Kommentar zu Bamidbar 4:26

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.

V’EITH KOL ASHER ‘YEI’ASEH’ LAHEM.¹The verse is part of the section dealing with the work to be done by the families of the Gershonites in carrying the parts of the Tabernacle and its equipment. The verse before us states that they are to carry the hangings of the court … and their cords, and all the vessels of their service ‘v’eith kol asher yei’aseh lahem’ [literally: “and all which will be made to them”]. The question Ramban discusses is what the pronoun lahem (“to them” or “for them”) refers to and what the meaning of yei’aseh is. “[This is to be understood] as the Targum [of Onkelos rendered it]: ‘and with whatever is handed over to them,’ that is, to the sons of Gershon [so shall they serve].” This is Rashi’s language. But if so [if the pronoun lahem refers to the Gershonites, and not to all the vessels of the Tabernacle and altar mentioned in the first part of the verse], then the word yei’aseh [does not have its usual meaning of “doing,” but is to be understood as “possessions” or “articles in a person’s control,” the sense of the verse being: “and all ‘the objects handed over’ to them — they, the Gershonites shall serve with”], as in the verse: And there was a man in Maon ‘uma’aseihu’ were in Carmel,²I Samuel 25:2. The verse obviously cannot be understood in its literal sense, “his deeds,” because if he was in Maon, how could “his deeds” be in Carmel! The context of the verse also indicates that it means “his possessions.” which means “his possessions with which he ‘does’ [his occupation].” A more correct interpretation [of our verse] is that it means: “and with whatever [accessories] are made ‘for them’ — the Tabernacle and the altar — for they had many vessels [so shall they — the sons of Gershon — serve].”

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.