קַ֚ח מֵֽאִתָּ֔ם וְהָי֕וּ לַעֲבֹ֕ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֖ת אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְנָתַתָּ֤ה אוֹתָם֙ אֶל־הַלְוִיִּ֔ם אִ֖ישׁ כְּפִ֥י עֲבֹדָתֽוֹ׃
“Tanggapin mo ang mga ito mula sa kanila, at gagamitin ang mga ito sa paglilingkod sa Tolda ng Pagtitipon; at ibigay mo ang mga ito sa mga Levita, sa bawat isa ayon sa kanyang paglilingkod.”
Pesikta DeRav Kahana
Tzav (Num. 7:3).*The verse states that the tribal leaders brought six "tzav" wagons (שש עגלת-צב). The midrash now discusses the meaning of this unusual word, often translated (in conjunction with eglot) as "litter-wagons" (see Jastrow), i.e., luxurious cushioned and covered transport for dignitaries, supported by two horizontal poles and carried by servants. However, tzav is susceptible to other meanings as well, which the midrash also explores.
They resembled palanquins -- distinguished with dye (tzeva)*צב מצויינת; alt., צב מצויירות ("colored with dye"), designed like a turtle (tzav) (i.e., with walls and a rounded covering). It was taught in the name of Rabbi Nechemiah, they were like a type of arched carriage (kamrasta).
"... And twelve oxen, a wagon for every two chieftains [and an ox for each individual]" (ibid.). It teaches that [every] two chieftains brought one wagon, and each and every tribe brought an ox.
"And Hashem said to Moses, saying." (Num. 7:4.)
What is this "saying"? It was taught by Rabbi Hoshaiah: The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses, "Go out and say to them, to Israel, words of encouragement, words of comfort." And Moses was afraid, and he said, "Say, perhaps, that the Holy Spirit has departed from me and has rested upon the chieftains." The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses, "Had I wished to tell them to bring forth their offerings, I would have told you to tell that to them. Rather, [I told you to] 'take [these offerings] from them' (Num. 7:5)." This matter was "from them." And who gave them this advice? The tribe of Issachar gave them this advice. There it says, "And from the children of Issachar were those who possessed understanding of the signs (iytim)." (1 Chr. 12:33.) What are "iytim"? Rabbi Tanchuma says, [the signs of the changing] of the seasons. And Rabbi Yosei bar Katzri says, [the signs of the] intercalculation of the years. "Their heads were two hundred." (Ibid.) These were the two hundred heads of the Sanhedrin, who Issachar had caused to arise. "...And all their brethren [followed] their command (pihem; lit., 'their mouths')." (Ibid.) This teaches that they were in agreement with the halacha [that issued] from their mouths. They said to them, "Does the Tent of Meeting that you are fashioning hover in the air? Rather, make wagons for it and load it onto them." And Moses was afraid, and he said, "Say, perhaps, that one of the wagons might break, or one of the oxen may die, and that the chieftains' offerings may become disqualified?" The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses, "And let them serve for the service [of transporting] the Tent of Meeting." (Num. 7:5.) He granted them existence so that they would endure forever. Until what point did they endure? Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman, Rabbi Choneya in the name of Bar Kappara: Until "they sacrificed bulls in Gilgal" (Hos. 12:12). And where did they sacrifice them? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana says, in Nob they sacrificed them. Rabbi Avahu said, in Gibeon they sacrifced them. Said Rabbi Levi, the explanation of Rabbi Chama bar Chanina: "Solomon sacrificed as peace offerings, which were sacrificed for Hashem, twenty-two thousand oxen and one hundred twenty thousand sheep, etc." (1 Kings 8:63.) It was taught in the name of Rabbi Meir, they have endured until now, and they have not become filthy, and they have not aged, and they have not become been rendered tereifot. And behold, these matters are derived from a fortiori reasoning: Just as the carts that were connected (nid'vaku) with the labor of the Tent of Meeting were given an existence that they endured forever, all the more so Israel, who cleave (d'vukim) in unity with the Holy One Blessed be He, as it is stated: “But you, who cleave (had'vaykim) to Hashem your God, all of you are alive today” (Deuteronomy 4:4).
The end [of the chapter].
They resembled palanquins -- distinguished with dye (tzeva)*צב מצויינת; alt., צב מצויירות ("colored with dye"), designed like a turtle (tzav) (i.e., with walls and a rounded covering). It was taught in the name of Rabbi Nechemiah, they were like a type of arched carriage (kamrasta).
"... And twelve oxen, a wagon for every two chieftains [and an ox for each individual]" (ibid.). It teaches that [every] two chieftains brought one wagon, and each and every tribe brought an ox.
"And Hashem said to Moses, saying." (Num. 7:4.)
What is this "saying"? It was taught by Rabbi Hoshaiah: The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses, "Go out and say to them, to Israel, words of encouragement, words of comfort." And Moses was afraid, and he said, "Say, perhaps, that the Holy Spirit has departed from me and has rested upon the chieftains." The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses, "Had I wished to tell them to bring forth their offerings, I would have told you to tell that to them. Rather, [I told you to] 'take [these offerings] from them' (Num. 7:5)." This matter was "from them." And who gave them this advice? The tribe of Issachar gave them this advice. There it says, "And from the children of Issachar were those who possessed understanding of the signs (iytim)." (1 Chr. 12:33.) What are "iytim"? Rabbi Tanchuma says, [the signs of the changing] of the seasons. And Rabbi Yosei bar Katzri says, [the signs of the] intercalculation of the years. "Their heads were two hundred." (Ibid.) These were the two hundred heads of the Sanhedrin, who Issachar had caused to arise. "...And all their brethren [followed] their command (pihem; lit., 'their mouths')." (Ibid.) This teaches that they were in agreement with the halacha [that issued] from their mouths. They said to them, "Does the Tent of Meeting that you are fashioning hover in the air? Rather, make wagons for it and load it onto them." And Moses was afraid, and he said, "Say, perhaps, that one of the wagons might break, or one of the oxen may die, and that the chieftains' offerings may become disqualified?" The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses, "And let them serve for the service [of transporting] the Tent of Meeting." (Num. 7:5.) He granted them existence so that they would endure forever. Until what point did they endure? Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman, Rabbi Choneya in the name of Bar Kappara: Until "they sacrificed bulls in Gilgal" (Hos. 12:12). And where did they sacrifice them? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana says, in Nob they sacrificed them. Rabbi Avahu said, in Gibeon they sacrifced them. Said Rabbi Levi, the explanation of Rabbi Chama bar Chanina: "Solomon sacrificed as peace offerings, which were sacrificed for Hashem, twenty-two thousand oxen and one hundred twenty thousand sheep, etc." (1 Kings 8:63.) It was taught in the name of Rabbi Meir, they have endured until now, and they have not become filthy, and they have not aged, and they have not become been rendered tereifot. And behold, these matters are derived from a fortiori reasoning: Just as the carts that were connected (nid'vaku) with the labor of the Tent of Meeting were given an existence that they endured forever, all the more so Israel, who cleave (d'vukim) in unity with the Holy One Blessed be He, as it is stated: “But you, who cleave (had'vaykim) to Hashem your God, all of you are alive today” (Deuteronomy 4:4).
The end [of the chapter].
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
Another interpretation (of Numb. 8:2): WHEN YOU SET UP THE LAMPS.10Tanh. Numb. 3:3; Numb. R. 15:3. You find that, when twelve tribes presented offerings at the dedication of the altar, the tribe of Levi did not offer anything, and they were depressed. <They said:> Why did he keep us from making an offering at the dedication of the altar? A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who made a banquet and each day invited various artisans. Now he had a certain friend who loved him exceedingly, but he did not invite him along with them. So he was depressed saying: Perhaps the king harbors <some grievance> against me in his heart. <Perhaps> it is for this reason that the king has not invited me to any of the feasts. When the days of the feast has passed <the king> called the friend <and> said to him: For all the people of the province I made <that> feast, but for you only I am making one single feast for yourself. Why? Because you are my friend. So it is with this king, the Supreme King of Kings, the Holy One. [You find that the twelve tribes brought offerings for the dedication of the altar] and the Holy One accepted them, as stated (in Numb. 7:5): TAKE IT FROM THEM. But the tribe of Levi did not bring an offering. When the dedication of the altar had passed, the Holy One said to Aaron and his sons: All the tribes have made a dedication. Now you make a dedication by yourselves. It is therefore stated (in Numb. 8:2): SPEAK UNTO AARON <AND SAY UNTO HIM> WHEN YOU SET UP THE LAMPS. What is written after that (in vs. 6)? TAKE THE LEVITES.
Midrash Tanchuma
(Numb. 8:2:) “When you set up the lamps.”7Numb. R. 15:3. You find that, when twelve tribes presented offerings at the dedication of the altar, the tribe of Levi did not offer anything. They were depressed and said, “Why were we removed from making an offering at the dedication of the altar?” A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who made a banquet and each day invited various artisans. Now he had a certain friend who he loved exceedingly, but he did not invite him along with them. So he was depressed saying, “Perhaps the king harbors [some grievance] against me in his heart. [Perhaps] it is for this reason that the king has not invited me to any of the feasts.” When the days of the feast had passed [the king] called the friend [and] said to him, “For all the people of the province I made [that] feast, but for you only I am making one single feast for yourself. Why? Because you are my friend.” So this king is the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. You find that the twelve tribes brought offerings for the dedication of the altar and the Holy One, blessed be He, accepted them, as stated (in Numb. 7:5), “Take it from them.” But the tribe of Levi did not bring an offering. When the dedication of the altar had passed, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Aaron and his sons, “All the tribes have made a dedication. Now you make a dedication by yourselves.” It is therefore stated (in Numb. 8:2), “Speak unto Aaron [and say unto him], ‘When you set up the lamps,’” and afterwards [it is written] (in vs. 6), “Take the Levites.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 8:2), “Speak unto Aaron [and say unto him], ‘When you set up the lamps.’” You find that Moses experienced more difficulty in making the menorah then for all the [other] vessels of the tabernacle; until the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him with [His] finger.8Above Lev. 3:11 and the parallels listed there; Numb. R. 15:4. Moshe experienced difficulty with three things.... What is the meaning of hammered work (mqshh)? It is meaning to say, how difficult (mh qshh) it is to make. For Moses spent a lot of effort before the menorah was made; as it says so (in Exod. 25:31), “with difficulty (mqshh, revoweled as miqqashah)9A typical translation of the Masoretic pointing would be: OF HAMMERED WORK. shall the menorah be made.” When it became difficult for him, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Moses, take a talent of gold and cast it into the fire. Then take it out, and it will have been made automatically.” (Ibid. cont.:) “Its base, its shaft, its cups, its knobs, and its flowers from it,”10English translations usually render the end of this verse: …SHALL BE OF ONE PIECE or something similar; however, the midrash follows the interpretation given here. [is to mean] “Make a blow with a hammer, and it will be made automatically.” It was therefore stated (in Exod. 25:31), “of hammered work (i.e. with difficulty) shall [the menorah] be made (ty'sh).” [The verb is spelled] fully with a y (yod in Hebrew) and not written [with the normal spelling] as t'sh (which could be translated, "you shall make"). [It is written with the extra letter] so as to say [that] it shall be made automatically. What did Moses do? He took a talent of gold and threw it into the fire. Then Moses said, “Master of the world, here is the talent; it is cast into the midst of the fire. Let it be made (ty'sh) in front of You just as You wish.” Immediately the menorah came forth made as it should be. It is therefore written (in Numb. 8:4 end), “according to the pattern which the Lord had shown Moses, [so did he make the menorah].” "Moses made" is not written here, but merely “he made.” [So] who did make it? The Holy One, blessed be He. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses to warn Aaron to light [the lamps] as stated (in Numb. 8:2), “When you set up the lamps.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “If you light [the lamps] before Me, I will preserve your souls from everything evil.” Thus their souls are likened to a lamp, as stated (in Prov. 20:27), “A person's soul is the lamp of the Lord.”