Parashat Naso, Numbers 4:21-7:89
The Torah: A Modern Commentary, pp. 1043-1075
W. Gunther Plaut, ed.
CYCLE ONE

SUMMARY
The special role of the Levites is further explained in this week's Torah portion, Naso. Parashat Naso opens with God instructing Moses to take a census of two families of the tribe of Levi, the Gershonites and the Merarites, to determine those who are both subject to and eligible for service in the Tent of Meeting. The census counts only males age thirty to fifty. The text gives a detailed description of each family's duties regarding portage (carrying) of items from the Tent of Meeting, when it needed to be moved, as the Israelites continued their journey through the desert. The results of the census are summarized and those members subject to service in the Tent of Meeting (the Gershonites, the Merarites and the Kohathites, who were counted in lasted week's parasha, Bamidbar, and the third of the three families of the Levites) add up to a total of 8,580.

God also instructs Moses to teach Aaron a special three part blessing which Aaron and the priests are to use to bless the people of Israel. The blessing is found in Numbers 6:24-26:

May Adonai bless you and keep you!
May Adonai deal kindly and graciously with you!
May Adonai bestow favor upon you and grant you peace!

COMMENTARY
Naso means to "lift up," and in this week's parashah the word is understood as "to take a count" or a "census." If one were to lift up an object, one is able to single it out in order to identify or count it. In much the same way Moses is to lift up--identify and count--each member of the Gershonite and Merarite families. In last week's parashah the census of the Kohathites, the third of the three families of Levi was taken.

After numbering the Levites separately by family, the biblical text adds these numbers together. The midrash explains that numbering both separately and together is like a person who has some special treasured objects that he or she counts separately, then counts them again together simply for the joy of counting them many times. Similarly, God instructed that the Levites be recorded both in detail by family and as a whole, for they held a special treasured place (Numbers Rabbah 6:10, 11).

The Torah distinguishes between two groups of Levites. The Kohanim descended directly from Aaron, a member of the tribe of Levi, were to be the priests, who would conduct the sacrificial worship. The Levi'im, members of the three families of the tribe of Levi, were subordinate to the Kohanim and served as helpers to the priests.

One of the remnants of the rituals which the Kohanim carried out is the special three part blessing called "Birkat Kohanim" taught by Moses to Aaron in this portion. In Reform congregations this blessing is often given by the rabbi to children and adults on special life cycle occasions, such as naming, b'nai mitzvah and weddings. It is also the custom in some Reform synagogues to recite the blessing at the conclusion of worship services.

Jewish scholars through the ages have studied and interpreted the Birkat Kohanim.

Rashi, a 10th century French rabbi taught that "bless you" means "may your property increase;" "keep you" means "guard you from evil;" and "deal kindly and graciously with you" means "grant you wisdom and kindness." According to Rashi, "Bestow favor upon you" expresses the idea of God withholding divine anger.

Abravanel, a 15th century Portuguese scholar, explained that the first part of Birkat Kohanim is for material things, the second refers to spiritual blessing, and the third section is a joint blessing for both worldly and spiritual rewards.

In the commentary Ha'amek Davar, the phrase "May Adonai bless you" is interpreted as indicating a blessing appropriate to each person. For the student of Torah, the blessing would be success in his or her studies. For the business person, the blessing might be success in business.

Nehama Leibowitz, a 20th century Torah scholar, explained that the three sections of this blessing illustrate an ascending order. The lowest level is the blessing for an individual's material needs. The next "rung" deals with spiritual wants. This is followed by a blessing combining both these factors and, finally and ultimately, there is a blessing for peace. Leibowitz based her comment that peace was the most important blessing on the Sifra, a midrashic collection on the book of Leviticus, which states: Perhaps you will say (commenting on the blessing in Lev.26:3-6: "And you shall eat your bread to the full...and I will give peace in the land") food and drink is all well and good, but without peace they are worth nothing! The Torah therefore states "and I will give peace in the land" - for peace outweighs all else.

TABLE TALK

1. Although we are not subject to the same duties and tasks as were assigned to the families of the Levites, what tasks has God given us as Jews? One commentator has written: "The Bene Kehat- the family that carried the Ark- had a challenging responsibility. They had to carry the ark upon their bodies; they had to feel its weight; they could not seek means to make the burden easier. Religious obligation can be seen as a burden, and it is also a discipline. Anyone who seeks to carry a faith easily, shouldering no special tasks, making no distinctive sacrifices, will have a religion that is neither true nor helpful (The Voice by M. Adler, pp.282-3)." Do you see the responsibilities that God gave us as a burden, a discipline, or as a gift? Can a responsibility or task be a burden and a gift at the same time? Explain.
2. The commentary Ha'amek Davar explained that each person would be blessed with the appropriate blessing. What would be appropriate blessings for members of your family? Ask each member of the family to suggest an appropriate blessing for the other members of the family. Consider making a list or collage which would illustrate these blessings and place it in a prominent place in your home to be reread and appreciated from time to time.
3. In Birkat Kohanim the blessing for peace is considered to be the most important. Imagine a world at peace, what would it be like? If the world was at peace do you think the other blessings of Birkat Kohanim would be fulfilled? In what ways? Describe.
4. Even though the Birkat Kohanim asks God to bless us with peace, what role and responsibility do we have in fulfilling this blessing?
5. In what ways can you contribute to the blessing of peace in your family, in your school, in your community?
6. Sometimes we are overwhelmed with media descriptions of violence. With your family examine a newspaper and find examples of the blessing of peace. Can you find instances where there was strife and people are working to replace it with peace?

This week's Family Shabbat Table Talk was written by Barbara Binder Kadden