To not forsake the Levite, from giving him his gifts: That we have been warned from forsaking the Levites and not to be negligent from filling their portion — meaning to say to not delay their tithes — and all the more so on festivals, as we are warned about them even more, in order to gladden them at the appointed time. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 12:19), “Be careful for yourself, lest you forsake the Levite, all of your days upon your Land.”
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] because God, blessed be He, wanted the good of His people, Israel, that He chose as a people and wanted to give them merit and to make them a paragon in His world — a wise and understanding people — in order that all who see them would recognize them as the seed of the blessed of God, men of truth and men of repute. And in that this was His will, may He be blessed, blessed be He, He brought counsels from afar to cause ways for their occupation to be in wisdom and [that] they would be poring over it always every day. And [so] He steered them and arranged proper and pleasant customs and dear and strong mores, in order that they “learn to know God — from their small ones to their great ones” — and their seed would stand and their name would be preserved forever. And from the statutes that strengthened and supported the wisdom among them was for there to be one entire tribe among them without a portion and inheritance in the lands, and that it not go out to the field to plow and to seed and to dig wells [from which] to water. And all of this was to be a cause for it to spend its time, no matter what, to study the wisdoms and to understand the straight ways of God, and they would teach its judgments to their brothers in each and every country and in all of the cities. And therefore in that this tribe is selected — it and its seed — forever for the occupation of wisdom and understanding, and that all of Israel will [therefore] need to seek Torah from their mouths, agree with their opinions and follow their counsel in everything that they teach them; it was from His will that their brothers provide them all of their sustenance, lest their wisdom get swallowed up, due to the lack of their portion. And from this foundation, the double warning came to all of Israel in this verse with “Be careful” and “lest,” that they not forsake and not be negligent at all in all of their matters. And it mentioned about them a warning of the land, as it stated, “all of your days upon your Land”; to say, be very careful with them, as your inheritance is the land, but God — Who is the One that makes its seeds grow — is its inheritance. [This] means to say, do not think to be proud in front of it because of your inheritance of the land, as it is the master. Or we can say that the mention of the land is to say that he needs you regardless, as you are the master of the inheritance and everyone needs it. As anyone who does not have land — even if he has many monies — requires mercy, since everything is from the land, and there is nothing as solid for a man, that his heart can rely upon it, like it. And the landowners are those that raise choice calves and stuffed geese, they have fattened chickens, doves of the cote, goats and sheep. And in the way that the workers of the land bring of all these things on the holidays to kings of the land and its ministers, so were the Children of Israel warned to do for the Levites. And several warnings were repeated about it in Scripture in several places where it states, “Do not forsake the Levite that is in your gates.” And the intent of the matter of its stating, “that is in your gates,” is not that he should go to the doors [of people to beg], God forbid. Rather, it is to say that he does not have the inheritance of lands like [the rest of] Israel.
3
דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מְבֹאָרִים בַּכָּתוּב.
The laws of the commandment are elucidated in Scripture.
And this commandment is practiced when Israel is on their Land. And one who transgresses this and forsakes gladdening the Levite and delays his tithes on the festivals has violated this negative commandment. But there are no lashes for it, as there is no act [involved] with it. And anyone with understanding will be able to learn from this commandment to aid and do good to all who are constantly striving for the wisdom of the Torah. As they are the ones that support the true religion, strengthen faith, increase peace in the world, love the creatures, and are joyful with the ordering of the state. All who need grace, “let him see his face with justice” (tsedek, playing on the word tsedakah, charity); as he has no free time to walk in the streets this way and that for his sustenance. Hence one who has mercy on them and seeks their benefit will receive mercy from the Heavens; and he will eat with them, portion for portion, in the world to come.
שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲזֹב הַלֵּוִי, מִלִּתֵּן לוֹ מַתְּנוֹתָיו – שֶׁהֻזְהַרְנוּ שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲזֹב הַלְּוִיִּם וְלֹא נִתְרַשֵּׁל מֵהַשְׁלִים לָהֶם חֻקָּם. כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁלֹּא נִשְׁהֶה לָהֶם מַעַשְׁרוֹתָם, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בָּרְגָלִים שֶׁאָנוּ מֻזְהָרִין עֲלֵיהֶן בְּיוֹתֵר כְּדֵי לְשַׂמְּחָן בַּמּוֹעֵד, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים יב יט) הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן תַּעֲזֹב אֶת הַלֵּוִי כָּל יָמֶיךָ עַל אַדְמָתֶךָ.
To not forsake the Levite, from giving him his gifts: That we have been warned from forsaking the Levites and not to be negligent from filling their portion — meaning to say to not delay their tithes — and all the more so on festivals, as we are warned about them even more, in order to gladden them at the appointed time. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 12:19), “Be careful for yourself, lest you forsake the Levite, all of your days upon your Land.”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁהָאֵל בָּרוּךְ הוּא חָפֵץ בְּטוּב עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר לוֹ לְעָם וְרָצָה לְזַכּוֹתָם וְלַעֲשׂוֹתָם סְגֻלָּה בְּעוֹלָמוֹ, עַם חָכָם וְנָבוֹן, לְמַעַן יַכִּירוּם כָּל רוֹאֵיהֶם כִּי הֵם זֶרַע בֵּרַךְ ה', אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת אַנְשֵׁי שֵׁם, וּבִהְיוֹת רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּזֶה הֵבִיא עֵצוֹת מֵרָחוֹק לְסַבֵּב דְּרָכִים לִהְיוֹת עִסְקָם בַּחָכְמָה, וְתָמִיד כָּל הַיּוֹם יִהְיוּ עָלֶיהָ שׁוֹקְדִים, וְהִנְהִיג וְסִדֵּר אוֹתָם בְּמִנְהָגִים נְכוֹנִים וּנְעִימִים וּבְנִימוּסִים יְקָרִים וַחֲזָקִים, לְמַעַן יִלְמְדוּ לָדַעַת אֶת הַשֵּׁם מִקְּטַנָּם וְעַד גְּדוֹלָם, וְיַעֲמֹד זַרְעָם וּשְׁמָם קַיָּם לְעוֹלָם. וּמִן הַחֻקִּים הַמַּחֲזִיקִים וְהַמַּעֲמִידִים הַחָכְמָה בְּתוֹכָם, הָיָה לִהְיוֹת שֵׁבֶט אֶחָד כֻּלּוֹ בָּהֶם מִבְּלִי חֵלֶק וְנַחֲלָה בַּקַּרְקָעוֹת, וְשֶׁלֹּא יֵצֵא הַשָּׂדֶה לַחְרֹשׁ וְלִזְרֹעַ וְלַחְפֹּר בּוֹרוֹת לְהַשְׁקוֹת, וְכָל זֶה לִהְיוֹת סִבָּה אֵלָיו לְהוֹצִיא עִתּוֹתָיו עַל כָּל פָּנִים לִלְמֹד חָכְמוֹת וּלְהָבִין דַּרְכֵי הָאֵל הַיְּשָׁרוֹת, וְהֵמָּה יוֹרוּ מִשְׁפָּטָיו לַאֲחֵיהֶם בְּכָל מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה וּבְכָל הָעֲיָרוֹת, וְעַל כֵּן בִּהְיוֹת הַשֵּׁבֶט הַזֶּה נִבְחָר הוּא וְזַרְעוֹ לְעוֹלָם אֶל עֵסֶק הַחָכְמָה וְהַתְּבוּנָה, וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל צְרִיכִין לְבַקֵּשׁ תּוֹרָה מִפִּיהֶם וּלְהַסְכִּים דַּעְתָּם וְלָלֶכֶת אַחַר עֲצָתָם כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר יוֹרוּ אוֹתָם, הָיָה מֵרְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁיְּסַפְּקוּ לָהֶם אֲחֵיהֶם כָּל מִחְיָתָם, פֶּן תִּתְבַּלַּע חָכְמָתָם בְּחֶסְרוֹן חֻקָּם. וּמִן הַיְּסוֹד הַזֶּה, בָּאָה עַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל הָאַזְהָרָה כְּפוּלָה בָּזֶה הַכָּתוּב בְּהִשָּׁמֶר וּפֶן לְבִלְתִּי עָזְבָם וּלְבִלְתִּי הִתְרַשֵּׁל כְּלָל בְּכָל עִנְיָנָם. וְהִזְכִּיר לָהֶם בָּאַזְהָרָה הָאֲדָמָה, שֶׁאָמַר כָּל יָמֶיךָ עַל אַדְמָתֶךָ. לוֹמַר, הִזָּהֲרוּ מְאֹד בָּהֶם כִּי לָכֶם נַחֲלַת הָאֲדָמָה, וְהַשֵּׁם שֶׁהוּא מַצְמִיחַ זֵרוּעֶיהָ הוּא נַחֲלָתוֹ, כְּלוֹמַר, וְאַל תַּחְשְׁבוּ לְהִתְגָּאוֹת כְּנֶגְדּוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל נַחֲלַתְכֶם בָּאֲדָמָה, כִּי הוּא הַגְּבִיר. אוֹ נֹאמַר שֶׁהַזְכָּרַת הָאֲדָמָה הוּא לוֹמַר כִּי צָרִיךְ הוּא אֵלֶיךָ עַל כָּל פָּנִים, שֶׁאַתָּה בַּעַל הַנַּחֲלָה, וְהַכֹּל צְרִיכִין אֵלֶיהָ, שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ קַרְקַע אֲפִלּוּ יֵשׁ לוֹ כַּמָּה כְּסָפִים צָרִיךְ הוּא רַחֲמִים, כִּי הַכֹּל מִן הַקַּרְקַע, וְאֵין כָּל דָּבָר קַיָּם לוֹ לָאָדָם שֶׁיְּהֵא לִבּוֹ סָמוּךְ עָלָיו כָּמוֹהוּ. וּבַעֲלֵי הַקַּרְקָעוֹת הֵם הַמְגַדְּלִים עֶגְלֵי מַרְבֵּק וּבַרְבֻּרִים אֲבוּסִים, לָהֶם תַּרְנְגוֹלוֹת פְּטוּמוֹת וְיוֹנֵי שׁוֹבָךְ וּגְדָיִים וּטְלָאִים, וּכְדֶרֶךְ מַלְכֵי אֶרֶץ וְשָׂרֶיהָ יָבִיאוּ לָהֶם עוֹבְדֵי הָאֲדָמָה מִכָּל אֵלֶּה בַּחַגִּים, הֻזְהֲרוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּמוֹ כֵן לַלְּוִיִּם, וְעַל זֶה נִכְפְּלוּ כַּמָּה אַזְהָרוֹת בַּכָּתוּב בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת בְּאָמְרוֹ (שם יד כז) וְהַלֵּוִי אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ לֹא תַעַזְבֶנּוּ. וְעִנְיַן אָמְרוֹ אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ אֵין הַכַּוָּנָה שֶׁיְּחַזְּרוּ עַל הַפְּתָחִים חָלִילָה, רַק לוֹמַר, שֶׁאֵין לוֹ נַחֲלַת קַרְקָעוֹת כְּמוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] because God, blessed be He, wanted the good of His people, Israel, that He chose as a people and wanted to give them merit and to make them a paragon in His world — a wise and understanding people — in order that all who see them would recognize them as the seed of the blessed of God, men of truth and men of repute. And in that this was His will, may He be blessed, blessed be He, He brought counsels from afar to cause ways for their occupation to be in wisdom and [that] they would be poring over it always every day. And [so] He steered them and arranged proper and pleasant customs and dear and strong mores, in order that they “learn to know God — from their small ones to their great ones” — and their seed would stand and their name would be preserved forever. And from the statutes that strengthened and supported the wisdom among them was for there to be one entire tribe among them without a portion and inheritance in the lands, and that it not go out to the field to plow and to seed and to dig wells [from which] to water. And all of this was to be a cause for it to spend its time, no matter what, to study the wisdoms and to understand the straight ways of God, and they would teach its judgments to their brothers in each and every country and in all of the cities. And therefore in that this tribe is selected — it and its seed — forever for the occupation of wisdom and understanding, and that all of Israel will [therefore] need to seek Torah from their mouths, agree with their opinions and follow their counsel in everything that they teach them; it was from His will that their brothers provide them all of their sustenance, lest their wisdom get swallowed up, due to the lack of their portion. And from this foundation, the double warning came to all of Israel in this verse with “Be careful” and “lest,” that they not forsake and not be negligent at all in all of their matters. And it mentioned about them a warning of the land, as it stated, “all of your days upon your Land”; to say, be very careful with them, as your inheritance is the land, but God — Who is the One that makes its seeds grow — is its inheritance. [This] means to say, do not think to be proud in front of it because of your inheritance of the land, as it is the master. Or we can say that the mention of the land is to say that he needs you regardless, as you are the master of the inheritance and everyone needs it. As anyone who does not have land — even if he has many monies — requires mercy, since everything is from the land, and there is nothing as solid for a man, that his heart can rely upon it, like it. And the landowners are those that raise choice calves and stuffed geese, they have fattened chickens, doves of the cote, goats and sheep. And in the way that the workers of the land bring of all these things on the holidays to kings of the land and its ministers, so were the Children of Israel warned to do for the Levites. And several warnings were repeated about it in Scripture in several places where it states, “Do not forsake the Levite that is in your gates.” And the intent of the matter of its stating, “that is in your gates,” is not that he should go to the doors [of people to beg], God forbid. Rather, it is to say that he does not have the inheritance of lands like [the rest of] Israel.
דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מְבֹאָרִים בַּכָּתוּב.
The laws of the commandment are elucidated in Scripture.
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ, בִּזְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל שְׁרוּיִין עַל אַדְמָתָן. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְעוֹזֵב אֶת הַלֵּוִי מִלְּשַׂמְּחוֹ וּמַשְׁהֶא מִמֶּנּוּ מַעַשְׁרוֹתָיו בָּרְגָלִים עָבַר עַל לָאו זֶה, אֲבָל אֵין בּוֹ מַלְקוּת, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה. וּבַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת, יֵשׁ לְלַמֵּד לְכָל מֵבִין לִסְעֹד וּלְהֵיטִיב אֶל כָּל הַמִּשְׁתַּדְּלִים תָּמִיד בְּחָכְמַת הַתּוֹרָה, כִּי הֵם הַמַּעֲמִידִים דַּת הָאֱמֶת וּמְחַזְּקִים הָאֱמוּנָה, מַרְבִּים שָׁלוֹם בָּעוֹלָם, וְאוֹהֲבִים הַבְּרִיּוֹת, וּשְׂמֵחִים בְּיִשּׁוּב הַמְּדִינָה, בְּצֶדֶק יֶחֱזוּ פָּנֵימוֹ, כָּל הַצָּרִיךְ חֲנִינָה, שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם פְּנַאי לְשׁוֹטֵט בַּחוּצוֹת אַחַר מִחְיָתָם הֵנָּה וָהֵנָּה, עַל כֵּן הַמְּרַחֲמָם וּמְבַקֵּשׁ תּוֹעַלְתָּם יְרֻחָם מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְחֵלֶק כְּחֵלֶק יֹאכַל עִמָּהֶם לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
And this commandment is practiced when Israel is on their Land. And one who transgresses this and forsakes gladdening the Levite and delays his tithes on the festivals has violated this negative commandment. But there are no lashes for it, as there is no act [involved] with it. And anyone with understanding will be able to learn from this commandment to aid and do good to all who are constantly striving for the wisdom of the Torah. As they are the ones that support the true religion, strengthen faith, increase peace in the world, love the creatures, and are joyful with the ordering of the state. All who need grace, “let him see his face with justice” (tsedek, playing on the word tsedakah, charity); as he has no free time to walk in the streets this way and that for his sustenance. Hence one who has mercy on them and seeks their benefit will receive mercy from the Heavens; and he will eat with them, portion for portion, in the world to come.