Of Levites and Jews
The Levites are a nation among the nation of the Jews. You can become a Jew, but you cannot become a Levite. Levites are determined by male descent. The Y-chromosomal haplogroup distribution of Levites is quite distinct from other Jews. It is very diverse and wholly incompatible with the idea that Levites are the sons of Levi, whenever he would have lived. The term "sons of Levi" should therefore be taken as a synonym for Levites, rather than be interpreted literally.
The Levites came from Mitzrayim, as the nation of Hashem, to live with the Israelites, but with a separate status and a special task. This has been demonstrated by Richard Elliott Friedman in his latest book, "The Exodus." The Levites came to be the teachers, the priests, of ancient Israel. And also the Jehudites accepted the Levite story. Henceforth, the Jews, the merger of Israelites, Jehudites, and Levites, came to see themselves as the nation of Hashem that had left Mitzrayim, as we do on Pesach. Similarly, the Jews came to see themselves as having had the experience at mount Sinai, which we relive on the festival of Shavuot.
In ancient times, a Levite woman that wanted to retain her Levite privileges, had to marry a Levite man. Hence, it would have been a kind of "Mitzva" for a man of a Levite house to marry a Levite daughter (Shemot 2:1). However, there is no obligation of this kind, and a Levite is, from a Torah point of view, free to marry anyone, even, in the rabbinical jargon, a convert to Judaism. In the beginning, the Levites were probably a visibly different people, which barely intermarried with the Jews, for the above reason. But in the course of time, the Levites became ever more genetically identical to Jews in general, except for the DNA of the Y chromosome, which tells the true ancient story to who wants to know.
The "Mitzva" in fact delays, in a sense, "the coming of Moshiach," as it is the marriage of a non-Levite and a Levite that contributes to the genetic identity of Levites and Jews. Therefore, there is an opposite "Mitzva," from the side of the end. There seems to be a good reason that no "Mitzva" of either kind was "revealed," leaving the issue to one's understanding, because as a chaser of the "Mitzva" one could be liable to "push the end," or "delay the end." It says in Shir Hashirim 2:7, "I adjure you, daughters of Yerushalem, by gazelles or by hinds of the field, do not wake or rouse love until it please," until it is natural. And it is somewhat similarly taught by the enigmatic phrase in the blessing of Yehudah, the Jew, עַ֚ד כִּֽי־יבא שילה (Bereshit 49:10), until Shiloh comes, naturally. Shiloh is the city of the Levites, שילה has the gematria of Moshe, the leader of the Levites. Until יבא שילה, which phrase has the gematria of "Moshiach."
There are those that feel that they have to install a new "Mitzva," new types of Levites and non-Levites, which could, Chas v'Shalom, postpone the end. To preserve the exilic culture, they feel that is incumbent on Persian Jews to marry Persian Jews, or on Temani Jews to marry Temani Jews, or on Sephardi Jews to marry Sephardi Jews, on Askenazi Jews of type X to marry Ashkenazi Jews of type X, et cetera. They are playing with fire, because postponing the end is as dangerous as is pushing the end. There is absolutely nothing worth preserving, in the face of the end. Set your children free. We are all Levites. We are all Jews.
Levites are not related by DNA; they are related by common history. (Richard Elliot Friedman)
He shall act like a smelter and purger of silver; and He shall purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver, so that they shall present offerings in righteousness. (Malachi 3:3)
In ancient times, a Levite woman that wanted to retain her Levite privileges, had to marry a Levite man. Hence, it would have been a kind of "Mitzva" for a man of a Levite house to marry a Levite daughter (Shemot 2:1). However, there is no obligation of this kind, and a Levite is, from a Torah point of view, free to marry anyone, even, in the rabbinical jargon, a convert to Judaism. In the beginning, the Levites were probably a visibly different people, which barely intermarried with the Jews, for the above reason. But in the course of time, the Levites became ever more genetically identical to Jews in general, except for the DNA of the Y chromosome, which tells the true ancient story to who wants to know.
The "Mitzva" in fact delays, in a sense, "the coming of Moshiach," as it is the marriage of a non-Levite and a Levite that contributes to the genetic identity of Levites and Jews. Therefore, there is an opposite "Mitzva," from the side of the end. There seems to be a good reason that no "Mitzva" of either kind was "revealed," leaving the issue to one's understanding, because as a chaser of the "Mitzva" one could be liable to "push the end," or "delay the end." It says in Shir Hashirim 2:7, "I adjure you, daughters of Yerushalem, by gazelles or by hinds of the field, do not wake or rouse love until it please," until it is natural. And it is somewhat similarly taught by the enigmatic phrase in the blessing of Yehudah, the Jew, עַ֚ד כִּֽי־יבא שילה (Bereshit 49:10), until Shiloh comes, naturally. Shiloh is the city of the Levites, שילה has the gematria of Moshe, the leader of the Levites. Until יבא שילה, which phrase has the gematria of "Moshiach."
There are those that feel that they have to install a new "Mitzva," new types of Levites and non-Levites, which could, Chas v'Shalom, postpone the end. To preserve the exilic culture, they feel that is incumbent on Persian Jews to marry Persian Jews, or on Temani Jews to marry Temani Jews, or on Sephardi Jews to marry Sephardi Jews, on Askenazi Jews of type X to marry Ashkenazi Jews of type X, et cetera. They are playing with fire, because postponing the end is as dangerous as is pushing the end. There is absolutely nothing worth preserving, in the face of the end. Set your children free. We are all Levites. We are all Jews.
Levites are not related by DNA; they are related by common history. (Richard Elliot Friedman)
He shall act like a smelter and purger of silver; and He shall purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver, so that they shall present offerings in righteousness. (Malachi 3:3)