Bamidbar - 4th Portion

Join as we learnish for Wednesday parishes. As we previously mentioned, the only tribe that was not counted in the previous census were the Levites. Now God tells us about the census of the Levites. The siren and these are the children the descendants of Aaron and Moshe on the day that God spoke to Moses on Mount Si he only mentions if you look he says these are the descendants of Aaron Mosha but we don't find the descendants of Moshe why does he call them then the descendants of Moshe as well tell us Moshe they're still called the descendants of Moshe teaching us an important principle because Mosha was the one that taught them the Torah. This teaches us that any person who teaches his his friend's child who any person who teaches someone Torah, it's as if he gave him birth as if they gave birth to him. So even though they were the sons of Aram, they were also the sons of Moshe because Moshe was the one that taught him Torah. Why does it say on that day? Because when did they become Mosha's children was the very fact that he taught them what God taught him. Verse two, these are the names of the sons of Aaron. The firstborn was these are the names of Aaron, the sons of the who were anointed who they were then designated that they should be the ones to uh serve in the holy temple as kohanim. Verse four, Unfortunately died before God because they brought an unauthorized fire they when they were not allowed to in an uncalled for time before God. This happened in the Sinai desert they also did not have any children. Therefore the only ones that were left they served as priests during their father Aron's lifetime. Rashi al- pen. What does it mean? Alpine Arin meaning these children in the life of Aaron they were anointed to be kohanim as well. An interesting note over here if you notice it says that they didn't have children. There are some commentaries that learn from here as well that one of the reasons why nan of you passed was as well because they didn't get married and they didn't have children. Mosha. Verse 5. And God spoke to Moshe saying, "Bring forth the tribe of Ley, and he will present them before Aaron the Aron, Aron the priest say, and they that they may serve him." Verse six, what does it mean they're going to serve him? Aren't they serving God? What is this serving? That they will have to protect and they will have to guard the tent of gathering, which means the tabernacle. Because really, who's the one that is to protect the tabernacle was also placed on Aaron. They have to make sure that no stranger, a person who is a non-coin or Levite should enter the holy temple. As we going to learn later on in chapter 18, God tells Aaron, "You and your children are going to be the ones responsible to make sure that nobody sins by entering into the holy temple unlawfully halalu." And these Levites, messianites, are helping make sure that nobody, they were the ones, the guards to make sure nobody enters. Zu, this is the service that they are doing for Aaron. Verse seven, what are they going to be doing? And the Torah now explains as follows what their job will be. They must help keep this charge and as well the entire community before the tent in front of the tent of meeting. that they are going to perform the service in the tabernacle keeping it uh holy and making sure that no stranger goes in. Verse seven, what is the word? their job. Meaning that every time somebody is appointed to a certain job, whenever you appoint somebody to do something and they have a certain they're commissioned to do a ex job, whatever it may be, he would call that like their job, their watch. We find this throughout the verses and anytime in the so do we find we find in the sages say that the two guards of of their job was at that time say isn't my job and your job the same we see the word is when is one is given a task or a job to be in charge of something we also find that the Levites had specific times and shifts that they would be in charge and work in the holy temple and it was called a mish verse 8 their job will be that they have to keep charge and giving everything that's concerning all the different vessels that were in the tabernacle that's as well as they have to make sure that on beha and to do all the work on behalf of the Israelites to perform the service in the holy temple meaning to do the job and everything else that there was meant to be done. Technically, everybody had to be the ones to work in the holy temple. The Levites are take the charge are responsible for what the Jewish people technically had to do. Therefore, therefore, they get paid for it, which is by getting the tithe. As it says later on in chapter 18, we learn This is their reward being that they're taking your job. It means technically every Israelite, every Jew had a responsibility to serve in the holy temple. But because of the sin of the golden calf, the firstborn weren't allowed and so on. So who is the one that's taking the responsibility? Who are we hiring in our charge? Who we who are our messengers are the Levites. So tomb therefore they get the tithe as a reward of being our messengers. This is also a spiritual connotation which tells us that we have the uh charge that God gives us that we have to technically serve the holy temple make holy temple and being that now we don't have holy temple but also our bodies are a sanctuary our tabernacle and we are the Levites to make sure to carry out that service of being connected to God. Verse n he'll give the Levites over to Aaron and his sons they are given over they are given to him from amongst the Israelites. Why the ter double terminology given over? Rashi says to help him in the items that we mentioned previously about the holy temple from the Jewish people for example from amongst the rest of the Jewish people. The Levites are the ones from all the Israelites. The Levites were chosen for this specific job which is to serve in the holy temple by decree of God the whom they are now given to our as his help. It says I've given the Levites given. So they were taken they were given and taken from God separate from everybody else and given to Aaron to be of assistance. Verse 10. And Aaron and his sons will then you must you will then direct them. They have to guard their priesthood. Even though they have the Levites helping them out and they have the Levites making sure that no stranger walks into the holy temple. Still in all their job is that when it comes to a Coen job that a Levite is not allowed to do a job of a Cohen. And therefore any stranger whether it's a coin or a Levite who approaches to do a job which is not theirs is liable will be put to death by an act of God. Verse 10 means in this case doesn't mean that they're counting but means appointing. The word pad can mean to count and the word pad can also mean to appoint and in this case it means to appoint forum. They will protect the priesthood which is the jobs that only a can do. For example, receiving the blood and sprinkling it on the altar after a sacrifice is slaughtered and sprinkling it and bringing up the bringing it up on the altar or any other work which is specifically given to the and not to anyone else. Verse 11. And God spoke to Moshe saying, "And I have taken the Levites from amongst the all the other Israelites. I have taken them instead in the place of the firstborn of all the other Israelites from the all the other Jews and therefore the Levites will be mine." What does it mean? I took them Rashi. Verse 12 and Ion. Well, you want to know why the Levites have this special uniqueness? Why did they get it that they're different than all the other Jews? I have chosen the Levites that the Jewish people should pay them and pay them the reward by giving them the tithes and they should serve me instead of the firstborn. And this is because it's because the firstborn really was supposed to be the firstborn. Now that the firstborn are not doing it, I took them. What happened with the and I took them instead of the firstborn because technically originally was supposed to be that the firstborn were supposed to serve the holy were supposed to be the designated ones to serve in the holy temple for the Jewish people. However, when they sinned with the golden calf that the firstborn took took part in the golden calf and the only ones that did not take part of it were the Levites. They now became unfit to serve in the holy temple. They became unfit to serve in the holy temple. The Levite of they did not serve any idolatry and were chosen in theirstead because they had to be on that extra level of holiness to be able to serve in the holy temple. Verse 15 verse uh 13 because technically all firstborn are mine. On the day that I killed the firstborn, I sanctified the firstborn to me. Every firstborn amongst the Jewish people from both man and the beast who they should be for me are mine and I am God. This concludes the fourth Torah reading of parishes midbar.