Parashat Naso (נָשֹׂא – “Lift Up”)

Numbers 4:21–7:89

Parashat Naso continues the organizational instructions from Bamidbar, detailing the final census of the Levites, laws of purity and restitution, the Nazirite vow, the priestly blessing, and the offerings of the tribal leaders. It is the longest single parasha in the Torah.

1. Census of the Gershonites and Merarites (Numbers 4:21–49)

• God commands Moses to number the Gershonite and Merarite clans, ages 30–50, assigning them specific duties in transporting the Tabernacle.

  • Gershonites: responsible for curtains, coverings, and hangings.

  • Merarites: carry the structural components—boards, bars, and bases.

Their tasks mirror the divine order and cooperation needed for maintaining God’s dwelling place.

2. Camp Purity and Restitution Laws (Numbers 5:1–10)

• Impure individuals (with tzara’at or bodily discharges) are sent outside the camp, preserving the holiness of God’s presence.

• Laws of restitution are reviewed: if one wrongs another, they must repay what was lost plus a fifth and confess their guilt (Num. 5:6–7).

• If no relative exists to receive restitution, it is given to the priests as holy offerings.

3. The Sotah Ritual – The Adulterous Woman (Numbers 5:11–31)

• A unique trial by ordeal: If a husband suspects his wife of adultery but lacks proof, the wife is brought to the priest.

• The Sotah water—a mixture of holy water and dust from the Tabernacle—is administered with a curse. If guilty, she suffers physical consequences; if innocent, she is vindicated and blessed with children.

• This rare ritual emphasizes both moral integrity and the jealous holiness of God.

4. The Nazirite Vow (Numbers 6:1–21)

• Nazirites vow to:

  • Abstain from wine and grapes

  • Avoid cutting their hair

  • Stay away from corpses and defilement

• At the end of the vow period, specific offerings are brought, and the Nazirite shaves his/her head.

This vow is voluntary but highlights a set-apart lifestyle of deeper devotion.

5. The Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:22–27)

• This threefold blessing is given by the sons of Aaron to Israel.

• It emphasizes:

  • Protection

  • Favor

  • Peace (Shalom)

God instructs the priests to “put My Name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them” (Num. 6:27).

6. Tribal Leaders’ Offerings (Numbers 7:1–89)

• Each of the twelve tribal leaders presents identical offerings for the dedication of the Tabernacle, over twelve consecutive days:

  • One silver dish and bowl with flour

  • One gold pan with incense

  • Burnt, sin, and peace offerings

• Though the gifts are identical, each is listed individually—emphasizing that every tribe matters, and each gift is unique in God's eyes.

• The parasha ends with a note of intimacy:

Messianic Insight:

Yeshua embodies the themes of Parashat Naso:

• He is our Great High Priest, who blesses us with eternal peace (Hebrews 4:14).

• He fulfilled the Nazirite lifestyle, being set apart, holy, and undefiled (Luke 1:35).

• He offers true cleansing, not with rituals of dust and water, but with His own blood (Heb. 9:13–14).

• And in His name—the name above all names—God’s face shines upon us.