Ilustration Credit: Elad Lifshitz, Dov Abramson Studio
In This Week’s Parashah: מָה בַּפָּרָשָׁה
Full Parashah Reading: Bemidbar 4:21-7:89
- Moshe completes the count of the families from the tribe of Levi.
- We hear a series of rules that might seem random. One thing they have in common is they all connect to כֹּהָנִים (kohanim, priests).
- Benei Yisrael must keep their camp free of טֻמְאָה (tum’ah, impurity). Kohanim would help diagnose and purify people who experienced this.
- If someone made a false oath they would bring a sacrifice called a קָרְבַּן אֲשָׁם (korban asham) to a kohen.
- A נָזִיר (nazir) is a person who promises not to cut their hair, drink wine, or come into contact with a dead body for a period of time. After this, they would bring a korban. Again, a kohen would officiate.
- Kohanim are commanded to bless Benei Yisrael by reciting three special pesukim called בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים (Birkat Kohanim).
- The נָשִׂיא (nasi, chief) of each שֵׁבֶט (shevet, tribe) brings an elaborate offering to the mishkan. Each day for 12 days straight, one nasi would bring a gift of silver and gold objects, flour, spices, and animals. Now the mishkan is fully stocked and ready for operation!
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