Naso continues with the head count of the Tribe of Levi and their
duties in the Tabernacle, and the census concluded "as directed by the Lord"
(Numbers 4:49).
This portion refers to three situations related to "leprosy" (tzaraath),
unfaithfulness (sotah) and total dedication (nazir)
to divine service. In the first case is a reminder that the metzorah (see our commentary on parshat
Metzorah) must be expelled from the community.
"Both male and female you shall banish; you shall send them outside
the camp, and they not defile their camps, in which I dwell among [in]
them." (5:3)
It is reiterated the Creator does not dwell with anything different from
His ways and attributes, hence our attachment to these must be permanent.
If
we chose to live in illusions such as evil talk, pride, greed, avarice, and
negative patterns, we are the ones who expel ourselves from the oneness that
represents God and His people. Let's remark again that there is no revenge or
retaliation for the negative things we do because these are direct consequences
of our actions.
Love
does not expel us for our negative choices, we expel ourselves from love by
choosing ego's fantasies and illusions. Love dwells among us when we follow
God's ways. We say that love is about trust, and trust comes with loyalty and
faithfulness.
We
also mention that God and Israel are united in marriage, and such as it is
sustained in trust, loyalty and faithfulness.
"When
a man or woman commits any of the sins against man to act treacherously against
God (…)" (5:6)
Here
is clearly stated that transgressing against our fellow man or woman is a
direct transgression against the Creator. Again it is indicted that the high priest
atones for our transgressions. He is the one in charge to elevate our actions
in order to become the vessels of God's ways and attributes, after we confess
and restore or compensate our victims for the damage caused by our negligence
or negative behavior.
Regarding
transgressions our sages say that "a person does not sin unless a spirit
of folly enters into him/her." (Talmud, Sotah 3a). This teaches that we
have to be constantly vigilant against what lures us into ego's illusions and a
negative approach to life.
The portion continues
referring to the laws of the nazrite, the person
who dedicates himself entirely to the service of God, temporarily or
permanently (6:2-21). Then it states one of the most important passages of the
Torah.
"Speak
to Aaron and his sons, saying: 'This is how you shall bless the children of Israel,
saying to them: May the Lord bless you and
watch over you. May the Lord cause His countenance to shine to you and favor
you. May the Lord raise His countenance toward you and grant you peace.'
They shall bestow My Name upon the children of Israel, so that I will bless
them." (6:23-27)
Again
the high priest and his descendants, who represent our permanent connection
with the Creator, are in charge to fulfill the commandment to bless Israel.
Let's be aware that Israel is the vessel that encompasses our individual and
collective traits and qualities, and also our potentials to fulfill the mission
to create a place for the Creator to dwell in this world.
Let's
put these blessings in the context of God's love.
"May
God's love bless you (make you be and do goodness) and watch over you (may this
goodness protect you). May God's love (His countenance) to shine onto you
(manifest in you and radiate in you) and be graceful to you (what you do, His
manifestation, be also graceful to you). May God's love raise His countenance
toward you (elevate you to Him as He elevates His manifestation in you) and
grant you peace (makes you whole, one with Him)."
And
the blessings are also received by those who put the holy Name upon the
children of Israel.
"(...)
so that I will bless them (the Priests)" which means that the awareness of
our permanent connection to God is also blessed with every blessing bestowed in
every aspect of our consciousness, as well as in every quality and trait we
have to serve Him.
Interestingly
this passage ends with the following verse.
"And
it was that on the day that Moses finished erecting the tabernacle he anointed
it, sanctified it, and all its vessels, and the altar and all its
vessels." (7:1)
As
we see, the priestly blessings are the culmination of the dedication of the
highest level of consciousness, the tabernacle, as our permanent connection and
unity with God's love.
The
portion continues with the offerings presented by the leaders of Israel on behalf
of their tribes. The detailed offerings (all exactly the same) of each are
mentioned twelve times.
Why
the offerings are repeated if they were all the same? Our sages explain this
saying that, although they were the same offerings, each one was presented in
every tribe's own way. This emphasizes the fact that each tribe is different
and diverse as our individual traits are.
No
matter how distinct they are, all have their own abilities and qualities that
combined are the perfect vessels to fulfill God's ways and attributes, in order
to reveal His presence in the world.
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