Finally, in order to certify the selection of the priests from the rest of the people as His explicit will, G‑d enumerated the entitlements that they were to receive from the Jewish people. These included specific portions of their sacrifices, of their crops, and of their herds and flocks. The Levites also received specified portions of the Jewish people’s crops, part of which they, in turn, were to give to the priests.
The Priests’ Allotments
כִּי תִקְחוּ מֵאֵת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַמַּעֲשֵׂר . . .
וַהֲרֵמֹתֶם מִמֶּנּוּ תְּרוּמַת ה' וגו':
(במדבר יח:כו)
[G‑d instructed Moses to tell the Levites,] “When you take the tithe from the Israelites . . . you must set aside from it a portion for G‑d, [which you will give to the priests].”
Numbers 18:26
Although the physical priesthood was reserved for the
descendants of Aaron, the spiritual priesthood is accessible to all Jews. G‑d
calls the entire Jewish people “a kingdom of priests.” As Rabbi Moses
Maimonides explains, “Any human being whose spirit moves him – and whose
intellect has motivated him – to distinguish himself by standing before G‑d,
serving Him, and knowing Him . . . has become sanctified like the Holy of
Holies . . . and will be granted all of his physical needs, just as they were
provided for the priests and Levites.”
In other words, when we recognize the purpose of our lives – to
serve G‑d – and dedicate ourselves to accomplishing it, we are assured of the
best of everything, material and spiritual, at all times.
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