Parshas Bamidbar

Bs”d

Parshas Bamidbar 5777
by Mordechai Dolinsky

3:15: — Different than all the other shvatim the Bnei Levi were counted from the age of one month which was just to confirm their being. Rashi explains that Yocheved was counted at this age entering Mitzrayim. This phenomenon is probably not for some super natural reason and there is obviously some trait of importance of being counted from birth. We certainly have examples of this such as Moshe Rabeinu born with a glow of light shining. Where and how did Shevet Levi acquire these special traits? Levi himself lived the longest of the shvatim and certainly asserted his influence on them in his old age. We can see this from the fact that shevet Levi were shomrei Shabbos in Egypt and therefore were blessed to be exempt from the avdus. The greatest factor can be attributed that at birth Leah named her son Levi as a recognition and a commemoration that Yaakov will establish a special relationship with her because she presented him with this third son. This understood properly is of enormous, very deep significance, the creation of a new closeness between Yaakov and Leah. In pasuk 12 the Ribbono Shel Olam designated and honored Shevet Levi with the position of being in place of the bechoros and deemed worth of this by being clean from the chet haegel. We see here too he had a special bracha to stand up to this great nisayon. All this greatness came out and was crystalised in them from the time of birth.

Have a wonderful Shabbos and a meaningful Chodesh.