Service of the Levites/0

Service of the Levites

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Chosen for Service

When was the Tribe of Levi designated to assume their special responsibilities and why did they merit them?

Age of Service

While Bemidbar 4 sets 30-50 as the age of Levite service, Bemidbar 8 instead sets 25 as the lower age limit. How can this contradiction be understood? 

Types of Work

What were the various functions of the Levites in the Mishkan and Mikdash?

• Transport and assembly – Bemidbar 1:50, Bemidbar 3:21-38 and Bemidbar 4 describe how it was the task of the Levites to carry the Tabernacle and its vessels. Kehat carried the various vessels, Gershon transported the curtains, and Merari was in charge of the boards. The Levites were further responsible for the dismantling and erecting of the Mishkan throughout the travels in the Wilderness (see Bemidbar 1:51 and Bemidbar 10:17-21).
• Guard duty – Bemidbar 1:53, 3:7-8, 8:26, and 18:1-5 all speak of guarding the Tabernacle.  RambanBemidbar 1:53About R. Moshe b. Nachman points to Bemidbar 1:53 as the source for the Levites doing guard duty in the Mikdash as well, as Divrei HaYamim I 24:19 attests that David's division of the Levites into groupings of guards was instituted already by Aharon.
• Song – Though no verses in Torah explicitly mention that the Levites were supposed to function as singers or musicians, verses throughout Divrei HaYamim attest to this role. See, for example, Divrei HaYamim I 6:16-17, Divrei HaYamim I 23:5, 30,
• Service of the Mishkan/ Priests - Bemidbar 1:50 speaks of the Levites serving the Tabernacle, while 3:6 and 18:1-3 speak of them serving Aharon.¹ What is included in this "service"?
• General service - R. HirschBemidbar 1:50About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch explains that the service of the Tabernacle spoken of in Bemidbar 1 is explained by the surrounding verses and refers to the Tabernacle's transportation and assembly.  NetzivBemidbar 1:50About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin suggests that it might refer to repairs as well.
• Guard duty – RashiBemidbar 3:6Bemidbar 18:2About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, R. Yosef KaraBemidbar 3:6About R. Yosef Kara, R. Yosef Bekhor ShorBemidbar 3:6About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, RalbagBemidbar 3:6Bemidbar 18:2-3About R. Levi b. Gershom, all explain that the service refers to assisting to guard the Tabernacle (and later Mikdash), lest a foreigner come close.  This is supported by the context of each of the verses, as each is followed by a command "וְשָׁמְרוּ אֶת מִשְׁמַרְתּוֹ".
• Song – MalbimBemidbar 3:6Bemidbar 18:2About R. Meir Leibush Weiser, following R. Yehuda in Bavli ArakhinArakhin 11aAbout the Bavli, understands "service" to refer to singing during the sacrificial service. According to him, the verse is referring to a service that is unique to the Levites, hence singing. This undersatdning of "service" might be supported by Divrei HaYamim I 6:16-17 which mentions that the Levites "מְשָׁרְתִים לִפְנֵי מִשְׁכַּן אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד בַּשִּׁיר".
• Assist in sacrificial service – R. Yosef Bekhor ShorBemidbar 3:6About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor posits that the service might also include helping the priests with the sacrificial service, slaughtering and skinning, jobs which were allowed to non-priests.²

Supervisors

Was Elazar or Itamar assigned to supervise the Levites?

¹ Bemidbar 8:26 also uses the verb "שרת" but this verse is speaking of the older Levites serving (with) the other Levites in the Tabernacle, in contrast to "working" in the Tabernacle.

² As evidence he points to Divrei HaYamim II 30:17 and Divrei HaYamim II 29:34, where the Levites assist the priests in sacrificing and skinning the Pesach sacrifice.