Commentary for Numbers 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.

Guard over the Mishkon. Rashi is answering the question: The hanging tapestries were like walls around the courtyard; thus the term “על (lit. above) the Mishkon” is not appropriate, because “above the Mishkon” implies that they were above — on top of the Mishkon. He answers that it means that they protect and guard over the Mishkon. As if to say that one has to “add” a word such that it reads “which protect over the Mishkon.” It would be acceptable language to say that it guarded over the Mishkon and that it guarded over it on all sides. There are those who ask: Why didn’t Rashi explain this above in Parshas Bamidbar when it wrote “the hanging tapestries of the courtyard and the screen at the entrance of the courtyard which is over the Mishkon and the Altar on all sides…” (3:26)? He did not say anything there. [We may explain this] with the comment of Re’m at the beginning of Parshas Beha’aloscha regarding the lighting of the Ner Tamid — that in Parshas Emor Rashi did not give any explanation. There he writes that sometimes a commentator will explain all of the matters that apply to a certain term, sometimes only some of them and sometimes he relies on what he explains elsewhere, not explaining anything there. It appears to me that Rashi was forced to explain this here, even though it is obvious, because the verse wrote “and the screen for the entrance to the gate of the courtyard…” This raises a difficulty: Why did the Torah use this repetitive language — stating both “entrance” and “gate”. Furthermore one may raise a difficulty with the pause between the word “entrance” and the word “gate”. This could cause one to err and explain the verse as if it had said “and the screen for the entrance and the screen for the gate of the courtyard.” Thus one would explain that the screen for the entrance of the courtyard was the eastern gate of the courtyard while the screen for the gate was the screen for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. This [latter] is also termed “the gate of the courtyard” since it opened into the courtyard of the Mishkon. Accordingly the Torah said “which are over the Mishkon” meaning the gate of the courtyard that is close to the Mishkon and to the Altar. The word על (over) would thus be understood as a term of closeness. When the Torah previously wrote “and the screen for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting” this would have meant the Paroches that is in front of the Holy of Holies, being termed the “entrance to the Tent of Meeting” because it stands inside the Tent of Meeting. Thus one would have thought to say that the Paroches in front of the Holy of Holies was also part of the load of the sons of Gershon. However, this was not true because the Paroches screen was part of the load of the sons of Kehos, as is written above in Parshas Bamidbar (4:5) “Aharon [and his sons] shall enter … and take down the Paroches screen and with it they shall cover the Ark of the Testimony.” Therefore Rashi explains that “which are over the Mishkon” refers to the hanging tapestries etc. that protect and guard over the Mishkon.

V. 26. ואת כל אשר וגו׳. Alles was für Bewahrung und Transport der ihnen überwiesenen Teile der Wohnung und des Vorhofs zu bewirken ist, haben sie zu leisten. מ׳׳ד) כל מה שהי׳ נעשה לכל הכלים יהיו בני גרשון עושים).

ועל המזבח סביב ואת מיתריהם, “and by the altar around and their cords;” why were the pegs for the hangings of the courtyard not mentioned here? (According to Nachmanides, the pegs, and their being fastened into the ground was the duty of the house of Merari)

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.

The copper altar. Rashi is answering the question: Since the hanging tapestries protected the Mishkon it is obvious that they were all around the altar that was inside the Mishkon. Furthermore, the beams of the Mishkon would guard over the golden altar. He answers that the verse does not refer to the Golden Altar that was in the Mishkon, rather to the copper altar that was outside the Mishkon.

ואת כל אשר יעשה בהם, “and whatever was to be done with them;” we find this type of construction also Genesis 39,22. in connection with Joseph’s duties in the house of Potiphar.

All that will be given. Meaning that this does not refer to the parts just mentioned, because there were no other vessels needed for their service. Furthermore, neither the term “giving” nor the term “making” would be applicable to them. Rather the term “giving” refers to the sons of Gershon. Furthermore, if it referred to parts, the Torah should have written “that will be made to them for their service.” Therefore Rashi brought the translation of the Targum which explains that יעשה (lit. will be made) is a term of giving and the word “to them” refers to the sons of Gershon who were mentioned above. This teaches that everything mentioned in this passage was given over into their hands.