המעט מכם כי הבדיל אלקי ישראל אתכם מעדת ישראל להקריב אתכם עליו “Is it but a small thing for you that Hashem has separated you from the congregation of Yisroel to draw you close to Him.” (Bamidbar 16:9)
Rav Yecheskel Abramsky used to apply this pasuk to a ben Torah who dedicates his life to Torah. He said that someone who sits in the Beis Hamedrash and sanctifies himself through Torah should not think in terms of obtaining a position in the Torah world, however long he has already been in learning. It is indeed a great privilege to disseminate Torah, and if the public needs him (or if he feels that his learning in kollel is not what it should be), a person is obligated to become a marbiz Torah. However, ultimately the best “position” a person can attain is to be a ben Torah and thereby cleave to Hashem.
The Levi’im had no property of their own, and were dependent on the donations of their fellow Jews. Although they seemingly lived the lifestyle of shnorers, Moshe Rabbienu was telling them how important they were in the eyes of Hashem. Similarly, a ben Torah in his “job” is subordinate to the rest of the nation, and if he performs his job properly his merits are the source of his fellow Jews’ success.
Accordingly, the pasuk is saying the following: “Is the ‘position’ of being a member of shevet levi, or a ben Torah, through which Hashem draws you close to Him, such a small matter, that you now also seek the kehunah. Why are you looking for a more important position than to be a member of shevet levi, or to be a ben Torah? You will not find any better position than that.”
Similarly, Rav Schneider said that an avreich who learns with hasmodah in a kollel has all the superior qualities of a maggid shiur in a Yeshiva, even if he has not been appointed to such a position, because people witness his conduct and he is an inspiration and a teacher for his environment, sometimes even more than a maggid shiur.
