The Torah goes on to enumerate the various gifts offered by the Nesiim for the dedication of the Mishkan. The Midrash notes that, although the korbanos were all identical, they are nonetheless each mentioned separately to indicate their individual uniqueness. Each Nasi formulated his gifts independently, reflecting his own ruach ha’kodesh, Divine inspiration, and symbolizing the various traits and history of his tribe. Inasmuch as externally the korbanos were the same, their inner essence, the reasons and reflections behind them, differed, thereby creating twelve distinctive korbanos. Hence, the Torah lists them separately. We derive from here that although two activities…
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Rashi states that Moshe did not accept the offerings from the Nesiim until he was instructed to do so by Hashem. The Netziv, z.l., attributes Moshe’s reluctance to accept their korbanos to the fact that they brought ketores, incense, to be offered upon the Mizbei’ach Ha’Chitzon, outer altar. As Rashi later notes (pasuk 14), we find incense offered neither by a yachid, individual, nor upon the outer altar, except for this instance. It would seem that a special dispensation was made during the dedication of the mizbei’ach in regard to korbanos and the usual place where they were to be…
Rashi cites Chazal who explain the juxtaposition of the laws of the Nazir to the laws of the Sotah. They state that one who sees a Sotah in her state of degradation should take a Nazirite vow in order to enforce his abstinence from wine. The Sotah is a woman who has profaned herself by destroying the fidelity of her marriage. She has submitted to her passions by allowing her heart to overpower her mind. Wine stimulates the senses and catalyzes a behavior which, if not controlled, can be detrimental. By abstaining from wine and focusing on the lessons gleaned…