Naso – Page 4 – Peninim on the Torah

ולקח הכהן מים קדשים בכלי חרש ומן העפר אשר יהיה בקרקע המשכן יקח הכהן ונתן אל המים

The Kohen shall take sacred water in an earthenware vessel, and the Kohen shall take from the earth that is on the floor of the Mishkan and put it in the water. (5:17)

The “bitter waters,” which the sotah, wayward wife, must drink, are the instrument of an ordeal which can have either negative or positive results. On the negative side, if the woman has, as accused, been involved in an extra-marital relationship, she will die a bitter death. On the positive side, if she has been wrongly accused, she stands to benefit considerably. She will be blessed with healthy children. The process begins with the Kohen reading the curses contained in Parashas Sotah on a piece of parchment. The verses of the Torah in which these curses are written are then erased…

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ולבני קהת לא נתן כי עבודת הקודש עליהם בכתף ישאו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5775

And to the sons of Kehas, he did not give; since the sacred service was upon them, they carried on the shoulder. (7:9)

The Chida, zl, offers a compelling interpretation of this pasuk. Shevet Kehas, the Tribe of Kehas, was part of Shevet Levi, the tribe which represents the lomdei Torah, those who devote themselves to the study of Torah. As such, says the Chida, the chiyuv, obligation, to study Torah is never-ending. It is a ceaseless commitment on the part of the devoted to learn Torah literally until his last ounce of strength, until his very last breath. One cannot retire from Torah. One whose vocation is teaching Torah will, upon retirement, move on to studying Torah full time. This idea is…

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איש או אשה כי יעשו מכל חטאת האדם... והתודו את חטאתם... והשיב את אשמו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5774

If a man or woman commit any sin that people commit… then they shall confess their sin… and he shall make restitution for his guilt. (5:6,7)

The Rambam rules that vidui, confession, is a mitzvah, positive commandment, which is an integral component of the teshuvah, repentance, process. Interestingly, the Rambam does not list teshuvah as a mitzvah – only vidui. Given the crucial significance of teshuvah, we wonder why the Rambam does not include it in his minyan ha’mitzvos, detailed count of the 613 commandments. Vidui – yes. Teshuvah – no? It does not sound right. What makes the question more demanding is the fact that vidui is, in fact, part of the teshuvah process. The Nesivos Shalom explains that teshuvah essentially is comprised of regretting…

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עשירת האיפה קמח שעורים לא יצוק עליו שמן ולא יתן עליו לבונה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5774

A tenth eiphah of barley flour; he shall not pour oil over it and shall not put frankincense upon it. (5:15)

The composition of the korban brought on behalf of the sotah, wayward wife, is indicative of its purpose and symbolism. Coarse barley is used instead of fine flour. She acted coarsely, thus her sacrifice reflects her behavior. Likewise, she offers barley, which is a grain most often reserved for animal feed. She acted in a base manner, a behavior suitable for an animal. Last, the korban does not have the usual accompaniment of oil and frankincense, because incense recalls the spiritual fragrance of the Imahos, Matriarchs, and oil symbolizes light. She acted in darkness to conceal her sin, and she…

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איש או אישה כי יפליא לנדר נדר נזיר להזיר לד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5774

A man or woman who shall disassociate himself by taking a Nazirite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem. (6:2)

When we first set eyes on an individual who has chosen a life of crime, human nature tends to focus on the present; he is a criminal, with little or no redeeming value. Rarely do we take the time to question his or her origins: What was his or her family life like as they were growing up? Did he or she go to school? Did he or she have good friends? In other words, we rarely ask where and when he or she went wrong? For the most part, this is due to a preconceived notion that all criminals…

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כל ימי נדר נזרו... קדש יהיה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5774

All the days of the vow of his nezirus… holy shall he be. (6:5)

The Nazir is unique in that his body becomes consecrated to Hashem. He becomes kadosh, holy, b’kedushas ha’guf, his actual body becomes holy. He is not permitted to become ritually impure to a corpse, even to his closest seven relatives. Why? Ki neizar Elokav al Rosho, “For the crown of his G-d is upon his head” (ibid 6:7). What is the meaning of being the “receptacle” for Hashem’s crown? Why would this be a reason for prohibiting him from becoming contaminated to a corpse? Is he holier than the Kohen who is permitted to become tamei, contaminated, to his seven…

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כה תברכו את בני ישראל אמור להם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5774

So shall you bless Bnei Yisrael, saying to them. (6:23)

The Kohen who blesses the people has an “approved text” to which he must adhere verbatim. There is no room for the Kohen to supplement the prescribed text stated in the Torah. The Kohen who adds blessing transgresses the prohibition of Es kol hadavar asher Anochi metzaveh eschem oso tishmoru laasos, lo soseif alav v’lo sigra mimenu, “The entire word that I command you, that you shall observe to do; you shall not add to it, and you shall not subtract from it” (Devarim 13:1). In his commentary to the pasuk, Rashi cites examples of Bal Tosif, do not add:…

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נשא את ראש בני גרשון גם הם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5773

Raise the heads of (count) the children of Gershon as well (after counting Kehas). (4:22)

Shlomo HaMelech writes, Yekarah hee mipeninim v’chol chafatzecha lo yishru bah, “It (the Torah) is dearer (more precious) than pearls, and all your desires cannot compare to it” (Mishlei 3:15). Following the census of the Jewish People, Hashem asked Moshe Rabbeinu to count Shevet Levi separately. Their count was carried out according to their sequence in birth: Gershon, Kehas, Merari. After their tasks within the Bais HaMikdash were designated, the sequence changed; as Kehas, the bearer of the Aron Kodesh, preceded Gershon, who carried the Curtains. The Midrash establishes the order of the counting of the Leviim according to the…

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כל הבא לעבוד עבודת עבודה ועבודת משא באהל מועד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5773

Everyone who comes to perform the work of service and the work of burden in the Ohel Moed. (4:47)

The Talmud Arachin 11a seeks a Scriptural source for the obligation to have song in the Bais Hamikdash. Ten sources are cited. One source is from the above pasuk: La’avod avodas avodah, “To perform the service of the service.” Chazal ask and others respond, “Which service requires another service? We must say that this refers to song.” An earlier source quoted by the Talmud employs the pasuk in Devarim 28:47 to provide the reason for the various calamities visited on the Jewish People. Tachas asher lo avadita es Hashem Elokechem b’simchah u’betuv leivav, “Because you did not serve Hashem, your…

Home -> 5773 -> Naso

איש או אשה כי יפליא לנדר נדר נזיר להזיר לד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Naso, 5773

A man or woman who shall disassociate himself by taking a Nazarite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem. (6:2)

The translation of yafli, “shall disassociate,” follows Rashi, who views the Nazir as someone who breaks with society’s norms, seeking to separate himself from the temptations of his environment. It is a noble position to take, one to which not all of us can aspire. Ibn Ezra takes it a step further. He defines yafli as wonderment. The nazir is doing something astonishing. It is truly out of the ordinary to undertake a vow that will sever oneself from the taavos, physical desires, which others find so “life-sustaining.” Ibn Ezra is teaching us a powerful lesson. To overcome one’s habits;…

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ולקח הכהן מים קדשים בכלי חרש ומן העפר אשר יהיה בקרקע המשכן יקח הכהן ונתן אל המים

The Kohen shall take sacred water in an earthenware vessel, and the Kohen shall take from the earth that is on the floor of the Mishkan and put it in the water. (5:17)

ולבני קהת לא נתן כי עבודת הקודש עליהם בכתף ישאו

And to the sons of Kehas, he did not give; since the sacred service was upon them, they carried on the shoulder. (7:9)

איש או אשה כי יעשו מכל חטאת האדם... והתודו את חטאתם... והשיב את אשמו

If a man or woman commit any sin that people commit… then they shall confess their sin… and he shall make restitution for his guilt. (5:6,7)

עשירת האיפה קמח שעורים לא יצוק עליו שמן ולא יתן עליו לבונה

A tenth eiphah of barley flour; he shall not pour oil over it and shall not put frankincense upon it. (5:15)

איש או אישה כי יפליא לנדר נדר נזיר להזיר לד'

A man or woman who shall disassociate himself by taking a Nazirite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem. (6:2)

כל ימי נדר נזרו... קדש יהיה

All the days of the vow of his nezirus… holy shall he be. (6:5)

כה תברכו את בני ישראל אמור להם

So shall you bless Bnei Yisrael, saying to them. (6:23)

נשא את ראש בני גרשון גם הם

Raise the heads of (count) the children of Gershon as well (after counting Kehas). (4:22)

כל הבא לעבוד עבודת עבודה ועבודת משא באהל מועד

Everyone who comes to perform the work of service and the work of burden in the Ohel Moed. (4:47)

איש או אשה כי יפליא לנדר נדר נזיר להזיר לד'

A man or woman who shall disassociate himself by taking a Nazarite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem. (6:2)

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