Priests, Levites and Judges
Priests
There are 3 types of Priest mentioned in the Torah.
Priests: Kohen/Kahan (Exodus 19:6, Exodus 28:1)
Priests in the order of Melchizedek: Kohen L'El Elyon/Kohen Dibrati Malkizedek (Genesis 14:18, Psalms 110:4)
Levitical Priests: Kohanim Halevim (Deuteronomy 18:1, Deuteronomy 24:8, 1 Chronicles 15:2)
Priests are bestowed duties in relation to the Temple, as well as several other roles.
Priests are to minister in the name of Yehova (Deuteronomy 21:5), perform duties related to the Tent of Meeting (Numbers 18:3), bless the people (Leviticus 9:23) and deal with diseases and plagues (Leviticus 13-16).
The power given to the Priests by the Torah to decide controversies about Jewish Law is a central element of the IsraelAlia Theory.
This is what Yehova of Hosts says: "Ask the Priests the law (Torah). If a man carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment and it touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, does that item become holy?" "No" replied the Priests. Haggai asked, "If one who is defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?" "Yes, it becomes defiled" the Priests answered.
And you shall be for Me a kingdom of Priests and a holy nation.
It's important to note that Priests have sometimes failed to follow the law (1 Samuel 22:18, Jeremiah 5:31).
Levites
Levi is the third son of Jacob and the name comes from the word to 'join', as Leah hopes this son will make Jacob attached to her (Genesis 29:34). The first story regarding Levi is the incident in Genesis 34, where Prince Shechem defiles, Dinah, Jacob's daughter. Levi and Simeon deceive the Shechemites, promising to unite with them if they circumcise themselves. While the Shechemites are weak, the Levi and Simeon strike down every male in the city as vengeance (Gensis 34:25).
Exodus 2 then tells us that Moses and Aaron are from the Tribe of Levi and, while Moses is receiving the two tablets on the mountain, it is only the Levites who refuse to worship the Golden Calf (Exodus 32:26). Later, in Numbers 3:6-12, Yehova decides that the Levites will replace the firstborn sons to assist Priest Aaron and his sons,
"6 Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. 7 They are to perform duties for him and for the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, attending to the service of the tabernacle … 10 So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood … 12 Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb".
Concerning Levi, Moses said, "He will teach Your judgements to Jacob and Your law to Israel".
The Levites also took responsibility for teaching the Law of Torah, for example, in 2 Chronicles 17:7-9 and Nehemiah 8:7-8. Luke 1:5 tells us that John the Baptist is a Levite and he ultimately assists Jesus as High Priest in the New Testament (Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 5:1-10).
Judges
And I charged your Judges at that time, saying: 'Hear the causes between your brothers and judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.
Furthermore, select capable men from among the people. Yehova-fearing, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. Let them judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they shall judge.
In Exodus 18, Jethro the Priest advises Moses to appoint 'Leaders' over the people, to help him with the judging.
In Exodus 18:13-16, Moses describes the process of judging as involving, 'making known' the statutes and laws (Torah) of Yehova. This is arguably the alleged basis for the Oral Torah - words that were spoken by Moses regarding the Law.
Judges: Shophet (Deuteronomy 17:9)
List of every Torah entry for 'shaphat' (Englishman's Concordance and Strong's Hebrew)
'Dictionary' style list of different uses of the word 'shaphat' (NAS Exhaustive Concordance)
Dictionary/synonym style word list for 'shaphat' (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance)
Biblehub word 8199 ('shaphat') (Biblehub Summary)
How the Priests and Judges Resolve Jewish Law
And you shall come to the Priests the Levites and to the Judge that shall be in those days and inquire and they shall declare to you (untranslated word) the words of judgment.
And you shall do according to the terms of the words which they shall declare to you from that place that Yehova shall choose and you shall observe to do according to all that they teach.
According to the law which they shall teach you and according to the judgment which they shall tell you you shall do you shall not turn aside from the words which they shall declare to you to the right hand nor to the left.
The Authority of the Priests and Judge is an interactive and living system of law because people are always able to approach the Priests, Levites and Judge at any time, whenever there is controversy.