וָאֶתְּנָ֨ה אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֜ם נְתֻנִ֣ים ׀ לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן וּלְבָנָ֗יו מִתּוֹךְ֮ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ לַעֲבֹ֞ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וּלְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֨א יִהְיֶ֜ה בִּבְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נֶ֔גֶף בְּגֶ֥שֶׁת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃
我從以色列人中把利未人當作賞賜，賜給亞倫和他的兒子們，在會幕裡辦理以色列人的事奉，又為以色列人贖罪，免得以色列人挨近聖所的時候，有災殃臨到以色列人中間。
Kedushat Levi
Numbers 8,19. “I have given the Levites, etc.;” this sounds strange as in the previous verse G’d had spoken of having “taken” the Levites, i.e. ואקחה את הלוים. According to Rashi on the verse commencing with ואתנה את הלוים, the words בני ישראל occur five times in this paragraph to show how fond G’d was of the Children of Israel. Rashi adds that he has copied this interpretation from Vayikrah Rabbah. When a person has a choice of selecting one item from amongst many similar ones, this is proof that he liked the one he chose more than the others. If G’d chose the Levites from all the tribes of Israel for special tasks, this is proof that He liked this tribe best of all. There was a suspicion that the fact that G’d chose the Levites would be interpreted as proof that G’d did not like the other tribes. This prompted the Torah to mention the other tribes five times, as proof that G’d loved all the tribes of Israel. If He nonetheless chose the Levites for special tasks it was only so that they could serve as an instrument to atone for the sin of the golden calf, a sin in which none of the Levites had participated.
We find something puzzling when perusing the sequence of the offerings used in the process of purifying the Levites. In verse 8 when the offerings are prepared, the burnt offering, עולה is mentioned ahead of the sin offering, חטאת, whereas when presentation of these two offerings is reported (verse 12) we find that the sin offering is mentioned first.
We find something puzzling when perusing the sequence of the offerings used in the process of purifying the Levites. In verse 8 when the offerings are prepared, the burnt offering, עולה is mentioned ahead of the sin offering, חטאת, whereas when presentation of these two offerings is reported (verse 12) we find that the sin offering is mentioned first.