“Is it not enough for you that the G-d of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you close to Him, to perform the duties of the Mishkan of Hashem, to stand before the congregation to serve them?” (Bamidbar 16:9)
Hashem had chosen Aharon to be the Kohain Gadol, and his children to be the Kohanim, the elevated branch of spiritual leadership who would perform the service of Hashem in the Mishkan. The rest of his tribe, the Levi’im, were chosen to take the place of the first-born sons of each family in the Mishkan and to assist the Kohanim.
One Levi, Korach, felt this wasn’t enough for him. He felt Moshe had given the Kohain position to his brother Aharon in an act of nepotism, and that it was not Divinely-ordained. He therefore fomented a rebellion against Moshe, claiming that all the Jews were holy and a Kohain was superfluous. Of course, that didn’t stop him from wanting the title for himself.
Putting aside the thought process of Korach and his followers; how they could have come to this level when they were some of the greatest men of their time, let us look at Moshe’s response to them. He asks why the job of Levi was not sufficient for them. Why would they want to be Kohanim?
This seems like an odd question. First of all, Kohanim have a more interactive role in the Avoda, and they are considered holier than others. They have special gifts and honor that others don’t have. Why would Moshe tell them they should be satisfied with second place?
The answer is that Moshe was teaching them that being a Levi was NOT second place. It’s actually a level that few others can reach. You see, as a Kohain, you had a Levi to assist you, but as a Levi, you were always helping others. Though you did get maaser, the Levi’im did NOT get glory or fancy titles. They played a supporting role in spiritual life, but let’s not underestimate that.
For example, an accidental murderer ran to the cities of refuge. Who lived in these cities? Levi’im who set an example for the fellow on how to act. They helped the Kohanim and, as Moshe says in this posuk, they stood before the nation “to serve them.” When the Jews offered sacrifices, the Levi’im were there to help them grow in their personal connection and service to Hashem.
Being a consistent giver is a lofty level because one then emulates Hashem, Himself, who is the ultimate benefactor. Hashem needs nothing so He is only giving – all day, every day. He desires to help people become their best, and that was the charge of the Levi’im.
Moshe said, “You were separated and chosen to be close to Him – to act and emulate Hashem by serving others, and that’s not enough for you?” You should be thrilled by this proposition because giving is the most-fulfilling and G-dlike act one can do. However, if we’re looking for others to give to us, we’ve missed the point, and will never know the most joyous existence possible.
A man once came to R’ Yechiel Meir of Gustinin, known as the “Guter Yid,” mentioning a loved one who was sick and needed Rachamim. The Guter Yid told him to say Tehilim. The man replied that he had come to the Rebbe so that the Rebbe should ask Shomayim for Rachamim.
R’ Yechiel Meir said: “Chazal tell us that if one has a sick person in his house, he should go to a chacham and he shall pray for him. Chazal did not say ‘to pray for him,’ which would imply that the Chochom should beseech Shomayim for mercy, but rather ‘and you shall pray for him,’ which refers to the one who came to the Chochom. The Chochom’s role is to guide the petitioner, but the ‘work’ must be done by you.”
(Still, it was R’ Yechiel Meir’s custom that whatever he “assigned” to others, he did himself as well, and he would always daven for Rachamim for the benefit of those who asked him)
©2024 – J. Gewirtz
