Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Deuteronomy 10:9/רמב"ן על דברים י׳:ט׳
אוְטַעַם עַל כֵּן לֹא הָיָה לְלֵוִי, הוּא בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁכֻּלָּם מְשָׁרְתִים וְעוֹזְרִים אֶת הַכֹּהֲנִים בַּעֲבוֹדָתָם, כִּי כָּל דְּבַר הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בַּעֲבוּר הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת. וְכֵן אָמַר (במדבר יח ב) וְגַם אֶת אַחֶיךָ מַטֵּה לֵוִי שֵׁבֶט אָבִיךָ הַקְרֵב אִתָּךְ וְיִלָּווּ עָלֶיךָ וִישָׁרְתוּךָ:
1WHEREFORE LEVI HATH NO PORTION. The purport thereof is234 have no portion in the Land, when only the priests were discussed in this section? Ramban answers, “The purport thereof is etc.” that because they all [i.e., the Levites] minister to and assist the priests in their [Divine] Service, since every part of the Sanctuary pertained to the offerings, [therefore, the whole tribe of Levi was not free to devote itself to the cultivation and development of the Land; therefore they received no portion therein]. And so He said [to Aaron], And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou near with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee.235