Bamidbar Chapter 18: The Kohanim’s Responsibility and the Gifts of the Kehunah

Context: The Aftermath of Korach’s Rebellion

So we’re reading today, Bamidbar, chapter 18. As we’ve discussed, we’re going to be starting from the end of chapter 17, which belongs to this story. Remember that there was a challenge called Machloket Korach [the Controversy of Korach]. When Korach was destroyed by being swallowed up in the earth, that didn’t help. The people still complained. They said, אתם המתם את עם ה’ [Atem hamitem et am Hashem — You’ve killed God’s people]. And then, therefore, there was a Magefa [plague] — people started to die. That was solved by the Ketoret [incense]. And then Hashem created another sign. Besides the sign of Korach being swallowed up in the earth, there was another sign, which is the stick of Aharon blossoming, which showed that he was the chosen one.

The People’s New Complaint

So now, what happens is that the people agree. They already see that Aharon is the chosen one. But they’re still not happy. They still realize that, OK, one is the chosen one, but it seems like anyone that tries to challenge it, or anyone that’s not authorized, that goes even close to the Mishkan, or touches, or brings Ketoret in their own way, or anything very minor, seems to be endangered. They’re not happy with this. And this is, I think, one more way of complaining. Like, this is not fair, this is not OK. OK, you know something, we agree that Aharon was chosen, but why this extreme? Like, there’s something where people don’t accept the extreme level of hierarchy, the extreme level of, OK, but everyone else will die if they come close. This is not OK.

And this is what they say: We’re all died, we’re all lost, we’re all being destroyed. Anyone who comes close to Hashem’s Mishkan is dying. Are we finishing to die? This is going on. Everyone is dying. One is dying because he explicitly challenged, another person is dying even without explicitly challenging, just for saying, and so on.

The Response: Responsibility Falls on the Higher Level

And the response, there’s really two parts of the response, I think. But let’s say the first response, or the main part of the response is, that you will stop to die. And I think that what this should be read as is, that this means that the people agree to this other responsibility of the Kehunah. The Kehunah have this new responsibility now, which is that it’s their job to make sure not everyone else dies.

Now, we’ve already seen this earlier. It’s not the first time that this is said. But obviously, they didn’t agree with it yet, right? Because the people are still complaining about the existence of this hierarchy, and the existence of anyone coming close, dying, any stranger, Zar [non-Kohen], and so on. So now that they’ve had this complaint, that they have this request, so now we have them themselves sort of responding to Aaron, and complaining to Moshe, and then getting the response, okay, you know what? For you, in order to save you, we’re going to put the punishment, so to speak, on the Kehunah.

The Kohanim Bear the Burden

In other words, it will be their job to protect their own status, right? So before that, people will say, okay, it’s the Kehunah that are protecting their status, and therefore they don’t let us go. No, it’s the Kehunah protecting you from dying from the Mishkan. That’s how this story frames this law, this restriction, and therefore it’s something that they agreed to. It’s not something that’s imposed on them. And that’s the answer.

Hashem tells Aaron, you, your children, your family, right? The children belonging to your beit av [father’s house], you will carry both the עוון המקדש [avon hamikdash — the sin of the sanctuary], which means if people act disrespectfully to the Mikdash, and the עוון כהונתכם [avon kehunatechem — the sin of your priesthood], which means the sin — it’s not a sin to be a Kohen, it’s avon hamikdash, avon kehunatechem, sounds like it’s a sin to be a Mikdash, or to be a Kohen, but the sin that is imposed on others by them not being Kohanim.

A Profound Lesson About Hierarchy

So that’s the important lesson in this thing. Whatever problem happens to other people because of some people being higher, is the responsibility of the higher people, not the responsibility of the lower people, as the higher people would tend to say without this lesson. So that’s the important lesson in this thing.

The Role of the Leviim as Intermediaries

Now, this is very explicit also, by the whole context of Sefer Bamidbar, having very much to do with the Leviim, which are the next level of protection, the next level of hierarchy after the Kohanim. So it says, not only the Kohanim will be in charge, will be carrying this sin, will take their responsibility to make this distance of the people and the Mishkan and the Kohanim, also the Leviim, ואח שבט לוי תקריב אתו ונלוו עליך [ve’ach shevet Levi takriv oto venilvu alecha — and also the tribe of Levi bring near, and they will accompany you], it’s a play on the word Levi, Levi means someone who will accompany you to serve you, and also serve your children, serve all of you in front of the Ohel [Tent].

The Leviim’s Specific Duties and Limitations

They will keep your watch, they will watch your watch, the watch of the Ohel. But even the Levi, and this of course, responding to Korach, who was a Levi, but instead of being the Levi who serves as the intermediary, as the thing that blocks off the people from the Kohanim, and themselves also is not allowed to go into the space of the Kohanim, Korach wants to take the Kehunah. But now it’s saying, no, so again, just like the people are sort of accepting that the Kohanim is protecting them from themselves, the Levi also is protecting the people, the Mishkan, from the people, and protecting themselves, or protecting the Kohanim from themselves, so they’re watching the Ohel, which means like the outer court, but the כלי הקודש [klei kodesh — holy vessels], or the Mizbeach [altar], they cannot touch, because otherwise they will die, both you and them.

So again, this is the sharing of responsibility, it’s also the Kohanim’s responsibility that people don’t die because of him.

The Continuity Created by the Leviim

The Levi, in some sense, relative to the Kohanim is like Yisroel, but relative to the Yisroel is like a Kohanim.

And that’s all, so that’s what it says, they will accompany you and they will watch the Ohel and all that, and they would call that זר לא יקרב [zar lo yikrav — a stranger will not come close], and they will watch the Kodesh [holy things], the Mizbeach, and through that, ולא יהיה עוד קצף על בני ישראל [velo yihiyeh od ketzef al bnei Yisrael — and there will not be anger again on the people of Israel], as we’ve seen in the previous part, that there was anger when the people did come close and did touch places where they did not belong.

The Leviim as a Gift

And here we repeat again that the Leviim are a gift from the Yidden [Jews], or a gift, or something given from the people to the Kohanim to serve in the Ohel Moed [Tent of Meeting]. And so, again, I think there’s this focus of gift as we find it finishes here, ועבודת מתנה [va’avodat matanah — and the service of a gift] — the Levi is a gift to the Kohanim from the people. So instead of the people complaining, oh, why is the Levi not me? It’s them giving the gift for the Kohanim that he should have this company or this thing in between that saves, also helps the hierarchy, but also helps there be some kind of continuity. There’s not just the Kohanim and Yisroel, there’s a Levi in between.

The Kehunah as Gift, Not Imposition

But the Kohanim, ואתה ובניך [ve’atah uvanecha — and you and your children], the Kohanim and his children, you will watch, the Mizbeach, so, למבית לפרוכת [lemibeit laparochet — from inside the curtain], the Mizbeach is in the courtyard, or maybe also the מזבח הפנימי [mizbeach hapnimi — inner altar], or what’s inside the parochet [curtain], again, the Kodesh HaKodashim [Holy of Holies], the Aron [Ark]. And your Kehunah it’s also given from, who is it given? Not sure, but the point is that it’s a gift, it’s not an imposition, it’s a gift, it sounds like a good thing, and the הזר הקרב יומת [hazar hakarev yumat — the stranger that comes close dies], that’s true, a stranger that comes close dies, but not in the evil sense, but this is part of, I think, continuing the theme that we had, that Aaron is also the one that makes sticks sprout, it’s not only the one that makes things burn, like we, like Rashi says, like we learned from Ketoret, Ketoret is not just something that you can die from, it’s also something that can save you from death, and so on.

The Gifts to the Kohanim: Payment for Their Service

And now, we have the next part of this chapter, is that now that we understand, and this is also very nice how it’s set up, now that we understand that the Kohanim are working for us, because they’re protecting us from them, they’re protecting us from the Mishkan, they’re protecting the Mishkan from us, but they’re doing our work, so now they need payment for that.

The Framework of Matnot Kehunah

So this repeats, and of course some of this we already have, some of it is being added now, it repeats what’s called Matnot Kehunah [Gifts of the Priesthood], which is the payment, or we call Matnot the gifts, right, the gifts that the people are giving to the Kohanim in exchange for their work, for them, since they work for us, they’re not working for themselves, because they’re so great, they’re working for us, and therefore they deserve payment from us, and this is the mitzvah of Matnot Kehunah.

And again, he says, I will give you, and it’s also said in the word of משמרת תרומותי [mishmeret terumotai — the watch of my terumot], so in other words, the watch of the Terumah [priestly portion], because the Terumah is also a Kedushah [holiness], and you have to watch it, it’s just like a Zar that comes close to the Mishkan, dies, so it’s Terumah also. So, and whose job is it to watch the Terumah, and to make sure that it gets to him, and he’s the one that eats it, it’s the Kohanim’s job again.

So, I give you, Mishmeret Terumotai, it’s the watch of my Terumah, for לכל קדשי [lechol kodshei — all the holy things], all kinds of Terumah, all kinds of things that they sanctify to me, it will be given to you למשחה [lemishchah — for greatness], it’s part of your greatness, and for your children, it’s going to always be this way, and it goes through now all the things that they give, a very clear list of all the things the Kohanim get, but all of them work in the same way.

Category One: Kodesh Hakodashim

So the first thing goes through, what’s Kodesh HaKodashim [Holy of Holies — in this context, the most holy offerings], and the אש [esh — fire], the korbanot [sacrifices] that are burnt on the Mizbeach, the parts that they gave, מן המנחה ומן החטאת ומן האשם [min haminchah umin hachatat umin ha’asham — from the meal offering and from the sin offering and from the guilt offering], these are Kodesh HaKodashim, right, the parts of a Chatat [sin offering], an Asham [guilt offering], or a Minchah [meal offering], that a Kohen eats, right, the Olah [burnt offering] does nothing to eat, so it’s not relevant, אשר ישיבו לי [asher yashivu li — that which they return to Me], we see an Asham, it’s something that returns, that has to do with what we discussed, I remember if we had a class in Vayikra, that the difference between a Chatat and an Asham is that it’s not just a korban to atone for you, it’s also in some sense like a repayment, some Ashams literally have repayment going along with them, but even if not, it’s something that gets paid back, in any case, that’s called Kodesh HaKodashim, that’s eaten, it’s eaten by Kodesh HaKodashim, right, not literally in the Kodesh HaKodashim, but it has to be eaten by Kodesh, which means in the Azarah [courtyard], only the males are allowed to eat it, so that’s the first level.

Category Two: Tenufah and Terumat Matanam

Then there is Tenufah [wave offering] is called תרומת מתנם [terumat matanam — the gift-offering], but this is again, all the things that they raise, Tenufah is not things that are burnt on the Mizbeach, things that are, not all of them necessarily have official Tenufah, maybe most of them do, maybe not all of them, but Tenufah, we’ve seen many times, the idea of Tenufah is something that you sort of raise before the Mizbeach, that’s the ritual that represents this, but also some things that don’t have that ritual, but they’re not burnt, they’re not burnt.

The Asham and Kodesh Kadashim

HaShom HaShei Shivuli — we see HaAsham is something that returns. That has to do with what we discussed. I remember if we had a class in Vayikra, that the difference between Chatas and HaAsham is that HaAsham has the aspect of repayment. It’s not just a *korban* to atone for you. It’s also, in some sense, like a repayment. Some ashamos literally have repayment going along with them. But even if not, it’s something that gets paid back.

In any case, that’s called Kodesh Kedoshim. That’s eaten — it’s eaten by Kodesh Kedoshim, right? Not literally in the Kodesh Kedoshim, but it has to be eaten by *kodesh*, which means in the *azarah*, only the males are allowed to eat it. So that’s the first level.

Tenufa and Terumas Matanos

Then there is Tnufa Ismene Yisrael [*tenufas bnei Yisrael* — wave offerings from the Children of Israel]. It’s called Trimah Smatanim [*terumas matanos* — elevated gifts]. But this is, again, Trimah Smatanim is in general, the *terumah*, which is a gift. All the things that they raise, like Tnufa Ismene Yisrael, it’s not things that are burnt on the *mizbeach*, things that are — not all of them necessarily have official *tenufa*. Maybe most of them do. Maybe not all of them, but *tenufa*, the idea we’ve seen many times, the idea of *tenufa* is something that you sort of raise before the *mizbeach*. That’s the ritual that represents this, but also some things that don’t have that ritual, but they’re not burnt. They’re brought to the *mizbeach*, but then not like other things that some of it is burnt on the *mizbeach*, and then the *kohen* gets what’s called *shirayim*, the rest. It’s just brought, like symbolically brought to the *mizbeach*, and then the *kohen* takes the whole thing.

Kodesh vs. Tahor: Who May Eat

And this is not only for the male *kohanim*, it’s also, as they say, for the daughters, because daughters can eat this. Also, Kol Tahor B’Ves Chasot [*kol tahor beveisecha* — anyone pure in your household]. There’s a difference between *kodesh* and *tahor* here. If you’re a holy — only a *kohen*, male *kohen*, who does *avodah*, has the *kedushah* of a *kohen*. But a woman *kohen*, a daughter of a *kohen*, can also be *tahor*. In other words, if she’s not impure, if she’s not like all the list of impurities that we learn in Sefer Vayikra, if she’s not one of those *tumas*, then she can eat it as long as she’s part of the *kohen’s* household.

Agricultural Gifts: Reishis and Bikurim

And that includes Chelev Yitzhar [*chelev yitzhar* — the fat/best of the oil], from the oil, from Tirosh V’dagan [*tirosh ve-dagan* — wine and grain], from grain, from grapes, the beginnings, the *reishis* that are given to Hashem, goes to you.

Same thing, B’Chur B’Kure [*bechor bikurim* — firstborn firstfruits], right? These are livestock animals. Over here, that’s what it seems like. We sometimes read *bikurim* as fruits also, but here it seems like there’s *reishis*, which is the beginnings of the three main kinds of agriculture. And then *bikurim*, which is the beginnings of, I think, *bechor kol* [firstborn of all], like *bechorim*. I think *bikurim* and *bechorim* are the same thing, but someone took *bechorim*. So I’m not clear. In any case, also, I bring to you, this is anyone can eat it, called Tahor B’Vaizcha [*tahor beveisecha* — pure in your household].

Cherem: Dedicated Items

Same thing called Chelev Yitzhar. Chelev means, we’ve learned, that someone just gives something to the *Beis Hamikdash*, to the *kohen*. Doesn’t matter what or how, that’s called a *cherem*. It also gets to the *kohen*.

Firstborns: Peter Rechem

And the same thing is, every firstborn goat, Peter Rechem [*peter rechem* — opening of the womb], both of man, both of human, both of animals, of course, the man gets *pidyon haben*, as we’ve already discussed. Behemoth Tamei [*behemah temei’ah* — impure animal], the same thing. And how does it get *pidyon*? Pen Choy de Shtiv de Berkechun [*u-feduyav michodesh tifdeh be-erkecha* — and its redemption from one month you shall redeem at your valuation], it’s amount, and it’s the set amount, like *erech*. This happens to be the *erech* also, but the set *erech*, which is five *shekalim* of silver, 20 *gerah*.

But kosher animals, so that’s what happens for humans or non-kosher animals, who you can’t eat. Of course, both of these, and for opposite reasons. A human being, you don’t, you know, this *kohen* doesn’t, can’t eat. But an impure animal, he can’t eat either. For opposite reasons, both of them have a *pidyon*.

Kosher Firstborns: No Pidyon

Watch, which ones don’t have a *pidyon*? Bechoy Shoy, the Kessevei Eys [*bechor shor, kesev, o eiz* — firstborn ox, sheep, or goat], which are the kosher animals. They do not Nivdeh [*tifdeh* — be redeemed], they’re *kodesh*. What do we do with them? They become a *korban*, so they throw their blood on the *mizbeach*, their chelev [fat] gets, their fats get burnt on the *mizbeach*, and then their meat goes to the *kohen*, it’s like Chazei HaTanufa and the Shoy Kemen [*chazeh ha-tenufa v’shok ha-yamin* — the breast of waving and the right thigh]. Just like the *kohen* gets a Chazei HaTanufa and the Shoy Kemen from *zevach shelamim* [peace offering], he gets the whole *bechor*.

Terumas HaKodashim and Bris Melach Olam

And then there’s one more thing, I think this is maybe just a general, a general *pasuk*, called Tremes HaKodeshem [*terumas ha-kodashim* — the elevated portion of the holy things], all the things, all the things separated for holiness that you didn’t give to Hashem, they’re all to you, for your children.

And it finalizes with this word, Bris Melech Oylemi [*bris melach olam* — an everlasting salt covenant], it’s a salt covenant, apparently covenant, salt, is something that keeps meat fresh. So a lot of the gifts here are meat, but sometimes they’re not fresh. And in a similar way, someone might think that this covenant is like, okay, it’s like a — sometimes also a covenant is something like, remember, one big way of making a covenant is eating a meal together, having a *zevach*. But that meal, and *fana Yisrael* [*pigul* — rejected offering], and a day later is *pigul*, it’s already ruined. So sometimes a covenant lasts only as long as the meal that was created to celebrate it, that they created just to sort of make it real. But this one is Bris Melech, it’s like you salted meat, and that stays forever.

And that’s why also there’s, we read, that every *korban* has to have *melach* [salt] on the *mizbeach*. Of course, in some sense, it’s because like symbolically, because it doesn’t taste good meat without *melach*, but it says over there also, that B’lissash B’liss Melech Bris [*ki bris Elokeichem* — for it is the covenant of your God], because the *mizbeach* is something, although the parts of the *mizbeach*, right, the parts of the *kohen* doesn’t have to have *melach*, that’s different, maybe he has to eat it with *melach*, but that’s just for his taste. But the parts that go on the *mizbeach*, they also have to have salt to show that it’s not the *mizbeach* doesn’t eat it and it’s finished. There’s something continuity in that.

So that is the *matanos* that the *kohen* gets.

The Kohen Receives No Nachalah

Now, we have one more important part, and then we’re going to, two more things in this chapter, but next thing is, the things that he doesn’t get. So he gets this *matanos*, he gets all these gifts from *deen* [law], but he only gets gifts. He doesn’t get anything that really belongs to him. In other words, he doesn’t have any real estate.

This is a very important way in which the *kehunah* is structured, as we discussed, all these parts, and there, this is one of the parts of *aloch* [*halachah* — law], but it’s very clear to see how it responds to the challenges before. So the response to the challenge of what did the *kohen* deserve is that the *kohen* is in a very specific state. He gets all these gifts. It’s his responsibility that to watch his place in the hierarchy, and also he doesn’t get any actual power. He doesn’t get any real estate.

So that means that he’s always going to be a gift, as we discussed. Gift means it has to be, but in reality, I mean, they can’t force him. Maybe *halachically* the *kohen* could force, but the reality is that since these *matanos kehunah* are gifts, so they’re going to have to always be given voluntarily, which means the *kehunah* will always have to be nice to the people.

So this way, you will not have a part in between them, amongst them, in their real estate, in their land. I am your part. I am your inheritance. [*Uv’artzam lo sinchal v’chelek lo yihyeh lecha b’socham. Ani chelkecha v’nachalasecha* — And in their land you shall not inherit, and a portion you shall not have among them. I am your portion and your inheritance.]

The Levi’im’s Portion: Ma’aser

Now, this is for the *kehunah*. Now, earlier we learned that not only the *kehunah* have a job, have a part in the hierarchy, but the Levi’im also. So the Levi’im also get something here. What did the Levi’im get? They got *ma’asros* [tithes]. So the *kohen* gets *terumah*, which is, as we discussed, are all the things the *kohen* gets when they’re called *terumah*. And the Levi gets *ma’aser*, a tenth of all things. It doesn’t say exactly what it is at this moment.

Ma’aser as Payment for Avodah

They get it, and what they get it in exchange for their work, that they work in the Void of Selmaid [*Ohel Moed* — Tent of Meeting]. And through this, the Ikr Void Minas Ol HaOl Moed [*v’lo yikrevu od bnei Yisrael el Ohel Moed* — and the Children of Israel shall no longer approach the Tent of Meeting], Lasos Chet Lomis [*lases chet lamus* — to bear sin and die], it won’t be the people’s responsibility that they go, but it will be the Levi’s responsibility, and he gets paid for the responsibility. It’s not like he’s taking on this extreme responsibility for nothing. He’s getting paid for it.

And the Levi, he will work the Void of Selmaid, and he will carry their sins. This will be also an everlasting law, I think also an everlasting, something that’s given for everlasting. They will get this gift, and they will carry responsibility, because he gets this *ma’aser*, therefore they don’t get, also the Levi’im don’t get *nachalah*, only the *kohanim* get *nachalah*.

Terumas Ma’aser: The Levi’s Obligation to the Kohen

Now, just as we discussed earlier, that this Levi, relative to *Yisrael*, is a *kohen*, and so he gets *ma’aser* from them, but relative to the *kohen*, and he’s also like *Yisrael*, he can’t go close to the Levi [*mizbeach*]. So the same relation works also relative to the *matnas kehunah*, just like the Levi gets *matanos* from the *Yisrael*, he gets *ma’aser*, but he still has to give *terumah* to the *kohen*, because the *kohen* is still above him.

So this is how Hashem tells Moshe, speak to the Levi and tell them, when you take *ma’aser* from the people, you have to give *terumah* to Hashem, you have to give *terumah*, *ma’aser* from the *ma’aser*, a tenth of the *ma’aser*, what’s called *terumas ma’aser*, because *terumah* is what the *kohen* gets, and then, although you don’t have your own land, so you can’t give the *kohen* yourself, but it will be counted to you, the *terumah* that you give, as if you give the grain from the place where the grain is gathered, or the wine, the grapes from where the vineyard, from where the wine is pressed, and so on, so you’ll give, it will be, so this is yours, so the people, they have their own land, and they give from their land *terumah* for the *kohen*. The Levi has his own, not land, but *ma’aser*, and he gives *terumah* to the *kohen*, in the same way that they give, it’s called Kalchelba [*kol chelbo* — all its fat/best], it’s fat, not necessarily the fat, but the best, that he gives them, and it’s repeated again, it will be called, considered to the Levi’im, just like Tuas Goin and Tuas Yaakov [*tevuas goren u-tevuas yekev* — produce of the threshing floor and produce of the winepress].

Ma’aser May Be Eaten Anywhere

And it will be eaten, who will eat it? The *kohen*, I guess, will eat it, or the Levi will eat the *ma’aser*, anywhere, so unlike, this is not even *kodesh*, *kodesh meretz* [*kodesh kal* — light holiness], unlike the Kodesh Akodesh [*kodesh kadashim* — holy of holies], which has to be eaten in *azarah*, or Kodesh Mekalem [*kodshim kalim* — lighter holy things], that are eaten only in Yerushalayim, these *terumah* is eaten anywhere, because it’s a word, it’s a, it’s Ki Sakharu Lechem [*ki sachar hu lachem* — for it is a wage for you], because it’s as if it’s a payment, so if it’s a payment, it’s just in some sense, it’s not like the *Yisrael* are dedicating this to Hashem, and therefore they’re giving it to the Levi, or *terumah* to the *kohen*, it’s more like, what we call *mammon kohen* [the kohen’s property], it’s given to the *kohen*, because it’s his job, he has to get paid for his job, so therefore, it’s less, considered less *kodesh*, the *terumah* itself.

The Balance of Responsibility and Sin

And repeats again, I don’t know how many times it repeats, like Sissel of Chet [*v’lo tis’u alav chet* — and you shall not bear sin upon it], if the *kohen*, if the Levi will give, this *terumas ma’aser* to the *kohen*, he will not have a sin, otherwise, there’s something imbalanced, in this whole relationship, because the *kohen* has, carries the sin of the Levi, and the Levi carries the sin of the *Yisrael*, and they all carry each other’s, responsibility for all of them, but if they don’t get paid, then, they’re going to have to carry their own sin, so, the Levi’im have to, have to respect the *kodesh* of the Israel, and not die, and then the *kohen* respect the Levi’im’s *kodesh*, and so on, and this is the organization of the whole structure, of who is responsible for who, and who is, higher level than who is told to speak, and who, is gets paid by who.