Day 1: Numbers 4:21-4:37 (Study Notes)
Parsha Nasso: Day #1 (Numbers 4:21-37) (Study Notes)
In the last section of Parsha Bemidbar, Hashem commanded Moshe to take a census of the Kohathites--one of the 3 sons of Levi--and the clans under him.
(Numbers 4:21-22)
This parsha opens with Hashem (the Holy One, Blessed be He) commanding Moshe Rabbeinu to take another census. This time, the census is to be of the Gershonites--the second son of Levi. As with the Kohathites, the census of the Gershonites was to record each individual Gershonite by their:
Ancestral house
Clan.
The ancestral house was Gershon (the grandfather or great grandfather of the individual listed).
The Clan was the name of the individual's father.
Like the other census' taken by Moshe Rabbeinu and Aaron, the lists recorded more than names. Each one recorded the seeds of a particular family tree. In the Jewish faith, these family trees are important. Indeed, in passages such as Ezekiel 47:12, the prophet discusses trees in relation to eternal promises made by Hashem, the Holy One Blessed be He!
The trees discussed in Ezekiel 47 are of actual fruit trees that will line a river that will extend out from the Third Holy Temple and travel all the way down to the Dead Sea, which will be made fresh. These fruit trees are promised to always be in bloom, each one producing its fruit in due season.
Elsewhere (such as in Jeremiah 17:7-8 and Psalm 1:3) the people of the Nation of Israel are discussed in a manner that insinuates that they are like the trees promised in Ezekiel 47. Hashem (The Holoy One, blessed be He) promises that His trees (the Jewish people) will be the trees that will bear leaves and fruit in abundance, especially in the messianic age. These promises are the eternal promises to the eternal people of Hashem: we will never wither, we will never fade. There will always be a remnant, no matter the trials, tribulations, and wars that stack against us.
Thus, these census' in Numbers are not merely mundane record-keeping efforts. They are the proof of the seeds being planted for eternity. They are the proof of the seeds promised to Havah in Genesis 3 that are promised to (one day) eternally wipe out all seed of evil. The records of the family trees in Numbers (and elsewhere, such as 1 Chronicles) allow us to see how prolific a particular Jewish tree was in the past so that we can hold on to the promise of its eternal foliage in the future.
(Numbers 4:23)
As with the Kohathites, only those Gershonites who were aged 30-50 years old were to be recorded in the census taken by Moshe Rabbeinu and Aaron because this age range was the range that "subjected" the Levite to "service in the performance of tasks for the Tent of Meeting."
Again, it is interesting to note that a man could bear arms or weapons of war starting at the age of 20, but a Levite could not perform duties of the Tabernacle until he was/is 30 years of age. Ibn Ezra notes that the age of 30 might actually mean 28:
FROM THIRTY YEARS OLD AND UPWARD. Close to four weeks. *The Hebrew word for week is shavu’a. Shavu’a is related to the word sheva (seven). Hence I.E. believes that shavu’a can also refer to seven years. Thus “four weeks” would equal 28 years. According to I.E. there is a mystical significance to the number seven. See I.E. on Gen. 8:5 (Vol. 1, p. 114, n. 16) and the notes thereto. Also see The Secret of the Torah, a translation and annotation of Ibn Ezra’s Yesod Morah by H. Norman Strickman (Jason Aaronson, NJ, 1995, p. 125).
The Jewish Mystical Significance of the Number 7: Completeness, perfection, and holiness
Jewish mystical significance to the number seven
In Jewish mystical thought, the number seven holds a profound significance. It is often associated with completeness, perfection, and holiness. The number seven is seen as a symbol of the seven days of creation, where God rested on the seventh day, creating the world. It is also the number of the seven days of Sukkot, a festival that commemorates the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. The number seven is a central element in Jewish festivals, such as Shabbat, the Shemittah, and Yovel, which are all seven-year cycles. In addition to these, the number seven is used in various Jewish rituals and laws, reflecting its deep-rooted importance in the Jewish tradition.
Chabad.org / Wikipedia / OU Torah / Mystical Numbers
Thus, the chosen age range is not inconsequential. The starting age for the beginning of the most holy services in Hashem's house is 4 x 7 = 28 years (+2 years).
On day 4 of creation, Hashem (the Blessed One, Holy be He) created the lights of the Heavens: the sun, moon, and stars. The sun and the moon represent the eternal promise of the Davidic Throne in Jerusalem (Psalm 89), while the stars represent the Jewish people (Genesis 15). On Day 2 of creation, Hashem (the Holy One, Blessed be He) created the firmament that divided that which is above heaven from that which is below heaven.
Adding these two factors together in the age 30, we see that Hashem (the Holy One, Blessed be He) likely designated the age of 30 for His Priests to begin their work because they are the especially chosen lights among the Jewish people AND they are especially separated out to perform the most holy work in the Temple (or here Tabernacle) courts.
Age 50 is 7 x 7 (+1). Not only is 50 the ultimate completion, it is also the designated year of a Jubilee, when all servants must be set free and released back to their own territories.
We have discussed previously that the Priests of Hashem are like His most beloved slaves. Yet, we noted that to be a slave of Hashem is a very blessed thing. For, Hashem (the Holy One, blessed be He) is the ultimate loving Master. He treats His "slaves" as beloved family members, as is decreed of all Jewish slaves in the home of Jewish masters. Hashem provides the most regal clothing, the most royal of Holy foods from His table (the altar) and lets the priests dwell in His most Holy house: the Temple. But, at the age of 50, the servant is released from his duties and cared for yet more in his own home.
(Numbers 4:24-28)
Just as the Kohathites had their specific duties in the Tabernacle, so the Gershonites had their specific duties as well. The duties listed are namely those duties that were performed whenever the Presence of Hashem (the Holy One, blessed be He) lifted from the Tabernacle and moved ahead of the Israelites in the wilderness. This move of Hashem indicated that the Israelite camp needed to be backed up and relocated to the new location that Hashem (the Holy One, blessed be He) would choose.
During the move(s), the Gershonites were responsible for:
Carrying the cloths of the Tabernacle: These cloths are those discussed in Exodus 36:8-19. These cloths included the "walls" of the Tent of Meeting, The covering (or roof) of the Tabernacle (of goat's hair--see Exodus 36:14-18), the Covering over the roof (tanned ram's skin--see Exodus 36:19), and the takash skin (rainbow or multicolored skin of an animal that only existed when the Israelites were in the wilderness: See day 7 notes in Parsha Bemidbar) that sat above the 2 upper coverings (see Exodus 36:19).
Carrying the screen for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting (see Exodus 36:37). The screen of the entrance of the Tent of Meeting was the curtain that hung at the front of the Tent, creating a door-like barrier.
The screen of the entrance of the Tent of meeting is the curtain that covered the entrance, like a door. Carrying the Hangings of the enclosure and the gate plus its tethering cords. These cloths were those that formed the walls or the boundary around the Tabernacle and the courtyard were the sacrifice altar and wash basin were kept wherever the camp was settled.
The exterior cloth enclosures around the Jewish Tabernacle in the wilderness. The cords are visible as well. These were carried by the Gershonites whenever the camp moved. Carrying the Altar (singular) and "their accessories" (plural): this is likely the burnt offering altar that resided in the The Outer Courtyard. This altar was that upon which the burnt offerings and sin sacrifices were turned into smoke. Prior to moving this altar, however, the altar would be covered by the Kohathites with the purple cloth, which we learned about in the last section of Parsha Bemidbar. Atop the purple cloth, the utensils of the altar would also be placed.
A mock sacrifice altar found at Timna Park, Israel. The carrying poles are clearly visible in the image. These poles would be used by the Gershonites to carry the altar whenever the Israelite camp moved in the wilderness. We note that the "accessories" and the equipment is mentioned in terms of the plural altars: meaning it seems to reference the "golden altar" or the incense altar, which is inside the Tent of Meeting. To understand whether the "accessories" are in reference to BOTH altars or only outer alter, we look to the other tasks that the Gershonites were given. We learn that the Gershonites were not only given the task of carrying the altar but also of "performing the service."
In Numbers 4:16, we know that Eleazar (the head chieftain) was tasked with lighting the incense altar and everything inside the Tabernacle. So, the duty of the altar given to the Gershonites likely pertains to the exterior burnt offering altar alone.
(Numbers 4:27)
The Gershonites were to perform their duties only on the orders of Aaron (the High Priest) and his sons (the Kohathites).
(Numbers 4:28)
Specifically, the Gershonites were placed under the direction of Ithamar, the son of Aaron. Ithamar was the fourth son of Aaron.
The first two sons of Aaron were killed for coming too close to the presence of Hashem (the Holy One, blessed be He) in Leviticus 10. Aaron's 3rd son, Eleazar was made the head chieftain--so the chieftain of the chieftains of the Levites. This left Ithamar for being the leader and director of the Gershonites (and Merarites, as we will learn below).
(Numbers 4:29-33)
After the census of the Gershonites was completed, Moshe Rabbeinu and Aaron then took a census of the Merarites: the third and final son of Levi and his offspring. As with the other census', the Merarites were to be recorded in the same manner as the Kohathites and the Gershonites:
By Clan: the individual's father
By ancestral house: Merari (the grandfather, or great grandfather of the individual).
It is interesting to note, that there is a reversal in the stated order of recording. For all other census', the individuals were to be recorded by ancestral house, then by clan. Here, the order is reversed. Our great sages do not mention a reason for this reversal.
We note that this reversal harkens to when Abraham was called by Hashem to leave the land of the Ur of Babylon. Hashem (the Holy One, blessed be He) called Abram first to leave the nation, then to leave his father's house. In the case of Abraham, Hashem was calling Abraham to first leave the idolatrous nation, then to leave his father's house. Is there a similar connection here? I cannot think of one--the father who became idolatrous was Korah, who was a Kohathite (see Numbers 16).
(Numbers 4:31-33)
When the Israelites oved camp at the direction and movement of Hashem (the Holy One, blessed be He), the Merarites had their specific "portorage duties" as did the other Levite divisions. The Specific Duties of the Merarites were to pack up and carry:
The Planks of the Tabernacle
The Bars of the Tabernacle
The Posts of the Tabernacle
The Sockets of the Tabernacle
The Posts of the surrounding enclosure
The Sockets of the surrounding enclosure
The Pegs of the surrounding enclosure
The Cords of the surrounding enclosure
The Merarites, like the Gershonites were to perform their tasks under the direction of Ithamar, the fourth son of Aaron.
(Numbers 4:34-37)
After all three of the census' were taken by Moshe Rabbeinu, Aaron, and the chieftains, we are then given the total tally of Levites aged 30-50 in each census.
We learn first that the total number of Kohathites aged 30-50 years old = 2,750 souls.
This means that out of the 8,600 Kohathites previously counted (aged one month old and up), a little less than 1/3 of them could perform the service in the tabernacle.
(The other tallies are given in Day #2)
Am Yisrael Chai!
Kimberly Davis
Notes: for 5/24/2026