Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L
To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/
To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.
Subscribe on Spotify
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
Please consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice!
For comments and inquiries, email itistaught@gmail.com
Census Results. The Role of the Levites.
Census Results
The Chumash now delineates the results of the census of the 12 tribes. This census included all men above the age of 20 who were fit to go to war.
Reuven - 46,500
Shimon - 59,300
Gad - 45,650
Yehuda - 74,600
Yissaschar - 54,400
Zevulun - 57,400
Ephraim - 40,500
Menashe - 32,200
Binyamin - 35,400
Dan - 62,700
Asher - 41,500
Naphtali - 53,400
The total of the entire census was 603,550.
The Levites
The Levites were not included in the census.
G-d told Moshe not to count the Levites together with the rest of the tribes since He foresaw that those men who were counted in the census were destined to die in the desert after the sin with the spies (see Bamidbar 14:29), which the Levites did not play a part in. This punishment was actually for the sin of the golden calf (which the Levites also did not participate in) however G-d did not want to punish them for this until they would sin further (i.e with the spies).
G-d tells Moshe that he should appoint the Levites to be in charge of the Mishkan and all of its utensils and furnishings, to carry it and take responsibility for it and set up camp near it. The Levites should be in charge of dismantling the Mishkan when the Israelites travel and put it together again when they set up camp. Anyone who is not a Levite who does these things will be put to death by G-d (not by a human court)*.
*Side note: Any time scripture uses the term "מות יומת" ("die he shall die", this indicates that the death should come through strangulation from a human court. However when just "יומת" ("shall die") is used, as it is here, it indicates that the death will come from the hand of heaven.
G-d then says that when the tribes camp, they should camp in separate divisions, three tribes per division.
And the Levites should camp around the Mishkan.
If the Levites fail to safeguard the Mishkan properly and non-Levites do the service which was appointed to the Levites (thus disobeying G-d's command), then wrath will come upon them. If they do G-d's command by contrast, there will be no wrath upon them.
This principle will manifest later on in the incident with Korach, who himself was a Levite however he wished to perform the services of the Kohen, thereby rebelling regarding a similar principle of delegation of roles.
This section concludes saying that the Israelites did everything which G-d commanded Moshe to do.
Share this post