Rashi on TanakhNumbers 8

When you light. Why is the parshah of the Menorah adjacent to the parshah of the leaders? Because when Aharon saw the leaders’ dedication (offerings) he was humiliated, since he did not join them in the dedication, neither he nor his tribe. The Holy One, Blessed is He, said to him, “By your life, yours is greater than theirs! For you will light and cleanse the lamps.”

When you light (lit. cause to rise). Because the flame rises, igniting is described in terms of “rising.” He is required to ignite [the lamp] until the flame rises by itself. In addition, the Rabbis derive from here that there was a platform before the Menorah, upon which the kohein stood when he lit [the lamps].

Toward the face of the Menorah. Toward the middle lamp which was not on one of the branches, but on the Menorah itself.

Shall the seven lamps cast [their] light. The six [lamps] that were on the six branches [and one on its stem]. The three eastern ones turned toward the middle [by] their wicks. Similarly, the three western ones — the heads of their wicks [were] towards the middle. Why? So that it whould not be said that He (God) needs the light.

Aharon did so. To indicate his [Aharon’s] virtue — he did not digress.

This is how the Menorah was made. The Holy One, Blessed is He, showed him (Moshe) by pointing [as one would point] with the finger, since he had difficulty with it. This is why it says וְזֶה (“This”).

Beaten. Batedic (hammered) in Old French, meaning the same as דָּא לְדָא נָקְשָׁן, (“they struck one another”). There was a lump of gold, [weighing] a kikar, [which] he beat with a hammer and cut with shears to extend its (the Menorah’s) limbs properly; but it was not made limb by limb and [then] connected.

From its base until its flowers. Its base was the hollow box over the legs, hollowed like the silver candelabras before princes.

From its base until its flowers. As if to say, ”The Menorah proper, in its entirety, and all its dependent parts.”

From its base. Which was a large limb.

Until its flowers. Its most delicate work — it was all one piece. עַד (“until”), is customarily used in this sense, like “From the harvested crop, until the standing grain, and until the olive grove.”

According to the vision which [Adonoy] showed . . . According to the form which He showed him on the mountain (Sinai), as it is said: “Observe and make them according to the form. . .etc.”

So he made the Menorah. The one who made it. But Midrash Aggadah [states] by the Holy One, Blessed is He, it was made spontaneously.

Take the Levites. Take them with words of persuasion, “you are fortunate to merit becoming servants of the Omnipresent.”

Sprinkle them with the sin-offering waters. Of the ashes of the red cow, for some of them were defiled by contact with the dead.

And cause a razor to pass. I found in R’ Moshe Hadarshan’s remarks: “Because they were given in atonement for the firstborn who practiced idolatry, which is referred to as ‘sacrificing to the dead,’ and since the leper is considered dead, they required shaving like lepers.”

They should take a young bullock. This was a burnt-offering, as it is written, “he should make . . . one a burnt-offering.” This is the communal sacrifice for idolatry.

And a second bullock. What does the Torah teach [by specifying] ‘a second’? To inform you that, just as the burnt-offering was not eaten, so was the sin-offering not eaten. This supports his remarks, from Toras Kohanim. Now I say that it was a temporary ruling, as they should have brought a goat as a sin-offering for idolatry with the burnt-offering bull.

And you shall gather the entire congregation Since the Levites are given as an atonement-offering in their place, let them come and stand near their offering and rest their hands on them.

Aharon shall wave the Levites as a wave-offering Just as the leper’s guilt- offering requires waving when it is still alive. Three wavings were stated in this chapter: The first, of the sons of Kehos. Therefore it is stated of them: “They will be [entrusted] to do the worship of Adonoy,” since the work of the holiest is upon them — the Ark and the Table etc. The second, of the sons of Gershon. It is therefore stated of them: “A wave-offering to Adonoy,” for even they were entrusted with holy work — tapestries and the hooks which were seen in the Holy of Holies. And the third, of the sons of Merori.

They are given; they are given. Given for carrying, given for singing.

פִּטְרַת The opening of.

For every first born is Mine. The first born were Mine by the rules of justice, since I protected them among the Egyptian firstborn. So I took them for Myself — until they strayed with the [golden] calf. Now I have taken the Levites.

I have given the Levites, etc. Bnei Yisroel are mentioned five times, in this passage, to make their preciousness known. They are remembered repeatedly in a single passage to correspond with the number of the five books of the Torah. I saw this in Bereishis Rabbah.

So that there will not be a plague among Bnei Yisroel. So that they will not need to approach the Holy, for if they approach, there will be a plague.

Moshe, Aharon, and the entire congregation did, etc. Moshe placed them, Aharon waved them, and the Israelites rested their hands.

Just as Adonoy commanded, etc. so they did. This indicates the praiseworthiness of those who did, and those with whom it was done — no one objected.

This concerns the Levites. Age disqualifies them, but physical deformity does not disqualify them.

From the age of twenty-five. But elsewhere it says, “From the age of thirty.” How is this reconciled? From the age of twenty-five he begins to study of the laws of the service. He studies for five years, and serves at the age of thirty. From here [we derive] that a pupil who does not see favorable indications in his studies for five years will never see (them).

And shall no longer work. At the task of carrying on the shoulder, but he returns to lock the gates, to sing, and to load the wagons. This is [the meaning of] “But he shall serve his brethren,” ‘with his brethren’, as Targum [Onkelos] renders.

To keep the watch. To camp around the Tent, and erect and dismantle [it] during the journeys.