Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 3

14God spoke to Moses in the Sinai desert, saying:   ידוַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָֹה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר סִינַ֖י לֵאמֹֽר:
15“Tally the Levites according to their fathers’ houses, according to their families; count all males one month old and over.”   טופְּקֹד֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י לֵוִ֔י לְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם כָּל־זָכָ֛ר מִבֶּן־חֹ֥דֶשׁ וָמַ֖עְלָה תִּפְקְדֵֽם:
מִבֶּן־חֹדֶשׁ וָמַעְלָה - One month old and over - i.e., once he is no longer in the category of possibly being unviable, he may already be counted and be called “a keeper of the charge of the Sanctuary.” Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Shalom said: There is precedent for this tribe being counted even from the womb, as it says regarding Yocheved: “whom Levi’s wife had borne to Levi in Egypt,” 1 i.e., as she entered the gates of Egypt, she gave birth to Yocheved, and yet Yocheved was counted among the 70 people of Jacob’s family who came to Egypt – for when you calculate their total you find that they are only 69, and she completed the number.   מִבֶּן־חֹדֶשׁ וָמַעְלָה.  מִשֶּׁיָּצָא מִכְּלַל נְפָלִים הוּא נִמְנֶה לִקָּרֵא שׁוֹמֵר מִשְׁמֶרֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ; אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי שָׁלוֹם לָמוּד הוּא אוֹתוֹ הַשֵּׁבֶט לִהְיוֹת נִמְנֶה מִן הַבֶּטֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה אֹתָהּ לְלֵוִי בְּמִצְרָיִם" (במדבר כ״ו:נ״ט), — עִם כְּנִיסָתָהּ בְּפֶתַח מִצְרַיִם יָלְדָה אוֹתָהּ וְנִמְנֵית בְּשִׁבְעִים נֶפֶשׁ, שֶׁכְּשֶׁאַתָּה מוֹנֶה חֶשְׁבּוֹנָם לֹא תִמְצָאֵם אֶלָּא שִׁבְעִים חָסֵר אֶחָד, וְהִיא הִשְׁלִימָה אֶת הַמִּנְיָן (תנחומא):
16Moses tallied them according to God’s word, just as he was commanded.   טזוַיִּפְקֹ֥ד אֹתָ֛ם משֶׁ֖ה עַל־פִּ֣י יְהוָֹ֑ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר צֻוָּֽה:
עַל־פִּי ה' - According to God’s word. Moses said before the Holy One, the blessed be He: “How can I enter their private tents in order to know the number of their nursing babies?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: “Do your part and I will do Mine!” Moses went and stood at the entrance of each tent and the Divine Presence went before him, and a heavenly voice emanated from the tent saying: There is such-and-such an amount of children in this tent. Therefore it says: “according to God’s word.”   עַל־פִּי ה'.  אָמַר מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הֵיאַךְ אֲנִי נִכְנָס לְתוֹךְ אָהֳלֵיהֶם לָדַעַת מִנְיַן יוֹנְקֵיהֶם? אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, עֲשֵׂה אַתָּה שֶׁלְּךְ וַאֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה שֶׁלִּי, הָלַךְ מֹשֶׁה וְעָמַד עַל פֶּתַח הָאֹהֶל וְהַשְּׁכִינָה מַקְדֶּמֶת לְפָנָיו, וּבַת קוֹל יוֹצְאָה מִן הָאֹהֶל וְאוֹמֶרֶת כָּךְ וָכָךְ תִּינוֹקוֹת יֵשׁ בְּאֹהֶל זֶה, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר עַל פִּי ה':
17These were the sons of Levi, by name: Gershon, Kehat, and Merari.   יזוַיִּֽהְיוּ־אֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵֽי־לֵוִ֖י בִּשְׁמֹתָ֑ם גֵּֽרְשׁ֕וֹן וּקְהָ֖ת וּמְרָרִֽי:
18The names of the sons of Gershon according to their families were Livni and Shim’i.   יחוְאֵ֛לֶּה שְׁמ֥וֹת בְּנֵי־גֵֽרְשׁ֖וֹן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם לִבְנִ֖י וְשִׁמְעִֽי:
19The sons of Kehat according to their families were Amram, Yitzhar, Chevron, and Uzi’el.   יטוּבְנֵ֥י קְהָ֖ת לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם עַמְרָ֣ם וְיִצְהָ֔ר חֶבְר֖וֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵֽל:
20The sons of Merari according to their families were Machli and Mushi. These were the families of Levi according to their fathers’ houses.   כוּבְנֵ֧י מְרָרִ֛י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם מַחְלִ֣י וּמוּשִׁ֑י אֵ֥לֶּה הֵ֛ם מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַלֵּוִ֖י לְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם:
21For Gershon, Moses tallied the family of Livni and the family of Shim’i, these being the families of Gershon.   כאלְגֵ֣רְשׁ֔וֹן מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת֙ הַלִּבְנִ֔י וּמִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשִּׁמְעִ֑י אֵ֣לֶּה הֵ֔ם מִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת הַגֵּֽרְשֻׁנִּֽי:
לְגֵרְשׁוֹן מִשְׁפַּחַת הַלִּבְנִי - For Gershon, the family of Livni - i.e., for Gershon, those counted were the family of Livni and the family of Shim’i, and their tally was such and such.   לְגֵרְשׁוֹן מִשְׁפַּחַת הַלִּבְנִי.  כְּלוֹמַר, לְגֵרְשׁוֹן הָיוּ הַפְּקוּדִים מִשְׁפַּחַת הַלִּבְנִי וּמִשְׁפַּחַת הַשִּׁמְעִי — פְּקוּדֵיהֶם כָּךְ וְכָךְ:
22Their tally was the number of males one month old and over, whose tally was 7,500.   כבפְּקֻֽדֵיהֶם֙ בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר כָּל־זָכָ֔ר מִבֶּן־חֹ֖דֶשׁ וָמָ֑עְלָה פְּקֻ֣דֵיהֶ֔ם שִׁבְעַ֥ת אֲלָפִ֖ים וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת:
23God told Moses that the families of Gershon must camp behind the Tabernacle, to the west;   כגמִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת הַגֵּֽרְשֻׁנִּ֑י אַֽחֲרֵ֧י הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן יַֽחֲנ֖וּ יָֽמָּה:
24that the prince of the paternal house of the families of Gershon would be Elyasaf son of La’el;   כדוּנְשִׂ֥יא בֵית־אָ֖ב לַגֵּֽרְשֻׁנִּ֑י אֶלְיָסָ֖ף בֶּן־לָאֵֽל:
25and that the charge of the clan of Gershon in transporting the Tent of Meeting would be the Tabernacle, the Tent, its cover, the Screen for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,   כהוּמִשְׁמֶ֤רֶת בְּנֵי־גֵֽרְשׁוֹן֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן וְהָאֹ֑הֶל מִכְסֵ֕הוּ וּמָסַ֕ךְ פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
הַמִּשְׁכָּן - The Tabernacle - i.e., the lower tapestries.   הַמִּשְׁכָּן.  יְרִיעוֹת הַתַּחְתּוֹנוֹת:
וְהָאֹהֶל - The Tent - i.e., the sheets of goats’ hair that were made as a roof over the lower tapestries.   וְהָאֹהֶל.  יְרִיעוֹת עִזִּים הָעֲשׂוּיוֹת לְגַג:
מִכְסֵהוּ - Its cover - i.e., both the rams’ and tachash skins.   מִכְסֵהוּ.  עוֹרוֹת אֵילִים וּתְחָשִׁים:
וּמָסַךְ פֶּתַח - The Screen for the entrance. This is the curtain.   וּמָסַךְ פֶּתַח.  הוּא הַוִּילוֹן:
26the nettings of the Courtyard, the Screen at the entrance to the Courtyard that enclosed the Tabernacle and the Altar, and its ropes, for all its work.   כווְקַלְעֵ֣י הֶֽחָצֵ֗ר וְאֶת־מָסַךְ֙ פֶּ֣תַח הֶֽחָצֵ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֧ר עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן וְעַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ סָבִ֑יב וְאֵת֙ מֵֽיתָרָ֔יו לְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹֽדָתֽוֹ:
וְאֶת־מֵֽיתָרָיו - And its ropes - i.e., those used to fasten the covers of the Tabernacle and the Tent, but not those used to hang the nettings of the Courtyard.   וְאֶת־מֵֽיתָרָיו.  שֶׁל הַמִשְׁכָּן וְהָאֹהֶל, וְלֹא שֶׁל חָצֵר:
27For Kehat, Moses tallied the family of Amram, the family of Yitzhar, the family of Chevron, and the family of Uzi’el, all these being the families of Kehat.   כזוְלִקְהָ֗ת מִשְׁפַּ֤חַת הָֽעַמְרָמִי֙ וּמִשְׁפַּ֣חַת הַיִּצְהָרִ֔י וּמִשְׁפַּ֨חַת֙ הַֽחֶבְרֹנִ֔י וּמִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָֽעָזִּֽיאֵלִ֑י אֵ֥לֶּה הֵ֖ם מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַקְּהָתִֽי:
28The number of all males one month old and over was 8,600; they were the keepers of the charge of the Sanctuary.   כחבְּמִסְפַּר֙ כָּל־זָכָ֔ר מִבֶּן־חֹ֖דֶשׁ וָמָ֑עְלָה שְׁמֹנַ֤ת אֲלָפִים֙ וְשֵׁ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת שֹֽׁמְרֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ:
29God told Moses that the families of the clan of Kehat must camp to the south side of the Tabernacle;   כטמִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־קְהָ֖ת יַֽחֲנ֑וּ עַ֛ל יֶ֥רֶךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן תֵּימָֽנָה:
מִשְׁפְּחֹת בְּנֵֽי־קְהָת יַֽחֲנוּ … תֵּימָֽנָה - The families of the clan of Kehat must camp to the south - and close to them was the division of Reuben, who camped to the south. “Woe to the wicked, and woe to his neighbor!” Thus, from among them, Dathan and Aviram and the 250 men were punished with Korach and his congregation, being drawn in with them and participating in their dispute with Moses.   מִשְׁפְּחֹת בְּנֵֽי־קְהָת יַֽחֲנוּ … תֵּימָֽנָה.  וּסְמוּכִין לָהֶם דֶּגֶל רְאוּבֵן הַחוֹנִים תֵּימָנָה — אוֹי לָרָשָׁע אוֹי לִשְׁכֵנוֹ, לְכָךְ לָקוּ מֵהֶם דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם וּמָאתַיִם וַחֲמִשִּׁים אִישׁ עִם קֹרַח וַעֲדָתוֹ, שֶׁנִּמְשְׁכוּ עִמָּהֶם בְּמַחֲלָקְתָּם (תנחומא):
30that the prince of the paternal house of the families of Kehat would be Elitzafan son of Uzi’el;   לוּנְשִׂ֥יא בֵית־אָ֖ב לְמִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת הַקְּהָתִ֑י אֱלִֽיצָפָ֖ן בֶּן־עֻזִּיאֵֽל:
31and that their charge would be the Ark, the Table, the Candelabrum, the Altars, the utensils of the Sanctuary with which they would minister, the partition Curtain, and all its work.   לאוּמִשְׁמַרְתָּ֗ם הָֽאָרֹ֤ן וְהַשֻּׁלְחָן֙ וְהַמְּנֹרָ֣ה וְהַמִּזְבְּחֹ֔ת וּכְלֵ֣י הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשָֽׁרְת֖וּ בָּהֶ֑ם וְהַ֨מָּסָ֔ךְ וְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹֽדָתֽוֹ:
וְהַמָּסָךְ - (lit.) The Screen. This refers to the Curtain, for it is also called פָּרֹכֶת הַמָּסָךְ “the partition Curtain.” 2   וְהַמָּסָךְ.  הִיא הַפָּרֹכֶת, שֶׁאַף הִיא קְרוּיָה פָּרֹכֶת הַמָּסָךְ:
32God told Moses that the prince over all the princes of the Levites would be Eleazar son of Aaron the priest; his job would be the appointment of the keepers of the charge of the Sanctuary.   לבוּנְשִׂיא֙ נְשִׂיאֵ֣י הַלֵּוִ֔י אֶלְעָזָ֖ר בֶּן־אַֽהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֑ן פְּקֻדַּ֕ת שֹֽׁמְרֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ:
וּנְשִׂיא נְשִׂיאֵי הַלֵּוִי - The prince over all the princes of the Levites - i.e., the one who was appointed over all of them. And with regard to what was his authority? “the appointment of the keepers of the charge of the Sanctuary” i.e., he delegated tasks for all of them.   וּנְשִׂיא נְשִׂיאֵי הַלֵּוִי.  מְמֻנֶּה עַל כֻּלָּם, וְעַל מַה הִיא נְשִׂיאוּתוֹ פְּקֻדַּת שֹֽׁמְרֵי מִשְׁמֶרֶת עַל יָדוֹ הִיא פְּקֻדַּת כֻּלָּם: —
33For Merari, Moses tallied the family of Machli and the family of Mushi, these being the families of Merari.   לגלִמְרָרִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת֙ הַמַּחְלִ֔י וּמִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַמּוּשִׁ֑י אֵ֥לֶּה הֵ֖ם מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת מְרָרִֽי:
34Their tally, the number of males one month old and over, was 6,200.   לדוּפְקֻֽדֵיהֶם֙ בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר כָּל־זָכָ֔ר מִבֶּן־חֹ֖דֶשׁ וָמָ֑עְלָה שֵׁ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים וּמָאתָֽיִם:
35God told Moses that the prince of the paternal house of the families of Merari would be Tzuri’el son of Avichayil; that they must camp on the north side of the Tabernacle;   להוּנְשִׂ֤יא בֵית־אָב֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת מְרָרִ֔י צֽוּרִיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־אֲבִיחָ֑יִל עַ֣ל יֶ֧רֶךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן יַֽחֲנ֖וּ צָפֹֽנָה:
36and that the appointed charge of the clan of Merari would be the planks of the Tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all the utensils used in it, all its work,   לווּפְקֻדַּ֣ת מִשְׁמֶ֘רֶת֘ בְּנֵ֣י מְרָרִי֒ קַרְשֵׁי֙ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן וּבְרִיחָ֖יו וְעַמֻּדָ֣יו וַֽאֲדָנָ֑יו וְכָ֨ל־כֵּלָ֔יו וְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹֽדָתֽוֹ:
37the pillars of the surrounding Courtyard, their sockets, and their stakes and ropes.   לזוְעַמֻּדֵ֧י הֶֽחָצֵ֛ר סָבִ֖יב וְאַדְנֵיהֶ֑ם וִיתֵֽדֹתָ֖ם וּמֵֽיתְרֵיהֶֽם:
38God told Moses that those who must camp in front of the Tabernacle, in front of the Tent of Meeting to the east, would be Moses, Aaron and his sons. They would be the keepers of the charge of the Sanctuary as a trust for the Israelites, for any outsider who approached to participate would be put to death.   לחוְהַֽחֹנִ֣ים לִפְנֵ֣י הַמִּשְׁכָּ֡ן קֵ֣דְמָה לִפְנֵי֩ אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֨ד | מִזְרָ֜חָה משֶׁ֣ה | וְאַֽהֲרֹ֣ן וּבָנָ֗יו שֹֽׁמְרִים֙ מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת הַמִּקְדָּ֔שׁ לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהַזָּ֥ר הַקָּרֵ֖ב יוּמָֽת:
משֶׁה וְאַֽהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו - Moses, Aaron and his sons - and near them was the banner of the division of Judah, and those who camped next to them – Issachar and Zebulun. “Good for the righteous one, and good for his neighbor!” I.e., since they were the neighbors of Moses, who occupied himself with the study of the Torah, they, too, became great Torah scholars, as it says: “Judah is my lawgiver”; 3 “And from the descendants of Issachar: those who had comprehension…” 4 – referring to 200 heads of Sanhedrin; “and out of Zebulun came those who ply the scribal quill.” 5   משֶׁה וְאַֽהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו.  וּסְמוּכִין לָהֶם דֶּגֶל מַחֲנֵה יְהוּדָה, וְהַחוֹנִים עָלָיו יִשָּׂשכָר וּזְבוּלֻן — טוֹב לַצַּדִיק טוֹב לִשְׁכֵנוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁכֵנָיו שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה שֶׁהָיָה עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה, נַעֲשׂוּ גְדוֹלִים בַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "יְהוּדָה מְחֹקְקִי" (תהלים ס, ט), "וּמִבְּנֵי יִשָּׂשכָר יוֹדְעֵי בִינָה וְגוֹ' מָאתַיִם" (דהי"א י"ב) — רָאשֵׁי סַנְהֶדְרָאוֹת, "וּמִזְּבוּלֻן מֹשְׁכִים בְּשֵׁבֶט סֹפֵר" (שופטים ה, יד) (תנחומא):
39The sum of all the tallies of the male Levites, according to their families, one month old and over, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the word of God, was 22,000.   לטכָּל־פְּקוּדֵ֨י הַֽלְוִיִּ֜ם אֲשֶׁר֩ פָּקַ֨ד משֶׁ֧ה וְ֗אַֽ֗הֲ֗רֹ֛֗ן֗ עַל־פִּ֥י יְהוָֹ֖ה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם כָּל־זָכָר֙ מִבֶּן־חֹ֣דֶשׁ וָמַ֔עְלָה שְׁנַ֥יִם וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים אָֽלֶף:
אֲשֶׁר פָּקַד משֶׁה וְאַֽהֲרֹן - Whom Moses and Aaron counted. There are dots over the word וְאַהֲרֹן to indicate that he was not included in the count of the Levites, despite being the prince of their tribe.   אֲשֶׁר פָּקַד משֶׁה וְאַֽהֲרֹן.  נָקוּד עַל וְאַהֲרֹן, לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בְּמִנְיַן הַלְוִיִּם (בכורות ד'):
שְׁנַיִם וְעֶשְׂרִים אָֽלֶף - 22,000 - but if you consult their enumeration listed above, you find 300 extra: the sons of Gershon – 7,500; the sons of Kehat – 8,600; and the sons of Merari – 6,200, making 22,300 in total. Why, then, were they not included in the total with the others to redeem the firstborn, and then the 273 firstborn who exceeded the number of Levites would not have needed monetary redemption? Our rabbis stated in Tractate Bechorot: 6 These 300 Levites were themselves firstborn, and it was sufficient for them that they exempted themselves from redemption; they could not substitute for an additional firstborn as well.   שְׁנַיִם וְעֶשְׂרִים אָֽלֶף.  וּבִפְרָטָן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת יְתֵרִים — בְּנֵי גֵּרְשׁוֹן שִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת, בְּנֵי קְהָת שְׁמוֹנַת אֲלָפִים וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת, בְּנֵי מְרָרִי שֵׁשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וּמָאתָיִם; וְלָמָּה לֹא כְלָלָן עִם הַשְּׁאָר וְיִפְדּוּ אֶת הַבְּכוֹרוֹת וְלֹא יִהְיוּ זְקוּקִים הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה וְשִׁבְעִים וּמָאתַיִם בְּכוֹרוֹת הָעוֹדְפִים עַל הַמִּנְיָן לְפִדְיוֹן? אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בְמַסֶּכֶת בְּכוֹרוֹת (דף ה'), אוֹתָן שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת לְוִיִּם בְּכוֹרוֹת הָיוּ, וְדַיָּם שֶׁיַּפְקִיעוּ עַצְמָם מִן הַפִּדְיוֹן: