Nasso ~ Chiefs, offerings and leadership

~ Nasso is a packed portion. It has the continuation of the Levite census, laws regarding impurity, the bitter waters ritual, the laws regarding the nazir, the priestly blessing and our triennial!

Our portion focuses on the chieftains and their offerings.

As we read, I would like to invite you to:

1. Look for any symbolic meaning you can regarding the offerings themselves.

2. Try to remind what you know about the first chief, Nachshon ben Aminadav.

3. Why would all the chief offer exactly the same thing, and we have to read exactly the same words 12 times?

במדבר ז׳:י״ט

הִקְרִ֨ב אֶת־קָרְבָּנ֜וֹ קַֽעֲרַת־כֶּ֣סֶף אַחַ֗ת שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים וּמֵאָה֮ מִשְׁקָלָהּ֒ מִזְרָ֤ק אֶחָד֙ כֶּ֔סֶף שִׁבְעִ֥ים שֶׁ֖קֶל בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ שְׁנֵיהֶ֣ם ׀ מְלֵאִ֗ים סֹ֛לֶת בְּלוּלָ֥ה בַשֶּׁ֖מֶן לְמִנְחָֽה׃

Numbers 7:19

He presented as his offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a meal offering;

רש"י על במדבר ז׳:י״ט:א׳

קערת כסף. מִנְיַן אוֹתִיוֹתָיו בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא תתק"ל, כְּנֶגֶד שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן:

Rashi on Numbers 7:19:1

קערת כסף — The numerical value of its letters (of the letters of these two words) is 930 corresponding to the years of Adam ha-Rishon (Numbers Rabbah 14:12).

רש"י על במדבר ז׳:י״ט:ב׳

שלשים ומאה משקלה. עַל שֵׁם שֶׁכְּשֶׁהֶעֱמִיד תּוֹלָדוֹת לְקִיּוּם הָעוֹלָם בֶּן ק"ל שָנָה הָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיְחִי אָדָם שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד" וְגוֹ' (בראשית ה'):

Rashi on Numbers 7:19:2

שלשים ומאה משקלה THE WEIGHT THEREOF WAS AN HUNDRED AND THIRTY SHEKELS — in allusion to the fact that when he (Adam) first raised children to maintain the world in existence he was 130 years old, for it is said, (Genesis 5:3) “and Adam lived a hundred and thirty years and then begat [a son]” (Numbers Rabbah 14:12).

רש"י על במדבר ז׳:י״ט:ג׳

מזרק אחד כסף. בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא תק"ך, עַל שֵׁם נֹחַ שֶׁהֶעֱמִיד תּוֹלָדוֹת בֶּן ת"ק שָׁנָה, וְעַל שֵׁם עֶשְֹרִים שָׁנָה שֶׁנִּגְזְרָה גְּזֵרַת הַמַּבּוּל קֹדֶם תּוֹלְדוֹתָיו — כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי אֵצֶל "וְהָיוּ יָמָיו מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה" (שם ו') — לְפִיכָךְ נֶאֱמַר — מִזְרָק אֶחָד כֶּסֶף, וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר מִזְרָק כֶּסֶף אֶחָד כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּקְּעָרָה, לוֹמַר שֶׁאַף אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁל אֶחָד מִצְטָרְפוֹת לַמִּנְיָן:

Rashi on Numbers 7:19:3

מזרק אחד כסף — The numerical value of these words is 520, being an allusion to Noah who begot children at the age of 500 and also an allusion to the twenty years before his offspring were born when the decree regarding the flood was made (thus together 520 years) — just as I have set forth in my comment upon the verse (Genesis 6:3): “yet his days shall be 120 years”. — It is for this reason that it is here said, מזרק אחד כסף and it is not said, מזרק כסף אחד, the number being placed at the end of the phrase, as it is said of the charger (קערת כסף אחת), — to indicate that the letters of the word אחד, too, should be taken into account in this reckoning (Numbers Rabbah 14:12).

רש"י על במדבר ז׳:י״ט:ד׳

שבעים שקל. כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעִים אֻמּוֹת שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִבָּנָיו:

Rashi on Numbers 7:19:4

שבעים שקל SEVENTY SHEKELS — corresponding to the seventy nations that descended from his (Noah’s) sons (Numbers Rabbah 14:12).

~ Note the progression: from Adam to Noach

במדבר ז׳:כ׳

כַּ֥ף אַחַ֛ת עֲשָׂרָ֥ה זָהָ֖ב מְלֵאָ֥ה קְטֹֽרֶת׃

Numbers 7:20

one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense;

רש"י על במדבר ז׳:כ׳:א׳

כף אחת. כְּנֶגֶד הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה מִיָּדוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּבָּ"ה:

Rashi on Numbers 7:20:1

כף) כף אחת also denotes “hand”) — in allusion to the Torah that was given from the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He (Numbers Rabbah 13:16).

רש"י על במדבר ז׳:כ׳:ב׳

עשרה זהב. כְּנֶגֶד עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת:

Rashi on Numbers 7:20:2

עשרה זהב — TEN SHEKELS, GOLD — corresponding to the Ten Commandments (Numbers Rabbah 13:16).

רש"י על במדבר ז׳:כ׳:ג׳

מלאה קטרת. גִּימַטְרִיָּא שֶׁל קְטֹרֶת תרי"ג מִצְוֹת, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁתַּחֲלִיף קוֹ"ף בְּדָלֶ"ת עַ"יְ א"ת ב"ש ג"ר ד"ק:

Rashi on Numbers 7:20:3

מלאה קטרת — The total of the word קטרת according to their numerical value is 613, the number of the Biblical commandments, except that you must exchange the קו"ף by דל"ת, according to the “Method of Permutation” known as א׳׳ת ב"ש ג"ר ד"ק (by which the first letter of the Alphabet may take the place of the last, the second that of the one before last etc.) (Numbers Rabbah 13:16).

~ Torah as the center

במדבר ז׳:כ״א

פַּ֣ר אֶחָ֞ד בֶּן־בָּקָ֗ר אַ֧יִל אֶחָ֛ד כֶּֽבֶשׂ־אֶחָ֥ד בֶּן־שְׁנָת֖וֹ לְעֹלָֽה׃

Numbers 7:21

one bull of the herd, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt offering;

רש"י על במדבר ז׳:כ״א:א׳

פר אחד. כְּנֶגֶד אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ "וַיִּקַּח בֶּן בָּקָר" (שם י"ח):

Rashi on Numbers 7:21:1

פר אחד ONE BULLOCK, [A YOUNG ONE, בן בקר] — in allusion to Abraham of whom it states, (Genesis 18:7) “And he took a young bull (בן בקר)" (Numbers Rabbah 13:14).

רש"י על במדבר ז׳:כ״א:ב׳

איל אחד. כְּנֶגֶד יִצְחָק, "וַיִּקַּח אֶת הָאַיִל" וְגוֹ' (שם כ"ב):

Rashi on Numbers 7:21:2

איל אחד ONE RAM — in allusion to Isaac, with reference to whom Scripture states, (Genesis XXII 13) “and he (Abraham) took the ram (האיל) [and offered it up … in the stead of his son]” (Numbers Rabbah 13:14).

רש"י על במדבר ז׳:כ״א:ג׳

כבש אחד. כְּנֶגֶד יַעֲקֹב, "וְהַכְּשָׂבִים הִפְרִיד יַעֲקֹב" (שם ל'):

Rashi on Numbers 7:21:3

כבש אחד ONE LAMB — in allusion to Jacob of whom Scripture states, (Genesis 30:40) “and Jacob did separate the lambs” (Numbers Rabbah 13:14).

~ the Patriarchs

במדבר ז׳:כ״ב

שְׂעִיר־עִזִּ֥ים אֶחָ֖ד לְחַטָּֽאת׃

Numbers 7:22

one goat for a sin offering;

רש"י על במדבר ז׳:כ״ב:א׳

שעיר עיזים. לְכַפֵּר עַל מְכִירַת יוֹסֵף שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ "וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּ שְׂעִיר עִזִּים" (שם ל"ז):

Rashi on Numbers 7:22:1

שעיר עזים [ONE] KID OF THE GOATS — in order to make expiation for the “selling of Joseph” with reference to whom it states, (Genesis 37:31) “and they slaughtered a kid of the goats” (Numbers Rabbah 13:13).

במדבר ז׳:כ״ג

וּלְזֶ֣בַח הַשְּׁלָמִים֮ בָּקָ֣ר שְׁנַיִם֒ אֵילִ֤ם חֲמִשָּׁה֙ עַתּוּדִ֣ים חֲמִשָּׁ֔ה כְּבָשִׂ֥ים בְּנֵי־שָׁנָ֖ה חֲמִשָּׁ֑ה זֶ֛ה קָרְבַּ֥ן נְתַנְאֵ֖ל בֶּן־צוּעָֽר׃ (פ)

Numbers 7:23

and for his sacrifice of well-being: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs. That was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.

רש"י על במדבר ז׳:כ״ג:א׳

ולזבח השלמים בקר שנים. כְּנֶגֶד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן שֶׁנָּתְנוּ שָׁלוֹם בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם:

Rashi on Numbers 7:23:1

ולזבח השלמים בקר שנים AND FOR A SACRIFICE OF PEACE-OFFERINGS TWO OXEN — The two peace-offerings are an allusion to Moses and Aaron who made peace between Israel and their Father in Heaven (Numbers Rabbah 13:19).

רש"י על במדבר ז׳:כ״ג:ב׳

אלים כבשים ועתדים. שְׁלֹשָׁה מִינִים כְּנֶגֶד כֹּהֲנִים וּלְוִיִּם וְיִשְׂרְאֵלִים, וּכְנֶגֶד תּוֹרָה נְבִיאִים וּכְתוּבִים, שָׁלֹשׁ חֲמִשִּׁיּוֹת כְּנֶגֶד חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְשִׁין וַחֲמֵשֶׁת הַדִּבְּרוֹת הַכְּתוּבִין עַל לוּחַ אֶחָד וַחֲמִשָּׁה הַכְּתוּבִים עַל הַשֵּׁנִי; עַד כָּאן בִּיסוֹדוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן:

Rashi on Numbers 7:23:2

אילם כבשים ועתדים — three species — in allusion to the three divisions of the nation: priests, Levites and ordinary Israelites, and also in allusion to the Pentateuch, the Prophets and the Hagiographa, the three sections of the Holy Scriptures. There are three times “five”, in allusion to the “Five Books of Moses”, to the five Commandments written on one of the Tablets and to the five written on the other (Numbers Rabbah 14:10). Thus far have I found in the work of R. Moshe the Preacher.

~ And finally a bit of "recent" history

There is a message, says Rashi, on these offerings: they are symbolic of the relationships of God with the world and with us, and of our relationships with one another inside B'nai Israel. They denote transcendence of the self, the need for connection with others and with our own identity, our own people, but without forgetting that this people, too, is part of a larger whole.

Enter Nachshon! Who is he? As far back as I can remember, when I learned about קריעת ים סוף, I learned that there was a man by the name of נחשון בן עמינדב who jumped into the Sea, and that's why it actually opened, because someone decided to show to the people that there is hope face an impossible impasse. His bold individual action actually becomes a moniker in Israel: who is the Nachshon? Meaning, who will take action?

סוטה ל״ז א:א׳-ו׳

אמר לו רבי יהודה לא כך היה מעשה אלא זה אומר אין אני יורד תחילה לים וזה אומר אין אני יורד תחילה לים קפץ נחשון בן עמינדב וירד לים תחילה שנאמר (הושע יב, א) סבבוני בכחש אפרים ובמרמה בית ישראל ויהודה עוד רד עם אל ועליו מפרש בקבלה (תהלים סט, ב) הושיעני אלקים כי באו מים עד נפש טבעתי ביון מצולה ואין מעמד וגו' (תהלים סט, טז) אל תשטפני שבולת מים ואל תבלעני מצולה וגו' באותה שעה היה משה מאריך בתפלה אמר לו הקב"ה ידידיי טובעים בים ואתה מאריך בתפלה לפני אמר לפניו רבונו של עולם ומה בידי לעשות אמר לו (שמות יד, טו) דבר אל בני ישראל ויסעו ואתה הרם את מטך ונטה את ידך וגו' לפיכך זכה יהודה לעשות ממשלה בישראל שנאמר (תהלים קיד, ב) היתה יהודה לקדשו ישראל ממשלותיו מה טעם היתה יהודה לקדשו וישראל ממשלותיו משום דהים ראה וינוס

Sotah 37a:1-6

Rabbi Yehuda said to Rabbi Meir: That is not how the incident took place. Rather, this tribe said: I am not going into the sea first, and that tribe said: I am not going into the sea first. Then, in jumped the prince of Judah, Nahshon ben Amminadab, and descended into the sea first, accompanied by his entire tribe, as it is stated: “Ephraim surrounds Me with lies and the house of Israel with deceit, and Judah is yet wayward toward God [rad im El]” (Hosea 12:1), which is interpreted homiletically as: And Judah descended [rad] with God [im El]. And in this regard, the tradition, i.e., the Writings, explicates Nahshon’s prayer at that moment: “Save me, God; for the waters are come in even unto the soul. I am sunk in deep mire, where there is no standing…let not the water flood overwhelm me, neither let the deep swallow me up” (Psalms 69:2–3, 16). At that time, Moses was prolonging his prayer. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: My beloved ones are drowning in the sea and you prolong your prayer to me? Moses said before Him: Master of the Universe, but what can I do? God said to him: “Speak to the children of Israel that they go forward. And you, lift up your rod and stretch out your hand” (Exodus 14:15–16). For this reason, because Nahshon and the tribe of Judah went into the sea first, the tribe of Judah merited to govern Israel, as it is stated: “Judah became His sanctuary, Israel His dominion. The sea saw it and fled” (Psalms 114:2–3). The baraita interprets the verses in this manner: What is the reason that Judah became His sanctuary and Israel came under His dominion? It is because “the sea saw it and fled.”

~ Note the many connections to Hallel

שמות ו׳:כ״ג

וַיִּקַּ֨ח אַהֲרֹ֜ן אֶת־אֱלִישֶׁ֧בַע בַּת־עַמִּינָדָ֛ב אֲח֥וֹת נַחְשׁ֖וֹן ל֣וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד ל֗וֹ אֶת־נָדָב֙ וְאֶת־אֲבִיה֔וּא אֶת־אֶלְעָזָ֖ר וְאֶת־אִֽיתָמָֽר׃

Exodus 6:23

Aaron took to wife Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

במדבר א׳:ז׳

לִֽיהוּדָ֕ה נַחְשׁ֖וֹן בֶּן־עַמִּינָדָֽב׃

Numbers 1:7

From Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab.

במדבר ב׳:ג׳

וְהַחֹנִים֙ קֵ֣דְמָה מִזְרָ֔חָה דֶּ֛גֶל מַחֲנֵ֥ה יְהוּדָ֖ה לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם וְנָשִׂיא֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה נַחְשׁ֖וֹן בֶּן־עַמִּינָדָֽב׃

Numbers 2:3

Camped on the front, or east side: the standard of the division of Judah, troop by troop. Chieftain of the Judites: Nahshon son of Amminadab.

במדבר ז׳:י״ב

וַיְהִ֗י הַמַּקְרִ֛יב בַּיּ֥וֹם הָרִאשׁ֖וֹן אֶת־קָרְבָּנ֑וֹ נַחְשׁ֥וֹן בֶּן־עַמִּינָדָ֖ב לְמַטֵּ֥ה יְהוּדָֽה׃

Numbers 7:12

The one who presented his offering on the first day was Nahshon son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah.

במדבר י׳:י״ד

וַיִּסַּ֞ע דֶּ֣גֶל מַחֲנֵ֧ה בְנֵֽי־יְהוּדָ֛ה בָּרִאשֹׁנָ֖ה לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם וְעַל־צְבָא֔וֹ נַחְשׁ֖וֹן בֶּן־עַמִּינָדָֽב׃

Numbers 10:14

the first standard to set out, troop by troop, was the division of Judah. In command of its troops was Nahshon son of Amminadab;

רות ד׳:י״ח-כ״ב

וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ תּוֹלְד֣וֹת פָּ֔רֶץ פֶּ֖רֶץ הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־חֶצְרֽוֹן׃ וְחֶצְרוֹן֙ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־רָ֔ם וְרָ֖ם הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־עַמִּֽינָדָֽב׃ וְעַמִּֽינָדָב֙ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־נַחְשׁ֔וֹן וְנַחְשׁ֖וֹן הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־שַׂלְמָֽה׃ וְשַׂלְמוֹן֙ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־בֹּ֔עַז וּבֹ֖עַז הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־עוֹבֵֽד׃ וְעֹבֵד֙ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־יִשָׁ֔י וְיִשַׁ֖י הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־דָּוִֽד׃

Ruth 4:18-22

This is the line of Perez: Perez begot Hezron, Hezron begot Ram, Ram begot Ammi-nadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, Nahshon begot Salmon, Salmon begot Boaz, Boaz begot Obed, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.

דברי הימים א ב׳:י׳

וְרָ֖ם הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־עַמִּינָדָ֑ב וְעַמִּינָדָב֙ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־נַחְשׁ֔וֹן נְשִׂ֖יא בְּנֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃

I Chronicles 2:10

Ram begot Amminadab, and Amminadab begot Nahshon, prince of the sons of Judah.

~ Nachshon knows when to jump in and break the mental image of an impasse for B'nai Israel. When all seemed lost, it is Nachshon that quite literally takes the plunge and moves the group forward. At the same time, when there is no crisis, and all are building the mishkan, Nachshon is content with offering the same thing that others are, he is content on latching on to the universal meaning of a Mishkan and not stand out. He ends up being a lesson on leadership: never lose hope nor faith, using your personal gifts to move B'nai Israel forward, while keeping the value that not everything needs to be done by you.