Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 4

29You must count the clan of Merari by their families, according to their fathers’ houses.   כטבְּנֵ֖י מְרָרִ֑י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֥ם לְבֵית־אֲבֹתָ֖ם תִּפְקֹ֥ד אֹתָֽם:
30You must count them from the age of 30 to the age of 50, all who are eligible for the troop, to perform service in the Tent of Meeting.   למִבֶּן֩ שְׁלשִׁ֨ים שָׁנָ֜ה וָמַ֗עְלָה וְעַ֛ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה תִּפְקְדֵ֑ם כָּל־הַבָּא֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לַֽעֲבֹ֕ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֖ת אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
31This is the charge of their burden for all their service in transporting the Tent of Meeting: they will transport the planks of the Tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets,   לאוְזֹאת֙ מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת מַשָּׂאָ֔ם לְכָל־עֲבֹֽדָתָ֖ם בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד קַרְשֵׁי֙ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן וּבְרִיחָ֖יו וְעַמּוּדָ֥יו וַֽאֲדָנָֽיו:
32the pillars of the surrounding Courtyard, their sockets, their stakes, and their ropes, and all the utensils used in all their work. You must designate by name the utensils charged to them for their burden.   לבוְעַמּוּדֵי֩ הֶֽחָצֵ֨ר סָבִ֜יב וְאַדְנֵיהֶ֗ם וִיתֵֽדֹתָם֙ וּמֵ֣יתְרֵיהֶ֔ם לְכָ֨ל־כְּלֵיהֶ֔ם וּלְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹֽדָתָ֑ם וּבְשֵׁמֹ֣ת תִּפְקְד֔וּ אֶת־כְּלֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת מַשָּׂאָֽם:
וִיתֵֽדֹתָם וּמֵיתְרֵיהֶם - Their stakes and their ropes - i.e., of the pillars, for the stakes and ropes of the nettings were part of the burden of the clan of Gershon. There were stakes and ropes to fasten the tapestries and for the nettings from below so that the wind not lift them up, and there were stakes and ropes for the pillars all around, to hang the nettings from their upper edge with the help of poles and wooden blocks, as stated in the baraita of Melechet HaMishkan. 1   וִיתֵֽדֹתָם וּמֵיתְרֵיהֶם.  שֶׁל עַמּוּדִים; שֶׁהֲרֵי יִתְדוֹת וּמֵיתְרֵי הַקְּלָעִים בְּמַשָּׂא בְנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן הָיוּ, וִיתֵדוֹת וּמֵיתָרִים הָיוּ לַיְרִיעוֹת וְלַקְּלָעִים מִלְּמַטָּה, שֶׁלֹּא תַגְבִּיהֵם הָרוּחַ, וִיתֵדוֹת וּמֵיתָרִים הָיוּ לָעַמּוּדִים סָבִיב לִתְלוֹת בָּהֶם הַקְּלָעִים בִּשְׂפָתָם הָעֶלְיוֹנָה בִּכְלוּנְסוֹת וְקוּנְדָּסִין, כְּמוֹ שֶׁשְּׁנוּיָה בִמְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן:
33This is the service of the families of the clan of Merari for all their service in the Tent of Meeting, which is under the supervision of Itamar son of Aaron the priest.”   לגזֹ֣את עֲבֹדַ֗ת מִשְׁפְּחֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י מְרָרִ֔י לְכָל־עֲבֹֽדָתָ֖ם בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד בְּיַד֙ אִֽיתָמָ֔ר בֶּֽן־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵֽן:
34Moses, Aaron, and the princes of the community counted the clan of Kehat by their families and according to their fathers’ houses   לדוַיִּפְקֹ֨ד משֶׁ֧ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֛ן וּנְשִׂיאֵ֥י הָֽעֵדָ֖ה אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י הַקְּהָתִ֑י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם וּלְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם:
35from the age of 30 to the age of 50, all who were eligible for the troop, for service in the Tent of Meeting.   להמִבֶּ֨ן שְׁלשִׁ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וְעַ֖ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה כָּל־הַבָּא֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לַֽעֲבֹדָ֖ה בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
36Their tally, according to their families, was 2,750.   לווַיִּֽהְי֥וּ פְקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם אַלְפַּ֕יִם שְׁבַ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת וַֽחֲמִשִּֽׁים:
37These were the tallies of the families of the clan of Kehat, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, who were counted by Moses and Aaron as directed by God to Moses.   לזאֵ֤לֶּה פְקוּדֵי֙ מִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת הַקְּהָתִ֔י כָּל־הָֽעֹבֵ֖ד בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֨ר פָּקַ֤ד משֶׁה֙ וְאַֽהֲרֹ֔ן עַל־פִּ֥י יְהוָֹ֖ה בְּיַד־משֶֽׁה:
38This was the tally of the clan of Gershon, by their families and according to their fathers’ houses,   לחוּפְקוּדֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י גֵֽרְשׁ֑וֹן לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָ֖ם וּלְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם:
39from the age of 30 to the age of 50, all who were eligible for the troop, for service in the Tent of Meeting.   לטמִבֶּ֨ן שְׁלשִׁ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וְעַ֖ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה כָּל־הַבָּא֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לַֽעֲבֹדָ֖ה בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
40Their tally, by their families and according to their fathers’ houses, was 2,630.   מוַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ פְּקֻ֣דֵיהֶ֔ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם אַלְפַּ֕יִם וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וּשְׁלשִֽׁים:
41These are the tallies of the families of the clan of Gershon, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted as directed by God.   מאאֵ֣לֶּה פְקוּדֵ֗י מִשְׁפְּחֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י גֵֽרְשׁ֔וֹן כָּל־הָֽעֹבֵ֖ד בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֨ר פָּקַ֥ד משֶׁ֛ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֖ן עַל־פִּ֥י יְהוָֹֽה:
42This was the tally of the families of the clan of Merari, by their families and according to their fathers’ houses,   מבוּפְקוּדֵ֕י מִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י מְרָרִ֑י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם:
43from the age of 30 to the age of 50, all who were eligible for the troop, for service in the Tent of Meeting.   מגמִבֶּ֨ן שְׁלשִׁ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וְעַ֖ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה כָּל־הַבָּא֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לַֽעֲבֹדָ֖ה בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
44Their tally by their families was 3,200.   מדוַיִּהְי֥וּ פְקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם שְׁל֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים וּמָאתָֽיִם:
45These are the tallies of the families of the clan of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron counted as directed by God to Moses.   מהאֵ֣לֶּה פְקוּדֵ֔י מִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י מְרָרִ֑י אֲשֶׁ֨ר פָּקַ֤ד משֶׁה֙ וְאַֽהֲרֹ֔ן עַל־פִּ֥י יְהוָֹ֖ה בְּיַד־משֶֽׁה:
46These were all the tallies that Moses, Aaron, and the princes of Israel took of the Levites, by their families and according to their fathers’ houses,   מוכָּל־הַפְּקֻדִ֡ים אֲשֶׁר֩ פָּקַ֨ד משֶׁ֧ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֛ן וּנְשִׂיאֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּ֑ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם וּלְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם:
47from the age of 30 to the age of 50, all who were fit to perform the service of the service and the work of carrying in transporting the Tent of Meeting.   מזמִבֶּ֨ן שְׁלשִׁ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וְעַ֖ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה כָּל־הַבָּ֗א לַֽעֲבֹ֨ד עֲבֹדַ֧ת עֲבֹדָ֛ה וַֽעֲבֹדַ֥ת מַשָּׂ֖א בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
עֲבֹדַת עֲבֹדָה - The service of the service - this is playing heavy instruments, which required strength, such as cymbals and harps, which is part of a service done to accompany another service, that of the priests offering up sacrifices.   עֲבֹדַת עֲבֹדָה.  הִיא הַשִּׁיר בִּמְצִלְתַּיִם וְכִנּוֹרוֹת, שֶׁהִיא עֲבוֹדָה לַעֲבוֹדָה אַחֶרֶת (ערכין י"א):
וַֽעֲבֹדַת מַשָּׂא - The work of carrying - in contrast to the previous phrase, this phrase must be understood according to its plain sense, and not as referring to other tasks associated with the carrying.   וַֽעֲבֹדַת מַשָּׂא.  כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ:
48Their tally was 8,580.   מחוַיִּֽהְי֖וּ פְּקֻֽדֵיהֶ֑ם שְׁמֹנַ֣ת אֲלָפִ֔ים וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וּשְׁמֹנִֽים:
49As directed by God, they were appointed by Moses, each man to his service and his burden; those appointed were those whom God had commanded Moses to count.   מטעַל־פִּ֨י יְהוָֹ֜ה פָּקַ֤ד אוֹתָם֙ בְּיַד־משֶׁ֔ה אִ֥ישׁ אִ֛ישׁ עַל־עֲבֹֽדָת֖וֹ וְעַל־מַשָּׂא֑וֹ וּפְקֻדָ֕יו אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה:
וּפְקֻדָיו אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה ה' אֶת־משֶׁה - Those appointed [were those] whom God had commanded Moses - and those appointed were according to God’s instruction, from the age of 30 to the age of 50.   וּפְקֻדָיו אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה ה' אֶת־משֶׁה.  וְאוֹתָן הַפְּקוּדִים הָיוּ בְמִּצְוָה מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וְעַד בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים: