Free | 23/6
Posted: 6/1/2012
Editor's note: The HuffTorah is an overview of the Torah reading of the week, which is a double portion, and includes links to additional resources for study and discussion. Read the full text of Parshat Naso interlinear Hebrew/English.God tells Moses: Lift up the heads of the Gershonites who are fit to serve in the Tabernacle -- those between the ages of 30 and 50. Single them out. They should carry the tapestries, the coverings, the curtains and the ropes and tools of the altar. Aaron and Ithamar will direct their work. Count the Merarites who are of age to serve in the Tent of Meeting. They are responsible for the Tabernacle's beams, bars, pillars and sockets, as well as certain utensils. Ithamar also will oversee this work. The Kohathites, Gershonites and Merarites are counted as per God's request: 2,750, 2,630 and 3,200, respectively. The total number of Levites eligible to serve in the Tabernacle and play music there is 8,580. Moses gives each of them specific assignments, too.God tells Moses to command the Children of Israel to purify their camps. Any person who has tzara'at or is otherwise ritually impure must be sent outside of the camp. The Children comply.More instructions from God: If a person is found guilty of acting dishonestly and treacherously, he or she should confess and pay back the amount plus one-fifth. If there is no longer a person to pay back, he or she should give the amount to the priest, in addition to the atonement offering of a ram. Whatever is given to a priest -- first fruits included -- belongs to the priest. Questions: Why were the Gershonites singled out, while the Merarites were simply counted? Why are only the service-eligible Levites counted here? Why is the law about acting treacherously included here?God tells Moses to tell the Children about dealing with the case of a wayward wife. A hypothetical situation: A man is suspicious of his wife. He thinks she has committed adultery. He did not see the act, but h