The Torah teaches us how Adonai wants us to live and conduct our lives.  Some of this is taught with specific words.  Some information we are to glean through in-depth study.  It is through studying Naso, our parashah this week, we understand Adonai wants us to celebrate life as a community - this is the best way to celebrate Adonai.  To separate life from death, and not to allow sadness, anger, compassion, empathy, and other feelings of this nature to mar the community’s ability to join together and pray, each individual being fully present in mind, body, and soul.

        Naso begins with a census of the tribe of Levi.  It is here we are given more specifics in the nature of the roles of each of Levi’s sons’ descendants in service of Adonai.  The wording of each verse pertaining to the commands and census of each son’s descendants is different.  I deduce from the wording, Merari’s descendants tend to bicker amongst themselves, and perhaps even have some jealousy issues.  Why?  Because Gershon’s descendants are told the specific items the clan as a whole is responsible for.  Merari’s descendants, however, are told the items the clan as a whole is responsible for, with the added instruction to report to Aaron for each member’s specific assignment.  This serves to pre-empt any arguments about who gets to do what.

        The census is only about the Levites, as last week we are told about the census of the other tribes of Israel.  The Levites, as we know, are the leaders of the services for the Nation of Israel, and the instructions are given to them as to preparing for and ministering the service.

        Immediately following, Adonai has Moses separate out those who - at least for the moment - are not pure, and have them go outside of the camp.  The people considered for this purpose as impure are of three categories: 

1. 1.1. Those having tzaraas - a variety of diseases are included in this category, all of which visibly manifest on the skin;
   
   

2. 2.2. Those with zav-emissions - men who either have masturbated, had wet dreams, or had sexual relations with their wives while their wives were menstruating, it also includes women who are menstruating; and
   
   

3. 3.3. The last category is those who have been made impure by being in the presence of a human corpse.
   
   

        All of the people included in the groups above would, by their very presence, evoke in others some of the feelings I described above.  Each category is also connected by the theme of death.  Need I say more?  By sending these people “outside of camp”, we are separating life from death, or rather acknowledging the need to separate life from death.  We are told to separate these people as they will “contaminate” the purity of those gathered in prayer.  Obviously, only those who have communicable diseases could physically contaminate the others.  The last two categories of people don’t have anything physically which others could catch; however, negative feelings spread quickly.

        As I stated before, those gathered for the purpose of prayer - and particularly in this passage to dedicate the Mishkan - need to be able to be fully present in every sense of the word.  The power of community prayer is strong, and uplifting.  We human beings feel G-d’s presence far easier when we are joyful.

        To this end, there is also a directive to bring forth before any service begins, any couple having their attention otherwise diverted by thoughts of the other’s infidelity.  Okay, honestly, in the Torah it is only the wife who commits adultery, but in our time the understanding of adultery cuts both ways.  (Bill Clinton was correct that biblically he didn’t commit adultery, but that discussion has been beaten into the ground already!)  We are told in this parashah, the couple should come forth even if the wife is innocent of the charges.

        There is a particular service to uncover the truth which is laid out for us here, but what is relevant to my thesis is they are told to bring this important issue before the priests to clear the minds of the couple so they can be fully present.  Tensions in a marriage aren’t conducive to the couple’s receiving Adonai’s presence, love, and peace.    Once the air between the couple is cleared one way or another, they can be fully present and in the mood to celebrate Adonai’s existence, to celebrate life.

        Next we are told about the choice both men and women can make to take a Nazarite vow, and thus abstain from ingesting any form of grape, hair cuts, or being around a dead body.  The person does this for a period of time in order to strengthen that person’s connection to G-d, and feeling of holiness.  Essentially, to celebrate life, and Adonai.

        Finally, we are told about the offerings brought to the Mishkan from each tribe.  The offerings are brought by six carts led by twelve oxen.  Each oxen represents a tribe, and each cart is shared by two tribes.  Each offering is exactly the same.  Remember Cain and Abel?  By bringing offerings which are exactly the same, we avoid any and all fights, or arguments.  The offerings are made by the tribes, from the families jointly, rather than by each individual.

        By bringing an offering  as a token from the family jointly, we learn to work peacefully together without losing individuality.  This type of offering credited to each family individually, and carried jointly, addresses the importance of family as separate from the community. The sharing of the cart teaches us the importance of our extended family, we are all of the same family.  Because the offerings are exactly the same there is no room for jealousy.  As the offerings are brought by the families, no one individual is made to feel embarrassed due to their own personal lack of monetary means.  The temple, or in this case the Mishkan is no place for one-upmanship type of behavior.  What is important, is that in order to have a relationship with Adonai, we must actively participate, and make an effort to connect with Adonai.  We do this by means of prayer, the way we treat others and all of G-d’s creations, and by studying the incredible gift we were given - the Torah.

        This particular service was a celebration of the dedication of the Mishkan.  Everyone must join together joyously, lovingly, and be fully present in body, mind, and spirit.  In the desert, this new nation demonstrated the most important thing is Adonai.  Even without a home yet, they were grateful to Adonai for all which they did have.  They were not alone.

        The types of offerings we are told the Nation of Israel brought to the Mishkan, were the burnt offerings, sin offerings, guilt offerings, meal offerings, peace offerings, and peace - feast offerings.  This comes to teach us a great deal, and imparts to us a very important understanding.  Adonai wanted this Mishkan built, and G-d dictated to Moses every detail we read, including what was to be brought as offerings.  Notice in the dedication ceremony, sin and guilt offerings were included.  Adonai wants us to understand that while no human being is perfect, or as our Christian friends say, without sin, we are still very much loved by Adonai.

        We must admit and acknowledge our sins and try to become better through taking responsibility for those mistakes we have made.  Notice these offerings were not by individuals, but by families.  No one was to be singled out.  While we are responsible for our own actions and inactions, the choices we make, we don’t sin in a vacuum.  What we do and how we act affects others, and the way we are treated, or mistreated affects us too.  Hopefully we all do our best to be good, kind, fair, and loving, but we can’t always fully comprehend the effect we have on others, nor how our behavior is perceived. 

        The peace offerings in conjunction with the sin and guilt offerings teach us it is important not to ignore our own imperfections, and those of others, but rather to acknowledge their existence.  By acknowledging our imperfect nature as well as our differences with one another and the fact that we were ordered by Adonai to do so, teaches us we are loved by Adonai despite our own imperfections.  We also come to understand Adonai doesn’t expect us to be perfect.  We are unconditionally loved.

        We must put aside our hurt feelings, shame and anger and join together as a family to celebrate Adonai.  Our parashah teaches us that no matter what is going on in the mundane parts of our lives, there must be occasions to come together and celebrate, and give thanks to G-d for each other, and all we do have.  Without joy, there is no living.  It is essential to join together and celebrate, to have things to look forward to, to participate and share in each other’s good fortune and happy times, and to be together as a family, and community.  We must celebrate together the special moments and good fortune of others, the good fortune of the family and/or community, and Adonai’s presence.  We do this by welcoming and thanking Adonai for what we do have, no matter what our circumstances are.  We celebrate by making a place for Adonai in our lives metaphorically which we physically represent by building places of worship.  It is during joyful times, we most feel Adonai’s presence, countenance upon us, and peace.

        Shabbat Shalom, I’d love to know what you think!