The Torah column is supported by a generous donation from Eve Gordon-Ramek in memory of Kenneth Gordon.
Naso
Numbers 4:21-7:89
Torah portion Naso, meaning both “lift up” and “take a census,” begins with God instructing Moses to commence counting the males between the ages of 30 and 50 from each of the 12 tribes. Known as “troops,” the men were given specific tasks in erecting their sacred dwelling place, the Mishkan.
At the end of the Torah portion, each tribe brings assigned gifts to the Mishkan, and Moses anoints and sanctifies it and all its vessels within. There is much celebration.
These bookends are wonderfully detailed accounts of the building and formation of our first gathering place in Sinai for rituals and prayers. Embedded between them, though, we find three beautiful blueprints of another kind, in the form of a story, a commandment and a blessing. Together, they provide for us a program of sorts, for honorable and harmonious living.
The story is from Numbers 6:1-21, where God instructs Moses to tell the Israelites that if any man or woman utters a Nazirite vow to enter the ranks of holiness to God, first and foremost, they must abstain from wine and other intoxicants.
In Sifre Bamidbar 22 (Midrash Halakhah), we find supportive wisdoms from our ancient chachamim (sages) of blessed memory: “Why is he called kadosh (holy)? Because he separated himself from wine.” This teaches us that even in ancient times, self-restraint, particularly from intoxicants, with proper intention, spiritually lifts one toward holiness. Additionally, this suggests a deep respect for those who choose to step out of the ordinary, not to reject the world around us, but to redirect energies toward the Divine.
A great lesson for us all is offered here with the vows of the Nazarites, who take care of themselves in order to be of service to others, and by doing so, become of greater service to God. We, today, do not necessarily have to take vows to seek paths for spiritual clarity and discipline. We only need an earnest desire, often without ceremony, to be lifted up and into the realm of pursuing selfless interests for the greater good.
The commandment is found in Numbers 5:5-7 where we find the rituals of restitution for wrongdoing: “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the Israelites: When a man or a woman wrongs another, breaking faith with the Lord, that person incurs guilt and shall confess the sin that has been committed. The person shall make full restitution for the wrong, adding one-fifth to it, and giving it to the one who was wronged.”
I am reminded of a verse from the 1989 song “What Good Am I?” from Bob Dylan: “What good am I if I know and don’t do, if I see and don’t say, if I look right through you?”
Clearly, Dylan is suggesting that a way to avoid looking through others is by looking deeper within ourselves.
We may have been reminded during our Shavuot study that the Torah commands self-examination and the acknowledgement of wrongdoing. Spelled out for us in Parashat Naso, the ritual involves confession and restoration with the injured party or institution. This ritual in Naso is not just about the admittance of guilt; it’s about restoring right relationships — with God, self and others and thus developing a spiritual practice for a more decent and balanced way of life.
The blessing is arguably the most well known in all of Torah. Of course, I am referring to Birkat HaCohanim, the Priestly Blessing, found in Numbers 6:22-27: “May the Lord bless you and protect you; May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; May the Lord lift up His face to you, and place you in peace.”
This blessing is recited throughout the year at a number of occasions, but is especially well known as an additional Shabbat blessing for children and during the Yom Kippur Neilah service.
In preparing this, I came across the commentary of Torah scholar Avivah Zornberg, who focuses on the repetition of God’s “face.” She sees it as a metaphor for presence, attention and relationship. This emphasizes the understanding that one does not need to be a Cohen, cantor or rabbi to offer others a blessing, including when we do so silently in our own heart. Blessing others opens the door to a richer, conscious contact with holiness: daily, personal and sustaining.
My life is often busy with recovering and healing from life itself. I try to search for ways that are responsible, honest and God inspired. Admittedly, I can always do better, try harder. But by circling myself within the protection of others also committed to this path and by trying to remember to let God walk through every door before I do, I can certainly increase the chances of success.
The story, the commandment and the blessing brought forward in Parashat Naso remind us we are not alone, our stories matter and God’s ultimate blessing is that we may be lifted up to be a channel of God’s healing love.