offering" specifically atones for the act with Bilha.
The Midrash even suggests that Moses was able to pray on Reuben's behalf because of these acts, ensuring he wouldn't be excluded from his brothers: "May Reuben live and not die, and may his people be counted" (Deuteronomy 33:6).
The details, the weights, the types of offerings…they all point to a deeper narrative. A story of sin, repentance, and ultimately, forgiveness and restoration. What seemed like a dry list of offerings becomes a powerful reminder that even our mistakes can be a catalyst for growth and redemption. And that, perhaps, is why the Torah dwells on what seems, at first glance, excessive detail. It’s in those details that the human story truly lives.
“On the fourth day, prince of the children of Reuben, Elitzur son of Shedeur” (Numbers 7:30). “On the fourth day, prince of the children of Reuben…” – once the banner of Judah70See Numbers 2:1–9. finished, the prince of Reuben began presenting his offering, because he was the firstborn, and he presented the offering regarding his tribe of Reuben. “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 7:31). “One gold ladle, ten shekels, full of incense” (Numbers 7:32). “His offering was one silver dish [ke’arat]” (Numbers 7:31), do not read it as ke’arat, but rather, as akeret; this is Reuben, who played the main [ikar] role in the rescue [of Joseph]. It was he who first initiated the rescue. That is what is written: “Reuben heard and rescued him from their hand” (Genesis 37:21). Alternatively, that he uprooted [akar] the thought of his brothers, who wanted to kill him, just as it says: “Now let us go and kill him…” (Genesis 37:20). “Silver,” in the sense of: “The tongue of the righteous is choice silver” (Proverbs 10:20). ”Its weight one hundred and thirty,” this is because the first three letters of the first three words that he said to them, their numerical value totals one hundred and thirty. “Let us not smite him mortally [lo nakenu nafesh]” (Genesis 37:21); take lamed from lo, nun from nakenu, and nun from nafesh; that is one hundred and thirty.71Lamed is thirty and nun is fifty, so 30 + 50 + 50 = 130. “One silver basin [mizrak],” (Numbers 7:31), corresponding to the counsel he gave them that they should cast [sheyizreku] him into the pit, just as it says: “Reuben said to them: Do not shed blood; cast him into [this] pit…” (Genesis 37:22). “Silver,” in the sense of: “The tongue of the righteous is choice silver” (Proverbs 10:20). “Of seventy shekels, in the sacred shekel” (Numbers 7:31), corresponding to the secret [sod] that was in his heart to save him [Joseph]. The numerical value of sod is seventy.72Samekh is sixty, vav is 6 and dalet is 4 = 70. “Both of them full of high quality flour…” (Numbers 7:31), as what he said to them: “Let us not smite him mortally” and “cast him,” he intended only to rescue him, as in both matters,73His statement not to kill Joseph, and his proposal to throw Joseph into the pit. rescue is written: Initially, it is written: “Reuben heard and rescued him from their hand” (Genesis 37:21), and ultimately, it is written: “In order to rescue him from their hand” (Genesis 37:22). “One gold ladle [kaf], ten shekels…” (Numbers 7:32), kaf,74Kaf also means palm or hand. corresponding to what he said to his brothers: “Do not lay a hand on him” (Genesis 37:22). “Gold…ten shekels,” because he saved himself by admonishing them, and he saved nine brothers from bloodshed. That is why “gold” is written, as there is one type of gold that resembles blood, and that is parvayim gold. “Full of incense” (Numbers 7:32), although it happened to the tribes that Joseph’s sale befell them, you presume that this act would not have befallen them unless they had been wicked in performing other acts. No, but rather they were full-fledged righteous men, and no sin had ever befallen them other than this one: That is what is written: “They said one to another: But we are guilty [regarding our brother]” (Genesis 42:21). They were engaged in self-reflection as to why their detention in Egypt befell them, but found only this. From their disgrace, the verse relates their praise, that they had only this iniquity alone attributable to them. And because Joseph’s sale was fortuitous for him, as it led him to rule, and it was fortuitous for his brothers and his father’s entire household, as he provided them with food during the famine years, that is why he was sold by them, because merit is engendered by means of the meritorious. That is “full of incense.” Another matter, “full of incense,” as, at that time, Reuben was a penitent, donning sackcloth, fasting, and praying before the Holy One blessed be He, that He grant him atonement for the iniquity of the act with Bilha.75See Genesis 35:22. Prayer is likened to incense, just as it says: “Let my prayer stand as incense before You…” (Psalms 141:2). That is, “full of incense.” “One young bull, one ram, one lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering” (Numbers 7:33). “One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 7:34). “And for the peace offering, two cattle, five rams, five goats, five sheep in their first year. This was the offering of Elitzur son of Shedeur” (Numbers 7:35). “One young bull…” (Numbers 7:33), these are the offerings that he sacrificed, corresponding to the penitence in which he was engaged when Joseph was sold. Penitence is likened to all the offerings of a sinner, as it is written: “Offerings to God are a broken spirit” (Psalms 51:19). Just as the sinner brings a burnt offering and a sin offering for his sin, that is why he brought here a burnt offering and a sin offering, corresponding to them. And because the burnt offering is more cherished76By the Holy One blessed be He. than the sin offering, that is why he sacrificed a burnt offering from all the species with the exception of the goat, as we do not find the goat as a burnt offering throughout the Torah. “One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 7:34), this is to atone for the act with Bilha. “And for the peace offering, two cattle” (Numbers 7:35), because he was [going to be] excluded from being enumerated with his brothers because of the act with Bilha, as it is written: “Reuben went and lay with Bilha, his father's concubine, and Israel heard” (Genesis 35:22), the matter was interrupted,77Genesis 35:22 is written in the Torah with an empty space in the middle of the verse following the phrase "and Israel heard," before the continuation “the sons of Jacob were twelve.” as it placed the end of the portion there, alluding that he was banished. This is why that portion is an open portion, as even though he was banished, the arms of the Holy One blessed be He are open to receive penitents. Because he sought to perform two good deeds, Joseph’s rescue and repentance, he was restored to be part of them, and was included in their tally. That is what is written: “The sons of Jacob were twelve” (Genesis 35:22). Due to these two acts that Reuben performed, Moses found an opportunity to pray on behalf of Reuben so that he would not be excluded from his brothers. That is what is written: “May Reuben live [and not die, and may his people be counted]” (Deuteronomy 33:6). “May Reuben live,” because he gave life to Joseph; “and not die,” due to the act of Bilha, because he repented; “and may his people be counted,” may his descendants be included in the tally of the other tribes in every sense. That is why it is stated: “And for the peace offering, two cattle [bakar]” (Numbers 7:35), corresponding to the two good deeds that he sought out [shebiker], Joseph’s rescue and the repentance, he was restored and was enumerated with his brothers. “Five rams, five goats, five sheep in their first year” (Numbers 7:35), why three species? It is corresponding to the three times Reuben is mentioned in the portion of Joseph’s rescue and corresponding to the three “vayomer” that are written there.78Genesis 37:21, 22, 30. Why were there five of each? They correspond to the five words through which Reuben was drawn near. That is what is written: “The sons of Jacob were twelve.”79There are five words in the Hebrew phrase. “This was the offering of Elitzur…” (Numbers 7:35), when the Holy One blessed be He saw that he presented his offering in this order, He began lauding his offering; “this was the offering…”
