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Background: The Second half of Sefer Yehoshua mostly deals with Chalukat Haaretz, the

division of the land among the 12 shevtaim. However, were going to deal mostly with the

unusual portion of Shevet Levi, and the lessons it teaches us about the nature of religious

leadership.

Objective:

Shevet Levi, as the religious leaders of Bnei Yisrael are limited in their land and economicopportunities, so that they are not corrupted by greed, which is a danger of religious leadership.

Trigger:

Play a game with kids which includes the prospect of winning candy. Deliberately and obviously

rig the game in your favor. The sentence Im the shiur teacher, I can do what I want! should at

some point cross your lips. Eat a candy in a taunting fashion (Save some candy for the kids

though). Feel free to claim that God told you to do it or that you deserve the candy more than

them because youre gonna use it for Torah. Feel free to go nuts with this.

At some point, when your kids are at the point of rebellion, or you are completely disgusted at

yourself, let the kids have their candy and explain that you were pretending.

Discuss:

What authority did you use to take their candy? Why was it so hard to protest your actions?

What rules could be added to the game to make it more fair?

Sources:

I. Job of Levi:

1) Devarim 33:8-10 (Focus on 10, 8 is there to show that its talking about Levi)

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8) Concerning Levi he said: Your perfect lights belong to Your pious ones, those whom You

tested at Massah and with whom You contended at Mei Meriva. 9) He (the tribe of Levi) said ofhis father and mother "I do not see them," of his brothers "I recognize them not" and of his

children "I do not know them," for they instead observed Your words and safeguarded Your

covenant. 10) THEY SHALL TEACH YOUR LAW TO YA'ACOV AND YOUR TORAH TO

ISRAEL; THEY WILL PLACE INCENSE BEFORE YOU AND WHOLLY BURNT OFFERINGS

UPON YOUR ALTAR.

2) Malachi 2:4-7

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4) Know then that I have sent this commandment unto you, that My covenant might be with

Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. 5)My covenant was with him of life and peace, and I gave them

to him, and of fear, and he feared Me, and was afraid of My name. 6) The law of truth was in his

mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips; he walked with Me in peace and

uprightness, and did turn many away from iniquity. 7) For the priest's lips should keep

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knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of

hosts.

1) According to these sources, what is the job of a Shevet Levi?

2) How does it compare to your role as Tzevet Beit Midrash/Shiur Teacher in Camp Stone?

II: Potential Corruption

3)God has given us the papacy. Now let us enjoy it.

-Pope Leo X (1475-1521)

4)Without a legal summons many a rake

He'd summon, and, when threatened with Jesuss curse,

Each would be more than glad to fill his purse

-Geoffery Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, The Friars Tale

How can religious leadership become corrupt?

III Steps to Prevent Corruption

5) Map of Levite Cities

If your cities are scattered across Eretz Yisrael, what does it become hard to do?

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6) Bamidbar 35:2-4

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2)Command the Israelites, to give cities to the Levites from their landed inheritance for dwelling,

as well as open areas outside of those cities. 3) The cities will be for the Levites to live, whilethe open areas will be for their animals and for their possessions 4) And the open areas of the

cities that shall be given to the Levites are from the wall of the city out to a thousand cubits all

around.

1. What are the open areas not for? (Agriculture)

2. What might the reason for this be? (So they are not economically independent)

3. How might this relate to the mitzvot of Teruma and Maaser? (Thats where the Leviim get

their food, not from their own work)

7) Devarim 16:11

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11) And you shall rejoice before the Lord your god, you, your sons and your daughters, your

slave and your maidservant, and the Levite that is within your gates, and the stranger, the

orphan, and the widow that is in your midst, in the place that the Lord your god, shall choose to

dwell his name there.

What does the inclusion of the Levite with the disadvantaged of society (the stranger, orphan

and widow) tell us about his economic status?

IV:Conclusion:8. Bamidbar 18:20

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20) God said to Aharon: in their land you shall not inherit, neither shall you have a portion

among them. I am your portion and your inheritance in the midst of the people of Israel

9.Rambam Mishneh Torah, Sefer Zeraim, Hilchos Shemitta VYovel

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Why did the tribe of Levi not merit a portion in the land of Israel and in its spoils with his brethren? This is

because they were designated to serve God and to minister before Him, to teach His righteous ways and

upright laws to the masses, as the verse states: "They shall teach Your law to Ya'acov and Your Torah to

Israel." Therefore, they are separated from the ways of the world. They do not wage war like the rest of

Israel, nor do they inherit land or secure sustenance by their own efforts. Rather, they are God's army, as

the verse states: "May God bless his efforts" (literally "his forces"), and He, blessed be He, provides for

them as it states "I am your portion and your inheritance."