394. Levites Fit Right: The obligation for Levites to work in the Temple

The Levites were assigned to work at the Temple. Their specific jobs included singing and serving as gatekeepers. One might think that, while only Levites were allowed to serve, any particular Levite had the option to serve or not; we see from this mitzvah that it is incumbent upon each and every capable Levite to perform this duty.

The Leviim were trained in their duties for five years, from age 25 to 30. At 30, they would begin to serve. There was no mandatory retirement age for Levites, nor would physical blemishes disqualify them. Leviim could serve until their voices gave out and they could no longer sing over the sacrifices, which was their primary responsibility. Even after their voices gave out, they could still fulfill other Temple duties, such as serving as guards and locking the doors. (When the Torah gives a mandatory Levite retirement age of 50 – in Numbers 8:25 - that refers to the Leviim of the Tabernacle, who carried the furniture when the Mishkan traveled, not to those in the permanent Temple.)

The reason for this mitzvah is what we said in Mitzvah #390: it’s not honor for a king to have any random person just show up to serve him. Just as an earthly king would have specific ministers hand-selected, appointed and trained for their tasks. If this is appropriate for the honor of an earthly king, all the more so for the Divine King!

This mitzvah applies in Temple times. It is discussed in the Talmud in the first chapter of tractate Middos and in Succah (51a). It is codified in the Mishneh Torah in the third chapter of Hilchos Klei HaMikdash. This mitzvah is #23 of the 248 positive mitzvos in the Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvos.