(Numb. 8:5-6:) “Then the Lord spoke [unto Moses saying], ‘Take the Levites.’” Let our master instruct us: How many strings were on the harp which the Levites played?1Numb. R. 15:11. So said R. Judah:2T‘Arakh. 2:7; ‘Arakh. 13b. There were seven (shb') strings on that harp, as stated (in Ps. 16:11), “In Your presence there is fullness (rt.: sb')3Since the S here is a Hebrew sin in the unpointed text SB‘ is identical with ShB‘. of joy.” Do not read [the word pointed as] sova' ("fullness") but [as] sheva' ("seven"). So also did David say (in Ps. 119:164), “With seven a day do I praise You.4M. Pss. 81:3; PR 21:1. A more traditional translation of Ps. 119:164 would read: SEVEN TIMES A DAY DO I PRAISE YOU. Moreover, in the days of the messiah it will be made with eight [strings]. Therefore David has stated concerning the instrumental music (in Ps. 6:1), “For the leader; with instrumental music on the eight-stringed harp.” Furthermore in the future it will be made of ten [strings] as stated (in Ps. 144:9), “O God, let me sing to You a new song; let me play for You on a ten-stringed harp.” And who ordained them? Samuel and David, as stated (in I Chron. 9:22), “David and Samuel the seer ordained them in their office of trust.” Moreover, they [were the ones who] set up the divisions for singing. Now the Levites would stand on their platform and sing before the One who spoke for the world to come into being. See the love with which the Holy One, blessed be He, loved the Levites. So from the beginning the Holy One, blessed be He, chose them to serve Him. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “The Levites are extremely dear to Me. Take them in My name for a position of authority.” From where is it shown? From what they read on the matter (in Numb. 8:6), “Take the Levites.”
וַיְדַבֵּר ה' וְגוֹ', קַח אֶת הַלְּוִיִּם. יְלַמְּדֵנוּ רַבֵּנוּ, כַּמָּה נִימִין הָיוּ בְּאוֹתוֹ כִּנּוֹר שֶׁהָיוּ הַלְּוִיִּם מְנַגְּנִין בּוֹ. כָּךְ אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, שֶׁבַע נִימִין הָיוּ בַּכִּנּוֹר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: שׂבַע שְׂמָחוֹת אֶת פָּנֶיךָ נְעִימוֹת בִּימִינְךָ נֶצַח (תהלים טז, יא). אַל תְּהִי קוֹרֵא שׂבַע, אֶלָּא שֶׁבַע שְׂמָחוֹת. וְכֵן דָּוִד אוֹמֵר, שֶׁבַע בַּיּוֹם הִלַּלְתִּיךָ עַל מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ (שם קיט, קסד). וְלִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ נַעֲשֶׂה שְׁמוֹנֶה, שֶׁכֵּן דָּוִד אוֹמֵר בְּנִגּוּן, לַמְּנַצֵּחַ בִּנְגִינוֹת עַל הַשְּׁמִינִית (שם ו, א). וְלֶעָתִיד נַעֲשֶׂה עֶשֶׂר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֱלֹהִים, שִׁיר חָדָשׁ אֲשִׁירָה לְךָ, בְּנֵבֶל עָשׂוֹר אֲזַמְּרָה לָךָ (שם קמד, ט). וּמִי הִתְקִין לָהֶם. שְׁמוּאֵל וְדָוִד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הֵמָּה יִסַּד דָּוִד וּשְׁמוּאֵל הָרֹאֶה בֶּאֱמוּנָתָם (דה״א ט, כב). וְהֵם הֶעֱמִידוּ חִלּוּקֵי הַשִּׁיר, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַלְּוִיִּם עוֹמְדִים עַל הַדּוּכָן וּמְזַמְּרִין לִפְנֵי מִי שֶׁאָמַר וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם. רְאֵה חִבָּה שֶׁחִבֵּב הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הַלְּוִיִּם, שֶׁכֵּן אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה, הַרְבֵּה הַלְּוִיִּם חֲבִיבִין לְפָנַי, קַח אוֹתָם לִשְׁמִי לִשְׂרָרָה. מִנַּיִן, מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרְאוּ בְּעִנְיַן קַח אֶת הַלְּוִיִּם.
(Numb. 8:5-6:) “Then the Lord spoke [unto Moses saying], ‘Take the Levites.’” Let our master instruct us: How many strings were on the harp which the Levites played?1Numb. R. 15:11. So said R. Judah:2T‘Arakh. 2:7; ‘Arakh. 13b. There were seven (shb') strings on that harp, as stated (in Ps. 16:11), “In Your presence there is fullness (rt.: sb')3Since the S here is a Hebrew sin in the unpointed text SB‘ is identical with ShB‘. of joy.” Do not read [the word pointed as] sova' ("fullness") but [as] sheva' ("seven"). So also did David say (in Ps. 119:164), “With seven a day do I praise You.4M. Pss. 81:3; PR 21:1. A more traditional translation of Ps. 119:164 would read: SEVEN TIMES A DAY DO I PRAISE YOU. Moreover, in the days of the messiah it will be made with eight [strings]. Therefore David has stated concerning the instrumental music (in Ps. 6:1), “For the leader; with instrumental music on the eight-stringed harp.” Furthermore in the future it will be made of ten [strings] as stated (in Ps. 144:9), “O God, let me sing to You a new song; let me play for You on a ten-stringed harp.” And who ordained them? Samuel and David, as stated (in I Chron. 9:22), “David and Samuel the seer ordained them in their office of trust.” Moreover, they [were the ones who] set up the divisions for singing. Now the Levites would stand on their platform and sing before the One who spoke for the world to come into being. See the love with which the Holy One, blessed be He, loved the Levites. So from the beginning the Holy One, blessed be He, chose them to serve Him. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “The Levites are extremely dear to Me. Take them in My name for a position of authority.” From where is it shown? From what they read on the matter (in Numb. 8:6), “Take the Levites.”