JUNE 5, 1998 VOL 1, ISSUE 30 11 SIVAN 5758

 

 

 

Chabad of Northern Beverly Hills, 409 Foothill Road . Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Rabbi Yosef Shusterman 310/271-9063

PARSHAT NASO

SUMMARY: The Torah assigns the exact Mishkan-related tasks to be performed by the sons of Gershon, Kehas, and Merari, the Bnei Levi. A census reveals that over 8,000 men are ready for such service. All those who are ritually impure are to be sent out of the encampments. If a person confesses that he wrongfully retained his neighbor's property after having sworn in court to the contrary, he has to pay an additional fifth of the base-price of the object, and bring a guilt offering as atonement. If the claimant has already passed away without heirs, the payments are made to a kohen. In certain circumstances, a husband who suspects that his wife had been unfaithful brings her to the Temple. A kohen prepares a drink of water mixed with dust from the Temple floor and a special ink that was used for inscribing Hashem's Name on a piece of parchment. If she is innocent, the potion does not harm her; rather it brings a blessing of children. If she is guilty, she suffers a supernatural death. A nazir is one who vows to dedicate himself to Hashem for a specific period of time. He must abstain from all grape products, grow his hair and avoid contact with corpses. At the end of this period he shaves his head and brings special offerings. The kohanim are commanded to bless the people. The Mishkan is completed and dedicated on the first day of Nissan in the second year after the Exodus. The Prince of each Tribe makes a communal gift to help transport the Mishkan, as well as donating identical individual gifts of gold, silver, animal and meal offerings. (From: Ohr Somayach web site)

"They shall confess the sin that they committed." (5:7) QUESTION: The commandment to confess one's sins is the cornerstone of the mitzvah of repentance (see Rambam, Teshuvah 1:1). Why does the Torah choose to mention it here in connection with the sin of stealing? ANSWER: Every sin that a person commits contains a degree of stealing: Hashem gives the person energy and strength and wants him to utilize it for Torah study and fulfilling mitzvot. Thus when a person uses his energy for committing sins, he is thereby "stealing" from Hashem. Therefore the mitzvah of confession is mentioned in connection with stealing in particular.

"And every portion from any of the holies that the Children of Israel bring to the Kohen shall be his" (5:9) QUESTION: This appears to be self-evident. If it is given to the Kohen, then it is obviously his? ANSWER: In nineteenth century England there lived the famous Jewish philanthropist Sir Moses Montefiore. Queen Victoria once asked him, "What is the extent of your wealth? How much do you own?" Sir Moses told her it would take him a few days to do some accounting, and afterwards, he would reply. When Sir Moses told her his wealth she became upset saying, "This is offensive: Everyone knows that you have far greater wealth." Sir Moses explained that he considered as his true wealth whatever money he gave to tzedakah. Anything else that he possessed was only temporary and could be confiscated or lost. With the phrase "Lo yiheyeh" - "shall be his" - the Torah is emphasizing that people should always consider their monetary wealth as temporary, and whatever one gives to charity "shall be his" - his real wealth which remains with him forever.

"A man a man whose wife shall go astray and commit treachery against him." (5:12) QUESTION: Why is the word "ish" - "a man" - repeated twice? ANSWER: Marriage should be regarded as a holy union. Up till now, both the man and woman were lacking, and now they have become a complete entity. For a marriage to be happy and long-lasting, each partner must recognize the other's rights and respect the other's opinions. The home must be a shared domain with each fully involved in its enhancement, and in short, absolute harmony must prevail. If a man seeks to overdo his "manliness" and attempts to be the autocratic ruler of his home, demanding

 

that his rulings and decisions be enacted, or if a man becomes totally oblivious to the needs of his household and is egoistically concerned only with "ish" - himself - the marriage is doomed to failure. The Torah warns that the behavior of ish - a man - who is ish - totally concerned only with himself - will spoil his family life, drive his wife to infidelity, and ultimately destroy his own existence as well.

"From new or aged wine shall he abstain." (6:3) QUESTION: The laws of a nazir apply only to a person who accepts them upon himself; why did the angel tell Shimshon's mother that she should not drink wine? (See Judges 13:2-25) ANSWER: Many parents set ambitious goals for their children and expect them to live by lofty standards. Unfortunately, they fail to realize their own need to live in accordance with the same standards. Parents are the role models for their children, and they must themselves exhibit the conduct they want their children to adopt. The angel was giving Shimshon's mother an important lesson in raising children. He told her that the son she would bear was destined to be a nazir. In order for him to properly observe his restrictions, it was necessary that she, too, take on the restrictions of a Nazirite, and thus be a living example for him.

"Speak to Aharon and his sons, saying: 'So shall you bless the Children of Israel.' " (6:23) QUESTION: According to halachah (Orach Chaim 128:5) when the Kohen recites the Priestly Blessing he must raise his hands and stretch them out. What is the significance of this? ANSWER: Many people are accustomed to give blessings generously, and it is indeed a benevolent practice. For example, we bless a sick person "May you have a speedy recovery," and we bless a person in financial straits with hatzlachah in his livelihood. With this halachah our Sages are imparting a very important lesson: while giving blessings is laudable, it is extremely important that we also "raise our hands" and "stretch them out" - that we actually do something to help the person in need. (From: VeDibarta Bam by Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky)

 

PIRKEI AVOT

"Ben Azzai says: Run to [perform even] an easy mitzvah, and flee from transgression; for one mitzvah brings about another mitzvah, and one transgression brings about another; for the reward of a mitzvah is the mitzvah, and the recompense of a transgression is a transgression." (Avos 4,2) The intent is not necessarily that we should actually run to perform a mitzvah, but that we should observe the mitzvos with joy, vitality, and vigor. Even a mitzvah which appears as "easy," and insignificant should be observed with enthusiasm and devotion. Why? Because... "one mitzvah brings about another mitzvah" On a simple level, the mishnah is teaching us a lesson in causality; Fulfilling one mitzvah will make it possible for us to fulfill others. This phrase, however, has a deeper meaning: Every mitzvah leads to a Tzavst (connection and bond) with G-d. Moreover, "the reward of a mitzvah is the mitzvah" Even a person who is concerned with reward, i.e., the benefit he will receive, should realize that he can be conscious of the infinite bond with G-d established through the performance of a mitzvah and this will grant him immeasurable satisfaction. When a person appreciates the infinite nature of this connection, he will feel an unbounded commitment to the observance of the mitzvos. (From: In the Paths of Our Fathers by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger, Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XVII, p. 371 ff)

MY FATHER WROTE IN A LETTER: CHERISH CRITICISM, FOR IT WILL PLACE YOU ON THE TRUE HEIGHTS.(From Rebbe's Hayom Yom, SIVAN -12).