Rabbi's Blog

In most years Shavuos falls between Parshas Bamidbar and Nasso. This
year Shavuos occurs after Nasso. One slight connection at least for
Ashkenazic Jews in the diaspora is the Birkas Kohanim that have the
Kohanim Duchan on festivals. The Priestly Blessings are found in this
week’s Parsha Nasso.

If there is one word which summarizes all of the needs and wants from
this world, that word would be Bracha/Blessing. We may ask for many
things, but we must make sure that what we receive is for the good
and for not the bad. Too much of anything could lead us to sin and
therefore that blessing really wasn’t a blessing; it was a curse.
People seek out Brachos from grand Rabbis, Kabbalists, and the like.
We even at times ask Hashem directly to bless us for the different
things we need in life in order to serve Him better. One must
remember that it takes more than merely asking for a bracha, and
requires even more again to maintain those blessings. What is the
secret to the success of getting a bracha and then maintaining it? I
believe that man needs to have a strong inner desire to want
something and values it as important. In addition, he needs to
surrounds himself with this atmosphere, living it daily. If a
person’s priority is to be rich, then he needs to have that
yearning and push and then immerse himself in that arena.
Unfortunately, if that is his only focus, devoid of God in the
picture, it may not last. On the other hand if a person wants general
blessings in all areas of life, he needs to become surrounded with
Hashem in all areas for the blessing of Hashem to be lasting.

The Jewish people are divided in different ways depending upon the
issue. For example, we are categorized as being a Kohein, Levi or
Yisrael. Halachically we are divided by gender and age: men, women
and children. For purposes of repentance, we are lumped together as a
tzadik, rasha, or beinoni. There are many other groupings which I’m
sure everyone can devise, but in this week’s parsha Nasso I learned
of a different subset of responsibility for which the Jewish people
are responsible.

In this week’s Parsha Nasso the Torah states in 6:23 “Dabair El
Aharon V’El Banav Laimor, Ko Svorchu Es Bnei Yisrael, Amor
Lahem”. “Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying: So shall you
bless the Children of Israel, say to them”... This is followed by
four pseukim containing the Birkas Kohanim, the Priestly Blessings.

The Jewish nation includes three levels and groups. The first group
includes the merchants and land workers or farmers. The second group
includes the Torah learners, Kohanim and the Neviim, the prophets.
The third group are the men of war and battle who sit at the head of
the nation against the enemies to fight the war of Hashem. Each one
of the three verses 24-26 is the blessing for each particular group.

The first group, the merchants and farmers, is addressed by the first
verse of Yvarechecha Hashem, which means Hashem will bless you. This
is given to the merchants and farmers because they need a constant
Bracha that there should be rain in the proper time and all of their
handiwork will be blessed. The last word of this Bracha is
V’Yishmerecha, which means the blessing they receive will be
guarded so they should not lose their grain or their merchandise.

The second group, the defenders of the Torah, receive the bracha of
Yaer Hashem Panav Eilecha: the wisdom of a person lights up his face.
This is a hint that the wisdom is a result of the light of the Torah.
Veechunecka, the last word of the second passuk, is a reference to
the prophets because there is a guarantee from Hashem that He will
pour a spirit of Chein/splendor on the house of Dovid, which is
prophecy.

The third group, which is represented by the army of Hashem, those
who fight Hashem’s battles, is represented in the final passuk of
Yisa Hashem Panav Eilecha. This is a reversal from an earlier
reaction that Hashem had during the sin of the golden calf when God
said, “I will hide my face from them”. Now Hashem says, “I will
lift my face upon them”. The second part of the verse “Viyaseim
Lecha Shalom” teaches us that they will return from battle in
peace; no one will die in the battle and there will be peace in the
land. Moreover, the sword will no longer pass through the land.

The second group, the defenders of the Torah, are the ones who
influence our society. It is the guarding and learning of Torah that
makes a difference in individuals, families, neighborhoods and
society at large. The Hashpa’ah of people who learn Torah
themselves and or people who enjoy associating with the upholders of
the Torah is one of the components of our equation. The second digit
of our equation is taken from the third passuk representing peace.
Shi’eefa, the ambition and aspiration to live in a perfect world
without strife or confusion are those whose purpose is peace, who are
not antagonistic to any segment of the Jewish people. Being tolerant
of others, guiding them and showing them the true beauty of Torah is
an essential part in order to receive the ultimate blessing of
Hashem. If we are able to add these two parts, then we will attain
the first verse - not only an initial Bracha, but a guarding of that
blessing from Hashem.

On a final note, one can notice that there is a comma in the second
and third parts of the ‘equation’ verses 25 and 26 but not in the
first passuk 24. It appears that the actual verse of Bracha, should
not be interrupted by anything, demonstrating that the plenty and
abundance should never run out. In the other verses a break is
necessary to break up the kind of light and peace that exists in this
world.

We should be zocheh to merit asking for the things we really need and
involve our own being into it, demonstrating to Hashem we want it, so
please give it and maintain it for us and within us for all days.

Ah Gut Shabbos & Ah Gut Yom Tov

Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky

Definitions:

Shi’eefa: ambition, striving, aspiration, to inhale

Hashpa’ah: influence

Shefa: abundance, plenty, myriad, excess, plethora