민수기 18:19의 Chasidut
כֹּ֣ל ׀ תְּרוּמֹ֣ת הַקֳּדָשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָרִ֥ימוּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ לַֽיהוָה֒ נָתַ֣תִּֽי לְךָ֗ וּלְבָנֶ֧יךָ וְלִבְנֹתֶ֛יךָ אִתְּךָ֖ לְחָק־עוֹלָ֑ם בְּרִית֩ מֶ֨לַח עוֹלָ֥ם הִוא֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לְךָ֖ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֥ אִתָּֽךְ׃
이스라엘 자손이 여호와께 거제로 드리는 모든 성물은 내가 영영한 응식으로 너와 네 자녀에게 주노니 이는 여호와 앞에 너와 네 후손에게 변하지 않는 소금 언약이니라
Kedushat Levi
Numbers 18,19. “it is an eternal, salt-like, covenant before Hashem.”
This statement had become necessary after the revolt of Korach, who claimed that all Israelites are entitled to be priests by dint of all of them having stood at Mount Sinai. Korach had considered his status as a Levi, as a demotion. He had not understood that the priests symbolise the attribute of חסד loving kindness, whereas the Levites symbolize the attribute of דין, justice. If both the Levites and the priests had symbolized loving kindness, there would have been no room in the world for the attribute of justice. G’d’s universe can function only when both these attributes perform their respective functions.
Nachmanides, commenting on the significance of מלח, salt, writes that salt is a combination of the raw materials fire and water, i.e. justice and loving kindness. Between them these two “raw materials” are the foundation of our civilisation. This concept had to be brought to the attention not only of the Levites, but to the attention of all the Israelites, so that they would understand that both the role of the Levite and the role of the priest are indispensable to the Jewish nation, and are not to be regarded as part of a pyramid, the priests representing the pinnacle.
This statement had become necessary after the revolt of Korach, who claimed that all Israelites are entitled to be priests by dint of all of them having stood at Mount Sinai. Korach had considered his status as a Levi, as a demotion. He had not understood that the priests symbolise the attribute of חסד loving kindness, whereas the Levites symbolize the attribute of דין, justice. If both the Levites and the priests had symbolized loving kindness, there would have been no room in the world for the attribute of justice. G’d’s universe can function only when both these attributes perform their respective functions.
Nachmanides, commenting on the significance of מלח, salt, writes that salt is a combination of the raw materials fire and water, i.e. justice and loving kindness. Between them these two “raw materials” are the foundation of our civilisation. This concept had to be brought to the attention not only of the Levites, but to the attention of all the Israelites, so that they would understand that both the role of the Levite and the role of the priest are indispensable to the Jewish nation, and are not to be regarded as part of a pyramid, the priests representing the pinnacle.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy