With 176 verses, Naso is the longest single Parashah in the Torah. R’ Yitzchak Meir Rotenberg-Alter z”l (1799-1866; first Gerrer Rebbe, known as the “Chiddushei Ha’Rim”) observes that the Midrash Rabbah on this week’s Parashah is significantly longer than on any other Parashah. Also, the Zohar on this week’s Parashah, while not the longest, contains some of the most noteworthy sections (known as the “Idra Rabbah”).
The Chiddushei Ha’Rim explains: Naso is nearly always read on the Shabbat after Shavuot. Every year, on Shavuot, Hashem, in His goodness, renews the Giving of the Torah for the coming year. This renewal enables us to plumb the depths of the Torah, as recorded in the Midrash, and to see the light of the Torah, as reflected in the Zohar. (He notes that the Zohar frequently uses the expression “Ta chazi” / “Come and see,” in contrast to the Talmud Bavli’s “Ta shema” / “Come and hear.”)
The Chiddushei Ha’Rim continues: Referring to the Torah’s “light,” we say in the blessing before Kri’at Shema, “Enlighten our eyes in Your Torah.” However, our intention is not to derive personal benefit from that “light.” Rather, we continue, “Attach our hearts to Your Mitzvot.” (Sefer Ha’zechut)
R’ Tzaddok Hakohen Rabinowitz z”l (1823-1900; Chassidic Rebbe in Lublin, Poland) adds: Parashat Naso includes “Birkat Kohanim” / the blessing the Kohanim give to the Jewish People. When one gives a blessing, he gives what is at the root of his soul. The Kohanim are meant to be the teachers of the nation; thus, their blessing leads to increased Torah study, as reflected in a longer Midrash and a very deep section of the Zohar. (Pri Tzaddik: Naso 7)
“A man or woman who shall dissociate himself by taking a Nazirite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem.” (6:1)
The Gemara (Nazir 4b) relates that Shimon Ha’tzaddik, the Kohen Gadol, said: I never ate from an Asham offering brought by a Nazir who became Tamei / ritually impure except once, when a man came from the south with beautiful locks of hair, neatly arranged. I saw that he was very handsome, and I asked him, “My son! Why did you decide to destroy your beautiful hair?” [A Nazir must shave his head completely at the end of his term of Nezirut.] He answered: “I was a shepherd for my father in his city. Once, I went to draw water from the spring and I saw my reflection. My evil inclination immediately became impulsive and sought to uproot me from the world. I said to him (the Yetzer Ha’ra), ‘Evil one! You take pride in a world which is not yours? I swear that I will shave my hair for the sake of Heaven!’”
Shimon Ha’tzaddik concluded: Immediately I stood up and kissed him on his head, and I said, “May there be many Nezirim like you in the world!” [Until here from the Gemara]
R’ Isaac Sher z”l (1875-1952; Rosh Yeshiva of the Slobodka Yeshiva in Lithuania and Bnei Brak) asks: If the “man from the south” thought that his beautiful locks would lead him to sin, why did he not just cut them off? Why did he need to take a vow to be a Nazir?
R’ Sher answers: At the root of the Mitzvah of Nezirut is Kedushah/ holiness. A Nazir is not someone who accepts upon himself not to drink wine; not drinking wine is just one of the laws that applies to a Nazir. Another law is that a Nazir may not come in contact with the deceased. These two laws are meant to distance the Nazir from extremes--from the extreme levity that can come from drink, and from the extreme sadness that can come from contact with the dead. But those are tools, not the essence. The goal is to rise above the mundane aspects of this world in order to assume a holier existence.
R’ Sher continues: When one feels his Yetzer Ha’ra pulling him down, it is not enough to fight back and repel the evil inclination. One must also crown himself (a play on the words Nazir and Nezer / crown) with a crown of holiness--i.e., he must accept upon himself some act of holiness as a weapon against the Yetzer Ha’ra. That is why the man from the south did not just cut his hair, but rather became a Nazir.
Elsewhere, R’ Sher writes: In fact, drinking wine also can be an act of holiness. Thus, the Gemara (Yoma 71a) states that giving wine to a Torah scholar is equivalent to pouring a wine libation on the Mizbei’ach. When a person understands that his true identity is his intellectual soul, not his body, then his mundane acts assume a holy nature. (Lekket Sichot Mussar III p. 652 & 585)
“Speak to Aharon and his sons, saying: ‘So shall you bless Bnei Yisrael, Amor/ say to them’.” (6:23)
The Berachah the Kohanim recite before performing the Mitzvah of Birkat Kohanim / the Priestly Blessings is different in several ways from all other Birchot Ha’mitzvah / blessings recited before performing Mitzvot (e.g., Lulav, Tefilin, Tzitzit, Shabbat Candles). One of these differences is that the Kohanim say: “He commanded us to bless His nation Yisrael with love.” No other Mitzvah is expressly required to be performed “with love.” What is the source that the Kohanim must bless the nation “with love”?
R’ Yissachar Ber Eilenburg z”l (Central Europe; 1570-1623) writes: Midrash Tanchuma teaches that the word “Amor” in our verse is “full”--i.e., spelled with a “Vav” (Aleph-Mem-Vav-Reish) --as if to say: “Do not bless Yisrael in a hurried fashion. Rather, bless them with Kavanat Ha’lev / fully focusing your heart.” [Until here from the Midrash]
This, writes R’ Eilenburg, is the source of the obligation to bless the nation “with love.” (Be’er Sheva: Sotah 39a)
R’ Avraham Abele Gombiner z”l (Poland, died 1682) writes in his Halachic work “Magen Avraham” that the requirement to bless “with love” is based on the Zohar, which states: “Any Kohen who does not love the people, or the people do not love him, may not bless the nation.”
R’ Yosef Shalom Elyashiv z”l (1910-2012; Yerushalayim) asks: Is this only a concern regarding Birkat Kohanim? Is it otherwise permitted to hate another Jew?
R’ Elyashiv answers: The simplest explanation is that it is not adequate for a Kohen to not hate his fellow Jews. Rather, he must develop a great love for the Jewish People! (He’arot: Sotah 39a)
“When Moshe arrived at the Ohel Mo’ed to speak with Him [Hashem], he heard the Voice speaking to him from atop the Cover that was upon the Ark of the Testimony, from between the two Keruvim, and He spoke to him.” (7:89)
R’ Yitzchak Arieli z”l (1896-1974; Mashgiach of Yeshivat Merkaz Harav; author of Enayim La’mishpat) writes: It is fitting that the Mishkan was dedicated in the month of Nissan, the month in which the Patriarch Avraham was born. As our verse indicates, the Mishkan was the place from which prophecy emanated. Avraham was the first person to demonstrate the “legitimacy” of prophecy -- to the extent that he was willing to offer his son Yitzchak as a sacrificial offering at the behest of a prophecy. (Haggadah Shel Pesach Shirat Ha’geulah p.5)
Shabbat
This week, we discuss “Melaveh Malkah”--the meal eaten after Shabbat to escort the day out. The following sources are from Sefer Melaveh Malkah: Birkat Eliyahu by R’ Eliyahu Elharar shlita, rabbi of Modi’in, Israel:
The Gemara (Shabbat 119b) relates: Rabbi Elazar said, “A person should always set his table on Shabbat Eve (i.e., for Friday night) even though he needs only a Ke’zayit / a small amount to eat.”
Rabbi Chanina said, “A person should always set his table on Motzai Shabbat / when the Sabbath departs even though he needs only a Ke’zayit.” [Until here from the Gemara]
Rashi z”l explains: It honors Shabbat to accompany it when it departs as one would accompany a king who departs the city.
Midrash Mechilta D’Rabbi Yishmael states: The Torah says (Shmot 20:8), “Zachor / Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it,” and (Devarim 5:12), “Shamor / Guard the Sabbath day to sanctify it.” “Zachor” and “Shamor” were said together--Remember it when it arrives and guard it when it departs. [Until here from the Midrash]
R’ Yaakov Reischer z”l (1661–1733; rabbi in several European cities) writes in his work Iyun Yaakov: This Midrash is the source for the Gemara quoted above, which uses identical language when speaking of the Friday night meal and Melaveh Malkah and which requires equal displays of honor when Shabbat enters and when it departs.
R’ Eliyahu z”l (1720-1797; the Vilna Gaon) writes: One should eat bread on Motzai Shabbat, just as on Friday night, for the Gemara discusses the two meals in identical terms.
R’ Avraham Danzig z”l (1748-1820; author of Chayei Adam and other influential Halachic works) writes: Praiseworthy is one whose fourth meal--i.e., Melaveh Malkah--includes bread. However, if one cannot eat bread, he should at least eat foods whose blessing is “Mezonot.” This is an absolute obligation.
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