Naso
The families of Gershon and Merari are assigned to carry parts of the Mishkan. A range of laws are then described, including when someone is sent outside the camp, the laws of one accused of adultery, and the laws of the Nazir, one who voluntary accepts upon themselves a range of restrictions. The parsha concludes by describing the sacrifices brought by each tribe at the altar’s inauguration.
Naso - Chaim Weiner
Chaim Weiner is a rabbi and Director of the European Masorti Bet Din.
Each year when we read the Torah, we read the same text as the year before and yet it seems that we are reading it for the first time. This year as I read Parshat Naso, I was struck by the similarities between the book of Leviticus and the Book of Numbers.
The book of Leviticus is about holiness. It starts with its description of its ideal world - a description of the service in the Mishkan (sanctuary). But just as the Mishkan is about to be dedicated it all goes terribly wrong. Nadav and Abihu die while serving in the Mishkan. From this point on, the book moves from the ideal to the real world - a world of defilement, of sin and transgression.
The Book of Numbers is about politics. It starts with its ideal world - a world in each tribe has its place, and each person in the camp knows his role and his position. But just as it seems that everything is perfect, it all starts to go wrong. The spies come back with an evil report of the land, the people complain about the manna, someone gathers sticks on the Sabbath day. From this point, the book deals with a world of sin and transgression.
As I read Parshat Naso, I find that even the commandments repeat themselves. At the beginning of Leviticus we are told that one who steals from his fellow must return the property and pay a fine of 20%. This same commandment comes appears in Parshat Naso. In Leviticus we are told that one who has transgressed must confess their sin. The same appears in Numbers in our reading today.
The main part of Parshat Naso is the dedication of the Mishkan by the Nesi'im, the Chiefs of the Tribes of Israel. In Parshat Naso, the Priests, the Holy People, dedicate the Mishkan - now it is time for the political echelon to do so.
This is not simple repetition. The political and the holy are different ways of relating to the world. They are different prisms through which we look to God. If you are inclined to holiness you will engage in holy service. If you are inclined to politics, you will engage in Tikkun Olam. Each has its place in the world of the Torah.
And these two books live side by side in the Torah. This is to teach us that there is no right way or wrong way of relating to God. Each prism has something new to teach us, each person has an opening into the world of the Devine.
And perhaps the greatest lesson is that whoever we are, and wherever we go, there is a path open to us. Although following a different route, and perhaps appealing to a different type of person, it leads to the same destination.
Another Voice
"May God bless you and keep you! May God deal kindly and graciously with you! May God bestow divine favour upon you and grant you peace." Numbers 6: 24-26
In January 1996, St. Vincent issued a set of stamps depicting scenes and stars from the TV series Star Trek, which began in 1966. Several stamps depict Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner, who played Spock and Captain Kirk, respectively; both actors are Jewish. One stamp featured Spock holding his hand in the Vulcan greeting.
In his autobiography, I Am Spock, Nimoy noted he added this touch borrowing it from Orthodox Judaism. He remembered part of the services on the High Holidays when the Kohanim (members of the priestly class) bless the congregation. They hold their hands joined at the thumbs and forefingers separating the little finger and ring finger of each hand from the other fingers, forming a V shape.
One interpretation of the resulting symbol is that it forms the Hebrew letter "shin", which is the first letter of one of the names of God (translated as "Almighty"). This symbol can be traced back to the services at the Temple and imitated in the synagogues since then.
From a website about stamps and Judaism (http://www.goletapublishing.com/jstamps/0601-3.htm)
