ELIEZER MELAMED: Bnei Gershon carried the covering of the Tabernacle – its tapestries, the over-tent and roof, and the enclosure’s hangings. The outer covering of the mishkan is also very important. True, the primary interest is what goes on inside the Tabernacle through the use of the vessels, but all of the vessels received their stimulus from their surroundings.In other words, the Tabernacle’s vessels allude to ohr ha’penimi [the inner-light], and the Tabernacle’s tapestries allude to ohr makif [surrounding light]. In order to understand this concept, it must first be explained that G-d’s light [life-force] with which He illuminates the world, is divided into two: ohr penimi, and ohr makif. The comprehensible portion is the ohr penimi, which we are able to assimilate in our thoughts and feelings, and actually guides our lives.The portion that is beyond our ability to comprehend acts as an ohr makif, and although we are unable to encompass it, nevertheless, it envelops us and has a decisively influential inspiration on our lives. Indeed, the Tabernacle’s tapestries were especially beautiful, giving expression to matters that are beyond our comprehension, but envelop and surround us, offering us inspiration.One of the tasks of the Levites was to sing and play music at the time sacrifices were performed. Songs give expression to a longing for something beyond our perception. Kehat deal with the comprehensible, while bnei Gershon express the longing for what is beyond the explicable. Even their name alludes to this: Gershon from the Hebrew word ger [stranger], for man is like a stranger in this world, his soul longing for closeness to G-d and Divinity. These yearnings are expressed in song.
JEWISH VIRTUAL LIBRARY: Apparently, the families of Dan were absorbed by Naphtali;
