Difference between revisions of "Service of the Levites/0"

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<li>How did the ark travel?</li>
 
<li>How did the ark travel?</li>
 
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<li><b>Song</b> – Though no verses in Torah explicitly mention that the Levites were supposed to function as singers or musicians,<fn>Various verses have been proposed as the source for the Levite's obligation to sing during the sacrificial service. See the discussion in <multilink><a href="BavliArakhin11a" data-aht="source">Bavli Arakhin</a><a href="BavliArakhin11a" data-aht="source">Arakhin 11a</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink></fn> verses throughout Divrei HaYamim attest to this role.<fn>See, for example, <a href="DivreiHaYamimI6-16-17" data-aht="source">Divrei HaYamim I 6:16-17</a>, <a href="DivreiHaYamimI9-14-33" data-aht="source">9:33</a>, <a href="DivreiHaYamimI23-1-6" data-aht="source">23:5</a>, <a href="DivreiHaYamimI23-24-32" data-aht="source">30</a>, and <a href="DivreiHaYamimII29-25-34" data-aht="source">Divrei HaYamim II 29:25-2</a>.</fn></li>
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<li>Preperation of Incnse, Bread erc</li>
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<li>Purification</li>
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<li>Teachers of Torah and arbiters of law</li>
 
 
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<p>&#160;</p>
 
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><b>Service of the Mishkan / Priests</b> -</p>
 
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<li><fn>As evidence he points to <a href="DivreiHaYamimII30-15-18" data-aht="source">Divrei HaYamim II 30:17</a> and <a href="DivreiHaYamimII29-25-34" data-aht="source">Divrei HaYamim II 29:34</a>, where the Levites assist the priests in sacrificing and skinning the Pesach sacrifice. See also the commentary <multilink><a href="AttributedtoRashiDivreiHaYamimI23-31" data-aht="source">attributed to Rashi</a><a href="AttributedtoRashiDivreiHaYamimI23-31" data-aht="source">Divrei HaYamim I 23:31</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink> who understands <a href="DivreiHaYamimI23-24-32" data-aht="source">Divrei HaYamim I 23:31</a> to refer to work done by the Levites relating to the sacrificial service (bringing of the animals and skinning them).</fn></li>
 
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<subcategory>Guard Duty
 
<subcategory>Guard Duty
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<subcategory>Misc Jobs
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<subcategory>Jobs not Explicit in Torah
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<p>There are several roles played by the lEvites in later books of Tabnakh which are not mentione epxlcictly in Torah:</p>
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<li><b>Music</b> – Though no verses in Torah explicitly mention that the Levites were supposed to function as singers or musicians,<fn>See, for instance, <a href="Ezra2-42" data-aht="source">Ezra 2:42</a>,&#160;<a href="Ezra7-7" data-aht="source">7:7</a> and <a href="Ezra10-2" data-aht="source">Ezra 10:2</a>, <a href="Nechemyah7-45" data-aht="source">Nechemyah 7:45</a>,&#160;<a href="DivreiHaYamimI9-17-26" data-aht="source">Divrei HaYamim I 9:17-26</a> and&#160;<a href="DivreiHaYamimII23-19" data-aht="source">Divrei HaYamim II 23:19</a> and <a href="DivreiHaYamimII34-13" data-aht="source">34:13</a>.</fn> verses throughout Divrei HaYamim attest to this role.<fn>See, for instance, <a href="Ezra2-42" data-aht="source">Ezra 2:42</a>,&#160;<a href="Ezra7-7" data-aht="source">7:7</a> and <a href="Ezra10-2" data-aht="source">Ezra 10:2</a>, <a href="Nechemyah7-45" data-aht="source">Nechemyah 7:45</a>,&#160;<a href="DivreiHaYamimI9-17-26" data-aht="source">Divrei HaYamim I 9:17-26</a> and&#160;<a href="DivreiHaYamimII23-19" data-aht="source">Divrei HaYamim II 23:19</a> and <a href="DivreiHaYamimII34-13" data-aht="source">34:13</a>.</fn></li>
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<li>Prepqration of Incense, Bread etc</li>
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<li>Purification of Mikdash</li>
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</subcategory>
 
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<subcategory>Teachers of Torah
 
<subcategory>Teachers of Torah

Version as of 14:28, 11 June 2019

Service of the Levites

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Chosen for Service

When was the Tribe of Levi designated to assume their special responsibilities and why did they merit them? The command to consecrate Aharon and his sons appears in the midst of the directives regarding the construction of the Tabernacle in Shemot 28, while the Levites are first consecrated in Bemidbar 8.  Does this suggest that the two groups were selected separately and for different reasons?  See Selection of the Priests and Levites for details.

  • Before the Exodus– Accoridng to Jubilees  the tribe of Levi was elevated as a reward for Levi's avenging of Dinah in Shechem
  • Before the Sin of the Golden Claf
  • After the Sin of the Golden Calf

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? How do both verses work with the fact that in the era of David (Divrei HaYamim I 23:24-28), Chizkiyahu (Divrei HaYamim II 31:17) and Ezra (Ezra 3:8-11), it appears that the Levites began working already at the age of twenty? For discussion, see Ages of Levite Workers.

  • Different Levels of Obligation
  • Different Tasks

Types of Work

The following is a list of the various functions carried out by the Levites in the Tabernacle and Mikdash:

Transport and Assembly

Bemidbar 1:50, Bemidbar 3:21-38 and Bemidbar 4 describe how the Levites were tasked with transporting the Tabernacle. Kehat carried the various vessels, Gershon took 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).

  • Who carried the ark?  Though Bemidbar 3-41 suggest that it was the Levites' job to carry the ark, other verses2 imply that perhaps this was a task reserved for the priests. Yet other verses3 are ambiguous, mentioning both the priests and Levites. How can the differing portraits be reconciled? Whose job was it to carry the ark?
    • Levites – According to Sotah, the Levites normally were in charge of carrying the ark, but there were a few special occasions (crossing the Jordan, conquering Yericho and placing the ark in the Mikdash) when the priests were given the honor in their stead.
    • Priests – Rambam, in contrast, suggests that really the task of transporting the ark was reserved for the priests.  It was only in the wilderness period, due to the small number of priests,4 that Levites were allowed to carry it.
    • Both allowed – Ramban points out that since the task of carrying the ark was given to the family of Kehat, of whom the priests are a part,  the priests, too, are allowed .
    • How did the ark travel?

 

Guard Duty Bemidbar 1:53, 3:7-8, 8:26, and 18:1-5 all speak of guarding the Tabernacle. See also the many verses5 which speak of the Levites serving as gate-keepers of the Mikdash.6

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.7 What is included in this "service"?

Jobs not Explicit in Torah

There are several roles played by the lEvites in later books of Tabnakh which are not mentione epxlcictly in Torah:

  • Music – Though no verses in Torah explicitly mention that the Levites were supposed to function as singers or musicians,9 verses throughout Divrei HaYamim attest to this role.10
  • Prepqration of Incense, Bread etc
  • Purification of Mikdash

Teachers of Torah

Supervisors

Was Elazar or Itamar assigned to supervise the Levites?