## Kli Yakar on Numbers Chapter 4

###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 4:22:1
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 4:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/4:22:1)

**נָשֹׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן.** הָיָה לוֹ לִמְנוֹת תְּחִלָּה אֶת בְּנֵי גֵּרְשׁוֹן הַבְּכוֹר. וּמָה שֶׁרָצוּ לְתַקֵּן זֶה בְּמִדְרָשׁ רַבָּתִי (ו א) לוֹמַר שֶׁלְּפִי שֶׁנִּמְסַר מַשָּׂא הָאָרוֹן אֶל קְהָת עַל כֵּן מְנָאוֹ תְּחִלָּה לִכְבוֹד הָאָרוֹן, הִיא גּוּפָא קַשְׁיָא, לָמָּה לֹא מָסַר מַשָּׂא הָאָרוֹן אֶל הַבְּכוֹר לְכַבְּדוֹ בְּיֶתֶר שְׂאֵת וְעֹז הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר לָהּ מִשְׁפַּט הַבְּכוֹרָה.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**Take a census of the sons of Gershon.** He should have counted the sons of Gershon, the firstborn, first. And that which they tried to address this in the Midrash Rabbati (6:1) by saying that because the carrying of the ark was entrusted to Kohath, therefore He counted them first out of respect for the ark — this itself raises the question: why didn’t He entrust the carrying of the ark to the firstborn, to honor him with greater distinction and the strength of the Torah, which rightfully belongs to the firstborn?


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 4:22:2
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 4:22:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/4:22:2)

וְהַקָּרוֹב אֵלַי לוֹמַר בָּזֶה, שֶׁרָצָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהַרְאוֹת שֶׁכָּבוֹד חֲכָמִים יִנְחָלוּ, כְּדֵי לְלַמֵּד דַּעַת אֶת הָעָם שֶׁיְּכַבְּדוּ אֶת לוֹמְדֵי הַתּוֹרָה וְלִקְרֹא לִקְדוֹשׁ ה׳ מְכֻבָּד לְקַדְּשׁוֹ בְּכָל דָּבָר שֶׁבִּקְדֻשָּׁה, כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁמָּנָה אֶת קְהָת תְּחִלָּה בַּעֲבוּר מַשָּׂא דְּבַר ה׳ אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ. וְאִלּוּ הָיָה נוֹתֵן הָאָרוֹן לְגֵרְשׁוֹן הַבְּכוֹר, הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁבַּעֲבוּר הַבְּכוֹרָה מְנָאוֹ תְּחִלָּה וְלֹא הָיִיתִי תּוֹלֶה הַחֲשִׁיבוּת בְּמַשָּׂא הָאָרוֹן. עַל כֵּן מָסַר הָאָרוֹן אֶל קְהָת וּמְנָאוֹ תְּחִלָּה, וְיָדְעוּ הַכֹּל לָתֵת כָּבוֹד לַתּוֹרָה וּלְלוֹמְדֶיהָ. אַךְ מִדְּסָמַךְ בַּעַל הַמִּדְרָשׁ עִנְיָן זֶה לְפָסוּק ״יְקָרָה הִיא מִפְּנִינִים״ (משלי ג טו) כִּדְאִיתָא בְּרַבָּתִי, וַדַּאי כַּוָּנָתוֹ לְהוֹרוֹת שֶׁכֶּתֶר תּוֹרָה הֶפְקֵר לַכֹּל, וְעַל כֵּן לֹא נִתַּן הָאָרוֹן אֶל הַבְּכוֹר שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא תִּפְאַרְתּוֹ לוֹמַר אֲנִי רָאוּי לְכֶתֶר תּוֹרָה יָתֵר מִזּוּלָתִי, אֶלָּא הַכֹּל שָׁוִין בָּהּ. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר יְקָרָה הִיא מִפְּנִינִים, הַיְינוּ מִכֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל שֶׁנִּכְנָס לִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים, כִּי לְכֶתֶר כְּהֻנָּה אֵין זוֹכֶה כִּי אִם מִי שֶׁהוּא מִזֶּרַע אַהֲרֹן, אֲבָל כֶּתֶר תּוֹרָה הֶפְקֵר לַכֹּל וְהַכֹּל זוֹכִין אֵלָיו. וִיקָרָה הִיא מִפְּנִינִים מִכֶּתֶר מַלְכוּת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ זָהָב וְרֹב פְּנִינִים וְאֵין זוֹכֶה בּוֹ כִּי אִם מִי שֶׁהוּא מִזֶּרַע דָּוִד, אֲבָל לְכֶתֶר תּוֹרָה הַכֹּל זוֹכִין. וּמִטַּעַם זֶה דָּרַשׁ בְּרַבָּתִי ״יְקָרָה הִיא מִפְּנִינִים״ – מִן הַבְּכוֹרָה, כִּדְאִיתָא ״וְזֹאת לְפָנִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל״ (רות ד ז), כִּי אֶל הַבְּכוֹרָה אֵין זוֹכֶה כִּי אִם מִי שֶׁנּוֹלַד רִאשׁוֹנָה, אֲבָל לַתּוֹרָה הַכֹּל זוֹכִין. דָּבָר אַחֵר לָכֵן לֹא נִתַּן מַשָּׂא הָאָרוֹן אֶל הַבְּכוֹר, שֶׁלֹּא תָּזוּחַ דַּעְתּוֹ עָלָיו בְּיוֹתֵר. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים הַטַּעַם לְפִי שֶׁמִּן קְהָת יָצְאוּ מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן מְקַבְּלֵי הַתּוֹרָה.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**What seems closest to my understanding,** is that the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to show that *the wise will inherit honor* (Proverbs 3:35), in order to teach the people to honor Torah scholars and to call the holy one of God honored, to sanctify Him in all matters of holiness. Just as He counted Kohath first because of the task of carrying God’s word which was with him, if He had given the Ark to Gershon, the firstborn, I would have said that it was because of his birthright that he was counted first, and I would not have attributed the importance to carrying the Ark. Therefore, He entrusted the Ark to Kohath and counted him first, so that everyone would know to give honor to the Torah and its students.
But from the fact that the Midrash author connected this matter to the verse *She is more precious than rubies* (Proverbs 3:15), as is found in Rabbati, his intention was certainly to teach that the crown of Torah is claimable for all. Therefore, the Ark was not given to the firstborn, so that he would not have cause to boast, “I am more worthy of the crown of Torah than others.” Rather, all are equal regarding it, and therefore it is said, *She is more precious than rubies* — meaning, more than the High Priest who enters the innermost chambers, for the crown of priesthood is only attained by one who is from the seed of Aaron, but the crown of Torah is claimable for all, and everyone can merit it.
*She is more precious than rubies* — more than the crown of kingship, which has gold and many gems, and only one who is from the seed of David can merit it, but to the crown of Torah, everyone can merit. For this reason, it is expounded in Rabbati, *She is more precious than rubies* — more than the birthright, as it is said, *Now this was the custom in former times in Israel* (Ruth 4:7), for the birthright can only be attained by one who is born first, but to Torah, everyone can merit.
Another explanation: Therefore the carrying of the Ark was not given to the firstborn, so that he would not become too proud of himself. And some say the reason is because Moses and Aaron, who received the Torah, came from Kohath.


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 4:22:3
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 4:22:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/4:22:3)

**גַּם הֵם.** בִּשְׁתֵּי תֵּיבוֹת אֵלּוּ חָתַם הָעִנְיָן לוֹמַר שֶׁעַל כָּל פָּנִים יִסְפֹּר תְּחִלָּה אֶת בְּנֵי קְהָת וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִסְפֹּר וְיִמְנֶה אֶת בְּנֵי גֵּרְשׁוֹן גַּם הֵם. וְאִלְמָלֵא מִקְרָא זֶה כָּתוּב, הָיָה אֶפְשָר לוֹמַר שֶׁרְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ לִמְנוֹת בְּנֵי גֵּרְשׁוֹן תְּחִלָּה כִּי הוּא הַבְּכוֹר, וּמָה שֶׁצִּוָּה תְּחִלָּה שֶׁיִּמְנֶה אֶת בְּנֵי קְהָת לֹא כְּדֵי לְהַקְדִּימוֹ בַּמִּסְפָּר אֶלָּא בַּעֲבוּר חֲשִׁיבוּת הָאָרוֹן הִזְכִּירוֹ תְּחִלָּה, שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בַּמִּשְׁכָּן וְכֵלָיו שֶׁבְּרֹאשׁ כֹּל אָמַר: ״וְעָשׂוּ אֲרוֹן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים״ (שמות כה י), וְאַחַר כָּךְ הִזְכִּיר הַמִּשְׁכָּן. וּבַעֲשִׂיָּתָם עָשָׂה בְּצַלְאֵל תְּחִלָּה מִשְׁכָּן וְאַחַר כָּךְ כֵּלִים. אִם כֵּן וַדַּאי מָה שֶׁהִזְכִּיר הָאָרוֹן תְּחִלָּה לֹא כְּדֵי לְהַקְדִּימוֹ בַּעֲשִׂיָּה אֶלָּא לִכְבוֹד הָאָרוֹן וַחֲשִׁיבָתוֹ הִקְדִּימוֹ. כָּךְ הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁלִּכְבוֹד הָאָרוֹן שֶׁהָיָה מַשָּׂא בְּנֵי קְהָת הִקְדִּים תְּחִלָּה מִנּוּי שֶׁל בְּנֵי קְהָת, אֲבָל לְעוֹלָם כְּשֶׁיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה לִשָּׂא אֶת רֹאשָׁם יִמְנֶה הַבְּכוֹר כִּבְכֹרָתוֹ תְּחִלָּה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״נָשֹׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן גַּם הֵם״, מַשְׁמָע שֶׁמִּתְּחִלָּה תִּשָּׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי קְהָת וְאַחַר כָּךְ רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי גֵּרְשׁוֹן, כִּי כָּל ״גַּם״ מוֹסִיף עַל עִנְיָן רִאשׁוֹן בָּא.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**Also them.** With these two words, the matter is concluded, saying that in any case, he should first count the sons of Kohath and afterward count and enumerate the sons of Gershon, also them. If this verse were not written, it would have been possible to say that His blessed will was to count the sons of Gershon first, since he was the firstborn, and that what He commanded initially — to count the sons of Kohath — was not to give them precedence in the counting, but because of the importance of the Ark, He mentioned them first. For we find with the Tabernacle and its vessels that first of all He said, *And they shall make an ark of acacia wood* (Exodus 25:10). And afterward He mentioned the Tabernacle, yet in their construction, Bezalel first made the Tabernacle and then the vessels. So certainly, the fact that He mentioned the Ark first was not to give it precedence in construction but to honor the Ark and its importance. Thus, I might have said that to honor the Ark, which was carried by the sons of Kohath, He first mentioned the appointment of the sons of Kohath, but in reality, when Moses would come to count them, he would count the firstborn according to his birthright first. Therefore, Scripture teaches us, *Take a census of the sons of Gershon, also them*. This implies that first you shall count the sons of Kohath and afterward the sons of Gershon, because the word “also” always comes to add to the previous matter.


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 4:22:4
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 4:22:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/4:22:4)

וְנֶאֱמַר לְשׁוֹן נָשֹׂא בִּבְנֵי קְהָת וּבִבְנֵי גֵּרְשׁוֹן, וְלֹא בִּבְנֵי מְרָרִי, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה לִשְׁנֵיהֶם מַעֲלָה בְּיֶתֶר שְׂאֵת עַל בְּנֵי מְרָרִי. קְהָת מִצַּד מַשָּׂא הָאָרוֹן, וְגֵרְשׁוֹן מִצַּד הַבְּכוֹרָה. וְעוֹד שֶׁמַּשָּׂאוֹ הָיָה יוֹתֵר מְקֻדָּשׁ מִן מַשָּׂא בְּנֵי מְרָרִי שֶׁהָיָה הַפָּחוּת שֶׁבְּכֻלָּם, עַל כֵּן לֹא הִזְכִּיר אֶצְלוֹ לְשׁוֹן נָשֹׂא. וּבָזֶה אָתֵי שַׁפִּיר גַּם כֵּן מָה שֶׁאָמַר ״גַּם הֵם״ וְלֹא אָמַר ״גַּם אוֹתָם״, אֶלָּא שֶׁרוֹצֶה לוֹמַר הֲלֹא גַּם הֵמָּה יֵשׁ לָהֶם יִתְרוֹן אֲשֶׁר מִצִּדּוֹ הֵם רְאוּיִן לִנְשִׂיאַת רֹאשׁ, וְהַיְינוּ הַבְּכוֹרָה כָּאָמוּר. וּמִטַּעַם זֶה נֶאֱמַר בְּכָל מָקוֹם ״לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם״, חוּץ מִבְּנֵי לֵוִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם ״פְּקֹד אֶת בְּנֵי לֵוִי לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם״ (במדבר ג טו), וְכָאן נֶאֱמַר ״נָשֹׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן גַּם הֵם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם״, טַעַם אֶחָד לִשְׁנֵיהֶם, כִּי הַבְּכוֹרָה בָּאָה לָאָדָם מִצַּד אֲבוֹתָיו אִם הוּא כֹּחוֹ וְרֵאשִׁית אוֹנוֹ. וּכְשֶׁבָּא לְהַחֲלִיף הַלְוִיִּם בַּבְּכוֹרִים, הִזְכִּיר בַּלְוִיִּם ״לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם״ כְּאִלּוּ הָיוּ הֵמָּה הַבְּכוֹרִים אֲשֶׁר מַעֲלָתָם תְּלוּיָה בְּבֵית אֲבוֹתָם. וְכֵן כָּאן אָמַר ״נָשֹׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן״ הַבְּכוֹר ״גַּם הֵם״, רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר גַּם הֵם יֵשׁ לָהֶם מַעֲלָה, וּמָה הִיא הַמַּעֲלָה – ״לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם״, הַיְינוּ הַבְּכוֹרָה הַמִּתְיַחֶסֶת לְבֵית אֲבוֹתָם. וְאִם נַפְשְׁךָ לוֹמַר שֶׁהַקְדָּמַת ״לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם״ שַׁיָּךְ דַּוְקָא אֵצֶל הַבְּכוֹרִים וְלֹא אֵצֶל הַלְוִיִּם, אָז נוּכַל לוֹמַר שֶׁלְּכָךְ הִזְכִּיר אֵצֶל הַלְוִיִּם ״לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם״, לְהוֹרוֹת שֶׁיִּמְנֶה גַּם בְּכוֹרֵי הַלְוִיִּם, כִּי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ מֵאַחַר שֶׁדַּיּוֹ לַבְּכוֹר שֶׁיַּפְקִיעַ אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִן הַפִּדְיוֹן, לֹא נִתְּנוּ בְּכוֹרֵי הַלְוִיִּם תַּחַת בְּכוֹרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִם כֵּן אֵין צֹרֶךְ לִמְנוֹתָם בְּחִנָּם, קָא מַשְׁמַע לָן ״פְּקֹד אֶת בְּנֵי לֵוִי לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם״, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ הַבְּכוֹרִים שֶׁמַּעֲלָתָם מִבֵּית אֲבוֹתָם יִסְפֹּר וְיִמְנֶה, כִּי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָן בִּכְלַל פִּדְיוֹן הַבְּכוֹרוֹת, מִכָּל מָקוֹם הֵם בִּכְלַל מִנּוּי עֲבוֹדַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְכֵלָיו.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**The expression “lift up” is used for the sons of Kohath and the sons of Gershon, but not for the sons of Merari,** because both [Kohath and Gershon] had an advantage of prominence over the sons of Merari. Kohath had the advantage of carrying the Ark, and Gershon had the advantage of being the firstborn. Additionally, Gershon’s portage was more sacred than that of the sons of Merari, who had the least significant [portage] of all. Therefore, the expression “lift up” was not mentioned regarding Merari. With this, we can also properly understand why it says *them also* [gam hem] rather than “also them” [gam *otam*], because it means that they too have an advantage that makes them worthy of having their head lifted up, namely the birthright as mentioned.
For this reason, everywhere else it says “by their families, by their fathers’ houses,” except for the sons of Levi, where it says *Count the sons of Levi by their fathers’ houses, by their families* (Numbers 3:15). And here it says *Lift up the head of the sons of Gershon, them also, by their fathers’ houses, by their families*. The reason is the same for both: because the birthright comes to a person through his fathers, if he is “his strength and the first of his vigor.” And when the Levites were exchanged for the firstborn, the Torah mentioned *by their fathers’ houses* regarding the Levites as if they were the firstborn, whose status depends on their fathers’ houses. Similarly, here it says *Lift up the head of the sons of Gershon*, the firstborn — *them also* means they also have a distinction, and what is that distinction? *By their fathers’ houses* — namely, the birthright that relates to their fathers’ houses.
And if you wish to say that mentioning *by their fathers’ houses* first applies specifically to the firstborn and not to the Levites, then we can say that this is why *by their fathers’ houses, by their families* is mentioned regarding the Levites — to indicate that the firstborn among the Levites should also be counted. For one might have thought that since it is sufficient for [such] a firstborn to exempt himself from redemption and the firstborn of the Levites were not exchanged with the firstborn of Israel, therefore there is no need to count them unnecessarily. Therefore, the verse teaches us *Count the sons of Levi by their fathers’ houses*, meaning that even the firstborn, whose status comes from their fathers’ houses, should be counted and numbered, because even though they are not included in the redemption of the firstborn, they are still included in the appointment for the service of the Tabernacle and its vessels.