Weekly Message 06.06.2025 Parashat Naso
- jccwestpasco
- Jun 5
- 2 min read
Parashat Naso (Count) Numbers 4:21 - 7:89
HafTorah Judges 13:2 - 25
Dear friends,
Thanks to all who made our Shavuot festival celebration so special. We had a great participation at our Tikkun Leil Shavuot shared with our friends at Temple Beth David which featured eight presentations on ritual and history, the reading of the Book of Ruth, and even some comedy! Then following our religious services on Shavuot morning, we had a delicious luncheon of blintzes, cheesecake and mango key lime pie!
Now with the holiday behind us, we are continuing our Torah reading and study in the Book of Bamidbar. You might have heard the expression "Christmas in July". Well, we have what we might call "Hanukkah in June"! You might ask why? We will be reading chapter 7 in the Book of Bamidbar this Shabbat. This chapter celebrates the completion of the portable sanctuary (Mishkan) and describes the gifts that the heads of all the tribes brought to its dedication. This is exactly what we read from the Torah throughout the eight days of Hanukkah and explains in part, why gift giving has become a tradition of Hanukkah. And next Shabbat in chapter 8, we will be introduced to the Menorah. So, it will feel a little like "Hanukkah in June"! Although we won't be reading chapter 6 this year as we are in the third triennial cycle, it contains one of our foundational prayers, i.e. the "Priestly Blessing" or Birkat Kohanim. We repeat these beautiful words every day in our Amidah prayers and to our children at the Shabbat meal.
יברכך יהוה וישמרך
יאר יהוה פניו אליך ויחנך
ישא יהוה פניו אליך וישם לך שלום
May Hashem bless you, and keep you
May Hashem make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you
May Hashem lift up His face to you and give you peace.
And as our weekly Shabbat Haftorah reflects the reading from the Torah portion and as the Sedrah contains a description of the Nazarites and their regulations, we will read about the birth of the most famous Nazarite, Samson from the Book of Judges, Chapter 13.
As we are entering the summer vacation season, many will be traveling so its important that we continue to attend our services and events to guarantee a minyan so that we can read the Torah and be able to say Kaddish in memory of family and friends so please try to attend as often as you can. We gather to pray and study Friday at 7:30 pm and Saturday morning at 9:30 am. See you in shul!
Shabbat Shalom,
Ron Becker,
Spiritual Leader
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