במדבר, פרק י״ח, פסוק כ״ב

Following the establishment of the Tabernacle, the Israelites carried a deep fear of being struck down if they came too close to the sacred space. To protect the people, God established a clear division of roles. The Levites were tasked with guarding and maintaining the sanctuary, not merely to complete the labor, but to serve as a vital buffer. In exchange for receiving the tithes, the Levites carried the heavy responsibility of warning the public and blocking unauthorized access, ultimately saving the Israelites from danger and calming their fear of dying near the holy site [רלב״ג, ביאור ישר, שטיינזלץ, רש״ר הירש].

The primary approach among commentators is that this instruction functions as both a strict warning and a declaration of punishment for any outsider—meaning anyone who is not a priest or a Levite—who attempts to participate in the sanctuary service [תורה תמימה, רלב״ג, מלבי״ם]. The instruction emphasizes that such a forbidden approach must never happen again, pointing to the fact that a tragic violation of this boundary had already taken place [חזקוני]. This refers directly to the recent rebellion led by Korah and his followers, who disastrously tried to claim the holy service for themselves [אבן עזרא]. The prohibition, however, does not forbid simply standing in the general area; rather, it specifically bans approaching with the intent to perform the sacred duties [רלב״ג].

The penalty for violating this sacred boundary is death by heavenly decree [רלב״ג, רש״ר הירש]. However, another perspective divides the punishment into two distinct levels of severity based on the specific service attempted. In this view, bearing the guilt of a sin applies to an outsider who tries to perform the duties of the Levites, while the harsher penalty of death is reserved for someone who dares to perform the exclusive service of the priests [העמק דבר]. Even so, the ban against unauthorized people performing Levite duties—such as singing the sacred songs or guarding the sanctuary gates—remains a severe, independent prohibition [תורה תמימה, שטיינזלץ].