Chosen of the Chosen

26 Iyyar 5776

Erev Shabbat Kodesh - Parshat Bamidbar
41 Days of the Omer

One might call the Levites "Chosen of the Chosen" since they were singled out from among Am Yisrael for special service to HKB"H.

The Lord spoke to Moses saying:

Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, and you shall not reckon their sum among the children of Israel. 

But you shall appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of the Testimony, over all its vessels and over all that belong to it; they shall carry the Tabernacle and they shall minister to it, and they shall encamp around the Tabernacle.

When the Tabernacle is set to travel, the Levites shall dismantle it; and when the Tabernacle camps, the Levites shall erect it; any outsider [non Levite] who approaches shall be put to death.

The children of Israel shall encamp, each man by his own camp and each man by his division.

The Levites shall encamp around the Mishkan of the Testimony, so that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel and the Levites shall keep the charge of the Mishkan of the Testimony.

And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses thus did they do.

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As for Me I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of all firstborns among the children of Israel who have opened the womb, and the Levites shall be Mine.

For more very interesting information on the "Chosen of the Chosen" see...

The Tribe: The Cohen-Levi Family Heritage

(Excerpt) ...The choice of the tribe of Levi for the highest spiritual service was due to their ability to channel their strong character in the service of God. Levi, the son of Jacob, was chastised for his anger by his father: "Cursed is their zealousness for it is brazen and their wrath for it is hard. I will separate them in Ya'akov and scatter them throughout Israel" (Genesis 49:6-7).

Four generations later, Moses blessed the same tribe of Levi: "Your righteous men...keeper of Your word and covenant; He shall teach Your judgment in Ya'akov and Your Torah in Israel...Blessed of God is his valor and his actions are pleasing..." (Deuteronomy 33:8-11). The Levites were able to apply their physical and spiritual strength to the fulfillment of God's will and gain forever the role of God's trusted servants.

...The loyal nature of the Levites was most clearly demonstrated at the episode of the Golden Calf. The general population was influenced by the evil promptings of the mixed multitude. The Levites rallied to the side of Moshe to avenge God's honor. They were rewarded with the spiritual service lost at that time by the firstborn of the other tribes. The Levites were tested and proved themselves able, thereby earning their elevated spiritual status.

The Levites were constantly willing to risk their lives for God's service. They carried the sanctified vessels of the Tabernacle, which if mishandled, resulted in death.