Video Study for Parsha Nasso

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Shalom JTF members,

I had a great Shavuot with my community this week. I left work and arrived at my Rabbis house in time for Maariv and a wonderful meat dinner (with many salads and fruits)... Then we started the Torah Study session... We started with about six guys but eventually some had to leave, leaving me and two of my good friends (we have been involved with this minyan for 10 years now) to continue the study. We learned all 613 mitzvot as categorized by the Rambam. Me and my friends finally concluded the study at 5:30AM as the sun was just beginning to rise... And then we all quickly fell asleep to get up for the 10AM morning davening. We did not have a minyan for Shachris, but we davened with much kevanah.. Then we had a Dairy lunch (everything had Cheese in it, macaroni & cheese, Pizza Bagels, Bagels w/Cream Cheese & Lox, etc.)..... Then we had a long stretch till 5PM when the Torah reading (Portion of Yitro, the 10 commandments) where the rest of the community arrived for the service and a late afternoon party/dinner (again Cheese & Dairy including Ice Cream) for the Rabbis birthday. Needless to say I was excited... And my Rabbi even gave me an Aliyah (the last one for the 10 commandments reading). Anyway, I hope everyone had as good of a Yom Tov as I had.

This Shabbat we are reading the portion of Nasso. This portion is famous for the explanation of the Sotah procedure. It outlines what to do when a mans wife appears to be cheating (having relations with another man) on him. The sanctity of Marriage is so important to Hashem and it is such a shame that modern society has defamed this sacred relationship. To Hashem (according to the order/placement of the 10 commandments) the sin of Adultery is equal to the sin of Idolatry (Commandment #2 & Commandment #7 are adjacent). See http://www.shortvort.com/vaeschanan-parasha/11141-idolatry-a-adultery

So the process of Sotah (the unfaithful wife) outlines a method to prove or disprove whether the woman was faithful to her husband. It involves the only time Hashem allows his name to be defaced, when it is written and the ink is added to the water to be drunk by the accused woman. If she is innocent her husband must accept her, and she is blessed to have many wise and honorable sons, otherwise she dies on the spot...

The parsha also contains the mitzvahs of the Nazir and the command to the Kohanim (descendants of Aaron) to bless the children of Israel.

Here is the Chabad Parsha in a Nutshell:

http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/2166/jewish/Naso-in-a-Nutshell.htm

Completing the headcount of the Children of Israel taken in the Sinai Desert, a total of 8,580 Levite men between the ages of 30 and 50 are counted in a tally of those who will be doing the actual work of transporting the Tabernacle.

G‑d communicates to Moses the law of the sotah, the wayward wife suspected of unfaithfulness to her husband. Also given is the law of the nazir, who forswears wine, lets his or her hair grow long, and is forbidden to become contaminated through contact with a dead body. Aaron and his descendants, the kohanim, are instructed on how to bless the people of Israel.

The leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel each bring their offerings for the inauguration of the altar. Although their gifts are identical, each is brought on a different day and is individually described by the Torah.

Let us start with a short (10 min) talk on the Priestly Blessing we learn about in this portion:



Then listen to Rabbi Finkelstein talk about Nasso:

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The esteemed Rabbi Trugman from BeThereIsrael talks about some of the insights into Nasso, from Chassidus...

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Listen to Rabbi Odze's interesting insights into Nasso..

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Now for something completely incredible, the excellent Rabbi Ginsburg explains the mystical meanings of Nasso..

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Rabbi Ginsburg touched on something I had some time to contemplate over my Shavuot holiday. I love my community which has recently grown when Chabad opened nearby. It is really hard to believe we have been together for 10 years. I looked around at those around me and I really wanted to get closer to them. Several people I had not spoken with I sat next to and asked to hear their stories. One of my good friends is a 93 year old ex-army Colonel who served in three of the wars in our last century. He sat next to me and told me about his great-great grand-kids and where he was in the world (stationed) when his children were born. He is sharp as a bayonet at his age, takes care of himself (does the shopping, cooking, and housekeeping since his wife died). I know that the Jews are a special people, they are my people, and while there are some who are far from being what they should be, I really do try to give them the benefit of the doubt and believe they will do Teshuva soon.

Here is the very personable Rabbi Machlis from Jerusalem...

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Now for a short one from Rabbi Richman, of the Temple Institute, from five years ago..