Ages of Levite Workers/2

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Ages of Levite Workers

Exegetical Approaches

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Different Levels of Obligation

Only Levites aged 30 and up were fully obligated to work in the Mishkan.  Those younger were either in training or volunteers.

Training or Volunteering – These sources disagree whether the Levites were obligated to practice from the age of 25, or whether they were simply allowed to volunteer for certain tasks:
  • Train – Most of these sources claim that the Levites were obligated to begin training at 25.
  • Volunteer – Ramban, instead, suggests that the verse is speaking only of volunteer work.  From the age of 25, any Levite could assist the older Levites whenever he wanted; he simply could not be in charge of any specific task.
"לִצְבֹא צָבָא בַּעֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד" – HaKetav VeHaKabbalah and Malbim1 point to the contrasting formulations in Chapters 4 and 8 to support the suggestion that the distinction relates to training. Throughout Chapter 4 the verses speak explicitly of the Levites doing work, "לִצְבֹא צָבָא לַעֲבֹד עֲבֹדָה בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד" while in Bemidbar 8, instead, the verses write only "לִצְבֹא צָבָא בַּעֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד".  Bemidbar 8 omits the verb "לַעֲבֹד" since Levites aged 25 are not actually obligated to work, but only "לִצְבֹא צָבָא", to gather together with the others who are working.2
Why are only those above 30 counted? It is logical that only those with actual obligations are included in the census.
David's era – These sources explain the lower age limit set by David in differing ways:
  • Obligation vs. allowance – HaKetav VeHaKabbalah suggests that the obligation to train began at 25, but if one wanted to, he could train earlier as well.  As, such in David's time even those aged 20 gathered.3
  • Mishkan vs. Mikdash –  Ralbag and Malbim,4 instead, suggest that the age limits set by Sefer Bemidbar applied only during eras when the Levites needed to carry the various vessels or parts of the Tabernacle. Towards the end of David's life,5 when he was planning for the building of a permanent Mikdash, when there would no longer be a necessity to transport anything, David lowered the age to 20. This is somewhat explicit in Divrei HaYamim itself, "‎כִּי אָמַר דָּוִיד הֵנִיחַ י״י אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעַמּוֹ וַיִּשְׁכֹּן בִּירוּשָׁלַ‍ִם עַד לְעוֹלָם.  וְגַם לַלְוִיִּם אֵין לָשֵׂאת אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְאֶת כׇּל כֵּלָיו לַעֲבֹדָתוֹ."‎6
Chizkiyahu's era – This position might suggest that the new age ranges set by David remained in effect throughout the First Temple period, since during the entire era there was no need to carry anything.
Second Temple Era – The explanations brought to explain the age limits in David's era can be applied to this period as well.  Ralbag, though, suggests that the verse in Ezra 3 has nothing to do with working in the Mikdash at all. Rather, the Levites were assigned "לְנַצֵּחַ עַל מְלֶאכֶת בֵּית י״י", to oversee and hasten the initial construction of the second Mikdash.7 This was a unique one-time task which is irrelevant to the discussion of the general Levitical tasks in Bemidbar.
Post 50 - what did they do? Though all these sources agree that the work of carrying the vessels ended at age 50, they disagree regarding which tasks the Levites continued to perform afterwards.
  • According to the Sifre and Ramban, the Levites continued to lock the gates and load the wagons ("עבודת בני גרשון") but did not sing after the age of 50.
  • Rashi, in contrast, suggests that they also continued to sing.
Post 50 - "וְלֹא יַעֲבֹד עוֹד" – Abarbanel questions this approach from the fact that Bemidbar 8:24-25 contrasts all of those aged 25-50 with those above 50, mandating that, in contrast to the former, the older Levites "should not continue to work".  This contrast would suggests that everyone aged 25 and older (and not only those 30 and up) was actively working and not merely training.

Different Tasks

The heavy work of carrying was assigned only to those thirty and above, but other tasks were given to those that were younger.

"בַּעֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד" vs. "עֲבֹדַת מַשָּׂא" – These sources note that in Bemidbar 8, when describing the work of the 25 year olds, the verses mention only gathering and working in the Ohel Moed ("לִצְבֹא צָבָא בַּעֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד") but not "עֲבֹדַת מַשָּׂא", a term used only by those in the 30-50 age range.8  As such, they conclude that the task of carrying and transporting ("עֲבֹדַת מַשָּׂא") was limited to those over 30, while lighter tasks done in the Mishkan itself ("עֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד") were performed by the younger Levites.9
"לִצְבֹא צָבָא בַּעֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד" – Ramban questions this approach, pointing out that the phraseology of "לִצְבֹא צָבָא בַּעֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד" is found also by those aged 30 (see Bemidbar 4:35, 39, and 43), making it difficult to say that it uniquely describes the work of the younger Levites.
  • Abarbanel responds that, indeed, all the tasks given to the 25 year olds were also performed by the 30 year olds, so it is not problematic that the same term should be found by both age groups. [In other words, the two age groups did not each have their own distinct set of tasks, with no overlap. The younger Levites were simply more limited, and had fewer jobs, not being involved in the transport.]
  • Rashbam, however, does appear to maintain that the work of the younger Levites did not overlap with that of the 30-50 age group at all.10  If so, Ramban's question is a valid one. Rashbam might respond that the phrase "לִצְבֹא צָבָא בַּעֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד" are a general term, which on its own does not refer to any one specific type of work. The different functions are learned only by the surrounding verses: in Bemidbar 4, by the term "עֲבֹדַת מַשָּׂא" and in Bemidbar 8, by "לִשְׁמֹר מִשְׁמֶרֶת".
What tasks? These commentators disagree regarding which specific jobs were performed by those under 30:
  • Guard duty – Rashbam assumes that the tasks of those above 50 and below 30 were identical, and therefore learns from Bemidbar 8:26 "וְשֵׁרֵת אֶת אֶחָיו בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לִשְׁמֹר מִשְׁמֶרֶת" that at these ages the Levites were assigned to guard the Mikdash.11
  • General work in the Mishkan – R"Y Bekhor Shor differentiates between the terms "עֲבֹדַת עֲבֹדָה" and "עֲבֹדַת מַשָּׂא" in Bemidbar 4:47, suggesting that the former includes the work allowed to the younger Levites.  He defines this "עֲבֹדַת עֲבֹדָה" as work which is meant to aid the work of others (the priests), suggesting that it includes both various stages of the sacrificial service (such as slaughter or skinning) and music making.12 
  • Singing and Repairing – The Netziv focuses on the description of the 25 year olds' task in Bemidbar 8:24:  "לִצְבֹא צָבָא בַּעֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד", suggesting that "לִצְבֹא צָבָא" refers to music (an action done together in a group) and "עֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד" to repairs.
Why differentiate? Most of these sources suggest that the distinction was practical in nature; the task of carrying required more strength than other jobs and was therefore reserved for those of strength, from 30 to 50.13 Rashbam is somewhat ambiguous saying only that those under 30 are "unworthy of carrying" ( "אינו ראוי לעבודת משא").  It is unclear if he means that until they were older the Levites were not spiritually mature enough for the job,14 or simply that they were not as physically fit.
Why are only those above 30 counted?
  • Netziv suggests that only those who could perform all the various Levitical functions, including carrying, were counted.
  • It is also possible that since transporting the Mishkan and its vessels was the main job of the Levites in the Wilderness period, only those who could do so were counted. 
David's era – David's innovation relates to the fact that in his era there was no longer a need for the Levites to carry the Mishkan or its vessels, and thus, no need to wait until the Levites turned 30. Yet, as Ramban questions, according to this approach, it is not clear why David would not then have counted the nation from the age of 25.  As this position maintains that the Torah already set an age for non-carrying tasks, David should have had no reason to change it.
Chizkiyahu's eraRadakDivrei HaYamim I 23:26-31Divrei HaYamim II 31:17About R. David Kimchi suggests that this was a one time ruling.  Since Achaz, Chikziyhau's father, had turned to idolatry, closing the Mikdash to worship, there was a fear that proper worship of Hashem had been forgotten.  As such, Chizkiyahu invited the Levites to come even before their age of service so as to teach and train them.
Ezra's era – This approach could suggest, as implied by Ralbag, that the verses in Ezra which speak of the Levites aged twenty being appointed "לְנַצֵּחַ עַל מְלֶאכֶת בֵּית י״" do not refer to continuous tasks of the Levites, but only to a one-time job of overseeing the construction of the Mikdash.15  Alternatively, this was a special decree due to the dearth of Levites who had returned from Bavel. [The returning priests numbered in the thousands, while the Levites numbered less than 100.  See Ezra 2:36-40.]