“Justice, Justice shall you pursue’ (Deut 16:20) teaches our Torah portion this week. Of course this can be viewed as only advice to those judges and magistrates and administrators who will be charged with these duties. This is according to the great commentator Rashi quoting the Sifre. He says the reason the word justice is repeated is to indicate that the judges should judge the people with righteous judgment. This means that they must be fair and honorable and scrupulous in their judgments.
But what is part of the formula for this? Is it just a matter of obedience to God’s laws when we come into the land? What about outside the land of Israel? Can we still have a life of abundance and blessing?
In this week’s portion, Moses reminds the Children of Israel that their example will matter. He exhorts the community beginning in chapter 11, “Love therefore Adonai your God and always keep God’s charge, God’s laws, God’s rules and God’s commandments” (Deut. 11:1). But Moses is keenly aware that this isn’t only because it will bring reward or satisfaction to the adult generation. But more importantly it is a teaching to be passed to future generations. Moses continues, “Take thought this day that it was not your children, who neither experienced nor witnessed the lesson of Adonai your God- God’s majesty, God’s might hand, God’s outstretched arm; the signs and the deeds performed in Egypt against Pharaoh king of Egypt and all his land…but it was you who saw with your own eyes all the marvelous deeds that Adonai performed.”(Deut. 11:2-7).
Moses quashes their rebellion and God further consolidates the power of Aaron and his descendants and the Levites as the priesthood. So that there are no further insurrections or complaints, God instructs Moses to take the staff of leadership from each tribal head and inscribe it with the name of the elder. Also Moses receives a staff from the tribe of Levi with Aaron’s name. These are placed overnight in the Tent of Meeting near the Ark of the Covenant. God told Moses the staff that blooms-that will be the one who is the rightful leader of the Priesthood. The next day-Moses brought out all of the staffs. Each chieftain identified his and of course, Aaron’s staff is the one in full bloom. “There the staff of Aaron and the house of Levi had sprouted; it had brought forth sprouts, produced blossom, and borne almonds.” (Num. 17:23). This miracle of the blooming staff, visible to all Israel, further elevates Aaron and the tribe of Levi as the priesthood. Although they had been duly ordained and installed this crowning miracle put to rest any questions of authority. This staff or Aaron’s was stored in the Tent of meeting in the holy of holies as a future testament to this miraculous elevation.
This is a change from previous years. When the second day of Shavuot would fall on Shabbat the Reform movement was observing the next week’s portion just as they do in Israel. So for a few weeks the Israeli and Reform Torah reading calendar would differ from the Conservative and Orthodox Torah reading cycle outside of Israel. But in recent years when this has occurred, the Reform movement has split parshat Naso.
On April 12th, 1945, Harry Truman was summoned to the White House. Ushered into Eleanor Roosevelt's sitting room, the vice president was gently informed that President Roosevelt had died.
“Is there anything I can do for you?" Truman asked after a moment's reflection. "Is there anything we can do for you?" Eleanor replied. "You're the one in trouble now!"
I am the one in trouble now! As Vice president these last six years to Bob Gan, Yosef Kanefsky and my good friend Stuart Vogel — I can only hope to lead with as much compassion, dignity and chesed as these wonderful now past presidents of the board of rabbis. I am so honored to begin the next two years as President of the Board of Rabbis. Thank you to my colleagues for their confidence in my leadership.