Naso means “to lift, to raise up ” and in this case, “to take a census.” Parashat Naso is read after the festival of Shavuot and is the longest portion of the Torah, with 176 verses. It begins with the completion of taking a census of the Levites between 30 and 50 years old, specifically the tribe of Gershon. They would be in charge of the service of the Tabernacle and its covering, the altar and all the utensils; they are followed by the Merari, who were responsible for the exterior of the Tabernacle (its bases, posts, bars, and boards).
Then the Torah stipulates that anyone unclean due to a rash (Tzara’at), or a discharge, or who had been in contact with a corpse had to be expelled from the camp. It also provides instructions on how to make restitution when someone acknowledges that they committed a wrongdoing against an Israelite. They had to restore it, adding one-fifth of its value to the offended party. If there was no one to whom restitution could be made, the amount had to be given to the priest.
Then, it speaks of the ritual of the Sotah, which occurred when a husband had a fit of jealousy and accused his wife of being unfaithful. He and his wife had to appear before the priest, who prepared a “jealousy offering” made of barley flour. The priest would take sacred water and mix it with some earth from the floor of the Tabernacle, and dissolve it in a clay vessel. He would then call the woman, uncover her head, place the offering in her hands, and declare that if she were innocent, she would be immune to the potion of bitter water, but if she was guilty, her belly would swell and distend, and her thighs would cave in. The woman would accept this ‘hocus pocus’ ritual as a test from the Eternal, and affirm “Amen.” If she were innocent, she would enjoy the blessing of being fruitful, and if not, she would become a curse among her people by remaining barren.
The Torah continues with the part about the Nazirite, who could either be a male or female Israelite and who voluntarily took a vow before the Eternal of abstinence from drinking anything from the grapevine, from cutting their hair with a razor, and from becoming ritually unclean, meaning that they were not to approach the dead. It was a temporary vow that was lifted when the Nazir fulfilled their time and subsequently presented a Chataah (a sin offering).
Naso continues with the blessing that our beloved Hazan Alejandro recites every Shabbat, the Birkat haKohanim or priestly benediction. This is a special blessing from God for His people. The parashah concludes with the princes of each tribe presenting identical offerings to the Eternal.
We had just received the Torah on Shavuot. We were spiritually elevated as we received the Divine message and witnessed the Divine manifestation, which we long for to come alive among us. This was a spiritual apex, but we realize that we are beings of this world and, like everyone else, we must descend from Mount Sinai to the desert of life. As Rav Shaul said, “The letter kills, but the Ruach Hakodesh, the Spirit of God, gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6).
God bestows the Torah to us for our daily lives. It’s as if He gives us His Torah, but what we receive is a bunch of letters; we see them, but we don’t understand; we read them, but do not know how to apply them to our lives. So, basically, what we have received is a gift, albeit a dead gift.
For example, what happens if I give you this formula to use: Δ U g = − m g h (Delta U g equals minus m g h). It may seem to be a basic equation to some, but when we add our knowledge to it, it reads like this: “The change in gravitational potential energy (Δ U g ) is equal to the negative of the mass (m) times the acceleration of gravity (g) times the height (h).” But what does that mean? Well, I could tell you that it’s Bernoulli’s principle. But what will that mean to you? Then I can explain: Have you ever travelled by plane, started a car, or received drinking water into your home? If the answer is yes, the application of these seemingly “dead letters” turns these things into “apparent miracles”.
This is exactly what we do with the Torah. God has given us a book filled with so many incomprehensible letters. How then does it become a source of life for some, while for others, the same letters are synonymous with death?
Proverbs (Mishlei) 3:18 says about the Torah: “She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are those who hold fast to her.” There are two keys in this verse: first, “take hold of her,” that is, put the Torah into practice and second, “retain it”. That is not the same as saving it”. Retaining is more of an asset I can use when needed, like bringing an experience to mind. If I save it, I forget about it, but if I retain it, it is because I’ve learned a lesson that I can use at any time in the future to my advantage. But if I don’t practice it and I don’t retain it, what do I have? It’s like saying: “She is a tree of death to those who do not practice it, and unhappy are those who despise her.”
The first thing I saw in this parashah was that it began by completing the census of the tribes. Psalm 147:5 says, “He counts the stars; He calls them all by name.” To whom was he referring? To us. This is why the Torah uses so many words to count souls, but it’s not just the number or the calling of each name that counts; it is the significance of our individuality. We must come to understand that we are each important to the Eternal, and no one else can fill our function in this world but us.
Then, it asks us to eliminate from our daily lives anyone with Tzara‘at (5:2), anyone who has caused death, whether by contact with the dead or in the form of secretions, regardless of whether they are male or female. It seems a bit harsh, but the teaching is quite clear. We must remove from our lives anyone who spreads Lashon Hara, the evil tongue. Mishlei 16:28 says, “A perverse man stirs up strife, and a murmurer drives the Lord far away.” Do you want God to be near?” Then remove yourself from gossip.
Some people love to live among the spiritually dead; they may be alive, but their souls are dull. These gloomy souls attract negative things into their lives. For example, I have met toxic people who only share negative emotions, complaints, who believe life is about suffering, and who cannot bestow even an ounce of gratitude or joy upon others. It is good to pray for them, but it is better, even wise, to stay away from them. Don’t believe the lie that you can change them. We can’t. The only one who can take a dead person and resurrect them to life is the Giver of Life.
Then, the Eternal asks us to make restitution to those we have harmed, not only by restoring our wrongdoing, but by adding compensation for the inconvenience caused. This can be applied today to economic issues, moral grievances, and physical damages. However, God teaches us the following: “Speak to the Israelites: When men or women individually commit any evil toward another human being, thus breaking the faith of יהוה, and they realize their guilt, they shall confess the evil they have committed. They shall repay the principal amount and add a fifth, giving it to the injured party.” The Chizkuni commentary on Ibn Ezra teaches us: “This paragraph refers to theft committed against the property of a convert… This act of taking property from someone of “apparent” lower spiritual rank is as impure as having been in contact with the dead or gossipers. And it teaches us the cycle of the path of Teshuvah: Acknowledge the fault, confess it, make restitution, and add compensation for damages.”
It’s not enough to fulfill only part of this formula for Teshuvah; it has to be completed. Even if the injured person has no one to receive our restitution, we must give it to the priest so that it doesn’t remain as a fault without justice.
By speaking to us about men’s attacks of jealousy, the parashah continues in the same ascending and more in-depth spiral regarding its daily application. First, the man who felt jealous could not be just any man; it had to be a tzaddik, a righteous man who presented himself before the priest. Second, if he were a tzaddik, he would surely have no problems because his wife would be very happy. To this day, I have not met a righteous man whose wife felt unhappy and incomplete. I am not speaking of “religious” men, because there are women who detest their religious husbands.
Being a tzaddik keeps a man in balance. This man provides his home with love, nurtures relationships, feeds his family, ensures that nothing is lacking, and has a close relationship with God. Therefore, it speaks of a “Spirit of jealousy,” which is not a feeling or an emotion, but a Divine inspiration that provokes an imbalance in the righteous. For this reason, some commentaries say that this procedure was never carried out in Israel. But in any case, in practical life, it’s about family relationships; there must be Shalom Bayit – Peace at home. This is the goal of this test, because ultimately it seeks to generate life as a blessing.
Then the practice of this portion begins on a personal level in the form of the Nazir. If we read carefully, this is a teaching that relates to the function and obligation of the high priest so that anyone could be a “Cohen Hagadol.” The restrictions were: no defilement with the dead, even close relatives; no appearing under the influence of the grapevine before the Eternal; and no cutting of one’s hair since the nazir’s hair is similar to the Tzitz (the crown on the head of the High Priest) known as the Netzer Hakodesh (the holy crown). The words “holy to God” are engraved on the Tzitz (Shemot 39:30). Similarly, the nazir is set apart for God (Bamidbar 6:8). These are the words Roi Peretz: “Holiness and spiritual leadership are not limited to a spiritual elite with an impressive lineage. The people of Israel are the people of God, known as “a Kingdomof priests and a holy nation” (Shemot 19:6). From this discussion, we learn that every person belonging to Israel, even those who are extremely removed from the world of Torah, can rise to the heights of holiness. It all depends on the will.”
Let me conclude by saying that if we live by the words of the Torah, seeking the good of the community, the nation, the family, and our personal well-being, all which generates life, then we will have the proper vessel to receive the following blessing of the Eternal in which He says: “Thus you shall bless the children of Israel, saying to them: יְבָרֶכְךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה וְיִשְׁמְרֶֽךָ׃ Yevarechecha Adonai veyishmerecha…May the Eternal bless you and keep you. פָּנָ֛יו אֵלֶ֖יךָ וִֽיחֻנֶּֽךָּ׃ יָאֵ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧ה Ya’er Adonai panav eleicha vichuneka… May the Eternal make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. פָּנָיו֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְיָשֵׂ֥ם לְךָ֖ שָׁלֽוֹם׃ יִשָּׂ֨א יְהֹוָ֤ה Yisa Adonai panav eleicha v’yasem lecha shalom…May the Eternal shine His countenance upon you and give you peace.”(Bamidbar 6:23-26).
This blessing ends with “V’yasem lecha shalom” (May peace be upon you). Peace is what we need in life. It is what makes simple words take on a personal meaning that gives life, and during moments of anguish, what these words hold in our hearts comes to light. It is the words that give us strength in moments of weakness; it is Emunah, Faith, that fills us with encouragement during moments of despair; it is Bitachon, Trust, that inspires us to live during those moments of darkness and death, and consoles us during moments of sadness. I pray that the words of the Torah take on a personal meaning and impart shalom for each of us.
Shabbat Shalom
Mauricio Quintero
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