Leviticus Rabbah maintains that God intended to permanently bring forth the priesthood (Hebrew kehuna) through Melchizedek’s patrilineal descendants, but since Melchizedek preceded Abram's blessing to that of God,(in Kejadian 14:19–20, a precedence not befitting a priest who is to be of total service to God (Eitz Yosef to Leviticus Rabbah 25:6) God instead chose to bring the priesthood ("kehuna") forth from Abram’s descendants (Rabbi Zechariah, quoting Rabbi Ishmael; Leviticus Rabbah 25:6, Babylonian Talmud to Nedarim 32b. Zohar vol. 1 p. 86b.) As the text states in regard to Melchizedek "and he is a priest" (Hebrew; "והוא כהן" Kejadian 14) meaning himself in the exclusive sense and not his patrilineal descendants.(Ohr HaChayim to Genesis 14:18 (first explanation). Eitz Yosef commentary to Leviticus Rabbah 25:6. Zohar vol. 1 p. 86b)
Chaim ibn Attar says that God was not angered by Melchizedek's preceding Abram's blessing to that of God, since Abram was rightfully deemed worthy of precedence for independently coming to recognize God amidst a world of paganism, but Melchizedek willingly gave the priesthood to Abram upon recognizing his outstanding uniqueness and G-dly character traits (Ohr HaChaim to Genesis 14:18)
Leviticus Rabbah maintains that God intended to permanently bring forth the priesthood (Hebrew kehuna) through Melchizedek’s patrilineal descendants, but since Melchizedek preceded Abram's blessing to that of God,(in Kejadian 14:19–20, a precedence not befitting a priest who is to be of total service to God (Eitz Yosef to Leviticus Rabbah 25:6) God instead chose to bring the priesthood ("kehuna") forth from Abram’s descendants (Rabbi Zechariah, quoting Rabbi Ishmael; Leviticus Rabbah 25:6, Babylonian Talmud to Nedarim 32b. Zohar vol. 1 p. 86b.) As the text states in regard to Melchizedek "and he is a priest" (Hebrew; "והוא כהן" Kejadian 14) meaning himself in the exclusive sense and not his patrilineal descendants.(Ohr HaChayim to Genesis 14:18 (first explanation). Eitz Yosef commentary to Leviticus Rabbah 25:6. Zohar vol. 1 p. 86b)
Chaim ibn Attar says that God was not angered by Melchizedek's preceding Abram's blessing to that of God, since Abram was rightfully deemed worthy of precedence for independently coming to recognize God amidst a world of paganism, but Melchizedek willingly gave the priesthood to Abram upon recognizing his outstanding uniqueness and G-dly character traits (Ohr HaChaim to Genesis 14:18)
