Commentaire sur Le Deutéronome 33:8
וּלְלֵוִ֣י אָמַ֔ר תֻּמֶּ֥יךָ וְאוּרֶ֖יךָ לְאִ֣ישׁ חֲסִידֶ֑ךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִסִּיתוֹ֙ בְּמַסָּ֔ה תְּרִיבֵ֖הוּ עַל־מֵ֥י מְרִיבָֽה׃
Sur Lévi, il s’exprima ainsi: "Tes toummîm et tes ourîm à l’homme qui t’est dévoué; que tu as éprouvé à Massa, gourmandé pour les eaux de Meriba;
Rashi on Deuteronomy
וללוי אמר means AND OF LEVI HE SAID (not to Levi).
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Ramban on Deuteronomy
UL’LEIVI’ HE SAID - “and ‘of’ Levi158Literally: ul’Levi means “and ‘to’ Levi.” But Rashi translates the prefix lamed here, as “of.” he said.” This is Rashi’s language, and it is also the opinion of the commentators.159Ibn Ezra. It is like the expressions: say ‘li’ (of me):. he is my brother;160Genesis 20:13. Here, too, the word li, literally: “to me,” is interpreted as “of me.” and the men of the place asked him ‘l’ishto’ (about his wife).161Ibid., 26:7. Here also, the word l’ishto, literally: “to his wife,” means “of his wife.” There are many such examples. In my opinion [the expression here is to be understood literally: “and ‘to’ Levi he said”] because Moses had mentioned the names of Reuben and Judah in his blessing [of them], saying, Let Reuben live,162Above, Verse 6. the voice of Judah,163Verse 7. but he did not mention the names of the other tribes in [the text of] their blessings. Therefore Scripture states, And to Levi he said, To Benjamin he said164Further, Verse 17. [in order to make it clear to whom he was addressing his blessing]. This indicates that the tribes were facing him [Moses], and he called Levi and put his eyes upon him and said, thy Thummim and thy Urim.165In Verse 8 before us. Similarly he blessed each tribe face to face.
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Sforno on Deuteronomy
תומיך ואוריך לאיש חסידך, Moses refers to G’d having given to Aaron who was the outstanding member of the tribe of Levi, the pious tribe, the urim and tumim lodged within his breastplate pouch. The Talmud Yuma 73, derives from the above that any priest who speaks with holy spirit is of the calibre that when he employs the urim and tumim to address enquiries to G’d, he will receive G’d’s answer to such enquiries. Hence the word “איש,” a man of lofty spiritual standing, as if to underscore that character trait.
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