Bamidbar: Replacement

Last weeks parsha concluded Vayikra (Leviticus). The last section of the parsha, hence the book, contains the prohibition of substitution. 

לֹ֣א יַחֲלִיפֶ֗נּוּ וְלֹֽא־יָמִ֥יר אֹת֛וֹ ט֥וֹב בְּרָ֖ע אוֹ־רַ֣ע בְּט֑וֹב וְאִם־הָמֵ֨ר יָמִ֤יר בְּהֵמָה֙ בִּבְהֵמָ֔ה וְהָֽיָה־ה֥וּא וּתְמוּרָת֖וֹ יִֽהְיֶה־קֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ 

One may not exchange or substitute another for it, either good for bad, or bad for good; if one does substitute one animal for another, the thing vowed and its substitute shall both be holy.

Howsoever an animal is sanctified, it can not shed that status. Whether the sanctified (kodesh) status was acquired through a conscious designation; or through chance ( like the 10th animal to pass under the staff is designated for the tithe, or the fristborn) the kodesh status is irrevocable. 

Yigdal (Exalted)  is a song , written in Rome in the 1300's, based upon Maimonides 13 principles of faith. It contains the line: 

לֹא יַחֲלִיף הָ ל וְלֹא יָמִיר דָּתוֹ, לְעוֹלָמִים לְזוּלָתוֹ: 

The Almighty will not exchange nor alter His Law. Never will He offer any alternative.

The use of yachalif ( exchange) and yamir  (substitution) clearly hearkens back to the quoted phrase on Vayikra. The phrasing implies that the same rule: No Substitutions applies to the Almighty.

Certainly, in 14th century Rome, this line was a rejection of Christianity ( and Islam), systems that claim attachment to the story of the Israelites. They claim that the old law is superseded.  They claim a far greater number of followers than does Judaism. I find this courageous statement in Yigdal inspirational. 

In our parsha we have (what appears to be) the Great Substitution. The Levites will replace the sanctified Firstborn. 

קַ֣ח אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֗ם תַּ֤חַת כׇּל־בְּכוֹר֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֶת־בֶּהֱמַ֥ת הַלְוִיִּ֖ם תַּ֣חַת בְּהֶמְתָּ֑ם וְהָיוּ־לִ֥י הַלְוִיִּ֖ם אֲנִ֥י יְ

Take the Levites in place of all the male first-born among the Israelite people, and the cattle of the Levites in place of their cattle; and the Levites shall be Mine

True, the phrasing is different, but does this not amount to the same thing: substituting a Levite ( not yet designated kodesh ( holy)) for a firstborn: holy by virtue of birth order and their rescue from the plague in Egypt? 

Rashi comments om 3:21

לְפִי שֶׁהָיְתָה הָעֲבוֹדָה בַּבְּכוֹרוֹת, וּכְשֶׁחָטְאוּ בָעֵגֶל נִפְסְלוּ, וְהַלְוִיִּם שֶׁלֹּא עָבְדוּ עֲ"זָ נִבְחֲרוּ תַחְתֵּיהֶם 

 For originally the service (the priestly functions) was performed by the firstborn, but when they (the Israelites and among them their firstborn too) sinned by worshipping the golden calf they became disqualified, and the Levites who had not worshipped the idol were chosen in their stead 

The Levites were substituted for the firstborn who had already disqualified themselves. The Levites did not replace an occupied niche, they were filling a gap. This explanation has a small problem. The original exchange prohibition  said

 ט֥וֹב בְּרָ֖ע אוֹ־רַ֣ע בְּט֑וֹב

either good for bad, or bad for good;

I think that there is a level of bad that is disqualifying. The idol worship at Sinai was disqualifying. The Levites filled the gap. 

The idea that there is are disqualifying acts  removes some of the comfort of  Yigdal. Rejection of the people is possible. We can see the curses of Bechukothei opening before us.  But even that ends with the reassurance that the punishment will not last forever

We are left with the system established in the parsha. The Levites replace the firstborn as the Temple workers. I do not expect any changes.