The Hebrew word “Naso” has two separate and very different meanings. It can mean either to take a census and to lift up. We normally think of a census as an unbiased collection of data, but it is a choice of which facts or ideas a community seeks to elevate. We see this in this week’s portion when the families of the Levites are highlighted for their specific roles and duties. In this way, these families are given Kavod or honor for their service to society.
On any given day, there are countless individuals that I would love to uplift, people who through their efforts I am positively impacted. These are people I benefit from both directly and indirectly, colleagues and fellow team members at Congregation Shir Shalom, as well as many others like the cashier at Wegmans or the person who delivers the mail. My life would not be the same without them. Whenever I witness a “mitzvah” or good deed on my behalf, I try to say, “thank you,” making a mental footnote of all my gratitude. I feel so blessed to live in a community with so many mensches.
The Priestly Blessing, that comes toward the end of the portion, is an attempt to rectify those that the census leaves off. In the final of the three blessings God “lifts up” God’s face to the entire community, blessing us with peace. Every time we recite this prayer, we are acknowledging the importance of each and every one of us, reminding us of our ultimate merit, even if it has not been accounted for in the latest census. Communal statistics may be imperfect, but God’s love is not, singing the praises of all sectors of society equally and without equivocation.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex