Shabbat Naso
Blessings
Amongst the ideas that appear in the Torah this week are the laws of the Nazarite. Someone who, out of penitence, or to be more holy than required by the law or convention, dedicates himself or herself for a minimum of one month or up to as long as life, to living more strictly. There’s also the idea of the Sotah. A woman suspected or accused of adultery, and how we deal with questions of evidence before jumping to conclusions. The Torah provides different ways of understanding the ramifications of these two issues in both cases. Both legislative, although within a spiritual context.
But after dealing with the dedication of the Tabernacle in preparation for moving towards the land of Canaan, there are a few sentences that seem out of place but are very familiar to us. The blessings that priests had to give to the community in the Tabernacle. That we can hear to this day when priests stand before their congregations to bless them on various days according to local customs. And parents say them when blessing their children.
“Tell Aaron and his sons that this is how they should bless the children of Israel saying to them “May God bless you and protect you, may God shine on you and be kind to you, may God look favourably upon you and give you peace, ‘ and thus they should place My Name upon the Children of Israel and I will bless them”( BeMidbar 6:22).
What a strange phrase. God surely can communicate directly with us if we choose to open ourselves to this relationship. Why through priests? They themselves are not blessings, merely conveying a Divine message of hope. I suppose this is an example of how religions have evolved from more primitive shamans and healers, providing a structure for people to identify with and to be part of a tribe or community when seeking help and support. And what is a blessing? In fact, is another way of saying that one cares. Whether it is heavenly or human.
We have evolved over time to get used to a system without temples and priests, and for 2000 years we’ve managed without (although others look forward to their re-establishment). Nevertheless, we need institutions that give us communities and support, strength and confidence to come together in a problematic and challenging world.
I’ve often heard people say we don’t need a priest to bless us. They are no different to anyone else, so why should they? After all, some of the priests who stand up in the synagogue aren’t very impressive or religious themselves. But I suggest they are symbolic of the relationship between God and us, and if you pay attention, the quote says that although they convey the blessing, it is God directly who is blessing everyone and wishing them well and peace in an uncertain and unpredictable world. As the words say, “And I will bless them.”
Later on (BeMidbar 7:89) “When Moshe went into the Tent of Meeting to commune with God, he would hear a sound speaking from above the cover of the ark and the two cherubim, and it spoke to him.”
And the message shifts from the human to the Divine. The expression “a sound speaking to him” is ambiguous. Maybe Moshe was emblematic. We all have the capacity to hear a Divine message within ourselves of how to live. It is all laid out for us in our texts and prayers if only we look inside our own minds.
All of this is energy that we can draw on to help us cope with life, and to give us reassurance and hope for the future. It is not magic and it doesn’t guarantee. But it is how our minds, emotions and faith can enable us to take responsibility (for ourselves at least).
Rabbi Jeremy Rosen lives in New York. He was born in Manchester. His writings are concerned with religion, culture, history and current affairs – anything he finds interesting or relevant. They are designed to entertain and to stimulate. Disagreement is always welcome.
