All the counted, whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel counted, of the Levites, by their families, and by their patrilineal house” (Numbers 3:46). “All the counted, whom Moses [and Aaron and the princes of Israel] counted….” After calculating the family of the sons of Kehat alone, and the family of the sons of Gershon alone, and the family of the sons of Merari alone, it then included their totals together, to declare that they are all equal before the Holy One blessed be He in terms of affection.
“From thirty years old and above until fifty years old, everyone who came to perform the service of work, and the service of bearing in the Tent of Meeting” (Numbers 4:47). “From thirty years old and above until fifty years old, everyone who came to perform the service of work, and the service [of bearing [avodat masa] in the Tent of Meeting].” It is taught: Lack of song invalidates the offering; this is the statement of Rabbi Meir.
The Rabbis say: It does not invalidate. Rabbi Elazar said: Rabbi Meir’s source is from this verse: “I have given the Levites, given [to Aaron and to his sons…to perform the service of the children of Israel in the Tent of Meeting], and to atone for the children of Israel…” (Numbers 8:19); just as lack of atonement19One who fails to sprinkle the blood of the offering. disqualifies, so, too, lack of song disqualifies.
The Rabbis establish from that verse: Just as atonement is during the day, so, too, song is during the day. Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Shmuel: From where in the Torah is the requirement of song derived? The verse states: “He shall serve in the name of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 18:7). What is the service that includes the name of the Lord?
That is song. Rabbi Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: From here: “Take up [se’u] song, sound the timbrel; a pleasing lyre with a harp” (Psalms 81:3).20Rabbi Yitzḥak interprets avodat masa as referring to song. Se'u can mean lift up something, and it can mean lift up a voice. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: “They will raise [yisu] their voices, they will sing, for the majesty of the Lord…” (Isaiah 24:14).
It is taught: “But to the sons of Kehat he did not give, because the sacred service is upon them; they shall bear [yisa’u] on the shoulder” (Numbers 7:9). From the fact that it is stated: “On the shoulder,” do I not know that “they shall bear [yisa’u]”? Why does the verse state: “Yisa’u”? Yisa’u is nothing other than an expression of song.
Likewise it says: “Take up [se’u] song, sound the timbrel…,” and it says: “They will raise [yisu] their voices, they will sing.” Ḥananya, the son of Rabbi Yehoshua’s brother said: From here:21This is another source for the requirement of song. “Moses would speak and God would answer him with a voice” (Exodus 19:19), regarding matters of voice. Rabbi Asa said: From here: “It was when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to sound one voice” (II Chronicles 5:13).22The priestly trumpeters are mentioned in the Torah, and here they are juxtaposed with the singing Levites.
Rabbi Yonatan said: From here: “Neither you nor they will die” (Numbers 18:3); just as you23Priests. are involved in the altar service, so too, they are involved in the altar service. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From here: “To perform the service of work [avodat avoda]” (Numbers 4:47); what is the service [avoda] that requires another service [avoda]? That is song.24Song is sung as an accompaniment to the pouring of the libation of a sacrifice. Thus, it is a service [avoda] which is only performed in conjunction with another service [avoda].