Citazione Commento su Numeri 5:1

‘VAYIKRA’ (AND HE CALLED).¹I.e., And G-d called unto Moses. — The third book of the Torah thus receives its title from the first Hebrew word of the book. The English title Leviticus is derived from the Septuagint — the first Greek translation of the Bible — which gave it that name because a major part of the book is devoted to the laws relating to the priests and Levites. In the Talmud and related literature it is called Torath Kohanim (Law of the Priests). This is to be distinguished from the early Rabbinic commentary on the book, known also as Torath Kohanim. See further, Notes 65, 73, and 121. This book is the law of the priests and the Levites.²Further, 25:32: But as for the cities of the Levites etc. In it G-d explains matters concerned with all the offerings and watching over the Tabernacle [that it should not become defiled].³Ibid., 15:31: Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile My Tabernacle that is in the midst of them. The reference could not be to the actual guarding of the Tabernacle done by the priests and Levites every night throughout the night, (see “The Commandments,” Vol. I, pp. 31-32), for that duty is mentioned in the Book of Numbers (18:4). It may possibly be also a hint to the special Service on the Day of Atonement which was designed to atone for any uncleanness that may have occurred in the Tabernacle or any part thereof (see further 16:16, and 33). By bringing the prescribed offerings on that day Israel fulfilled its duty of “watching over the Tabernacle” that it should not continue in its state of defilement but instead should be restored to its pristine purity and holiness. This is because one book [i.e., the second book of the Torah] was dedicated to the Egyptian exile and the redemption therefrom, and He completed it with an account of the building of the Tent of Meeting and the Glory of G-d which filled the Tabernacle,⁴Exodus 40:34. therefore He now commanded Moses about the offerings and about watching over the Tabernacle, in order that the offerings effect atonement for [the children of] Israel, and that their sins should not bring about the removal of the Divine Glory. Thus He commanded the priests that come near unto the Eternal that they sanctify themselves,⁵Ibid., 19:22. warning them against defilement of the Sanctuary and its hallowed offerings,⁶See Ramban further, 5:2. and also that they are not to break through to come up unto the Eternal,⁷Exodus 19:24. Ramban’s thought there is clearly based on his exposition [at the beginning of Seder Terumah — ibid., 25:1, Vol. II, pp. 435-436] that the Tabernacle constituted a continuation of the presence of the Divine Glory which had descended upon Mount Sinai. Ramban therefore continues here to show that the strictures which applied at the time of the Revelation find their parallels in the laws concerning the Tabernacle. just as He said, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the ark-cover which is upon the ark, that he die not; for I appear in the cloud upon the ark-cover,⁸Further, 16:2. which is similar to the warning [given at the Revelation] lest they break through unto the Eternal to gaze, and many of them perish.⁹Exodus 19:21. After that¹⁰I.e., in the Book of Numbers (5:1-3). See Ramban there on Verse 2. He set limits to the Tabernacle, even as He had marked off Mount Sinai when the Glory of the G-d of Israel was there.