“Aaron and his sons shall come, and assign them,” from here Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Naḥman would say: Because the sons of Kehat knew that anyone who bears the Ark, his reward is great, they would abandon the table, the candelabrum, and the altars, etc., as it is written above, until “Aaron and his sons shall come…”13This is a reference to paragraph 1. “They shall not come to see as the sacred is being covered, lest they die” (Numbers 4:20).
“They shall not come to see as [the sacred] is being covered,” Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi ben Rabbi Shalom said: Do you want to learn under what circumstances the sons of Kehat die? Go out and learn from this verse: “They shall not come to see as [the sacred] is being covered…” It teaches that when they would come to bear the Ark, they would remove the curtain from before it and they would feast their eyes on the Ark.
That is why they would be eradicated, as it is stated: “As no man can see Me and live” (Exodus 33:20). How did Moses institute a remedy for them? God said to him: ‘When they dismantle the Tabernacle, do not have the sons of Kehat remove the curtain from before the Ark, but rather, have the sons of Aaron enter and remove it, because they are priests. They will cover the Ark, and likewise, the table, and likewise, all the vessels mentioned to him.
Thereby, they will have a remedy, as they will not die if they do not look at the Ark.’ That is what is written: “They shall not come to see as [the sacred] is being covered.” This is the Ark, if they do so. What is “as [the sacred] is being covered”?
Rabbi Levi said: If they see the Ark like an eyelid when it closes upon the eye,14Meaning, even for a slight moment. immediately they die. Know this from the people of Beit Shemesh, as it is stated: “He smote among the people of Beit Shemesh because they gazed at the ark of the Lord. He smote among the people…” (I Samuel 6:19). What is “because they gazed at the ark of the Lord”?
Rabbi Abahu and Rabbi Elazar, one said: They were reaping and prostrating themselves, and one said: They were speaking extraneous matters. What did they say? Who angered you that you were angered, and who appeased you that you were appeased? Rabbi Levi said: The curtain over the Ark was folded and they saw it.
Come and see what a great calamity befell them for this, as it is written: “He smote among the people seventy men, fifty thousand men” (I Samuel 6:19). Rabbi Abahu and Rabbi Elazar, one said: They were seventy men, and each and every one of them was the equivalent of fifty thousand, and one said: They were fifty thousand, and each and every one of them was the equivalent of the seventy [who sat in the] Sanhedrin.
Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Mona, one said: “Seventy men,” this is the Sanhedrin, and “fifty thousand men,” as they were the equivalent of fifty thousand men; and one said: “Seventy men,” these are the Sanhedrin, and “fifty thousand men” of the people of the land. Elijah says: They gathered and went out to war. Fifty thousand men of them fell, and a group of the Great Sanhedrin fell with them. Who killed them?
That is, it was none other than the people of Beit Shemesh who caused them to be killed because they gazed at the Ark. That is why He cautioned the sons of Kehat: “They shall not come to see as [the sacred] is being covered…” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Just as I did to the sons of Kehat because they feared Me, I honored them, accorded them honor, and cautioned them to deliver their lives from death.
Similarly, anyone who fears Me, I honor him and I do not cut off his name from the world. From whom do you derive this? It is from the sons of Yonadav ben Rekhav. Because they performed My will, what is written in their regard: “No man shall be cut off, for Yonadav son of Rekhav standing before me all the days” (Jeremiah 35:19).
If for those who are proselytes, I did so to them, to Israel, who are the sons of My beloved, the sons of My friend,15Abraham. all the more so; when they perform My will, they will stand before Me all the days,’ as it is stated: “Had you heeded My commandments, your peace would be like a river…[the offspring of your innards…their name would not be excised and not be destroyed from before Me]” (Isaiah 48:18–19). And it says: “But you, who cleave to the Lord your God, all of you live today” (Deuteronomy 4:4).