1)

Why does the Tirah switch from the Lashon "le'Mishpechosan le'Veis Avosam", which it uses by the other tribes, to "le'Veis Avosam le'Mishpechosan "?

1.

Oznayim la'Torah: Because "Beis Avosam" by the Levi'im refers to Gershon, K'has and Merari - which is the equivalent of the tribe by all the others - and is not sunonymous with "Beis Avosam" by al the other tribes - in which takes it obviously comes before "Mishpechosam".

2)

Why were the Levi'im counted only from the age of thirty days and not from birth?

1.

Rashi: Because the first thirty days after a person is born he is a Safek Nefel (miscarriage). From the moment that he leaves that Safek, however, he falls under the category of 'Shomer Mishmeres ha'Kodesh". 1

2.

Rashbam: Because since they were coming to redeem the firstborn, who could only be redeemed after thirty days, 2 they too, were counted from thirty days (even though they were not yet fit to perform the Avodah - Oznayim la'Torah).


1

Rashi (citing R. Yehudah b'R. Shalom): The tribe of Levi was already accustomed to being counted from birth, as the Pasuk states in Pinchas, 26:59 (regarding the birth of Yocheved) "asher Yaldah osah le'Levi be'Mizrayim" (Levi's wife bore her to Levi in Egypt) - as they entered Egypt. And she completed the count of the 'seventy souls who came down to Egypt' (See Rashi).

2

Refer to 3:15:1:1.

3)

Why does the Torah not mention Aharon here, like it does later in 3:59?

1.

Ramban: Hashem instructed Moshe alone to count them, and it was Moshe, of his own accord, who asked Aharon to join him, since he was the Nasi of Shevet Levi. 1


1

Ramban: Just like the Nesi'im of the other tribes joined Moshe and Aharon when they counted them.

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