Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Numbers 4:16/רמב"ן על במדבר ד׳:ט״ז
אוּפְקֻדַּת אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן שֶׁמֶן הַמָּאוֹר – יֹאמַר שֶׁהוּא פָּקִיד עַל כָּל אֵלּוּ, וְשִׁעוּרוֹ פְּקֻדַּת כָּל הַמִּשְׁכָּן וּפְקֻדַּת כָּל אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ. וְאָמַר רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם (אבן עזרא על במדבר ד׳:ט״ז) כִּי פֵּרוּשׁוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ פְּקִידוּת גַּם בַּמִּשְׁכָּן וּבְכָל כֵּלָיו עִם אִיתָמָר אָחִיו, רַק לְגֹדֶל מַעֲלַת אֶלְעָזָר הָיָה הוּא פָּקִיד עַל הַשֶּׁמֶן וְעַל הַקְּטֹרֶת לְבַדּוֹ. וְאֵינוֹ נָכוֹן, כִּי הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר (פסוקים כח לג) "בְּיַד אִיתָמָר", וּפֵרַשׁ בְּכָאן "בְּקֹדֶשׁ וּבְכֵלָיו". וְכֵן אָמַר לְמַעְלָה: ״וּנְשִׂיא נְשִׂיאֵי הַלֵּוִי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן פְּקֻדַּת שׁוֹמְרֵי מִשְׁמֶרֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ״ (ג לב), כְּלוֹמַר נְשִׂיא פְּקֻדַּת מִשְׁמֶרֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁהֵם הַנְּתוּנִים בְּיַד בְּנֵי קְהָת. אֲבָל פֵּרוּשׁ "פְּקֻדַּת כָּל הַמִּשְׁכָּן", כִּי פְּקֻדַּת שֶׁמֶן הַמָּאוֹר וְהַקְּטֹרֶת וְהַמִּנְחָה וְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וּפְקֻדַּת כָּל הַמִּשְׁכָּן בַּקֹּדֶשׁ וְכָל אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ בִּכְלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ, הַכֹּל בְּיַד אֶלְעָזָר. וְהֵם הַנִּזְכָּרִים בְּכָאן (במדבר ד׳:ט״ו), שֶׁאָמַר: ״וְכִלָּה אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו לְכַסּוֹת אֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאֶת כָּל כְּלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ״. וְהִנֵּה אֶלְעָזָר אֲמַרְכַּל עַל שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַנְּשִׂיאִים וְגִזְבָּר לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת בְּנֵי קְהָת, וְאִיתָמָר גִּזְבָּר לְגֵרְשׁוֹן וּמְרָרִי. וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא הִזְכִּיר בְּאֶלְעָזָר "וְנָשָׂא" כָּאָמוּר בַּלְוִיִּם, יֵרָאֶה שֶׁאֵינוֹ נוֹשֵׂא אוֹתָם, אֲבָל הוּא פָּקִיד עֲלֵיהֶם וְנוֹתֵן אוֹתָם מִיָּדוֹ לְיַד בְּנֵי קְהָת אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר בָּם בִּזְרִיזוּת וַחֲסִידוּת, וְהֵם יִשְׂאוּ אוֹתָם וְיַחְזִירוּם לְיָדוֹ בְּהָקִים הַמִּשְׁכָּן. וְכֵן ״פְּקֻדַּת שׁוֹמְרֵי מִשְׁמֶרֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ״ (במדבר ג׳:ל״ב), וְכֵן ״וּבְשֵׁמוֹת תִּפְקְדוּ אֶת כְּלֵי מִשְׁמֶרֶת מַשָּׂאָם״ (במדבר ד׳:ל״ב). וְעַל דַּעַת הַיְּרוּשַׁלְמִי (שבת פ״י ה״ג) הַכָּתוּב בְּפֵרוּשֵׁי רַשִׁ״י (שבת צב ד״ה שכן) שֶׁהוּא נוֹשֵׂא אוֹתָם, יִהְיֶה מַשָּׂא גָּדוֹל, כִּי הַקְּטֹרֶת שס״ה מָנֶה (כריתות ו), וּמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ לֹא פִּטְּמָהּ לַחֲצָאִין, וְשֶׁמֶן הַמָּאוֹר לְשָׁנָה שְׁלֵמָה רַב מְאֹד, קפ״ג לוּגִין, וּמִנְחַת הַתָּמִיד לֹא יָדַעְנוּ לְכַמָּה יָמִים יִשָּׂא מִמֶּנָּה. אֲבָל הָיָה אֶלְעָזָר חָזָק וְאַמִּיץ כְּיַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ, וְכֵן מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ וְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיו, וְקוֹיֵי ה' יַחֲלִיפוּ כֹחַ:
1AND THE CHARGE OF ELEAZAR THE SON OF AARON THE PRIEST SHALL BE THE OIL FOR THE LIGHT, AND THE SWEET INCENSE, AND THE CONTINUAL MEAL-OFFERING, AND THE ANOINTING OIL: HE SHALL HAVE THE CHARGE OF ALL THE TABERNACLE, AND OF ALL THAT THEREIN IS, IN THE SANCTUARY, AND IN THE VESSELS THEREOF. Scripture is stating that Eleazar was in charge of all these things, and the meaning of [the end of the verse] is that “he was in charge of all the Tabernacle and in charge of all that therein is.” And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained that it means that “Eleazar’s charge extended also to the Tabernacle and to all its vessels, together with his brother Ithamar,199 the son of Aaron who was in charge of the work of the sons of Gershon [in carrying the curtains, etc.] and of the work of the sons of Merari [in carrying the boards and bars of the Tabernacle, etc.]. Why then does Scripture state here that the charge of Eleazar was all the Tabernacle etc.? Ibn Ezra answers that Eleazar shared together with his brother Ithamar in the charge of all the Tabernacle etc., and that the first part of our verse is pointing out that in addition to sharing the general charge of the Tabernacle, Eleazar was, due to his great distinction, solely in charge of the oil for the light etc. Ramban objects to this interpretation and suggests his own explanation. and that due to Eleazar’s great distinction, he alone was in charge of the oil [for the light], and the incense.” But this is not correct, since Scripture states [that the services of the sons of Gershon and Merari were] under the hand of Ithamar200 [which thus indicates that Eleazar had no share in it]! And [Scripture] explained here [that Eleazar’s charge was] in the Sanctuary and in the vessels thereof, and similarly it stated above, And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, was prince over the princes of the Levites and had the oversight of them that keep the charge of the Sanctuary201 meaning to say that he was the prince [who supervised] the charge of those that guarded the Sanctuary, which was in the hands of the Kohathites202 inasmuch as he supervised the most holy things. In Verse 4 above it is clearly stated that the sons of Kohath — alone — were in charge of the most holy things, thus disproving Ibn Ezra’s explanation quoted above. If so, the phrase the charge of all the Tabernacle must be in apposition to the end of the verse namely in the Sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof, and the meaning is as follows: “the charge of the oil for the light, etc., the charge of all the Tabernacle, that is, in the Sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof which refers to the most holy things [the ark, etc.] they were given over to the Kohathites — and all these were under the charge of Eleazar,” just as Ithamar was in charge of the work of the sons of Gershon and Merari. In addition to supervising the Kohathites, and assigning each one his particular duty, Eleazar was also chief of all three main Levite families, as will be explained. [i.e., he supervised the most holy things — the ark, the table, candelabrum, altars, Veils and the vessels used in the Divine Service]. But the meaning of the charge of all the Tabernacle is that “the charge of … the oil for the light, and the incense, and the meal-offering, and the anointing oil, and the charge of all the Tabernacle — in the Sanctuary, and of all that therein is of the holy vessels — they were all under the hand of Eleazar,”202 inasmuch as he supervised the most holy things. In Verse 4 above it is clearly stated that the sons of Kohath — alone — were in charge of the most holy things, thus disproving Ibn Ezra’s explanation quoted above. If so, the phrase the charge of all the Tabernacle must be in apposition to the end of the verse namely in the Sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof, and the meaning is as follows: “the charge of the oil for the light, etc., the charge of all the Tabernacle, that is, in the Sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof which refers to the most holy things [the ark, etc.] they were given over to the Kohathites — and all these were under the charge of Eleazar,” just as Ithamar was in charge of the work of the sons of Gershon and Merari. In addition to supervising the Kohathites, and assigning each one his particular duty, Eleazar was also chief of all three main Levite families, as will be explained. and they are those mentioned here when He stated, And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the Sanctuary and all the vessels of the Sanctuary.203 Eleazar was thus officer over the three princes204, Verse 30), and of the families of Merari, Tzuriel the son of Abichail (ibid., Verse 35). The prince over the princes of the Levites was Eleazar the son of Aaron (ibid., Verse 32). [of the Levites], and [also] overseer of the charge of the Kohathites, and Ithamar was overseer of [the charges of the families of] Gershon and Merari. Now since Scripture does not say that Eleazar “shall bear” [the oil for the light etc.] as is said of the Levites,205 it would appear that Eleazar did not carry them, but was in charge over them and would give them from hand to hand to those Kohathites whom he chose because of their zeal and piety. It was they who carried them, and they returned them to his control when the Tabernacle was set up. This also [is the meaning of the verse which says that Eleazar was the prince over the princes of the Levites,] having the oversight of them that keep the charge of the Sanctuary,206 and the verse stating, and by name ye shall appoint the vessels of the charge of their burden207 [conveying the same thought, that the individual families of the Levites were to be told by the overseer what their particular kind of work would be, and Eleazar, as the prince over the princes, was the overseer of all the service of the Levites].But according to the opinion of the Yerushalmi208, (p. 192, Note 44). mentioned in the commentaries of Rashi209 that he [Eleazar himself] carried them [all the objects enumerated], it would be a heavy load! For the incense consisted of three hundred and sixty-eight manehs,210 arid [surely] Moses our teacher would not have prepared [only] half of the required quantity,211 and the oil for the light for a whole year was a large amount, namely one hundred and eighty-three logs,212). and as for [the ingredients required for] the continual meal-offering, we do not know how many days’ supply he carried! But [we would have to say that] Eleazar was very strong and powerful, as was our patriarch Jacob,213 (Genesis 29:10) — “as easily as one draws the stopper from the mouth of a bottle. Scripture thus informs you how strong he was” (Rashi ibid., on the basis of Bereshith Rabbah 70:10). and so also were Moses our teacher214 and his brother Aaron,215 and they that wait for the Eternal shall renew their strength.216