Welcome to our Torah study on this week’s portion of Scripture, which is called Naso (‘Lift Up’ or ‘Elevate’).
Naso (Elevate)
· Numbers 4:21–7:89
· Judges 13:2–25
· Acts 21:17-26
“YEHOVAH spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers' houses and by their clans.’” (Numbers 4:21–22)
Last week, in Parasha Bamidbar, a census was taken of the Israelite men of draftable age. The Levites, who were given the duty to serve in the Sanctuary in the place of Israel’s firstborn, were excluded.
The title of this week’s Parasha, Naso, means lift up or elevate. It was the term used to take a head count /census of the children of Israel. In the Hebrew it reads, “Lift up the heads” – naso et rosh.
This week, the headcount of the Israelites is completed with a census of the Levites who are between the ages of 30 and 50. They are to do the work of transporting the Mishkan (Tabernacle).
Besides discussing the duties of the Levites, this Scripture portion also provides the law of the Nazir, or Nazirite, and the Aaronic Benediction (Birkat Kohanim) — ברכת כהנים, more commonly known as the Priestly Blessing.
The Nazirite Vow
“When a man or a woman utters a Nazirite vow... he shall abstain from new and old wine... grape-beverages, grapes and raisins ...” (Numbers 6:2–3)
A man or woman who vows to abstain from cutting their hair, touching a corpse, and eating grapes and grape products, including drinking wine, is called a Nazirite, or Nazir (נָזִיר) in Hebrew.
The word comes from the root NZR (נזר), which means to dedicate or separate oneself as in keeping oneself separate from grapes and wine. Another word from the same root is nezer (נֵזֶר), which means crown, consecration, and separation.
We can see the intersection of these ideas in Numbers 6:7–8, which discusses the Nazir. It reads, “They must not make themselves ceremonially unclean … because the symbol of their dedication [crown (nezer—נֵזֶר)] to YAH is on their head. Throughout the period of their dedication [nezer], they are consecrated (kadosh/holy) to YEHOVAH.” (Numbers 6:7–8)
Through this vow, the layman’s status was raised to something approaching the status of priest.
This level of sanctity is seen in that, like the High Priest, the Nazirite could not contaminate him or herself by coming into contact with a corpse, even one of an immediate family member.
As well, the Nazirite abstains from intoxicants more stringently than the priests, who abstain only during their term in the Sanctuary. Moreover, the focus of sanctity for both the Nazirite and High Priest is their head (compare Numbers 6:7 to Exodus 29:7 and Leviticus 21:10).
Although most people are not to stay separate or aloof from society but, rather, to bring holiness into the world in which we live, Nazirites are allowed to do so.
Amos underlines the holiness of the Nazirites, connecting them to prophets: “I set up prophets from your sons and Nazirites from your young men." (Amos 2:11)
In the Messianic Era, there will be no need for separation from worldly matters since they will no longer negatively impact us. Instead, since all will abound in peace and beauty, our single-minded focus will be to know YEHOVAH — to love, serve, and worship Him forever. This will fulfill the holiness of the Nazirite vow.
Jewish People pray for the coming of that Messianic era and YAH’s salvation in Hebrew, YEHOSHUA — יהושוע every day. They say in their daily prayers, “Every day and all day long we hope for Your salvation”; or in another version they pray: “I await his coming every day.”
The Birkat Kohanim: Priestly Blessing
In this Parasha, YAH commands the Kohanim (Jewish High Priests) to impart a blessing (Numbers 6:24–26) called the Birkat Kohanim to the people of Israel through the following three-part benediction:
YEHOVAH bless you and guard you.
YEHOVAH make HIS face shed light upon you and be gracious unto you.
YEHOVAH lift up HIS face unto you and give you peace.
To impart this blessing, the priests lift their hands with palms outstretched and facing downwards.
While, the Sephardic communities today simply raise their hands above their heads and separate their fingers with their arms outstretched, Ashkenazi communities see the hands of the Kohanim forming windows through which the blessings flow.
We can compare this stance with a passage in the Song of Songs, which suggests that YAH’s SHKHINYAH stands behind the Kohanim who bless the people:
“... therefore the priests spread their palms, to say that the Holy One stands behind us. And so it is written: ‘There He stands behind our wall, gazing through the window, peering through the lattice.’ (Song of Songs 2:9) ‘Gazing through the window’ — through the fingers of the priests; ‘peering through the lattice’ — when they spread their palms, therefore it says ‘Thus shall you bless them.’”
There is a difference between Prayers and Blessings.
"The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (James 5:16)
The blessing of a tzadik (righteous man) imparts to us whatever YAH has intended for our life.
For example, when Jacob blessed his grandchildren, Menasheh and Ephraim, Jacob crossed his hands to give the greater blessing to Ephraim rather than Menasheh. This was not his personal decision; he was being guided by YAH to give the blessing HE intended for these particular tribes.
Prayer, however, can also change circumstances for the better.
It can cause a sick person to recover, a single person to find their bashert (chosen match), and a person plagued by poverty to have their needs met.
The Birkat Kohanim, however, acts as both a blessing and a prayer. The Kohanim bless us with YAH’s peace, protection, favor, and grace; but as a prayer, it can also change our circumstances for the better.
Pronouncing the Blessing Today
"And HE took the children in HIS arms, placed HIS hands on them and blessed them." (Mark 10:16)
Because their lineage has been preserved over thousands of years, the Kohanim still stand up to bless the people in synagogues and Jewish communities all over the world.
In Israel, the Western Wall Plaza is packed with people who come at special festival times to receive the Aaronic Benediction from the Kohanim in Jerusalem.
Although the blessing comes through the raised hands of the Kohanim, YAH makes it clear that it is HIS blessing being transmitted through the Priests as HIS chosen vessels. YAH said, “So they shall put MY name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:27)
Not only did YAH place HIS Name on the hands of the Kohanim, HE also engraved the names of the children of Israel on the palms of HIS hands (Isaiah 49:16).
This blessing continues to be recited today in Jewish families.
In the Brit Chadashah (New Covenant), we see that blessings are also imparted through hands. Believers in YESHUA also have the power to bless and even heal by the laying on of hands.
“They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won't hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed." (Mark 16:18)
Many Messianic congregations pronounce the Birkat Kohanim, blessing those assembled in their services.
Ultimately, the Birkat Kohanim is about experiencing intimacy with YEHOVAH. May our lives be a living testimony of this intimacy — of a people with holy hands and sanctified hearts and heads who carry with them the Presence of YEHOVAH of Israel.
“YEHOVAH their GOD will save HIS people on that day as a shepherd saves HIS flock. They will sparkle in HIS land like jewels in a crown." (Zechariah 9:16)
