Derasha 3 on Behaalosecha 8:19
Parashas Behaalosecha · Aliyah 2 · Passuk 19
The Complete Passuk
וָאֶתְּנָ֨ה אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֜ם נְתֻנִ֣ים לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן וּלְבָנָ֗יו מִתּוֹךְ֮ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ לַעֲבֹ֞ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וּלְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֨א יִהְיֶ֜ה בִּבְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נֶ֔גֶף בְּגֶ֥שֶׁת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃
Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi
Source Citation
Torah Temimah on the double language “נתונים נתונים”: the Levites are given both from among Israel and to the priests, establishing a permanent triangular relationship.
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
וָאֶתְּנָ֨ה אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֜ם נְתֻנִ֣ים לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן וּלְבָנָ֗יו מִתּוֹךְ֮ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒׃
English: “Given, given” — the repetition marks both the extraction from Israel and the assignment to the priestly household.
Type of Learning
Double transfer — the syntax itself encodes the two movements that define the Levites’ status.
What Is Learned
The Levites belong neither solely to Israel nor solely to the priests; they are the living link that joins the two.