Another matter, “do not cut off,” that is what is written: “But the Lord had not spoken to erase the name of Israel from beneath the heavens” (II Kings 14:27). The Holy One blessed be He does not seek that any one of them should die. See what is written: “The foreigner who accompanies the Lord shall not say: [The Lord will separate me from His people]” (Isaiah 56:3). If regarding a foreigner, I said not to disqualify him, all the more so Israel, who are My children.
That is, “but the Lord had not spoken to erase…” Likewise, the Givonites, who were unsought proselytes, and were not sincere proselytes, but rather they converted due to fear, and I accepted them. And because Saul sought to confront them and killed the priests who would provide their sustenance, I killed him. Moreover, I brought three years of famine on their account, as it is stated: “There was a famine in the days of David [for three years…the Lord said: For Saul, and for the bloody house, in that he put the Givonites to death]” (II Samuel 21:1).
If the Givonites, who came to you, I did not disqualify, will I disqualify My children? That is, “But the Lord had not spoken to erase…” This is true all the more so regarding the Levites, who are servants before Me. That is, “Do not cut off.” “Do not cut off,” that is what is written: “The Lord is good; He is a stronghold on the day of trouble” (Nahum 1:7).
The attributes of the Holy One blessed be He are not like the attributes of flesh and blood. A flesh and blood king against whom the province rebelled, he initiates chaos and kills the good with the bad. The Holy One blessed be He is not so. When the generation angers Him, he spares the righteous and eradicates the wicked.
The generation of Enosh sinned; He eradicated them, but spared Ḥanokh: “Ḥanokh walked [with God and he is not, as God took him]” (Genesis 5:24). Why? “[He is a stronghold] on the day of trouble and knows those who take refuge in Him” (Nahum 1:7). The generation of the Flood angered Him and He eradicated them, but He spared Noah: “Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:8). That is, “[He is a stronghold] on the day of trouble and knows those who take refuge in Him.”
The people of Sodom angered Him and He eradicated them, but He spared Lot, as it is stated: “It was when God destroyed the cities of the plain…[He sent Lot from the midst of the upheaval]” (Genesis 19:29). That is, “[He is a stronghold] on the day of trouble and knows those who take refuge in Him.” He brought darkness upon the Egyptians, “But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings” (Exodus 10:23).
That is, “[He is a stronghold] on the day of trouble and knows those who take refuge in Him.” Israel departed from Egypt, came to the wilderness, and performed that act,4The making of the Golden Calf. except for the tribe of Levi, as it is stated: “Whoever is for the Lord, to me, and all the sons of Levi gathered to him” (Exodus 32:26). Immediately, Moses stood and killed the sinners by means of the tribe of Levi, as it is stated: “The sons of Levi acted in accordance with the word of Moses, [and some three thousand men fell from the people on that day]” (Exodus 32:28).
And the Lord afflicted those who performed the act of the calf, but He did not afflict the tribe of Levi, as it is stated: “The Lord afflicted [the people, because they made the calf that Aaron had made]” (Exodus 32:35). That is, “[He is a stronghold] on the day of trouble and knows those who take refuge in Him.” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘The tribe of Levi took shelter in Me and sanctified Me with the calf, by right, I should acknowledge them for good and rescue them from trouble.’
That is why He cautioned Moses and Aaron regarding the sons of Kehat, who were Levites, so they would not be eradicated on account of the Ark. That is what is written: “Do not cut off…”