The tribe of Levi did not receive a territory in the Land of Israel as did the other tribes. Instead, forty-eight cities throughout the land were designated as cities for the Leviyim. Each of these cities was to be surrounded by 1,000 Amot of empty space, and then an additional 2,000 Amot for gardens, orchards and the like. In Parashat Behar (25:34), the Torah forbids altering this prescribed arrangement, and failing to set up the Leviyim’s cities the way the Torah required. The Sefer Ha’hinuch writes that the Torah forbade changing the prescribed arrangement because the Leviyim were the Torah scholars and teachers, to whom people would come to learn and to consult. This is indicated by the verse in Sefer Debarim (33:10) that says about the tribe of Levi, “Yoru Mishpatecha Le’Yaakob Ve’Toratecha Le’Yisrael” – “They shall teach Your statutes to Yaakob, and Your Torah to Yisrael.” In order to engender the people’s respect for Torah, G-d commanded that the Leviyim’s cities should be arranged and maintained in an aesthetically pleasing manner, in a way which leaves a favorable impression and invites admiration. Special attention is given to the proper arrangement of these cities, ensuring open space and fields and orchards outside the city, in order to raise the esteem of the Leviyim in the eyes of the people. The Sefer Ha’hinuch writes that these cities must be built and maintained “Be’tachlit Ha’yofi” – as beautifully as possible. The Torah prescribed the arrangement which would invite the people’s respect, and it forbade deviating from this arrangement, because this is how the Torah determined that the cities would bring honor to the tribe of Levi. This command applies in the Land of Israel, when the Jewish People reside in the land. It applies to all people – Kohanim, Leviyim and Yisraelim – and to both men and women. The Sefer Ha’hinuch writes that he does not know the precise Shiur (amount) that one must deviate from the prescribed arrangement in order to be liable to Malkut. It is clear, however, that violators would be liable to Malkut, as they have transgressed a Biblical prohibition that involves a concrete action. In this context, the Sefer Ha’hinuch brings the Rambam’s famous comments in his conclusion to Hilchot Shemita Ve’yobel, explaining why the Leviyim were not given a share in the land like the other tribes. The Rambam writes that the members of this tribe were set aside to serve Hashem and to study and teach Torah, and they were therefore absolved from the mundane pressures and responsibilities that occupy other people’s time. Thus, they did not engage in agriculture, and were instead supported by the rest of the nation. They likewise did not serve in the military. The Rambam writes that the Leviyim were considered “Hel Hashem” – “G-d’s army,” and He guaranteed that they would be cared for. The Rambam proceeds to comment that this special status is not reserved only for the tribe of Levi. He writes that anyone who wishes to abstain from the mundane pursuits in which most people engage, in order to devote themselves exclusively to studying and teaching Torah, “is sanctified as the holiest of holies.” This is considered praiseworthy, the Rambam writes, and G-d will care for the person’s basic material needs, just as G-d cared for the needs of the tribe of Levi. The Rambam does not say that such a person should impose himself on the community and demand that he be supported, but rather that if he works minimally to earn enough for his basic sustenance, G-d guarantees that he will be cared for. These famous comments of the Rambam are often cited as an important source for those who wish to devote themselves to full-time Torah learning, compromising their material standards, so they could become scholars who teach Torah, instead of pursuing a lucrative career.