Weekly Shabbat Parsha Thoughts – Naso – 5.21.2010

This week’s torah portion gives us the priestly blessings. These blessings show up everywhere in our world from blessing our children to weddings of many faiths. What is it about these blessings that speak to our world so much?

First of all they are simple. Both their message and their form are very easy to digest and remember, which makes them easy to appreciate and use as a blessing. And we should never underestimate the value and power of ease of use and simplicity. This simplicity also makes it easy for us to understand what we are doing which leads us to a second point.

The second (and more impactful) reason these blessings have become so prevalent is because they require an intermediary to be completed. Whether it was the priests at the temple, during a service, from parents to children or any of the other scenarios it is always given from one person to another. This week’s portion reminds us that we are a part of hashem’s blessings to our world.

These wishes and blessings from Hashem do not happen without us. In our finite world we often struggle to understand the infinite aspects of our spirituality. And, truth be told, we always will struggle with this concept. This week’s parsha give us a simple and elegant reminder and formula that can always remind us how we are a part of the link between our world and the infinite blessings of Hashem.

We are a part of Hashem’s blessing to the world. This week reminds us that it is by design. So tonight if you have a chance to say these blessings we can remember this special role as Hashem’s go between in this finite world.

“May the Lord bless you and guard over you.
May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
May the Lord lift up His Countenance upon you and give you peace.”

Amen and Shabbat shalom

Shabbat Shalom.
Torah Portion of the Week: Naso
This week's portion includes further job instructions to the Levites, Moshe is instructed to purify the camp in preparation for the dedication of the Mishkan, the Portable Sanctuary.

Then four laws relating to the Cohanim are given: (1) Restitution for stolen property where the owner is deceased and has no next of kin - goes to the Cohanim. (2) If a man suspects his wife of being unfaithful, he brings her to the Cohanim for the Sotah clarification ceremony . (3) If a person chooses to withdraw from the material world and consecrate himself exclusively to the service of the Almighty by becoming a Nazir (vowing not to drink
wine or eat grape products, come in contact with dead bodies or cut his hair), he must come to the Cohen at the completion of the vow. 4) The Cohanim were instructed to bless the people with this blessing: "May the Lord bless you and guard over you. May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up His Countenance upon you and give you peace."

The Mishkan is erected and dedicated on the first of Nissan in the second year after the Exodus. The leaders of each tribe jointly give wagons and oxen to transport the Mishkan. During each of the twelve days of dedication, successively each tribal prince gives gifts of gold and silver vessels, sacrificial animals and meal offerings. Every prince gives exactly the same gifts as every other prince.