Commentary for Numbers 4:16

ופקדת אלעזר AND THE CHARGE OF ELEAZAR … [WERE THE OIL FOR THE LIGHT, AND THE INCENSE OF AROMATICS, AND THE CONTINUAL MEAL OFFERING, AND THE ANOINTING OIL] — This means: the charge of Eleazar who was appointed over them to carry them were the oil, and the incense and the anointing oil. As regards the continual meal-offering mentioned here, upon him lay the charge to give orders and to urge on that it should be offered at the time when they encamped.

AND THE CHARGE OF ELEAZAR THE SON OF AARON THE PRIEST SHALL BE THE OIL FOR THE LIGHT, AND THE SWEET INCENSE, AND THE CONTINUAL MEAL-OFFERING, AND THE ANOINTING OIL: HE SHALL HAVE THE CHARGE OF ALL THE TABERNACLE, AND OF ALL THAT THEREIN IS, IN THE SANCTUARY, AND IN THE VESSELS THEREOF. Scripture is stating that Eleazar was in charge of all these things, and the meaning of [the end of the verse] is that “he was in charge of all the Tabernacle and in charge of all that therein is.” And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained that it means that “Eleazar’s charge extended also to the Tabernacle and to all its vessels, together with his brother Ithamar,¹⁹⁹Ibn Ezra’s interpretation is intended to answer the following point: Scripture further on (4:28, 33) explains that it was Ithamar the son of Aaron who was in charge of the work of the sons of Gershon [in carrying the curtains, etc.] and of the work of the sons of Merari [in carrying the boards and bars of the Tabernacle, etc.]. Why then does Scripture state here that the charge of Eleazar was all the Tabernacle etc.? Ibn Ezra answers that Eleazar shared together with his brother Ithamar in the charge of all the Tabernacle etc., and that the first part of our verse is pointing out that in addition to sharing the general charge of the Tabernacle, Eleazar was, due to his great distinction, solely in charge of the oil for the light etc. Ramban objects to this interpretation and suggests his own explanation. and that due to Eleazar’s great distinction, he alone was in charge of the oil [for the light], and the incense.” But this is not correct, since Scripture states [that the services of the sons of Gershon and Merari were] under the hand of Ithamar²⁰⁰Further, 4:28, 33. [which thus indicates that Eleazar had no share in it]! And [Scripture] explained here [that Eleazar’s charge was] in the Sanctuary and in the vessels thereof, and similarly it stated above, And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, was prince over the princes of the Levites and had the oversight of them that keep the charge of the Sanctuary²⁰¹Above, 3:32. meaning to say that he was the prince [who supervised] the charge of those that guarded the Sanctuary, which was in the hands of the Kohathites²⁰²Ramban’s meaning is as follows. It is clear from Scripture’s explanations that Eleazar was the prince of the princes of the Levites inasmuch as he supervised the most holy things. In Verse 4 above it is clearly stated that the sons of Kohath — alone — were in charge of the most holy things, thus disproving Ibn Ezra’s explanation quoted above. If so, the phrase the charge of all the Tabernacle must be in apposition to the end of the verse namely in the Sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof, and the meaning is as follows: “the charge of the oil for the light, etc., the charge of all the Tabernacle, that is, in the Sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof which refers to the most holy things [the ark, etc.] they were given over to the Kohathites — and all these were under the charge of Eleazar,” just as Ithamar was in charge of the work of the sons of Gershon and Merari. In addition to supervising the Kohathites, and assigning each one his particular duty, Eleazar was also chief of all three main Levite families, as will be explained. [i.e., he supervised the most holy things — the ark, the table, candelabrum, altars, Veils and the vessels used in the Divine Service]. But the meaning of the charge of all the Tabernacle is that “the charge of … the oil for the light, and the incense, and the meal-offering, and the anointing oil, and the charge of all the Tabernacle — in the Sanctuary, and of all that therein is of the holy vessels — they were all under the hand of Eleazar,”²⁰²Ramban’s meaning is as follows. It is clear from Scripture’s explanations that Eleazar was the prince of the princes of the Levites inasmuch as he supervised the most holy things. In Verse 4 above it is clearly stated that the sons of Kohath — alone — were in charge of the most holy things, thus disproving Ibn Ezra’s explanation quoted above. If so, the phrase the charge of all the Tabernacle must be in apposition to the end of the verse namely in the Sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof, and the meaning is as follows: “the charge of the oil for the light, etc., the charge of all the Tabernacle, that is, in the Sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof which refers to the most holy things [the ark, etc.] they were given over to the Kohathites — and all these were under the charge of Eleazar,” just as Ithamar was in charge of the work of the sons of Gershon and Merari. In addition to supervising the Kohathites, and assigning each one his particular duty, Eleazar was also chief of all three main Levite families, as will be explained. and they are those mentioned here when He stated, And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the Sanctuary and all the vessels of the Sanctuary.²⁰³Verse 15. Eleazar was thus officer over the three princes²⁰⁴The prince of the Gershonites was Eliasaph the son of Lael (above, 3:24); of the Kohathites, Elitzaphan the son of Uzziel (ibid., Verse 30), and of the families of Merari, Tzuriel the son of Abichail (ibid., Verse 35). The prince over the princes of the Levites was Eleazar the son of Aaron (ibid., Verse 32). [of the Levites], and [also] overseer of the charge of the Kohathites, and Ithamar was overseer of [the charges of the families of] Gershon and Merari. Now since Scripture does not say that Eleazar “shall bear” [the oil for the light etc.] as is said of the Levites,²⁰⁵Further, Verse 25: And they shall bear … it would appear that Eleazar did not carry them, but was in charge over them and would give them from hand to hand to those Kohathites whom he chose because of their zeal and piety. It was they who carried them, and they returned them to his control when the Tabernacle was set up. This also [is the meaning of the verse which says that Eleazar was the prince over the princes of the Levites,] having the oversight of them that keep the charge of the Sanctuary,²⁰⁶Above, 3:32. and the verse stating, and by name ye shall appoint the vessels of the charge of their burden²⁰⁷Further, 4:32. [conveying the same thought, that the individual families of the Levites were to be told by the overseer what their particular kind of work would be, and Eleazar, as the prince over the princes, was the overseer of all the service of the Levites].
But according to the opinion of the Yerushalmi²⁰⁸Ramban is not referring to Rashi here, but to Rashi’s commentary to Shabbath 92 a. On the term “Yerushalmi,” see Leviticus, Seder Metzora, (p. 192, Note 44). mentioned in the commentaries of Rashi²⁰⁹This expression [“mentioned in the commentaries of Rashi”] clearly indicates that Ramban does not mean Rashi’s commentary on the Torah, as he never refers to it by that description. Rather, the reference is to Rashi’s commentary on the Talmud. See Note 208. that he [Eleazar himself] carried them [all the objects enumerated], it would be a heavy load! For the incense consisted of three hundred and sixty-eight manehs,²¹⁰Kerithoth 6 a. There was one for each day of the solar year, and 3 extra manehs for the Service on the Day of Atonement. arid [surely] Moses our teacher would not have prepared [only] half of the required quantity,²¹¹“If he compounded only half the required amount [i.e., 184 manehs] it would be valid” (Yerushalmi Yoma IV, 5). This rule applies to the compounding of the incense, which was to be done once every year. But, continues Ramban, although valid if done in this manner, surely Moses would prepare the complete, and not just half, the required amount. Hence Eleazar carried the full quantity [except, of course, for the amount that had been used up from the time of the erection of the Tabernacle until the camps set forth]. and the oil for the light for a whole year was a large amount, namely one hundred and eighty-three logs,²¹²Half a log of oil was used up every night of the year (Menachoth 89 a). This was the measure that was estimated to be sufficient for the longest night of the year ; if any of the oil was left over on the shorter nights, it did not matter (ibid). and as for [the ingredients required for] the continual meal-offering, we do not know how many days’ supply he carried! But [we would have to say that] Eleazar was very strong and powerful, as was our patriarch Jacob,²¹³And Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth (Genesis 29:10) — “as easily as one draws the stopper from the mouth of a bottle. Scripture thus informs you how strong he was” (Rashi ibid., on the basis of Bereshith Rabbah 70:10). and so also were Moses our teacher²¹⁴Nedarim 38 a. and his brother Aaron,²¹⁵Vayikra Rabbah 26:10. Proof for his great strength is brought there from the fact that he lifted twenty-two Levites in one day (further, 8:21). and they that wait for the Eternal shall renew their strength.²¹⁶Isaiah 40:31.

ופקדת אלעזר, to issue orders who was to do what; i.e. who was to carry which parts of the Tabernacle.