📜 Daily Chumash & Rashi Parshas Bamidbar Revi’i: The descendants of Aaron

*The article below is an excerpt from the above Sefer

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from  qualifying purchases.

Donate

Buy in Paperback or Kindle


Buy on Apple Books


Purchase on our website


Sign up for Daily Distribution

Revi’i

1. The descendants of Aaron:

• The following are the offspring of Aaron and Moshe: Nadav the Bechor, Avihu, Elazar and Itamar. All were anointed as Kohanim. Nadav and Avihu died before Hashem when they offered foreign incense. They did not have children.

 

2. The job of the Levites to guard the Mishkan:

• Hashem spoke to Moshe saying he should appoint the tribe of Levi to be of assistance to Aaron and serve him. They are to guard the Mishkan and its utensils.
• In exchange for the firstborns: The Levites were taken from amongst the Jewish people in exchange for the firstborns. “The firstborns became Mine on the day I smote the firstborn Egyptians, and I sanctified the firstborn humans and animals to be Mine. The Levites are thus Mine in place of the firstborns.”

📘 Rashi Q&A — Bamidbar 3:1–13 (Aliyah Revi‘i · Shrunk)

 

3:1 — “These are the generations of Aaron and Moses”

Q1. Why are Aaron’s sons listed but not Moses’ sons?

A: Because one who teaches another’s child Torah is considered to have begotten him; Aaron’s sons are called Moses’ offspring since Moses taught them.

 

3:2–3 — Names of Aaron’s Sons

Q2. Why is Nadav listed first?

A: Because he was the firstborn.

Q3. Why are Nadav and Avihu emphasized as “anointed”?

A: To show their greatness, despite their later death.

 

3:4 — Death of Nadav and Avihu

Q4. Why does Scripture repeat their death here?

A: To teach that they died for offering unauthorized fire before God.

Q5. What does “before their father” imply?

A: Their death caused lifelong mourning to Aaron.

 

3:5–10 — Appointment of the Levites

Q6. Why are the Levites brought near Aaron?

A: To assist him in Temple service.

Q7. What does “שְׁמִירַת מִשְׁמֶרֶת” mean?

A: Guarding the Mishkan and its vessels.

Q8. Why must Levites serve instead of firstborns?

A: Because the firstborn sinned with the Golden Calf.

 

3:11–13 — Levites Replace the Firstborn

Q9. Why does God say “the Levites are Mine”?

A: They are taken in place of the firstborn, whom God sanctified in Egypt.

Q10. How were the firstborn originally sanctified?

A: When God struck Egypt’s firstborn and spared Israel’s.

Q11. What is the main idea of this section?

A: Transfer of sacred service from the firstborn to the Levites.

Related Articles