It’s a question that our Sages grappled with, and Bamidbar Rabbah 14 dives deep into the reasons behind this seemingly small detail.
The verse we’re focusing on is from Numbers 7:66: “On the ninth day, prince of the children of Dan, Aḥiezer son of Amishadai.” Now, three tribes were left to offer: Dan, Asher, and Naphtali. So, why Dan first? The Midrash suggests it's all about Jacob's blessing to Dan in Genesis 49:16: “Dan will avenge his people, as one [ke’aḥad] of the tribes of Israel.” The key here is the word ke’aḥad, which is interpreted as "like the most outstanding [kemeyuḥad] of the tribes," and that's Judah. So, just as Judah led the entire group, Dan led the remaining tribes. Pretty neat connection, right?
But it gets even more interesting. The Midrash doesn't just stop at tribal leadership. It connects Dan's offering to Samson, who came from the tribe of Dan. Remember Samson, the strongman with the long hair? The Midrash sees Jacob’s blessing of Dan as primarily referring to Samson. The offering itself – “one silver dish, its weight one hundred and thirty; one silver basin of seventy shekels…" (Numbers 7:67) – is interpreted as alluding to the laws of the nazir, or Nazirite.
A nazir is someone who takes a vow to abstain from wine, cut their hair, and avoid contact with corpses. Samson was a Nazirite from birth. The "silver dish" is linked to a ritually pure Nazirite bringing loaves as part of their offering, as opposed to an impure one. The weight of the dish, "one hundred and thirty," is tied to the 131 words (or 130, depending on the count) between "this is the law of the nazirite" and "then the nazirite may drink wine" in Numbers 6:13-20. It's this kind of intricate wordplay that makes Midrash so fascinating.
Then there’s the "one silver basin [mizrak] of seventy shekels." The Midrash offers multiple interpretations. One connects the "seventy" to the numerical value of wine in Hebrew, hinting at the moment when the Nazirite can finally drink wine. Another links it to a Nazirite who became impure, whose vow is void [shenizreka]. As Numbers 6:12 says: “The first days shall be void, as his naziriteship is impure.” There are also seventy words from “all the days of his naziriteship he is holy to the Lord” until “as his naziriteship is impure."
But wait, there’s more! The Midrash connects the "seventy" to the seventy letters in Jacob's blessing of Dan, focusing on Samson's judgeship. And the term mizrak? It's linked to being "cast away" [shenizrak], suggesting Samson’s alienation from his brethren because he married a Philistine woman. It even suggests that Samson was lame, tying the word mizrak to things that are thrown to the ground!
The Midrash continues, interpreting the "gold ladle of ten shekels, filled with incense" (Numbers 7:68) as corresponding to the ten prohibitions regarding wine for a Nazirite, drawing parallels between the redness of wine and the color of gold. It links the incense to the Nazirite's vow being "for the sake of Heaven," as stated in Numbers 6:2.
The animals offered – "one young bull, one ram, one lamb...one goat" (Numbers 7:69-70) – are connected to the three things a Nazirite must avoid: wine, grapes, and contact with corpses, as well as the prohibition against cutting hair. The Midrash even references the angel's warnings to Samson's mother in Judges 13:14, drawing further parallels.
Finally, the "peace offering" (Numbers 7:71) is interpreted in relation to Jacob's and Moses's blessings of Dan, as well as Samson's judgeship and his legendary strength in toppling the pillars. The multiple animals in the peace offering are linked to the offerings of both a pure and impure Nazirite, and to the three times Samson smote the Philistines, each time in a miraculous way.
So, what’s the takeaway from all this intricate interpretation? It's not just about understanding why Dan went first. It’s about seeing the interconnectedness of the Torah, the way seemingly disparate stories and laws can illuminate each other. It's about recognizing the power of blessing, the complexities of leadership, and the enduring legacy of figures like Samson. It reminds us that even seemingly minor details can hold profound meaning, waiting to be uncovered through careful study and creative interpretation. What other hidden connections might we find if we look closely enough?