Why does the Torah repeat the words "Elef la'Mateh"?
Oznayim la'Torah (citing Chazal): Because Moshe conscripted two thousand per tribe, one thousand to fight and one thousand to guard the Keilim.
Why does the Torah insert the word "le'Chol Matos Yisrael "?
Rashi: To include the tribe of Levi. 1
Oznayim la'Torah: To include the tribe of Shimon - despite the plague following the sin of Ba'al Pe'or that took twenty-four thousand lives, for which their Nasi was responsible. 2
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that "le'Chol Matos Yisrael" includes the tribe of Levi. If so, they should have numbered thirteen thousand?
Refer to 31:4:2:1*.
R. Chaim Paltiel and Moshav Zekenim #1: Because the tribes of Yisrael (excluding Levi) numbered twelve thousand.
Moshav Zekenim #2: Only a small number were sent from Levi (much less than a thousand, and the Torah did not detail the small excess of soldiers above twelve thousand).
