Monday, June 16, 2008

Bamidbar: when does protexia get applied?

Parshas Bamidbar

In 1:49 Hashem tell Moshe not to count to tribe of Levi. Rashi explains that Hashem knew that all those counted here would eventually receive a punishment of death in the desert. So why not Levi? because Levi is special. Levi did not sin by the Golden Calf. Levi stepped up to the plate and batted on God's side.

Why is that a reason - did we not learn by the children of Aharon the concept of "בקרובי אקדש" - that Hashem's name gets honored more when people see those who are close to Him being punished?

I am not saying Levi deserved death, but why do they get this special protection just because they were more purely dedicated to God, when we see others do not get that "protexia"?

Anyone?

2 comments:

Chaim K said...

I don't really understand the stira -- Nadav v'Avihu did something wrong; they were punished. Shevet Levi did something good; they were rewarded. Seems pretty straightforward to me...

Rafi G. said...

as I wrote, the Leviim did not do anything wrong to deserve death. This question is before the fact. They are, in advance, being given a free pass. They are being told not to count the Leviim so that later they will not be punished (if they should do anything wrong). Why do they get the free pass, when by others we say bkrovai ekadesh?