When you Choose Shabbat, you choose to learn that every Shabbat is different and special. Last week I learned about Parashat Naso (נָשֹׂא), the 35th weekly Torah portion in the annual cycle of Torah readings.
According to Wikipedia, Naso (נָשֹׂא), Numbers 4:41 to 7:89, contains 8,632 Hebrew letters, 2,264 words, 176 verses and makes up 311 lines of the Torah scroll.
Naso contains a plethora of information about the Priestly duties including the Priestly Blessing, camp purification, restitution for wrongs committed, the consecration of the Tabernacle and more.
Rabbi Michael D Klein of Temple Torat Emet offers his insights on this week’s Torah reading, Naso:
“Shavuot has passed but still the counting continues. Contained in this week’s Torah portion is the accounting of all the offerings given by the chieftains of the tribes. They included: oxen and carts for the transport of the holy articles of the Mishkan, one silver bowl and ladle filled with flour and oil to be used for grain offerings, one gold ladle filled with incense, and a specific number and kind of sacrificial animals.
While the reading is repetitive, it is still very significant because it occurs after the Kohain Gadol has pronounced the Priestly Blessing and it demonstrates that these gifts are given in gratitude for the equality of blessing to each tribe. Likewise, when we bestow this blessing on our children and grandchildren each Shabbat and Yom Tov, it is our hope that G-d will grant them the means to obtain independence and sustenance.
Each of us has a meaningful role to fulfill in life. What the portion of Naso emphasizes is teaching us is, that each person’s role and task in life is not isolated, but instead is part of a larger picture which contributes meaningfully to the goals of each tribe. If we surround ourselves only with ourselves, we lose sight of the meaning of what we need to do and also lose connection to the larger work of Tikkun Olam.
Even though this section of the Torah sounds repetitive, it teaches us an important lesson of the significance of each person’s contribution – whether monetary or in service. Thus, we learn that all contributions are treasured and the work we do thus becomes holy by virtue of its intent and result. That is why, later in the Torah, Moses addresses each person from the lowest to the highest because in G-d’s eyes, the contribution of each person is equally significant.
Questions to Ponder:
- On what level today is the law of Sotah significant?
- On what level today is the law of Nazirite vows significant?
- What are the different elements contained in the Birchat Kohanim?
- Why were the offerings of the different tribes necessary in order for the sacrifices to begin?“
Rabbi Michael D. Klein attended Yeshiva College of South Florida and served as Torah Reader, Hebrew teacher, Chazzan and spiritual leader of various synagogues throughout South Florida. In January 2015 he became Ritual Director, Bnai/Bnot Mitzvah instructor and 7th grade Hebrew instructor for Temple Torat Emet of Boynton Beach. In October 2019 he was accepted into an accelerated track and received his shicha from Yeshiva Adath Wolkowisk and has been the Rabbinic leadership of Temple Torat Emet since August 2020. In September of 2022 he was appointed Rabbinic and Spiritual Advisor of the Florida Region of FJMC.
Choose Shabbat; choose to celebrate, to light candles, sing songs and learn a little Torah.
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