Knowledge is power -- G-dly knowledge is SUPER POWER.
“Not only the tribe of Levi, but any one of the inhabitants of the world whose spirit generously motivates him and he understands with his wisdom to set himself aside and stand before God to serve Him and minister to Him and to know God, proceeding justly as God made him, removing from his neck the yoke of the many reckonings which people seek, he is sanctified as holy of holies.
God will be His portion and heritage forever and will provide what is sufficient for him in this world like He provides for the priests and the Levites. And thus David declared [Psalms 16:5]: "God is the lot of my portion; You are my cup, You support my lot."
Maimonides Shemita chapt. 13 Hal. 13.
Maimonides is saying something here, which is truly incredible and remarkable. Many commentators remark and are amazed at this point. Someone, including Gentiles, who are not born to the tribe of Levi and is not part of that family, has the possibility to acquire the spiritual and actual characteristics and benefits of the Levites, as if they were one of them!!! How is it possible, “he is sanctified holy of holies.”
In an earlier time, the Bible tells us a story of Pinchas, the grandson of Aaron the high priest, who took matters in his own hands. He witnessed the public desecration of the law, when he saw the leader of the tribe of Shimon carry on in a romantic relationship with a Midianite princess, and killed both of them.
As a reward for taking this action, and stopping the plague that was going on, G-d rewarded Pinchas by making him and his progeny Priests, forever. In fact all the priests who served in the Temple in Jerusalem where his descendants!
The same question is asked here. It is only if ones father is a priest can a child be a Priest. If the priesthood is totally dependent on the father one has, and it is a matter of a natural reality, once Pinchas was not a priest, how was he able to become one?
The answer lies in the type of behavior Pinchas projected to earn this reward.
Most people who serve G-d with self –sacrifice do so as an anomaly. For the most part they will use their minds, things are measured, and it is only in the exceptional moment they will act beyond the call of duty and give it all they are, and all they have.
There are others, perhaps very few, who have no personal desires outside their life calling. Their lives, the essence of their being is entirely dedicated to G-d and every detail in their lives are directed in that path.
This was the life of Pinchas. He endangered his own life to do something he was not asked or expected to do. If he were to ask a Rabbi how he should act in this situation, he would not have been told to do what he did. The moment was calling “him” to act, to totally lunge himself entirely for the cause, for the great desecration of G-ds name at the time. He was zealous for the jealousy of G-d.
Since he acted in a way that was totally beyond his duty, and/or anything expected of him, he was treated by G-d in a way that is normally not the way of G-d and of the world. He received the reward of Priesthood for him and his children forever.
When any person so dedicates himself and his resources for a holy purpose, even to the point that it goes beyond logical rational thinking, it’s a calling to his essence and of his essence, G-d responds in kind with His essence, to whatever person it may be, and becomes this persons inheritance. G-d personally, provides for this individual.
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