Dvar Torah: Parshat Naso
by Cookie Smouha, 8G
Be careful what you say because it will haunt you in the end.
This week's Parasha is Parashat Naso. In this Parasha there are many different topics. Some of the topics are Sotah, Nazir, Mishkan and Birkat Cohanim. There is so much to learn. What connects all of these topics together? I believe the common theme is separation.
The Torah goes into a lot of detail of establishing different levels of kedusha and keeping the Kedusha in Israel. For example, we learn how the Leviyim are separated, how the Nazir separates himself from certain things, how the Sotah separates herself from her husband. This teaches us how important it is to keep the kedusha as a Jewish person.
When a husband believed that his wife was being unfaithful, he would go to the Cohen and state his accusation. They would perform the Sotah ceremony that would reveal her true actions. She would drink water that had Hashem’s name erased in it. If she was innocent she would be blessed with children. But, if not, she would suffer. Why was this necessary? The Torah wants to teach us how important family purity really is.
23: “ The Cohen shall inscribe these curses on a scroll and erase it into the bitter waters.”
The Mishkan was the holiest place in the desert before we entered the land of Israel. We learn what families from the Levites would carry different parts of the mishkan when they moved. Why is the topic of Sotah placed in the middle of the description of who carries parts of the mishkan? The reason for this is to teach us to be a pure nation.
At the end of Parashat Naso, we learn all of the different sacrifices that the different Nesi’im dedicated to the opening of the Mishkan. We know that the Torah does not use extra words but the Torah goes into great detail and repeats all of the korbanot that were done even though they were the same korbanot for each Nasi. The Ralbag teaches us that the reason for this is for us to learn a lesson that we should not try to outdo another person (aish.com). An example is when Bob gives all the people presents and then Rachel gives more for those people to like her better with bribing. We learn from this example that we have 12 families that all brought the same korban to not outdo each other.
A meaningful lesson that we learn from this parasha is to not outdo each, to be faithful to your spouse and even more. We also learn that we should always be the best that we can to one another because that Torah says that all Hashem wants is for us to love one another and to be kind and be a pure nation.