דברים, פרק ל״א, פסוק כ״ה

Near the end of his life, Moses takes careful steps to ensure the eternal preservation of the Torah. He directs that the original scroll be placed beside the Ark of the Covenant to serve as an enduring witness for all future generations. Because Moses addresses this instruction to the Levites, a discussion arises among commentators, as earlier instructions indicated that the Torah was handed to the priests. This shift raises a question about who exactly is tasked with carrying the Ark.

One perspective suggests that referring to the Levites is simply a shorthand way of speaking about the priests, who are members of the tribe of Levi [אבן עזרא, חזקוני]. According to this view, regular Levites could not be tasked with this duty, as they are strictly forbidden from touching the Ark itself. A contrasting approach maintains that the instruction is indeed directed at regular Levites, pointing to a clear division of responsibilities [העמק דבר, בכור שור, ביאור יש״ר]. In this arrangement, the priests received the Torah to study and teach, and they only carried the Ark during extraordinary events, such as crossing the Jordan River. The Levites, however, were assigned the physical safeguarding of the Torah and the regular transport of the Ark. During this process, the Levites held the scroll until a priest took it to place beside the Ark [העמק דבר]. A broader underlying debate exists regarding whether the permanent duty of carrying the Ark belongs to the priests, the entire tribe of Levi, or exclusively the Levites, which is the primary approach among commentators [ברכת אשר על התורה].

Entrusting the Torah to the Levites, who act as its physical guardians, serves a deeply protective purpose. Moses anticipated that in the future, various groups or individuals might attempt to forge the text, alter its core principles, or argue that its laws were outdated and only meant for a specific time and place [מלבי״ם, שפתי כהן, צרור המור]. To prevent any tampering, the original scroll was deposited in the most secure and sacred location possible: the Holy of Holies. Because only the High Priest was permitted to enter this space just once a year, the scroll was completely isolated. This extreme restriction guaranteed that no one could reach the text to make changes. Consequently, the scroll remained sealed, intact, and safe from any attempts at forgery, standing as an undeniable, eternal proof of the Torah's truth [מלבי״ם, שפתי כהן]. Even if the Israelites were to abandon the commandments or lose their other texts, this original scroll would remain hidden and perfectly preserved forever [צרור המור].