מִבֶּן֩ שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים שָׁנָ֜ה וָמַ֗עְלָה עַ֛ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה תִּפְקֹ֣ד אוֹתָ֑ם כָּל־הַבָּא֙ לִצְבֹ֣א צָבָ֔א לַעֲבֹ֥ד עֲבֹדָ֖ה בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃
C’est depuis l’âge de trente ans et plus, jusqu’à l’âge de cinquante ans, que tu les recenseras: quiconque est apte à participer au service, à faire une besogne dans la tente d’assignation.
Rav Hirsch
וכל צבאם. Die Tatsache, daß das jüdische Volk in seinem friedlichen, das Heiligtum umgebenden Lager nach יוצאי צבא gezählt wurde, daß die am Heiligtum dienenden Leviten als (Bamidbar 4, 23) כל הבא לצבא צבא לעבוד עבודה באהל מועד bezeichnet werden, daß endlich die mit ihren Spenden zusammen kommenden Frauen הצבאת אשר צבאו פתח אהל מועד genannt werden, diese Tatsache beseitigt die Annahme, daß in צבא der Begriff des Kampfes liege; vielmehr ist offenbar die Grundbedeutung: Heer. Nicht jede versammelte Masse ist ein Heer, vielmehr nur diejenige Masse, die sich dem Willen eines Einzigen unterstellt, der für die Zeit des Heeresdienstes über die geistigen und leiblichen Kräfte der ins Heer Eingetretenen zu gebieten hat, ist ein Heer. Die Intelligenz und der Wille des Heerführers macht somit das Heer zum Heer, und ein Heer ist eine große, von der Intelligenz und dem Willen eines Einzigen befehligte Menge. Die Heeresmenge ist gleichsam der Körper des Heerführers; ihre Kraft und Glieder gehorchen seiner Intelligenz und seinem Willen. So begreift sich die Verwandtschaft von צבא mit צבה, anschwellen, einen großen körperlichen Umfang gewinnen, und ähnlich צבה: wollen, sich zur Erreichung eines Gegenstandes ausdehnen, etwas in den Kreis seines Bereiches ziehen, oder sein Reich zum Einschluss eines Gegenstandes ausdehnen. (Vergl. התאוה und והתאויתם לכם). Daher auch צבי das Ersehnte, das Reizende. (Ob צבי, der Hirsch, seinen Namen von der im Munde der Weisen so gerühmten großen Elastizität (Dehnbarkeit) seiner Haut hat, auf welcher auch vielleicht seine Schnellkraft mit beruht, wagen wir nur zu vermuten.) צַוֵה heißt: jemanden in seinen Kreis, in das Bereich seines Willens stellen, ihn auf seinem Posten anweisen, verpflichten, befehligen. צפה: vom Mittelpunkt aus seinen Kreis überschauen, überwachen. צַפֵה: nach der Erscheinung eines Gegenstandes in seinem Kreis, nach etwas ausblicken, erwarten. Auch: einer Sache eine Umgebung bilden, sie mit etwas belegen.
Tur HaArokh
כל יוצא צבא בישראל, “every one who goes to join the army among the Israelites.” Rashi comments that we learn from this verse that no one under the age of twenty is to join the army, something that corresponds to what we learned in Avot, בן עשרים לרדוף, “at the age of twenty one has matured enough to give chase.” (Avot, 5,25) It is possible to interpret the words כל יוצא צבא, as referring to all the men old enough to participate in general assemblies of the people. We know that every such general assembly is described as צבא, as for instance in לצבא צבא לעבודה באהל מועד, “to take part in the assembly around the Tent of Meeting in order to perform service” (Numbers 4,23). Another example of such a meaning of the word צבא would be the well-known term צבא השמים, “heavenly assemblies.” (Deut 4,19 and 15 other examples throughout the Bible) This is the reason why men participating in wars are not just described as חיילים, or אנשים לבושים בדים, “soldiers, or men wearing uniforms, but as יוצאי צבא, similar to יוצאי שער עירו, (Genesis 24,34) “all those assembled in the public square of his town.”
Ramban
Now after the firstborn and the Levites had been counted,34Above, 3:39-43. and the Levites were commanded about their [individual] work and charges, and he gave them the wagons,35Ibid., 7:5-8. He completed the commandments referring to the priests with the [laws of the] candelabrum; then He came to give the commandments concerning the Levites so that they could begin their service, and therefore it was necessary to purify them and to effect atonement for them. This is the reason why this chapter [of the purification of the Levites] is put in juxtaposition to this [section on the candelabrum]. He finished [the laws of the Levites] with a commandment applicable for all generations: From twenty and five years old and upward ‘yavo litzvo tzava’ (they shall come to be counted among the host) for the work of the Tent of Meeting.36Further, Verse 24.
Now Rashi commented: “Here it says, from twenty and five years old; but in another place it is said, from thirty years old!37Above, 4:3. How are these [contradictory verses to be reconciled]? From twenty-five years of age the Levite comes to learn the laws of the service, and he studies for five years, and at the age of thirty he performs the service. From here [we derive the principle] that if a pupil studying under his master does not see progress in his study after five years, he will never see such progress.” If this is so, the expression yavo litzvo tzava36Further, Verse 24. means that “he shall come and assemble among those who are gathered” for the work of the Tent of Meeting, meaning that he is to stay with them and continually observe the service [of the older Levites] by day and night, in order to learn the laws of the service in theory and practice. This is why He did not state here “to do service,” as He said above [From thirty years old and upward … ‘to do’ service],38Ibid., Verse 23. For since Scripture speaks there of the Levites above the age of thirty years, it uses the expression ‘la’avod avodah’ (to do service). Here, however, it refers to the five-year period of their training; hence the expression ‘ba’avodath’ (in the service), as they were not yet permitted to do the actual service. but He stated, ‘yavo litzvo tzava’ (they shall come to be counted among the host) ‘ba’avodath’ (for the work of) the Tent of Meeting,36Further, Verse 24. meaning that he is to come among those who are gathered for the purpose of the service. But I do not know whether this [explanation that there was a five-year period of training for the Levites] is the unanimous opinion of our Rabbis, for I find it taught in the name of a single Rabbi in the Sifre:39Sifre Beha’alothcha 62. “Rabbi Nathan says: One verse states, From twenty and five years old etc.” And it furthermore appears that these words [of the Sifre as quoted by Rashi] are merely Scriptural support for the practice of the pupils [i.e., the new Levites] who used to study the laws of the service for five years.
According to the plain meaning of Scripture, the [Levites] counted by the hand of Moses and Aaron were aged thirty years old and over, and it is they whom he appointed every one to his service, and to his burden.40Above, 4:49. But here He commanded that every Levite who [although not counted by Moses] knows himself to have reached the age of twenty-five years, is permitted to do the service, and may come with all the desire of his soul41Deuteronomy 18:6. to work with them and help them in the service, but he may not be a chief officer42Jeremiah 20:1. over any particular task. And the reason for this is that every person pays attention to [the passing of] his decades, since there are physical changes at these stages, therefore he knows when he reaches the age of twenty or thirty; for even his neighbors, relatives, his father and mother and his children notice it and inform him of it. But when a person reaches twenty-five years of age, they do not notice it so much; therefore He only commanded Moses to go to the trouble of counting those Levites above the age of thirty, when a man is recognizable by his years. And so did David say, And the Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward.43I Chronicles 23:3. Thirty is the age when a person attains full strength (Aboth 5:24).
And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that the plain meaning of Scripture is that from thirty years old they were to do the work of bearing burdens, and from twenty-five years old they did work in the Tent of Meeting.44On the nature of the work in the Tent of Meeting, see Ramban on the verse that follows. But this is not correct. For there also [when speaking of the Levites who were more than thirty years old] it is said, all that came to perform the service, to do the work in the Tent of Meeting,45Above, 4:23. and it is also said [of this group], to serve and to bear burdens.46Ibid., Verse 24. Moreover, it is written of the Sanctuary: These were the sons of Levi after their fathers’ houses, even the heads of the fathers’ houses, according to their numberings, in the number of names by their polls, who did the work for the service of the House of the Eternal, from twenty years old and upward. For David said: ‘The Eternal, the G-d of Israel, hath given rest unto His people, and He dwelleth in Jerusalem forever; and also the Levites shall no more have need to carry the Tabernacle and all the vessels of it for the service thereof.’ For by the last ordinances of David the sons of Levi were numbered from twenty years old and upward. For their station was at the side of the sons of Aaron for the service of the House of the Eternal, in the courts, and in the chambers.47I Chronicles 23:24-28. Thus it is stated that by the last ordinances of David when the House [of G-d] is built and the Levites no longer have to carry [the parts of the Tabernacle] on their shoulders, and their service will be only in the courts, and in the chambers, he counted them from twenty years old and upward, while at first [before the building of the Sanctuary] he counted them from the age of thirty upwards.43I Chronicles 23:3. Thirty is the age when a person attains full strength (Aboth 5:24). And according to Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra’s words, he should have counted them from twenty-five years old [since this is, according to him, the age for general work in the Sanctuary as opposed to the work of carrying its parts]!
Now Rashi commented: “Here it says, from twenty and five years old; but in another place it is said, from thirty years old!37Above, 4:3. How are these [contradictory verses to be reconciled]? From twenty-five years of age the Levite comes to learn the laws of the service, and he studies for five years, and at the age of thirty he performs the service. From here [we derive the principle] that if a pupil studying under his master does not see progress in his study after five years, he will never see such progress.” If this is so, the expression yavo litzvo tzava36Further, Verse 24. means that “he shall come and assemble among those who are gathered” for the work of the Tent of Meeting, meaning that he is to stay with them and continually observe the service [of the older Levites] by day and night, in order to learn the laws of the service in theory and practice. This is why He did not state here “to do service,” as He said above [From thirty years old and upward … ‘to do’ service],38Ibid., Verse 23. For since Scripture speaks there of the Levites above the age of thirty years, it uses the expression ‘la’avod avodah’ (to do service). Here, however, it refers to the five-year period of their training; hence the expression ‘ba’avodath’ (in the service), as they were not yet permitted to do the actual service. but He stated, ‘yavo litzvo tzava’ (they shall come to be counted among the host) ‘ba’avodath’ (for the work of) the Tent of Meeting,36Further, Verse 24. meaning that he is to come among those who are gathered for the purpose of the service. But I do not know whether this [explanation that there was a five-year period of training for the Levites] is the unanimous opinion of our Rabbis, for I find it taught in the name of a single Rabbi in the Sifre:39Sifre Beha’alothcha 62. “Rabbi Nathan says: One verse states, From twenty and five years old etc.” And it furthermore appears that these words [of the Sifre as quoted by Rashi] are merely Scriptural support for the practice of the pupils [i.e., the new Levites] who used to study the laws of the service for five years.
According to the plain meaning of Scripture, the [Levites] counted by the hand of Moses and Aaron were aged thirty years old and over, and it is they whom he appointed every one to his service, and to his burden.40Above, 4:49. But here He commanded that every Levite who [although not counted by Moses] knows himself to have reached the age of twenty-five years, is permitted to do the service, and may come with all the desire of his soul41Deuteronomy 18:6. to work with them and help them in the service, but he may not be a chief officer42Jeremiah 20:1. over any particular task. And the reason for this is that every person pays attention to [the passing of] his decades, since there are physical changes at these stages, therefore he knows when he reaches the age of twenty or thirty; for even his neighbors, relatives, his father and mother and his children notice it and inform him of it. But when a person reaches twenty-five years of age, they do not notice it so much; therefore He only commanded Moses to go to the trouble of counting those Levites above the age of thirty, when a man is recognizable by his years. And so did David say, And the Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward.43I Chronicles 23:3. Thirty is the age when a person attains full strength (Aboth 5:24).
And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that the plain meaning of Scripture is that from thirty years old they were to do the work of bearing burdens, and from twenty-five years old they did work in the Tent of Meeting.44On the nature of the work in the Tent of Meeting, see Ramban on the verse that follows. But this is not correct. For there also [when speaking of the Levites who were more than thirty years old] it is said, all that came to perform the service, to do the work in the Tent of Meeting,45Above, 4:23. and it is also said [of this group], to serve and to bear burdens.46Ibid., Verse 24. Moreover, it is written of the Sanctuary: These were the sons of Levi after their fathers’ houses, even the heads of the fathers’ houses, according to their numberings, in the number of names by their polls, who did the work for the service of the House of the Eternal, from twenty years old and upward. For David said: ‘The Eternal, the G-d of Israel, hath given rest unto His people, and He dwelleth in Jerusalem forever; and also the Levites shall no more have need to carry the Tabernacle and all the vessels of it for the service thereof.’ For by the last ordinances of David the sons of Levi were numbered from twenty years old and upward. For their station was at the side of the sons of Aaron for the service of the House of the Eternal, in the courts, and in the chambers.47I Chronicles 23:24-28. Thus it is stated that by the last ordinances of David when the House [of G-d] is built and the Levites no longer have to carry [the parts of the Tabernacle] on their shoulders, and their service will be only in the courts, and in the chambers, he counted them from twenty years old and upward, while at first [before the building of the Sanctuary] he counted them from the age of thirty upwards.43I Chronicles 23:3. Thirty is the age when a person attains full strength (Aboth 5:24). And according to Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra’s words, he should have counted them from twenty-five years old [since this is, according to him, the age for general work in the Sanctuary as opposed to the work of carrying its parts]!