Let's delve into a fascinating passage from Vayikra Rabbah 31, a Midrashic text—that is, a collection of interpretations and expansions—on the book of Leviticus (Vayikra in Hebrew).
The passage opens with the phrase "Command the children of Israel." But immediately, the text veers into a discussion about the number of God's "troops." A seemingly simple question explodes into a profound meditation on divine presence and loss. We're presented with conflicting verses. One asks, "Is there a number to His troops?" (Job 25:3), implying infinity. Yet another states, "Thousands upon thousands will serve Him" (Daniel 7:10), suggesting a very large, but finite, number. And then there's Psalms 68:18, which talks about "myriads, thousands upon thousands of companies." So, which is it?
Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, a key figure in the redaction of the Mishnah, offers one resolution: the numbers refer to a single troop, but there are countless such troops. Think of it like legions of angels, each vast beyond comprehension, and then imagine countless such legions.
But the Rabbis, in their interpretation, offer a different, more poignant understanding. They suggest that before the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, the praise and glory ascending to God was complete, whole. When the Temple, the central place of worship and connection, was destroyed, God, “as it were, reduced His entourage.” The Holy One, blessed be He, felt diminished, saying, “It is not right for My lauding to ascend as it used to ascend.”
Isn't that a powerful image? God, in a way, mourning the loss of connection with humanity. It mirrors the human experience of grief and loss. It makes God relatable, empathetic, even vulnerable.
The passage then shifts to another verse from Job: “On whom will His light not rise?” (Job 25:3). The Midrash interprets this as a rhetorical question: who in the world can claim they haven't benefited from God's light, from the sun and the moon? God illuminates everything – the supernal realms, the earthly realm, everyone who enters the world. Yet, the text emphasizes, God desires Israel’s light, their specific devotion and connection. That, the Midrash argues, is the true meaning behind the command to the children of Israel.
The phrase "command the children of Israel" is found in Leviticus 24:2, a seemingly simple instruction to bring pure olive oil for the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting. But as this passage in Vayikra Rabbah suggests, it speaks to something far deeper: the enduring, longing relationship between God and humanity, a relationship impacted by historical events, and sustained by our continued devotion.
So, what does this all mean for us today? Perhaps it's a reminder that even in times of darkness and loss, the potential for connection with the Divine remains. Maybe it's an invitation to reflect on the ways we contribute to the "light" that ascends to God, however we understand that light to be. And maybe, just maybe, it's a comforting thought that even God experiences loss, and that our efforts to rebuild and reconnect truly matter.