1 And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them;
2 That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered:
3 And they brought their offering before the Lord, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle.
4 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
5 Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.
6 And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites.
7 Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service:
8 And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
9 But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders.
10 And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes offered their offering before the altar.
11 And the Lord said unto Moses, They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar.
12 And he that offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah:
13 And his offering was one silver charger, the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
14 One spoon of ten shekels of gold, full of incense:
15 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
16 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
17 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
18 On the second day Nethaneel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, did offer:
19 He offered for his offering one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
20 One spoon of gold of ten shekels, full of incense:
21 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
22 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
23 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nethaneel the son of Zuar.
24 On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zebulun, did offer:
25 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
26 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
27 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
28 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
29 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.
30 On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the children of Reuben, did offer:
31 His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
32 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
33 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
34 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
35 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.
36 On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon, did offer:
37 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
38 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
39 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
40 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
41 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
42 On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince of the children of Gad, offered:
43 His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, a silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
44 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
45 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
46 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
47 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
48 On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim, offered:
49 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
50 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
51 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
52 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
53 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.
54 On the eighth day offered Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, prince of the children of Manasseh:
55 His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
56 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
57 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
58 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
59 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
60 On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin, offered:
61 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
62 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
63 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
64 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
65 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.
66 On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, prince of the children of Dan, offered:
67 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
68 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
69 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
70 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
71 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
72 On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ocran, prince of the children of Asher, offered:
73 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
74 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
75 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
76 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
77 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ocran.
78 On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince of the children of Naphtali, offered:
79 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
80 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
81 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
82 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
83 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.
84 This was the dedication of the altar, in the day when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel: twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, twelve spoons of gold:
85 Each charger of silver weighing an hundred and thirty shekels, each bowl seventy: all the silver vessels weighed two thousand and four hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
86 The golden spoons were twelve, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, after the shekel of the sanctuary: all the gold of the spoons was an hundred and twenty shekels.
87 All the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve bullocks, the rams twelve, the lambs of the first year twelve, with their meat offering: and the kids of the goats for sin offering twelve.
88 And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he goats sixty, the lambs of the first year sixty. This was the dedication of the altar, after that it was anointed.
89 And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.
h.ויהי ביום כלות משה AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE DAY THAT MOSES HAD FINISHED [RAISING THE TABERNACLE] — The word כלות is written defective (without ו after the ל) thus indicating: on the day that the Tabernacle was erected Israel was like a bride (כלה) who goes beneath the marriage canopy (Midrash Tanchuma, Nasso 20). (Cf. Rashi on Exodus 31:18.)
h.כלות משה MOSES HAD FINISHED — Bezalel and Ohaliab and all the wise-hearted men made the Tabernacle (cf. Exodus 36:1), but Scripture attributes it to Moses (describes it as his work), because he devoted himself wholeheartedly to it, to see that the shape of each article was exactly as He had shewn him on the mountain — to show the workmen how it should be made; nor did he err in a single shape. — A similar thing do we find in the case of David: because he devoted himself to the building of the Holy Temple, — as it is said, (Psalms 132:1—5) “Lord, remember David, and all his affliction: How he swore unto the Lord … [I will not give sleep to mine eyes … until I find out a place for the Lord …]”, therefore it is called by his name, as it is said, (1 Kings 12:16) “Now see your own house, David“ (Midrash Tanchuma, Nasso 13).
h.כלות משה להקים [AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE DAY] THAT MOSES HAD FINISHED SETTING UP [THE TABERNACLE] — but it is not said, “on the day Moses set up”; this (the phrase כלות … להקים, “had finished setting up”) teaches us that during each of the seven days of installation Moses used to erect and dismantle it (the Tabernacle), but on that day (the eighth) he erected it but did not again dismantle it; for this reason it is said: “on the day that (Moses) finished setting up” — i.e. on that day his several erections of it came to an end. — It was the New Moon (the first day) of Nisan (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 9:1 and Note thereon), on the second the Red Heifer was burnt, on the third they (the Levites) were sprinkled for the first time with the water in which its ashes were mingled (cf. Rashi on 8:7), and on the seventh day, after having been again sprinkled, they shaved their bodies and were ready to enter on their duties (cf. 8:6—7) (Sifrei Bamidbar 44).
h.הם נשיאי המטת THESE ARE THE LEADERS OF THE TRIBES — They were the officers [appointed] over them in Egypt, and they were beaten on account of them, as it says (Exodus 5:14),“The officers of the children of Israel were beaten” (Sifrei Bamidbar 45).
h.הם העמדים על הפקדים THEY WHO STOOD OVER THE COUNTING — They stood with Moses and Aaron when they counted the Israelites, as it says,“With you [Moses and Aaron] there shall be [a man from each tribe]” (Numbers 1:4).
h.שש עגלת צב SIX COVERED WAGGONS — The word צב means “covered over”. Similar is, (Isaiah 66:20) “(And they shall bring all your brethren …] in covered wagons (בצבים) and upon mules”, where covered wagons are called צבים without the addition of a word denoting “wagons” (Sifrei Bamidbar 46 1).
h.ויקרבו אותם לפני המשכן AND THEY BROUGHT THEM BEFORE THE TABERNACLE — because Moses would not accept them (the gifts) at their (the princes’) hands until he was so bidden by the mouth of the Omnipresent (cf. v. 5). — Rabbi Nathan said: What reason had the princes to give their contributions here first of all the people, whereas at the work of the Tabernacle they were not the first but the last to contribute? But — he replied — the princes spoke thus: “Let the community in general contribute all they wish to give and then what will then be lacking we shall supply”. As soon as they saw that the community gave everything needed in its entirety (lit., that the community completed everything) — as it said, (Exodus 36:7) “For the stuff they had was enough [for all the work to make it]” — the princes asked, ‘What can we now do’? Therefore they brought the onyx stones, and stones for setting for the Ephod and for the breast plate. That is why they were here the first to contribute” (Sifrei Bamidbar 46 1).
h.כפי עבדתם [TWO WAGGONS AND FOUR OXEN HE GAVE UNTO THE SONS OF GERSHON,] ACCORDING TO THEIR SERVICE — only two wagons and four oxen, whilst the sons of Merari were given twice as many, because the burden of the sons of Gershon was lighter than that of the sons of Merari since they carried the boards, the columns and the sockets.
h.כי עבדת הקדש עלהם [BUT TO THE SONS OF KOHATH HE GAVE NONE (NO WAGGONS)] BECAUSE THE עבדת הקדש BELONGS UNTO THEM — (not the service of the Sanctuary devolved upon them, but the service in connection with) carrying the most holy objects: the ark, the table, etc. was incumbent upon them, therefore בכתף ישאו they should carry upon their shoulders (not in wagons).
h.ויקריבו הנשאים את חנכת המזבח AND THE PRINCES OFFERED FOR DEDICATING THE ALTAR — After they had presented the waggons and the oxen for carrying the Tabernacle, their heart prompted them to present offerings for the altar, in order to dedicate it (Here, ויקריבו denotes: they offered sacrifice).
h.ויקריבו הנשיאם את קרבנם לפני המזבח AND THE PRINCES BROUGHT THEIR OFFERING BEFORE THE ALTAR, because Moses would not accept them at their hands until he was so bidden by the mouth of the Almighty (Sifrei Bamidbar 47).
h.יקריבו את קרבנם לחנכת המזבח THEY SHALL OFFER THEIR OFFERING, [EACH PRINCE ON HIS DAY] FOR THE DEDICATING OF THE ALTAR — but Moses did not yet know how they were to bring their offerings — whether according to the order of their birth (i.e. according to the order in which the sons of Jacob after whom the tribes were named were born, in which case the prince of the tribe of Reuben would have offered first), or according to the order in which they moved off on the journeys, (when Judah would be the first), until he was told by the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He: “according to the order on the journeys shall they offer” — yet each prince on his day (and not three together as they actually journeyed) (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 47).
h.ביום הראשון ON THE FIRST DAY — That day received ten crowns (was distinguished in ten different ways): it was the same day as was the first day of Creation, the first day on which the princes offered etc., as it is set forth in Seder Olam 7 (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 9:1 and Note 2 thereon).
h.למטה יהודה [NACHSHON THE SON OF AMINADAB,] OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH — By these words Scripture merely states his genealogy after his tribe, and they do not mean that he collected the offerings from his tribe and offered them on their behalf. Or perhaps it does state למטה יהודה only to intimate that he collected the offerings from his tribe and then brought them? Scripture, however, states, (v. 17): this was the offering of Nachshon — he brought it of that which was his own (Sifrei Bamidbar 48).
h.שניהם מלאים סלת BOTH OF THEM WERE FULL OF FINE FLOUR — for a free-will meal-offering.
h.עשרה זהב — Understand this as the Targum does: there was in it (it contained) the weight of ten shekels of the Sanctuary.
h.מלאה קטרת FULL OF FRANKINCENSE — We do not find frankincense prescribed as an offering for an individual, nor to have been offered on the outer altar except this one alone; this offering of frankincense by the princes was therefore an הוראת שעה, a temporary measure (Menachot 50b).
h.פר אחד ONE BULLOCK — i.e. that which is unique (מיוחד) in the herd (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 50).
h.שעיר עזים אחד לחטאת ONE KID OF THE GOATS FOR A SIN-OFFERING, to make expiation for uncleanness caused by a grave in the depths of the earth, (i.e. one that is not known to exist and it might therefore be assumed that people passed over it and thereby unwittingly became unclean), which was only a doubtful uncleanness (one about which there exists a doubt as to whether it actually has been incurred or not) (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 51).
h.הקריב נתנאל בן צוער… הקרב את קרבנו NETANEL BROUGHT HIS OFFERING…HE BROUGHT HIS OFFERING: Why is the word הִקְרִב, “brought [his offering],” used in connection with the tribe of Issachar, but is not used in connection with any of the [other] tribes? Because [the tribe of] Reuben came and complained, “Is it not enough that my brother Judah has preceded me? Let me [at least] offer up after him.” Moses said to him,“I was told by the Almighty that they should offer up in the order in which they travel, according to their divisions.” This is why it says: הִקְרִב אֶת קָרְבָּנוֹ, [in which the word הִקְרִב is] missing a“yud,” [thus] giving it the meaning of הַקְרֵב, in the imperative for he was commanded by the Almighty,“Bring the offering!” What is the meaning of הִקְרִב … הִקְרִב, twice? For because of two reasons he [Issachar] merited to be the second of the tribes to offer their sacrifices: One, because they were [well] versed in the Torah, as it says,“And of the sons of Issachar, those who had understanding of the times” (I Chron. 12:32). Another, because they advised the princes to contribute these offerings (Sifrei Bamidbar 53). In the treatise of Rabbi Moses Hadarshan [“the preacher”], I found [the following]: Rabbi Pinchas the son of Yair says [that] Netanel the son of Zu’ar gave them this idea.
h.קערת כסף — The numerical value of its letters (of the letters of these two words) is 930 corresponding to the years of Adam ha-Rishon (Numbers Rabbah 14:12).
h.שלשים ומאה משקלה THE WEIGHT THEREOF WAS AN HUNDRED AND THIRTY SHEKELS — in allusion to the fact that when he (Adam) first raised children to maintain the world in existence he was 130 years old, for it is said, (Genesis 5:3) “and Adam lived a hundred and thirty years and then begat [a son]” (Numbers Rabbah 14:12).
h.מזרק אחד כסף — The numerical value of these words is 520, being an allusion to Noah who begot children at the age of 500 and also an allusion to the twenty years before his offspring were born when the decree regarding the flood was made (thus together 520 years) — just as I have set forth in my comment upon the verse (Genesis 6:3): “yet his days shall be 120 years”. — It is for this reason that it is here said, מזרק אחד כסף and it is not said, מזרק כסף אחד, the number being placed at the end of the phrase, as it is said of the charger (קערת כסף אחת), — to indicate that the letters of the word אחד, too, should be taken into account in this reckoning (Numbers Rabbah 14:12).
h.שבעים שקל SEVENTY SHEKELS — corresponding to the seventy nations that descended from his (Noah’s) sons (Numbers Rabbah 14:12).
h.כף) כף אחת also denotes “hand”) — in allusion to the Torah that was given from the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He (Numbers Rabbah 13:16).
h.עשרה זהב — TEN SHEKELS, GOLD — corresponding to the Ten Commandments (Numbers Rabbah 13:16).
h.מלאה קטרת — The total of the word קטרת according to their numerical value is 613, the number of the Biblical commandments, except that you must exchange the קו”ף by דל“ת, according to the “Method of Permutation” known as א׳׳ת ב”ש ג“ר ד”ק (by which the first letter of the Alphabet may take the place of the last, the second that of the one before last etc.) (Numbers Rabbah 13:16).
h.פר אחד ONE BULLOCK, [A YOUNG ONE, בן בקר] — in allusion to Abraham of whom it states, (Genesis 18:7) “And he took a young bull (בן בקר)“ (Numbers Rabbah 13:14).
h.איל אחד ONE RAM — in allusion to Isaac, with reference to whom Scripture states, (Genesis XXII 13) “and he (Abraham) took the ram (האיל) [and offered it up … in the stead of his son]” (Numbers Rabbah 13:14).
h.כבש אחד ONE LAMB — in allusion to Jacob of whom Scripture states, (Genesis 30:40) “and Jacob did separate the lambs” (Numbers Rabbah 13:14).
h.שעיר עזים [ONE] KID OF THE GOATS — in order to make expiation for the “selling of Joseph” with reference to whom it states, (Genesis 37:31) “and they slaughtered a kid of the goats” (Numbers Rabbah 13:13).
h.אילם כבשים ועתדים — three species — in allusion to the three divisions of the nation: priests, Levites and ordinary Israelites, and also in allusion to the Pentateuch, the Prophets and the Hagiographa, the three sections of the Holy Scriptures. There are three times “five”, in allusion to the “Five Books of Moses”, to the five Commandments written on one of the Tablets and to the five written on the other (Numbers Rabbah 14:10). Thus far have I found in the work of R. Moshe the Preacher.
h.ביום השלישי וגו׳ means, ON THE THIRD DAY, THE PRINCE who offered WAS OF THE SONS OF ZEBULUN, and similar is the meaning of the parallel statement in the case of all of them (all the other tribes). In the case of Nethaneel, however, of whom it is stated, (v. 18) הקריב “[on the second day] did Nethaneel the son of Zuar offer”, it is appropriate to use after it the phrase: “the prince of Issachar”, since it has already mentioned his name and the fact that he offered, whilst in the case of the others of whom it is not stated “he offered”, this phrase is the appropriate one, viz., the prince belonging to the sons of that-and-that tribe, when the meaning of the entire sentence is: on that day the prince who offered was of the sons of so-and-so.
h.ביום המשח אתו [THIS WAS THE DEDICATION OFFERING OF THE ALTAR] IN THE DAY WHEN IT WAS ANOINTED — This implies that on the very same day that it was anointed an offering was brought; but how, then, can I explain, (v. 88) “[This was dedication of the altar] after that it was anointed”? As intimating that it was first anointed and afterwards — but still on the same day — the offering was brought. Or, perhaps, these words אחרי המשח mean “some time (i.e. many days) after it was anointed”, and the phrase here ביום המשח אתו is merely intended to intimate that it was anointed during the day-time (and not at night)! This cannot be so, because when it states, (Leviticus 7:36) “In the day that he anointed them (Aaron and his sons)” we learn that it (the altar) was anointed during the day-time. What, then, must be the meaning of ביום המשח here? What we first suggested — that on the very same day that it was anointed the offering was brought (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 53).
h.קערת כסף שתים עשרה TWELVE CHARGERS OF SILVER — This intimates: these are the same chargers which they had brought as free-will gifts and nothing to disqualify them had happened to them in the meantime (Sifrei Bamidbar 53).
h.שלשים ומאה הקערה אחת וגו׳ EACH CHARGER OF SILVER WEIGHING AN HUNDRED AND THIRTY SHEKELS etc. — Why is this stated at all since it has already been staled several times? But because it has only been said “the weight thereof was 130 shekels”, but it does not explain according to which shekel this is reckoned, it (Scripture) therefore repeats it (the number of shekels) here and then makes a general statement with regard to all of them: “all the silver of the vessels was [two thousand and four hundred shekels] after the shekels of the Sanctuary”.
h.כל כסף הכלים ALL THE SILVER OF THE VESSELS [WAS TWO THOUSAND AND FOUR HUNDRED SHEKELS etc.] — By giving the sum total of the shekels it teaches you that the vessels of the Sanctuary had their weight exact (thus e.g. a bowl of 70 shekels was exactly 70, neither more nor less) — whether one weighed them each separately or whether one weighed them all together he got neither more nor less than it should have been ( Sifrei Bamidbar 54).
h.כפות זהב שתים עשרה THE GOLDEN SPOONS WERE TWELVE — Why is this stated at all, since we have been told that twelve princes brought each one spoon? But because it is stated in each instance: “one spoon עשרה זהב”, I might explain it either as meaning: it was of gold but its weight was ten shekels of silver, or, perhaps, not so, but it means: one spoon of silver and the weight thereof ten gold-shekels — and the gold-shekels have not their weight equal to those of silver-shekels — Scripture therefore states here, “golden spoons” — the spoons themselves were of gold ( Sifrei Bamidbar 55).
h.ובבא משה AND WHEN MOSES CAME [INTO THE TENT OF MEETING … THEN HE HEARD THE VOICE SPEAKING UNTO HIM FROM OFF THE COVERING THAT WAS UPON THE ARK OF THE TESTIMONY] — When two Scriptural verses apparently contradict each other there comes a third and reconciles them. We have got such a case here: one verse says, (Leviticus 1:1) “[And the Lord called unto Moses] and spoke unto him out of the appointed tent”, which was outside the Vail, and another verse says, (Exodus 25:22). “And I shall speak unto thee from off the Ark-lid”, thus within the Vail — then this (our verse) comes and reconciles them: Moses entered the appointed tent, and there he heard the Voice which came from above the Ark-lid, from between the two Cherubim — the Voice issued from Heaven unto the space between the two Cherubim, and from there it issued into the appointed tent where it was heard by Moses. (Sifrei Bamidbar 58 1; cf. Rashi on Exodus 25:22.)
h.וישמע את הקול AND HE HEARD THE VOICE — One might think it was a very low voice! Scripture, however, states “the Voice” (with the definite article — the well-known Voice) — it was that thunderous Voice with which He spoke to him on Sinai, and yet when it reached the door of the appointed tent it broke off and did not issue beyond the appointed tent (and therefore it states Leviticus 1:1 מאהל מועד from the appointed tent, and not באהל מועד, because the Voice confined itself to the Interior of the אהל מועד; see Rashi on Leviticus 1:1) (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 58:2).
h.מדבר is the same as מתדבר (it is the Hitphael form with assimiliated ת) — “He heard the Voice uttering itself”. It is out of reverence for the Most High God that Scripture speaks thus: “The Voice was speaking to itself”, and Moses would listen in (i. e., he could not help hearing it).
h.וידבר אליו AND HE SPOKE UNTO HIM — unto him: thus excluding Aaron from the Divine communications (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 1:1, s. v. אליו).