Aggada -- Translations into English; Bible. Old Testament -- Legends; Jewish legends; Midrash -- Translations into English
As Jacob blessed after Asher and the Naphtali, so too did these two
tribes succeed each other in the offerings at the dedication of the
Tabernacle. Naphtali, Jacob's son, was a very affectionate son, who was
ever ready to execute his father's every command. The prince of the
tribe of Naphtali followed his ancestor's example, and by his gifts to
the sanctuary sought to recall the three Patriarchs and their wives.
"One silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty
shekels," symbolized Sarah, who was unique among her sex in her piety,
and who almost attained the age of hundred and thirty years. A silver
bowl for sprinkling blood recalled Abraham, who was thrown far away
form his home. The weight of the bowl was seventy shekels, as Abraham
also was seventy years old when God made with him the covenant between
the pieces. The charger and the bowl were both filled with fine flour
mingled with oil, as also Abraham and Sarah were imbued with a love for
good and pious deeds. The spoon of ten shekels of gold alludes to
Abraham as well, for Abraham conquered the evil inclination and
resisted the ten temptations, whereas the three burnt offerings and the
sin offering corresponded to the offerings made by Abraham at the
covenant between the pieces. The two oxen for the peace offering
indicate Isaac and Rebekah, whereas the three kinds of small cattle
allude to Jacob, Leah, and Rachel, but the sum total of the offerings
of these three species was fifteen, corresponding to these three and
the twelve fathers of the tribes. [400]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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