Readings for
Saturday, June 7, 2025
Naso (Count)
4:21-7:80Bambidbar (Numbers)
Naso is the second sedrah in Bamidbar (Numbers). Naso takes its name from the first Hebrew word in the second sentence of the sedrah, “God spoke to Moshe, saying, ‘Count (Naso) the heads (i.e., take a census) of the sons of Gershon.…’” With 176 verses, Naso is said to be the longest sedrah in the Torah. For me, it is difficult to provide meaningful categorization to its seemingly disparate parts. Broadly speaking we can break the sedrah into three sections: The Completion of the Levitical Census, Laws of Purification and Personal Conduct and Completion of the Tabernacle.
Completion of the Levitical Census (4:21-33) Last week we ended with Moshe counting the first of the three groups of Levites, the Kohathites and assigning them their duties when the Tabernacle was in its traveling mode. This week we pick up with the other two groups of Levites. First Moshe counts the male Gershonites ranging in age from thirty through fifty and assigns them their duties. Then he counts the male Merarites ranging in age from thirty through fifty and assigns them their duties as well. At the end, we find a total of 8,580 eligible Levites, which reminds us, again, of how small this most important of tribes was.
Laws of Purification and Personal Conduct (5:1-6:27) The next two chapters contain an array of loosely connected ceremonies dealing with individual situations seemingly all tied to the need for purification.
A. Removal of those who have been contaminated in certain specified ways from the camp (5:1-4). When it says removed from the camp, the Torah does not mean thrown out. It merely means moved to the edge of the encampment away from the Tabernacle.
B. The requirement to confess when one has done wrong (in this case theft) and the requirement to make full restitution (5:4-10). We previously dealt with this in Vayikra 5:20-26. This represents a great lesson in ethical behavior in the truest sense of that term.
C. Rituals pertaining to the Sotah or the Woman Who Goes Astray (5:4-31). While the rules are quite specific, the role of the Bitter Waters remains a mystery to the modern reader. Israelite law had specific definitions of adultery, which we might find offensive in our egalitarian society. Some commentators contend that the ceremony described here was intended as much to put to rest the groundless fears of the husband as it was to punish the woman involved.
D. The Rules of the Nazir or Nazirite (6:1-21). While Judaism does not look with favor on asceticism, it acknowledges that some may feel the need to pursue that path on a temporary basis. According to the text, either a man or a woman may take the vow. However, all the rules concerning the Nazir are addressed in terms of the male.
E. The Priestly Benediction (6:22-27). These are the most famous words in Bamidbar. Why does it come after the section on the Nazarite? To be a Nazir, one must give up some of the very things that God said we could enjoy. Possibly this was God’s way of reminding us that we could enjoy His blessings by following his ordinances and without having to make any further sacrifices.
Completion of the Tabernacle (7:1-89) This chapter begins on the day that Moshe finished setting up the Tabernacle. We may have a bit of problem with chronology here. The Book of Bamidbar begins on the first day of the second month of the second year. However, according to what we read in Shemot 40:17, Moshe finished setting up the Tabernacle on the first day of the first month of the second year. This means the events described here took place a month before the census with which Bamidbar begins. It will be interesting to see what explanations various commentators offer on this point of apparent dissonance. Be that as it may, this rather lengthy and repetitious chapter describes the voluntary offerings brought by each chief or leader of each of the tribes of the House of Israel. According to at least one Midrash, Moshe was reluctant to accept these voluntary offerings lest they be construed in the same manner as the “strange fire” brought by Aaron’s two sons. However, God assures Moshe that because of the purity of their intentions, they will not suffer the fate of Nadab and Abihu. Each leader had his own day for bringing his gifts. While some say the order of giving was random, others contend that the leaders brought their offerings in the same order as their tribes marched through the Wilderness. (Do you see why the above mentioned anomaly becomes of some importance?)
While the
offerings of each leader had the same physical characteristics, there is a
great deal of commentary on the truly individual nature of the offering based
on the character of the individual donor.
Nachshon of the tribe of Judah was the first to make an offering. This is the same Nachshon who, according to
tradition, was the first Israelite to start crossing the Sea of Reeds at the
time of the Exodus. The offerings must
have been quite important because they were allowed to be brought on Shabbat. Normally, personal offerings were not brought
on the seventh day. The chapter ends
with Moshe going into the Tent of the Meeting and hearing the voice of God. According to some, this was a sign that the
Shechinah, which had gone out the world after Adam and Eve, had returned to
dwell in the Tabernacle. More
importantly, the Shechinah could dwell in the Tabernacle because all 12 Tribes
had participated in its dedication.
Themes
Commandments
362. The commandment to send ritually unclean Israelites out of the
Israelite camp (5:2-3).
363. The prohibition against ritually unclean Israelites entering the
sanctuary (5:2-3).
364. The obligation to verbally confess one’s sins and to undo the
wrong one has done (5:6-7).
365-366-367. The specification of
the procedures to be taken with a suspected adulteress: She is brought before a priest, who puts no
oil or frankincense into the sotah’s meal offering (5:12, 15).
368. The prohibition against a Nazarite drinking wine (6:2-4).
369. The prohibition against a Nazarite drinking other liquor (6:2-4).
370.
The prohibition against a
Nazarite eating fresh grapes (6:2-4).
371.
The prohibition against a
Nazarite eating dried grapes (6:2-4).
372.
The prohibition against a Nazarite
eating grape seeds and skins (6:2-4).
373. The commandment forbidding a Nazarite to shave his hair (6:5).
374. The
commandment for a Nazarite to let his hair grow long (6:5).
375. The prohibition against a Nazarite
entering a place containing a dead body, even one of a close relative (6:6-7).
376. The
prohibition against a Nazarite allowing himself to become defiled by a corpse
(6:6-7).
377. The
requirement that a Nazarite should shave his head and bring offering when his
period as a nazir is complete (6:13-20).
378. The specification of the priestly
blessing (6:23-27).
379. The
commandment that the priests were to carry the Ark containing the Ten
Commandments on their shoulders (7:9).
Biblical Literacy by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin
Shechinah
Literally
it means “indwelling.” In spiritual
terms, the Shechinah refers “to the divine presence of immanence of God.” According to some, the Shechinah was present
in the Tabernacle and the First Temple, but not in the Second Temple. The concept of the Shechinah is best left for
those with real expertise in mysticism and the Kabbalah. I mention it only because some commentaries
use the expression and if you are unfamiliar with its meaning it only adds to
confusion.
Penitence
Chapter
5, verses 5 through 10, deal specifically with theft. But we have broadened the application of the
concept. First one must admit his or her
guilt and then he or she must make complete recompense to the person whom he or
she has wronged. If the victim is not
around anymore, the penitent must find some other way of making full and public
restitution for the wrong. This drives
home the point that in Judaism part of seeking forgiveness includes making
amends for the harm done. This
commandment also applies equally to women as well as men - “When a man or woman
commits any wrong…." While there
are many instances of what 21st century people would call “sexism”
in the TaNaCh, in this case the Torah acknowledges that members of both sexes
are capable of violating the law and that the path to repentance is open to
all, regardless of sex.
Customs and Ceremonies
The
Priestly Benediction has become a part of the prayer ritual. Among the Orthodox, the recitation of the
Priestly Benediction is a high point of the High Holiday observances. The Priestly Benediction is also recited
during the reader’s repetition of the Amidah.
Last but not least, the actual blessings without the introduction are
part of the morning service and are recited to ensure that one “studies” Torah
every day.
Blessings
The
Kohanim were not providing the blessings.
They were uttering words describing the blessings that come from
God. Most commentaries seem to agree
that the threefold blessings refer first to material prosperity, second to
Torah knowledge and inspiration and third to God’s compassion which we do not
deserve and which takes the form of peace in the truest sense of that
term. The overriding importance of peace
is a constant theme in Jewish prayer.
Nazir and Asceticism
Judaism
believes that we live in the world and that we are to enjoy God’s bounties
according to His rules. The most famous
Nazarites were the Prophet Samuel and Samson, both of whom were committed to
the role of the Nazir from birth.
Considering what happened to Samson, being a Nazir is not a guarantee of
piety. At best, this may have been a way
of letting those who feared that they would be a victim of folly avoid the
pitfall that leads to ruin. The laws of
Judaism are intended to help us enjoy the fruits of the universe without
becoming slaves to them. At the same
time, with all the laws that we do have to follow, there are those who look
askance at the Nazir who creates additional duties that are not really required
by God. You might want to consider the
writings of Rabbi Artson who offers a countervaling and modern approach for
using the zeal of the Nazir. In The
Bedside Torah, he contends that the Kohanim and Levites had additional
duties that let them come closer to God.
But the rest of the Israelites were left out in the cold. The rituals of the Nazir gave them a way to
do something extra, if even for only a small period of time. In the modern era, Artson suggests that this
desire still exists among lay people in Jewish communities. He urges these people to find an outlet for
their zeal by becoming active members in their congregations. According to Rabbi Artson, no Rabbi or Cantor
would turn away somebody who wanted to be more involved in the life of the
congregation.
The Wayward Wife
The
ritual here takes on a different meaning when we consider that in Jewish
literature, the Israelites are seen as the bride of God. Just as the wayward wife turns away from her
husband, so do we turn away from God.
But the avenue of return is open for God will never divorce us. Also, there is a similarity between the
Hebrew word for “goes astray” as in the “If any man’s wife goes astray” and the
Hebrew word for folly. Just as a woman
going astray is an act of folly as opposed to a rational, premeditated act, so
is all sin begun in folly. Hence we have
the Rabbinic injunctions to enjoy life but to avoid folly.
Cain and Abel and the
Priestly Benediction
According
to Micha Odenheimer, events in Naso mark the culmination of what he calls
history’s first religious war which was fought between Cain and Abel. Based on various Midrash and Talmudic
commentaries Odenheimer contends that Cain and Abel were having a dispute over
whose field would be the site for the building of the Temple. This traumatic episode is never again
mentioned in the Torah and “it appears to disappear without a trace.” Not so says Isaac Luria, the 17th
century master of the Kabbalah. “The
relationship between Aaron and Moses, the two brothers who worked in harmony
and concert to bring the Israelites out of bondage is a “tikkun,” a repairing
of the damage caused by the disharmony between Cain and Abel which led to
history’s first homicide. The 8th
verse of the 8th chapter of Vayikra (Leviticus) is the exact middle
of the Torah. In this verse we see Moses
put the breastplate of the priesthood on his brother Aaron, marking him as the
Kohein Gadol. According to Rashi, he
gets this honor because of the “joy in his heart” (Ex. 4:14) when he learned
that his younger brother Moses had been chosen to lead the Israelites from
bondage. This was the exact opposite of
the jealous rage displayed by Cain when God showed acceptance of Abel. The Priestly Benediction found in this week’s
Torah portion is the final act of the repairing begun by Aaron and Moses. Aaron’s progeny, the future generations of
priests, are to bless the children of Israel but this blessing must always be
done “with love.” Turning again to the
Talmud, Odenheimer points out that a priest who has killed a man, for whatever
reason, may never offer the Priestly Benediction. The Priestly Benediction itself is a
tripartite incantation designed to overcome the human shortcomings that led
Cain astray and that bedevil us to this day.
“The Lord bless you and keep you” is the base line of repair on the
simplest level. “The Lord make his face
to shine upon you.” When Cain sinned the
divine spark that shines in all of us grew dim; this blessing seeks to return
it all people. “The Lord lift up His
countenance to you and grant you peace.”
God promised Cain, as He promises all of us, that if he “would overcome
his anger and his sadness” he would be spiritually uplifted and would then find
the peace that comes with being in harmony with God.
Based on “War Damage” by Micah
Odenheimer
Various Ways of Counting
Last
week, we read about a tribal census that counted all the males “age twenty
years and over…all those in Israel who were able to bear arms. Then there was a census of the Levites “ever
male among them from the age of one month up.
Finally, another census of the Levites, which continues in Naso that
counts those between the ages from thirty to fifty. The different methods of counting indicate
the different purposes of the counting.
The first census is a headcount to determine how many men will be available
for combat. Interestingly, a minimum age
for military service is set, but the maximum age is “hazy.” The next census of the Levites is tied to the
Redemption of the First Born as “payment” for being spared the consequences of
the Tenth Plague. The final census is to
determine how many men will be available to take part in moving and protecting
the Tabernacle. Here the ages are very
specific. It starts with those who are
thirty, ten years older than the age for military service. This might indicate that a certain amount of
maturity and learning, and not just brute strength were required to fulfill
these duties. Apparently after fifty,
one was thought to deserve a rest. This
may be the first recorded mandatory retirement in the history of the
world. The point is that in God’s eyes,
we all count; each person matters. But
we count in different ways. In other
words He has different purposes for each of us.
The challenge is to discover that purpose and then to fulfill it.
Haftarah
13:2-25 Judges
The Man/The Book: We should be saying The People since the Book of Judges includes references to thirteen men and one woman. (According to some commentators the list includes fifteen people.) However, they count Barak and Deborah as one entity. They also include Eli, the Priest, and Samuel, both of whom are not mentioned in the Book of Judges, but in the Books of Samuel. Judges or Shoftim is the second book in the section of the TaNaCh called Prophets or Neviim. It is preceded by the Book of Joshua and followed by the Books of Samuel. This is appropriate since the book covers the two to three hundred year interval between the death of Joshua and the birth of Samuel. This is hardly a time of glory for the Children of Israel. You might think of it as a period like the Dark Ages, that period of history between the end of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the Renaissance. There was no national government. Each tribe existed in its own little world. As the text says, “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his eyes.” Furthermore, the Israelites had lost the religious purity with which they had entered the Promised Land. They fell victim to the temptations of the local deities and began to worship them. As the text says on more than one occasion, “And the Children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.” Finally, this was a period of intermittent warfare. The different Israelite tribes found themselves under attack from a variety of enemies including the Philistines. In other words we have a period of religious and political chaos where there was little in the way of law and order either in the realm of spiritual or temporal affairs. During this time of anarchy, individuals would arise to provide leadership to some or all of the tribes in the face of various calamities. It is these figures including Deborah, Samson, and Gideon, to name three of the more famous Shoftim, who provide the literary structure and historic content for the Book of Judges. The Hebrew term used for Judge is Shofet. This does not refer to a judge in the sense of a judicial official or an officer of the court. Shoftim did settle disputes but they also served as administrators, political leaders and military chieftains. They were “defenders, deliverers and avenging punishers.” This week’s haftarah concentrates on Samson, the son of Manoah. Samson was the thirteenth and last of the Judges named in Shoftim. He was from the tribe of Dan and “judged Israel” for twenty years. While dates are difficult to fix, Samson lived about one hundred years before the reign of King Solomon.
The Message: The haftarah describes the events prior to the birth of Samson. It includes two visits by an angel of God. He first appears to Manoah’s wife. He then returns and visits both Samson’s future father and mother. The boy is to be a nazarite. Both the infant and his mother are to eschew wine, other intoxicants or unclean foods. Additionally, the boy is never to have a razor touch his head. This is another in a series of tales about barren women that have included Sarah, Rachel and Hannah, the mother of Samuel. In this case, there is no prayer to relieve the bareness. It is merely stated as a fact and then divine relief is provided. The youngster is to have a special purpose in life. He “shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines” (13:5). In other words, we have two visions of prophecy. The soon to be born Nazarite will begin the work of deliverance. But it will be left to others to complete the work i.e., Saul and David. Some might say that the haftarah is as important for what it does not say as what it does say. The haftarah begins with the second verse of chapter thirteen.
Why do we not read the first verse that sets the stage for the unfolding events? “And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years” (13:1). Why does the haftarah deprive us of the words that set the stage for the upcoming events? Furthermore, the haftarah ends with the simple statement “The boy grew up and the Lord blessed him. The spirit of the Lord first moved him in the encampment of Dan…” (13:24-25). No mention is made of chapters 14, 15 and 16 which provide the details of what many would view as Samson’s misspent life. When a scholar as great as Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz devotes a chapter of his book Biblical Images to Samson it should encourage us to look for meaning in his and not dismiss him as merely some wastrel playboy partying his way across Canaan. By selecting chapter 13 for the haftarah, the Sages might have been providing us with an entry point to study this mystifying figure without bringing undue shame by mentioning his shortcomings. (Remember, shaming another is something we are taught to avoid.) Samson’s name in Hebrew is Shimshon. His name may come from the Hebrew word Shemesh, meaning “sun” and might have meant that he was a person with a Sunny Countenance or a Sunny Disposition. Those of you who have read Potok’s The Gift of Asher Lev might remember that the youngster’s favorite toy was a Shimshon d
Theme Link: The sedrah describes the laws pertaining to one who chooses to be a Nazir. The haftarah describes the birth of somebody who is to be a Nazir from the moment of conception until his death. There are differences in the rules given in the sedrah and in the haftarah. For example, in the sedrah, there are prohibitions about being with a corpse. No mention is made of that in the haftarah, which is just as well since Samson will slay his share of Philistines. But there is a greater difference than just those of a few rituals. The Torah is describing the voluntary, temporary obligation of one who is seized by a sense of zeal to be “closer to God.” The haftarah is describing something that is thrust upon a person at birth and from which there is no escape. The outcome of Samson’s life might be related to the origins of his becoming a Nazir.
Pirke Avot Redux
While some Jews confine their study of Pirke Avot to
the weeks between Pesach and Shavuot, others repeat the cycle for the entire
summer, studying a chapter a week until Rosh Hashanah. Others take advantage of the longer daylight
hours for Shabbat to being studying other Jewish text including the teachings
of Maimonides on a weekly cycle. Your
congregational rabbi should be able to help you with this. There are several websites you might want to
look at inducing http://www.myjewishlearning.com/, http://www.chabad.org/ http://www.aish.com/ or try
reading a chapter a week from books by Joseph Telushkin such as A Code of
Jewish Ethics, Biblical Literacy or Jewish Literacy.
Copyright; June, 2025; Mitchell A. Levin
No comments:
Post a Comment