Naso in brief

The name of the Parshah, “Naso,” means “Count” and it is found in Numbers 4:22.

Completing the headcount of the Children of Israel taken in the Sinai Desert, a total of 8,580 Levite men between the ages of 30 and 50 are counted in a tally of those who will be doing the actual work of transporting the Tabernacle.

G‑d communicates to Moses the ritual of the sotah, the wayward wife suspected of unfaithfulness to her husband. Also given is the law of the nazir, who forswears wine and any grape product, does not take a razor to his hair, and is forbidden to become contaminated through contact with a dead body. Aaron and his descendants, the kohanim, are instructed that their task si to bless the people of Israel, and on how to do that.

The leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel each bring their offerings for the inauguration of the altar. Although their gifts are identical, each is brought on a different day and is individually described by the Torah.

Chapter 4:21-49

Repetition of the census and the service of the families of Gershon and Merari.

Here is another accounting of the people. Why does G-d insist on counting them so frequently? At times this counting is done in various manners, with 1/2 shekel, with gifts, etc.
It is a teaching about the world of measurement, the world that most of us live in, a foundational pillar of judgement. And that this measurement also takes place on the highest level, in terms of righteousness, and on the mundane level in terms of numbers. To provide numbers telling us how many there were in the community makes it somehow more real for many of us. Yes, I know, I know, it is only counting the men. Well, the children are possibilities for the future that know one knows, but they are not yet fully members of the community. The women are “the vowels” that give meaning to what the men are doing.

There numbers themselves are approximations, as they are generally counted in the 100’s, or occasionally a 50.

Chapter 5

The Ritual of the Sotah

If a man’s wife goes astray (5:12)

Description of the ritual of the woman who is suspected of infidelity.

Q This is quite a ritual. In a community that practised it, it must have had quite an impact. But, did/could a woman’s thigh drop and her belly swell from drinking said water? And if it did, could it not be “psychosomatic”? Or entheogenic?

[N] There are many rituals described in great detail in the Torah.

• The husband brings 1 ephah of barley flour, with neither oil nor frankinsense on it.
• She is presented before the Lord.
• Holy water in an earthen vessel
• Some earth from the Mishkan floor in the water
• Standing before the Lord, her head is exposed
• Into her hand are placed the remembrance meal offering
• Kohen holds the bitter curse bearing waters
• Kohen places her under oath
• “If no man has lain with you and you have not gone astray to become defiled in place of your husband, then be absolved through these bitter waters which cause the curse. But, if you have gone astray to another and have become defiled and another man besides your husband has lain with you…”
• Adjure her with the oath of the curse: "May the Lord make you for a curse and an oath among your people, causing your thigh to drop and your belly to swell. For these curse bearing waters will enter your innards, causing your thing to drop and your belly to swell.
• The woman responds with, “Amen, amen.”
• The Kohen writes these curses on a scroll and places it in the bitter water.
• The woman drinks the water. The curse bearing waters enter her to become bitter.
• The Kohen takes the meal offering of jealousies from the woman’s hand, waves the meal offering before the Lord, then brings it to the Altar.
• The Kohen scoops out the remainder from the meal offering and burns it on the altar, and then he gives her the curse bearing waters to drink.
• If she has been defiled and unfaithful to her husband, the curse bearing waters will enter her to become bitter, and her belly will swell and her thigh will drop. She will be a curse among her people.
• If she has has not become defiled and she is clean, she shall be exempted and bear seed.

5:31] the man shall be absolved of iniquity and the woman shall bear her iniquity.

Chapter 6

6:22-27] G-d’s Blessing

Naso - In depth