Parshat Naso; Leviticus 4:21-7:89 by Rabbi Denise L. Eger
The end of parshat Naso describes the 12-day dedication ceremony for the Tabernacle. Moses anoints and consecrates the Mishkan and all of its sacred vessels and then each of the 12 tribal chiefs come forward on a separate day to bring special offerings. No tribe brings more than the other. In truth each offering is the exactly the same.
Each chieftain brings one silver bowl and one silver basin filled with flour and oil constituting the mincha offering. They bring in addition a gold ladle with incense, one bull, one ram, one lamb, as burnt offerings; one goat for a purification offering; and for a shlemim offering, two oxen, five rams, five goats and five yearling lambs.
Each tribe through their chief has their own day of initiation at the Mishkan. A special day, dedicated to each tribe builds a unique bond between God and that individual tribe. Not just one among the masses but each part of the Israelite people have a unique way to celebrate their connection to the Divine, a unique opportunity to participate in the dedication of the Tabernacle.
Because the Tabernacle was the realm of God and the province of the priests and the Levites there was always a danger that the Mishkan would not really be the central organizing force for the 12 tribes. But because there was a separate opportunity for each tribe to build their relationship to the Holy One through a special day of initiation, each tribe can see their tribal head as having a special and honored place and role in the sacred precincts of the Mishkan.
Today we have no Mishkan. We have no tribes. We no longer bring tangible offerings to God for sacrifice. But we Jews do need to nurture our connection to one another and nurture our relationship with the Holy One. We do need to see and build a bond with our God and our people. We do that today through our involvement in synagogue life and involvement within the life of the Jewish community. Our membership in a synagogue and our involvement in Jewish communal organizations like the Jewish Federation help us nurture our spiritual life and strengthen our ethical and moral fiber. In a world that seems to drift aimlessly, having a spiritual and moral core makes it easier to navigate.
When we disconnect ourselves from the organizing institutions of our people, there is a danger that we will distance ourselves from our relationship with the Divine and weaken our bond with one another. This is why affiliation is such a critical issue for our community. “Al Tifrosh min hatzibur,” teach the sages—Do not separate yourself from the community. This is remains good advice to this day. Being involved, being counted among the Jewish people strengthens our communal fabric, and surprisingly will strengthen the fabric of your being.
Our ancestors brought gifts to God. They brought sacrifices. Today we bring our words and our actions as our offerings. Let us bring our involvement and commitment as well.
Posted by Lee at June 7, 2005 01:04 PM
