Summary: “Naso,” means “Count” // it is the longest portion in verses // Completing the headcount in the desert. We read the laws of sotah, who is the woman suspected of adultery by her husband; the laws of Nazir, the person who decides to abstain of grape products, cutting hair and attending to dead bodies; the blessing of the kohanim: yevarechecha hashem. The 12 tribe leaders, princes, called nesi’im in our portion, bring gifts to the Tabernacle. All gifts are the same but they are repeatedly described by the text.
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There was once a Hasidic disciple of the Toldot Aharon (Aharon the rebbe of the Karlin dynasty) who decide he need to elevate his soul even more. He was a young man deeply devoted to his spiritual growth but felt that it was not enough just to be a devoted hasid. He took a Nazirite vow. He stopped cutting his hair, stopped touching or consuming any grape products, and distanced himself from any source of spiritual impurity. You might think this is easy, but have you noticed how much grape products we consume, at every holiday and every Shabbat? Even challahs can have raisins. So he refrained from staying for kiddush, did havdalah by himself, and was never there if the lechayims included wine, which was common at the Karlin court. He also stopped going to cemeteries and visiting shiva houses.
His life became one of solitary holiness, with prayer, Torah study, and deep introspection being the core of his routine. After some time, he began to feel disconnected from the world around him. One day, he asked to see the Rebbe and explained his situation, feeling that his path was at a crossroads: Must his spiritual connection with God be at odds with people? The Rebbe of Karlin listened patiently and said:
“You have made yourself pure, but in doing so, you have distanced yourself from the community. Holiness is not only a solitary endeavor. That is easy. The real challenge is to use holiness to transform both yourself and the world around you. True holiness shines through when you bring light to others.”
The young man was puzzled. He asked, “But Rebbe, how can I bring light to others when I am separated from the world?”
The Rebbe responded: “This is the teaching of the Nazir. While the Nazir refrains from certain pleasures, she or he is still part of a greater community. The sanctity of the nazir is not for the individual alone — it is to serve as a model for others, a conduit of blessing. If you truly wish to elevate yourself, you must learn to blend your inner purity with the needs of the community.”
A short while later, the Hasid found himself in a position where he was called upon to serve as a part of the kohanim, giving the blessing during Rosh Hashanah.
That year, the hasidim told the rebbe: what an amazing moment! Each and every one of those present, men and women, felt an overwhelming sense of peace, and some even reported feeling a tangible presence of divine energy in the air. The moment of Birkat Kohanim was unlike any they had experienced before! The very heaven seemed to have opened in the shul. Many felt impelled to review their deeds and be kinder to those around them.
The rebbe then called the young nazir, and told him: now it is time for you to see that you can actually raise holiness among people. Look what happened: when you raised your hands they became channels for a deep spiritual power – because you were able to help others with the energy of devotion, restraint and self-discipline.
The young man then embraced the end of his Nazir vow, as he understood that holiness is not about retreating from the world, but about bringing God’s presence into the world, sharing blessings with others.
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What seems to be the pinaccle of these gifts?
Why is the last verse in our reading important, and what do you think it teaches us?