Bamidbar
Beha'alotcha, Aliyah 2 בהעלותך, שני
Part of: Beha'alotchaBeha'alotcha, Aliyah 2Chapter 8Petuchah, Numbers 8:5Setumah, Numbers 8:23
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Bamidbar 8
וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן יָבֹאוּ הַלְוִיִּם לַעֲבֹד אֶת־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְטִֽהַרְתָּ אֹתָם וְהֵנַפְתָּ אֹתָם תְּנוּפָֽה׃
After this is done, the Levites shall come to work in the Tent of Meeting, and you shall purify them, and you shall lift them up as a wave-offering,
After this is done, the Levites shall come to work in the Tent of Meeting, and you shall purify them, and you shall lift them up as a wave-offering,
כִּי נְתֻנִים נְתֻנִים הֵמָּה לִי מִתּוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל תַּחַת פִּטְרַת כׇּל־רֶחֶם בְּכוֹר כֹּל מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָקַחְתִּי אֹתָם לִֽי׃
For they are given; they are given to Me from among Bnei Yisroel in place of those who open the womb,—every firstborn of Bnei Yisroel—I have taken them to be Mine.
For they are given; they are given to Me from among Bnei Yisroel in place of those who open the womb,—every firstborn of Bnei Yisroel—I have taken them to be Mine.
Rashi
פטרת. פְּתִיחַת:
פִּטְרַת The opening of.
כִּי לִי כׇל־בְּכוֹר בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה בְּיוֹם הַכֹּתִי כׇל־בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם הִקְדַּשְׁתִּי אֹתָם לִֽי׃
For every firstborn of Bnei Yisroel is Mine, human and animal; on the day in which I slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I have sanctified them to be Mine.
For every firstborn of Bnei Yisroel is Mine, human and animal; on the day in which I slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I have sanctified them to be Mine.
Rashi
כי לי כל בכור. שֶׁלִּי הָיוּ הַבְּכוֹרוֹת בְּקַו הַדִּין, שֶׁהֲגִנֹּתִי עֲלֵיהֶם בֵּין בְּכוֹרֵי מִצְרַיִם וְלָקַחְתִּי אוֹתָם לִי — עַד שֶׁטָּעוּ בָעֵגֶל, וְעַכְשָׁו "וָאֶקַּח אֶת הַלְוִיִּם":
For every first born is Mine. The first born were Mine by the rules of justice, since I protected them among the Egyptian firstborn. So I took them for Myself — until they strayed with the [golden] calf. Now I have taken the Levites.
וָאֶקַּח אֶת־הַלְוִיִּם תַּחַת כׇּל־בְּכוֹר בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
I have taken the Levites instead of all firstborn of Bnei Yisroel,
I have taken the Levites instead of all firstborn of Bnei Yisroel,
וָאֶתְּנָה אֶת־הַלְוִיִּם נְתֻנִים ׀ לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו מִתּוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲבֹד אֶת־עֲבֹדַת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּלְכַפֵּר עַל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶגֶף בְּגֶשֶׁת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃
and I have given the Levites to be given as a gift to Aharon and to his sons from among Bnei Yisroel to do the duties of Bnei Yisroel in the Tent of Meeting, and to atone for Bnei Yisroel, so that there will not be a plague among Bnei Yisroel when Bnei Yisroel approach the sanctuary.
and I have given the Levites to be given as a gift to Aharon and to his sons from among Bnei Yisroel to do the duties of Bnei Yisroel in the Tent of Meeting, and to atone for Bnei Yisroel, so that there will not be a plague among Bnei Yisroel when Bnei Yisroel approach the sanctuary.
Rashi
ואתנה וגו'. חֲמִשָּׁה פְעָמִים נֶאֶמְרוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִקְרָא זֶה, לְהוֹדִיעַ חִבָּתָן, שֶׁנִּכְפַּל אַזְכְּרוֹתֵיהֶן בְּמִקְרָא אֶחָד כְּמִנְיַן חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה, וְכָךְ רָאִיתִי בִּבְ"רַ:
I have given the Levites, etc. Bnei Yisroel are mentioned five times, in this passage, to make their preciousness known. They are remembered repeatedly in a single passage to correspond with the number of the five books of the Torah. I saw this in Bereishis Rabbah.
ולא יהיה בבני ישראל נגף. שֶׁלֹא יִצְטָרְכוּ לָגֶשֶׁת אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ, שֶׁאִם יִגְּשׁוּ יִהְיֶה נֶגֶף:
So that there will not be a plague among Bnei Yisroel. So that they will not need to approach the Holy, for if they approach, there will be a plague.
וַיַּעַשׂ מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וְכׇל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לַלְוִיִּם כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה לַלְוִיִּם כֵּן־עָשׂוּ לָהֶם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Moshe, Aharon, and the entire congregation of Bnei Yisroel did to the Levites just as Adonoy commanded Moshe regarding the Levites, so did Bnei Yisroel do to them.
Moshe, Aharon, and the entire congregation of Bnei Yisroel did to the Levites just as Adonoy commanded Moshe regarding the Levites, so did Bnei Yisroel do to them.
Rashi
ויעש משה ואהרן וכל עדת וגו'. מֹשֶׁה הֶעֱמִידָן וְאַהֲרֹן הֱנִיפָן, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל סָמְכוּ אֶת יְדֵיהֶם:
Moshe, Aharon, and the entire congregation did, etc. Moshe placed them, Aharon waved them, and the Israelites rested their hands.
וַיִּֽתְחַטְּאוּ הַלְוִיִּם וַֽיְכַבְּסוּ בִּגְדֵיהֶם וַיָּנֶף אַהֲרֹן אֹתָם תְּנוּפָה לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה וַיְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם אַהֲרֹן לְטַהֲרָֽם׃
The Levites underwent purification and they washed their garments, and Aharon lifted them as a wave-offering before Adonoy; and Aharon achieved atonement on their behalf, to purify them.
The Levites underwent purification and they washed their garments, and Aharon lifted them as a wave-offering before Adonoy; and Aharon achieved atonement on their behalf, to purify them.
וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן בָּאוּ הַלְוִיִּם לַעֲבֹד אֶת־עֲבֹֽדָתָם בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לִפְנֵי אַהֲרֹן וְלִפְנֵי בָנָיו כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה עַל־הַלְוִיִּם כֵּן עָשׂוּ לָהֶֽם׃ {ס}
Afterwards, the Levites came to perform their duties in the Tent of Meeting in the presence of Aharon and in the presence of his sons; just as Adonoy commanded Moshe regarding the Levites, so they did unto them.
Afterwards, the Levites came to perform their duties in the Tent of Meeting in the presence of Aharon and in the presence of his sons; just as Adonoy commanded Moshe regarding the Levites, so they did unto them.
Rashi
כאשר צוה ה' … כן עשו. לְהַגִּיד שֶׁבַח הָעוֹשִׂין וְהַנַּעֲשֶׂה בָהֶן, שֶׁאֶחָד מֵהֶם לֹא עִכֵּב:
Just as Adonoy commanded, etc. so they did. This indicates the praiseworthiness of those who did, and those with whom it was done — no one objected.
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
Adonoy spoke to Moshe, saying;
Adonoy spoke to Moshe, saying;
זֹאת אֲשֶׁר לַלְוִיִּם מִבֶּן חָמֵשׁ וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה יָבוֹא לִצְבֹא צָבָא בַּעֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃
This concerns the Levites; from the age of twenty-five years and above he shall enter the division for the duties of the Tent of Meeting.
This concerns the Levites; from the age of twenty-five years and above he shall enter the division for the duties of the Tent of Meeting.
Rashi
זאת אשר ללוים. שָׁנִים פּוֹסְלִים וְאֵין הַמּוּמִין פּוֹסְלִים בָּהֶם (ספרי; חולין כ"ד):
This concerns the Levites. Age disqualifies them, but physical deformity does not disqualify them.
מבן חמש ועשרים. וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר אוֹמֵר "מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה" (במדבר ד'), הָא כֵיצַד? מִבֶּן כ"ה בָּא לִלְמֹד הִלְכוֹת עֲבוֹדָה וְלוֹמֵד חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים וּבֶן שְׁלֹשִׁים עוֹבֵד, מִכָּאן לְתַלְמִיד שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה סִימָן יָפֶה בְּמִשְׁנָתוֹ בְּחָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים שׁוּב אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה (ספרי; חולין כ"ד):
From the age of twenty-five. But elsewhere it says, “From the age of thirty.” How is this reconciled? From the age of twenty-five he begins to study of the laws of the service. He studies for five years, and serves at the age of thirty. From here [we derive] that a pupil who does not see favorable indications in his studies for five years will never see (them).
וּמִבֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה יָשׁוּב מִצְּבָא הָעֲבֹדָה וְלֹא יַעֲבֹד עֽוֹד׃
From the age of fifty he shall retire from the work force, and shall no longer work.
From the age of fifty he shall retire from the work force, and shall no longer work.
Rashi
ולא יעבד עוד. עֲבוֹדַת מַשָּׂא בַּכָּתֵף, אֲבָל חוֹזֵר הוּא לִנְעִילַת שְׁעָרִים וְלָשִׁיר וְלִטְעֹן עֲגָלוֹת, וְזֶהוּ וְשֵׁרֵת אֶת אֶחָיו — עִם אֲחוֹהִי, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
And shall no longer work. At the task of carrying on the shoulder, but he returns to lock the gates, to sing, and to load the wagons. This is [the meaning of] “But he shall serve his brethren,” ‘with his brethren’, as Targum [Onkelos] renders.
וְשֵׁרֵת אֶת־אֶחָיו בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לִשְׁמֹר מִשְׁמֶרֶת וַעֲבֹדָה לֹא יַעֲבֹד כָּכָה תַּעֲשֶׂה לַלְוִיִּם בְּמִשְׁמְרֹתָֽם׃ {פ}
But shall serve his brethren in the Tent of Meeting to keep the watch, and he shall not do any service; so you shall have the Levites do in their guard duties.
But shall serve his brethren in the Tent of Meeting to keep the watch, and he shall not do any service; so you shall have the Levites do in their guard duties.
Rashi
לשמר משמרת. לַחֲנוֹת סָבִיב לָאֹהֶל וּלְהָקִים וּלְהוֹרִיד בִּשְׁעַת הַמַּסָּעוֹת:
To keep the watch. To camp around the Tent, and erect and dismantle [it] during the journeys.
נתנים נתנים. נְתוּנִים לְמַשָּׂא, נְתוּנִים לָשִׁיר:
They are given; they are given. Given for carrying, given for singing.