Shabbat
Each week we feature a different outstanding Florida Rabbi.
Naso
Rabbi Geoffrey Botnick
Temple Torah
W. Boynton Beach
In the timeless teaching of Ben Zoma in the Pirke Avot, Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 4, we read,''Who is honored? He who honors all men." That teaching places a high value on being able to honor others. We've all met many people who have a difficult time accepting the compliments of others. Some of us also have a hard time giving compliments. It is even tougher if it means we have to share our honor with someone else.
I found it fascinating to see what reality Moses the Levite had to accept: that his brother Aaron, the Kohen par excellence, needed to occupy his own niche, to carry his own responsibilities, and was unique. Remember how Moses had been selected not only to lead the people, but also to declare God's commands about rituals to his brother Aaron, the High Priest, and to outline the code to this priestly family, and for all time.
The Sidra of Naso was so rightly named. It derived its name from the verb form n-a-s-o which has a number of definitions including: lifting, carrying, raising, forgiving, even marrying someone. The ideas which flow from the root n-a-s-o are so vital to the text of the Torah portion. In the beginning of the parsha we read of the census of Levites, using the expression "to lift the head", employing the word n-a-s-o for counting in a census. This census was for the purpose of assigning duties to the Levite families to carry items necessary for the Mishkan, or tabernacle. They were to bear on their shoulders, (again use of the form n-a-s-o) sacred articles and burdens of responsibilities. Later in the portion, we encountered the complex marital crisis fed by questions of infidelity. The word n-a-s-o can mean to marry. (the word nisuin is marriage in Hebrew) Yet, here, unfortunately, the commitment to marriage was not carried out by a spouse.
Finally, the form of n-a-s-o that speaks to me at this moment is the ability to lift up another. It is not only when we give help to someone else. That is a quality basis of G'milut Hasadim, the acts of goodness that help another soul. But, there is also the n-a-s-o meaning to give lift to another and not feel that you diminished yourself by doing so.
I invite us to examine how Moses's approaches as a brother towards Aaron contrast with the way we see other brothers in the Torah act toward their siblings. What a tough time other brothers in the Biblical experience had in dealing with the privileges or favors that didn't come to them, but rather to their brothers. Please recall the jealousy in the Cain and Abel episode. They each sought to please God with their gesture of a sacrifice. Cain was unable to deal with the fact that his brother Abel brought of the firstlings and choicest of the flock and received an honorable response from God for his offering, but Cain's was not accepted as worthy...and he killed his brother.
How notorious Jacob was in selling food to his very hungry brother Esau, and not giving it to him. This same Jacob honored his favorite son Joseph, leading to the enmity from Joseph's brothers. They couldn't handle their brother getting something that they didn't. They considered killing their brother.
Moses understood that his brother Aaron's responsibilities as ritual leader couldn't be his. When we come to the point in our portion where Moses is commanded by God to direct his brother Aaron and his nephews to be bestowers of God's blessings on the Children of Israel, we are reminded in Lev. 8:8 in parshat Tzav that Moses got Aaron ready for being Priest, and for looking the part. Moses had placed the adornments of the Kohen on his brother, had put on Aaron the distinguishing feature of the breastplate and the Urim and Tumim with the stones of the household of Israel. . If we examine this instance a little more closely, we can just imagine what it is for Moses to place the honor on his own brother.
We are privileged to see Moses readily accept the Divine command to place honor and responsibility upon his brother Aaron. He is called upon to lift him above all others in the manner of his appointment. He raises him above himself, too, in this ritual dimension.
Finally, what we see is that Aaron will be called upon to add blessing to the people with the Priestly benediction. Along with the people who will receive this blessing, Moses, himself, will also be blessed. He had to see and accept that God needed Aaron to have a distinct role. God had forgiven Aaron enough for the Golden Calf sin to take on these sacred duties. Moses, also, had to forgive (n-a-s-o) Aaron in his own heart for his role in the Golden Calf calamity. Moses became lifted up for forgiving the sin against God. Moses, in turn, can receive blessing.
In our lives we have been used to seeing other people in the business or academic world try to inch ahead of others. We dare not dwell on discrediting the blessings that come to others. In fact, we will learn wonderfully from Moses who is the instrument to lift his brother higher in ritual than the rest of the whole house of Israel. If we could only more often seek not to diminish someone else as an attempt to lift ourselves, we might derive more blessings in life.
We Jews have so much to learn from Moses' example. It is never necessary for one Jewish group to cut down another branch of Judaism. We can find the path to admire some of the worthy contributions offered by each of the Jewish outlooks. Jews don't gain anything from a public disparagement of other Jews. Ours is to find paths to lift up others, and not to lower them as an effort to raise ourselves.
In closing, the verb form n-a-s-o- gives us insight into ourselves. We are capable of carrying our burdens and responsibilities. We can raise others to better images in their own sights. We can forgive others for being imperfect, and wait for them to improve their behavior pattern. Ben Zoma says that we ourselves gain honor by honoring others. When we can lift up people to their highest potential, it can only bring blessing to ourselves and to K'lal Yisrael.