Sefer HaChinuch ספר החינוך

The commandment to guard the Temple: That the priests and the Levites were commanded to guard the Temple and walk around it constantly the whole night, on each and every night (see R. Chaim Heller — Sefer HaMitzvot, Positive Commandments 22) — and this guarding is to honor it, to exalt it and to glorify it, and not from there being any fear of the enemy, God forbid — as it is stated (Numbers 18:4), “and they shall guard the guarding of the Tent of Meeting.” And the language of Sifrei Bamidbar 116 is “‘And you and your sons with you will be in front of the Tent of Testimony’ (Numbers 18:2) — the priests inside and the Levites only outside”; meaning to say to guard it and to walk around it. And in the Mekhilta (Sifrei Zuta on Numbers 18:4), they said, “‘And they shall guard the guarding of the Tent of Meeting’ — I only know of a positive commandment, etc.” Behold, it is elucidated that its guarding is a positive commandment. And there it says another greatness of the Temple is that it has guards — “A palace that has guards is not similar to a palace that does not have guards.” And it is known that the palace is a name for the sanctuary.

What I have already written several times is from the roots of the commandment — that the glory of the [Temple] brings awe to the heart of people. And in our coming there to request supplication and pardon from the Master of All, [our] hearts will soften to quick repentance; and like the matter that we said at length in the Order of VeAtah Tetsaveh (Sefer HaChinukh 98). And it is from the glory of the [Temple] to appoint guards for it, like the way of great kings in the world that do such; and as it comes in the Mekhilta, “It is not similar, etc.,” as is written adjacently (above).

From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishnah Middot 1:1-2) that twenty-four men guard it every night in twenty-four stations: the priests guard in three stations inside and the Levites outside. And they would appoint one who would circulate to the stations all of the night and there would be torches lit in front of him, and he was called the man of the Temple Mount. And it would be recognizable that any sentry that would not get up when the man of the Temple Mount would say to him, “Peace unto you,” was asleep. And [the man of the Temple Mount] would hit him with his stick, and he had the right to burn his clothing, to the point that they would say in Jerusalem, “What is the voice in the Courtyard? It is the voice of a Levite being struck and his clothes burning, because he was sleeping at his sentry.”

And the rest of its details, such as where did the Levites and the priests guard; if one of them had a nocturnal emission, how would he proceed; how was their order and their activities close to the dawn, are all nicely elucidated in the first chapter of Tractate Tamid and Tractate Middot. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of The Chosen Temple 8.)

And it is practiced by priests and Levites [that are] males at the time of the [Temple]. As they were designated in the command of guarding the Temple, and not the Israelites. And if they transgressed this and nullified this guarding, they have violated a positive commandment, besides violating a negative commandment, as we will write in this Order (Sefer HaChinukh 397), with God’s help.