The separate status of the tribe of Levi is an enigmatic tenet of Judaism. For whoever wants to ponder the issue, parshat Bamidbar is mandatory reading.
It relates how the tribe of Levi replaced the firstborn to become the clergy of Israel. After Moshe counted every other tribe of Israel, we read: "But you shall not count the tribe of Levi, and you shall not take their census among the Children of Israel." (Bamidbar 1:49) However, a short while later Moshe is commanded to also count the tribe of Levi: "Count the sons of Levi according to their fathers' house, according to their families, every male from one month of age and up shall you count them." (Bamidbar 3:15)
In the light of the positive commandment of Bamidbar 3:15, what can be the intention of the negative commandment of Bamidbar 1:49?
The prohibition is clearly not about counting Levites, per se. Rather, it concerns the manner of counting. Moshe was forbidden to count the tribe of Levi in the way he was commanded to count Israel: "from twenty years of age and up." (Bamidbar 1:3) The number of Levites older than twenty had to be left undetermined. As a direct consequence, the census of Levi and the census of Israel were principally separate. There is no meaningful way to combine the census numbers.
Why were the Levites not counted from age twenty and up? The answer is hidden in the complementary question: Why was Israel counted from age twenty and up? The Torah explains: "from twenty years of age and up, everyone who goes out to the army in Israel." (Bamidbar 1:3) And later on we read: "each one according to his counted ones shall his inheritance be given." (Bamidbar 26:54) In a kind of package deal, the Israelites older than twenty went out to the army and were entitled to an inheritance. By contrast, the Levites were exempt from fighting Israel's wars and they were not entitled to an inheritance in the Land.
The life of the Levite was to be devoted to the spiritual. He was exempt from fighting as a soldier and from working the fields, in order to be free to serve the Almighty and to teach Torah to the nation. In return, the nation was responsible for his sustenance. In our times, the Levite status does not exist in its original form. However, according to the Rambam (Hilchot Shmita v'Yovel 13:12), it is possible for any Jew to take upon himself a Levi-like status.
The true Levite does not flee from the responsibilities of life. He is exempt from certain responsibilities only to take upon himself far greater responsibility. The status of the tribe of Levi within Israel in fact reflects the status of Israel among the nations. Levi is not counted among Israel like Israel is not counted among the nations: "Behold, it is a nation that will dwell in solitude and not be reckoned among the nations." (Bamidbar 23:9) Just like Israel's task is to spiritually lift up the other nations, it is the task of Levi to lift up Israel.
Greater responsibility comes with more serious accountability. The separate counting represents a separate accounting, and judgement according to a different standard. In terms of reward and punishment, this works out in more than one way.
On the one hand, Israel is not punished together with the nations. Onkelos translates the above verse, Bamidbar 23:9, as follows: "Behold a people that is singled out to inherit the world in the future and that will not be condemned to annihilation together with the nations." Likewise, Levi is not punished with Israel: "In this wilderness shall your carcasses drop; all your counted ones in any of your censuses, from twenty years of age and above." (Bamidbar 14:29) The formulation of the punishment implicitly excludes the tribe of Levi, as it was counted differently.
On the other hand, we know that HaShem's accounting with those who are close to Him is very precise. The history of Israel does not leave a shadow of doubt that HaShem metes out rigorous punishment to His nation. The basic principle is perhaps most clearly stated in the Torah after Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aharon, died through a heavenly fire: "I will be sanctified through those who are close to Me." (Vayikra 10:3)
At all times, there is an absolute need of a spiritual legion of students and teachers of Torah. However, every soldier who wants to enlist on a full-time and life-long basis should thoroughly investigate his heart. Is the Levite way of serving Hashem truly your personal calling, or are you using yeshiva studies as a way to avoid army service and working for a living? Are you living up to the responsibility towards HaShem and society that you took upon yourself? In your answer, please keep also the following thought in mind.
The Levite census at the end of the forty years in the desert is summed up as follows: "Their counted ones were twenty-three thousand, every male from one month of age and up, for they were not counted among the Children of Israel, because an inheritance was not given to them among the Children of Israel." (Bamidbar 26:62) The Meshech Chochma teaches that the word "because" refers to the first phrase of the verse: There were only 23,000 Levites because they did not have an inheritance. What is the connection? HaShem kept the tribe of Levi small because He did not want their sustenance to be too big a burden for society!
It relates how the tribe of Levi replaced the firstborn to become the clergy of Israel. After Moshe counted every other tribe of Israel, we read: "But you shall not count the tribe of Levi, and you shall not take their census among the Children of Israel." (Bamidbar 1:49) However, a short while later Moshe is commanded to also count the tribe of Levi: "Count the sons of Levi according to their fathers' house, according to their families, every male from one month of age and up shall you count them." (Bamidbar 3:15)
In the light of the positive commandment of Bamidbar 3:15, what can be the intention of the negative commandment of Bamidbar 1:49?
The prohibition is clearly not about counting Levites, per se. Rather, it concerns the manner of counting. Moshe was forbidden to count the tribe of Levi in the way he was commanded to count Israel: "from twenty years of age and up." (Bamidbar 1:3) The number of Levites older than twenty had to be left undetermined. As a direct consequence, the census of Levi and the census of Israel were principally separate. There is no meaningful way to combine the census numbers.
Why were the Levites not counted from age twenty and up? The answer is hidden in the complementary question: Why was Israel counted from age twenty and up? The Torah explains: "from twenty years of age and up, everyone who goes out to the army in Israel." (Bamidbar 1:3) And later on we read: "each one according to his counted ones shall his inheritance be given." (Bamidbar 26:54) In a kind of package deal, the Israelites older than twenty went out to the army and were entitled to an inheritance. By contrast, the Levites were exempt from fighting Israel's wars and they were not entitled to an inheritance in the Land.
The life of the Levite was to be devoted to the spiritual. He was exempt from fighting as a soldier and from working the fields, in order to be free to serve the Almighty and to teach Torah to the nation. In return, the nation was responsible for his sustenance. In our times, the Levite status does not exist in its original form. However, according to the Rambam (Hilchot Shmita v'Yovel 13:12), it is possible for any Jew to take upon himself a Levi-like status.
The true Levite does not flee from the responsibilities of life. He is exempt from certain responsibilities only to take upon himself far greater responsibility. The status of the tribe of Levi within Israel in fact reflects the status of Israel among the nations. Levi is not counted among Israel like Israel is not counted among the nations: "Behold, it is a nation that will dwell in solitude and not be reckoned among the nations." (Bamidbar 23:9) Just like Israel's task is to spiritually lift up the other nations, it is the task of Levi to lift up Israel.
Greater responsibility comes with more serious accountability. The separate counting represents a separate accounting, and judgement according to a different standard. In terms of reward and punishment, this works out in more than one way.
On the one hand, Israel is not punished together with the nations. Onkelos translates the above verse, Bamidbar 23:9, as follows: "Behold a people that is singled out to inherit the world in the future and that will not be condemned to annihilation together with the nations." Likewise, Levi is not punished with Israel: "In this wilderness shall your carcasses drop; all your counted ones in any of your censuses, from twenty years of age and above." (Bamidbar 14:29) The formulation of the punishment implicitly excludes the tribe of Levi, as it was counted differently.
On the other hand, we know that HaShem's accounting with those who are close to Him is very precise. The history of Israel does not leave a shadow of doubt that HaShem metes out rigorous punishment to His nation. The basic principle is perhaps most clearly stated in the Torah after Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aharon, died through a heavenly fire: "I will be sanctified through those who are close to Me." (Vayikra 10:3)
At all times, there is an absolute need of a spiritual legion of students and teachers of Torah. However, every soldier who wants to enlist on a full-time and life-long basis should thoroughly investigate his heart. Is the Levite way of serving Hashem truly your personal calling, or are you using yeshiva studies as a way to avoid army service and working for a living? Are you living up to the responsibility towards HaShem and society that you took upon yourself? In your answer, please keep also the following thought in mind.
The Levite census at the end of the forty years in the desert is summed up as follows: "Their counted ones were twenty-three thousand, every male from one month of age and up, for they were not counted among the Children of Israel, because an inheritance was not given to them among the Children of Israel." (Bamidbar 26:62) The Meshech Chochma teaches that the word "because" refers to the first phrase of the verse: There were only 23,000 Levites because they did not have an inheritance. What is the connection? HaShem kept the tribe of Levi small because He did not want their sustenance to be too big a burden for society!