(Exod. 29:1:) AND THIS IS THE THING WHICH YOU SHALL DO TO THEM. To them you shall do it and not to others.⁴³., Exod. 8:13. He began to teach them how they would keep themselves in a state of purity and eat the sacrifices, how they would immerse and eat the priestly share. (Ibid., cont.:) TO SANCTIFY THEM FOR SERVING ME (li) AS PRIESTS. R. Mani said in the name of R. Eliezer: Wherever TO ME (li) is stated, it means "forever and forevermore."⁴⁴., Exod. 7:3. The first-born remains forever, since it is stated (in Numb. 3:13 = 8:17): FOR ALL THE FIRST-BORN ARE MINE (li). Silver and gold remain forever, since it is stated (in Hag. 2:8): THE SILVER IS MINE (li), AND THE GOLD IS MINE (li). The kingship remains forever, since it is stated (in I Sam. 16:1): FOR I HAVE CHOSEN A KING FOR MYSELF (li) AMONG HIS (Jesse's) SONS. The land remains forever, since it is stated (in Lev. 25:23): FOR THE LAND BELONGS TO ME (li). Israel remains forever, since it is stated (in Lev. 25:55): FOR TO ME (li) THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ARE SERVANTS. The Levites remain forever, since it is stated (Numb. 3:12): AND THE LEVITES SHALL BE MINE (li). The priesthood remains forever, since it is stated (Exod. 29:1): FOR SERVING ME (li) AS PRIESTS.

footnotes: ⁴³ Tanh ⁴⁴ Cf. above, Exod. 7:3; below, Numb. 3:20; Tanh