Can I Become a "Levite?" - Beha'alotecha 5786
“Can I become a Levite?” the great philanthropist asked the Rabbi. It is a famous old joke (usually told about Kohanim). The Rabbi says: “I’m sorry, I can’t make you a Levite.” The man pleads and begs, but the Rabbi refuses to budge. He offers a million dollars, but the Rabbi says “I’m sorry, I just can’t make you a Levite.” (There is a PS to this joke, I’ll get to that soon.) When the disappointed man leaves, the Rabbi’s assistant follows him out and asks why it is so important for him to become a Levite. “Well,” he answers, "My father is a Levite and my grandfather was a Levite, I also want to be a Levite!” At the beginning of our Parsha this week, Hashem tells Moshe to separate the Levites to work in the Mishkan (traveling Sanctuary), and later in the Holy Temple, alongside the Kohanim (priests). The Levites (Leviim) were chosen by their lineage, as descendants of Yaakov’s son Levi, with the exclusion of Aarn’s branch of the tribe, who were the koh...