וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

דַּבֵּר֙ אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֵלָ֑יו בְּהַעֲלֹֽתְךָ֙ אֶת־הַנֵּרֹ֔ת אֶל־מוּל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הַמְּנוֹרָ֔ה יָאִ֖ירוּ שִׁבְעַ֥ת הַנֵּרֽוֹת׃

Speak to Aaron, and say to him: When you kindle the lamps, the seven lamps shall illuminate toward the front of the candelabrum, the middle branch, which forms the body of the candelabrum. The branches of the candelabrum culminated with lamps, which were vessels that held the oil and wicks with a spout that could be turned in any direction. Aaron was commanded to ensure that these spouts would face the middle branch of the candelabrum. Alternatively, some commentaries explain that this verse means that the spouts should face the area in front of the candelabrum, either the curtain separating the Sanctuary from the Holy of Holies or the table for the showbread.

וַיַּ֤עַשׂ כֵּן֙ אַהֲרֹ֔ן אֶל־מוּל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הַמְּנוֹרָ֔ה הֶעֱלָ֖ה נֵרֹתֶ֑יהָ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃

Aaron did so; toward the front of the candelabrum he kindled its lamps, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

וְזֶ֨ה מַעֲשֵׂ֤ה הַמְּנֹרָה֙ מִקְשָׁ֣ה זָהָ֔ב עַד־יְרֵכָ֥הּ עַד־פִּרְחָ֖הּ מִקְשָׁ֣ה הִ֑וא כַּמַּרְאֶ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֶרְאָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֔ה כֵּ֥ן עָשָׂ֖ה אֶת־הַמְּנֹרָֽה׃ (פ)

This is the craftsmanship of the candelabrum: Hammered gold; from its base to its decorative flowers on its branches, it is hammered; the entire candelabrum was sculpted from one piece of gold, without welding or otherwise attaching other pieces. Like the vision that the Lord showed Moses, so he crafted the candelabrum. From the descriptions in the Torah, it is difficult to fully understand what the candelabrum was supposed to look like, including the shape and number of its decorative knobs and flowers. Consequently, God showed Moses an image of the candelabrum on Mount Sinai, and then Moses was able to instruct the artisans as to its construction.

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

קַ֚ח אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֔ם מִתּ֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְטִהַרְתָּ֖ אֹתָֽם׃

Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and purify them.

וְכֹֽה־תַעֲשֶׂ֤ה לָהֶם֙ לְטַֽהֲרָ֔ם הַזֵּ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מֵ֣י חַטָּ֑את וְהֶעֱבִ֤ירוּ תַ֙עַר֙ עַל־כָּל־בְּשָׂרָ֔ם וְכִבְּס֥וּ בִגְדֵיהֶ֖ם וְהִטֶּהָֽרוּ׃

So shall you do to them, to purify them: Sprinkle upon them purification water from a red heifer (see 19:1–13), and they shall pass a razor over all their flesh, shaving off all the hair on their heads, beards and bodies, and they shall wash their clothes and become pure by immersing in a ritual bath.

וְלָֽקְחוּ֙ פַּ֣ר בֶּן־בָּקָ֔ר וּמִנְחָת֔וֹ סֹ֖לֶת בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשָּׁ֑מֶן וּפַר־שֵׁנִ֥י בֶן־בָּקָ֖ר תִּקַּ֥ח לְחַטָּֽאת׃

They, the Levites, shall take a young bull as a burnt offering, and its meal offering, made from high-quality flour mixed with oil; and a second young bull you, Moses, shall take as a sin offering as part of their purification process.

וְהִקְרַבְתָּ֙ אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְהִ֨קְהַלְתָּ֔ אֶֽת־כָּל־עֲדַ֖ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

You shall bring the Levites before the Tent of Meeting and

וְהִקְרַבְתָּ֥ אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֖ם לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְסָמְכ֧וּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־הַלְוִיִּֽם׃

You shall bring the Levites before the Lord; and the representatives of the children of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites. The representatives may have been the Sanhedrin or the firstborn, who were replaced by the Levites. The laying of the hands in this ceremony was parallel to the rite of one who brings an offering, who must lay his hands upon the head of the offering he brings. By this act, the Levites were designated as a sort of offering, consecrated by the nation to work in the Tabernacle instead of the firstborn and to act as representatives of the entire nation.

וְהֵנִיף֩ אַהֲרֹ֨ן אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֤ם תְּנוּפָה֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה מֵאֵ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהָי֕וּ לַעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֥ת יְהוָֽה׃

Aaron shall wave the Levites as a wave offering before the Lord from the children of Israel, and they shall be designated to perform the service of the Lord. Similar to an offering, the Levites were bestowed with a special status, for which they had to undergo preparatory rites parallel to those of an offering. Just as a priest waves parts of certain offerings, so Aaron was commanded to wave the Levites. This was a difficult procedure that required great physical strength.

וְהַלְוִיִּם֙ יִסְמְכ֣וּ אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֔ם עַ֖ל רֹ֣אשׁ הַפָּרִ֑ים וַ֠עֲשֵׂה אֶת־הָאֶחָ֨ד חַטָּ֜את וְאֶת־הָאֶחָ֤ד עֹלָה֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־הַלְוִיִּֽם׃

The children of Israel shall lay their hands on the heads of the Levites, and the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the two bulls, which are the offerings actually sacrificed on the altar; and you shall perform the one as a sin offering, and the one as a burnt offering, to the Lord, to atone for the Levites.

וְהַֽעֲמַדְתָּ֙ אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֔ם לִפְנֵ֥י אַהֲרֹ֖ן וְלִפְנֵ֣י בָנָ֑יו וְהֵנַפְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֛ם תְּנוּפָ֖ה לַֽיהוָֽה׃

You shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and before his sons, and you, Moses, shall also wave them as a wave offering to the Lord as part of their rite of sanctification.

וְהִבְדַּלְתָּ֙ אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֔ם מִתּ֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהָ֥יוּ לִ֖י הַלְוִיִּֽם׃

You shall separate the Levites from the midst of the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine as My honor guard.