“Count the children of Levi by their patrilineal house, by their families; every male from one month old and above, you shall count them” (Numbers 3:15). “Count the children of Levi” – elsewhere it says: “However, the tribe of Levi [you shall not count]” (Numbers 1:49), and here it says: “Count the children of Levi.” Rabbi Yehuda bar Shalom said: For the benefit of the children of Levi they were not counted with Israel.
As you find that the Israelites who departed from Egypt did not enter the Land, as it is stated: “Your carcasses will fall in this wilderness…” (Numbers 14:29). Had the tribe of Levi been counted with them, they would have been included in the decree, as this is what the Holy One blessed be He said: “All those of you who were counted in any of your censuses, from twenty years old…” (Numbers 14:29).
But they were not counted with them, and they entered the Land. Why did they all merit entering the Land? It is because, just as they were righteous in Egypt, so they were righteous in the wilderness, and they gave their lives for the sake of the Holy One blessed be He. When did they do so?
It was when Israel performed that act.22The sin of the Golden Calf. What is written: “Moses stood at the gate of the camp and said: [Whoever is for the Lord, come to me; and all the sons of Levi gathered to him]” (Exodus 32:26). Just as they stood in the days of Moses, so it was in the Land of Israel in the days of Joshua. They would teach Israel to worship the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua [and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua]” (Joshua 24:31).
Who were these elders? Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi said in the name of our Rabbis: These were the children of Levi. Rabbi Berekhya ben Rabbi Ḥelbo in the name of Abba Semukeyad: They were Eldad and Medad. You conclude and say: They outlived Joshua.
From where is it derived that the tribe of Levi entered the Land of Israel? It is as it is stated: “For the Lord said to them they will die in the wilderness” (Numbers 26:65) – these were Israel. “And no man remained of them except Caleb son of Yefuneh and Joshua son of Nun” (Numbers 26:65) – from the inference of the verse one learns that no man of Israel remained except for Caleb son of Yefuneh and Joshua.
That is not so. Rather, you read and find that Elazar ben Aaron the priest entered, and through him the land was distributed to each and every tribe of the children of those who departed from Egypt, as it is stated: “These are the inheritances that Elazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun…apportioned” (Joshua 19:51). How is it so that it said: “And no man remained of them except Caleb…,” and you find that Elazar remained?
Rather, [the example of] Elazar came and taught regarding his tribe; just as he entered, so did they enter. Like that which we learned: Any matter that was included in a generalization, but emerged to teach a halakha, it emerged to teach not in its regard but to teach regarding the entire generalization.23Baraita of Rabbi Yishmael, principle 8. Elazar was included in the generalization of Israel regarding the decree, as it is stated: “They will die in the wilderness.”
He emerged from the generalization of Israel to teach. It was not to teach in his regard, but to teach regarding the entire tribe. If you say that the entire tribe did not enter, Elazar did not enter. If you say he entered, the entire tribe entered as well.
Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Rabbi Abba said: I asked and studied it before Rabbi Abba Huna HaKohen bar Rabbi Avin, and I said to him: Know that the entire tribe of Levi entered the Land of Israel, and I said to him from the Bible: “These are the inheritances that Elazar the priest [and Joshua son of Nun…apportioned]” (Joshua 19:51). He said to me: Was the decree not issued only upon twenty-year-olds? You find that one who was less than twenty years old entered.
Say that Elazar was less than twenty years old. I said to him: We find that he was married to a wife while still in Egypt, as it is stated: “Elazar son of Aaron took of the daughters of Putiel as his wife” (Exodus 6:25). Rabbi Huna said to me: I say he was ten years old. Was not the decree only upon one twenty years old?
I said to him: But did he not serve in the Tent of Meeting before the decree was issued, as it is stated: “The charge of Elazar son of Aaron the priest…[all the Tabernacle and all that is in it]” (Numbers 4:16), and we find that no one of the priests had license to enter and serve in the Tent of Meeting unless he was thirty years old, as it is stated: “From thirty years old and above, until fifty years old…” (Numbers 4:39).
We find, then, that before the decree was issued, Elazar was at least thirty years old. Immediately, Rav Huna conceded to Rabbi Tanḥuma that the entire tribe of Levi entered the Land. That is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: Since Israel is not entering and the tribe of Levi is entering, when you come to count them, make a distinction between them. That is what is written: “However, the tribe of Levi you shall not count…” (Numbers 1:49) – you do not count them with Israel, but you count them separately. That is what is written: “Count the children of Levi.”