Bamidbar
Book 4: Numbers
BAMIDBAR - RASHI COMMENTARY
Chapter 01 - Rashi
Verse 1: In the Sinai desert...
on the first [day] of the [second] month, etc.
Because they (the Israelites) are precious
before Him (Hashem),
He counts them all the time;1
when they went out of Egypt
He counted them [Shemos, 12:37],
and when they fell
because of [the sin of] the golden calf2
He counted them to know the number
of those who remained,3
when He came to cause His Presence to rest
upon them
He counted them.
On the first day of Nisan
the Mishkon was set up,
and on the first day of Iyar4 He counted them.
Verse 2: According to their families.
To know the number of each tribe5
To the house of their fathers:
Someone whose father is from one tribe
and his mother from another tribe
shall be maintained in his father's tribe.
Individually
Through the shekolim6
a half-shekel per head.
Verse 3: All those eligible for the army.
This teaches us
that no one is eligible for the army
below the age of twenty.
Verse 4: Along with you, there shall be.
When you count them,
there shall be with you
the leader of each tribe.
Verse 16: These are the ones called
from the congregation.
The ones who were invited
to everything of importance in the congregation.7
Verse 17: These men.
Those twelve leaders [mentioned above, 5--15].
Who were designated:
To him (Moshe) here by [their] names.
Verse 18: And they were registered by
family ancestry.
They brought their genealogical documents
and witnesses8 who verified the circumstances
of their birth,9
this applied to each individual,
to establish their kinship with the tribe.
Verse 49: However,
the tribe of Levi you shall not count.
The King's legion10 is worthy
of being counted separately.11
Another interpretation;
the Holy One, blessed is He, foresaw
that a decree would arise
against all those who were counted
from the age of twenty and above
to die in the desert.12
He [therefore] said,
"Let these [Levites] not be included,
for they are mine,
since they did not sin13 with the [golden] calf."14
Verse 50: You shall appoint the Levites.
As Targum [Onkelos] translates, "appoint."15
The word denotes appointment to authority
over the subject of one's appointment,
as, "and let the king appoint
officials." (Esther 2)
Verse 51: [They] shall take it down.
As Targum (Onkelos) translates,
"they shall dismantle."16
When they were going to depart17 in the desert
from journey to journey18
they would dismantle it (the Mishkon)
from its upright position and carry it
to the place where the cloud came to rest.19
They camped there
and set it up.
And the stranger who approaches:
To [perform] this service20 of theirs.
Shall die:
By the hand of heaven.21
Verse 52: And each man at his own banner.
According to the way that the banners
are arranged in this book (i.e., Bamidbar, 2:3--31),
three tribes to each banner.
Verse 53: So that there will not be anger.
If you fulfill My commandments
there will not be anger,
but if not---
if strangers will enter
into this service of theirs---
there will be anger,
as we find in the episode of Korach,22
"... for the anger had emerged ..." [17:11]
Chapter 02 - Rashi
Verse 2: With the insignia.
Each banner shall have [as] its insignia
a colored cloth hanging from it.
Each one's color was not like the other's,
each color corresponded with the hue
of its gem set in the breastplate.23
Thusly, everyone could recognize his banner.
Another interpretation [of]
"with the insignia of their fathers' houses";
By the sign their forefather Yaakov gave them
When they carried him from Egypt
[for burial in Canaan],
as it is said,
"And his sons did to him just as
he had commanded them" [Bereishis, 50:12].
'Yehudah, Yissachar, and Zevulun
shall carry him from the east,
Reuven, Shimon, and Gad from the south; etc.,'
as stated by Tanchuma to this portion.
At a distance:
At the distance24 of a mil
(2,000 amos, approximately 4,000 feet.25)
as stated in the Book of Joshua [3:4],
'However, there should be a distance
between you and it (the sacred ark)
of two thousand amos',26
To enable them to come on Shabbos.27
Moshe and Aharon and his sons and the Levites
camped near it (the Mishkon).28
Verse 3: In the forefront.
Toward29 the side called {Hebrew Ref} , the front.
Which is this?30
The eastern side31 32
whereas the west is called {Hebrew Ref} , the rear,33
Verse 9: They travel first.
When they see34 the cloud rise,
the kohanim blow the trumpets
and the camp of Yehudah departs first.35
When traveling, they move the way they camped;
The Levites and the wagons at the center,36
the banner of Yehudah to the east,37
that of Reuven to the south,38 Ephraim's to the west,39
and Don's to the north.40
Verse 17: The Tent of Meeting shall travel.
After those two banners.41
Just as they camp, so shall they travel:
As I explained,42 they traveled as they camped,
each banner proceeding in its designated position.
In his place [literally "his hand"]
In his place.
Yet, the literal meaning, "his hand" is not out of context.
One's nearby area is called "at hand,"
[i.e.,] adjacent, within hand's reach.
en son aise, at hand, in Old French.
Verse 20: With him [literally "above him"].
As Targum [Onkelos] translates, "the one near him."43
Chapter 03 - Rashi
Verse 1: These are the descendants
of Aharon and Moshe.
[Scripture] mentions only the sons of Aharon,44
yet they are called the descendants of Moshe
---because he taught them Torah.
This teaches us
that one who teaches another's son Torah
is considered as having procreated him.45
On the day that Ad-noy spoke to Moshe
They became his descendants,46
since he taught them47
what he had learned from the mouth of the Almighty.
Verse 4: In the presence [literally "the face"]
of Aharon.
During his lifetime.48
Verse 6: And they shall serve him.
What is the service? [The next passage explains---]
"They shall preserve his guardianship;"49
since he (Aharon) is obligated to guard the Sanctuary
so that no stranger may approach,50
as it is said,
"... you (Aharon), your sons,
and your father's house with you
shall bear [responsibility for] the sin of [defiling]
the Sanctuary ...,"51 and these Levites aided them,
this is the service.
Verse 7: They shall take care to preserve
his guardianship.
Any position to which a person is appointed
which requires his active management
is called a "watch" throughout Scripture,
and in the Mishnaic idiom,
as stated concerning Bigsan and Seresh,52
"But surely my watch is not similar to yours"?53
Similarly, the "watches"
of the kohanim and Levites.
Verse 8: And the watch of Bnei Yisroel.
They were all actually obligated54
to provide the needs of the Sanctuary;
the Levites merely served in their place, as surrogates.
This is why they (the Levites)
accepted the tithes55 from them, in payment,
as it is said, "... for it (the tithe) is your payment,
in return for your service ..."56
Verse 9: They are presented to him.
For assistance.57
From [among] Bnei Yisroel
This [ {Hebrew Ref} , "from"] is understood as {Hebrew Ref} ,
"from among"58 Bnei Yisroel,
meaning from the rest of the entire congregation
they (the Levites) were selected for this
by Divine decree
and He (G-d) gave them to him (Aharon), as it is said,
59 "I (G-d) have given the Levites, given [them]..
."
Verse 10: Appoint Aharon and his sons.
The word connotes appointment, not counting.60
And they shall guard their priesthood.
Referring to the blood [of the sacrificial offerings],
sprinkling [it on the altar],
burning [the sacrifices],
[and other] services entrusted to the kohanim.61
Verse 12: Behold, I have taken [the Levites].
What is My right to them?62
From among Bnei Yisroel
That the Israelites must hire them to serve Me?
Through the [Israelites'] first born,
I gained my right to them,
having taken them (the Levites) in their place.
Because the sacred service was
[originally performed] by the firstborn,63
but when they sinned with the golden calf,
they were disqualified.
The Levites, who did not indulge in idolatry,64
were chosen instead.
Verse 15: From the age of one month and above.
When he (the infant)
can no longer be categorized as stillborn,65
he is listed among those entitled
"guardian of the sacred watch."66
R' Yehudah B'rabi Shalom said,
"This [Levite] tribe is regularly counted from the womb,
as it is said, "... [Yocheved, Levi's daughter]
... whom she (Levi's wife) bore to Levi in Egypt ..
." 67
While entering the portals of Egypt,
she bore her (Yocheved).68
yet she is counted among the seventy souls
[who came down to Egypt].69
for, when one tallies their total,
one finds only sixty-nine70
and she completed the total.
Verse 16: According to the word of Ad-noy.
Moshe said before the Holy One, Blessed is He,
"How can I enter into their tents71
to determine the number of their nursing infants"?
The Holy One, Blessed is He, replied,
"Do yours, and I will do Mine"!
Moshe proceeded, and stood at the door of the tent,
whereupon the Divine Presence preceded him
[and entered the tent].
A voice then echoed from the tent, announcing,
"There are so many and so many
nursing infants in this tent"!
This is why it is said,
"... according to the word of G-d ..."72
Verse 21: Of Gershon, the family of Livni.
Meaning, of Gershon,73 those who were counted
[was] the family of Livni and the family of Shim'i---
their numbers were so many and so many.
Verse 25: The Mishkon.
The lower74 [ceiling] drapes.
And the Tent.
The goats' hair drapes,75 made [to serve] as the76 roof.
Its Cover.
Ram77 and tachash78 skins.
And the curtain for the entrance
This is the drape.79
Verse 26: And its ropes.
Of the Mishkon and the tent,80 but not81 the
enclosure.
Verse 29: The families of the children of Kehos
shall camp ... on the south.
Near them [was] the banner of Reuven,
who camped to the south.82
Woe to the wicked, woe to his neighbor!83
This is why
[Reuven's constituents] were punished---
Doson, Avirom, and two hundred and fifty men
84---together with Korach and his assembly,
because they (the Reuvenites) were drawn,
with them, into the dispute.85 86
Verse 31: And the curtain.
This is the Paroches,87 as it was also called
"... the Paroches screen ..."88
Verse 32: The leader of the leaders of Levi.
[He was] appointed over all of them.
Over what was his leadership?
The appointment of the guardians89 to
safeguard---
They were all appointed by him.
Verse 38: Moshe, Aharon and his sons.
Near them [was] the banner of the camp of Yehudah,90
and those who camped near him,
Yissachar and Zevulun.91
Good fortune to the righteous,
good fortune to his neighbor!92
Because they were neighbors of Moshe,93
who engaged in Torah [study],
they became great Torah scholars,
as it is said,
"Yehudah my lawgiver"94; "From the sons of Yissachar
of sagacious knowledge, etc.95"---
[this refers to] two hundred heads of Sanhedrin;96
"and from Zevulun,
came those that handle the scribe's quill."97 98
Verse 39: Whom Moshe and Aharon counted.
There are dots over [the word] {Hebrew Ref} ,99
to teach that he was not included
in the counting of the Levites.
Twenty two thousand.
When counting them individually, however,
one discovers three hundred extra:
the sons of Gershon, seven thousand five hundred;
the sons of Kehos, eight thousand six hundred;
the sons of Merori, six thousand two hundred
[hence, twenty two thousand three hundred].
Why aren't they included among the rest
to redeem the firstborn,100
thus exempting
the two hundred seventy three overlapping firstborn
from redemption?
Our sages answered, in Maseches Bechoros,101
that the three hundred Levites were,
themselves, firstborn.
It was sufficient for them
to release themselves from redemption.102
Verse 40: Count every male firstborn ...
from the age of one month and above.
When he (the infant) can no longer
be categorized as stillborn.103
Verse 45: And the animals of the Levites ...etc.
The animals of the Levites did not redeem
the firstlings
of the Israelites' clean (i.e., kosher) animals,104
but [they did redeem] the firstlings of their donkeys.105
And a single sheep106 belonging to a Levite
released numerous of the Israelites' donkey firstlings.
The proof is that Scripture counts the extra men,107
but not the extra animals.
Verse 46: And the redemption of the
[two hundred and seventy-]three.
The firstborn who require redemption108 among them
(the Israelites),
these are the two hundred seventy-three extras
among them,
over and above the Levites.
From them, take five shekolim per head.
This was the sale price for Yoseif,109 twenty silver
[pieces],
who was Rochel's110 firstborn.111
Verse 49: [Those whose numbers were] in excess
of those who were redeemed through the Levites.
Those redeemed by the very presence of the Levites.112
Verse 50: One thousand three hundred sixty five.
This is the sum total, [at] five shekolim per head.
For two hundred firstborn: one thousand shekolim.
For seventy firstborn---three hundred and fifty shekolim.
For three firstborn---fifteen shekolim.
He (Moshe) said, "How shall I do this?
Any firstborn whom I tell to pay five shekolim
will say, 'I am from those redeemed by the Levites' "!
What did he do?
he brought twenty-two thousand slips
and wrote "Levite" on them,
and two hundred and seventy three slips
and wrote "five shekolim" on them.
He mixed them together,
and placed them in a container.
[Then] he told them,113
"Come, choose your slips by lot."
Chapter 04 - Rashi
Verse 2: Take the count ... etc.
Count those among them114
suited for the service of carrying,115
the ones from thirty to fifty years of age.
Someone younger than thirty,
has not reached prime strength.
From here they (the Rabbis) derive
"[the age of] thirty for strength"116
and after fifty, one's strength diminishes.
Verse 4: The Holy of Holies.
The Holiest of all117; the Ark, the Table, the Menorah,
the Altars, the Paroches, and the service vessels.118
Verse 5: Aharon and his sons shall enter ... etc.
They shall place each vessel
into the sheath specified for it in this chapter,119
so that the Levite sons of Kehos need do nothing
but carry [them].
When the camp is about to travel.
When the cloud rises,120
they know that they are to depart.121
Verse 7: Molds, spoons, rods, covering props.
I have explained this in [the chapter dealing with]
the work of the Mishkon.122
Covering.
Covering, from the word {Hebrew Ref} , cover,123
as it is written,
"... by which they (the breads) shall be covered."124
Verse 9: Its tongs.
A type of pliers with which they pull the wick
in any desired direction.
Its scoops.
A type of small spoon with a flat, uncurved bottom,
unwalled at the front---only at the sides,
with which he rakes the ashes from the lamps
when cleaning them.
It lamps.
Loces, lamps, in Old French,
in which the oil and wicks are placed.125
Verse 10: Into the covering of the tachash---hide.
A type of sack.126
Verse 12: All the service utensils
with which they serve in the Sanctuary.
Inside the Mishkon,127 which is Holy.128
These are the incense vessels,129
with which they serve on the inner altar.130
Verse 13: They shall remove the ashes from the Altar.
The copper131 altar.132
They shall remove the ashes.
They shall take the ashes away from it.133
And spread upon it a cloth of purple [wool].
The fire which descended from heaven134
lay below the cloth like a lion135
when they traveled.136
It didn't burn it (the cloth),
because they arched a copper vessel over it.137
Verse 14: Firepans.
With these they raked the coals
for the lifting of the ashes.138
This was made like a pan
with only three sides,
and the front was used to draw the coals.
Forks.
Copper hooks with which they prodded the limbs
on the altar,
turning them
so that they would be completely consumed quickly.
Scoops.
These were scrapers, In Old French, Wadil, scoops.
They were made of copper,
and used to sweep the ashes from the Altar.
Verse 15: Covering of the Sanctuary.
The Ark and the Altar.
And all of the holy utensils.
The Menorah and the service vessels.
And they will [not] die.
Since, if they touch, they will be subject to death
by Heavenly decree.139
Verse 16: Encharged to Elazar.
He was assigned to carry them;
oil, incense, and anointing oil.
The continual [daily] meal-offering.140
His responsibility was to issue orders,
to urge [the others],
and to offer it [on the altar] when they camped.
The charge of the entire Mishkon.
In addition,141 he was assigned
to [oversee] the load of the sons of Kehos
--to issue orders142 for everyone's work and load.
This is [what is meant by]
"... the Mishkon and all of its
contents ...,"
everything listed above in this chapter.143
But the load of the sons of Gershon and Merori,144
which did not consist of the holy of holies,145
was by order of Isamar,
as is written in the portion of {Hebrew Ref} .146
Verse 18: Do not cut off.
Do not cause them to die.147
Verse 20: They shall not come in to see
when the holy is being covered.
[When placed] into its sheath,
as specified above in this chapter,
they shall spread over it a certain cloth,
they shall cover it with a certain cover.148
Its " {Hebrew Ref} " refers to the covering of it.
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