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Post by alon on May 31, 2019 9:46:03 GMT -8
Par’shah 35.2 Naso
This week’s readings: Par’shah 35
Date of reading: June 1, 2019/27 Iyyar, 5779
Name of Par’shah: Naso (Take)
Par’shah: B’midbar 4:21-7:89
Haftarah: Shof’tim 13:2-25
Brit Chadashah: Yochanan 7:53-8:11, Acts 21:17-32
D’rash:
B’midbar Chapter 6 lists the mitzvot for the nazir (Strong’s H5139 – separate), for those who wish to consecrate themselves to Adonai for a specified amount of time. There were three main requirements:
1). They were to abstain from wine and other intoxicating liquor, vinegar from either source, drink no grape juice, or eat raisins and the skin and seeds.
2). They could not shave their heads but were to let their hair grow long.
3). They were not to approach a corpse or make themselves unclean when someone dies, including father, mother, brother or sister.
Notice the similar requirements for the cohen hagadol:
1). They were not to drink wine or other intoxicating liquor when they entered the Tent of Meeting (Vayikra 10:8-11).
2). They were not to make bald spots on their heads (Vayikra 21:5).
3). They were not to go in where any dead body was, or to make themselves unclean, even for father or mother (Vayikra 21:11).
Consecrating oneself to Adonai, to draw closer to Him, always requires adherence to stricter rules and for good reasons:
Wine, besides originating from the vine, was alcoholic, and therefore posed the risk of consuming too much and impairing judgement (see Vayikra 10:10-11). The fruit of the vine, though a blessing, was not allowed to be consumed in any form by the nazir, perhaps as a discipline to restrict pleasure and focus more on seeking Adonai. The application of this mitzvah in our society today might have us abstain for a time from sweets or electronic devices!
The nazir was not allowed to shave his head, because, in that culture, it was a sign of mourning the dead (see D’varim 21:12), and this certainly was not a goal of consecration to G-d. The nazir letting his hair grow long would not only express the opposite but would also be an outward sign to others that he had taken the vow (especially if it was long term).
The last requirement was to avoid touching or even coming close to one who had died, including father or mother, since G-d is the Creator of life, and death, which is often tied to mourning, was never intended in His plan of creation.
So then, the purpose of consecration to G-d, to draw closer to Him, was to know more of who He is, to experience more of the life that He desires to give us. Ya’akov 4:8a says, “come close to G-d, and He will come close to you.” In Yochanan 10:10b, Yeshua says that He came to give abundant life, yet not always without cost, as He also has said that those who come after Him must deny themselves (Luke 9:23).
There is an interesting situation in B’midbar 6:9-12 where if someone next to the nazir suddenly dies, all the previous days of his consecration will not be counted and he must begin his consecration period all over. This might appear to be harsh but the message here is clear that if one desires to walk a consecrated life before G-d, he needs to count the cost, then practice diligence, discipline and alertness of mind and spirit to keep the world from contaminating him. There is a similar, related scripture in Yechezk’el 18:24 where if a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits wickedness, none of his righteous deeds will be remembered. We learn from the life of Shimshon who did great things in G-d but then became careless with the enemy who literally lulled him to sleep, which resulted in his hair being shaved off, at which point Adonai left him (he did repent and his life ended on a high note, though it cost him his life). Scripture warns us to be careful to keep a close watch on our spiritual life. When Yisra’el was to conquer the land of Kena’an, Adonai warned them to destroy all idols and representations of false gods or they would become a snare to them (Sh’mot 34:12-16). Emissary Sha’ul warns believers to run from idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14) and flee the passions of youth (2 Timothy 2:22a). Walking a consecrated life before G-d is not for the lazy, careless, indifferent or timid. We end with
Mishlei 4:23---Above everything else, guard your heart; for it is the source of life’s consequences.
References: Biblestudytools.com, Scriptures taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, copyright 1998 by David H. Stern
MRD
This week’s readings: Par’shah 35
Date of reading: June 1, 2019/27 Iyyar, 5779
Name of Par’shah: Naso (Take)
Par’shah: B’midbar 4:21-7:89
Haftarah: Shof’tim 13:2-25
Brit Chadashah: Yochanan 7:53-8:11, Acts 21:17-32
D’rash:
B’midbar Chapter 6 lists the mitzvot for the nazir (Strong’s H5139 – separate), for those who wish to consecrate themselves to Adonai for a specified amount of time. There were three main requirements:
1). They were to abstain from wine and other intoxicating liquor, vinegar from either source, drink no grape juice, or eat raisins and the skin and seeds.
2). They could not shave their heads but were to let their hair grow long.
3). They were not to approach a corpse or make themselves unclean when someone dies, including father, mother, brother or sister.
Notice the similar requirements for the cohen hagadol:
1). They were not to drink wine or other intoxicating liquor when they entered the Tent of Meeting (Vayikra 10:8-11).
2). They were not to make bald spots on their heads (Vayikra 21:5).
3). They were not to go in where any dead body was, or to make themselves unclean, even for father or mother (Vayikra 21:11).
Consecrating oneself to Adonai, to draw closer to Him, always requires adherence to stricter rules and for good reasons:
Wine, besides originating from the vine, was alcoholic, and therefore posed the risk of consuming too much and impairing judgement (see Vayikra 10:10-11). The fruit of the vine, though a blessing, was not allowed to be consumed in any form by the nazir, perhaps as a discipline to restrict pleasure and focus more on seeking Adonai. The application of this mitzvah in our society today might have us abstain for a time from sweets or electronic devices!
The nazir was not allowed to shave his head, because, in that culture, it was a sign of mourning the dead (see D’varim 21:12), and this certainly was not a goal of consecration to G-d. The nazir letting his hair grow long would not only express the opposite but would also be an outward sign to others that he had taken the vow (especially if it was long term).
The last requirement was to avoid touching or even coming close to one who had died, including father or mother, since G-d is the Creator of life, and death, which is often tied to mourning, was never intended in His plan of creation.
So then, the purpose of consecration to G-d, to draw closer to Him, was to know more of who He is, to experience more of the life that He desires to give us. Ya’akov 4:8a says, “come close to G-d, and He will come close to you.” In Yochanan 10:10b, Yeshua says that He came to give abundant life, yet not always without cost, as He also has said that those who come after Him must deny themselves (Luke 9:23).
There is an interesting situation in B’midbar 6:9-12 where if someone next to the nazir suddenly dies, all the previous days of his consecration will not be counted and he must begin his consecration period all over. This might appear to be harsh but the message here is clear that if one desires to walk a consecrated life before G-d, he needs to count the cost, then practice diligence, discipline and alertness of mind and spirit to keep the world from contaminating him. There is a similar, related scripture in Yechezk’el 18:24 where if a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits wickedness, none of his righteous deeds will be remembered. We learn from the life of Shimshon who did great things in G-d but then became careless with the enemy who literally lulled him to sleep, which resulted in his hair being shaved off, at which point Adonai left him (he did repent and his life ended on a high note, though it cost him his life). Scripture warns us to be careful to keep a close watch on our spiritual life. When Yisra’el was to conquer the land of Kena’an, Adonai warned them to destroy all idols and representations of false gods or they would become a snare to them (Sh’mot 34:12-16). Emissary Sha’ul warns believers to run from idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14) and flee the passions of youth (2 Timothy 2:22a). Walking a consecrated life before G-d is not for the lazy, careless, indifferent or timid. We end with
Mishlei 4:23---Above everything else, guard your heart; for it is the source of life’s consequences.
References: Biblestudytools.com, Scriptures taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, copyright 1998 by David H. Stern
MRD
