Rashi on TanakhNumbers 3

These are the descendants of Aharon and Moshe. [Scripture] mentions only the sons of Aharon, yet they are called the descendants of Moshe — because he taught them Torah. This teaches us that one who teaches another’s son Torah is considered as having procreated him.

On the day that Adonoy spoke to Moshe They became his descendants, since he taught them what he had learned from the mouth of the Almighty.

In the presence [literally “the face”] of Aharon. During his lifetime.

And they shall serve him. What is the service? [The next passage explains —] ”They shall preserve his guardianship;” since he (Aharon) is obligated to guard the Sanctuary so that no stranger may approach, as it is said, “. . . you (Aharon), your sons, and your father’s house with you shall bear [responsibility for] the sin of [defiling] the Sanctuary . . .,” and these Levites aided them, this is the service.

They shall take care to preserve his guardianship. Any position to which a person is appointed which requires his active management is called a “watch” throughout Scripture, and in the Mishnaic idiom, as stated concerning Bigsan and Seresh, “But surely my watch is not similar to yours”? Similarly, the “watches” of the kohanim and Levites.

And the watch of Bnei Yisroel. They were all actually obligated to provide the needs of the Sanctuary; the Levites merely served in their place, as surrogates. This is why they (the Levites) accepted the tithes from them, in payment, as it is said, “. . . for it (the tithe) is your payment, in return for your service . . .”

They are presented to him. For assistance.

From [among] Bnei Yisroel This [מֵאֵת, “from”] is understood as מִתּוֹךְ, “from among” Bnei Yisroel, meaning from the rest of the entire congregation they (the Levites) were selected for this by Divine decree and He (God) gave them to him (Aharon), as it is said, “I (God) have given the Levites, given [them] . . .”

Appoint Aharon and his sons. The word connotes appointment, not counting.

And they shall guard their priesthood. Referring to the blood [of the sacrificial offerings], sprinkling [it on the altar], burning [the sacrifices], [and other] services entrusted to the kohanim.

Behold, I have taken [the Levites]. What is My right to them? From among Bnei Yisroel That the Israelites must hire them to serve Me? Through the [Israelites’] first born, I gained my right to them, having taken them (the Levites) in their place. Because the sacred service was [originally performed] by the firstborn, but when they sinned with the golden calf, they were disqualified. The Levites, who did not indulge in idolatry, were chosen instead.

From the age of one month and above. When he (the infant) can no longer be categorized as stillborn, he is listed among those entitled “guardian of the sacred watch.” R’ Yehudah B’rabi Shalom said, “This [Levite] tribe is regularly counted from the womb, as it is said, “. . . [Yocheved, Levi’s daughter] . . . whom she (Levi’s wife) bore to Levi in Egypt . . .” While entering the portals of Egypt, she bore her (Yocheved). yet she is counted among the seventy souls [who came down to Egypt]. for, when one tallies their total, one finds only sixty-nine and she completed the total.

According to the word of Adonoy. Moshe said before the Holy One, Blessed is He, ”How can I enter into their tents to determine the number of their nursing infants”? The Holy One, Blessed is He, replied, “Do yours, and I will do Mine”! Moshe proceeded, and stood at the door of the tent, whereupon the Divine Presence preceded him [and entered the tent]. A voice then echoed from the tent, announcing, “There are so many and so many nursing infants in this tent”! This is why it is said, “. . . according to the word of God . . .”

Of Gershon, the family of Livni. Meaning, of Gershon, those who were counted [was] the family of Livni and the family of Shim’i — their numbers were so many and so many.

The Mishkon. The lower [ceiling] drapes.

And the Tent. The goats’ hair drapes, made [to serve] as the roof.

Its Cover. Ram skins and tachash skins.

And the curtain for the entrance This is the drape.

And its ropes. Of the Mishkon and the tent, but not the enclosure.

The families of the children of Kehos shall camp . . . on the south. Near them [was] the banner of Reuven, who camped to the south. Woe to the wicked, woe to his neighbor! This is why [Reuven’s constituents] were punished — Doson, Avirom, and two hundred and fifty men — together with Korach and his assembly, because they (the Reuvenites) were drawn, with them, into the dispute.

And the curtain. This is the Paroches, as it was also called “. . . the Paroches screen . . .”

The leader of the leaders of Levi. [He was] appointed over all of them. Over what was his leadership?

The appointment of the guardians to safeguard — They were all appointed by him.

Moshe, Aharon and his sons. Near them [was] the banner of the camp of Yehudah, and those who camped near him, Yissachar and Zevulun. Good fortune to the righteous, good fortune to his neighbor! Because they were neighbors of Moshe, who engaged in Torah [study], they became great Torah scholars, as it is said, “Yehudah my lawgiver”; “From the sons of Yissachar of sagacious knowledge, etc.” — [this refers to] two hundred heads of Sanhedrin; “and from Zevulun, came those that handle the scribe’s quill.”

Whom Moshe and Aharon counted. There are dots over [the word] וְאַהֲרֹן, to teach that he was not included in the counting of the Levites.

Twenty two thousand. When counting them individually, however, one discovers three hundred extra: the sons of Gershon, seven thousand five hundred; the sons of Kehos, eight thousand six hundred; the sons of Merori, six thousand two hundred [hence, twenty two thousand three hundred]. Why aren’t they included among the rest to redeem the firstborn, thus exempting the two hundred seventy three overlapping firstborn from redemption? Our sages answered, in Maseches Bechoros, that the three hundred Levites were, themselves, firstborn. It was sufficient for them to release themselves from redemption.

Count every male firstborn . . . from the age of one month and above. When he (the infant) can no longer be categorized as stillborn.

And the animals of the Levites . . .etc. The animals of the Levites did not redeem the firstlings of the Israelites’ clean (i.e., kosher) animals, but [they did redeem] the firstlings of their donkeys. And a single sheep belonging to a Levite released numerous of the Israelites’ donkey firstlings. The proof is that Scripture counts the extra men, but did not count the extra animals.

And the redemption of the [two hundred and seventy-]three. The firstborn who require redemption among them (the Israelites), these are the two hundred seventy-three extras among them, over and above the Levites. From them, take five shekolim per head. This was the sale price for Yoseif, twenty silver [pieces], who was Rochel’s firstborn.

[Those whose numbers were] in excess of those who were redeemed through the Levites. Those redeemed by the very presence of the Levites.

One thousand three hundred sixty five. This is the sum total, [at] five shekolim per head. For two hundred firstborn: one thousand shekolim. For seventy firstborn — three hundred and fifty shekolim. For three firstborn — fifteen shekolim. He (Moshe) said, “How shall I do this? Any firstborn whom I tell to pay five shekolim will say, ‘I am from those redeemed by the Levites”’! What did he do? He brought twenty-two thousand slips and wrote “Levite” on them, and two hundred and seventy three slips and wrote “five shekolim” on them. He mixed them together, and placed them in a container. [Then] he told them, “Come, choose your slips by lot.”