Army Service in Israel

(1) And the angel that spoke with me returned, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep. (2) And he said unto me: ‘What seest thou?’ And I said: ‘I have seen, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes, yea, seven, to the lamps, which are upon the top thereof; (3) and two olive-trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.’ (4) And I answered and spoke to the angel that spoke with me, saying: ‘What are these, my lord?’ (5) Then the angel that spoke with me answered and said unto me: ‘Knowest thou not what these are?’ And I said: ‘No, my lord.’ (6) Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying: ‘This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying: Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (7) Who art thou, O great mountain before Zerubbabel? thou shalt become a plain; and he shall bring forth the top stone with shoutings of Grace, grace, unto it.’

(8) Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. (9) And Moses said unto Joshua: ‘Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.’ (10) So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. (11) And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. (12) But Moses’hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. (13) And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

(4) If one has the opportunity to do some [other] mitzvah or to learn Torah, and the mitzvah could be done by someone else, he should not interrupt his learning. Otherwise, he should do the mitzvah, and return to his studies.

In a war that is a mitzvah, everyone goes to war even a groom from his new home and the bride from the chupa. Rabbi Yehuda said, .... but in an obligatory war everyone goes out including the groom from his new home and the bride from her chupa.

Why did Levi not receive land in Israel like the other tribes. Because they were designated to worship God - to serve Him and to teach his ethical ways and his righteous laws to the people, as it says "teach the laws to Jacob and your Torah to Israel". Therefore they were excluded from normal functions - they do not conduct war like the rest of Israel, nor inherit land, nor gain for themselves because of their station. Rather they are God's soldiers, as it says "God blessed their lot". The Blessed One is their lot, as it says "I am their portion, their inheritance".

This is not just the tribe of Levi alone. Rather any person on earth whose spirit moves him and perceives his place to remove himself, to stand before God, to serve Him, to worship Him, to know God to act purely as He has formed him. And he liberates from himself the burden of the many calculations of people. This person has sanctified himself to be the holy of holies so that God is his portion and his lot forever. And God will provide his needs in this world as he provided for the Cohanim and the Leviim. For that is what David said "God is my portion, my cup. You support my destiny."

All the members of the city must pay (the tax) for all security needs of the city, even orphans, but excluding Torah scholars. Because Torah scholars don't benefit from the security apparatus - rather their Torah protects them. When it comes to fixing roads and walkways then even the Torah scholars need to pay. If the people volunteer to do the labour then it isn't proper for Torah scholars to do the labour, for it diminishes their stature amongst the people.