| "This
is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon... their charge shall be
under the supervision of Itamar, son of Aaron the priest." (4:28)
The name "Gershon" is derived from the word meaning "to expel,"
alluding to the expulsion of evil. "Itamar" is related to the word for
speech, alluding to words of Torah. The juxtaposition of the two names teaches
that speaking words of Torah severs evil from good and expels it.
(Ohr HaTorah)
"If any man or woman commits a sin against a fellow man, thereby
committing an offense against G-d." (Num. 5:6)
For most sins which
the Torah demands an offering, a small, inexpensive one is sufficient for atonement.
The exception to this rule is the guilt offering, which was brought for the sin
of stealing. This offering had to be worth at least two selaim. Why? Other
sins are committed only against G-d; stealing is a double offense, committed against
man and G-d alike. The atonement offering, therefore, had to be more costly.
(M'lo Haomer) "They shall confess the sin that they committed."
(5:7)
The commandment to confess one's sins is the cornerstone of the mitzva
of repentance. By mentioning it in connection with the sin of stealing, we learn
a lesson. G-d gives every person a certain measure of strength and energy to be
able to perform the mitzvot. By using that energy to commit a sin, he is "stealing"
from G-d.
(Chidushei HaRim) "…The kohain will take some
earth from the floor of the Sanctuary…" [5:17]
Even the greatest
of Jews, as represented by "the Kohain," is able to learn something
of use from every other Jew, even the least of the least: "earth from the
floor of the Sanctuary."
(Baal Shem Tov - translated from Sichat HaShavuah
#334)
"Speak to Aharon and his sons, saying, 'So shall you
bless the Children of Israel'." (6:23)
According to Jewish
law, when the kohen recites the Priestly Blessing he must raise his hands and
stretch them out. This teaches us that when someone is in need, we must do more
than wish him well and bless him with whatever he needs. We must "raise our
hands" and stretch them out -- we must actually do something to help them.
(Fun Unzer Alter Otzer) "Thus you shall bless the Jewish People"
(6:23)
Before the priests bless the people they say: "Who sanctified
us with His commandments and ordered us to bless His people Israel with love."
At a simple level, it means that with love they bless the Jewish people. In addition,
the blessing itself is a blessing for love - they are blessing the Jewish people
that there will be love and affection among them and that they will be a vessel
to hold blessing.
(from Ta'ameh Haminhagim in the name of Torat Chaim- translated
from Sichat HaShavuah #76)
"The L-rd make His face shine unto
you." (6:25)
G-d's "face," as it were, is symbolic of
His innermost will and love; "unto you" implies the Jewish people and
the realm of holiness. Although everything in the world is sustained by G-d, things
which are not holy receive a lesser vitality that emanates from a more external
aspect of the Divine Will. An analogy: When the king throws a banquet for his
royal ministers, even the household servants get to enjoy the leftovers. Nonetheless,
the servants' enjoyment is secondary; the king's main intent is to please his
guests.
(Kuntreis U'Maayan) "The L-rd make His face shine upon
you...the L-rd lift up His countenance to you." (6:25-26)
It is
written in the holy Zohar that the letters of
G-d's Name engraved on the
golden plate on the High Priest's headdress were luminous. Anyone looking at them
was filled with awe; this created an arousal to return to G-d in repentance, and
the person's sins would be atoned for. In other words, through the luminous letters
("the L-rd make His face shine") the Jews repented (allowing G-d's countenance
to be "lifted up"), and their sins were forgiven.
(Kotnot Or) "G-d
should make His face shine on you." (6:25)
"Face" always
symbolizes good will, closeness and love. The blessing that G-d's "face"
should shine on us indicates that G-d should give His gifts to us with a full
desire. Even though everything is ultimately sustained by G-d, there is a difference
as to whether the life forces are given with enthusiasm or just the minimum absolutely
necessary.
(Kuntres U'Maayan) "The princes of Israel... brought
their offering before the L-rd." (7: 2-3)
Although each of the 12
princes brought exactly the same things, the Torah enumerates their offerings
separately. This is because the offerings were only the same externally; on the
spiritual level, each prince made his offering in a way that was specific to the
Divine Source of his tribe, drawing down Divine illumination to its members. "And
even today, when the particulars of these sacrifices are read in the Torah, this
nullification [before G-d] is drawn down to each and every tribe."
(Likutei
Torah) "The four wagons and the eight oxen he gave to the sons of
Merori." (7:8).
The four wagons were needed to transport 48 fifteen
foot panels, in addition to pillars, connecting rods, ropes and pegs. Why were
so few wagons provided? If it was possible to carry out the job with four wagons,
it was important to do so, thereby using each one to its fullest capacity. If
another wagon had been provided, the others would only have completed part of
their appointed task. "G-d did not create one extra thing in His world."
This applies also to our abilities and strengths. We must give our all in everything
we do.
(The Lubavitcher Rebbe) "Because the service of the
Sanctuary belonged to them; they were to bear it upon their shoulders."
(7:9)
Worshipping G-d properly is hard work, requiring much effort and "elbow
grease." The perfection of G-dly service does not just happen by itself.
"If one says, 'I have not toiled, yet I have succeeded' - do not believe
him."
(Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk) "The one who offered
his offering on the first day was Nachshon the son of Aminadav, of the tribe of
Judah." (Num. 7:12)
The numerical equivalent of the Hebrew letters
of "on the first day" ("bayom harishon") is 620 - the
same as "keter" ("crown"). This is an allusion to the
sovereignty granted by G-d to the tribe of Judah.
(Ohr HaTorah) "One
spoonful of ten gold [weight] full of incense." [7:14]
The
word for 'spoon'-'kaf' is related to the word for 'subdue'- 'kafifa'. 'Ten' implies
'Yud' the tenth letter, and yud in turn implies 'Yehudi' - 'Jew.' Every time a
Jew subdues a desire, it is as precious in G-d's eyes as much gold and incense.
(Rebbe Boroch of Mezibuz - translated from Sichat HaShavuah #487)
"This
is the inauguration of the altar on the day of its anointment...this is the inauguration
after its anointment" [7:64-68]
It is necessary to make an effort
that the renewal that is present at the day of the inauguration of the altar lasts
also afterwards, it should not grow stale; its inauguration "on the day of
its anointment" should last "after its anointment".
(Gerer
Rebbe -translated from Sichat HaShavuah 284)
|
The ultimate perfection in the holiness of nezirut (becoming a Nazirite)
will be in the Future to Come, when all Jews will be "free for Torah and
its wisdom…and the whole world will have no involvement other than the knowledge
of G-d alone" (Rambam). In other words, there will be no need to abstain
from (permitted) worldly desires, because every Jew will be "holy to G-d."
(The
Lubavitcher Rebbe, translated by Michoel Lieb Dobry) "When a man
or woman utters a Nazarite vow... he shall abstain from new and old wine... grape
beverages, grapes and raisins." (Numbers 6:2-3)
The laws of a Nazarite
teach us a most significant principle about our belief in the coming of Moshiach:
Torah law decrees that if one declares on a weekday, "I undertake to become
a Nazarite on the day that Moshiach will come," he is bound by it from that
very moment.
(If, however, he made his vow on a Shabbat or festival, it becomes
operative on the next day, as it is uncertain whether Moshiach will or will not
arrive on a Shabbat or yom tov.)
This clearly shows that Moshiach can arrive
at any moment, as we say in our daily prayers, "Every day we hope for Your
salvation."
(Peninei HaGeula - Reprinted with permission from L'Chaim
Magazine (www.lchaim.org).) "G-d spoke to Moses, telling him to
speak to Aaron and his sons saying: This is how you must bless the Israelites…"
(Num. 6:22-23)
This is the blessing with which the priests bless their
brother Jews. This has always been a special blessing, because it includes all
blessings. There is however a big difference in the saying of this blessing between
the time of the Temple and the time of exile. When the Temple existed, the priests
would pronounce G-d's Name as it appears in the wording of the blessing - the
Name's most holy form. Through this was expressed the high level of G-dly revelation
that existed at that time. In the time of exile we are forbidden to pronounce
the "explicit Name" and in the priestly blessing G-d's Name is said
in the "regular" way. At the time of the redemption, the priests
will again bless the Jewish people with
G-d's explicit Name. Not only will
the blessing regain its previous level, it will be even more elevated than at
the time of the First and Second Temple, since with the redemption the whole world
will be filled with G-dly revelation.
(Pninei HaGeulah) "The
one who offered his offering on the first day ("bayom harishon") was
Nachshon the son of Aminadav, of the tribe of Judah." (Num. 7:12)
Each letter in the Hebrew alphabet has a numerical value. The sum of "bayom
harishon" is 620, which is the same as "keter," crown. This alludes
to the fact that Judah, the tribe to which Nachshon belonged, was the progenitor
of the Jewish monarchy (including Moshiach, a descendant of King David).
(Ohr HaTorah - from LChaim #671) |
