וידבר ה' וגו' קח את אהרן ואת בניו אתו ואת הבגדים (ויקרא ח א ב), זש"ה אשרי תבחר ותקרב ישכן חצריך (תהלים סה ה(, אשרי מי שבחרו הקב"ה, אעפ"י שלא קרבו, ואשרי מי שקרבו אעפ"י שלא בחרו, ואיזה זה שבחרו זה אברהם, (אבל לא קרבו אלא הוא עצמו קרבו), שנאמר אתה הוא ה' האלהים אשר בחרת באברם וגו' (נחמיה ט ז), [אבל לא קרבו אלא הוא קרב את עצמו]. יעקב בחרו הקב"ה שנאמר יעקב אשר בחרתיך (ישעיה מא ח), ואומר כי יעקב בחר לו יה (תהלים קלה ד), ולא קרבו אלא הוא קרב את עצמו, שנאמר ויעקב איש תם יושב אלהים (בראשית כה כז), משה בחרו אבל לא קרבו, שנאמר (לולא) [לולי] משה בחירו וגו' (תהלים קו כג). דוד בחרו אבל לא קרבו, שנאמר ויבחר בדוד עבדו (שם עח ע), והוא קרב את עצמו, שנאמר חבר אני לכל אשר יראוך (שם קיט ג), אשריהם אלו שבחרן הקב"ה, אעפ"י שלא קירבן, בא וראה יתרו קרבו הקבה, אבל לא בחרו, רחב הזונה קירבה, אבל לא בחרה, אשרי אהרן בכפלים, שבחרו וקרבו, מנין שבחרו, שנאמר ובחור אותי [מכל שבטי ישראל לי לכהן] (ש"א ב כח), ומנין שקרבו, שנאמר ואתה הקרב איך את אהרן אחיך (שמות כח א), לכך דוד משבחו אשרי תבחר ותקרב.
(Lev. 8:1–2:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE < UNTO MOSES >…: TAKE AARON AND HIS SONS ALONG WITH HIM, THE VESTMENTS < …. > This text is related (to Ps. 65:5 [4]): BLESSED IS THE ONE YOU CHOOSE AND BRING NEAR TO DWELL IN YOUR COURTS. Blessed is the one whom the Holy One has chosen, even though he has not brought him near.39Tanh., Lev. 2:8. And Blessed is the one whom he has brought near, even though he did not choose him. Now which was this one whom he chose? This was Abraham. {However he did not bring him near; instead he brought himself near to him.} It is so stated (in Neh. 9:7): YOU ARE THE LORD, THE GOD WHO CHOSE ABRAM…. [However he did not bring him near. Instead he brought himself near.] In the case of Jacob, the Holy One chose him, as stated (in Is. 41:8): JACOB, WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN. It also says (in Ps. 135:4): FOR THE LORD HAS CHOSEN JACOB FOR HIMSELF. But he did not bring him near. Instead he brought himself near. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 25:27): BUT JACOB WAS A PERFECT MAN DWELLING IN TENTS. Moses he chose but did not bring near, as stated (in Ps. 106:23): < …, > HAD NOT MOSES HIS CHOSEN ONE < STOOD IN THE BREACH >,…. David he chose but did not bring near, as stated (in Ps. 78:70): HE CHOSE DAVID, HIS SERVANT. He also brought himself near, as stated (in Ps. 119:63): I AM A COMPANION TO ALL WHO FEAR YOU. Blessed are those whom the Holy One chose, even though he did not bring them near. Come and see Jethro. The Holy One brought him near, but he did not choose him. In the case of Rahab the harlot, he brought her near but did not choose her. Aaron was doubly blessed because < the Holy One > chose him and brought him near. Where is it shown that he chose him? Where it is stated (in I Sam. 2:28): AND I CHOSE HIM [FROM ALL THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL TO BE MY PRIEST]. And where is it shown that he brought him near? Where it is stated (in Exod. 28:1): AND YOU SHALL BRING NEAR UNTO YOURSELF YOUR BROTHER AARON < AND HIS SONS ALONG WITH HIM,… TO SERVE ME AS PRIESTS >. Therefore, David praised him (in Ps. 65:5 [4]): BLESSED IS THE ONE YOU CHOOSE AND BRING NEAR < TO DWELL IN YOUR COURTS >.
וידבר ה' וגו' קח את אהרן ואת בניו אתו ואת הבגדים (ויקרא ח א ב), זש"ה אשרי תבחר ותקרב ישכן חצריך (תהלים סה ה(, אשרי מי שבחרו הקב"ה, אעפ"י שלא קרבו, ואשרי מי שקרבו אעפ"י שלא בחרו, ואיזה זה שבחרו זה אברהם, (אבל לא קרבו אלא הוא עצמו קרבו), שנאמר אתה הוא ה' האלהים אשר בחרת באברם וגו' (נחמיה ט ז), [אבל לא קרבו אלא הוא קרב את עצמו]. יעקב בחרו הקב"ה שנאמר יעקב אשר בחרתיך (ישעיה מא ח), ואומר כי יעקב בחר לו יה (תהלים קלה ד), ולא קרבו אלא הוא קרב את עצמו, שנאמר ויעקב איש תם יושב אלהים (בראשית כה כז), משה בחרו אבל לא קרבו, שנאמר (לולא) [לולי] משה בחירו וגו' (תהלים קו כג). דוד בחרו אבל לא קרבו, שנאמר ויבחר בדוד עבדו (שם עח ע), והוא קרב את עצמו, שנאמר חבר אני לכל אשר יראוך (שם קיט ג), אשריהם אלו שבחרן הקב"ה, אעפ"י שלא קירבן, בא וראה יתרו קרבו הקבה, אבל לא בחרו, רחב הזונה קירבה, אבל לא בחרה, אשרי אהרן בכפלים, שבחרו וקרבו, מנין שבחרו, שנאמר ובחור אותי [מכל שבטי ישראל לי לכהן] (ש"א ב כח), ומנין שקרבו, שנאמר ואתה הקרב איך את אהרן אחיך (שמות כח א), לכך דוד משבחו אשרי תבחר ותקרב.
(Lev. 8:1–2:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE < UNTO MOSES >…: TAKE AARON AND HIS SONS ALONG WITH HIM, THE VESTMENTS < …. > This text is related (to Ps. 65:5 [4]): BLESSED IS THE ONE YOU CHOOSE AND BRING NEAR TO DWELL IN YOUR COURTS. Blessed is the one whom the Holy One has chosen, even though he has not brought him near.39Tanh., Lev. 2:8. And Blessed is the one whom he has brought near, even though he did not choose him. Now which was this one whom he chose? This was Abraham. {However he did not bring him near; instead he brought himself near to him.} It is so stated (in Neh. 9:7): YOU ARE THE LORD, THE GOD WHO CHOSE ABRAM…. [However he did not bring him near. Instead he brought himself near.] In the case of Jacob, the Holy One chose him, as stated (in Is. 41:8): JACOB, WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN. It also says (in Ps. 135:4): FOR THE LORD HAS CHOSEN JACOB FOR HIMSELF. But he did not bring him near. Instead he brought himself near. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 25:27): BUT JACOB WAS A PERFECT MAN DWELLING IN TENTS. Moses he chose but did not bring near, as stated (in Ps. 106:23): < …, > HAD NOT MOSES HIS CHOSEN ONE < STOOD IN THE BREACH >,…. David he chose but did not bring near, as stated (in Ps. 78:70): HE CHOSE DAVID, HIS SERVANT. He also brought himself near, as stated (in Ps. 119:63): I AM A COMPANION TO ALL WHO FEAR YOU. Blessed are those whom the Holy One chose, even though he did not bring them near. Come and see Jethro. The Holy One brought him near, but he did not choose him. In the case of Rahab the harlot, he brought her near but did not choose her. Aaron was doubly blessed because < the Holy One > chose him and brought him near. Where is it shown that he chose him? Where it is stated (in I Sam. 2:28): AND I CHOSE HIM [FROM ALL THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL TO BE MY PRIEST]. And where is it shown that he brought him near? Where it is stated (in Exod. 28:1): AND YOU SHALL BRING NEAR UNTO YOURSELF YOUR BROTHER AARON < AND HIS SONS ALONG WITH HIM,… TO SERVE ME AS PRIESTS >. Therefore, David praised him (in Ps. 65:5 [4]): BLESSED IS THE ONE YOU CHOOSE AND BRING NEAR < TO DWELL IN YOUR COURTS >.