민수기 10:21의 주석

נשאי המקדש means, the bearers of the holy articles (not of the structure of the Sanctuary itself for this was the burden of the sons of Gershon and Merari; cf. v. 17).

Who were preceded. Meaning that Scripture uses abbreviated language. והקימו (they erected) either refers to those who erected, or it refers to the sons of Gershon and Merori who were mentioned previously. It is not possible to say that the Kehosites erected it before the arrival of the sons of Gershon and Merori. He adds that this was “when the cloud rested” and “the signal for making camp…” because without this it would have appeared that the sons of Gershon and Merori who traveled before the camp would encamp in any place that saw fit. But this is impossible because it is written “they camped by the word of Hashem” (9:18). The meaning of “by the time of their arrival” is “before they arrived,” because the intent of this statement is that at the time when they arrived the Mishkon was set up and they would immediately place the Ark and the Holy vessels inside.

והקימו את המשכן, “so that they would be able to erect the Tabernacle.” According to Rashi, the subjects in this verse are the members of the house of Gershon and Merari. There is a full stop here in Rashi’s commentary. When Rashi continues there with: “two army groups had already preceded them,” this does not refer to the ”Merarites and Gersonidides,”but refers to a different subject, namely the order in which the journeys proceeded. Rashi has to be understood as follows; “when did the members of the house of Gershon and Merari reerect the Tabernacle? After the first two army groups which had already preceded them and who in turn had preceded the Kehatites carrying the Holy Ark on their shoulders, had passed. The members of the house of Gershon and Merari had traveled as part of the first two army groups. When they observed that the cloud had stopped moving, this was their signal to reerect the Tabernacle. During that period the Kehatites arrived and found the Tabernacle ready to receive the Holy Ark.