The Torah tells us of an agreement, a covenant, between God and the Israelites. But the details, as explored in Vayikra Rabbah, are far more intricate and, frankly, a little .
Rabbi Pinḥas, in his interpretation of the verse regarding Israel before Mount Sinai, immediately throws us into the heart of the matter. Citing Deuteronomy, he reminds us of the Israelites' sin and the voice of adjuration they heard from the fire. Rabbi Yoḥanan adds a crucial point: this wasn't just a one-sided deal. It was a commitment made on both sides – God wouldn't disavow them, and they wouldn't disavow Him. A mutual promise.
But what does this covenant look like? Rabbi Yitzḥak offers a powerful analogy: a king administering an oath to his legions with a sword, a stark reminder of the consequences of breaking the oath. And then comes the fascinating image of Moses and the blood – half sprinkled on the altar, half on the people. How did Moses know how to divide it?
We get a flurry of opinions! Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai suggests the blood divided on its own, miraculously. Rabbi Natan says its appearance changed, half black, half red. Bar Kappara even envisions an angel in the image of Moses doing the dividing! Rabbi Yitzḥak speaks of a voice from Mount Horev. Rabbi Yishmael teaches that Moses was an expert in the halakhot (laws) of blood. What are we to make of all these interpretations? Perhaps it's a way of showing us the multi-faceted nature of divine assistance.
Rabbi Huna, quoting Rabbi Avin, points out a subtle detail in the text: the word for "basins" (baaganot) is written in a way that could also be read as singular (baaganat), implying the basins were of equal size. This seemingly small detail emphasizes the equality of the commitment: God's portion and the people's portion were treated with the same reverence.
Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Ḥiyya, citing Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina, drive home the point of the mutual oath. God takes an oath to them, referencing Ezekiel, and they take an oath to Him, referencing Deuteronomy. The term ala (אלה), meaning oath, is highlighted, reinforcing the binding nature of this agreement.
So, what happens when the agreement is broken? Well, according to Rabbi Pinḥas, citing Hosea, God is understanding because He is God and not man. Rabbi Ahava bar Ze’eira, in a somewhat comforting thought, referencing Lamentations, said that God only implemented half of his statement concerning the punishment to which Israel would be subject.
Then, Vayikra Rabbah takes a darker turn, discussing the consequences of violating the covenant. Rabbi Berekhya cites Leviticus, mentioning a "sword avenging the vengeance of the covenant." Rabbi Azarya and Rabbi Aḥa, in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan, connect this to the blinding of King Zedekiah by the Babylonians, a punishment for breaking his oath to Nebuchadnezzar and violating the covenant with God. A double whammy!
But even in the face of exile and suffering, there's a glimmer of hope. Remember Hananya, Mishael, and Azarya, who refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar's idol? Rabbi Pinḥas says that God remembered the blood of the covenant at Sinai and released them from the fiery furnace.
The passage concludes with a powerful reminder of Israel's role as witnesses to God's divinity. If they fail to share this knowledge with the world, they will bear the consequences.
So, what do we take away from this deep dive into Vayikra Rabbah? It's a reminder that our relationship with the Divine is not a passive one. It's a covenant, a two-way street that demands commitment, responsibility, and a willingness to uphold our end of the bargain. And even when we stumble, there's always the possibility of redemption, a chance to remember the blood of the covenant and renew our commitment.
Rabbi Pinḥas interpreted the verse regarding Israel before Mount Sinai. “And if a person will sin” – “I saw, and, behold, you had sinned” (Deuteronomy 9:16). “And hear the voice of adjuration” – “and His voice we heard from the midst of the fire” (Deuteronomy 5:21). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: They made a commitment between them that He would not disavow them and they would not disavow Him. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: When a king administers an oath to his legions, he administers the oath only with a sword, as though to say, anyone who violates these conditions, this sword will pass over his neck. So too, “Moses took half the blood” (Exodus 24:6). How did Moses know how much was half the blood? Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai said: The blood divided on its own. Rabbi Natan said: Its appearance changed; half of it became black and half of it was red. Bar Kappara said: An angel descended in the image of Moses and divided it. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: A voice was emerging from Mount Ḥorev and saying: Half the blood is until here. Rabbi Yishmael taught: Moses was well versed in the halakhot of blood, and he divided it.15Due to his expertise in the halakhot concerning the blood of sacrifices and the fact that he needed to conduct the ceremony at Mount Sinai, Moses was given Divine aid in dividing the blood (see Etz Yosef). “He placed it in the basins [baaganot]” (Exodus 24:6) – Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Avin: It is written baaganat.16The plural word “basins [baaganot]” is written without the vav and can therefore be read in the singular [baaganat], implying that the basins were as one, in that they were the same size. This one was not larger than that one, and that one was not larger than this one. Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘What shall be done with Your portion?’ He said to him: ‘Sprinkle it upon the people.’ ‘What shall be done with their portion?’ He said to him: ‘Sprinkle it upon the altar.’ “And half the blood he sprinkled on the altar.” Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina: He took an oath to them and they took an oath to Him. He took an oath to them, “I took an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you; the utterance of the Lord God” (Ezekiel 16:8). They took an oath to Him, to the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “To pass you into the covenant of the Lord your God and into His ala” (Deuteronomy 29:11). From where is it derived that ala is nothing other than an oath? Rabbi Neḥemya and Rav Naḥman of Yafo in the name of Rabbi Yaakov of Caesarea: From this: “The priest shall administer to the woman the oath of the ala” (Numbers 5:21). When they violated the conditions made at Mount Sinai, the Holy One blessed be He said to them: “I, too, will do so to you” (Leviticus 26:16). Rabbi Pinḥas said: It is written: “But they, like men, have violated the covenant” (Hosea 6:7); however, here, “for I am God and not man” (Hosea 11:9). Rabbi Ahava bar Ze’eira said: It is written: “The Lord has done what He devised” (Lamentations 2:17), just as it is written in His Torah: “I will punish [you] additionally” (Leviticus 26:18). Did He do so? Heaven forbid. Rather, “He implemented His statement” (Lamentations 2:17). What is: “He implemented [bitza] His statement [emrato]”? He made a compromise.17The word bitza can mean “he halved.” Thus, the verse would be saying that God implemented only half of His statement concerning the punishment to which Israel would be subject. Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Ḥanin said: He rent [biza] His royal garment.18Imra is the Aramaic term for the hem of a garment. Rabbi Berekhya cites it from this: “I will bring upon you a sword avenging the vengeance of the covenant” (Leviticus 26:25). Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: There is vengeance that is for the covenant and vengeance that is not for the covenant. Which is the vengeance that is not for the covenant? Rabbi Azarya and Rabbi Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: This is the blinding of the eyes, as they blinded the eyes of the king of Judah,19The Babylonians blinded Zedekiah, king of Judah (II Kings 25:7). as it is stated: “So said the Lord God: As I live, if not My oath that he scorned [and My covenant that he breached I will place upon his head]” (Ezekiel 17:19) – this is the oath that he took to Nebuchadnezzar.20Zedekiah had violated an oath of allegiance he had taken to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylonia. He was punished for this in addition to being punished for violating the covenant between God and Israel. “And My covenant that he breached” – this is the covenant of Mount Sinai. “I will place upon his head” – and the rest of the body was not afflicted? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: This is the blinding of the eyes, which are located on the head. Once they were exiled to Babylon, they said to Nebuchadnezzar: “Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need [to answer you].… Behold our God.… Behold; if not, let it be known to you, king, that we will not worship your gods” (Daniel 3:16–18).21This statement was made by Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya in response to Nebuchadnezzar’s threat that if they would not bow to his idol he would have them thrown into a fiery furnace. The Holy One blessed be He said to them:22Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya. “You too, for the blood of your covenant” (Zechariah 9:11), I have remembered that blood that was in Sinai; therefore, “I have released [your prisoners from the pit] in which there is no water” (Zechariah 9:11). Rabbi Pinḥas said: It shall no longer be that “they spilled their blood like water around Jerusalem” (Psalms 79:3). “And he is a witness” – this is Israel: “You are My witnesses, the utterance of the Lord, and I am God” (Isaiah 43:12). “Who either saw [raa]” – “you have been shown [horeita] in order to know” (Deuteronomy 4:35). “Or knew” – “you shall know this day” (Deuteronomy 4:39). “If he does not tell, he shall bear his iniquity” – if you do not tell of My divinity to the nations of the world, I will exact vengeance against you. When? “When they say to you: Seek the necromancers” (Isaiah 8:19).
