במדבר, פרק ד׳, פסוק ל׳

The Levite families were entrusted with the massive undertaking of transporting the Tabernacle through the desert, with each group assigned a highly specific physical component of the sanctuary. The family of Gershon was responsible for the curtains and coverings, essentially the fabric that made up the tent itself. As a result, their duties are conceptually characterized as working within the tent. In contrast, the family of Merari carried the heavy boards and sockets that formed the structural skeleton of the building. Because they managed the foundational frame rather than the fabric, their role is defined as performing the work of the tent itself [אור החיים].

This clear distinction in their physical duties affects how their overall service is recorded. For the other Levite families, whose tasks shared similar descriptions, additional terms for their service were necessary to differentiate their specific roles. However, because the structural nature of Merari’s work already set them apart so clearly, a single, straightforward term is sufficient to describe their service [אור החיים].