Voices of WRJ: Naso

by Carol Berger Parashat Naso has many themes: the Levitical census, the Nazirite vow, the ordeal of bitter water endured by the Sotah, and the sanctity of the priestly blessing. Each of these themes has interesting ideas for us to navigate. Naso means to lift up, and in this week’s parashah the word is understood to mean to take a count. This is not the count of the full community, but rather is the count of the different Levitical clans, each of which had a special job in the Mishkan, the travelling sanctuary. This count includes only males aged 30-50. How interesting that the count was only males, and not even all males at that. This is not surprising - the role of women in the Torah is so often ignored. We know that women have always occupied a central place in our heritage; they must have shared in the work of the Mishkan along with the men. It is our choice today, as Women of Reform Judaism to include them in our telling of our story, knowing that the Torah and the tradition often left them out. Our community includes everyone. A Nazir was a person who chose to dedicate themself to God, and vowed, for a specific period of time, to do more than the required laws. The Nazirites separated themselves from the general population, and had strict disciplines. Among the requirements of a Nazir was to abstain from wine and from cutting their hair, and to have no contact with a dead body. At the completion of the specified time, a Nazir brought a sin offering, shaved their head, and drank wine. One would assume that this sanctified role was only for men - but surprise! Did you know that women could freely choose to become a Nazir? The feminine word is N’rizah, although only the generic Nazir appears in the bible. Maimonides and others questioned why the Nazir would need to bring a sin offering at the conclusion of their vow – what was their sin? He concluded that abstaining from wine and other enjoyments of life neglected the commandments of the Torah, and argued that our traditions forbid us from denying ourselves the joys permitted by the Torah. The proscribed behavior of the Nazirites was considered to be extreme, focused on the individual, and was not community building. Infidelity was seen as making the community vulnerable to physical and spiritual impurities. The Sotah (suspected adulteress) was brought forward for a horrific and public test where the priest gave her a mixture of water and earth from the Tabernacle, called the “ordeal of bitter water.” Her reaction to the drink allowed for the deduction of her guilt or innocence. If her belly distended and her thighs sagged, she was declared guilty and became infertile. If she had no reaction, she was declared innocent, and would “retain her seed.” This public and dramatic ritual was horrible for the accused woman – she must have felt ashamed, embarrassed, and terrified – summarized by the Hebrew word bushah. Our tradition, however, speaks out loudly against shame. Rabbi Hillel stated, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor.” Some have seen in this ordeal a way, difficult though it may be, for a woman to prove her innocence – something which would otherwise be impossible. This ritual, like that of the Nazirite vow, was focused on the life of the individual and was not about community building. And now, we finally get to the priestly blessing which most definitely is about community building. May Adonai bless you and keep you             May Adonai be gracious unto you             May Adonai bestow favor upon you, and grant you peace. What role do we have in fulfilling this blessing? WRJ‘s longtime advocacy of social justice and the many projects and scholarships funded by the YES Fund certainly are in line with the teachings of this blessing. How can our Sisterhoods contribute to the blessing of peace in our families, schools, congregations, and communities? Let us continue to support the YES Fund, the work of the Religious Action Center, the Women of the Wall, all our L’dor Vador activities, and more. Let us be inclusive in our activities, not separatist like the Nazarites. Let us not bring Bushah (shame) on anyone. Community: a partnership between our Sisterhoods and Adonai. Together we can bring honor, and work toward blessing and peace. Carol Berger is Sisterhood President of Congregation B’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim, Deerfield, IL, and serves on the WRJ Midwest Executive Committee and the WRJ Board of Directors.