Vayikra Rabbah

Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology

Chapter 1

R Abahu opened and said Those who dwelt in its shade

shall return (Hoshea 14:8) This refers to the converts
who come and take shelter in the shade of the Holy One.
they shall revive [like] corn (ibid.) They will become
primary, just as Israel as it says Corn [will give strength
to] young men, and new wine will cause maids to speak.
(Zechariah 9:17) and blossom like the vine (Hoshea
14:8) As it says You uprooted a vine from Egypt; You drove
out nations and planted it. (Tehillim 80:9) Another
explanation. they shall revive [like] corn (Hoshea
14:8) in their Talmudic learning, and blossom like the
vine (ibid.) in their aggadic learning. ; it (fragrance) will
recall the wine of Lebanon. (ibid.) The Holy One said the
names of converts are beloved to Me like idolatrous wine
which was offered before Me on the altar. And why is its
name Lebanon? Because of the verse this good
mountain and the Lebanon. (Devarim 3:25) R Shimon bar
Yochai taught: why is it called Lebanon, because it bleaches
out (malbin) the sins of Israel like snow, as it says If your
sins prove to be like crimson, they will become white as
snow; if they prove to be as red as crimson dye, they shall
become as wool. (Yeshayahu 1:18) R Teviyumi said
because all hearts (levavot) rejoice in it, as it says The
fairest of branches, the joy of the entire earth- Mount
Zion (Tehillim 48:3) The Rabbis say because and My
eyes and My heart (libi) shall be there at all times.
(Melachim I 9:3)

... R Bibi and R Reuven said in the name of R Chanina: in

the future the Holy One will appoint a yeshiva for His elders.
This is what is written for the Lord of Hosts has reigned
in Mount Zion the end of the verse is not written and
before elders will be glory but rather and before His
elders will be glory. (Isaiah 24:23)

What is written above this? And the Lord said to Moses:

Speak to your brother Aaron (Leviticus 16:2) R Avin said:
He said to him - go and comfort him with words, as it says
Speak to the heart of Jerusalem (Isaiah 40:2) that he
should not come at all times (Leviticus 16:2) R Yehudah
bar R Simon said: Moshe was greatly distressed by this. He
said: oy! Perhaps Aharon my brother has been driven out
from the inner space at all times! There is a time
corresponding to the hour that he should not come at all
times (ibid.) There is a time corresponding to the day
And water by measure you shall drink (Ezekiel 4:11)
There is a time corresponding to the year, as it says And it
was, at the return of the year (Samuel II 11:1) There is a
time corresponding to twelve years Until the time when His
word came (Psalms 105:19) There is a time
corresponding to the seventy years, as it says since the
destruction of Jerusalem seventy years. (Daniel 9:2) And it

says until the time of his own land come (Jeremmiah

27:7) There is a time corresponding to eternity You gave
joy into my heart from the time that their corn (Psalms
4:8) The Holy One said to Moshe: it is not as you think. This
is not a time of the hour, the day, the year, of twelve years,
seventy years or of eternity. Rather, at any time which he
wants to enter he may enter, but he must do it with this
procedure. R Yehudah bar R Elazar said: with thirty-six
bells and thirty-six pomegranates. The Rabbis say: with
seventy-two bells and seventy-two pomegranates.

Another explanation. May He send your aid from His

sanctuary, and may He support you from Zion. (Psalms
20:3) R Levi said: all the good and blessings and
consolation which the Holy One will give to Israel in the
future only come from Zion. Salvation is from Zion, as it
says O that the salvation of Israel would come out of
Zion (Psalms 14:7) Might is from Zion, as it says The
staff of your might the Lord will send from Zion (Psalms
110:2) Blessing is from Zion, as it says May the Lord bless
you from Zion (Psalms 134:3) The shofars blast is from
Zion, as it says Sound a shofar in Zion (Yoel 2:1) Dew,
blessing and life are from Zion, as it says As the dew of
Hermon which runs down on the mountains of Zion, for
there the Lord commanded the blessing, life forever.
(Psalms 133:3) Torah is from Zion, as it says for out of
Zion shall the Torah come forth (Isaiah 2:3) Help and
assistance are from Zion, as it says May He send your aid
from His sanctuary from the sanctity of the acts which
you have done and may He support you from Zion,
(Psalms 20:3) from the distinguished actions which you

have done. The Holy One said to Moshe: go and tell Israel
my son, just as I am separate, so too you be separate. Just
as I am holy, so too you be holy. This is what is written You
shall be holy (Leviticus 19:2)

R Aba ben Elyashiv said: the statutes (chukkim) which

bring a man to the life of the world to come, as it is written
And it shall come to pass that every survivor shall be in
Zion, and everyone who is left, in Jerusalem; "holy" shall be
said of him, everyone inscribed for life in Jerusalem. (Isaiah
4:3) Those who are occupied with Torah, which is the tree of
life