Parashat Beha’alotecha

Dedication of the Levites

8 Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ² “Speak to Aaron and say to him: When you erect the lamps, the seven lamps are to illuminate the area in front of the menorah.” ³ Aaron did so. He erected the lamps facing forward so they illuminated the area in front of the menorah, just as Adonai had commanded Moses. ⁴ Now this is how the menorah was made: hammered gold from its base to its blossoms. Just as was the pattern that Adonai had shown to Moses, so he made the menorah.

⁵ Again Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ⁶ “Take the Levites from among Bnei-Yisrael and ceremonially cleanse them. ⁷ This is what you must do to them to make them clean: Sprinkle the purifying water on them,^[a] then have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes, thus purifying themselves.

⁸ “Then they are to take a young bull with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, plus a second young bull for a sin offering. ⁹ Bring the Levites before the Tent of Meeting, and gather the whole community of Bnei-Yisrael. ¹⁰ Bring the Levites before Adonai, Bnei-Yisrael will lay their hands on the Levites, ¹¹ and Aaron will present the Levites before Adonai as a wave offering from Bnei-Yisrael. Then they may go about the work of the service of Adonai.

¹² “The Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls. Use one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to Adonai to make atonement for the Levites. ¹³ Have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons and present them as a wave offering to Adonai. ¹⁴ In this way you are to set apart the Levites from Bnei-Yisrael to be Mine.