Klei Hamikdash - Chapter 3

See also Hilchot Shemitah VeYovel 13:12 which states:

Why did the Levites not receive a portion in the inheritance of Eretz Yisrael and in the spoils of war like their brethren? Because they were set aside to serve God and minister unto Him and to instruct people at large in His just paths and righteous judgments, as [Deuteronomy 33:10] states: "They will teach Your judgments to Jacob and Your Torah to Israel." Therefore they were set apart from the ways of the world.

Sefer HaMitzvot (positive mitzvah 23) and Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 394) include this mitzvah in their reckoning of the 613 mitzvot of the Torah.

The Sifri to the prooftext quoted states that they can be compelled to do so against their will.

See Hilchot Beit HaBechirah, ch. 8, which describes the guarding of the Temple.

See I Chronicles 9:17-26 which lists the Levites who served this function. The guards would serve as watchmen and not perform any physical work. The gatekeepers performed physical activities, opening the gates, closing them, and locking them.

Arachin, loc. cit., associates the wine libations with song, stating: "Song is recited only over wine." See Hilchot Temidim UMusafim 6:5.

I.e., the daily offerings and the special offerings brought on Sabbaths, Rashei Chadashim, and holidays.

As a prooftext for this concept, Arachin 11b cites Numbers 10:10: "And you shall sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over peace offerings." The plural term implies offerings that are brought for the entire Jewish people.

See Hilchot Shekalim 4:9 for a description of these sacrifices.

With this phrase, Rambam is referring to both wine libations brought by individuals and those brought by the community but were not brought on the same day as the sacrifice with which they were associated. See Hilchot Temidim UMusafim 6:8.

I.e., a close relative died that day (Hilchot Bi'at HaMikdash 2:9).

In contrast to a priest who may not offer a sacrifice while in such a state (Ibid.:6).

Arachin 13b explains that there were at least twelve musical instruments playing each day. And there was one singer corresponding to every one of these instruments.

The platform of three steps that divided between the Courtyard of the Israelites and the Courtyard of the Priests (Hilchot Beit HaBechirah 6:3).

Indeed, the fact that a person had served on the duchan is a sign of his lineage.

In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Arachin 2:3), the Rambam describes these instruments at length.

Indeed, II Chronicles 5:12 speaks of 120 trumpeters.

The preceding verse speaks of sounding the trumpets as an outcry of distress. This mitzvah is described in Hilchot Ta'aniot, ch. 1. In his Sefer HaMitzvot (positive commandment 59), the Rambam writes that the two soundings of the shofar are considered as a single mitzvah.

Numbers 10:2 speaks of beating out the silver and forming trumpets in that manner.

Our translation follows the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Arachin 2:3). Rashi, Arachin 10a, offers a different interpretation, explaining that all melodies were concluded by a long note from a lone flute.

I.e., on these days, the Levites would sing the Hallel and be accompanied by the flutes alone. On the other days of the year, they would be accompanied by the other instruments (ibid.).

On the 14th of Nissan.

I.e., on Pesach Sheni, on the 14th of Iyar. Those who did not bring a sacrifice on the first Pesach had the opportunity to compensate by bringing the sacrifice a month later (Hilchot Korban Pesach,, ch. 5).

This also applies with regard to the sounding of the other musical instruments. A flute is mentioned, because a flute was also sounded in association with the water libation (see Hilchot Lulav 8:13) and the sounding of the flute at that time did not supersede the Sabbath prohibitions (Rashi, Sukkah 50b).

For it is forbidden to sound musical instruments on the Sabbath.

As evident from Chapter 5, Halachah 15, the attainment of manhood mentioned here apparently refers to reaching the age of Bar Mitzvah. Hence the commentaries question the Rambam's statements, for they apparently contradict his statement made previously, that a Levite must be 30 to begin his service. The Radbaz and Rav Yosef Corcus explain that the obligation to be 30 applied only when the Sanctuary was being transported. (Just as the disqualification at age 50 applied only in the era when the Sanctuary was transported [see the following halachah], so too, it is reasonable to postulate that the obligation to be 30 applied only then.) In other eras, all that was necessary was that the Levite study the necessary laws for five years.

See Sefer HaMitzvot,, General Principle 3, which mentions this issue.

As a priest is (see Hilchot Bi'at HaMikdash, ch. 6).

Chullin 24a states that the Levites on the duchan must sing in a manner that their voices sound like one voice. If the voice of a particular Levite becomes spoiled and he is no longer capable of singing in this manner, he is unfit to perform this service.

Indeed, even in the era when the Sanctuary was transported, an elderly person was disqualified only from carrying it. He could serve as a watchman or a singer even then (Har HaMoriah).

Ta'anit 27a derives this concept from I Chronicles 9:22.

The designation of the clans and thus the determination of who would be serving in the Temple on a particular day was the responsibility of the head of the watch (Kessef Mishneh).

This is part of the prohibition mentioned in the following halachah.

This is derived from the law mentioned in Hilchot Mitamei Mishkav UMoshav 11:11 that when the table for the Showbread was displayed to the people, they were warned not to touch it lest it become impure. One can infer that there is no difficulty in touching it per se, only in making it impure (Har HaMoriah).

The commentaries have noted that Numbers 4:15 specifically mentions that the Levites should not touch the sacred utensils and that doing so was punishable by death. It is, however, possible to explain that this stringency only applied during the time the Sanctuary was transported through the desert and not in subsequent generations.

As stated in the previous halachah.

The Levites.

The priests.

Sefer HaMitzvot (negative mitzvah 72) and Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 389) include the prohibition against performing service designated for someone else in their reckoning of the 613 mitzvot of the Torah.

The Kessef Mishneh questions the Rambam's ruling, because according to Arichin 11b, the source for the Rambam's ruling, it would appear that someone who merely renders assistance is not liable for violating a Scriptural commandment.

Implying that the violation of this commandment makes one liable to die.

The Ra'avad takes issue with the Rambam's ruling, maintaining that the priests are also liable for death, noting that this is stated in Arichin, loc. cit. The Or Sameach notes that the Sifri Zuta (which the Rambam quotes in Sefer HaMitzvot, loc. cit., also quoted by the Yalkut Shimoni) to the verse rules differently, distinguishing between the priests and the Levites, leaving room for the Rambam's decision.