הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, בֶּן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים לַמִּקְרָא, בֶּן עֶשֶׂר לַמִּשְׁנָה, בֶּן שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה לַמִּצְוֹת, בֶּן חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה לַתַּלְמוּד, בֶּן שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה לַחֻפָּה, בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים לִרְדֹּף, בֶּן שְׁלשִׁים לַכֹּחַ, בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים לַבִּינָה, בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים לָעֵצָה, בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים לַזִּקְנָה, בֶּן שִׁבְעִים לַשֵּׂיבָה, בֶּן שְׁמֹנִים לַגְּבוּרָה, בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים לָשׁוּחַ, בֶּן מֵאָה כְּאִלּוּ מֵת וְעָבַר וּבָטֵל מִן הָעוֹלָם:
Solía decir: Cinco años para (aprender) las Escrituras. [Esto se deriva de arlah (fruta prohibida), a saber. (Levítico 19:23): "Tres años se te prohibirá ... (24): Y en el cuarto año todo el fruto será santo para alabar al Señor". (En esta etapa) su padre le enseña la forma de las letras y los signos vocálicos. (25): "Y en el quinto año puedes comer su fruto, para aumentar tu producción". ¡En adelante, llénelo como un buey!], Diez años para Mishná. [Aprende las Escrituras durante cinco años y Mishná durante cinco años, a saber. (Chullin 24a): El maestro dijo: Cualquier estudiante que no haya progresado en su Mishná después de cinco años, ya no lo hará, como está escrito (Números 8:24): "Esto es lo que se aplica a los levitas. a partir de los veinticinco años entrará en servicio para trabajar en la tienda de reunión ". Aprende el halachoth del servicio durante cinco años y, a los treinta, trabaja.], Trece años para mitzvoth, [está escrito (Números 5: 6): "Un hombre o una mujer si hacen de todos los pecados del hombre "y, con respecto a (el episodio de) Siquem, (Génesis 34:25):" Y dos hijos de Jacob, Simón y Leví, los hermanos de Dina, tomaron, cada uno su espada, etc. " Levi en ese momento tenía trece años y se le llama "un hombre"], dieciocho para el dosel (matrimonio). ["Adam" ("hombre") está escrito diecinueve veces en la parashá de Bershith— desde (1:26): "Y Di-s dijo:" Hagamos un hombre "hasta (2:22):" Y el Di-s Di-s diseñó el lado que había tomado del hombre en una mujer " —una vez para (el significado simple) en sí, dejando dieciocho para exponer ("derashah")], veinte años para perseguir [un medio de vida. Después de haber aprendido las Escrituras, Mishnah y Gemara, y haber tomado una esposa y engendrar hijos, debe buscar un medio de vida. O: "veinte años por perseguirlo" desde el cielo y castigarlo por sus actos, el tribunal celestial no castiga a uno que tenga menos de veinte años.], Treinta por fuerza, [los levitas levantaron el tabernáculo y lo desarmaron y cargando las carretas y cargando sobre sus hombros desde la edad de treinta años], cuarenta años para entender, [después de cuarenta años que Israel estaba en el desierto, Moisés les dijo (Deuteronomio 29: 3): "y el Señor no te dio un corazón para conocer y ojos para ver y oídos para escuchar hasta este día "], cincuenta años para consejo, [se dice de los levitas (Números 8: 25-26):" Y desde la edad de cincuenta volverá del servicio de la obra, y no servirá más. Y servirá a sus hermanos ". Cual servicio Counsel.], Sesenta años para la vejez, a saber. (Iyyov 5:26): "Irás a la tumba en la vejez (bekelach):—la gematria (equivalente numérico) de "bekalaj" es sesenta.], setenta años para la vejez canosa, [está escrito con respecto a David (1 Crónicas 29:28): "Y murió en una buena vejez canosa, y los días de su vida fueron setenta años "], ochenta años para la fortaleza, [está escrito (Salmos 90:10):" Y si con 'fortalezas,' ochenta años "], noventa años para inclinarse ( shuach) [Él camina inclinado y se agachó. Algunos lo ven como relacionado con "shucha amukah", "un pozo profundo"], de cien años— como si hubiera muerto y fallecido y desaparecido del mundo.
Rashi
Or HaChaim
Ramban
Perhaps the reason for this [law that a male under twenty years old was not liable to military service] is because he is not strong enough for war under the age of twenty, as the Rabbis have said:18Aboth 5:21. “Twenty is the age for pursuit.”19The Hebrew is lirdof, which is variously interpreted as: “for seeking a livelihood:” or “for seeking one’s life-pursuit.” Ramban here understands it in its literal sense — “to pursue [the enemy in battle].” But it may be that the meaning of the phrase kol yotzei tzava is “all who go forth to be assembled in the congregation,” because the young men do not take part in such an assembly of the people, and every gathering of the people is called tzava, as in ‘[litzvo] tzava’ (to be counted among the host) for the work of the Tent of Meeting;20Further, 8:24. he shall return from the ‘tz’va’ of the work;21Ibid., Verse 25. with the mirrors of the ‘tzov’oth’ that ‘tzav’u’ (women that congregated together);22Exodus 38:8. and similarly ‘tz’va’ (the host of) heaven;23Deuteronomy 4:19. and all ‘tz’va’am’ (their host) I commanded.24Isaiah 45:12. Therefore Scripture explains when speaking of men of war: ‘mi’tz’va’ (from the host of) the war;25Further, 31:14. and the number of them reckoned ‘bi’tz’va’ (by the host) for the war.26I Chronicles 7: 40. Scripture states here all that go forth to the host, similar to what it says, all that went out of the gate of the city.27Genesis 34: 24. Ramban’s meaning is that the intention of the verses is: “all that are able to go,” even if they have not actually gone. It states, ye shall number them by their ‘hosts’ [in the plural], because they consisted of many hosts, since each and every tribe was a great host.
But as for Rashi’s expression when he wrote — “This is as one says to an executioner: ‘take that man’s head’” — it is not clear to me why the Sages should interpret the verse in this derogatory manner. If it is because [the people counted here] died in the desert [therefore He said, take the head …] whereas in the case of the tribe of Levi He said Number the children of Levi,28Further, 3: 15. since they were not included in the decree [that they die in the desert] — [this cannot be so], for in the second census [taken] of those who were to come into the Land it also uses the same [expression], take the head of all the congregation of the children of Israel!29Ibid., 26:2. But in the Agadah (homiletic exposition) of Vayikra Rabbah30I did not find it there. But a similar exposition is found in Bamidbar Rabbah 1:7. See my Hebrew commentary p. 196, Note 26 for the full text. the Rabbis explain it as an expression of praise [for the people]: “The term se’u always means ‘greatness’, as it is written, Pharaoh ‘yisa’ (shall lift up) thy head, and restore thee unto thy office.31Genesis 40:13. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to Israel: ‘I have given you an exaltation of the head, and I have likened you to Myself. Just as I am exalted above all inhabitants of the world, as it is said, Thine is the kingdom, O Eternal, and Thou art exalted as head above all,32I Chronicles 29:11. so to you also I have given an elevation of the head, as it is said, Lift up the head of all the congregation of the children of Israel, thus fulfilling that which is said, And He hath lifted up a horn for His people,33Psalms 148:14. and similarly it is said, and the Eternal thy G-d will set thee on high above all the nations of the earth. ' ”34Deuteronomy 28:1.
I have found further in Bamidbar Sinai Rabbah that the Sages have stated:35Bamidbar Rabbah 1:9. “Said Rabbi Pinchas in the name of Rabbi Idi: What is [the meaning of] that which is written at the beginning of this book, ‘se’u eth rosh’ (take the head)? It does not say: ‘lift up the head,’ ‘elevate the head,’ but it says se’u eth rosh, like a man who says to an executioner: ‘take this man’s head’. Here He gave a hint to Moses, se’u eth rosh, meaning that if the people are worthy they will become exalted, just as it is written, Pharaoh ‘yisa’ (shall lift up) thy head, and restore thee unto thy office;31Genesis 40:13. but if they are not worthy, they will all die, just as it is written, Pharaoh ‘yisa’ (shall lift up) thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree. ”36Genesis 40:19. Thus the expression [se’u eth rosh which, as Rashi explained, is used in connection with execution] is to be interpreted according to the intention [of the speaker] — in a good way for those who are good.37See Psalms 125:4: Do good, O Eternal, unto the good. Thus Pharaoh said unto the chief executioner: “Take the chief butler and lift up his head and restore him to his office.” But as for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Eternal will lead them away with the workers of iniquity (ibid., Verse 5). Thus in the case of the chief baker, the same expression signified his downfall. In short, the expression of the Midrash which Rashi quoted can be interpreted either for bad or for good. And since it is an expression of elevation etc. And since it is [also] an expression of elevation, and it is used [here] in the first census, He used the same expression in the second census.29Ibid., 26:2.