Selection of the Priests and Levites/2

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Selection of the Priests and Levites

Exegetical Approaches

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Patriarchal Period

The tribe of Levi was singled out to be Levites and Priests already in the time of the Patriarchs.

Why was the Levite tribe chosen?
  • Actions in Shechem – According to Jubilees,4 Levi's avenging of Dinah's honor in Shechem merited his future tribe to become Levites and Priests.5
  • Moshe's Family – Shemot Rabbah in contrast, implies that it was the elevated character of Moshe's specific family that merited the positions.6  The midrash suggests that Moshe himself was originally destined for the priesthood, while Aharon was to be a Levite, but after Moshe's repeated refusals of Hashem's mission at the burning bush, Hashem punished him by switching the roles.
הֲנִגְלֹה נִגְלֵיתִי אֶל בֵּית אָבִיךָ...לִי לְכֹהֵן – According to R. Yosef Kimchi, this verse in Shemuel supports an early appointment, since it states that already in Egypt Hashem revealed Himself to the House of Levi and chose them to serve him as priests.
The "Kohanim" of Shemot 19 – This position could suggest that the usage of the word Kohanim here is identical to that in the rest of Tanakh, and refers to Aharon's sons who have already been appointed.   This might be supported by the similar cast of characters that are mentioned both in this verse (Moshe, Aharon, the Kohanim and nation) and in the somewhat parallel verse of Shemot 24:1 (Moshe, Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, and Elders.)7
Sacrifices before the Mishkan – According to this approach, the "נַעֲרֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" who bring offerings at Sinai in Shemot 24 might also refer to Aharon's sons.  It is not clear, however, why they would be referred to in this manner rather than by either their names or title.8   
Levites and the Golden Calf – According to this position, it is possible that the Levites were not chosen because they were the only ones to heed Moshe's call and stand for Hashem, but rather it was they who specifically stood for Hashem, because they had already been designated to serve God.
Firstborns

Before the Sin of the Golden Calf

The Priests were designated before the Sin of the Golden Calf, in preparation for the erection of the Mishkan.  This positions subdivides regarding when the Levites were chosen.

Together with the Priests

After the Priests

In the Aftermath of the Sin of the Golden Calf