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Parsha Naso has 176 verses, making it the longest of all the parashiyot. Yet in the closing lines of Chapter Six we read some of the most significant verses in the Bible. You all know it, you hear it every week. ‘Adonai bless you and keep you! Adonai make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you! Adonai turn His face toward you and grant you shalom!’ (Numbers 6:24-26) This is among the most ancient of all prayer texts. It was used by the priests in the Temple. In mainstream Judaism, it is said today by the rabbis in the reader’s repetition of the Amidah, in Israel every day, in most of the Diaspora only on festivals. It is used by parents as they bless their children on Friday night. It is often said to the bride and groom under the chuppah. It is the simplest and most beautiful of all blessings.

Parsha Naso has 176 verses, making it the longest of all the parashiyot. Yet in the closing lines of Chapter Six we read some of the most significant verses in the Bible. You all know it, you hear it every week. ‘Adonai bless you and keep you! Adonai make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you! Adonai turn His face toward you and grant you shalom!’ (Numbers 6:24-26) This is among the most ancient of all prayer texts. It was used by the priests in the Temple. In mainstream Judaism, it is said today by the rabbis in the reader’s repetition of the Amidah, in Israel every day, in most of the Diaspora only on festivals. It is used by parents as they bless their children on Friday night. It is often said to the bride and groom under the chuppah. It is the simplest and most beautiful of all blessings.

Compare Chapter 23 with Chapter 16 • 16 centers on the seduction of Canaanite worship • 23 addresses political alliances • 16 speaks only of Judah • 23 focuses on both Israel and Judah The word of Adonai came to me saying: “Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother. They were harlots in Egypt; they were harlots in their youth; Oholah is the elder sister – Israel – Northern tribes • Oholibah was Judah • They were the “wives” of Adonai • The “wife” referred to their covenant relationship with God

Ezekiel fixes the date for the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem • The date was recorded to validate Ezekiel’s ministry Jerusalem had finally worn God out • He had sent prophets to no avail • The filth was still there • Only a severe total cleansing would suffice • God issued his judgment without any hope of reprieve

Compare Chapter 23 with Chapter 16 • 16 centers on the seduction of Canaanite worship • 23 addresses political alliances • 16 speaks only of Judah • 23 focuses on both Israel and Judah The word of Adonai came to me saying: “Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother. They were harlots in Egypt; they were harlots in their youth; Oholah is the elder sister – Israel – Northern tribes • Oholibah was Judah • They were the “wives” of Adonai • The “wife” referred to their covenant relationship with God

God is telling Ezekiel to remind the residents of Jerusalem of all their abominations • The indictments are concerning the murder of the citizens by leaders and ordinary citizens • God’s view of Jerusalem – • City that spills blood • City that makes idols • Their sins brought the judgement that was coming • Israel would be a disgraced before the nations • God Promised: • 1. Scatter the people of Jerusalem among the nations • 2. Refine their sinful nature out of them • 3. They would not be able to maintain holiness in exile

Behold, I will kindle a fire in you. It will devour every moist tree in you and every dry tree. Its leaping flame will not be extinguished. All faces from the south to the north will be scorched by it. (4) All flesh will see that I, Adonai, have kindled it; it will not be extinguished.’” (5) Then I said, “Ah, Adonai! They say of me. ‘Isn’t he just speaking in parables?’” (7) “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem and proclaim to the sanctuaries and prophesy against the land of Israel • The people didn’t grasp the idea of fire as God’s judgment • So now Ezekiel was to change the imagery to the sword, or invading army - Babylon • The devastation would be complete, against both the guilty and the innocent • The innocent or righteous was carried into captivity to teach repentance to the survivors

Behold, I will kindle a fire in you. It will devour every moist tree in you and every dry tree. Its leaping flame will not be extinguished. All faces from the south to the north will be scorched by it. (4) All flesh will see that I, Adonai, have kindled it; it will not be extinguished.’” (5) Then I said, “Ah, Adonai! They say of me. ‘Isn’t he just speaking in parables?’” (7) “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem and proclaim to the sanctuaries and prophesy against the land of Israel • The people didn’t grasp the idea of fire as God’s judgment • So now Ezekiel was to change the imagery to the sword, or invading army - Babylon • The devastation would be complete, against both the guilty and the innocent • The innocent or righteous was carried into captivity to teach repentance to the survivors

Ezekiel 19:1-2 • “As for you, raise a lamentation for the princes of Israel, (2) and say: ‘What was your mother? A lioness! Among lions she couched, among young lions she reared her cubs. • First of five laments in Ezekiel • The word for mourn is kinah. • The former Davidic kings were compared to a lioness • A lioness produced cubs • This first king was Jehoahaz, very violent • Reigned only 3 months in 609 BCE • Jehoichin was captured by Babylonians and taken into exile in 597 BCE • Zedekiah was the last king• The next 4 chapters (20-23) outline the fall of Judah and Jerusalem • Chapter 20 is a review of the history of Israel • It shows the consistent moral decline

Ezekiel 19:1-2 • “As for you, raise a lamentation for the princes of Israel, (2) and say: ‘What was your mother? A lioness! Among lions she couched, among young lions she reared her cubs. • First of five laments in Ezekiel • The word for mourn is kinah. • The former Davidic kings were compared to a lioness • A lioness produced cubs • This first king was Jehoahaz, very violent • Reigned only 3 months in 609 BCE • Jehoichin was captured by Babylonians and taken into exile in 597 BCE • Zedekiah was the last king• The next 4 chapters (20-23) outline the fall of Judah and Jerusalem • Chapter 20 is a review of the history of Israel • It shows the consistent moral decline

Today we will not cover all the commandments of this Parsha. We have a class after this and you need to get home sometime today, so we will look at just a few of the mitzvot outlined in this Parsha as a roadmap to accomplishing God’s commandment to “Be Holy”. I would like to explore some other verses in this week’s Parsha as it pertains to God’s standard of Holiness. Torah is that standard. It’s like Hashem is writing on the wall His concepts for being holy, being set apart.

This story of Esau’s impulsive nature, – selling part of his heritage for the sake of a bowl of soup – is reinforced by the unique description of the action in the staccato form of five consecutive verbs (literally, “he ate, he drank, he rose, he left, he despised”). Every time we see Esau we have the impression of an impulsive figure always driven by the emotion of the moment, be it hunger, filial devotion, a desire for revenge or, at last, generosity of spirit. In the Brit Chadashah, I see in Peter the character of Esau. Jacob though, is the opposite. He does not give way to his feelings. He acts and thinks long-term. That is what he does when he seizes the opportunity to buy Esau’s birthright, when he works for seven years for Rachel (a period that “seemed to him but a few days”), and when he fixes terms with Laban for payment for his labor. Rebuking his son Joseph for the seeming presumptuousness of his dreams, the Torah tells us that the brothers were jealous of Joseph “but his father kept the matter in mind.” Jacob never acts impulsively. He thinks long and hard before deciding.

VE’AHAVTA That is all well and good, but the traditional readings for today focus not on what foods and beverages we like to indulge but a more serious topic. Every week we recite a phrase from the Bible that says Love your neighbor as yourself. Yeshua said that was the second greatest commandment. Our Torah portion explores the concept of what it means to be a generous, loving people.