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Parashat HaShavuaפרשת נשאAliyah 1 — ראשון

פרשת נשא — ראשון (Aliyah 1)

Parashat Naso | Numbers 4:21–4:37 | Aliyah 1 of 7

קלאוד על הפרשה

The first aliyah of Naso (4:21-37) completes the Levitical census that Bemidbar began. The previous parasha counted the Kehati clan and assigned them the most sacred items (the Aron, the Shulchan, the Menorah, the altars). Naso now counts the remaining two clans — Gershon and (in the next aliyah) Merari — and details their specific Mishkan-transport duties. The aliyah opens with the formulaic command from Hashem to Moshe: naso et rosh bnei Gershon gam hem — ‘lift up the head also of the sons of Gershon’ (the word ‘gam,’ ‘also,’ resuming the Kehati census-pattern from chapter 4). Rashi catches the parallel structure: each of the three Levite clans receives a near-identical census-command framed by the same age-bracket (30 to 50) and the same purpose (kol ha-ba la-tzava la’avod avodah be-Ohel Mo’ed, every one entering the service to perform work in the Tent of Meeting).

The Gershoni assignment is then laid out in detail (4:24-28). They are responsible for the soft coverings of the Mishkan: the yeri’ot ha-Mishkan (the inner curtains of intertwined linen and wool with cherubim), the Ohel (the outer goat-hair tent-covering), its mikhseh (the ram-skin and takhash-skin coverings above), the masakh petach Ohel Mo’ed (the screen at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting), the kal’ei he-chatzer (the courtyard hangings), the masakh sha’ar he-chatzer (the gate-curtain of the courtyard), and the cords that staked everything down. The Ibn Ezra emphasizes the symmetry of the three-fold Levite division: Gershon takes the fabrics, Kehat takes the vessels, Merari takes the structure — three categories of Mishkan-content, three Levite clans, one for each.

The aliyah closes by reporting the actual census numbers. The Gershoni working-age males (30 to 50) total 2,630 (4:36, 4:37 — though in the next aliyah). The supervision-chain is also specified: Aharon’s son Itamar supervises the entire Gershoni and Merari operation — the soft coverings, the boards, the structural ironwork. Elazar, by contrast, supervises Bnei Kehat (the holy vessels) per the previous parasha. The two surviving sons of Aharon each oversee a distinct branch of Levitical service, dividing the priesthood’s executive responsibility between them. The Sforno notes the practical genius of the division: every component of the Mishkan has a designated clan, a designated supervisor, and a designated procedure — nothing is improvised, nothing falls through cracks.

Numbers 4:21–4:37 · במדבר ד:כא–ד:לז

פסוק ד:כא · 4:21

Hebrew:

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

English:

יהוה spoke to Moses:

A fresh divine address (vayedaber Hashem el Moshe) introduces the Gershoni census. Or HaChaim notes that this separate dibbur, distinct from the prior Kehati command, signals that Bnei Gershon receive their own elevation (nesi'ah) — a status above Merari, though below the Aron-bearing Kehatim. Aharon is conspicuously absent from this verse (unlike 4:1) since the Gershoni soft coverings carry none of the Holy of Holies danger that required priestly safeguarding.
אור החייםOr HaChaim
וידבר ה' וגו' נשא. הוצרך לומר וידבר פעם ב' ולא הספיק במה שאמר וידבר ה' במספר בני קהת הקודם שבפרשת במדבר, לצד שבא לומר ענין אחר לבד המספר, והוא שינשא וירומם בני גרשון לערך בני מררי, וענין זה הוא דבר בפני עצמו שאין נשיאות זה בגדר נשיאות בני קהת שהם נושאי הארון, לזה קבע לו דיבור בפני עצמו, ולזה כשצוה על מספר בני מררי אמר בני מררי וגו' תפקוד לא קבע להם דיבור בפני עצמו שאין להם מעלה אלא מנין ממה שאמר תפקוד ולא תשא: אל משה וגו'. ולהלן במספר אמר ואל אהרן, לצד כי שם בא הציווי לאהרן כדי שיעשה סדר האמור בענין משאם של בני קהת דכתיב ושמו אותם וגו' ולא ימותו, לזה אמר ואל אהרן, מה שאין צורך לזה במשא בני גרשון:
-22. וידבר ה׳…נשא, G'd said to Moses: "Take the sum, etc." The Torah had to repeat the line וידבר ה׳ אל משה although it had used this introduction when telling Moses to count the Kehatites. The reason is that in this instance the Torah added the instruction to elevate the status of the clan of Gershon in relation to that of the clan of Merari. The elevation of the clan of Gershon was not of the same nature as that of the Kehatites as compared to the clan of Gershon. The former were distinguished in that they carried the Holy Ark. We would not have known that the clan of Gershon were more distinguished than the clan of Merari had the Torah not employed the term נשא in respect to their tasks. The Torah makes this even clearer when it does not preface the instruction detailing the tasks of the clan of Merari by G'd giving Moses a separate command (compare verse 29). The Torah contents itself with telling Moses to count (תפקד) the members of that clan before detailing their tasks. אל משה, to Moses. Interestingly, when the count is actually being performed (verse 34) the Torah reports that both Moses and Aaron did the counting. This was because already in 4,1 G'd had commanded both Moses and Aaron to do the counting. G'd included Aaron in the commandment to instruct the Kehatites to be very careful so that they would not incur death seeing Aaron himself was liable to death if he entered the Holy of Holies, the site where the Holy Ark was situated in an unauthorised fashion at an unauthorised time. There was no need to include Aaron then in the command to assign the tasks of the clan of Gershon or of Merari.

פסוק ד:כב · 4:22

Hebrew:

נָשֹׂ֗א אֶת־רֹ֛אשׁ בְּנֵ֥י גֵרְשׁ֖וֹן גַּם־הֵ֑ם לְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃

English:

Take a census of the Gershonites also, by their ancestral house and by their clans.

Moshe is commanded to count Bnei Gershon 'also' (gam hem) — by their ancestral house and clans. Rashi explains that 'gam' means 'just as I commanded you regarding Bnei Kehat' — to see who has reached service age. Ibn Ezra notes that naso functions as an imperative here (parallel to zakhor in 'Remember the Shabbat'), and the word 'gam' explicitly hooks this command back to the Kehati count already performed.
רש״יRashi
נשא את ראש בני גרשון גם הם. כְּמוֹ שֶׁצִּוִּיתִיךָ עַל בְּנֵי קְהָת, לִרְאוֹת כַּמָּה יֵשׁ שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ לִכְלַל עֲבוֹדָה:
נשא את ראש בני גרשון גם הם TAKE ALSO THE SUM OF THE SONS OF GERSHON - "also" implies: even as I have commanded you regarding the sons of Kohath; i.e. to see how many of them have already reached the age to be included amongst those fit for service.
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
נשא. שם הפעל כמו זכור את יום השבת וטעם נשא. שא: גם הם. בעבור שנשא את ראש הקהתים:
TAKE THE SUM. Naso (take the sum) is an infinitive. It is like zakhor (remember) in Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy (Ex. 20:8).33Which is an infinitive too. The meaning of naso is, take the sum.34In other words, even though naso is an infinitive, it has the meaning of an imperative. The same applies to zakhor. ALSO. Because he had already counted the Kohathites.

פסוק ד:כג · 4:23

Hebrew:

מִבֶּן֩ שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים שָׁנָ֜ה וָמַ֗עְלָה עַ֛ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה תִּפְקֹ֣ד אוֹתָ֑ם כׇּל־הַבָּא֙ לִצְבֹ֣א צָבָ֔א לַעֲבֹ֥ד עֲבֹדָ֖ה בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

English:

Record them from the age of thirty years up to the age of fifty, all who are subject to service in the performance of tasks for the Tent of Meeting.

The age-bracket for Gershoni service is set at 30 to 50 — the same active-service window applied to all three Levite clans. Or HaChaim observes a subtle linguistic distinction: the Gershonim are described as 'litzvo tzava' (a doubled idiom — performing the service of the service) rather than the simpler 'la-tzava' used for Kehat. This is because the Gershoni soft coverings (yeri'ot, masakhim) function as 'vessels for the vessels' — they envelop the Kehati holy items rather than constituting holy items themselves.
אור החייםOr HaChaim
תפקוד אותם. כפל לומר תפקוד, פרשתי בפרשת במדבר בענין בני קהת: לצבא צבא וגו'. ובבני קהת אמר לצבא לבד, כי הם היו נושאים כלי הקודש הפנימיים לזה אמר לצבא, מה שאין כן מה שלפנינו הם צובאים צבא הצובא קודש שהם היריעות וגו' והקרשים וגו' שהם צבא הקודש לזה אמר לצבוא צבא, מעתה הם צובאים הצבא:
תפקד אותם, "you will count them." Why did the Torah have to repeat the instruction to count seeing the word נשא already meant "to count?" I have explained this in connection with the instruction to count the Kehatites (4,20). לצבא צבא, "to perform public service etc." When speaking of the service to be rendered by the Kehatites the Torah described this only as לצבא, without the word צבא. This was because they carried only the holy vessels that formed the interior furnishings of the Tabernacle. The materials carried by the clan of Gershon were only vessels for the vessels so to speak, i.e. לצבא צבא. [The author perceives the furnishings of the Tabernacle as being the "army" of the Tabernacle, so to speak. Ed.]

פסוק ד:כד · 4:24

Hebrew:

זֹ֣את עֲבֹדַ֔ת מִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֑י לַעֲבֹ֖ד וּלְמַשָּֽׂא׃

English:

These are the duties of the Gershonite clans as to labor and porterage:

The Gershoni job-description is summarized in two words: la'avod u-l'masa — 'to serve and to carry.' Sforno parses these as two distinct phases: la'avod refers to their guard-duty while the camp is stationary, while le-masa describes their transport-work during the journeys. Ibn Ezra adds that la'avod includes erecting the Mishkan, preparing the showbread, slaughtering, and guarding — the broader maintenance functions that accompany the carrying work.
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
לעבוד. להקים המשכן ולעשות הלחם ולשחוט ולשמור: ולמשא. שם הפועל וכמוהו ולמסע את המחנות כי משקלי שמות הפעלים משתנים:
IN SERVING. To put up the tabernacle, to make the showbread, to slaughter, and to guard. AND IN BEARING BURDENS. Le-massa35From the root nun, sin, alef. (bearing burdens) is an infinitive. Similarly le-massa36From the root nun, sin, ayin. (causing to set forward) in and for causing the camps to set forward (Num. 10:2). The forms of verbs change.37Le-massa in our verse is vocalized kamatz, pattach. Le-massa in Num. 10:2 is vocalized pattach, pattach. Hence I.E.'s comment.
ספורנוSforno
לעבוד ולמשא. לעבוד בחנותם, ולמשא בעת המסע. לפי שלמעלה כשאמר ומשמרת בני גרשון באהל מועד דבר על משמרתם בעת חנייתם אמר כאן שכל מה שהיה תחת עבודתם במשמרת החניה היה גם כן במשמרת המשא בעת המסע:
לעבוד ולמשא. The former, לעבוד, while the people were encamped; the latter while the people were journeying. ולמשא, at the time of the journeys. Seeing that earlier when the Torah said:ומשמרת בני גרשון באהל מועד, (3,25) it spoke about their carrying out their function at the time of the people being encamped, the Torah also stated that everything which was under their control while the people were encamped remained under their control during the journeys.

פסוק ד:כה · 4:25

Hebrew:

וְנָ֨שְׂא֜וּ אֶת־יְרִיעֹ֤ת הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ וְאֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד מִכְסֵ֕הוּ וּמִכְסֵ֛ה הַתַּ֥חַשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָלָ֖יו מִלְמָ֑עְלָה וְאֶ֨ת־מָסַ֔ךְ פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

English:

they shall carry the cloths of the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting with its covering, the covering of dolphin skin that is on top of it, and the screen for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting;

The specific Gershoni cargo is itemized: the yeri'ot ha-Mishkan (the ten inner linen-and-wool curtains with cherubim), the Ohel (the goat-hair tent above them), the mikhseh (the ram-skin and takhash-skin outer coverings), and the masakh petach Ohel Mo'ed (the entrance screen at the east). Rashi maps each Hebrew term onto its layer: yeri'ot are the innermost ten, Ohel is the goat-hair tent, mikhseh refers to the dyed-red ram skins, and the masakh is the eastern entrance veil. Ibn Ezra notes that the verse compresses by mentioning only the takhash covering, with the ram-skin covering implicit — some commentators hold the two were attached as one unit.
רש״יRashi
את יריעת המשכן. עֶשֶׂר תַּחְתּוֹנוֹת: ואת אהל מועד. יְרִיעֹת עִזִּים הָעֲשׂוּיוֹת לְאֹהֶל עָלָיו: מכסהו. עוֹרוֹת אֵילִים מְאָדָּמִים: מסך פתח. וִילוֹן הַמִּזְרָחִי:
את יריעת המשכן THE CURTAINS OF THE TABERNACLE — the ten lower ones, ואת אהל מועד AND THE TENT OF MEETING i.e. the curtains of goats' skins which were made as a tent above it (the Tabernacle). מכסהו ITS COVERING — the rams' skins dyed red. מסך פתח THE SCREEN FOR THE ENTRANCE — the Veil at the east side.
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
ומכסה התחש אשר עליו. אחז הכתוב דרך קצרה שלא הזכיר מכסה עורות אילים ויש אומרים ששני המכסים היו דבקים:
AND THE COVERING OF SEALSKIN THAT IS ABOVE IT. Scripture is being brief, for it does not mention the ramskin covering.38Which was above the sealskin covering. See Ex. 26:14. Some say that the two coverings were attached.39Thus the covering of sealskin includes the ramskin covering.

פסוק ד:כו · 4:26

Hebrew:

וְאֵת֩ קַלְעֵ֨י הֶֽחָצֵ֜ר וְאֶת־מָסַ֣ךְ ׀ פֶּ֣תַח ׀ שַׁ֣עַר הֶחָצֵ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֤ן וְעַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ סָבִ֔יב וְאֵת֙ מֵֽיתְרֵיהֶ֔ם וְאֶֽת־כׇּל־כְּלֵ֖י עֲבֹדָתָ֑ם וְאֵ֨ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֧ר יֵעָשֶׂ֛ה לָהֶ֖ם וְעָבָֽדוּ׃

English:

the hangings of the enclosure, the screen at the entrance of the gate of the enclosure that surrounds the Tabernacle, the cords thereof, and the altar, and all their service equipment and all their accessories; and they shall perform the service.

The Gershoni list expands outward: the kal'ei he-chatzer (courtyard hangings), the masakh sha'ar he-chatzer (the gate-curtain of the courtyard), the meitarim (cords), and 'all the service equipment.' Rashi explains 'asher al ha-Mishkan' as describing the hangings and screens that together shelter the Mishkan and the copper altar from all sides — i.e., the courtyard enclosure. Sforno adds that 've'avadu' (they shall perform the service) describes the encampment-period guardianship, including the auxiliary tools (tongs, hammers) needed to drive pegs into the ground so wind would not lift the coverings.
רש״יRashi
אשר על המשכן. כְּלוֹמַר הַקְּלָעִים וְהַמָּסָךְ שֶׁל חָצֵר, הַסּוֹכְכִים וּמְגִנִּים עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְעַל מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת סָבִיב: ואת כל אשר יעשה להם. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "וְיָת כָּל דִּי יִתְּמְסַר לְהוֹן" — לִבְנֵי גֵּרְשׁוֹן:
אשר על המשכן [AND THE HANGINGS OF THE ENCLOSURE, AND THE SCREEN FOR THE ENTRANCE OF THE GATE OF THE ENCLOSURE] WHICH ARE על המשכן — that is to say, the hangings and the screen of the court which together screen and shelter the Tabernacle and the copper altar on all sides. ואת כל אשר יעשה להם — Understand this as the Targum does; "and everything that is handed over to them" — i.e. to the sons of Gershon.
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
ואת כל כלי עבודתם. כשולחנות ויתדות ומיתרות: ואת כל אשר יעשה. להם. לכלי העבודה או למשכן ולמזבח:
AND ALL THE INSTRUMENTS OF THEIR SERVICE. Such as tables, pegs, and cords. AND WHATSOEVER THERE MAY BE TO DO WITH THEM. The instruments of service, or the tabernacle and the altar.
ספורנוSforno
ועבדו. בעת החניה תהיה משמרתם על כל הכלים האלה ועל כל הכלים אשר יעשה להם ובשבילם כדי לעבוד כגון צבת ומקבות לנטוע ולעקור היתדות:
ועבדו, during the periods when the Israelites were encamped their duties consisted of watching over all the vessels which formed part of the auxiliary equipment of the Tabernacle, i.e. אשר יעשה להם, "watching over all that would be done with them or to them." For instance, seeing to it that the tools enabling the pegs to be firmly implanted in the earth so that the wind could not blow away the carpets forming the roof of the Tabernacle would be in good shape and position.

פסוק ד:כז · 4:27

Hebrew:

עַל־פִּי֩ אַהֲרֹ֨ן וּבָנָ֜יו תִּהְיֶ֗ה כׇּל־עֲבֹדַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֔י לְכׇ֨ל־מַשָּׂאָ֔ם וּלְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹדָתָ֑ם וּפְקַדְתֶּ֤ם עֲלֵהֶם֙ בְּמִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת אֵ֖ת כׇּל־מַשָּׂאָֽם׃

English:

All the duties of the Gershonites, all their porterage and all their service, shall be performed on orders from Aaron and his sons; you shall make them responsible for attending to all their porterage.

The Gershoni operation runs entirely 'al pi Aharon u-vanav' — under the authority of Aharon and his sons. Rashi clarifies the chain of command by pointing forward to the next verse: the specific son assigned over them is Itamar. Sforno parses 'le-khol massa'am u-l'khol avodatam' as two phases — the carrying during travel and the service during encampment — both falling under priestly supervision.
רש״יRashi
על פי אהרון ובניו. וְאֵיזֶה מֵהַבָּנִים מְמֻנֶּה עֲלֵיהֶם? ביד איתמר בן אהרון הכהן:
על פי אהרן ובניו AT THE APPOINTMENT OF AARON AND HIS SONS [SHALL BE ALL THE SERVICE OF THE SONS OF THE GERSHONITES] — and which of his sons shall be appointed over them? Everything was (v. 28) "under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest".
ספורנוSforno
לכל משאם. בעת המסע: ולכל עבודתם. בעת החניה:
לכל משאם, at the time of the journey, ולכל עבודתם, when the people would be encamped.

פסוק ד:כח · 4:28

Hebrew:

זֹ֣את עֲבֹדַ֗ת מִשְׁפְּחֹ֛ת בְּנֵ֥י הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֖י בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וּמִ֨שְׁמַרְתָּ֔ם בְּיַד֙ אִֽיתָמָ֔ר בֶּֽן־אַהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ {ס}        

English:

Those are the duties of the Gershonite clans for the Tent of Meeting; they shall attend to them under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

פסוק ד:כט · 4:29

Hebrew:

בְּנֵ֖י מְרָרִ֑י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֥ם לְבֵית־אֲבֹתָ֖ם תִּפְקֹ֥ד אֹתָֽם׃

English:

As for the Merarites, you shall record them by the clans of their ancestral house;

The third Levite clan, Bnei Merari, is introduced for counting by clans and ancestral house. Ibn Ezra observes that the Merari command does not get its own opening dibbur from Hashem — the section is grammatically attached to the Gershoni passage above, with the 'take the sum' (naso) command from verse 22 implicitly extending here. This subtle drop in framing-status reflects what Or HaChaim noted earlier: Merari ranks below Gershon, who in turn ranks below Kehat in the Levitical hierarchy.
אבן עזראIbn Ezra
בני מררי. לא הזכיר לשאת שמותם כי הפרשה דבקה:
AS FOR THE SONS OF MERARI. Scripture does not mention that they were counted, for this section40Verses 29-37. is connected to the one above.41Verses 21-28. Thus the command Take the sum of in verse 22 also applies here.

פסוק ד:ל · 4:30

Hebrew:

מִבֶּן֩ שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים שָׁנָ֜ה וָמַ֗עְלָה וְעַ֛ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה תִּפְקְדֵ֑ם כׇּל־הַבָּא֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לַעֲבֹ֕ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֖ת אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

English:

you shall record them from the age of thirty years up to the age of fifty, all who are subject to service in the performance of the duties for the Tent of Meeting.

Merari shares the same 30-to-50 age-bracket as Gershon and Kehat. Or HaChaim catches a precise wording-shift: the Merari job is described as 'la'avod et avodat Ohel Mo'ed' (to perform the work OF the Tent), not 'la'avod avodah be-Ohel Mo'ed' (to perform work IN the Tent) as the Gershonim were described. The reason: Gershonim handle the inner coverings that constitute the Tent itself, while Merari carries the outer structural shell — the boards, bars, pillars, and sockets — which IS the Tent of Meeting in its physical, load-bearing sense.
אור החייםOr HaChaim
לעבוד את עבודת אהל מועד. ולהלן בבני גרשון אומר עבודה באהל מועד, לצד כי עבודת בני גרשון היא באהל מועד עצמו שנושאים יריעות המשכן ואהל מועד מכסהו וגו', מה שאין כן בני מררי שעבודתם היא הקרשים והאדנים וגו' שהם עבודת אהל מועד שנושאים אהל מועד, ולזה אמר לעבוד את וגו' הקרשים וגו' שהם עבודת אהל מועד, ולזה לא חש לומר לצבא לבד, שהרי פירש הכתוב דבריו, מה שאין כן בעבודת בני גרשון להעירך בהפרש שבין עבודתם לעבודת בני קהת לצד שבשניהם אמר עבודה באהל ואין היכר בדבריו להפרש שבין שניהם לזה כתב שינוי לצבוא צבא משונה ממה שכתב בבני קהת לצבא, ולצד הפרש שבין בני גרשון לבני מררי העירך בשינוי אחר כמו שכתבנו:
לעבוד את עבודת אהל מועד, "to perform the service connected with the Tent of Meeting." When describing the parallel task performed by the sons of Gershon the Torah wrote לעבוד עבודה באהל מועד, to perform service inside the Tent of Meeting. The reason is that they had to transport the coverings of the Tabernacle, the curtain, etc., all of which were part of the actual Tabernacle; the sons of Merari, however, transported the outer parts of the Tabernacle, the boards, the bolts, the sockets supporting the boards, etc. This is also why the Torah described the work of the Merarites as לעבד את…הקרשים as this represents the עבודת אהל מועד, i.e. work related to the Tabernacle. The Torah did not fear that by writing only the word לצבא alone instead of לצבא צבא that we would misunderstand its meaning, seeing it had spelled out exactly what the duties of the Merarties were.

פסוק ד:לא · 4:31

Hebrew:

וְזֹאת֙ מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת מַשָּׂאָ֔ם לְכׇל־עֲבֹדָתָ֖ם בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד קַרְשֵׁי֙ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן וּבְרִיחָ֖יו וְעַמּוּדָ֥יו וַאֲדָנָֽיו׃

English:

These are their porterage tasks in connection with their various duties for the Tent of Meeting: the planks, the bars, the posts, and the sockets of the Tabernacle;

פסוק ד:לב · 4:32

Hebrew:

וְעַמּוּדֵי֩ הֶחָצֵ֨ר סָבִ֜יב וְאַדְנֵיהֶ֗ם וִיתֵֽדֹתָם֙ וּמֵ֣יתְרֵיהֶ֔ם לְכׇ֨ל־כְּלֵיהֶ֔ם וּלְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹדָתָ֑ם וּבְשֵׁמֹ֣ת תִּפְקְד֔וּ אֶת־כְּלֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת מַשָּׂאָֽם׃

English:

the posts around the enclosure and their sockets, pegs, and cords—all these furnishings and their service: you shall list by name the objects that are their porterage tasks.

Merari's structural cargo extends to the courtyard: amudei he-chatzer (the courtyard pillars), their sockets, pegs (yetedot), and cords (meitarim) — all the supporting hardware that holds the open-air enclosure together. Rashi clarifies a potential overlap: these pegs and cords are specifically those of the pillars, since the pegs and cords of the curtains and hangings (which kept the wind from lifting them) were already assigned to the Gershoni transport in verse 26. The verse closes with the procedural directive to list each item 'by name' (be-shemot) so that each Merari porter has a designated, accountable load.
רש״יRashi
ויתדתם ומיתריהם. 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:
ויתדתם ומיתריהם [AND THE COLUMNS OF THE ENCLOSURE ROUND ABOUT IT AND THEIR SOCKETS] AND THEIR PINS, AND THEIR CORDS — i.e. the pins and cords of the columns only, because the pins and cords of the hangings were part of the burden of the Gershonites (not of the sons of Merari). There were, as a matter of fact, pegs and cords for the curtains and the hangings on their lower edges in order that the wind should not raise them, there were also pegs and cords for the columns, round about, upon which to suspend the hangings by their upper edges on poles and rails, just as it is set forth in the Boraitha dealing with the work of the Tabernacle (cf. Rashi on Exodus 27:10, 19; Numbers 3:26 and our Note thereon).

פסוק ד:לג · 4:33

Hebrew:

זֹ֣את עֲבֹדַ֗ת מִשְׁפְּחֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י מְרָרִ֔י לְכׇל־עֲבֹדָתָ֖ם בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד בְּיַד֙ אִֽיתָמָ֔ר בֶּֽן־אַהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵֽן׃

English:

Those are the duties of the Merarite clans, pertaining to their various duties in the Tent of Meeting under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

פסוק ד:לד · 4:34

Hebrew:

וַיִּפְקֹ֨ד מֹשֶׁ֧ה וְאַהֲרֹ֛ן וּנְשִׂיאֵ֥י הָעֵדָ֖ה אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י הַקְּהָתִ֑י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם וּלְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם׃

English:

So Moses, Aaron, and the chieftains of the community recorded the Kohathites by the clans of their ancestral house,

The narrative now flashes back to report the actual count of Bnei Kehat (commanded earlier in chapter 4) — performed by Moshe, Aharon, and the nesi'im (tribal chieftains) together. Or HaChaim asks why three different parties were needed for this count: Moshe was Hashem's agent, Aharon was required because the Levites were placed under his supervision (per 3:9), and the nesi'im were needed because they would later transfer their tribesmen to Levite service (per 7:2). This contrasts with the earlier count of Levites from age one month (3:40-43), where only Moshe participated — because that count required miraculous divine input for babies inside their tents.
אור החייםOr HaChaim
ויפקוד משה ואהרז ונשיאי העדה. טעם שלשתם, משה שליח ה', אהרן הנמסרים לו דכתיב (ג' ט') נתונים נתונים המה לו, נשיאי ישראל המוסרים אותם במקומם לעבוד דכתיב בפרשת במדבר (שם ז') ושמרו את משמרתו ואת משמרת כל העדה וגו', ומה שלא אמר כן במספר הלוים מבן חדש, לצד כי מספר ההוא היה על פי ה' לצד שהיה המספר גם למה שבעריסה, ואמרו ז"ל (במד"ר פ"ג) שבת קול היתה אומרת באהל זה יש כך וכך, לזה לא הזכיר אלא משה נביא ה':
ויפקד משה ואהרון ונשיאי העדה, Moses, Aaron and the princes of the congregation counted, etc. Why were three groups of people needed to perform this count? Moses was G'd's agent; Aaron was required as the Levites were subject to his instructions as the Torah made plain in 3,9. The princes of the various tribes had also been appointed to be in charge of the people who were numbered (compare Numbers 7,2). Why were the princes not involved when the Levites were counted who replaced the firstborn, i.e. the Levites from the age of one month and over (3,40-43)? On that occasion the total number was determined by G'd and this is why even babies in a crib had to be included. Bamidbar Rabbah 3,9 describes how Moses asked G'd if he was really expected to enter the tent of every Levite family and examine if there was a male baby of 30 days and over. G'd responded that if Moses were to stand outside He would convey to him the number of Levites who qualified for the count inside that tent. As this information was given only to Moses, neither Aaron nor the princes were involved in that count.

פסוק ד:לה · 4:35

Hebrew:

מִבֶּ֨ן שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וְעַ֖ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה כׇּל־הַבָּא֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לַעֲבֹדָ֖ה בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

English:

from the age of thirty years up to the age of fifty, all who were subject to service for work relating to the Tent of Meeting.

פסוק ד:לו · 4:36

Hebrew:

וַיִּהְי֥וּ פְקֻדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם אַלְפַּ֕יִם שְׁבַ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת וַחֲמִשִּֽׁים׃

English:

Those recorded by their clans came to 2,750.

The Kehati working-age count comes to 2,750. Or HaChaim notices a subtle linguistic anomaly: the verse reads 'alpayim shva me'ot' (two thousand seven hundred) without the conjunctive vav before 'seven hundred,' unlike the parallel counts for Gershon (4:40) and Merari (4:44) which both use the vav. He suggests this missing letter alludes to Korach (himself a Kehati) and those who would later die with him in the rebellion — an absence in the count foreshadowing the absence to come. Alternatively, the count itself may have been corrected shortly after the rebellion as Korach's sympathizers from the Kehati clan were swept away.
אור החייםOr HaChaim
אלפים שבע מאות. ולא אמר ושבע מאות כדרך שאמר בבני גרשון ושש מאות ושלשים, ובבני מררי ומאתים, וחמש מאות ושמונים, אולי רמז בחסרון ו' לקרח ואותם שמתו עמו שהיו מבני קהת, או אולי כי מספר השבע מאות משונה בהדרגה ממספר האלפים מטעם מעשה קרח, לזה לא אמר ושבע מאות להוסיף על ענין ראשון להשוותם יחד, והגם שלא נתפרסם בתורה במעשה ההוא אלא קרח, אפשר שענף של קרח נטו קצת אחריו, או לצד שלא מיחו בו אחיו וקרוביו:
אלפים שבע מאות וחמשים, two thousand seven hundred and fifty. Here, when reporting the number of Kehatites the Torah did not write: "and seven hundred," i.e. ושבע מאות, as it did when reporting the number of the clan of Gershon between thirty and fifty in verse 40. Also, when reporting the number of Merarites in verse 44 the "hundreds" are preceded by the conjunctive letter ו i.e. ומאתים. Perhaps the absence of the letter ו when reporting the number of Kehatites is an allusion to Korach and those who died with him seeing they belonged to the clan of Kehat. Alternatively, the number seven hundred was subject to correction shortly after the time of the count as the uprising of Korach occurred either immediately before the debacle with the spies or shortly thereafter, at any rate during the same summer. While it is true that the Torah mentioned only one Kehatite by name during that uprising, i.e. Korach himself, other relatives may have been inclined to join him; at least they shared part of his guilt by not protesting Korach's conduct.

פסוק ד:לז · 4:37

Hebrew:

אֵ֤לֶּה פְקוּדֵי֙ מִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת הַקְּהָתִ֔י כׇּל־הָעֹבֵ֖ד בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֨ר פָּקַ֤ד מֹשֶׁה֙ וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן עַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּיַד־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ {ס}        

English:

That was the enrollment of the Kohathite clans, all those who performed duties relating to the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron recorded at the command of יהוה through Moses.

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