Parashat Nasso

(Elevate)

Numbers 4:21 - 7:89

Judges 13:2 - 13:25

In this Torah portion, God describes the service of the Gershon family of Levites. The laws relating to the suspected adulteress and the nazirite are given. God tells Moses and Aaron the priestly blessing. The heads of tribes bring gifts to the Tabernacle.

FULL SUMMARY
HAFTARAH SUMMARY

Parashat Nasso: Getting the Message

Two linguistic features of this Torah portion remind us of the need to speak carefully even when our message is true.

More on this Torah Portion

In the Priestly Blessing, Seeing Parenthood’s Trajectory

A prayer for yesterday, today and tomorrow — all in one.

Sotah: Understanding Change

Confronting a troubling biblical narrative.

Birkat Kohanim — Blessing of the Priests or of the Community?

How the Priestly Blessing is manifested within the community's needs.

Surrogate Judaism

Some try to "outsource" their Judaism, but this approach has severe limits.

Pure And Unadulterated, Sotah And Rabbi Meir

A midrash on the Sotah ritual emphasizes the lengths to which we go to bring peace between spouses.

Princely Gifts

The princes' gifts to the Tabernacle illustrate important principles of leadership and methods of balancing personal and communal needs.

Ancient Rituals, Enduring Values

The rituals described in this week's portion remind us to allow our values and principles to guide us in balancing our physical and emotional imbalances.

Situational Ethics And God

The importance of preserving the relationship between a husband and wife provides an example of the Torah's use of relative morality.

Pushing the Law Forward

Halacha and social equality today.

Learning From Our Mistakes

We do not need to suffer through devastating consequences in order to learn how to live differently.

A Blessing for an Activist Community

Inspired by the priestly benediction.

The Priestly Benediction

Those who link themselves with God and the people of Israel will indeed be blessed.

Punishment To Fit The Crime And The Confession

The biblical approach stands in sharp contrast to American federal sentencing guidelines.

Human Vessels For Blessing

By asking the priests to bless the people, God gives them an opportunity to serve as role models of caring for the people.

The Nazirite–A Sacred Volunteer

The nazirite exemplifies actively choosing a sacred status with a higher level of responsibility.

Parashat Nasso: Finding Peace

Giving ourselves time to grieve can lead us to a place where we feel God’s blessings.

Understanding the Sotah Ritual

The trial by ordeal prescribed for a woman suspected of infidelity is unparalleled anywhere else in the Torah.

Parents as Models

For better or worse, children learn how to be in the world from their parents.

Mistakes Make Great Lessons

Our mistakes teach us what not to do in the future and shine a light on character traits we can improve.

Children and Jealousy

Nasso: A resource for families.

Parashat Nasso Quiz

Learn more about the weekly Torah portion.

Parashat Nasso: Summary

God describes the service of the Gershon family of Levites; laws relating to the suspected adulteress and the nazirite are given; God tells Moses and Aaron the priestly blessing; the heads of tribes bring gifts to the Tabernacle.

The Service Of Song

The duty of the Levites to accompany the Tabernacle service with music and song reminds us to serve God with joy.