In this weeks parsha, Bamidbar, it says is perek alef, נאוּבִנְסֹ֣עַ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֗ן יוֹרִ֤ידוּ אֹתוֹ֙ הַֽלְוִיִּ֔ם וּבַֽחֲנֹת֙ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן יָקִ֥ימוּ אֹת֖וֹ הַֽלְוִיִּ֑ם וְהַזָּ֥ר הַקָּרֵ֖ב יוּמָֽת. What does it mean יוֹרִ֤ידוּ אֹתוֹ֙? Rashi says it means to dismantle. This was for the purpose of transporting the mishkan when they needed to move across the dessert.
-What else could יוֹרִ֤ידוּ אֹתוֹ֙ mean?
- in the passuk it also talks about an outsider. Who could this outsider be?
- this "outsider" can also be put to death for interfearing with the packing of the mishkan. Why? Also who would be putting him to death?
Rashi says that the outsider is coming to help dismantle to mishcan. This outsider should die, why? Because he is not one of the specially appointed Levites that were commanded to do this job. Anyone who touches it and was not commanded shall die.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Chizkuni, the common man refers to the leviim, who were not permitted to enter. Since, their task required for them to dissemble the mishkan, it did not require them to enter.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to Rashi, Chizkuni explains that יוֹרִ֤ידוּ אֹתוֹ֙ means to dismantle the mishkan. Chizkuni adds, however, further detail saying that they would reassemble the mishkan by inserting the bolts through the rings in the planks and to dismantle it they would remove the bolts.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Ramban, "the outsider" refers to every man in Bnei Yisrael. Meaning, anyone who goes near the mishcan without a purpose in mind, shall be put to death since the Mishcan is a holy place where only holy and appropriate thoughts are permitted. Ramban also adds that this rule applies to Kohanim and Leviyim aswell.
ReplyDeleteChabad.org says that the "outsider" is a person who is tamei. the mishkan is so holy that it can't be touched by anything tamei. Therefore, if someone who is tamei goes near the mishkan or touches it, he can be put to death.
ReplyDeleteThere is a midrash that explains the signifigcance of the role of the outsider in Parshat Bamidbar. This midrash says that the outsider had gone against the commandment that only the special Levim would help take apart the Mishcan of Hashem. The significance of his role is that he is killed for doing so, displaying the severity of the situation and how holy the Mishcan truly is.
ReplyDeleteChabad.org says that the "outsider" is a person who is tamei. the mishkan is so holy that it can't be touched by anyone who isn't pure. So if anyone who is impure touches the very pure Mushkan, they can be killed
ReplyDeleteAccording to Etzion.org the reason the outsider is punished is because hashem gave different roles to different segments of Bnei Yisrael. The Leviim were specifically given this role to erect the mishkan. By interfering with their job, the outsider would diminish the importance of not only Leviim's role, but the Mishkan itself.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Rashi, the outsider is punished for trying to handle the Mishcan is because it's so holy. It's so important for an outsider to convert before they handle something so holy. The outsider is also struck down by Heaven, by Hashem.
ReplyDelete