That the tribe of Levi not take a portion in the spoils: That the whole tribe of Levi not take a portion in that which Israel despoiled upon their entering into the Land (see Sefer HaMitzvot LaRambam, Negative Commandments 170), and in that which they would despoil from their enemies afterwards. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 18:1), “There shall not be a portion and inheritance for the priests.” And so [too,] does it appear in Sifrei Devarim 163, “‘Portion’ in the spoils, ‘inheritance’ in the land.” And let not the matter of a general prohibition be difficult for you about this negative commandment (as there appear to be two prohibitions from the same phrase); since two prohibitions come in Scripture about these two negative commandments — and they are, “There shall not be a portion and inheritance for the priests, the Levites,” and also afterwards, “And no inheritance shall be for him, etc.” (Deuteronomy 18:2). And these two negative commandments themselves are repeated for the priests, as it is stated with Aharon (Numbers 18:20), “In their land you shall not inherit, and there will not be a portion for you among them.” And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Sifrei Bamidbar 119), “‘In their land you shall not inherit’ — at the time of the division of the land; ‘and there will not be a portion for you among them’ in the spoils.” And even though the priests were in the tribe of Levi, the prevention is repeated about them for strengthening. And so [too,] all that is similar to this in the Torah, such that it repeats negative commandments in many places — it is all to strengthen the matter or to complete the law when it is not complete from the one negative commandment. And you will understand why God made it lack in one place and completed in another from that which I wrote at the beginning of the book of Eleh HaDevarim (Deuteronomy). And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote (Sefer HaMitzvot LaRambam, Negative Commandments 170), “If we had counted these negative commandments, which are ‘In their land, you shall not inherit, etc.’ about the priests, additionally to the negative commandments stated about the Levites, etc., it would, according to this comparison, be fitting likewise for us to count the prohibition of the divorcee, the challalah and the zonah for the high priest as three additional negative commandments in addition to the three that came on every priest — whether common or high. And if the speaker say that this is so, we shall answer him with what they, may their memory be blessed, said in Kiddushin 77b that a high priest is only liable one [punishment] for a divorcee. And were the law to be [that a high priest is transgressing two commandments], he would be liable two for it — one because of [being] a priest, since a divorcee is forbidden to him, and a second from the angle of his being high priest, since she is forbidden to him in a different negative commandment. And from this type itself are the preventions that came to the priests for ‘They shall not make a bald spot on their heads, and they shall not shave their beards and their flesh they shall not gash with a gash’ (Leviticus 21:5); as they were already preceded for all of Israel more generally, in its stating, ‘You shall not round off the corner, etc.’ (Leviticus 19:27), ‘and you shall not place a bald spot’ (Deuteronomy 14:10), ‘And a marking for a soul, you shall not put onto your flesh, etc.’ (Leviticus 19:28). However these were repeated with the priests to complete the law, as is elucidated at the end of Tractate Makkot 20a. And therefore a priest that transgresses one of these is only liable for one [set] of lashes. And understand this principle and guard it.”
It is from the roots of the commandment [that] since they are the servants of God, it is not fit for them to use vessels snatched from the hand of people in war with the sword, the spear and the javelin. As only a thing that has come by way of peace, righteousness and faith should come to the House of God, and not [something] about which the heart of a man or a woman be troubled.
And this commandment is practiced at the time of the [Temple] with the tribe of the Levites. And one who transgresses it and takes a portion of the spoils violates this negative commandment. But there are no lashes for it, since it is possible to transgress it without an act, and it is given to repayment.
שֶׁלֹּא יִקַּח שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי חֵלֶק בַּבִּזָּה – שֶׁלֹּא יִטֹּל כָּל שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי חֵלֶק בַּבִּזָּה בְּמָה שֶׁשָּׁלְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהִכָּנְסָם בָּאָרֶץ (עי' ספה"מ לאוין קע), וּבְמָה שֶׁיִּשְׁלְלוּ מֵאוֹיְבֵיהֶם אַחֲרֵי כֵן, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים יח א) לֹא יִהְיֶה לַכֹּהֲנִים חֵלֶק וְנַחֲלָה, וְכֵן בָּא בְּסִפְרֵי, חֵלֶק בַּבִּזָּה, וְנַחֲלָה בָּאָרֶץ. וְאַל יִקְשֶׁה עָלֶיךָ בָּזֶה הַלָּאו עִנְיַן לָאו שֶׁבַּכְּלָלוֹת, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְּבָר בָּאוּ בַּכָּתוּב עַל שְׁנֵי עִנְיָנִים אֵלֶּה שְׁנֵי לָאוִין, וְהֵם לֹא יִהְיֶה לַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם חֵלֶק וְנַחֲלָה, וְאָמַר עוֹד אַחַר כֵּן וְנַחֲלָה לֹא יִהְיֶה לּוֹ וְגוֹ'. וְנִכְפְּלוּ שְׁנֵי הַלָּאוִין אֵלּוּ בְּעַצְמָם בַּכֹּהֲנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּאַהֲרֹן (במדבר יח כ) בְּאַרְצָם לֹא תִנְחָל וְחֵלֶק לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ בְּתוֹכָם. וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ספרי שם) בְּאַרְצָם לֹא תִנְחָל בִּשְׁעַת חִלּוּק הָאָרֶץ, וְחֵלֶק לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ בְּתוֹכָם, בַּבִּזָּה. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַכֹּהֲנִים בִּכְלַל שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי הָיוּ, נִכְפְּלָה הַמְּנִיעָה בָּהֶם לְחִזּוּק, וְכֵן כָּל מָה שֶׁדּוֹמֶה לָזֶה בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁתִּכְפֹּל הַלָּאוִין בִּמְקוֹמוֹת הַרְבֵּה, הַכֹּל לְחִזּוּק הָעִנְיָן אוֹ לְהַשְׁלִים הַדִּין כְּשֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה שָׁלֵם מֵהַלָּאו הָאֶחָד, וְתָבִין מִמָּה שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי לְךָ בְּרֹאשׁ סֵפֶר אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים לָמָּה יְחַסְּרֶנּוּ הָאֵל בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד וְיַשְׁלִימֶנּוּ בְּאַחֵר. וְכָתַב הָרַמְבַּ"ם זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה (בספר המצוות שם) אִלּוּ מָנִינוּ אֵלּוּ הַלָּאוִין שֶׁהֵם בְּאַרְצָם לֹא תִנְחָל וְגוֹ' בַּכֹּהֲנִים תּוֹסֶפֶת עַל הַלָּאוִין הַנֶּאֱמָרִים בַּלְּוִיִּם, שֶׁהֵם לֹא יִהְיֶה לַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם וְגוֹ' יִהְיֶה רָאוּי לָנוּ כְּמוֹ כֵן לְפִי זֶה הַהֶקֵּשׁ, שֶׁנִּמְנֶה אִסּוּר הַגְּרוּשָׁה וַחֲלָלָה זוֹנָה עַל כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה לָאוִין נוֹסָפִין עַל הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁבָּאוּ עַל זֶה בְּכָל כֹּהֵן, בֵּין גָּדוֹל בֵּין הֶדְיוֹט, וְאִם אָמַר אוֹמֵר שֶׁכֵּן הוּא, נְשִׁיבֵהוּ מִמָּה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּקִדּוּשִׁין (עז, ב) שֶׁאֵין כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל חַיָּב בִּגְרוּשָׁה אֶלָּא אַחַת, וְאִילּוּ יִהְיֶה הַדִּין כֵּן יִתְחַיֵּב עָלֶיהָ שְׁתַּיִם, אַחַת מִשּׁוּם כֹּהֵן שֶׁהַגְּרוּשָׁה אֲסוּרָה עָלָיו, וְהַשֵּׁנִית מִצַּד שֶׁהוּא כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל וְהִיא אֲסוּרָה עָלָיו בְּלָאו הָאַחֵר. וּמִזֶּה הַמִּין בְּעַצְמוֹ, הֵן הַמְּנִיעוֹת שֶׁבָּאוּ לַכֹּהֲנִים בְּלֹא יִקְרְחוּ קָרְחָה בְּרֹאשָׁם וּפְאַת זְקָנָם לֹא יְגַלֵּחוּ וּבִבְשָׂרָם לֹא יִשְׂרְטוּ שָׂרָטֶת (ויקרא כא ה), שֶׁכְּבָר קָדְמוּ בְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּכְלָל, בְּאָמְרוֹ לֹא תַקִּיפוּ פְּאַת וְגוֹ' וְלֹא תָשִׂימוּ קָרְחָה. וְשֶׂרֶט לָנֶפֶשׁ וְגוֹ' (שם יט כח). וְאָמְנָם נִכְפְּלוּ אֵלּוּ בַּכֹּהֲנִים לְהַשְׁלִים הַדִּין כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסוֹף מַסֶּכֶת מַכּוֹת (כ, א) וּלְפִיכָךְ, כֹּהֵן הָעוֹבֵר עַל אַחַת מֵאֵלֶּה אֵינוֹ מִתְחַיֵּב אֶלָּא מַלְקוּת אַחַת, וְהָבֵן זֶה הָעִקָּר וְשָׁמְרֵהוּ.
That the tribe of Levi not take a portion in the spoils: That the whole tribe of Levi not take a portion in that which Israel despoiled upon their entering into the Land (see Sefer HaMitzvot LaRambam, Negative Commandments 170), and in that which they would despoil from their enemies afterwards. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 18:1), “There shall not be a portion and inheritance for the priests.” And so [too,] does it appear in Sifrei Devarim 163, “‘Portion’ in the spoils, ‘inheritance’ in the land.” And let not the matter of a general prohibition be difficult for you about this negative commandment (as there appear to be two prohibitions from the same phrase); since two prohibitions come in Scripture about these two negative commandments — and they are, “There shall not be a portion and inheritance for the priests, the Levites,” and also afterwards, “And no inheritance shall be for him, etc.” (Deuteronomy 18:2). And these two negative commandments themselves are repeated for the priests, as it is stated with Aharon (Numbers 18:20), “In their land you shall not inherit, and there will not be a portion for you among them.” And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Sifrei Bamidbar 119), “‘In their land you shall not inherit’ — at the time of the division of the land; ‘and there will not be a portion for you among them’ in the spoils.” And even though the priests were in the tribe of Levi, the prevention is repeated about them for strengthening. And so [too,] all that is similar to this in the Torah, such that it repeats negative commandments in many places — it is all to strengthen the matter or to complete the law when it is not complete from the one negative commandment. And you will understand why God made it lack in one place and completed in another from that which I wrote at the beginning of the book of Eleh HaDevarim (Deuteronomy). And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote (Sefer HaMitzvot LaRambam, Negative Commandments 170), “If we had counted these negative commandments, which are ‘In their land, you shall not inherit, etc.’ about the priests, additionally to the negative commandments stated about the Levites, etc., it would, according to this comparison, be fitting likewise for us to count the prohibition of the divorcee, the challalah and the zonah for the high priest as three additional negative commandments in addition to the three that came on every priest — whether common or high. And if the speaker say that this is so, we shall answer him with what they, may their memory be blessed, said in Kiddushin 77b that a high priest is only liable one [punishment] for a divorcee. And were the law to be [that a high priest is transgressing two commandments], he would be liable two for it — one because of [being] a priest, since a divorcee is forbidden to him, and a second from the angle of his being high priest, since she is forbidden to him in a different negative commandment. And from this type itself are the preventions that came to the priests for ‘They shall not make a bald spot on their heads, and they shall not shave their beards and their flesh they shall not gash with a gash’ (Leviticus 21:5); as they were already preceded for all of Israel more generally, in its stating, ‘You shall not round off the corner, etc.’ (Leviticus 19:27), ‘and you shall not place a bald spot’ (Deuteronomy 14:10), ‘And a marking for a soul, you shall not put onto your flesh, etc.’ (Leviticus 19:28). However these were repeated with the priests to complete the law, as is elucidated at the end of Tractate Makkot 20a. And therefore a priest that transgresses one of these is only liable for one [set] of lashes. And understand this principle and guard it.”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁהֵם מְשָׁרְתֵי הַשֵּׁם לֹא נָאֶה לָהֶם לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּכֵלִים הַחֲטוּפִים מִיַּד בְּנֵי אָדָם בְּמִלְחָמָה בְּחֶרֶב חֲנִית וְכִידוֹן, כִּי לֹא יָבוֹא בֵּית הַשֵּׁם רַק דָּבָר הַבָּא דֶּרֶךְ שָׁלוֹם וְיֹשֶׁר וֶאֱמוּנָה, וְלֹא שֶׁיִּדְאַג עָלָיו לֵב אִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that] since they are the servants of God, it is not fit for them to use vessels snatched from the hand of people in war with the sword, the spear and the javelin. As only a thing that has come by way of peace, righteousness and faith should come to the House of God, and not [something] about which the heart of a man or a woman be troubled.
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ, בִּזְמַן הַבַּיִת, בְּשֵׁבֶט הַלְּוִיִּם. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְנוֹטֵל חֵלֶק מִן הַבִּזָּה עוֹבֵר עַל לָאו זֶה, וְאֵין בּוֹ מַלְקוּת, לְפִי שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לַעֲבֹר עָלָיו מִבְּלִי מַעֲשֶׂה, וְנִתָּן לְהִשָּׁבוֹן.
And this commandment is practiced at the time of the [Temple] with the tribe of the Levites. And one who transgresses it and takes a portion of the spoils violates this negative commandment. But there are no lashes for it, since it is possible to transgress it without an act, and it is given to repayment.