Les Nombres 1:49 Midrash : Bamidbar Rabbah, Pesikta Rabbati, Midrash Tanchuma & Midrash Tanchuma Buber

“But the Levites by the tribe of their fathers were not counted among them” (Numbers 1:47).
“But the Levites by the tribe of their fathers” – the verse comes to say: Because the Holy One blessed be He did not say to Moses initially that he should count the tribe of Levi, as you find that he did not enumerate a prince for the tribe of Levi when he enumerated the princes of the tribes, Moses too did not count it, as Moses said: Had it been the will of the Holy One blessed be He that I count them, He would have told me. That is why it is stated: “But the Levites by the tribe of their fathers were not counted among them,” as he did not wish to count them. Immediately, Moses was standing and wondering why the Holy One blessed be He did not command him to count his tribe, and he did not know whether he would count them or not. The Holy One blessed be He saw that he was wondering; He immediately explained to him why he did not command him to count. That is what is written: “The Lord spoke.… However, the tribe of Levi you shall not count…” (Numbers 1:48–49).
Rabbi Pinḥas bar Idi said: What is written at the beginning of the book? “Take a census [se’u et rosh] of the entire congregation of the children of Israel” (Numbers 1:2). It is not stated, “Elevate the head,” “promote the head,” but rather se’u et rosh,¹⁶Se’u et rosh literally means “lift up the head.” like a person who says to the executioner: Remove the head of so-and-so. He thereby made an allusion. Why se’u et rosh? If they merit they will ascend to greatness, just as it says: “Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position” (Genesis 40:13). If they do not merit, they will all die, just as it says: “Pharaoh will lift up your head from upon you, and hang you on a tree” (Genesis 40:19).
It was revealed before the Holy One blessed be He that they would all die in the wilderness, and their heads will be removed; therefore, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “However, the tribe of Levi [you shall not count…] among the children of Israel” (Numbers 1:49). Among the children of Israel you shall not count them, but by themselves, count them. Why? The Holy One blessed be He said: If the tribe of Levi is counted with Israel and intermingles with them, the angel of death will come to kill Israel and the decree will be issued against them that they will not enter the land, but rather, they will die in the wilderness, as it is stated: “In this wilderness, your carcasses will fall, and all those of you who were counted in any of your censuses” (Numbers 14:29), and he will find the tribe of Levi intermingled with them and they will intermingle with Israel to die. That is why he did not count them with Israel, but rather separated them in the tally. And that is also why the language that is written regarding Israel, se’u et rosh, was not stated in their regard, but rather: “Count [pekod] the children of Levi” (Numbers 3:15).

Another matter: “However, the tribe of Levi you shall not count” (Numbers 1:49) – why were they not counted with Israel? It is because the tribe of Levi was the palace guard. This is analogous to a king who had several legions, and he said to his chief of staff: Go count the legions, except for the legion that stands before me. That is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “However, the tribe of Levi [you shall not count]…among the children of Israel” (Numbers 1:49). Among the children of Israel you shall not count them, but by themselves, count them, as it is not in keeping with the king’s honor that his legion should be counted with the legions. That is why Israel was counted by itself and the tribe of Levi was counted by itself.
From where do you say that it is for that reason that He said it to him? It is because it is written thereafter: “And you, appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of the Testimony…” (Numbers 1:50). When the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “However, the tribe of Levi you shall not count…” (Numbers 1:49), Moses grew afraid and said: Is there perhaps a disqualification in my tribe, due to which the Holy One blessed be He does not wish me to count them? The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: I said so to you only to exclude them from the decree, so that they will not die with them. That is what is written: “And you shall not take a census of them [ve’et rosham lo tisa] among the children of Israel” (Numbers 1:49). Why? It is because the Levites are Mine: “The Levites shall be Mine” (Numbers 3:12, 45). As, anyone who draws Me near, I draw him near. They drew near to Me, as it is stated: “Moses…said: Whoever is for the Lord, come to me; and all the sons of Levi gathered to him” (Exodus 32:26). They drew Me near, and I draw them near: “The Levites shall be Mine.” Moreover, because they were found to be loyal to Me, as they observed my admonition: “You shall have no other gods…” (Exodus 20:3), therefore, they are worthy to be the trustees of My house. “And you, appoint the Levites [over the Tabernacle of the Testimony…and they shall encamp around the Tabernacle]” – likewise it says: “My eyes are on the faithful of the land; they will dwell with Me.” (Psalms 101:6).
You find that anyone who is put to the test regarding a matter,¹⁷And he passes the test. the Holy One blessed be He loves him forever. As, you find regarding Joshua that he was put to the test with Amalek, and he performed there in accordance with the Torah and the mitzva, as it is stated: “Joshua weakened [Amalek and its people by sword]” (Exodus 17:13). The Omnipresent said to him: From your tribe, I will establish one who will exact retribution against Amalek forever: “From Ephraim came those who uprooted Amalek” (Judges 5:14). Saul, who was put to the test but did not properly fulfill his command, but rather: “Saul and the people spared [Agag…and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them]” (I Samuel 15:9), He caused him to fall back [le’aḥorav], and his kingdom was taken from him: “After you [aḥarekha], Benjamin” (Judges 5:14).
This tribe, too, I put them to the test, and they were found observant, and they gave their lives for sanctification of My name, as it is stated: “Each man, place his sword upon his thigh…[and each slay his brother, each his neighbor, each his relative]. The sons of Levi acted in accordance with the word of Moses…” (Exodus 32:27–28); “Who said of his father, and of his mother: [I did not see him, and his brothers he did not recognize, and his children he did not know, because they observed Your saying, and Your covenant they upheld]” (Deuteronomy 33:9). Here, too, I will draw them near and make them My palace guard, and I entrust My sanctity and the function of My house to them. That is what is written: “And you, appoint the Levites [over the Tabernacle of the Testimony]” (Numbers 1:50). Why? It is because they are loyal to Me. During its dismantling and its erecting, too, I do not want others to dismantle it and erect it, only them. That is what is written: “And when the Tabernacle travels, [the Levites shall dismantle it, and when the Tabernacle encamps, the Levites shall erect it]” (Numbers 1:51). Is it possible that the mitzva is incumbent upon the Levites, but if an Israelite did so it is permitted? The verse stated: “And the stranger who approaches shall be put to death” (Numbers 1:51). Likewise it says: I hate doers of perversity” (Psalms 101:3) – this is Israel that strayed from after the Omnipresent and crafted the calf, and the Holy One blessed be He despised them from being His trustees.
Do not say that it was that Israel would not touch it [only] during the journeys, rather, also during the encampments, only the children of Levi would approach it. That is what is written: “The children of Israel shall encamp, each in his camp.… And the Levites shall encamp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony” (Numbers 1:52–53). Why do I caution them that Israel should distance themselves from the Tabernacle? It is so there would not be fury upon them, as they are unworthy to approach it. That is what is written: “And there will not be fury against the congregation of the children of Israel” (Numbers 1:53). But the Levites will protect it; that is what is written: “The Levites will protect the watch of the Tabernacle of the Testimony” (Numbers 1:53). “The children of Israel did according to everything that the Lord commanded Moses, so they did” (Numbers 1:54) – as they distanced themselves from the Tabernacle and provided room for the Levites to encamp around the Tabernacle.

“Count the children of Levi by their patrilineal house, by their families; every male from one month old and above, you shall count them” (Numbers 3:15).
“Count the children of Levi” – elsewhere it says: “However, the tribe of Levi [you shall not count]” (Numbers 1:49), and here it says: “Count the children of Levi.” Rabbi Yehuda bar Shalom said: For the benefit of the children of Levi they were not counted with Israel. As you find that the Israelites who departed from Egypt did not enter the Land, as it is stated: “Your carcasses will fall in this wilderness…” (Numbers 14:29). Had the tribe of Levi been counted with them, they would have been included in the decree, as this is what the Holy One blessed be He said: “All those of you who were counted in any of your censuses, from twenty years old…” (Numbers 14:29). But they were not counted with them, and they entered the Land. Why did they all merit entering the Land? It is because, just as they were righteous in Egypt, so they were righteous in the wilderness, and they gave their lives for the sake of the Holy One blessed be He. When did they do so? It was when Israel performed that act.²²The sin of the Golden Calf. What is written: “Moses stood at the gate of the camp and said: [Whoever is for the Lord, come to me; and all the sons of Levi gathered to him]” (Exodus 32:26).
Just as they stood in the days of Moses, so it was in the Land of Israel in the days of Joshua. They would teach Israel to worship the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua [and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua]” (Joshua 24:31). Who were these elders? Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi said in the name of our Rabbis: These were the children of Levi. Rabbi Berekhya ben Rabbi Ḥelbo in the name of Abba Semukeyad: They were Eldad and Medad. You conclude and say: They outlived Joshua.
From where is it derived that the tribe of Levi entered the Land of Israel? It is as it is stated: “For the Lord said to them they will die in the wilderness” (Numbers 26:65) – these were Israel. “And no man remained of them except Caleb son of Yefuneh and Joshua son of Nun” (Numbers 26:65) – from the inference of the verse one learns that no man of Israel remained except for Caleb son of Yefuneh and Joshua. That is not so. Rather, you read and find that Elazar ben Aaron the priest entered, and through him the land was distributed to each and every tribe of the children of those who departed from Egypt, as it is stated: “These are the inheritances that Elazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun…apportioned” (Joshua 19:51). How is it so that it said: “And no man remained of them except Caleb…,” and you find that Elazar remained? Rather, [the example of] Elazar came and taught regarding his tribe; just as he entered, so did they enter. Like that which we learned: Any matter that was included in a generalization, but emerged to teach a halakha, it emerged to teach not in its regard but to teach regarding the entire generalization.²³Baraita of Rabbi Yishmael, principle 8. Elazar was included in the generalization of Israel regarding the decree, as it is stated: “They will die in the wilderness.” He emerged from the generalization of Israel to teach. It was not to teach in his regard, but to teach regarding the entire tribe. If you say that the entire tribe did not enter, Elazar did not enter. If you say he entered, the entire tribe entered as well.
Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Rabbi Abba said: I asked and studied it before Rabbi Abba Huna HaKohen bar Rabbi Avin, and I said to him: Know that the entire tribe of Levi entered the Land of Israel, and I said to him from the Bible: “These are the inheritances that Elazar the priest [and Joshua son of Nun…apportioned]” (Joshua 19:51). He said to me: Was the decree not issued only upon twenty-year-olds? You find that one who was less than twenty years old entered. Say that Elazar was less than twenty years old. I said to him: We find that he was married to a wife while still in Egypt, as it is stated: “Elazar son of Aaron took of the daughters of Putiel as his wife” (Exodus 6:25). Rabbi Huna said to me: I say he was ten years old. Was not the decree only upon one twenty years old? I said to him: But did he not serve in the Tent of Meeting before the decree was issued, as it is stated: “The charge of Elazar son of Aaron the priest…[all the Tabernacle and all that is in it]” (Numbers 4:16), and we find that no one of the priests had license to enter and serve in the Tent of Meeting unless he was thirty years old, as it is stated: “From thirty years old and above, until fifty years old…” (Numbers 4:39). We find, then, that before the decree was issued, Elazar was at least thirty years old. Immediately, Rav Huna conceded to Rabbi Tanḥuma that the entire tribe of Levi entered the Land. That is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: Since Israel is not entering and the tribe of Levi is entering, when you come to count them, make a distinction between them. That is what is written: “However, the tribe of Levi you shall not count…” (Numbers 1:49) – you do not count them with Israel, but you count them separately. That is what is written: “Count the children of Levi.”