Midrash Tanchuma, Tzav 10 | Jewish Mythology

(Lev. 8:2:) “Take Aaron and his sons.” This text is related (to Prov. 20:7), “The one who walks in his integrity is righteous; blessed are his children after him.” This refers to Aaron and his children. If this interpretation is so,27Reading KN for MN, as suggested in Midrash Tanhuma (Jerusalem: Eshkol, n.d.), p. 500, n. 3. The Buber text is more awkward, but means essentially the same: “If [this interpretation results] from this saying.” Moses also was righteous, but his children were not like him. And Eli also was righteous, but his children were not like him. And Samuel [was] righteous, but his children were not like him, as stated (I Sam. 8:3), “But his sons did not walk in his ways.” So why do you say [of Aaron] (in Prov. 20:7), “The one who walks in his integrity is righteous; blessed are his children after him?” Because during his lifetime he saw his sons after him serving in the high priesthood. Therefore (in Lev. 8:2) “Take Aaron and his sons.” Another interpretation (of Lev. 8:2) “Take Aaron and his sons.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (i.e., to Moses), “Entice him with words, because he is fleeing from [the priestly] office.” Take can only be a word [implying] persuasion, for so did Nebuchadnezzar28The Masoretic Text throughout Jer. 39 reads “Nebuchadrezzar.” say to Nebuzaradan (concerning Jeremiah in Jer. 39:12), “Take him and look after him.”29Since Jeremiah was being taken for his own good, he would not have been taken by force but by persuasion. So also it (i.e., Scripture) speaks of our mother Sarah (in Gen. 12:15), “and the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house,” as she did not seek to go. So also with Dinah, [it states] (Genesis 34:2), “and he took her and lay with her,” as she did not seek to go. And also (here in Lev. 8:2), “Take Aaron” is language [implying] persuasion because he was fleeing from office.

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