The longest parsha (Torah portion) in the entire Torah, Naso, is the second reading in the Book of Bamidbar (Numbers). It begins with a natural continuation from the previous week’s census by sorting out the jobs of the levi’im. Then, however, the parsha presents a series of topics that appear, at first glance, to be quite disparate: levites; remunerations, tzarat and confession; suspicion of adultery/punishment of adulterers; the nazir (one who take so on the nazarite vow of refraining from haircuts, alcohol and contact with dead bodies; the priestly blessing; and the princely gifts
While gifts brought by the prince of each tribe closes the parsha, it also doubles the parsha’s length, taking three aliyot to be completed. It is also the most repetitive section of the Torah, as all 12 princes brought the same offerings and gifts. And while there are many different lessons that people have explained for this repetition, I would like to explore the entire parsha as a whole–and why these particular laws are grouped together.
The twelve princes honoured G-d in the best possible way – with unity. The well loved song says it best: Hinei mah tov u’mah’nai’yim, shevet acheem gam yachad. (How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity – Psalms 133:1). But how do we get to unity?
The parsha begins with the levi’im who prepared the Mishkan (Tablernacle), demonstrating the need for people to work together, but each with his specific jobs. Another allusion to unity. Each group of levi’im had their own special tasks – and each was an essential part of the service.
The next portion of the parsha, however, introduces the rules for those affected by ritual impurity. While some may not enter the Mishkan or its environs, others are banished from the camp altogether. Those plagued with tzarat, which is commonly mistranslated as leprosy, suffered with this strange skin disease because of a spiritual degeneration. In most cases, tzarat was a result of lashon harah, the wicked tongue, an allusion to gossip. Those banished from the camp because of tzarat would, it was hoped, repent of their anti-social behaviour through a desire to return from banishment.
Reparations for thievery, another anti-social behaviour, is the topic of the next section of the parsha. A thief must return what he stole or the value of what he stole PLUS that value again. Additionally, a thief must confess his wrong doing. In fact, every transgression must be verbally confessed, to the victim and to G-d because every transgression weakens society.
Society is made up of individuals, but it is built in the home. Children learn morals at home. More importantly, children learn to feel secure, to trust others, at home. The Torah therefore next defines what should be done when the trust in a household is destroyed by the suspicion of adultery or adultery itself.
It is not just crime and moral misconduct that undermines a society. The Torah follows the question of the adulterer with instruction, praise and a subtle reprimand for the nazir. A nazir is one who takes a special vow to abstain from alcohol, hair cuts and contact with the dead. While the goal of the nazir, to make himself more holy, is praised, the conditions that separate him from society incur, according to some opinions, the need for a sin offering.
Without pause, the parsha transitions to the blessing of the priests over the people. Today, these words are included in the prayer service, the morning blessings and the blessing of the children on Shabbat – in addition to its recitation by the kohanim:
Y’va’reh’ch’cha Hashem v’yish’m’recha.
Ya’ayr Hashem panav ay’leh’cha vee’chu’neh’ka.
Yee’sah Hashem panav ay’leh’cha, v’yah’saym l’cha shalom.
May G-d bless you and watch over you.
May G-d shine His face toward you and show you favour.
May G-d be favourably disposed to you and grant you peace.
The nazir adds stringencies upon himself to come closer to G-d; the priestly blessing, however, offers insight into how to do that without the stringencies. In a relationship, a person is favourably disposed to another when the first person feels comfortable and accepted by the other. When the Jewish people turn toward G-d, G-d turns His face towards us – collectively and individually.
The Jewish people is a nation made up of individuals. Each has his own job. Some will fall, damaging the bonds of community. Others will set themselves apart in the desire to be better. In the end, for both the transgressors and the ascetics, nothing is as effective as turning your face toward G-d.
The power of the individual as part of the nation was not, at first, something that the princes of the tribes understood. When Moses first asked the people to bring gifts from the heart for the building of the Mishkan, the princes held back, saying among themselves that they would wait and see what was still needed. They assumed their individual abilities to give were of greater use than the giving of the community. After all of the people gave the donations to Moses, however, there was nothing left for the princes to donate. At the inauguration of the Mishkan, they did not make the same mistake. By each bringing the same gift at that time, they expressed the beauty of being an individual and a member of a larger whole.
