Komentaryo sa Mga Bilang 4:22: Tze'enah Ure'enah, Rashi, Kli Yakar & Rashbam

“Take a census” [4:22]. King Solomon said. “Justice done is a joy to the righteous, to evildoers, ruination” [Proverbs, 21:15]. The verse teaches us that it is woeful to the evildoer to do justice and right. However, for the righteous it is a great joy to do justice and fulfill commandments, and that no robbery and theft should occur in his city. However, the evildoer fears justice, that he should not be punished for his evil. King Solomon lets me know that the person is obligated to rejoice and be joyful at fulfilling every commandment. He should rejoice wholeheartedly when he fulfills a commandment. The Holy One gives him a reward for the joy that he has in connection to the commandment, just like He was at the event Himself, as the verse says, “worship the Lord in gladness” [Psalms, 100:2]. Worship God with joy and therefore, those who sang in the Temple had to have a good voice. In the wilderness, they also had to sing with good voices and beautiful instruments in the Tabernacle, at the sacrifices, expecting that the joy should be on the people who were present at the sacrifices. Therefore, the verse says about the sacrifices, “subject to duties of service” [4:47]. Our sages write. What kind of work is the work that serves others in their work? The explanation is that the Levites had to serve to bring joy that they should do the other work with joy. That is, offering the sacrifices with joy.¹Bahya, Naso, Introduction.

Hizkuni also writes. The children of Kehat were counted first because they carried the holy vessels and the Ark, the table, the candelabrum, and the altar. Afterwards, they counted the children of Gershon. Even though they did not carry, but they guarded wagons with oxen and led the oxen. Yet, they were counted after Kehat because Gershon was the oldest. Thus, it was just to count them after Kehat.²Hizkuni, Numbers, 4:22.

Zeror ha-Mor writes. Since Gershon was the firstborn of the children of Levi, it is written there, “take a census of the head of the Gershonites also” [4:22]. That is to say, Gershon is also a leader like Kehat. However, concerning the children of Merari, it is written, “count the Merarites” [4:29]. It is not written, head. That is to say, esteemed and important. Though the children of Merari were important and valuable, the children of Merari were not as important as the children of Gershon. Therefore, the word head is not written. The children of Kehat became important because they always went barefoot near the Ark, since wherever the Ark was, this was holy ground. Wherever is holy ground, one is supposed to go barefoot. The children of Kehat also walked differently, always having their face toward the Ark and their back to the path.³Zeror ha-Mor, Numbers, 4:22.

נשא את ראש בני גרשון גם הם TAKE ALSO THE SUM OF THE SONS OF GERSHON - "also" implies: even as I have commanded you regarding the sons of Kohath; i.e. to see how many of them have already reached the age to be included amongst those fit for service.