Levite
Levites (/ˈliːvaɪt/ LEE-vyte; Hebrew: לְוִיִּם, romanized: Lǝvīyyīm) or Levi are Jewish males who claim patrilineal descent from the Tribe of Levi. The Tribe of Levi descended from Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah. The surname Halevi, which consists of the Hebrew definite article "ה" Ha- ('the') plus Levi ('Levite'), is not conclusive regarding being a Levite; a titular use of HaLevi indicates being a Levite. The daughter of a Levite is a Bat Levi (Bat being Hebrew for 'daughter').
לויים | |
|---|---|
| Total population | |
| ~500,000–600,000 worldwide | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Israel | 240,000 |
| United States | 200,000 |
| France | 16,000 |
| Canada | 12,000 |
| Languages | |
| Vernacular: Hebrew, English and numerous other languages in the Jewish diaspora Historical: Biblical Hebrew, Aramaic | |
| Religion | |
| Judaism, Samaritanism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Jews, Samaritans | |
Total percentage of Levites among Jews is about 4%. | |
The Tribe of Levi served particular religious duties for the Israelites and had political (administering cities of refuge) and educational responsibilities as well. In return, the landed tribes were expected to support the Levites with a tithe (Numbers 18:21–25), particularly the tithe known as the First tithe, ma'aser rishon. The Kohanim, a subset of the Levites, were the priests, who performed the work of holiness in the Temple. The Levites, referring to those who were not Kohanim, were specifically assigned to:
- Singing and/or playing music in the Temple
- Serving as guards
- Carrying
When Joshua led the Israelites into the land of Canaan (Joshua 13:33), the Sons of Levi were the only Israelite tribe that received cities but were not allowed to be landowners "because the Lord the God of Israel Himself is their inheritance" (Deuteronomy 18:2).
In modern times, Levites are integrated in Jewish communities, but keep a distinct status. There are estimated 300,000 Levites among Ashkenazi Jewish communities, and a similar number among Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews combined. The total percentage of Levites among the wider Jewish population is about 4%.