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Parashat HaShavuaפרשת במדברAliyah 2 — שני

פרשת במדבר — שני (Aliyah 2)

Parashat Bemidbar | Numbers 1:20–1:54 | Aliyah 2 of 7

קלאוד על הפרשה

The second aliyah (1:20-54) executes the census tribe by tribe and concludes with the special status of the Levi’im. It is one of the most numerically dense passages in the Torah: a near-identical formula is repeated twelve times — li-vnei [tribe-name], toledotam le-mishpechotam le-veit avotam be-mispar shemot mi-ben esrim shanah va-ma’lah, kol yotzei tzava — followed by the count. The verbatim repetition is striking. The Sforno suggests it reflects the dignity of each tribe: each one is named, each one is described with the full ceremonial formula. No tribe is summarized; no tribe is abbreviated. This is the Torah’s literary recognition that every tribe matters as much as the others, even though the population numbers vary widely.

The tribes are listed in a specific order: Re’uven, Shimon, Gad, Yehuda, Yissachar, Zevulun, Efrayim, Menasheh, Binyamin, Dan, Asher, Naftali. The order is the encampment-order anticipated by chapter 2 — Leah’s first three sons (with Gad, Leah’s handmaid’s son, inserted because he will encamp with the south-bank tribes), then Leah’s remaining sons (Yehuda-Yissachar-Zevulun, the east), then Rachel’s sons (Efrayim-Menasheh-Binyamin, the west), then Bilhah and Zilpah’s remaining sons (Dan, Asher, Naftali, the north). The Ramban explores the structural logic. The final tribal numbers — 74,600 for Yehuda as the largest, 32,200 for Menasheh as the smallest — are striking; Yehuda’s primacy in size foreshadows the tribe’s eventual primacy in kingship. The grand total reaches 603,550 — the same number as the second census (Shemot 38:26), confirming the Or HaChaim’s observation about the Levi’im’s separate counting.

The aliyah then turns to a critical legal-theological pivot: the Levi’im were not counted with them (1:47). The reason is given immediately: their service is not military but cultic — they shall be in charge of the Mishkan ha-eidut (Tabernacle of the Testimony) — to set it up, dismantle it, transport it, and guard it. Rashi (citing the Midrash) reads the verse’s threat — ve-ha-zar ha-karev yumat — as a continuation of the protective fence around the Mishkan: any non-Levite who approaches the sacred service dies. The Levi’im are simultaneously priests’ assistants and the buffer protecting Israel from contact with overwhelming holiness. They camp saviv la-Mishkan — around the Mishkan — forming an inner ring while the twelve tribes form the outer ring. The aliyah closes with the Israelites carrying out everything as Hashem had commanded Moshe, the formulaic obedience-clause that punctuates the Mishkan-narrative throughout Shemot and that here marks the success of the new organizational order.

Numbers 1:20–1:54 · במדבר א:כ–א:נד

פסוק א:כ · 1:20

Hebrew:

וַיִּהְי֤וּ בְנֵֽי־רְאוּבֵן֙ בְּכֹ֣ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֤ר שֵׁמוֹת֙ לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔ם כׇּל־זָכָ֗ר מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא׃

English:

They totaled as follows: The descendants of Reuben, Israel’s first-born, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, head by head, all males aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—

Reuven leads off the census as 'bekhor Yisrael' (firstborn of Israel) -- the Sforno emphasizes that despite losing his earthly birthright privileges to Yosef, Reuven retained his firstborn status in the heavenly books because he repented. The Or HaChaim reads the recurring phrase 'kol yotzei tzava' (every one able to go out to war) as a miracle: among all those counted, not a single man was physically unfit for war -- a precision unmatched in the censuses of the nations.
ספורנוSforno
בכור ישראל. שלא נפל ממעלתו בדיני שמים מפני תשובתו כענין ויהיו בני יעקב שנים עשר בני לאה בכור יעקב ראובן. אף על פי שנפל ממנה בדיני אדם:
בכור ישראל. He had not lost his status in the books kept in heaven as he had repented his sin as testified in Genesis 35,22-23 commencing with the otherwise unnecessary words ויהיו בני יעקב שנים עשר, "that Yaakov's sons remained twelve." This was in contrast to Reuven's birthright privileges here on earth having been revoked in favour of Joseph.
אור החייםOr HaChaim
כל יוצא צבא. אמר הכתוב כן בכל פרטי המספר, לומר שלא היה אחד מכל הבאים לכלל המספר שלא היה ראוי לצאת בצבא אלא כולן גבורי כח, והוא אומרו כל פירוש כל אחד מהם יוצא צבא. וזה נס שאינו באומות שאי אפשר שלא ימצא בכל המספרים שלהם אחד שאינו ראוי לצאת בצבא:
כל יוצא צבא, all who were able to go to war. The Torah repeats this comment every time the number of males in a tribe is given. This is because the Torah wants to tell us that amongst all the males over the age of twenty counted there was not even one who was physically unfit to go to war.

פסוק א:כא · 1:21

Hebrew:

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה רְאוּבֵ֑ן שִׁשָּׁ֧ה וְאַרְבָּעִ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וַחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃ {פ}

English:

those enrolled from the tribe of Reuben: 46,500.

פסוק א:כב · 1:22

Hebrew:

לִבְנֵ֣י שִׁמְע֔וֹן תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם פְּקֻדָ֗יו בְּמִסְפַּ֤ר שֵׁמוֹת֙ לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔ם כׇּל־זָכָ֗ר מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא׃

English:

Of the descendants of Simeon, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, their enrollment as listed by name, head by head, all males aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—

פסוק א:כג · 1:23

Hebrew:

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה שִׁמְע֑וֹן תִּשְׁעָ֧ה וַחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וּשְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃ {פ}

English:

those enrolled from the tribe of Simeon: 59,300.

פסוק א:כד · 1:24

Hebrew:

לִבְנֵ֣י גָ֔ד תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמ֗וֹת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא׃

English:

Of the descendants of Gad, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—

פסוק א:כה · 1:25

Hebrew:

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה גָ֑ד חֲמִשָּׁ֤ה וְאַרְבָּעִים֙ אֶ֔לֶף וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וַחֲמִשִּֽׁים׃ {פ}

English:

those enrolled from the tribe of Gad: 45,650.

פסוק א:כו · 1:26

Hebrew:

לִבְנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמֹ֗ת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא׃

English:

Of the descendants of Judah, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—

פסוק א:כז · 1:27

Hebrew:

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה יְהוּדָ֑ה אַרְבָּעָ֧ה וְשִׁבְעִ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃ {פ}

English:

those enrolled from the tribe of Judah: 74,600.

פסוק א:כח · 1:28

Hebrew:

לִבְנֵ֣י יִשָּׂשכָ֔ר תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמֹ֗ת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא׃

English:

Of the descendants of Issachar, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—

פסוק א:כט · 1:29

Hebrew:

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה יִשָּׂשכָ֑ר אַרְבָּעָ֧ה וַחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת׃ {פ}

English:

those enrolled from the tribe of Issachar: 54,400.

פסוק א:ל · 1:30

Hebrew:

לִבְנֵ֣י זְבוּלֻ֔ן תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמֹ֗ת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא׃

English:

Of the descendants of Zebulun, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—

פסוק א:לא · 1:31

Hebrew:

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה זְבוּלֻ֑ן שִׁבְעָ֧ה וַחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת׃ {פ}

English:

those enrolled from the tribe of Zebulun: 57,400.

פסוק א:לב · 1:32

Hebrew:

לִבְנֵ֤י יוֹסֵף֙ לִבְנֵ֣י אֶפְרַ֔יִם תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמֹ֗ת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא׃

English:

Of the descendants of Joseph: Of the descendants of Ephraim, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—

פסוק א:לג · 1:33

Hebrew:

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה אֶפְרָ֑יִם אַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף וַחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃ {פ}

English:

those enrolled from the tribe of Ephraim: 40,500.

פסוק א:לד · 1:34

Hebrew:

לִבְנֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמ֗וֹת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא׃

English:

Of the descendants of Manasseh, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—

פסוק א:לה · 1:35

Hebrew:

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה שְׁנַ֧יִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וּמָאתָֽיִם׃ {פ}

English:

those enrolled from the tribe of Manasseh: 32,200.

פסוק א:לו · 1:36

Hebrew:

לִבְנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֔ן תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמֹ֗ת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא׃

English:

Of the descendants of Benjamin, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—

פסוק א:לז · 1:37

Hebrew:

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה בִנְיָמִ֑ן חֲמִשָּׁ֧ה וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת׃ {פ}

English:

those enrolled from the tribe of Benjamin: 35,400.

פסוק א:לח · 1:38

Hebrew:

לִבְנֵ֣י דָ֔ן תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמֹ֗ת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא׃

English:

Of the descendants of Dan, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—

פסוק א:לט · 1:39

Hebrew:

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה דָ֑ן שְׁנַ֧יִם וְשִׁשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וּשְׁבַ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת׃ {פ}

English:

those enrolled from the tribe of Dan: 62,700.

פסוק א:מ · 1:40

Hebrew:

לִבְנֵ֣י אָשֵׁ֔ר תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמֹ֗ת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא׃

English:

Of the descendants of Asher, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—

פסוק א:מא · 1:41

Hebrew:

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה אָשֵׁ֑ר אֶחָ֧ד וְאַרְבָּעִ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וַחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃ {פ}

English:

those enrolled from the tribe of Asher: 41,500.

פסוק א:מב · 1:42

Hebrew:

בְּנֵ֣י נַפְתָּלִ֔י תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמֹ֗ת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא׃

English:

[Of] the descendants of Naphtali, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—

פסוק א:מג · 1:43

Hebrew:

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה נַפְתָּלִ֑י שְׁלֹשָׁ֧ה וַחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת׃ {פ}

English:

those enrolled from the tribe of Naphtali: 53,400.

פסוק א:מד · 1:44

Hebrew:

אֵ֣לֶּה הַפְּקֻדִ֡ים אֲשֶׁר֩ פָּקַ֨ד מֹשֶׁ֤ה וְאַהֲרֹן֙ וּנְשִׂיאֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר אִ֑ישׁ אִישׁ־אֶחָ֥ד לְבֵית־אֲבֹתָ֖יו הָיֽוּ׃

English:

Those are the enrollments recorded by Moses and Aaron and by the chieftains of Israel, who were twelve in number, one participant from each ancestral house.

The summary verse identifies the agents of the count: Moshe, Aharon, and the twelve tribal nesi'im (chieftains), one from each ancestral house. The Sforno emphasizes that 'eleh ha-pekudim' (these are the counted) indicates that every single individual was personally enumerated by Moshe and Aharon themselves -- not delegated to subordinates -- underscoring the gravity and intimacy of the census.
ספורנוSforno
אלה הפקודים. כל אחד מאלו נמנה על ידי משה ואהרן וכו':
אלה הפקודים, every single one of the aforementioned had been personally counted by Moses and Aaron.

פסוק א:מה · 1:45

Hebrew:

וַיִּֽהְי֛וּ כׇּל־פְּקוּדֵ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כׇּל־יֹצֵ֥א צָבָ֖א בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

English:

All the Israelite males, aged twenty years and over, enrolled by ancestral houses, all those in Israel who were able to bear arms—

This verse sets up the grand total by restating the criteria: males twenty years and older, enrolled by ancestral houses, all able to go out to war. The Ibn Ezra explains that this verse defines the qualifying age, while the following verse (1:46) gives the actual numerical sum. The Sforno adds an important boundary: those over sixty were also excluded, since they were no longer of military age -- meaning 603,550 represents men specifically between twenty and sixty.
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
ופירוש ויהיו כל פקודי בני ישראל. שלא נפקדו רק מי שהוא מבן עשרים שנה ואחר כך ויהיו כל הפקודים בכללם:
[AND ALL THOSE THAT WERE NUMBERED OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BY THEIR FATHERS' HOUSES, FROM TWENTY YEARS OLD AND UPWARD.] It means that only those who were aged twenty and above were counted. Scripture then goes on to say,68In verse 46. even all those that were numbered. The latter refers to their69Those 20 and older. total number.70In other words, our verse speaks of the age of those numbered, while verse 46 speaks of the total number of those who were counted.
ספורנוSforno
ויהיו כל פקודי. כל יוצא צבא בישראל. ולא יתר על בן ששים שלא היה יוצא בצבא כמו שהזכירו ז"ל על יאיר בן מנשה וזולתו ובלעדיהם עלה הסכום אל מה שכתב אחר כך:
ויהיו כל פקודי....כל יוצאי בישראל צבא, none were over sixty years of age, as people of that age and beyond were not allowed to go out to war. We know this from Baba Batra 121 concerning Yair ben Menashe and others included in the count mentioned there. The decree that the generation of the spies would have to die in the desert applied only to the ones between 20-60. Those younger or older at the time of the spies' trip were exempt from this decree.

פסוק א:מו · 1:46

Hebrew:

וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ כׇּל־הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים שֵׁשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֖לֶף וּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֑ים וַחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וַחֲמִשִּֽׁים׃

English:

all who were enrolled came to 603,550.

פסוק א:מז · 1:47

Hebrew:

וְהַלְוִיִּ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה אֲבֹתָ֑ם לֹ֥א הׇתְפָּקְד֖וּ בְּתוֹכָֽם׃ {פ}

English:

The Levites, however, were not recorded among them by their ancestral tribe.

The pivotal verse announcing that the Levi'im were not enrolled with the other tribes. The Sforno reads 'lo hotpakdu' to mean both passive ('were not counted by the officers') and reflexive ('did not present themselves to be counted'): the Levi'im had not prepared themselves for the census, since they had noted that the tribe of Levi was conspicuously absent from the list of tribal nesi'im back in verse 4, and they were awaiting separate instructions. The Or HaChaim cross-references his earlier discussion of why this separation was theologically necessary.
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
התפקדו. משני בנינים. כי הוא בנין התפעל ועם בנין שלא נקרא שם פועלו:
WERE NOT NUMBERED AMONG THEM. The word hotpakdu (were not numbered) is of two forms. It is both a hitpa'el and a hofal.71The heh and tav placed in front of the root is the sign of the hitpa'el. The kamatz katan placed beneath the heh is the sign of the hofal.
ספורנוSforno
לא התפקדו. לא הופקדו על ידי הפוקדים ולא התפקדו מעצמם שלא הכינו עצמם כשאר העם להקהל ולהתיחס וזה היה קודם שיאמר האל יתברך למשה אך את מטה לוי לא תפקוד כי אמנם המתינו לראות מה יצוה ה' להם מאחר שלא הזכיר שבט לוי עם שאר השבטים באמרו ואתכם יהיו איש איש למטה:
לא התפקדו, were not counted by the officials appointed to conduct the census, nor did they count themselves. (compare Ibn Ezra on this) They had not prepared themselves as had the other people for coming to the assembly point and providing documents proving their identity and genealogy. What is mentioned in this verse all referred to the time prior to G'd announcing in verse 49 that the tribe of Levi should not be included in this census. The Levites had been awaiting instructions concerning how they were going to be counted. The reason they had reason to wonder was that the tribe of Levi had not been mentioned in the list of tribes during this entire chapter when the Torah referred to "each man per each tribe" in verse 4.
אור החייםOr HaChaim
והלוים לא התפקדו וגו'. פירשתי למעלה (ב') כוונתו במאמר זה:
והלוים…לא התפקדו בתוכם, and the Levites…were not numbered among them. I have explained this in connection with verse 2.

פסוק א:מח · 1:48

Hebrew:

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

English:

For יהוה had spoken to Moses, saying:

פסוק א:מט · 1:49

Hebrew:

אַ֣ךְ אֶת־מַטֵּ֤ה לֵוִי֙ לֹ֣א תִפְקֹ֔ד וְאֶת־רֹאשָׁ֖ם לֹ֣א תִשָּׂ֑א בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

English:

Do not on any account enroll the tribe of Levi or take a census of them with the Israelites.

Hashem explicitly commands that the tribe of Levi be excluded from the military census. Rashi offers two reasons: first, 'kedai hu legyon shel melekh lihyot nimneh levado' -- the legion of the King deserves to be counted separately; second, Hashem foresaw the decree that all those counted from age twenty would die in the wilderness for the sin of the spies, and He wished to spare the Levi'im, who had not participated in the golden calf and remained His own. The Sforno emphasizes that the Levi'im will be counted under different criteria (a different age range, from one month rather than twenty years) and their number will not be folded into the national total.
רש״יRashi
אך את מטה לוי לא תפקד. כְּדַאי הוּא לִגְיוֹן שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ לִהְיוֹת נִמְנֶה לְבַדּוֹ (תנחומא); דָּ"אַ, צָפָה הַקָּבָּ"ה שֶׁעֲתִידָה לַעֲמֹד גְּזֵרָה עַל כָּל הַנִּמְנִין מִבֶּן עֶשְֹרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה שֶׁיָּמוּתוּ בַמִּדְבָּר, אָמַר אַל יִהְיוּ אֵלּוּ בִכְלָל, לְפִי שֶׁהֵם שֶׁלִּי, שֶׁלֹּא טָעוּ בָעֵגֶל (שם; בבא בתרא קכ"א):
אך את מטה לוי לא תפקד ONLY THOU SHALT NOT NUMBER THE TRIBE OF LEVI — The legion of the King is worthy to be numbered by itself (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Bamidbar 15). — Another explanation is: The Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that a decree would once be made against all those that had been numbered from twenty years and upwards, viz., that they should die in the wilderness (Numbers 14:29). He therefore said: Let these (the Levites) not be included amongst those now counted, in which case they must die, because they are Mine, since they did not sin by worshipping the golden calf (cf. Numbers Rabbah 3:7; Bava Batra 121b).
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
אך את מטה לוי. פירוש לא התפקדו כי השם צוה כן: ואת ראשם לא תשא. כללם כאשר פירשתי:
HOWBEIT THE TRIBE OF LEVI THOU SHALT NOT NUMBER. This explains were not numbered (v. 47),72Otherwise, why inform us once again that the Levites were not counted. that the Levites were not numbered because this is what God commanded. NEITHER SHALT THOU TAKE THE SUM OF THEM. Their total number, as I have explained.73Scriptures reads, ve-et rosham lo tissa (neither shalt thou take the sum of them). This literally means neither shalt thou lift up their heads. I.E. earlier noted that to lift up the head means to write the total sum at the top of a page. See I.E.'s comment on verse 2.
ספורנוSforno
אך את מטה לוי. אף על פי שאמרתי שאו את ראש כל עדת בני ישראל והלוים מכללם להיות נמנים גם הם מכל מקום הם נבדלים משאר עם ישראל ראשונה בענין המנין שלא יהיה מספר אישיהם ולא סכום כולם עם השאר: לא תפקוד. לא יהיה מספר אישיהם מבן כ' ולמעלה כמו שהיה מספר שאר העם: ואת ראשם לא תשא. כשתעשה סכום כל פקודי השבטים לא יכנס בו סכום שבט לוי:
אך את מטה לוי, even though I had said "count all the heads of the community of Israel," (verse 2) and it was understood that the Levites were included in this, they are distinct from the other tribes in that they will be counted separately, according to different criteria, such as — לא תפקוד different age groups, and — ואת ראשם לא תשא when you compute the total number of people in the general census their number will not be included.
אור החייםOr HaChaim
לא תפקוד וגו' לא תשא. פירוש בין על ידי כופר נפש בין שלא על ידי כופר נפש. ועיין מה שפירשתי בפרשת כי תשא: עוד יכוין לומר שהגם שיבא לידך מספר של נשיאות ומעלה שהוא מספר הדגלים אף על פי כן לא תשא:
לא תפקד…לא תשא. "do not count…nor take their sum, etc." The meaning is that the Levites should neither be counted by the traditional means of tendering a half shekel nor by any other means at the same time as the other tribes were being counted. Please refer to my comments in Parshat Ki Tissa on this subject.

פסוק א:נ · 1:50

Hebrew:

וְאַתָּ֡ה הַפְקֵ֣ד אֶת־הַלְוִיִּם֩ עַל־מִשְׁכַּ֨ן הָעֵדֻ֜ת וְעַ֣ל כׇּל־כֵּלָיו֮ וְעַ֣ל כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֒ הֵ֜מָּה יִשְׂא֤וּ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ וְאֶת־כׇּל־כֵּלָ֔יו וְהֵ֖ם יְשָׁרְתֻ֑הוּ וְסָבִ֥יב לַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן יַחֲנֽוּ׃

English:

You shall put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Pact, all its furnishings, and everything that pertains to it: they shall carry the Tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall tend it; and they shall camp around the Tabernacle.

The Levi'im are positively assigned: they are appointed over the Mishkan ha-edut (Tabernacle of the Testimony), all its vessels, and everything that pertains to it -- to carry it, serve it, and encamp around it. Rashi (following Onkelos) reads 'hafked' as an expression of appointment to authority, comparing it to 'va-yafked ha-melekh pekidim' (and the king appointed officers) in Esther. The Ibn Ezra explains that this verse answers why the Levi'im were exempt from the military census: their charge was the Mishkan, so they did not go out to war.
רש״יRashi
ואתה הפקד את הלוים. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "מַנִּי", לְשׁוֹן מִנּוּי שְׂרָרָה עַל דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא מְמֻנֶּה עָלָיו, כְּמוֹ "וְיַפְקֵד הַמֶּלֶךְ פְּקִידִים" (אסתר ב'):
ואתה הפקד את הלוים BUT THOU SHALT APPOINT THE LEVITES OVERSEERS [OVER THE TABERNACLE etc.] — Understand the word הפקד as the Targum does: ,מני "appoint"; it (the word מני) is an expression for appointing a person to control that thing over which he has been appointed; similar is, (Esther 2:3) "and let the king appoint (ויפקד) officers".
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
ואתה הפקד את הלוים. באר למה לא התפקדו כי פקודת המשכן עליהם על כן לא יצאו בצבא: משכן העדת. הוא אהל מועד והמשכן לארון ששם העדות: ועל כל כליו. כמנורה והשלחן והמזבחות: ועל כל אשר לו. הם כלי הכלים: המה ישאו. הם הם הנושאים בנסוע המחנה והם המשרתים בחנותם וסביב המשכן יחנו:
BUT APPOINT THOU THE LEVITES OVER THE TABERNACLE. Scripture explains here why the Levites were not counted. They were not counted because the charge of the tabernacle was upon them. Therefore they did not serve in the army.74I.E. believes that those who were counted were counted for military purposes. This is also the view of Rashbam. See Rashbam on verse 2. THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY. The reference is to the tent of meeting and the tabernacle of the ark, which contains the testimony.75The tent of meeting was called the tabernacle of testimony because it served as a tabernacle for the ark, which contained the tables of testimony (luchot ha-edut) (Weiser). Vat. Ebr. 38 reads: The tabernacle of testimony refers to the ark wherein the testimonies are (that is, the tablets on which the ten commandments were written). AND OVER ALL THE FURNITURE76The Hebrew reads kelim, which means articles, utensils, or vessels. This is the way I.E. interprets the term. THEREOF. Such as the menorah, the table, and the altars. AND OVER ALL THAT BELONGETH TO IT. The reference is the utensils which serve the furniture.77Such as the utensils which served the menorah and the table of showbread. AND THEY SHALL BEAR THE TABERNACLE. They are the very ones who carry the tabernacle when the camp journeys, and they are the ones who shall minister unto the tabernacle when they camp. They shall camp around the tabernacle.
ספורנוSforno
ואתה הפקד. שנית. יהיו נבדלים משאר העם בענין הפקידות כי להם בלבד תהיה פקודת הקודש:
ואתה הפקד, the commandment to count them is repeated to make clear that they are in a class by themselves. The reason was that only this census rated as a holy activity.

פסוק א:נא · 1:51

Hebrew:

וּבִנְסֹ֣עַ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֗ן יוֹרִ֤ידוּ אֹתוֹ֙ הַלְוִיִּ֔ם וּבַחֲנֹת֙ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן יָקִ֥ימוּ אֹת֖וֹ הַלְוִיִּ֑ם וְהַזָּ֥ר הַקָּרֵ֖ב יוּמָֽת׃

English:

When the Tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down, and when the Tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up; any outsider who encroaches shall be put to death.

The operational charge of the Levi'im: when the Mishkan travels, they dismantle it; when it rests, they erect it. Then comes the famous warning: 've-ha-zar ha-karev yumat' (any outsider who approaches shall be put to death). Rashi explains that 'zar' here means anyone outside this priestly service, and that the death penalty here is 'bi-yedei shamayim' (at the hands of Heaven), not a court-imposed execution. Ibn Ezra, by contrast, understands the penalty to be carried out by a beit din. The phrase becomes a touchstone for the entire concept of priestly boundaries around the sacred.
רש״יRashi
יורידו אתו. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "יְפָרְקוּן", כְּשֶׁבָּאִין לִסַּע בַּמִּדְבָּר מִמַּסָּע לְמַסָּע הָיוּ מְפָרְקִין אוֹתוֹ מֵהֲקָמָתוֹ, וְנוֹשְׂאִין אוֹתוֹ עַד מָקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכֹּן שָׁם הֶעָנָן, וְיַחֲנוּ שָׁם וּמְקִימִין אוֹתוֹ: והזר הקרב. לַעֲבוֹדָתָם זוֹ: יומת. בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם:
יורידו אתו [AND WHEN THE DWELLING SETTETH FORWARD] THE LEVITES SHALL TAKE IT DOWN — Understand יורידו as the Targum does: they shall take it apart. Whenever they were about to set out on a journey in the wilderness from one station to another (cf. Rashi Exodus 40:38) they took the structure apart (lit., they took it apart from its state of being put up) and carried it to the place where the cloud afterwards abode, and there they encamped and erected it (the Tabernacle). והזר הקרב AND THE LAYMAN THAT COMETH NIGH to this service of theirs, יומת SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH by heaven (not by sentence of the court) (cf. Sanhedrin 84a).
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
ובנסוע המשכן יורידו אותו. להסיר הבריחים והעמודים ובחנותו הם יקימוהו: והזר. מבני לוי ואם הוא ישראל יומת ובית דין ימיתוהו:
AND WHEN THE TABERNACLE SETTETH FORWARD, THE LEVITES SHALL TAKE IT DOWN. They shall remove its bars and posts. When the tabernacle rests, they shall set it up. AND THE COMMON MAN.78The literal meaning of zar is a stranger. Hence I.E.'s interpretation. A person who is not a Levite, even if he is an Israelite. SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH. A law court shall put him to death.

פסוק א:נב · 1:52

Hebrew:

וְחָנ֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִ֧ישׁ עַֽל־מַחֲנֵ֛הוּ וְאִ֥ישׁ עַל־דִּגְל֖וֹ לְצִבְאֹתָֽם׃

English:

The Israelites shall encamp troop by troop, each man with his division and each under his standard.*each man with his division and each under his standard Or “each [household] with its division and each under its standard.”

The encampment principle is laid down: each Israelite encamps with his own machaneh (camp) and under his own degel (standard). Rashi anticipates the four-banner formation of chapter 2 -- three tribes to each banner, in the four directions. Ibn Ezra reads 'ish' as referring to each tribe collectively, and warns that the tribes of one banner are not to be mixed with those of another -- the encampment was a structured, disciplined order, not a chaotic gathering.
רש״יRashi
ואישׁ על דגלו. כְּמוֹ שֶׁהַדְּגָלִים סְדוּרִים בְּסֵפֶר זֶה – שְׁלֹשָׁה שְׁבָטִים לְכָל דֶּגֶל:
ואיש על דגלו [AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SHALL ENCAMP, EVERY MAN BY HIS OWN CAMP] AND EVERY MAN BY HIS OWN STANDARD, just as the order of the banners is given in this Book (Numbers) — three tribes for every banner.
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
וטעם וחנו בני ישראל. כשיחנו בני ישראל: איש על מחנהו. הטעם כל שבט: וטעם איש על דגלו. שלא יתערב שבט דגל עם שבט דגל:
[AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SHALL PITCH.] Its meaning is, "when" the children of Israel shall pitch.79The verse reads, And the children of Israel shall pitch…every man with his own standard. However, the command to set up standards had not yet been given. Hence I.E.'s interpretation EVERY MAN WITH HIS OWN CAMP. The meaning of every man is each tribe.80According to I.E. the meaning of ish in our verse is each and every man. [AND EVERY MAN WITH HIS OWN STANDARD.] Its meaning is that the tribe of one standard shall not be mixed with the tribe of another standard.

פסוק א:נג · 1:53

Hebrew:

וְהַלְוִיִּ֞ם יַחֲנ֤וּ סָבִיב֙ לְמִשְׁכַּ֣ן הָעֵדֻ֔ת וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֣ה קֶ֔צֶף עַל־עֲדַ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְשָׁמְרוּ֙ הַלְוִיִּ֔ם אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת מִשְׁכַּ֥ן הָעֵדֽוּת׃

English:

The Levites, however, shall camp around the Tabernacle of the Pact, that wrath may not strike the Israelite community; the Levites shall stand guard around the Tabernacle of the Pact.

The Levi'im camp 'saviv la-Mishkan ha-edut' (around the Mishkan of the Testimony) -- forming a protective inner ring -- 've-lo yihyeh ketzef al adat bnei Yisrael' (so that wrath may not fall upon the community of Israel). Rashi explains: if you follow My commands there will be no wrath, but if strangers intrude into Levitical service, ketzef (divine anger) will erupt -- as occurred in the rebellion of Korach. Ibn Ezra invokes the parallel of Uzzah, who touched the ark and died: the Levi'im are a living barrier protecting Israel from contact with overwhelming holiness. The Sforno notes this is a third distinguishing feature -- the Levi'im have no degel of their own; the Mishkan itself is their degel.
רש״יRashi
ולא יהיה קצף. אִם תַּעֲשׂוּ כְּמִצְוֹתַי לֹא יִהְיֶה קֶצֶף, וְאִם לָאו, שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ זָרִים בַּעֲבוֹדָתָם זוֹ, יִהְיֶה קֶצֶף, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בְמַעֲשֵׂה קֹרַח (במדבר י"ז), כִּי יָצָא הַקֶּצֶף וְגוֹ':
ולא יהיה קצף THAT THERE BE NO ANGER [UPON THE CONGREGATION] — If you act according to My commands there will be no anger, but if not, — i.e., that strangers take part in this their (the Levites') service, there will be anger, just as we find at the incident with Korah (Numbers 17:11): "for there is anger gone forth [from the Lord]".
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
והלוים יחנו סביב. פי' הכתוב למעלה למה יחנו סביב שלא יקרב אל המשכן אחד מעדת בני ישראל וימות וזה טעם ולא יהיה קצף כעוזא שנגע בארון ושם כתוב ויחר אף ה' בעוזא: וטעם על עדת בני ישראל. אחד מעדתם וכן ויקבר בערי גלעד עיר בן אתונות ורבים כמוהם: ושמרו הלוים. מצוה עליהם לשמור המשכן:
BUT THE LEVITES SHALL PITCH ROUND ABOUT THE TABERNACLE OF TESTIMONY. Our verse explains why the earlier verse81Verse 50. stated that the Levites were to encamp round about the tabernacle:82Krinsky's edition of I.E. reads, "The explanation of and shall encamp round about (v. 50). Our verse explains why the earlier verse stated that the Levites were to encamp round about the tabernacle." so that no one from the congregation of Israel should draw close to the tabernacle and die. This is the meaning of that there be no wrath upon…the children of Israel, as there was in the case of Uzzah, who touched the ark. Scripture there states, And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah (II Sam. 6:7). The meaning of upon the congregation of the children of Israel is, upon anyone from the children of Israel.83For God would not punish all of Israel for the acts of one person. It is similar to and was buried in the cities of Gilead84Translated literally. (Jud. 12:7)85The meaning of which is, And was buried in one of the cities of Gilead, for Jephthah was not buried in all the cities of Gilead. and Even upon a colt the foal of asses86Translated literally. (Zech. 9:9).87Its meaning is, Even upon a colt the foal of an ass. There are many such cases. AND THE LEVITES SHALL KEEP THE CHARGE. The Levites are obligated to guard the tabernacle.
ספורנוSforno
והלוים יחנו סביב. שלישית. יהיו נבדלים משאר העם בחנייתם שהם בלבד יחנו סביב למשכן והשאר יחנו איש על דגלו:
והלוים יחנו סביבת, this is another difference between the Levites and the other tribes, i.e. that they were to be encamped immediately adjacent to the sacred domain of the Tabernacle. Whereas the other tribes encamped each around its flag, the Levites' "flag" was the Tabernacle.

פסוק א:נד · 1:54

Hebrew:

וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֖ה כֵּ֥ן עָשֽׂוּ׃ {פ}

English:

The Israelites did accordingly; just as יהוה had commanded Moses, so they did.

The aliyah closes with the formulaic obedience-clause: 'va-ya'asu bnei Yisrael ke-khol asher tzivah Hashem et Moshe, ken asu' (the Israelites did all that Hashem commanded Moshe -- so they did). Ibn Ezra reads the doubled affirmation tightly: it specifically means that they never touched the Mishkan -- they honored the boundary established for the Levi'im. This echoes the Shemot Mishkan-narrative's signature refrain and marks the successful inauguration of the new tribal-organizational order.
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
ויעשו בני ישראל. שלא נגעו במשכן לעולם:
THUS DID THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. They never touched the tabernacle.

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