Parshat Naso, the longest parsha in the Torah, includes several important topics and themes. The parsha begins with the continuation of last week’s parsha, delineating the specific jobs allotted to the sons of Levi and their respective families. The parsha begins:
Take a census of the sons of Gershon, of them too, following their fathers' houses, according to their families (Vayikra 4:22).
Rashi explains the seemingly superfluous words - of them too - connect these words to the closing verses of last week’s parsha that discuss the job of to carry the most sacred vessels of the Mishkan. The Torah continues to tell us in our parsha that bnei Gershon were responsible for carrying the curtains for the Mishkan and bnei Merari were responsible to carry the planks, pillars and sockets.
Rav Zeven suggests that the specific service of each of the Levite families is hinted to in their names. He explains that the name Kehat derives from the word that means to gather in Hebrew (the same as the root word for leket). The children of Kehat their entire lives were gathered around or focused on their service of Hashem. For this reason they were not merely zocheh with the highest task and trusted to carry the holiest and most sacred objects.
Implied by their name that derived from the word that means to separate or to ride oneself (legaresh), bnei Gershon focused much of their energy on resisting negative influences, separating themselves from negative influences that were tempting to them. These individuals were given the job of carrying the curtains that would separate the curtains that separate the holy, sacred space from the public sphere. They yearn to be on the level of purity of Kehat though they struggle in their pursuit to live a most holy life.
Finally, on what would perhaps be considered the lowliest level were bnei Merari – whose name implies a sense of bitterness or discontent. These individuals might go through the motions but without excitement and positive sentiments. For this reason they are assigned the “lowliest” job of carrying the nuts and bolts that held the other pieces in place.
It is difficult to claim that all of bnei Kehat were on the holiest level, bnei Gershon somewhere on the middle, and bnei Merari on the lowliest level. Instead, Rav Zeven suggests that these approaches and character-types do not represent three different types of individuals, but three moods that lie within each of us.
There are times that we feel completely motivated and encompassed by our service of Hashem. There are other times we feel the struggle of wanting to do the right thing but we get distracted or we do not always find the strength to do what we feel is right. And still, there are other times that we feel really distanced, maybe even a sense of bitterness towards following a straight and honorable path. The essential point to recognize is that all the individuals are counted and allotted specific jobs teaches us that the actions of all of these individuals are considered part of the Divine service.
We are each judged according to where we stand, according to our mindset – and so the bnei Gershon who carries the curtains and the bnei Merari who carry the sockets are elevated in the same way (gam hem) as bnei Kehat – because they are all judged according to their mindset and the specific challenges that they overcame to perform their service.
In commenting on earlier parshiot that deal with the construction of the Mishkan, Rav Hirsch notes that the Aron Hakadosh that was carried by the Leviim was never removed from the poles on which it was carried. He suggests that the symbolism of this teaches us that no matter where we are going and no matter where we are settled, we should be involved with Torah and mitzvot. Perhaps on another level we can suggest that it is not only a matter of external environments and circumstances that may be more or less conducive to Torah study and observance; no matter what spiritual state we find ourselves in we must be committed to our Torah values and ideals.
We must never think or feel that because we do not feel like we are in the right frame of mind, that our actions are meaningless – in fact our actions take on an entirely different level of meaning as Hashem knows the struggle and the effort it takes to perform each act when we are not feeling spiritually uplifted.
And so on Shavuot we will hopefully feel the excitement of receiving the Torah, as we remember the moment at Har Sinai in which we were fully committed to living a life guided by Torah mitzvot and ideals. We will try to hold on to those feelings and that elevated feeling ready to fully embrace Torah life and embark on the Torah journey. Still, we know there will be moments of struggle, confusion, and even bitterness.
May we all commit ourselves over the coming chag to living a life guided by Torah values – knowing that no matter where we find ourselves spiritually - it is our duty to uphold the Torah with all its mitzvot and that It is through our actions that we work ourselves back to a more purified internal state. Rather than letting our struggles and doubts effect our actions, let our actions influence and elevate our thoughts and bring us closer to the spiritual state we strive to be on and commit ourselves when we re-accept the Torah each year on Shauvot. Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach, Taly
