[Avodah] How were Levi'I'm Counted?

[Ken Bloom]

On Sun, 2009-05-24 at 23:07 +0000, rabbirichwolpoe at gmail.com wrote:
> Rashi Bamidbar 3:16 
> Levi'I'm were counted "al pi Hashem"
> 
> Does this imply that they did not use Mahatzis Hasheqel?
> 
> Do any Midrashim or Mefarshim elaborate upon this method?

You should take note that the Emek Davar says that Mahatzit HaShekel
wasn't used for even the census of Yisraelim in parshat Bemidbar.
Rather, he explains that במספר שמות means that each person to be counted
brought a slip of paper with his name on it, and put it into a box, and
it is those slips of paper that were counted.

--Ken
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