PARSHAT NASO 5786 – TRAVELING LIFE · Sukkat Shalom B'nei Noach

בס "ד

Parashat Naso This week’s Torah reading starts with the count of the Levites in the desert. Even though it seems to be an irrelevant subject, there are eternal lessons for each one of us traveling through life. Based on Likkutei Sichot, vol. 13, p. 16 Rambam, end of Laws of Shemita and Yovel

Naso: Transforming the Desert into a Dwelling Place for G-d

This week’s Torah portion, Naso, begins where the previous portion, Bamidbar, left off. The word Naso means “to elevate” or “to count,” and it continues the census of the tribe of Levi. The Levites were divided into three families: the family of Kehat, whose count concludes in Bamidbar, and the families of Gershon and Merari, whose counts appear in Naso.

A famous question arises when reading these lengthy censuses. The Levites lived thousands of years ago in the desert. They traveled through the wilderness for nearly forty years, carrying the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and fulfilling their unique responsibilities. Those individuals have long since passed away, and we no longer live in those circumstances. Why, then, should we care about these counts? What relevance do they have for us today?

The answer lies in a fundamental principle of Torah: although historical events may belong to the past, the Torah is eternal. Every detail contains a timeless lesson that applies to every person, in every place, and in every generation.

Why Did the Jewish People Wander in the Desert?

To understand the spiritual message behind these censuses, we must first understand why the Jewish people traveled through the desert for forty years.

From a mystical perspective, the desert represents more than a physical wilderness. It symbolizes a place where G-d’s presence is concealed—a place lacking spiritual awareness and revelation. The wandering of the Jewish people was not merely a journey from one location to another. Their mission was to transform the desert itself.

As they traveled, they subdued the forces of spiritual darkness and impurity while simultaneously revealing G-d’s presence in places where it had previously been hidden. They turned barren wilderness into a place where holiness could dwell.

The Desert in Our Own Lives

This lesson is just as relevant today.

Sometimes the environment in which we live resembles a spiritual desert. The people around us may not understand the importance of faith, Torah, or divine purpose. A person may look at their surroundings and wonder, “What am I doing here? Why has G-d placed me in such a place?”

The Torah’s answer is clear: your mission is not necessarily to escape the desert. Your mission may be to transform it.

G-d places each person exactly where they are needed. Our responsibility is to bring holiness into our surroundings, to demonstrate authentic values, and to show through our actions what a life connected to G-d looks like.

Transforming Our Personal Desert

The message applies not only to the world around us but also to our inner world.

A person may look back on their past and think, “My life has been a desert. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve wasted years. It’s too late for me to change.”

The census of the Levites teaches otherwise.

The Levites only began their service at the age of thirty. Before that, they did not perform the sacred tasks of carrying the Mishkan or serving in its operation. Their true service began later.

Spiritually speaking, this teaches that every person has a moment when they awaken and recognize their divine purpose. From that moment onward, a new chapter can begin.

Age is irrelevant. The classic example is Rabbi Akiva, who began studying Torah at the age of forty despite being completely uneducated. Yet he became one of the greatest sages in Jewish history.

Whenever a person decides to begin serving G-d sincerely, that moment becomes their spiritual starting point.

Anyone Can Become a “Levite”

This idea is beautifully expressed by the Rambam (Maimonides) at the end of Hilchot Shemitah v’Yovel.

The Rambam explains that the role of the Levites is not limited to those physically descended from the tribe of Levi. Any person—Jew or non-Jew—who dedicates themselves wholeheartedly to serving G-d and pursuing righteousness can attain a similar spiritual status.

The Rambam writes that such a person is sanctified and that G-d Himself becomes their portion and inheritance.

Of course, this does not mean they literally become members of the tribe of Levi. Rather, they embody the spiritual mission of the Levites: to stand at the forefront of bringing holiness into the world.

The Three Dimensions of Spiritual Service

The tribe of Levi was divided into three families, and each family represents a different aspect of our spiritual work.

Kehat: Torah Study

The family of Kehat carried the holiest vessels of the Mishkan, including the Ark that contained the Torah.

For this reason, Kehat represents Torah study. Before we can influence the world around us, we must first fill ourselves with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.

Learning Torah gives us the foundation upon which all other spiritual growth is built.

Gershon: Prayer and Connection

The family of Gershon carried the curtains and coverings of the Mishkan.

These coverings surrounded and encompassed the sacred structure. Spiritually, this represents prayer.

Prayer is more than simply knowing what is right. It is the act of connecting ourselves to G-d. Just as the curtains enveloped the Mishkan, prayer surrounds and elevates every aspect of a person’s life.

Merari: Action and Commitment

The name Merari is related to the word mar, meaning bitterness.

Spiritually, Merari represents the work of transforming life’s challenges into opportunities for growth. The family of Merari carried the heavy beams and pillars that formed the structure of the Mishkan.

These pillars stood firm and unmoving, symbolizing dedication, commitment, and self-nullification before G-d’s will.

This teaches us that spiritual growth requires action. Beyond study and prayer, we must actually live according to the values we believe in. We must stand firm in our convictions and carry out our mission consistently.

Bringing G-d’s Presence into the World

The journey through the desert was never just a historical event. It is an ongoing spiritual mission that continues today.

Each of us encounters deserts—both in the world around us and within ourselves. The Torah teaches that we are not meant to run away from these deserts but to transform them.

Through the three paths represented by the Levite families—Torah study, prayer, and committed action—we refine ourselves, elevate our surroundings, and reveal G-d’s presence in places where it was previously hidden.

Just as the Jewish people transformed the physical desert into a place of divine revelation, we too have the power to make our homes, communities, and personal lives into dwelling places for G-d.

Good Shabbos.

Vortrag von Rabbi Tuvia Serber

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