Questions tagged [levites-leviyim]
Questions pertaining to Leviim (Levites, members of the Tribe of Levi).
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Torah service on shabbat with no kohanim and not enough yisraelim
If there are no kohanim in shul on shabbat, Ashkenazi practice is to give the first aliyah to a levi or yisrael, and the subsequent six aliyot to yisraelim. (See Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 135:6,9,10.)...
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Were Levites allowed to enter the Holy Place or was it only for priests?
The Bible shows that Aaron and his sons were chosen from the rest of the sons of Levi to officiate as priests, and these "other" Levites had secondary functions in religious service. There ...
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Why doesn't the percentage of terumas maaser mimic terumah gedolah's?
The Torah (Bamidbar 18) says that maaser rishon is meant to compensate the leviyim for their work and is treated precisely as their portion in the land and therefore is obligated in terumah and is ...
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Why aren't all Leviyim Kohanim?
As the firstborn initially served as Kohanim (Onkelos, etc) and the Leviyim were swapped for them (Eg Bamidbar 3) then why are only Aharon and his sons Kohanim and not all of Shevet Levi?
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Why take census of Levis two ways, from 1 month and between ages 30 & 50?
The tribes of Levi are counted twice: (a) from age one month with no upper age limit, and (b) from age 30 to 50. Why is the first count needed? (This described in parshot Bamidbar and Naso.)
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Kohen saying the Nasi
From the begining of Nissan we say the daily nassi. This includes kohanim and leviim even though their tribe isn't one of the tribes that brought sacrifices.
Why do they say it and why do they say the ...
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Is Peter chamor done if the owner of the first born donkey is a kohen or Levite
According to Halacha, if a first born male donkey is owned by a kohen or Levite is Pidyon peter chamor required? Or no is it exempt because of the owner’s status?
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Are Levites obligated to give foreleg, cheeks and maw
According to Halacha are Levites obligated to give a kohen the foreleg, cheeks, and maw of a Shechita’d animal? Or no, due to their unique lineage are they exempt from the requirement?
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Minimum number of Kohanim and Leviim
When the Beit hamikdash (temple in Jerusalem exists), and the sacrifices etc. all happen, is there a minimum number of kohanim and leviim obligated to serve in the temple? If so what, and what is the ...
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Why is the word Leviim written with only one yud: 'לויים' או 'לוים'
Do Chazal explain the inyan of the Tanach writing Levi חסר Chosser the yud that seems should be there grammatically? Does the double yud signify the rectification of the Leviim?
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Torah Reading for Chet Haegel, when the reader is a Levi
The Be'er Heitev in OH 428(7) brings the custom to arrange the aliyos in Parshas Ki Sisa so that the story of the Cheit Haegel is read during the Levi aliyah.
גם נוהגין לקרות ללוי פ' העגל וקורין אותה ...
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What was Levi's Zechus?
Why was Levi himself Zoche to have Moshe, Aharon, and all the Kohanim & Levi'im as his descendents?
Whenever I try finding an explanation, the Zechus seems to be of the Shevet, with a major reason ...
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Why does a murderer have to go to an Ir Miklat? [duplicate]
Someone who murdered by accident has to go to the Ir Miklat. I heard that H'shem's intention on commanding so is to put the murderer in contact with the Leviim and to enable him to be positively ...
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Who carried the kiyor?
In Parshas Bamidbar and Nasso the Pesukim list which families in Shevet Levy carried which items in the Mishkan. However nowhere does it say who carried the kiyor. Who carried it? Why doesn't it say ...
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Were the priests that served in the unsanctioned Temple in the northern kingdom Levites?
I wouldn't think that the Levites would agree to serve in an unsanctioned Temple, often making offerings to Ba'al.
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Is there knowledge of which Levi'im are descendants of Moshe? [duplicate]
Clearly any Cohen is a (patriarchal) direct descendant of Aaron.
Probably some of the rest of the tribe of Levi are direct descendants of Moshe, but there were of course lots of other Levi'im in that ...
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In the Golden Calf massacre, were the Levites only the executioners or also the judges?
After the Golden Calf worshipping, Moses commands the Leviites to go out and kill the infidels:
וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם כֹּה־אָמַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׂימוּ אִישׁ־חַרְבּוֹ עַל־יְרֵכוֹ
עִבְרוּ וָשׁוּבוּ ...
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Why did Moses command the Levites to go out to slay instead of bringing the idolaters to the court?
After the Golden Calf worshipping, Moses commands the Leviites to go out and kill the infidels:
וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם כֹּה־אָמַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׂימוּ אִישׁ־חַרְבּוֹ עַל־יְרֵכוֹ
עִבְרוּ וָשׁוּבוּ ...
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Why was Cheshbon given by the Gadites?
In Bamidbar 32:37 it says that Cheshbon was rebuilt by Reuven - seemingly, it was given to them after they reached the agreement with Moshe on the settlement of the land. In Yehoshua 13:17 it says ...
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Unusually high ratio of Levites to Firstborn-Levites
Near the beginning of the Book of Numbers (from roughly 3:39 to 3:51), G-d commands that all the firstborn Israelite males need to be redeemed via a 1:1 'trade' with a Levite. There were 22,000 ...
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Where are the 24 places that Kohanim are called Leviim?
In numerous places the gemara quotes Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Levi as saying there are 24 places that Kohanim are called Leviim, but the gemara only ever quotes the pasuk in Yechezkel 44 15. See for ...
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The daughter of a Bas Levi and a Gentile?
If a Bas Levi has a son with a gentile, the son does not need a pidyon haben.
In the case of a daughter born between a Bas Levi and a gentile, is the daughter of that union a Bas Levi or an Yisrael? ...
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Can a Yisroel perform shira for his own korban? Also, if a Yisroel does shira in the Beis Hamikdash (not for himself), is his shira kasher בדיעבד?
About the first question, if a Yisroel can perform shira on his own korban:
According to the Meishiv Davar chelek 4 siman 11 Leviim are simply hired by Yisroelim to perform shira (therefore he says ...
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Gemara source regarding Levy in Germania
My name is Levy.
Someone I know from France, where we have the same origins, in Alsace / Germany, and profoundly religious and an intellectual, told me that in the Gemara, it is said that after the ...
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What should the Gabbai say when calling up the Cohen when there is no Levi?
I've recently attended minyanim with no Levi and each time, the Kohen was called up twice.
The confident Gabbaim seem to just declare 'Bimkom Levi' whilst the less confident ones just mumble.
'Bimkom ...
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Did Levites minister within the Temple building itself or just its courts?
Although I am not Jewish, I have a keen interest in the Jewish Scriptures, and am currently looking at the building of the Temple by Solomon. In the book of Chronicles, it records how King David ...
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Why Break the Matza of Levi?
The Arizal compares the top matza to the Kohen, the middle to Levi, and the third to Yisroel (Pri Eitz Chaim Pesach (6:4) -
תקח הג' מצות מצה שמורה, ותניח הכהן למעלה, והלוי למטה ממנו, והישראל
...
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Was there an exception for Joshua to allow him inside the Tabernacle?
Related to this question, I’m wondering was there a special exception to allow Joshua into the Tabernacle? Some areas such as Numbers 1:51 say that any non-Levite who approaches it should be executed. ...
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Why were the Levi'im not enslaved?
Rashi on Shemot 5:4 says:
GO YE UNTO YOUR BURDENS — Go to your work which you have to do at home; but it cannot signify “go to your labours as slaves”, for he was speaking to Moses and Aaron who ...
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When did the Levites say to their father and mother “I have not seen him” as mentioned in Deuteronomy 33:9?
When did the Levites say to their father and mother "I have not seen him" as mentioned in Deuteronomy 33:9 ?
And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom ...
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Why Levi'im's holding of their cities is not called נחלה? [closed]
Following my previous question "measuring-levis-cities".
The tribe of Levi got hold of the Cities of Refugees. IIRC, they all received some real estate inside and outside the walls that they ...
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Why would they beat up Leviim who fell asleep on the job and burn their clothes?
Middos 1:2 reads (translation from Sefaria:
אִישׁ הַר הַבַּיִת הָיָה מְחַזֵּר עַל כָּל מִשְׁמָר וּמִשְׁמָר, וַאֲבוּקוֹת דּוֹלְקִין לְפָנָיו, וְכָל מִשְׁמָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹמֵד, אוֹמֵר לוֹ אִישׁ הַר ...
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Measuring Levi's cities
The Torah says that the cities of Levi'im must have surrounding areas of either 2000 or 3000 Amahs. However, I didn't see how those cities' sizes were determined in the first place.
How Levi tribe (...
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What was the "cast sea" or "molten sea" יָם מוּצָק specifically used for and by whom?
What was the "cast sea" or "molten sea" יָם מוּצָק specifically used for and by whom?
It appears to be also known as "Yam sheasah Shlomo". https://www.sefaria.org/Yoma.58b?lang=bi
What was it used ...
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Korach's logic regarding the link between birth order and jobs
I'm confused with Rashi's view on Korach's claims:
"אָמַר קֹרַח, אַחֵי אַבָּא אַרְבָּעָה הָיוּ,
עַמְרָם הַבְּכוֹר נָטְלוּ שְׁנֵי בָנָיו גְּדֻלָּה ...
מִי רָאוּי לִטֹּל אֶת הַשְּׁנִיָּה?
לֹא ...
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Levi tribe and the spies story investigation
I gathered a couple of questions together because they might be linked but I'm OK with splitting them:
Why didn't Levi send a spy?
I know, I know they didn't have Nahalah in Israel. So what?
The ...
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The number 8 does not appear in the numbering of the tribes in Bamidbar except for the census of Kehos and the total of Leviim. Why not?
Is there any significance in the absence of the number 8 in the individual census of the 12 tribes taken in Chapter 1 of Bamidbar?
Reuben: 46,500
Simeon: 59,300
Gad: 45,650
Judah: 74,600
...
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Levi's role before Golden Calf
On the one hand it appears the tribe of Levi was granted their role as those who serve in the Mishkan/Beis Hamikdash from Bamibdar (3:12)
וַאֲנִ֞י הִנֵּ֧ה לָקַ֣חְתִּי אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֗ם מִתּוֹךְ֙ ...
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Multiple Leviyim Washing the Kohanim's hands
The minhag I've seen is that a levi washes the hands of the kohen before he recites the birchas kohanim.
I have often seen numerous Levittes teaming up to wash a kohen together - each of them grasps ...
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Child of a Levi and an Egyptian convert
From my comment here
If a Levi illegally marries an Egyptian or Edomi convert, what's the status of their children?
They're second generation Egyptians, so they can't marry most Jews. (But their ...
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Source for Ir Miklat used to improve one's character
I heard in a shiur that one purpose for sending an accidental killer to the arei miklat, the cities of refuge, was so that they could improve their character. They would be surrounded by the Leviim, ...
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What happened to Leviim as teachers?
In the Torah it seems pretty clear that the Kohanim/Leviim were supposed to be the teachers and moral guides of Bnei Yisrael (e.g., Devarim 33:10):
יוֹרוּ מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ לְיַעֲקֹב וְתוֹרָתְךָ ...
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In Numbers 4:32 was each son of Merari responsible for a single part of the tabernacle?
In the census of Numbers 4, the workmen available were 3,200:
JPS Numbers 4:
42And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari,
by their families, by their fathers’ houses,...
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Where did the Leviim stand during the Blessings and Curses?
Did the Leviim stand on Mount Gerizim, or between the two mountains--in Shechem--or some of both? (Compare the linked chumash with "The area between the two mountains is enclosed, the Ark is situated ...
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Who pronounced the Curses?
In the blessings and curses in Ki Tavo, who pronounced the curses: the Levi'im, Yeshoshua, or both?
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Rashis unknown family
Rashi in parshas Pinchos (Bamidbar 26,13) with regards to a son of Shimon which was missing from the previous count in Parshas Bamidbar quotes the Yerushalmi which addresses this question:
משפחת ...
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Why are the cities Reuven gave to the Leviyim not listed in Yehoshua?
In most versions of Yehoshua, when detailing the cities each Shevet gave to the Leviyim, Reuven's cities are missing. (Some versions add them after 21:35, but the conclusion of the Radak followed by ...
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Does anyone say the "extra" pesukim in Yehoshua about the cities from Reuven belong there?
Some versions of Yehoshua, including Sefaria, print two extra pesukim (identical to the ones in Divrei Hayamim) about the cities that Shevet Reuven gave to the Leviyim. The Radak, quoted by the ...
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Hacohen and Halevi in Hebrew names
Does every Jew who is a cohen or a levi use "Hacohen"/"Halevi" in his official Hebrew name (i.e. for a religious document)?
If one is the son or daughter of a cohen or a levi, does the "hacohen"/"...
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Aveilus and burial for kohanim and levi'im
Are there any special considerations for the tahara, burial, and/or aveilus for kohanim or levi'im who have passed away?
We should live to see the days of Moshiach.
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