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Home -- Content: Series 7 (Laws) -- Translation: English -- Book: 1 (Tora) -- Part: 1 (Positive) -- Command: 22 -- Text
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The Sharia of Moses in the TORA
Part 1 - The 248 Positive Commandments of the Tora

22 - GUARDING THE SANCTUARY


Numbers 18:2.4-5 -- 2 “Also bring with you your brethren of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may be joined with you and serve you while you and your sons are with you before the tabernacle of witness. … 4 They shall be joined with you and attend to the needs of the tabernacle of meeting, for all the work of the tabernacle; but an outsider shall not come near you. 5 And you shall attend to the duties of the sanctuary and the duties of the altar, that there may be no more wrath on the children of Israel.”

The object of this commandment seems to have been twofold: “The sanctuary was constantly guarded and surrounded as a mark of respect and honor, and at the same time the laymen, the unclean, and mourners were prevented from entering the sanctuary.”*

* Moreh Nebuchim III, 45

The Mishnah informs us: “The officer of the Temple Mount used to go round to every watch, with lighted torches before him, and if any watcher did not stand up and say to him, ‘Peace be to thee, supervisor of the Temple Mount!’, it was obvious that he was asleep, and he would belabor him with his stick, and was also at liberty to burn his clothes. And the others would say: ‘What is the noise in the Temple Court?’ ‘It is the noise of a Levite who is being beaten and whose clothes are being burnt because he was asleep at his post.’”*

* Mid. I, 2

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