It’s a question that’s occupied Jewish thought for centuries. And the Rabbis in Vayikra Rabbah, a Midrashic collection on the Book of Leviticus, tackle this very question head-on.
Rabbi Idi kicks things off with a fascinating idea: King David, he says, deeply "yearned for the offering of the princes." What does that mean? Well, David wanted to build the Temple, and he wanted to inaugurate it with offerings, just like the Mishkan (Tabernacle) had been inaugurated. Remember that long, detailed section in the Book of Numbers (chapter 7) about the offerings brought by the leaders of each tribe, the princes? That's what David was longing for.
Rabbi Idi connects this to a verse in Psalms (66:15): “I will offer You burnt offerings of fattened animals with the burning of rams; I will sacrifice oxen and goats.” Now, what offering includes ALL those animals – bulls, rams, and sheep? Only the offering of the princes, as it's detailed in Numbers 7:17. Think of it – a comprehensive offering, representing the dedication of the entire community.
But it doesn't stop there. We then get a range of opinions, each highlighting the profound significance of these inaugural offerings. Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and other Rabbis each weigh in.
Rabbi Yehuda boldly states that the offering of the princes was as beloved to God as the song the Israelites sang at the Red Sea! A powerful comparison. He draws a parallel using the word "zeh," meaning "this." In Exodus 15:2, during the song at the sea, they sing, "Zeh is my God, and I will exalt Him!" And in Numbers 7:17, it says, "Zeh is the offering of Nahshon ben Aminadav." The implication? Both moments – the miraculous salvation and the dedication of the Tabernacle – were equally cherished by God.
Rabbi Neḥemya takes a different tack. He says the offering of the princes was as beloved as the two Tablets of the Covenant, the very luchot given to Moses at Sinai! Again, he uses the word "zeh" as a connecting thread. Regarding the tablets, Exodus 32:15 says they were inscribed "from this side and from that side." And again, we have "Zeh is the offering of Nahshon ben Aminadav." For Rabbi Nehemya, the princes' offering, like the tablets, represented covenant and dedication.
And the Rabbis? They offer yet another perspective. They suggest that the offering of Aaron himself was as beloved as the offering of the princes. The connection? Both are introduced with the same word: "Zeh is the offering of Nahshon ben Aminadav," and "Zeh is the offering of Aaron."
Finally, Rabbi Berekhya connects Aaron’s offering to the twelve tribes. How? Through gematria, a method of interpreting texts by assigning numerical values to letters. He points out that the numerical value of "zeh" (זֶה) is 12 (zayin = 7, heh = 5). So, for Rabbi Berekhya, the "zeh" connecting Aaron’s offering to that of the princes also connects it to the entirety of Israel, embodied in the twelve tribes.
What can we take away from this? It seems Vayikra Rabbah isn’t just giving us historical trivia. It’s teaching us about the power of dedication, the importance of collective effort, and the enduring value of sincere offerings. Each Rabbi, through their unique interpretation, shines a light on a different facet of what makes something truly beloved in the eyes of the Divine. It makes you wonder, what offerings – what acts of devotion – are we bringing to the table today?