Summary:
In our portion, a census of the Gershonites, Merarites, and Koathites between the ages of thirty and fifty is conducted and their duties in the Tabernacle are detailed. God then speaks to Moses concerning what to do with ritually unclean people, repentant individuals, and those who are suspected of adultery. The obligations of a nazirite vow are explained. They include abstaining from alcohol and not cutting one's hair. God tells Moses how to teach Aaron and his sons the Priestly Blessing. Moses consecrates the Sanctuary, and the tribal chieftains bring offerings. Moses then speaks with God inside the Tent of Meeting.
Lessons from our Haftarah - Judges 13:2-25:
Both our Torah and haftarah portions focus on the Nazerite – someone who is set aside to God as ritually pure, abstaining from alcohol and not cutting one's hair.
We are familiar in the Christian religion with monks and nuns who, like Nazerites, take vows of purity. It is common in Christianity for these figures to separate themselves from daily life, living in monasteries or convent. Judaism has no such notion that separation from daily life and vows of purity lead to increased holiness. The closest we come is the vow of the Nazerite who makes vows to remain pure for a period of 30 days.
In the Torah portion the vows of the Nazerite are temporary – valid for only a limited time. The Nazerite of the Torah was not allowed to separate himself from the people for an extended period of time. In the Haftarah portion we hear the story of Samson, who seemed to have been obligated to the vows of the Nazerite from the time of birth to be a Nazerite. He didn’t make a choice nor was the period of time limited. While great powers are ascribed to Samson, he is known to be a giant of a warier, he is also known to be weak of character, a womanizer.
We too, in our lives, make vows from time to time. We often promise to eat less, to drink less, to be better to our loved ones. However, as Jews we don’t make vows of holiness that separate us from daily life. Instead, by taking on the obligations of mitzvot, through daily and weekly prayer, through tzedakah and loving kindness, we have the ability to make ourselves holy every single day.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Don Goor