Bamidbar | With Love and With Awe

 

Summarized by Danny Orenbuch

 

"And God spoke to Moshe saying, Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aharon the Kohen that they may serve him." (Bamidbar 3:5-6)

 

     Rambam (Hilkhot Kelei Ha-Mikdash 3:1) elaborates on this: "All the descendants of Levi are set aside for service in the Beit Ha-Mikdash, as it is written, 'At that time God separated the tribe of Levi.'  It is a positive commandment for the Levites to be available and ready for service in the Beit Ha-Mikdash, whether they are willing or not, as it is written, 'And the Levi will perform the service of the Tent of Meeting.'  And a Levi who accepts upon himself all the commandments pertaining to the Levi'im except for one thing - he is not accepted until he accepts all."

 

     The Rambam rules that the Levite service is not up to the Levi's choice.  Whether he wishes to serve or not, he is obligated to do so and he is forced to perform it.  This coercion has a function and purpose: the inculcation of the concept of discipline and coercion in Divine service.  Through this command to the Levites, who symbolize the entire nation, the rest of the nation observes and learns the importance of this concept.

 

     We have already come across the motif of coercion at Har Sinai, where God 'held the mountain over the nation like a cask' (thereby forcing them to accept the Torah).  But in that instance we see evidence of another dimension to the experience: discipline out of love, "Na'aseh ve-nishma."

 

     These two paths - obedience out of coercion and out of love - were the guiding principles of two radical phenomena which we witnessed during this century.  On one hand - the Communist regime, which ruled by pure coercion, authoritarianism and suppression of the people and which eventually collapsed, and on the other hand - the Western concept of total freedom, which is also on its way to bankruptcy.

 

     Am Yisrael and Jewish philosophy create a balance between these two paths.

 

"Do not be like slaves who serve their master in order to receive reward; rather be like slaves who serve their master without regard for reward.  And let the fear of heaven be upon you." (Pirkei Avot 1:3)

 

     At first glance this appears contradictory: On one hand we are being told to serve out of love ("without regard for reward"); on the other hand we are commanded to have the "fear of heaven" upon us - i.e. service out of coercion.  In fact, this mishna comes to point out the proper balance.  Divine service must be performed willingly and with a sense of gratitude, but on the other hand there must be discipline based on coercion in order to hold us in check.

 

     The Rambam, in Moreh Nevukhim, teaches that the mitzvot can be explained only in a general sense, and that a person who seeks to understand the reason for every detail of the mitzvot is foolish.  What we have said above helps us to understand why this is true: If every detail of every mitzva had a reason which we knew and understood, then the aspect of Divine command in the mitzva would be lost; an action which is performed for a reason and purpose which we can understand does not need to be commanded.  Hence the correct balance involves fulfillment of the mitzvot with a general understanding of their purpose - willingly, as well as performance of all their details - symbolizing the aspect of command and coercion.

 

     In Rav Kook's Mussar Ha-kodesh (found in Orot Ha-kodesh, Book 3), service of God is divided into three levels.  The lowest is the service of the Levi'im, who are coerced to serve even if they have no wish to do so.  Above this is service of God out of love and awe, and the highest level is that of connecting oneself with God in the highest spheres of heaven.

 

     The task of the tribe of Levi, therefore, is to teach the nation the path of Divine service based on command and discipline, through the example of their own obligation to serve in the Beit Ha-Mikdash.

 

(Originally delivered at Seuda Shelishit, Shabbat Parashat Bamidbar 5752.  Translated by Kaeren Fish.)