וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר סִינַ֖י לֵאמֹֽר׃
E o Eterno falou a Moshe no deserto de Sinai dizendo:
Chizkuni
זה שמי, “this is My (personal) Name;” G-d repeats the first אהיה in verse 14; this is also how we spell (in writing) His Name. G-d speaks of how He calls Himself, whereas we mortals, of course do not refer to Him in the first person, but will adjust to the third person either as יהיה, or י־ה־וה. (Compare Rash’bam on the subject. He concludes that details are not to be revealed except to a category of people he terms: צנועים, familiar with Kabbalah.) The spelling with the letter ו instead of the letter י is explained by our author as not as unusual as we might think. For instance we find Yitzchok in his blessing saying to Yaakov as saying: הוה גביר לאחיך, where we would have expected: הוה בר, “be your brother’s superior.” [The letters י and ו possess a degree of interchangeability. Ed.]
Ramban
BUT THE LEVITES AFTER THE TRIBE OF THEIR FATHERS WERE NOT NUMBERED AMONG THEM. Moses had understood at the beginning of his own accord that he should not count the Levites [with the other tribes], because he had been told, And with you there shall be a man of every tribe etc.,86Ibid., Verse 4. meaning that each of the tribes that were to be counted should have their prince present, and since G-d had not appointed a prince for the tribe of Levi, hence he [Moses] did not count them. Therefore he was in doubt about the Levites and did not know what to do with them. And when he had finished all those who were counted of the people, and the Levites remained alone [uncounted], the Holy One, blessed be He, explained to him that he was not to count them among the children of Israel but that he should take their sum separately, for he was to appoint them over the Tabernacle of the Testimony.87Further, Verse 50.
He stated ‘p’kod’ [‘number’ — in the singular] the children of Levi88Ibid., 3:15. meaning that he [Moses] was to count them by himself without [the assistance of] the princes, and it was he [Moses] who called upon Aaron to be with him,89Ibid., Verse 39: All that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered etc. Thus it is clear that Aaron also participated in the counting of the Levites. Since his name was not mentioned when Moses was commanded to take that census, Ramban suggests that he joined at Moses’ invitation, see further in text of Ramban that Moses’ action was alluded to in the words of G-d. See Note 93. since he [Aaron] was the prince of that tribe, and just as the princes of Israel were [present] at [the counting of] their tribes, so was the prince of the Levites to be present when they were counted. Perhaps that is the reason for the dots [in the Torah] on the word ‘v’Aharon’ [and Aaron, in the phrase: All that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses ‘and Aaron’ numbered]89Ibid., Verse 39: All that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered etc. Thus it is clear that Aaron also participated in the counting of the Levites. Since his name was not mentioned when Moses was commanded to take that census, Ramban suggests that he joined at Moses’ invitation, see further in text of Ramban that Moses’ action was alluded to in the words of G-d. See Note 93. since his [assistance in the counting] was not by the express commandment of G-d.90Rashi however, [basing himself on Bechoroth 4a] states that the dots indicate that “Aaron himself was not in the census of the Levites.” This will be mentioned by Ramban further on in a somewhat different form (see Note 95). Afterwards, [however], when the Levites were appointed to their individual services and burdens, Moses called upon the princes of the congregation to be with him, as it is said, All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel numbered,91Further, 4: 46. since it was fitting that they should all give their assent to and supervise the establishment of the mishmaroth.92A mishmar [literally: a guard] is a Division of priests and Levites for duty in the Sanctuary. According to tradition, Moses divided the priests into eight Divisions, four from the families of Eleazar and four from Ithamar, and later on when the Sanctuary was built in Jerusalem, David and Samuel sub-divided them into twenty-four Divisions. Each Division served for a period of one week, and during the three Festivals all the Divisions were in attendance simultaneously (see “The Commandments” Vol. I, pp. 46-47). See also Ramban further, Verse 53, and at Note 96, for additional aspects of this term as used by Ramban. — It should be noted that the concept of mishmaroth applied also to the Levites and Israelites, for just as the priests were divided into twenty-four Divisions, so also were the other two groups. Each week a new mishmar of priests, Levites, and Israelites would arrive in Jerusalem to attend to the Divine Services in the Sanctuary. The Israelites’ function was to “stand by” the daily offerings brought for the whole congregation of Israel, for “how can a man’s offering be offered while he does not stand by it?” (Taanith 26a). Such a group of Israelites is referred to as a ma’amad (literally: “stand by”). In the text of Ramban before us, however, reference is only to the Divisions of the priests and Levites. And Scripture repeats in another place, These are they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites … whom Moses and Aaron numbered ‘according to the commandment of the Eternal’ by the hand of Moses93Further, 4:37. The verse seems to indicate that G-d had explicitly commanded Aaron’s presence at the census, which does not corroborate Ramban’s interpretation above. Ramban therefore explains that although there was no explicit command, there had been a hint, and Moses therefore, in asking Aaron to be present, was indeed acting according to the command of the Eternal. Because He had already hinted through the dots [on the word v’Aharon89Ibid., Verse 39: All that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered etc. Thus it is clear that Aaron also participated in the counting of the Levites. Since his name was not mentioned when Moses was commanded to take that census, Ramban suggests that he joined at Moses’ invitation, see further in text of Ramban that Moses’ action was alluded to in the words of G-d. See Note 93.] that Aaron had to be there, from which Moses understood that he was to do so, [hence it says according to the commandment of the Eternal].93Further, 4:37. The verse seems to indicate that G-d had explicitly commanded Aaron’s presence at the census, which does not corroborate Ramban’s interpretation above. Ramban therefore explains that although there was no explicit command, there had been a hint, and Moses therefore, in asking Aaron to be present, was indeed acting according to the command of the Eternal. But the [presence of the] princes of the congregation [at the numbering of the Levites]91Further, 4: 46. was not obligatory, and Moses called them in order to show them respect, [therefore Scripture does not state that their presence was “according to the commandment of the Eternal”]. In Tractate Bechoroth94Bechoroth 4a. the Rabbis have said that the dots on the word Aharon89Ibid., Verse 39: All that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered etc. Thus it is clear that Aaron also participated in the counting of the Levites. Since his name was not mentioned when Moses was commanded to take that census, Ramban suggests that he joined at Moses’ invitation, see further in text of Ramban that Moses’ action was alluded to in the words of G-d. See Note 93. are to hint that Aaron himself was not counted at all in the census of the Levites.95There is a marked difference on this point between the language of Rashi (see above Note 90) and that of Ramban. According to Rashi, the dots on the word Aharon indicate that “he was not in the census of the Levites,” which can be interpreted as saying that he did not participate in counting the people, and only Moses did it. Mizrachi in fact interprets Rashi in this way, since the verse [whom Moses and Aaron counted] refers to those who did the actual counting of the Levites, thus the dots on the word “Aaron” indicate that he did not participate in the counting — but he himself may well have been counted. Ramban’s language, however, clearly means that “Aaron himself was not counted at all in the census of the Levites.” This explains why Ramban does not quote this explanation of the Gemara in the name of Rashi, as he is wont to do, since his interpretation of the text of Bechoroth 4a is different than Rashi’s.
He stated ‘p’kod’ [‘number’ — in the singular] the children of Levi88Ibid., 3:15. meaning that he [Moses] was to count them by himself without [the assistance of] the princes, and it was he [Moses] who called upon Aaron to be with him,89Ibid., Verse 39: All that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered etc. Thus it is clear that Aaron also participated in the counting of the Levites. Since his name was not mentioned when Moses was commanded to take that census, Ramban suggests that he joined at Moses’ invitation, see further in text of Ramban that Moses’ action was alluded to in the words of G-d. See Note 93. since he [Aaron] was the prince of that tribe, and just as the princes of Israel were [present] at [the counting of] their tribes, so was the prince of the Levites to be present when they were counted. Perhaps that is the reason for the dots [in the Torah] on the word ‘v’Aharon’ [and Aaron, in the phrase: All that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses ‘and Aaron’ numbered]89Ibid., Verse 39: All that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered etc. Thus it is clear that Aaron also participated in the counting of the Levites. Since his name was not mentioned when Moses was commanded to take that census, Ramban suggests that he joined at Moses’ invitation, see further in text of Ramban that Moses’ action was alluded to in the words of G-d. See Note 93. since his [assistance in the counting] was not by the express commandment of G-d.90Rashi however, [basing himself on Bechoroth 4a] states that the dots indicate that “Aaron himself was not in the census of the Levites.” This will be mentioned by Ramban further on in a somewhat different form (see Note 95). Afterwards, [however], when the Levites were appointed to their individual services and burdens, Moses called upon the princes of the congregation to be with him, as it is said, All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel numbered,91Further, 4: 46. since it was fitting that they should all give their assent to and supervise the establishment of the mishmaroth.92A mishmar [literally: a guard] is a Division of priests and Levites for duty in the Sanctuary. According to tradition, Moses divided the priests into eight Divisions, four from the families of Eleazar and four from Ithamar, and later on when the Sanctuary was built in Jerusalem, David and Samuel sub-divided them into twenty-four Divisions. Each Division served for a period of one week, and during the three Festivals all the Divisions were in attendance simultaneously (see “The Commandments” Vol. I, pp. 46-47). See also Ramban further, Verse 53, and at Note 96, for additional aspects of this term as used by Ramban. — It should be noted that the concept of mishmaroth applied also to the Levites and Israelites, for just as the priests were divided into twenty-four Divisions, so also were the other two groups. Each week a new mishmar of priests, Levites, and Israelites would arrive in Jerusalem to attend to the Divine Services in the Sanctuary. The Israelites’ function was to “stand by” the daily offerings brought for the whole congregation of Israel, for “how can a man’s offering be offered while he does not stand by it?” (Taanith 26a). Such a group of Israelites is referred to as a ma’amad (literally: “stand by”). In the text of Ramban before us, however, reference is only to the Divisions of the priests and Levites. And Scripture repeats in another place, These are they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites … whom Moses and Aaron numbered ‘according to the commandment of the Eternal’ by the hand of Moses93Further, 4:37. The verse seems to indicate that G-d had explicitly commanded Aaron’s presence at the census, which does not corroborate Ramban’s interpretation above. Ramban therefore explains that although there was no explicit command, there had been a hint, and Moses therefore, in asking Aaron to be present, was indeed acting according to the command of the Eternal. Because He had already hinted through the dots [on the word v’Aharon89Ibid., Verse 39: All that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered etc. Thus it is clear that Aaron also participated in the counting of the Levites. Since his name was not mentioned when Moses was commanded to take that census, Ramban suggests that he joined at Moses’ invitation, see further in text of Ramban that Moses’ action was alluded to in the words of G-d. See Note 93.] that Aaron had to be there, from which Moses understood that he was to do so, [hence it says according to the commandment of the Eternal].93Further, 4:37. The verse seems to indicate that G-d had explicitly commanded Aaron’s presence at the census, which does not corroborate Ramban’s interpretation above. Ramban therefore explains that although there was no explicit command, there had been a hint, and Moses therefore, in asking Aaron to be present, was indeed acting according to the command of the Eternal. But the [presence of the] princes of the congregation [at the numbering of the Levites]91Further, 4: 46. was not obligatory, and Moses called them in order to show them respect, [therefore Scripture does not state that their presence was “according to the commandment of the Eternal”]. In Tractate Bechoroth94Bechoroth 4a. the Rabbis have said that the dots on the word Aharon89Ibid., Verse 39: All that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered etc. Thus it is clear that Aaron also participated in the counting of the Levites. Since his name was not mentioned when Moses was commanded to take that census, Ramban suggests that he joined at Moses’ invitation, see further in text of Ramban that Moses’ action was alluded to in the words of G-d. See Note 93. are to hint that Aaron himself was not counted at all in the census of the Levites.95There is a marked difference on this point between the language of Rashi (see above Note 90) and that of Ramban. According to Rashi, the dots on the word Aharon indicate that “he was not in the census of the Levites,” which can be interpreted as saying that he did not participate in counting the people, and only Moses did it. Mizrachi in fact interprets Rashi in this way, since the verse [whom Moses and Aaron counted] refers to those who did the actual counting of the Levites, thus the dots on the word “Aaron” indicate that he did not participate in the counting — but he himself may well have been counted. Ramban’s language, however, clearly means that “Aaron himself was not counted at all in the census of the Levites.” This explains why Ramban does not quote this explanation of the Gemara in the name of Rashi, as he is wont to do, since his interpretation of the text of Bechoroth 4a is different than Rashi’s.