Bamidbar 3:39 · unit 1 — and Aharon (dotted)

Parashas Bamidbar

The Complete Passuk

כׇּל־פְּקוּדֵ֨י הַלְוִיִּ֜ם אֲשֶׁר֩ פָּקַ֨ד מֹשֶׁ֧ה וְׄאַׄהֲׄרֹ֛ׄןׄ עַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם כׇּל־זָכָר֙ מִבֶּן־חֹ֣דֶשׁ וָמַ֔עְלָה שְׁנַ֥יִם וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים אָֽלֶף׃ {ס}

All the Levites who were recorded, whom at GOD’s command Moses and Aaron recorded by their clans, all the males from the age of one month up, came to 22,000.

Chabad.org — 3:39

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to TT / Midrash (verified).

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text

ואהרון — תניא, למה נקוד על אהרן? לפי שלא היה באותו מנין.

English: “And Aharon” — it was taught: Why is there a dot over Aharon? Because he was not included in that count.

On the daf / in context: The dotted letters indicate that Aharon himself was not numbered among the 22,000 Levites; the midrash offers reasons of honor or of status.

Type of Learning

Custom

What Is Learned

Chazal explain the dots over “Aharon” as signaling that he was not part of the Levitical total.

← PREV ↑ Master Index NEXT →