Podcasts about parashat naso

0012. Parashat Naso

At the end of this week's parasha Naso , the Torah goes into great detail regarding the donations that the Nasi'im brought to inaugurate the Mishkan . And as we know, each Nasi brought the exact same donation and the Torah repeated each one of them, twelve times, one for each Nasi . Many mefarshim offer explanations as to why the Torah has all this repetition. The sefer Darkeh Musar brings from the Saba m'Kelm who explained, the Torah is teaching us here how Hashem relates to the individual. One should not think if a large group gets together to do a mitzvah that Hashem views it as if that group, so to speak, all got a check for their actions. The parasha of the Nasi'im teaches us, Hashem is happy with each individual separately. Although they all brought the same donations and collectively comprised a group of twelve, Hashem took delight in each one of them independently. Each one of them brought Hashem a different type of joy, depending on the person's background and what each of them had accomplished and experienced in their lives prior to this point. Everyone is always treated as if he is the only one in the world. And this does not only apply when a group of people get together to do a mitzvah. This is always the way it is. When something happens to a group of people, Hashem doesn't deal with them as a group, but rather every single person, with his own hashgacha . Whatever happens to him was decided solely based on what was supposed to happen to him. And the way a person reacts when things happen to him will show how much he really believes in Hashem's hashgacha . The Shomer Emunim writes, if we would know how valuable it is to honestly believe that every single thing that takes place in our lives comes directly from Hashem, our hearts would ignite with endless excitement. Furthermore, the pasuk says, ה' צילך – that Hashem is our shadow. And the Baal Shem Tov explained this to mean that Hashem acts towards us corresponding to the way we act towards Him. If a person says each time that something happens that it was from Hashem, then Hashem will deal with him with extra hashgacha pratit . He will be able to feel Hashem's presence more and he will get more Heavenly help. The pasuk says in Tehillim , ה' משמים השקיף על בני-אדם לראות היש משכיל דורש את אלוקים – Hashem is watching to see who is wise enough to seek Him out. The word אלוקים represents טבע which is nature. And as we know, הטבע is the same numerical value as אלוקים . So the pasuk is saying, Hashem is watching to see who will find Him inside of nature, who will attribute what seems to be natural occurrences, to Him. For this, a person must train himself until instinctively, he is able to say about everything, "That was m'et Hashem." When someone becomes a person who is fully ma'amin in Hashem's constant hashgacha , he will never get angry, he will never have animosity towards anyone, he will save himself from countless averot and he will get a mitzvah aseh each time he believes in Hashem's hashgacha , based on the pasuk, אנכי ה' אלוקיך אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים. The Shomer Emunim gives the following words of chizuk to help strengthen us in this area. He writes, fortunate is the person who is constantly strengthening himself in the area of emunah called hashgacha pratit , because the reward for it in this world is that Hashem will show the person ניסים ונפלאות – miracles and wonders. And therefore, our job as religious Jews is to look at every single thing that takes place in our lives, whether it is obvious good or whether it seems to look bad, and attribute it to Hashem and know that it is absolute good and praise and thank Him for it. We constantly needed to be reminded about this great avodah . May Hashem help us to always see His hand in everything that takes place. Shabbat Shalom.

Espiritu de necedad

Parashat Naso is famous for being the longest Parasha in the entire Torah, as it consists of 176 verses. Not coincidentally, this is also the number of verses in the longest chapter of Tehillim (119), and the number of pages in the longest Masechet in the Talmud, Masechet Baba Batra. The unique significance of this number is revealed to us by the Maharal of Prague (Rav Yehuda Loew, d. 1609). He begins by establishing what has become a well-known principle regarding the number 8 – namely, that it signifies the notion of extending beyond the confines of nature. The world was created in seven days – and, in the teachings of Kabbalah, through the process of the seven Sefirot, spiritual energies – and so the number 7 represents the natural order. The number 8, then, alludes to that which is beyond the limits of nature. Thus, for example, the Berit Mila is performed on a child's eighth day, indicating that we are expected to restrain our natural impulses, to live on a higher plane, where our sacred soul controls our natural body. Likewise, the Maharal explains, the seven lamps of the Menorah in the Bet Ha'mikdash symbolize the natural world – and behind the curtain in the Mikdash there was the eighth "light," the Torah. The sacred Aron (ark) contained the Torah, and it was thus called "Aron," a derivative of the word "Or" – "light." The Torah shines its own form of light – not a natural light that enables us to see with our eyes, but a spiritual light that reaches our souls, and uplifts and inspires us. The Torah is written with the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the Maharal writes, and when we multiply 22 by 8, we arrive at 176. This number, then, is associated with Torah's supernatural quality, its having originated outside our world, reminding us that it is through the study of Torah that we can extend beyond the confines of our world and connect ourselves to Hashem and to all the powers that lie outside our world. For this reason, the longest Parasha, the longest chapter of Tehillim, and the long section of the Gemara are all connected with this number, as they embody the great power of Torah. This unique power, which is associated with the number 176, also enables us to overcome our foes. Kabbalah teaches that the greatest spiritual force that threatens Beneh Yisrael is represented by one of the grandsons of Esav, a man named Sefo (Tzadi, Peh, Vav), whose name is listed among the twelve chieftains of Edom, the nation that descended from Esav (Bereshit 36:15). The Ramban cites the historian Josephus as relating that Sefo was a fierce enemy of Yaakob Abinu and his family, and when Yaakob's sons brought his remains from Egypt to Hebron for burial in Me'arat Ha'machpela, Sefo and his men waged war against them. However, Yaakob's sons prevailed, captured Sefo, and brought him as a prisoner to Egypt. Sefo would later escape and make his way to what would become Rome, and he is thus the founder of the kingdom of Rome, the bitter enemy of the Jewish People. According to the wisdom of Kabbalah, Sefo represents the spiritual force of our wicked enemies who wage war against us and seek our demise. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) taught that the way we defeat the power of Sefo is through the power of Torah. Indeed, the name "Sefo" in Gematria equals 176 – and we thus overcome his force through the power of Torah, which is represented by that same number. This is why Sefo waged war at that time of Yaakob Abinu's funeral – because he knew that the greatest power Beneh Yisrael possess is the power of Torah, which was embodied by Yaakob. Sefo sought to fight Beneh Yisrael at that time to neutralize this power so he could defeat them – but the power of Yaakob, the power of Torah, prevailed. The Shabbat when we read Parashat Naso – especially coming on the heels of Shabuot, when we renewed our acceptance of the Torah – is an appropriate occasion to remind ourselves of the unique power of Torah learning. As we see the alarming rise of antisemitism around the world, and as the Jewish State finds itself in the midst of a difficult war against its fierce, evil enemies, let us recommit ourselves to Torah learning. Let us all ensure that we are devoting the time and effort that we should to learn, so that we can harness the great power of Torah with which to overcome our nation's bitter foes.

A certain young man whom I was very close with, and whom I helped a great deal, was getting married. Before the wedding he asked me if I could be an עד קידושין , one of the two witnesses to the kiddushin under the huppah . Now among Ashkenazim, serving as an עד קידושין is considered a great honor, but here in our community, being invited to recite one of the berachot under the huppah is a far greater honor. And I have to say, in all honesty, that I felt hurt by the boy's decision to ask me to be a witness instead of reciting one of the blessings. As mentioned, I was very close with this young man. I helped him grow in his religious observance, and I even helped him in the process of dating and getting engaged. I felt slighted over not having received a berachah . Was I being petty and childish? Was this just my ego going too far? I think that the Gemara teaches us the answer. In Masechet Ketubot, the Gemara discusses the case of a person who was very wealthy, and was accustomed to a comfortable, luxurious lifestyle, until he lost his fortune and became poor. The halachah in this case, surprisingly, is that the people must not only give enough charity to provide him with his basic needs – but also provide him with the comforts and amenities that he was accustomed to. So much so, the Gemara tells, that in the time of Hillel, there was a wealthy man who used to ride in a carriage with someone running ahead of him, and after he fell into hard times, Hillel ruled that he should be provided with a runner. When the people could not find somebody willing to do it, Hillel himself ran in front of this man's carriage. It goes without saying that arrogance and conceit are exceptionally bad qualities from which a person must distance himself from. But there is a huge difference between arrogance and a sense of respect. People need to feel respected. This is a basic human need that we must all acknowledge. There is nothing arrogant or egotistical about wanting to be respected. And in some situations, failing to receive honor hurts. If a person worked very hard to plan an event, for example, and at the event, the speaker acknowledged everyone who volunteered their time except that person, that person will be hurt. This isn't because of arrogance – it's because it's embarrassing. The person feels disrespected. And this is true also of a Rabbi who is very close with the groom. There is a certain expectation of honor – and when that respect is not shown, it feels embarrassing. It hurts. Parashat Naso begins with Hashem commanding Moshe, נשא את ראש בני גרשון גם הם – to count "also" the people of Gershon, the Leviyim who descended from Levi's oldest son, Gershon. In the previous parashah , the family of Kehat – the middle of Levi's three sons – was counted. Kehat was counted first because they were in charge of the most sacred articles in the Mishkan , so they had the more distinguished job. Now, when the time came to count the family of Gershon, Hashem emphasized גם הם – that they, too, must be given honor and respect. As the children of the oldest son, they naturally expected to be treated with honor. And since that honor was not given, and instead the middle son, Kehat, was counted first, Moshe needed to find a way to compensate, to show Gershon honor and distinction so they would not feel embarrassed or disrespected. This is so important for us to realize in our relationships, and in all our interactions with people. People need to feel respected, the way they need oxygen. It's a basic human need. People need to feel respected so they can feel important, that they matter, that their lives are significant and meaningful. This isn't arrogance. It's a basic human need. In every relationship, we need to ensure to make the other person feel respected. We need to realize that their need for respect isn't childish or petty – it's normal. It's human. And we must fill that need. When we speak to people and treat them with respect, we help bring out the best in them. We remind them that they matter, that they have something beautiful and crucial to give to the world – and once they acknowledge that, they will go ahead and make sure to make that beautiful contribution.

This guided imagery is inspired by Numbers 4 - 7 (Parashat Naso) and the ancient teaching of the three camps surrounding the wilderness sanctuary. In this journey, you move inward through three sacred circles of belonging. First, the camp of Israel: the place of family, friendship, memory, and human connection. Here, you reflect on the people who hold and shape your life. Then, the camp of the Levites: the realm of music, creativity, devotion, craft, and passion. This is the fire of your gifts, your voice, your art, your calling. Finally, you enter the camp of the Shekhinah, the innermost sanctuary beyond words — the quiet place of soul, mystery, Divine presence, and deep benevolence. Through breath, visualization, and reflection, this meditation invites you to travel from outer life to inner essence, discovering how community, creativity, and spirit form a path toward wholeness.

Parashat Naso - Mr. & Mrs. "No-Name" by Rabbi Avi Harari

Please take 5 minutes to fill out the TEXTing IRL survey! What do we mean when we ask for peace, especially in a time of war, rising antisemitism, and deep uncertainty? In this episode of TEXTing IRL, Elana Stein Hain and Brandeis University professor Yehudah Mirsky explore the meaning of peace in Jewish thought through the priestly blessing in Parashat Naso. Drawing on Torah and contemporary reality, they unpack the difference between “negative” and “positive” peace and the tension between safety, stability, and human flourishing. The result is a more grounded and honest framework for thinking about peace today.   Episode Source Sheet Watch the video version of this episode ⁠here⁠. You can now sponsor an episode of TEXTing. Click HERE to learn more.  JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS

Subscribe to the newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/RJDSpotify.Parashat Naso explores how the Torah treats seemingly private behavior as a national concern, seen in laws like Nazir and Sotah that culminate publicly in the Mikdash, the nation's “capital.” The discussion challenges John Stuart Mill's claim that people should do whatever they want as long as they don't harm others, arguing that private actions shape character, trust, and the social fabric...Rabbi Dweck has held rabbinic leadership roles in the US and the UK. He is the Rosh Bet Midrash of TheHabura.com and the Rabbi Levy Chair of Jewish Wisdom at the London School of Jewish Studies.For more, check out rabbijosephdweck.com.Instagram: https://instagram.com/rabbidweckTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rabbidweckYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RabbiJosephDweck

Parashat Naso as the key to understanding the secret of Shavuot and its message to humanity. The secret of the success of human society when the world is divided into predators and prey. How can we protect ourselves in times of uncertainty and instability?  The consciousness of the Zohar as a tool of protection when the world is hostile and confusing. Daily Meditation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8AzyLFM2AY Read and learn more about this Parashah https://livekabbalah.org/naso Join our course program: https://livekabbalah.org/live-kabbalah-courses Join our Zoom Program: https://livekabbalah.org/weekly-zohar-study-live Support our efforts to provide you with more materials, donate to Live Kabbalah: https://livekabbalah.org/donations

Release the weight of past mistakes and step into grace with this gentle meditation inspired by Numbers 4 - 7 (Parashat Naso). In this sacred pause, we invite forgiveness for our missteps and open ourselves to healing. Drawing from the ancient priestly blessing, we receive love, light, and peace—not from others, but from the universe itself, flowing inward. This is a time to reconnect with your inner holiness, offer compassion to yourself, and feel held in divine presence. Let this blessing uplift your spirit: “May you be seen. May you be graced. May you be whole.” A ritual of renewal and deep self-kindness.

At the end of this week's Parashat Naso , the Torah goes into great detail describing the donations brought by the Nesi'im to inaugurate the Mishkan. Remarkably, each Nasi brought the exact same offering, yet the Torah repeats the full list of items again and again—spanning about 56 pesukim . Why such repetition? The Torah is teaching us a profound lesson: Hashem treasures the efforts of every individual . Even when people perform a mitzvah as part of a group, Hashem values the actions of each person separately. In a shul, there might be hundreds of people reciting the same words, but to Hashem, every word uttered by each person is uniquely precious. There is no such thing as Hashem getting "bored" of repetition. He cherishes everything we say and everything we do—every tefillah, every act of kindness, every mitzvah. The same applies when we experience His presence in our lives. Even when similar moments of hashgachah peratit repeat, each one feels new and meaningful. We're often moved by others' stories of hashgachah , and they awaken in us a desire to see Hashem's hand in our own lives too. Sometimes, we think: Those stories are inspiring, but they never happen to me. Yet we are encouraged to always hope and pray that they do. About a month ago, a story circulated about a chatan who wished to feel his late father's presence at his wedding. Miraculously, around that time, someone from Israel arrived in New York with a letter that the chatan's father had written decades earlier. Through an incredible sequence of events, the letter ended up in the hands of this chatan —dated with the exact date of his wedding. The letter, addressed to a chatan on his wedding day, was written by his father years earlier on that very same Hebrew date. The message felt as though it had come directly from his father, offering blessings from shamayim . This story was shared at a siyyum on Masechet Bava Metzia . In the crowd sat a man named *Yaakov. Hearing the story, he silently wished that he too could receive something from his late father, who had passed away over 20 years ago. The very next day, as Yaakov opened his mail, he noticed an envelope that looked like another routine request. But inside, to his astonishment, was a handwritten letter—written by his father 50 years earlier to a close friend. That friend had just discovered the letter while cleaning for Pesach and thought it would be meaningful to send it to the son of his old friend. Yaakov was overwhelmed. He couldn't stop reading the letter. As he reached the bottom, he noticed a few words written in the opposite direction—a postscript from his father asking his friend where he was up to in Masechet Bava Metzia . Yaakov was stunned. He had just returned from a siyyum on Bava Metzia , where he had wished for a message from his father. Still in disbelief, Yaakov went to his sefarim shelf and opened his Gemara Bava Metzia . Inside was a sticky note marking that he still had to complete pages 50 through 54. It was as if his father was reminding him: Your siyyum isn't complete yet—finish it properly. In that moment, he felt a powerful connection, a personal hashgachah that touched his soul. Yes, the stories we hear really can happen to us. Hashem treasures everything we do, and we are uplifted when we recognize His presence in our lives. May we always feel close to Hashem. May we always sense His guidance. And may we continue to be inspired by the miracles—big and small—that surround us every day. Shabbat Shalom.

Eshet Chayil 37/ Parashat Naso

پاراشا ناسوParashat Naso. The secret behind the names of kehat, Gershon, Merari. by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

Parashat Naso. The power of Shabbat after shavout پاراشا ناسو. قدرت شبات بعد از شاووت by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

Las primicias para D-s.

Parashat Naso - Inside & Out by Rabbi Avi Harari

The Torah in Parashat Naso tells of the special gifts and sacrifices brought by the Nesi'im – the leaders of the tribes – in honor of the inauguration of the Mishkan. To celebrate this event, the Nesi'im donated wagons to be used by the Leviyim to transport the Mishkan during travel, and then each tribal leader offered a series of sacrifices one day. Each day for twelve days, a different Nasi brought these sacrifices. The Torah introduces this account with the words, "Va'yehi Be'yom Moshe Kalot Moshe Le'hakim Et Ha'Mishkan" – "It was on the day when Moshe finished erecting the Mishkan…" (7:1). Rashi observes that the word "Kalot" resembles the word "Kalla" – "bride." This allusion, Rashi explains, indicates to us that on this day, the day when the Mishkan was completed and began functioning, Beneh Yisrael were like a bride entering under the wedding canopy with her groom. This was the day of Beneh Yisrael's "wedding" with G-d. Rashi's comments must be reconciled with the well-established tradition viewing Ma'amad Har Sinai – G-d's revelation to our ancestors at Mount Sinai – as our nation's "wedding" with the Almighty. Indeed, several customs we observe at weddings commemorate aspects of Ma'amad Har Sinai. For example, we adorn the Hupa with flowers, just as Mount Sinai grew beautiful flowers at the time of the Revelation. And it is customary for the groom to leave the Hupa and walk toward the bride to greet her as she makes her way to the Hupa, as G-d is described as coming from Mount Sinai to greet the people as they made their way from the camp to the foot of the mountain ("Hashem Mi'Sinai Ba" – Debarim 33:2). If our "wedding" with the Almighty occurred on Shabuot, the day of Matan Torah, then how can Rashi speak of the day of the Mishkan's inauguration – which happened nearly ten months later – as the "wedding day"? The answer lies in the tragic event that transpired in between Matan Torah and the inauguration of the Mishkan – the sin of the golden calf. We might say that the day of Matan Torah marked the first stage of the wedding process – what we call "Kiddushin" (betrothal). This is the stage when the groom gives the bride a ring and designates her as his wife. The marriage is completed with the stage of "Nisu'in," when the bride and groom go into private for the first time. The "Nisu'in" between Beneh Yisrael and Hashem was to occur forty days after Ma'amad Har Sinai, on the 17 th of Tammuz, when Moshe came down the mountain with the two tablets. This day was to have marked the completion of the "wedding," whereby our nation was fully "married" to the Almighty. In the interim, however, Beneh Yisrael had betrayed G-d – like a bride who was unfaithful to her groom – by worshipping a foreign deity. Under such circumstances, of course, the "wedding" could not continue. Beneh Yisrael needed to repair the relationship through repentance and through the building of the Mishkan. Once the Mishkan was completed, the "wedding" could now be resumed. Therefore, Rashi writes that on the day of the Mishkan's inauguration, Beneh Yisrael resembled a bride going into the Hupa – because this day marked the renewed "wedding" which had been discontinued as a result of the sin of the golden calf. Not coincidentally, Parashat Naso is almost always read shortly after the celebration of Shabuot, the day which celebrates the beginning of our "marriage" with G-d. Parashat Naso tells of the completion of the "wedding," how our nation succeeded in recovering from the tragic failure of the golden calf, in rebuilding our trust and faithfulness, so we could again be worthy of "marrying" Hashem, of entering into a unique, intimate bond with Him. The story of the Mishkan's completion teaches us that we need to earn this special relationship through loyalty and devotion. If we prioritize other interests and concerns over the Torah, if we choose to place our trust in people and forces other than Hashem, then we are betraying Him and thus become unworthy of His special protection and blessings. If we want to benefit from our relationship with G-d, we need to earn it through unbridled fealty to His commands, and by remaining uncompromisingly and unflinchingly committed to the Torah, without being misled by the alluring "golden calves" that threaten to pull us away from our loyalty to Hashem.

In this episode, we explore the figure of the Nazir in Parashat Naso and the Torah's nuanced approach to spirituality and physicality. We discuss the balance between restraint and engagement, showing how Judaism promotes sanctity not through withdrawal from the world, but through full, mindful participation in it.

Parashat Naso includes birkat kohanim – the special blessing with which the kohanim are commanded to bless the rest of the nation. The first portion of this berachah is: יברכך ה' וישמרך – "G-d shall bless you and protect you" (6:24). Rashi explains this to mean that Hashem should bless us with material prosperity, and then protect it for us. Normally, Rashi writes, when a person gives his fellow a gift, the giver's involvement ends the moment the gift is given. It is now entirely up to the recipient to do with the gift what he wants, and to take care of it. It can be stolen, it can be misused, it can be damaged, it can be lost, it can end up causing harm in some way. The kohanim bless the people that Hashem will not only give them money and possessions, but also protect these gifts for them. Hashem does not leave us after giving us a gift. He stays with us, guarding it and protecting it. We've all received many gifts. Our spouse, our children, our homes, our careers or businesses, our friends, our community – everything we have is a gift from Hashem. And, as we all know, these gifts can often be difficult to handle. Raising children in today's day and age is very, very hard, and fraught with challenges. Full-time jobs are often very demanding, and take up our entire day. Every businessman knows how much stress and pressure is involved in running a business. Our close-knit community is wonderful, but with so many people knowing each other and working with one another, complicated and uncomfortable situations arise. We have so many blessings, but with those blessings come numerous challenges. This is particularly felt when one is privileged to make a simchah , like marrying off a child. Nowadays, the logistics involved in making a wedding are overwhelming. There are so many details that need to be ironed out, so many different people that we are trying to please, accommodate, and avoid offending, and so many different pieces that need to fit into the puzzle. What should be the happiest time in our lives can easily become the most stressful time. We need to remember that Hashem stays with us after giving us a gift. He doesn't just hand it to us and go away. We are not shouldering the burden by ourselves. Whatever it is that we're struggling with, we must realize that we are not alone. Hashem is by our side, carrying the weight of the responsibility with us. Once we realize this, and we turn to Him in prayer and ask for His help, the burden becomes so much easier to handle. We will then be able to truly enjoy and cherish all the blessings in our lives, without seeing them turn into sources of stress and hardship.

Parashat Naso includes birkat kohanim – the special blessing with which the kohanim are commanded to bless the rest of the nation. The first portion of this berachah is: יברכך ה' וישמרך – "G-d shall bless you and protect you" (6:24). Rashi explains this to mean that Hashem should bless us with material prosperity, and then protect it for us. Normally, Rashi writes, when a person gives his fellow a gift, the giver's involvement ends the moment the gift is given. It is now entirely up to the recipient to do with the gift what he wants, and to take care of it. It can be stolen, it can be misused, it can be damaged, it can be lost, it can end up causing harm in some way. The kohanim bless the people that Hashem will not only give them money and possessions, but also protect these gifts for them. Hashem does not leave us after giving us a gift. He stays with us, guarding it and protecting it. We've all received many gifts. Our spouse, our children, our homes, our careers or businesses, our friends, our community – everything we have is a gift from Hashem. And, as we all know, these gifts can often be difficult to handle. Raising children in today's day and age is very, very hard, and fraught with challenges. Full-time jobs are often very demanding, and take up our entire day. Every businessman knows how much stress and pressure is involved in running a business. Our close-knit community is wonderful, but with so many people knowing each other and working with one another, complicated and uncomfortable situations arise. We have so many blessings, but with those blessings come numerous challenges. This is particularly felt when one is privileged to make a simchah , like marrying off a child. Nowadays, the logistics involved in making a wedding are overwhelming. There are so many details that need to be ironed out, so many different people that we are trying to please, accommodate, and avoid offending, and so many different pieces that need to fit into the puzzle. What should be the happiest time in our lives can easily become the most stressful time. We need to remember that Hashem stays with us after giving us a gift. He doesn't just hand it to us and go away. We are not shouldering the burden by ourselves. Whatever it is that we're struggling with, we must realize that we are not alone. Hashem is by our side, carrying the weight of the responsibility with us. Once we realize this, and we turn to Him in prayer and ask for His help, the burden becomes so much easier to handle. We will then be able to truly enjoy and cherish all the blessings in our lives, without seeing them turn into sources of stress and hardship.

Teshuva y confesión.

Parashat Nasso , Numeri 4:21 – 7:89, Richteren 13:2 – 13:25Parasja is een reeks praktische lessen om, voor zover mogelijk, te verzekeren dat iedereen zich erkend en gerespecteerd voelt, en dat wantrouwen en achterdocht of jaloezie onschadelijk wordt gemaakt en opgeheven en iedereen erkend en gezien en gezegend wordt en zijn eigen rol heeft binnen het volk. Maar ook dat de wandeling naar vrijheid lang is en er geen kortere weg is. In dit gedeelte leren we over de taakverdeling tussen de drie priester-families in de zorg voor de mishkan, de tent der getuigenis. Namelijk de Kohathieten, de Gersonieten en de Merarieten. De Levieten waren aan de Kohanim – de priesters gegeven om hen te helpen bij de dienst aan de Mishkan en om de Israëlieten te onderwijzen over rein en onrein, over heilig en onheilig. De stammen van Israel waren rondom de tent van de samenkomst gelegerd in 17 kampementen. Hierna volgen lessen over hoe om te gaan met rituele onreinheid en reinheid van priesters en Nazireeën. In het geval van huidvraat, diefstal en bij huwelijkse ontrouw. De wijze waarop verzoening bewerkt werd bij overtredingen blijkt uit de weg die de Messias plaatsvervangend voor ons ging.Let wel een Nazirener is geen Natzarener. In het Hebreeuws zijn het twee verschillende woorden. Bob van Dijk, 15-06-2024Support the Show.

Parashat Naso begins in the middle of the section that tells of the census taken of the tribe of Levi. This tribe was assigned special roles, including the role of transporting the Mishkan when Beneh Yisrael traveled in the wilderness. Last week's Parasha, Parashat Bamidbar, concluded with the counting of Kehat, one of the three families of Levi. The people of Kehat were assigned the task of carrying the sacred articles of the Mishkan, including the most sacred of the articles – the Aron (ark), which contained the stone tablets upon which G-d engraved the Ten Commandments. Our Parasha continues with the counting of the other two families of Leviyim – Gershon and Merari. G-d begins by commanding Moshe, “Naso Et Rosh Beneh Gershon Gam Hem” – “Conduct a headcount of the people of Gershon, too.” A number of commentators noted the words “Gam Hem” (literally, “them, too”), which imply that G-d had to emphasize that the people of Gershon were indeed to be counted. It seems that Moshe might have intuitively thought to count only the people of Kehat, but not the families of Gershon and Merari, and so G-d clarified that they, too, were worthy of being counted. Rav Moshe Feinstein (1895-1986) explained that Moshe might have assumed that only the people of Kehat, who were given the special privilege of carrying the Aron and other sacred articles, were deemed important enough to be counted. The other two families transported the other parts of the Mishkan, such as the planks, the pillars, the ropes, the cloths, and so on, and not the furnishings which were actually used in the service of Hashem. As such, Moshe might have thought that they did not earn the distinction of a special census like the people of Kehat did, because their job was less important. G-d therefore emphasized that “Gam Hem” – even the other two families were to be counted. Everyone who faithfully and competently fulfills his role, no matter what that role is, deserves respect and admiration. We should not reserve our respect for great Rabbis, prominent lay leaders, or public officials. Every individual has an important job to do, a crucial role to fulfill. Only a small group of people are like “Kehat,” fulfilling prestigious roles. The vast majority of people have roles which do not bring them fame or distinction, but their roles are not one iota less important than anybody else's. Anyone who does what they need to do is worthy of great respect. We are now in graduation season, when some students are named valedictorian. Certainly, outstanding academic achievements should be recognized, and students who excelled deserve to be recognized for their unique accomplishments. At the same time, however, it is crucial that we convey the message that all students are worthy of admiration for their achievements, however modest they may be. All that is expected of any student – or any adult – is to exert effort, to work hard, to do the best her or she can. As long as we put in the work and do our best, we are doing our job, which is no less important than anybody else's job.

When the Kohanim come forward to the Hechal (ark) to recite Birkat Kohanim (the priestly blessing), they initially stand facing the Hechal and then turn around towards the congregation to administer the Beracha. When exactly are they to turn around to face the congregation? The authorities are in disagreement on this issue. According to one view, the Kohanim should turn in the middle of the introductory Beracha recited before Birkat Kohanim, after the words "Asher Kodeshanu Be'mitzvotav." Others maintain that they turn to face the congregation only upon completing this Beracha, just before they begin the actual Birkat Kohanim (Rambam, Hilchot Tefliah, perek 14:12). The custom we follow is that the Kohanim turn just prior to reciting the Beracha's final word, "Be'ahava," such that they will be facing the congregation by the time they conclude the Beracha. (Hida- Birke Yosef, siman 128, s'k 9. Halacha Berura, Helek 6, page 383.) Another debate concerns the issue of at which point the Kohanim should lift their hands. The Kohanim's hands are raised in the air during their recitation of Birkat Kohanim, but different views exist as to when precisely their arms should be lifted. The Kaf Ha'chayim Sofer in siman 128 cites the view of the Shulchan Aruch Ha'Rav (by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, Russia, 1745-1813) that the Kohanim lift their hands only after concluding the introductory Beracha. The Shulchan Aruch Ha'Rav contended that since the recitation of the Beracha over a Mitzva always precedes the performance of the Mitzva, the Kohanim must recite the introductory Beracha before lifting their hands. However, the Kaf Ha'chayim cites the Panei'a Raza (in Parashat Naso) as requiring that the Kohanim lift their hands already when they begin reciting the introductory Beracha. He explains that since the lifting of the hands does not constitute the actual performance of the Mitzva, it need not be preceded by the recitation of the Beracha. And, from the verse in Tehillim (134:2), "Raise your hands in sanctity and bless God," it appears that one first raises his hands before reciting a Beracha. Therefore, the Kaf Ha'chayim concludes, the Kohanim should preferably lift their hands even before reciting the introductory Beracha. (See Halacha Berura, Helek 6, page 386.) Summary: Before beginning Birkat Kohanim, the Kohanim should raise their hands while still facing the Hechal and begin reciting the introductory Beracha, and they turn around to face the congregation just before reciting the word "Be'ahava" at the end of the introductory Beracha. The Kohanim should raise their hands before reciting the introductory Beracha.

Parashat Naso פרשת נשא. اخراج افراد ناپاک از کمپ by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

At the end of this week's parasha Naso , the Torah goes into great detail regarding the donations that the Nasi'im brought to inaugurate the Mishkan . And as we know, each Nasi brought the exact same donation and the Torah repeated each one of them, twelve times, one for each Nasi . Many mefarshim offer explanations as to why the Torah has all this repetition. The sefer Darkeh Musar brings from the Saba m'Kelm who explained, the Torah is teaching us here how Hashem relates to the individual. One should not think if a large group gets together to do a mitzvah that Hashem views it as if that group, so to speak, all got a check for their actions. The parasha of the Nasi'im teaches us, Hashem is happy with each individual separately. Although they all brought the same donations and collectively comprised a group of twelve, Hashem took delight in each one of them independently. Each one of them brought Hashem a different type of joy, depending on the person's background and what each of them had accomplished and experienced in their lives prior to this point. Everyone is always treated as if he is the only one in the world. And this does not only apply when a group of people get together to do a mitzvah. This is always the way it is. When something happens to a group of people, Hashem doesn't deal with them as a group, but rather every single person, with his own hashgacha . Whatever happens to him was decided solely based on what was supposed to happen to him. And the way a person reacts when things happen to him will show how much he really believes in Hashem's hashgacha . The Shomer Emunim writes, if we would know how valuable it is to honestly believe that every single thing that takes place in our lives comes directly from Hashem, our hearts would ignite with endless excitement. Furthermore, the pasuk says, ה' צילך – that Hashem is our shadow. And the Baal Shem Tov explained this to mean that Hashem acts towards us corresponding to the way we act towards Him. If a person says each time that something happens that it was from Hashem, then Hashem will deal with him with extra hashgacha pratit . He will be able to feel Hashem's presence more and he will get more Heavenly help. The pasuk says in Tehillim , ה' משמים השקיף על בני-אדם לראות היש משכיל דורש את אלוקים – Hashem is watching to see who is wise enough to seek Him out. The word אלוקים represents טבע which is nature. And as we know, הטבע is the same numerical value as אלוקים . So the pasuk is saying, Hashem is watching to see who will find Him inside of nature, who will attribute what seems to be natural occurrences, to Him. For this, a person must train himself until instinctively, he is able to say about everything, “That was m'et Hashem.” When someone becomes a person who is fully ma'amin in Hashem's constant hashgacha , he will never get angry, he will never have animosity towards anyone, he will save himself from countless averot and he will get a mitzvah aseh each time he believes in Hashem's hashgacha , based on the pasuk, אנכי ה' אלוקיך אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים. The Shomer Emunim gives the following words of chizuk to help strengthen us in this area. He writes, fortunate is the person who is constantly strengthening himself in the area of emunah called hashgacha pratit , because the reward for it in this world is that Hashem will show the person ניסים ונפלאות – miracles and wonders. And therefore, our job as religious Jews is to look at every single thing that takes place in our lives, whether it is obvious good or whether it seems to look bad, and attribute it to Hashem and know that it is absolute good and praise and thank Him for it. We constantly needed to be reminded about this great avodah . May Hashem help us to always see His hand in everything that takes place. Shabbat Shalom.

At the end of this week's parasha Naso , the Torah goes into great detail regarding the donations that the Nasi'im brought to inaugurate the Mishkan . And as we know, each Nasi brought the exact same donation and the Torah repeated each one of them, twelve times, one for each Nasi . Many mefarshim offer explanations as to why the Torah has all this repetition. The sefer Darkeh Musar brings from the Saba m'Kelm who explained, the Torah is teaching us here how Hashem relates to the individual. One should not think if a large group gets together to do a mitzvah that Hashem views it as if that group, so to speak, all got a check for their actions. The parasha of the Nasi'im teaches us, Hashem is happy with each individual separately. Although they all brought the same donations and collectively comprised a group of twelve, Hashem took delight in each one of them independently. Each one of them brought Hashem a different type of joy, depending on the person's background and what each of them had accomplished and experienced in their lives prior to this point. Everyone is always treated as if he is the only one in the world. And this does not only apply when a group of people get together to do a mitzvah. This is always the way it is. When something happens to a group of people, Hashem doesn't deal with them as a group, but rather every single person, with his own hashgacha . Whatever happens to him was decided solely based on what was supposed to happen to him. And the way a person reacts when things happen to him will show how much he really believes in Hashem's hashgacha . The Shomer Emunim writes, if we would know how valuable it is to honestly believe that every single thing that takes place in our lives comes directly from Hashem, our hearts would ignite with endless excitement. Furthermore, the pasuk says, ה' צילך – that Hashem is our shadow. And the Baal Shem Tov explained this to mean that Hashem acts towards us corresponding to the way we act towards Him. If a person says each time that something happens that it was from Hashem, then Hashem will deal with him with extra hashgacha pratit . He will be able to feel Hashem's presence more and he will get more Heavenly help. The pasuk says in Tehillim , ה' משמים השקיף על בני-אדם לראות היש משכיל דורש את אלוקים – Hashem is watching to see who is wise enough to seek Him out. The word אלוקים represents טבע which is nature. And as we know, הטבע is the same numerical value as אלוקים . So the pasuk is saying, Hashem is watching to see who will find Him inside of nature, who will attribute what seems to be natural occurrences, to Him. For this, a person must train himself until instinctively, he is able to say about everything, “That was m'et Hashem.” When someone becomes a person who is fully ma'amin in Hashem's constant hashgacha , he will never get angry, he will never have animosity towards anyone, he will save himself from countless averot and he will get a mitzvah aseh each time he believes in Hashem's hashgacha , based on the pasuk, אנכי ה' אלוקיך אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים. The Shomer Emunim gives the following words of chizuk to help strengthen us in this area. He writes, fortunate is the person who is constantly strengthening himself in the area of emunah called hashgacha pratit , because the reward for it in this world is that Hashem will show the person ניסים ונפלאות – miracles and wonders. And therefore, our job as religious Jews is to look at every single thing that takes place in our lives, whether it is obvious good or whether it seems to look bad, and attribute it to Hashem and know that it is absolute good and praise and thank Him for it. We constantly needed to be reminded about this great avodah . May Hashem help us to always see His hand in everything that takes place. Shabbat Shalom.

La estructura del proceso de la teshuva y el vidui.

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. Our Thursday sessions are hosted by Mishkan's Founding Rabbi, Lizzi Heydemann. You can join in yourself, or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai.In our June 1st, 2023 session, Rabbi Lizzi taught us about Parashat Naso, the Torah portion which contains commandments on nazirite vows (like not drinking wine or cutting your hair!), as well as sotah, the ritual drink given to women suspected of adultery.****For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates.Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript

Lessons from Parashat Naso

The beginning of Parashat Naso continues the census taken of the Leviyim. After we read in the previous Parasha, Parashat Bamidbar, of the counting of the Kehat family – one of the three families of Leviyim – we now read in the beginning of Parashat Naso that the family of Gershon was likewise counted. G-d commanded Moshe, "Naso Et Rosh Beneh Gershon…Le'bet Abotam" – "Take a headcount of the people of Gershon…according to their paternal homes…" A deeper reading of this verse was offered by Rav Meir Yechiel of Ostrovtza (1852-1928), in his work Meir Eneh Hachamim. He notes the Midrash's perplexing remark that when Yitro invited Moshe into his home and gave him his daughter as a wife, he made Moshe promise that he would raise his first child as a pagan. Yitro was a pagan priest who, already before Moshe's arrival, recognized the mistake of paganism and embraced the belief in the one, true G-d. Why, then, would he insist that Moshe raise his first son as a pagan? The Rebbe of Ostrovtza explained that Yitro wanted his first grandson to arrive at the belief in G-d the way he did – through study and inquiry. He obviously didn't want his grandson to be a pagan – he wanted that the child will grow to embrace monotheism on his own, and not because this was what he was taught. For this reason, Moshe named his first child Gershom, a derivative of the word "Ger" – "convert." A convert is somebody who arrives at Jewish faith independently, without having been raised and educated along this path. Moshe's second son, by contrast, was named Eliezer, expressing that, as Moshe proclaimed, "Elokeh Abi Be'ezri" – "My G-d's father helped me" (Shemot 18:4). This child was taught about Hashem; he believed in G-d not through independent study and inquiry, but rather because this is how he was raised. And so his name alludes to the "G-d of my father," emphasizing that he believed in Hashem because his father believed in Hashem and educated him along this belief. The Rebbe of Ostrovtza explained that the process of study and inquiry may be undertaken only after one has first firmly established his firm, unconditional faith. "Emuna Peshuta" – simple faith, accepting the truth about Hashem and the Torah simply because one has been taught this belief – must take precedence to any sort of philosophical inquiry. Otherwise, the process of inquiry might steer a person off-course, and he will be led to reject Jewish faith, Heaven forbid. This concept, the Rebbe of Ostrovtza said, is alluded to right at the beginning of Parashat Naso. The Torah commands, "Naso Et Rosh Beneh Gershon" – that the "head" of "Gershon" – meaning, the intellectual process of independent inquiry – must be "lifted," and give way to "Bet Abotam" – fealty to tradition. Before one embarks on the process of "Gershon," of understanding the proofs to the belief in Hashem and Torah, he must commit himself unwaveringly to "Bet Abotam," to the faith that we have received from previous generations. Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski (1930-2021) explained this concept by drawing an analogy to explorers who would excavate caves. As they could easily get lost inside the caves, the explorers would tie a rope to the entrance of the cave and keep the rope with them as they excavated, thereby ensuring that they would be able to find their way out. Similarly, those who engage in philosophical questioning, inquiry and analysis could "lose their way." In their effort to understand more about Hashem, the Torah and the Misvot, they might take a wrong turn, and begin entertaining doubts. Before embarking on this process, then, they need a "rope" to ensure they remain tethered to our tradition. This rope is "Emuna Peshuta," unwavering and unconditional acceptance of the fundamental principles of Judaism. The first step in education must be the basics of Emuna. While there is value in a more sophisticated understanding of Torah, the learning process must begin with the fundamentals of Jewish faith, which we must accept wholeheartedly and unquestioningly. This foundation is the "rope" that ensures that we do not get "lost" as we continue our lifelong process of learning.

Featuring:Rabbi Karmi Gross, Rosh Yeshivah Yeshivat Netivey Hatorah and Beit Midrash Derech ChaimRov, Bialle ShteibelRamat Beit Shemesh, IsraelRabbi Karmi Gross shares some really powerful thoughts on this weeks Parashat Naso.Thank you Rabbi Gross for taking the time to carry us through the week! Shabbat Shalom!

On Hanukah, there is a special Torah reading throughout the Holiday. The selection, found in Parashat Naso, relates the Korbanot (offerings) of the Nesi'im (Princes) at the dedication of the Mishkan. The connection to Hanukah is based on the Midrash Pesikta that states that the Mishkan was completed on the 25th of Kislev but was dedicated later in the month of Nisan.The Sephardic custom differs from the Ashkenazim in a number of ways. First, the reading begins with the passage of Birkat Kohanim (Preistly Blessing), since the miracle of Hanukah happened through the Kohanim. The proper custom is not to stop the first Aliya at the end of Birkat Kohanim, but to proceed into the next passage in order to connect each Aliya with the topic of the Nesi'im. Hacham Ovadia rules that if someone did stop there, B'diavad, it is not a Beracha L'vatala.The second difference is that the Sephardic custom is to read only one Nasi per day, whereas the Ashkenazim read the current day and the next day. For example, on the second day of Hanukah, only the passage of the second Nasi is read and repeated in order for there to be enough Pesukim for all of the Aliyot.A third difference concerns how to break up the reading on the final day of Hanukah. The custom is to read the eighth day of the Nesi'im by the Kohen and Levi, and then the Yisrael goes back and reads the eighth day from the beginning through the beginning of Parashat Baha'alotha.The Halachic principle on Hanukah states, "En Mashgihim B'Hanukah"-The Halacha is not particular about mistakes in reading the Torah on Hanukah, as long as three Aliyot were read. If they inadvertently read the wrong day, B'diavad, they do not have to go back and reread the correct day. Moreover, even if they read the regular weekly Parasha, they fulfilled their obligation. This also applies to a case in which they began reading from the correct place, but then continued the details of the Korbanot from a different passage, according to R. Svi Pesah Frank and Hacham Ovadia.Every Hanukah also has Rosh Hodesh. On that day, two Sifre Torah are read from, the first for Rosh Hodesh and the Second for Hanukah. When Rosh Hodesh falls on Shabbat Hanukah, three Sifre Torah are read from. Six Aliyot are read from the regular Parasha; One Aliya from the Rosh Hodesh passage and the Maftir is for Hanukah. This follows the principle of "Tadir Kodem"-the more frequent Misva is performed first. Also, Hanukah is read last in order to connect it to the Haftora of Hanukah.

To follow along with this study, visit: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/443919... Vayeira, Vayera, or Va-yera (וַיֵּרָא‎ — Hebrew for "and He appeared," the first word in the parashah) is the fourth weekly Torah portion (פָּרָשָׁה‎, parashah) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes Genesis 18:1–22:24. The parashah tells the stories of Abraham's three visitors, Abraham's bargaining with God over Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot's two visitors, Lot's bargaining with the Sodomites, Lot's flight, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, how Lot's daughters became pregnant by their father, how Abraham once again passed off his wife Sarah as his sister, the birth of Isaac, the expulsion of Hagar, disputes over wells, and the binding of Isaac (הָעֲקֵידָה‎, the Akedah). The parashah has the most words (but not the most letters or verses) of any of the weekly Torah portions in the Book of Genesis, and its word-count is second only to Parashat Naso in the entire Torah. It is made up of 7,862 Hebrew letters, 2,085 Hebrew words, 147 verses, and 252 lines in a Torah Scroll (Sefer Torah). (In the Book of Genesis, Parashat Miketz has the most letters, and Parashiyot Noach and Vayishlach have the most verses.) To support Eliyahu Jian's work, visit https://vitaltransformation.org/donate Got a question? Click here to submit a form with your question and Eliyahu will respond to your email as soon as he can! — https://eliyahujian.com/contact For more than three decades, Eliyahu Jian has been guiding men and women through the process of strengthening their relationships, improving their businesses, and embracing healthier lifestyles while connecting to a higher power and purpose. Eliyahu's roles have included coaching CEOs, investment fund managers, entrepreneurs, and leaders from every walk of life. "How we feel today and every day is a choice. What will you choose to create in your life?" - Eliyahu To rediscover your spiritual path, visit https://eliyahujian.com/store to schedule a session OR email info@eliyahujian.com for a FREE consultation. - Healing Session - Business Coaching Session - Relationship Coaching Session - Soul Reading - Astrology Chart Session We can not do this without YOU! To join the online community, visit: https://vitaltransformation.org • Click here to subscribe: https://youtube.com/EliyahuJian/?sub_... • Click here to watch another video: https://youtube.com/EliyahuJian For important info and weekly updates, subscribe to the weekly email list by visiting https://eliyahujian.com , scrolling all the way down to the bottom left, and entering your email! Follow Eliyahu Jian: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eliyahujian... • Twitter: https://twitter.com/eliyahujian • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EliyahuJianO... Follow Vital Transformation: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vital_trans... • Twitter: https://twitter.com/TransformVital • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vitaltransfo... Eliyahu Jian: "I don't take myself too seriously and I like to make people laugh and help them choose joy and happiness. I like to simplify spirituality and make it more accessible. I translate profound spiritual wisdom into practical, everyday advice that empowers people to live their happiest and most fulfilled experiences."

Torah 84: Rabeinu explains a very deep Zohar in Parashat Naso and connects it to how one attains the hidden good that is present within each and every day. Torah 85: Rabeinu discusses how we rectify the Malkhut and bring it face to face with Ze'er Anpin. Torah 86: Rabeinu teaches us how to support ourselves when walking on the pathways of HASHEM through the charity we give with regard to Shabbat!

Walking Through Torah Parashat Naso -Steve Van Bruaene https://netivonline.org     https://noahidecourse.org 

Parashat Naso - with Rod Bryant https://netivonline.org     https://noahidecourse.org 

Rabbi David Wolpe's weekly sermon from 6/11 for Parashat Naso.

The Torah in Parashat Naso outlines the procedure to be followed in the unfortunate case of a Sota – a woman whose husband suspects her of infidelity, and was seen going into seclusion with the man in question. The wife must be brought to the Bet Ha'mikdash, where she drinks special water, which would cause her to die if she was guilty of adultery. If she survived, this would prove her innocence, thus allowing her and her husband to remain together. The Torah (5:17) specifies that the water taken for this purpose was "Mayim Kedoshim" ("sacred water"), which the Sages understood to mean that the water was drawn from the Kiyor – the faucet in the Temple courtyard. This is the faucet where the Kohanim would wash before serving in the Bet Ha'mikdash. The Midrash explains the significance of taking water for the Sota specifically from the Kiyor. The Kiyor was made from mirrors which were donated by the women of Beneh Yisrael. Moshe initially refused to accept these mirrors, which the women had used for the seemingly vain purpose of making them appear attractive. But G-d told Moshe that to the contrary – the women's mirrors were the most cherished of all the materials donated for the Mishkan. The women used these mirrors in Egypt in order to entice their husbands to intimacy, thereby ensuring Beneh Yisrael's continued growth. These mirrors were used not for sinful purposes, but for the holy purpose of strengthening the marital bond and building families. The Sota is shown these mirrors as a reminder of how her righteous forebears maintained their standards of purity despite living in the decadent society of ancient Egypt. The surrounding culture championed immorality, but these women courageously resisted this influence, and remained committed to upholding our nation's standards of purity. The Sota is reprimanded for failing to do the same despite living in a more moral society. Today, too, we live in a society that glorifies permissiveness, and shuns self-restraint and discipline. The surrounding culture encourages promiscuity and immodesty. We must draw strength and inspiration from our righteous ancestors in Egypt, who were submerged in an even more decadent society, and yet heroically adhered to proper standards of morality. Rather than fall prey to the permissiveness championed by the people around them, they worked to reinforce the marital bond and build strong, happy marriages and families, remaining loyal to each other and to G-d. We must follow their example, and look to them as a source of encouragement in confronting the difficult spiritual challenges that we face in today's day and age. It is no coincidence that the section which discusses the law of Sota appears in Parashat Naso, the longest Parasha in the Torah. The Rambam writes that the way to resist temptation is by engaging our minds in the study of Torah; it is when one's mind is empty, and not being filled with Torah, that sinful passions set in. The section of Sota, which warns us to resist temptation, is presented in the longest Parasha to instruct that in order to avoid these kinds of spiritual pitfalls, we must devote time and energy to the study of Torah, engrossing our minds in its sacred teachings, whereby we help protect ourselves from sinful impulses.

The way it appears to us, the more toil and sacrifice a person puts into Torah and mitzvot the less enjoyable his life will be. The more money a person gives away to charity, the less he'll have for himself. The reason it has to look that way is only to keep our free will balance. But in truth, it's exactly the opposite. The more toil a person puts into Torah and mitzvot, the more enjoyable his life will be. The more charity a person gives away, the more it will increase his assets. The pasuk says in this week's parasha , Naso , “ואיש את קדושיו לו יהיה. איש אשר יתן "לכהן לו יהיה And the Mefarshim explain the pasuk to be saying, the only possessions which are truly ours, the ones which will benefit us, are the holy acts which we perform- קדושיו לו יהיה ; and the only money which we truly have is אשר יתן לכהן - the money we give to tzedaka. Of course, every mitzvah we do and every dollar we give is credited to our spiritual accounts and will benefit us for all eternity, but even in this world, they provide so many side benefits as well. Whatever is hard to give up of ourselves becomes so much more valuable and will benefit us even more. I read a story about a woman who lived to the ripe old age of 110. She had hundreds of grandchildren and great-grandchildren and she was active until her final day. A grandchild said at her funeral that he went to visit her one time when she was 100 and, while he was there, he asked her for her secret to long life. She replied, “Grandpa and I lived through very difficult years, especially during World War I. We were poor and Grandpa would do whatever he could to come home every night with bread for his large family. We would cut up the bread into 8 pieces and give each person one, that's what we lived on – one piece of bread per day. One night Grandpa came home and he saw me looking very sickly. He gave me his piece of bread to eat, but I refused to accept it. It was then that he realized, I had been eating crumbs every single day and giving the rest of my bread to our children. He cried, feeling bad that he didn't realize that before and do more to bring home additional food. Then he gave me a blessing. He said, ‘In the merit of you taking away from yourself for your children, may Hashem grant you a very long life of health, with plenty to eat for all of your days, with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren to share it with.' And that's exactly what happened; his blessing was fulfilled.” This woman gave up from herself, which seemed like an act which would take away life from her, but in actuality, that is what added years to her life. The sefer Emunah Shelemah told a story that was told over by the man who was involved – Avigdor Aaronson from Bet Shemesh. Avigdor said it was on a Friday morning, he didn't have any money to buy food for Shabbat, and his credit card was not usable. He knew he was going to be getting a lot of money on Sunday, so he wanted to ask someone for a loan until then. He prayed in a shteibel where nobody really knew anyone's name. He needed a lot of money and wasn't sure who he could ask there. He saw a man who prayed there every day, he did not look like a man of means, but he was always smiling, so he felt comfortable asking him. After praying, Avigdor approached him and asked if he could borrow money, just until Sunday. The man thought about it for a minute, then pulled out his wallet and took out a lot of cash and gave it to Avigdor. Avigdor was so thankful. He wrote up a document saying, “Avigdor Aaronson will pay you X amount of dollars on Sunday,” and he signed it. Avigdor did not even know this man's name. The man took the note and put it in his pouch. Avigdor went and bought everything he needed and had a wonderful Shabbat. On Sunday, he came to shul with the money and that man had the biggest smile, he said, “Thank you so much for paying me back, baruch Hashem, baruch Hashem!” Avigdor didn't know why he was so appreciative. Then the man said, that little pouch of his is where he keeps all of his cash that he uses for the upcoming month and the only thing he has in it is cash. After he took out the money to give him that Friday, he left the pouch on the bus. He was in such pain, he tried to track it down but he couldn't. Then he remembered, half of the money he lent out and if he would be paid back, he'd get it back. “When you came in now and you paid me, I was so happy. I thought I was giving up my money on Friday, and now, I see I was actually getting it back.” Avigdor received a phone call later that day from someone who found the pouch and they said, “Did you lose a pouch?” He said, “What do you mean?” He said, “I found in this pouch with money and an IOU document signed by Avigdor Aaronson and I looked you up.” The next day, Avigdor was so excited to give that man back the rest of his money as well. Whenever we give up from ourselves, that's what we're giving to ourselves. As well, any effort we put in to Torah and mitzvot will only come back to help us even more. Shabbat Shalom.

Could you take a moment to fill out this brief survey to let us know what you think of the show? It would help us out so much!Speaking of surveys, a brief survey of this week's parsha reveals a rather disturbing law. When women are suspected of adultery, you're supposed to make them drink a potion and publicly humiliate them. Who would do such a thing?! As usual, generations of commentators have been asking the same question.Produced by Mishkan Chicago.  Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss. See our upcoming Shabbat services and programs here, and follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. Check out Shabbat Replay on Contact Chai for more from Rabbi Deena.Transcript

Valerie dispatches live from covid quarantine! She and Shoshana compare the sotah ritual discussed in Parashat Naso with 2010's Easy A. We agree that Emma Stone is the absolute best and that all men are the worst. Plus, Valerie claims that He's Just Not That Into You and Love Actually are the same movie.

Parashat Naso includes the ritual of sotah. A husband brings his wife whom he suspects of adultery to the mikdash (sanctuary) where a kohen gives her a potion of “cursed waters” that either acquit her or punish her. From our earliest sages to the present moment, many nuanced interpretations of this anomalous and troubling ritual have emerged. We will focus on one Rabbinic principle that applies to the procedure of sotah, but has much wider implications for other rituals, and paves the way towards a theology of mitzvot embedded in honoring the dignity of each individual.

When Miriam-Simma reads God's blessing for Jewish people, Adira recognizes it from morning prayers in the siddur. What's so special about this blessing? Adira also has an idea for the best blessing you could get.

Parashat Naso/Shavuot 5782: Har Sinai – the First Beit Midrash Description: What was the Torah that the Israelites actually heard and learned? Please let us know your comments and thoughts about the podcast, write to us at elmad@pardes.org.il. We appreciate … Read the rest The post Parashat Naso/Shavuot 5782: Har Sinai – the First Beit Midrash first appeared on Elmad Online Learning. Continue reading Parashat Naso/Shavuot 5782: Har Sinai – the First Beit Midrash at Elmad Online Learning.