This week's portion concludes the Book of Genesis with Jacob's final blessings to his children and grandchildren. Each tribe is given a special blessing that reflects both the character of its founder and its future destiny in the nation of Israel.
In the same way, each of us -- no matter our flaws (and Jacob acknowledges these, in many of his sons) -- has a unique mission. Levi, for example, is rebuked for his zealous nature, yet this would later prove crucial in the episode of the Golden Calf. Indeed, Moses and Aaron would emerge from the tribe of Levi.
Levi is one of the surviving tribes today, along with Judah and Benjamin, the two tribes that supplied Israel's kings, that later formed the kingdom of Judah, and that had the Holy Temple within their joint jurisdiction. In that way, the children of Leah and Rachel -- Jacob's two wives -- have both endured.
Thus concludes the great story of Joseph -- and the story of Moses begins.
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
