출애굽기 32:29의 인용 해설

In my previously referenced compilation, [Ha’amek Davar], I explained that this was Moshe’s request after [the sin of the Golden] Calf: “Whoever is for God, [let him come] to me, and all the Levites gathered unto him.”²⁸Ex. 32:26. Moshe’s request was not directed to those who did not worship the Golden Calf, as there were many others [besides the Levites] who did not serve the Golden Calf; there were only three thousand men who had sinned.²⁹Verse 28 states that only three thousand men were killed by the Levites. Rather, [his request was directed to those who were on a high spiritual level] because he wanted to direct them to perform a very dangerous task of going from gate to gate and killing openly the men they were seeking. It was certainly possible that the [sinners’] relatives and friends would fight the Levites, resulting in atrocities from a battle ensuing in the camp. This dangerous task could not be achieved other than by one who was confident that he “is for God” [deeply immersed in God’s service]. This is similar to the way in which the Midrash Rabbah on Mattos³⁰Num., Parasha 22. explains the verse, “He whom you shall serve,”³¹Deut. 10:20. meaning, “You are to dedicate yourself to the Torah and to occupy yourself with the commandments [to the extent] that you have no other service,” i.e., he does not serve himself at all. [Only such a person] could be assured that calamity would not result from his passing [throughout the camp to kill those who served the Golden Calf]. The Levites were so successful that not a single one was harmed, and it was because of this that Moshe blessed them: “Dedicate yourselves [from] this day [forward] to God, for each has opposed his son and his brother, that He may bestow upon you a blessing [from] this day [forward].”³²Ex. 32:29. [Moshe] means that they had utterly forsaken their personal needs to the extent that it would not have been difficult for them to kill his son or brother by his own hand. It is because of this that the Levites were blessed [by Moshe] in the wilderness [so they] could reach this elevated manner of service. This is explained further [in the previously referenced Ha’amek Davar].

AT THAT TIME THE ETERNAL SEPARATED THE TRIBE OF LEVI. “This refers back to the first subject. At that time, in the first year of your departure from Egypt when you sinned by worshipping the calf and the sons of Levi did not sin, G-d separated them from you.” This is Rashi’s language. And if so, he is stating that from that time the sons of Levi were separated before Him, blessed be He [but only in thought], for He did not separate them in fact until the second year in the second month [after the first census which took place on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt]!²²⁵Numbers 1:1. Or it may be that he is alluding to what he said to them [at the affair of the calf], Consecrate yourselves today to the Eternal,²²⁶Exodus 32:29. for thereby you dedicate yourselves to the service of priests and Levites.
The correct interpretation, it appears to me, is that the expression at that time means that the second [giving of the Tablets] was like the first. For, from the time He said to Moses Hew thee two Tablets of stone,²²⁷Ibid., 34:1. He was reconciled with Israel, and Moses was instructed regarding the construction of the Tabernacle. Then He was reconciled also with Aaron, and Moses was commanded, and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons — to sanctify him — that he may minister unto Me in the priest’s office,²²⁸Ibid., 28:4. The phrase to sanctify him is found there in Verse 3. and He further commanded him concerning the initiation [of the priests]. Therefore he said [here in Verse 6] that Eleazar ministered in the priest’s office in his father’s stead, since their anointing was to them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.²²⁹Ibid., 40:15. Moses regarded the separation of the entire tribe [of Levi — priests and Levites] as one matter [therefore he said here, At that time — when the second Tablets were given, even though only the priests were formally separated, it was equivalent to a designation of the entire tribe, with the formal designation of the Levites to come after the first census], for, from that day on it was [resolved] before Him that His tribe be wholly given unto Him²³⁰Numbers 8:16. to perform the service of the Tabernacle. Or perhaps he is saying that the tribe of Levi was separated at that time for the priests to be [chosen] from them, for they [i.e., the priests] also carried the ark.²³¹The verse before us states: At that time the Eternal separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark … Now, according to the interpretation that the verse means that the tribe of Levi was separated to be the source of the priests, rather than as a special tribe in its entirety, the following question arises: The verse indicates that the priests [derived from the tribe of Levi] were to carry the ark, but it is known that the Levites, not the priests, carried the ark (Numbers 7:9). Ramban answers that the priests, too, were permitted to carry the ark. See “The Commandments.” Vol. I, pp. 43-44, for a fuller discussion on this subject. And so it is said, and he [Moses] delivered it [the Torah] unto the priests the sons of Levi; that bore the ark of the covenant of the Eternal,²³²Further, 31:9. and they [the priests] are the ones who minister to G-d and bless in His Name [as the verse before us concludes]. And the meaning of the expression unto this day [at the end of this verse] is that it refers [back] to Eleazar’s ministering in the priest’s office [in Aaron’s stead — mentioned in Verse 6], as if saying: “then He separated them [the priests] to minister to Him, and it [so] was to this day” [i.e., the time when Moses spoke these words, that Eleazar served as High Priest].²³³Ramban’s reasoning is as follows: Since we have now explained the verse, At that time the Eternal separated the tribe of Levi (Verse 8) as referring to the designating of the priests, from the tribe of Levi, to minister in the Tabernacle, why does the verse conclude with the expression, unto this day, since on “this day,” when Moses spoke these words, the whole tribe of Levi was already elevated to its exalted position? But if it refers back to Eleazar’s office as High Priest (mentioned in Verse 6) that it was so “unto this day,” there is of course no difficulty as to why the Levites are not mentioned here.

V. 12. ואני, es ist Gott, der die Leviten sich aus dem Volke herausgenommen und sie in eine Beziehung zu sich, in eine besondere Gotteshörigkeit gebracht hat, die bis dahin den Erstgeborenen innewohnte. Die Heiligung der Erstgeburt hatte, wie wir dies zu Schmot Kap. 13, 2 entwickelt, die erstgeborenen Söhne in jeder Familie zu Trägern und Vertretern der Gottessache, d. i. der Erfüllung des göttlichen Willens innerhalb eines jeden Familienkreises bestellt. Auf ihnen beruht somit das Gemeinsame, das alle die verschiedenen und verschieden gearteten Gruppen, die צבאות ד׳, zu dem einen einheitlichen Gottesvolke verband. Wenn dieses Gemeinsame nun einen symbolischen Ausdruck und eine bedeutsame Gestaltung in dem Gesetzesheiligtum inmitten des Volkes gewinnen sollte und diesem Wahrer und Wächter zu bestellen waren, so hätten sich von selbst als die natürlichen Vertreter und Träger des gemeinsamen Göttlichen im Volke auch zu dieser Wacht ums Heiligtum und diesem Dienst an demselben die bereits Gott geheiligten Erstgeborenen dargeboten. Allein an dem verhängnisvollen Tage der עגל-Verirrung des Volkes hatten sich die Erstgeborenen nicht als die Vorkämpfer und Wächter des göttlichen Gesetzes bewährt. Was von ihnen zu erwarten gewesen wäre, hatten die Leviten getan, an ihrer Stelle waren die Söhne Levis 'לד aufgetreten. Schon damals hatte sie Mosche ermahnt, diese Stellung als Gesetzverfechter im Volke sich zu bewahren und dafür des göttlichen Segens gewärtig zu sein (siehe zu Schmot 32, 29). Sie sehen wir denn auch hier von Gott aus der Mitte der Söhne Israels an die Stelle der Erstgeborenen herausgenommen und ihnen die Bestimmung erteilt: והיו לי, die "Seinen" zu werden, d. i. der Vertretung Seines Heiligtums im Volke anzugehören. Wenn sie daher nach dem bisherigen die ihnen übertragene Wacht ums Heiligtum und den ihnen übertragenen Dienst am Heiligtum als משמרת משכן העדות (Kap. 1, 23), als משמרת אהרן und als משמרת כל העדה (Kap. 3, 7) im Namen des Gesetzesheiligtums, im Namen der (p) g Priester und im Namen der Gesamtgemeinde zu vollziehen haben, so haben sie ihn in allererster Linie בשם ד׳, im Namen Gottes zu vollziehen, als die לד׳ Gehörigen, der sie für sein Heiligtum bestellt und der ihnen für dieses Heiligtum Obliegenheiten übertragen, die ohne sie der Gesamtgemeinde, deren natürlichen Vertretern und den Priestern zur Erfüllung obliegen würden.