DEUT910 See [[DEUT903]] Deuteronomy 17:18 Teaching DORFFDRAG 24-5

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DEUT911 In the case of communal workers, we find an interesting form of providing for widows and orphans, over and above or instead of a pension. By custom or by law, the sons of communal officials were to succeed their fathers after their death. This is presented by Maimonides as follows. “The kingship is a hereditary function, as it is written ‘in order that his reign and that of his sons shall be prolonged in Israel’ [Deuteronomy 17:20] ... And not only is this [hereditary] but all communal officials in all appointments in Israel are hereditary.” Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Melachim, chapter 1, halakhah 7. This succession was seen, then, not only as an expression of honor toward the former officials but also as a means of providing for the maintenance of the widow and other dependents. The son, legally, had the obligation to provide for his mother and younger unmarried siblings, so that providing him with a job enabled him to fulfill this obligation and freed the community from the financial burden. In order to protect the public from incapable or unsuitable heirs, the halakhah demanded that the successor be fit to fulfill the position. He need not, however, be the most capable or qualified candidate.

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DEUT912 See [[EXOD253]] Exodus 16:7 what WAGS 90-1

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DEUT913 If you occupy a position of authority, study the Torah and the other Jewish sources to remind yourself not to feel superior to those over whom you have power. People who occupy high positions often become arrogant, both because of their power and because of the flattery offered them by subordinates. To counteract this tendency, the Torah ordained that, upon assuming office, a king should write and carry around his own Torah, thereby reminding himself that he is God's servant, and serves at God's wish. The Torah also notes that they should be done so "that his heart not be lifted above his brothers" [this verse]. Sit down periodically and study or copy Jewish teachings, such as Deuteronomy 17:14–20 or Psalm 82, which remind the powerful that God is above them, and Psalm 15, which reminds us all of how God wants us to act.

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DEUT914 See [[DEUT377]] Deuteronomy 8:11 forget TZADIK 27

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DEUT915 See [[DEUT485]] Deuteronomy 10:21 deeds GATES 209

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DEUT916 The tribe of Levi shall not have a land inheritance in the land of Israel. Key concept: In order that the Levites and Kohanim concentrate all of their efforts on serving Hashem. To this end, they do not work the land, and the other tribes give them a portion of all that they have. Thereby, the Levites and Kohanim receive their livelihood without oil.

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DEUT917 The tribe of Levi shall not receive booty from the conquest of the Land of Israel or from other warfare. The Levites and Kohanim, Hashem's attendants in the Beis HaMikdash, are sanctified for a sublime calling, so it is not fitting that they take booty snatched in wartime. All that is associated with Hashem's House must be obtained peacefully, through justice, fairness, and mutual agreement, without any trace of violence or force.

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DEUT918 By and large, there are no vows of poverty in Judaism as a means of achieving a Divinely blessed state of affairs. There are no accusing fingers pointed at those engaged in normal economic activities and the earning of material goods. The priests and Levites in biblical times were, it is true, not allowed to have a portion of the Land of Israel like all other tribes, except for the small number of designated towns and villages apportioned to them. According to most of the biblical commentators, however, this was done not in order to produce a priesthood living in a state of poverty and devoting themselves solely to God, but rather to ensure the dispersal of the tribe of Levi throughout the country, so that there would be no area bereft of spiritual leaders. S.R. Hirsch, Commentary on the Bible, on Deut. 18:1-3. The poet- philosopher of twelfth century Spain, Yehuda Halevi, in his presentation of Judaism known as the Kuzari, described the Jewish attitude to economic activity as follows: “Nor is the decreasing of wealth an act of piety if such wealth happens to have been gained in a lawful way and its further acquisition does not prevent him from occupying himself with Torah and righteous deeds, especially for one who has family and dependents and whose desire is to spend his money for the sake of God. .... For you are, as it were, enjoying the Lord's hospitality, being invited to His table, and should thank him for His bounty, both inwardly and outwardly. The Kuzari, part II, 45-50. Mainstream Judaism saw a man's material welfare as a reward from Heaven, a gift of the Deity and therefore as something not intrinsically bad, but rather to be valued and prized. … Yet, despite the legitimacy of economic activity and of man's enjoyment of material goods, Judaism does not allow unlimited accumulation of such goods or unlimited use of them. Thus, the admonition in Ecclesiastes “Go to the ant, you sluggard” is generally regarded as a favorable injunction to industriousness and economic diligence. The rabbis, however, saw the ant’s life as the epitome of foolishness and wasted endeavor. “After all,” they said, the ant eats only two grains of wheat and lives but for one season, yet it labors ceaselessly to amass a fortune.” I.B. Bunim, Ethics from Sinai, chapter 4, mishnah 1 (New York: Feldheim, 1974). [Continued at [[DEUT1673]] Deuteronomy 32:6 endure TAMARI 31-2]

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DEUT919 See [[LEV919]] Leviticus 23:10 first AMJV 298

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