Rashi on TanakhNumbers 4

Take the count . . . etc. Count those among them suited for the service of carrying, the ones from thirty to fifty years of age. Someone younger than thirty, has not reached prime strength. From here they (the Rabbis) derive “[the age of] thirty for strength” and after fifty, one’s strength diminishes.

The Holy of Holies. The Holiest of all; the Ark, the Table, the Menorah, the Altars, the Paroches, and the service vessels.

Aharon and his sons shall enter . . . etc. They shall place each vessel into the sheath specified for it in this chapter, so that the Levite sons of Kehos need do nothing but carry [them].

When the camp is about to travel. When the cloud rises, they know that they are to depart.

Molds, spoons, rods, covering props. I have explained this in [the chapter dealing with] the work of the Mishkon.

Covering. Covering, from the word מָסָךְ, cover, as it is written, “. . . by which they (the breads) shall be covered.”

Its tongs. A type of pliers with which they pull the wick in any desired direction.

Its scoops. A type of small spoon with a flat, uncurved bottom, unwalled at the front — only at the sides, with which he rakes the ashes from the lamps when cleaning them.

It lamps. Loces, lamps, in Old French, in which the oil and wicks are placed.

Into the covering of the tachash — hide. A type of sack.

All the service utensils with which they serve in the Sanctuary. Inside the Mishkon, which is Holy. These are the incense vessels, with which they serve on the inner altar.

They shall remove the ashes from the Altar. The copper altar.

They shall remove the ashes. They shall take the ashes away from it.

And spread upon it a cloth of purple [wool]. The fire which descended from heaven lay below the cloth like a lion when they traveled. It didn’t burn it (the cloth), because they arched a copper vessel over it.

Firepans. With these they raked the coals for the lifting of the ashes. This was made like a pan with only three sides, and the front was used to draw the coals.

Forks. Copper hooks with which they prodded the limbs on the altar, turning them so that they would be completely consumed quickly.

Scoops. These were scrapers, In Old French, Wadil, scoops. They were made of copper, and used to sweep the ashes from the Altar.

Covering of the Sanctuary. The Ark and the Altar.

And all of the holy utensils. The Menorah and the service vessels.

And they will [not] die. Since, if they touch, they will be subject to death by Heavenly decree.

Encharged to Elazar. He was assigned to carry them; oil, incense, and anointing oil. The continual [daily] meal-offering. His responsibility was to issue orders, to urge [the others], and to offer it [on the altar] when they camped.

The charge of the entire Mishkon. In addition, he was assigned to [oversee] the load of the sons of Kehos — to issue orders for everyone’s work and load. This is [what is meant by] “the Mishkon and all of its contents,” everything listed above in this chapter. But the load of the sons of Gershon and Merori, which did not consist of the holy of holies, was by order of Isamar, as is written in the portion of נָשׂא .

Do not cut off. Do not cause them to die.

They shall not come in to see when the holy is being covered. [When placed] into its sheath, as specified above in this chapter, they shall spread over it a certain cloth, they shall cover it with a certain cover. Its “ בִּלּוּעַ “ refers to the covering of it.

Take the count of the sons of Gershon, as well. Just as I commanded you conce ning the sons of Kehos, to determine how many have reached the working category.

The tapestries of the Mishkon. The ten lower ones.

And the Tent of Meeting. The goat-hair tapestries, made as a tent over it (the Mishkon).

Its covering. The red dyed rams’ skins.

The screen for the entrance. The eastern curtain.

Which are over the Mishkon. As if it had said, “The curtains and screen of the courtyard enclosure which protect and guard over the Mishkon and the copper altar on all sides.”

And all that will be given [lit. made] to them. As Targum [Onkelos] translates, ”all that will be given to them” — to the sons of Gershon.

By instruction of Aharon and [one of] his sons. Which of his sons is appointed over them? Under the supervision of Isamar, son of Aharon, the kohein.

Their stakes and ropes. Of the pillars, since the the stakes and ropes of the curtains were in the load of the sons of Gershon. There were stakes and ropes at the bottom of the tapestries and curtains, so that the wind would not lift them; and there were stakes and ropes for the pillars, on all sides, from which to hang the curtains, by their upper border, with bars and rods, as is taught in [the Beraysa of] the work of the Mishkon.

The service of service. This refers to the song of the cymbals and the harps, which is service for [another] service.

And the service of carrying. As the phrase indicates.

And they were counted, as Adonoy commanded Moshe. Those counted were, as commanded, from the ages of thirty to fifty.