תּלמוד אויף דברים 27:12

MISHNAH: Six tribes climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim and six tribes climbed to the top of Mount Ebal⁸³Deut. 27:12–13; Jos. 8:33. while the Cohanim, the Levites, and the ark were below in the middle. The Cohanim were surrounding the ark, the Levites the Cohanim, and all of Israel [were] on both sides, as it was said⁸⁴Jos. 8:33.: “And all of Israel, its Elders, its policemen, its judges were standing on both sides of the ark …” They turned their faces towards Mount Gerizim and opened with the blessing: “Blessed be the man who will not make a hewn or molten [image], the Eternal’s abomination, made by an artisan, and will not put it up in secret.” These and those did answer and say: Amen. They turned their faces towards Mount Ebal and opened with the curse⁸⁵Deut. 27:15.: “Cursed be the man who would make a hewn or molten [image], the Eternal’s abomination, made by an artisan, and would put it up in secret.” These and those did answer and say: Amen, until they finished blessings and curses.

HALAKHAH: It was stated: Rebbi says, it is impossible to say that Levi is up⁸⁶Deut 27:11–14 seems to be self-contradictory. In v. 12, it is stated that the tribes of Simeon, Levi, Jehudah, etc. have to stand on Mount Gerizim but in v. 14 the Levites are in the middle to recite the curses. because it already was said that Levi is down. It is impossible to say that Levi is down because it already was said that Levi is up. From this you say, the Elders of the Levites and the priests are down and the rest of the tribe are up⁸⁷In the Tosephta, 8:8, and the Babli, 37a, Rebbi is reported to say that all tribes were standing at the foot of the respective mountains (cf. Jos. 8:33) The opinion given here is there ascribed to R. Eliezer ben Jacob.. Rebbi Simeon says, it is impossible to say that Levi is up because it already was said that Levi is down and it is impossible to say that Levi is down because it already was said that Levi is up. From this you say, anyone able to serve⁸⁸In the Tabernacle, between the ages of 25 and 50 (Num. 8:24–25). In Tosephta and Babli, this opinion is ascribed to R. Joshia. is down and the rest of the tribe is up. Rebbi Simeon says, “Simeon and Levi”, since all of Simeon are up, also all of Levi are up. How do I confirm “in face of the Cohanim, the Levites”? ⁸⁹Ma‘aśer Šeni 5:5, Note 90; Babli Yebamot 86b, Ḥulin 24b. As Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, in 24 places are Cohanim called Levites and this is one of them⁹⁰Ez. 44:15.: “The Cohanim Levites, the descendants of Ṣadoq.”

Why does the verse¹²²In Jos. 8:33, those who went to Mount Gerizim are חֶצְיוֹ “half”, but those on Mount Ebal are וְהַחֶצְיוֹ “and the half”. The appearance of the definite article has to be explained. say: “and the half of it”? This teaches that a minority was on Mount Gerizim and a majority on Mount Ebal¹²³Based on the figures of Num. 26, there would be about 20’000 fewer persons on Mount Gerizim than on Mount Ebal, the Levites not counted. Since the Levites were counted separately, as unfit for war, and they were counted from one month of age, the numbers cannot be compared. Including children from the age of one month, there were only 23’000 Levites.. Why? Because the tribe of Levi was not completely there. For if the tribe of Levi had been completely there, they would have been equal. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Jonathan: If the tribe of Levi had been completely there, they would not have been equal. Why? Since already 24’000 had fallen at Shiṭṭim from the tribe of Simeon¹²⁴In the count of Num. 1, the tribe of Simeon had 59’300 warriors, but in Num. 26, that number had shrunk to 22’200. The people who had died at Shiṭṭim were 24’000 (Num. 25:9). This is less than the total diminution of the tribe of Simeon.. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, if the tribe of Levi had been completely there, they would have been equal¹²⁵This is difficult to understand. Following Jos. 4:13, the Transjordanian tribes together delivered “about 40’000 frontline soldiers”. There is no indication that the Transjordanien tribe of Manasse was counted separately. In any case, the data in Scripture are insufficient to express any opinion in the matter.. Why? Because from the tribes of Reuben and Gad only 40’000 front line troops came there.