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There's a lot of counting and measuring,
distributing of land
and tallying of distance and people in Masei,
the last chapter in Bemidbar,
the Book of Numbers, which
makes sense when you think about it.
After 40 years wandering
from campsite to campsite,
from springs to date palms,
from wilderness to desert and back again,
the Israelites who went forth from Egypt
are about to reach their destination.
Here in Masei, God gives Moses
detailed boundaries that lay out exactly
where the Israelites will live
when they actually arrive in the Land.
Each of the 12 tribes
are assigned hefty chunks of land.
One tribe, however is left out of the plans,
and that's the Levites.
The Levites are teachers, judges,
construction workers:
they are an urban bunch.
They are more comfortable
amidst the buzz of the crowds on a street
than the fields of a farm.
God wants them to focus
on studying and learning
and the work of the Temple,
and doesn't want to burden them
with land ownership.
City planners have always believed
that people's well-being,
and the harmony of communities
are deeply affected
by their physical environments.
So, instead of giving the Levites
a chunk of land,
God asks each tribe to give four cities
within each of its states to the Levites.
Twelve tribes, with four Levite cities each -
that's a total of 48 cities.
There, the Levites will live the urban life,
rent free, while the other tribe leaders
get the satisfaction
of doing a kind and generous act
for an honored group.
The Levites are to be
the ultimate role models
for this new nation, respected
and looked to for advice.
They are supposed to teach
and set the tone of good living
through good ethics and wisdom.
The Torah insists that, as teachers,
the Levites be treated as serious VIPs.
We are not allowed to forget how important
the teacher is in shaping our society.
The Levites will focus on studying
and guiding the nation
through words of the Torah.
And this is when
the real city planning kicks in.
Each of the 48 Levite cities
are models of great design,
spirituality, and urban harmony.
These are places where one
might easily run into neighbors on the street
hear the latest news, shop, go to school,
study...all within easy walking distance.
Around each of the urban centers
sits a ring of open land,
ideal for reflecting, thinking,
and smelling the roses.
This park-like space extends in all directions
from the city to create a ring around it.
Away from the hustle and bustle of the city,
no work takes place here.
A great place to take a walk on Shabbat.
Beyond that, the Torah states,
is another ring of land just for farms,
vineyards and grazing land for animals.
Where there is room for grapes
to supply all the wine needed for festivals,
blessings, or a last-minute sacrifice;
and enough space for fields to supply food
for all the people living in the city,
all close by and organized.
In other words, a utopian community.
A model society
for the respected tribe of Levites
the teachers and learned ones.
Even when you don't
pay rent in physical money,
you still have to hold up
your end of the bargain.
If the rest of the tribes
are to look up to the Levites,
then the Levites have
to continue to be worthy
of being looked up to.
To help in maintaining
their spiritual elevation,
the Levites are spared from worrying
about owning and caring for land.
And, in return, everyone else
is able to come, hang out, learn,
and offer up sacrifices
on the Levites' home turf.
The Levites are set up
in well thought-out cities
with just the right mix of living space,
parkland, and farmland.
This journey through the urban jungle
takes us out of the wilderness of Bemidbar.
Stay tuned for the next episode,
when we crack open Devarim
and shift gears from Numbers to words.
Chazak, chazak, v'nithazek.
Be strong, be strong,
and may we be strengthened.
Producer: Sarah Lefton
Animation Director: Nick Fox-Gieg
Animation: Jeanne Stern
Editorial Director: Matthue Roth
Theme Music: Tim Cosgrove
Written and narrated by Jill Slater
Sound Recording: Gabe Schwartz