Not to Forsake the Levi and the Levi Within Each of Us - EKEV

Sefer hachinuch lists 22 Misvot this week. One is not to forsake the levi. Halacha of the Day on “לא לעזוב את הלוי” — Not to forsake the Levi (Sefer HaChinukh mitzvah 505 in most editions). 1. The mitzvah is from Devarim 12:19: “הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן־תַּעֲזֹב אֶת־הַלֵּוִי כָּל־יָמֶיךָ עַל־אַדְמָתֶךָ” “Guard yourself lest you forsake the Levite all your days upon your land.” The Levi’im were not given a portion of land in Eretz Yisrael — their livelihood came from the ma’aser rishon (first tithe) that the other tribes were commanded to give. This mitzvah warns us not only to fulfill the technical requirement of giving the ma’aser, but also to maintain an ongoing relationship of support and respect for the Levi, ensuring they can dedicate themselves to their service in the Beit HaMikdash and teaching Torah. The Rambam in Sefer HaMitzvot counts this as a separate mitzvah because it adds an ongoing, proactive dimension: it’s not enough to pay your “tax”; you must be careful never to let the Levi feel abandoned. 2. Today, without a Beit HaMikdash, Levi’im do not perform Temple service and we don’t give ma’aser rishon in the Torah sense. But the underlying principle — supporting those who dedicate their lives to Avodat Hashem and Torah — still applies. • This could mean supporting Torah scholars, teachers, and communal leaders who rely on the community. • It could also mean showing kavod to Levi’im in shul — calling them first to the Torah, maintaining their role in birkat kohanim if they are also kohanim, and giving them their due place in the community. • On a deeper level, the mitzvah reminds us not to “abandon” anyone in the community who depends on us — especially those serving the spiritual needs of others. 3. The is a story told of The Vilna Gaon who once hosted a guest for Shabbat who was a Levi. During the meal, the Gaon personally served him first from every dish. When asked why, he explained: “The Torah commands us not to forsake the Levi — not only in their sustenance, but in honor. If in the days of the Mikdash they stood at the gates singing before Hashem, how much more so now, when they keep that tradition alive, should we honor them in our homes.” It’s said that the Levi left uplifted, feeling valued not for his title alone but for his role in the chain of Avodat Hashem. That’s the essence of the mitzvah: making sure a Levi never feels invisible. 4. While the Levi’im of today may not stand on the steps of the Beit HaMikdash, the Torah’s call echoes: Don’t forsake those who serve Hashem in your midst. This mitzvah teaches us to notice, to support, and to honor — whether it’s a Levi in shul, a teacher in the beit midrash, or anyone whose avodah benefits the whole community. At our next opportunity, greet a Levi warmly, make sure he is given the proper kavod, or support someone in full-time Torah work — and know that you’re fulfilling the spirit of “לא תעזוב את הלוי”. The Rambam’s Expansion — Every Jew Can Be a Levi In Hilchot Shemitah V’Yovel 13:12–13, the Rambam writes something astonishing: “Not only the tribe of Levi, but any human being… whose spirit moves him and whose understanding grants him the wisdom to separate himself and stand before Hashem… is sanctified as holy of holies, and Hashem will be his portion and inheritance forever. And Hashem will provide his sustenance in this world, as He did for the Kohanim and Levi’im.” The Rambam is saying that the essence of Levi is not genetic — it’s a calling. A person who devotes themselves to Torah and to serving the community becomes, spiritually, a “Levi.” So “don’t forsake the Levi” means: • Yes, support the physical Levi’im — that’s the mitzvah’s root. • But also, don’t forsake the Levi role in our own lives — the part of us that wants to step away from pure material pursuit to stand before Hashem. • And don’t forsake others who have taken that role — the teachers, learners, and spiritual leaders around you. Why This is Powerful Today If the Beit HaMikdash stood, you’d bring your ma’aser to the Levi and go home. Today, your “ma’aser” might be the time, resources, or attention you give to those living in service of Torah. And according to the Rambam, it might even mean supporting the Levi within yourself — carving out time from the daily grind to learn, daven, or do chesed, even when it’s not your “job.” Story to Illustrate A well-known rosh yeshiva in Israel once said that as a young man, his father — a shopkeeper — would bring home the day’s earnings and set aside money for Torah scholars before anything else, even food. When asked why, he answered: “If we forsake the Levi, we forsake the Shechinah in our town. And if we forsake the Shechinah, what are we eating for anyway?” Years later, that same shopkeeper’s son became a major teacher of Torah, supported by others’ generosity — a full-circle fulfillment of לא תעזוב את הלוי. This mitzvah isn’t just about “them” — it’s about us. Supporting the Levi means nurturing the people, and the part of ourselves, that stand in service before Hashem. When we give to them, we’re not just sustaining them — we’re sustaining the spiritual heartbeat of our community.