Midrasch zu Bamidbar 8:19
וָאֶתְּנָ֨ה אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֜ם נְתֻנִ֣ים ׀ לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן וּלְבָנָ֗יו מִתּוֹךְ֮ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ לַעֲבֹ֞ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וּלְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֨א יִהְיֶ֜ה בִּבְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נֶ֔גֶף בְּגֶ֥שֶׁת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃
Und ich gebe die Leviten als Hilfe dem Aaron und seinen Söhnen aus der Mitte der Kinder Israel, den Dienst für die Kinder Israel zu verrichten beim Stiftszelte und zu sühnen die Kinder Israel, dass keine Seuche über sie komme, wenn sie dem Heiligtum nahen.
Midrash Tanchuma
Moses cried out: My master, You did not command me about even one of the seventy nations, only concerning Israel: When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, Unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, And unto the children of Israel thou shalt say, Command the children of Israel, Speak unto the children of Israel. You commanded me to do this only to the children of Israel. He replied to him: I did so because they are dearer to me than all the nations. They are My treasure, I love them and have chosen them, as it is said: And the Lord hath chosen thee to be his own treasure out of all peoples (Deut. 14:2). Observe how precious they are that they are mentioned five times in a single verse: I have given the Levites—they are given to Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the Tent of Meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no plague among the children of Israel, through the children of Israel coming nigh unto the Sanctuary (Num. 8:19).
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