Are Priests Descendant from the Tribe of Levi?

Question:

I am in a debate regarding Kohens and Levites.

My friend says that Kohens are descended from Levites. I say that the three "levels" are Kohens, Levites and Israelites. Who is correct?

Answer:

You are both right. Kohanim (that's plural for Kohen) do indeed stem from the tribe of Levi. And yes, there are indeed three groups of Jews: Kohen (Priests), Levi (Levites) and Yisrael (Israelites).

Here's how it works: Jacob's third son's name was Levi. Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kehot and Merari. Kehot's firstborn, Amram, had three children: Miriam, Aaron and Moses.

Aaron was designated as the Kohen Gadol, the high priest; male descendants of Aaron are Kohanim. The rest of the tribe, are the Levites.

Best wishes,

Chani Benjaminson
Chabad.org

By Chani Benjaminson

Chani Benjaminson is co-director of Chabad of the South Coast, coordinator of Chabad’s Ask the Rabbi and Feedback departments, and is a member of the editorial staff of Chabad.org.

All names of persons and locations or other identifying features referenced in these questions have been omitted or changed to preserve the anonymity of the questioners.

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15 Comments

R Wenger CA July 4, 2024

I feel that you should have mentioned that Moses and Aaron orriginally were from the Levy tribe. It is confusing not knowing that when trying to understand where the Cohens come from.
Reply

Anonymous Buffalo February 3, 2020

I am researching my husband's family and a genealogy report from 1742 states his relative was Levy Jacobsohn the eldest son of Jacob(no last name) who belonged to the tribe of Levy, since only the eldest son of a member of this tribe was allowed to have the name Levy. Is this true? Reply

Yehuda Pennsylvania May 31, 2019

Hello, What is the official status of a man born to a Kohen and a non-Jewish woman? This would be If they observe Halachot and convert to Judaism officially? Thank you in advance. Reply

Josef Aaronson April 15, 2020

in response to Yehuda:

The Son of Kohen and a gentile woman. He might me a Jew depending on the conversion process but he can never be a Kohen as far as the title and responsibilities and prohibitions are concerned. He can't do the Blessing or enjoy any of the privileges. also he does not have to worry about any extra restrictions. although my recommendation to this person is to still behave like a Kohen as far as Holiness is concerned for the sake of his father and his father's father and Aaron the high priest. It is clearly forbidden for a call in to have a marriage or relationship or a child within non Israelite woman. There is no exception and it has to do with the soul and that is too complicated to get involved with on here. The Almighty has spoken it and so it is and has been and will be forever. Reply

leonny roiter barranquilla March 13, 2016

Kohanim Ashem elected Aharon to handle all sacred things. Not his brother Moses.After the destruction of the second temple kohanim were left jobless.All the sacred things which were built by kohanim with the help of A´shem were destroyed.It remains until today de jewish idea of keeping sacred things sacred and sacred things cannot be handled by impure people or by people who handle jewish sacred things to earn his livelihhod. Sacred things must be kept separated. Sacred things were not meant to be sold to the highest bider.All jewish sacred matters were bulit by ashem to keep the jewish people united. Kohanim were picked to keep all jewish people toguether.Kohanim were chosen to carry inside their hearts the sacred matters ashem wanted us to remember and practice yom yom.In yom hakipurim jewish people use their voices to recreate all that was practiced in the temple. The whole service is dedicated to the work the kohanim used to perform in the temple with their bare feet inmersed in blood. Reply

leon barranquilla February 5, 2019

in response to leonny roiter:

melchizedek Melchizedek was the first kohen. Abraham avinu had good and close relations with him. Like Elihau, the prophet, no body knows when he died, Christians use him as the leader of their god.
Christians believe he was as important as their god.Some believe he was the king of Jerusalem,
some believe he was the son of Noah Sem. Reply

Mrs. Chana Benjaminson March 11, 2016

To Anonymous No. A kohen is a Jewish man who is a direct descendant of the Priestly family of Aaron the High Priest. A person is Jewish if born to a Jewish mother of he/she has converted with a proper conversion. Reply

Carolyn Bluffton February 2, 2019

in response to Mrs. Chana Benjaminson:

Why from a Jewish mother rather than father? What are people called who have a Jewish father but Gentile mother?6 Reply

Anonymous March 10, 2016

catholic and mormon priests are catholic and morman priests of today considered kohen? Reply

leon roiter barranquilla May 17, 2015

Kohen A kohen is a living symbol of A´shem´s decisión to separate the material issues from the sacred ones. A´shem was the one who decided that aharon was the one to carry on with the resposibility to handle with special care all symbols used to connect the jew with A´shem. A shechitah blade must be handled following very strict procedures. All duties performmed by kohanim like the manufacture of the ketoret had to be done by speciialized people.
Only a kohen can pick another kohen for a specific duty. The kotel is a dead symbol which marks a limit of the space kohanim used to occupy. Lets keep the symbol alive. Separate the person, the human been from the symbol. Reply

Mrs. Chana Benjaminson January 22, 2014

Yes, all priests descended from Aaron. Reply

Glenn Walters Peel January 17, 2014

the priesthood Can someone spell it out for me please: Were all the high priests and priests descendants of Aaron? Reply

LR NY October 12, 2012

Tribal Israel Hmmm...this must be a modern day explanation? Isn't Israel the name for the Ancient Tribes. Israel was the new name given to Yaacov who's kids make up the 12 tribes of Israel. Israel was never "Jewish" the word Jew is a derivative for the Tribe of Judah and is a much later concept. In fact the terminology "Jew" as used today originates in the 12thcentury CE. Before that time the name Judahide and Semite were the words used.Check Ancient Jewish Encyclopedia. Just as the Menorah in ancient times represented our Galaxy with Shamash in the center and the planets surrounding...not an 8 day light festival as we know today which originates with Maccabee. See ancient encyclopedia. Reply

Mrs. Janis Hammons August 15, 2009

Priest & Rabbi What is the difference between these two titles and are all present day priests and/or Rabbis from the tribe of Levi? Reply

Anonymous jerusalem, israel August 11, 2009

great thank you for clearing this one up.
i have also always found the whole cohen/ levi split confusing. Reply

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