This week's portion includes one of the strangest episodes in the Bible: two sons of Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, are killed during a public sacrifice when, in their zeal, they bring their own fire to the Altar and are consumed by God's fire.
In the midst of what must have been extreme shock and anguish, Moses tells Aaron, essentially, that the show must go on. He also reframes the loss as an expression of love: God took Aaron's sons because they wanted to be near Him.
When we studied this example in religious school, we were also told that the severe punishment Aaron's suns suffered was part of the price of leadership: those in positions of power must be judged more harshly to set an example.
The portion also includes some more laws of kashrut, or the ritual purity of eating. The Torah presents a list of non-kosher birds. Tradition holds that each has some character trait that makes it unfit for human consumption.
The crane, or "chasidah," for example, is a kind bird; its very name in Hebrew derives from the word "chesed," or kindness. There is one problem: the crane is kind to other cranes, but it is not kind to anything else. Hence it is flawed.
This is the portion that all journalists should love: the Torah tells the story of the 12 spies, only two of whom tell the truth when the other ten shade it in a negative away (perhaps to suit a political agenda that is opposed to Moses).
It's not that the ten "lying" spies misconstrue the facts about the Land of Israel; rather, they interject their opinions that the land is impossible to conquer, which strikes unnecessary terror into the hearts of the people.
We have many examples of such fake news today -- from the Iranian propaganda outlets spreading false claims that they are winning the war, to California politicians spreading false horror stories about ICE raids in L.A.
The people realize, too late, that they have been fooled, and once they are condemned to die in the desert, they try to rush into Israel -- only to be defeated by the inhabitants, as the spies predicted that they would be.
But as consolation, God gives the people new commandments -- focused on things they must ...
This week's portion discusses the procedure for lighting the menorah, the holy seven-branched lamp, in the Tabernacle (and later the Temple). It also describes an episode where the people crave meat, and God punishes them by giving it to them in excess. We also read the story of Miriam, Moses's sister, who is punished with the spiritual skin blemish of tzara'at for speaking about her brother, thus violating the prohibition against lashon hara (evil tongue).
I heard a fantastic sermon this week about the lighting of the menorah: that while only the priests were qualified to clean and purify the menorah, anyone could light it. A reminder that each of us can inspire others along the way.
This week we study the vow of the Nazirite; a reminder that sometimes trying to be too holy is excessive, and the best we can do is to be the best that we are.
https://www.chabad.org/parshah/torahreading_cdo/aid/2495720/p/complete/jewish/Naso-Torah-Reading.htm
