Selection of the Priests and Levites/2

Selection of the Priests and Levites

Exegetical Approaches

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Before the Exodus

The tribe of Levi was singled out to be Levites and Priests already in Egypt, and were perhaps chosen even as early as the Patriarchal Period.

Sources:Jubilees30:17-2931:13-2732:1-15About Jubilees, Testaments of LeviTestaments of Levi 9:1-4,¹ Targum Pseudo-JonathanBereshit 32:25About Targum Pseudo-Jonathan,² TanchumaKorach 12About the Tanchuma,³ Shemot Rabbah3:17About Shemot Rabbah, R. Yosef KimchiShemuel I 2:27About R. David Kimchi,

Why was the Levite tribe chosen?

• Actions in Shechem – According to many of these sources⁴ it was Yaakov who sanctified the tribe of Levi for Hashem.  Jubilees maintains that this was a reward for Levi's avenging of Dinah's honor in Shekhem.⁵ For elaboration on its read of the Shekhem story, see Sin and Slaughter of Shekhem.
• Moshe's Family – Shemot Rabbah and R"Y Kimchi, in contrast, suggest that the appointment occurred first in Egypt, with Shemot Rabbah implying 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. Shemot Rabbah5:16About Shemot Rabbah adds that the tribe had special status in Egypt, not sharing in the bondage of the rest of the nation.⁷

"בָּעֵת הַהִוא הִבְדִּיל י"י אֶת שֵׁבֶט הַלֵּוִי" – This verse implies that the tribe was first chosen after the Sin of the Golden Calf.⁸  These sources would suggest that though Levi had been singled out much earlier, it was first with construction of the Mishkan, after the sin, that service was official, with a permanent, regulated  character.

The "כֹּהֲנִים" of Shemot 19 – This position could suggest that the word Kohanim here refers to the same people as it does in the rest of Tanakh:  Aharon's sons who have already been appointed.⁹   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, or the representatives of the nation).¹⁰

Sacrifices before the Mishkan – These sources might maintain that the "נַעֲרֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" who bring offerings at Sinai in Shemot 24  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.¹¹ According to Jubilees, it is possible that all sacrificial worship from the time of Levi and on was done by members of the tribe.

Levites and the Golden Calf – According to this position, it is possible that it was only the Levites who heeded Moshe's call and stood against the idolatry of the Calf specifically because they had already been designated to serve God.¹²

"מִלְאוּ יֶדְכֶם הַיּוֹם לַי"י... לָתֵת עֲלֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם בְּרָכָה" – These sources might explain, as does R. Saadia Gaon, that the words "מִלְאוּ יֶדְכֶם הַיּוֹם לַי"י" constitute Moshe's congratulations to the Levites on their work, but not an induction into service of Hashem.  Though they did receive a blessing and reward for their actions, this was not an elevation in status, which they already had, but a general blessing of good.

Status of the Firstborn – This approach might maintain that the firstborns never held any Levite or priestly status.  They were sanctified in Egypt because they had been saved from the Plague of the Firstborn,¹³ but this was not accompanied by any cultic role.¹⁴

Switching of Levites and Firstborns in Bemidbar 3 – If the firstborns never played a cultic role, it is not clear what it means that the Levites were chosen to serve in their stead.  These sources might explain that the redemption of Bemidbar 3 does not imply a substitution of service, but simply a redemption of the firstborn's holy status.

Korach's Rebellion

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

The Levites and Priests were chosen together.

Sources:R. Yosef Bekhor ShorShemot 19:22Shemot 32:26Shemot 32:29Bemidbar 3:13About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor,

After the Priests

The choosing of the Levites was distinct from the sanctification of the Priests and only occurred after the Sin of the Golden Calf.

Sources:RambanShemot 24:5Shemot 25:2Bemidbar 3:1Bemidbar 3:5Bemidbar 16:19Devarim 10:8About R. Moshe b. Nachman, AbarbanelShemot 19:22Shemot 28:1Shemot 32:29Shemot 35Bemidbar 3:11Devarim 10About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, Keli YekarShemot 28:1Bemidbar 3:13About R. Shelomo Ephraim Lunshitz

In the Aftermath of the Sin of the Golden Calf

After the nation sinned at the Golden Calf, the tribe of Levi was picked for both the priesthood and Levite positions.

Sources:R. Yehuda ibn BalaamBemidbar 3:11About R. Yehuda ibn Balaam, RashiBereshit 25:31Shemot 19:22Shemot 28:41Shemot 31:18Shemot 32:29Bemidbar 3:12Bemidbar 8:17Devarim 10:8Shemuel I 2:27About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, RashbamShemot 19:22Devarim 10:8About R. Shemuel b. Meir, Ibn EzraShemot Long Commentary 19:22Shemot Long Commentary 32:29Shemot Short Commentary 19:22Shemot Short Commentary 24:1Devarim 10:8About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, SefornoShemot 24:18Shemot 31:18Shemot 32:29Bemidbar 3:13Maamar Kavvanot HaTorah 6:13About R. Ovadyah Seforno,

¹ This source only speaks of the choosing of the priesthood.

² Targum Pseudo-Jonathan speaks of the choosing of the Tribe of Levi in general terms and does not specify if this refers to their meriting both the priesthood and Levite service or just one or the other.

³ Tanchuma also speaks of the choosing of the Tribe of Levi in general terms and does not specify if this refers to their meriting both the priesthood and Levite service or just one or the other.

⁴ See Jubilees, Testament of Levi, Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, and Tanchuma.  With the exception of Jubilees, however, none of the sources explain why Levi, as opposed to the other tribes, was chosen.

⁵ It should be noted that the sources below who say that Levi merited the position after their actions  during the episode of the Golden Calf might be picking up on the same trait of zeal for Hashem.

⁶ Shemot Rabbah is ambiguous and could also suggest that the tribe as a whole was picked earlier and only the specific allotment of Levite status to Moshe and preisthood to Aharon) occurred in Egypt.

⁷ See Shemot 4:27 that Aharon has the freedom to leave Egypt and greet Moshe in the Wilderness.

⁸ The time spoken of in the previous verses relates to the period in which Moshe received the second set of Tablets.

⁹ Cf. the opinion of R. Yehuda haNasi in Bavli ZevachimZevachim 115bAbout the Bavli.

¹⁰ Cf. the Hoil Moshe who identifies the commands of the two verses, suggesting that Nadav and Avihu of Shemot 24:1 is equivalent the kohanim of Shemot 19:24.

¹¹ See RashiKetubot 115bAbout R. Shelomo Yitzchaki who suggests that the youth were fetched to bring the animals but they are not the subject of the pharse, "וַיַּעֲלוּ עֹלֹת".  Only Aharon's sons actually sacrificed.

¹² In other words, the Levites were not chosen because they alone served Hashem during the episode, but rather, they alone served Hashem because they had previously been chosen.

¹³ This was not something they individually merited, but simply a consequence of being saved; with the miraculous act they became holy to Hashem.

¹⁴ It is even possible that those sanctified were just the children born after the Plague, in which case it is obvious that tehse infants could not have been in charge of sacrificing.