Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 3

1These are the descendants of Aaron and Moses on the day that God spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai.   אוְאֵ֛לֶּה תּֽוֹלְדֹ֥ת אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן וּמשֶׁ֑ה בְּי֗וֹם דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהוָֹ֛ה אֶת־משֶׁ֖ה בְּהַ֥ר סִינָֽי:
וְאֵלֶּה תּֽוֹלְדֹת אַֽהֲרֹן וּמשֶׁה - These are the descendants of Aaron and Moses. Scripture mentions only the sons of Aaron, yet they are called the descendants of Moses, because Moses taught them Torah. This teaches us that regarding anyone who teaches the son of his colleague Torah, Scripture ascribes it as if he fathered him.   וְאֵלֶּה תּֽוֹלְדֹת אַֽהֲרֹן וּמשֶׁה.  וְאֵינוֹ מַזְכִּיר אֶלָּא בְנֵי אַהֲרֹן וְנִקְרְאוּ תוֹלְדוֹת מֹשֶׁה, לְפִי שֶׁלִּמְּדָן תּוֹרָה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּל הַמְלַמֵּד אֶת בֶּן חֲבֵרוֹ תּוֹרָה מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ יְלָדוֹ (סנהדרין י"ט):
בְּיוֹם דִּבֶּר ה' אֶת־משֶׁה - On the day that God spoke to Moses - they became his descendants, for he taught them what he had learned from the Almighty at the Giving of the Torah.   בְּיוֹם דִּבֶּר ה' אֶת־משֶׁה.  נַעֲשׂוּ אֵלּוּ הַתּוֹלָדוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁלִּמְּדָן מַה שֶּׁלָּמַד מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה:
2These are the names of Aaron’s sons: Nadav, the firstborn; Avihu; Eleazar; and Itamar.   בוְאֵ֛לֶּה שְׁמ֥וֹת בְּנֵי־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן הַבְּכֹ֣ר | נָדָ֑ב וַֽאֲבִיה֕וּא אֶלְעָזָ֖ר וְאִֽיתָמָֽר:
3These are the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, whom Moses consecrated to serve as priests.   גאֵ֗לֶּה שְׁמוֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֖ים הַמְּשֻׁחִ֑ים אֲשֶׁר־מִלֵּ֥א יָדָ֖ם לְכַהֵֽן:
4Nadav and Avihu died before God when they brought an unauthorized fire before God in the Sinai desert, and they had no children. Eleazar and Itamar, however, served as priests during their father Aaron’s lifetime.   דוַיָּ֣מָת נָדָ֣ב וַֽאֲבִיה֣וּא לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָֹ֡ה בְּהַקְרִבָם֩ אֵ֨שׁ זָרָ֜ה לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָֹה֙ בְּמִדְבַּ֣ר סִינַ֔י וּבָנִ֖ים לֹֽא־הָי֣וּ לָהֶ֑ם וַיְכַהֵ֤ן אֶלְעָזָר֙ וְאִ֣יתָמָ֔ר עַל־פְּנֵ֖י אַֽהֲרֹ֥ן אֲבִיהֶֽם:
עַל־פְּנֵי אַֽהֲרֹן - (lit.) Upon the face of Aaron - means during his lifetime.   עַל־פְּנֵי אַֽהֲרֹן.  בְּחַיָּיו:
5God spoke to Moses, saying:   הוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
6“Bring forth the tribe of Levi and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him.   והַקְרֵב֙ אֶת־מַטֵּ֣ה לֵוִ֔י וְהַֽעֲמַדְתָּ֣ אֹת֔וֹ לִפְנֵ֖י אַֽהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וְשֵֽׁרְת֖וּ אֹתֽוֹ:
וְשֵֽׁרְתוּ אֹתוֹ - That they may serve him. And what is the nature of the service? “They must help him keep his charge,” for he is responsible to guard the Sanctuary so that no layperson approach to serve in it, as was said to Aaron: “You, your sons, and your paternal house must bear the iniquity associated with the Sanctuary,” 1 and these Levites must assist them. That is their service to the priests.   וְשֵֽׁרְתוּ אֹתוֹ.  וּמַהוּ הַשֵּׁרוּת? "ושמרו אֶת־משמרתו" לְפִי שֶׁשְּׁמִירַת הַמִּקְדָּשׁ עָלָיו שֶׁלֹּא יִקְרַב זָר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ וּבֵית אָבִיךָ אִתָּךְ תִּשְׂאוּ אֶת עֲוֹן הַמִּקְדָּשׁ (במדבר י"ח), וְהַלְוִיִּם הַלָּלוּ מְסַיְּעִין אוֹתָם, זוֹ הִיא הַשֵּׁרוּת:
7They must help him keep his charge, that is, the charge of the entire community in front of the Tent of Meeting, to perform the service of the Tabernacle.   זוְשָׁמְר֣וּ אֶת־מִשְׁמַרְתּ֗וֹ וְאֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֨רֶת֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד לַֽעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֥ת הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן:
וְשָׁמְרוּ אֶת־מִשְׁמַרְתּוֹ - They must [help him] keep his charge. Every appointment of which a person is in charge and which he is responsible to fulfill is called מִשְׁמֶרֶת, both throughout Scripture and in Mishnaic Hebrew, as is stated regarding Bigtan and Teresh: וַהֲלֹא אֵין מִשְׁמַרְתִּי וּמִשְׁמַרְתְּךָ שָׁוָה “Surely my duty and your duty is not the same,” 2 and similarly, מִשְׁמְרוֹת כְּהֻנָּה וּלְוִיָּה “the weekly shifts of the priests and the Levites.”   וְשָׁמְרוּ אֶת־מִשְׁמַרְתּוֹ.  כָּל מִנּוּי שֶׁהָאָדָם מְמֻנֶּה עָלָיו וּמֻטָּל עָלָיו לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ קָרוּי מִשְׁמֶרֶת בְּכָל הַמִּקְרָא וּבִלְשׁוֹן הַמִּשְׁנָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמוּר בְּבִגְתָן וָתֶרֶשׁ "וַהֲלֹא אֵין מִשְׁמַרְתִּי וּמִשְׁמַרְתְּךָ שָׁוָה" (מגילה י"ג), וְכֵן מִשְׁמְרוֹת כְהֻנָּה וּלְוִיָּה:
8They must keep the charge of all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting, the charge of the Israelites, to perform the service of the Tabernacle.   חוְשָֽׁמְר֗וּ אֶת־כָּל־כְּלֵי֙ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וְאֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לַֽעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֥ת הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן:
וְאֶת־מִשְׁמֶרֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - The charge of the Israelites. This must be referring to a different charge than in the previous verse, namely that all the Israelites ought to carry out the requirements of the Sanctuary, i.e., transport it and sing and play music in it, but the Levites act in their place on their behalf, and for this reason they receive the tithes from them as payment, as it says regarding this: “for it is your wage in exchange for your service.” 3   וְאֶת־מִשְׁמֶרֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.  שֶׁכֻּלָּן הָיוּ זְקוּקִין לְצָרְכֵי הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַלְוִיִּם בָּאִים תַּחְתֵּיהֶם בִּשְׁלִיחוּתָם, לְפִיכָךְ לוֹקְחִים מֵהֶם הַמַּעַשְׂרוֹת בִּשְׂכָרָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כִּי שָׂכָר הוּא לָכֶם חֵלֶף עֲבֹדַתְכֶם" (במדבר י"ח):
9You must give over the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are given, yes, given over to him from among the Israelites.   טוְנָֽתַתָּה֙ אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּ֔ם לְאַֽהֲרֹ֖ן וּלְבָנָ֑יו נְתוּנִ֨ם נְתוּנִ֥ם הֵ֨מָּה֙ ל֔וֹ מֵאֵ֖ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
נְתוּנִם הֵמָּה לוֹ - They are given…over to him. to help him ensure that the laity not enter the Tabernacle.   נְתוּנִם הֵמָּה לוֹ.  לְעֶזְרָה:
מֵאֵת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל - From the Israelites. means here “from among the Israelites,” i.e., they were separated from the rest of the community for this purpose by decree of the Omnipresent, who gave them to Aaron, as it says: “I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites….” 4   מֵאֵת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל.  כְּמוֹ מִתּוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשׂרָאֵל, כְּלוֹמַר מִשְּׁאָר כָּל הָעֵדָה נִבְדְּלוּ לְכָךְ בִּגְזֵרַת הַמָּקוֹם וְהוּא נְתָנָם לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וָאֶתְּנָה אֶת הַלְוִיִּם נְתֻנִים" וְגוֹ' (במדבר ח'):
10You must direct Aaron and his sons to guard their priesthood. Any non-priest who approaches to participate in the priestly duties will be put to death.”   יוְאֶת־אַֽהֲרֹ֤ן וְאֶת־בָּנָיו֙ תִּפְקֹ֔ד וְשָֽׁמְר֖וּ אֶת־כְּהֻנָּתָ֑ם וְהַזָּ֥ר הַקָּרֵ֖ב יוּמָֽת:
וְאֶת־אַֽהֲרֹן וְאֶת־בָּנָיו תִּפְקֹד - You must direct Aaron and his sons. תִּפְקֹד here has the meaning “directing” and not the meaning “counting.”   וְאֶת־אַֽהֲרֹן וְאֶת־בָּנָיו תִּפְקֹד.  לְשׁוֹן פְּקִידוּת, וְאֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן מִנְיָן:
וְשָֽׁמְרוּ אֶת־כְּהֻנָּתָם - To guard their priesthood - i.e., receiving the blood of the sacrifices, dashing it against the Altar, and burning the designated parts upon the Altar (although similar acts had been performed by the laity when the Passover offering was brought in Egypt), and the services assigned exclusively to the priests, so that no Israelite or even Levite perform them.   וְשָֽׁמְרוּ אֶת־כְּהֻנָּתָם.  קַבָּלַת דָּמִים וּזְרִיקָה וְהַקְטָרָה וַעֲבוֹדוֹת הַמְּסוּרוֹת לַכֹּהֲנִים:
11God spoke to Moses, saying:   יאוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
12“As for Me, I have taken the Levites from the Israelites in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites who have opened the womb, so the Levites will be Mine.   יבוַֽאֲנִ֞י הִנֵּ֧ה לָקַ֣חְתִּי אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּ֗ם מִתּוֹךְ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל תַּ֧חַת כָּל־בְּכ֛וֹר פֶּ֥טֶר רֶ֖חֶם מִבְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהָ֥יוּ לִ֖י הַֽלְוִיִּֽם:
וַֽאֲנִי הִנֵּה לָקַחְתִּי - As for Me, I have taken. And by what right have I taken them.   וַֽאֲנִי הִנֵּה לָקַחְתִּי.  וַאֲנִי מֵהֵיכָן זָכִיתִי בָהֶן :
מתוך בני ישראל - from the Israelites. that the Israelites should hire them to be their representatives in performing My service? Through the firstborn I claimed the right to them, as I took the Levites in exchange for them; for the Divine service was originally performed by the firstborn, but since they sinned with the Golden Calf, they became disqualified, and the Levites, who did not serve idols, were chosen in their stead.   מתוך בני ישראל.  שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שׂוֹכְרִין אוֹתָן לְשֵׁרוּת שֶׁלִּי? עַל יְדֵי הַבְּכוֹרוֹת זָכִיתִי בָהֶם וּלְקַחְתִּים תְּמוּרָתָם. לְפִי שֶׁהָיְתָה הָעֲבוֹדָה בַּבְּכוֹרוֹת, וּכְשֶׁחָטְאוּ בָעֵגֶל נִפְסְלוּ, וְהַלְוִיִּם שֶׁלֹּא עָבְדוּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה נִבְחֲרוּ תַחְתֵּיהֶם (עי' זבחים קי"ב):
13For all the firstborn are Mine: on the day I killed every firstborn in Egypt, I sanctified for Myself every firstborn in Israel by sparing them, both man and beast. They will be Mine; I am God.”   יגכִּ֣י לִי֘ כָּל־בְּכוֹר֒ בְּיוֹם֩ הַכֹּתִ֨י כָל־בְּכ֜וֹר בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֗יִם הִקְדַּ֨שְׁתִּי לִ֤י כָל־בְּכוֹר֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵֽאָדָ֖ם עַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה לִ֥י יִֽהְי֖וּ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֹֽה: