 Torah Thoughts
This week's Torah portion is Naso (Numbers
4:21-7:89). It contains 176 verses (longest in the Torah) and 18
commandments- 7 positive mitzvot ("do's") and 11 negative mitzvot
("do nots").
Naso opens with a description of the tasks of the
Levite families, which began in the previous Torah portion. One of the Levite
families had the exalted task of carrying the Holy Ark and Tabernacle vessels
during the Israelites' travels. The two Levite families mentioned in this
portion have the more "lowly" task of carrying the covers and
frames- the Tabernacle "hardware". Verse 22 adds the seemingly
unnecessary words "they too" regarding the family charged with the
"less important" task, equating them with the family that merited
carrying the precious vessels of the Tabernacle. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein
(1895-1986) explains (paraphrased) that these verses teach us that one does
not have to be a great scholar or of the noblest lineage to play a
significant role in the carrying of our tradition through the generations. Every
Jew can play a vital role in the transmission of the Torah by contributing
his time, resources, intellect and love to the cause of Torah education.
Our portion (4:6-7) mentions the fundamental mitzvah
of confession as part of the repentance process. Unlike other religions,
Judaism requires the penitent to address G-D alone. The concept of confessing
sins between man & G-D to another human is alien to Judaism.
What is the purpose of confessing to G-D? G-D already
knows what one has done!
The verbalizing of one's egregious behavior extracts the
sin from the comfortable haven it finds in the human heart. There it is
sheltered by rationalization and denial. Verbalizing it exposes its evil
nature to the perpetrator. This aids in the development of the feeling of
regret and the resolve never again to allow that sin to interfere with one's
relationship with G-D.
The Torah then deals with the case of suspected
infidelity. The subject of suspicion is called a "Sotah". A
Sotah is a married woman who secludes herself with a man with whom she
appears to have a more than casual relationship. There is no evidence whether
she actually committed adultery. This woman had to go through an ordeal in
the Temple to
determine her guilt. She was given the opportunity to confess her guilt
or to drink the bitter water. If she was guilty, the water would cause a
gruesome death to her and her paramour. If she did not die, she was
vindicated and blessed, returning to her husband and rebuilding their
relationship of trust.
The term "Sotah" is related to the Hebrew root
letters "S-T-H" which means "deviate". (The name Satan
comes from this word). It is also related to the root "Sh-T-H"
which means "fool". Our sages tell us that a human only sins when a
spirit of folly enters him. One would need to experience "temporary
insanity" in order to commit a sin; for if one considered rationally,
the results of the sin, one would be incapable of committing it. Ultimately,
logic and the intellect, uniquely human gifts, must cage the animal which
lurks in the human heart. This indeed is the individual mission of every Jew.
The next part of our portion deals with the Nazirite.
(See Haftara below for more on this topic.) The Nazirite is one who wishes to
develop an even more intimate relationship with G_D. This status is expressed
by additional limitations such as prohibition of wine and avoidance of
spiritual impurity via contact with a corpse. Our Sages note the
juxtaposition between the portion of the Sotah and the portion of the
Nazirite. The Sotah symbolizes the individual who succumbs to the passions of
the heart, even where that may lead to the most dire and destructive
consequences. Observing the degradation of such an individual may lead to the
erosion of one's own values. Our sages tell us that one who witnessed a Sotah
in her degraded state should become a Nazirite. Exposure to moral weakness
requires additional steps to fortify one's own standards.
We who live in America today are certainly floating
in a morass of moral turpitude. We are exposed to the noxious vapors of
political-correctness-at-the-cost-of-the-truth and unbridled egocentrism. Our
Torah values are under constant, often insidious assault. If we are to
survive spiritually in this hostile environment, it is incumbent upon us to
redouble our efforts to educate ourselves and our children in the ways of the
Torah. We must connect ourselves to individuals and communities that nurture
those eternal Torah values that define what is truly good and correct.
Haftara
The HAFTARA (excerpt from the prophets) that is read
with the portion of Naso comes from Judges (13:2-25). It describes the
circumstances surrounding the birth of the mighty Samson. Samson's parents
were members of the Tribe of Dan, one of the least distinguished in Israel.
At that time the People of Israel were suffering under Philistine oppression.
A messenger of G-D appeared to Samson's barren mother to
inform her that she will conceive and bear a son. She was instructed not to
consume any products of the vine during her pregnancy, for the child she
would carry was destined to be a Nazirite, one who observes additional
restrictions as a sign of his desire to come closer to G-D. This element is
the reason that this passage was chosen to be the Haftara of the portion of
Naso, which deals with the laws of the Nazirite (Numbers 6:1-21). She was
informed that her son should not cut his hair and should follow all the laws
of the Nazirite, for he was designated to begin the process of liberation of
the Jewish People from the Philistine vise.
It is worthwhile noting that this savior of Israel
was the scion of a less distinguished tribe and simple parents. (It is noted
that Samson's mother was on a higher spiritual level than his father, since
the messenger of G-d appeared to her twice without her husband.) Not every
Jew is born into the priestly caste- the Kohanim. Not every Jew is born into
royalty. Not every Jew is descended from great Torah scholars. But any Jew
could become a Nazirite, no matter what his family background. Any Jew can
dedicate himself to G-D and develop an even closer relationship with his
Creator, and perhaps merit participating in the process of the redemption of
the Jewish People.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Baruch Price
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