Midras Bilangan 3:22: Bamidbar Rabbah, Midrash Tanchuma & Shir HaShirim Rabbah

“For Gershon, the family of the Livnites [and the Shimites]” (Numbers 3:21) – why was it necessary to repeat their families; were they not stated above? Why did the verse need this? Because it says: “These are the sons of Aaron: the firstborn [Nadav, and Avihu, Elazar, and Itamar].… Nadav [and Avihu] died…” (Numbers 3:2–4) – although Aaron had four sons, only the two, Elazar and Itamar, established families; perhaps the same is true regarding the Levites. Although Gershon has two sons, Kehat four sons, and Merari two sons, perhaps not all of them established families. That is why the verse repeated when it came to enumerate the sons of Gershon, Kehat, and Merari. It specified that all their sons established families, as they were all righteous.
The children of Levi are beloved, as the Omnipresent Himself dealt with each and every one of their families regarding their number, their location, their princes, and their service in the Tabernacle. The sons of Gershon, what does it say? “The number of all males counted…[were seven thousand five hundred]” (Numbers 3:22); thus the verse dealt in the number of the sons of Gershon. “The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the Tabernacle to the west” (Numbers 3:23) – that is their location. “The prince of the patrilineal house [of the Gershonites] was Elyasaf [son of Lael]” (Numbers 3:24) – that is their prince. “The commission of the sons of Gershon.… and the hangings of the courtyard…” (Numbers 3:25–26) – that is their service in the Tabernacle.
Likewise, the verse counts the sons of Kehat. That is what is written: “For Kehat, the family of the Amramites, [and the family of the Yitzharites, and the family of the Hevronites, and the family of the Uzielites]” (Numbers 3:27) – the verse apprised regarding the sons of Kehat that all of them established families, and not one of them perished. “In number, all males, [from one month old and above, eight thousand and six hundred, keepers of the commission of the sacred]” (Numbers 3:28) – that is their number. Why did the verse specify regarding the number of sons of Kehat “keepers of the commission of the sacred,” which is not stated regarding the number of the sons of Gershon nor regarding the number of sons of Merari; were the sons of Kehat “keepers of the commission of the sacred” from one month old and above? After all, one was not eligible for service until he was thirty years old. Why did it do so? It is because the Ark would purge from the sons of Kehat and would diminish their number, as it would shorten their lives.²⁷An improper action by somebody carrying the Ark could lead to his death. Nevertheless, due to their affection for the sacred, the sons of Kehat would run after it. That is why He accorded them a reward as though they entered to serve from one month old, as it is written regarding Samuel the Ramatite: “Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life” (I Samuel 7:15). He, too, was of the descendants of Kehat. “The families of the sons of Kehat shall encamp on the side of the Tabernacle to the south” (Numbers 3:29) – that is their place. “And the prince of the patrilineal house [of the families of the Kehatites was Elitzafan son of Uziel]” (Numbers 3:30) – that is their prince. “Their commission: the Ark, [the Table, the Candelabrum, the altars, the sacred vessels with which they would serve, the screen, and all its work]” (Numbers 3:31) – that is their service in the Tabernacle.
“The prince of the princes of the Levites [was Elazar son of Aaron the priest, the charge over the keepers of the commission of the sacred]” (Numbers 3:32) – why did it specify two princes for the sons of Kehat? It is because priests and Levites emerged from Kehat. Moses and Aaron emerged from Amram; Moses’s sons were Levites, and Aaron’s sons were priests. That is why it specified Elazar, who was from the priests, and he was overseer of the Levites of the sons of Kehat, and he would carry some of the sacred service [items] with the sons of Kehat. That is what is written: “The charge of Elazar, son of Aaron [the priest, is the illuminating oil, the fragrant incense, the meal offering of the daily offering, and the anointing oil; the charge of the entire Tabernacle, and of all that is in it, in the sacred, and in its vessels]” (Numbers 4:16).
Why did it not specify Itamar? After all, the commissions of the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari were entrusted to him. Why did it not enumerate him with them as a prince like it enumerated Elazar as a prince with the sons of Kehat? It is because Itamar did not participate in the service of the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari; that is why it did not enumerate him as a prince with them. However, Elazar participated in the burden of the sons of Kehat; that is why the verse enumerated him as a prince with them.
“For Merari, the family of the Maḥlites [and the family of the Mushites]” (Numbers 3:33) – the verse counted the sons of Merari, as not one of them died and they established families. “The number of all males counted…[were six thousand two hundred]” (Numbers 3:34) – it apprised of their number. “The prince of the patrilineal house [of the families of Merari was Tzuriel son of Aviḥayil]…” (Numbers 3:35) – that is their prince. “They shall encamp on the side of the Tabernacle to the north” (Numbers 3:35) – that is their place. “The appointed commission of the sons of Merari…” (Numbers 3:36) – that is their service in the Tabernacle.

“By the directive of the Lord, by their families, all males from one month old and above, were twenty-two thousand” – you find that the tribe of Levi in the detailed account was twenty-two thousand three hundred, because they were four families: Gershon, Kehat, Merari, and Moses.⁴²Moses and Aaron had their own camp. Furthermore, Aaron and his sons were Kohanim. Therefore, the Levites are described as containing four families. However, the people in the fourth family who were counted are included in the count of Kehat. You read each and every family individually and calculate it: “For Gershon.… seven thousand five hundred” (Numbers 3:21–22); “for Kehat.…eight thousand six hundred” (Numbers 3:27–28); “for Merari.… six thousand two hundred” (Numbers 3:33–34). They total twenty-two thousand three hundred. When the verse includes all the Levites, it renders them twenty-two thousand. Where are the three hundred? Rather, those mentioned in the detailed count informed how many were in each and every family. Those who were included in the twenty-two thousand and had three hundred missing from them, why was this done? It was, because they were counted in order to be in parallel to, and to redeem, the firstborn of Israel. Three hundred from them that were firstborn among the Levites were subtracted, as a firstborn does not redeem a firstborn. Therefore, in the families there were twenty-two thousand three hundred, and in the total [there were] twenty-two thousand, to redeem the firstborn of Israel with them.

“Do not cut off the tribe of the Kehatite families from among the Levites” (Numbers 4:18).
“Do not cut off the tribe of the Kehatite families from among the Levites” (Numbers 4:18). That is what is written: “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who await His kindness, to deliver them from death, and to sustain them in famine” (Psalms 33:18–19). “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,” this is the tribe of Levi, who sit and hope for the kindness of the Holy One blessed be He. Do all people not long for the kindness of the Holy One blessed be He? It is, rather, more so regarding the tribe of Levi, as they did not receive a portion in the Land. Rather, they sit and pray that the Land of Israel will produce its produce so they can take tithes, as they have nothing in the world other than the kindness of the Holy One blessed be He. That is, “on those who await His kindness.” “To deliver them from death,” from death itself, “and to sustain them in famine,” these are twenty-four gifts of the priesthood, which were given to the tribe of Levi: ten in the Temple, ten in the provinces, and four in Jerusalem. That is, “and to sustain them in famine.”
Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat said: From what death were they delivered? If it was from death of this world, there is no creature that does not die. What is “to deliver them from death”? It is from death by the Ark. How so? Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: When Israel was traveling, two sparks of fire would emerge from the midst of the two staves of the Ark in order to smite their enemies. From where is it derived? It is as Moses said to Israel: ‘Why do you fear the giants; are they tougher than those who would come against us and the Ark would burn them?’¹See Deuteronomy 9:1–3 where Moses tell Israel not to fear the giants because of the devouring fire which passes before them. Likewise, it says: “You shall know today that the Lord your God is He who passes before you, [a devouring fire]” (Deuteronomy 9:3). From here, you expound that two sparks would precede them. He said to them: “He will destroy them, and He will subdue them before you” (Deuteronomy 9:3). Since the sparks would emerge, the fire would graze the bearers of the Ark and they would be burned and decrease in number.
From where is it derived that the tribe of Kehat diminished in number? You find that three families would bear all the Tabernacle vessels. [The family of] Gershon bore all the woven materials: sheets, curtain, the screen, and the hangings. The family of Kehat would bear the Ark, the table, the candelabrum, the altars, and the sacred vessels. [The family of] Merari would bear the beams, the bars, the pillars, and the bases. You find that these four²The fourth family was Moses, Aaron and his children, who camped by themselves to the east of the Tabernacle. They were included in the count of Kehat. families were counted from one month old and from thirty years old. When he counts the Gershonites, he counts them from one month old, and finds them “seven thousand five hundred” (Numbers 3:22). He then counted them from thirty years old and finds them “two thousand six hundred and thirty” (Numbers 4:40). They were one hundred and thirty more than one-third. Likewise, Merari, he counts them from one month old, and their total comes to “six thousand two hundred” (Numbers 3:34). When he attributes them from thirty years old, he finds them “three thousand two hundred” (Numbers 4:44). They were one hundred more than half of them. But the family of Kehat, you find them most numerous of all the families, as from one month old he counts them and finds them “eight thousand six hundred” (Numbers 3:28). When he came from thirty years old, he finds them “two thousand seven hundred and fifty” (Numbers 4:36). They were less than one-third, by one hundred and seventeen. Why was it so? It is, rather, as Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: When Israel was traveling; two sparks of fire would emerge from the midst of the two staves and graze the bearers of the Ark and they would decrease in number. Each and every one of them was running; this one would take the table, this one would take the candelabrum, this one would take the altars, but they would flee from the Ark because it would harm them. It was as though the Ark was treated with contempt and the Holy One blessed be He would become angry with them, and again they would be eradicated. The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘How am I killing the sons of Kehat?I If they bear it, they decrease in number, if they do not bear it, there is anger directed at them.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses and to Aaron: ‘Institute a remedy for the sons of Kehat so they will not be cut off from the world, so they will not abandon and flee. “Do not cut off the tribe …” Rather, let Aaron and his sons come: “Assign them, each man to his service and to his burden” (Numbers 4:19), so that they will be unable to switch from service to service and from burden to burden.’ That is what is written: “But do this for them, and they will live, [and will not die upon their approaching the Holy of Holies. Aaron and his sons shall come, and assign them, each man to his service and to his burden]” (Numbers 4:19).
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: God forbid, the sons of Kehat would not abandon the Ark and run to the table and the candelabrum; rather, even though they would decrease in number, they would give their lives for the sake of the Ark. If so, why was He cautioning them: “Do not cut off the tribe…”? Rather, it was because they knew that anyone who bears the Ark, his reward is great; they would abandon the table, the candelabrum, and the altars, and they would all run to the Ark to receive a reward. As a result, this one would quarrel and say: ‘I will bear here,’ and that one would quarrel and say: ‘I will bear here,’ and as a result, they would act with levity and the Divine Presence would harm them. God said to Moses: ‘Institute a remedy for the sons of Kehat so they will not be eradicated from the world. “Do not cut off…” Rather, have them assigned to their service and to their burden so they will not quarrel with one another.’ Moses instituted a remedy, but they were quarreling with one another: This one would say: ‘I will bear the Ark,’ and that one would say: ‘I will bear it,’ and one would not know what was fixed for him, what was his burden. The Holy One blessed be He said, and consequently Aaron and his sons would enter and give each and every one his burden, as it is stated: “Aaron and his sons shall come, and assign them...”