(Devarim, 33:9) (Levi) "who said of his father and of his mother (in the incident of the golden calf) 'I have not seen them.'": Now would it enter your mind that Levi served idolatry? Is it not already written (Shemoth 32:26) "And Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and he said 'Whoever is for the L-rd, (let him come) to me!' And there gathered unto him all the sons of Levi"? "his father," then (is to be understood as) his mother's Israelite (i.e., non-Levite) father, (whom he killed as commanded). "and his brothers he did not recognize": his maternal brothers by an Israelite. "and his sons he did not know": The son of his daughter by an Israelite.
Variantly: "For they kept Your commandment": in Egypt. "and they observed Your covenant": in the desert, (the Levites, unlike the other tribes, having circumcised their sons in the desert).
(דברים לג ט) הָאוֹמֵר לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ לֹא רְאִיתִיו, עָלַת עַל לֵב שֶׁלֵּוִי עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה? וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר (שמות לב כו): ״וַיַּעֲמֹד מֹשֶׁה בְּשַׁעַר הַמַּחֲנֶה״! אֶלָּא זֶה אֲבִי אִמּוֹ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. וְאֶת אֶחָיו לֹא הִכִּיר, זֶה אֲחִי אִמּוֹ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. וְאֶת בָּנָיו לֹא יָדָע, זֶה בֶּן בִּתּוֹ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל.
(Devarim, 33:9) (Levi) "who said of his father and of his mother (in the incident of the golden calf) 'I have not seen them.'": Now would it enter your mind that Levi served idolatry? Is it not already written (Shemoth 32:26) "And Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and he said 'Whoever is for the L-rd, (let him come) to me!' And there gathered unto him all the sons of Levi"? "his father," then (is to be understood as) his mother's Israelite (i.e., non-Levite) father, (whom he killed as commanded). "and his brothers he did not recognize": his maternal brothers by an Israelite. "and his sons he did not know": The son of his daughter by an Israelite.
כִּי שָׁמְרוּ אִמְרָתֶךָ, בְּמִצְרַיִם. וּבְרִיתְךָ יִנְצֹרוּ, בַּמִּדְבָּר.
"For they kept your commandment": against idolatry. "and they observed Your covenant": of circumcision.
דָּבָר אַחֵר: כִּי שָׁמְרוּ אִמְרָתֶךָ – בְּמִצְרַיִם, וּבְרִיתְךָ יִנְצֹרוּ – בַּמְרַגְּלִים.
Variantly: "For they kept Your commandment": in Egypt. "and they observed Your covenant": in the desert, (the Levites, unlike the other tribes, having circumcised their sons in the desert).